Rs4265085 in GPER1 gene increases the risk for unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion in Dai and Bai ethnic groups in China.

PubMed

Tang, Liang; Zheng, Shui; Wang, Yan; Li, Fang; Bao, Meihua; Zeng, Jie; Xiang, Ju; Luo, Huaiqing; Li, Jianming

2017-04-01

Oestrogen receptors are implicated in the pathogenesis of recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA). Non-genomic oestrogen responses can be mediated by GPER. The prevalence of polymorphisms in GPER1 gene in RSA was assessed in 747 Chinese women from Yunnan province (171 Bai, 258 Chinese Han, 234 Dai, 33 Achang and 51 Jingpo patients). Snapshot technology was used for genotyping the polymorphisms of the GPER1 gene. The rs4265085G was significantly increased in the Dai and Bai groups versus controls (Dai: P < 0.0001, P adj < 0.0001, OR 95% CI 2.34 [1.79 to 3.05]; Bai: P = 0.0004, P adj = 0.0012, OR 95% CI 1.71 [1.27 to 2.31]); recessive model of rs4265085 in the Dai (P = 0.003, P adj = 0.009, OR 95% CI 2.71 [1.38 to 5.30]); Bai (P < 0.0001, P adj < 0.0001, OR 95% CI 3.37 [1.93 to 5.91]). Haplotype frequencies containing rs10269151G-rs4265085G-rs11544331C were separately significantly different in Dai and Bai ethnic groups (Dai: P = 0.0002, P adj = 0.001, OR 95% CI = 2.12 [1.43 to 3.17]; Bai: P = 0.005, P adj = 0.025, OR 95% CI = 1.82 [1.18 to 2.78]) compared with controls. The intron variant rs4265085 may confer risk for RSA in Dai and Bai ethnic groups. Copyright © 2017 Reproductive Healthcare Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Technological Lessons from the Fukushima Dai-Ichi Accident

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-01

for human consumption . Fish from the area are now being assessed using a non-destructive testing regimen developed by Tohoku University. Monitoring...radioactivity limits for human consumption , even though much of the rice was grown in con- taminated soil. Fish were contaminated both by the initial event...a devastating earth- quake and tsunami. One of the many secondary effects of these disas- ters was a loss of control of the Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear

Digital Avionics Information System (DAIS): Training Requirements Analysis Model (TRAMOD).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Czuchry, Andrew J.; And Others

The training requirements analysis model (TRAMOD) described in this report represents an important portion of the larger effort called the Digital Avionics Information System (DAIS) Life Cycle Cost (LCC) Study. TRAMOD is the second of three models that comprise an LCC impact modeling system for use in the early stages of system development. As…

Finding a New Vision of Gifted Education: An Interview with David Yun Dai

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henshon, Suzanna E.

2013-01-01

Zijiang lecture professor of education and psychology at East China Normal University. Dr. Dai has published seven books and over 70 journal articles, book chapters, encyclopedia entries, and book and…

Analysis of prescription database extracted from standard textbooks of traditional Dai medicine.

PubMed

Zhang, Chuang; Chongsuvivatwong, Virasakdi; Keawpradub, Niwat; Lin, Yanfang

2012-08-29

Traditional Dai Medicine (TDM) is one of the four major ethnomedicine of China. In 2007 a group of experts produced a set of seven Dai medical textbooks on this subject. The first two were selected as the main data source to analyse well recognized prescriptions. To quantify patterns of prescriptions, common ingredients, indications and usages of TDM. A relational database linking the prescriptions, ingredients, herb names, indications, and usages was set up. Frequency of pattern of combination and common ingredients were tabulated. A total of 200 prescriptions and 402 herbs were compiled. Prescriptions based on "wind" disorders, a detoxification theory that most commonly deals with symptoms of digestive system diseases, accounted for over one third of all prescriptions. The major methods of preparations mostly used roots and whole herbs. The information extracted from the relational database may be useful for understanding symptomatic treatments. Antidote and detoxification theory deserves further research.

Analysis of prescription database extracted from standard textbooks of traditional Dai medicine

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Traditional Dai Medicine (TDM) is one of the four major ethnomedicine of China. In 2007 a group of experts produced a set of seven Dai medical textbooks on this subject. The first two were selected as the main data source to analyse well recognized prescriptions. Objective To quantify patterns of prescriptions, common ingredients, indications and usages of TDM. Methods A relational database linking the prescriptions, ingredients, herb names, indications, and usages was set up. Frequency of pattern of combination and common ingredients were tabulated. Results A total of 200 prescriptions and 402 herbs were compiled. Prescriptions based on "wind" disorders, a detoxification theory that most commonly deals with symptoms of digestive system diseases, accounted for over one third of all prescriptions. The major methods of preparations mostly used roots and whole herbs. Conclusion The information extracted from the relational database may be useful for understanding symptomatic treatments. Antidote and detoxification theory deserves further research. PMID:22931752

Colitis with wall thickening and edematous changes during oral administration of the powdered form of Qing-dai in patients with ulcerative colitis: a report of two cases.

PubMed

Kondo, Satoru; Araki, Toshimitsu; Okita, Yoshiki; Yamamoto, Akira; Hamada, Yasuhiko; Katsurahara, Masaki; Horiki, Noriyuki; Nakamura, Misaki; Shimoyama, Takahiro; Yamamoto, Takayuki; Takei, Yoshiyuki; Kusunoki, Masato

2018-03-16

Orally administered Qing-dai, called indigo naturalis in Latin, is reportedly useful for the treatment of ulcerative colitis. We herein describe two patients with ulcerative colitis who developed colitis with wall thickening and edematous changes during oral administration of the powdered form of Qing-dai. In Case 1, a 35-year-old man developed colitis similar to ischemic colitis with bloody stool that recurred each time he ingested Qing-dai. He had no signs of recurrence upon withdrawal of Qing-dai. In Case 2, a 43-year-old woman underwent ileocecal resection for treatment of an intussusception 2 months after beginning oral administration of Qing-dai. Edema and congestion but no ulceration were present in the mucosa of the resected specimen. Both patients exhibited abdominal pain with bloody diarrhea, and abdominal computed tomography showed marked wall edema affecting an extensive portion of the large bowel.

Multizone subsea completions in the Dai Hung field, Vietnam

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

Lay, K.R.

1996-09-01

The early production phase of the Dai Hung field development resulted in the drilling and completion of five subsea wells. Because of the complex nature of the reservoirs, selective multizone completions were installed for effective reservoir data acquisition and reservoir management. The downhole completion designs used equipment that was primarily of existing proven design and downhole equipment installation was successfully achieved in a single trip. Ongoing reservoir management will be aided by the use of a subsea wireline system to facilitate data acquisition.

Brief: Multizone subsea completions in the Dai Hung field, Vietnam

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

Lay, K.R.

1996-04-01

The early production phase of the Dai Hung field development involved drilling and completion of five subsea wells. Owing to the complex nature of the reservoirs, selective multizone completions were installed for effective reservoir data acquisition and reservoir management. Downhole completion designs used equipment that was primarily of existing proven design, and downhole equipment was installed in a single trip. Ongoing reservoir management will be aided by use of a subsea wireline system to facilitate data acquisition.

Digital Avionics Information System (DAIS): Mid-1980's Maintenance Task Analysis. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Czuchry, Andrew J.; And Others

The fundamental objective of the Digital Avionics Information System (DAIS) Life Cycle Cost (LCC) Study is to provide the Air Force with an enhanced in-house capability to incorporate LCC considerations during all stages of the system acquisition process. The purpose of this report is to describe the technical approach, results, and conclusions…

Dental and periodontal status of 12-year-old Dai school children in Yunnan Province, China: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Zhang, Shinan; Xu, Biao; Liu, Juan; Lo, Edward Cm; Chu, Chun-Hung

2015-10-08

The Dai people are one of the ethnic minorities in China and have a population of 1,260,000. They have the same origin as one of the main ethnic groups in Laos and Thailand. The study aims to describe the dental caries and gingival status of 12-year-old Dai children in China and to study the factors affecting their oral-health status. This cross-sectional oral-health survey was conducted from 2011-2012 with ethics approval. A sample of 12-year-old Dai children living in Yunnan, China, was selected using a multistage and cluster sampling method. One trained examiner performed the clinical examination. Caries experience was measured using DMFT index, and gingival status was assessed with CPI index. A self-completed questionnaire was sent to the children, and they were asked about their backgrounds and oral-health-related behaviors and oral-health knowledge. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the factors that affected the caries status. A total of 875 children were invited, and 823 (94 %) joined the survey. The prevalence of caries experience among the participants was 40 %. The mean DMFT and DT scores were 0.9 and 0.8, respectively. Most children (93 %) had gingivitis, and many (46 %) had calculus. Girls and those who had visited a dentist during the previous year had a higher prevalence of caries. Dental caries were prevalent among 12-year-old Dai children in China. The periodontal condition of most of the children was poor. Caries were associated with gender and dental attendance.

The relationship between dental aesthetic index (DAI) and perceptions of aesthetics, function and speech amongst secondary school children in Ibadan, Nigeria.

PubMed

Onyeaso, C O; Aderinokun, G A

2003-09-01

The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between a professionally derived index, the Dental Aesthetic Index, and some indications for orthodontic treatment as perceived by potential patients. An epidemiological survey of 614 secondary school students, 327 males (53.3%) and 287 females (46.7%) was carried out in Ibadan, Nigeria. Children aged 12-18 years (mean age, 14.9+/-2.9 SD) were randomly selected, none of them had received previous orthodontic treatment. One examiner assessed the students using the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI). Subjects were also asked to complete a questionnaire consisting of three questions concerning appearance, function, and speech, using a 5-point Likert scale. Weak but statistically significant correlations were found for subjective assessments of appearance of teeth and the DAI (r=0.174; P<0.01) and between biting/chewing and appearance of teeth (r=0.095; P<0.05). Statistically significant correlations were found between appearance of teeth and speech (r=0.148; P<0.01) and biting/chewing and speech. The last showed the strongest correlation (r=0.268; P<0.01). The study has shown weak but significant correlation between DAI and children's perceptions of the appearance of their teeth. We recommend further study involving both DAI and Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN) for comparison in the Nigerian population.

Dai-Kou type conjugate gradient methods with a line search only using gradient.

PubMed

Huang, Yuanyuan; Liu, Changhe

2017-01-01

In this paper, the Dai-Kou type conjugate gradient methods are developed to solve the optimality condition of an unconstrained optimization, they only utilize gradient information and have broader application scope. Under suitable conditions, the developed methods are globally convergent. Numerical tests and comparisons with the PRP+ conjugate gradient method only using gradient show that the methods are efficient.

Inhibition of DAI-dependent necroptosis by the Z-DNA binding domain of the vaccinia virus innate immune evasion protein, E3.

