Joint Aspiration (Arthrocentesis)

MedlinePlus

... arthritis, or JRA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and Lyme disease. Joint aspiration is diagnostic but it also can ... topic for: Parents Kids Teens Evaluate Your Child's Lyme Disease Risk Living With Lupus Bones, Muscles, and Joints ...

Strengthening IAEA Safeguards for Research Reactors

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

Reid, Bruce D.; Anzelon, George A.; Budlong-Sylvester, Kory

During their December 10-11, 2013, workshop in Grenoble France, which focused on the history and future of safeguarding research reactors, the United States, France and the United Kingdom (UK) agreed to conduct a joint study exploring ways to strengthen the IAEA’s safeguards approach for declared research reactors. This decision was prompted by concerns about: 1) historical cases of non-compliance involving misuse (including the use of non-nuclear materials for production of neutron generators for weapons) and diversion that were discovered, in many cases, long after the violations took place and as part of broader pattern of undeclared activities in half amore » dozen countries; 2) the fact that, under the Safeguards Criteria, the IAEA inspects some reactors (e.g., those with power levels under 25 MWt) less than once per year; 3) the long-standing precedent of States using heavy water research reactors (HWRR) to produce plutonium for weapons programs; 4) the use of HEU fuel in some research reactors; and 5) various technical characteristics common to some types of research reactors that could provide an opportunity for potential proliferators to misuse the facility or divert material with low probability of detection by the IAEA. In some research reactors it is difficult to detect diversion or undeclared irradiation. In addition, infrastructure associated with research reactors could pose a safeguards challenge. To strengthen the effectiveness of safeguards at the State level, this paper advocates that the IAEA consider ways to focus additional attention and broaden its safeguards toolbox for research reactors. This increase in focus on the research reactors could begin with the recognition that the research reactor (of any size) could be a common path element on a large number of technically plausible pathways that must be considered when performing acquisition pathway analysis (APA) for developing a State Level Approach (SLA) and Annual Implementation Plan

A review of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) international standards for tissue banks.

PubMed

Morales Pedraza, Jorge; Lobo Gajiwala, Astrid; Martinez Pardo, María Esther

2012-03-01

The IAEA International Standards for Tissue Banks published in 2003 were based on the Standards then currently in use in the USA and the European Union, among others, and reflect the best practices associated with the operation of a tissue bank. They cover legal, ethical and regulatory controls as well as requirements and procedures from donor selection and tissue retrieval to processing and distribution of finished tissue for clinical use. The application of these standards allows tissue banks to operate with the current good tissue practice, thereby providing grafts of high quality that satisfy the national and international demand for safe and biologically useful grafts. The objective of this article is to review the IAEA Standards and recommend new topics that could improve the current version.

Joint Contributions of Negative Emotionality, Positive Emotionality, and Effortful Control on Depressive Symptoms in Youth.

PubMed

Van Beveren, Marie-Lotte; Mezulis, Amy; Wante, Laura; Braet, Caroline

2016-11-02

From a clinical developmental perspective, temperament has been shown to confer vulnerability to depression among youth. High negative emotionality (NE), low positive emotionality (PE), and low effortful control (EC) have repeatedly been independently associated with youth depressive symptoms. However, far less research has examined the joint contributions of NE, PE, and EC on such symptoms. The present study builds upon previous research by examining how NE, PE, and EC jointly predict change in depressive symptoms over time among 211 youngsters (7-14 years, M = 10.7, SD = 1.81) who participated in an 8-month prospective study. Self-reported temperament and symptoms were assessed at baseline; self-reported symptoms were measured again at follow-up. Results suggest that all 3 temperamental traits need to be considered jointly in predicting change in depressive symptoms. Furthermore, results provide further support for the "best two out of three" principle. Surprisingly, results reveal that high EC might be maladaptive in the context of high emotional reactivity. Last, results show that the combination of high NE and low EC could be a possible pathway to the development of symptoms. The current study clarified how NE, PE, and EC may jointly confer risk-or protection for developing depressive symptoms during adolescence. The results highlight the need of taking into account all three temperamental traits in order to provide a more nuanced understanding of the risk for developing depressive symptoms at an early stage, as well as to provide customized care targeting temperamental vulnerability in depressed youth.

'Hot Topics' in Astrophysics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maran, Stephen P.

2000-01-01

Three current topics in astrophysics are described here on the occasion of the joint meeting of the American Association of Physics Teachers and the American Astronomical Society (Jan. 7-11, 2001, San Diego, Calif.). Many equally exciting topics--ranging from the dozens of newly discovered planets of sunlike stars to evidence suggesting that the expansion of the universe is accelerating--could have been chosen. The topics discussed are: (1) the habitability of Mars, (2) black holes, galaxy bulges, and the X-ray background, and (3) the greatest explosions since the Big Bang.

Department of Energy Efforts to Promote Universal Adherence to the IAEA Additional Protocol

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

Killinger, Mark H.; Hansen, Linda H.; Kovacic, Don N.

2009-10-06

Entry-into-force of the U.S. Additional Protocol (AP) in January 2009 continues to demonstrate the ongoing commitment by the United States to promote universal adherence to the AP. The AP is a critical tool for improving the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) capabilities to detect undeclared activities that indicate a clandestine nuclear weapons program. This is because States Parties are required to provide information about, and access to, nuclear fuel cycle activities beyond their traditional safeguards reporting requirements. As part of the U.S. AP Implementation Act and Senate Resolution of Ratification, the Administration is required to report annually to Congress onmore » measures taken to achieve the adoption of the AP in non-nuclear weapon states, as well as assistance to the IAEA to promote the effective implementation of APs in those states. A key U.S. effort in this area is being managed by the International Nuclear Safeguards and Engagement Program (INSEP) of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Through new and existing bilateral cooperation agreements, INSEP has initiated technical assistance projects for AP implementation with selected non-weapon states. States with which INSEP is currently cooperating include Vietnam and Thailand, with Indonesia, Algeria, Morocco, and other countries as possible future collaborators in the area of AP implementation. The INSEP collaborative model begins with a joint assessment with our partners to identify specific needs they may have regarding entering the AP into force and any impediments to successful implementation. An action plan is then developed detailing and prioritizing the necessary joint activities. Such assistance may include: advice on developing legal frameworks and regulatory documents; workshops to promote understanding of AP requirements; training to determine possible declarable activities; assistance in developing a system to collect and submit declarations; performing industry

IAEA activities in the area of partitioning and transmutation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stanculescu, Alexander

2006-06-01

Four major challenges are facing the long-term development of nuclear energy: improvement of the economic competitiveness, meeting increasingly stringent safety requirements, adhering to the criteria of sustainable development, and public acceptance. Meeting the sustainability criteria is the driving force behind the topic of this paper. In this context, sustainability has two aspects: natural resources and waste management. IAEA's activities in the area of Partitioning and Transmutation (P&T) are mostly in response to the latter. While not involving the large quantities of gaseous products and toxic solid wastes associated with fossil fuels, radioactive waste disposal is today's dominant public acceptance issue. In fact, small waste quantities permit a rigorous confinement strategy, and mined geological disposal is the strategy followed by some countries. Nevertheless, political opposition arguing that this does not yet constitute a safe disposal technology has largely stalled these efforts. One of the primary reasons cited is the long life of many of the radioisotopes generated from fission. This concern has led to increased R&D efforts to develop a technology aimed at reducing the amount and radio-toxicity of long-lived radioactive waste through transmutation in fission reactors or sub-critical systems. In the frame of the Project on Technology Advances in Fast Reactors and Accelerator-Driven Systems (ADS), the IAEA initiated a number of activities on utilization of plutonium and transmutation of long-lived radioactive waste, ADS, and deuterium-tritium plasma-driven sub-critical systems. The paper presents past accomplishments, current status and planned activities of this IAEA project.

Cross-layer Joint Relay Selection and Power Allocation Scheme for Cooperative Relaying System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhi, Hui; He, Mengmeng; Wang, Feiyue; Huang, Ziju

2018-03-01

A novel cross-layer joint relay selection and power allocation (CL-JRSPA) scheme over physical layer and data-link layer is proposed for cooperative relaying system in this paper. Our goal is finding the optimal relay selection and power allocation scheme to maximize system achievable rate when satisfying total transmit power constraint in physical layer and statistical delay quality-of-service (QoS) demand in data-link layer. Using the concept of effective capacity (EC), our goal can be formulated into an optimal joint relay selection and power allocation (JRSPA) problem to maximize the EC when satisfying total transmit power limitation. We first solving optimal power allocation (PA) problem with Lagrange multiplier approach, and then solving optimal relay selection (RS) problem. Simulation results demonstrate that CL-JRSPA scheme gets larger EC than other schemes when satisfying delay QoS demand. In addition, the proposed CL-JRSPA scheme achieves the maximal EC when relay located approximately halfway between source and destination, and EC becomes smaller when the QoS exponent becomes larger.

Nitroprusside and ECS-induced retrograde amnesia.

PubMed

Sudha, S; Andrade, C; Anand, A; Guido, S; Venkataraman, B V

2001-03-01

Previous research found that the administration of verapamil and felodipine immediately before electroconvulsive shocks (ECS) attenuated ECS-induced retrograde amnesia. This study examined whether sodium nitroprusside, an antihypertensive drug that does not affect calcium channels, has a similar action. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats received nitroprusside (0.5 mg/kg ip) or saline 3 minutes before each of three once-daily true or sham ECS. Retention of pre-ECS learning was studied 1 day after ECS using a passive avoidance task. Nitroprusside was associated with increased seizure duration in ECS-treated rats, and with enhanced recall in both true and sham ECS groups. The latter finding suggests that nitroprusside nonspecifically improves cognitive functions, and does not support the hypothesis that ECS-induced cognitive impairment is a result of blood-brain barrier breach. Nitric oxide mechanisms may underlie the benefits purveyed by nitroprusside.

Recommended observational skills training for IAEA safeguards inspections. Final report: Recommended observational skills training for IAEA safeguards inspections

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

Toquam, J.L.; Morris, F.A.

This is the second of two reports prepared to assist the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA or Agency) in enhancing the effectiveness of its international safeguards inspections through inspector training in {open_quotes}Observational Skills{close_quotes}. The first (Phase 1) report was essentially exploratory. It defined Observational Skills broadly to include all appropriate cognitive, communications, and interpersonal techniques that have the potential to help IAEA safeguards inspectors function more effectively. It identified 10 specific Observational Skills components, analyzed their relevance to IAEA safeguards inspections, and reviewed a variety of inspection programs in the public and private sectors that provide training in one ormore » more of these components. The report concluded that while it should be possible to draw upon these other programs in developing Observational Skills training for IAEA inspectors, the approaches utilized in these programs will likely require significant adaption to support the specific job requirements, policies, and practices that define the IAEA inspector`s job. The overall objective of this second (Phase 2) report is to provide a basis for the actual design and delivery of Observational Skills training to IAEA inspectors. The more specific purposes of this report are to convey a fuller understanding of the potential application of Observational Skills to the inspector`s job, describe inspector perspectives on the relevance and importance of particular Observational Skills, identify the specific Observational Skill components that are most important and relevant to enhancing safeguards inspections, and make recommendations as to Observational Skills training for the IAEA`s consideration in further developing its Safeguards training program.« less

Regulatory cross-cutting topics for fuel cycle facilities.

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

Denman, Matthew R.; Brown, Jason; Goldmann, Andrew Scott

This report overviews crosscutting regulatory topics for nuclear fuel cycle facilities for use in the Fuel Cycle Research & Development Nuclear Fuel Cycle Evaluation and Screening study. In particular, the regulatory infrastructure and analysis capability is assessed for the following topical areas: Fire Regulations (i.e., how applicable are current Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and/or International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) fire regulations to advance fuel cycle facilities) Consequence Assessment (i.e., how applicable are current radionuclide transportation tools to support risk-informed regulations and Level 2 and/or 3 PRA) While not addressed in detail, the following regulatory topic is also discussed: Integrated Security,more » Safeguard and Safety Requirement (i.e., how applicable are current Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) regulations to future fuel cycle facilities which will likely be required to balance the sometimes conflicting Material Accountability, Security, and Safety requirements.)« less

Rejection Sensitivity and Executive Control: Joint predictors of Borderline Personality features

PubMed Central

Ayduk, Özlem; Zayas, Vivian; Downey, Geraldine; Cole, Amy Blum; Shoda, Yuichi; Mischel, Walter

2008-01-01

Two studies tested the hypothesis that rejection sensitivity (RS) and executive control (EC) jointly predict borderline personality (BP) features. We expected high RS to be related to increased vulnerability for BP features specifically in people who also had difficulties in executive control (EC). Study 1 tested this hypothesis using a sample of college students (N = 379) whereas Study 2 (N = 104) was conducted using a community sample of adults. Both studies operationalized EC by a self-report measure. For a subsample in Study 2 (N = 80), ability to delay gratification at age 4 was also used as an early behavioral precursor of EC in adulthood. In both studies, high RS was associated with increased BP features among people low in self-reported EC. Among those high in self-reported EC, the relationship between RS and BP features was attenuated. Study 2 found parallel findings using preschool delay ability as a behavioral index of EC. These findings suggest that EC may protect high RS people against BP features. PMID:18496604

Joint Problems

MedlinePlus

... Help Related Topics Arthritis Join our e-newsletter! Aging & Health A to Z Joint Problems Basic Facts & ... April 2017 Posted: March 2012 © 2018 Health in Aging. All rights reserved. Feedback • Site Map • Privacy Policy • ...

10 CFR 75.7 - Notification of IAEA safeguards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Notification of IAEA safeguards. 75.7 Section 75.7 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) SAFEGUARDS ON NUCLEAR MATERIAL-IMPLEMENTATION OF US/IAEA AGREEMENT General Provisions § 75.7 Notification of IAEA safeguards. (a) The licensee must inform the NRC...

10 CFR 75.7 - Notification of IAEA safeguards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Notification of IAEA safeguards. 75.7 Section 75.7 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) SAFEGUARDS ON NUCLEAR MATERIAL-IMPLEMENTATION OF US/IAEA AGREEMENT General Provisions § 75.7 Notification of IAEA safeguards. (a) The licensee must inform the NRC...

Improving the Transparency of IAEA Safeguards Reporting

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

Toomey, Christopher; Hayman, Aaron M.; Wyse, Evan T.

2011-07-17

In 2008, the Standing Advisory Group on Safeguards Implementation (SAGSI) indicated that the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) Safeguards Implementation Report (SIR) has not kept pace with the evolution of safeguards and provided the IAEA with a set of recommendations for improvement. The SIR is the primary mechanism for providing an overview of safeguards implementation in a given year and reporting on the annual safeguards findings and conclusions drawn by the Secretariat. As the IAEA transitions to State-level safeguards approaches, SIR reporting must adapt to reflect these evolutionary changes. This evolved report will better reflect the IAEA's transition to amore » more qualitative and information-driven approach, based upon State-as-a-whole considerations. This paper applies SAGSI's recommendations to the development of multiple models for an evolved SIR and finds that an SIR repurposed as a 'safeguards portal' could significantly enhance information delivery, clarity, and transparency. In addition, this paper finds that the 'portal concept' also appears to have value as a standardized information presentation and analysis platform for use by Country Officers, for continuity of knowledge purposes, and the IAEA Secretariat in the safeguards conclusion process. Accompanying this paper is a fully functional prototype of the 'portal' concept, built using commercial software and IAEA Annual Report data.« less

Certified reference materials for radionuclides in Bikini Atoll sediment (IAEA-410) and Pacific Ocean sediment (IAEA-412).

PubMed

Pham, M K; van Beek, P; Carvalho, F P; Chamizo, E; Degering, D; Engeler, C; Gascó, C; Gurriaran, R; Hanley, O; Harms, A V; Herrmann, J; Hult, M; Ikeuchi, Y; Ilchmann, C; Kanisch, G; Kis-Benedek, G; Kloster, M; Laubenstein, M; Llaurado, M; Mas, J L; Nakano, M; Nielsen, S P; Osvath, I; Povinec, P P; Rieth, U; Schikowski, J; Smedley, P A; Suplinska, M; Sýkora, I; Tarjan, S; Varga, B; Vasileva, E; Zalewska, T; Zhou, W

2016-03-01

The preparation and characterization of certified reference materials (CRMs) for radionuclide content in sediments collected offshore of Bikini Atoll (IAEA-410) and in the open northwest Pacific Ocean (IAEA-412) are described and the results of the certification process are presented. The certified radionuclides include: (40)K, (210)Pb ((210)Po), (226)Ra, (228)Ra, (228)Th, (232)Th, (234)U, (238)U, (239)Pu, (239+240)Pu and (241)Am for IAEA-410 and (40)K, (137)Cs, (210)Pb ((210)Po), (226)Ra, (228)Ra, (228)Th, (232)Th, (235)U, (238)U, (239)Pu, (240)Pu and (239+240)Pu for IAEA-412. The CRMs can be used for quality assurance and quality control purposes in the analysis of radionuclides in sediments, for development and validation of analytical methods and for staff training. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Funding for the 2ND IAEA technical meeting on fusion data processing, validation and analysis

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

Greenwald, Martin

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will organize the second Technical Meeting on Fusion Da Processing, Validation and Analysis from 30 May to 02 June, 2017, in Cambridge, MA USA. The meeting w be hosted by the MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center (PSFC). The objective of the meeting is to provide a platform where a set of topics relevant to fusion data processing, validation and analysis are discussed with the view of extrapolation needs to next step fusion devices such as ITER. The validation and analysis of experimental data obtained from diagnostics used to characterize fusion plasmas are crucialmore » for a knowledge based understanding of the physical processes governing the dynamics of these plasmas. The meeting will aim at fostering, in particular, discussions of research and development results that set out or underline trends observed in the current major fusion confinement devices. General information on the IAEA, including its mission and organization, can be found at the IAEA websit Uncertainty quantification (UQ) Model selection, validation, and verification (V&V) Probability theory and statistical analysis Inverse problems & equilibrium reconstru ction Integrated data analysis Real time data analysis Machine learning Signal/image proc essing & pattern recognition Experimental design and synthetic diagnostics Data management« less

On Constructing, Grouping and Using Topical Ontology for Semantic Matching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Yan; de Baer, Peter; Zhao, Gang; Meersman, Robert

An ontology topic is used to group concepts from different contexts (or even from different domain ontologies). This paper presents a pattern-driven modeling methodology for constructing and grouping topics in an ontology (PAD-ON methodology), which is used for matching similarities between competences in the human resource management (HRM) domain. The methodology is supported by a tool called PAD-ON. This paper demonstrates our recent achievement in the work from the EC Prolix project. The paper approach is applied to the training processes at British Telecom as the test bed.

Topical Tranexamic Acid Use in Knee Periprosthetic Joint Infection Is Safe and Effective.

PubMed

Waddell, Bradford S; Zahoor, Talal; Meyer, Mark; Ochsner, Lock; Chimento, George

2016-07-01

Tranexamic acid (TXA) has been shown to decrease hemoglobin loss and reduce the need for transfusions in primary hip and knee arthroplasty. Our study evaluated the safety and efficacy of topical TXA in revision TKA for periprosthetic joint infection (PJI). We performed a retrospective review of patients who underwent removal of hardware with antibiotic spacer placement (stage 1) and/or revision TKA (stage 2) for PJI at our institution between September 2007 and July 2013. During that time, 49 patients underwent stage-1 procedures (20 knees with TXA, 29 without TXA) and 47 patients underwent stage-2 revisions (28 with TXA, 19 without TXA). We evaluated hemoglobin loss, need for transfusion, reinfection rate, length of stay (LOS), complications, and mortality with and without the use of TXA in these patients. All data sets were analyzed with a two-sample t-test. Average follow-up was 3.15 years (range, 1-7 years). TXA use led to a significantly lower percentage drop in the postoperative lowest hemoglobin compared with the preoperative hemoglobin in stage-1 surgeries (19.8 vs. 30.05%, p = 0.0004) and stage-2 revisions (24.5 vs 32.01%, p = 0.01). In both groups, TXA use was associated with a significant reduction in transfusion rates (stage-1, 25 vs 51.7%, p = 0.04; stage-2, 25 vs. 52.6%, p = 0.05). There was a nonstatistical decreased LOS in both groups in which TXA was used (stage 1, 5.15 vs. 6.72 days, p = 0.055; stage 2, 5.21 vs. 6.84 days, p = 0.09). There was no difference in the reinfection rate (4 vs. 4, p = 0.56) or mortality rate between groups (0 vs. 2 non-TXA group). A single upper extremity deep vein thrombosis occurred in a stage-1 patient who received TXA, and no pulmonary embolism occurred. We show that topical TXA is safe and effective for use in both stages of revision TKA for PJI. Previous studies have shown TXA to aggravate a staphylococcal infection in mice; however, topical TXA doesn't appear to negatively effect on the

RECRUITMENT OF U.S. CITIZENS FOR VACANCIES IN IAEA SAFEGUARDS

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

PEPPER,S.E.; DECARO,D.; WILLIAMS,G.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) relies on its member states to assist with recruiting qualified individuals for positions within the IAEA's secretariat. It is important that persons within and outside the US nuclear and safeguards industries become aware of career opportunities available at the IAEA, and informed about important vacancies. The IAEA has established an impressive web page to advertise opportunities for employment. However, additional effort is necessary to ensure that there is sufficient awareness in the US of these opportunities, and assistance for persons interested in taking positions at the IAEA. In 1998, the Subgroup on Safeguards Technicalmore » Support (SSTS) approved a special task under the US Support Program to IAEA Safeguards (USSP) for improving US efforts to identify qualified candidates for vacancies in IAEA's Department of Safeguards. The International Safeguards Project Office (ISPO) developed a plan that includes increased advertising, development of a web page to support US recruitment efforts, feedback from the US Mission in Vienna, and interaction with other recruitment services provided by US professional organizations. The main purpose of this effort is to educate US citizens about opportunities at the IAEA so that qualified candidates can be identified for the IAEA's consideration.« less

10 CFR 75.12 - Communication of information to IAEA.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Communication of information to IAEA. 75.12 Section 75.12 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) SAFEGUARDS ON NUCLEAR MATERIAL-IMPLEMENTATION OF US/IAEA AGREEMENT Facility and Location Information § 75.12 Communication of information to IAEA. (a) Except as...

10 CFR 75.12 - Communication of information to IAEA.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Communication of information to IAEA. 75.12 Section 75.12 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) SAFEGUARDS ON NUCLEAR MATERIAL-IMPLEMENTATION OF US/IAEA AGREEMENT Facility and Location Information § 75.12 Communication of information to IAEA. (a) Except as...

Developmental regulation of ecdysone receptor (EcR) and EcR-controlled gene expression during pharate-adult development of honeybees (Apis mellifera)

PubMed Central

Mello, Tathyana R. P.; Aleixo, Aline C.; Pinheiro, Daniel G.; Nunes, Francis M. F.; Bitondi, Márcia M. G.; Hartfelder, Klaus; Barchuk, Angel R.; Simões, Zilá L. P.

2014-01-01

Major developmental transitions in multicellular organisms are driven by steroid hormones. In insects, these, together with juvenile hormone (JH), control development, metamorphosis, reproduction and aging, and are also suggested to play an important role in caste differentiation of social insects. Here, we aimed to determine how EcR transcription and ecdysteroid titers are related during honeybee postembryonic development and what may actually be the role of EcR in caste development of this social insect. In addition, we expected that knocking-down EcR gene expression would give us information on the participation of the respective protein in regulating downstream targets of EcR. We found that in Apis mellifera females, EcR-A is the predominantly expressed variant in postembryonic development, while EcR-B transcript levels are higher in embryos, indicating an early developmental switch in EcR function. During larval and pupal stages, EcR-B expression levels are very low, while EcR-A transcripts are more variable and abundant in workers compared to queens. Strikingly, these transcript levels are opposite to the ecdysteroid titer profile. 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) application experiments revealed that low 20E levels induce EcR expression during development, whereas high ecdysteroid titers seem to be repressive. By means of RNAi-mediated knockdown (KD) of both EcR transcript variants we detected the differential expression of 234 poly-A+ transcripts encoding genes such as CYPs, MRJPs and certain hormone response genes (Kr-h1 and ftz-f1). EcR-KD also promoted the differential expression of 70 miRNAs, including highly conserved ones (e.g., miR-133 and miR-375), as well honeybee-specific ones (e.g., miR-3745 and miR-3761). Our results put in evidence a broad spectrum of EcR-controlled gene expression during postembryonic development of honeybees, revealing new facets of EcR biology in this social insect. PMID:25566327

Measuring ECS Interaction with Biomembranes.

PubMed

Angelucci, Clotilde B; Sabatucci, Annalaura; Dainese, Enrico

2016-01-01

Understanding the correct interaction among the different components of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) is fundamental for a proper assessment of the function of endocannabinoids (eCBs) as signaling molecules. The knowledge of how membrane environment is able to modulate intracellular trafficking of eCBs and their interacting proteins holds a huge potential in unraveling new mechanisms of ECS modulation.Here, fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) technique is applied to measure the binding affinity of ECS proteins to model membranes (i.e., large unilamellar vesicles, LUVs). In particular, we describe in details the paradigmatic example of the interaction of recombinant rat FAAH-ΔTM with LUVs constituted by 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC).

Optimum design of Geodesic dome’s jointing system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tran, Huy. T.

2018-04-01

This study attempts to create a new design for joint connector of Geodesic dome. A new type of joint connector design is proposed for flexible rotating connection; comparing it to another, this design is cheaper and workable. After calculating the bearing capacity of the sample according to EC3 and Vietnam standard TCVN 5575-2012, FEM model of the design sample is carried out in many specific situation to consider the stress distribution, the deformation, the local destruction… in the connector. The analytical results and the FE data are consistent. The FE analysis also points out the behavior of some details that simple calculation cannot show. Hence, we can choose the optimum design of joint connector.

Improving Quality and Access to Radiation Therapy-An IAEA Perspective.

PubMed

Abdel-Wahab, May; Zubizarreta, Eduardo; Polo, Alfredo; Meghzifene, Ahmed

2017-04-01

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been involved in radiation therapy since soon after its creation in 1957. In response to the demands of Member States, the IAEA׳s activities relating to radiation therapy have focused on supporting low- and middle-income countries to set up radiation therapy facilities, expand the scope of treatments, or gradually transition to new technologies. In addition, the IAEA has been very active in providing internationally harmonized guidelines on clinical, dosimetry, medical physics, and safety aspects of radiation therapy. IAEA clinical research has provided evidence for treatment improvement as well as highly effective resource-sparing interventions. In the process, training of researchers occurs through this program. To provide this support, the IAEA works with its Member States and multiple partners worldwide through several mechanisms. In this article, we review the main activities conducted by the IAEA in support to radiation therapy. IAEA support has been crucial for achieving tangible results in many low- and middle-income countries. However, long-term sustainability of projects can present a challenge, especially when considering health budget constraints and the brain drain of skilled professionals. The need for support remains, with more than 90% of patients in low-income countries lacking access to radiotherapy. Thus, the IAEA is expected to continue its support and strengthen quality radiation therapy treatment of patients with cancer. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Requirement of a Relatively High Threshold Level of Mg2+ for Cell Growth of a Rhizoplane Bacterium, Sphingomonas yanoikuyae EC-S001

PubMed Central

Hoo, Henny; Hashidoko, Yasuyuki; Islam, Md. Tofazzal; Tahara, Satoshi

2004-01-01

Mg2+ is one of the essential elements for bacterial cell growth. The presence of the magnesium cation (Mg2+) in various concentrations often affects cell growth restoration in plant-associating bacteria. This study attempted to determine whether Mg2+ levels in Sphingomonas yanoikuyae EC-S001 affected cell growth restoration in the host plant and what the threshold level is. S. yanoikuyae EC-S001, isolated from the rhizoplane of spinach seedlings grown from surface-sterilized seeds under aseptic conditions, displayed uniform dispersion and attachment throughout the rhizoplane and phylloplane of the host seedlings. S. yanoikuyae EC-S001 did not grow in potato-dextrose broth medium but grew well in an aqueous extract of spinach leaves. Chemical investigation of the growth factor in the spinach leaf extract led to identification of the active principle as the magnesium cation. A concentration of ca. 0.10 mM Mg2+ or more allowed S. yanoikuyae EC-S001 to grow in potato-dextrose broth medium. Some saprophytic and/or diazotrophic bacteria used in our experiment were found to have diverse threshold levels for their Mg2+ requirements. For example, Burkholderia cepacia EC-K014, originally isolated from the rhizoplane of a Melastoma sp., could grow even in Mg2+-free Hoagland's no. 2 medium with saccharose and glutamine (HSG medium) and requires a trace level of Mg2+ for its growth. In contrast, S. yanoikuyae EC-S001, together with Bacillus subtilis IFO12113, showed the most drastic restoring responses to subsequent addition of 0.98 mM Mg2+ to Mg2+-free HSG medium. Our studies concluded that Mg2+ is more than just the essential trace element needed for cell growth restoration in S. yanoikuyae EC-S001 and that certain nonculturable bacteria may require a higher concentration of Mg2+ or another specific essential element for their growth. PMID:15345402

Effects of pulsed mid-IR lasers on bovine knee joint tissues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vari, Sandor G.; Shi, Wei-Qiang; Pergadia, Vani R.; Duffy, J. T.; Miller, J. M.; van der Veen, Maurits J.; Weiss, Andrew B.; Fishbein, Michael C.; Grundfest, Warren S.

1993-07-01

We investigated the effect of varying Tm:YAG (2.014 micrometers ) and Ho:YAG (2.130 micrometers ) laser parameters on ablation rate and consequent thermal damage. Mid-infrared wavelengths are strongly absorbed by most biological tissues due to the tissue's high water content. The ablation rate of fresh bovine knee joint tissues (fibrous cartilage, hyaline cartilage, and bone) in saline was assessed as a function of radiant exposure (160 - 950 J/cm2), at pulse widths of 200 microsecond(s) ec for Tm:YAG and 250 microsecond(s) ec for Ho:YAG and a repetition rate of 2 Hz. All tissues used in this study could be efficiently ablated using two micron lasers. The mechanism of action is likely related to the formation and collapse of cavitation bubbles, associated with mid-infrared lasers. We concluded that the Tm:YAG and Ho:YAG lasers are capable of effective knee joint tissue ablation.

7 CFR 2902.59 - Topical pain relief products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... other topical treatments used for the relief of muscle, joint, headache, and nerve pain, as well as... qualifying biobased carbon in the product as a percent of the weight (mass) of the total organic carbon in...

Radiation processing techniques in remediation of pollutants, and the role of the IAEA in supporting capacity building in developing countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haji-Saeid, S. Mohammad.; Sampa, M. H.; Safrany, A.; Sabharwal, S.; Ramamoorthy, N.

2012-08-01

Radiation treatment, or a combination of radiation with conventional biological-chemical-physical processes, can help in the remediation of contaminated surfaces and in combating industrial chemical effluents and air pollution. The use of ionizing radiation as a powerful tool for inactivation of microbes is a valuable option to address likely threats from biohazard contamination that could be introduced either deliberately or inadvertently into areas where the public are exposed to, as well as for treatment of volatile organic compounds and similar hazardous chemical agents is an emerging development in tackling harmful pollutants. The role of the IAEA has been crucial both in supporting the development of local capabilities as well as in fostering international cooperation due to the multidisciplinary expertise required for achieving sustainable benefits. The IAEA is implementing Coordinated Research Projects, (CRP) thematic topical reviews of issues and challenges involved, and Technical Cooperation (TC) assistance in establishing and maintaining infrastructure in the MS. This paper will give an insight into the above mentioned IAEA activities, with examples of successes achieved through CRPs, as well as challenges on the road for broader dissemination of radiation processing technology for environmental remediation.

Public priorities for joint pain research: results from a general population survey

PubMed Central

Carter, Pam; Ong, Bie Nio; Bedson, John; Jordan, Kelvin P.; Jinks, Clare

2012-01-01

Objective. We aimed to identify the priorities for joint pain research from a large general population survey and identify characteristics associated with these priorities. Methods. A question about research priorities was developed in collaboration with the Arthritis Research UK Primary Care Centre’s Research Users’ Group. The question was embedded in a postal survey to an existing cohort of adults with self-reported joint pain, aged ≥56 years, in North Staffordshire. Respondents were asked to rank their top three priorities for research. Factor mixture modelling was used to determine subgroups of priorities. Results. In all, 1756 (88%) people responded to the survey. Of these, 1356 (77%) gave three priorities for research. Keeping active was rated the top priority by 38%, followed by research around joint replacement (9%) and diet/weight loss (9%). Two clusters of people were identified: 62% preferred lifestyle/self-management topics (e.g. keeping active, weight loss) and 38% preferred medical intervention topics (e.g. joint replacement, tablets). Those who preferred the medical options tended to be older and have hip or foot pain. Conclusion. This study has provided population data on priorities for joint pain research expressed by a large cohort of older people who report joint pain. The most popular topics for research were linked to lifestyle and self-management opportunities. Pharmaceutical and invasive interventions, despite being common topics of research, are of less importance to these respondents than non-medical topics. Specific research questions will be generated from this study with collaboration of the patient’s group. PMID:22886341

The impact of council directive 2011/70/EURATOM and IAEA joint convention review meetings on the ongoing establishment of the Portuguese regulatory framework and on the future of national radioactive waste

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

Paiva, Isabel; Trindade, Romao B.

Council Directive 2011/70/EURATOM of 19 July 2011, establishing a Community framework for the responsible and safe management of spent fuel and radioactive waste will enter in force August 2013 in all EU Member States. Portugal has already started preparing its legislative framework to accommodate the new legislative piece. However, the first report of Portugal to the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management of the IAEA, in Vienna, 2012, has shown that Portugal still has many steps to overcome to establish a successful and effective basic regulatory framework. The existencemore » of many competent authorities related to the radiological protection area and a newly independent commission that is still looking on how to fulfill its regulator role in other areas such as the radioactive waste management makes quite challenging the full application of the new directive as well as compliance that Portugal will have to show in the next Joint Convention review meeting in order to meet the obligations of the Convention. In this paper, the reality of the regulatory Portuguese framework on radiological protection, nuclear safety and radioactive waste management is presented. Discussion of the future impact of the new legislation and its consequences such as the need to setup the national program on radioactive waste management is critical discussed. (authors)« less

EC-92: Catalyst for Change

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-04-02

rules of membership and meet the prevailing democratic and judicial standards of the other member states. 16 While only two years ago this possibility...EES/EEA rules affect everyone, not just the EC, then all participants require a role in formulating and accepting the rules . The EC counters that...18 stabilized; members must accept binding rules for the transfer of monetary pol icy to the new bank .34 The most probable shape of the Eurofed, as

IAEA Sampling Plan

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

Geist, William H.

2017-09-15

The objectives for this presentation are to describe the method that the IAEA uses to determine a sampling plan for nuclear material measurements; describe the terms detection probability and significant quantity; list the three nuclear materials measurement types; describe the sampling method applied to an item facility; and describe multiple method sampling.

European Scale Earthquake Data Exchange: ORFEUS-EMSC Joint Initiatives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bossu, R.; van Eck, T.

2003-04-01

The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) and the Observatories and Research Facilities for European Seismology (ORFEUS) are both active international organisations with different co-ordinating roles within European seismology. Both are non-governmental non-profit organisations, which have members/participants in more than 30 countries in Europe and its surroundings. Although different, their activities are complementary with ORFEUS focusing on broadband waveform data archiving and dissemination and EMSC focusing on seismological parameter data. The main EMSC activities are the alert system for potentially damaging earthquakes, a real time seismicity web page, the production of the Euro-Med. seismological bulletin, and the creation and maintenance of databases related to seismic hazard. All these activities are based on data contributions from seismological Institutes. The EMSC is also involved in a UNESCO programme to promote seismology and data exchange in the Middle-East and Northern Africa. ORFEUS aims at co-ordinating and promoting digital broadband seismology in Europe. To accomplish this, it operates a Data Centre to archive and distribute high quality digital data for research, co-ordinates four working groups and provides services through the Internet. More recently through an EC-infrastructure project MEREDIAN it has accomplished added co-ordination of data exchange and archiving between large European national data centres and realised the Virtual European Broadband Seismograph Network (VEBSN). To accomplish higher efficiency and better services to the seismological community, ORFEUS and EMSC have been working towards a closer collaboration. Fruits of this collaboration are the joint EC project EMICES, a common Expression of Interest 'NERIES' submitted June 2002 to the EC , integration of the automatic picks from the VEBSN into the EMSC rapid alert system and collaboration on common web page developments. Presently, we collaborate in a

Cross-modal learning to rank via latent joint representation.

PubMed

Wu, Fei; Jiang, Xinyang; Li, Xi; Tang, Siliang; Lu, Weiming; Zhang, Zhongfei; Zhuang, Yueting

2015-05-01

Cross-modal ranking is a research topic that is imperative to many applications involving multimodal data. Discovering a joint representation for multimodal data and learning a ranking function are essential in order to boost the cross-media retrieval (i.e., image-query-text or text-query-image). In this paper, we propose an approach to discover the latent joint representation of pairs of multimodal data (e.g., pairs of an image query and a text document) via a conditional random field and structural learning in a listwise ranking manner. We call this approach cross-modal learning to rank via latent joint representation (CML²R). In CML²R, the correlations between multimodal data are captured in terms of their sharing hidden variables (e.g., topics), and a hidden-topic-driven discriminative ranking function is learned in a listwise ranking manner. The experiments show that the proposed approach achieves a good performance in cross-media retrieval and meanwhile has the capability to learn the discriminative representation of multimodal data.

The European Society of Regional Anaesthesia and Pain Therapy and the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine Joint Committee Practice Advisory on Controversial Topics in Pediatric Regional Anesthesia.

PubMed

Ivani, Giorgio; Suresh, Santhanam; Ecoffey, Claude; Bosenberg, Adrian; Lonnqvist, Per-Anne; Krane, Elliot; Veyckemans, Francis; Polaner, David M; Van de Velde, Marc; Neal, Joseph M

2015-01-01

Some topics in the clinical management of regional anesthesia in children remain controversial. To evaluate and come to a consensus regarding some of these topics, The European Society of Regional Anaesthesia and Pain Therapy (ESRA) and the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA) developed a joint committee practice advisory on pediatric regional anesthesia (PRA). Representatives from both ASRA and ESRA comprised the joint committee practice advisory on PRA. Evidence-based recommendations were based on a systematic search of the literature. In cases where no literature was available, expert opinion was elicited. Experts selected controversial topics in PRA. The performance of PRA under general anesthesia or deep sedation is associated with acceptable safety and should be viewed as the standard of care (Evidence B2 and Evidence B3). Because of the difficulty interpreting a negative test dose, the use of test dosing should remain discretionary (Evidence B4). The use of either air-loss of resistance or saline-loss of resistance techniques is supported by expert opinion, but the literature supporting one technique over the other is sparse and controversial; when used appropriately, each technique may be safely used in children. There are no current evidence-based data that the use of RA increases the risk for acute compartment syndrome or delays its diagnosis in children. High-level evidence is not yet available for the topics evaluated, and most recommendations are based on Evidence B studies. The ESRA/ASRA recommendations intend to provide guidance for the safe practice of regional anesthesia in children.

Radiology curriculum topics for medical students: students' perspectives.

PubMed

Subramaniam, Rathan M; Beckley, Vaughan; Chan, Michael; Chou, Tina; Scally, Peter

2006-07-01

We sought to establish medical students' perspectives of a set of curriculum topics for radiology teaching. A multicenter study was conducted in New Zealand. A modified Delphi method was adopted. Students enrolled in two New Zealand Universities received a questionnaire. Each learning topic was graded on a scale of 1 (very strongly disagree) to 6 (very strongly agree). Students could also put forward and grade suggestions that were not on the questionnaire. Of 200 questionnaires, 107 were returned. Fifty male and 57 female students participated, with an average age of 23.7 years. The five highest ranking curriculum topics in order of importance were developing a system for viewing chest radiographs (5.77, SD 0.7), developing a system for viewing abdominal radiographs (5.66, SD 0.8), developing a system for viewing bone and joint radiographs (5.56, SD 0.8), distinguishing normal structures from abnormal in chest and abdominal radiographs (5.38, SD 0.9), and identifying gross bone or joint abnormalities in skeletal radiographs (5.29, SD 0.9). Medical students want to know how to look at radiographs, how to distinguish normal from abnormal, and how to identify gross abnormalities.

Status of Europe's contribution to the ITER EC system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Albajar, F.; Aiello, G.; Alberti, S.; Arnold, F.; Avramidis, K.; Bader, M.; Batista, R.; Bertizzolo, R.; Bonicelli, T.; Braunmueller, F.; Brescan, C.; Bruschi, A.; von Burg, B.; Camino, K.; Carannante, G.; Casarin, V.; Castillo, A.; Cauvard, F.; Cavalieri, C.; Cavinato, M.; Chavan, R.; Chelis, J.; Cismondi, F.; Combescure, D.; Darbos, C.; Farina, D.; Fasel, D.; Figini, L.; Gagliardi, M.; Gandini, F.; Gantenbein, G.; Gassmann, T.; Gessner, R.; Goodman, T. P.; Gracia, V.; Grossetti, G.; Heemskerk, C.; Henderson, M.; Hermann, V.; Hogge, J. P.; Illy, S.; Ioannidis, Z.; Jelonnek, J.; Jin, J.; Kasparek, W.; Koning, J.; Krause, A. S.; Landis, J. D.; Latsas, G.; Li, F.; Mazzocchi, F.; Meier, A.; Moro, A.; Nousiainen, R.; Purohit, D.; Nowak, S.; Omori, T.; van Oosterhout, J.; Pacheco, J.; Pagonakis, I.; Platania, P.; Poli, E.; Preis, A. K.; Ronden, D.; Rozier, Y.; Rzesnicki, T.; Saibene, G.; Sanchez, F.; Sartori, F.; Sauter, O.; Scherer, T.; Schlatter, C.; Schreck, S.; Serikov, A.; Siravo, U.; Sozzi, C.; Spaeh, P.; Spichiger, A.; Strauss, D.; Takahashi, K.; Thumm, M.; Tigelis, I.; Vaccaro, A.; Vomvoridis, J.; Tran, M. Q.; Weinhorst, B.

2015-03-01

The electron cyclotron (EC) system of ITER for the initial configuration is designed to provide 20MW of RF power into the plasma during 3600s and a duty cycle of up to 25% for heating and (co and counter) non-inductive current drive, also used to control the MHD plasma instabilities. The EC system is being procured by 5 domestic agencies plus the ITER Organization (IO). F4E has the largest fraction of the EC procurements, which includes 8 high voltage power supplies (HVPS), 6 gyrotrons, the ex-vessel waveguides (includes isolation valves and diamond windows) for all launchers, 4 upper launchers and the main control system. F4E is working with IO to improve the overall design of the EC system by integrating consolidated technological advances, simplifying the interfaces, and doing global engineering analysis and assessments of EC heating and current drive physics and technology capabilities. Examples are the optimization of the HVPS and gyrotron requirements and performance relative to power modulation for MHD control, common qualification programs for diamond window procurements, assessment of the EC grounding system, and the optimization of the launcher steering angles for improved EC access. Here we provide an update on the status of Europe's contribution to the ITER EC system, and a summary of the global activities underway by F4E in collaboration with IO for the optimization of the subsystems.

Measuring eating competence: psychometric properties and validity of the ecSatter Inventory.

PubMed

Lohse, Barbara; Satter, Ellyn; Horacek, Tanya; Gebreselassie, Tesfayi; Oakland, Mary Jane

2007-01-01

Assess validity of the ecSatter Inventory (ecSI) to measure eating competence (EC). Concurrent administration of ecSI with validated measures of eating behaviors using on-line and paper-pencil formats. The on-line survey was completed by 370 participants; 462 completed the paper version. Participants included 863 adults with 832 usable surveys from respondents (mean age 36.2 +/- 13.4 years) without eating disorders, mostly female, white, educated, overweight, physically active, and food secure. Of those indicating intent to complete the on-line survey, 80.3% did so; 54% of mailed surveys were returned. Eating and food behaviors compared among EC tertiles and between dichotomous EC categories; internal consistency of ecSI. Analysis of variance, independent t tests, chi-square, factor analysis, logistic regression. Significance level was P < .05. Mean ecSI score was 31.1 +/- 7.5. ecSI included 4 subscales with internal reliability and content validity. Construct validity was supported by specific behavioral profiles for ecSI tertiles and ecSI dichotomized categories. Persons unsatisfied with weight were 54% less likely to be EC; unit increase in the food like index was associated with nearly 3 times greater likelihood of being EC. The ecSatter Inventory is a valid measure of EC and can be used for descriptive and outcome measurements.

Databases and coordinated research projects at the IAEA on atomic processes in plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Braams, Bastiaan J.; Chung, Hyun-Kyung

2012-05-01

The Atomic and Molecular Data Unit at the IAEA works with a network of national data centres to encourage and coordinate production and dissemination of fundamental data for atomic, molecular and plasma-material interaction (A+M/PMI) processes that are relevant to the realization of fusion energy. The Unit maintains numerical and bibliographical databases and has started a Wiki-style knowledge base. The Unit also contributes to A+M database interface standards and provides a search engine that offers a common interface to multiple numerical A+M/PMI databases. Coordinated Research Projects (CRPs) bring together fusion energy researchers and atomic, molecular and surface physicists for joint work towards the development of new data and new methods. The databases and current CRPs on A+M/PMI processes are briefly described here.

Databases and coordinated research projects at the IAEA on atomic processes in plasmas

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

Braams, Bastiaan J.; Chung, Hyun-Kyung

2012-05-25

The Atomic and Molecular Data Unit at the IAEA works with a network of national data centres to encourage and coordinate production and dissemination of fundamental data for atomic, molecular and plasma-material interaction (A+M/PMI) processes that are relevant to the realization of fusion energy. The Unit maintains numerical and bibliographical databases and has started a Wiki-style knowledge base. The Unit also contributes to A+M database interface standards and provides a search engine that offers a common interface to multiple numerical A+M/PMI databases. Coordinated Research Projects (CRPs) bring together fusion energy researchers and atomic, molecular and surface physicists for joint workmore » towards the development of new data and new methods. The databases and current CRPs on A+M/PMI processes are briefly described here.« less

NP1EC Degradation Pathways Under Oxic and Microxic Conditions

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

Montgomery-Brown, John; Li, Yongmei; Ding, Wang-Hsien

2008-03-22

The degradation pathway of nonylphenol ethoxyacetic acid (NP1EC) and the conditions favoring CAP1EC formation were studied in aerobic microcosms constructed with soil from the Mesa soil aquifer treatment (SAT) facility (Arizona, USA) and pristine sediments from Coyote Creek (California, USA). In the Mesa microcosms, para-NP1EC was transformed to para-NP, before being rapidly transformed to nonyl alcohols via ipso-hydroxylation. While the formation of NP from APEMs has been observed by several researchers under anaerobic conditions, this is the first time the transient formation of NP from APEMs has been observed under aerobic conditions. Unlike the Mesa microcosms, large quantities of CAP1ECsmore » were observed in the Coyote Creek microcosms. Initially, CA8P1ECs were the dominant metabolites, but as biodegradation continued, CA6P1ECs became the dominant metabolites. Compared to the CA8P1ECs, the number of CA6P1ECs peaks observed was small (<6) even though their concentrations were high. This suggests that several CA8P1ECs are degraded to only a few CA6P1EC isomers (i.e., the degradation pathway converges) or that some CA6P1EC metabolites are significantly more recalcitrant than others. The different biodegradation pathways observed in the Mesa and Coyote Creek microcosms result from the limited availability of dissolved oxygen in the Coyote Creek microcosms. In both sets of microcosms, the ortho isomers were transformed more slowly than the para isomers and in the Coyote Creek microcosms several ortho-CAP1ECs were observed. In addition, several unknown metabolites were observed in the Coyote Creek microcosms that were not seen in the abiotic or Mesa microcosms; these metabolites appear to be CAP1EC metabolites, have a -CH2-C6H4- fragment, and contain one carboxylic acid. Nitro-nonylphenol was observed in the Mesa microcosms, however, further experimentation illustrated that it was the product of an abiotic reaction between nitrite and nonylphenol under acidic

A Scalability Model for ECS's Data Server

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Menasce, Daniel A.; Singhal, Mukesh

1998-01-01

This report presents in four chapters a model for the scalability analysis of the Data Server subsystem of the Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) Core System (ECS). The model analyzes if the planned architecture of the Data Server will support an increase in the workload with the possible upgrade and/or addition of processors, storage subsystems, and networks. The approaches in the report include a summary of the architecture of ECS's Data server as well as a high level description of the Ingest and Retrieval operations as they relate to ECS's Data Server. This description forms the basis for the development of the scalability model of the data server and the methodology used to solve it.

Argonne's SpEC Module

ScienceCinema

Harper, Jason

2018-03-02

Jason Harper, an electrical engineer in Argonne National Laboratory's EV-Smart Grid Interoperability Center, discusses his SpEC Module invention that will enable fast charging of electric vehicles in under 15 minutes. The module has been licensed to BTCPower.

Joint Command and Control of Cyber Operations: The Joint Force Cyber Component Command (JFCCC)

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-05-04

relies so heavily on complex command and control systems and interconnectivity in general, cyber warfare has become a serious topic of interest at the...defensive cyber warfare into current and future operations and plans. In particular, Joint Task Force (JTF) Commanders must develop an optimum method to

International Scavenging for First Responder Guidance and Tools: IAEA Products

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

Stern, W.; Berthelot, L.; Bachner, K.

In fiscal years (FY) 2016 and 2017, with support from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) examined the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) radiological emergency response and preparedness products (guidance and tools) to determine which of these products could be useful to U.S. first responders. The IAEA Incident and Emergency Centre (IEC), which is responsible for emergency preparedness and response, offers a range of tools and guidance documents for responders in recognizing, responding to, and recovering from radiation emergencies and incidents. In order to implement this project, BNL obtained all potentially relevant tools and productsmore » produced by the IAEA IEC and analyzed these materials to determine their relevance to first responders in the U.S. Subsequently, BNL organized and hosted a workshop at DHS National Urban Security Technology Laboratory (NUSTL) for U.S. first responders to examine and evaluate IAEA products to consider their applicability to the United States. This report documents and describes the First Responder Product Evaluation Workshop, and provides recommendations on potential steps the U.S. federal government could take to make IAEA guidance and tools useful to U.S. responders.« less

ECS - The European Communication Satellite system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wooster, C. B.

1981-09-01

The evolution of the European Communication Satellite system (ECS) is traced from feasibility studies in 1970 to the development and launch in 1978 of the Orbital Test Satellite (OTS) by the European Space Agency to prove the new satellite and radio transmission technology being used on ECS. This was followed by the establishment of 'Interim EUTELSAT' in 1979 as the organization to operate ECS. The satellite, which operates at 11/14 GHz, covers all the capitals in Europe via three spot beam antennas, supplemented by a 'Eurobeam' regional coverage antenna which extends the range to cover all of Europe and the Mediterranean basin. Telephony channels are transmitted digitally using time division multiple access (TDMA) with digital speech interpolation (DSI) to optimize satellite capacity. Television transmission is by analog FM over the Eurobeam antenna to North African as well as European capitals. System implications of TDMA operation are discussed, and the EUTELSAT policy for Special Services or satellite business systems is discussed.

European Conference: "Training for Start-Ups: Existing Programmes and Policies in the Twelve Member States of the EC" (Madrid, Spain, October 24-25, 1991).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Melis, Africa

This document provides a summary of the proceedings of a conference on business start-ups and creation in the 12 member states of the European Community (EC). Section I discusses the current relevance of the issue. Major topics are the explosion of interest in business creation as a means of creating more stable employment and political concern…

On the isolation of elemental carbon (EC) for micro-molar 14C accelerator mass spectrometry: development of a hybrid reference material for 14C-EC accuracy assurance, and a critical evaluation of the thermal optical kinetic (TOK) EC isolation procedure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Currie, L. A.; Kessler, J. D.

2005-10-01

The primary objective of the research reported here has been the development of a hybrid reference material (RM) to serve as a test of accuracy for elemental carbon (EC) isotopic (14C) speciation measurements. Such measurements are vital for the quantitative apportionment of fossil and biomass sources of "soot" (EC), the tracer of fire that has profound effects on health, atmospheric visibility, and climate. Previous studies of 14C-EC measurement quality, carried out with NIST SRM 1649a (Urban Dust), showed a range of results, but since the "truth" was not known for this natural matrix RM, one had to rely on isotopic-chemical consistency evidence (14C in PAH, EC) of measurement validity (Currie et al., 2002). Components of the new Hybrid RM (DiesApple), however, have known 14C and EC composition, and they are nearly orthogonal (isotopically and chemically). NIST SRM 2975 (Forklift Diesel Soot) has little or no 14C, and its major compositional component is EC; SRM 1515 (Apple Leaves) has the 14C content of biomass-C, and it has little or no EC. Thus, the Hybrid RM can serve as an absolute isotopic test for the absence of EC-mimicking pyrolysis-C (char) from SRM 1515 in the EC isolate of the Hybrid RM, as well as a test for conservation of its dominant soot fraction throughout the isolation procedure.

The secondary objective was to employ the Hybrid RM for the comparative evaluation of the thermal optical kinetic (TOK) and thermal optical transmission (TOT) methods for the isolation of EC for micro-molar carbon accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). As part of this process, the relatively new TOK method was subjected to a critical evaluation and significant development. Key findings of our study are: (1) both methods exhibited biomass-C "leakage"; for TOT, the EC fraction isolated for AMS contained about 8% of the original biomass-C; for TOK, the refractory carbon (RC) isolated contained about 3% of the original biomass-C.; (2) the

Revitalizing Nuclear Operations in the Joint Environment

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-02-01

height of the Cold War, US schol - ars and joint operational planners were working simultaneously on weapons development and operational art to employ...leadership’s large-target- category withholds thought necessary to maintain stability in a strategic crisis. The inclusion of nuclear effects and...escalation. The inclusion of these points in tomorrow’s doctrine as well as an intellec- tual discussion on the topic will inform Joint Staff planners

Training Engineers of Joint Programs for the European Aerospace Industry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Jurgen

1985-01-01

Examines topics and issues related to training engineers of joint programs for the European aerospace industry. Forms of cooperation, European educational systems, and skills needed to successfully work as an engineer in a joint program for the European aircraft industry are the major areas addressed. (JN)

RELAP5 posttest calculation of IAEA-SPE-4

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

Petelin, S.; Mavko, B.; Parzer, I.

The International Atomic Energy Agency`s Fourth Standard Problem Exercise (IAEA-SPE-4) was performed at the PMK-2 facility. The PMK-2 facility is designed to study processes following small- and medium-size breaks in the primary system and natural circulation in VVER-440 plants. The IAEA-SPE-4 experiment represents a cold-leg side small break, similar to the IAEA-SPE-2, with the exception of the high-pressure safety injection being unavailable, and the secondary side bleed and feed initiation. The break valve was located at the dead end of a vertical downcomer, which in fact simulates a break in the reactor vessel itself, and should be unlikely to happenmore » in a real nuclear power plant (NPP). Three different RELAP5 code versions were used for the transient simulation in order to assess the calculations with test results.« less

Probing the Interaction between Cyclic ADTC1 Ac-CADTPPVC-NH2) Peptide with EC1-EC2 domain of E-cadherin using Molecular Docking Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siahaan, P.; Wuning, S.; Manna, A.; Prasasty, V. D.; Hudiyanti, D.

2018-04-01

Deeply understanding that intermolecular interaction between molecules on the paracellular pathway has given insight to its microscopic and macroscopic properties. In the paracellular pathway, synthetic cyclic ADTC1 (Ac-CADTPPVC-NH2) peptide has been studied to modulate EC1-EC2 domain, computationally using molecular docking method. The aim of this research is to probe the effect of amino acid alanine (A) of ADTC1 on its interaction properties. The study carried out in two steps: 1. the optimization using GROMACS v4.6.5 program and; 2. Determination of the interaction properties using AutoDock 4.2 program. The interaction was done for A-J box, and the best position of the binding site and binding energy on the OC and CC ADTC1 peptides against the EC1-EC2 domain of E-cadherin was selected. The result showed that the CC of the F box ADTC1 has the best interaction with binding energy of - 26.36 kJ/mol and its energy was lower than ADTC5 without alanine amino acid. ADTC1 interacted with EC1 of EC1-EC2 on Asp1, Trp2, Val3, Ile4, Ile24, Lys25, Ser26, Asn27, and Met92 residues.

10 CFR 150.17a - Compliance with requirements of US/IAEA Safeguards Agreement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Compliance with requirements of US/IAEA Safeguards... Authority in Agreement States § 150.17a Compliance with requirements of US/IAEA Safeguards Agreement. (a... shall take other action as may be necessary to implement the US/IAEA Safeguards Agreement, as described...

10 CFR 150.17a - Compliance with requirements of US/IAEA Safeguards Agreement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Compliance with requirements of US/IAEA Safeguards... Authority in Agreement States § 150.17a Compliance with requirements of US/IAEA Safeguards Agreement. (a... shall take other action as may be necessary to implement the US/IAEA Safeguards Agreement, as described...

Hard-to-Teach Topics: Using ICT Part 1

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tanner, Ruth

2009-01-01

In November 2007 a joint ATM/MA team began working together to consider how ICT can be used to support the teaching and learning of topics that are considered to be "hard to teach" in secondary mathematics, within a project that complements that of the Secondary National Strategy. In the best subject association spirit, it was decided to…

EDITORIAL: Special issue containing papers presented at the 11th IAEA Technical Meeting on Energetic Particles in Magnetic Confinement Systems Special issue containing papers presented at the 11th IAEA Technical Meeting on Energetic Particles in Magnetic Confinement Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kolesnichenko, Ya.

2010-08-01

The history of fusion research resembles the way in which one builds skyscrapers: laying the first foundation stone, one thinks about the top of the skyscraper. At the early stages of fusion, when it became clear that the thermonuclear reactor would operate with DT plasma confined by the magnetic field, the study of the `top item'—the physics of 3.5 MeV alpha particles produced by the DT fusion reaction—was initiated. The first publications on this topic appeared as long ago as the 1960s. At that time, because the physics of alpha particles was far from the experimental demand, investigations were carried out by small groups of theoreticians who hoped to discover important and interesting phenomena in this new research area. Soon after the beginning of the work, theoreticians discovered that alpha particles could excite various instabilities in fusion plasmas. In particular, at the end of the 1960s an Alfvén instability driven by alpha particles was predicted. Later it turned out that a variety of Alfvén instabilities with very different features does exist. Instabilities with perturbations of the Alfvénic type play an important role in current experiments; it is likely that they will affect plasma performance in ITER and future reactors. The first experimental manifestation of instabilities excited by superthermal particles in fusion devices was observed in the PDX tokamak in 1983. In this device a large-scale instability—the so called `fishbone instability'—associated with ions produced by the neutral beam injection resulted in a loss of a large fraction of the injected energy. Since then, the study of energetic-ion-driven instabilities and the effects produced by energetic ions in fusion plasmas has attracted the growing attention of both experimentalists and theorists. Recognizing the importance of this topic, the first conference on fusion alpha particles was held in 1989 in Kyiv under the auspices of the IAEA. The meeting in Kyiv and several

12th IAEA Technical Meeting on Energetic Particles in Magnetic Confinement Systems

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

Berk, Herbert L.; Breizman, Boris N.

2014-02-21

The 12th IAEA Technical Meeting on Energetic Particles in Magnetic Confinement Systems took place in Austin, Texas (7–11 September 2011). This meeting was organized jointly with the 5th IAEA Technical Meeting on Theory of Plasma Instabilities (5–7 September 2011). The two meetings shared one day (7 September 2011) with presentations relevant to both groups. Some of the work reported at these meetings was then published in a special issue of Nuclear Fusion [Nucl. Fusion 52 (2012)]. Summaries of the Energetic Particle Conference presentations were given by Kazuo Toi and Boris Breizman. They respectively discussed the experimental and theoretical progress presentedmore » at the meeting. Highlights of this meeting include the tremendous progress that has been achieved in the development of diagnostics that enables the ‘viewing’ of internal fluctuations and allows comparison with theoretical predictions, as demonstrated, for example, in the talks of P. Lauber and M. Osakabe. The need and development of hardened diagnostics in the severe radiation environment, such as those that will exist in ITER, was discussed in the talks of V. Kiptily and V.A. Kazakhov. In theoretical studies, much of the effort is focused on nonlinear phenomena. For example, detailed comparison of theory and experiment on D-III-D on the n = 0 geodesic mode was reported in separate papers by R. Nazikian and G. Fu. A large number of theoretical papers were presented on wave chirping including a paper by B.N. Breizman, which notes that wave chirping from a single frequency may emanate continuously once marginal stability conditions have been established. Another area of wide interest was the detailed study of alpha orbits in a burning plasma, where losses can come from symmetry breaking due to finite coil number or magnetic field imperfections introduced by diagnostic or test modules. An important area of development, covered by M.A. Hole and D.A. Spong, is concerned with the self

EcAMSat Video News File

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-11-03

A video news file (or a collection of raw video and interview clips) about the EcAMSat mission. Ever wonder what would happen if you got sick in space? NASA is sending samples of bacteria into low-Earth orbit to find out. One of the latest small satellite missions from NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley is the E. coli Anti-Microbial Satellite, or EcAMSat for short. The CubeSat – a spacecraft the size of a shoebox built from cube-shaped units – will explore how effectively antibiotics can combat E. coli bacteria in the low gravity of space. This information will help us improve how we fight infections, providing safer journeys for astronauts on their future voyages, and offer benefits for medicine here on Earth.