PubMed

Koehler, Heather; Cotsmire, Samantha; Langland, Jeffrey; Kibler, Karen V; Kalman, Daniel; Upton, Jason W; Mocarski, Edward S; Jacobs, Bertram L

2017-10-24

Vaccinia virus (VACV) encodes an innate immune evasion protein, E3, which contains an N-terminal Z-nucleic acid binding (Zα) domain that is critical for pathogenicity in mice. Here we demonstrate that the N terminus of E3 is necessary to inhibit an IFN-primed virus-induced necroptosis. VACV deleted of the Zα domain of E3 (VACV-E3LΔ83N) induced rapid RIPK3-dependent cell death in IFN-treated L929 cells. Cell death was inhibited by the RIPK3 inhibitor, GSK872, and infection with this mutant virus led to phosphorylation and aggregation of MLKL, the executioner of necroptosis. In 293T cells, induction of necroptosis depended on expression of RIPK3 as well as the host-encoded Zα domain-containing DNA sensor, DAI. VACV-E3LΔ83N is attenuated in vivo, and pathogenicity was restored in either RIPK3- or DAI-deficient mice. These data demonstrate that the N terminus of the VACV E3 protein prevents DAI-mediated induction of necroptosis.

Taking Care, Bringing Life: A Post-structuralist Feminist Analysis of Maternal Discourses of Mothers and Dais in India.

PubMed

Agarwal, Vinita

2018-04-01

My post-structuralist feminist reading of the antenatal and birthing practices of women (N = 25) living in a basti in India makes visible how the meanings of maternal experiences constituted as our ways open discursive spaces for the mothers and dais as procreators to: challenge (i.e., question the authority of), co-opt (i.e., conditionally adopt), and judge (i.e., employ sanctioned criteria to regulate) competing knowledge production forms. In critiquing maternal knowledge as feminist discourse, the women's strategies contribute theoretically to an integrative construction of care by reclaiming displaced knowledge discourses and diversity in meaning production. Pragmatically, consciousness-raising collectives comprising the mothers and dais can cocreate narratives of our ways of maternal experiences articulated in public discourse to sustain equitability of knowledge traditions in migrant urban Third World contexts.

Monitoring Cs-134 and 137 released by Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident in ground, soil, and stream waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsujimura, Maki; Onda, Yuichi; Hada, Manami; Ishwar, Pun; Abe, Yutaka

2013-04-01

Due to Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear power plant accident occurred in March 2011, large amount of radionuclides was released into the atmosphere and was fallen onto ground by rainfall. Few researches have monitored radioactive cesium dynamics in whole hydrological cycle system such as groundwater, soil water, spring water and stream water. Thus, the purpose of this study is to monitor concentration of radioactive cesium in those waters in time series in the headwaters. We have performed an intensive monitoring at three small mountainous catchments in Yamakiya district, Kawamata town, Fukushima prefecture, locating 35 km northwest from Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant since June 2011, also we consider the movement of radioactive cesium and its relation with the hydrological cycle.

Digital Avionics Information System (DAIS): Reliability and Maintainability Model Users Guide. Final Report, May 1975-July 1977.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Czuchry, Andrew J.; And Others

This report provides a complete guide to the stand alone mode operation of the reliability and maintenance (R&M) model, which was developed to facilitate the performance of design versus cost trade-offs within the digital avionics information system (DAIS) acquisition process. The features and structure of the model, its input data…

Malocclusion and orthodontic treatment need of secondary school students in Nigeria according to the dental aesthetic index (DAI).

PubMed

Otuyemi, O D; Ogunyinka, A; Dosumu, O; Cons, N C; Jenny, J

1999-08-01

The aims of this study were to measure the distribution, prevalence and the severity of malocclusion and treatment need amongst randomly selected (n = 703) rural and urban Nigerian children aged 12-18 years (mean 14.0 +/- 1.84) using the dental aesthetic index (DAI), and to assess whether malocclusion was affected by age, gender and socio-economic background. Data were collected according to the method recommended by WHO. Most of the children (77.4 per cent) had a dental appearance which required no orthodontic treatment. Over 13 per cent fell into the group where treatment for malocclusion is considered to be 'elective'. However, a substantial proportion (9.2 per cent) of the population had severe to handicapping malocclusion where treatment is 'highly desirable' or 'mandatory'. There were no statistically significant differences (P > 0.05) in DAI scores between age groups, gender and socio-economic background. This study also found that Nigerian adolescents had better dental appearance and less orthodontic treatment need compared with the Caucasian and Oriental populations.

Isograde mapping and mineral identification on the island of Naxos, Greece, using DAIS 7915 hyperspectral data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Echtler, Helmut; Segl, Karl; Dickerhof, Corinna; Chabrillat, Sabine; Kaufmann, Hermann J.

2003-03-01

The ESF-LSF 1997 flight campaign conducted by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) recorded several transects across the island of Naxos using the airborne hyperspectral scanner DAIS. The geological targets cover all major litho-tectonic units of a metamorphic dome with the transition of metamorphic zonations from the outer meta-sedimentary greenschist envelope to the gneissic amphibolite facies and migmatitic core. Mineral identification of alternating marble-dolomite sequences and interlayered schists bearing muscovite and biotite has been accomplished using the airborne hyperspectral DAIS 7915 sensor. Data have been noise filtered based on maximum noise fraction (MNF) and fast Fourier transform (FFT) and converted from radiance to reflectance. For mineral identification, constrained linear spectral unmixing and spectral angle mapper (SAM) algorithms were tested. Due to their unsatisfying results a new approach was developed which consists of a linear mixture modeling and spectral feature fitting. This approach provides more detailed and accurate information. Results are discussed in comparison with detailed geological mapping and additional information. Calcites are clearly separated from dolomites as well as the mica-schist sequences by a good resolution of the mineral muscovite. Thereon an outstanding result represents the very good resolution of the chlorite/mica (muscovite, biotite)-transition defining a metamorphic isograde.

Immunoregulatory effects of the traditional Dai prescription Yajieshaba on food allergic mice

PubMed Central

Zhang, Guangyuan; Duan, Xiaohua; Zhang, Chao; Chen, Pu; Yu, Jie; Zheng, Jin

2017-01-01

The Dai prescription Yajieshaba is widely used in Traditional Dai Medicine to treat food allergies and intolerance. However, information on the active chemical ingredients, effects and mechanisms of action of Yajieshaba is limited. The present study aimed to elucidate the effects and underlying mechanisms of Yajieshaba in the treatment of food allergies. Liquid chromatography with a diode array detector was used to measure the levels of palmatine and berberine, the active ingredients of Yajieshaba. A food allergy model was established in female BALB/c mice by three injections of ovalbumin (OVA) at 0, 48, and 96 h. OVA-sensitized mice recieved no treatments (control), Yajieshaba, loratadine, palmatine or berberine. The scratching frequency, serum immunoglobulin (Ig)G, IgE, interleukin (IL)-4, IL-10, IL-17, IL-21, interferon-γ and tumor necrosis factor-α levels were assessed at 50 and 98 h. The percentage of regulatory T cells (Tregs) was evaluated by flow cytometry at 98 h. The scratching frequency induced by OVA was significantly suppressed in mice treated with loratadine, palmatine, berberine or 3.50 and 4.70 g/kg Yajieshaba. The frequency of CD4+CD25+Treg in the spleen increased from 6.80% in mice in the control group to 12.50% in mice treated with 4.70 g/kg body weight Yajieshaba. Mice treated with palmatine or 4.70 g/kg body weight Yajieshaba had increased forkhead box p3 expression compared with those in the control group. Treatment with Yajieshaba decreased the scratching frequency and increased CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg frequency in the spleen. This indicated that symptoms of allergic reaction were alleviated following Yajieshaba treatment. Palmatine was identified as one of the major active components of Yajieshaba. The present study identified the possible mechanism through which Yajieshaba treatment may alleviate food allergy symptoms. PMID:28587391

Multi-Phased, Post-Accident Support of the Fukushima Dai-Ichi Nuclear Power Plant - 12246

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

Gay, Arnaud; Gillet, Philippe; Ytournel, Bertrand

In the wake of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami and the subsequent flooding of several of the Fukushima Dai-Ichi reactors, Japan and the Japanese utility TEPCO faced a crisis situation with incredible challenges: substantial amounts of radioactive mixed seawater and freshwater accumulated in the basements of four reactor and other buildings on the site. This water held varying levels of contamination due to the fact that it had been in contact with damaged fuel elements in the cores and with other contaminated components. The overall water inventory was estimated at around 110,000 tons of water with contamination levels upmore » to the order of 1 Ci/l. Time was of the essence to avoid overflow of this accumulated water into the ocean. AREVA proposed, designed and implemented a water treatment solution using a proven chemical coprecipitation process with ppFeNi reagent, which is currently in use for effluent treatment on several nuclear sites including AREVA sites. In addition to the extremely short schedule the other challenge was to adapt the chemical treatment process to the expected composition of the Fukushima water and, in particular, to evaluate the impact of salinity on process performance. It was also necessary to define operating conditions for the VEOLIA equipment that had been selected for implementation of the process in the future facility. The operation phase began on June 17, and by the end of July more than 30,000 tons of highly radioactive saltwater had been decontaminated - the Decontamination Factor (DF) for Cesium was ∼10{sup 4}. It allowed recycling the contaminated water to cool the reactors while protecting workers and the environment. This paper focuses on the Actiflo{sup TM}-Rad water treatment unit project that was part of the TEPCO general water treatment scheme. It presents a detailed look at the principles of the Actiflo{sup TM}-Rad, related on-the-fly R and D, an explanation of system implementation challenges, and a brief

Distribution of oceanic 137Cs from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant simulated numerically by a regional ocean model.

PubMed

Tsumune, Daisuke; Tsubono, Takaki; Aoyama, Michio; Hirose, Katsumi

2012-09-01

Radioactive materials were released to the environment from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant as a result of the reactor accident after the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami of 11 March 2011. The measured (137)Cs concentration in a seawater sample near the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant site reached 68 kBq L(-1) (6.8 × 10(4)Bq L(-1)) on 6 April. The two major likely pathways from the accident site to the ocean existed: direct release of high radioactive liquid wastes to the ocean and the deposition of airborne radioactivity to the ocean surface. By analysis of the (131)I/(137)Cs activity ratio, we determined that direct release from the site contributed more to the measured (137)Cs concentration than atmospheric deposition did. We then used a regional ocean model to simulate the (137)Cs concentrations resulting from the direct release to the ocean off Fukushima and found that from March 26 to the end of May the total amount of (137)Cs directly released was 3.5 ± 0.7 PBq ((3.5 ± 0.7) × 10(15)Bq). The simulated temporal change in (137)Cs concentrations near the Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Plant site agreed well with observations. Our simulation results showed that (1) the released (137)Cs advected southward along the coast during the simulation period; (2) the eastward-flowing Kuroshio and its extension transported (137)C during May 2011; and (3) (137)Cs concentrations decreased to less than 10 BqL(-1) by the end of May 2011 in the whole simulation domain as a result of oceanic advection and diffusion. We compared the total amount and concentration of (137)Cs released from the Fukushima Dai-ichi reactors to the ocean with the (137)Cs released to the ocean by global fallout. Even though the measured (137)Cs concentration from the Fukushima accident was the highest recorded, the total released amount of (137)Cs was not very large. Therefore, the effect of (137)Cs released from the Fukushima Dai-ichi reactors on concentration in the whole North

Solfatara Crater Seen Through Hyperspectral Dais Sensor Data In The Tir Region: Temperature Map and Spectral Emissivity Image For Mineralogical Species Identification.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Merucci, L.; Buongiorno, M. F.; Teggi, S.; Bogliolo, M. P.