Measuring Eating Competence: Psychometric Properties and Validity of the ecSatter Inventory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lohse, Barbara; Satter, Ellyn; Horacek, Tanya; Gebreselassie, Tesfayi; Oakland, Mary Jane

2007-01-01

Objective: Assess validity of the ecSatter Inventory (ecSI) to measure eating competence (EC). Design: Concurrent administration of ecSI with validated measures of eating behaviors using on-line and paper-pencil formats. Setting: The on-line survey was completed by 370 participants; 462 completed the paper version. Participants: Participants…

Four Years of Practical Arrangements between IAEA and Moscow SIA 'Radon': Preliminary Results - 13061

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

Batyukhnova, O.G.; Karlina, O.K.; Neveikin, P.P.

The International Education Training Centre (IETC) at Moscow State Unitary Enterprise Scientific and Industrial Association 'Radon' (SIA 'Radon'), in co-operation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has developed expertise and provided training to waste management personnel for the last 15 years. Since 1997, the educational system of the enterprise with the support of the IAEA has acquired an international character: more than 470 experts from 35 countries- IAEA Member States completed the professional development. Training is conducted at various thematic courses or fellowships for individual programs and seminars on IAEA technical projects. In June 2008 a direct agreement (Practicalmore » Arrangements) was signed between SIA 'Radon' and the IAEA on cooperation in the field of development of new technologies, expert's advice to IAEA Member States, and, in particular, the training of personnel in the field of radioactive waste management (RWM), which opens up new perspectives for fruitful cooperation of industry professionals. The paper summarizes the current experience of the SIA 'Radon' in the organization and implementation of the IAEA sponsored training and others events and outlines some of strategic educational elements, which IETC will continue to pursue in the coming years. (authors)« less

Strengthening radiopharmacy practice in IAEA Member States.

PubMed

Duatti, Adriano; Bhonsle, Uday

2013-05-01

Radiopharmaceuticals are essential components of nuclear medicine procedures. Without radiopharmaceuticals nuclear medicine procedures cannot be performed. Therefore it could be said that 'No radiopharmaceutical-no nuclear medicine.' A good radiopharmacy practice supports nuclear medicine activities by producing radiopharmaceuticals that are safe and are of the required quality in a consistent way. As with any medicinal product, radiopharmaceuticals are required to be produced under carefully controlled conditions and are tested for their quality, prior to the administration to patients, using validated standard operating procedures. These procedures are based on the principles of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP). The GMP principles are based on scientific knowledge and applicable regulatory requirements and guidance related to radiopharmaceutical productions and use. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is committed to promote, in the Member States (MS), a rational and practical approach for the implementation of GMP for compounding or manufacturing of diagnostic or therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals. To pursue this goal the IAEA has developed various mechanisms and collaborations with individual experts in the field and with relevant national and international institutions or organizations. IAEA's activities in promoting radiopharmaceutical science include commissioning expert advice in the form of publications on radiopharmaceutical production, quality control and usage, producing technical guidance on production and regulatory aspects related to new radiopharmaceuticals, creating guidance documentation for self or internal audits of radiopharmaceutical production facilities, producing guidance on implementation of Quality Management System and GMP in radiopharmacy, assisting in creation of specific radiopharmaceutical monographs for the International Pharmacopoeia, and developing radiopharmacy-related human resource capabilities in MS through individual

Topic Repetitiveness after Traumatic Brain Injury: An Emergent, Jointly Managed Behaviour

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Body, Richard; Parker, Mark

2005-01-01

Topic repetitiveness is a common component of pragmatic impairment and a powerful contributor to social exclusion. Despite this, description, characterization and intervention remain underdeveloped. This article explores the nature of repetitiveness in traumatic brain injury (TBI). A case study of one individual after TBI provides the basis for a…

77 FR 59702 - Promoting U.S. EC Regulatory Compatibility

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-28

... TRADE REPRESENTATIVE Promoting U.S. EC Regulatory Compatibility AGENCY: Office of the United... and European Commission (EC) share the goal of reducing excessive regulatory costs, unjustified..., safety, welfare, and the environment. Promoting this goal will help businesses to grow, create jobs, and...

EMCS EC Connector Inspection Imagery

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-02-02

iss054e026863 (Feb. 2, 2018) --- The Plant Gravity Perception experiment in a centrifuge before its second run on the European Modular Cultivation System (EMCS) Experiment Container (EC) to test the gravity-sensing ability of plants in microgravity.

Increased numbers of circulating ECs are associated with systemic GVHD.

PubMed

Yan, Z; Zeng, L; Jia, L; Xu, S; Ding, S

2011-10-01

Circulating endothelial cells (ECs) are known to reflect endothelial injury, and endothelial injury is associated with graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). We hypothesised that circulating ECs might be associated with systemic acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD). BALB/c (H-2k(d) ) mice were treated with total body irradiation and then infused with C57B/6-derived T-cell-depleted bone marrow (TCD-BM) cells or TCD-BM cells and splenocytes. Cyclosporine was used to prevent aGVHD. Circulating ECs and allogeneic lymphocytes were analysed by flow cytometry at multiple time points. The morphology and ultrastructure of the endothelium were examined by light microscopy or transmission electron microscopy. The results indicated that the number of circulating ECs peaked at day 5 after lethal irradiation in all mice; allogenic transplanted mice (TCD-BM cells and splenocytes) developed typical aGVHD beginning at day 7, exhibiting both histological and clinical symptoms of disease. Circulating ECs peaked a second time at day 9 with aGVHD progression. However, following the administration of CSA, an absence of or a reduction in the amount of subsequent endothelial injury was observed. Circulating ECs might be associated with systemic aGVHD. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Ketone EC50 values in the Microtox test.

PubMed

Chen, H F; Hee, S S

1995-03-01

The Microtox EC50 values for the following ketones are reported in the following homologous series: straight chain methyl ketones (acetone, 2-butanone, 2-pentanone, 2-hepatonone, 2-octanone, 2-decanone, and 2-tridecanone); methyl ketones substituted at one alpha carbon (3-methyl-2-butanone; 3,3-dimethyl-2-butanone); methyl substituted at two alpha carbons (2,4-dimethyl-3-pentanone; 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-3-pentanone); phenyl groups replacing methyl in acetone (acetophenone; benzophenone); methyl groups substituted at the alpha carbons of cyclohexanone; and 2,3- 2,4-, and 2,5-hexanediones, most for the first time. While there were linear relationships between log EC50 and MW for the straight chain methyl ketones, and for methyl substitution at the alpha carbon for methyl ketones, there were no other linear relationships. As molecular weight increased, the EC50 values of soluble ketones decreased; as distance between two carbonyl groups decreased so too did EC50 values. Thus, for the ketones the geometry around the carbonyl group is an important determinant of toxicity as well as MW, water solubility, and octanol/water coefficient.

Oral Versus Topical Diclofenac Sodium in the Treatment of Osteoarthritis.

PubMed

Tieppo Francio, Vinicius; Davani, Saeid; Towery, Chris; Brown, Tony L

2017-06-01

Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common causes of joint pain in the United States and non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), such as Diclofenac sodium, which is currently available in two main routes of administration; oral and topical distribution have been established as one of the standard treatments for OA. Generally, oral NSAIDs are well tolerated; however our narrative review suggests that the topical solution had a better tolerability property than oral Diclofenac sodium, especially due to side effects of gastrointestinal bleeding with the utilization of the oral format. In addition, the topical route may be considered a reasonable selection by clinicians for management of musculoskeletal pain in those patients with a history of potential risk and adverse side effects. Most studies reviewed comparing oral versus topical solution of Diclofenac sodium revealed comparable efficacy, with minimal side effects utilizing the topical route. The key point of this narrative review is to help clinicians that currently must decide between very inexpensive diclofenac oral presentations and expensive topical presentations especially in the elderly population and the pros and cons of such decision-making process.

Serotonin-producing enterochromaffin (EC) cells of gastrointestinal mucosa in dexamethasone-treated rats.

PubMed

Glisić, Radmila; Koko, Vesna; Todorović, Vera; Drndarević, Neda; Cvijić, Gordana

2006-09-11

The aim of our study was to investigate the morphological, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural changes of rat serotonin-producing enterochromaffin (EC) cells of gastrointestinal mucosa in dexamethasone-treated rats (D). After 12-daily intraperitoneal administration of 2 mg/kg dexamethasone, rats developed diabetes similar to human diabetes type 2. Stomach, small and large intestines were examined. Large serotonin positive EC cells appeared in the corpus mucosa epithelium of D group of rats, although these cells were not present in control (C) rats. Both volume fraction and the number of EC cells per mm(2) of mucosa were significantly increased only in the duodenum. However, the number of EC cells per circular sections of both antrum and small intestine was increased, but reduced both in the ascending and descending colon in D group. The dexamethasone treatment caused a strong reduction in number of granules in the antral EC cells, while it was gradually increased beginning from the jejunum to descending colon. The mean granular content was reduced in the antral EC cells but increased in the jejunal EC cells in D group. In conclusion, the present study showed that morphological changes in gut serotonin-producing EC cells occurred in diabetic rats.

Experimental Studies of Joint Flexibility for PUMA 560 Robot.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-03-01

the robot and plant equipment be set up prior to the programming. With the advent of higher level programming languages such as VAL II and the ...SCHOOL I Monterey, California THESIS EC" ft EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES OF JOINT FLEXIBILITY FOR PUNA 560 ROBOT by Dennis K. Gonyier March 1987 Thesis Advisor ...9ABSTRACT (ContInUe on revene ff neccual) and odent’ f by block num~ber) This paper investigates flexibility of the PUMA 560 industrial robot arm. The

Research on Intellectual Property Conflicts Identification in Knowledge Transferring among EC Enterprises

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, Shibin

As the lacks of existing research about intellectual property conflicts management of EC enterprise, the paper analysis the intellectual property conflicts in knowledge transferring among EC enterprises by intellectual property types, then, the paper makes research on intellectual property conflicts identification in knowledge transferring among EC enterprises, and gives relative assumption, meanwhile, the paper makes quantities identification of intellectual property conflicts in knowledge transferring among EC enterprises by evidential theory, finally, the paper gives the further research orientations.

Spectral Learning for Supervised Topic Models.

PubMed

Ren, Yong; Wang, Yining; Zhu, Jun

2018-03-01

Supervised topic models simultaneously model the latent topic structure of large collections of documents and a response variable associated with each document. Existing inference methods are based on variational approximation or Monte Carlo sampling, which often suffers from the local minimum defect. Spectral methods have been applied to learn unsupervised topic models, such as latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA), with provable guarantees. This paper investigates the possibility of applying spectral methods to recover the parameters of supervised LDA (sLDA). We first present a two-stage spectral method, which recovers the parameters of LDA followed by a power update method to recover the regression model parameters. Then, we further present a single-phase spectral algorithm to jointly recover the topic distribution matrix as well as the regression weights. Our spectral algorithms are provably correct and computationally efficient. We prove a sample complexity bound for each algorithm and subsequently derive a sufficient condition for the identifiability of sLDA. Thorough experiments on synthetic and real-world datasets verify the theory and demonstrate the practical effectiveness of the spectral algorithms. In fact, our results on a large-scale review rating dataset demonstrate that our single-phase spectral algorithm alone gets comparable or even better performance than state-of-the-art methods, while previous work on spectral methods has rarely reported such promising performance.

Joint road safety operations in tunnels and open roads

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adesiyun, Adewole; Avenoso, Antonio; Dionelis, Kallistratos; Cela, Liljana; Nicodème, Christophe; Goger, Thierry; Polidori, Carlo

2017-09-01

The objective of the ECOROADS project is to overcome the barrier established by the formal interpretation of the two Directives 2008/96/EC and 2004/54/EC, which in practice do not allow the same Road Safety Audits/Inspections to be performed inside tunnels. The projects aims at the establishment of a common enhanced approach to road infrastructure and tunnel safety management by using the concepts and criteria of the Directive 2008/96/CE on road infrastructure safety management and the results of related European Commission (EC) funded projects. ECOROADS has already implemented an analysis of national practices regarding Road Safety Inspections (RSI), two Workshops with the stakeholders, and an exchange of best practices between European tunnel experts and road safety professionals, which led to the definition of common agreed safety procedures. In the second phase of the project, different groups of experts and observers applied the above common procedures by inspecting five European road sections featuring both open roads and tunnels in Belgium, Albania, Germany, Serbia and Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. This paper shows the feedback of the 5 joint safety operations and how they are being used for a set of - recommendations and guidelines for the application of the RSA and RSI concepts within the tunnel safety operations.

Pre-electroconvulsive shock administration of calcium channel blockers reduces retrograde amnesia induced by ECS.

PubMed

Sushma, M; Sudha, S; Guido, S

2004-11-01

Effect of pre-electroconvulsive shock (ECS) administration of calcium channel blockers (CCBs) like verapamil, diltiazem, nifedipine, nimodipine, flunarizine and cinnarizine on retrograde amnesia induced by ECS was examined using passive avoidance paradigm in rats. The groups (Gr 1-7) of adult, male Wistar rats received true ECS with CCBs (5mg/kg; i.p) or vehicle (10 ml/kg; ip) and other groups (Gr 8-14) received sham ECS with CCBs (5mg/kg; i.p) or vehicle (10 ml/kg; i.p). The anti-amnestic activity of CCBs were evaluated using the passive avoidance paradigm in rats. Results showed that, the baseline latencies for all the groups did not differ significantly. Rats receiving true ECS produced significantly lower latencies. There was increase in the post ECS step through latencies of the rats administered CCBs before ECS. Therefore, pre-ECS administration of calcium channel blockers might reduce retrograde amnesia produced by ECS without altering seizure duration.

NASA FACTS: E. coli AntiMicrobial Satellite (EcAMSat)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spremo, Stevan; Cappuccio, Gelsomina; Tomko, David

2013-01-01

The E. coli AntiMicrobial Satellite(EcAMSat) mission will investigate space microgravity affects on the antibiotic resistance of E. coli, a bacterial pathogen responsible for urinary tract infection in humans and animals. EcAMSat is being developed through a partnership between NASAs Ames Research Center and the Stanford University School of Medicine. Dr. A.C. Matin is the Stanford University Principal Investigator. EcAMSat will investigate spaceflight effects on bacterial antibiotic resistance and its genetic basis. Bacterial antibiotic resistance may pose a danger to astronauts in microgravity, where the immune response is weakened. Scientists believe that the results of this experiment could help design effective countermeasures to protect astronauts health during long duration human space missions.

Predicted EC50 and EC95 of Remifentanil for Smooth Removal of a Laryngeal Mask Airway Under Propofol Anesthesia

PubMed Central

Yoo, Ji Young; Kwak, Hyun Jeong; Lee, Kyung Cheon; Kim, Go Wun

2015-01-01

Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine the effect-site concentration (Ce) of remifentanil in 50% of patients (EC50) and 95% of patients (EC95) for smooth laryngeal mask airway (LMA) removal in adults under propofol and remifentanil anesthesia. Materials and Methods Twenty-five patients of ASA physical status I-II and ages 18-60 years who were to undergo minor gynecological or orthopedic surgery were assessed in this study. Anesthesia was induced and maintained with propofol and remifentanil target-controlled infusion (TCI). Remifentanil was maintained at a predetermined Ce during the emergence period. The modified Dixon's up-and-down method was used to determine the remifentanil concentration, starting from 1.0 ng/mL (step size of 0.2 ng/mL). Successful removal of the LMA was regarded as absence of coughing/gagging, clenched teeth, gross purposeful movements, breath holding, laryngospasm, or desaturation to SpO2<90%. Results The mean±SD Ce of remifentanil for smooth LMA removal after propofol anesthesia was 0.83±0.16 ng/mL. Using isotonic regression with a bootstrapping approach, the estimated EC50 and EC95 of remifentanil Ce were 0.91 ng/mL [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.77-1.07 ng/mL] and 1.35 ng/mL (95% CI, 1.16-1.38 ng/mL), respectively. Conclusion Our results showed that remifentanil TCI at an established Ce is a reliable technique for achieving safe and smooth emergence without coughing, laryngospasm, or other airway reflexes. PMID:26069139

Selective neurotensin-derived internally quenched fluorogenic substrates for neurolysin (EC 3.4.24.16): comparison with thimet oligopeptidase (EC 3.4.24.15) and neprilysin (EC 3.4.24.11).

PubMed

Oliveira, V; Campos, M; Hemerly, J P; Ferro, E S; Camargo, A C; Juliano, M A; Juliano, L

2001-05-15

Internally quenched fluorescent peptides derived from neurotensin (pELYENKPRRPYIL) sequence were synthesized and assayed as substrates for neurolysin (EC 3.4.24.16), thimet oligopeptidase (EC 3.4.24.15 or TOP), and neprilysin (EC 3.4.24.11 or NEP). Abz-LYENKPRRPYILQ-EDDnp (where EDDnp is N-(2,4-dinitrophenyl)ethylenediamine and Abz is ortho-aminobenzoic acid) was derived from neurotensin by the introduction of Q-EDDnp at the C-terminal end of peptide and by the substitution of the pyroglutamic (pE) residue at N-terminus for Abz and a series of shorter peptides was obtained by deletion of amino acids residues from C-terminal, N-terminal, or both sides. Neurolysin and TOP hydrolyzed the substrates at P--Y or Y--I or R--R bonds depending on the sequence and size of the peptides, while NEP cleaved P-Y or Y-I bonds according to its S'(1) specificity. One of these substrates, Abz-NKPRRPQ-EDDnp was a specific and sensitive substrate for neurolysin (k(cat) = 7.0 s(-1), K(m) = 1.19 microM and k(cat)/K(m) = 5882 mM(-1). s(-1)), while it was completely resistant to NEP and poorly hydrolyzed by TOP and also by prolyl oligopeptidase (EC 3.4.21.26). Neurolysin concentrations as low as 1 pM were detected using this substrate under our conditions and its analogue Abz-NKPRAPQ-EDDnp was hydrolyzed by neurolysin with k(cat) = 14.03 s(-1), K(m) = 0.82 microM, and k(cat)/K(m) = 17,110 mM(-1). s(-1), being the best substrate so far described for this peptidase. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.

Joint University Program for Air Transportation Research, 1986

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morrell, Frederick R. (Compiler)

1988-01-01

The research conducted under the NASA/FAA sponsored Joint University Program for Air Transportation Research is summarized. The Joint University Program is a coordinated set of three grants sponsored by NASA and the FAA, one each with the Mass. Inst. of Tech., Ohio Univ., and Princeton Univ. Completed works, status reports, and bibliographies are presented for research topics, which include computer science, guidance and control theory and practice, aircraft performance, flight dynamics, and applied experimental psychology. An overview of activities is presented.

Analysis and testing of a space crane articulating joint testbed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sutter, Thomas R.; Wu, K. Chauncey

1992-01-01

The topics are presented in viewgraph form and include: space crane concept with mobile base; mechanical versus structural articulating joint; articulating joint test bed and reference truss; static and dynamic characterization completed for space crane reference truss configuration; improved linear actuators reduce articulating joint test bed backlash; 1-DOF space crane slew maneuver; boom 2 tip transient response finite element dynamic model; boom 2 tip transient response shear-corrected component modes torque driver profile; peak root member force vs. slew time torque driver profile; and open loop control of space crane motion.

Assignment of EC Numbers to Enzymatic Reactions with Reaction Difference Fingerprints

PubMed Central

Hu, Qian-Nan; Zhu, Hui; Li, Xiaobing; Zhang, Manman; Deng, Zhe; Yang, Xiaoyan; Deng, Zixin

2012-01-01

The EC numbers represent enzymes and enzyme genes (genomic information), but they are also utilized as identifiers of enzymatic reactions (chemical information). In the present work (ECAssigner), our newly proposed reaction difference fingerprints (RDF) are applied to assign EC numbers to enzymatic reactions. The fingerprints of reactant molecules minus the fingerprints of product molecules will generate reaction difference fingerprints, which are then used to calculate reaction Euclidean distance, a reaction similarity measurement, of two reactions. The EC number of the most similar training reaction will be assigned to an input reaction. For 5120 balanced enzymatic reactions, the RDF with a fingerprint length at 3 obtained at the sub-subclass, subclass, and main class level with cross-validation accuracies of 83.1%, 86.7%, and 92.6% respectively. Compared with three published methods, ECAssigner is the first fully automatic server for EC number assignment. The EC assignment system (ECAssigner) is freely available via: http://cadd.whu.edu.cn/ecassigner/. PMID:23285222

76 FR 75772 - Airworthiness Directives; Eurocopter France Model EC 120B Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-05

... Airworthiness Directives; Eurocopter France Model EC 120B Helicopters AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration... the Eurocopter France Model EC 120B helicopters. This AD requires modifying the pilot cyclic control... include an AD that would apply to Eurocopter France Model EC 120B helicopters. That NPRM was published in...

IAEA programs in empowering the nuclear medicine profession through online educational resources.

PubMed

Pascual, Thomas Nb; Dondi, Maurizio; Paez, Diana; Kashyap, Ravi; Nunez-Miller, Rodolfo

2013-05-01

The International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) programme in human health aims to enhance the capabilities in Member States to address needs related to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases through the application of nuclear techniques. It has the specific mission of fostering the application of nuclear medicine techniques as part of the clinical management of certain types of diseases. Attuned to the continuous evolution of this specialty as well as to the advancement and diversity of methods in delivering capacity building efforts in this digital age, the section of nuclear medicine of the IAEA has enhanced its program by incorporating online educational resources for nuclear medicine professionals into its repertoire of projects to further its commitment in addressing the needs of its Member States in the field of nuclear medicine. Through online educational resources such as the Human Health Campus website, e-learning modules, and scheduled interactive webinars, a validation of the commitment by the IAEA in addressing the needs of its Member States in the field of nuclear medicine is strengthened while utilizing the advanced internet and communications technology which is progressively becoming available worldwide. The Human Health Campus (www.humanhealth.iaea.org) is the online educational resources initiative of the Division of Human Health of the IAEA geared toward enhancing professional knowledge of health professionals in radiation medicine (nuclear medicine and diagnostic imaging, radiation oncology, and medical radiation physics), and nutrition. E-learning modules provide an interactive learning environment to its users while providing immediate feedback for each task accomplished. Webinars, unlike webcasts, offer the opportunity of enhanced interaction with the learners facilitated through slide shows where the presenter guides and engages the audience using video and live streaming. This paper explores the IAEA's available online

New guidelines for topical NSAIDs in the osteoarthritis treatment paradigm.

PubMed

Altman, Roy D

2010-12-01

Osteoarthritis (OA), the most common form of arthritis, often affects hands, hips, and knees and involves an estimated 26.9 million US adults. Women have a higher prevalence of OA, and the risk of developing OA increases with age, obesity, and joint malalignment. OA typically presents with pain and reduced function. Therapeutic programs are often multimodal and must take into account pharmaceutical toxicities and patient comorbidities. For example, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are associated with cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and renal adverse events. Topical NSAIDs offer efficacy with reduced systemic drug exposure. This is a review of current guideline recommendations regarding the use of topical NSAIDs in OA of the hand and knee. Articles were identified by PubMed search (January 1, 2000 to May 21, 2010). Several current guidelines for management of OA recommend topical NSAIDs, indicating them as a safe and effective treatment. One guideline recommends that topical NSAIDs be considered as first-line pharmacologic therapy. A US guideline for knee OA recommends topical NSAIDs in older patients and in patients with increased gastrointestinal risk. The consensus across US and European OA guidelines is that topical NSAIDs are a safe and effective treatment for OA. Because the research base on topical NSAIDs for OA is small, guidelines will continue to evolve.

Professor Glyn O. Phillip's legacy within the IAEA programme on radiation and tissue banking.

PubMed

Morales Pedraza, Jorge

2017-08-19

Professor Phillips began his involvement in the implementation of this important IAEA programme, insisting that there were advantages to be gained by using the ionizing radiation technique to sterilize human and animal tissues, based on the IAEA experience gained in the sterilization of medical products. The outcome of the implementation of the IAEA programme on radiation and tissue banking demonstrated that Professor Phillips was right in his opinion.

COMET strongly supported the development and implementation of medium-term topical research roadmaps consistent with the ALLIANCE Strategic Research Agenda.

PubMed

Garnier-Laplace, J; Vandenhove, H; Beresford, N; Muikku, M; Real, A

2018-03-01

The ALLIANCE 6 Strategic Research Agenda (SRA) initiated by the STAR 7 Network of Excellence and integrated in the research strategy implemented by the COMET consortium, defines a long-term vision of the needs for, and implementation of, research in radioecology. This reference document, reflecting views from many stakeholders groups and researchers, serves as an input to those responsible for defining EU research call topics through the ALLIANCE SRA statement delivered each year to the EJP-CONCERT 8 (2015-2020). This statement highlights a focused number of priorities for funding. Research in radioecology and related sciences is justified by various drivers, such as policy changes, scientific advances and knowledge gaps, radiological risk perception by the public, and a growing awareness of interconnections between human and ecosystem health. The SRA is being complemented by topical roadmaps that have been initiated by the COMET 9 EC-funded project, with the help and endorsement of the ALLIANCE. The strategy underlying roadmap development is driven by the need for improved mechanistic understanding across radioecology. By meeting this need, we can provide fit-for-purpose human and environmental impact/risk assessments in support of the protection of man and the environment in interaction with society and for the three exposure situations defined by the ICRP (i.e., planned, existing and emergency). Within the framework of the EJP-CONCERT the development of a joint roadmap is under discussion among all the European research platforms and will highlight the major research needs for the whole radiation protection field and how these are likely to be addressed by 2030.

Reducing the risks from radon indoors: an IAEA perspective.

PubMed

Boal, T; Colgan, P A

2014-07-01

The IAEA has a mandate to develop, in collaboration with other relevant international organisations, 'standards of safety for protection of health and minimisation of danger to life and property', and to provide for the application of these standards. The most recent edition of the International Basic Safety Standards includes, for the first time, requirements to protect the public from exposure due to radon indoors. As a result, the IAEA has already developed guidance material in line with accepted best international practice and an international programme to assist its Member States in identifying and addressing high radon concentrations in buildings is being prepared. This paper overviews the current situation around the world and summarises the management approach advocated by the IAEA. A number of important scientific and policy issues are identified and discussed from the point-of-view of how they may impact on national action plans and strategies. Finally, the assistance and support available through the Agency is described. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Mathematical modeling improves EC50 estimations from classical dose-response curves.

PubMed

Nyman, Elin; Lindgren, Isa; Lövfors, William; Lundengård, Karin; Cervin, Ida; Sjöström, Theresia Arbring; Altimiras, Jordi; Cedersund, Gunnar

2015-03-01

The β-adrenergic response is impaired in failing hearts. When studying β-adrenergic function in vitro, the half-maximal effective concentration (EC50 ) is an important measure of ligand response. We previously measured the in vitro contraction force response of chicken heart tissue to increasing concentrations of adrenaline, and observed a decreasing response at high concentrations. The classical interpretation of such data is to assume a maximal response before the decrease, and to fit a sigmoid curve to the remaining data to determine EC50 . Instead, we have applied a mathematical modeling approach to interpret the full dose-response curve in a new way. The developed model predicts a non-steady-state caused by a short resting time between increased concentrations of agonist, which affect the dose-response characterization. Therefore, an improved estimate of EC50 may be calculated using steady-state simulations of the model. The model-based estimation of EC50 is further refined using additional time-resolved data to decrease the uncertainty of the prediction. The resulting model-based EC50 (180-525 nm) is higher than the classically interpreted EC50 (46-191 nm). Mathematical modeling thus makes it possible to re-interpret previously obtained datasets, and to make accurate estimates of EC50 even when steady-state measurements are not experimentally feasible. The mathematical models described here have been submitted to the JWS Online Cellular Systems Modelling Database, and may be accessed at http://jjj.bio.vu.nl/database/nyman. © 2015 FEBS.

Assessment of Alternative Funding Mechanisms for the IAEA

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

Toomey, Christopher; Wyse, Evan T.; Kurzrok, Andrew J.

While the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has enjoyed substantial success and prestige in the international community, there is growing concern that global demographic trends, advances in technology and the trend towards austerity in Member State budgets will stretch the Agency’s resources to a point where it may no longer be possible to execute its multifaceted mission in its entirety. As part of an ongoing effort by the Next Generation Safeguards Initiative to evaluate the IAEA’s long-term budgetary concerns , this paper proposes a series of alternate funding mechanisms that have the potential to sustain the IAEA in the long-term,more » including endowment, charity, and fee-for-service funding models.« less

Multifrequency Eddy Current Inspection of Corrosion in Clad Aluminum Riveted Lap Joints and Its Effect on Fatigue Life

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okafor, A. C.; Natarajan, S.

2007-03-01

Aging aircraft are prone to corrosion damage and fatigue cracks in riveted lap joints of fuselage skin panels. This can cause catastrophic failure if not detected and repaired. Hence detection of corrosion damage and monitoring its effect on structural integrity are essential. This paper presents multifrequency eddy current (EC) inspection of corrosion damage and machined material loss defect in clad A1 2024-T3 riveted lap joints and its effect on fatigue life. Results of eddy current inspection, corrosion product removal and fatigue testing are presented.

Assessing single and joint toxicity of three phenylurea herbicides using Lemna minor and Vibrio fischeri bioassays.

PubMed

Gatidou, Georgia; Stasinakis, Athanasios S; Iatrou, Evangelia I

2015-01-01

Single and joint toxicity of three substituted urea herbicides, namely monolinuron [3-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-methoxy-1-methylurea], linuron [3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1-methoxy-1-methylurea] and diuron [1-(3,4 dichlorophenyl)-3,3 dimethyl urea], were studied. The duckweed Lemna minor and the luminescent bacterium Vibrio fischeri were used for the toxicity assessment and they were exposed to various concentrations of the herbicides, individually and in binary mixtures. The exposure time was 7d for the duckweed and 30 min for the bacterium. Estimation of EC50 values was performed by frond counting and reduction in light output for Lemna minor and Vibrio fischeri, respectively. Lemna minor was found to be much more sensitive than Vibrio fischeri to target compounds. The toxicity of the three herbicides applied solely was estimated to be in decreasing order: diuron (EC50=28.3 μg L(-1))≈linuron (EC50=30.5 μg L(-1))>monolinuron (EC50=300 μg L(-1)) for the duckweed and linuron (EC50=8.2 mg L(-1))>diuron (EC50=9.2 mg L(-1))>monolinuron (EC50=11.2 mg L(-1)) for the bacterium. Based on the environmental concentrations reported in the literature and EC50 values obtained from Lemna minor experiments, Risk Quotients (RQ) much higher than 1 were calculated for diuron and linuron. In Lemna minor experiments, combination of target compounds resulted to additive effects due to their same mode of phenylurea action on photosynthetic organisms. Regarding Vibrio fischeri, synergistic, additive and antagonistic effects were observed, which varied according to the concentrations of target compounds. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Joint University Program for Air Transportation Research, 1984

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morrell, Frederick R. (Compiler)

1987-01-01

The research conducted during 1984 under the NASA/FAA sponsored Joint University Program for Air Transportation Research is summarized. The Joint University Program is a coordinated set of three grants sponsored by NASA Langley Research Center and the Federal Aviation Administration, one each with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Ohio University, and Princeton University. Completed works, status reports, and bibliographies are presented for research topics, which include navigation, guidance, control and display concepts. An overview of the year's activities for each of the schools is also presented.

High-resolution vertical profiles of groundwater electrical conductivity (EC) and chloride from direct-push EC logs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bourke, Sarah A.; Hermann, Kristian J.; Hendry, M. Jim

2017-11-01

Elevated groundwater salinity associated with produced water, leaching from landfills or secondary salinity can degrade arable soils and potable water resources. Direct-push electrical conductivity (EC) profiling enables rapid, relatively inexpensive, high-resolution in-situ measurements of subsurface salinity, without requiring core collection or installation of groundwater wells. However, because the direct-push tool measures the bulk EC of both solid and liquid phases (ECa), incorporation of ECa data into regional or historical groundwater data sets requires the prediction of pore water EC (ECw) or chloride (Cl-) concentrations from measured ECa. Statistical linear regression and physically based models for predicting ECw and Cl- from ECa profiles were tested on a brine plume in central Saskatchewan, Canada. A linear relationship between ECa/ECw and porosity was more accurate for predicting ECw and Cl- concentrations than a power-law relationship (Archie's Law). Despite clay contents of up to 96%, the addition of terms to account for electrical conductance in the solid phase did not improve model predictions. In the absence of porosity data, statistical linear regression models adequately predicted ECw and Cl- concentrations from direct-push ECa profiles (ECw = 5.48 ECa + 0.78, R 2 = 0.87; Cl- = 1,978 ECa - 1,398, R 2 = 0.73). These statistical models can be used to predict ECw in the absence of lithologic data and will be particularly useful for initial site assessments. The more accurate linear physically based model can be used to predict ECw and Cl- as porosity data become available and the site-specific ECw-Cl- relationship is determined.

Coordinated Research Projects of the IAEA Atomic and Molecular Data Unit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Braams, B. J.; Chung, H.-K.

2011-05-01

The IAEA Atomic and Molecular Data Unit is dedicated to the provision of databases for atomic, molecular and plasma-material interaction (AM/PMI) data that are relevant for nuclear fusion research. IAEA Coordinated Research Projects (CRPs) are the principal mechanism by which the Unit encourages data evaluation and the production of new data. Ongoing and planned CRPs on AM/PMI data are briefly described here.

Joint Acoustic and Modulation Frequency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Atlas, Les; Shamma, Shihab A.

2003-12-01

There is a considerable evidence that our perception of sound uses important features which is related to underlying signal modulations. This topic has been studied extensively via perceptual experiments, yet there are few, if any, well-developed signal processing methods which capitalize on or model these effects. We begin by summarizing evidence of the importance of modulation representations from psychophysical, physiological, and other sources. The concept of a two-dimensional joint acoustic and modulation frequency representation is proposed. A simple single sinusoidal amplitude modulator of a sinusoidal carrier is then used to illustrate properties of an unconstrained and ideal joint representation. Added constraints are required to remove or reduce undesired interference terms and to provide invertibility. It is then noted that the constraints would also apply to more general and complex cases of broader modulation and carriers. Applications in single-channel speaker separation and in audio coding are used to illustrate the applicability of this joint representation. Other applications in signal analysis and filtering are suggested.

ICECAP: an integrated, general-purpose, automation-assisted IC50/EC50 assay platform.

PubMed

Li, Ming; Chou, Judy; King, Kristopher W; Jing, Jing; Wei, Dong; Yang, Liyu

2015-02-01

IC50 and EC50 values are commonly used to evaluate drug potency. Mass spectrometry (MS)-centric bioanalytical and biomarker labs are now conducting IC50/EC50 assays, which, if done manually, are tedious and error-prone. Existing bioanalytical sample preparation automation systems cannot meet IC50/EC50 assay throughput demand. A general-purpose, automation-assisted IC50/EC50 assay platform was developed to automate the calculations of spiking solutions and the matrix solutions preparation scheme, the actual spiking and matrix solutions preparations, as well as the flexible sample extraction procedures after incubation. In addition, the platform also automates the data extraction, nonlinear regression curve fitting, computation of IC50/EC50 values, graphing, and reporting. The automation-assisted IC50/EC50 assay platform can process the whole class of assays of varying assay conditions. In each run, the system can handle up to 32 compounds and up to 10 concentration levels per compound, and it greatly improves IC50/EC50 assay experimental productivity and data processing efficiency. © 2014 Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening.

Statistical strategies for averaging EC50 from multiple dose-response experiments.

PubMed

Jiang, Xiaoqi; Kopp-Schneider, Annette

2015-11-01

In most dose-response studies, repeated experiments are conducted to determine the EC50 value for a chemical, requiring averaging EC50 estimates from a series of experiments. Two statistical strategies, the mixed-effect modeling and the meta-analysis approach, can be applied to estimate average behavior of EC50 values over all experiments by considering the variabilities within and among experiments. We investigated these two strategies in two common cases of multiple dose-response experiments in (a) complete and explicit dose-response relationships are observed in all experiments and in (b) only in a subset of experiments. In case (a), the meta-analysis strategy is a simple and robust method to average EC50 estimates. In case (b), all experimental data sets can be first screened using the dose-response screening plot, which allows visualization and comparison of multiple dose-response experimental results. As long as more than three experiments provide information about complete dose-response relationships, the experiments that cover incomplete relationships can be excluded from the meta-analysis strategy of averaging EC50 estimates. If there are only two experiments containing complete dose-response information, the mixed-effects model approach is suggested. We subsequently provided a web application for non-statisticians to implement the proposed meta-analysis strategy of averaging EC50 estimates from multiple dose-response experiments.

Low-EC-Content Electrolytes for Low-Temperature Li-Ion Cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smart, Marshall; Bugga, Ratnakumar; Surampudi, Subbarao

2003-01-01

Electrolytes comprising LiPF6 dissolved at a concentration of 1.0 M in three different mixtures of alkyl carbonates have been found well suited for use in rechargeable lithium-ion electrochemical cells at low temperatures. These and other electrolytes have been investigated in continuing research directed toward extending the lower limit of practical operating temperatures of Li-ion cells down to -60 C. This research at earlier stages was reported in numerous previous NASA Tech Briefs articles, the three most recent being "Ethyl Methyl Carbonate as a Cosolvent for Lithium-Ion Cells" (NPO-20605), Vol. 25, Low-EC-Content Electrolytes for Low-Temperature Li-Ion Cells No. 6 (June 2001), page 53; "Alkyl Pyrocarbonate Electrolyte Additives for Li-Ion Cells" (NPO-20775), Vol. 26, No. 5 (May 2002), page 37; and "Fluorinated Alkyl Carbonates as Cosolvents in Li-Ion Cells (NPO-21076), Vol. 26, No. 5 (May 2002), page 38. The present solvent mixtures, in terms of volume proportions of their ingredients, are 1 ethylene carbonate (EC) + 1 diethyl carbonate (DEC) + 1 dimethyl carbonate (DMC) + 3 ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC); 3EC + 3DMC + 14EMC; and 1EC + 1DEC + 1DMC + 4EMC. Relative to similar mixtures reported previously, the present mixtures, which contain smaller proportions of EC, have been found to afford better performance in experimental Li-ion cells at temperatures < -20 C.

Joint University Program for Air Transportation Research, 1987

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morrell, Frederick R. (Compiler)

1989-01-01

The research conducted during 1987 under the NASA/FAA sponsored Joint University Program for Air Transportation Research is summarized. The Joint University Program is a coordinated set of 3 grants sponsored by NASA-Langley and the FAA, one each with the MIT, Ohio Univ., and Princeton Univ. Completed works, status reports, and annotated bibliographies are presented for research topics, which include computer science, guidance and control theory and practice, aircraft performance, flight dynamics, and applied experimental psychology. An overview of the year's activities for each university is also presented.

A spectroscopic survey of EC4, an extended cluster in Andromeda's halo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collins, M. L. M.; Chapman, S. C.; Irwin, M.; Ibata, R.; Martin, N. F.; Ferguson, A. M. N.; Huxor, A.; Lewis, G. F.; Mackey, A. D.; McConnachie, A. W.; Tanvir, N.

2009-07-01

We present a spectroscopic survey of candidate red giant branch stars in the extended star cluster, EC4, discovered in the halo of M31 from our Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope/MegaCam survey, overlapping the tidal streams, Streams`Cp' and `Cr'. These observations used the DEep Imaging Multi-Object Spectrograph mounted on the Keck II telescope to obtain spectra around the CaII triplet region with ~1.3 Å resolution. Six stars lying on the red giant branch within two core radii of the centre of EC4 are found to have an average vr = -287.9+1.9-2.4kms-1 and σv,corr = 2.7+4.2-2.7kms-1, taking instrumental errors into account. The resulting mass-to-light ratio for EC4 is M/L = 6.7+15-6.7Msolar/Lsolar, a value that is consistent with a globular cluster within the 1σ errors we derive. From the summed spectra of our member stars, we find EC4 to be metal-poor, with [Fe/H] = -1.6 +/- 0.15. We discuss several formation and evolution scenarios which could account for our kinematic and metallicity constraints on EC4, and conclude that EC4 is most comparable with an extended globular cluster. We also compare the kinematics and metallicity of EC4 with Streams `Cp' and`Cr', and find that EC4 bears a striking resemblance to Stream`Cp' in terms of velocity, and that the two structures are identical in terms of both their spectroscopic and photometric metallicities. From this, we conclude that EC4 is likely related to Stream`Cp'. The data presented herein were obtained at the W.M. Keck Observatory, which is operated as a scientific partnership among the California Institute of Technology, the University of California and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The Observatory was made possible by the generous financial support of the W.M. Keck Foundation. E-mail: mlmc2@ast.cam.ac.uk

Epigenetic reprogramming governs EcSOD expression during human mammary epithelial cell differentiation, tumorigenesis and metastasis

PubMed Central

Teoh-Fitzgerald, ML; Fitzgerald, MP; Zhong, W; Askeland, RW; Domann, FE

2013-01-01

Expression of the antioxidant enzyme EcSOD in normal human mammary epithelial cells was not recognized until recently. Although expression of EcSOD was not detectable in non-malignant human mammary epithelial cells (HMEC) cultured in conventional two-dimensional (2D) culture conditions, EcSOD protein expression was observed in normal human breast tissues, suggesting that the 2D-cultured condition induces a repressive status of EcSOD gene expression in HMEC. With the use of laminin-enriched extracellular matrix (lrECM), we were able to detect expression of EcSOD when HMEC formed polarized acinar structures in a 3D-culture condition. Repression of the EcSOD-gene expression was again seen when the HMEC acini were sub-cultured as a monolayer, implying that lrECM-induced acinar morphogenesis is essential in EcSOD-gene activation. We have further shown the involvement of DNA methylation in regulating EcSOD expression in HMEC under these cell culture conditions. EcSOD mRNA expression was strongly induced in the 2D-cultured HMEC after treatment with a DNA methyltransferase inhibitor. In addition, epigenetic analyses showed a decrease in the degree of CpG methylation in the EcSOD promoter in the 3D versus 2D-cultured HMEC. More importantly, >80% of clinical mammary adenocarcinoma samples showed significantly decreased EcSOD mRNA and protein expression levels compared with normal mammary tissues and there is an inverse correlation between the expression levels of EcSOD and the clinical stages of breast cancer. Combined bisulfite restriction analysis analysis of some of the tumors also revealed an association of DNA methylation with the loss of EcSOD expression in vivo. Furthermore, overexpression of EcSOD inhibited breast cancer metastasis in both the experimental lung metastasis model and the syngeneic mouse model. This study suggests that epigenetic silencing of EcSOD may contribute to mammary tumorigenesis and that restoring the extracellular superoxide scavenging

Influence of interface ply orientation on fatigue damage of adhesively bonded composite joints

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, W. S.; Mall, S.

1985-01-01

An experimental study of cracked-lap-shear specimens was conducted to determine the influence of adherend stacking sequence on debond initiation and damage growth in a composite-to-composite bonded joint. Specimens consisted of quasi-isotropic graphite/epoxy adherends bonded together with either FM-300 or EC 3445 adhesives. The stacking sequence of the adherends was varied such that 0 deg, 45 deg, or 90 deg plies were present at the adherend-adhesive interfaces. Fatigue damage initiated in the adhesive layer in those specimens with 0 deg nd 45 deg interface plies. Damage initiated in the form of ply cracking in the strap adherend for the specimens with 90 deg interface plies. The fatigue-damage growth was in the form of delamination within the composite adherends for specimens with the 90 deg and 45 deg plies next to the adhesive, while debonding in the adhesive resulted for the specimens with 0 deg plies next to the adhesive. Those joints with the 0 deg and 45 deg plies next to either adhesive has essentially the same fatigue-damage-initiation stress levels. These stress levels were 13 and 71 percent higher, respectively, than those for specimens with 90 deg plies next to the EC 3445 and FM-300 adhesives.

Influence of interface ply orientation on fatigue damage of adhesively bonded composite joints

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, W. S.; Mall, S.

1986-01-01

An experimental study of cracked-lap-shear specimens was conducted to determine the influence of adherend stacking sequence on debond initiation and damage growth in a composite-to-composite bonded joint. Specimens consisted of quasi-isotropic graphite/epoxy adherends bonded together with either FM-300 or EC 3445 adhesives. The stacking sequence of the adherends was varied such that 0 deg, 45 deg, or 90 deg plies were present at the adherend-adhesive interfaces. Fatigue damage initiated in the adhesive layer in those specimens with 0 deg and 45 deg interface plies. Damaage initiated in the form of ply cracking in the strap adherend for the specimens with 90 deg interface plies. The fatigue-damage growth was in the form of delamination within the composite adherends for specimens with the 90 deg and 45 deg plies next to the adhesive, while debonding in the adhesive resulted for the specimens with 0 deg plies next to the adhesive. Those joints with the 0 deg and 45 deg plies next to either adhesive has essentially the same fatigue-damage-initiation stress levels. These stress levels were 13 and 71 percent higher, respectively, than those for specimens with 90 deg plies next to the EC 3445 and FM-300 adhesives.

IAEA activities related to radiation biology and health effects of radiation.

PubMed

Wondergem, Jan; Rosenblatt, Eduardo

2012-03-01

The IAEA is involved in capacity building with regard to the radiobiological sciences in its member states through its technical cooperation programme. Research projects/programmes are normally carried out within the framework of coordinated research projects (CRPs). Under this programme, two CRPs have been approved which are relevant to nuclear/radiation accidents: (1) stem cell therapeutics to modify radiation-induced damage to normal tissue, and (2) strengthening biological dosimetry in IAEA member states.

EcR expression in the prothoracicotropic hormone-producing neurosecretory cells of the Bombyx mori brain.

PubMed

Hossain, Monwar; Shimizu, Sakiko; Fujiwara, Haruhiko; Sakurai, Sho; Iwami, Masafumi

2006-08-01

The steroid hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) initiates insect molting and metamorphosis through binding with a heterodimer of two nuclear receptors, the ecdysone receptor (EcR) and ultraspiracle (USP). Expression of the specific isoforms EcR-A and EcR-B1 governs steroid-induced responses in the developing cells of the silkworm Bombyx mori. Here, analysis of EcR-A and EcR-B1 expression during larval-pupal development showed that both genes were up-regulated by 20E in the B. mori brain. Whole-mount in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry revealed that EcR-A and EcR-B1 mRNAs and proteins were exclusively located in two pairs of lateral neurosecretory cells in the larval brain known as the prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH)- producing cells (PTPCs). In the pupal brain, EcR-A and EcR-B1 expression was detected in tritocerebral cells and optic lobe cells in addition to PTPCs. As PTTH controls ecdysone secretion by the prothoracic gland, these results indicate that 20E-responsive PTPCs are the master cells of insect metamorphosis.

Acute toxicity of heavy metals to acetate-utilizing mixed cultures of sulfate-reducing bacteria: EC100 and EC50.

PubMed

Utgikar, V P; Chen, B Y; Chaudhary, N; Tabak, H H; Haines, J R; Govind, R

2001-12-01

Acid mine drainage from abandoned mines and acid mine pit lakes is an important environmental concern and usually contains appreciable concentrations of heavy metals. Because sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) are involved in the treatment of acid mine drainage, knowledge of acute metal toxicity levels for SRB is essential for the proper functioning of the treatment system for acid mine drainage. Quantification of heavy metal toxicity to mixed cultures of SRB is complicated by the confounding effects of metal hydroxide and sulfide precipitation, biosorption, and complexation with the constituents of the reaction matrix. The objective of this paper was to demonstrate that measurements of dissolved metal concentrations could be used to determine the toxicity parameters for mixed cultures of sulfate-reducing bacteria. The effective concentration, 100% (EC100), the lowest initial dissolved metal concentrations at which no sulfate reduction is observed, and the effective concentration, 50% (EC50), the initial dissolved metal concentrations resulting in a 50% decrease in sulfate reduction, for copper and zinc were determined in the present study by means of nondestructive, rapid physical and chemical analytical techniques. The reaction medium used in the experiments was designed specifically (in terms of pH and chemical composition) to provide the nutrients necessary for the sulfidogenic activity of the SRB and to preclude chemical precipitation of the metals under investigation. The toxicity-mitigating effects of biosorption of dissolved metals were also quantified. Anaerobic Hungate tubes were set up (at least in triplicate) and monitored for sulfate-reduction activity. The onset of SRB activity was detected by the blackening of the reaction mixture because of formation of insoluble ferrous sulfide. The EC100 values were found to be 12 mg/L for copper and 20 mg/L for zinc. The dissolved metal concentration measurements were effective as the indicators of the effect of the

The characteristics of welded joints for air conditioning application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weglowski, M. St.; Weglowska, A.; Miara, D.; Kwiecinski, K.; Błacha, S.; Dworak, J.; Rykala, J.; Pikula, J.; Ziobro, G.; Szafron, A.; Zimierska-Nowak, P.; Richert, M.; Noga, P.

2017-10-01

In the paper the results of metallographic examination of welded joints for air-conditioning elements are presented. The European directives 2006/40/EC on the greenhouse gasses elimination demand to stop using traditional refrigerant and to change it to R744 (CO2) medium in air conditioning installation. The R744 refrigerant is environmental friendly medium if compared with standard solution such as R12, R134a or R1234yf and safer for passengers than R1234yf. The non-standard thermodynamic parameters of the R744 which translate into high pressure and high temperature require specific materials to develop the shape and to specify the technology of manufacturing for the particular elements of the conduits and moreover the technologies of joining for the whole structure, which would meet the exploitation requirements of the new air-conditioning system. To produce the test welded joints of stainless steels four different joining technologies were applied: laser welding, plasma welding, electron beam welding as well as high speed rotation welding. This paper describes the influence of the selected welding process on the macrostructure and microstructure of welded joints of AISI 304 and AISI 316L steels. The results indicated that plasma welding laser welding and electron beam welding technologies guaranty the proper quality of welded joints and can be used for the air conditioning application in automotive industry. However, high speed rotation welding not guarantee the good quality of welded joints and cannot be used for above application.

Simulation of tropospheric chemistry and aerosols with the climate model EC-Earth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Noije, T. P. C.; Le Sager, P.; Segers, A. J.; van Velthoven, P. F. J.; Krol, M. C.; Hazeleger, W.

2014-03-01

We have integrated the atmospheric chemistry and transport model TM5 into the global climate model EC-Earth version 2.4. We present an overview of the TM5 model and the two-way data exchange between TM5 and the integrated forecasting system (IFS) model from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), the atmospheric general circulation model of EC-Earth. In this paper we evaluate the simulation of tropospheric chemistry and aerosols in a one-way coupled configuration. We have carried out a decadal simulation for present-day conditions and calculated chemical budgets and climatologies of tracer concentrations and aerosol optical depth. For comparison we have also performed offline simulations driven by meteorological fields from ECMWF's ERA-Interim reanalysis and output from the EC-Earth model itself. Compared to the offline simulations, the online-coupled system produces more efficient vertical mixing in the troposphere, which likely reflects an improvement of the treatment of cumulus convection. The chemistry in the EC-Earth simulations is affected by the fact that the current version of EC-Earth produces a cold bias with too dry air in large parts of the troposphere. Compared to the ERA-Interim driven simulation, the oxidizing capacity in EC-Earth is lower in the tropics and higher in the extratropics. The methane lifetime is 7% higher in EC-Earth, but remains well within the range reported in the literature. We evaluate the model by comparing the simulated climatologies of surface carbon monoxide, tropospheric and surface ozone, and aerosol optical depth against observational data. The work presented in this study is the first step in the development of EC-Earth into an Earth system model with fully interactive atmospheric chemistry and aerosols.

Simulation of tropospheric chemistry and aerosols with the climate model EC-Earth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Noije, T. P. C.; Le Sager, P.; Segers, A. J.; van Velthoven, P. F. J.; Krol, M. C.; Hazeleger, W.; Williams, A. G.; Chambers, S. D.

2014-10-01

We have integrated the atmospheric chemistry and transport model TM5 into the global climate model EC-Earth version 2.4. We present an overview of the TM5 model and the two-way data exchange between TM5 and the IFS model from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), the atmospheric general circulation model of EC-Earth. In this paper we evaluate the simulation of tropospheric chemistry and aerosols in a one-way coupled configuration. We have carried out a decadal simulation for present-day conditions and calculated chemical budgets and climatologies of tracer concentrations and aerosol optical depth. For comparison we have also performed offline simulations driven by meteorological fields from ECMWF's ERA-Interim reanalysis and output from the EC-Earth model itself. Compared to the offline simulations, the online-coupled system produces more efficient vertical mixing in the troposphere, which reflects an improvement of the treatment of cumulus convection. The chemistry in the EC-Earth simulations is affected by the fact that the current version of EC-Earth produces a cold bias with too dry air in large parts of the troposphere. Compared to the ERA-Interim driven simulation, the oxidizing capacity in EC-Earth is lower in the tropics and higher in the extratropics. The atmospheric lifetime of methane in EC-Earth is 9.4 years, which is 7% longer than the lifetime obtained with ERA-Interim but remains well within the range reported in the literature. We further evaluate the model by comparing the simulated climatologies of surface radon-222 and carbon monoxide, tropospheric and surface ozone, and aerosol optical depth against observational data. The work presented in this study is the first step in the development of EC-Earth into an Earth system model with fully interactive atmospheric chemistry and aerosols.

ECS: efficient communication scheduling for underwater sensor networks.

PubMed

Hong, Lu; Hong, Feng; Guo, Zhongwen; Li, Zhengbao

2011-01-01

TDMA protocols have attracted a lot of attention for underwater acoustic sensor networks (UWSNs), because of the unique characteristics of acoustic signal propagation such as great energy consumption in transmission, long propagation delay and long communication range. Previous TDMA protocols all allocated transmission time to nodes based on discrete time slots. This paper proposes an efficient continuous time scheduling TDMA protocol (ECS) for UWSNs, including the continuous time based and sender oriented conflict analysis model, the transmission moment allocation algorithm and the distributed topology maintenance algorithm. Simulation results confirm that ECS improves network throughput by 20% on average, compared to existing MAC protocols.

On Applications of Pyramid Doubly Joint Bilateral Filtering in Dense Disparity Propagation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abadpour, Arash

2014-06-01

Stereopsis is the basis for numerous tasks in machine vision, robotics, and 3D data acquisition and processing. In order for the subsequent algorithms to function properly, it is important that an affordable method exists that, given a pair of images taken by two cameras, can produce a representation of disparity or depth. This topic has been an active research field since the early days of work on image processing problems and rich literature is available on the topic. Joint bilateral filters have been recently proposed as a more affordable alternative to anisotropic diffusion. This class of image operators utilizes correlation in multiple modalities for purposes such as interpolation and upscaling. In this work, we develop the application of bilateral filtering for converting a large set of sparse disparity measurements into a dense disparity map. This paper develops novel methods for utilizing bilateral filters in joint, pyramid, and doubly joint settings, for purposes including missing value estimation and upscaling. We utilize images of natural and man-made scenes in order to exhibit the possibilities offered through the use of pyramid doubly joint bilateral filtering for stereopsis.

The IAEA neutron coincidence counting (INCC) and the DEMING least-squares fitting programs

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

Krick, M.S.; Harker, W.C.; Rinard, P.M.

1998-12-01

Two computer programs are described: (1) the INCC (IAEA or International Neutron Coincidence Counting) program and (2) the DEMING curve-fitting program. The INCC program is an IAEA version of the Los Alamos NCC (Neutron Coincidence Counting) code. The DEMING program is an upgrade of earlier Windows{reg_sign} and DOS codes with the same name. The versions described are INCC 3.00 and DEMING 1.11. The INCC and DEMING codes provide inspectors with the software support needed to perform calibration and verification measurements with all of the neutron coincidence counting systems used in IAEA inspections for the nondestructive assay of plutonium and uranium.

Training of interventional cardiologists in radiation protection--the IAEA's initiatives.

PubMed

Rehani, Madan M

2007-01-08

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has initiated a major international initiative to train interventional cardiologists in radiation protection as a part of its International Action Plan on the radiological protection of patients. A simple programme of two days' training has been developed, covering possible and observed radiation effects among patients and staff, international standards, dose management techniques, examples of good and bad practice and examples indicating prevention of possible injuries as a result of good practice of radiation protection. The training material is freely available on CD from the IAEA. The IAEA has conducted two events in 2004 and 2005 and number of events are planned in 2006. The survey conducted among the cardiologists participating in these programmes indicates that over 80% of them were attending such a structured programme on radiation protection for the first time. As the magnitude of X-ray usage in cardiology grows to match that in interventional radiology, the standards of training on radiation effects, radiation physics and radiation protection in interventional cardiology should also match those in interventional radiology.

Electron temperature response to ECRH on FTU tokamak in transient conditions.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacchia, A.; Bruschi, A.; Cirant, S.; Granucci, G.; Sozzi, C.; de Luca, F.; Amadeo, P.; Bracco, G.; Tudisco, O.

2001-10-01

Steady-state electron heat transport analysis of FTU high density plasmas under Electron Cyclotron Heating (ECRH) shows "stiff" electron temperature profiles [1,2,3]. Plasma response to off-axis EC heating, in fact, exibits a lower limit to electron temperature gradient length, Lc , below which electron thermal conductivity switches to higher values. Stiffness, however, is attenuated in the plasma core of saw-tooth free discharges with flat-hollow temperature profile and during current ramp-up [3,4,5], in which cases the temperature gradient length can be brought to very low values by means of on-axis ECH. Steady and current ramp-up discharges probed by steady and modulated ECH are analyzed in terms of stiffnes. Critical gradient length dependence on local features of computed current density profile is discussed. [1] Sozzi, C. et al., Paper EXP5/13, Plasma Phys. Contr. Fus. Res., Proc.18th IAEA Conf., Sorrento, 2000. [2] Jacchia, A. et al. Topical Conference on Radio Frequency Power in Plasmas, Oxnard, USA, (2001). [3] Cirant, S. et al. Topical Conference on Radio Frequency Power in Plasmas, Oxnard, USA, (2001). [4] Sozzi, C. et al., EPS, Madeira 2001. [5] Bracco, G. et al.,Plasma Phys. Contr. Fus. Res., Proc.18th IAEA Conf., Sorrento, 2000.

DOD Electronic Commerce (EC)/Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) in contracting report

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1993-12-01

Use of Electronic Commerce (EC)/Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) to support Department of Defense (DoD) procurement processes has been under consideration for some time. A 1988 Deputy Secretary of Defense memo calls for maximum use of EDI, based on 10 years of DoD EDI investigation and experiments. In 1990, Defense Management Review Decision 941 stated, 'The strategic goal of DoD's current efforts is to provide the department with the capability to initiate, conduct, and maintain its external business related transactions and internal logistics, contracting, and financial activities without requiring the use of hard copy media.' The EC in Contracting PAT membership reflected a broad cross section of Military Services and Defense Agencies working on a full-time basis for 60 days. The diversity of the EC in Contracting PAT ensured that the needs and concerns of all DoD components were addressed during the creation of the report. The resultant plan, therefore, represents a comprehensive approach for implementing EC throughout the DoD.

ECS: Efficient Communication Scheduling for Underwater Sensor Networks

PubMed Central

Hong, Lu; Hong, Feng; Guo, Zhongwen; Li, Zhengbao

2011-01-01

TDMA protocols have attracted a lot of attention for underwater acoustic sensor networks (UWSNs), because of the unique characteristics of acoustic signal propagation such as great energy consumption in transmission, long propagation delay and long communication range. Previous TDMA protocols all allocated transmission time to nodes based on discrete time slots. This paper proposes an efficient continuous time scheduling TDMA protocol (ECS) for UWSNs, including the continuous time based and sender oriented conflict analysis model, the transmission moment allocation algorithm and the distributed topology maintenance algorithm. Simulation results confirm that ECS improves network throughput by 20% on average, compared to existing MAC protocols. PMID:22163775

ECS DAAC Data Pools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiebuzinski, A. B.; Bories, C. M.; Kalluri, S.

2002-12-01

As part of its Earth Observing System (EOS), NASA supports operations for several satellites including Landsat 7, Terra, and Aqua. ECS (EOSDIS Core System) is a vast archival and distribution system and includes several Distributed Active Archive Centers (DAACs) located around the United States. EOSDIS reached a milestone in February when its data holdings exceeded one petabyte (1,000 terabytes) in size. It has been operational since 1999 and originally was intended to serve a large community of Earth Science researchers studying global climate change. The Synergy Program was initiated in 2000 with the purpose of exploring and expanding the use of remote sensing data beyond the traditional research community to the applications community including natural resource managers, disaster/emergency managers, urban planners and others. This included facilitating data access at the DAACs to enable non-researchers to exploit the data for their specific applications. The combined volume of data archived daily across the DAACs is of the order of three terabytes. These archived data are made available to the research community and to general users of ECS data. Currently, the average data volume distributed daily is two terabytes, which combined with an ever-increasing need for timely access to these data, taxes the ECS processing and archival resources for more real-time use than was previously intended for research purposes. As a result, the delivery of data sets to users was being delayed in many cases, to unacceptable limits. Raytheon, under the auspices of the Synergy Program, investigated methods at making data more accessible at a lower cost of resources (processing and archival) at the DAACs. Large on-line caches (as big as 70 Terabytes) of data were determined to be a solution that would allow users who require contemporary data to access them without having to pull it from the archive. These on-line caches are referred to as "Data Pools." In the Data Pool concept

The U.S./IAEA Workshop on Software Sustainability for Safeguards Instrumentation

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

Pepper S. E.; .; Worrall, L.