Temperature map and spectral emissivity have been retrieved by means of the TIR re- gion data collected by the DAIS airborne hyperspectral sensor on the Solfatara, Campi Flegrei, Italy, during the July 27, 1997 flight. During the 7915 DAIS flight a contem- poraneous field campaign was carried out in order to measure the surface temperature in the Solfatara crater and a radiosonde has been launched to measure the local at- mospheric profile. A normalized vegetation index filter has been used to select in the Solfatara crater scene the areas not covered by vegetation upon which the temperature and emissivity retrieval algorithms have been applied. The atmospheric contribute has been estimated by means of the MODTRAN radiative transfer code. The temperature map has been finally validated with the field measurements and the spectral emissivity image has been compared with the spectra available for the mineralogical species that cover the Solfatara crater.

Reply to Comment by Cole-dai Et Al. on "Climatic Impact of the Long-lasting Laki Eruption: Inapplicability of Mass-independent Sulfur Isotope Composition Measurements"

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schmidt, Anja; Thordarson, Thorvaldur; Oman, Luke D.; Robock, Alan; Self, Stephen

2014-01-01

Here we respond to the comments by Cole-Dai et al. [2014] on our article Schmidt et al. [2012]. Specifically, in response to section 2 of their reply, we argued in Schmidt et al. [2012] that based on previously published estimates of the volatile release height during the 1783-1784 C.E. Laki eruption, the lack of a sulfur massindependent fractionation (MIF) anomaly is expected. In other words, no previous study on Laki ever argued that this eruption emitted SO2 into altitudes >13-15 km. In section 2.3, Cole-Dai et al. [2014] argue that the nonzero ?33S value of their Laki sample 1 may be explained by a short-lived explosive phase at Laki during which volatiles reached the stratosphere. In Schmidt et al. [2012] in section 2, we argued in agreement with Cole-Dai et al. [2014] (section 3.1) that for a MIF anomaly to be preserved, the Laki volatiles would have had to be emitted in >20 km altitude. Our main point is that eruption column heights >20 km are unlikely based on the historical accounts and plume-rise modeling for the Laki eruption [Stothers et al., 1986; Woods, 1993; Thordarson and Self, 2003]. In Schmidt et al. [2012], we argued that to deduce a short-lived climatic impact of the Laki eruption based on the lack of a MIF anomaly and the length of the sulfate deposition in Greenland ice cores may be misleading because the climatic impact will outlast the radiative forcing of the Laki aerosol cloud. Cole-Dai et al. [2014] acknowledge the latter in their reply in section 4.2. We agreewith Cole-Dai et al. [2014] in that themagnitude and length of the climatic impact during the winter of 1783-1784 depends on the altitude of the volatile release during the eruption (sections 2.3 and 4.2). However, even if we assumed that during Laki all sulfur dioxide (SO2) would have been released in the troposphere, then the aerosol cloud would still be present in the upper troposphere during March 1784, as is evident from independent model simulations of this "tropospheric

Dispersion and fate of ⁹⁰Sr in the Northwestern Pacific and adjacent seas: global fallout and the Fukushima Dai-ichi accident.

PubMed

Maderich, V; Jung, K T; Bezhenar, R; de With, G; Qiao, F; Casacuberta, N; Masque, P; Kim, Y H

2014-10-01

The 3D compartment model POSEIDON-R was applied to the Northwestern Pacific and adjacent seas to simulate the transport and fate of (90)Sr in the period 1945-2010 and to perform a radiological assessment on the releases of (90)Sr due to the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear accident for the period 2011-2040. The contamination due to runoff of (90)Sr from terrestrial surfaces was taken into account using a generic predictive model. A dynamical food-chain model describes the transfer of (90)Sr to phytoplankton, zooplankton, molluscs, crustaceans, piscivorous and non-piscivorous fishes. Results of the simulations were compared with observation data on (90)Sr for the period 1955-2010 and the budget of (90)Sr activity was estimated. It was found that in the East China Sea and Yellow Sea the riverine influx was 1.5% of the ocean influx and it was important only locally. Calculated concentrations of (90)Sr in water, bottom sediment and marine organisms before and after the Fukushima Dai-ichi accident are in good agreement with available experimental measurements. The concentration of (90)Sr in seawater would return to the background levels within one year after leakages were stopped. The model predicts that the concentration of (90)Sr in fish after the Fukushima Dai-ichi accident shall return to the background concentrations only 2 years later due to the delay of the transfer throughout the food web and specific accumulation of (90)Sr. The contribution of (90)Sr to the maximal dose rate due to the FDNPP accident was three orders of magnitude less than that due to (137)Cs, and thus well below the maximum effective dose limits for the public. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power stations of TEPCO--outline & lessons learned.

PubMed

Tanaka, Shun-ichi

2012-01-01

The severe accident that broke out at Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power stations on March 11, 2011, caused seemingly infinite damage to the daily life of residents. Serious and wide-spread contamination of the environment occurred due to radioactive materials discharged from nuclear power stations (NPSs). At the same time, many issues were highlighted concerning countermeasures to severe nuclear accidents. The accident is outlined, and lessons learned are extracted with respect to the safety of NPSs, as well as radiation protection of residents under the emergency involving the accident. The materials of the current paper are those released by governmental agencies, academic societies, interim reports of committees under the government, and others.

Digital Avionics Information System (DAIS): Life Cycle Cost Impact Modeling System Reliability, Maintainability, and Cost Model (RMCM)--Description. Users Guide. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goclowski, John C.; And Others

The Reliability, Maintainability, and Cost Model (RMCM) described in this report is an interactive mathematical model with a built-in sensitivity analysis capability. It is a major component of the Life Cycle Cost Impact Model (LCCIM), which was developed as part of the DAIS advanced development program to be used to assess the potential impacts…

Effect of Dai-kenchu-to on gastrointestinal motility and gastric emptying.

PubMed

Kawasaki, Naruo; Nakada, Koji; Suzuki, Yutaka; Furukawa, Yoshiyuki; Hanyu, Nobuyoshi; Kashiwagi, Hideyuki

2009-06-01

The gastrointestinal symptoms accompanying dysfunction of the remnant stomach were seen after pylorus-preserving operation. Against such complications, Dai-kenchu-to (DKT) is used, but scientific evidences for efficacy are poor. The effect of DKT on gastrointestinal motility and gastric emptying after pylorus-preserving operation was investigated. Using beagle dogs, the experimental models mimicking the state after pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy were prepared. We sutured strain gauge transducers to the stomach, duodenum and jejunum and inserted indwelling tubes into the stomach. About 4 weeks after operation, DKT 0.1g/kg was administered during the fasting or fed state. At the same time, the gastric emptying was evaluated by the acetoaminophene method. In the fasting state, administration of DKT enhanced the gastrointestinal motility and accelerated gastric emptying. In the postprandial state, no apparent effect on motility was seen. DKT enhances the gastrointestinal motility after pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy in the fasting state. The effect of DKT may not be related to the continuity of the intramural nerve.

Limited awareness of animal influenza prevention and control among Dai Lue smallholder farmers in Southwest China.

PubMed

Zhao, Xiang; Davey, Gareth

2017-10-01

Awareness of animal influenza and its prevention and control is important for ensuring livestock health, production and welfare. In China, a country stereotyped as a major source of emerging zoonotic infectious diseases, research on the public understanding of animal influenza is limited to the Han, the main ethnic group. The present qualitative study in Southwest China investigated awareness of animal influenza among the Dai, an ethnic minority. The participants (15 men and 10 women, ages 18-83) were smallholder farmers of pigs and poultry in rural areas of Jinghong, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province. A mixture of interviews and group discussions took place in homes and villages. The participants were asked about their knowledge of avian influenza (H7N9), swine influenza (H1N1), precautions taken to protect against influenza, procedures when animals were sick and perceived risk of animal influenza. The data were analysed following coding and thematic analysis. The findings demonstrated a limited understanding of animal health and welfare among participants. Specifically, they were largely unaware of animal influenza (H7N9, H1N1) including its causes, symptoms, prevention and treatment. The farmers were also uninformed of the risks they faced and unknowingly engaged in behaviours which increased direct or indirect exposure to infected animals, a risk factor for human infection. They also reported poor usage of veterinary services. In order to guarantee the health, welfare and production of their livestock, immediate action is needed to enable Dai smallholder farmers to prevent and respond to animal influenza effectively and timely.

The counter effects of the accident at Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power station

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murakami, Kenta

2017-01-01

The counter effects of the accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station are discussed in this paper. Though decommission and remediation have been conducted in the facility and surrounding area, ninety thousand residences near the facility are still under the evacuation order. Four nuclear power units have already restarted under the new regulatory framework, but two of them in Fukui prefecture stop the operation due to the provisional disposition declared by Ohtsu district court in Shiga prefecture. Reinforcement of the latter layer of the defense in depth has been improved in many ways. The improvement of decision-making process is very important in latter layers of the defense in depth, in contrast the plant behaviors are automatically decided based on their design in the prior layers.