2014-08-08

The U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration’s Next Generation Safeguards Initiative, the U.S. Department of State, and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) organized a a workshop on the subject of ”Software Sustainability for Safeguards Instrumentation.” The workshop was held at the Vienna International Centre in Vienna, Austria, May 6-8, 2014. The workshop participants included software and hardware experts from national laboratories, industry, government, and IAEA member states who were specially selected by the workshop organizers based on their experience with software that is developed for the control and operation of safeguards instrumentation. The workshop included presentations, to orient the participantsmore » to the IAEA Department of Safeguards software activities related to instrumentation data collection and processing, and case studies that were designed to inspire discussion of software development, use, maintenance, and upgrades in breakout sessions and to result in recommendations for effective software practices and management. This report summarizes the results of the workshop.« less

Flight evaluation of Spacelab 1 payload thermal/ECS interfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ray, C. D.; Humphries, W. R.; Patterson, W. C.

1984-01-01

The Spacelab (SL-1) thermal/Environmental Control Systems (ECS) are discussed. Preflight analyses and flight data are compared in order to validate payload to Spacelab interfaces as well as corroborate modeling/analysis techniques. In doing so, a brief description of the Spacelab 1 payload configuration and the interactive Spacelab thermal/ECS systems are given. In particular, these interfaces address equipment cooling air, thermal and fluid conditions, humidity levels, both freon and water loop temperatures and load states, as well as passive radiant environment interfaces.

The Effect of Joint Mobilization on Dynamic Postural Control in Patients With Chronic Ankle Instability: A Critically Appraised Topic.

PubMed

Kosik, Kyle B; Gribble, Phillip A

2018-01-01

Clinical Scenario: Dorsiflexion range of motion is an important factor in the performance of the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT). While patients with chronic ankle instability (CAI) commonly experience decreased reach distances on the SEBT, ankle joint mobilization has been suggested to be an effective therapeutic intervention for targeting dorsiflexion range of motion. What is the evidence to support ankle joint mobilization for improving performance on the SEBT in patients with CAI? Summary of Key Findings: The literature was searched for articles examining the effects of ankle joint mobilization on scores of the SEBT. A total of 3 peer-reviewed articles were retrieved, 2 prospective individual cohort studies and 1 randomized controlled trial. Only 2 articles demonstrated favorable results following 6 sessions of ankle joint mobilization. Clinical Bottom Line: Despite the mixed results, the majority of the available evidence suggests that ankle joint mobilization improves dynamic postural control. Strength of Recommendation: In accordance with the Centre of Evidence Based Medicine, the inconsistent results and the limited high-quality studies indicate that there is level C evidence to support the use of ankle joint mobilization to improve performance on the SEBT in patients with CAI.

Topical capsaicin for pain in osteoarthritis: A literature review.

PubMed

Guedes, Vânia; Castro, João Paulo; Brito, Iva

Osteoarthritis is the most common joint disorder worldwide. The predominant symptom, pain, is usually treated with acetaminophen or oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, although they are associated with a significant risk of side effects. Topical capsaicin may represent an effective and safe alternative. The aim of this review is to examine the evidence for the efficacy and safety profile of topical capsaicin in the management of pain caused by osteoarthritis. Databases were searched for articles published between 2004 and 2016, in Portuguese, English or Spanish, using the search terms "capsaicin" and "osteoarthritis". When compared to placebo, it was found that topical capsaicin has a good safety profile and efficacy in reducing osteoarthritis pain of the hand, knee, hip or shoulder. However, the studies have significant limitations, the most important the difficulty of blinding. It is attributed to this review the strength of recommendation B. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Reumatología y Colegio Mexicano de Reumatología. All rights reserved.

Analysis of historical delta values for IAEA/LANL NDA training courses

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

Geist, William; Santi, Peter; Swinhoe, Martyn

2009-01-01

The Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) supports the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) by providing training for IAEA inspectors in neutron and gamma-ray Nondestructive Assay (NDA) of nuclear material. Since 1980, all new IAEA inspectors attend this two week course at LANL gaining hands-on experience in the application of NDA techniques, procedures and analysis to measure plutonium and uranium nuclear material standards with well known pedigrees. As part of the course the inspectors conduct an inventory verification exercise. This exercise provides inspectors the opportunity to test their abilities in performing verification measurements using the various NDA techniques. For an inspector,more » the verification of an item is nominally based on whether the measured assay value agrees with the declared value to within three times the historical delta value. The historical delta value represents the average difference between measured and declared values from previous measurements taken on similar material with the same measurement technology. If the measurement falls outside a limit of three times the historical delta value, the declaration is not verified. This paper uses measurement data from five years of IAEA courses to calculate a historical delta for five non-destructive assay methods: Gamma-ray Enrichment, Gamma-ray Plutonium Isotopics, Passive Neutron Coincidence Counting, Active Neutron Coincidence Counting and the Neutron Coincidence Collar. These historical deltas provide information as to the precision and accuracy of these measurement techniques under realistic conditions.« less

INF and IAEA: A comparative analysis of verification strategy

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

Scheinman, L.; Kratzer, M.

1992-07-01

This is the final report of a study on the relevance and possible lessons of Intermediate Range Nuclear Force (INF) verification to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) international safeguards activities.

MSFC Sortie Laboratory Environmental Control System (ECS) phase B design study results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ignatonis, A. J.; Mitchell, K. L.

1974-01-01

Phase B effort of the Sortie Lab program has concluded. Results of that effort are presented which pertain to the definitions of the environmental control system (ECS). Numerous design studies were performed in Phase B to investigate system feasibility, complexity, weight, and cost. The results and methods employed for these design studies are included. An autonomous Sortie Lab ECS was developed which utilizes a deployed space radiator. Total system weight was projected to be 1814.4 kg including the radiator and fluids. ECS power requirements were estimated at 950 watts.

Enhancement of CCL15 expression and monocyte adhesion to endothelial cells (ECs) after hypoxia/reoxygenation and induction of ICAM-1 expression by CCL15 via the JAK2/STAT3 pathway in ECs.

PubMed

Park, Keun Hyung; Lee, Tae Hoon; Kim, Chan Woo; Kim, Jiyoung

2013-06-15

CCL15, a member of the CC chemokine family, is a potent chemoattractant for leukocytes and endothelial cells (ECs). Given that chemokines play key roles in vascular inflammation, we investigated the effects of hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) on expression of human CCL15 and a role of CCL15 in upregulating ICAM-1 in ECs. We found that exposure of ECs to H/R increased expression of CCL15 and ICAM-1, which resulted in an increase in monocyte adhesivity to the ECs. Further studies revealed that knockdown of CCL15 or CCR1 attenuated expression of ICAM-1 in ECs after H/R, suggesting that expression of ICAM-1 is upregulated by CCL15. Stimulation of ECs with CCL15 significantly increased expression of ICAM-1 predominantly via the CCR1 receptor. We observed that phosphorylation of JAK2 and STAT3 was stimulated by CCL15 treatment of ECs. Results from reporter and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays revealed that CCL15 activates transcription from the IFN-γ activation site promoter and stimulates binding of STAT3 to the ICAM-1 promoter. Our data also showed that CCL15 increased cell adhesion of human monocytes to ECs under static and shear-stress conditions. Pretreatment of these cells with inhibitors for JAK, PI3K, and AKT prevented the CCL15-induced expression of ICAM-1 and monocyte adhesion to ECs, suggesting the involvement of those signaling molecules in ICAM-1 gene activation by CCL15. The results suggest that CCR1 and its ligands may be a potential target for treating inflammatory diseases involving upregulation of cell adhesion molecules.

Biomechanical calculation of human TM joint loading with jaw opening.

PubMed

Kuboki, T; Takenami, Y; Maekawa, K; Shinoda, M; Yamashita, A; Clark, G T

2000-11-01

A three-dimensional, static mathematical calculation of the stomatognathic system was done to predict total temporomandibular joint (TMJ) loading at different levels of jaw opening. The model assumed that muscle forces acting on the mandible could be simulated by a combination of contractile components (CCs) and elastic components (ECs) and that static equilibrium existed within the body of the mandible. The model also imposed the constraint that any generated joint reaction force would act on the centre of the condyle. The results of the model demonstrated that under all conditions of opening and for all values of the elastic modulus selected, the forces between the TMJ condyle and the articular eminence were compressive in nature. The compressive force magnitude increased from 2.7 to 27.6 N incrementally as the jaw opened from 10 to 40 mm. Overall data in this study indicated that the TMJ tissues undergo low levels of compression at open positions up to 40 mm. Finally, the condition of trismus (increased jaw closing activation with opening) was simulated, the joint reaction force at 20 mm opening increased from 7.7 to 64.9 N with only a 20% activation of the closers.

Reliability of the ecSatter Inventory as a tool to measure eating competence.

PubMed

Stotts, Jodi L; Lohse, Barbara

2007-01-01

To examine the reliability of the ecSatter Inventory (ecSI), a measure of eating competence. Self-report questionnaires were administered in person or by mail. Retesting occurred 2 to 6 weeks after completion of the first questionnaire. Both administrations of the questionnaire were completed by 259 participants who were mostly food secure, white females with some college education; mean age was 26.9 +/- 10.4 years. Test-retest reliability and internal consistency. Spearman's rank correlation coefficients to estimate test-retest reliability and Cronbach alpha coefficients to estimate internal consistency. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient for ecSI total score was 0.68; subscale coefficients were 0.70 for eating attitudes, 0.70 for contextual skills, 0.65 for food acceptance, and 0.52 for internal regulation. Cronbach alpha coefficient for ecSI total score was 0.77. Subscale alphas coefficients were 0.80 for eating attitudes, 0.69 for contextual skills, 0.68 for food acceptance, and 0.66 for internal regulation. This study provides psychometric evidence about the reliability of ecSI as a measure of eating competence in this sample. Although some ecSI items may require revision, results suggest that the instrument may be used to evaluate nutrition education designed to improve eating competence.

Estimation of skin entrance doses (SEDs) for common medical X-ray diagnostic examinations in India and proposed diagnostic reference levels (DRLs).

PubMed

Sonawane, A U; Shirva, V K; Pradhan, A S

2010-02-01

Skin entrance doses (SEDs) were estimated by carrying out measurements of air kerma from 101 X-ray machines installed in 45 major and selected hospitals in the country by using a silicon detector-based dose Test-O-Meter. 1209 number of air kerma measurements of diagnostic projections for adults have been analysed for seven types of common diagnostic examinations, viz. chest (AP, PA, LAT), lumbar spine (AP, LAT), thoracic spine (AP, LAT), abdomen (AP), pelvis (AP), hip joints (AP) and skull (PA, LAT) for different film-screen combinations. The values of estimated diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) (third quartile values of SEDs) were compared with guidance levels/DRLs of doses published by the IAEA-BSS-Safety Series No. 115, 1996; HPA (NRPB) (2000 and 2005), UK; CRCPD/CDRH (USA), European Commission and other national values. The values of DRLs obtained in this study are comparable with the values published by the IAEA-BSS-115 (1996); HPA (NRPB) (2000 and 2005) UK; EC and CRCPD/CDRH, USA including values obtained in previous studies in India.

Comparison between topical and intravenous administration of tranexamic acid in primary total hip arthroplasty.

PubMed

Ueno, Masaya; Sonohata, Motoki; Fukumori, Norio; Kawano, Shunsuke; Kitajima, Masaru; Mawatari, Masaaki

2016-01-01

Tranexamic acid has been reported to be safer with topical administration than with intravenous administration in total knee arthroplasty. However, the most effective administration route of tranexamic acid in total hip arthroplasty remains controversial. This study compared the effectiveness of topical tranexamic acid administration with that of intravenous tranexamic acid administration in total hip arthroplasty. We retrospectively examined the medical records of 886 patients with osteoarthritis of the hip joint, who had undergone unilateral primary total hip arthroplasty. The patients were divided into a control group (n = 302; did not receive tranexamic acid), topical group (n = 265; topically administered 2 g tranexamic acid in 30 mL normal saline via drain tubes placed in the joint before wound closure along with posterior soft tissue repair), and intravenous group (n = 319; intravenously administered 1 g tranexamic acid before skin incision along with posterior soft tissue repair). Data on blood loss, hemoglobin levels, transfusion rates, and occurrence of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolization were collected. The mean operation times were approximately 40 min in all of the groups. The operation time and intra-operative blood loss were significantly lower in the control group than in the topical and intravenous groups. However, the post-operative blood loss, total blood loss, and decrease in the hemoglobin level were significantly higher in the control group than in the topical and intravenous groups. There were no significant differences in terms of blood loss and systemic complications between the tranexamic acid administration methods. Tranexamic acid reduces both post-operative and total blood loss in total hip arthroplasty. Moreover, a lower amount of tranexamic acid can be used to reduce blood loss in total hip arthroplasty with intravenous tranexamic acid administration than with topical tranexamic acid administration. Therefore, we

Cooperative fuzzy games approach to setting target levels of ECs in quality function deployment.

PubMed

Yang, Zhihui; Chen, Yizeng; Yin, Yunqiang

2014-01-01

Quality function deployment (QFD) can provide a means of translating customer requirements (CRs) into engineering characteristics (ECs) for each stage of product development and production. The main objective of QFD-based product planning is to determine the target levels of ECs for a new product or service. QFD is a breakthrough tool which can effectively reduce the gap between CRs and a new product/service. Even though there are conflicts among some ECs, the objective of developing new product is to maximize the overall customer satisfaction. Therefore, there may be room for cooperation among ECs. A cooperative game framework combined with fuzzy set theory is developed to determine the target levels of the ECs in QFD. The key to develop the model is the formulation of the bargaining function. In the proposed methodology, the players are viewed as the membership functions of ECs to formulate the bargaining function. The solution for the proposed model is Pareto-optimal. An illustrated example is cited to demonstrate the application and performance of the proposed approach.

Cooperative Fuzzy Games Approach to Setting Target Levels of ECs in Quality Function Deployment

PubMed Central

Yang, Zhihui; Chen, Yizeng; Yin, Yunqiang

2014-01-01

Quality function deployment (QFD) can provide a means of translating customer requirements (CRs) into engineering characteristics (ECs) for each stage of product development and production. The main objective of QFD-based product planning is to determine the target levels of ECs for a new product or service. QFD is a breakthrough tool which can effectively reduce the gap between CRs and a new product/service. Even though there are conflicts among some ECs, the objective of developing new product is to maximize the overall customer satisfaction. Therefore, there may be room for cooperation among ECs. A cooperative game framework combined with fuzzy set theory is developed to determine the target levels of the ECs in QFD. The key to develop the model is the formulation of the bargaining function. In the proposed methodology, the players are viewed as the membership functions of ECs to formulate the bargaining function. The solution for the proposed model is Pareto-optimal. An illustrated example is cited to demonstrate the application and performance of the proposed approach. PMID:25097884

EC-LEDS Supports the Low-Carbon Transition

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

2016-09-01

EC-LEDS is a flagship U.S. government-led effort that assists countries to create and implement low emission development strategies, or LEDS -- development frameworks that promote sustainable social and economic development while reducing greenhouse gas emissions over the medium to long term.

Joint Analysis: QDR 2001 and Beyond Mini-Symposium Held in Fairfax, Virginia on 1-3 February 2000

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-04-11

have done better in: * Articulating a high level, understandable story that was credible to Congress. * Documenting, archiving assessments performed ...to (1) examine DoD assessment capabilities for performing QDR 2001, (2) provide a non-confrontational environment in which OSD, the Joint Staff...example. Foc trcues-Ec Key Issues Tools/databases Defined for Three Levels _________ (Low, Med., High ) Scenarios A . Emphasis on Modernization B. Emphasis

Joint University Program for Air Transportation Research, 1983

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morrell, Frederick R. (Compiler)

1987-01-01

The research conducted during 1983 under the NASA/FAA sponsored Joint University Program for Air Transportation Research is summarized. The material was presented at a conference held at the Federal Aviation Administration Technical Center, Altantic City, New Jersey, December 16, 1983. The Joint University Program is a coordinated set of three grants sponsored by NASA Langley Research Center and the Federal Aviation Administration, one each with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Ohio University, and Princeton University. Completed works, status reports, and bibliographies are presented for research topics, which include navigation, guidance, control, and display concepts. An overview of the year's activities for each of the universities is also presented.

High but not low ECS stimulus intensity augments apomorphine-stimulated dopamine postsynaptic receptor functioning in rats.

PubMed

Andrade, Chittaranjan; Srinivasamurthy, Gurunath M; Vishwasenani, A; Prakash, G Sai; Srihari, B S; Chandra, J Suresh

2002-06-01

Clinical research shows that the antidepressant and cognitive adverse effects of electroconvulsive therapy are both dependent on the administered electrical stimulus intensity (dose); however, dose-dependent neurotransmitter system changes in the brain, which might underlie the therapeutic or adverse effects, remain to be demonstrated. We used a behavioral model to examine dose-related effects of electroconvulsive shock (ECS) on dopamine postsynaptic receptor functioning in the rat brain. In a factorially designed study, rats (n = 100) were treated with five once-daily ECSs at three levels (sham ECS, 30 mC ECS, and 120 mC ECS), and with drug at two levels (saline, and 1 mg/kg s.c. apomorphine). Motility was assessed in the small open field. Apomorphine-elicited, dopamine postsynaptic receptor-mediated hypermotility was significantly increased by 120 mC ECS but not by 30 mC ECS. An additional but unrelated finding was that, while the ECS seizure duration expectedly decreased across time, no dose-dependent effects were observed. ECS-induced dopamine postsynaptic receptor up-regulation may depend on the intensity of the administered electrical stimulus.

Deformed shell model calculations of half lives for β+/EC decay and 2ν β+β+/β+EC/ECEC decay in medium-heavy N~Z nuclei

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mishra, S.; Shukla, A.; Sahu, R.; Kota, V. K. B.

2008-08-01

The β+/EC half-lives of medium heavy N~Z nuclei with mass number A~64-80 are calculated within the deformed shell model (DSM) based on Hartree-Fock states by employing a modified Kuo interaction in (2p3/2,1f5/2,2p1/2,1g9/2) space. The DSM model has been quite successful in predicting many spectroscopic properties of N~Z medium heavy nuclei with A~64-80. The calculated β+/EC half-lives, for prolate and oblate shapes, compare well with the predictions of the calculations with Skyrme force by Sarriguren Going further, following recent searches, half-lives for 2ν β+β+/β+EC/ECEC decay for the nucleus Kr78 are calculated using DSM and the results compare well with QRPA predictions.

Linear regression techniques for use in the EC tracer method of secondary organic aerosol estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saylor, Rick D.; Edgerton, Eric S.; Hartsell, Benjamin E.

A variety of linear regression techniques and simple slope estimators are evaluated for use in the elemental carbon (EC) tracer method of secondary organic carbon (OC) estimation. Linear regression techniques based on ordinary least squares are not suitable for situations where measurement uncertainties exist in both regressed variables. In the past, regression based on the method of Deming [1943. Statistical Adjustment of Data. Wiley, London] has been the preferred choice for EC tracer method parameter estimation. In agreement with Chu [2005. Stable estimate of primary OC/EC ratios in the EC tracer method. Atmospheric Environment 39, 1383-1392], we find that in the limited case where primary non-combustion OC (OC non-comb) is assumed to be zero, the ratio of averages (ROA) approach provides a stable and reliable estimate of the primary OC-EC ratio, (OC/EC) pri. In contrast with Chu [2005. Stable estimate of primary OC/EC ratios in the EC tracer method. Atmospheric Environment 39, 1383-1392], however, we find that the optimal use of Deming regression (and the more general York et al. [2004. Unified equations for the slope, intercept, and standard errors of the best straight line. American Journal of Physics 72, 367-375] regression) provides excellent results as well. For the more typical case where OC non-comb is allowed to obtain a non-zero value, we find that regression based on the method of York is the preferred choice for EC tracer method parameter estimation. In the York regression technique, detailed information on uncertainties in the measurement of OC and EC is used to improve the linear best fit to the given data. If only limited information is available on the relative uncertainties of OC and EC, then Deming regression should be used. On the other hand, use of ROA in the estimation of secondary OC, and thus the assumption of a zero OC non-comb value, generally leads to an overestimation of the contribution of secondary OC to total measured OC.

Joint University Program for Air Transportation Research, 1988-1989

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morrell, Frederick R. (Compiler)

1990-01-01

The research conducted during 1988 to 1989 under the NASA/FAA-sponsored Joint University Program for Air Transportation Research is summarized. The Joint University Program is a coordinated set of three grants sponsored by NASA Langley Research Center and the Federal Aviation Administration, one each with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Ohio University, and Princeton University. Completed works, status reports, and annotated bibliographies are presented for research topics, which include computer science, guidance and control theory and practice, aircraft performance, flight dynamics, and applied experimental psychology. An overview of the year's activities for each university is also presented.

Complete prevention of radiation-induced dermatitis using topical adrenergic vasoconstrictors.

PubMed

Fahl, William E

2016-12-01

Radiation dermatitis is a commonly occurring, painful, side effect of cancer radiotherapy that causes some patients to withdraw from the radiotherapy course. Our goal was to test and optimize topical application of an adrenergic vasoconstrictor to rat skin in a preclinical test to prevent radiation-induced dermatitis. A radiation dermatitis assay was developed in which 17.2 Gy to a 1.5 × 3.0 cm rectangle on the clipped dorsal back of rats yielded Grade 3 radiation dermatitis over the irradiated area 13 days later. Single, topical applications of each of three adrenergic vasoconstrictors, epinephrine, norepinephrine, or phenylephrine, in various vehicle formulations, doses, and application schedules, were tested to determine their efficacy in preventing radiation dermatitis. Each of the three adrenergic agonists conferred 100 % prevention of radiation dermatitis in linear, dose-dependent manners and their EC 50 potencies in preventing radiation dermatitis correlated well with their individual K d association constants for binding to mammalian α-adrenergic receptors. Topical vasoconstrictor application as little as 3-12 min before irradiation gave 80-100 % prevention, respectively, of radiation dermatitis. There was a strong correlation between the extent (0-100 %) of skin blanch present in skin immediately before irradiation and prevention of radiation dermatitis scored 13 days after irradiation. The data presented here demonstrate that topical application of adrenergic vasoconstrictors to rat skin before a large, 17.2 Gy, radiation insult confers 100 % protection against radiation dermatitis and support ongoing clinical trials and commercial development of a vasoconstrictor-based product to prevent radiotherapy-induced dermatitis.

The Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management

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

Risoluti, P.

The Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management (the Joint Convention) is the only legally binding international treaty in the area of radioactive waste management. It was adopted by a Diplomatic Conference in September 1997 and opened for signature on 29 September 1997. The Convention entered into force on 18 June 1998, and to date (September 04) has been signed by 42 States, of which 34 have formally ratified, thus becoming Contracting Parties. The Joint Convention applies to spent fuel and radioactive waste resulting from civilian application. Its principal aim ismore » to achieve and maintain a high degree of safety in their management worldwide. The Convention is an incentive instrument, not designed to ensure fulfillment of obligations through control and sanction, but by a peer pressure. The obligations of the Contracting Parties are mainly based on the international safety standards developed by the IAEA in past decades. The Convention is intended for all countries generating radioactive waste. Therefore it is relevant not only for those using nuclear power, but for any country where application of nuclear energy in medicine, conventional industry and research is currently used. Obligations of Contracting Parties include attending periodic Review Meetings and prepare National Reports for review by the other Contracting Parties. The National Reports should describe how the country is complying with the requirements of the Articles of the Convention. The first such meeting was held at the IAEA headquarters in November 2003. This paper will describe the origin of the Convention, present its content, the expected outcome for the worldwide safety, and the benefits for a country to be part of it.« less

Effect of topical vapocoolant spray on response to arthrocentesis and intravenous catheterization in unsedated horses.

PubMed

Fjordbakk, Cathrine T; Haga, Henning A

2011-06-01

To assess the efficacy of a commercially available topical vapocoolant spray in reducing responses to arthrocentesis of the middle carpal (MC) and metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints and jugular vein catheterization in unsedated horses. 8 healthy research horses. Arthrocentesis of both MC and MCP joints and bilateral jugular vein catheterization were performed in each horse. Immediately prior to skin penetration, 1 randomly selected MC joint, MCP joint, and jugular vein were sprayed with a vapocoolant liquid (intervention product), and the contralateral MC joint, MCP joint, and jugular vein were sprayed with water (placebo). An observer blinded to the type of spray treatment used evaluated the horses' responses to needle or catheter placement procedures by use of a 6-point categorical scale and a 100-mm visual analog scale. Responses evaluated via the visual analog scale were significantly reduced after application of the intervention product, compared with responses after application of the placebo, for the MC and MCP joints; no difference in responses to jugular vein catheterization was detected between the 2 treatments. Vapocoolant spray was safe and effective in reducing horses' responses to arthrocentesis. The use of such products prior to joint injections may reduce procedural nociception and pain anticipation in unsedated horses and may improve the safety of personnel performing such procedures.

Principles of Antibiotic Prophylaxis in Total Joint Arthroplasty: Current Concepts.

PubMed

Bosco, Joseph; Bookman, Jared; Slover, James; Edusei, Emmanuel; Levine, Brett

2016-01-01

Infection is a rare, serious complication after total joint arthroplasty and constitutes a considerable emotional and financial burden for patients, surgeons, and healthcare systems. Prevention of surgical site and periprosthetic joint infections is crucial. This requires knowledge of the microorganisms that commonly cause these infections, including Staphylococcus species. Selection of the appropriate antibiotic regimen to treat infection remains controversial, but cefazolin and cefuroxime are the most commonly recommended antibiotics for prophylaxis. Appropriate timing of administration before surgery, with redosing performed as needed, can help to ensure optimal antibiotic concentration during surgery. Given the increasing evidence that S aureus colonization is a risk factor for periprosthetic joint infection, an exploration of the potential benefits of preoperative S aureus carrier screening and decolonization protocols is warranted. The use of antibiotic-loaded bone cement in primary total joint arthroplasty and antibiotic powder at wound closure are other controversial topics that require additional research.

IAEA Nuclear Data Section: provision of atomic and nuclear databases for user applications.

PubMed

Humbert, Denis P; Nichols, Alan L; Schwerer, Otto

2004-01-01

The Nuclear Data Section (NDS) of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) provides a wide range of atomic and nuclear data services to scientists worldwide, with particular emphasis placed on the needs of developing countries. Highly focused Co-ordinated Research Projects and multinational data networks are sponsored under the auspices of the IAEA for the development and assembly of databases through the organised participation of specialists from Member States. More than 100 data libraries are readily available cost-free through the Internet, CD-ROM and other media. These databases are used in a wide range of applications, including fission- and fusion-energy, non-energy applications and basic research studies. Further information concerning the various services can be found through the web address of the IAEA Nuclear Data Section: and a mirror site at IPEN, Brazil that is maintained by NDS staff:.

Calibrated sulfur isotope abundance ratios of three IAEA sulfur isotope reference materials and V-CDT with a reassessment of the atomic weight of sulfur

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, T.; Valkiers, S.; Kipphardt, H.; De Bièvre, P.; Taylor, P. D. P.; Gonfiantini, R.; Krouse, R.

2001-08-01

Calibrated values have been obtained for sulfur isotope abundance ratios of sulfur isotope reference materials distributed by the IAEA (Vienna). For the calibration of the measurements, a set of synthetic isotope mixtures were prepared gravimetrically from high purity Ag2S materials enriched in32S, 33S, and 34S. All materials were converted into SF6 gas and subsequently, their sulfur isotope ratios were measured on the SF5+ species using a special gas source mass spectrometer equipped with a molecular flow inlet system (IRMM's Avogadro II amount comparator). Values for the 32S/34S abundance ratios are 22.650 4(20), 22.142 4(20), and 23.393 3(17) for IAEA-S-1, IAEA-S-2, and IAEA-S-3, respectively. The calculated 32S/34S abundance ratio for V-CDT is 22.643 6(20), which is very close to the calibrated ratio obtained by Ding et al. (1999). In this way, the zero point of the VCDT scale is anchored firmly to the international system of units SI. The 32S/33S abundance ratios are 126.942(47), 125.473(55), 129.072(32), and 126.948(47) for IAEA-S-1, IAEA-S-2, IAEA-S-3, and V-CDT, respectively. In this way, the linearity of the V-CDT scale is improved over this range. The values of the sulfur molar mass for IAEA-S-1 and V-CDT were calculated to be 32.063 877(56) and 32.063 911(56), respectively, the values with the smallest combined uncertainty ever reported for the sulfur molar masses (atomic weights).

Proficiency Testing as a tool to monitor consistency of measurements in the IAEA/WHO Network of Secondary Standards Dosimetry Laboratories

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

Meghzifene, Ahmed; Czap, Ladislav; Shortt, Ken

2008-08-14

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) established a Network of Secondary Standards Dosimetry Laboratories (IAEA/WHO SSDL Network) in 1976. Through SSDLs designated by Member States, the Network provides a direct link of national dosimetry standards to the international measurement system of standards traceable to the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (BIPM). Within this structure and through the proper calibration of field instruments, the SSDLs disseminate S.I. quantities and units.To ensure that the services provided by SSDL members to end-users follow internationally accepted standards, the IAEA has set up two different comparison programmes. Onemore » programme relies on the IAEA/WHO postal TLD service and the other uses comparisons of calibrated ionization chambers to help the SSDLs verify the integrity of their national standards and the procedures used for the transfer of the standards to the end-users. The IAEA comparisons include {sup 60}Co air kerma (N{sub K}) and absorbed dose to water (N{sub D,W}) coefficients. The results of the comparisons are confidential and are communicated only to the participants. This is to encourage participation of the laboratories and their full cooperation in the reconciliation of any discrepancy.This work describes the results of the IAEA programme comparing calibration coefficients for radiotherapy dosimetry, using ionization chambers. In this programme, ionization chambers that belong to the SSDLs are calibrated sequentially at the SSDL, at the IAEA, and again at the SSDL. As part of its own quality assurance programme, the IAEA has participated in several regional comparisons organized by Regional Metrology Organizations.The results of the IAEA comparison programme show that the majority of SSDLs are capable of providing calibrations that fall inside the acceptance level of 1.5% compared to the IAEA.« less

Adaptation of the Emotional Contagion Scale (ECS) and gender differences within the Greek cultural context.

PubMed

Kevrekidis, Pantelis; Skapinakis, Petros; Damigos, Dimitris; Mavreas, Venetsanos

2008-08-21

The Emotional Contagion Scale (ECS) is a self-report scale used to measure individual differences in susceptibility to converge towards the emotions expressed by others. The main aim of the present paper was to examine the psychometric properties of the Greek translation of the scale. The Greek ECS was completed by 691 undergraduate students (312 males and 379 females). To investigate the factor structure of the ECS, principal components analysis (PCA) was used. The results showed that a four-factor model was tenable. Regarding homogeneity, the Greek ECS version showed acceptable results for the full scale (alpha = 0.74) but not for all subscales. Gender differences were also identified concerning the susceptibility to emotional contagion between men and women. Women score significantly higher than men for all the different emotions described by the ECS (love, happiness, sadness) except the anger emotion, where there was no significant difference. The Greek version of the ECS showed good psychometric properties. It can be used to assess susceptibility to emotional contagion in correlation with psychopathological processes, mood and anxiety disorders primarily. The usefulness of the ECS in the fields of group psychotherapy and health psychology is also under consideration. Further investigation is needed in all these areas.

Demonstration of sawtooth period control with EC waves in KSTAR plasma

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

Jeong, J. H.; Bae, Y. S.; Joung, M.

2015-03-12

The sawtooth period control in tokamak is important issue in recent years because the sawtooth crash can trigger TM/NTM instabilities and drive plasmas unstable. The control of sawtooth period by the modification of local current profile near the q=1 surface using ECCD has been demonstrated in a number of tokamaks [1, 2] including KSTAR. As a result, developing techniques to control the sawtooth period as a way of controlling the onset of NTM has been an important area of research in recent years [3]. In 2012 KSTAR plasma campaign, the sawtooth period control is carried out by the different depositionmore » position of EC waves across the q=1 surface. The sawtooth period is shortened by on-axis co-ECCD (destabilization), and the stabilization of the sawtooth is also observed by off-axis co-ECCD at outside q=1 surface. In 2013 KSTAR plasma campaign, the sawtooth locking experiment with periodic forcing of 170 GHz EC wave is carried out to control the sawtooth period. The optimal target position which lengthens the sawtooth period is investigated by performing a scan of EC beam deposition position nearby q=1 surface at the toroidal magnetic field of 2.9 T and plasma current of 0.7 MA. The sawtooth locking by the modulated EC beam is successfully demonstrated as in [3-5] with the scan of modulation-frequency and duty-ratio at the low beta (β N~0.5) plasma. In this paper, the sawteeth behavior by the location of EC beam and the preliminary result of the sawtooth locking experiments in KSTAR will be presented.« less

Erbium--169 versus triamcinolone hexacetonide in the treatment of rheumatoid finger joints.

PubMed Central

Ruotsi, A; Hypén, M; Rekonen, A; Oka, M

1979-01-01

Erbium--169 was compared with triamcinolone hexacetonide in the topical treatment of 32 patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. Erbium--169 was injected into 83 and triamcinolone hexacetonide into 54 proximal interphalangeal or metacarpophalangeal joints. Both treatments produced alleviation of joint pain and swelling and improvement of grip strength. At every check-up (1--18 months) the percentage of remissions was higher after triamcinolone hexacetonide injection than after erbium--169. The difference was significant at 1, 3, and 6 months. PMID:434946

[Symptomatic adrenal insufficiency secondary to the use of cutaneous topical steroids for skin-bleaching].

PubMed

Sène, D; Huong-Boutin, D L T; Thiollet, M; Barete, S; Cacoub, P; Piette, J-C

2008-12-01

In black population, the skin-bleaching with cutaneous topical corticosteroids on a large body area is a widespread practice and is associated with numerous cutaneous complications. We report a 25-year-old Congolese woman who was admitted for weakness, arthralgias and abdominal pain. The association of a relative hyperpigmentation of the small joints of hands and feet with clinical features of hypercorticism led to suspect a chronic use of cutaneous topical steroids for skin-bleaching. On biological tests, plasma cortisol and corticotropin levels were undetectable and the short corticotropin (ACTH) stimulation test was negative, leading to the diagnosis of adrenal insufficiency complicating the chronic use of topical steroids. Clinical symptoms resolved with hydrocortisone therapy. One year later, the patient admitted a five-year continuous use of cutaneous topical steroids (betamethasone, 0.05%). Skin-bleaching through chronic use of cutaneous topical steroids, is a common practice in black women, and should be suspected in the presence of adrenal insufficiency with or without clinical features of hypercorticism, and conversely, skin-bleaching users should be tested for hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal function.

Ethanol production, corn gluten feed, and EC trade. Agriculture information bulletin

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

Anderson, M.

1993-07-01

The profitability of ethanol depends not only on sales of ethanol, but on sales of several coproducts of corn wet-milling such as corn gluten feed (CGF). CGF demand and supply are affected by several European Community (EC) and US policies, such as EC grain price supports and US energy policies. Changes in existing policies and programs could have a significant effect on the CGF market and, consequently, on the profitability of ethanol production. The report examines the implications of several policy options on demand, supply, and price of CGF and on the profitability of ethanol production. The policy changes examinedmore » include: (1) the effect of proposed changes in EC farm and trade policies, and (2) the effect of increased ethanol production due to proposed US environmental policies, such as the reauthorization of the Clean Air Act.« less

The 1998 Australian external beam radiotherapy survey and IAEA/WHO TLD postal dose quality audit.

PubMed

Huntley, R; Izewska, J

2000-03-01

The results of an updated Australian survey of external beam radiotherapy centres are presented. Most of the centres provided most of the requested information. The relative caseloads of various linear accelerator photon and electron beams have not changed significantly since the previous survey in 1995. The mean age of Australian LINACs is 7.1 years and that of other radiotherapy machines is 14.7 years. Every Australian radiotherapy centre participated in a special run of the IAEA/WHO TLD postal dose quality audit program, which was provided for Australian centres by the IAEA and WHO in May 1998. The dose quoted by the centres was in nearly every case within 1.5% of the dose assessed by the IAEA. This is within the combined standard uncertainty of the IAEA TLD service (1.8%). The results confirm the accuracy and precision of radiotherapy dosimetry in Australia and the adequate dissemination of the Australian standards from ARL (now ARPANSA) to the centres. The Australian standards have recently been shown to agree with those of other countries to within 0.25% by comparison with the BIPM.

The US Support Program to IAEA Safeguards Priority of Training and Human Resources

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

Queirolo,A.

2008-06-13

The U.S. Support Program to IAEA Safeguards (USSP) priority of training and human resources is aimed at providing the Department of Safeguards with an appropriate mixture of regular staff and extrabudgetary experts who are qualified to meet the IAEA's technical needs and to provide personnel with appropriate instruction to improve the technical basis and specific skills needed to perform their job functions. The equipment and methods used in inspection activities are unique, complex, and evolving. New and experienced safeguards inspectors need timely and effective training to perform required tasks and to learn new skills prescribed by new safeguards policies ormore » agreements. The role of the inspector has changed from that of strictly an accountant to include that of a detective. New safeguards procedures are being instituted, and therefore, experienced inspectors must be educated on these new procedures. The USSP also recognizes the need for training safeguards support staff, particularly those who maintain and service safeguards equipment (SGTS), and those who perform information collection and analysis (SGIM). The USSP is committed to supporting the IAEA with training to ensure the effectiveness of all staff members and will continue to offer its assistance in the development and delivery of basic, refresher, and advanced training courses. This paper will discuss the USSP ongoing support in the area of training and IAEA staffing.« less

Principles of Antibiotic Prophylaxis in Total Joint Arthroplasty: Current Concepts.

PubMed

Bosco, Joseph A; Bookman, Jared; Slover, James; Edusei, Emmanuel; Levine, Brett

2015-08-01

Infection is a rare, serious complication following total joint arthroplasty and constitutes a considerable emotional and financial burden for patients, surgeons, and healthcare systems. Prevention of surgical site and periprosthetic joint infections is crucial. This requires knowledge of the microorganisms that commonly cause these infections, including Staphylococcus species. Selection of the appropriate antibiotic regimen to treat infection remains controversial, but cefazolin and cefuroxime are the most commonly recommended antibiotics for prophylaxis. Appropriate timing of administration before surgery, with redosing performed as needed, can help to ensure optimal antibiotic concentration during surgery. Given the increasing evidence that S aureus colonization is a risk factor for periprosthetic joint infection, an exploration of the potential benefits of preoperative S aureus carrier screening and decolonization protocols is warranted. The use of antibiotic-loaded bone cement in primary total joint arthroplasty and antibiotic powder at wound closure are other controversial topics that require additional research. Copyright 2015 by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

Experimental study on lateral strength of wall-slab joint subjected to lateral cyclic load

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masrom, Mohd Asha'ari; Mohamad, Mohd Elfie; Hamid, Nor Hayati Abdul; Yusuff, Amer

2017-10-01

Tunnel form building has been utilised in building construction since 1960 in Malaysia. This method of construction has been applied extensively in the construction of high rise residential house (multistory building) such as condominium and apartment. Most of the tunnel form buildings have been designed according to British standard (BS) whereby there is no provision for seismic loading. The high-rise tunnel form buildings are vulnerable to seismic loading. The connections between slab and shear walls in the tunnel-form building constitute an essential link in the lateral load resisting mechanism. Malaysia is undergoing a shifting process from BS code to Eurocode (EC) for building construction since the country has realised the safety threats of earthquake. Hence, this study is intended to compare the performance of the interior wall slab joint for a tunnel form structure designed based on Euro and British codes. The experiment included a full scale test of the wall slab joint sub-assemblages under reversible lateral cyclic loading. Two sub-assemblage specimens of the wall slab joint were designed and constructed based on both codes. Each specimen was tested using lateral displacement control (drift control). The specimen designed by using Eurocode was found could survive up to 3.0% drift while BS specimen could last to 1.5% drift. The analysis results indicated that the BS specimen was governed by brittle failure modes with Ductility Class Low (DCL) while the EC specimen behaved in a ductile manner with Ductility Class Medium (DCM). The low ductility recorded in BS specimen was resulted from insufficient reinforcement provided in the BS code specimen. Consequently, the BS specimen could not absorb energy efficiently (low energy dissipation) and further sustain under inelastic deformation.

HierarchicalTopics: visually exploring large text collections using topic hierarchies.

PubMed

Dou, Wenwen; Yu, Li; Wang, Xiaoyu; Ma, Zhiqiang; Ribarsky, William

2013-12-01

Analyzing large textual collections has become increasingly challenging given the size of the data available and the rate that more data is being generated. Topic-based text summarization methods coupled with interactive visualizations have presented promising approaches to address the challenge of analyzing large text corpora. As the text corpora and vocabulary grow larger, more topics need to be generated in order to capture the meaningful latent themes and nuances in the corpora. However, it is difficult for most of current topic-based visualizations to represent large number of topics without being cluttered or illegible. To facilitate the representation and navigation of a large number of topics, we propose a visual analytics system--HierarchicalTopic (HT). HT integrates a computational algorithm, Topic Rose Tree, with an interactive visual interface. The Topic Rose Tree constructs a topic hierarchy based on a list of topics. The interactive visual interface is designed to present the topic content as well as temporal evolution of topics in a hierarchical fashion. User interactions are provided for users to make changes to the topic hierarchy based on their mental model of the topic space. To qualitatively evaluate HT, we present a case study that showcases how HierarchicalTopics aid expert users in making sense of a large number of topics and discovering interesting patterns of topic groups. We have also conducted a user study to quantitatively evaluate the effect of hierarchical topic structure. The study results reveal that the HT leads to faster identification of large number of relevant topics. We have also solicited user feedback during the experiments and incorporated some suggestions into the current version of HierarchicalTopics.

Experimental Investigation of Solder Joint Defect Formation and Mitigation in Reduced-Gravity Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watson, J. Kevin; Struk, Peter M.; Pettegrew, RIchard D.; Downs, Robert S.

2006-01-01

This paper documents a research effort on reduced gravity soldering of plated through hole joints which was conducted jointly by the National Center for Space Exploration Research, NASA Glenn Research Center, and NASA Johnson Space Center. Significant increases in joint porosity and changes in external geometry were observed in joints produced in reduced gravity as compared to normal gravity. Multiple techniques for mitigating the observed increase in porosity were tried, including several combinations of flux and solder application techniques, and demoisturizing the circuit board prior to soldering. Results were consistent with the hypothesis that the source of the porosity is a combination of both trapped moisture in the circuit board itself, as well as vaporized flux that is trapped in the molten solder. Other topics investigated include correlation of visual inspection results with joint porosity, pore size measurements, limited pressure effects (0.08 MPa - 0.1 MPa) on the size and number of pores, and joint cooling rate.

P2Y(2)R activation by nucleotides released from oxLDL-treated endothelial cells (ECs) mediates the interaction between ECs and immune cells through RAGE expression and reactive oxygen species production.

PubMed

Eun, So Young; Park, Sang Won; Lee, Jae Heun; Chang, Ki Churl; Kim, Hye Jung

2014-04-01

Lipoprotein oxidation, inflammation, and immune responses involving the vascular endothelium and immune cells contribute to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. In an atherosclerotic animal model, P2Y2 receptor (P2Y2R) upregulation and stimulation were previously shown to induce intimal hyperplasia and increased intimal monocyte infiltration. Thus, we investigated the role of P2Y2R in oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL)-mediated oxidative stress and the subsequent interaction between endothelial cells (ECs) and immune cells. The treatment of human ECs with oxLDL caused the rapid release of ATP (maximum after 5 min). ECs treated with oxLDL or the P2Y2R agonists ATP/UTP for 1h exhibited significant reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, but this effect was not observed in P2Y2R siRNA-transfected ECs. In addition, oxLDL and ATP/UTP both induced RAGE expression, which was P2Y2R dependent. Oxidized LDL- and ATP/UTP-mediated ROS production was diminished in RAGE siRNA-transfected ECs, suggesting that RAGE is an important mediator in P2Y2R-mediated ROS production. Treatment with oxLDL for 24h induced P2Y2R expression in the human monocyte cell line THP-1 and increased THP-1 cell migration toward ECs. The addition of apyrase, an enzyme that hydrolyzes nucleotides, or diphenyleneiodonium (DPI), a well-known inhibitor of NADPH oxidase, significantly inhibited the increase in cell migration caused by oxLDL. P2Y2R siRNA-transfected THP-1 cells did not migrate in response to oxLDL or ATP/UTP treatment, indicating a critical role for P2Y2R and nucleotide release in oxLDL-induced monocyte migration. Last, oxLDL and ATP/UTP effectively increased ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 expression and the subsequent binding of THP-1 cells to ECs, which was inhibited by pretreatment with DPI or by siRNA against P2Y2R or RAGE, suggesting that P2Y2R is an important mediator in oxLDL-mediated monocyte adhesion to ECs through the regulation of ROS-dependent adhesion molecule expression in ECs. Taken

A Study on Partnering Mechanism in B to B EC Server for Global Supply Chain Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaihara, Toshiya

B to B Electronic Commerce (EC) technology is now in progress and regarded as an information infrastructure for global business. As the number and diversity of EC participants grows at the agile environment, the complexity of purchasing from a vast and dynamic array of goods and services needs to be hidden from the end user. Putting the complexity into the EC system instead means providing flexible auction server for enabling commerce within different business units. Market mechanism could solve the product distribution problem in the auction server by allocating the scheduled resources according to market prices. In this paper, we propose a partnering mechanism for B to B EC with market-oriented programming that mediates amongst unspecified various companies in the trade, and demonstrate the applicability of the economic analysis to this framework after constructing a primitive EC server. The proposed mechanism facilitates sophisticated B to B EC, which conducts a Pareto optimal solution for all the participating business units in the coming agile era.

Expression of Finger Millet EcDehydrin7 in Transgenic Tobacco Confers Tolerance to Drought Stress.

PubMed

Singh, Rajiv Kumar; Singh, Vivek Kumar; Raghavendrarao, Sanagala; Phanindra, Mullapudi Lakshmi Venkata; Venkat Raman, K; Solanke, Amolkumar U; Kumar, Polumetla Ananda; Sharma, Tilak Raj

2015-09-01

One of the critical alarming constraints for agriculture is water scarcity. In the current scenario, global warming due to climate change and unpredictable rainfall, drought is going to be a master player and possess a big threat to stagnating gene pool of staple food crops. So it is necessary to understand the mechanisms that enable the plants to cope with drought stress. In this study, effort was made to prospect the role of EcDehydrin7 protein from normalized cDNA library of drought tolerance finger millet in transgenic tobacco. Biochemical and molecular analyses of T0 transgenic plants were done for stress tolerance. Leaf disc assay, seed germination test, dehydration assay, and chlorophyll estimation showed EcDehydrin7 protein directly link to drought tolerance. Northern and qRT PCR analyses shows relatively high expression of EcDehydrin7 protein compare to wild type. T0 transgenic lines EcDehydrin7(11) and EcDehydrin7(15) shows superior expression among all lines under study. In summary, all results suggest that EcDehydrin7 protein has a remarkable role in drought tolerance and may be used for sustainable crop breeding program in other food crops.

Testing the validity of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safety culture model.

PubMed

López de Castro, Borja; Gracia, Francisco J; Peiró, José M; Pietrantoni, Luca; Hernández, Ana

2013-11-01

This paper takes the first steps to empirically validate the widely used model of safety culture of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), composed of five dimensions, further specified by 37 attributes. To do so, three independent and complementary studies are presented. First, 290 students serve to collect evidence about the face validity of the model. Second, 48 experts in organizational behavior judge its content validity. And third, 468 workers in a Spanish nuclear power plant help to reveal how closely the theoretical five-dimensional model can be replicated. Our findings suggest that several attributes of the model may not be related to their corresponding dimensions. According to our results, a one-dimensional structure fits the data better than the five dimensions proposed by the IAEA. Moreover, the IAEA model, as it stands, seems to have rather moderate content validity and low face validity. Practical implications for researchers and practitioners are included. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Topical NSAIDs for chronic musculoskeletal pain in adults

PubMed Central

Derry, Sheena; Moore, R Andrew; Rabbie, Roy

2014-01-01

Background Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly taken orally, but they are also available in topical preparations to be applied to or rubbed onto the skin of a painful joint, typically one affected by arthritis, with the aim of relieving pain locally. Topical NSAIDs are widely used in some parts of the world for acute and chronic painful conditions, but have not been universally accepted until recently. One of the problems has been that older clinical studies were generally short, lasting four weeks or less, and short duration studies are not regarded as adequate in ongoing painful conditions. Objectives To examine the use of topical NSAIDs in chronic musculoskeletal pain, focusing on studies of high methodological quality, and examining the measured effect of the preparations according to study duration. The principal aim was to estimate treatment efficacy in longer duration studies of at least 8 weeks. Search methods A series of electronic searches, together with bibliographic searches, and searches of in-house databases were combined with electronic searches of clinical trial registers and manufacturers of topical NSAIDs, or companies known to be actively researching topical NSAIDs. There had to be at least 10 participants in each treatment arm, with application of treatment at least once daily. Selection criteria Randomised, double blind studies with placebo or active comparators, where at least one treatment was a topical NSAID product, in any topical formulation (cream, gel, patch, solution), in studies lasting at least two weeks. Data collection and analysis Two review authors independently assessed study quality and validity, and extracted data. Numbers of participants achieving each outcome were used to calculate relative risk (RR) and numbers needed to treat (NNT) or harm (NNH) compared to placebo or other active treatment. Main results Information was available from 7688 participants in 34 studies from 32 publications; 23 studies

LUNG PHYSIOLOGY DURING ECS RESUSCITATION OF DCD DONORS FOLLOWED BY IN-SITU ASSESSMENT OF LUNG FUNCTION

PubMed Central

Reoma, Junewai L.; Rojas, Alvaro; Krause, Eric M.; Obeid, Nabeel R.; Lafayette, Nathan G.; Pohlmann, Joshua R.; Padiyar, Niru P.; Punch, Jeffery D; Cook, Keith E.; Bartlett, Robert H

2009-01-01

Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary support(ECS) of donors following cardiac death(DCD) has been shown to improve abdominal organs for transplantation. This study assesses whether pulmonary congestion occurs during ECS with the heart arrested and describes an in-vivo method to assess if lungs are suitable for transplantation from DCD donors following ECS resuscitation. Cardiac arrest was induced in 30 kg pigs, followed by 10min. of warm ischemia. Cannulas were placed into right atrium (RA) and iliac artery, and veno-arterial ECS was initiated for 90min with lungs inflated, Group 1 (n=5) or deflated Group 2 (n=3). Left atrial pressures were measured as a marker for pulmonary congestion. After 90 min of ECS, lung function was evaluated. Cannulae were placed into the pulmonary artery (PA) and left ventricle (LV). A second pump was included, and ECS was converted to a bi-VAD system. The RVAD drained from the RA and pumped into the PA, and the LVAD drained the LV and pumped into the iliac. This brought the lungs back into circulation for a 1hr assessment period. The oxygenator was turned off, and ventilation restarted. Flows, blood gases, pulmonary artery and left atrial pressures, and compliance were recorded. In both groups: LA pressure was <15mmHg during ECS. During the lung assessment period, PA flows were 1.4−2.2 liter/min. PO2 was >300mmHg, with normal PCO2. ECS resuscitation of DCD donors is feasible and allows for assessment of function prior to procurement. ECS does not cause pulmonary congestion, and lungs retain adequate function for transplantation. Compliance correlated with lung function. PMID:19506464

EC03089-6421: a new, very rapidly pulsating sdO star

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kilkenny, D.; Worters, H. L.; Østensen, R. H.

2017-06-01

EC 03089-6421, classified sdO in the Edinburgh-Cape (EC) blue object survey, is shown to have unusually rapid pulsations with a dominant frequency near 32 mHz (amplitude ˜0.02 mag; period 31.1 s) - which appears to be strongly variable in amplitude on time-scales of hours and days - and a generally weaker frequency near 29 mHz (amplitude ˜0.004 mag; period 34.2 s), which is also variable in amplitude. This star varies at twice the frequency of any known hot subdwarf pulsator. Although the low-resolution EC spectrogram appears very similar to those of DAO stars, our analysis derives Teff = 40 200 ± 1600 K; log g = 6.25 ± 0.23 and log N(He)/N(H) = -1.63 ± 0.55; more recent spectrograms give Teff = 37 400 ± 1000 K; log g = 5.70 ± 0.13 and log N(He)/N(H) = -2.02 ± 0.17, both of which indicate that the gravity is too low for a white dwarf star, although the low temperature derived from the Balmer lines is at odds with the absence of neutral Helium and the strength of He II 4686. It is possible that EC 03089-6421 is a field analogue of the ω Cen sdO variables.

Studies on absorption of EC waves in assisted startup experiment on FTU

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Granucci, G.; Ricci, D.; Farina, D.; Figini, L.; Iraji, D.; Tudisco, O.; Ramponi, G.; Bin, W.

2012-09-01

Assistance of EC wave for plasma breakdown and current ramp up is the proposed scenario for the ITER case, characterized by low toroidal electric field. The experimental results on many tokamaks clearly indicate the capabilities of the proposed scheme to have a robust breakdown in ITER. The key aspect of this technique is the EC power required, strongly related to the absorption of the wave in the initial stage of plasma formation. This aspect is generally neglected due to the diagnostics difficulties in the plasma formation phase. As a consequence a multi-pass absorption scheme is usually considered reasonable, leading to a strong absorption after many reflections on the walls. The present study exploits the high temporal and spatial resolution of the fast scanning interferometer of FTU together with the measure of residual power obtained by a sniffer probe. The absorbed EC power is calculated considering also the polarization rotation and the subsequent mode conversion after incidence on the internal wall and compared with that derived from experimental data. The resulting EC power distribution can explain differences observed between perpendicular and oblique injection results, indicating future investigations to define ITER power requirements.

Early Childhood Technology Integrated Instructional System (EC-TIIS) Phase 1: A Final Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hutinger, Patricia; Robinson, Linda; Schneider, Carol

2004-01-01

The Early Childhood Technology Integrated Instructional System (EC-TIIS), a Steppingstones of Technology Innovation Phase 1--Development project, was developed by the Center for Best Practices in Early Childhood (the Center) at Western Illinois University as an online instructional system. EC-TIIS' ultimate goal was to improve technology services…

Joint awareness in osteoarthritis of the hip and knee evaluated with the 'Forgotten Joint' Score before and after joint replacement.

PubMed

Thienpont, E; Vanden Berghe, A; Schwab, P E; Forthomme, J P; Cornu, O

2016-10-01

To utilize the 'Forgotten Joint' Score (FJS), a 12-item questionnaire analysing the ability to forget the joint, for comparing preoperative status in osteoarthritic patients scheduled for total hip arthroplasty (THA) or total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Higher scores represent a better result with a maximum of 100. The hypothesis of this study was that a preoperative difference in favour of hip arthritis could eventually explain why THA is cited more often as a forgotten joint than TKA. A prospective cohort study was conducted in 150 patients with either tricompartmental knee (n = 75) or hip osteoarthritis (n = 75). Patients completed FJS-12 scores preoperatively and 1 year postoperatively. A similar preoperative FJS-12 was observed for hip (22 (15)) and knee osteoarthritis (24 (17)) (n.s.). The postoperative FJS-12 score was significantly higher for THA (80 (24)) than for TKA (70 (27)) (p < 0.05). High reliability after 6 weeks was observed for the preoperative FJS-12 test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.87) in TKA. A preoperative floor effect of 15 % in THA and 0 % in TKA was found as well as a postoperative ceiling effect of 33 % in THA and 9 % in TKA. The clinical relevance of utilizing the FJS-12 as an instrument to evaluate outcome is strongly proposed for knee arthroplasty. In general, one is not aware of a healthy joint during the ADL, and it can therefore be regarded as 'forgotten'. The preoperative FJS-12 Score is a powerful tool to provide patients with clearer insights into their positive evolution after surgery. The use of the FJS-12 in THA is a topic for further research, as this study found that floor and ceiling effects limit its usefulness in studies evaluating clinical outcome in this area. II.

[Prioritisation of topics for systematic reviews in hand surgery. Results of an expert survey].

PubMed

Schädel-Höpfner, M; Diener, M K; Eisenschenk, A; Lögters, T; Windolf, J

2011-02-01

Systematic reviews are fundamental decision-making tools for the assessment of the effectiveness of healthcare interventions and for determining future research fields. In the field of hand surgery, so far, there exists only a limited number of systematic reviews. According to the diversity and multitude of hand surgical topics, relevant fields for systematic reviews were identified by means of an expert ranking. A catalogue of 24 topics was extracted from publications of representative hand surgical journals. These topics were categorized and integrated into a questionnaire which was presented to 30 experts in the field of hand surgery. Every single topic had to be rated by marks from 1 (very relevant) to 5 (not relevant). Further topics could have been indicated. Averaging of the marks allowed to define a ranking and a prioritisation of the topics. 29 of 30 questionnaires were returned. The ranking showed scapholunate ligament injury, Kienboeck's disease and scaphoid nonunion to have the highest relevance, followed by 5 other topics dealing with wrist problems. The lowest relevance was attributed to neck fractures of the fifth metacarpal, ulnar collateral ligament injury of the thumb metacarpophalangeal joint and postoperative management following replantation. The results of the presented survey allow for a prioritisation of topics for systematic reviews in hand surgery. The ranking of the topics emphasises the particular relevance of injuries and diseases of the wrist. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Governors' Top Education Issues: 2015 State of the State Addresses. ECS Education Trends

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aragon, Stephanie; Rowland, Julie

2015-01-01

Education Commission of the States (ECS) strives to keep its constituency apprised of education policy trends across the states. To provide a comprehensive overview of educational priorities outlined by governors, ECS summarized the education proposals and accomplishments detailed in every 2015 State of the State address delivered to date. Each…

Evaluation of PCR-based methods for the identification of EAggEC in Sprouts

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Introduction: Enteroaggregative E. coli (EAggEC) and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) have been recognized worldwide as causes of foodborne gastroenteritis for the past three decades. In 2011 a hemorrhagic EAggEC (EAHEC)O104:H4 strain, having acquired a gene encoding Shiga toxin 2, caused an out...

Effect of stimulus intensity and number of treatments on ECS-related seizure duration and retrograde amnesia in rats.

PubMed

Andrade, Chittaranjan; Thyagarajan, S; Vinod, P S; Srikanth, S N; Rao, N S K; Chandra, J Suresh

2002-12-01

Animal models are frequently used to generate and test hypotheses about amnesia resulting from electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Although many predictors of ECT-induced amnesia are known, their relative effects have been inadequately researched in the context of the animal models. We sought to determine the relative retrograde amnestic effects of electroconvulsive shock (ECS) stimulus intensity (dose) and number on strong memories in rats. We also sought to identify dose-dependent ceiling amnestic effects, if any. Adult rats (n = 144) were overtrained in a passive avoidance task using a step down apparatus. The rats were then randomized in a factorial design to receive one, two, or three once-daily bilateral ECS at 0-mC (sham ECS), 30-mC, 60-mC, 120-mC, or 180-mC doses. Recall of the pre-ECS training was assessed 1 day after the last ECS. Retrograde amnesia was observed only in rats that received 3 ECS; dose-dependent amnestic effects did not emerge. Higher stimulus intensity was associated with a small (13%) but significant increase in motor seizure duration, but only at the first ECS; stimulus intensity did not influence the attenuation of seizure duration across repeated occasions of ECS. With bilateral ECS, the number of ECSs administered is a more important variable than the ECS dose in weakening a strong, recently acquired, noxious memory; this finding may have important clinical implications. Higher stimulus intensity marginally increases motor seizure duration at the first ECS but does not influence the decrease in seizure duration across repeated ECSs.

Evaluation of Client Services (ECS): a measure of treatment satisfaction for people with chronic mental illnesses.

PubMed

Berghofer, Gerlinde; Castille, Dorothy M; Link, Bruce

2011-08-01

This article describes the development and psychometric assessment of the Evaluation of Client Services (ECS) measure of treatment satisfaction for people with chronic mental illnesses in community treatment settings. The ECS, a 20-item instrument, was validated in a sample of 184 individuals receiving outpatient mental health treatment in New York City. The four dimensions of the ECS, (1) treatment management and treatment outcome, (2) treatment relationship, (3) communication and information exchange, and (4) reachability of treatment facilities are internally consistent and stable over time. Analyses also show that the ECS is a valid indicator of satisfaction with mental health services which meaningfully correlates with quality of life and another measure of treatment satisfaction. The ECS is a brief and easy to understand treatment satisfaction tool with good psychometric properties.

MoisturEC: a new R program for moisture content estimation from electrical conductivity data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Terry, Neil; Day-Lewis, Frederick D.; Werkema, Dale D.; Lane, John W.

2018-01-01

Noninvasive geophysical estimation of soil moisture has potential to improve understanding of flow in the unsaturated zone for problems involving agricultural management, aquifer recharge, and optimization of landfill design and operations. In principle, several geophysical techniques (e.g., electrical resistivity, electromagnetic induction, and nuclear magnetic resonance) offer insight into soil moisture, but data‐analysis tools are needed to “translate” geophysical results into estimates of soil moisture, consistent with (1) the uncertainty of this translation and (2) direct measurements of moisture. Although geostatistical frameworks exist for this purpose, straightforward and user‐friendly tools are required to fully capitalize on the potential of geophysical information for soil‐moisture estimation. Here, we present MoisturEC, a simple R program with a graphical user interface to convert measurements or images of electrical conductivity (EC) to soil moisture. Input includes EC values, point moisture estimates, and definition of either Archie parameters (based on experimental or literature values) or empirical data of moisture vs. EC. The program produces two‐ and three‐dimensional images of moisture based on available EC and direct measurements of moisture, interpolating between measurement locations using a Tikhonov regularization approach.

A Deep and Autoregressive Approach for Topic Modeling of Multimodal Data.

PubMed

Zheng, Yin; Zhang, Yu-Jin; Larochelle, Hugo

2016-06-01

Topic modeling based on latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) has been a framework of choice to deal with multimodal data, such as in image annotation tasks. Another popular approach to model the multimodal data is through deep neural networks, such as the deep Boltzmann machine (DBM). Recently, a new type of topic model called the Document Neural Autoregressive Distribution Estimator (DocNADE) was proposed and demonstrated state-of-the-art performance for text document modeling. In this work, we show how to successfully apply and extend this model to multimodal data, such as simultaneous image classification and annotation. First, we propose SupDocNADE, a supervised extension of DocNADE, that increases the discriminative power of the learned hidden topic features and show how to employ it to learn a joint representation from image visual words, annotation words and class label information. We test our model on the LabelMe and UIUC-Sports data sets and show that it compares favorably to other topic models. Second, we propose a deep extension of our model and provide an efficient way of training the deep model. Experimental results show that our deep model outperforms its shallow version and reaches state-of-the-art performance on the Multimedia Information Retrieval (MIR) Flickr data set.

The Mailbox Computer System for the IAEA verification experiment on HEU downlending at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant

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

Aronson, A.L.; Gordon, D.M.

IN APRIL 1996, THE UNITED STATES (US) ADDED THE PORTSMOUTH GASEOUS DIFFUSION PLANT TO THE LIST OF FACILITIES ELIGIBLE FOR THE APPLICATION OF INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY (IAEA) SAFEGUARDS. AT THAT TIME, THE US PROPOSED THAT THE IAEA CARRY OUT A ''VERIFICATION EXPERIMENT'' AT THE PLANT WITH RESPECT TO DOOWNBLENDING OF ABOUT 13 METRIC TONS OF HIGHLY ENRICHED URANIUM (HEU) IN THE FORM OF URANIUM HEXAFLUROIDE (UF6). DURING THE PERIOD DECEMBER 1997 THROUGH JULY 1998, THE IAEA CARRIED OUT THE REQUESTED VERIFICATION EXPERIMENT. THE VERIFICATION APPROACH USED FOR THIS EXPERIMENT INCLUDED, AMONG OTHER MEASURES, THE ENTRY OF PROCESS-OPERATIONAL DATA BYmore » THE FACILITY OPERATOR ON A NEAR-REAL-TIME BASIS INTO A ''MAILBOX'' COMPUTER LOCATED WITHIN A TAMPER-INDICATING ENCLOSURE SEALED BY THE IAEA.« less

[Preparation of curcumin-EC sustained-release composite particles by supercritical CO2 anti-solvent technology].

PubMed

Bai, Wei-li; Yan, Ting-yuan; Wang, Zhi-xiang; Huang, De-chun; Yan, Ting-xuan; Li, Ping

2015-01-01

Curcumin-ethyl-cellulose (EC) sustained-release composite particles were prepared by using supercritical CO2 anti-solvent technology. With drug loading and yield of inclusion complex as evaluation indexes, on the basis of single factor tests, orthogonal experimental design was used to optimize the preparation process of curcumin-EC sustained-release composite particles. The experiments such as drug loading, yield, particle size distribution, electron microscope analysis (SEM) , infrared spectrum (IR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and in vitro dissolution were used to analyze the optimal process combination. The orthogonal experimental optimization process conditions were set as follows: crystallization temperature 45 degrees C, crystallization pressure 10 MPa, curcumin concentration 8 g x L(-1), solvent flow rate 0.9 mL x min(-1), and CO2 velocity 4 L x min(-1). Under the optimal conditions, the average drug loading and yield of curcumin-EC sustained-release composite particles were 33.01% and 83.97%, and the average particle size of the particles was 20.632 μm. IR and DSC analysis showed that curcumin might complex with EC. The experiments of in vitro dissolution showed that curcumin-EC composite particles had good sustained-release effect. Curcumin-EC sustained-release composite particles can be prepared by supercritical CO2 anti-solvent technology.

Inactivation of the Ecs ABC transporter of Staphylococcus aureus attenuates virulence by altering composition and function of bacterial wall.

PubMed

Jonsson, Ing-Marie; Juuti, Jarmo T; François, Patrice; AlMajidi, Rana; Pietiäinen, Milla; Girard, Myriam; Lindholm, Catharina; Saller, Manfred J; Driessen, Arnold J M; Kuusela, Pentti; Bokarewa, Maria; Schrenzel, Jacques; Kontinen, Vesa P

2010-12-02

Ecs is an ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter present in aerobic and facultative anaerobic gram-positive Firmicutes. Inactivation of Bacillus subtilis Ecs causes pleiotropic changes in the bacterial phenotype including inhibition of intramembrane proteolysis. The molecule(s) transported by Ecs is (are) still unknown. In this study we mutated the ecsAB operon in two Staphylococcus aureus strains, Newman and LS-1. Phenotypic and functional characterization of these Ecs deficient mutants revealed a defect in growth, increased autolysis and lysostaphin sensitivity, altered composition of cell wall proteins including the precursor form of staphylokinase and an altered bacterial surface texture. DNA microarray analysis indicated that the Ecs deficiency changed expression of the virulence factor regulator protein Rot accompanied by differential expression of membrane transport proteins, particularly ABC transporters and phosphate-specific transport systems, protein A, adhesins and capsular polysaccharide biosynthesis proteins. Virulence of the ecs mutants was studied in a mouse model of hematogenous S. aureus infection. Mice inoculated with the ecs mutant strains developed markedly milder infections than those inoculated with the wild-type strains and had consequently lower mortality, less weight loss, milder arthritis and decreased persistence of staphylococci in the kidneys. The ecs mutants had higher susceptibility to ribosomal antibiotics and plant alkaloids chelerythrine and sanguinarine. Our results show that Ecs is essential for staphylococcal virulence and antimicrobial resistance probably since the transport function of Ecs is essential for the normal structure and function of the cell wall. Thus targeting Ecs may be a new approach in combating staphylococcal infection.

Joint University Program for Air Transportation Research, 1989-1990

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morrell, Frederick R. (Compiler)

1990-01-01

Research conducted during the academic year 1989-90 under the NASA/FAA sponsored Joint University Program for Air Transportation research is discussed. Completed works, status reports and annotated bibliographies are presented for research topics, which include navigation, guidance and control theory and practice, aircraft performance, human factors, and expert systems concepts applied to airport operations. An overview of the year's activities for each university is also presented.

Multiscale Simulations Reveal Key Aspects of the Proton Transport Mechanism in the ClC-ec1 Antiporter

PubMed Central

Lee, Sangyun; Swanson, Jessica M.J.; Voth, Gregory A.

2016-01-01

Multiscale reactive molecular dynamics simulations are used to study proton transport through the central region of ClC-ec1, a widely studied ClC transporter that enables the stoichiometric exchange of 2 Cl– ions for 1 proton (H+). It has long been known that both Cl– and proton transport occur through partially congruent pathways, and that their exchange is strictly coupled. However, the nature of this coupling and the mechanism of antiporting remain topics of debate. Here multiscale simulations have been used to characterize proton transport between E203 (Gluin) and E148 (Gluex), the internal and external intermediate proton binding sites, respectively. Free energy profiles are presented, explicitly accounting for the binding of Cl– along the central pathway, the dynamically coupled hydration changes of the central region, and conformational changes of Gluin and Gluex. We find that proton transport between Gluin and Gluex is possible in both the presence and absence of Cl– in the central binding site, although it is facilitated by the anion presence. These results support the notion that the requisite coupling between Cl– and proton transport occurs elsewhere (e.g., during proton uptake or release). In addition, proton transport is explored in the E203K mutant, which maintains proton permeation despite the substitution of a basic residue for Gluin. This collection of calculations provides for the first time, to our knowledge, a detailed picture of the proton transport mechanism in the central region of ClC-ec1 at a molecular level. PMID:27028643

INF and IAEA: A comparative analysis of verification strategy. [Final report

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

Scheinman, L.; Kratzer, M.

1992-07-01

This is the final report of a study on the relevance and possible lessons of Intermediate Range Nuclear Force (INF) verification to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) international safeguards activities.

Joint innversion of seismic and magnetotelluric data in the Parkfield Region of California using the normalized cross-gradient constraint

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bennington, Ninfa L.; Zhang, Haijiang; Thurber, Cliff; Bedrosian, Paul A.

2015-01-01

We present jointly inverted models of P-wave velocity (Vp) and electrical resistivity for a two-dimensional profile centered on the San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth (SAFOD). Significant structural similarity between main features of the separately inverted Vp and resistivity models is exploited by carrying out a joint inversion of the two datasets using the normalized cross-gradient constraint. This constraint favors structurally similar Vp and resistivity images that adequately fit the seismic and magnetotelluric (MT) datasets. The new inversion code, tomoDDMT, merges the seismic inversion code tomoDD and the forward modeling and sensitivity kernel subroutines of the MT inversion code OCCAM2DMT. TomoDDMT is tested on a synthetic dataset and demonstrates the code’s ability to more accurately resolve features of the input synthetic structure relative to the separately inverted resistivity and velocity models. Using tomoDDMT, we are able to resolve a number of key issues raised during drilling at SAFOD. We are able to infer the distribution of several geologic units including the Salinian granitoids, the Great Valley sequence, and the Franciscan Formation. The distribution and transport of fluids at both shallow and great depths is also examined. Low values of velocity/resistivity attributed to a feature known as the Eastern Conductor (EC) can be explained in two ways: the EC is a brine-filled, high porosity region, or this region is composed largely of clay-rich shales of the Franciscan. The Eastern Wall, which lies immediately adjacent to the EC, is unlikely to be a fluid pathway into the San Andreas Fault’s seismogenic zone due to its observed higher resistivity and velocity values.

EClerize: A customized force-directed graph drawing algorithm for biological graphs with EC attributes.

PubMed

Danaci, Hasan Fehmi; Cetin-Atalay, Rengul; Atalay, Volkan

2018-03-26

Visualizing large-scale data produced by the high throughput experiments as a biological graph leads to better understanding and analysis. This study describes a customized force-directed layout algorithm, EClerize, for biological graphs that represent pathways in which the nodes are associated with Enzyme Commission (EC) attributes. The nodes with the same EC class numbers are treated as members of the same cluster. Positions of nodes are then determined based on both the biological similarity and the connection structure. EClerize minimizes the intra-cluster distance, that is the distance between the nodes of the same EC cluster and maximizes the inter-cluster distance, that is the distance between two distinct EC clusters. EClerize is tested on a number of biological pathways and the improvement brought in is presented with respect to the original algorithm. EClerize is available as a plug-in to cytoscape ( http://apps.cytoscape.org/apps/eclerize ).

U.S. Perspectives on the Joint Convention

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

Strosnider, J.; Federline, M.; Camper, L.

The Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management (Joint Convention) is an international convention, under the auspices of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). It is a companion to a suite of international conventions on nuclear safety and physical security, which serve to promote a global culture for the safe use of radioactive materials. Although the U.S. was the first nation to sign the Joint Convention on September 29, 1997, the ratification process was a challenging experience for the U.S., in the face of legislative priorities dominated by concerns formore » national security and threats from terrorism after September 11, 2001. Notwithstanding these prevailing circumstances, the U.S. ratified the Joint Convention in 2003, just prior to the First Review Meeting of the Contracting Parties, and participated fully therein. For the United States, participation as a Contracting Party provides many benefits. These range from working with other Parties to harmonize international approaches to achieve strong and effective nuclear safety programs on a global scale, to stimulating initiatives to improve safety systems within our own domestic programs, to learning about technical innovations by other Parties that can be useful to U.S. licensees, utilities, and industry in managing safety and its associated costs in our waste management activities. The Joint Convention process also provides opportunities to identify future areas of bilateral and multilateral technical and regulatory cooperation with other Parties, as well as an opportunity for U.S. vendors and suppliers to broaden their market to include foreign clients for safety improvement equipment and services. The Joint Convention is consistent with U.S. foreign policy considerations to support, as a priority, the strengthening of the worldwide safety culture in the use of nuclear energy. Because of its many benefits, we believe it is important

Spatial and Temporal Variations of EC and OC Aerosol Combustion Sources in a Polluted Metropolitan Area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mouteva, G.; Randerson, J. T.; Fahrni, S.; Santos, G.; Bush, S. E.; Ehleringer, J. R.; Czimczik, C. I.

2015-12-01

Anthropogenic emissions of carbonaceous aerosols are a major component of fine air particulate matter (PM2.5) in polluted metropolitan areas and in the global atmosphere. Elemental (EC) and organic carbon (OC) aerosols influence Earth's energy balance by means of direct and indirect pathways and EC has been suggested as a better indicator of public health impacts from combustion-related sources than PM mass. Quantifying the contribution of fossil fuel and biomass combustion to the EC and OC emissions and their temporal and spatial variations is critical for developing efficient legislative air pollution control measures and successful climate mitigation strategies. In this study, we used radiocarbon (14C) to separate and quantify fossil and biomass contributions to a time series of EC and OC collected at 3 locations in Salt Lake City (SLC). Aerosol samples were collected on quartz fiber filters and a modified OC/EC analyzer was used with the Swiss_4S protocol to isolate and trap the EC fraction. Together with the total carbon (TC) content of the samples, the EC was analyzed for its 14C content with accelerator mass spectrometry. The 14C of OC was derived as a mass balance difference between TC and EC. EC had an annual average fraction modern of 0.13±0.06 and did not vary significantly across seasons. OC had an annual average FM of 0.49±0.13, with the winter mean (0.43±0.11) lower than the summer mean (0.64±0.13) at the 5% significance level. While the 3 stations were chosen to represent a variety of environmental conditions within SLC, no major differences in this source partitioning were observed between stations. During winter, the major sources of air pollutants in SLC are motor vehicles and wood stove combustion and determining their relative contributions has been the subject of debate. Our results indicated that fossil fuels were the dominant source of carbonaceous aerosols during winter, contributing 87% or more of the total EC mass and 40-75% of the OC

Differential neurophysiological effects of magnetic seizure therapy (MST) and electroconvulsive shock (ECS) in non-human primates.

PubMed

Cycowicz, Yael M; Luber, Bruce; Spellman, Timothy; Lisanby, Sarah H

2008-07-01

Magnetic seizure therapy (MST) is under development as a means of reducing the side effects of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) through enhanced control over patterns of seizure induction and spread. We previously reported that chronic treatment with MST resulted in less impairment in cognitive function than electroconvulsive shock (ECS) in a non-human primate model of convulsive therapy. Here we present quantitative analyses of ictal expression and post-ictal suppression following ECS, MST, and anesthesia-alone sham in the same model to test whether differential neurophysiological characteristics of the seizures could be identified. Rhesus monkeys received 4 weeks of daily treatment with ECS, MST, and anesthesia-alone sham in a counterbalanced order separated by a recovery period. Both ECS and MST were given bilaterally at 2.5 x seizure threshold. Neurophysiological characteristics were derived from two scalp EEG electrode recording sites during and immediately following the ictal period, and were compared to sham treatment. EEG power within four frequencies (delta, theta, alpha and beta) was calculated. Our results support earlier findings from intracerebral electrode recordings demonstrating that MST- and ECS- induced seizures elicit differential patterns of EEG activation. Specifically, we found that ECS shows significantly more marked ictal expression, and more intense post-ictal suppression than MST in the theta, alpha, and beta frequency bands (Ps < .05). However, the ECS and MST were indistinguishable in the delta frequency band during both ictal and post-ictal periods. These results demonstrate that magnetic seizure induction can result in seizures that differ in some neurophysiological respects compared with ECS, but that these modalities share some aspects of seizure expression. The clinical significance of these similarities and differences awaits clinical correlation.

MoisturEC: A New R Program for Moisture Content Estimation from Electrical Conductivity Data.

PubMed

Terry, Neil; Day-Lewis, Frederick D; Werkema, Dale; Lane, John W

2018-03-06

Noninvasive geophysical estimation of soil moisture has potential to improve understanding of flow in the unsaturated zone for problems involving agricultural management, aquifer recharge, and optimization of landfill design and operations. In principle, several geophysical techniques (e.g., electrical resistivity, electromagnetic induction, and nuclear magnetic resonance) offer insight into soil moisture, but data-analysis tools are needed to "translate" geophysical results into estimates of soil moisture, consistent with (1) the uncertainty of this translation and (2) direct measurements of moisture. Although geostatistical frameworks exist for this purpose, straightforward and user-friendly tools are required to fully capitalize on the potential of geophysical information for soil-moisture estimation. Here, we present MoisturEC, a simple R program with a graphical user interface to convert measurements or images of electrical conductivity (EC) to soil moisture. Input includes EC values, point moisture estimates, and definition of either Archie parameters (based on experimental or literature values) or empirical data of moisture vs. EC. The program produces two- and three-dimensional images of moisture based on available EC and direct measurements of moisture, interpolating between measurement locations using a Tikhonov regularization approach. Published 2018. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

[Preparation of ibuprofen/EC-PVP sustained-release composite particles by supercritical CO2 anti-solvent technology].

PubMed

Cai, Jin-Yuan; Huang, De-Chun; Wang, Zhi-Xiang; Dang, Bei-Lei; Wang, Qiu-Ling; Su, Xin-Guang

2012-06-01

Ibuprofen/ethyl-cellulose (EC)-polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) sustained-release composite particles were prepared by using supercritical CO2 anti-solvent technology. With drug loading as the main evaluation index, orthogonal experimental design was used to optimize the preparation process of EC-PVP/ibuprofen composite particles. The experiments such as encapsulation efficiency, particle size distribution, electron microscope analysis, infrared spectrum (IR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and in vitro dissolution were used to analyze the optimal process combination. The orthogonal experimental optimization process conditions were set as follows: crystallization temperature 40 degrees C, crystallization pressure 12 MPa, PVP concentration 4 mgmL(-1), and CO2 velocity 3.5 Lmin(-1). Under the optimal conditions, the drug loading and encapsulation efficiency of ibuprofen/EC-PVP composite particles were 12.14% and 52.21%, and the average particle size of the particles was 27.621 microm. IR and DSC analysis showed that PVP might complex with EC. The experiments of in vitro dissolution showed that ibuprofen/EC-PVP composite particles had good sustained-release effect. Experiment results showed that, ibuprofen/EC-PVP sustained-release composite particles can be prepared by supercritical CO2 anti-solvent technology.

Conference on the topic: {open_quotes}Exploration and production of petroleum and gas from chalk reservoirs worldwide{close_quotes}

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

Kuznetsov, V.G.

1995-07-01

More than 170 delegates from 14 countries in Europe, North America, Africa, and Asia took part in a conference on the topic: Exploration and Production of Petroleum and Gas from Chalk Reservoirs Worldwide. The conference was held in Copenhagen, Denmark in September,1994, and was a joint meeting of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG), and the European Association of Petroleum Geoscientists and Engineers (EAPG). In addition to the opening remarks, 25 oral and nine poster reports were presented. The topics included chalk deposits as reservoir rocks, the occurrence of chalk deposits worldwide, the North Sea oil and gas fields,more » and other related topics.« less

Can an endocytoscope system (ECS) predict histology in neoplastic lesions?

PubMed

Eberl, T; Jechart, G; Probst, A; Golczyk, M; Bittinger, M; Scheubel, R; Arnholdt, H; Knuechel, R; Messmann, H

2007-06-01

An endocytoscope system (ECS) has recently been developed with the possibility of super-high magnification of gastrointestinal mucosa, thus allowing in vivo imaging of living cells. The aim of the present study was to assess the potential of ECS in the prediction of histology in both normal gastrointestinal mucosa and neoplastic lesions. In total, 76 patients (57 men, 19 women; age range 37-86 years) with neoplastic lesions in the esophagus, stomach, or colon were enrolled into the study and underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy or colonoscopy. After staining with 1% methylene blue, the mucosa was examined with the ECS probe (x 450 and x 1100 magnification), and video sequences were recorded on video disk. Biopsies from the examined areas were taken for histology and served as the gold standard. The endocytoscope video sequences were evaluated by two blinded pathologists. Finally the results were compared with those resulting from the evaluation of an experienced endoscopist who was aware of the macroscopic endoscopic pictures and the endocytoscope image results. A total of 25 patients with esophageal lesions, 28 patients with colonic lesions, and 23 patients with gastric lesions were examined. The sensitivity and specificity for the evaluation of the blinded pathologists was 81% and 100%, respectively, in the esophagus, 56% and 89% in the stomach, and 79% and 90% in the colon. If an endoscopist evaluated the endocytoscopic pictures in combination with the macroscopic endoscopic images sensitivity and specificity increased significantly. First experiences with ECS show good sensitivity rates even by blinded assessment for esophageal and colonic lesions. Sensitivity for neoplastic lesions in the stomach is lower because of gastric mucous secretion. Combining the endoscopic and cytoscopic appearance of the lesion may further enhance the diagnostic value of the method.

EcSL: Teaching Economics as a Second Language.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crowe, Richard

Hazard Community College, in Kentucky, has implemented a new instructional methodology for economics courses called Economics as a Second Language (EcSL). This teaching approach, based on the theory of Rendigs Fel that the best model for learning economics is the foreign language classroom, utilizes strategies similar to those employed in…

Effects of Sludge Compost on EC value of Saline Soil and Plant Height of Medicago

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Chongyang; Zhao, Ke; Chen, Xing; Wang, Xiaohui

2017-12-01

In this study, the effects of sludge composting on the EC value of saline soil and the response to Medicago plant height were studied by planting Medicago with pots for 45 days in different proportions as sludge composting with saline soil. The results showed that the EC value of saline soil did not change obviously with the increase of fertilization ratio,which indicated that the EC value of saline soil was close to that of the original soil. The EC decreased by 31.45% at fertilization ratio of 40%. The height of Medicago reached the highest at 40% fertilization ratio, and that was close to 60% fertilization ratio, and the difference was significant with other treatments. By comprehensive analyse and compare,the optimum application rate of sludge compost was 40% under this test condition.

The impact of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) program on radiation and tissue banking in Argentina.

PubMed

Kairiyama, Eulogia; Morales Pedraza, Jorge

2009-05-01

Tissue banking activities in Argentina started in 1993. The regulatory and controlling national authority on organ, tissue and cells for transplantation activity is the National Unique Coordinating Central Institute for Ablation and Implant (INCUCAI). Three tissue banks were established under the IAEA program and nine other banks participated actively in the implementation of this program. As result of the implementation of the IAEA program in Argentina and the work done by the established tissue banks, more and more hospitals are now using, in a routine manner, radiation sterilised tissues processed by these banks. During the period 1992-2005, more than 21 016 tissues were produced and irradiated in the tissue banks participating in the IAEA program. Within the framework of the training component of the IAEA program, Argentina has been selected to host the Regional Training Centre for Latin American. In this centre, tissue bank operators and medical personal from Latin American countries were trained. Since 1999, Argentina has organised four regular regional training courses and two virtual regional training courses. More than twenty (20) tissue bank operators and medical personnel from Argentina were trained under the IAEA program in the six courses organised in the country. In general, ninety (96) tissue bank operators and medical personnel from eight Latin-American countries were trained in the Buenos Aires regional training centre. From Argentina 16 students graduated in these courses.

Kinematic Slip Model for 12 May 2008 Wenchuan-Beichuan Mw 7.9 Earthquake from Joint Inversion of ALOS, Envisat, and Teleseismic Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fielding, Eric; Sladen, Anthony; Avouac, Jean-Philippe; Li, Zhenhong; Ryder, Isabelle; Burgmann, Roland

2008-01-01

The presentations explores kinematics of the Wenchaun-Beichuan earthquake using data from ALOS, Envisat, and teleseismic recordings. Topics include geomorphic mapping, ALOS PALSAR range offsets, ALOS PALSAR interferometry, Envisat IM interferometry, Envisat ScanSAR, Joint GPS-InSAR inversion, and joint GPS-teleseismic inversion (static and kinematic).

Is combined topical and intravenous tranexamic acid superior to single use of tranexamic acid in total joint arthroplasty?

PubMed Central

Yang, Liqing; Du, Shuai; Sun, Yuefeng

2017-01-01

Abstract Background: To compare the efficacy and safety of the combined application of both intravenous and topical tranexamic acid (TXA) versus the single use of either application in patients with total knee and hip arthroplasty (TKA and THA). Methods: Potentially relevant studies were identified from electronic databases including Medline, PubMed, Embase, ScienceDirect, and the Cochrane Library. Randomized control trials (RCTs) of patients prepared for total joint arthroplasty that compared combined TXA with placebo were retrieved. The primary endpoint was hemoglobin decline or postoperative hemoglobin level, blood loss, drainage volume, transfusion requirements. The secondary outcomes were length of stay (LOS), and operation time as well as surgery-related adverse effects, such as wound infection, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and pulmonary embolism (PE). After testing for publication bias and heterogeneity between studies, data were aggregated for random-effects models when necessary. Results: Five RCTs that included 604 patients met the inclusion criteria. The present meta-analysis indicated significant differences existed in the total blood loss (mean difference [MD] = −134.65, 95% CI: −191.66 to −77.64, P < .0001), postoperative hemoglobin level (MD = 0.74, 95% CI: 0.39–1.10, P < .0001), drainage volume (MD = −47.44, 95% CI: −64.55 to −30.33, P < .00001), and transfusion rate (risk difference [RD] = −0.06, 95% CI: −0.10 to −0.02, P = .006) between groups. Conclusion: Combined administration of TXA in TKA and THA was associated with significantly reduced total blood loss, postoperative hemoglobin decline, drainage volume, and transfusion requirements. Well-designed, high-quality RCTs with long-term follow-up are still required. PMID:28746213

Estimation of Finger Joint Angles Based on Electromechanical Sensing of Wrist Shape.

PubMed

Kawaguchi, Junki; Yoshimoto, Shunsuke; Kuroda, Yoshihiro; Oshiro, Osamu

2017-09-01

An approach to finger motion capture that places fewer restrictions on the usage environment and actions of the user is an important research topic in biomechanics and human-computer interaction. We proposed a system that electrically detects finger motion from the associated deformation of the wrist and estimates the finger joint angles using multiple regression models. A wrist-mounted sensing device with 16 electrodes detects deformation of the wrist from changes in electrical contact resistance at the skin. In this study, we experimentally investigated the accuracy of finger joint angle estimation, the adequacy of two multiple regression models, and the resolution of the estimation of total finger joint angles. In experiments, both the finger joint angles and the system output voltage were recorded as subjects performed flexion/extension of the fingers. These data were used for calibration using the least-squares method. The system was found to be capable of estimating the total finger joint angle with a root-mean-square error of 29-34 degrees. A multiple regression model with a second-order polynomial basis function was shown to be suitable for the estimation of all total finger joint angles, but not those of the thumb.

Training in Tbilisi nuclear facility provides new sampling perspectives for IAEA inspectors

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

Brim, Cornelia P.

2016-06-08

Office of Nonproliferation and Arms Control- (NPAC-) sponsored training in a “cold” nuclear facility in Tbilisi, Georgia provides International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors with a new perspective on environmental sampling strategies. Sponsored by the Nuclear Safeguards program under the NPAC, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) experts have been conducting an annual weeklong class for IAEA inspectors in a closed nuclear facility since 2011. The Andronikashvili Institute of Physics and the Republic of Georgia collaborate with PNNL to provide the training, and the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi and the U.S. Mission to International Organizations inmore » Vienna provide logistical support.« less

JANNAF 35th Combustion Subcommittee and 17th Propulsion Systems Hazards Subcommittee Meeting: Joint Sessions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fry, Ronald S. (Editor); Gannaway, Mary T. (Editor); Rognan, Melanie (Editor)

1998-01-01

This publication is a compilation of 15 unclassified/unlimited technical papers presented at the 1998 meeting of the Joint Army-Navy-NASA-Air Force (JANNAF) Combustion Subcommittee (CS) and Propulsion Systems Hazards Subcommittee (PSHS) held jointly with the Airbreathing Propulsion Subcommittee (APS). The meeting was held on 7 - 11 December 1 998 at Raytheon Systems Company and the Marriott Hotel, Tucson, AZ. Topics covered include advanced ingredients and reaction kinetics in solid propellants and experimental diagnostic techniques.

IAEA activities on atomic, molecular and plasma-material interaction data for fusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Braams, Bastiaan J.; Chung, Hyun-Kyung

2013-09-01

The IAEA Atomic and Molecular Data Unit (http://www-amdis.iaea.org/) aims to provide internationally evaluated and recommended data for atomic, molecular and plasma-material interaction (A+M+PMI) processes in fusion research. The Unit organizes technical meetings and coordinates an A+M Data Centre Network (DCN) and a Code Centre Network (CCN). In addition the Unit organizes Coordinated Research Projects (CRPs), for which the objectives are mixed between development of new data and evaluation and recommendation of existing data. In the area of A+M data we are placing new emphasis in our meeting schedule on data evaluation and especially on uncertainties in calculated cross section data and the propagation of uncertainties through structure data and fundamental cross sections to effective rate coefficients. Following a recent meeting of the CCN it is intended to use electron scattering on Be, Ne and N2 as exemplars for study of uncertainties and uncertainty propagation in calculated data; this will be discussed further at the presentation. Please see http://www-amdis.iaea.org/CRP/ for more on our active and planned CRPs, which are concerned with atomic processes in core and edge plasma and with plasma interaction with beryllium-based surfaces and with irradiated tungsten.

On the robustness of EC-PC spike detection method for online neural recording.

PubMed

Zhou, Yin; Wu, Tong; Rastegarnia, Amir; Guan, Cuntai; Keefer, Edward; Yang, Zhi

2014-09-30

Online spike detection is an important step to compress neural data and perform real-time neural information decoding. An unsupervised, automatic, yet robust signal processing is strongly desired, thus it can support a wide range of applications. We have developed a novel spike detection algorithm called "exponential component-polynomial component" (EC-PC) spike detection. We firstly evaluate the robustness of the EC-PC spike detector under different firing rates and SNRs. Secondly, we show that the detection Precision can be quantitatively derived without requiring additional user input parameters. We have realized the algorithm (including training) into a 0.13 μm CMOS chip, where an unsupervised, nonparametric operation has been demonstrated. Both simulated data and real data are used to evaluate the method under different firing rates (FRs), SNRs. The results show that the EC-PC spike detector is the most robust in comparison with some popular detectors. Moreover, the EC-PC detector can track changes in the background noise due to the ability to re-estimate the neural data distribution. Both real and synthesized data have been used for testing the proposed algorithm in comparison with other methods, including the absolute thresholding detector (AT), median absolute deviation detector (MAD), nonlinear energy operator detector (NEO), and continuous wavelet detector (CWD). Comparative testing results reveals that the EP-PC detection algorithm performs better than the other algorithms regardless of recording conditions. The EC-PC spike detector can be considered as an unsupervised and robust online spike detection. It is also suitable for hardware implementation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Damage Detection Response Characteristics of Open Circuit Resonant (SansEC) Sensors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dudley, Kenneth L.; Szatkowski, George N.; Smith, Laura J.; Koppen, Sandra V.; Ely, Jay J.; Nguyen, Truong X.; Wang, Chuantong; Ticatch, Larry A.; Mielnik, John J.

2013-01-01

The capability to assess the current or future state of the health of an aircraft to improve safety, availability, and reliability while reducing maintenance costs has been a continuous goal for decades. Many companies, commercial entities, and academic institutions have become interested in Integrated Vehicle Health Management (IVHM) and a growing effort of research into "smart" vehicle sensing systems has emerged. Methods to detect damage to aircraft materials and structures have historically relied on visual inspection during pre-flight or post-flight operations by flight and ground crews. More quantitative non-destructive investigations with various instruments and sensors have traditionally been performed when the aircraft is out of operational service during major scheduled maintenance. Through the use of reliable sensors coupled with data monitoring, data mining, and data analysis techniques, the health state of a vehicle can be detected in-situ. NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) is developing a composite aircraft skin damage detection method and system based on open circuit SansEC (Sans Electric Connection) sensor technology. Composite materials are increasingly used in modern aircraft for reducing weight, improving fuel efficiency, and enhancing the overall design, performance, and manufacturability of airborne vehicles. Materials such as fiberglass reinforced composites (FRC) and carbon-fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRP) are being used to great advantage in airframes, wings, engine nacelles, turbine blades, fairings, fuselage structures, empennage structures, control surfaces and aircraft skins. SansEC sensor technology is a new technical framework for designing, powering, and interrogating sensors to detect various types of damage in composite materials. The source cause of the in-service damage (lightning strike, impact damage, material fatigue, etc.) to the aircraft composite is not relevant. The sensor will detect damage independent of the cause

The metabolism of ethanol-derived acetaldehyde by alcohol dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.1) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (EC 1.2.1.3) in Drosophila melanogaster larvae.

PubMed Central

Heinstra, P W; Geer, B W; Seykens, D; Langevin, M

1989-01-01

Both aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH, EC 1.2.1.3) and the aldehyde dehydrogenase activity of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH, EC 1.1.1.1) were found to coexist in Drosophila melanogaster larvae. The enzymes, however, showed different inhibition patterns with respect to pyrazole, cyanamide and disulphiram. ALDH-1 and ALDH-2 isoenzymes were detected in larvae by electrophoretic methods. Nonetheless, in tracer studies in vivo, more than 75% of the acetaldehyde converted to acetate by the ADH ethanol-degrading pathway appeared to be also catalysed by the ADH enzyme. The larval fat body probably was the major site of this pathway. Images Fig. 1. Fig. 2. PMID:2499314

Fine carbonaceous aerosol characteristics at a megacity during the Chinese Spring Festival as given by OC/EC online measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Baoshuang; Bi, Xiaohui; Feng, Yinchang; Dai, Qili; Xiao, Zhimei; Li, Liwei; Wu, Jianhui; Yuan, Jie; Zhang, YuFen

2016-11-01

The OC/EC online monitoring campaign was carried out in Tianjin of China from 8th February to 15th March 2015 during the Chinese Spring Festival period (CSFP). The concentrations of OC, EC, BC and other ambient pollutants (e.g. SO2, NO2 and PM2.5, etc.) in high time resolution were measured with related online-monitoring instruments. During the CSFP, according to the peaks of PM2.5 concentrations and number concentrations (NC) of aerosol particles with aerodynamic diameters between 0.3 and 2.5 μm, five pollution-events were generally identified and displayed. These pollution-events were closely associated with large-scale fireworks displaying, combustion activities such as heating for winter, and the stable meteorological conditions, etc. During the CSFP, EC and OC concentrations showed variations up to one order of magnitude. The uncertainty of instrument itself and the difference for measured methods, further caused the differences between thermal OC (measured OC by thermal method) and optical OC (measured OC by optical method) concentrations, as well as between thermal EC (measured EC by thermal method) and optical EC (measured EC by optical method) concentrations. The high-concentration carbonaceous aerosols could enlarge the uncertainty of measuring instrument, reducing the correlations between OC and EC, and enhance the differences among thermal EC, optical BC and optical EC. The OC/EC ratios and the percentages of SOC/OC would be declined, when the pollution-events formed during the CSFP. Due to the different sources for thermal POC and thermal SOC, the correlation of the two was relatively lower (R2 = 0.39). Thermal POC dominated over thermal OC during the CSFP.

Trip report on IAEA Training Workshop on Implementation of Integrated Management Systems for Research Reactors (T3-TR-45496).

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

Pratt, Richard J.

2013-11-01

From 17-21 June 2013, Sandia National Laboratories, Technical Area-V (SNL TA-V) represented the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA) at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Training Workshop (T3-TR-45486). This report gives a breakdown of the IAEA regulatory structure for those unfamiliar, and the lessons learned and observations that apply to SNL TA-V that were obtained from the workshop. The Safety Report Series, IAEA workshop final report, and SNL TA-V presentation are included as attachments.

Ralphs Grocery EC-Diesel Truck Fleet: Final Results

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

Not Available

2003-02-01

DOE's Office of Heavy Vehicle Technologies sponsored a research project with Ralphs Grocery Company to collect and analyze data on the performance and operation of 15 diesel trucks fueled with EC-Diesel in commercial service. These trucks were compared to 5 diesel trucks fueled with CARB diesel and operating on similar routes. This document reports this evaluation.

Interactions between peripheral blood CD8 T lymphocytes and intestinal epithelial cells (iEC).

PubMed

Arosa, F A; Irwin, C; Mayer, L; de Sousa, M; Posnett, D N

1998-05-01

Intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes (iIEL) are primarily CD8 cells and most of them have a CD28- phenotype, the phenotype of effector cytotoxic T cells. We asked whether the predominance of CD8+CD28- T cells in the gut may result from peripheral blood T cells preferentially migrating to the iIEL compartment and adhering to iEC. Compared with CD4 cells, adhesion of resting CD8+ T cells to iEC cell lines was significantly higher. Adhesion could be blocked with a MoAb to gp180, a molecule expressed on iEC which is known to interact with CD8/lck. No significant difference in the level of adhesion was observed between CD8+CD28+ and CD8+CD28- T cells. Thus CD8 cells may preferentially migrate to the iIEL compartment, but loss of CD28 expression could occur in situ after migration. Consistent with this hypothesis, the CD8+CD28- cells became enriched after co-culturing T cells with iEC cell lines and primary iEC. Induction of the CD8+CD28- phenotype in cord blood and adult T cells was observed in co-cultures with iEC and also with mitogens and superantigens. In the latter case, CD28 down-modulation was seen specifically in the Vbeta subset targeted by the superantigen, indicating that loss of CD28 expression is a direct result of T cell receptor (TCR)-mediated stimulation. The combined results suggest that CD8+CD28- T cells are antigen experienced T cells, and that they may have a survival advantage in the presence of gut epithelial cells in vitro. This may contribute to the predominance of CD8+CD28- T cells in the iIEL compartment.

Interactions between peripheral blood CD8 T lymphocytes and intestinal epithelial cells (iEC)

PubMed Central

Arosa, F A; Irwin, C; Mayer, L; De Sousa, M; Posnett, D N

1998-01-01

Intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes (iIEL) are primarily CD8 cells and most of them have a CD28− phenotype, the phenotype of effector cytotoxic T cells. We asked whether the predominance of CD8+ CD28− T cells in the gut may result from peripheral blood T cells preferentially migrating to the iIEL compartment and adhering to iEC. Compared with CD4 cells, adhesion of resting CD8+ T cells to iEC cell lines was significantly higher. Adhesion could be blocked with a MoAb to gp180, a molecule expressed on iEC which is known to interact with CD8/lck. No significant difference in the level of adhesion was observed between CD8+ CD28+ and CD8+ CD28− T cells. Thus CD8 cells may preferentially migrate to the iIEL compartment, but loss of CD28 expression could occur in situ after migration. Consistent with this hypothesis, the CD8+ CD28− cells became enriched after co-culturing T cells with iEC cell lines and primary iEC. Induction of the CD8+ CD28− phenotype in cord blood and adult T cells was observed in co-cultures with iEC and also with mitogens and superantigens. In the latter case, CD28 down-modulation was seen specifically in the Vβ subset targeted by the superantigen, indicating that loss of CD28 expression is a direct result of T cell receptor (TCR)-mediated stimulation. The combined results suggest that CD8+ CD28− T cells are antigen experienced T cells, and that they may have a survival advantage in the presence of gut epithelial cells in vitro. This may contribute to the predominance of CD8+ CD28− T cells in the iIEL compartment. PMID:9649184

A Search for Companions to the Pulsating sdB Star EC 20117-4014

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Otani, T.; Oswalt, T.; Amaral, M.; Jordan, R.

2017-03-01

EC 20117-4014 is known to be a spectroscopic binary system consisting of an sdB star and F5V star. It was monitored using the SARA-CT telescope in Cerro Tololo, Chile over several observing seasons. Periodic O-C variations were detected in the two highest amplitude pulsations in EC 20117-4014, permitting detection of the F5V companion, whose period and semimajor axis were previously unknown.

Lunar Module ECS (Environmental Control System) - Design Considerations and Failure Modes. Part 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Interbartolo, Michael

2009-01-01

Design considerations and failure modes for the Lunar Module (LM) Environmental Control System (ECS) are described. An overview of the the oxygen supply and cabin pressurization, atmosphere revitalization, water management and heat transport systems are provided. Design considerations including reliability, flight instrumentation, modularization and the change to the use of batteries instead of fuel cells are discussed. A summary is provided for the LM ECS general testing regime.

Participation in proficiency test for tritium strontium and caesium isotopes in seawater 2015 (IAEA-RML-2015-02)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Visetpotjanakit, S.; Kaewpaluek, S.

2017-06-01

A proficiency test (PT) exercise has proposed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in the frame of the IAEA Technical Cooperation project RAS/7/021 “Marine benchmark study on the possible impact of the Fukushima radioactive releases in the Asia-Pacific Region for Caesium Determination in Sea Water” since 2012. In 2015 the exercise was referred to Proficiency Test for Tritium, Strontium and Caesium Isotopes in Seawater 2015 (IAEA-RML-2015-02) to analyse3H, 134Cs, 137Cs and90Sr in a seawater sample. OAP was one of the 17 laboratories from 15 countries from Asia-Pacific Region who joined the PT exercise. The aim of our participation was to validate our analytical performance for the accurate determination of radionuclides in seawater by developed methods of radiochemical analysis. OAP submitted results determining the concentration for the three elements i.e. 134Cs, 137Cs and90Sr in seawater to the IAEA. A critical review was made to check suitability of our methodology and the criteria for the accuracy, precision and trueness of our data. The results of both 134Cs and 137Cs passed all criteria which were assigned “Accepted” statuses. Whereas 90Sr analysis did not pass the accuracy test therefore it was considered as “Not accepted” Our results and all other participant results with critical comments were published in the IAEA proficiency test report.

In vitro antiretroviral activity and in vivo toxicity of the potential topical microbicide copper phthalocyanine sulfate.

PubMed

Styczynski, Ashley R; Anwar, Khandaker N; Sultana, Habiba; Ghanem, Abdelhamid; Lurain, Nell; Chua, Aishi; Ghassemi, Mahmood; Novak, Richard M

2015-08-30

Copper has antimicrobial properties and has been studied for its activity against viruses, including HIV. Copper complexed within a phthalocyanine ring, forming copper (II) phthalocyanine sulfate (CuPcS), may have a role in microbicide development when used intravaginally. CuPcS toxicity was tested against cervical epithelial cells, TZM-BL cells, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), and cervical explant tissues using cell viability assays. In vivo toxicity was assessed following intravaginal administration of CuPcS in female BALB/C mice and measured using a standardized histology grading system on reproductive tract tissues. Efficacy studies for preventing infection with HIV in the presence of various non-toxic concentrations of CuPcS were carried out in TZM-BL, PBMC, and cervical explant cultures using HIV-1BAL and various pseudovirus subtypes. Non-linear regression was applied to the data to determine the EC50/90 and CC50/90. CuPcS demonstrated inhibition of HIV infection in PBMCs at concentrations that were non-toxic in cervical epithelial cells and PBMCs with EC50 values of approximately 50 μg/mL. Reproductive tract tissue analysis revealed no toxicity at 100 mg/mL. Human cervical explant tissues challenged with HIV in the presence of CuPcS also revealed a dose-response effect at preventing HIV infection at non-toxic concentrations with an EC50 value of 65 μg/mL. These results suggest that CuPcS may be useful as a topical microbicide in concentrations that can be achieved in the female genital tract.

High Time- and Size-Resolved Measurements of PM and Chemical Composition from Coal Combustion: Implications for the EC Formation Process.

PubMed

Han, Yong; Chen, Yingjun; Ahmad, Saud; Feng, Yanli; Zhang, Fan; Song, Wenhuai; Cao, Fang; Zhang, Yanlin; Yang, Xin; Li, Jun; Zhang, Gan

2018-06-05

Inefficient coal combustion is a significant source of elemental carbon (EC) air pollution in China, but there is a limited understanding of EC's formation processes. In this study, high time-resolved particle number size distributions (PNSDs) and size-resolved chemical compositions were obtained from the combustion of four bituminous coals burned in a quartz tube furnace at 500 and 800 °C. Based on the distinct characteristics of PNSD, the flaming stage was divided into the first-flaming stage (with a PNSD peak at 0.3-0.4 μm) and the second-flaming stage (with a PNSD peak at 0.1-0.15 μm). For the size-segregated EC and OC measurements, more soot-EC was observed in particles larger than 0.3 μm, whereas the smaller ones possessed more char-EC. The results indicated that gas-phase and direct-conversion EC generation mechanisms dominate different burning stages. The analysis of 16 parent PAHs showed more high-molecular-weight PAHs in the second-flaming stage particles, which supports the idea of different formation processes for char-EC and soot-EC. For all four coals, the PNSD and chemical compositions shared a similar trend, confirming that the different formation processes of EC in different flaming stages were common. This study provides novel information concerning EC formation.

Specific cellular accumulation of photofrin-II in EC cells promotes photodynamic treatment efficacy in esophageal cancer.

PubMed

Gao, Shegan; Liang, Shuo; Ding, Kaili; Qu, Zhifeng; Wang, Ying; Feng, Xiaoshan

2016-06-01

Photodynamic therapy (PDT), which uses a light-sensitive compound and laser irradiation, is a light-based oncological treatment modality. PDT offers an alternative, less invasive treatment for various malignant tumors, such as esophageal cancer (EC), through a photochemical reaction induced by photofrin-II or other oncotropic photosensitizers without severe complications. Previous studies has shown that cancerous tissues accumulated more photosensitizers than paired normal tissues, however, whether it is cellular or vascular mechanisms remains unknown. Herein, in vivo and in vitro examinations were performed to study the mechanisms by which photofrin-II effectively and specifically killed EC cells. In this study, EC tissue of patients treated with photofrin-II, human ESCC cellline SHEEC and parental normal cellline SHEE, primary culture cells of EC tissue were used. The concentration of photofrin-II in cells were evaluated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results exhibited that accumulation of photofrin-II in cancerous cells were significantly higher than that in non-cancerous cells (p<0.05) under certain dose and time period of incubation of photofrin-II. In summary, our study showed that, photofrin-II specifically accumulated in EC cells in vivo and in vitro after controlling for vascular factors, which provided strong evidence that maybe the cellular factor is the main mechanism by which photofrin-II-mediated PDT selectively caused EC cells death. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Lung physiology during ECS resuscitation of DCD donors followed by in situ assessment of lung function.

PubMed

Reoma, Junewai L; Rojas, Alvaro; Krause, Eric M; Obeid, Nabeel R; Lafayette, Nathan G; Pohlmann, Joshua R; Padiyar, Niru P; Punch, Jeffery D; Cook, Keith E; Bartlett, Robert H

2009-01-01

Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary support (ECS) of donors after cardiac death (DCD) has been shown to improve abdominal organs for transplantation. This study assesses whether pulmonary congestion occurs during ECS with the heart arrested and describes an in vivo method to assess if lungs are suitable for transplantation from DCD donors after ECS resuscitation. Cardiac arrest was induced in 30 kg pigs, followed by 10 min of warm ischemia. Cannulae were placed into the right atrium (RA) and iliac artery, and veno-arterial ECS was initiated for 90 min with lungs inflated, group 1 (n = 5) or deflated, group 2 (n = 3). Left atrial pressures were measured as a marker for pulmonary congestion. After 90 min of ECS, lung function was evaluated. Cannulae were placed into the pulmonary artery (PA) and left ventricle (LV). A second pump was included, and ECS was converted to a bi-ventricular (bi-VAD) system. The RVAD drained from the RA and pumped into the PA, and the LVAD drained the LV and pumped into the iliac. This brought the lungs back into circulation for a 1-hr assessment period. The oxygenator was turned off, and ventilation was restarted. Flows, blood gases, PA and left atrial pressures, and compliance were recorded. In both the groups, LA pressure was <15 mm Hg during ECS. During the lung assessment period, PA flows were 1.4-2.2 L/min. PO2 was >300 mm Hg, with normal PCO2. Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary support resuscitation of DCD donors is feasible and allows for assessment of function before procurement. Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary support does not cause pulmonary congestion, and the lungs retain adequate function for transplantation. Compliance correlated with lung function.

Validating dose rate calibration of radiotherapy photon beams through IAEA/WHO postal audit dosimetry service.

PubMed

Jangda, Abdul Qadir; Hussein, Sherali

2012-05-01

In external beam radiation therapy (EBRT), the quality assurance (QA) of the radiation beam is crucial to the accurate delivery of the prescribed dose to the patient. One of the dosimetric parameters that require monitoring is the beam output, specified as the dose rate on the central axis under reference conditions. The aim of this project was to validate dose rate calibration of megavoltage photon beams using the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)/World Health Organisation (WHO) postal audit dosimetry service. Three photon beams were audited: a 6 MV beam from the low-energy linac and 6 and 18 MV beams from a dual high-energy linac. The agreement between our stated doses and the IAEA results was within 1% for the two 6 MV beams and within 2% for the 18 MV beam. The IAEA/WHO postal audit dosimetry service provides an independent verification of dose rate calibration protocol by an international facility.

Joint University Program for Air Transportation Research, 1991-1992

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morrell, Frederick R. (Compiler)

1993-01-01

This report summarizes the research conducted during the academic year 1991-1992 under the FAA/NASA sponsored Joint University Program for Air Transportation Research. The year end review was held at Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, June 18-19, 1992. The Joint University Program is a coordinated set of three grants sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration and NASA Langley Research Center, one each with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (NGL-22-009-640), Ohio University (NGR-36-009-017), and Princeton University (NGL-31-001-252). Completed works, status reports, and annotated bibliographies are presented for research topics, which include navigation, guidance and control theory and practice, intelligent flight control, flight dynamics, human factors, and air traffic control processes. An overview of the year's activities for each university is also presented.

A publicly available SSC+EC code.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Georganopoulos, M.; Perlman, E. S.; Kazanas, D.; Wingert, B.; Castro, R.

2004-08-01

We present a time-dependent one zone SSC+EC code that takes into account the KN-cross section, and calculates self-consistently all orders of Compton scattering. In particular, it produces separate results for the first order Compton component, and for the total Compton emission. The kinetic equation is solved using a stable implicit scheme, and the user can select from a range of physically motivated temporal electron injection profile. The code is written in C, is fully documented and will soon be publicly available through the Internet, along with a set of IDL visualization routines.

SerpinE2, a poor biomarker of endometrial cancer, promotes the proliferation and mobility of EC cells.

PubMed

Shen, Yuan; Wang, Xiaoyu; Xu, Jianping; Lu, Lin

2017-07-04

The SerpinE2 pathway is evolutionarily conserved and plays an important role in tumorigenesis. SerpinE2 (a small ubiquitin-related modifier), like ubiquitin, conjugates SerpinE2 proteins onto lysine residues of target proteins. SerpinE2 over-expression has been found in several tumors. Here, we detected the level of SerpinE2 in 72 samples of EC tissue using immunohistochemistry to assess the role of SerpinE2 in EC prognosis. Meanwhile, we knocked down SerpinE2 by siRNA in the HTB-111 and Ishikawa EC cell lines and analyzed the viability and mobility change using an MTT assay, an annexin V/PI apoptosis assay, a wound scratch test and a transwell assay. A Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated a negative correlation between the level of SerpinE2 and the EC prognosis. Silencing SerpinE2 induced cell apoptosis and reduced the migration ability. Our data suggest SerpinE2 works as an oncogene in EC.

Intra-articular pressures and joint mechanics: should we pay attention to effusion in knee osteoarthritis?

PubMed

Rutherford, Derek James

2014-09-01

What factors play a role to ensure a knee joint does what it should given the demands of moving through the physical environment? This paper aims to probe the hypothesis that intra-articular joint pressures, once a topic of interest, have been left aside in contemporary frameworks in which we now view knee joint function. The focus on ligamentous deficiencies and the chondrocentric view of osteoarthritis, while important, have left little attention to the consideration of other factors that can impair joint function across the lifespan. Dynamic knee stability is required during every step we take. While there is much known about the role that passive structures and muscular activation play in maintaining a healthy knee joint, this framework does not account for the role that intra-articular joint pressures may have in providing joint stability during motion and how these factors interact. Joint injuries invariably result in some form of intra-articular fluid accumulation. Ultimately, it may be how the knee mechanically responds to this fluid, of which pressure plays a significant role that provides the mechanisms for continued function. Do joint pressures provide an important foundation for maintaining knee function? This hypothesis is unique and argues that we are missing an important piece of the puzzle when attempting to understand implications that joint injury and disease have for joint function. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Magneto-therapy of human joint cartilage.

PubMed

Wierzcholski, Krzysztof; Miszczak, Andrzej

2017-01-01

The topic of the present paper concerns the human joint cartilage therapy performed by the magnetic induction field. There is proved the thesis that the applied magnetic field for concrete cartilage illness should depend on the proper relative and concrete values of applied magnetic induction, intensity as well the time of treatment duration. Additionally, very important are frequencies and amplitudes of magnetic field as well as magnetic permeability of the synovial fluid. The research methods used in this paper include: magnetic induction field produced by a new Polish and German magneto electronic devices for the therapy of human joint cartilage diseases, stationary and movable magnetic applicators, magnetic bandage, ferrofluid injections, author's experience gained in Germany research institutes and practical results after measurements and information from patients. The results of this paper concern concrete parameters of time dependent electro-magnetic field administration during the joint cartilage therapy duration and additionally concern the corollaries which are implied from reading values gained on the magnetic induction devices. The main conclusions obtained in this paper are as follows: Time dependent magnetic induction field increases the dynamic viscosity of movable synovial fluid and decreases symptoms of cartilage illness for concrete intensity of magnetic field and concrete field line architecture. The ferrofluid therapy and phospholipids bilayer simultaneously with the administrated external electromagnetic field, increases the dynamic viscosity of movable synovial fluid.

Achievements and bottlenecks in humanitarian demining EU-funded research: final results from the EC DELVE project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahli, Hichem; Bruschini, Claudio; Van Kempen, Luc; Schleijpen, Ric; den Breejen, Eric

2008-04-01

The EC DELVE Support Action project has analyzed the bottlenecks in the transfer of Humanitarian Demining (HD) technology from technology development to the use in the field, and drawn some lessons learned, basing itself on the assessment of the European Humanitarian Demining Research and Technology Development (RTD) situation from early 1990 until 2006. The situation at the European level was analyzed with emphasis on activities sponsored by the European Commission (EC). This was also done for four European countries and Japan, with emphasis on national activities. The developments in HD during the last 10 years underline the fact that in a number of cases demining related developments have been terminated or at least put on hold. The study also showed that the funding provided by the EC under the Framework Program for RTD has led directly to the creation of an extensive portfolio of Humanitarian Demining technology development projects. The latter provided a range of research and supporting measures addressing the critical issues identified as a result of the regulatory policies developed in the field of Humanitarian Demining over the last ten years. However, the range of instruments available to the EC to finance the necessary research and development were limited, to pre-competitive research. The EC had no tools or programs to directly fund actual product development. As a first consequence, the EC funding program for development of technology for Humanitarian Demining unfortunately proved to be largely unsuitable for the small-scale development needed in a field where there is only a very limited market. As a second consequence, most of the research has been demonstrator-oriented. Moreover, the timeframe for RTD in Humanitarian Demining has not been sufficiently synchronized with the timeframe of the EC policies and regulations. The separation of the Mine Action and RTD funding streams in the EC did also negatively affect the take-up of new technologies. As a

FAA/NASA Joint University Program for Air Transportation Research, 1992-1993

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morrell, Frederick R. (Compiler)

1994-01-01

The research conducted during the academic year 1992-1993 under the FAA/NASA sponsored Joint University Program for Air Transportation Research is summarized. The year end review was held at Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, 17-18 June 1993. The Joint University Program is a coordinated set of three grants sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration and NASA Langley Research Center, one each with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Ohio University, and Princeton University. Completed works, status reports, and annotated bibliographies are presented for research topics, which include navigation, guidance, and control theory and practice, aircraft performance, human factors and air traffic management. An overview of the year's activities for each university is also presented.

Adaptive Liquid Crystal TV Based Joint Transform Correlator as Applied to Real-Time Pattern Recognition

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-05-23

rotational objects can b ec-tetd. E-Ac Ceedent 3exp-erimental demon ct r-ati ons for these tuo zethodsc hare L-en nerfor-med.A aner atohi naturve xs...dependent nature ---f the Joint rransifore f.Iter. Unlike theVa.dr %g~ii ssignal indepndent. a0. eir -las 3advata in real-tim ’-n14-a-entatio-n...a-tit reI ra-’ t --er is n -) 0 s-’ow Uha thsthoesc~-heo 8 spectral content of the target. A paper of this nature is published in the Optics and

Inter-comparison of NIOSH and IMPROVE protocols for OC and EC determination: implications for inter-protocol data conversion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Cheng; Huang, X. H. Hilda; Ng, Wai Man; Griffith, Stephen M.; Zhen Yu, Jian

2016-09-01

Organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) are operationally defined by analytical methods. As a result, OC and EC measurements are protocol dependent, leading to uncertainties in their quantification. In this study, more than 1300 Hong Kong samples were analyzed using both National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) thermal optical transmittance (TOT) and Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environment (IMPROVE) thermal optical reflectance (TOR) protocols to explore the cause of EC disagreement between the two protocols. EC discrepancy mainly (83 %) arises from a difference in peak inert mode temperature, which determines the allocation of OC4NSH, while the rest (17 %) is attributed to a difference in the optical method (transmittance vs. reflectance) applied for the charring correction. Evidence shows that the magnitude of the EC discrepancy is positively correlated with the intensity of the biomass burning signal, whereby biomass burning increases the fraction of OC4NSH and widens the disagreement in the inter-protocol EC determination. It is also found that the EC discrepancy is positively correlated with the abundance of metal oxide in the samples. Two approaches (M1 and M2) that translate NIOSH TOT OC and EC data into IMPROVE TOR OC and EC data are proposed. M1 uses direct relationship between ECNSH_TOT and ECIMP_TOR for reconstruction: M1 : ECIMP_TOR = a × ECNSH_TOT + b; while M2 deconstructs ECIMP_TOR into several terms based on analysis principles and applies regression only on the unknown terms: M2 : ECIMP_TOR = AECNSH + OC4NSH - (a × PCNSH_TOR + b), where AECNSH, apparent EC by the NIOSH protocol, is the carbon that evolves in the He-O2 analysis stage, OC4NSH is the carbon that evolves at the fourth temperature step of the pure helium analysis stage of NIOSH, and PCNSH_TOR is the pyrolyzed carbon as determined by the NIOSH protocol. The implementation of M1 to all urban site data (without considering seasonal specificity

Enhanced Skeletal Muscle Expression of EcSOD Mitigates Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Cardiomyopathy by Reducing Oxidative Stress and Aberrant Cell Signaling

PubMed Central

Call, Jarrod A.; Chain, Kristopher H.; Martin, Kyle S.; Lira, Vitor A.; Okutsu, Mitsuharu; Zhang, Mei; Yan, Zhen

2015-01-01

Background Exercise training enhances extracellular superoxide dismutase (EcSOD) expression in skeletal muscle and elicits positive health outcomes in individuals with diabetes. The goal of this study was to determine if enhanced skeletal muscle expression of EcSOD is sufficient to mitigate streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM). Methods and Results Exercise training promotes EcSOD expression in skeletal muscle and provides protection against DCM; however, it is not known if enhanced EcSOD expression in skeletal muscle plays a functional role in this protection. Here, we show that skeletal muscle-specific EcSOD transgenic mice (TG) are protected from cardiac hypertrophy, fibrosis and dysfunction under the condition of type-1 diabetes induced by STZ injection. We also show that both exercise training and muscle-specific transgenic expression of EcSOD result in elevated EcSOD protein in the blood and heart without increased transcription in the heart, suggesting enhanced expression of EcSOD from skeletal muscle redistributes to the heart. Importantly, cardiac tissue in TG mice displayed significantly reduced oxidative stress, aberrant cell signaling and inflammatory cytokine expression compared with wild type mice under the same diabetic condition. Conclusions Enhanced expression of EcSOD in skeletal muscle is sufficient to mitigate STZ-induced DCM through attenuation of oxidative stress, aberrant cell signaling and inflammation, suggesting a cross-organ mechanism by which exercise training improves cardiac function in diabetes. PMID:25504759

Deterring Nuclear Proliferation: The Importance of IAEA Safeguards: A TEXTBOOK

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

Rosenthal, M.D.; Fishbone, L.G.; Gallini, L.