New Standards in Liquid Waste Treatment at Fukushima Dai-ichi - 13134

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

Sylvester, Paul; Milner, Tim; Ruffing, Jennifer

The earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011 severely damaged the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant leading to the most severe nuclear incident since Chernobyl. Ongoing operations to cool the damaged reactors at the site have led to the generation of highly radioactive coolant water. This is currently mainly treated to remove Cs-137 and Cs-134 and passed through a reverse osmosis (RO) unit to reduce the salinity before being cycled back to the reactors. Because only the Cs isotopes are removed, the RO reject water still contains many radioactive isotopes and this has led to the accumulation of over 200,000 cubicmore » meters (52 million gallons) of extremely contaminated water which is currently stored on site in tanks. EnergySolutions, in partnership with Toshiba, were contracted to develop a system to reduce 62 isotopes in this waste down to allowable levels. This was a significant technical challenge given the high background salt content of the wastewater, the variation in aqueous chemistry of the radioactive isotopes and the presence of non-active competing ions (e.g. Ca and Mg) which inhibit the removal of isotopes such as Sr-89 and Sr-90. Extensive testing was performed to design a suitable system that could meet the required decontamination goals. These tests were performed over a 6 month period at facilities available in the nearby Fukushima Dai-ni laboratory using actual waste samples. This data was then utilized to design a Multi Radioactive Nuclides Removal System (MRRS) for Fukushima which is a modified version of EnergySolutions' proprietary Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS)'. The stored tank waste is fed into a preliminary precipitation system where iron flocculation is performed to remove a number of isotopes, including Sb-125, Ru-106, Mn-54 and Co-60. The supernatant is then fed into a second precipitation tank where the pH is adjusted and the bulk of the Mg, Ca and Sr precipitated out as carbonates and hydroxides. After passing through a

Accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Stations of TEPCO —Outline & lessons learned—

PubMed Central

TANAKA, Shun-ichi

2012-01-01

The severe accident that broke out at Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power stations on March 11, 2011, caused seemingly infinite damage to the daily life of residents. Serious and wide-spread contamination of the environment occurred due to radioactive materials discharged from nuclear power stations (NPSs). At the same time, many issues were highlighted concerning countermeasures to severe nuclear accidents. The accident is outlined, and lessons learned are extracted with respect to the safety of NPSs, as well as radiation protection of residents under the emergency involving the accident. The materials of the current paper are those released by governmental agencies, academic societies, interim reports of committees under the government, and others. PMID:23138450

Atmospheric transport and deposition of radionuclides released after the Fukushima Dai-chi accident and resulting effective dose

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marzo, Giuseppe A.

2014-09-01

On 11 March 2011 an earthquake off the Pacific coast of the Fukushima prefecture generated a tsunami that hit Fukushima Dai-ichi and Fukushima Da-ini Nuclear Power Plants. From 12 March a significant amount of radioactive material was released into the atmosphere and dispersed worldwide. Among the most abundant radioactive species released were iodine and cesium isotopes. By means of an atmospheric dispersion Lagrangian code and publicly available meteorological data, the atmospheric dispersion of 131I, 134Cs, and 137Cs have been simulated for three months after the event with a spatial resolution of 0.5° × 0.5° globally. The simulation has been validated by comparison to publicly available measurements collected in 206 locations worldwide. Sensitivity analysis shows that release height of the radionuclides, wet deposition velocity, and source term are the parameters with the most impact on the simulation results. The simulation shows that the radioactive plume, consisting of about 200 PBq by adding contributions from 131I, 134Cs, and 137Cs, has been transported over the entire northern hemisphere depositing up to 1.2 MBq m-2 nearby the NPPs to less than 20 Bq m-2 in Europe. The consequent effective dose to the population over a 50-year period, calculated by considering both external and internal pathways of exposure, is found to be about 40 mSv in the surroundings of Fukushima Dai-ichi, while other countries in the northern hemisphere experienced doses several orders of magnitude lower suggesting a small impact on the population health elsewhere.

Dai-kenchu-to attenuates rat sinusoidal obstruction syndrome by inhibiting the accumulation of neutrophils in the liver.

PubMed

Narita, Masato; Hatano, Etsuro; Tamaki, Nobuyuki; Yamanaka, Kenya; Yanagida, Atsuko; Nagata, Hiromitsu; Asechi, Hiroyuki; Takada, Yasutsugu; Ikai, Iwao; Uemoto, Shinji

2009-06-01

Sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (SOS) is drug-induced liver injury that occurs in patients who receive hematopoietic cell transplantation and oxaliplatin-contained chemotherapy. The aim of study was to investigate the pharmacological treatment of SOS using a traditional Japanese medicine, Dai-kenchu-to (DKT). Male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with monocrotaline (MCT) to induce SOS. The rats were divided into three groups: control, MCT and MCT+DKT groups. In the MCT+DKT group, DKT was gavaged at 12 h after MCT treatment and given every 12 h until the end of the protocol. The rats of MCT group were treated with water instead of DKT. At 48 h after MCT treatment, blood and liver samples were collected. In the MCT+DKT group, the macroscopic and histological findings revealed liver congestion, sinusoidal alteration and the destruction of sinusoidal lining, which were comparable with those of the MCT group. However, the area of hepatic necrosis and serum AST levels significantly decreased in the MCT+DKT group compared with those of the MCT group. Treatment with DKT resulted in the reduction of neutrophil accumulation, myeloperoxidase activity and the expression of cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant (CINC) and intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) mRNA in the liver compared with those of the MCT group. Treatment with processed ginger, one of the ingredients in DKT, resulted in similar effects to those shown by DKT. Dai-kenchu-to attenuates MCT-induced liver injury by preventing neutrophil-induced liver injury through blockage of upregulation of CINC and ICAM-1 mRNA level.

The Fukushima Dai-ichi Accident and its implications for the safety of nuclear power

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barletta, William

2016-05-01

Five years ago the dramatic events in Fukushima that followed the massive earthquake and subsequent tsunami that struck Japan on March 11, 2011 sharpened the focus of scientists, engineers and general public on the broad range of technical, environmental and societal issues involved in assuring the safety of the world's nuclear power complex. They also called into question the potential of nuclear power to provide a growing, sustainable resource of CO2-free energy. The issues raised by Fukushima Dai-ichi have provoked urgent concern, not only because of the potential harm that could result from severe accidents or from intentional damage to nuclear reactors or to facilities involved in the nuclear fuel cycle, but also because of the extensive economic impact of those accidents and of the measures taken to avoid them.

Ethnography for Teachers' Professional Development: Japanese Approach of Investigation on Classroom Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matoba, Masami; Sarkar Arani Mohammed Reza

2006-01-01

In this paper, we examine how journal and ethnography field notes in Jugyou Kenkyu (lesson study) help teachers to understand the diverse range of talents and abilities of their students. Especially, we focus on how ethnography field note and reflective papers (karate) help teachers to change their assumptions about student learning. The data…

Estimation of average burnup of damaged fuels loaded in Fukushima Dai-ichi reactors by using the {sup 134}Cs/{sup 137}Cs ratio method

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

Endo, T.; Sato, S.; Yamamoto, A.

2012-07-01

Average burnup of damaged fuels loaded in Fukushima Dai-ichi reactors is estimated, using the {sup 134}Cs/{sup 137}Cs ratio method for measured radioactivities of {sup 134}Cs and {sup 137}Cs in contaminated soils within the range of 100 km from the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plants. As a result, the measured {sup 134}Cs/{sup 137}Cs ratio from the contaminated soil is 0.996{+-}0.07 as of March 11, 2011. Based on the {sup 134}Cs/{sup 137}Cs ratio method, the estimated burnup of damaged fuels is approximately 17.2{+-}1.5 [GWd/tHM]. It is noted that the numerical results of various calculation codes (SRAC2006/PIJ, SCALE6.0/TRITON, and MVP-BURN) are almost themore » same evaluation values of {sup 134}Cs/ {sup 137}Cs ratio with same evaluated nuclear data library (ENDF-B/VII.0). The void fraction effect in depletion calculation has a major impact on {sup 134}Cs/{sup 137}Cs ratio compared with the differences between JENDL-4.0 and ENDF-B/VII.0. (authors)« less

Effect of dai-kenchu-to on obstructive bowel disease in children.

PubMed

Ohya, Toshiki; Usui, Yoshiko; Arii, Shigeki; Iwai, Takehisa; Susumu, Tsunoda

2003-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, dai-kenchu-to (DKT), on obstructive bowel diseases in children. We have treated 46 pediatric patients with various obstructive bowel diseases with DKT: six patients with postoperative ileus, 12 with large abdominal surgery (including three neonates), one with ano-rectal anomaly, three with Hirschsprung's disease, two with functional bowel obstructions, one with SMA syndrome, and 21 patients with chronic constipation. DKT (0.1-0.15 g/kg) was mixed with 5-10 ml of warm water, and was given orally two to three times a day. DKT was effective for 39 patients (85%) and their clinical symptoms improved. DKT was ineffective in seven patients: two with postoperative ileus, two with Hirschsprung's disease, and three with chronic constipation. DKT had mild but significant effects for various obstructive bowel diseases in children, while no side effects were encountered. Our current strategy for pediatric patients with obstructive bowel disease is to use DKT first and then test its efficacy. If DKT is effective, the regimen is continued. However, in cases where DKT is not effective, we will consider laparotomy or will further investigate the illness.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: MIR-selected quasar parameters (Dai+, 2014)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dai, Y. S.; Elvis, M.; Bergeron, J.; Fazio, G. G.; Huang, J.-S.; Wilkes, B. J.; Willmer, C. N. A.; Omont, A.; Papovich, C.

2017-03-01

The combined MIR 24 um and optical selection for this survey was designed to detect objects with luminous torus/nucleus and not biased against dusty hosts. The MIR selection allows for the detection of hot dust (a few hundred Kelvin) at the redshifts z ~ 1.5; while optical follow-up spectroscopically identified the BEL objects, confirming their unobscured (type 1) quasar nature. This MIR selection also allows for a far-infrared (FIR) cross-match to look for cool dust for SMBH-host studies, as demonstrated in Dai et al. (2012ApJ...753...33D). We select Spitzer MIPS (Rieke et al. 2004ApJS..154...25R) 24 um sources from the SWIRE survey in the ~22 deg2 LHS field centered at RA=10:46:48, DE=57:54:00 (Lonsdale et al. 2003PASP..115..897L). The SDSS imaging also covers the LHS region to r = 22.2 at 95% detection repeatability, but can go as deep as r = 23. All magnitudes are taken from the SDSS photoObj catalog in DR7, which are already corrected for Galactic extinction according to Schlegel et al. (1998ApJ...500..525S). (6 data files).

An update on radioactive release and exposures after the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear disaster.

PubMed

McLaughlin, P D; Jones, B; Maher, M M

2012-09-01

On 11 March 2011, the Richter scale 0.9-magnitude Tokohu earthquake and tsunami struck the northeast coast of Japan, resulting in widespread injury and loss of life. Compounding this tragic loss of life, a series of equipment and structural failures at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant (FDNP) resulted in the release of many volatile radioisotopes into the atmosphere. In this update, we detail currently available evidence about the nature of immediate radioactive exposure to FDNP workers and the general population. We contrast the nature of the radioactive exposure at FDNP with that which occurred at the Chernobyl power plant 25 years previously. Prediction of the exact health effects related to the FDNP release is difficult at present and this disaster provides the scientific community with a challenge to help those involved and to continue research that will improve our understanding of the potential complications of radionuclide fallout.

Local variance of atmospheric 14C concentrations around Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant from 2010 to 2012.

PubMed

Chen, Biying; Xu, Sheng; Cook, Gordon T; Freeman, Stewart P H T; Hou, Xiaolin; Liu, Cong-Qiang; Naysmith, Philip; Yamaguchi, Katsuhiko

2017-01-01

Radiocarbon ( 14 C) has been measured in single tree ring samples collected from the southwest of the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant. Our data indicate south-westwards dispersion of radiocarbon and the highest 14 C activity observed so far in the local environment during the 2011 accident. The abnormally high 14 C activity in the late wood of 2011 ring may imply an unknown source of radiocarbon nearby after the accident. The influence of 14 C shrank from 30 km during normal reactor operation to 14 km for the accident in the northwest of FDNPP, but remains unclear in the southwest.