2012-03-13

Nuclear terrorism and nuclear proliferation are among the most pressing challenges to international peace and security that we face today. Iran and Syria remain in non-compliance with the safeguards requirements of the NPT, and the nuclear ambitions of North Korea remain unchecked. Despite these challenges, the NPT remains a cornerstone of the nuclear non-proliferation regime, and the safeguards implemented by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) under the NPT play a critical role in deterring nuclear proliferation.How do they work? Where did they come from? And what is their future? This book answers these questions. Anyone studying the field ofmore » nuclear non-proliferation will benefit from reading this book, and for anyone entering the field, the book will enable them to get a running start. Part I describes the foundations of the international safeguards system: its origins in the 1930s - when new discoveries in physics made it clear immediately that nuclear energy held both peril and promise - through the entry into force in 1970 of the NPT, which codified the role of IAEA safeguards as a means to verify states NPT commitments not to acquire nuclear weapons. Part II describes the NPT safeguards system, which is based on a model safeguards agreement developed specifically for the NPT, The Structure and Content of Agreements between the Agency and States required in connection with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, which has been published by the IAEA as INFCIRC/153. Part III describes events, especially in South Africa, the DPRK, and Iraq in the early 1990s, that triggered a transformation in the way in which safeguards were conceptualized and implemented.« less

Improvement of pest resistance in transgenic tobacco plants expressing dsRNA of an insect-associated gene EcR.

PubMed

Zhu, Jin-Qi; Liu, Shumin; Ma, Yao; Zhang, Jia-Qi; Qi, Hai-Sheng; Wei, Zhao-Jun; Yao, Qiong; Zhang, Wen-Qing; Li, Sheng

2012-01-01

The adoption of pest-resistant transgenic plants to reduce yield loss and pesticide utilization has been successful in the past three decades. Recently, transgenic plant expressing double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) targeting pest genes emerges as a promising strategy for improving pest resistance in crops. The steroid hormone, 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E), predominately controls insect molting via its nuclear receptor complex, EcR-USP. Here we report that pest resistance is improved in transgenic tobacco plants expressing dsRNA of EcR from the cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera, a serious lepidopteran pest for a variety of crops. When H. armigera larvae were fed with the whole transgenic tobacco plants expressing EcR dsRNA, resistance to H. armigera was significantly improved in transgenic plants. Meanwhile, when H. armigera larvae were fed with leaves of transgenic tobacco plants expressing EcR dsRNA, its EcR mRNA level was dramatically decreased causing molting defects and larval lethality. In addition, the transgenic tobacco plants expressing H. armigera EcR dsRNA were also resistant to another lepidopteran pest, the beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua, due to the high similarity in the nucleotide sequences of their EcR genes. This study provides additional evidence that transgenic plant expressing dsRNA targeting insect-associated genes is able to improve pest resistance.

Radionuclide transfer to fruit in the IAEA TRS No. 472

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carini, F.; Pellizzoni, M.; Giosuè, S.

2012-04-01

This paper describes the approach taken to present the information on fruits in the IAEA report TRS No. 472, supported by the IAEA-TECDOC-1616, which describes the key transfer processes, concepts and conceptual models regarded as important for dose assessment, as well as relevant parameters for modelling radionuclide transfer in fruits. Information relate to fruit plants grown in agricultural ecosystems of temperate regions. The relative significance of each pathway after release of radionuclides depends upon the radionuclide, the kind of crop, the stage of plant development and the season at time of deposition. Fruit intended as a component of the human diet is borne by plants that are heterogeneous in habits, and morphological and physiological traits. Information on radionuclides in fruit systems has therefore been rationalised by characterising plants in three groups: woody trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants. Parameter values have been collected from open literature, conference proceedings, institutional reports, books and international databases. Data on root uptake are reported as transfer factor values related to fresh weight, being consumption data for fruits usually given in fresh weight.

Acceleration of diabetic wound healing with adipose-derived stem cells, endothelial-differentiated stem cells, and topical conditioned medium therapy in a swine model.

PubMed

Irons, Robin F; Cahill, Kevin W; Rattigan, Deviney A; Marcotte, Joseph H; Fromer, Marc W; Chang, Shaohua; Zhang, Ping; Behling, Eric M; Behling, Kathryn C; Caputo, Francis J

2018-05-09

The purpose of our study was to investigate the effect of adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs), endothelial-differentiated ASCs (EC/ASCs), and various conditioned media (CM) on wound healing in a diabetic swine model. We hypothesized that ASC-based therapies would accelerate wound healing. Diabetes was induced in four Yorkshire swine through intravenous injection of streptozotocin. ASCs were harvested from flank fat and cultured in either M199 or EGM-2 medium. A duplicate series of seven full-thickness dorsal wounds were surgically created on each swine. The wounds in the cellular treatment group underwent injection of low-dose or high-dose ASCs or EC/ASCs on day 0, with a repeat injection of one half of the initial dose on day 15. Wounds assigned to the topical CM therapy were covered with 2 mL of either serum-free M199 primed by ASCs or human umbilical vein endothelial cells every 3 days. Wounds were assessed at day 0, 10, 15, 20, and 28. The swine were sacrificed on day 28. ImageJ software was used to evaluate the percentage of wound healing. The wounded skin underwent histologic, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay examinations to evaluate markers of angiogenesis and inflammation. We found an increase in the percentage of wound closure rates in cell-based treatments and topical therapies at various points compared with the untreated control wounds (P < .05). The results from the histologic, messenger RNA, and protein analyses suggested the treated wounds displayed increased angiogenesis and a diminished inflammatory response. Cellular therapy with ASCs, EC/ASCs, and topical CM accelerated diabetic wound healing in the swine model. Enhanced angiogenesis and immunomodulation might be key contributors to this process. The purpose of the present study was to translate the known beneficial effects of adipose-derived stem cells and associated conditioned medium therapy on diabetic wound healing to a large animal

[Consequence of European Directive 2004/23/EC for bone banks in Germany].

PubMed

Pruss, A; Knaepler, H; Katthagen, B-D; Frommelt, L

2005-11-01

Allogenic bone grafting is an established method in revision surgery of artificial joint replacement and spinal surgery in case of bone defects. In Germany, femoral heads from living donors undergoing total hip replacement are frequently used. These grafts are processed according to the "Guidelines for the management of bone banking" issued by the Federal Medical Board. Bone grafts are drugs according to German law. Local bone banks are excluded from the regulations of the federal law on drugs [Arzneimittelgesetz (AMG) section sign 4a (4)] if certain requirements are fulfilled. The Directive 2004/23/EC of the European Parliament and of The Council on Setting Standards of Quality and Safety for the Donation, Procurement, Testing, Processing, Preservation, Storage and Distribution of Human Tissues and Cells has to be implemented into national law within 2 years. The exception of section sign 4a (4) will no longer be possible. Thus a legal construction has to be found which allows running local bone banks in compliance with the new legal settings. Three conditions will be possible: (1) a single physician procures a graft for another patient of his, (2) grafts are procured in one hospital and are used exclusively in this hospital: a license from the local authorities and a strict quality assessment according to GMP-rules is required, (3) if the grafts are distributed to other hospitals, a license from the local authorities and registration as a drug by the federal authorities are necessary.

Chemical Compositions of Ligusticum chuanxiong Oil and Lemongrass Oil and Their Joint Action against Aphis citricola Van Der Goot (Hemiptera: Aphididae).

PubMed

Zhang, Chao; Liu, Runqiang; He, Jun; Ma, Zhiqing; Zhang, Xing

2016-10-12

In order to develop novel botanical insecticides, the joint action of Ligusticum chuanxiong oil (LCO) and lemongrass oil (LO) against Aphis citricola van der Goot was determined systematically indoors and outdoors. The chemical profiles of LCO and LO as determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis revealed that the main compounds from LCO were ( Z )-ligustilide (44.58%) and senkyunolide A (26.92%), and that of LO were geranial (42.16%) and neral (32.58%), respectively. The mixture of LCO and LO showed significant synergy against A. citricola , with a common-toxicity coefficient (CTC) value of 221.46 at the optimal ratio of LCO to LO (4:1, w : w ). Based on the results of solvents and emulsifiers screening, L. chuanxiong oil·Lemongrass oil 20% emulsifiable concentrate (20% LCO·LO EC) was developed, and its stability was confirmed with tests of cold and thermal storage. Field trials indicated that the insecticidal activity of the diluted 20% LCO·LO EC (1000 fold dilution) was comparable to conventional pesticide (20% imidacloprid EC) on A. citricola seven days after application. Thus, the mixture of LCO and LO has the potential to be further developed as a botanical pesticide.

Electrolyte for EC-V profiling of InP and GaAs based structures

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

Faur, M.; Faur, M.; Goradia, M.

Electrochemical C-V (EC-V) profiling is the most often used and convenient method for accurate majority carrier concentration depth profiling of semiconductors. Although, according to the authors, FAP is the best electrolyte for accurate profiling of InP structures, it does not work well with other III-V compounds. To overcome this, recently, the authors have developed a new electrolyte, which they call UNIEL (UNIversal ELectrolyte), which works well with all the materials. However, as with the FAP electrolyte, the presence of HF makes the UNIEL incompatible with the electrochemical cell of Polaron EC-V profilers manufactured by BIO-RAD. By slightly modifying the electrochemicalmore » cell configuration the authors are able to use both the FAP and UNIEL electrolytes, without destroying the calomel electrode. Recently, they have, nevertheless, experimented with variations of the UNIEL with no HF content for EC-V profiling of structures based on InP and GaAs. Presently available results are presented here.« less

Joint Applied Optics and Chinese Optics Letters feature introduction: digital holography and three-dimensional imaging.

PubMed

Poon, Ting-Chung

2011-12-01

This feature issue serves as a pilot issue promoting the joint issue of Applied Optics and Chinese Optics Letters. It focuses upon topics of current relevance to the community working in the area of digital holography and 3-D imaging. © 2011 Optical Society of America

NOTE: Monte Carlo simulation of correction factors for IAEA TLD holders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hultqvist, Martha; Fernández-Varea, José M.; Izewska, Joanna

2010-03-01

The IAEA standard thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD) holder has been developed for the IAEA/WHO TLD postal dose program for audits of high-energy photon beams, and it is also employed by the ESTRO-QUALity assurance network (EQUAL) and several national TLD audit networks. Factors correcting for the influence of the holder on the TL signal under reference conditions have been calculated in the present work from Monte Carlo simulations with the PENELOPE code for 60Co γ-rays and 4, 6, 10, 15, 18 and 25 MV photon beams. The simulation results are around 0.2% smaller than measured factors reported in the literature, but well within the combined standard uncertainties. The present study supports the use of the experimentally obtained holder correction factors in the determination of the absorbed dose to water from the TL readings; the factors calculated by means of Monte Carlo simulations may be adopted for the cases where there are no measured data.

Hypoxia triggers angiogenesis by increasing expression of LOX genes in 3-D culture of ASCs and ECs.

PubMed

Xie, Qiang; Xie, Jiamin; Tian, Taoran; Ma, Quanquan; Zhang, Qi; Zhu, Bofeng; Cai, Xiaoxiao

2017-03-01

This study aimed to investigate the expression changes of LOX (lysyl oxidase) family genes, VEGFA, and VEGFB under hypoxic conditions in a co-culture system of ASCs (adipose-derived stromal cells) and ECs (endothelial cells). ASCs and ECs were co-cultured under hypoxic and normal oxygen conditions in a 1:1 ratio, and the formation of vessel-like was detected at 7 days. The transwell co-culture system was used and cell lysates were collected at 7 days after co-culture in hypoxic and normal oxygen condition. Semi-quantitative PCR was performed to quantify the mRNA expression of VEGFA, VEGFB, and the LOX genes (LOX, LOXL-1, LOXL-2, LOXL-3, and LOXL-4). Expression changes were determined by densitomery. Enhanced angiogenesis was detected in the co-culture of ASCs and ECs under hypoxic conditions. Among the genes screened, VEGFA, VEGFB, LOXL-1, and LOXL-3 in ECs, both mono-cultured and co-cultured, were significantly enhanced after culturing under hypoxic conditions. In ASCs, VEGFB, LOXL-1, and LOXL-3 were upregulated. Contact co-culture between ASCs and ECs promotes angiogenesis under hypoxia. LOXL-1 and LOXL-3 expressions were increased in both ASCs and ECs and might play important roles in the enhanced angiogenesis promoted by hypoxia. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The role of the IGF-1 Ec in myoskeletal system and osteosarcoma pathophysiology.

PubMed

Armakolas, Nikolaos; Armakolas, Athanasios; Antonopoulos, Athanasios; Dimakakos, Andreas; Stathaki, Martha; Koutsilieris, Michael

2016-12-01

Growth hormone (GH) regulated mainly liver-produced insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) is a key molecule in embryonic & post embryonic development that is also involved in cancer biology. Herein we review new insights of the role of igf-1 gene products and of the IGF-1Ec isoform in muscle and bone development/repair and its role in osteosarcoma pathophysiology, underlying the possible role of the Ec peptide as a future therapeutic target. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Electrochemical liquid-liquid-solid (ec-LLS) crystal growth: a low-temperature strategy for covalent semiconductor crystal growth.

PubMed

Fahrenkrug, Eli; Maldonado, Stephen

2015-07-21

This Account describes a new electrochemical synthetic strategy for direct growth of crystalline covalent group IV and III-V semiconductor materials at or near ambient temperature conditions. This strategy, which we call "electrochemical liquid-liquid-solid" (ec-LLS) crystal growth, marries the semiconductor solvation properties of liquid metal melts with the utility and simplicity of conventional electrodeposition. A low-temperature liquid metal (i.e., Hg, Ga, or alloy thereof) acts simultaneously as the source of electrons for the heterogeneous reduction of oxidized semiconductor precursors dissolved in an electrolyte as well as the solvent for dissolution of the zero-valent semiconductor. Supersaturation of the semiconductor in the liquid metal triggers eventual crystal nucleation and growth. In this way, the liquid electrolyte-liquid metal-solid crystal phase boundary strongly influences crystal growth. As a synthetic strategy, ec-LLS has several intrinsic features that are attractive for preparing covalent semiconductor crystals. First, ec-LLS does not require high temperatures, toxic precursors, or high-energy-density semiconductor reagents. This largely simplifies equipment complexity and expense. In practice, ec-LLS can be performed with only a beaker filled with electrolyte and an electrical circuit capable of supplying a defined current (e.g., a battery in series with a resistor). By this same token, ec-LLS is compatible with thermally and chemically sensitive substrates (e.g., plastics) that cannot be used as deposition substrates in conventional syntheses of covalent semiconductors. Second, ec-LLS affords control over a host of crystal shapes and sizes through simple changes in common experimental parameters. As described in detail herein, large and small semiconductor crystals can be grown both homogeneously within a liquid metal electrode and heterogeneously at the interface of a liquid metal electrode and a seed substrate, depending on the particular

Joint crisis plans and psychiatric advance directives in German psychiatric practice.

PubMed

Radenbach, Katrin; Falkai, Peter; Weber-Reich, Traudel; Simon, Alfred

2014-05-01

This study explores the attitude of German psychiatrists in leading positions towards joint crisis plans and psychiatric advance directives. This topic was examined by contacting 473 medical directors of German psychiatric hospitals and departments. They were asked to complete a questionnaire developed by us. That form contained questions about the incidence and acceptance of joint crisis plans and psychiatric advance directives and previous experiences with them. 108 medical directors of psychiatric hospitals and departments responded (response rate: 22.8%). Their answers demonstrate that in their hospitals these documents are rarely used. Among the respondents, joint crisis plans are more accepted than psychiatric advance directives. There is a certain uncertainty when dealing with these instruments. Our main conclusion is that German psychiatry needs an intensified discussion on the use of instruments for patients to constitute procedures for future critical psychiatric events. For this purpose it will be helpful to collect more empirical data. Furthermore, the proposal of joint crisis plans in psychiatric hospitals and departments should be discussed as well as the possibility of consulting an expert during the preparation of a psychiatric advance directive.

Asteroid 2014 EC Flyby of Earth on March 6, 2014

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-03-06

This graphic depicts the passage of asteroid 2014 EC past Earth on March 6, 2014. The asteroid closest approach is a distance equivalent to about one-sixth of the distance between Earth and the moon. The indicated times are in Universal Time.

Acute and repeated ECS treatment increases CRF, POMC and PENK gene expression in selected regions of the rat hypothalamus.

PubMed

Garcia-Garcia, L; Llewellyn-Jones, V; Fernandez Fernandez, I; Fuentes, J A; Manzanares, J

1998-01-05

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of acute and repeated electroconvulsive shock (ECS) on corticotropin releasing factor (CRF), proopiomelanocortin (POMC) and proenkephalin (PENK) gene expression in selected regions of the brain and pituitary of the rat. Acute ECS increased CRF gene expression in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) by 20%, an effect that was further enhanced to 38% when rats received repeated ECS treatment. Acute and repeated ECS increased POMC gene expression in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) by 49-59% but failed to alter these mRNA levels in the anterior lobe (AL) of the pituitary gland. PENK gene expression was increased by 35% in the nucleus accumbens (NA) and by 180% the ventromedial nucleus (VMN) after acute or repeated ECS treatment but no significant changes were found in the PVN or striatum (ST). Taken together, these results indicate a differential CRF and opioid gene expression regulation after acute or repeated ECS treatment that may be relevant to their therapeutic or side effects in depression.

Integrating Quantitative and Qualitative Results in Health Science Mixed Methods Research Through Joint Displays.

PubMed

Guetterman, Timothy C; Fetters, Michael D; Creswell, John W

2015-11-01

Mixed methods research is becoming an important methodology to investigate complex health-related topics, yet the meaningful integration of qualitative and quantitative data remains elusive and needs further development. A promising innovation to facilitate integration is the use of visual joint displays that bring data together visually to draw out new insights. The purpose of this study was to identify exemplar joint displays by analyzing the various types of joint displays being used in published articles. We searched for empirical articles that included joint displays in 3 journals that publish state-of-the-art mixed methods research. We analyzed each of 19 identified joint displays to extract the type of display, mixed methods design, purpose, rationale, qualitative and quantitative data sources, integration approaches, and analytic strategies. Our analysis focused on what each display communicated and its representation of mixed methods analysis. The most prevalent types of joint displays were statistics-by-themes and side-by-side comparisons. Innovative joint displays connected findings to theoretical frameworks or recommendations. Researchers used joint displays for convergent, explanatory sequential, exploratory sequential, and intervention designs. We identified exemplars for each of these designs by analyzing the inferences gained through using the joint display. Exemplars represented mixed methods integration, presented integrated results, and yielded new insights. Joint displays appear to provide a structure to discuss the integrated analysis and assist both researchers and readers in understanding how mixed methods provides new insights. We encourage researchers to use joint displays to integrate and represent mixed methods analysis and discuss their value. © 2015 Annals of Family Medicine, Inc.

Integrating Quantitative and Qualitative Results in Health Science Mixed Methods Research Through Joint Displays

PubMed Central

Guetterman, Timothy C.; Fetters, Michael D.; Creswell, John W.

2015-01-01

PURPOSE Mixed methods research is becoming an important methodology to investigate complex health-related topics, yet the meaningful integration of qualitative and quantitative data remains elusive and needs further development. A promising innovation to facilitate integration is the use of visual joint displays that bring data together visually to draw out new insights. The purpose of this study was to identify exemplar joint displays by analyzing the various types of joint displays being used in published articles. METHODS We searched for empirical articles that included joint displays in 3 journals that publish state-of-the-art mixed methods research. We analyzed each of 19 identified joint displays to extract the type of display, mixed methods design, purpose, rationale, qualitative and quantitative data sources, integration approaches, and analytic strategies. Our analysis focused on what each display communicated and its representation of mixed methods analysis. RESULTS The most prevalent types of joint displays were statistics-by-themes and side-by-side comparisons. Innovative joint displays connected findings to theoretical frameworks or recommendations. Researchers used joint displays for convergent, explanatory sequential, exploratory sequential, and intervention designs. We identified exemplars for each of these designs by analyzing the inferences gained through using the joint display. Exemplars represented mixed methods integration, presented integrated results, and yielded new insights. CONCLUSIONS Joint displays appear to provide a structure to discuss the integrated analysis and assist both researchers and readers in understanding how mixed methods provides new insights. We encourage researchers to use joint displays to integrate and represent mixed methods analysis and discuss their value. PMID:26553895

Corexit-EC9527A Disrupts Retinol Signaling and Neuronal Differentiation in P19 Embryonal Pluripotent Cells

DOE PAGES

Chen, Yanling; Reese, David H.; Kelly, Gregory M.

2016-09-29

Corexit-EC9500A and Corexit-EC9527A are two chemical dispersants that have been used to remediate the impact of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Both dispersants are composed primarily of organic solvents and surfactants and act by emulsifying the crude oil to facilitate biodegradation. The potential adverse effect of the Corexit chemicals on mammalian embryonic development remains largely unknown. Retinol (vitamin A) signaling, mediated by all-trans retinoic acid (RA), is essential for neural tube formation and the development of many organs in the embryo. The physiological levels of RA in cells and tissues are maintained by the retinol signaling pathway (RSP), whichmore » controls the biosynthesis of RA from dietary retinol and the catabolism of RA to polar metabolites for removal. RA is a potent activating ligand for the RAR/RXR nuclear receptors. Through RA and the receptors, the RSP modulates the expression of many developmental genes; interference with the RSP is potentially teratogenic. In this study the mouse P19 embryonal pluripotent cell, which contains a functional RSP, was used to evaluate the effects of the Corexit dispersants on retinol signaling and associated neuronal differentiation. The results showed that Corexit-EC9500A was more cytotoxic than Corexit-EC9527A to P19 cells. At non-cytotoxic doses, Corexit-EC9527A inhibited retinol-induced expression of the Hoxa1 gene, which encodes a transcription factor for the regulation of body patterning in the embryo. Such inhibition was seen in the retinol- and retinal- induced, but not RA-induced, Hoxa1 up-regulation, indicating that the Corexit chemicals primarily inhibit RA biosynthesis from retinal. In addition, Corexit-EC9527A suppressed retinol-induced P19 cell differentiation into neuronal cells, indicating potential neurotoxic effect of the chemicals under the tested conditions. In conclusion, the surfactant ingredient, dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate (DOSS), may be a major contributor to the

Corexit-EC9527A Disrupts Retinol Signaling and Neuronal Differentiation in P19 Embryonal Pluripotent Cells

PubMed Central

Chen, Yanling; Reese, David H.

2016-01-01

Corexit-EC9500A and Corexit-EC9527A are two chemical dispersants that have been used to remediate the impact of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Both dispersants are composed primarily of organic solvents and surfactants and act by emulsifying the crude oil to facilitate biodegradation. The potential adverse effect of the Corexit chemicals on mammalian embryonic development remains largely unknown. Retinol (vitamin A) signaling, mediated by all-trans retinoic acid (RA), is essential for neural tube formation and the development of many organs in the embryo. The physiological levels of RA in cells and tissues are maintained by the retinol signaling pathway (RSP), which controls the biosynthesis of RA from dietary retinol and the catabolism of RA to polar metabolites for removal. RA is a potent activating ligand for the RAR/RXR nuclear receptors. Through RA and the receptors, the RSP modulates the expression of many developmental genes; interference with the RSP is potentially teratogenic. In this study the mouse P19 embryonal pluripotent cell, which contains a functional RSP, was used to evaluate the effects of the Corexit dispersants on retinol signaling and associated neuronal differentiation. The results showed that Corexit-EC9500A was more cytotoxic than Corexit-EC9527A to P19 cells. At non-cytotoxic doses, Corexit-EC9527A inhibited retinol-induced expression of the Hoxa1 gene, which encodes a transcription factor for the regulation of body patterning in the embryo. Such inhibition was seen in the retinol- and retinal- induced, but not RA-induced, Hoxa1 up-regulation, indicating that the Corexit chemicals primarily inhibit RA biosynthesis from retinal. In addition, Corexit-EC9527A suppressed retinol-induced P19 cell differentiation into neuronal cells, indicating potential neurotoxic effect of the chemicals under the tested conditions. The surfactant ingredient, dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate (DOSS), may be a major contributor to the observed effect of

Corexit-EC9527A Disrupts Retinol Signaling and Neuronal Differentiation in P19 Embryonal Pluripotent Cells

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

Chen, Yanling; Reese, David H.; Kelly, Gregory M.

Corexit-EC9500A and Corexit-EC9527A are two chemical dispersants that have been used to remediate the impact of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Both dispersants are composed primarily of organic solvents and surfactants and act by emulsifying the crude oil to facilitate biodegradation. The potential adverse effect of the Corexit chemicals on mammalian embryonic development remains largely unknown. Retinol (vitamin A) signaling, mediated by all-trans retinoic acid (RA), is essential for neural tube formation and the development of many organs in the embryo. The physiological levels of RA in cells and tissues are maintained by the retinol signaling pathway (RSP), whichmore » controls the biosynthesis of RA from dietary retinol and the catabolism of RA to polar metabolites for removal. RA is a potent activating ligand for the RAR/RXR nuclear receptors. Through RA and the receptors, the RSP modulates the expression of many developmental genes; interference with the RSP is potentially teratogenic. In this study the mouse P19 embryonal pluripotent cell, which contains a functional RSP, was used to evaluate the effects of the Corexit dispersants on retinol signaling and associated neuronal differentiation. The results showed that Corexit-EC9500A was more cytotoxic than Corexit-EC9527A to P19 cells. At non-cytotoxic doses, Corexit-EC9527A inhibited retinol-induced expression of the Hoxa1 gene, which encodes a transcription factor for the regulation of body patterning in the embryo. Such inhibition was seen in the retinol- and retinal- induced, but not RA-induced, Hoxa1 up-regulation, indicating that the Corexit chemicals primarily inhibit RA biosynthesis from retinal. In addition, Corexit-EC9527A suppressed retinol-induced P19 cell differentiation into neuronal cells, indicating potential neurotoxic effect of the chemicals under the tested conditions. In conclusion, the surfactant ingredient, dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate (DOSS), may be a major contributor to the

An Electronic Commerce Course for Undergraduate I.S. Majors: A Review of Current EC Courses and a Course Outline.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dutt, James S.

Although electronic commerce (EC) has been a reality for more than two decades, interest in EC has exploded within the past three years due to the increased business use of the Internet and the World Wide Web. While companies are increasingly looking for individuals with knowledge of and/or a background in EC, they are finding that most…

Cancer cells cause vascular endothelial cell (vEC) retraction via 12(S)HETE secretion; the possible role of cancer cell derived microparticle.

PubMed

Uchide, Keiji; Sakon, Masato; Ariyoshi, Hideo; Nakamori, Syouji; Tokunaga, Masaru; Monden, Morito

2007-02-01

Cancer cell mediated vascular endothelial cell (vEC) retraction plays a pivotal role in cancer metastasis. The aim of this study is to clarify the biochemical character of vEC retraction factor derived from human breast cancer cell line, MCF-7. In order to estimate vEC retracting activity, transwell chamber assay system was employed. We first tested the effects of trypsin digestion as well as lipid extraction of culture medium (CM). Trypsin digestion of CM resulted in approximately 40% loss of vEC retracting activity and lipid extraction of CM by Brigh and Dyer methods recovered approximately 60% of vEC retracting activity, suggesting that approximately 60% of vEC retracting activity in MCF-7 derived CM is due to lipid. Although Nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA), the specific lipoxygenase inhibitor, suppressed vEC retracting activity in CM, Acetyl salicylic acid (ASA), a specific cyclooxygenase inhibitor, did not affect the activity, suggesting that lipid exerting vEC retracting activity in CM belongs to lipoxygenase mediated arachidonate metabolites. Thin layer chromatography clearly demonstrated that Rf value of lipid vEC retracting factor in CM is identical to 12HETE. Authentic 12(S)HETE, but not 12(R)HETE, showed vEC retracting activity. After the ultracentrifugation of CM, most lipid vEC retracting activity was recovered from the pellet fraction, and flow cytometric analysis using specific antibody against 12(S)HETE clearly showed the association of 12(S)HETE with small particle in CM. These findings suggested the principal involvement of 12(S)HETE in cancer cell derived microparticles in cancer cell mediated vEC retraction.

Experiences of using an Environmental Control System (ECS) for persons with high cervical spinal cord injury: the interplay between hassle and engagement.

PubMed

Verdonck, Michèle; Steggles, Elizabeth; Nolan, Maeve; Chard, Gill

2014-01-01

Environmental Control Systems (ECS) have many benefits; however studies of personal experience of ECS use are scarce. This qualitative study explored the insiders' experience of using an ECS. An ECS starter-pack was compiled and trialled for an eight-week period with six persons with high spinal cord injuries (SCI) living in Ireland. Semi-structured interviews were subsequently completed with each person and analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Two major themes emerged: "Taking back a little of what has been lost", and "Getting used to ECS" which is the focus of the current paper. This theme captured a dynamic interplay between the experience of "hassle" and "engagement" for new users of ECS. "Hassle" resulted from technological frustrations and the challenge of breaking familiar habits, while "Engagement" resulted from feeling good, having fun and being surprised. The complex interweaving of hassle and engagement experienced by new ECS users reflects the clinical experience of rehabilitation providers. The importance of overcoming initial hassle needs to be understood by clinicians and users in order to maximise the potential benefit of ECS. Non-use must be considered one reasonable outcome if based on realistic ECS trials.

Proceedings of the Seventh Applied Diamond Conference/Third Frontier Carbon Technology Joint Conference (ADC/FCT 2003). Supplement 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murakawa, M. (Editor); Miyoshi, K. (Editor); Koga, Y. (Editor); Schaefer, L. (Editor); Tzeng, Y. (Editor)

2003-01-01

This document contains 2 reports which were presented at the Seventh Applied Diamond Conference/Third Frontier Carbon Technology Joint Conference. The topics discuss the formation of C-N nanofibers as well as the characterization of diamond thin films.

Vibrational studies of flexible solid polymer electrolyte based on PCL-EC incorporated with proton conducting NH4SCN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woo, H. J.; Arof, A. K.

2016-05-01

A flexible solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) system based on poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL), a FDA approved non-toxic and biodegradable material in the effort to lower environmental impact was prepared. Ammonium thiocyanate (NH4SCN) and ethylene carbonate (EC) were incorporated as the source of charge carriers and plasticizing agent, respectively. When 50 wt.% of ethylene carbonate (EC) was added to PCL-NH4SCN system, the conductivity increased by two orders from of 3.94 × 10- 7 Scm- 1 to 3.82 × 10- 5 Scm- 1. Molecular vibrational analysis via infrared spectroscopy had been carried out to study the interaction between EC, PCL and NH4SCN. The relative percentage of free ions, ion pairs and ion aggregates was calculated quantitatively by deconvoluting the SCN- stretching mode (2030-2090 cm- 1). This study provides fundamental insight on how EC influences the free ion dissociation rate and ion mobility. The findings are also in good agreement to conductivity, differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction results. High dielectric constant value (89.8) of EC had made it an effective ion dissociation agent to dissociate both ion pairs and ion aggregates, thus contributing to higher number density of free ions. The incorporation of EC had made the polymer chains more flexible in expanding amorphous domain. This will facilitate the coupling synergy between ionic motion and polymer segmental motion. Possible new pathway through EC-NH4+ complex sites for ions to migrate with shorter distance has been anticipated. This implies an easier ion migration route from one complex site to another.

Politics as Usual: The Joint Committee on Printing and Executive Agency Publishing, 1919-1921.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walters, John

1993-01-01

Provides an interpretation of the U.S. Congress Joint Committee on Printing (JCP) efforts to control departmental publishing from 1919 to 1921. Topics addressed include the JCP and the War Department, the role of the JCP in the defeat of the League of Nations, and the issue of separation of powers. (126 references) (LRW)

A new verification film system for routine quality control of radiation fields: Kodak EC-L.

PubMed

Hermann, A; Bratengeier, K; Priske, A; Flentje, M

2000-06-01

The use of modern irradiation techniques requires better verification films for determining set-up deviations and patient movements during the course of radiation treatment. This is an investigation of the image quality and time requirement of a new verification film system compared to a conventional portal film system. For conventional verifications we used Agfa Curix HT 1000 films which were compared to the new Kodak EC-L film system. 344 Agfa Curix HT 1000 and 381 Kodak EC-L portal films of different tumor sites (prostate, rectum, head and neck) were visually judged on a light box by 2 experienced physicians. Subjective judgement of image quality, masking of films and time requirement were checked. In this investigation 68% of 175 Kodak EC-L ap/pa-films were judged "good", only 18% were classified "moderate" or "poor" 14%, but only 22% of 173 conventional ap/pa verification films (Agfa Curix HT 1000) were judged to be "good". The image quality, detail perception and time required for film inspection of the new Kodak EC-L film system was significantly improved when compared with standard portal films. They could be read more accurately and the detection of set-up deviation was facilitated.

Freshman Health Topics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hovde, Karen

2011-01-01

This article examines a cluster of health topics that are frequently selected by students in lower division classes. Topics address issues relating to addictive substances, including alcohol and tobacco, eating disorders, obesity, and dieting. Analysis of the topics examines their interrelationships and organization in the reference literature.…

Serum antibodies and DNA indicate a high prevalence of equine papillomavirus 2 (EcPV2) among horses in Switzerland.

PubMed

Fischer, Nina M; Favrot, Claude; Birkmann, Katharina; Jackson, Michele; Schwarzwald, Colin C; Müller, Martin; Tobler, Kurt; Geisseler, Marco; Lange, Christian E

2014-06-01

The DNA of equine papillomavirus type 2 (EcPV2) is consistently found in equine papillomas and squamous cell carcinomas, indicating a causal association of EcPV2 in the pathogenesis of these tumours; however, little is known about the prevalence of this virus. The aim of this study was to determine the geno- and seroprevalence of EcPV2 in clinically healthy horses in Switzerland. Fifty horses presented to the equine department of the university clinic, displaying no skin or mucous membrane lesions or severe signs of other diseases, were sampled. Cytobrush samples from the penis or vulva and serum samples were collected. To determine the genoprevalence of EcPV2, DNA was extracted from cytobrush samples and tested for viral DNA with a PCR assay amplifying a 338 bp fragment of the E7/E1 region of the viral genome. Seroprevalence was tested using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay aimed to detect antibodies against the major capsid protein (L1) of EcPV2. In five of 50 horses (10%), EcPV2-specific DNA was amplified but no antibodies could be detected, whereas in 14 of 50 horses (28%), antibodies against EcPV2 but no DNA were demonstrated. Both antibodies and viral DNA were detected in four of 50 horses (8%). Neither antibodies nor viral DNA were found in 27 of 50 horses (54%). The seroprevalence suggests that EcPV2 is prevalent in the Swiss equine population, while the genoprevalence indicates that currently ongoing infections are less common. The discrepancy between geno- and seroprevalence probably indicates different stages of infection in the tested cohort. © 2014 ESVD and ACVD.

Considering a new domain for antimicrobial stewardship: Topical antibiotics in the open surgical wound.

PubMed

Edmiston, Charles E; Leaper, David; Spencer, Maureen; Truitt, Karen; Litz Fauerbach, Loretta; Graham, Denise; Johnson, Helen Boehm

2017-11-01

The global push to combat the problem of antimicrobial resistance has led to the development of antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs), which were recently mandated by The Joint Commission and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. However, the use of topical antibiotics in the open surgical wound is often not monitored by these programs nor is it subject to any evidence-based standardization of care. Survey results indicate that the practice of using topical antibiotics intraoperatively, in both irrigation fluids and powders, is widespread. Given the risks inherent in their use and the lack of evidence supporting it, the practice should be monitored as a core part of ASPs, and alternative agents, such as antiseptics, should be considered. Copyright © 2017 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Description of the docking module ECS for the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guy, W. W.; Jaax, J. R.

1973-01-01

The role of the Docking Module ECS (Environmental Control System) to be used on the Apollo-Soyuz Test mission is to provide a means for crewmen to transfer safely between the Apollo and Soyuz vehicles in a shirtsleeve environment. This paper describes the Docking Module ECS and includes the philosophy and rationale used in evaluating and selecting the capabilities that are required to satisfy the Docking Module's airlock function: (1) adjusting the pressure and composition of the atmosphere to effect crew transfer and (2) providing a shirtsleeve environment during transfer operations. An analytical evaluation is given of the environmental parameters (including CO2 level, humidity, and temperature) during a normal transfer timeline.

Numerical modeling of the radionuclide water pathway with HYDRUS and comparison with the IAEA model of SR 44.

PubMed

Merk, Rainer

2012-02-01

This study depicts a theoretical experiment in which the radionuclide transport through the porous material of a landfill consisting of concrete rubble (e.g., from the decommissioning of nuclear power plants) and the subsequent migration through the vadose zone and aquifer to a model well is calculated by means of the software HYDRUS-1D (Simunek et al., 2008). The radionuclides originally contained within the rubble become dissolved due to leaching caused by infiltrated rainwater. The resulting well-water contamination (in Bq/L) is calculated numerically as a function of time and location and compared with the outcome of a simplified analytic model for the groundwater pathway published by the IAEA (2005). Identical model parameters are considered. The main objective of the present work is to evaluate the predictive capacity of the more simple IAEA model using HYDRUS-1D as a reference. For most of the radionuclides considered (e.g., ¹²⁹I, and ²³⁹Pu), results from applying the IAEA model were found to be comparable to results from the more elaborate HYDRUS modeling, provided the underlying parameter values are comparable. However, the IAEA model appears to underestimate the effects resulting from, for example, high nuclide mobility, short half-life, or short-term variations in the water infiltration. The present results indicate that the IAEA model is suited for screening calculations and general recommendation purposes. However, the analysis of a specific site should be accompanied by detailed HYDRUS computer simulations. In all models considered, the calculation outcome largely depends on the choice of the sorption parameter K(d). Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

77 FR 65380 - 2012 Fall Joint Meeting of the Ozone Transport Commission and the Mid-Atlantic Northeast...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-26

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL-9745-9] 2012 Fall Joint Meeting of the Ozone Transport... Fall Meeting of the Ozone Transport Commission (OTC) and the Mid-Atlantic Northeast Visibility Union (MANE- VU). The meeting agenda will include topics regarding reducing ground- level ozone precursors and...

Award of EC Television Prize for Broadcasts on Vocational Training.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training, Berlin (West Germany).

The European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP) is endeavoring to encourage television to provide more and better information on vocational and continuing education in the European Community (EC). Therefore, it held its first competition to award prizes for broadcasts presenting information on vocational training,…

Randomized controlled trial of the cognitive side-effects of magnetic seizure therapy (MST) and electroconvulsive shock (ECS).

PubMed

Moscrip, Tammy D; Terrace, Herbert S; Sackeim, Harold A; Lisanby, Sarah H

2006-02-01

Magnetic seizure therapy (MST) is under development as a means of improving the cognitive side-effect profile of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) by inducing more spatially delimited seizures that spare cortical regions involved in memory. We tested whether MST had a cognitive side-effect profile distinct from electroconvulsive shock (ECS) in a non-human primate model, using the Columbia University Primate Cognitive Profile, which has been shown to be sensitive to the cognitive effects of ECS. Using a within-subject cross-over design, daily ECS, MST, and sham (anaesthesia-only) interventions were administered in 5-wk blocks. Rhesus macaques (n = 2) were trained on a long-term memory task, an anterograde learning and memory task, and a combined anterograde and retrograde task where learning and memory were evaluated for new and previously learned 3-item lists. Acutely following each intervention, monkeys were tested on the cognitive battery twice daily, separated by a 3-h retention interval. Overall, monkeys were least accurate following ECS (p's < 0.05) compared to sham and MST. This effect was most marked for long-term memory of a constant target, short-term memory of a variable target and recall of previously learned 3-item lists. Monkeys were slowest to complete all tasks following ECS (p's = 0.0001). Time to task completion following MST did not differ from sham. These findings suggest that MST results in a more benign acute cognitive side-effect profile than ECS in this model, consistent with initial observations with human MST.

The influence of temperature calibration on the OC-EC results from a dual-optics thermal carbon analyzer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pavlovic, J.; Kinsey, J. S.; Hays, M. D.

2014-09-01

Thermal-optical analysis (TOA) is a widely used technique that fractionates carbonaceous aerosol particles into organic and elemental carbon (OC and EC), or carbonate. Thermal sub-fractions of evolved OC and EC are also used for source identification and apportionment; thus, oven temperature accuracy during TOA analysis is essential. Evidence now indicates that the "actual" sample (filter) temperature and the temperature measured by the built-in oven thermocouple (or set-point temperature) can differ by as much as 50 °C. This difference can affect the OC-EC split point selection and consequently the OC and EC fraction and sub-fraction concentrations being reported, depending on the sample composition and in-use TOA method and instrument. The present study systematically investigates the influence of an oven temperature calibration procedure for TOA. A dual-optical carbon analyzer that simultaneously measures transmission and reflectance (TOT and TOR) is used, functioning under the conditions of both the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health Method 5040 (NIOSH) and Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environment (IMPROVE) protocols. The application of the oven calibration procedure to our dual-optics instrument significantly changed NIOSH 5040 carbon fractions (OC and EC) and the IMPROVE OC fraction. In addition, the well-known OC-EC split difference between NIOSH and IMPROVE methods is even further perturbed following the instrument calibration. Further study is needed to determine if the widespread application of this oven temperature calibration procedure will indeed improve accuracy and our ability to compare among carbonaceous aerosol studies that use TOA.

Supernova 2012ec: identification of the progenitor and early monitoring with PESSTO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maund, J. R.; Fraser, M.; Smartt, S. J.; Botticella, M. T.; Barbarino, C.; Childress, M.; Gal-Yam, A.; Inserra, C.; Pignata, G.; Reichart, D.; Schmidt, B.; Sollerman, J.; Taddia, F.; Tomasella, L.; Valenti, S.; Yaron, O.

2013-04-01

We present the identification of the progenitor of the Type IIP SN 2012ec in archival pre-explosion Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 (WFPC2) and Advanced Camera for Surveys Wide Field Channel F814W images. The properties of the progenitor are further constrained by non-detections in pre-explosion WFPC2 F450W and F606W images. We report a series of early photometric and spectroscopic observations of SN 2012ec. The r'-band light curve shows a plateau with M_{r^' }}=-17.0. The early spectrum is similar to the Type IIP SN 1999em, with the expansion velocity measured at Hα absorption minimum of -11 700 km s-1 (at 1 d post-discovery). The photometric and spectroscopic evolution of SN 2012ec shows it to be a Type IIP SN, discovered only a few days post-explosion (<6 d). We derive a luminosity for the progenitor, in comparison with MARCS model spectral energy distributions, of log {L/L}_{⊙} = 5.15± 0.19, from which we infer an initial mass range of 14-22 M⊙. This is the first SN with an identified progenitor to be followed by the Public ESO Spectroscopic Survey of Transient Objects (PESSTO).

Differences in the OC/EC Ratios that Characterize Ambient and Source Aerosols due to Thermal-Optical Analysis

EPA Science Inventory

Thermal-optical analysis (TOA) is typically used to measure the OC/EC (organic carbon/elemental carbon) and EC/TC (elemental carbon/total carbon) ratios in source and atmospheric aerosols. The present study utilizes a dual-optical carbon aerosol analyzer to examine the effects of...

The evolution and impact of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) program on radiation and tissue banking in Asia and the Pacific region.

PubMed

Morales Pedraza, Jorge; Phillips, Glyn O

2009-05-01

The Asia and the Pacific region was within the IAEA program on radiation and tissue banking, the most active region. Most of the tissue banks in the Asia and the Pacific region were developed during the late 1980s and 1990s. The initial number of tissue banks established or supported by the IAEA program in the framework of the RCA Agreement for Asia and the Pacific region was 18. At the end of 2006, the number of tissue banks participating, in one way or another in the IAEA program was 59. Since the beginning of the implementation of the IAEA program in Asia and the Pacific region 63,537 amnion and 44,282 bone allografts were produced and 57,683 amnion and 36,388 bone allografts were used. The main impact of the IAEA program in the region was the following: the establishment or consolidation of at least 59 tissue banks in 15 countries in the region (the IAEA supported directly 16 of these banks); the improvement on the quality and safety of tissues procured and produced in the region reaching international standards; the implementation of eight national projects, two regional projects and two interregional projects; the elaboration of International Standards, a Code of Practice and a Public Awareness Strategies and, the application of quality control and quality assurances programs in all participating tissue banks.

Towards Coleoptera-specific high-throughput screening systems for compounds with ecdysone activity: development of EcR reporter assays using weevil (Anthonomus grandis)-derived cell lines and in silico analysis of ligand binding to A. grandis EcR ligand-binding pocket.

PubMed

Soin, Thomas; Iga, Masatoshi; Swevers, Luc; Rougé, Pierre; Janssen, Colin R; Smagghe, Guy

2009-08-01

Molting in insects is regulated by ecdysteroids and juvenile hormones. Several synthetic non-steroidal ecdysone agonists are on the market as insecticides. These ecdysone agonists are dibenzoylhydrazine (DBH) analogue compounds that manifest their toxicity via interaction with the ecdysone receptor (EcR). Of the four commercial available ecdysone agonists, three (tebufenozide, methoxyfenozide and chromafenozide) are highly lepidopteran specific, one (halofenozide) is used to control coleopteran and lepidopteran insects in turf and ornamentals. However, compared to the very high binding affinity of these DBH analogues to lepidopteran EcRs, halofenozide has a low binding affinity for coleopteran EcRs. For the discovery of ecdysone agonists that target non-lepidopteran insect groups, efficient screening systems that are based on the activation of the EcR are needed. We report here the development and evaluation of two coleopteran-specific reporter-based screening systems to discover and evaluate ecdysone agonists. The screening systems are based on the cell lines BRL-AG-3A and BRL-AG-3C that are derived from the weevil Anthonomus grandis, which can be efficiently transduced with an EcR reporter cassette for evaluation of induction of reporter activity by ecdysone agonists. We also cloned the almost full length coding sequence of EcR expressed in the cell line BRL-AG-3C and used it to make an initial in silico 3D-model of its ligand-binding pocket docked with ponasterone A and tebufenozide.

Co-ordination of the International Network of Nuclear Structure and Decay Data Evaluators; Summary Report of an IAEA Technical Meeting

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

Abriola, D.; Tuli, J.

The IAEA Nuclear Data Section convened the 18th meeting of the International Network of Nuclear Structure and Decay Data Evaluators at the IAEA Headquarters, Vienna, 23 to 27 March 2009. This meeting was attended by 22 scientists from 14 Member States, plus IAEA staff, concerned with the compilation, evaluation and dissemination of nuclear structure and decay data. A summary of the meeting, recommendations/conclusions, data centre reports, and various proposals considered, modified and agreed by the participants are contained within this document. The International Network of Nuclear Structure and Decay Data (NSDD) Evaluators holds biennial meetings under the auspices of themore » IAEA, and consists of evaluation groups and data service centres in several countries. This network has the objective of providing up-to-date nuclear structure and decay data for all known nuclides by evaluating all existing experimental data. Data resulting from this international evaluation collaboration is included in the Evaluated Nuclear Structure Data File (ENSDF) and published in the journals Nuclear Physics A and Nuclear Data Sheets (NDS).« less

EC power management and NTM control in ITER

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poli, Francesca; Fredrickson, E.; Henderson, M.; Bertelli, N.; Farina, D.; Figini, L.; Nowak, S.; Poli, E.; Sauter, O.

2016-10-01

The suppression of Neoclassical Tearing Modes (NTMs) is an essential requirement for the achievement of the demonstration baseline in ITER. The Electron Cyclotron upper launcher is specifically designed to provide highly localized heating and current drive for NTM stabilization. In order to assess the power management for shared applications, we have performed time-dependent simulations for ITER scenarios covering operation from half to full field. The free-boundary TRANSP simulations evolve the magnetic equilibrium and the pressure profiles in response to the heating and current drive sources and are interfaced with a GRE for the evolution of size and frequency of the magnetic islands. Combined with a feedback control of the EC power and the steering angle, these simulations are used to model the plasma response to NTM control, accounting for the misalignment of the EC deposition with the resonant surfaces, uncertainties in the magnetic equilibrium reconstruction and in the magnetic island detection threshold. Simulations indicate that the threshold for detection of the island should not exceed 2-3cm, that pre-emptive control is a preferable option, and that for safe operation the power needed for NTM control should be reserved, rather than shared with other applications. Work supported by ITER under IO/RFQ/13/9550/JTR and by DOE under DE-AC02-09CH11466.

Downflow dryout in a heated ribbed vertical annulus with a cosine power profile (Results from test series ECS-2, WSR, and ECS-2cE)

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

Larson, T.K.; Anderson, J.L.; Condie, K.G.

Experiments designed to investigate surface dryout in a heated, ribbed annulus test section simulating one of the annular coolant channels of a Savannah River Plant production reactor Mark 22 fuel assembly have been conducted at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory. The inner surface of the annulus was constructed of aluminum and was electrically heated to provide an axial cosine power profile and a flat azimuthal power shape. Data presented in this report are from the ECS-2, WSR, and ECS-2cE series of tests. These experiments were conducted to examine the onset of wall thermal excursion for a range of flow, inletmore » fluid temperature, and annulus outlet pressure. Hydraulic boundary conditions on the test section represent flowrates (0.1--1.4 1/s), inlet fluid temperatures (293--345 K), and outlet pressures (-18--139.7 cm of water relative to the bottom of the heated length (61--200 cm of water relative to the bottom of the lower plenum)) expected to occur during the Emergency Coolant System (ECS) phase of postulated Loss-of-Coolant Accident in a production reactor. The onset of thermal excursion based on the present data is consistent with data gathered in test rigs with flat axial power profiles. The data indicate that wall dryout is primarily a function of liquid superficial velocity. Air entrainment rate was observed to be a strong function of the boundary conditions (primarily flowrate and liquid temperature), but had a minor effect on the power at the onset of thermal excursion for the range of conditions examined. 14 refs., 33 figs., 13 tabs.« less

Glutathione peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.9) and superoxide dismutase (EC 1.15.1.1) activities in riboflavin-deficient rats infected with Plasmodium berghei malaria.

PubMed

Adelekan, D A; Thurnham, D I

1998-03-01

Riboflavin deficiency interferes with the growth and multiplication of malaria parasites as well as the host response to malaria. The objective of the present work was to determine the effects of riboflavin deficiency on erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.9; GPx) and superoxide dismutase (EC 1.15.1.1; SOD) in rats infected with Plasmodium berghei malaria. Riboflavin in its co-enzyme form, FAD, is required by glutathione reductase (EC 1.6.4.1) to regenerate GSH and GSH is an important cellular antioxidant both in its own right and also as a substrate for the enzyme GPx. Weanling rats were deprived of riboflavin for 8 weeks before intraperitoneal injection of 1 x 10(6) P. berghei parasites. Control animals were weight-matched to the respective riboflavin-deficient group. At 10 d post-infection, parasite counts were higher in the weight-matched control group than the riboflavin-deficient group (P = 0.004). GPx activity was higher in erythrocytes of rats parasitized with P. berghei than comparable non-infected rats regardless of riboflavin status (P < 0.05). As mature erythrocytes do not synthesize new protein, the higher GPx activities were probably due to the presence of the parasite protein. In erythrocytes from riboflavin-deficient rats, GPx activity tended to be lower than in those rats fed on diets adequate in riboflavin (weight-matched controls) whether parasitized or not, but the difference was not significant. Neither riboflavin deficiency nor malaria had any effect on erythrocyte SOD activity. It was concluded that riboflavin deficiency has no marked effect on erythrocyte GPx or SOD activity in the rat.

[Knockdown of NEDD9 inhibits the proliferation, invasion and migration of esophageal carcinoma EC109 cells].

PubMed

Zhang, Wen; Li, Shaojun; Zhao, Yunlong; Guo, Nannan; Li, Yingjie

2016-12-01

Objective To observe the expression of the neural precursor cell expressed, developmentally down-regulated 9 (NEDD9) in esophageal cancer, to investigate the impact of decreased expression of NEDD9 on invasion and migration, and to explicit the function of NEDD9 in EC109 human esophageal cancer cell line. Methods Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect the expression of NEDD9 in human esophageal cancer tissues and paracancerous normal tissues. RNA interfering (RNAi) was used to knockdown NEDD9 in EC109 cells. The interference efficiency was detected by reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) and Western blot analysis. Cell proliferation was determined by MTT assay and the invasion and migration abilities of EC109 cells were monitored by Transwell TM assay. The protein levels of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), Bax and Bcl-2 were tested by Western blotting. Results The positive expression rate of NEDD9 in esophageal carcinoma tissues was significantly higher compared with that in the paracancerous tissues. After NEDD9 expression was successfully downregulated in EC109 cells by siRNA, the proliferation, invasion and migration rates in transfection group were significantly lower than those in control group; meanwhile, the expression of Bcl-2 was reduced and Bax expression was enhanced. Conclusion The protein expression level of NEDD9 is higher in esophageal carcinoma tissues than that in adjacent normal tissues. Knockdown of NEDD9 expression can restrain the proliferation, invasion and migration of EC109 cells.

FAA/NASA Joint University Program for Air Transportation Research: 1993-1994

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hueschen, Richard M. (Compiler)

1995-01-01

This report summarizes the research conducted during the academic year 1993-1994 under the NASA/FAA sponsored Joint University Program for Air Transportation Research. The year end review was held at Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, July 14-15, 1994. The Joint University Program is a coordinated set of three grants sponsored by NASA Langley Research Center and the Federal Aviation Administration, one each with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (NGL-22-009-640), Ohio University (NGR-36-009-017), and Princeton University (NGL-31-001-252). Completed works, status reports, and annotated bibliographies are presented for research topics which include navigation, guidance and control theory and practice, aircraft performance, human factors, and expert systems concepts applied to aircraft and airport operations. An overview of the year's activities for each university is also presented.

Lopez-Alegria performs EMCS-EC replace activity in Destiny laboratory module

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-12-29

ISS014-E-10647 (29 Dec. 2006) --- Astronaut Michael E. Lopez-Alegria, Expedition 14 commander and NASA space station science officer, performs the European Modular Cultivation System (EMSC) -- Experiment Container (EC) replacement in the Destiny laboratory of the International Space Station.

Lopez-Alegria performs EMCS-EC replace activity in Destiny laboratory module

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-12-29

ISS014-E-10639 (29 Dec. 2006) --- Astronaut Michael E. Lopez-Alegria, Expedition 14 commander and NASA space station science officer, performs the European Modular Cultivation System (EMSC) -- Experiment Container (EC) replacement in the Destiny laboratory of the International Space Station.

Conceptual design of the EU DEMO EC-system: main developments and R&D achievements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Granucci, G.; Aiello, G.; Alberti, S.; Avramidis, K. A.; Braunmüller, F.; Bruschi, A.; Chelis, J.; Franck, J.; Figini, L.; Gantenbein, G.; Garavaglia, S.; Grossetti, G.; Illy, S.; Ioannidis, Z.; Jelonnek, J.; Kalaria, P.; Latsas, G.; Moro, A.; Pagonakis, I. Gr.; Peponis, D.; Poli, E.; Rispoli, N.; Rzesnicki, T.; Scherer, T.; Strauss, D.; Thumm, M.; Tigelis, I.; Tsironis, C.; Wu, C.; Franke, T.; Tran, M. Q.

2017-11-01

For the development of a DEMOnstration Fusion Power Plant the design of auxiliary heating systems is a key activity in order to achieve controlled burning plasma. The present heating mix considers electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH), neutral beam injection (NBI) and ion cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH) with a target power to the plasma of about 50 MW for each system. The main tasks assigned to the EC system are plasma breakdown and assisted start-up, heating to L-H transition and plasma current ramp up to burn, MHD stability control and assistance in plasma current ramp down. The consequent requirements are used for the conceptual design of the EC system, from the RF source to the launcher, with an extensive R&D program focused on relevant technologies to be developed. Gyrotron: the R&D and Advanced Developments on EC RF sources are targeting for gyrotrons operating at 240 GHz, considered as optimum EC Current Drive frequency in case of higher magnetic field than for the 2015 EU DEMO1 baseline. Multi-purpose (multi-frequency) and frequency step-tunable gyrotrons are under investigation to increase the flexibility of the system. As main targets an output power of significantly above 1 MW (target: 2 MW) and a total efficiency higher than 60% are set. The principle feasibility at limits of a 236 GHz, conventional-cavity and, alternatively, of a 238 GHz coaxial-cavity gyrotron are under investigation together with the development of a synthetic diamond Brewster-angle window technology. Advanced developments are on-going in the field of multi-stage depressed collector technologies. Transmission line (TL): different TL options are under investigation and a preliminary study of an evacuated quasi-optical multiple-beam TL, considered for a hybrid solution, is presented and discussed in terms of layout, dimensions and theoretical losses. Launcher: remote steering antennas have been considered as a possible launcher solution especially under the constraints to

Survival of the probiotic Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (EcN) in the gastrointestinal tract given in combination with oral mesalamine to healthy volunteers.

PubMed

Joeres-Nguyen-Xuan, Thai Hoa; Boehm, Stephan Karl; Joeres, Lars; Schulze, Juergen; Kruis, Wolfgang

2010-02-01

Mesalamine and the probiotic E. coli Nissle 1917 (EcN) are both effective agents for the treatment of ulcerative colitis. A combined therapy may have more than additive efficacy. However, mesalamine may have antimicrobial effects on EcN. In this prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 48 healthy volunteers took EcN in a run-in phase for 17 days (5-50 x 10(9) viable bacteria od). If stool samples became positive for EcN, volunteers received combination treatment with EcN plus either mesalamine (1500 mg twice a day) or placebo for 1 week. Fecal samples were further tested for EcN in 2- to 3-day intervals until a maximum of 48 weeks after treatment. Patient diaries, blood, and urine were checked to assess safety, compliance, and tolerance. During run-in, viable EcN were detected in 45 of the 48 volunteers (94%); 2 volunteers were positive before taking EcN. From days 1 to 7 of combination treatment (n = 40), the number of EcN-positive volunteers varied between 70% and 80% in the mesalamine group and between 85% and 95% in the placebo group. Differences between the groups were not significant (normal approximation: day 3, P > 0.15; day 5, P > 0.25; day 7, P > 0.076). At treatment discontinuation, 16 of 20 volunteers in the mesalamine group and 15 of 20 volunteers in the placebo group were EcN positive, whereas this figure dropped continuously up to week 12 after discontinuation (mesalamine, 7 of 20; placebo, 4 of 20). No differences between the groups were seen with regard to tolerance and safety. The combination of EcN and mesalamine has no significant effect on the survival of EcN in healthy volunteers.

TopicLens: Efficient Multi-Level Visual Topic Exploration of Large-Scale Document Collections.

PubMed

Kim, Minjeong; Kang, Kyeongpil; Park, Deokgun; Choo, Jaegul; Elmqvist, Niklas

2017-01-01

Topic modeling, which reveals underlying topics of a document corpus, has been actively adopted in visual analytics for large-scale document collections. However, due to its significant processing time and non-interactive nature, topic modeling has so far not been tightly integrated into a visual analytics workflow. Instead, most such systems are limited to utilizing a fixed, initial set of topics. Motivated by this gap in the literature, we propose a novel interaction technique called TopicLens that allows a user to dynamically explore data through a lens interface where topic modeling and the corresponding 2D embedding are efficiently computed on the fly. To support this interaction in real time while maintaining view consistency, we propose a novel efficient topic modeling method and a semi-supervised 2D embedding algorithm. Our work is based on improving state-of-the-art methods such as nonnegative matrix factorization and t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding. Furthermore, we have built a web-based visual analytics system integrated with TopicLens. We use this system to measure the performance and the visualization quality of our proposed methods. We provide several scenarios showcasing the capability of TopicLens using real-world datasets.

[The spectrum of histomorphological findings related to joint endoprosthetics].

PubMed

Morawietz, L; Krenn, V

2014-11-01

Approximately 230,000 total hip and 170,000 knee joint endoprostheses are implanted in Germany annually of which approximately 10% (i.e. 40,000 interventions per year) are cases of revision surgery. These interventions involve removal of a previously implanted prosthesis which has resulted in complaints and replacement with a new prosthesis. There are manifold reasons for revision surgery, the most common indication being so-called endoprosthesis loosening, which is subdivided into septic and aseptic loosening. Histomorphological studies revealed that periprosthetic tissue from endoprosthesis loosening can be classified into four types (I) wear-particle induced type, (II) infectious type, (III) combined type and (IV) fibrous type. Types I and IV represent aseptic loosening and types II and III septic loosening. Recently, the topic of implant allergy has emerged. The detection of cellular, mostly perivascular lymphocytic infiltrates is discussed as being a sign of an allergic tissue reaction. It has most frequently been observed in type I periprosthetic membranes with a dense load of metal wear, which occurs with metal-on-metal bearings. Apart from endoprosthesis loosening, arthrofibrosis is another complication of joint endoprosthetics and can cause pain and impaired function. Histopathologically, arthrofibrosis can be evaluated by a three-tiered grading system. Furthermore, bone pathologies, such as ossification, osteopenia or osteomyelitis can occur as complications of joint endoprosthetics. This review gives an overview of the whole spectrum of pathological findings in joint endoprosthetics and offers a comprehensive and standardized classification system for routine histopathological diagnostics.