Aerial radiation monitoring around the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant using an unmanned helicopter.

PubMed

Sanada, Yukihisa; Torii, Tatsuo

2015-01-01

The Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011 generated a series of large tsunami that seriously damaged the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP), which resulted in the release of radioactive materials into the environment. To provide further details regarding the distribution of air dose rate and the distribution of radioactive cesium ((134)Cs and (137)Cs) deposition on the ground within a radius of approximately 5 km from the nuclear power plant, we carried out measurements using an unmanned helicopter equipped with a radiation detection system. The distribution of the air dose rate at a height of 1 m above the ground and the radioactive cesium deposition on the ground was calculated. Accordingly, the footprint of radioactive plumes that extended from the FDNPP was illustrated. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Regional long-term model of radioactivity dispersion and fate in the Northwestern Pacific and adjacent seas: application to the Fukushima Dai-ichi accident.

PubMed

Maderich, V; Bezhenar, R; Heling, R; de With, G; Jung, K T; Myoung, J G; Cho, Y-K; Qiao, F; Robertson, L

2014-05-01

The compartment model POSEIDON-R was modified and applied to the Northwestern Pacific and adjacent seas to simulate the transport and fate of radioactivity in the period 1945-2010, and to perform a radiological assessment on the releases of radioactivity due to the Fukushima Dai-ichi accident for the period 2011-2040. The model predicts the dispersion of radioactivity in the water column and in sediments, the transfer of radionuclides throughout the marine food web, and subsequent doses to humans due to the consumption of marine products. A generic predictive dynamic food-chain model is used instead of the biological concentration factor (BCF) approach. The radionuclide uptake model for fish has as a central feature the accumulation of radionuclides in the target tissue. The three layer structure of the water column makes it possible to describe the vertical structure of radioactivity in deep waters. In total 175 compartments cover the Northwestern Pacific, the East China and Yellow Seas and the East/Japan Sea. The model was validated from (137)Cs data for the period 1945-2010. Calculated concentrations of (137)Cs in water, bottom sediments and marine organisms in the coastal compartment, before and after the accident, are in close agreement with measurements from the Japanese agencies. The agreement for water is achieved when an additional continuous flux of 3.6 TBq y(-1) is used for underground leakage of contaminated water from the Fukushima Dai-ichi NPP, during the three years following the accident. The dynamic food web model predicts that due to the delay of the transfer throughout the food web, the concentration of (137)Cs for piscivorous fishes returns to background level only in 2016. For the year 2011, the calculated individual dose rate for Fukushima Prefecture due to consumption of fishery products is 3.6 μSv y(-1). Following the Fukushima Dai-ichi accident the collective dose due to ingestion of marine products for Japan increased in 2011 by a

An update on radioactive release and exposures after the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear disaster

PubMed Central

Mclaughlin, P D; Jones, B; Maher, M M

2012-01-01

On 11 March 2011, the Richter scale 0.9-magnitude Tokohu earthquake and tsunami struck the northeast coast of Japan, resulting in widespread injury and loss of life. Compounding this tragic loss of life, a series of equipment and structural failures at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant (FDNP) resulted in the release of many volatile radioisotopes into the atmosphere. In this update, we detail currently available evidence about the nature of immediate radioactive exposure to FDNP workers and the general population. We contrast the nature of the radioactive exposure at FDNP with that which occurred at the Chernobyl power plant 25 years previously. Prediction of the exact health effects related to the FDNP release is difficult at present and this disaster provides the scientific community with a challenge to help those involved and to continue research that will improve our understanding of the potential complications of radionuclide fallout. PMID:22919005

The inhibitory effect of herbal medicine -Dai Kenchu To (DKT)- on the colonic motility in rats in vitro.

PubMed

Tulimat, M A; Ishiguchi, T; Kurosawa, S; Nakamura, T; Takahashi, T

2001-01-01

Dai-Kenchu-To (DKT) is a herbal medicine and is currently used as the treatment of paralytic ileus in Japan. We investigated the mechanism of beneficial effects of DKT in vitro. DKT-extract powder (DKT-EP; 30-300 microg/ml) caused a significant inhibition on carbachol (CCH: 10(-6))-induced contraction in a concentration dependent manner of the rat distal colon. DKT-EP (100 microg/ml) consists of 20 microg/ml of Zanthoxylum Fruit, 30 microg/ml of Ginseng Root and 50 microg/ml of Ginger Rhizome. Although each of them had no effect on CCH-induced muscle contraction, the combination of three ingredients caused a significant inhibition on CCH-induced contraction.

NIRS external dose estimation system for Fukushima residents after the Fukushima Dai-ichi NPP accident.

PubMed

Akahane, Keiichi; Yonai, Shunsuke; Fukuda, Shigekazu; Miyahara, Nobuyuki; Yasuda, Hiroshi; Iwaoka, Kazuki; Matsumoto, Masaki; Fukumura, Akifumi; Akashi, Makoto

2013-01-01

The great east Japan earthquake and subsequent tsunamis caused Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) accident. National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS) developed the external dose estimation system for Fukushima residents. The system is being used in the Fukushima health management survey. The doses can be obtained by superimposing the behavior data of the residents on the dose rate maps. For grasping the doses, 18 evacuation patterns of the residents were assumed by considering the actual evacuation information before using the survey data. The doses of the residents from the deliberate evacuation area were relatively higher than those from the area within 20 km radius. The estimated doses varied from around 1 to 6 mSv for the residents evacuated from the representative places in the deliberate evacuation area. The maximum dose in 18 evacuation patterns was estimated to be 19 mSv.

NIRS external dose estimation system for Fukushima residents after the Fukushima Dai-ichi NPP accident

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akahane, Keiichi; Yonai, Shunsuke; Fukuda, Shigekazu; Miyahara, Nobuyuki; Yasuda, Hiroshi; Iwaoka, Kazuki; Matsumoto, Masaki; Fukumura, Akifumi; Akashi, Makoto

2013-04-01

The great east Japan earthquake and subsequent tsunamis caused Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) accident. National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS) developed the external dose estimation system for Fukushima residents. The system is being used in the Fukushima health management survey. The doses can be obtained by superimposing the behavior data of the residents on the dose rate maps. For grasping the doses, 18 evacuation patterns of the residents were assumed by considering the actual evacuation information before using the survey data. The doses of the residents from the deliberate evacuation area were relatively higher than those from the area within 20 km radius. The estimated doses varied from around 1 to 6 mSv for the residents evacuated from the representative places in the deliberate evacuation area. The maximum dose in 18 evacuation patterns was estimated to be 19 mSv.

Influence of Dai-kenchu-to (DKT) on human portal blood flow.

PubMed

Ogasawara, Takashi; Morine, Yuji; Ikemoto, Tetsuya; Imura, Satoru; Fujii, Masahiko; Soejima, Yuji; Shimada, Mitsuo

2008-01-01

Dai-kenchu-to (DKT) is known as an herbal medicine used for postoperative ileus. However, no report exists about the effect of DKT on portal blood flow. The aim of this study is to clarify the influence of DKT on portal blood flow. To healthy volunteers (Healthy; n = 6), cirrhotic patients (Cirrhosis; n = 7) and liver-transplant patients (LTx; n = 3), DKT (2.5g) with 100mL of warm water was orally administrated in the DKT group, and only warm water was administrated in the control group. The portal blood flow rate (M-VEL: cm/sec.) and portal blood flow (Flow volume: mL/min.) was measured each time after administration using an ultrasonic Doppler method. Furthermore, the arterial blood pressure and heart rate was measured at the same time points. In the DKT group, a significant increase of M-VEL (120%) and flow volume (150%) 30 minutes after administration was observed in both Healthy and Cirrhosis in comparison with the control group. In LTx, there was also a significant increase of flow volume (128%) 30 minutes after administration. However, there was no change in average blood pressure and heart rate in all groups. DKT increases portal blood flow in early phase after oral administration without any significant changes in the blood pressure and heart rate.

Radiocesium Transfer in Forest Insect Communities after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident.

PubMed

Ishii, Yumiko; Hayashi, Seiji; Takamura, Noriko

2017-01-01

To understand radiocesium transfer in the forest insect food web, we investigated the activity concentrations of radiocesium in forest insects in the Fukushima and Ibaraki Prefectures approximately 1.5-2.5 years after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant. We analyzed 34 species of insects sampled from 4 orders and 4 feeding functional groups (herbivore, carnivore, omnivore, and detritivore) from three sites in each prefecture. 137Cs activity concentrations were lowest in herbivorous species and were especially high in detritivorous and omnivorous species that feed on forest litter and fungi. Radiocesium activity concentrations in any given species reflected the degree of contamination of that species' primary food sources since radiocesium activity concentrations were found to be the lowest in leaves and grass and the highest in litter, bark, and fungi. This study confirmed that litter and other highly contaminated forest components such as fungi, decaying wood, bryophytes, and lichens serve as sources of 137Cs transfer into the forest insect community.

Radiocesium Transfer in Forest Insect Communities after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident

PubMed Central

Hayashi, Seiji; Takamura, Noriko

2017-01-01

To understand radiocesium transfer in the forest insect food web, we investigated the activity concentrations of radiocesium in forest insects in the Fukushima and Ibaraki Prefectures approximately 1.5–2.5 years after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant. We analyzed 34 species of insects sampled from 4 orders and 4 feeding functional groups (herbivore, carnivore, omnivore, and detritivore) from three sites in each prefecture. 137Cs activity concentrations were lowest in herbivorous species and were especially high in detritivorous and omnivorous species that feed on forest litter and fungi. Radiocesium activity concentrations in any given species reflected the degree of contamination of that species’ primary food sources since radiocesium activity concentrations were found to be the lowest in leaves and grass and the highest in litter, bark, and fungi. This study confirmed that litter and other highly contaminated forest components such as fungi, decaying wood, bryophytes, and lichens serve as sources of 137Cs transfer into the forest insect community. PMID:28125745

Analysis of Radionuclide Releases from the Fukushima Dai-Ichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident Part I

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Le Petit, G.; Douysset, G.; Ducros, G.; Gross, P.; Achim, P.; Monfort, M.; Raymond, P.; Pontillon, Y.; Jutier, C.; Blanchard, X.; Taffary, T.; Moulin, C.

2014-03-01

Part I of this publication deals with the analysis of fission product releases consecutive to the Fukushima Dai-ichi accident. Reactor core damages are assessed relying on radionuclide detections performed by the CTBTO radionuclide network, especially at the particulate station located at Takasaki, 210 km away from the nuclear power plant. On the basis of a comparison between the reactor core inventory at the time of reactor shutdowns and the fission product activities measured in air at Takasaki, especially 95Nb and 103Ru, it was possible to show that the reactor cores were exposed to high temperature for a prolonged time. This diagnosis was confirmed by the presence of 113Sn in air at Takasaki. The 133Xe assessed release at the time of reactor shutdown (8 × 1018 Bq) turned out to be in the order of 80 % of the amount deduced from the reactor core inventories. This strongly suggests a broad meltdown of reactor cores.

Kampo medicine "Dai-kenchu-to" prevents CPT-11-induced small-intestinal injury in rats.

PubMed

Chikakiyo, Motoya; Shimada, Mitsuo; Nakao, Toshihiro; Higashijima, Jun; Yoshikawa, Kozo; Nishioka, Masanori; Iwata, Takashi; Kurita, Nobuhiro

2012-01-01

The key anticancer agent, CPT-11 (irinotecan hydrochloride), induces severe diarrhea clinically. We investigated the effect of a Kampo medicine, Dai-kenchu-to (DKT), on CPT-11-induced intestinal injuries in rats. Twenty-four male Wistar rats were divided into three groups: a control group; a CPT-11 group, given CPT-11 150 mg/kg intraperitoneally for 2 days; and a DKT group, given DKT 300 mg/kg orally for 5 days with CPT-11 150 mg/kg intraperitoneally on days 4 and 5. The rats were killed on day 6. Interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-12, interferon (IFN)-γ, and tumor necrosis factor-α expression in the small intestine of the CPT-11 group was significantly higher than that of the control group. Interleukin-1β and IFN-γ expression was improved significantly by DKT (P < 0.05). The number and height of jejuna villi, injury score, and apoptosis index in the CPT-11 group were improved significantly by DKT (P < 0.05). DKT suppressed CPT-11 induced inflammatory cytokines and apoptosis in the intestinal mucosa and maintained the mucosal integrity.

Time series changes in radiocaesium distribution in tea plants (Camellia sinensis (L.)) after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident.

PubMed

Hirono, Yuhei; Nonaka, Kunihiko

2016-02-01

Radiocaesium ((134)Cs and (137)Cs) release following the accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant, belonging to the Tokyo Electric Power Company caused severe contamination of new tea plant (Camellia sinensis (L.)) shoots by radiocaesium in many prefectures in eastern Japan. Because tea plants are perennial crops, there is the fear that the contamination might last for a long time. The objectives of this study were to reveal time series changes in the distribution of radiocaesium in tea plants after radioactive fallout and to evaluate the effect of pruning on reduction of radiocaesium concentrations in new shoots growing next year. The experimental tea field was located in Shizuoka, Japan, approximately 400 km away from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant in a southwest direction. Time series changes in radiocaesium concentrations in unrefined tea, a tea product primarily produced for making Japanese green tea, from May 2011 to June 2013 and distribution of radiocaesium in tea plants from May 2011 to May 2012 were monitored. The radiocaesium concentrations in unrefined tea exponentially decreased; the effective half-lives for (134)Cs and (137)Cs were 0.30 and 0.36 y during the first 2 y after the accident, respectively. With time, the highest concentrations of (137)Cs moved from the upper to the lower parts of plants. Medium pruning 2-3 months after the accident reduced the concentration of (137)Cs in new shoots harvested in the first crop season of the following year by 56% compared with unpruned tea plants; thus, pruning is an effective measure for reducing radiocaesium concentration in tea. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Deposition of fission and activation products after the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant accident.

PubMed

Shozugawa, Katsumi; Nogawa, Norio; Matsuo, Motoyuki

2012-04-01

The Great Eastern Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011, damaged reactor cooling systems at Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant. The subsequent venting operation and hydrogen explosion resulted in a large radioactive nuclide emission from reactor containers into the environment. Here, we collected environmental samples such as soil, plant species, and water on April 10, 2011, in front of the power plant main gate as well as 35 km away in Iitate village, and observed gamma-rays with a Ge(Li) semiconductor detector. We observed activation products ((239)Np and (59)Fe) and fission products ((131)I, (134)Cs ((133)Cs), (137)Cs, (110m)Ag ((109)Ag), (132)Te, (132)I, (140)Ba, (140)La, (91)Sr, (91)Y, (95)Zr, and (95)Nb). (239)Np is the parent nuclide of (239)Pu; (59)Fe are presumably activation products of (58)Fe obtained by corrosion of cooling pipes. The results show that these activation and fission products, diffused within a month of the accident. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Atmospheric radionuclides from the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear reactor accident observed in Vietnam.

PubMed

Long, N Q; Truong, Y; Hien, P D; Binh, N T; Sieu, L N; Giap, T V; Phan, N T

2012-09-01

Radionuclides from the reactor accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant were observed in the surface air at stations in Hanoi, Dalat, and Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) in Vietnam, about 4500 km southwest of Japan, during the period from March 27 to April 22, 2011. The maximum activity concentrations in the air measured at those three sites were 193, 33, and 37 μBq m(-3) for (131)I, (13)(4)Cs, and (13)(7)Cs, respectively. Peaks of radionuclide concentrations in the air corresponded to arrival of the air mass from Fukushima to Vietnam after traveling for 8 d over the Pacific Ocean. Cesium-134 was detected with the (134)Cs/(137)Cs activity ratio of about 0.85 in line with observations made elsewhere. The (131)I/(137)Cs activity ratio was observed to decrease exponentially with time as expected from radioactive decay. The ratio at Dalat, where is 1500 m high, was higher than those at Hanoi and HCMC in low lands, indicating the relative enrichment of the iodine in comparison to cesium at high altitudes. The time-integrated surface air concentrations of the Fukushima-derived radionuclides in the Southeast Asia showed exponential decrease with distance from Fukushima. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessment of the Risk of Medium-Term Internal Contamination in Minamisoma City, Fukushima, Japan, after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Accident

PubMed Central

Gilmour, Stuart; Tsubokura, Masaharu; Nomura, Shuhei; Kami, Masahiro; Oikawa, Tomoyoshi; Kanazawa, Yukio; Shibuya, Kenji

2014-01-01

Background: The Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear disaster, the first level-7 major nuclear disaster since Chernobyl, raised concerns about the future health consequences of exposure to and intake of radionuclides. Factors determining the risk and level of internal radiation contamination after a nuclear accident, which are a key to understanding and improving current nuclear disaster management, are not well studied. Objective: We investigated both the prevalence and level of internal contamination in residents of Minamisoma, and identified factors determining the risk and levels of contamination. Methods: We implemented a program assessing internal radiation contamination using a whole body counter (WBC) measurement and a questionnaire survey in Minamisoma, between October 2011 and March 2012. Results: Approximately 20% of the city’s population (8,829 individuals) participated in the WBC measurement for internal contamination, of which 94% responded to the questionnaire. The proportion of participants with detectable internal contamination was 40% in adults and 9% in children. The level of internal contamination ranged from 2.3 to 196.5 Bq/kg (median, 11.3 Bq/kg). Tobit regression analysis identified two main risk factors: more time spent outdoors, and intake of potentially contaminated foods and water. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that, with sensible and reasonable precautions, people may be able to live continuously in radiation-affected areas with limited contamination risk. To enable this, nuclear disaster response should strictly enforce food and water controls and disseminate evidence-based and up-to-date information about avoidable contamination risks. Citation: Sugimoto A, Gilmour S, Tsubokura M, Nomura S, Kami M, Oikawa T, Kanazawa Y, Shibuya K. 2014. Assessment of the risk of medium-term internal contamination in Minamisoma City, Fukushima, Japan, after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear accident. Environ Health Perspect 122:587–593;�

Role of nurses in a nuclear disaster: experience in the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant accident.

PubMed

Noto, Y; Kitamiya, C; Itaki, C; Urushizaka, M; Kidachi, R; Yamabe, H

2013-06-01

A severe earthquake occurred in Japan on 11 March 2011. The giant tsunami devastated many coastal communities in eastern Japan and caused the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant incident. The Japanese government conducted a large-scale survey of residents affected by the nuclear and natural disasters in Fukushima prefecture and in response to the government's request, H University dispatched a Radiation Exposure Research Team to Fukushima. This article explains the activities of the Radiation Exposure Research Team and the role of nurses in a nuclear disaster. As a nurse in the field of radiation medicine, our role is to protect the health of those affected and to reduce their anxiety. In addition, as the persons responsible for implementing these projects, it is also necessary that we educate and foster the development of medical care personnel with the appropriate knowledge and skills to carry out the measures required. © 2013 The Authors. International Nursing Review © 2013 International Council of Nurses.

The Fukushima Dai-ichi accident: additional lessons from a radiological emergency assistance mission.

PubMed

Becker, Steven M

2013-11-01

In response to the March 2011 earthquake-tsunami disaster and the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear accident, a special nongovernmental Radiological Emergency Assistance Mission flew to Japan from the United States. Invited by one of Japan's largest hospital and healthcare groups and facilitated by a New York-based international disaster relief organization, the mission included an emergency physician, a health physicist, and a disaster management specialist. During the 10 d mission, team members conducted fieldwork in areas affected by the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear accident; went to cities and towns in the 20-30 km Emergency Evacuation Preparation Zone around the damaged nuclear plant; visited other communities affected by the nuclear accident; went to evacuation shelters; met with mayors and other local officials; met with central government officials; exchanged observations, experiences, and information with Japanese medical, emergency response, and disaster management colleagues; and provided radiological information and training to more than 1,100 Japanese hospital and healthcare personnel and first responders. The mission produced many insights with potential relevance for radiological/nuclear emergency preparedness and response. The first "lessons learned" were published in December 2011. Since that time, additional broad insights from the mission and mission followup have been identified. Five of these new lessons, which focus primarily on community impacts and responses and public communication issues, are presented and discussed in this article.

ONRASIA Scientific Information Bulletin. Volume 17, Number 2, Apr-Jun 1992

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-06-01

the Physics Division, Research 7. K Yagi, H . Onuki , S. Sugiyama, Department. Dr. Rehn received his andT. Yamazaki,BunkyoKenkyu 40(5) B.A. in physics at...Pittsburgh in 1962. Aftercomplet- 8. T. Saito, K Katori, M. Nishi, and ing his thesis research in nuclear H . Onuki , Rev. Sci. Instru. 60, 2303...quadrupole resonance studies of para (1989); T. Saito, K Katori, and H . Onuki , dichlorobenzene and related mate- Physica Scripta 41,783 (1990). rials, Dr. Rchn

Effect of the herbal medicine Dai-kenchu-to for serum ammonia in hepatectomized patients.