76 FR 30987 - Termination of Action and Further Monitoring in Connection With the EC-Beef Hormones Dispute

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-27

... Connection With the EC-Beef Hormones Dispute AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative. ACTION... Hormones dispute. In January 2009, the Trade Representative announced a determination to modify the list of...) in the EC-Beef Hormones dispute. The MOU provides for the EU to make phased increases in market...

Design and control of a prosthetic leg for above-knee amputees operated in semi-active and active modes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Jinhyuk; Yoon, Gun-Ha; Kang, Je-Won; Choi, Seung-Bok

2016-08-01

This paper proposes a new prosthesis operated in two different modes; the semi-active and active modes. The semi-active mode is achieved from a flow mode magneto-rheological (MR) damper, while the active mode is obtained from an electronically commutated (EC) motor. The knee joint part of the above knee prosthesis is equipped with the MR damper and EC motor. The MR damper generates reaction force by controlling the field-dependent yield stress of the MR fluid, while the EC motor actively controls the knee joint angle during gait cycle. In this work, the MR damper is designed as a two-end type flow mode mechanism without air chamber for compact size. On other hand, in order to predict desired knee joint angle to be controlled by EC motor, a polynomial prediction function using a statistical method is used. A nonlinear proportional-derivative controller integrated with the computed torque method is then designed and applied to both MR damper and EC motor to control the knee joint angle. It is demonstrated that the desired knee joint angle is well achieved in different walking velocities on the ground ground.

Molecular characterization of EcCIPK24 gene of finger millet (Eleusine coracana) for investigating its regulatory role in calcium transport.

PubMed

Chinchole, Mahadev; Pathak, Rajesh Kumar; Singh, Uma M; Kumar, Anil

2017-08-01

Finger millet grains contain exceptionally high levels of calcium which is much higher compared to other cereals and millets. Since calcium is an important macronutrient in human diet, it is necessary to explore the molecular basis of calcium accumulation in the seeds of finger millet. CIPK is a calcium sensor gene, having role in activating Ca 2+ exchanger protein by interaction with CBL proteins. To know the role of EcCIPK24 gene in seed Ca 2+ accumulation, sequence is retrieved from the transcriptome data of two finger millet genotypes GP1 (low Ca 2+ ) and GP45 (high Ca 2+ ), and the expression was determined through qRT-PCR. The higher expression was found in root, shoot, leaf and developing spike tissue of GP45 compared to GP1; structural analysis showed difference of nine SNPs and one extra beta sheet domain as well as differences in vacuolar localization was predicted; besides, the variation in amino acid composition among both the genotypes was also investigated. Molecular modeling and docking studies revealed that both EcCBL4 and EcCBL10 showed strong binding affinity with EcCIPK24 (GP1) compared to EcCIPK24 (GP45). It indicates a genotypic structural variation, which not only affects the affinity but also calcium transport efficiency after interaction of CIPK-CBL with calcium exchanger ( Ec CAX1b) to pull calcium in the vacuole. Based on the expression and in silico study, it can be suggested that by activating EcCAX1b protein, EcCIPK24 plays an important role in high seed Ca 2+ accumulation.

Evaluating atmospheric blocking in the global climate model EC-Earth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartung, Kerstin; Hense, Andreas; Kjellström, Erik

2013-04-01

Atmospheric blocking is a phenomenon of the midlatitudal troposphere, which plays an important role in climate variability. Therefore a correct representation of blocking in climate models is necessary, especially for evaluating the results of climate projections. In my master's thesis a validation of blocking in the coupled climate model EC-Earth is performed. Blocking events are detected based on the Tibaldi-Molteni Index. At first, a comparison with the reanalysis dataset ERA-Interim is conducted. The blocking frequency depending on longitude shows a small general underestimation of blocking in the model - a well known problem. Scaife et al. (2011) proposed the correction of model bias as a way to solve this problem. However, applying the correction to the higher resolution EC-Earth model does not yield any improvement. Composite maps show a link between blocking events and surface variables. One example is the formation of a positive surface temperature anomaly north and a negative anomaly south of the blocking anticyclone. In winter the surface temperature in EC-Earth can be reproduced quite well, but in summer a cold bias over the inner-European ocean is present. Using generalized linear models (GLMs) I want to study the connection between regional blocking and global atmospheric variables further. GLMs have the advantage of being applicable to non-Gaussian variables. Therefore the blocking index at each longitude, which is Bernoulli distributed, can be analysed statistically with GLMs. I applied a logistic regression between the blocking index and the geopotential height at 500 hPa to study the teleconnection of blocking events at midlatitudes with global geopotential height. GLMs also offer the possibility of quantifying the connections shown in composite maps. The implementation of the logistic regression can even be expanded to a search for trends in blocking frequency, for example in the scenario simulations.

Effect of Graphene-EC on Ag NW-Based Transparent Film Heaters: Optimizing the Stability and Heat Dispersion of Films.

PubMed

Cao, Minghui; Wang, Minqiang; Li, Le; Qiu, Hengwei; Yang, Zhi

2018-01-10

To optimize the performance of silver nanowire (Ag NW) film heaters and explore the effect of graphene on a film, we introduced poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(4-styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) and graphene modified with ethyl cellulose (graphene-EC) into the film. The high-quality and well-dispersed graphene-EC was synthesized from graphene obtained by electrochemical exfoliation as a precursor. The transparent film heaters were fabricated via spin-coating. With the assistance of graphene-EC, the stability of film heaters was greatly improved, and the conductivity was optimized by adjusting the Ag NW concentration. The film heaters exhibited a fast and accurate response to voltage, accompanied by excellent environmental endurance, and there was no significant performance degradation after being operated for a long period of time. These results indicate that graphene-EC plays a crucial role in optimizing film stability and heat dispersion in the film. The Ag NW/PEDOT:PSS-doped graphene-EC film heaters show a great potential in low-cost indium-tin-oxide-free flexible transparent electrodes, heating systems, and transparent film heaters.

SN 2012ec: mass of the progenitor from PESSTO follow-up of the photospheric phase

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barbarino, C.; Dall'Ora, M.; Botticella, M. T.; Della Valle, M.; Zampieri, L.; Maund, J. R.; Pumo, M. L.; Jerkstrand, A.; Benetti, S.; Elias-Rosa, N.; Fraser, M.; Gal-Yam, A.; Hamuy, M.; Inserra, C.; Knapic, C.; LaCluyze, A. P.; Molinaro, M.; Ochner, P.; Pastorello, A.; Pignata, G.; Reichart, D. E.; Ries, C.; Riffeser, A.; Schmidt, B.; Schmidt, M.; Smareglia, R.; Smartt, S. J.; Smith, K.; Sollerman, J.; Sullivan, M.; Tomasella, L.; Turatto, M.; Valenti, S.; Yaron, O.; Young, D.

2015-04-01

We present the results of a photometric and spectroscopic monitoring campaign of SN 2012ec, which exploded in the spiral galaxy NGC 1084, during the photospheric phase. The photometric light curve exhibits a plateau with luminosity L = 0.9 × 1042 erg s-1 and duration ˜90 d, which is somewhat shorter than standard Type II-P supernovae (SNe). We estimate the nickel mass M(56Ni) = 0.040 ± 0.015 M⊙ from the luminosity at the beginning of the radioactive tail of the light curve. The explosion parameters of SN 2012ec were estimated from the comparison of the bolometric light curve and the observed temperature and velocity evolution of the ejecta with predictions from hydrodynamical models. We derived an envelope mass of 12.6 M⊙, an initial progenitor radius of 1.6 × 1013 cm and an explosion energy of 1.2 foe. These estimates agree with an independent study of the progenitor star identified in pre-explosion images, for which an initial mass of M = 14-22 M⊙ was determined. We have applied the same analysis to two other Type II-P SNe (SNe 2012aw and 2012A), and carried out a comparison with the properties of SN 2012ec derived in this paper. We find a reasonable agreement between the masses of the progenitors obtained from pre-explosion images and masses derived from hydrodynamical models. We estimate the distance to SN 2012ec with the standardized candle method (SCM) and compare it with other estimates based on other primary and secondary indicators. SNe 2012A, 2012aw and 2012ec all follow the standard relations for the SCM for the use of Type II-P SNe as distance indicators.

Differential Effects of High Dose Magnetic Seizure Therapy (MST) and Electroconvulsive Shock (ECS) on Cognitive Function

PubMed Central

Spellman, Timothy; McClintock, Shawn M.; Terrace, Herbert; Luber, Bruce; Husain, Mustafa M.; Lisanby, Sarah H.

2008-01-01

Background Magnetic seizure therapy (MST) is under investigation as an alternative form of convulsive therapy that induces more focal seizures and spares cortical regions involved in memory. Using a newly expanded version of the Columbia University Primate Cognitive Profile, we compared the cognitive effects of high-dose MST delivered at 100 Hz (6X seizure threshold) with electroconvulsive shock (ECS) delivered at 2.5X seizure threshold. Methods Daily high-dose MST, ECS, and Sham (anesthesia-only) were administered for 4 weeks each in a within-subject cross-over design. Rhesus macaques (n = 3) were trained on five cognitive tasks assessing automatic memory, anterograde learning and memory, combined anterograde and retrograde simultaneous chaining, and spatial and serial working memory. Acutely following each intervention, monkeys were tested on the cognitive battery twice daily, separated by a 3-hour retention interval. Results Subjects were slower to complete criterion tasks (p’s<0.0001) following ECS, compared to sham and high-dose MST. Moreover, time to task-completion following high-dose MST did not differ from sham. Out of 6 measures of accuracy, treatment effects were found in 4; in all of these, ECS, but not MST, fared worse than Sham. On all accuracy and time to completion measurements, subjects performed as well as following high-dose MST as did subjects from a previous study on moderate-dose MST. Conclusion These findings provide evidence that high-dose MST results in benign acute cognitive side-effect profile relative to ECS, and are in line with our previous studies. PMID:18262171

Mixed-mode cyclic debonding of adhesively bonded composite joints. M.S. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rezaizadeh, M. A.; Mall, S.

1985-01-01

A combined experimental-analytical investigation to characterize the cyclic failure mechanism of a simple composite-to-composite bonded joint is conducted. The cracked lap shear (CLS) specimens of graphite/epoxy adherend bonded with EC-3445 adhesive are tested under combined mode 1 and 2 loading. In all specimens tested, fatigue failure occurs in the form of cyclic debonding. The cyclic debond growth rates are measured. The finite element analysis is employed to compute the mode 1, mode 2, and total strain energy release rates (i.e., GI, GII, and GT). A wide range of mixed-mode loading, i.e., GI/GII ranging from 0.03 to 0.38, is obtained. The total strain energy release rate, G sub T, appeared to be the driving parameter for cyclic debonding in the tested composite bonded system.

Targeted delivery of human iPS-ECs overexpressing IL-8 receptors inhibits neointimal and inflammatory responses to vascular injury in the rat.

PubMed

Giordano, Samantha; Zhao, Xiangmin; Xing, Daisy; Hage, Fadi; Oparil, Suzanne; Cooke, John P; Lee, Jieun; Nakayama, Karina H; Huang, Ngan F; Chen, Yiu-Fai

2016-03-15

Interleukin-8 (IL8) is highly expressed by injured arteries in a variety of diseases and is a chemoattractant for neutrophils which express IL8 receptors IL8RA and RB (IL8RA/B) on their membranes. Neutrophils interact with the damaged endothelium and initiate an inflammatory cascade at the site of injury. We have generated a novel translational targeted cell therapy for acute vascular injury using adenoviral vectors to overexpress IL8RA/B and green fluorescent protein (GFP) on the surface of endothelial cells (ECs) derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (HiPS-IL8RA/B-ECs). We hypothesize that HiPS-IL8RA/B-ECs transfused intravenously into rats with balloon injury of the carotid artery will target to the injured site and compete with neutrophils, thus inhibiting inflammation and neointima formation. Young adult male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent balloon injury of the right carotid artery and received intravenous transfusion of saline vehicle, 1.5 × 10(6) HiPS-ECs, 1.5 × 10(6) HiPS-Null-ECs, or 1.5 × 10(6) HiPS-IL8RA/B-ECs immediately after endoluminal injury. Tissue distribution of HiPS-IL8RA/B-ECs was analyzed by a novel GFP DNA qPCR method. Cytokine and chemokine expression and leukocyte infiltration were measured in injured and uninjured arteries at 24 h postinjury by ELISA and immunohistochemistry, respectively. Neointimal, medial areas, and reendothelialization were measured 14 days postinjury. HiPS-IL8RA/B-ECs homed to injured arteries, inhibited inflammatory mediator expression and inflammatory cell infiltration, accelerated reendothelialization, and attenuated neointima formation after endoluminal injury while control HiPS-ECs and HiPS-Null-ECs did not. HiPS-IL8RA/B-ECs transfused into rats with endoluminal carotid artery injury target to the injured artery and provide a novel strategy to treat vascular injury.

Targeted delivery of human iPS-ECs overexpressing IL-8 receptors inhibits neointimal and inflammatory responses to vascular injury in the rat

PubMed Central

Giordano, Samantha; Zhao, Xiangmin; Xing, Daisy; Hage, Fadi; Oparil, Suzanne; Cooke, John P.; Lee, Jieun; Nakayama, Karina H.; Huang, Ngan F.

2016-01-01

Interleukin-8 (IL8) is highly expressed by injured arteries in a variety of diseases and is a chemoattractant for neutrophils which express IL8 receptors IL8RA and RB (IL8RA/B) on their membranes. Neutrophils interact with the damaged endothelium and initiate an inflammatory cascade at the site of injury. We have generated a novel translational targeted cell therapy for acute vascular injury using adenoviral vectors to overexpress IL8RA/B and green fluorescent protein (GFP) on the surface of endothelial cells (ECs) derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (HiPS-IL8RA/B-ECs). We hypothesize that HiPS-IL8RA/B-ECs transfused intravenously into rats with balloon injury of the carotid artery will target to the injured site and compete with neutrophils, thus inhibiting inflammation and neointima formation. Young adult male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent balloon injury of the right carotid artery and received intravenous transfusion of saline vehicle, 1.5 × 106 HiPS-ECs, 1.5 × 106 HiPS-Null-ECs, or 1.5 × 106 HiPS-IL8RA/B-ECs immediately after endoluminal injury. Tissue distribution of HiPS-IL8RA/B-ECs was analyzed by a novel GFP DNA qPCR method. Cytokine and chemokine expression and leukocyte infiltration were measured in injured and uninjured arteries at 24 h postinjury by ELISA and immunohistochemistry, respectively. Neointimal, medial areas, and reendothelialization were measured 14 days postinjury. HiPS-IL8RA/B-ECs homed to injured arteries, inhibited inflammatory mediator expression and inflammatory cell infiltration, accelerated reendothelialization, and attenuated neointima formation after endoluminal injury while control HiPS-ECs and HiPS-Null-ECs did not. HiPS-IL8RA/B-ECs transfused into rats with endoluminal carotid artery injury target to the injured artery and provide a novel strategy to treat vascular injury. PMID:26801304

Joint Attention, Social-Cognition, and Recognition Memory in Adults

PubMed Central

Kim, Kwanguk; Mundy, Peter

2012-01-01

The early emerging capacity for Joint Attention (JA), or socially coordinated visual attention, is thought to be integral to the development of social-cognition in childhood. Recent studies have also begun to suggest that JA affects adult cognition as well, but methodological limitations hamper research on this topic. To address this issue we developed a novel virtual reality paradigm that integrates eye-tracking and virtual avatar technology to measure two types of JA in adults, Initiating Joint Attention (IJA) and Responding to Joint Attention (RJA). Distinguishing these types of JA in research is important because they are thought to reflect unique, as well as common constellations of processes involved in human social-cognition and social learning. We tested the validity of the differentiation of IJA and RJA in our paradigm in two studies of picture recognition memory in undergraduate students. Study 1 indicated that young adults correctly identified more pictures they had previously viewed in an IJA condition (67%) than in a RJA (58%) condition, η2 = 0.57. Study 2 controlled for IJA and RJA stimulus viewing time differences, and replicated the findings of Study 1. The implications of these results for the validity of the paradigm and research on the affects of JA on adult social-cognition are discussed. PMID:22712011

40 CFR Table 3 to Subpart Ec of... - Operating Parameters To Be Monitored and Minimum Measurement and Recording Frequencies

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... NEW STATIONARY SOURCES Standards of Performance for Hospital/Medical/Infectious Waste Incinerators for Which Construction is Commenced After June 20, 1996 Pt. 60, Subpt. Ec, Table 3 Table 3 to Subpart Ec of...

ETV VR/VS SUNSET LABORATORY MODEL 4 OC-EC FIELD ANALYZER

EPA Science Inventory

This is a verification report statement that describes the verification test which was conducted over a period of approximately 30 days (April 5 to May 7, 2013) and involved the continuous operation of duplicate Model 4 OC-EC analyzers at the Battelle Columbus Operations Special ...

Living and Learning in EcCoWell Cities: Discussion Paper

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kearns, Peter

2012-01-01

These notes and questions have been prepared to promote discussion of the ideas set out in the Clarifying paper, "Living and learning in EcCoWell cities" to be found on the PASCAL International Exchanges (PIE) website. This Discussion Paper sets ten questions for discussion. We are hoping to encourage discussions of these issues around the world.

A miniature integrated multimodal sensor for measuring pH, EC and temperature for precision agriculture.

PubMed

Futagawa, Masato; Iwasaki, Taichi; Murata, Hiroaki; Ishida, Makoto; Sawada, Kazuaki

2012-01-01

Making several simultaneous measurements with different kinds of sensors at the same location in a solution is difficult because of crosstalk between the sensors. In addition, because the conditions at different locations in plant beds differ, in situ measurements in agriculture need to be done in small localized areas. We have fabricated a multimodal sensor on a small Si chip in which a pH sensor was integrated with electrical conductivity (EC) and temperature sensors. An ISFET with a Si(3)N(4) membrane was used for the pH sensor. For the EC sensor, the electrical conductivity between platinum electrodes was measured, and the temperature sensor was a p-n junction diode. These are some of the most important measurements required for controlling the conditions in plant beds. The multimodal sensor can be inserted into a plant bed for in situ monitoring. To confirm the absence of crosstalk between the sensors, we made simultaneous measurements of pH, EC, and temperature of a pH buffer solution in a plant bed. When the solution was diluted with hot or cold water, the real time measurements showed changes to the EC and temperature, but no change in pH. We also demonstrated that our sensor was capable of simultaneous in situ measurements in rock wool without being affected by crosstalk.

A Miniature Integrated Multimodal Sensor for Measuring pH, EC and Temperature for Precision Agriculture

PubMed Central

Futagawa, Masato; Iwasaki, Taichi; Murata, Hiroaki; Ishida, Makoto; Sawada, Kazuaki

2012-01-01

Making several simultaneous measurements with different kinds of sensors at the same location in a solution is difficult because of crosstalk between the sensors. In addition, because the conditions at different locations in plant beds differ, in situ measurements in agriculture need to be done in small localized areas. We have fabricated a multimodal sensor on a small Si chip in which a pH sensor was integrated with electrical conductivity (EC) and temperature sensors. An ISFET with a Si3N4 membrane was used for the pH sensor. For the EC sensor, the electrical conductivity between platinum electrodes was measured, and the temperature sensor was a p-n junction diode. These are some of the most important measurements required for controlling the conditions in plant beds. The multimodal sensor can be inserted into a plant bed for in situ monitoring. To confirm the absence of crosstalk between the sensors, we made simultaneous measurements of pH, EC, and temperature of a pH buffer solution in a plant bed. When the solution was diluted with hot or cold water, the real time measurements showed changes to the EC and temperature, but no change in pH. We also demonstrated that our sensor was capable of simultaneous in situ measurements in rock wool without being affected by crosstalk. PMID:22969403

Probing the interaction between cHAVc3 peptide and the EC1 domain of E-cadherin using NMR and molecular dynamics simulations.

PubMed

Alaofi, Ahmed; Farokhi, Elinaz; Prasasty, Vivitri D; Anbanandam, Asokan; Kuczera, Krzysztof; Siahaan, Teruna J

2017-01-01

The goal of this work is to probe the interaction between cyclic cHAVc3 peptide and the EC1 domain of human E-cadherin protein. Cyclic cHAVc3 peptide (cyclo(1,6)Ac-CSHAVC-NH 2 ) binds to the EC1 domain as shown by chemical shift perturbations in the 2D 1 H,- 15 N-HSQC NMR spectrum. The molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of the EC1 domain showed folding of the C-terminal tail region into the main head region of the EC1 domain. For cHAVc3 peptide, replica exchange molecular dynamics (REMD) simulations generated five structural clusters of cHAVc3 peptide. Representative structures of cHAVc3 and the EC1 structure from MD simulations were used in molecular docking experiments with NMR constraints to determine the binding site of the peptide on EC1. The results suggest that cHAVc3 binds to EC1 around residues Y36, S37, I38, I53, F77, S78, H79, and I94. The dissociation constants (K d values) of cHAVc3 peptide to EC1 were estimated using the NMR chemical shifts data and the estimated K d s are in the range of .5 × 10 -5 -7.0 × 10 -5  M.

Electroconvulsive seizures (ECS) do not prevent LPS-induced behavioral alterations and microglial activation.

PubMed

van Buel, E M; Bosker, F J; van Drunen, J; Strijker, J; Douwenga, W; Klein, H C; Eisel, U L M

2015-12-12

Long-term neuroimmune activation is a common finding in major depressive disorder (MDD). Literature suggests a dual effect of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), a highly effective treatment strategy for MDD, on neuroimmune parameters: while ECT acutely increases inflammatory parameters, such as serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, there is evidence to suggest that repeated ECT sessions eventually result in downregulation of the inflammatory response. We hypothesized that this might be due to ECT-induced attenuation of microglial activity upon inflammatory stimuli in the brain. Adult male C57Bl/6J mice received a series of ten electroconvulsive seizures (ECS) or sham shocks, followed by an intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) injection. Brains were extracted and immunohistochemically stained for the microglial marker ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule 1 (Iba1). In addition, a sucrose preference test and an open-field test were performed to quantify behavioral alterations. LPS induced a short-term reduction in sucrose preference, which normalized within 3 days. In addition, LPS reduced the distance walked in the open field and induced alterations in grooming and rearing behavior. ECS did not affect any of these parameters. Phenotypical analysis of microglia demonstrated an LPS-induced increase in microglial activity ranging from 84 to 213 % in different hippocampal regions (CA3 213 %; CA1 84 %; dentate gyrus 131 %; and hilus 123 %). ECS-induced alterations in microglial activity were insignificant, ranging from -2.6 to 14.3 % in PBS-injected mice and from -20.2 to 6.6 % in LPS-injected mice. We were unable to demonstrate an effect of ECS on LPS-induced microglial activity or behavioral alterations.

ECS Resignations Raise Questions of Fiscal Health: Leader of State Policy Group Says Problems Can Be Fixed

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoff, David J.

2006-01-01

Kathy Christie, senior vice president at the Education Commission of the States (ECS), resigned on May 1, 2006, saying that the Denver-based group faces a financial crisis, and that she doubts the current ECS president can fix it. By the end of the week, the accounting manager had also resigned, expressing similar concerns, and two policy analysts…

GCP inspections in Germany and Europe following the implementation of the Directive 2001/20/EC

PubMed Central

Göbel, Claus; Baier, Dieter; Ruhfus, Birgit; Hundt, Ferdinand

2009-01-01

Background: The implementation of the Clinical Trials Directive 2001/20/EC and the Good Clinical Practice Directive 2005/28/EC fundamentally restructured and harmonized the conduct of clinical trials in Europe. GCP inspections – which affect study sites, laboratories, sponsors and contract research organizations (CRO) alike – make up an important part of these regulations. A common understanding of how these regulations apply in daily life is however not always ensured. Methods: A working group of the Clinical Research/Quality Assurance subcommittee of the German Association of Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies (VFA) was established to outline the regulatory requirements, the experience gathered with inspections by means of a survey and to set up guidance on how to manage an inspection. Results and conclusions: The survey, conducted with the help of 15 pharmaceutical companies within the VFA, included a total of 224 inspections (74 inspections in Germany, 150 from other European countries). Most frequent findings in and outside Germany were related to “documentation” (40.5% vs. 21.3%), “investigational new drugs” (16.2% vs. 14.7%), “drug safety” (13.5% vs. 8%) and “application for a clinical trial authorization” (5.4% vs. 12%). From a German perspective, key findings of this working group were the necessity for a clear differentiation of responsibilities between national and federal as well as international authorities, a harmonization of inspection procedures and topics, and a clarification of whether pre-study/on-study and pre-approval/post-approval GCP inspections of the federal higher authority are included in the “Zentralstelle der Länder für Gesundheitsschutz bei Arzneimitteln und Medizinprodukten” (ZLG) requirements. The survey illustrated, that inspections usually are conducted at the investigational site, and that most of the findings are well known and thus could be prevented by communicating and discussing audit results

IP Internal Movement and Topicalization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuo, Pei-Jung

2009-01-01

In this dissertation, I investigate the phenomenon of internal topicalization cross-linguistically, using Chinese as a starting point. Internal topicalization refers to constructions in which a topic phrase is placed between the subject and the verb (in contrast to external topicalization, which involves a topic in the CP domain). I argue that…

Degradation of phosphorylated p53 by viral protein-ECS E3 ligase complex.

PubMed

Sato, Yoshitaka; Kamura, Takumi; Shirata, Noriko; Murata, Takayuki; Kudoh, Ayumi; Iwahori, Satoko; Nakayama, Sanae; Isomura, Hiroki; Nishiyama, Yukihiro; Tsurumi, Tatsuya

2009-07-01

p53-signaling is modulated by viruses to establish a host cellular environment advantageous for their propagation. The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) lytic program induces phosphorylation of p53, which prevents interaction with MDM2. Here, we show that induction of EBV lytic program leads to degradation of p53 via an ubiquitin-proteasome pathway independent of MDM2. The BZLF1 protein directly functions as an adaptor component of the ECS (Elongin B/C-Cul2/5-SOCS-box protein) ubiquitin ligase complex targeting p53 for degradation. Intringuingly, C-terminal phosphorylation of p53 resulting from activated DNA damage response by viral lytic replication enhances its binding to BZLF1 protein. Purified BZLF1 protein-associated ECS could be shown to catalyze ubiquitination of phospho-mimetic p53 more efficiently than the wild-type in vitro. The compensation of p53 at middle and late stages of the lytic infection inhibits viral DNA replication and production during lytic infection, suggesting that the degradation of p53 is required for efficient viral propagation. Taken together, these findings demonstrate a role for the BZLF1 protein-associated ECS ligase complex in regulation of p53 phosphorylated by activated DNA damage signaling during viral lytic infection.

EC86-33385-002

NASA Image and Video Library

1986-02-27

This photograph shows a modified General Dynamics AFTI/F-111A Aardvark in flight with supercritical mission adaptive wings (MAW) installed. With the phasing out of the TACT program came a renewed effort by the Air Force Flight Dynamics Laboratory to extend supercritical wing technology to a higher level of performance. In the early 1980s the supercritical wing on the F-111A aircraft was replaced with a wing built by Boeing Aircraft Company System called a “mission adaptive wing” (MAW), and a joint NASA and Air Force program called Advanced Fighter Technology Integration (AFTI) was born.

Degenerative joint disease: multiple joint involvement in young and mature dogs.

PubMed

Olsewski, J M; Lust, G; Rendano, V T; Summers, B A

1983-07-01

Radiologic, pathologic, and ancillary methods were used to determine the occurrence of degenerative joint disease involving multiple joints of immature and adult dogs. Animals were selected for the development of hip joint dysplasia and chronic degenerative joint disease. Of disease-prone dogs, 82% (45 of 55 dogs) had radiologic changes, indicative of hip dysplasia, by 1 year of age. At necropsy, more abnormal joints were identified than by radiographic examination. Among 92 dogs between 3 to 11 months of age that had joint abnormalities, 71% had hip joint involvement; 38%, shoulder joint involvement; 22%, stifle joint involvement; and 40% had multiple joint involvement. Polyarthritis was asymptomatic and unexpected. Radiographic examination of older dogs also revealed evidence of degenerative joint disease in many joints. Multiple joint involvement was substantiated at necropsy of young and mature dogs. A similar pattern of polyarticular osteoarthritis was revealed in a survey (computer search) of necropsy reports from medical case records of 100 adult and elderly dogs. Usually, the joint disease was an incidental observation, unrelated to the clinical disease or to the cause of death. The frequent occurrence of degenerative changes in several joints of dogs aged 6 months to 17 years indicated that osteoarthritis may be progressive in these joints and raises the possibility that systemic factors are involved in the disease process.

Analysis of IAEA Environmental Samples for Plutonium and Uranium by ICP/MS in Support Of International Safeguards

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

Farmer, Orville T.; Olsen, Khris B.; Thomas, May-Lin P.

2008-05-01

A method for the separation and determination of total and isotopic uranium and plutonium by ICP-MS was developed for IAEA samples on cellulose-based media. Preparation of the IAEA samples involved a series of redox chemistries and separations using TRU® resin (Eichrom). The sample introduction system, an APEX nebulizer (Elemental Scientific, Inc), provided enhanced nebulization for a several-fold increase in sensitivity and reduction in background. Application of mass bias (ALPHA) correction factors greatly improved the precision of the data. By combining the enhancements of chemical separation, instrumentation and data processing, detection levels for uranium and plutonium approached high attogram levels.

Reference dosimeter system of the iaea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mehta, Kishor; Girzikowsky, Reinhard

1995-09-01

Quality assurance programmes must be in operation at radiation processing facilities to satisfy national and international Standards. Since dosimetry has a vital function in these QA programmes, it is imperative that the dosimetry systems in use at these facilities are well calibrated with a traceability to a Primary Standard Dosimetry Laboratory. As a service to the Member States, the International Atomic Energy Agency operates the International Dose Assurance Service (IDAS) to assist in this process. The transfer standard dosimetry system that is used for this service is based on ESR spectrometry. The paper describes the activities undertaken at the IAEA Dosimetry Laboratory to establish the QA programme for its reference dosimetry system. There are four key elements of such a programme: quality assurance manual; calibration that is traceable to a Primary Standard Dosimetry Laboratory; a clear and detailed statement of uncertainty in the dose measurement; and, periodic quality audit.

A preliminary investigation of the environmental Control and Life Support Subsystems (EC/LSS) for animal and plant experiment payloads

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wells, H. B.

1972-01-01

A preliminary study of the environmental control and life support subsystems (EC/LSS) necessary for an earth orbital spacecraft to conduct biological experiments is presented. The primary spacecraft models available for conducting these biological experiments are the space shuttle and modular space station. The experiments would be housed in a separate module that would be contained in either the shuttle payload bay or attached to the modular space station. This module would be manned only for experiment-related tasks, and would contain a separate EC/LSS for the crew and animals. Metabolic data were tabulated on various animals that are considered useful for a typical experiment program. The minimum payload for the 30-day space shuttle module was found to require about the equivalent of a one-man EC/LSS; however, the selected two-man shuttle assemblies will give a growth and contingency factor of about 50 percent. The maximum payloads for the space station mission will require at least a seven-man EC/LSS for the laboratory colony and a nine-man EC/LSS for the centrifuge colony. There is practically no room for growth or contingencies in these areas.

Determination of Parachute Joint Factors using Seam and Joint Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mollmann, Catherine

2015-01-01

This paper details the methodology for determining the joint factor for all parachute components. This method has been successfully implemented on the Capsule Parachute Assembly System (CPAS) for the NASA Orion crew module for use in determining the margin of safety for each component under peak loads. Also discussed are concepts behind the joint factor and what drives the loss of material strength at joints. The joint factor is defined as a "loss in joint strength...relative to the basic material strength" that occurs when "textiles are connected to each other or to metals." During the CPAS engineering development phase, a conservative joint factor of 0.80 was assumed for each parachute component. In order to refine this factor and eliminate excess conservatism, a seam and joint testing program was implemented as part of the structural validation. This method split each of the parachute structural joints into discrete tensile tests designed to duplicate the loading of each joint. Breaking strength data collected from destructive pull testing was then used to calculate the joint factor in the form of an efficiency. Joint efficiency is the percentage of the base material strength that remains after degradation due to sewing or interaction with other components; it is used interchangeably with joint factor in this paper. Parachute materials vary in type-mainly cord, tape, webbing, and cloth -which require different test fixtures and joint sample construction methods. This paper defines guidelines for designing and testing samples based on materials and test goals. Using the test methodology and analysis approach detailed in this paper, the minimum joint factor for each parachute component can be formulated. The joint factors can then be used to calculate the design factor and margin of safety for that component, a critical part of the design verification process.

Minimizing antibody surface density on liposomes while sustaining cytokine-activated EC targeting.

PubMed

Almeda, Dariela; Wang, Biran; Auguste, Debra T

2015-02-01

Liposomes may be engineered to target inflamed endothelium by mimicking ligand-receptor interactions between leukocytes and cytokine-activated endothelial cells (ECs). The upregulation and assembly of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM1) and E-selectin on the cell membrane upon exposure to cytokines have shown potential for drug delivery vehicles to target sites of chronic endothelial inflammation, such as atherosclerosis and cancer. Herein, we characterized EC surfaces by measuring the E-selectin and VCAM1 surface densities and adhesion forces of aVCAM1 and aE-selectin to ECs. We quantified the antibody density, ratio, and diffusivity of liposomes to achieve significant binding and internalization. At 1 h, the 1:1 ratio of VCAM1:E-selectin antibodies was significantly higher than 1:0 and 0:1. Significant binding and uptake was achieved at aE-selectin densities as low as 400 molecules/μm(2). The highest levels of binding and uptake were achieved when using a 1:1 ratio of VCAM1:E-selectin antibodies at a density of 1000 molecules/μm(2); this density is 85% lower than previous reports. The binding and uptake of functionalized liposomes were reduced to levels comparable to IgG functionalized liposomes upon a 10-fold reduction in liposome membrane diffusivity. We conclude with a liposomal design that discriminates between healthy and inflamed endothelium while reducing antibody surface presentation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Group Discussion Topics. Revised Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Area Education Agency 7, Cedar Falls, IA.

A collection of group disussion topics, developed and field-tested by a group of Iowa teachers, is presented in this guide. Twenty-eight topics for K-6 students, 24 topics for K-12 students, and 7 topics for students in grades 7-12 are included. Warm-up activities are given for introducing some of the topics, and lists of questions to provoke…

Spacesuit mobility joints

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vykukal, H. C. (Inventor)

1978-01-01

Joints for use in interconnecting adjacent segments of an hermetically sealed spacesuit which have low torques, low leakage and a high degree of reliability are described. Each of the joints is a special purpose joint characterized by substantially constant volume and low torque characteristics. Linkages which restrain the joint from longitudinal distension and a flexible, substantially impermeable diaphragm of tubular configuration spanning the distance between pivotally supported annuli are featured. The diaphragms of selected joints include rolling convolutions for balancing the joints, while various joints include wedge-shaped sections which enhance the range of motion for the joints.

EDITORIAL: ECRH physics and technology in ITER

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luce, T. C.

2008-05-01

It is a great pleasure to introduce you to this special issue containing papers from the 4th IAEA Technical Meeting on ECRH Physics and Technology in ITER, which was held 6-8 June 2007 at the IAEA Headquarters in Vienna, Austria. The meeting was attended by more than 40 ECRH experts representing 13 countries and the IAEA. Presentations given at the meeting were placed into five separate categories EC wave physics: current understanding and extrapolation to ITER Application of EC waves to confinement and stability studies, including active control techniques for ITER Transmission systems/launchers: state of the art and ITER relevant techniques Gyrotron development towards ITER needs System integration and optimisation for ITER. It is notable that the participants took seriously the focal point of ITER, rather than simply contributing presentations on general EC physics and technology. The application of EC waves to ITER presents new challenges not faced in the current generation of experiments from both the physics and technology viewpoints. High electron temperatures and the nuclear environment have a significant impact on the application of EC waves. The needs of ITER have also strongly motivated source and launcher development. Finally, the demonstrated ability for precision control of instabilities or non-inductive current drive in addition to bulk heating to fusion burn has secured a key role for EC wave systems in ITER. All of the participants were encouraged to submit their contributions to this special issue, subject to the normal publication and technical merit standards of Nuclear Fusion. Almost half of the participants chose to do so; many of the others had been published in other publications and therefore could not be included in this special issue. The papers included here are a representative sample of the meeting. The International Advisory Committee also asked the three summary speakers from the meeting to supply brief written summaries (O. Sauter

Images in electroconvulsive therapy: ECS dose-dependently increases cell proliferation in the subgranular region of the rat hippocampus.

PubMed

Smitha, Jangama S M; Roopa, Ravindranath; Sagar, B K Chandrasekhar; Kutty, Bindu M; Andrade, Chittaranjan

2014-09-01

Stress and depression are associated with impaired neuroplasticity in the hippocampus; there is a decrease in neurogenesis, which is hypothesized to decrease the adaptative competence of the organism. Representative light microscopy images are presented which show that 6 once-daily electroconvulsive shocks (ECS), dose-dependently increased new cell formation in the subgranular region of the hippocampus in healthy adult male Wistar rats (10 sections per rat, 3 rats in each of sham ECS, 10 mC, and 40 mC groups). These neuroplasticity changes, demonstrated 1 month after the last ECS, may explain a part of the mechanism of action of electroconvulsive therapy in conditions such as depression.

Computational Electromagnetic Modeling of SansEC(Trade Mark) Sensors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Laura J.; Dudley, Kenneth L.; Szatkowski, George N.

2011-01-01

This paper describes the preliminary effort to apply computational design tools to aid in the development of an electromagnetic SansEC resonant sensor composite materials damage detection system. The computational methods and models employed on this research problem will evolve in complexity over time and will lead to the development of new computational methods and experimental sensor systems that demonstrate the capability to detect, diagnose, and monitor the damage of composite materials and structures on aerospace vehicles.

Topical treatment of psoriasis.

PubMed

Laws, Philip M; Young, Helen S

2010-08-01

The majority of patients with psoriasis can be safely and effectively treated with topical therapy alone, either under the supervision of a family physician or dermatologist. For those requiring systemic agents, topical therapies can provide additional benefit. Optimal use of topical therapy requires an awareness of the range and efficacy of all products. The review covers the efficacy and role of topical therapies including emollients, corticosteroids, vitamin D analogs, calcineurin inhibitors, dithranol, coal tar, retinoids, keratolyics and combination therapy. The report was prepared following a PubMed and Embase literature search up to April 2010. The paper provides a broad review of the relevant topical therapeutic options available in routine clinical practice for the management of psoriasis and a recommendation for selection of treatment. Topical therapies used appropriately provide a safe and effective option for the management of psoriasis. An awareness of the available products and their efficacy is key to treatment selection and patient satisfaction.

Secretary of Energy Steven Chu speaks to the 2009 IAEA General Conference delegation

ScienceCinema

Secretary Chu

2017-12-09

On Sept. 14, 2009, U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu addressed the 2009 IAEA General Conference delegation. Chu is the first Cabinet official to discuss President Obama's nuclear security and nonproliferation agenda outside the United States since the President delivered his landmark speech in Prague in April 2009.

Bidirectional juxtacrine ephrinB2/Ephs signaling promotes angiogenesis of ECs and maintains self-renewal of MSCs.

PubMed

Cao, Cen; Huang, Ying; Tang, Qingming; Zhang, Chenguang; Shi, Lei; Zhao, Jiajia; Hu, Li; Hu, Zhewen; Liu, Yun; Chen, Lili

2018-07-01

Co-transplantation of endothelial cells (ECs) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is an important strategy for repairing complex and large bone defects. However, the ways in which ECs and MSCs interact remain to be fully clarified. We found that forward ephrinB2/Ephs signaling from hBMSCs to hUVECs promoted the tube formation of hUVECs by activating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Reverse ephrinB2/Ephs signaling from hUVECs to hBMSCs promoted the proliferation and maintenance of hBMSCs self-renewal via upregulation of OCT4, SOX2, and YAP1. Subcutaneous co-transplantation of ECs and MSCs in nude mice confirmed that forward ephrinB2/Ephs signaling could increase the cross-sectional area of blood vessels in the transplanted area, and reverse ephrinB2/Ephs signaling could maintain the self-renewal of transplanted hBMSCs in vivo. Based on these results, ephrinB2/Ephs bidirectional juxtacrine regulation between ECs and MSCs plays a pivotal role in improving the healing of bone defects by promoting angiogenesis and achieving a sufficient number of MSCs. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multiyear and multisite photometric campaigns on the bright high-amplitude pulsating subdwarf B star EC 01541-1409

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reed, M. D.; Kilkenny, D.; O'Toole, S.; Østensen, R. H.; Honer, C.; Gilker, J. T.; Quint, A. C.; Doennig, A. M.; Hicks, L. H.; Thompson, M. A.; McCart, P. A.; Zietsman, E.; Chen, W.-P.; Chen, C.-W.; Lin, C.-C.; Beck, P.; Degroote, P.; Barlow, B. N.; Reichart, D. E.; Nysewander, M. C.; Lacluyze, A. P.; Ivarsen, K. M.; Haislip, J. B.; Baran, A.; Winiarski, M.; Drozdz, M.

2012-03-01

We present follow-up observations of the pulsating subdwarf B (sdB) star EC 01541-1409 as part of our efforts to resolve pulsation spectra for use in asteroseismological analyses. This paper reports on data obtained from a single-site campaign, during 2008, and a multisite campaign, during 2009. From limited 2008 data, we were able to clearly resolve and pre-whiten 24 periods. A subsequent multisite campaign spanning nearly 2 months found over 30 individual periodicities most of which were unstable in amplitude and/or phase. Pulsation amplitudes were found to the detection limit, meaning that further observations would likely reveal more periodicities. EC 01541-1409 reveals itself to be one of two sdB pulsators with many pulsation frequencies covering a large frequency range. Unlike the other star of this type (PG 0048+091), it has one high-amplitude periodicity which appears phase stable, making EC 01541-1409 an excellent candidate for exoplanet studies via pulsation phases. No multiplets were detected leaving EC 01541-1409 as yet another rich p-mode sdB pulsator without these features, limiting observational constraints on pulsation modes.

Guidelines for internal optics optimization of the ITER EC H and CD upper launcher

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

Moro, A.; Bruschi, A.; Figini, L.

2014-02-12

The importance of localized injection of Electron Cyclotron waves to control Magneto-HydroDynamic instability is well assessed in tokamak physics and the set of four Electron Cyclotron (EC) Upper Launchers (UL) in ITER is mainly designed for this purpose. Each of the 4 ULs uses quasi-optical mirrors (shaping and planes, fixed and steerable) to redirect and focus 8 beams (in two rows, with power close to 1 MW per beam coming from the EC transmission lines) in the plasma region where the instability appears. Small beam dimensions and maximum beam superposition guarantee the necessary localization of the driven current. To achievemore » the goal of MHD stabilization with minimum EC power to preserve the energy confinement in the outer half of the plasma cross section, optimization of the quasi-optical design is required and a guideline of a strategy is presented. As a result of this process and following the guidelines indicated, modifications of the design (new mirrors positions, rotation axes and/or focal properties) will be proposed for the next step of an iterative process, including the mandatory compatibility check with the mechanical constraints.« less

Review: Modelling of meniscus of knee joint during soccer kicking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azrul Hisham Mohd Adib, Mohd; Firdaus Jaafar, Mohd

2013-12-01

Knee is a part of the body that located between thigh and shank is one of the most complicated and largest joints in the human body. The common injuries that occur are ligaments, meniscus or bone fracture. During soccer games, the knee is the most critical part that will easily injure due to the shock from an external impact. Torn meniscus is one of the effects. This study will investigate the effect towards the meniscus within the knee joint during soccer ball kicking. We conduct a literary review of 14 journals that discuss the general view of meniscus and also soccer kicking. The selected topics for this review paper are meniscal function, meniscal movement, meniscal tears and also instep kick. As a finding, statistics show that most meniscal tears (73%) occurred in athletes who were soccer players, basketball players or skiers. The tear is frequently happening at the medial side rather than lateral side with a percentage of 70%.

A "TNM" classification system for cancer pain: the Edmonton Classification System for Cancer Pain (ECS-CP).

PubMed

Fainsinger, Robin L; Nekolaichuk, Cheryl L

2008-06-01

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the development of a "TNM" cancer pain classification system for advanced cancer patients, the Edmonton Classification System for Cancer Pain (ECS-CP). Until we have a common international language to discuss cancer pain, understanding differences in clinical and research experience in opioid rotation and use remains problematic. The complexity of the cancer pain experience presents unique challenges for the classification of pain. To date, no universally accepted pain classification measure can accurately predict the complexity of pain management, particularly for patients with cancer pain that is difficult to treat. In response to this gap in clinical assessment, the Edmonton Staging System (ESS), a classification system for cancer pain, was developed. Difficulties in definitions and interpretation of some aspects of the ESS restricted acceptance and widespread use. Construct, inter-rater reliability, and predictive validity evidence have contributed to the development of the ECS-CP. The five features of the ECS-CP--Pain Mechanism, Incident Pain, Psychological Distress, Addictive Behavior and Cognitive Function--have demonstrated value in predicting pain management complexity. The development of a standardized classification system that is comprehensive, prognostic and simple to use could provide a common language for clinical management and research of cancer pain. An international study to assess the inter-rater reliability and predictive value of the ECS-CP is currently in progress.

Combgap Promotes Ovarian Niche Development and Chromatin Association of EcR-Binding Regions in BR-C.

PubMed

Hitrik, Anna; Popliker, Malka; Gancz, Dana; Mukamel, Zohar; Lifshitz, Aviezer; Schwartzman, Omer; Tanay, Amos; Gilboa, Lilach

2016-11-01

The development of niches for tissue-specific stem cells is an important aspect of stem cell biology. Determination of niche size and niche numbers during organogenesis involves precise control of gene expression. How this is achieved in the context of a complex chromatin landscape is largely unknown. Here we show that the nuclear protein Combgap (Cg) supports correct ovarian niche formation in Drosophila by controlling ecdysone-Receptor (EcR)- mediated transcription and long-range chromatin contacts in the broad locus (BR-C). Both cg and BR-C promote ovarian growth and the development of niches for germ line stem cells. BR-C levels were lower when Combgap was either reduced or over-expressed, indicating an intricate regulation of the BR-C locus by Combgap. Polytene chromosome stains showed that Cg co-localizes with EcR, the major regulator of BR-C, at the BR-C locus and that EcR binding to chromatin was sensitive to changes in Cg levels. Proximity ligation assay indicated that the two proteins could reside in the same complex. Finally, chromatin conformation analysis revealed that EcR-bound regions within BR-C, which span ~30 KBs, contacted each other. Significantly, these contacts were stabilized in an ecdysone- and Combgap-dependent manner. Together, these results highlight Combgap as a novel regulator of chromatin structure that promotes transcription of ecdysone target genes and ovarian niche formation.

Combgap Promotes Ovarian Niche Development and Chromatin Association of EcR-Binding Regions in BR-C

PubMed Central

Gancz, Dana; Lifshitz, Aviezer; Tanay, Amos

2016-01-01

The development of niches for tissue-specific stem cells is an important aspect of stem cell biology. Determination of niche size and niche numbers during organogenesis involves precise control of gene expression. How this is achieved in the context of a complex chromatin landscape is largely unknown. Here we show that the nuclear protein Combgap (Cg) supports correct ovarian niche formation in Drosophila by controlling ecdysone-Receptor (EcR)- mediated transcription and long-range chromatin contacts in the broad locus (BR-C). Both cg and BR-C promote ovarian growth and the development of niches for germ line stem cells. BR-C levels were lower when Combgap was either reduced or over-expressed, indicating an intricate regulation of the BR-C locus by Combgap. Polytene chromosome stains showed that Cg co-localizes with EcR, the major regulator of BR-C, at the BR-C locus and that EcR binding to chromatin was sensitive to changes in Cg levels. Proximity ligation assay indicated that the two proteins could reside in the same complex. Finally, chromatin conformation analysis revealed that EcR-bound regions within BR-C, which span ~30 KBs, contacted each other. Significantly, these contacts were stabilized in an ecdysone- and Combgap-dependent manner. Together, these results highlight Combgap as a novel regulator of chromatin structure that promotes transcription of ecdysone target genes and ovarian niche formation. PMID:27846223

Repeated electroconvulsive shock (ECS) alters the phosphorylation of glutamate receptor subunits in the rat hippocampus.

PubMed

Fumagalli, Fabio; Pasini, Matteo; Sartorius, Alexander; Scherer, Rosine; Racagni, Giorgio; Riva, Marco A; Gass, Peter

2010-10-01

Glutamate and its receptors are involved in the pathophysiology of mood disorders and have recently emerged as potential targets for the pharmacotherapy of depression. In rats, we investigated plasticity changes of the glutamatergic system evoked by electroconvulsive shock (ECS), which represents the most effective therapy for patients who are refractory to antidepressants. Chronic ECS produced a marked increase in the phosphorylation of the regulatory NMDA receptor subunit NR2B (Ser1303) and the AMPA receptor subunit GluR-A (Ser831) in the hippocampus, with no effects on the obligatory subunit NR1. No effects were found on total receptor subunit expression levels. We suggest that, at least in part, ECS exerts its clinical activity through the modulation of the glutamatergic synapses, via potentiation of AMPA currents mediated by GluR-A (Ser831) phosphorylation, and a reduction of NMDA receptor activity through the phosphorylation of NR2B (Ser1303), presumably uncoupling NR2B from its signalling partner CaMKII. These effects functionally resemble the recently described antidepressant effects of ketamine.

Quality of radiotherapy services in post-Soviet countries: An IAEA survey.

PubMed

Rosenblatt, Eduardo; Fidarova, Elena; Ghosh, Sunita; Zubizarreta, Eduardo; Unterkirhere, Olga; Semikoz, Natalia; Sinaika, Valery; Kim, Viktor; Karamyan, Nerses; Isayev, Isa; Akbarov, Kamal; Lomidze, Darejan; Bondareva, Oksana; Tuzlucov, Piotr; Zardodkhonova, Manzura; Tkachev, Sergey; Kislyakova, Marina; Alimov, Jamshid; Pidlubna, Tetiana; Barton, Michael; Mackillop, William

2018-04-25

The quality of radiotherapy services in post-Soviet countries has not yet been studied following a formal methodology. The IAEA conducted a survey using two sets of validated radiation oncology quality indicators (ROIs). Eleven post-Soviet countries were assessed. A coordinator was designated for each country and acted as the liaison between the country and the IAEA. The methodology was a one-time cross-sectional survey using a 58-question tool in Russian. The questionnaire was based on two validated sets of ROIs: for radiotherapy centres, the indicators proposed by Cionini et al., and for data at the country level, the Australasian ROIs. The overall response ratio was 66.3%, but for the Russian Federation, it was 24%. Data were updated on radiotherapy infrastructure and equipment. 256 radiotherapy centres are operating 275 linear accelerators and 337 Cobalt-60 units. 61% of teletherapy machines are older than ten years. Analysis of ROIs revealed significant differences between these countries and radiotherapy practices in the West. Naming, task profile and education programmes of radiotherapy professionals are different than in the West. Most countries need modernization of their radiotherapy infrastructure coupled with adequate staffing numbers and updated education programmes focusing on evidence-based medicine, quality, and safety. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Salicylic Acid Topical

MedlinePlus

... stinging in the area where you applied topical salicylic acid Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of ... of the eyes, face, lips, or tongue Topical salicylic acid may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual ...

Report from the Third Annual Symposium of the RIKEN-Max Planck Joint Research Center for Systems Chemical Biology.

PubMed

Brunschweiger, Andreas

2014-08-15

The third Annual Symposium of the RIKEN-Max Planck Joint Research Center for Systems Chemical Biology was held at Ringberg castle, May 21-24, 2014. At this meeting 45 scientists from Japan and Germany presented the latest results from their research spanning a broad range of topics in chemical biology and glycobiology.

Joint Congressional Hearing on the Changing Information Needs of Rural America: The Role of Libraries and Information Technology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Commission on Libraries and Information Science, Washington, DC.

Topics of importance to rural America in three general areas--rural community and individual information needs, available answers to these needs, and policies and strategies to meet these needs--were addressed in a joint congressional hearing held at the Fourth General Assembly of the World Future Society in July 1982. This transcript presents…

MicroRNA-281 regulates the expression of ecdysone receptor (EcR) isoform B in the silkworm, Bombyx mori

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Hundreds of Bombyx mori miRNAs had been identified in recent years, but their function in vivo remains poorly understood. The silkworm EcR gene (BmEcR) has three transcriptional isoforms, A, B1 and B2. Isoform sequences are different in the 3’UTR region of the gene, which is the case only in insects...

SIPSMetGen: It's Not Just For Aircraft Data and ECS Anymore.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwab, M.

2015-12-01

The SIPSMetGen utility, developed for the NASA EOSDIS project, under the EED contract, simplified the creation of file level metadata for the ECS System. The utility has been enhanced for ease of use, efficiency, speed and increased flexibility. The SIPSMetGen utility was originally created as a means of generating file level spatial metadata for Operation IceBridge. The first version created only ODL metadata, specific for ingest into ECS. The core strength of the utility was, and continues to be, its ability to take complex shapes and patterns of data collection point clouds from aircraft flights and simplify them to a relatively simple concave hull geo-polygon. It has been found to be a useful and easy to use tool for creating file level metadata for many other missions, both aircraft and satellite. While the original version was useful it had its limitations. In 2014 Raytheon was tasked to make enhancements to SIPSMetGen, this resulted a new version of SIPSMetGen which can create ISO Compliant XML metadata; provides optimization and streamlining of the algorithm for creating the spatial metadata; a quicker runtime with more consistent results; a utility that can be configured to run multi-threaded on systems with multiple processors. The utility comes with a java based graphical user interface to aid in configuration and running of the utility. The enhanced SIPSMetGen allows more diverse data sets to be archived with file level metadata. The advantage of archiving data with file level metadata is that it makes it easier for data users, and scientists to find relevant data. File level metadata unlocks the power of existing archives and metadata repositories such as ECS and CMR and search and discovery utilities like Reverb and Earth Data Search. Current missions now using SIPSMetGen include: Aquarius, Measures, ARISE, and Nimbus.

77 FR 8722 - Airworthiness Directives; Eurocopter Deutschland Model EC135 Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-15

... that in the past, the FADEC FAIL caution light illuminated on a few EC135 T1 helicopters. It states... metering unit and transmitted to the FADEC. This discrepancy led to the display of the FADEC FAIL caution... the FADEC to automatically meter fuel, indicated by a FADEC FAIL cockpit caution light, and subsequent...

76 FR 27956 - Airworthiness Directives; Eurocopter Deutschland Model EC135 Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-13

... past, the FADEC FAIL caution light illuminated on a few EC135 T1 helicopters. They state that this was... transmitted to the FADEC. This discrepancy led to the display of the FADEC FAIL caution light and ``freezing... to automatically meter fuel, indicated by a FADEC FAIL cockpit caution light, and subsequent loss of...

Periprosthetic joint infection: are patients with multiple prosthetic joints at risk?

PubMed

Jafari, S Mehdi; Casper, David S; Restrepo, Camilo; Zmistowski, Benjamin; Parvizi, Javad; Sharkey, Peter F

2012-06-01

Patients who present with a periprosthetic joint infection in a single joint may have multiple prosthetic joints. The risk of these patients developing a subsequent infection in another prosthetic joint is unknown. Our purposes were (1) to identify the risk of developing a subsequent infection in another prosthetic joint and (2) to describe the time span and organism profile to the second prosthetic infection. We retrospectively identified 55 patients with periprosthetic joint infection who had another prosthetic joint in place at the time of presentation. Of the 55 patients, 11 (20%) developed a periprosthetic joint infection in a second joint. The type of organism was the same as the first infection in 4 (36%) of 11 patients. The time to developing a second infection averaged 2.0 years (range, 0-6.9 years). Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

GeneTopics - interpretation of gene sets via literature-driven topic models

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Annotation of a set of genes is often accomplished through comparison to a library of labelled gene sets such as biological processes or canonical pathways. However, this approach might fail if the employed libraries are not up to date with the latest research, don't capture relevant biological themes or are curated at a different level of granularity than is required to appropriately analyze the input gene set. At the same time, the vast biomedical literature offers an unstructured repository of the latest research findings that can be tapped to provide thematic sub-groupings for any input gene set. Methods Our proposed method relies on a gene-specific text corpus and extracts commonalities between documents in an unsupervised manner using a topic model approach. We automatically determine the number of topics summarizing the corpus and calculate a gene relevancy score for each topic allowing us to eliminate non-specific topics. As a result we obtain a set of literature topics in which each topic is associated with a subset of the input genes providing directly interpretable keywords and corresponding documents for literature research. Results We validate our method based on labelled gene sets from the KEGG metabolic pathway collection and the genetic association database (GAD) and show that the approach is able to detect topics consistent with the labelled annotation. Furthermore, we discuss the results on three different types of experimentally derived gene sets, (1) differentially expressed genes from a cardiac hypertrophy experiment in mice, (2) altered transcript abundance in human pancreatic beta cells, and (3) genes implicated by GWA studies to be associated with metabolite levels in a healthy population. In all three cases, we are able to replicate findings from the original papers in a quick and semi-automated manner. Conclusions Our approach provides a novel way of automatically generating meaningful annotations for gene sets that are directly

Oblate-Earth Effects on the Calculation of Ec During Spacecraft Reentry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bacon, John B.; Matney, Mark J.

2017-01-01

The bulge in the Earth at its equator has been shown to lead to a clustering of natural decays biased to occur towards the equator and away from the orbit's extreme latitudes. Such clustering must be considered when predicting the Expectation of Casualty (Ec) during a natural decay because of the clustering of the human population in the same lower latitudes. This study expands upon prior work, and formalizes the correction that must be made to the calculation of the average exposed population density as a result of this effect. Although a generic equation can be derived from this work to approximate the effects of gravitational and atmospheric perturbations on a final decay, such an equation averages certain important subtleties in achieving a best fit over all conditions. The authors recommend that direct simulation be used to calculate the true Ec for any specific entry as a more accurate method. A generic equation is provided, represented as a function of ballistic number and inclination of the entering spacecraft over the credible range of ballistic numbers.

Summary of ECE presentations at EC-18

DOE PAGES

Taylor, G.

2015-03-12

There were nine ECE and one EBE presentation at EC-18. Four of the presentations were on various aspects of ECE on ITER. The ITER ECE diagnostic has entered an important detailed preliminary design phase and faces several design challenges in the next 2-3 years. Most of the other ECE presentations at the workshop were focused on applications of ECE diagnostics to plasma measurements, rather than improvements in technology, although it was apparent that heterodyne receiver technology continues to improve. CECE, ECE imaging and EBE imaging are increasingly providing valuable insights into plasma behavior that is important to understand if futuremore » burning plasma devices, such as ITER, FNSF and DEMO, are to be successful.« less

The Complete Sequence and Comparative Analysis of a Multidrug-Resistance and Virulence Multireplicon IncFII Plasmid pEC302/04 from an Extraintestinal Pathogenic Escherichia coli EC302/04 Indicate Extensive Diversity of IncFII Plasmids.

PubMed

Ho, Wing Sze; Yap, Kien-Pong; Yeo, Chew Chieng; Rajasekaram, Ganeswrie; Thong, Kwai Lin

2015-01-01

Extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) that causes extraintestinal infections often harbor plasmids encoding fitness traits such as resistance and virulence determinants that are of clinical importance. We determined the complete nucleotide sequence of plasmid pEC302/04 from a multidrug-resistant E. coli EC302/04 which was isolated from the tracheal aspirate of a patient in Malaysia. In addition, we also performed comparative sequence analyses of 18 related IncFIIA plasmids to determine the phylogenetic relationship and diversity of these plasmids. The 140,232 bp pEC302/04 is a multireplicon plasmid that bears three replication systems (FII, FIA, and FIB) with subtype of F2:A1:B1. The plasmid is self-transmissible with a complete transfer region. pEC302/04 also carries antibiotic resistance genes such as bla TEM-1 and a class I integron containing sul1, cml and aadA resistance genes, conferring multidrug resistance (MDR) to its host, E. coli EC302/04. Besides, two iron acquisition systems (SitABCD and IutA-IucABCD) which are the conserved virulence determinants of ExPEC-colicin V or B and M (ColV/ColBM)-producing plasmids were identified in pEC302/04. Multiple toxin-antitoxin (TA)-based addiction systems (i.e., PemI/PemK, VagC/VagD, CcdA/CcdB, and Hok/Sok) and a plasmid partitioning system, ParAB, and PsiAB, which are important for plasmid maintenance were also found. Comparative plasmid analysis revealed only one conserved gene, the repA1 as the core genome, showing that there is an extensive diversity among the IncFIIA plasmids. The phylogenetic relationship of 18 IncF plasmids based on the core regions revealed that ColV/ColBM-plasmids and non-ColV/ColBM plasmids were separated into two distinct groups. These plasmids, which carry highly diverse genetic contents, are also mosaic in nature. The atypical combination of genetic materials, i.e., the MDR- and ColV/ColBM-plasmid-virulence encoding regions in a single ExPEC plasmid is rare but of clinical

The design of a petabyte archive and distribution system for the NASA ECS project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Caulk, Parris M.