PubMed

Kaiho, Takashi; Tanaka, Toshikazu; Tsuchiya, Shunichi; Yanagisawa, Shnji; Takeuchi, Osamu; Miura, Masami; Saigusa, Naoki; Miyazaki, Masaru

2005-01-01

Prolonged paralytic ileus occurring in hepatectomized patients may induce hyperammonemia or bacterial translocation, which injures the remnant liver function and sometimes causes post-resection liver failure. We examined the effectiveness of the herbal medicine, Dai-kenchu-to (DKT), on postoperative serum ammonia levels in patients with liver resection and compared it with lactulose. Patients with liver resection were divided into three groups. Lactulose group (n=31), 16g of lactulose was administered orally three times a day from the first postoperative day. DKT group (n=27), 5g of DKT was administered in the same fashion. Control group (n=26), neither lactulose nor DKT was administered. In all three groups, 16g of lactulose was administered three times a day for three days preoperatively. There was no significant difference among the groups in age, gender and preoperative hepatic functional values, such as ICG-R15 or galactose tolerance test. There was also no difference in parenchymal hepatic resection rate, operative time and amount of intraoperative bleeding volume. Postoperative serum ammonia levels were significantly lower in the DKT group than control and lactulose groups. Instances of delayed flatulence and occurrence of diarrhea were also fewer in the DKT group. DKT may become a more effective and safe agent than lactulose in postoperative management of liver resection.

[Comparison of Curative Effect between Fu Fang Huang Dai Pian and Arsenic Trioxide in Treatment of 45 Patients with Acute Promyelocytic Leukaemia].

PubMed

Wang, Jian; Huang, Jun-Bin; Liu, Zu-Lin; Zhang, Bi-Hong; Xu, Hong-Gui; Xue, Hong-Man; Chen, Chun

2017-12-01

To investigate the clinical efficacy of Fu Fan Huang Dai Pian(RIF) and arsenic trioxide (ATO) regimens for treatment of children with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) and to explore the risk factors affecting the prognosis of patients. The clinical data of 45 newly diagnosed APL children admitted in our hospital from January 2004 to May 2017 were analyzed retrospectively. Among 45 APL children, 25 children were treated by chemotherapetic regimen including RIF (RIF group), another 20 children were treated by chemotherapeutic regimen including ATO (ATO group). The follow-up was performed in all APL children. The prognosis and incidence of side reactions from drugs in 2 groups were compared, and the high risk factors affecting the prognosis of patients were analyzed. The median follow-up time was 49.8% months. In RIF group, no early death occured in 25 APL children; 5 cases did not achieve complete remission (CR) after induction therapy, CR rate was 88%. Out of 25 cases 2 caes relapsed, 3 cases died, 20 cases maintained contined CR (CCR), 2 cases failed to be followed-up. In ATO group, 2 cases suffered from early death, 5 cases did not achieve CR after induction therapy, CR rate was 90%, 2 caese relapsed and died, 15 cases maintained CCR, the follow-up failed in 1 caes. The 5 year- OS and EFS rate in all the patients were predicted as (82.2±6.2)% and (76.4±6.6)% respectively. The OS and EFS rate in RIF group were (86.1±7.4)% and (78.4±8.6)% respectively, which were significantly different from OS and EFS rate (76.4%±10.6%) and (74.0%±10.1%) respectively in ATO group (all P>0.05). As for the side reaction from drug, except for the cardiac damage (P<0.05), incidence of other side reactions was not significantly different between 2 groups (P>0.05). In addition, the 5 year-OS and EFS rates in APL children with CNSL were significantly lower than those in APL children without CNSL (all P<0.05), the 5 year OS and EFS rate in APL children did not reache M1 and with

Radioactivity from Fukushima Dai-ichi in air over Europe; part 2: what can it tell us about the accident?

PubMed

Kirchner, G; Bossew, P; De Cort, M

2012-12-01

It is shown which information can be extracted from the monitoring of radionuclides emitted from the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant and transported to Europe. In this part the focus will be on the analysis of the concentration ratios. While (131)I, (134)Cs and (137)Cs were reported by most stations, other detected radionuclides, reported by some, are (95)Nb, (129m)Te, (132)Te, (132)I, (136)Cs and (140)La. From their activity ratios a mean burn-up of 26.7 GWd/t of the fuel from which they originated is estimated. Based on these data, inventories of radionuclides present at the time of the accident are calculated. The caesium activity ratios indicate emissions from the core of unit 4 which had been unloaded into the fuel storage pool prior to the accident. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Decontamination work in the area surrounding Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant: another occupational health challenge of the nuclear disaster.

PubMed

Wada, Koji; Yoshikawa, Toru; Murata, Masaru

2012-01-01

This article describes occupational health measures for workers involved in decontamination of radioactive material discharged around Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant after the explosions in 2011. Decontamination is performed by removing radioactive particles (mainly cesium) from surfaces of soil, grass and trees, and buildings. Measurement of radiation doses is necessary to reduce exposure, and to determine whether workers can work below dose limits. Protective equipment for decontamination is determined based on the concentration of radiation in contaminated soil and the exposure to dust. Health examinations by physicians are mandated for decontamination workers upon hiring and every 6 months. While there is no possibility of acute radiation injury from decontamination, workers may be anxious about the unclear effects of chronic low level radiation exposure on health. Measures to protect the decontamination workers are the top priority.

Wet deposition of fission-product isotopes to North America from the Fukushima Dai-ichi incident, March 2011

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wetherbee, Gregory A.; Gay, David A.; Debey, Timothy M.; Lehmann, Christopher M.B.; Nilles, Mark A.

2012-01-01

Using the infrastructure of the National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP), numerous measurements of radionuclide wet deposition over North America were made for 167 NADP sites before and after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station incident of March 12, 2011. For the period from March 8 through April 5, 2011, wet-only precipitation samples were collected by NADP and analyzed for fission-product isotopes within whole-water and filterable solid samples by the United States Geological Survey using gamma spectrometry. Variable amounts of 131I, 134Cs, or 137Cs were measured at approximately 21% of sampled NADP sites distributed widely across the contiguous United States and Alaska. Calculated 1- to 2-week individual radionuclide deposition fluxes ranged from 0.47 to 5100 Becquerels per square meter during the sampling period. Wet deposition activity was small compared to measured activity already present in U.S. soil. NADP networks responded to this complex disaster, and provided scientifically valid measurements that are comparable and complementary to other networks in North America and Europe.

The Clinical Effects of Dai-kenchu-to on Postoperative Intestinal Movement and Inflammatory Reaction in Colorectal Surgery.

PubMed

Osawa, Gakuji; Yoshimatsu, Kazuhiko; Yokomizo, Hajime; Otani, Taisuke; Matsumoto, Atsuo; Nakayama, Mao; Ogawa, Kenji

2015-06-01

We analyzed the effects of the Kampo medicine "Dai-kenchu-to" (DKT) on clinical aspects in colorectal surgery. Total 122 patients who underwent colorectal cancer surgery were divided into a DKT group (n = 53) and a non-DKT group (n = 69). The differences of postoperative course and anti-inflammatory responses between those two groups were analyzed. The 53 out of 59 patients could completely take DKT. In the postoperative course, significant difference was observed in the first flatus day. In the anti-inflammatory effects, differences were observed in the heart rate (HR) of the 3rd POD. In the change between 1st POD and 3rd POD, HR in the DKT group was well controlled compared to the non-DKT group. In the patients who had over 37.5°C of body temperature in 1st POD (n = 53), inflammatory response of the DKT group was reduced compared to the non-DKT group. The DKT might have the favorable influences on postoperative bowel movement and systemic inflammatory reaction, and induce the better postoperative course.

Artificial radionuclides in surface air in Finland following the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant accident.

PubMed

Leppänen, Ari-Pekka; Mattila, Aleksi; Kettunen, Markku; Kontro, Riitta

2013-12-01

We present observations of radionuclides released during the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant accident in ambient air and in deposition made in Finland during March-May 2011. The first observed fission product was (131)I, which arrived in Finland 8-9 days after the accident. Detections of (137)Cs and (134)Cs were made 2-3 days after the first (131)I observations. The highest concentrations of fission products in Finland were observed during March 31st and April 1st. The highest observed concentrations of the following isotopes were: (131)I (10.6 ± 0.4 mBq/m(3)), (134)Cs (0.397 ± 0.020 mBq/m(3)), (137)Cs (0.405 ± 0.017 mBq/m(3)), (136)Cs (28 ± 2 μBq/m(3)), (129)Te (129 ± 9 μBq/m(3)), (129m)Te (234 ± 20 μBq/m(3)), (132)Te (51 ± 3 μBq/m(3)) and (132)I (54 ± 3 μBq/m(3)). Generally, higher concentrations of fission product were observed in Southern Finland than in Northern Finland. The variations in the (137)Cs and (134)Cs activity concentration data suggest that three separate plumes passed over Finland with decreasing concentrations. The first plume, with highest cesium concentrations, passed over Finland during March 31st - April 2nd, the second plume during April 4th - 6th and the third and smallest one during April 10th - April 11th. Both aerosol and gaseous iodine fractions were sampled simultaneously and thus an accurate view of the behaviour of aerosol and gaseous fractions was obtained. Large variations between different fractions were observed with the gaseous fraction representing 65-98% of the total (131)I. The (134)Cs/(137)Cs ratio was determined to be 0.99 ± 0.10, which indicates a fuel burnup of approximately 30 MWd/t. The (136)Cs/(137)Cs and (129m)Te/(132)Te ratios were used to estimate the time lapse after the accident. The differences between true time lapse and the ones deduced from the isotope ratios were from the correct time lapse to 0-3 days for (136)Cs/(137)Cs and 5 days for (129m)Te/(132)Te, respectively. Radionuclides from

Effects of Dai-kenchu-to on spontaneous activity in the mouse small intestine.

PubMed

Kito, Yoshihiko; Suzuki, Hikaru

2006-12-01

The effects of Dai-kenchu-to (DKT), a Chinese medicine, on spontaneous activity of mouse small intestine were investigated. Experiments were carried out with tension recording and intracellular recording. DKT contracted mouse longitudinal smooth muscles in a dose dependent manner (0.1-10 mg/ml). Low concentration of DKT (0.1 mg/ml) did not contract the longitudinal muscles of mouse small intestine. DKT (0.1 mg/ml) inhibited contraction elicited by transmural nerve stimulation (TNS). DKT (1 mg/ml) evoked relaxation before contraction. The initial relaxation was abolished by Nomega-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA). DKT (10 mg/ml)-induced contraction had two components: a transient rapid contraction and a following slow contraction. Atropine inhibited DKT (1 mg/ml)-induced contraction to about 50% of control. In the presence of atropine, tetrodotoxin (TTX) inhibited the contraction elicited by DKT (1 mg/ml) to about 80%. DKT depolarized the membrane and decreased the amplitude of pacemaker potentials recorded from in situ myenteric interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC-MY) with no alteration to the frequency, duration and maximum rates of rise in the presence of nifedipine and TTX. The same results were obtained in slow waves recorded from circular smooth muscle cells. These results indicate that DKT evoked both contraction and relaxation by releasing acetylcholine, nitric oxide and other excitatory neurotransmitters in mouse small intestine. DKT had no effects on pacemaker mechanisms and electrical coupling between ICC-MY and smooth muscle cells in mouse small intestine. The results also suggest that DKT may contract smooth muscles by depolarizing the membrane directly.