1994-01-01

The NASA EOS Data and Information System (EOSDIS) Core System (ECS) will contain one of the largest data management systems ever built - the ECS Science and Data Processing System (SDPS). SDPS is designed to support long term Global Change Research by acquiring, producing, and storing earth science data, and by providing efficient means for accessing and manipulating that data. The first two releases of SDPS, Release A and Release B, will be operational in 1997 and 1998, respectively. Release B will be deployed at eight Distributed Active Archiving Centers (DAAC's). Individual DAAC's will archive different collections of earth science data, and will vary in archive capacity. The storage and management of these data collections is the responsibility of the SDPS Data Server subsystem. It is anticipated that by the year 2001, the Data Server subsystem at the Goddard DAAC must support a near-line data storage capacity of one petabyte. The development of SDPS is a system integration effort in which COTS products will be used in favor of custom components in very possible way. Some software and hardware capabilities required to meet ECS data volume and storage management requirements beyond 1999 are not yet supported by available COTS products. The ECS project will not undertake major custom development efforts to provide these capabilities. Instead, SDPS and its Data Server subsystem are designed to support initial implementations with current products, and provide an evolutionary framework that facilitates the introduction of advanced COTS products as they become available. This paper provides a high-level description of the Data Server subsystem design from a COTS integration standpoint, and discussed some of the major issues driving the design. The paper focuses on features of the design that will make the system scalable and adaptable to changing technologies.

Artificial intelligence in process control: Knowledge base for the shuttle ECS model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stiffler, A. Kent

1989-01-01

The general operation of KATE, an artificial intelligence controller, is outlined. A shuttle environmental control system (ECS) demonstration system for KATE is explained. The knowledge base model for this system is derived. An experimental test procedure is given to verify parameters in the model.

PREFACE: 10th Joint Conference on Chemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2016-02-01

The 10th Joint Conference on Chemistry is an international conference organized by 4 chemistry departments of 4 universities in central Java, Indonesia. The universities are Sebelas Maret University, Diponegoro University, Semarang State University and Soedirman University. The venue was at Solo, Indonesia, at September 8-9, 2015. The total conference participants are 133 including the invited speakers. The conference emphasized the multidisciplinary chemical issue and impact of today's sustainable chemistry which covering the following topics: • Material innovation for sustainable goals • Development of renewable and sustainable energy based on chemistry • New drug design, experimental and theoretical methods • Green synthesis and characterization of material (from molecule to functionalized materials) • Catalysis as core technology in industry • Natural product isolation and optimization

EC86-33385-04

NASA Image and Video Library

1986-03-27

This photograph shows a modified General Dynamics AFTI/F-111A Aardvark with supercritical mission adaptive wings (MAW) installed. The AFTI/F111A is seen banking towards Rodgers Dry Lake and Edwards Air Force Base. With the phasing out of the TACT program came a renewed effort by the Air Force Flight Dynamics Laboratory to extend supercritical wing technology to a higher level of performance. In the early 1980s the supercritical wing on the F-111A aircraft was replaced with a wing built by Boeing Aircraft Company System called a “mission adaptive wing” (MAW), and a joint NASA and Air Force program called Advanced Fighter Technology Integration (AFTI) was born.

Evaluating the effectiveness of joint emission control policies on the reduction of ambient VOCs: Implications from observation during the 2014 APEC summit in suburban Beijing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Kun; Li, Junling; Wang, Weigang; Tong, Shengrui; Liggio, John; Ge, Maofa

2017-09-01

Ambient volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at a suburban Beijing site were on-line detected using proton transfer reaction-mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) during autumn of 2014, near the location of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. During the APEC summit, the Chinese government enacted strict emission control policies. It was found that VOC concentrations only slightly decreased during the first emission control period (EC I), when control policies were performed in Beijing and 5 cities along the Tai-hang Mountains. However, most of the VOCs (10 out of 12 non-biogenic species) significantly decreased (more than 40%) during the second emission control period (EC II), when control policies were carried out in 16 cities including Beijing, Tianjin, 8 cities of Hebei province and 6 cities of Shandong province. Also the ratio of toluene and benzene decreased during EC II, likely because the emission control policies changed the proportions of different anthropogenic sources. Using the positive matrix factorization (PMF) source apportionment method, five factors are analyzed: (1) vehicle + fuel, (2) solvent, (3) biomass burning, (4) secondary, and (5) background + long-lived. Among them, vehicle + fuel, solvent and biomass burning contribute most of the VOCs concentrations (60%-80%) during the polluted periods and are affected most by emission control policies. During EC II, the reductions of vehicle + fuel, solvent, biomass burning and secondary species were all no less than 50%. Overall, when emission control policies were carried out in many North China Plain (NCP) cities (i.e. EC II), the VOC concentrations of suburban Beijing markedly decreased. This indicates the cross-regional joint-control policies have a large influence on reductions of organic gas species. The findings of this study have vital implications for helping formulate effective emission control policies in China and other countries.

Topical treatment of melasma.

PubMed

Bandyopadhyay, Debabrata

2009-01-01

Melasma is a common hypermelanotic disorder affecting the face that is associated with considerable psychological impacts. The management of melasma is challenging and requires a long-term treatment plan. In addition to avoidance of aggravating factors like oral pills and ultraviolet exposure, topical therapy has remained the mainstay of treatment. Multiple options for topical treatment are available, of which hydroquinone (HQ) is the most commonly prescribed agent. Besides HQ, other topical agents for which varying degrees of evidence for clinical efficacy exist include azelaic acid, kojic acid, retinoids, topical steroids, glycolic acid, mequinol, and arbutin. Topical medications modify various stages of melanogenesis, the most common mode of action being inhibition of the enzyme, tyrosinase. Combination therapy is the preferred mode of treatment for the synergism and reduction of untoward effects. The most popular combination consists of HQ, a topical steroid, and retinoic acid. Prolonged HQ usage may lead to untoward effects like depigmentation and exogenous ochronosis. The search for safer alternatives has given rise to the development of many newer agents, several of them from natural sources. Well-designed controlled clinical trials are needed to clarify their role in the routine management of melasma.

TOPICAL TREATMENT OF MELASMA

PubMed Central

Bandyopadhyay, Debabrata

2009-01-01

Melasma is a common hypermelanotic disorder affecting the face that is associated with considerable psychological impacts. The management of melasma is challenging and requires a long-term treatment plan. In addition to avoidance of aggravating factors like oral pills and ultraviolet exposure, topical therapy has remained the mainstay of treatment. Multiple options for topical treatment are available, of which hydroquinone (HQ) is the most commonly prescribed agent. Besides HQ, other topical agents for which varying degrees of evidence for clinical efficacy exist include azelaic acid, kojic acid, retinoids, topical steroids, glycolic acid, mequinol, and arbutin. Topical medications modify various stages of melanogenesis, the most common mode of action being inhibition of the enzyme, tyrosinase. Combination therapy is the preferred mode of treatment for the synergism and reduction of untoward effects. The most popular combination consists of HQ, a topical steroid, and retinoic acid. Prolonged HQ usage may lead to untoward effects like depigmentation and exogenous ochronosis. The search for safer alternatives has given rise to the development of many newer agents, several of them from natural sources. Well-designed controlled clinical trials are needed to clarify their role in the routine management of melasma. PMID:20101327

Perceptions and misconceptions regarding the Joint Commission's view of quality monitoring.

PubMed

Patterson, C H

1989-10-01

The Joint Commission recently has revised its hospital standards for infection control to reflect more accurately current state-of-the-art practices. In addition, the Joint Commission's Agenda for Change initiatives include the development of clinical indicators; one of the topics that will be included in those clinical indicator sets will be infection control. How the hospital chooses to organize itself to conduct the historically required monitoring and evaluation of clinical patient care currently required by the standards of the Joint Commission is at the option of the hospital. How the hospital will organize and collect data specific to infection control indicators yet to be developed by the Joint Commission has not been determined and will not be defined until specific research and development projects are completed. The hospital is expected to have in place infection prevention, surveillance, and control programs; it also is expected to have in place a quality assurance program that focuses not only on solving identified problems but also on the improvement of patient care quality. How the hospitals organize and/or integrate these activities is also at its option. It is expected that qualified professionals will direct and enforce infection prevention, surveillance, and control practices; indicators for infection control can provide data that will help assess the relative success of those practices and activities. The Joint Commission is not developing the capability to judge, on its own part, the actual quality of care provided by an organization seeking accreditation. Rather, the Joint Commission is committed to developing more accurate means to evaluate the structures, processes, and outcomes of diagnosis and treatment activities, as well as their interrelationships. Clinical excellence is supported by quality in the organizational environment and the managerial and leadership contexts within which patient care is delivered. Both clinical and

40 CFR Table 3 to Subpart Ec of... - Operating Parameters To Be Monitored and Minimum Measurement and Recording Frequencies

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Which Construction is Commenced After June 20, 1996 Pt. 60, Subpt. Ec, Table 3 Table 3 to Subpart Ec of... Operating parameters to be monitored Minimum frequency Data measurement Data recording Control system Dry scrubber followed by fabric filter Wet scrubber Dry scrubber followed by fabric filter and wet scrubber...

77 FR 41399 - EC&R O&M, LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing Includes Request for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-13

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. ER12-2145-000] EC&R O&M, LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing Includes Request for Blanket Section 204 Authorization This is a supplemental notice in the above-referenced proceeding of EC&R O&M, LLC's application...

Towards a tactical nuclear weapons treaty? Is There a Role of IAEA Tools of Safeguards?

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

Saunders, Emily C.; Rowberry, Ariana N.; Fearey, Bryan L.

2012-07-12

In recent years, there is growing interest in formal negotiations on non-strategic or tactical nuclear weapons. With the negotiations of New START, there has been much speculation that a tactical nuclear weapons treaty should be included in the follow on to New START. This paper examines the current policy environment related to tactical weapons and some of the issues surrounding the definition of tactical nuclear weapons. We then map out the steps that would need to be taken in order to begin discussions on a tactical nuclear weapons treaty. These steps will review the potential role of the IAEA inmore » verification of a tactical nuclear weapons treaty. Specifically, does IAEA involvement in various arms control treaties serve as a useful roadmap on how to overcome some of the issues pertaining to a tactical nuclear weapons treaty?« less

Impact extractive fracture of jointed steel plates of a bolted joint

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daimaruya, M.; Fujiki, H.; Ambarita, H.

2012-08-01

This study is concerned with the development of a fracture criterion for the impact fracture of jointed steel plates of a bolted joint used in a car body. For the accurate prediction of crash characteristics of car bodies by computer-aided engineering (CAE), it is also necessary to examine the behavior and fracture of jointed steel plates subjected to impact loads. Although the actual impact fracture of jointed steel plates of a bolted joint used in cars is complicated, for simplifying the problem it might be classified into the shear fracture and the extractive fracture of jointed steel plates. Attention is given to the extractive fracture of jointed steel plates in this study. The extractive behavior and fracture of three kinds of steel plates used for cars are examined in experiments and numerical simulations. The impact extraction test of steel plates jointed by a bolt is performed using the one-bar method, together with the static test. In order to understand the mechanism of extractive fracture process of jointed steel plates, numerical simulations by a FEM code LS-DYNA are also carried out. The obtained results suggest that a stress-based fracture criterion may be developed for the impact extractive fracture of jointed steel plates of a bolted joint used in a car body.

Development of a yeast heterologous expression cassette based on the promoter and terminator elements of the Eremothecium cymbalariae translational elongation factor 1α (EcTEF1) gene.

PubMed

Linder, Tomas

2018-04-01

A new expression cassette ( EC0 ) consisting of the fused 5' and 3' intergenic regions (IGRs) of the Eremothecium cymbalariae translational elongation factor 1α ( EcTEF1 ) gene was evaluated through expression of the bacterial hygromycin B phosphotransferase ( hph ) resistance gene in the common baker's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae . Progressively shorter versions of the hph -containing EC cassette ( hphEC1 though hphEC6 ) with trimmed 5' and 3' EcTEF1 IGRs were tested for their ability to confer resistance to hygromycin B in S. cerevisiae . Hygromycin B resistance was retained in all six generated hphEC variants up to a concentration of 400 mg/L. The hphEC6 cassette was the shortest cassette to be assayed in this study with 366 and 155 bp of the EcTEF1 5' and 3' IGRs, respectively. When tested for deletion of the S. cerevisiae proline oxidase gene PUT1 , the hphEC6 cassette was shown to successfully act as a selection marker on hygromycin B-containing medium. The hphEC6 cassette could be placed immediately adjacent to a kanMX4 G418 disulfate resistance marker without any discernable effect on the ability of the yeast to grow in the presence of both hygromycin B and G418 disulfate. Co-cultivation experiments under non-selective conditions demonstrated that a PUT1 deletion strain carrying the hphEC6 cassette displayed equivalent fitness to an otherwise isogenic PUT1 deletion strain carrying the kanMX4 cassette.

IAEA coordinated research project on thermal-hydraulics of Supercritical Water-Cooled Reactors (SCWRs)

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

Yamada, K.; Aksan, S. N.

The Supercritical Water-Cooled Reactor (SCWR) is an innovative water-cooled reactor concept, which uses supercritical pressure water as reactor coolant. It has been attracting interest of many researchers in various countries mainly due to its benefits of high thermal efficiency and simple primary systems, resulting in low capital cost. The IAEA started in 2008 a Coordinated Research Project (CRP) on Thermal-Hydraulics of SCWRs as a forum to foster the exchange of technical information and international collaboration in research and development. This paper summarizes the activities and current status of the CRP, as well as major progress achieved to date. At present,more » 15 institutions closely collaborate in several tasks. Some organizations have been conducting thermal-hydraulics experiments and analysing the data, and others have been participating in code-to-test and/or code-to-code benchmark exercises. The expected outputs of the CRP are also discussed. Finally, the paper introduces several IAEA activities relating to or arising from the CRP. (authors)« less

ECBS & ICBS 2015 Joint Meeting: Bringing Chemistry to Life.

PubMed

Varon Silva, Daniel

2016-03-15

The European Chemical Biology Society (ECBS) and the International Chemical Biology Society (ICBS) recently organized a joint meeting in Berlin. This meeting had more than 250 participants. Four keynote lectures were given by Timothy Mitchison, David Tirrell, Carolyn Bertozzi and Jason Chin; in addition there were 13 invited speakers, 20 selected oral talks and 30 talks selected from 90 posters. The meeting was divided into six topics: chemoproteomics, epigenetics, conjugates for target delivering, anti-infectives, molecular imaging and probing the structure, and function of post-translational modifications. The highlights of the meeting are presented in this report. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Incorporating Topic Assignment Constraint and Topic Correlation Limitation into Clinical Goal Discovering for Clinical Pathway Mining.

PubMed

Xu, Xiao; Jin, Tao; Wei, Zhijie; Wang, Jianmin

2017-01-01

Clinical pathways are widely used around the world for providing quality medical treatment and controlling healthcare cost. However, the expert-designed clinical pathways can hardly deal with the variances among hospitals and patients. It calls for more dynamic and adaptive process, which is derived from various clinical data. Topic-based clinical pathway mining is an effective approach to discover a concise process model. Through this approach, the latent topics found by latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) represent the clinical goals. And process mining methods are used to extract the temporal relations between these topics. However, the topic quality is usually not desirable due to the low performance of the LDA in clinical data. In this paper, we incorporate topic assignment constraint and topic correlation limitation into the LDA to enhance the ability of discovering high-quality topics. Two real-world datasets are used to evaluate the proposed method. The results show that the topics discovered by our method are with higher coherence, informativeness, and coverage than the original LDA. These quality topics are suitable to represent the clinical goals. Also, we illustrate that our method is effective in generating a comprehensive topic-based clinical pathway model.

Incorporating Topic Assignment Constraint and Topic Correlation Limitation into Clinical Goal Discovering for Clinical Pathway Mining

PubMed Central

Xu, Xiao; Wei, Zhijie

2017-01-01

Clinical pathways are widely used around the world for providing quality medical treatment and controlling healthcare cost. However, the expert-designed clinical pathways can hardly deal with the variances among hospitals and patients. It calls for more dynamic and adaptive process, which is derived from various clinical data. Topic-based clinical pathway mining is an effective approach to discover a concise process model. Through this approach, the latent topics found by latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) represent the clinical goals. And process mining methods are used to extract the temporal relations between these topics. However, the topic quality is usually not desirable due to the low performance of the LDA in clinical data. In this paper, we incorporate topic assignment constraint and topic correlation limitation into the LDA to enhance the ability of discovering high-quality topics. Two real-world datasets are used to evaluate the proposed method. The results show that the topics discovered by our method are with higher coherence, informativeness, and coverage than the original LDA. These quality topics are suitable to represent the clinical goals. Also, we illustrate that our method is effective in generating a comprehensive topic-based clinical pathway model. PMID:29065617

Ultrasonic guided wave monitoring of composite wing skin-to-spar bonded joints in aerospace structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matt, Howard; Bartoli, Ivan; Lanza di Scalea, Francesco

2005-10-01

The monitoring of adhesively bonded joints by ultrasonic guided waves is the general topic of this paper. Specifically, composite-to-composite joints representative of the wing skin-to-spar bonds of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are examined. This research is the first step towards the development of an on-board structural health monitoring system for UAV wings based on integrated ultrasonic sensors. The study investigates two different lay-ups for the wing skin and two different types of bond defects, namely poorly cured adhesive and disbonded interfaces. The assessment of bond state is based on monitoring the strength of transmission through the joints of selected guided modes. The wave propagation problem is studied numerically by a semi-analytical finite element method that accounts for viscoelastic damping, and experimentally by ultrasonic testing that uses small PZT disks preferably exciting and detecting the single-plate s0 mode. Both the models and the experiments confirm that the ultrasonic energy transmission through the joint is highly dependent on the bond conditions, with defected bonds resulting in increased transmission strength. Large sensitivity to the bond conditions is found at mode coupling points, as a result of the large interlayer energy transfer.

Rapid development of tissue bank achieved by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Tissue Banking Programme in China.

PubMed

Zhang, Yu-Min; Wang, Jian-Ru; Zhang, Nai-Li; Liu, Xiao-Ming; Zhou, Mo; Ma, Shao-Ying; Yang, Ting; Li, Bao-Xing

2014-09-01

Before 1986, the development of tissue banking in China has been slow and relatively uncoordinated. Under the support of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Tissue Banking in China experienced rapid development. In this period, China Institute for Radiation Protection tissue bank mastered systematic and modern tissue banking technique by IAEA training course and gradually developed the first regional tissue bank (Shanxi Provincial Tissue Bank, SPTB) to provide tissue allograft. Benefit from training course, SPTB promoted the development of tissue transplantation by ways of training, brochure, advertisement and meeting. Tissue allograft transplantation acquired recognition from clinic and supervision and administration from government. Quality system gradually is developing and perfecting. Tissue allograft transplantation and tissue bank are developing rapidly and healthy.

A test of the IAEA code of practice for absorbed dose determination in photon and electron beams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leitner, Arnold; Tiefenboeck, Wilhelm; Witzani, Josef; Strachotinsky, Christian

1990-12-01

The IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) code of practice TRS 277 gives recommendations for absorbed dose determination in high energy photon and electron beams based on the use of ionization chambers calibrated in terms of exposure of air kerma. The scope of the work was to test the code for cobalt 60 gamma radiation and for several radiation qualities at four different types of electron accelerators and to compare the ionization chamber dosimetry with ferrous sulphate dosimetry. The results show agreement between the two methods within about one per cent for all the investigated qualities. In addition the response of the TLD capsules of the IAEA/WHO TL dosimetry service was determined.

Open Circuit Resonant (SansEC) Sensor Technology for Lightning Mitigation and Damage Detection and Diagnosis for Composite Aircraft Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Szatkowski, George N.; Dudley, Kenneth L.; Smith, Laura J.; Wang, Chuantong; Ticatch, Larry A.

2014-01-01

Traditional methods to protect composite aircraft from lightning strike damage rely on a conductive layer embedded on or within the surface of the aircraft composite skin. This method is effective at preventing major direct effect damage and minimizes indirect effects to aircraft systems from lightning strike attachment, but provides no additional benefit for the added parasitic weight from the conductive layer. When a known lightning strike occurs, the points of attachment and detachment on the aircraft surface are visually inspected and checked for damage by maintenance personnel to ensure continued safe flight operations. A new multi-functional lightning strike protection (LSP) method has been developed to provide aircraft lightning strike protection, damage detection and diagnosis for composite aircraft surfaces. The method incorporates a SansEC sensor array on the aircraft exterior surfaces forming a "Smart skin" surface for aircraft lightning zones certified to withstand strikes up to 100 kiloamperes peak current. SansEC sensors are open-circuit devices comprised of conductive trace spiral patterns sans (without) electrical connections. The SansEC sensor is an electromagnetic resonator having specific resonant parameters (frequency, amplitude, bandwidth & phase) which when electromagnetically coupled with a composite substrate will indicate the electrical impedance of the composite through a change in its resonant response. Any measureable shift in the resonant characteristics can be an indication of damage to the composite caused by a lightning strike or from other means. The SansEC sensor method is intended to diagnose damage for both in-situ health monitoring or ground inspections. In this paper, the theoretical mathematical framework is established for the use of open circuit sensors to perform damage detection and diagnosis on carbon fiber composites. Both computational and experimental analyses were conducted to validate this new method and system for

Open Circuit Resonant (SansEC) Sensor for Composite Damage Detection and Diagnosis in Aircraft Lightning Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Chuantong; Dudley, Kenneth L.; Szatkowski, George N.

2012-01-01

Composite materials are increasingly used in modern aircraft for reducing weight, improving fuel efficiency, and enhancing the overall design, performance, and manufacturability of airborne vehicles. Materials such as fiberglass reinforced composites (FRC) and carbon-fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRP) are being used to great advantage in airframes, wings, engine nacelles, turbine blades, fairings, fuselage and empennage structures, control surfaces and coverings. However, the potential damage from the direct and indirect effects of lightning strikes is of increased concern to aircraft designers and operators. When a lightning strike occurs, the points of attachment and detachment on the aircraft surface must be found by visual inspection, and then assessed for damage by maintenance personnel to ensure continued safe flight operations. In this paper, a new method and system for aircraft in-situ damage detection and diagnosis are presented. The method and system are based on open circuit (SansEC) sensor technology developed at NASA Langley Research Center. SansEC (Sans Electric Connection) sensor technology is a new technical framework for designing, powering, and interrogating sensors to detect damage in composite materials. Damage in composite material is generally associated with a localized change in material permittivity and/or conductivity. These changes are sensed using SansEC. Unique electrical signatures are used for damage detection and diagnosis. NASA LaRC has both experimentally and theoretically demonstrated that SansEC sensors can be effectively used for in-situ composite damage detection.

Analysis of ECs and related compounds in plasma: artifactual isomerization and ex vivo enzymatic generation of 2-MGs.

PubMed

Pastor, Antoni; Farré, Magí; Fitó, Montserrat; Fernandez-Aranda, Fernando; de la Torre, Rafael

2014-05-01

The analysis of peripheral endocannabinoids (ECs) is a good biomarker of the EC system. Their concentrations, from clinical studies, strongly depend on sample collection and time processing conditions taking place in clinical and laboratory settings. The analysis of 2-monoacylglycerols (MGs) (i.e., 2-arachidonoylglycerol or 2-oleoylglycerol) is a particularly challenging issue because of their ex vivo formation and chemical isomerization that occur after blood sample collection. We provide evidence that their ex vivo formation can be minimized by adding Orlistat, an enzymatic lipase inhibitor, to plasma. Taking into consideration the low cost of Orlistat, we recommend its addition to plasma collecting tubes while maintaining sample cold chain until storage. We have validated a method for the determination of the EC profile of a range of MGs and N-acylethanolamides in plasma that preserves the original isomer ratio of MGs. Nevertheless, the chemical isomerization of 2-MGs can only be avoided by an immediate processing and analysis of samples due to their instability during conservation. We believe that this new methodology can aid in the harmonization of the measurement of ECs and related compounds in clinical samples.

[Nuclear energy and environment: review of the IAEA environmental projects].

PubMed

Fesenko, S; Fogt, G

2012-01-01

The review of the environmental projects of the International Atomic Energy Agency is presented. Basic IAEA documents intended to protect humans and the Environment are considered and their main features are discussed. Some challenging issues in the area of protection of the Environment and man, including the impact of nuclear facilities on the environment, radioactive waste management, and remediation of the areas affected by radiological accidents, nuclear testing and sites of nuclear facilities are also discussed. The need to maintain the existing knowledge in radioecology and protection of the environment is emphasised.

Joint Instability and Osteoarthritis

PubMed Central

Blalock, Darryl; Miller, Andrew; Tilley, Michael; Wang, Jinxi

2015-01-01

Joint instability creates a clinical and economic burden in the health care system. Injuries and disorders that directly damage the joint structure or lead to joint instability are highly associated with osteoarthritis (OA). Thus, understanding the physiology of joint stability and the mechanisms of joint instability-induced OA is of clinical significance. The first section of this review discusses the structure and function of major joint tissues, including periarticular muscles, which play a significant role in joint stability. Because the knee, ankle, and shoulder joints demonstrate a high incidence of ligament injury and joint instability, the second section summarizes the mechanisms of ligament injury-associated joint instability of these joints. The final section highlights the recent advances in the understanding of the mechanical and biological mechanisms of joint instability-induced OA. These advances may lead to new opportunities for clinical intervention in the prevention and early treatment of OA. PMID:25741184

Joint instability and osteoarthritis.

PubMed

Blalock, Darryl; Miller, Andrew; Tilley, Michael; Wang, Jinxi

2015-01-01

Joint instability creates a clinical and economic burden in the health care system. Injuries and disorders that directly damage the joint structure or lead to joint instability are highly associated with osteoarthritis (OA). Thus, understanding the physiology of joint stability and the mechanisms of joint instability-induced OA is of clinical significance. The first section of this review discusses the structure and function of major joint tissues, including periarticular muscles, which play a significant role in joint stability. Because the knee, ankle, and shoulder joints demonstrate a high incidence of ligament injury and joint instability, the second section summarizes the mechanisms of ligament injury-associated joint instability of these joints. The final section highlights the recent advances in the understanding of the mechanical and biological mechanisms of joint instability-induced OA. These advances may lead to new opportunities for clinical intervention in the prevention and early treatment of OA.

Swedish healthcare providers' perceptions of preconception expanded carrier screening (ECS)-a qualitative study.

PubMed

Matar, A; Kihlbom, U; Höglund, A T

2016-07-01

Reproductive autonomy, medicalization, and discrimination against disabled and parental responsibility are the main ongoing ethical debates concerning reproductive genetic screening. To examine Swedish healthcare professionals' views on preconception expanded carrier screening (ECS), a qualitative study involving academic and clinical institutions in Sweden was conducted in September 2014 to February 2015. Eleven healthcare professionals including clinicians, geneticists, a midwife, and a genetic counselor were interviewed in depth using a semi-structured interview guide. The questionnaire was constructed after reviewing the main literature and meetings with relevant healthcare providers. The interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and content analyzed for categories and subcategories. Participants nurtured many ethical and non-ethical concerns regarding preconception ECS. Among the ethical concerns were the potential for discrimination, medicalization, concerns with prioritization of healthcare resources, and effects on reproductive freedom. The effects of implementation of preconception ECS, its stakeholders, regulations, and motivation are some of non-ethical concerns. These concerns, if not addressed, may affect the uptake and usage of carrier screening within Swedish healthcare system. As this is a qualitative study with a small non-random sample size, the findings cannot be generalized. The participants had little to no working experience with expanded screening panels. Moreover, the interviews were conducted in English, a second language for the participants, which might have limited the expression of their views. However, the authors claim that the findings may be pertinent to similar settings in other Scandinavian countries.

Key Topics for High-Lift Research: A Joint Wind Tunnel/Flight Test Approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fisher, David; Thomas, Flint O.; Nelson, Robert C.

1996-01-01

Future high-lift systems must achieve improved aerodynamic performance with simpler designs that involve fewer elements and reduced maintenance costs. To expeditiously achieve this, reliable CFD design tools are required. The development of useful CFD-based design tools for high lift systems requires increased attention to unresolved flow physics issues. The complex flow field over any multi-element airfoil may be broken down into certain generic component flows which are termed high-lift building block flows. In this report a broad spectrum of key flow field physics issues relevant to the design of improved high lift systems are considered. It is demonstrated that in-flight experiments utilizing the NASA Dryden Flight Test Fixture (which is essentially an instrumented ventral fin) carried on an F-15B support aircraft can provide a novel and cost effective method by which both Reynolds and Mach number effects associated with specific high lift building block flows can be investigated. These in-flight high lift building block flow experiments are most effective when performed in conjunction with coordinated ground based wind tunnel experiments in low speed facilities. For illustrative purposes three specific examples of in-flight high lift building block flow experiments capable of yielding a high payoff are described. The report concludes with a description of a joint wind tunnel/flight test approach to high lift aerodynamics research.

Topics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mathematics Teaching, 1972

1972-01-01

Topics discussed in this column include patterns of inverse multipliers in modular arithmetic; diagrams for product sets, set intersection, and set union; function notation; patterns in the number of partitions of positive integers; and tessellations. (DT)

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY ORGANIC AEROSOLS OVER THE UNITED STATES: ESTIMATES ON THE BASIS OF OBSERVED ORGANIC CARBON (OC) AND ELEMENTAL CARBON (EC), AND AIR QUALITY MODELED PRIMARY (OC/EC) RATIOS

EPA Science Inventory

The temporal and spatial distributions of primary and secondary organic carbon aerosols (OC) over the continental US during June 15 to August 31, 1999, were estimated by using observational OC and elemental carbon (EC) data from Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environm...

Monitoring Across Borders: 2010 Joint Meeting of the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Symposium and the Southern Mensurationists

Treesearch

Will McWilliams; Francis A. Roesch

2012-01-01

These proceedings represent the range of topics covered during the 2010 Joint Meeting of the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Symposium and the Southern Mensurationists, October 5-7, 2010 in Knoxville, TN. The meeting was a gathering of forest scientists with a quantitative leaning and, as such, the papers discuss the aspects of the observation, estimation, modeling...

Use of Topical Tacrolimus and Topical Pimecrolimus in Four European Countries: A Multicentre Database Cohort Study.

PubMed

Kuiper, Josephina G; van Herk-Sukel, Myrthe P P; Castellsague, Jordi; Pottegård, Anton; Berglind, Ingegärd Anveden; Dedman, Daniel; Gutierrez, Lia; Calingaert, Brian; Hallas, Jesper; Sundström, Anders; Gallagher, Arlene M; Kaye, James A; Pardo, Carolina; Rothman, Kenneth J; Perez-Gutthann, Susana

2018-05-07

Despite the concerns about a potential increased risk of skin cancer and lymphoma with the use of topical tacrolimus and pimecrolimus, no population-based studies have given an overview of the use of these drugs in Europe. To assess the use of topical tacrolimus and pimecrolimus in children and adults in Europe. Multicentre database cohort study comprising data from the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and the UK. We analysed users of topical tacrolimus and pimecrolimus starting from the date of first availability (between 2002 and 2003) or start establishment of the prescription database in Sweden (2006) through 2011. Use was assessed separately for children (≤ 18 years) and adults. 32,052 children and 104,902 adults were treated with topical tacrolimus, and 32,125 children and 58,280 adults were treated with topical pimecrolimus. The number of users increased rapidly after first availability, especially for topical tacrolimus. Topical tacrolimus was more frequently used in all countries except Denmark. For both drugs, there was a decrease in users after 2004 in the Netherlands and Denmark and after 2005 in the UK, especially among children. This decrease was largest in Denmark. The decrease in the number of users was temporary for topical tacrolimus, while use remained relatively low for topical pimecrolimus. The number of topical tacrolimus and pimecrolimus users increased rapidly after regulatory approval. A transient reduction in topical tacrolimus use and a persistent reduction in topical pimecrolimus use was seen after 2004 in the Netherlands and Denmark and after 2005 in the UK.

PREFACE: 11th IAEA Technical Meeting on H-mode Physics and Transport Barriers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takizuka, Tomonori

2008-07-01

This volume of Journal of Physics: Conference Series contains papers based on invited talks and contributed posters presented at the 11th IAEA Technical Meeting on H-mode Physics and Transport Barriers. This meeting was held at the Tsukuba International Congress Center in Tsukuba, Japan, on 26-28 September 2007, and was organized jointly by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency and the University of Tsukuba. The previous ten meetings in this series were held in San Diego (USA) 1987, Gut Ising (Germany) 1989, Abingdon (UK) 1991, Naka (Japan) 1993, Princeton (USA) 1995, Kloster Seeon (Germany) 1997, Oxford (UK) 1999, Toki (Japan) 2001, San Diego (USA) 2003, and St Petersburg (Russia) 2005. The purpose of the eleventh meeting was to present and discuss new results on H-mode (edge transport barrier, ETB) and internal transport barrier, ITB, experiments, theory and modeling in magnetic fusion research. It was expected that contributions give new and improved insights into the physics mechanisms behind high confinement modes of H-mode and ITBs. Ultimately, this research should lead to improved projections for ITER. As has been the tradition at the recent meetings of this series, the program was subdivided into six topics. The topics selected for the eleventh meeting were: H-mode transition and the pedestal-width Dynamics in ETB: ELM threshold, non-linear evolution and suppression, etc Transport relations of various quantities including turbulence in plasmas with ITB: rotation physics is especially highlighted Transport barriers in non-axisymmetric magnetic fields Theory and simulation on transport barriers Projections of transport barrier physics to ITER For each topic there was an invited talk presenting an overview of the topic, based on contributions to the meeting and on recently published external results. The six invited talks were: A Leonard (GA, USA): Progress in characterization of the H-mode pedestal and L-H transition N Oyama (JAEA, Japan): Progress and issues in

Mapping soil salinity and a fresh-water intrusion in three-dimensions using a quasi-3d joint-inversion of DUALEM-421S and EM34 data.

PubMed

Huang, J; Koganti, T; Santos, F A Monteiro; Triantafilis, J

2017-01-15

In order to understand the drivers of topsoil salinization, the distribution and movement of salt in accordance with groundwater need mapping. In this study, we described a method to map the distribution of soil salinity, as measured by the electrical conductivity of a saturated soil-paste extract (EC e ), and in 3-dimensions around a water storage reservoir in an irrigated field near Bourke, New South Wales, Australia. A quasi-3d electromagnetic conductivity image (EMCI) or model of the true electrical conductivity (σ) was developed using 133 apparent electrical conductivity (EC a ) measurements collected on a 50m grid and using various coil arrays of DUALEM-421S and EM34 instruments. For the DUALEM-421S we considered EC a in horizontal coplanar (i.e., 1mPcon, 2mPcon and 4mPcon) and vertical coplanar (i.e., 1mHcon, 2mHcon and 4mHcon) arrays. For the EM34, three measurements in the horizontal mode (i.e., EM34-10H, EM34-20H and EM34-40H) were considered. We estimated σ using a quasi-3d joint-inversion algorithm (EM4Soil). The best correlation (R 2 =0.92) between σ and measured soil EC e was identified when a forward modelling (FS), inversion algorithm (S2) and damping factor (λ=0.2) were used and using both DUALEM-421 and EM34 data; but not including the 4m coil arrays of the DUALEM-421S. A linear regression calibration model was used to predict EC e in 3-dimensions beneath the study field. The predicted EC e was consistent with previous studies and revealed the distribution of EC e and helped to infer a freshwater intrusion from a water storage reservoir at depth and as a function of its proximity to near-surface prior stream channels and buried paleochannels. It was concluded that this method can be applied elsewhere to map the soil salinity and water movement and provide guidance for improved land management. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of new flux attribution methods for mapping N2O emissions at the landscape scale from EC measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grossel, Agnes; Bureau, Jordan; Loubet, Benjamin; Laville, Patricia; Massad, Raia; Haas, Edwin; Butterbach-Bahl, Klaus; Guimbaud, Christophe; Hénault, Catherine

2017-04-01

The objective of this study was to develop and evaluate an attribution method based on a combination of Eddy Covariance (EC) and chamber measurements to map N2O emissions over a 3-km2 area of croplands and forests in France. During 2 months of spring 2015, N2O fluxes were measured (i) by EC at 15 m height and (ii) punctually with a mobile chamber at 16 places within 1-km of EC mast. The attribution method was based on coupling the EC measurements, information on footprints (Loubet et al., 20101) and emission ratios based on crops and fertilizations, calculated based on chamber measurements. The results were evaluated against an independent flux dataset measured by automatic chambers in a wheat field within the area. At the landscape scale, the method estimated a total emission of 114-271 kg N-N2O during the campaign. This new approach allowed estimating continuously N2O emission and better accounting for the spatial variability of N2O emission at the landscape scale.

EC93-41094-4

NASA Image and Video Library

1993-05-18

A NASA F/A-18, specially modified to test the newest and most advanced system technologies, on its first research flight on May 21, 1993, at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Facility, Edwards, California. Flown by Dryden in a multi-year, joint NASA/DOD/industry program, the F/A-18 former Navy fighter was modified into a unique Systems Research Aircraft (SRA) to investigate a host of new technologies in the areas of flight controls, airdata sensing and advanced computing. The primary goal of the SRA program was to validate through flight research cutting-edge technologies which could benefit future aircraft and spacecraft by improving efficiency and performance, reducing weight and complexity, with a resultant reduction on development and operational costs.

A heuristic approach to determine an appropriate number of topics in topic modeling

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Background Topic modelling is an active research field in machine learning. While mainly used to build models from unstructured textual data, it offers an effective means of data mining where samples represent documents, and different biological endpoints or omics data represent words. Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) is the most commonly used topic modelling method across a wide number of technical fields. However, model development can be arduous and tedious, and requires burdensome and systematic sensitivity studies in order to find the best set of model parameters. Often, time-consuming subjective evaluations are needed to compare models. Currently, research has yielded no easy way to choose the proper number of topics in a model beyond a major iterative approach. Methods and results Based on analysis of variation of statistical perplexity during topic modelling, a heuristic approach is proposed in this study to estimate the most appropriate number of topics. Specifically, the rate of perplexity change (RPC) as a function of numbers of topics is proposed as a suitable selector. We test the stability and effectiveness of the proposed method for three markedly different types of grounded-truth datasets: Salmonella next generation sequencing, pharmacological side effects, and textual abstracts on computational biology and bioinformatics (TCBB) from PubMed. Conclusion The proposed RPC-based method is demonstrated to choose the best number of topics in three numerical experiments of widely different data types, and for databases of very different sizes. The work required was markedly less arduous than if full systematic sensitivity studies had been carried out with number of topics as a parameter. We understand that additional investigation is needed to substantiate the method's theoretical basis, and to establish its generalizability in terms of dataset characteristics. PMID:26424364

Measurement of ²²⁶Ra in soil from oil field: advantages of γ-ray spectrometry and application to the IAEA-448 CRM.

PubMed

Ceccatelli, A; Katona, R; Kis-Benedek, G; Pitois, A

2014-05-01

The analytical performance of gamma-ray spectrometry for the measurement of (226)Ra in TENORM (Technically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material) soil was investigated by the IAEA. Fast results were obtained for characterization and certification of a new TENORM Certified Reference Material (CRM), identified as IAEA-448 (soil from oil field). The combined standard uncertainty of the gamma-ray spectrometry results is of the order of 2-3% for massic activity measurement values ranging from 16500 Bq kg(-1) to 21500 Bq kg(-1). Methodologies used for the production and certification of the IAEA-448 CRM are presented. Analytical results were confirmed by alpha spectrometry. The "t" test showed agreement between alpha and gamma results at 95% confidence level. © 2013 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

[Evaluation of the occupational risk related to exposure to electromagnetic fields according to the EC Directive 2004/40 EC: exposure during pregnancy].

PubMed

Gobba, F; Tavani, M; Bianchi, N

2007-01-01

The EU Directive 2004/40/EC on the minimum health and safety requirements regarding the exposure of workers to the risks arising from physical agents (electromagnetic fields) will introduce the need of an evaluation of the risk related to EMF occupational exposure in pregnancy. Nevertheless, data from research in this field are scarcely conclusive to date. Furthermore knowledge on this risk seems insufficient among OH physicians in Italy. Accordingly, there is an urgent need for further research, and for a diffusion of knowledge among OH physicians on possible risk to pregnancy due to occupational exposure to EMF.

Optimal joint remote state preparation in the presence of various types of noises

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hop Nguyen, Van; Bich Cao, Thi; Nguyen, Ba An

2017-03-01

A main obstacle faced by any quantum information processing protocol is the noise that degrades the desired coherence/entanglement. In this work we study by means of Kraus operators the effect of four typical types of noises on the quality of joint remote state preparation of a single-qubit state using a three-qubit Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger-type state as the initial quantum channel. Assuming that two of the three involved qubits independently suffer a type of noise, we derive analytical expressions not only for the optimal averaged fidelities but also for the boundaries in phase space of the domains in which the joint remote state preparation protocol outperforms the classical one. Detailed discussion is given for each of the total 16 noisy scenarios. We also provide physical interpretation for the obtained results and outline possible future topics.

Preliminary stop of the TOPical Imiquimod treatment of high-grade Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (TOPIC) trial.

PubMed

Koeneman, M M; Kruse, A J; Kooreman, L F S; Zur Hausen, A; Hopman, A H N; Sep, S J S; Van Gorp, T; Slangen, B F M; van Beekhuizen, H J; van de Sande, A J M; Gerestein, C G; Nijman, H W; Kruitwagen, R F P M

2017-02-07

The "TOPical Imiquimod treatment of high-grade Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia" (TOPIC) trial was stopped preliminary, due to lagging inclusions. This study aimed to evaluate the treatment efficacy and clinical applicability of imiquimod 5% cream in high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). The lagging inclusions were mainly due to a strong patient preference for either of the two treatment modalities. This prompted us to initiate a new study on the same subject, with a non-randomized, open-label design: the 'TOPical Imiquimod treatment of high-grade Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (TOPIC)-3' study. Original TOPIC-trial: Medical Ethics Committee approval number METC13231; ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02329171, 22 December 2014. TOPIC-3 study: Medical Ethics Committee approval number METC162025; ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02917746, 16 September 2016.

Evolution of topical NSAIDs in the guidelines for treatment of osteoarthritis in elderly patients.

PubMed

Arnstein, Paul M

2012-07-01

Increasing age is the primary predictor of osteoarthritis, the most prevalent painful condition in the US. Because there are no disease-modifying therapies for osteoarthritis, relief of symptoms and maintenance of quality of life through improving joint function become the focus of management. Although highly effective for pain relief, oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are associated with systemic adverse reactions that are sometimes treatment limiting, especially for older patients. Thus, osteoarthritis management in elderly populations is shifting away from traditional NSAIDs to therapies that provide comparable pain relief with improved safety. Since the approval by the US Food and Drug Administration of the use of topical NSAIDs to manage osteoarthritis pain, current treatment guidelines put forth by several professional societies have begun to recommend topical NSAIDs as an alternative therapy and, most recently, as first-line therapy for osteoarthritis management in the elderly. This review provides an overview of the various treatment guidelines that are available to assist prescribers in making safe and effective decisions in the treatment of osteoarthritis in this high-risk patient population.

Identifying Topics in Microblogs Using Wikipedia.

PubMed

Yıldırım, Ahmet; Üsküdarlı, Suzan; Özgür, Arzucan

2016-01-01

Twitter is an extremely high volume platform for user generated contributions regarding any topic. The wealth of content created at real-time in massive quantities calls for automated approaches to identify the topics of the contributions. Such topics can be utilized in numerous ways, such as public opinion mining, marketing, entertainment, and disaster management. Towards this end, approaches to relate single or partial posts to knowledge base items have been proposed. However, in microblogging systems like Twitter, topics emerge from the culmination of a large number of contributions. Therefore, identifying topics based on collections of posts, where individual posts contribute to some aspect of the greater topic is necessary. Models, such as Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA), propose algorithms for relating collections of posts to sets of keywords that represent underlying topics. In these approaches, figuring out what the specific topic(s) the keyword sets represent remains as a separate task. Another issue in topic detection is the scope, which is often limited to specific domain, such as health. This work proposes an approach for identifying domain-independent specific topics related to sets of posts. In this approach, individual posts are processed and then aggregated to identify key tokens, which are then mapped to specific topics. Wikipedia article titles are selected to represent topics, since they are up to date, user-generated, sophisticated articles that span topics of human interest. This paper describes the proposed approach, a prototype implementation, and a case study based on data gathered during the heavily contributed periods corresponding to the four US election debates in 2012. The manually evaluated results (0.96 precision) and other observations from the study are discussed in detail.

Identifying Topics in Microblogs Using Wikipedia

PubMed Central

Yıldırım, Ahmet; Üsküdarlı, Suzan; Özgür, Arzucan

2016-01-01

Twitter is an extremely high volume platform for user generated contributions regarding any topic. The wealth of content created at real-time in massive quantities calls for automated approaches to identify the topics of the contributions. Such topics can be utilized in numerous ways, such as public opinion mining, marketing, entertainment, and disaster management. Towards this end, approaches to relate single or partial posts to knowledge base items have been proposed. However, in microblogging systems like Twitter, topics emerge from the culmination of a large number of contributions. Therefore, identifying topics based on collections of posts, where individual posts contribute to some aspect of the greater topic is necessary. Models, such as Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA), propose algorithms for relating collections of posts to sets of keywords that represent underlying topics. In these approaches, figuring out what the specific topic(s) the keyword sets represent remains as a separate task. Another issue in topic detection is the scope, which is often limited to specific domain, such as health. This work proposes an approach for identifying domain-independent specific topics related to sets of posts. In this approach, individual posts are processed and then aggregated to identify key tokens, which are then mapped to specific topics. Wikipedia article titles are selected to represent topics, since they are up to date, user-generated, sophisticated articles that span topics of human interest. This paper describes the proposed approach, a prototype implementation, and a case study based on data gathered during the heavily contributed periods corresponding to the four US election debates in 2012. The manually evaluated results (0.96 precision) and other observations from the study are discussed in detail. PMID:26991442

75 FR 63052 - Airworthiness Directives; Eurocopter France (ECF) Model AS350B3 and EC130 B4 Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-14

... Airworthiness Directives; Eurocopter France (ECF) Model AS350B3 and EC130 B4 Helicopters AGENCY: Federal... directive (AD) for the Eurocopter France Model AS350B3 and EC130 B4 helicopters. This amendment is prompted... autorotation training making it impossible to execute a power recovery and compelling the pilot to continue the...

The hindlimb in walking horses: 2. Net joint moments and joint powers.

PubMed

Clayton, H M; Hodson, E; Lanovaz, J L; Colborne, G R

2001-01-01

The objective of the study was to describe net joint moments and joint powers in the equine hindlimb during walking. The subjects were 5 sound horses. Kinematic and force data were collected synchronously and combined with morphometric information to determine net joint moments at each hindlimb joint throughout stance and swing. The results showed that the net joint moment was on the caudal/plantar side of all hindlimb joints at the start of stance when the limb was being actively retracted. It moved to the cranial/dorsal side around 24% stride at the hip and stifle and in terminal stance at the more distal joints. It remained on the cranial/dorsal side of all joints during the first half of swing to provide active limb protraction, then moved to the caudal/plantar aspect to reverse the direction of limb motion prior to ground contact. The hip joint was the main source of energy generation throughout the stride. It was assisted by the tarsal joint in both stance and swing phases and by the fetlock joint during the stance phase. The coffin joint acted as an energy damper during stance, whereas the stifle joint absorbed almost equal amounts of energy in the stance and swing phases. The coffin and fetlock joints absorbed energy as the limb was protracted and retracted during the swing phase, suggesting that their movements were driven by inertial forces. Future studies will apply these findings to detect changes in the energy profiles due to specific soft tissue injuries.

Emissions of EC, OC, and PAHs from cottonseed oil biodiesel in a heavy-duty diesel engine.

PubMed

Song, Wei W; He, Ke B; Wang, Jian X; Wang, Xin T; Shi, Xiao Y; Yu, Chao; Chen, Wen M; Zheng, Liang

2011-08-01

Biodiesel fuels, made from renewable resources, have emerged as viable alternatives to conventional diesel fuel, but their impact on emissions is not fully understood. This study examines elemental carbon (EC), organic carbon (OC), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) emissions from cottonseed oil biodiesel (CSO-B100). Relative to normal diesel fuel, CSO-B100 reduced EC emissions by 64% (±16%). The bulk of EC emitted from CSO-B100 was in the fine particle mode (<1.4 μm), which is similar to normal diesel. OC was found in all size ranges, whereas emissions of OC(1.4-2.5) were proportionately higher in OC(2.5) from CSO-B100 than from diesel. The CSO-B100 emission factors derived from this study are significantly lower, even without aftertreatment, than the China-4 emission standards established in Beijing and Euro-IV diesel engine standards. The toxic equivalency factors (TEFs) for CSO-B100 was half the TEFs of diesel, which suggests that PAHs emitted from CSO-B100 may be less toxic.

Regulatory Information By Topic

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA develops and enforces regulations that span many environmental topics, from acid rain reduction to wetlands restoration. Each topic listed below may include related laws and regulations, compliance enforcement information, policies guidance

The Analysis of Adhesively Bonded Advanced Composite Joints Using Joint Finite Elements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stapleton, Scott E.; Waas, Anthony M.

2012-01-01

The design and sizing of adhesively bonded joints has always been a major bottleneck in the design of composite vehicles. Dense finite element (FE) meshes are required to capture the full behavior of a joint numerically, but these dense meshes are impractical in vehicle-scale models where a course mesh is more desirable to make quick assessments and comparisons of different joint geometries. Analytical models are often helpful in sizing, but difficulties arise in coupling these models with full-vehicle FE models. Therefore, a joint FE was created which can be used within structural FE models to make quick assessments of bonded composite joints. The shape functions of the joint FE were found by solving the governing equations for a structural model for a joint. By analytically determining the shape functions of the joint FE, the complex joint behavior can be captured with very few elements. This joint FE was modified and used to consider adhesives with functionally graded material properties to reduce the peel stress concentrations located near adherend discontinuities. Several practical concerns impede the actual use of such adhesives. These include increased manufacturing complications, alterations to the grading due to adhesive flow during manufacturing, and whether changing the loading conditions significantly impact the effectiveness of the grading. An analytical study is conducted to address these three concerns. Furthermore, proof-of-concept testing is conducted to show the potential advantages of functionally graded adhesives. In this study, grading is achieved by strategically placing glass beads within the adhesive layer at different densities along the joint. Furthermore, the capability to model non-linear adhesive constitutive behavior with large rotations was developed, and progressive failure of the adhesive was modeled by re-meshing the joint as the adhesive fails. Results predicted using the joint FE was compared with experimental results for various

Spacesuit mobility knee joints

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vykukal, H. C. (Inventor)

1979-01-01

Pressure suit mobility joints are for use in interconnecting adjacent segments of an hermetically sealed spacesuit in which low torques, low leakage and a high degree of reliability are required. Each of the joints is a special purpose joint characterized by substantially constant volume and low torque characteristics and includes linkages which restrain the joint from longitudinal distension and includes a flexible, substantially impermeable diaphragm of tubular configuration spanning the distance between pivotally supported annuli. The diaphragms of selected joints include rolling convolutions for balancing the joints, while various joints include wedge-shaped sections which enhance the range of motion for the joints.

Anticipatory guidance topics: are more better?

PubMed

Barkin, Shari L; Scheindlin, Benjamin; Brown, Caroline; Ip, Edward; Finch, Stacia; Wasserman, Richard C

2005-01-01

Anticipatory guidance is a cornerstone of primary care pediatrics. Despite the fact that retention of information is essential for later action, data are lacking on what parents recall immediately after the visit and 1 month later and how the total number of topics discussed affects this outcome. Parents and practitioners completed postvisit surveys of anticipatory guidance topics discussed during health-maintenance visits for children ages 2-11. Postvisit and 1 month later, parental recall was compared with provider report of topics discussed. We examined the relationship between parental recall and the total number of topics discussed. Families with children ages 2-11 years from across the United States participated in this study (N = 861). Providers reported discussing the topics of nutrition, car restraints, dental care, and reading aloud most often (72%- 93%). Concordance between parent and provider was high for all topics (72%-90%). Immediately postvisit, parents reported 6.33 (SD 2.9) as the mean number of topics discussed while providers reported 6.9 (SD 2.7) as the mean number of topics discussed. However, parental recall decreased significantly with more topics (> or =9) discussed. The same trend existed 1 month later. Providers and parents have good agreement about topics discussed or not discussed during a well-child visit; however, parental recall dwindles with increasing numbers of topics discussed. Rethinking well-child care to limit the total number of topics discussed is warranted.

Papers arising from IAEA Coordinated Research Project "Utilization of ion accelerators for studying and modelling of radiation induced defects in semiconductors and insulators" (F11016)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vittone, Ettore; Breese, Mark; Simon, Aliz

2016-04-01

Within the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, activities are carried out to assist and advise IAEA Member States in assessing their needs for capacity building, research and development in nuclear sciences. Support is also provided to Member States' activities geared towards deriving benefits in fields such as (i) advanced materials for nuclear applications, (ii) application of accelerators and associated instrumentation, and (iii) nuclear, atomic and molecular data. One of the means that the IAEA uses to deliver its programme is Coordinated Research Projects (CRPs) which are very effective in stimulating international research and scientific interaction among the Member States.

40 CFR Table 2 of Subpart Ec to... - Toxic Equivalency Factors

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Ec to Part 60—Toxic Equivalency Factors Dioxin/furan congener Toxic equivalency factor 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin 1 1,2,3,7,8-pentachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin 0.5 1,2,3,4,7,8-hexachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin 0.1 1,2,3,7,8,9-hexachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin 0.1 1,2,3,6,7,8-hexachlorinated dibenzo...

Differential Topic Models.

PubMed

Chen, Changyou; Buntine, Wray; Ding, Nan; Xie, Lexing; Du, Lan

2015-02-01

In applications we may want to compare different document collections: they could have shared content but also different and unique aspects in particular collections. This task has been called comparative text mining or cross-collection modeling. We present a differential topic model for this application that models both topic differences and similarities. For this we use hierarchical Bayesian nonparametric models. Moreover, we found it was important to properly model power-law phenomena in topic-word distributions and thus we used the full Pitman-Yor process rather than just a Dirichlet process. Furthermore, we propose the transformed Pitman-Yor process (TPYP) to incorporate prior knowledge such as vocabulary variations in different collections into the model. To deal with the non-conjugate issue between model prior and likelihood in the TPYP, we thus propose an efficient sampling algorithm using a data augmentation technique based on the multinomial theorem. Experimental results show the model discovers interesting aspects of different collections. We also show the proposed MCMC based algorithm achieves a dramatically reduced test perplexity compared to some existing topic models. Finally, we show our model outperforms the state-of-the-art for document classification/ideology prediction on a number of text collections.

Topic Model for Graph Mining.

PubMed

Xuan, Junyu; Lu, Jie; Zhang, Guangquan; Luo, Xiangfeng

2015-12-01

Graph mining has been a popular research area because of its numerous application scenarios. Many unstructured and structured data can be represented as graphs, such as, documents, chemical molecular structures, and images. However, an issue in relation to current research on graphs is that they cannot adequately discover the topics hidden in graph-structured data which can be beneficial for both the unsupervised learning and supervised learning of the graphs. Although topic models have proved to be very successful in discovering latent topics, the standard topic models cannot be directly applied to graph-structured data due to the "bag-of-word" assumption. In this paper, an innovative graph topic model (GTM) is proposed to address this issue, which uses Bernoulli distributions to model the edges between nodes in a graph. It can, therefore, make the edges in a graph contribute to latent topic discovery and further improve the accuracy of the supervised and unsupervised learning of graphs. The experimental results on two different types of graph datasets show that the proposed GTM outperforms the latent Dirichlet allocation on classification by using the unveiled topics of these two models to represent graphs.

Joint Enabling Capabilities Command

Science.gov Websites

Executive Director Chief of Staff Joint Planning Support Element Joint Communications Support Element mission Joint Enabling Capabilities Command provides decisive joint communications, planning and public and responsive support for joint communications, planning and public affairs. Priorities * Deliver

TU-AB-BRC-07: Efficiency of An IAEA Phase-Space Source for a Low Energy X-Ray Tube Using Egs++

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

Watson, PGF; Renaud, MA; Seuntjens, J

Purpose: To extend the capability of the EGSnrc C++ class library (egs++) to write and read IAEA phase-space files as a particle source, and to assess the relative efficiency gain in dose calculation using an IAEA phase-space source for modelling a miniature low energy x-ray source. Methods: We created a new ausgab object to score particles exiting a user-defined geometry and write them to an IAEA phase-space file. A new particle source was created to read from IAEA phase-space data. With these tools, a phase-space file was generated for particles exiting a miniature 50 kVp x-ray tube (The INTRABEAM System,more » Carl Zeiss). The phase-space source was validated by comparing calculated PDDs with a full electron source simulation of the INTRABEAM. The dose calculation efficiency gain of the phase-space source was determined relative to the full simulation. The efficiency gain as a function of i) depth in water, and ii) job parallelization was investigated. Results: The phase-space and electron source PDDs were found to agree to 0.5% RMS, comparable to statistical uncertainties. The use of a phase-space source for the INTRABEAM led to a relative efficiency gain of greater than 20 over the full electron source simulation, with an increase of up to a factor of 196. The efficiency gain was found to decrease with depth in water, due to the influence of scattering. Job parallelization (across 2 to 256 cores) was not found to have any detrimental effect on efficiency gain. Conclusion: A set of tools has been developed for writing and reading IAEA phase-space files, which can be used with any egs++ user code. For simulation of a low energy x-ray tube, the use of a phase-space source was found to increase the relative dose calculation efficiency by factor of up to 196. The authors acknowledge partial support by the CREATE Medical Physics Research Training Network grant of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (Grant No. 432290).« less

Establishment and characterization of a novel uterine carcinosarcoma cell line, TU-ECS-1, with mutations of TP53 and KRAS.

PubMed

Chiba, Yohei; Sato, Seiya; Itamochi, Hiroaki; Suga, Yasuko; Fukagawa, Tomoyuki; Oumi, Nao; Oishi, Tetsuro; Harada, Tasuku; Sugai, Tamotsu; Sugiyama, Toru

2017-04-01

A new human uterine carcinosarcoma (UCS) cell line, TU-ECS-1, was established and characterized. The morphological appearance of the cultured cells was an insular of epithelial-like cells arranged in the form of a jigsaw puzzle and mesenchymal-like cells with a spindle-shaped or fibroblast-like morphology. A relatively high proliferation rate was observed with a doubling time of 18.2 h. The chromosome number ranged from 44 to 49 and had an extra chromosome 12 (trisomy 12). The respective half-maximal inhibitory concentrations of cisplatin, paclitaxel, and doxorubicin were 2.9 µM, 154 nM, and 219 ng/mL, respectively. Mutational analysis revealed that TU-ECS-1 cells have mutations of TP53 in exons 4, 6, and 8 and of KRAS at codon 12 (G12D) in exon 2, which is a mutation hot spot on this gene. Western blot analysis showed that p53 protein was overexpressed in TU-ECS-1 cells. Immunostaining of the cultured cells and in vivo tumors showed that the TU-ECS-1 cells and xenografts were positive for epithelial marker cytokeratin AE1/3 and mesenchymal marker vimentin. These results suggested that TU-ECS-1 cells might have both epithelial and mesenchymal characteristics. This cell line may be useful to study the carcinogenesis of UCS and contribute to the development of novel treatment strategies.

OneGeology-Europe and the new EC Directive INSPIRE - A matter of semantic subtlety?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asch, K.

2009-04-01

The EC INSPIRE Directive which came into force in May 2007 set out how the Member States of the European Union would describe, discover and provide access to spatial environmental data in a harmonised way. Amongst the data sets specified in INSPIRE is geology. A fundamental question is just what is meant by ‘geology'? The question must be answered, and in some detail, if the intentions of the INSPIRE Directive to provide consistency of access are to be realised The Directive itself provides very little constraint on this definition. In it geology is described as "Geology characterised according to composition and structure. Includes bedrock, aquifers and geomorphology". The challenge for the EC and its Member States - more specifically for the geological survey community - is to convert this single line into a precise and practical specification that will deliver the outcomes intended by INSPIRE. The geological survey community is attempting to develop this specification through two complementary routes. Theme Working Groups - a generic procedure adopted by the EC that will start in May 2009 - and a new EC eContentplus project, OneGeology-Europe. Within OneGeology-Europe is a Work Package whose task is to deliver a semantic specification of "geology" at 1:1 million scale. While the initial reaction of some would be to question whether defining geology at this scale poses any significant challenges the reality is somewhat different. Fundamental questionsare: Should we specify the geology at the surface or restrict it to "bedrock" geology? Do we attempt to define the rocks chronostratigraphically, or by their lithology, perhaps even by the more regional lithostratigraphy or by genetic aspect? To what extent do we include tectonic features? How to cope with th ecomplexity of metamorphic rocks etc? These are only some of the high level questions - the devil, however, comes in the detail. How should we deal with the classification of the Pre-Cambrian rocks? What

Prediction of ECS and SSC Models for Flux-Limited Samples of Gamma-Ray Blazars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lister, Matthew L.; Marscher, Alan P.

1999-01-01

The external Compton scattering (ECS) and synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) models make distinct predictions for the amount of Doppler boosting of high-energy gamma-rays emitted by Nazar. We examine how these differences affect the predicted properties of active galactic nucleus (AGN) samples selected on the basis of Murray emission. We create simulated flux-limited samples based on the ECS and SSC models, and compare their properties to those of identified EGRET blazars. We find that for small gamma-ray-selected samples, the two models make very similar predictions, and cannot be reliably distinguished. This is primarily due to the fact that not only the Doppler factor, but also the cosmological distance and intrinsic luminosity play a role in determining whether an AGN is included in a flux-limited gamma-ray sample.

Onychomycosis Diagnosis and Management: Perspectives from a Joint Dermatology-Podiatry Roundtable.

PubMed

Scher, Richard K; Tosti, Antonella; Joseph, Warren S; Vlahovic, Tracey C; Plasencia, Jesse; Markinson, Bryan C; Pariser, David M

2015-09-01

Onychomycosis prevalence is expected to rise as the population ages and the prevalence of diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, and other significant risk factors rise. Until recently, treatment options were limited due to safety concerns with oral antifungals and low efficacy with available topical agents. Efinaconzole and tavaborole were approved by the FDA in 2014 for onychomycosis treatment and provide additional effective topical treatment options for patients with mild-to-moderate disease. Dermatologists and podiatrists both regularly treat onychomycosis, yet there are striking differences between specialties in approach to diagnosis and treatment. In order to explore these differences a joint dermatology-podiatry roundtable of onychomycosis experts was convened. Although it has little effect on mycologic cure, debridement may be a valuable adjunct to oral or topical antifungal therapy, especially in patients with greater symptom burden. However, few dermatologists incorporate debridement into their treatment plans and referral to podiatry may be appropriate for some of these patients. Furthermore, podiatrists may be better equipped to manage patients with concurrent diabetes or peripheral vascular disease and elderly patients who are unable to maintain proper foot hygiene. Once cure is achieved, lifestyle and hygiene practices, maintenance/prophylactic onychomycosis treatment, and proactive tinea pedis treatment in patients and family members may help to maintain patients' cured status.

Seabed gamma-ray spectrometry: applications at IAEA-MEL.

PubMed

Osvath, I; Povinec, P P

2001-01-01

The technique of underwater gamma-ray spectrometry has been developed to complement or replace the traditional sampling-sample analysis approach for applications with space-time constraints, e.g. large areas of investigation, emergency response or long-term monitoring. IAEA-MEL has used both high-efficiency NaI(Tl) and high-resolution HPGe spectrometry to investigate contamination with anthropogenic radionuclides in a variety of marine environments. Surveys at the South Pacific nuclear test sites of Mururoa and Fangataufa have been used to guide sampling in areas of high contamination around ground zero points. In the Irish Sea offshore from the Sellafield nuclear reprocessing plant, a gamma-ray survey of seabed sediment was carried out to obtain estimates of the distribution and subsequently, for the inventory of 137Cs in the investigated area.

Integrated pretreatment and desalination by electrocoagulation (EC)-ion concentration polarization (ICP) hybrid.

PubMed

Choi, Siwon; Kim, Bumjoo; Han, Jongyoon

2017-06-13

Conventional water treatment process is composed of multiple stages, including desalination (salt removal) and pre/post-treatment of desalination to remove particles, chemicals, and other potential foulants for desalination. In this work, we developed a microfluidic proof-of-concept for a single device water treatment system, which removes both salt ions and non-salt contaminants. Our system combines electrocoagulation (EC), a versatile contaminant removal process, and ion concentration polarization (ICP) desalination, which is an electromembrane desalination process. We demonstrated a continuous EC-ICP operation that removed >95% of suspended solids and reduced the salinity from brackish range (20 mM NaCl) to a potable level (<8.6 mM NaCl). We also demonstrated that our system is flexible in terms of the type and concentration of contaminants it can handle. Combining two different electrochemical processes into a single system, we can reduce unnecessary voltage drop by having a shared anode, and achieve both seamless integration and energy efficient operation. Our system will find applications as a small-scale water treatment system, if properly scaled up in the future.

International Conference on Advances in Radiation Oncology (ICARO): outcomes of an IAEA meeting.

PubMed

Salminen, Eeva K; Kiel, Krystyna; Ibbott, Geoffrey S; Joiner, Michael C; Rosenblatt, Eduardo; Zubizarreta, Eduardo; Wondergem, Jan; Meghzifene, Ahmed

2011-02-04

The IAEA held the International Conference on Advances in Radiation Oncology (ICARO) in Vienna on 27-29 April 2009. The Conference dealt with the issues and requirements posed by the transition from conventional radiotherapy to advanced modern technologies, including staffing, training, treatment planning and delivery, quality assurance (QA) and the optimal use of available resources. The current role of advanced technologies (defined as 3-dimensional and/or image guided treatment with photons or particles) in current clinical practice and future scenarios were discussed.ICARO was organized by the IAEA at the request of the Member States and co-sponsored and supported by other international organizations to assess advances in technologies in radiation oncology in the face of economic challenges that most countries confront. Participants submitted research contributions, which were reviewed by a scientific committee and presented via 46 lectures and 103 posters. There were 327 participants from 70 Member States as well as participants from industry and government. The ICARO meeting provided an independent forum for the interaction of participants from developed and developing countries on current and developing issues related to radiation oncology.

Topical Therapies in Psoriasis

PubMed Central

Torsekar, R.; Gautam, Manjyot M.

2017-01-01

Topical therapy as monotherapy is useful in psoriasis patients with mild disease. Topical agents are also used as adjuvant for moderate-to-severe disease who are being concurrently treated with either ultraviolet light or systemic medications. Emollients are useful adjuncts to the treatment of psoriasis. Use of older topical agents such as anthralin and coal tar has declined over the years. However, they are cheaper and can still be used for the treatment of difficult psoriasis refractory to conventional treatment. Salicylic acid can be used in combination with other topical therapies such as topical corticosteroids (TCS) and calcineurin inhibitors for the treatment of thick limited plaques to increase the absorption of the latter into the psoriatic plaques. Low- to mid-potent TCS are used in facial/flexural psoriasis and high potent over palmoplantar/thick psoriasis lesions. The addition of noncorticosteroid treatment can also facilitate the avoidance of long-term daily TCS. Tacrolimus and pimecrolimus can be used for the treatment of facial and intertriginous psoriasis. Tazarotene is indicated for stable plaque psoriasis usually in combination with other therapies such as TCS. Vitamin D analogs alone in combination with TCS are useful in stable plaques over limbs and palmoplantar psoriasis. Topical therapies for scalp psoriasis include TCS, Vitamin D analogs, salicylic acid, coal tar, and anthralin in various formulations such as solutions, foams, and shampoos. TCS, vitamin D analogs, and tazarotene can be used in the treatment of nail psoriasis. PMID:28761838

MP Joint Arthritis

MedlinePlus

... is extensive and severe, joint replacement or joint fusion are effective surgical options. Learn more about joint ... the tabs at the top (Video, Articles/WEB, Images, JHS, Products/Vendors), or the filters on the ...

Guidelines of care for the management of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis Section 3. Guidelines of care for the management and treatment of psoriasis with topical therapies

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

Menter, A.; Korman, N.J.; Elmets, C.A.

2009-04-15

Psoriasis is a common, chronic, inflammatory, multi-system disease with predominantly skin and joint manifestations affecting approximately 2% of the Population. In this third of 6 sections of the guidelines of care for psoriasis, we discuss the use of topical medications for the treatment of psoriasis. The majority of patients with psoriasis have limited disease (<5% body surface area involvement) and can be treated with topical agents, which generally provide a high efficacy-to-safety ratio. Topical agents may also be used adjunctively for patients with more extensive psoriasis undergoing therapy with either ultraviolet light, systemic or biologic medications. However, the use ofmore » topical agents as monotherapy in the setting of extensive disease or in the setting of limited, but recalcitrant, disease is not routinely recommended. Treatment should be tailored to meet individual patients' needs. We will discuss the efficacy and safety of as well as offer recommendations for the use of topical corticosteroids, vitamin D analogues, tazarotene, tacrolimus, pimecrolimus, emollients, salicylic acid, anthralin, coal tar, as well as combination therapy.« less

Efficacy of function specific 3D-motifs in enzyme classification according to their EC-numbers.

PubMed

Rahimi, Amir; Madadkar-Sobhani, Armin; Touserkani, Rouzbeh; Goliaei, Bahram

2013-11-07

Due to the increasing number of protein structures with unknown function originated from structural genomics projects, protein function prediction has become an important subject in bioinformatics. Among diverse function prediction methods, exploring known 3D-motifs, which are associated with functional elements in unknown protein structures is one of the most biologically meaningful methods. Homologous enzymes inherit such motifs in their active sites from common ancestors. However, slight differences in the properties of these motifs, results in variation in the reactions and substrates of the enzymes. In this study, we examined the possibility of discriminating highly related active site patterns according to their EC-numbers by 3D-motifs. For each EC-number, the spatial arrangement of an active site, which has minimum average distance to other active sites with the same function, was selected as a representative 3D-motif. In order to characterize the motifs, various points in active site elements were tested. The results demonstrated the possibility of predicting full EC-number of enzymes by 3D-motifs. However, the discriminating power of 3D-motifs varies among different enzyme families and depends on selecting the appropriate points and features. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mental Mechanisms for Topics Identification

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Topics identification (TI) is the process that consists in determining the main themes present in natural language documents. The current TI modeling paradigm aims at acquiring semantic information from statistic properties of large text datasets. We investigate the mental mechanisms responsible for the identification of topics in a single document given existing knowledge. Our main hypothesis is that topics are the result of accumulated neural activation of loosely organized information stored in long-term memory (LTM). We experimentally tested our hypothesis with a computational model that simulates LTM activation. The model assumes activation decay as an unavoidable phenomenon originating from the bioelectric nature of neural systems. Since decay should negatively affect the quality of topics, the model predicts the presence of short-term memory (STM) to keep the focus of attention on a few words, with the expected outcome of restoring quality to a baseline level. Our experiments measured topics quality of over 300 documents with various decay rates and STM capacity. Our results showed that accumulated activation of loosely organized information was an effective mental computational commodity to identify topics. It was furthermore confirmed that rapid decay is detrimental to topics quality but that limited capacity STM restores quality to a baseline level, even exceeding it slightly. PMID:24744775

JANNAF 24th Airbreathing Propulsion Subcommittee and 36th Combustion Subcommittee Joint Meeting. Volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fry, Ronald S. (Editor); Gannaway, Mary T. (Editor)

1999-01-01

Volume 1, the first of three volumes is a compilation of 16 unclassified/unlimited-technical papers presented at the Joint Army-Navy-NASA-Air Force (JANNAF) 24th Airbreathing Propulsion Subcommittee and 36th Combustion Subcommittee held jointly with the 181 Propulsion Systems Hazards Subcommittee. The meeting was held on 18-21 October 1999 at NASA Kennedy Space Center and The DoubleTree Oceanfront Hotel, Cocoa Beach, Florida. Topics covered include overviews of RBCC and PDE hypersonic technology, Hyper-X propulsion ground testing, development of JP-8 for hypersonic vehicle applications, numerical simulation of dual-mode SJ combustion, V&V of M&S computer codes, MHD SJ and Rocket Based Combined Cycle (RBCC) launch vehicle concepts, and Pulse Detonation Engine (PDE) propulsion technology development including fundamental investigations, modeling, aerodynamics, operation and performance.

Innate Immunity Sensors Participating in Pathophysiology of Joint Diseases: A Brief Overview

PubMed Central

Gallo, Jiri; Raska, Milan; Konttinen, Yrjö T.; Nich, Christophe; Goodman, Stuart B.

2015-01-01

The innate immune system consists of functionally specialized “modules” that are activated in response to a particular set of stimuli via sensors located on the surface or inside the tissue cells. These cells screen tissues for a wide range of exogenous and endogenous danger/damage-induced signals with the aim to reject or tolerate them and maintain tissue integrity. In this line of thinking, inflammation evolved as an adaptive tool for restoring tissue homeostasis. A number of diseases are mediated by a maladaptation of the innate immune response, perpetuating chronic inflammation and tissue damage. Here, we review recent evidence on the cross talk between innate immune sensors and development of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and aseptic loosening of total joint replacements. In relation to the latter topic, there is a growing body of evidence that aseptic loosening and periprosthetic osteolysis results from long-term maladaptation of periprosthetic tissues to the presence of by-products continuously released from an artificial joint. PMID:25747032

Identification of the IGF-1 processing product human Ec/rodent Eb peptide in various tissues: Evidence for its differential regulation after exercise-induced muscle damage in humans.

PubMed

Vassilakos, George; Philippou, Anastassios; Koutsilieris, Michael

2017-02-01

Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is a pleiotropic factor expressed in various tissues and plays a critical role in skeletal muscle physiology. Alternative splicing of the IGF-1 gene gives rise to different precursor polypeptides (isoforms) which could undergo post-translational cleavage, generating the common mature IGF-1 peptide and different carboxyl terminal extension (E-) peptides, with the fate of the latter being, so far, unknown. The objective if this study was to identify the IGF-1Ec forms or processing product(s), other than mature IGF-1, generated in different human and rodent tissues and particularly in human skeletal muscle after exercise-induced damage. Protein lysates from a wide range of human and rodent tissues were immunoblotted with a rabbit anti-human Ec polyclonal antibody raised against the last 24 amino acids of the C-terminal of the Ec peptide. This antibody can recognize the Ec peptide, both as part of IGF-1Ec and alone, and also the corresponding rodent forms, due to the high homology that the human Ec shares with the rodent Eb. We were able to confirm, for the first time, that the human Ec peptide and its rodent homologous Eb peptide are produced simultaneously with their precursor protein (pro-IGF-1Ec/Eb) in vivo, in a wide range of tissues (e.g. muscle, liver, heart). Proprotein convertase furin digestion of human muscle and liver protein lysates confirmed that the higher molecular form, pro-IGF-1Ec, can be cleaved to produce the free Ec peptide. Furthermore, initial evidence is provided that Ec peptide is differentially regulated during the process of muscle regeneration after exercise-induced damage in humans. The findings of this study possibly imply that the post-translational modification of the IGF-1Ec pro-peptide may regulate the bioavailability and activity of the processing product(s). Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

EC-18, a synthetic monoacetyldiglyceride (1-palmitoyl-2-linoleoyl-3-acetylglycerol), attenuates the asthmatic response in an aluminum hydroxide/ovalbumin-induced model of asthma.

PubMed

Shin, In-Sik; Shin, Na-Rae; Jeon, Chan-Mi; Kwon, Ok-Kyoung; Sohn, Ki-Young; Lee, Tae-Suk; Kim, Jae-Wha; Ahn, Kyung-Seop; Oh, Sei-Ryang

2014-01-01

EC-18 is a synthetic monoacetyldiaglyceride that is a major constituent in antlers of Sika deer (Cervus nippon Temmenick). In this study, we evaluated the protective effects of EC-18 on Th2-type cytokines, eosinophil infiltration, and other factors in an aluminum hydroxide/ovalbumin (OVA)-induced murine asthma model. Mice were sensitized on days 0 and 14 by intraperitoneal injection of OVA with aluminum hydroxide. On days 21, 22 and 23 after the initial sensitization, the mice received an airway challenge with OVA for 1h using an ultrasonic nebulizer. EC-18 was administered to mice by oral gavage at doses of 30mg/kg and 60mg/kg once daily from day 18 to 23. Methacholine responsiveness was measured 24h after the final OVA challenge, and the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was collected 48h after the final OVA challenge. EC-18 significantly reduced methacholine responsiveness, T helper type 2 (Th2) cytokines, eotaxin-1, immunoglobulin (Ig) E, IgG, and the number of inflammatory cells. In addition, EC-18-treated mice exhibited the reduction in the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in lung tissue. In the histological analysis using hematoxylin-eosin stain and periodic acid-Schiff stain, EC-18 attenuated the infiltration of inflammatory cells into the airway and reduced the level of mucus production. Our results showed that EC-18 effectively suppressed the asthmatic response induced by OVA challenge. These effects were considered to be associated with iNOS suppression. In conclusion, this study suggests that EC-18 may be a therapeutic agent for allergic asthma. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

JANNAF 28th Propellant Development and Characterization Subcommittee and 17th Safety and Environmental Protection Subcommittee Joint Meeting. Volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cocchiaro, James E. (Editor); Mulder, Edwin J. (Editor); Gomez-Knight, Sylvia J. (Editor)

1999-01-01

This volume contains 37 unclassified/unlimited-distribution technical papers that were presented at the JANNAF 28th Propellant Development & Characterization Subcommittee (PDCS) and 17th Safety & Environmental Protection Subcommittee (S&EPS) Joint Meeting, held 26-30 April 1999 at the Town & Country Hotel and the Naval Submarine Base, San Diego, California. Volume II contains 29 unclassified/limited-distribution papers that were presented at the 28th PDCS and 17th S&EPS Joint Meeting. Volume III contains a classified paper that was presented at the 28th PDCS Meeting on 27 April 1999. Topics covered in PDCS sessions include: solid propellant rheology; solid propellant surveillance and aging; propellant process engineering; new solid propellant ingredients and formulation development; reduced toxicity liquid propellants; characterization of hypergolic propellants; and solid propellant chemical analysis methods. Topics covered in S&EPS sessions include: space launch range safety; liquid propellant hazards; vapor detection methods for toxic propellant vapors and other hazardous gases; toxicity of propellants, ingredients, and propellant combustion products; personal protective equipment for toxic liquid propellants; and demilitarization/treatment of energetic material wastes.

An assessment of finite-element modeling techniques for thick-solid/thin-shell joints analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Min, J. B.; Androlake, S. G.

1993-01-01

The subject of finite-element modeling has long been of critical importance to the practicing designer/analyst who is often faced with obtaining an accurate and cost-effective structural analysis of a particular design. Typically, these two goals are in conflict. The purpose is to discuss the topic of finite-element modeling for solid/shell connections (joints) which are significant for the practicing modeler. Several approaches are currently in use, but frequently various assumptions restrict their use. Such techniques currently used in practical applications were tested, especially to see which technique is the most ideally suited for the computer aided design (CAD) environment. Some basic thoughts regarding each technique are also discussed. As a consequence, some suggestions based on the results are given to lead reliable results in geometrically complex joints where the deformation and stress behavior are complicated.

Electrochemical Liquid Phase Epitaxy (ec-LPE): A New Methodology for the Synthesis of Crystalline Group IV Semiconductor Epifilms.

PubMed

Demuth, Joshua; Fahrenkrug, Eli; Ma, Luyao; Shodiya, Titilayo; Deitz, Julia I; Grassman, Tyler J; Maldonado, Stephen

2017-05-24

Deposition of epitaxial germanium (Ge) thin films on silicon (Si) wafers has been achieved over large areas with aqueous feedstock solutions using electrochemical liquid phase epitaxy (ec-LPE) at low temperatures (T ≤ 90 °C). The ec-LPE method uniquely blends the simplicity and control of traditional electrodeposition with the material quality of melt growth. A new electrochemical cell design based on the compression of a liquid metal electrode into a thin cavity that enables ec-LPE is described. The epitaxial nature, low strain character, and crystallographic defect content of the resultant solid Ge films were analyzed by electron backscatter diffraction, scanning transmission electron microscopy, high resolution X-ray diffraction, and electron channeling contrast imaging. The results here show the first step toward a manufacturing infrastructure for traditional crystalline inorganic semiconductor epifilms that does not require high temperature, gaseous precursors, or complex apparatus.

Correlated Topic Vector for Scene Classification.

PubMed

Wei, Pengxu; Qin, Fei; Wan, Fang; Zhu, Yi; Jiao, Jianbin; Ye, Qixiang

2017-07-01

Scene images usually involve semantic correlations, particularly when considering large-scale image data sets. This paper proposes a novel generative image representation, correlated topic vector, to model such semantic correlations. Oriented from the correlated topic model, correlated topic vector intends to naturally utilize the correlations among topics, which are seldom considered in the conventional feature encoding, e.g., Fisher vector, but do exist in scene images. It is expected that the involvement of correlations can increase the discriminative capability of the learned generative model and consequently improve the recognition accuracy. Incorporated with the Fisher kernel method, correlated topic vector inherits the advantages of Fisher vector. The contributions to the topics of visual words have been further employed by incorporating the Fisher kernel framework to indicate the differences among scenes. Combined with the deep convolutional neural network (CNN) features and Gibbs sampling solution, correlated topic vector shows great potential when processing large-scale and complex scene image data sets. Experiments on two scene image data sets demonstrate that correlated topic vector improves significantly the deep CNN features, and outperforms existing Fisher kernel-based features.

Topical Treatment of Degenerative Knee Osteoarthritis.

PubMed

Meng, Zengdong; Huang, Rongzhong

2018-01-01

This article reviews topical management strategies for degenerative osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. A search of Pubmed, Embase and the Cochrane library using MeSH terms including "topical," "treatment," "knee" and "osteoarthritis" was carried out. Original research and review articles on the effectiveness and safety, recommendations from international published guidelines and acceptability studies of topical preparations were included. Current topical treatments included for the management of knee OA include topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, capsaicin, salicylates and physical treatments such as hot or cold therapy. Current treatment guidelines recommend topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs as an alternative and even first-line therapy for OA management, especially among elderly patients. Guidelines on other topical treatments vary, from recommendations against their use, to in favor as alternative or simultaneous therapy, especially for patients with contraindications to other analgesics. Although often well-tolerated and preferred by many patients, clinical care still lags in the adoption of topical treatments. Aspects of efficacy, safety and patient quality of life data require further research. Copyright © 2018 Southern Society for Clinical Investigation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Joint sealant study

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1987-09-01

ADOT has approximately 550 lane miles of jointed portland cement pavement under its jurisdiction. The current practice is to saw and seal the joints at the time of construction and reseal the joints under a rehabilitation project. ADOT does not speci...

The Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent fuel Management and on the safety of Radioactive Waste Management: A UK Regulator's Perspective

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

Lacey, D.; Bacon, M.L.

The UK fully supports the objective of the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management to achieve and maintain a high level of safety worldwide in spent fuel and radioactive waste management, through the enhancement of national measures and international co-operation, including where appropriate, safety-related co-operation. The UK's Health and Safety Executive, through its Nuclear Safety Directorate (NSD), has been committed to the Convention since the initial negotiations to set up the Convention and provided the president of the first review meeting in 2003. It would be wrong of anymore » nation to believe that they have all the best solutions to managing spent fuel and radioactive waste. The process of compiling reports for the Convention review meetings provides a structured process through which every contracting party can review its provisions against a common set of standards and identify for itself possible areas of improvements. The sharing of reports and the asking and answering of questions then provides a further opportunity for both sharing of experience and learning. The UK was encouraged by the spirit of constructive discussion rather than negative criticism that pervaded the first review meeting that provided an incentive for all to learn and improve. While, as could be expected of the first meeting of such a group, not everything worked as well as could be hoped for, all parties seemed committed to learn from mistakes and to make the process more effective. Lessons were learned from the Nuclear Safety Convention on the process of submitting reports electronically and the UK actively supported aims to use IAEA requirements documents as an additional focus for reports. This should, we hope, provide for even better benchmarking of achievements and provide feedback for improvements of the IAEA requirements where appropriate. In summary, the UK finds the Joint Convention process to be a

The Indian Nations At Risk Task Force and the National Advisory Council on Indian Education Joint Issues Sessions Proceedings. Annual Conference of the National Indian Education Association (22nd, San Diego, California, October 15-16, 1990).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Advisory Council on Indian Education, Washington, DC.

The Indian Nations At Risk Task Force and the National Advisory Council on Indian Education (NACIE) held joint sessions to hear testimony on important issues in American Indian education. This document presents statements given at 15 topical sessions and 3 additional sessions held for special groups. The 15 topics addressed were: teaching Native…

Choosing between NSAID and arnica for topical treatment of hand osteoarthritis in a randomised, double-blind study.

PubMed

Widrig, Reto; Suter, Andy; Saller, Reinhard; Melzer, Jörg

2007-04-01

The use of topical preparations for symptom relief is common in osteoarthritis. The effects of ibuprofen (5%) and arnica (50 g tincture/100 g, DER 1:20), as gel preparations in patients with radiologically confirmed and symptomatically active osteoarthritis of interphalangeal joints of hands, were evaluated in a randomised, double-blind study in 204 patients, to ascertain differences in pain relief and hand function after 21 days' treatment. Diagnosis was according to established criteria; primary endpoints were pain intensity and hand function; statistical design was as per current regulatory guidelines for testing topical preparations. There were no differences between the two groups in pain and hand function improvements, or in any secondary end points evaluated. Adverse events were reported by six patients (6.1%) on ibuprofen and by five patients (4.8%) on arnica. Our results confirm that this preparation of arnica is not inferior to ibuprofen when treating osteoarthritis of hands.

Balancing economic freedom against social policy principles: EC competition law and national health systems.

PubMed

Mossialos, Elias; Lear, Julia

2012-07-01

EU Health policy exemplifies the philosophical tension between EC economic freedoms and social policy. EC competition law, like other internal market rules, could restrict national health policy options despite the subsidiarity principle. In particular, European health system reforms that incorporate elements of market competition may trigger the application of competition rules if non-economic gains in consumer welfare are not adequately accounted for. This article defines the policy and legal parameters of the debate between competition law and health policy. Using a sample of cases it analyses how the ECJ, national courts, and National Competition Authorities have applied competition laws to the health services sector in different circumstances and in different ways. It concludes by considering the implications of the convergence of recent trends in competition law enforcement and health system market reforms. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Atypical brain activation patterns during a face-to-face joint attention game in adults with autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Redcay, Elizabeth; Dodell-Feder, David; Mavros, Penelope L; Kleiner, Mario; Pearrow, Mark J; Triantafyllou, Christina; Gabrieli, John D; Saxe, Rebecca

2013-10-01

Joint attention behaviors include initiating one's own and responding to another's bid for joint attention to an object, person, or topic. Joint attention abilities in autism are pervasively atypical, correlate with development of language and social abilities, and discriminate children with autism from other developmental disorders. Despite the importance of these behaviors, the neural correlates of joint attention in individuals with autism remain unclear. This paucity of data is likely due to the inherent challenge of acquiring data during a real-time social interaction. We used a novel experimental set-up in which participants engaged with an experimenter in an interactive face-to-face joint attention game during fMRI data acquisition. Both initiating and responding to joint attention behaviors were examined as well as a solo attention (SA) control condition. Participants included adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) (n = 13), a mean age- and sex-matched neurotypical group (n = 14), and a separate group of neurotypical adults (n = 22). Significant differences were found between groups within social-cognitive brain regions, including dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (dMPFC) and right posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS), during the RJA as compared to SA conditions. Region-of-interest analyses revealed a lack of signal differentiation between joint attention and control conditions within left pSTS and dMPFC in individuals with ASD. Within the pSTS, this lack of differentiation was characterized by reduced activation during joint attention and relative hyper-activation during SA. These findings suggest a possible failure of developmental neural specialization within the STS and dMPFC to joint attention in ASD. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Is the topic of malnutrition in older adults addressed in the European nursing curricula? A MaNuEL study.

PubMed

Eglseer, Doris; Halfens, Ruud J G; Schüssler, Sandra; Visser, Marjolein; Volkert, Dorothee; Lohrmann, Christa

2018-05-26

The lack of sufficient knowledge of health care professionals is one main barrier to implementing adequate nutritional interventions. Until now, it is not known to which extent European nurses are exposed to the topic of malnutrition in older adults during their education. To determine whether formal nursing degree programs in Europe address the topic of nutrition and, specifically, malnutrition in older adults. A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online-survey. The online-survey link was e-mailed to 926 nursing education institutions in 31 European countries. This study was conducted as part of the Healthy Diet for Healthy Life Joint Programming Initiative, Malnutrition in the Elderly Knowledge Hub (MaNuEL) project. Descriptive analyses were performed using SPSS. Associations were calculated using the chi-square tests and Fisher's exact test. The response rate of our survey was 14.2% (131 institutions). Of these, 113 (86.3%) addressed the topic of nutrition in their educational programs, and 73.7% addressed the topic of malnutrition in older adults. Malnutrition screening (70.8%), causes (67.2%) and consequences (68.7%) of malnutrition were frequently-addressed topics of content. Topics that were rarely addressed included nutritional support in intensive care units (ICU) (23.7%), cooperation in multidisciplinary nutrition teams (28.2%), dietary counselling (32.1%) and the responsibilities of various professions in nutritional support (35.1%). The topic of malnutrition in older adults is taught by nurses in 52.7%, by dietitians in 23.7%, by nutritional scientists in 18.3%, and physicians in 19.8% of the institutions. The topics of malnutrition and malnutrition screening are currently not included in the content of nutrition courses taught at nearly 30% of the European educational institutions for nurses. Nursing educators urgently need to improve curriculum content with respect to the topic of malnutrition in older adults to enable nurses to provide high

Academic Performance. INAR/NACIE Joint Issues Sessions. National Indian Education Association (NIEA) Annual Conference (22nd, San Diego, California, October 15, 1990).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Advisory Council on Indian Education, Washington, DC.

This report summarizes two joint sessions held by the Indian Nations At Risk Task Force and the National Advisory Council on Indian Education to hear testimony on issues related to the academic performance of Native American students. Educators, employers, parents, and tribal officials testified on the following topics: Native students' high…

The ecdysone receptor (EcR) is a major regulator of tissue development and growth in the marine salmonid ectoparasite, Lepeophtheirus salmonis (Copepoda, Caligidae).

PubMed

Sandlund, Liv; Nilsen, Frank; Male, Rune; Dalvin, Sussie

2016-08-01

The function of the ecdysone receptor (EcR) during development and molting has been thoroughly investigated in some arthropods such as insects but rarely in crustacean copepods such as the salmon louse Lepeophtheirus salmonis (L. salmonis) (Copepoda, Caligidae). The salmon louse is an ectoparasite on Atlantic salmon that has major economical impact in aquaculture due to the cost of medical treatment methods to remove lice from the fish. Handling of salmon louse infestations is further complicated by development of resistance towards available medicines. Understanding of basic molecular biological processes in the salmon louse is essential to enable development of new tools to control the parasite. In this study, we found L. salmonis EcR (LsEcR) transcript to be present in the neuronal somata of the brain, nuclei of muscle fibres and the immature intestine of the salmon louse. Furthermore, we explored the function of LsEcR during development using RNA interference mediated knock-down and through infection trials. Our results show that knock-down of LsEcR in the salmon louse is associated with hypotrophy of several tissues, delayed development and mortality. In addition, combined knock-down of LsEcR/LsRXR resulted in molting arrest during early larval stages. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The joint cardiovascular research profile of the university medical centres in the Netherlands.

PubMed

van Welie, S D; van Leeuwen, T N; Bouma, C J; Klaassen, A B M

2016-05-01

Biomedical scientific research in the Netherlands has a good reputation worldwide. Quantitatively, the university medical centres (UMCs) deliver about 40 % of the total number of scientific publications of this research. Analysis of the bibliometric output data of the UMCs shows that their research is highly cited. These output-based analyses also indicate the high impact of cardiovascular scientific research in these centres, illustrating the strength of this research in the Netherlands. A set of six joint national cardiovascular research topics selected by the UMCs can be recognised. At the top are heart failure, rhythm disorder research and atherosclerosis. National collaboration of top scientists in consortia in these three areas is successful in acquiring funding of large-scale programs. Our observations suggest that funding national consortia of experts focused on a few selected research topics may increase the international competitiveness of cardiovascular research in the Netherlands.

Evaluative Conditioning: Recent Developments and Future Directions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gast, Anne; Gawronski, Bertram; De Houwer, Jan

2012-01-01

Evaluative conditioning (EC) is generally considered to be one of the routes via which likes and dislikes are acquired. We identify recent trends in EC research and speculate about the topics that will dominate future research on EC. Many of the recent developments in EC research were shaped by functional definitions of EC that refer only to…

Topical botulinum toxin.

PubMed

Collins, Ashley; Nasir, Adnan

2010-03-01

Nanotechnology is a rapidly growing discipline that capitalizes on the unique properties of matter engineered on the nanoscale. Vehicles incorporating nanotechnology have led to great strides in drug delivery, allowing for increased active ingredient stability, bioavailability, and site-specific targeting. Botulinum toxin has historically been used for the correction of neurological and neuromuscular disorders, such as torticollis, blepharospasm, and strabismus. Recent dermatological indications have been for the management of axillary hyperhydrosis and facial rhytides. Traditional methods of botulinum toxin delivery have been needle-based. These have been associated with increased pain and cost. Newer methods of botulinum toxin formulation have yielded topical preparations that are bioactive in small pilot clinical studies. While there are some risks associated with topical delivery, the refinement and standardization of delivery systems and techniques for the topical administration of botulinum toxin using nanotechnology is anticipated in the near future.

Topical methotrexate pretreatment enhances the therapeutic effect of topical 5-aminolevulinic acid-mediated photodynamic therapy on hamster buccal pouch precancers.

PubMed

Yang, Deng-Fu; Lee, Jeng-Woei; Chen, Hsin-Ming; Hsu, Yih-Chih

2014-09-01

Topical 5-aminolevulinic acid-mediated photodynamic therapy (ALA-PDT) is effective for treatment of human oral precancerous lesions. This animal study aimed to assess whether topical methotrexate (MTX) pretreatment could enhance the therapeutic effect of topical ALA-PDT on hamster buccal pouch precancerous lesions. Twenty hamster buccal pouch precancerous lesions were treated with either topical ALA-PDT with topical MTX pretreatment (topical MTX-ALA-PDT group, n = 10) or topical ALA-PDT alone (topical ALA-PDT group, n = 10). The intracellular protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) level in another 12 precancerous lesions (n = 6 for either the topical MTX-ALA or topical ALA group) was monitored by fluorescence spectroscopy. The intracellular PpIX reached its peak level in precancerous lesions 6.5 hours and 2.5 hours after topical ALA application for the topical MTX-ALA group (5.63-fold higher in the lesion than in the normal mucosa) and topical ALA group (2.42-fold higher in the lesion than in the normal mucosa), respectively. The complete response rate of precancerous lesions was 80% for the topical MTX-ALA-PDT group and 70% for the topical ALA-PDT group. In addition, the topical MTX-ALA-PDT group required a significantly lower mean treatment number (2.1 ± 0.6) to achieve complete response than the topical ALA-PDT group (4.4 ± 1.3, p < 0.001)). Moreover, the topical MTX-ALA-PDT group had a lower recurrence rate (12.5%) than the topical ALA-PDT group (28.6%). We conclude that topical MTX-pretreatment can increase intracellular PpIX production in hamster buccal pouch precancerous lesions and significantly improves the outcomes of the precancerous lesions treated with topical ALA-PDT. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Topical treatment of psoriasis: questionnaire results on topical therapy accessibility and influence of body surface area on usage.

PubMed

Iversen, L; Lange, M M; Bissonette, R; Carvalho, A V E; van de Kerkhof, P C; Kirby, B; Kleyn, C E; Lynde, C W; van der Walt, J M; Wu, J J

2017-07-01

Topical treatment of mild to moderate psoriasis is first-line treatment and exhibits varying degrees of success across patient groups. Key factors influencing treatment success are physician topical treatment choice (high efficacy, low adverse events) and strict patient adherence. Currently, no formalized, international consensus guidelines exist to direct optimal topical treatment, although many countries have national guidelines. To describe and analyse cross-regional variations in the use and access of psoriasis topical therapies. The study was conducted as an observational cross-sectional study. A survey was distributed to dermatologists from the International Psoriasis Council (IPC) to assess topical therapy accessibility in 26 countries and to understand how body surface area (BSA) categories guide clinical decisions on topical use. Variation in the availability of tars, topical retinoids, dithranol and balneotherapy was reported. The vast majority of respondents (100% and 88.4%) used topical therapy as first-line monotherapy in situations with BSA < 3% and BSA between 3% and 10%, respectively. However, with disease severity increasing to BSA > 10%, the number of respondents who prescribe topical therapy decreased considerably. In addition, combination therapy of a topical drug and a systemic drug was frequently reported when BSA measured >10%. This physician survey provides new evidence on topical access and the influence of disease severity on topical usage in an effort to improve treatment strategies on a global level. © 2017 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.

Comparison of the stability of topical isotretinoin and topical tretinoin and their efficacy in acne.

PubMed

Elbaum, D J

1988-09-01

After 4 hours of exposure to incandescent light, 80% of 0.05% topical isotretinoin and 60% of 0.05% topical tretinoin preparations remained in their original form. In contrast, after 2 hours of exposure to fluorescent light only 25% of topical tretinoin and possibly 60% of topical isotretinoin remained in their original forms. Longer exposure to fluorescent light did not result in further breakdown, and the final breakdown of both preparations was similar. A 12-week, double-blind clinical trial comparing isotretinoin (0.05%) with tretinoin (0.05%) applied topically to patients with moderate acne was carried out. Both preparations caused significant reductions in papules and pustules. However, neither treatment was significantly superior to the other in the reduction of acne lesions. This may be because both preparations are rapidly broken down to similar products when exposed to fluorescent light.

On the Topical Structure of Medical Charts

PubMed Central

Archbold, Armar A.; Evans, David A.

1989-01-01

In a study of 55 H&P sections of hospital charts, we tested the hypothesis that topic-sub-topic sequencing is sufficiently regular to provide ‘missing’ information in the construction of explicit propositions from elliptical text. ‘Propositions’ were taken to be frames with the slots topic, sub-topic, method, site, attribute, value, and qualifier. Topic was identifiable in 96% of all cases; attribute-value pairs were uniquely recoverable from topics in 69% of all cases; site was co-determined by topic, method, and attribute. Our results suggest that uncertainties in the automated processing of H&P statements can be overcome by appealing to knowledge about the topical structure of medical charts.

[Non adherence and topical steroids].

PubMed

Aubert, H; Barbarot, S

2012-01-01

Compliance raises very specific questions in dermatology related to the frequent use of local treatments: creams or ointments, including topical corticosteroids. The adherence in dermatology is a complex issue. It is difficult to quantify objectively because of the patient subjectivity, the constant adaptation to changes in the course of the disease, and due to the lack of adapted device. Moreover poor compliance may be related to topical corticosteroid phobia, defined as a fear vis-à-vis the topical corticosteroids, rational or not. The topical corticosteroid phobia is very common in the management of chronic inflammatory skin diseases especially in atopic dermatitis. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Regulation (EC) No 1901/2006 on medicinal products for paediatric use & clinical research in vulnerable populations.

PubMed

Lehmann, Birka

2008-12-08

Before any medicinal product is authorised for use in adults, it must undergo extensive pharmaceutical consistency and stability tests, toxicological tests and clinical trials to ensure that it is of high quality, safe and effective.The same approach may not always be applied to medicinal products used to treat children.Studies showed that over 50% of the medicinal products used in children may not have been tested for use in this age group. The absence of suitable authorised medicinal products to treat conditions in children results from the fact that pharmaceutical companies do not adapt medicinal products to the needs of the paediatric population. This leaves health care professionals with no alternative other than to use medicinal products "off-label" and to use unauthorised products with the associated risks of inefficacy and/or adverse reactions.The Regulation (EC) No 1901/2006 sets up a system of requirements, rewards and incentives, together with horizontal measures, to ensure that medicinal products are researched, developed and authorised to meet the therapeutic needs of children.The Regulation is addressed to: 1. The pharmaceutical industry by setting out the legal framework for receiving rewards and incentives by conducting clinical trials in the paediatric population. 2. The Member States to set out to support research into, and the development and availability of, medicinal products for paediatric use. 3. The Community as funds for research into medicinal products for the paediatric population shall be provided for in the Community budget in order to support studies relating to medicinal products or active substances not covered by a patent or a supplementary protection certificate. The legal framework for conducting clinical trials, including children/minors, is set up in Directive 2001/20/EC, the Clinical Trials Directive (CTD), for the European Union (EU). The CTD establishes specific provisions regarding conduct of clinical trials, including multi

Joint swelling

MedlinePlus

... of arthritis caused by buildup of uric acid crystals in a joint ( gout ) Arthritis caused by wear ... osteoarthritis ) Arthritis caused by buildup of calcium-type crystals in joints ( pseudogout ) Disorder that involves arthritis and ...

Disulfide-stabilized Helical Hairpin Structure and Activity of a Novel Antifungal Peptide EcAMP1 from Seeds of Barnyard Grass (Echinochloa crus-galli)*

PubMed Central

Nolde, Svetlana B.; Vassilevski, Alexander A.; Rogozhin, Eugene A.; Barinov, Nikolay A.; Balashova, Tamara A.; Samsonova, Olga V.; Baranov, Yuri V.; Feofanov, Alexey V.; Egorov, Tsezi A.; Arseniev, Alexander S.; Grishin, Eugene V.

2011-01-01

This study presents purification, activity characterization, and 1H NMR study of the novel antifungal peptide EcAMP1 from kernels of barnyard grass Echinochloa crus-galli. The peptide adopts a disulfide-stabilized α-helical hairpin structure in aqueous solution and thus represents a novel fold among naturally occurring antimicrobial peptides. Micromolar concentrations of EcAMP1 were shown to inhibit growth of several fungal phytopathogens. Confocal microscopy revealed intensive EcAMP1 binding to the surface of fungal conidia followed by internalization and accumulation in the cytoplasm without disturbance of membrane integrity. Close spatial structure similarity between EcAMP1, the trypsin inhibitor VhTI from seeds of Veronica hederifolia, and some scorpion and cone snail toxins suggests natural elaboration of different functions on a common fold. PMID:21561864

EC85-33205-07

NASA Image and Video Library

1985-10-18

This photograph shows a modified General Dynamics AFTI/F-111A Aardvark with supercritical mission adaptive wings (MAW) installed. The four dark bands on the right wing are the locations of pressure orifices used to measure surface pressures and shock locations on the MAW. The El Paso Mountains and Red Rock Canyon State Park Califonia, about 30 miles northwest of Edwards Air Force Base, are seen directly in the background. With the phasing out of the TACT program came a renewed effort by the Air Force Flight Dynamics Laboratory to extend supercritical wing technology to a higher level of performance. In the early 1980s the supercritical wing on the F-111A aircraft was replaced with a wing built by Boeing Aircraft Company System called a “mission adaptive wing” (MAW), and a joint NASA and Air Force program called Advanced Fighter Technology Integration (AFTI) was born.

The joint flanker effect and the joint Simon effect: On the comparability of processes underlying joint compatibility effects.

PubMed

Dittrich, Kerstin; Bossert, Marie-Luise; Rothe-Wulf, Annelie; Klauer, Karl Christoph

2017-09-01

Previous studies observed compatibility effects in different interference paradigms such as the Simon and flanker task even when the task was distributed across two co-actors. In both Simon and flanker tasks, performance is improved in compatible trials relative to incompatible trials if one actor works on the task alone as well as if two co-actors share the task. These findings have been taken to indicate that actors automatically co-represent their co-actor's task. However, recent research on the joint Simon and joint flanker effect suggests alternative non-social interpretations. To which degree both joint effects are driven by the same underlying processes is the question of the present study, and it was scrutinized by manipulating the visibility of the co-actor. While the joint Simon effect was not affected by the visibility of the co-actor, the joint flanker effect was reduced when participants did not see their co-actors but knew where the co-actors were seated. These findings provide further evidence for a spatial interpretation of the joint Simon effect. In contrast to recent claims, however, we propose a new explanation of the joint flanker effect that attributes the effect to an impairment in the focusing of spatial attention contingent on the visibility of the co-actor.

A Modelling Method of Bolt Joints Based on Basic Characteristic Parameters of Joint Surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuansheng, Li; Guangpeng, Zhang; Zhen, Zhang; Ping, Wang

2018-02-01

Bolt joints are common in machine tools and have a direct impact on the overall performance of the tools. Therefore, the understanding of bolt joint characteristics is essential for improving machine design and assembly. Firstly, According to the experimental data obtained from the experiment, the stiffness curve formula was fitted. Secondly, a finite element model of unit bolt joints such as bolt flange joints, bolt head joints, and thread joints was constructed, and lastly the stiffness parameters of joint surfaces were implemented in the model by the secondary development of ABAQUS. The finite element model of the bolt joint established by this method can simulate the contact state very well.

[Perioperative management in outpatient arthroscopy of the knee joint].

PubMed

Müller-Rath, R; Ingenhoven, E; Mumme, T; Schumacher, M; Miltner, O

2010-05-01

Nowadays, complex arthroscopic procedures of the knee joint, such as ACL reconstruction, are routinely carried out on an outpatient basis. The reduced time spent with the patient places high demands on the surgeon with regard to the management of such cases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the current standards of perioperative management following outpatient arthroscopic surgery of the knee in Germany. A questionnaire consisting of 18 questions was sent to 215 members of the German Association of Outpatient Arthroscopy (BVASK e. V.), dealing with the following topics: antibiotic prophylaxis, DVT prophylaxis, use of a tourniquet and suction drain, physical therapy, physiotherapy, analgesia, anaesthesia and emergency management. More than 51% of the forms were returned and considered suitable for statistical analysis. A total of 62% of the surgeons reported the use of an antibiotic prophylaxis (i. v. single shot) in every arthroscopic case, while 19% administer antibiotics only occasionally, especially in ACL reconstruction. Postoperative antibiotic treatment was reserved for special situations, such as prior joint infection. Prophylaxis of DVT by means of low molecular weight heparin was carried out in 96% of the cases. 51% prescribed anticoagulant agents for 1 week, 39% for the duration of reduced weight bearing. Half of the surgeons used a tourniquet cuff, 22% exsanguinate the limb prior to cuff inflation. A suction drainage was applied by 36% of the surgeons regularly and by 45% occasionally. The drain is left for one day by 79% of the surgeons, while 11% reported a shortened use of only several hours. With regard to analgesia, 66% of all surgeons apply some kind of local anaesthetic into the knee joint post surgery. Systemic preoperative analgesics or anti-inflammatory agents are given regularly in 56 % of the cases. A total of 92% of the procedures are carried out under general anaesthesia. In 36% of the cases, some kind of additional regional peripheral

Effects of COREXIT (registered trademark) EC9500A on Bacteria from a Beach Oiled by the Deepwater Horizon Spill

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

AQUATIC MICROBIAL ECOLOGY Aquat Microb Ecol Vol. 63: 101–109, 2011 doi: 10.3354/ame01482 Published online March 31 INTRODUCTION The mobile offshore...toxicity tests confirm that COREXIT® EC9500A does not pose a significant threat to invertebrate and adult fish pop- ulations, there is limited information on...Deepwater Horizon incident. Although toxicity tests confirm that COREXIT? EC9500A does not pose a significant threat to invertebrate and adult fish

EC power management in ITER for NTM control: the path from the commissioning phase to demonstration discharges

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

Poli, Francesca M.; Fredrickson, Eric; Henderson, Mark A.

Time dependent simulations that evolve consistently the magnetic equilibrium and plasma pressure profiles and the width and frequency rotation of magnetic islands under the effect of the Electron Cyclotron feedback system are used to assess whether the control of NTMs on ITER is compatible with other simulataneous functionalities of the EC system, like core heating and current profile tailoring, or sawtooth control. Furthermore, results indicate that the power needs for control can be reduced if the EC power is reserved and if pre-emptive control is used as opposed to an active search for an already developed island.

EC power management in ITER for NTM control: the path from the commissioning phase to demonstration discharges

DOE PAGES

Poli, Francesca M.; Fredrickson, Eric; Henderson, Mark A.; ...

2017-10-23

Time dependent simulations that evolve consistently the magnetic equilibrium and plasma pressure profiles and the width and frequency rotation of magnetic islands under the effect of the Electron Cyclotron feedback system are used to assess whether the control of NTMs on ITER is compatible with other simulataneous functionalities of the EC system, like core heating and current profile tailoring, or sawtooth control. Furthermore, results indicate that the power needs for control can be reduced if the EC power is reserved and if pre-emptive control is used as opposed to an active search for an already developed island.

Recent advances in topical anesthesia

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Topical anesthetics act on the peripheral nerves and reduce the sensation of pain at the site of application. In dentistry, they are used to control local pain caused by needling, placement of orthodontic bands, the vomiting reflex, oral mucositis, and rubber-dam clamp placement. Traditional topical anesthetics contain lidocaine or benzocaine as active ingredients and are used in the form of solutions, creams, gels, and sprays. Eutectic mixtures of local anesthesia cream, a mixture of various topical anesthetics, has been reported to be more potent than other anesthetics. Recently, new products with modified ingredients and application methods have been introduced into the market. These products may be used for mild pain during periodontal treatment, such as scaling. Dentists should be aware that topical anesthetics, although rare, might induce allergic reactions or side effects as a result of an overdose. Topical anesthetics are useful aids during dental treatment, as they reduce dental phobia, especially in children, by mitigating discomfort and pain. PMID:28879311

Accuracy of the energy-corrected sudden (ECS) scaling procedure for rotational excitation of CO by collisions with Ar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Green, S.; Cochrane, D. L.; Truhlar, D. G.

1986-01-01

The utility of the energy-corrected sudden (ECS) scaling method is evaluated on the basis of how accurately it predicts the entire matrix of state-to-state rate constants, when the fundamental rate constants are independently known. It is shown for the case of Ar-CO collisions at 500 K that when a critical impact parameter is about 1.75-2.0 A, the ECS method yields excellent excited state rates on the average and has an rms error of less than 20 percent.

Discriminative Relational Topic Models.

PubMed

Chen, Ning; Zhu, Jun; Xia, Fei; Zhang, Bo

2015-05-01

Relational topic models (RTMs) provide a probabilistic generative process to describe both the link structure and document contents for document networks, and they have shown promise on predicting network structures and discovering latent topic representations. However, existing RTMs have limitations in both the restricted model expressiveness and incapability of dealing with imbalanced network data. To expand the scope and improve the inference accuracy of RTMs, this paper presents three extensions: 1) unlike the common link likelihood with a diagonal weight matrix that allows the-same-topic interactions only, we generalize it to use a full weight matrix that captures all pairwise topic interactions and is applicable to asymmetric networks; 2) instead of doing standard Bayesian inference, we perform regularized Bayesian inference (RegBayes) with a regularization parameter to deal with the imbalanced link structure issue in real networks and improve the discriminative ability of learned latent representations; and 3) instead of doing variational approximation with strict mean-field assumptions, we present collapsed Gibbs sampling algorithms for the generalized relational topic models by exploring data augmentation without making restricting assumptions. Under the generic RegBayes framework, we carefully investigate two popular discriminative loss functions, namely, the logistic log-loss and the max-margin hinge loss. Experimental results on several real network datasets demonstrate the significance of these extensions on improving prediction performance.

Mutual coordination strengthens the sense of joint agency in cooperative joint action.

PubMed

Bolt, Nicole K; Poncelet, Evan M; Schultz, Benjamin G; Loehr, Janeen D

2016-11-01

Philosophers have proposed that when people coordinate their actions with others they may experience a sense of joint agency, or shared control over actions and their effects. However, little empirical work has investigated the sense of joint agency. In the current study, pairs coordinated their actions to produce tone sequences and then rated their sense of joint agency on a scale ranging from shared to independent control. People felt more shared than independent control overall, confirming that people experience joint agency during joint action. Furthermore, people felt stronger joint agency when they (a) produced sequences that required mutual coordination compared to sequences in which only one partner had to coordinate with the other, (b) held the role of follower compared to leader, and (c) were better coordinated with their partner. Thus, the strength of joint agency is influenced by the degree to which people mutually coordinate with each other's actions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Joint Chiefs of Staff > Leadership

Science.gov Websites

Senior Enlisted Advisor Joint Staff History Joint Staff Inspector General Joint Staff Structure Origin of J8 | Force Structure, Resources & Assessment Contact Joint Staff Structure Joint Staff Organizational Chart Joint Chiefs of Staff Links Home Today in DOD About DOD Top Issues News Photos/Videos

Hybrid imaging worldwide-challenges and opportunities for the developing world: a report of a Technical Meeting organized by IAEA.

PubMed

Kashyap, Ravi; Dondi, Maurizio; Paez, Diana; Mariani, Guliano

2013-05-01

The growth in nuclear medicine, in the past decade, is largely due to hybrid imaging, specifically single-photon emission tomography-computed tomography (SPECT-CT) and positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT). Introduction and use of hybrid imaging has been growing at a fast pace. This has led to many challenges and opportunities to the personnel dealing with it. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) keeps a close watch on the trends in applications of nuclear techniques in health by many ways, including obtaining inputs from member states and professional societies. In 2012, a Technical Meeting on trends in hybrid imaging was organized by IAEA to understand the current status and trends of hybrid imaging using nuclear techniques, its role in clinical practice, and associated educational needs and challenges. Perspective of scientific societies and professionals from all the regions of the world was obtained. Heterogeneity in value, educational needs, and access was noted and the drivers of this heterogeneity were discussed. This article presents the key points shared during the technical meeting, focusing primarily on SPECT-CT and PET-CT, and shares the action plan for IAEA to deal with heterogeneity as suggested by the participants. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

No-anesthesia clear corneal phacoemulsification versus topical and topical plus intracameral anesthesia. Randomized clinical trial.

PubMed

Pandey, S K; Werner, L; Apple, D J; Agarwal, A; Agarwal, A; Agarwal, S

2001-10-01

To compare the intraoperative pain scores during clear corneal phacoemulsification under no anesthesia, topical anesthesia, and topical plus intracameral anesthesia. Dr. Agarwal's Eye Hospital and Eye Research Center, Chennai, India. Seventy-five patients were randomized to have phacoemulsification under no anesthesia, topical anesthesia, or topical plus intracameral anesthesia. Uncooperative or illiterate patients and those with hard cataract, a shallow anterior chamber, or small pupils were excluded. A protocol was established for supplemental anesthesia in case of breakthrough pain during the surgery. Each patient was asked to grade the overall severity of intraoperative pain immediately after surgery on a 10-point visual analog scale. Also evaluated were the general discomfort during surgery, discomfort from the microscope lights, surgeon stress during surgery, and total surgical time. Comparison among the 3 groups was performed using an analysis of variance. No supplemental anesthesia was required in any group. No significant difference was noted in the mean scores of the subjective sensation of pain with or without topical anesthesia (P =.610). The mean scores of patient discomfort from the microscope lights and surgical time were also statistically insignificant. Patient discomfort and surgeon stress during surgery were significantly greater in the no-anesthesia group than in the topical and topical plus intracameral groups (P =.0235 and P = 0.0206, respectively). No-anesthesia clear corneal phacoemulsification was performed by a highly experienced, skilled surgeon without causing an unacceptable level of pain. However, this technique is not suitable for every cataract surgeon or patient.

Problematic topic transitions in dysarthric conversation.

PubMed

Bloch, Steven; Saldert, Charlotta; Ferm, Ulrika

2015-01-01

This study examined the nature of topic transition problems associated with acquired progressive dysarthric speech in the everyday conversation of people with motor neurone disease. Using conversation analytic methods, a video collection of five naturally occurring problematic topic transitions was identified, transcribed and analysed. These were extracted from a main collection of over 200 other-initiated repair sequences and a sub-set of 15 problematic topic transition sequences. The sequences were analysed with reference to how the participants both identified and resolved the problems. Analysis revealed that topic transition by people with dysarthria can prove problematic. Conversation partners may find transitions problematic not only because of speech intelligibility but also because of a sequential disjuncture between the dysarthric speech turn and whatever topic has come prior. In addition the treatment of problematic topic transition as a complaint reveals the potential vulnerability of people with dysarthria to judgements of competence. These findings have implications for how dysarthria is conceptualized and how specific actions in conversation, such as topic transition, might be suitable targets for clinical intervention.

Georeferenced measurement of soil EC as a tool to detect susceptible areas to water erosion.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fabian Sallesses, Leonardo; Aparicio, Virginia Carolina; Costa, Jose Luis

2017-04-01

The Southeast region of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, is one of the main region for the cultivation of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) in that country. The implementation of complementary irrigation for potato cultivation meant an increase in yield of up to 60%. Therefore, all potato production in the region is under irrigation. In this way, the area under central pivot irrigation has increased to 150% in the last two decades. The water used for irrigation in that region is underground with a high concentration of sodium bicarbonate. The combination of irrigation and rain increases the sodium absorption ratio of soil (SARs), consequently raising the clay dispersion and reducing infiltration. A reduction in infiltration means greater partitioning of precipitation into runoff. The degree of slope of the terrain, added to its length, increases the erosive potential of runoff water. The content of dissolved salts, in combination with the water content, affect the apparent Electrical Conductivity of the soil (EC), which is directly related to the concentration of Na + 2 in the soil solution. In August 2016, severe rill erosion was detected in a productive plot of 300 ha. The predecessor crop was a potato under irrigation campaign. However the history of the lot consists of various winter and summer crops, always made in dry land and no till. Cumulative rainfall from harvest to erosion detection (four months) was 250 mm. A georeferenced EC measurement was performed using the Verys 3100® contact sensor. With the data obtained, a geostatistical analysis was performed using Kriging spatial interpolation. The maps obtained were processed, dividing them into 4 EC ranges. The values and amplitude of the CEa ranges for each lot were determined according to the distribution observed in the generated histograms. It was observed a distribution of elevated EC ranges and consequently of a higher concentration of Na+ 2 coincident with the irrigation areas of the pivots. These

Signaling networks in joint development

PubMed Central

Salva, Joanna E.; Merrill, Amy E.

2016-01-01

Here we review studies identifying regulatory networks responsible for synovial, cartilaginous, and fibrous joint development. Synovial joints, characterized by the fluid-filled synovial space between the bones, are found in high-mobility regions and are the most common type of joint. Cartilaginous joints unite adjacent bones through either a hyaline cartilage or fibrocartilage intermediate. Fibrous joints, which include the cranial sutures, form a direct union between bones through fibrous connective tissue. We describe how the distinct morphologic and histogenic characteristics of these joint classes are established during embryonic development. Collectively, these studies reveal that despite the heterogeneity of joint strength and mobility, joint development throughout the skeleton utilizes common signaling networks via long-range morphogen gradients and direct cell-cell contact. This suggests that different joint types represent specialized variants of homologous developmental modules. Identifying the unifying aspects of the signaling networks between joint classes allows a more complete understanding of the signaling code for joint formation, which is critical to improving strategies for joint regeneration and repair. PMID:27859991

ACE2-EPC-EXs protect ageing ECs against hypoxia/reoxygenation-induced injury through the miR-18a/Nox2/ROS pathway.

PubMed

Zhang, Cheng; Wang, Jinju; Ma, Xiaotang; Wang, Wenjun; Zhao, Bin; Chen, Yanfang; Chen, Can; Bihl, Ji C

2018-03-01

Oxidative stress is one of the mechanisms of ageing-associated vascular dysfunction. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and microRNA (miR)-18a have shown to be down-regulated in ageing cells. Our previous study has shown that ACE2-primed endothelial progenitor cells (ACE2-EPCs) have protective effects on endothelial cells (ECs), which might be due to their released exosomes (EXs). Here, we aimed to investigate whether ACE2-EPC-EXs could attenuate hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)-induced injury in ageing ECs through their carried miR-18a. Young and angiotensin II-induced ageing ECs were subjected to H/R and co-cultured with vehicle (medium), EPC-EXs, ACE2-EPCs-EXs, ACE2-EPCs-EXs + DX600 or ACE2-EPCs-EXs with miR-18a deficiency (ACE2-EPCs-EXs anti-miR-18a ). Results showed (1) ageing ECs displayed increased senescence, apoptosis and ROS production, but decreased ACE2 and miR-18a expressions and tube formation ability; (2) under H/R condition, ageing ECs showed higher rate of apoptosis, ROS overproduction and nitric oxide reduction, up-regulation of Nox2, down-regulation of ACE2, miR-18a and eNOS, and compromised tube formation ability; (3) compared with EPC-EXs, ACE2-EPC-EXs had better efficiencies on protecting ECs from H/R-induced changes; (4) The protective effects were less seen in ACE2-EPCs-EXs + DX600 and ACE2-EPCs-EXs anti-miR-18a groups. These data suggest that ACE-EPCs-EXs have better protective effects on H/R injury in ageing ECs which could be through their carried miR-18a and subsequently down-regulating the Nox2/ROS pathway. © 2018 The Authors. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Foundation for Cellular and Molecular Medicine.

Intelligent topical sentiment analysis for the classification of e-learners and their topics of interest.

PubMed

Ravichandran, M; Kulanthaivel, G; Chellatamilan, T