Analysis of data from sensitive U.S. monitoring stations for the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear reactor accident.

PubMed

Biegalski, S R; Bowyer, T W; Eslinger, P W; Friese, J A; Greenwood, L R; Haas, D A; Hayes, J C; Hoffman, I; Keillor, M; Miley, H S; Moring, M

2012-12-01

The March 11, 2011 9.0 magnitude undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan and subsequent tsunami waves triggered a major nuclear event at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power station. At the time of the event, units 1, 2, and 3 were operating and units 4, 5, and 6 were in a shutdown condition for maintenance. Loss of cooling capacity to the plants along with structural damage caused by the earthquake and tsunami resulted in a breach of the nuclear fuel integrity and release of radioactive fission products to the environment. Fission products started to arrive in the United States via atmospheric transport on March 15, 2011 and peaked by March 23, 2011. Atmospheric activity concentrations of (131)I reached levels of 3.0×10(-2) Bqm(-3) in Melbourne, FL. The noble gas (133)Xe reached atmospheric activity concentrations in Ashland, KS of 17 Bqm(-3). While these levels are not health concerns, they were well above the detection capability of the radionuclide monitoring systems within the International Monitoring System of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of data from sensitive U.S. monitoring stations for the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear reactor accident

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

Biegalski, Steven R.; Bowyer, Ted W.; Eslinger, Paul W.

The March 11, 2011 9.0 magnitude undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan and subsequent tsunami waves triggered a major nuclear event at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power station. At the time of the event, units 1, 2, and 3 were operating and units 4, 5, and 6 were in a shutdown condition for maintenance. Loss of cooling capacity to the plants along with structural damage caused by the earthquake and tsunami resulted in a breach of the nuclear fuel integrity and release of radioactive fission products to the environment. Fission products started to arrive in the United Statesmore » via atmospheric transport on March 15, 2011 and peaked by March 23, 2011. Atmospheric activity concentrations of 131I reached levels of 3.0 * 10*2 Bqm*3 in Melbourne, FL. The noble gas 133Xe reached atmospheric activity concentrations in Ashland, KS of 17 Bqm*3. While these levels are not health concerns, they were well above the detection capability of the radionuclide monitoring systems within the International Monitoring System of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.« less

ZBP1/DAI is an innate sensor of influenza virus triggering the NLRP3 inflammasome and programmed cell death pathways

PubMed Central

Kuriakose, Teneema; Man, Si Ming; Malireddi, R.K. Subbarao; Karki, Rajendra; Kesavardhana, Sannula; Place, David E.; Neale, Geoffrey; Vogel, Peter; Kanneganti, Thirumala-Devi

2016-01-01

The interferon-inducible protein Z-DNA binding protein 1 (ZBP1, also known as DNA-dependent activator of IFN-regulatory factors (DAI) and DLM-1) was identified as a dsDNA sensor, which instigates innate immune responses. However, this classification has been disputed and whether ZBP1 functions as a pathogen sensor during an infection has remained unknown. Herein, we demonstrated ZBP1-mediated sensing of the influenza A virus (IAV) proteins NP and PB1, triggering cell death and inflammatory responses via the RIPK1–RIPK3–Caspase-8 axis. ZBP1 regulates NLRP3 inflammasome activation as well as induction of apoptosis, necroptosis and pyroptosis in IAV-infected cells. Importantly, ZBP1 deficiency protected mice from mortality during IAV infection owing to reduced inflammatory responses and epithelial damage. Overall, these findings indicate that ZBP1 is an innate immune sensor of IAV and highlight its importance in the pathogenesis of IAV infection. PMID:27917412

Distribution of 137Cs on components in urban area four years after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident.

PubMed

Yoshimura, K; Saito, K; Fujiwara, K

2017-11-01

Distribution of 137 Cs on components in urban areas such as roofs and roads is crucial for evaluating the behavior of radiocesium and ambient dose rates in the area. This study evaluated relative 137 Cs inventories, which are defined as the relative values of 137 Cs inventory on each component to that on a nearby permeable plane field, for 11 buildings in the evacuation zone about four years after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. The average relative inventory of paved ground accounted for 0.18 of that on permeable plane fields. Other components showed small average values of less than 0.1, indicating rapid removal of radiocesium from urban areas even without decontamination. The differences in the relative inventories on roads and roofs with those in the case of Europe suggest that human activity and component materials largely affect the reduction of radiocesium in urban area. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The total release of xenon-133 from the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant accident.

PubMed

Stohl, Andreas; Seibert, Petra; Wotawa, Gerhard

2012-10-01

The accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant (FD-NPP) on 11 March 2011 released large amounts of radioactivity into the atmosphere. We determine the total emission of the noble gas xenon-133 ((133)Xe) using global atmospheric concentration measurements. For estimating the emissions, we used three different methods: (i) using a purely observation-based multi-box model, (ii) comparisons of dispersion model results driven with GFS meteorological data with the observation data, and (iii) such comparisons with the dispersion model driven by ECMWF data. From these three methods, we have obtained total (133)Xe releases from FD-NPP of (i) 16.7 ± 1.9 EBq, (ii) 14.2 ± 0.8 EBq, and (iii) 19.0 ± 3.4 EBq, respectively. These values are substantially larger than the entire (133)Xe inventory of FD-NPP of about 12.2 EBq derived from calculations of nuclear fuel burn-up. Complete release of the entire (133)Xe inventory of FD-NPP and additional release of (133)Xe due to the decay of iodine-133 ((133)I), which can add another 2 EBq to the (133)Xe FD-NPP inventory, is required to explain the atmospheric observations. Two of our three methods indicate even higher emissions, but this may not be a robust finding given the differences between our estimates. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chromosomal Aberrations in Wild Mice Captured in Areas Differentially Contaminated by the Fukushima Dai-Ichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident.

PubMed

Kubota, Yoshihisa; Tsuji, Hideo; Kawagoshi, Taiki; Shiomi, Naoko; Takahashi, Hiroyuki; Watanabe, Yoshito; Fuma, Shoichi; Doi, Kazutaka; Kawaguchi, Isao; Aoki, Masanari; Kubota, Masahide; Furuhata, Yoshiaki; Shigemura, Yusaku; Mizoguchi, Masahiko; Yamada, Fumio; Tomozawa, Morihiko; Sakamoto, Shinsuke H; Yoshida, Satoshi

2015-08-18

Following the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, radiation effects on nonhuman biota in the contaminated areas have been a great concern. The induction of chromosomal aberrations in splenic lymphocytes of small Japanese field mice (Apodemus argenteus) and house mice (Mus musculus) inhabiting Fukushima Prefecture was investigated. In mice inhabiting the slightly contaminated area, the average frequency of dicentric chromosomes was similar to that seen in mice inhabiting a noncontaminated control area. In contrast, mice inhabiting the moderately and heavily contaminated areas showed a significant increase in the average frequencies of dicentric chromosomes. Total absorbed dose rate was estimated to be approximately 1 mGy d(-1) and 3 mGy d(-1) in the moderately and heavily contaminated areas, respectively. Chromosomal aberrations tended to roughly increase with dose rate. Although theoretically, the frequency of chromosomal aberrations was considered proportional to the absorbed dose, chromosomal aberrations in old mice (estimated median age 300 days) did not increase with radiation dose at the same rate as that observed in young mice (estimated median age 105 days).

Source term estimation of radioxenon released from the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear reactors using measured air concentrations and atmospheric transport modeling.

PubMed

Eslinger, P W; Biegalski, S R; Bowyer, T W; Cooper, M W; Haas, D A; Hayes, J C; Hoffman, I; Korpach, E; Yi, J; Miley, H S; Rishel, J P; Ungar, K; White, B; Woods, V T

2014-01-01

Systems designed to monitor airborne radionuclides released from underground nuclear explosions detected radioactive fallout across the northern hemisphere resulting from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident in March 2011. Sampling data from multiple International Modeling System locations are combined with atmospheric transport modeling to estimate the magnitude and time sequence of releases of (133)Xe. Modeled dilution factors at five different detection locations were combined with 57 atmospheric concentration measurements of (133)Xe taken from March 18 to March 23 to estimate the source term. This analysis suggests that 92% of the 1.24 × 10(19) Bq of (133)Xe present in the three operating reactors at the time of the earthquake was released to the atmosphere over a 3 d period. An uncertainty analysis bounds the release estimates to 54-129% of available (133)Xe inventory. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The beneficial effects of Kampo medicine Dai-ken-chu-to after hepatic resection: a prospective randomized control study.

PubMed

Nishi, Masaki; Shimada, Mitsuo; Uchiyama, Hideaki; Ikegami, Toru; Arakawa, Yusuke; Hanaoka, Jun; Kanemura, Hirofumi; Morine, Yuji; Imura, Satoru; Miyake, Hidenori; Utsunomiya, Toru

2012-10-01

After hepatic resection, delayed flatus and impaired bowel movement often cause problematic postoperative ileus. Kampo medicine, Dai-kenchu-to (DKT), is reported to have a various beneficial effects on bowel systems. The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate effects of DKT after hepatic resection. Thirty-two patients who underwent hepatic resection between July 2007 and August 2008 in Tokushima University Hospital were prospectively divided into DKT group (n=16) and control group (n=16). In DKT group, 2.5 g of DKT was administered orally three times a day from postoperative day (POD) 1. Blood was examined on POD 1, 3, 5 and 7. Postoperative first flatus, bowel movement and full recovery of oral intake, hospital stays and complications were checked. In DKT group, levels of c-reactive protein and beta-(1-3)-D-glucan on POD 3 were significantly decreased (p<0.05). Moreover, postoperative periods for the first flatus, bowel movement and the full recovery of oral intake were significantly shortened in DKT group (p<0.05). DKT suppressed inflammatory reaction, stimulated bowel movement and improved oral intake after hepatic resection, which may decrease serious morbidity after hepatic resection.

Loss of radioactivity in radiocesium-bearing microparticles emitted from the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant by heating.

PubMed

Okumura, Taiga; Yamaguchi, Noriko; Dohi, Terumi; Iijima, Kazuki; Kogure, Toshihiro

2018-06-26

Radiocesium-bearing microparticles (CsPs) substantially made of silicate glass are a novel form of radiocesium emitted from the broken containment vessel of Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant. CsPs have a potential risk of internal radiation exposure caused by inhalation. Radiation-contaminated waste including CsPs is being burned in incinerators; therefore, this study has investigated the responses of CsPs to heating in air. The radioactivity of CsPs gradually decreased from 600 °C and was almost lost when the temperature reached 1000 °C. The size and spherical morphology of CsPs were almost unchanged after heating, but cesium including radiocesium, potassium and chlorine were lost, probably diffused away from the CsPs. Iron, zinc and tin originally dissolved in the glass matrix were crystallized to oxide nanoparticles inside the CsPs. When the CsPs were heated together with weathered granitic soil that is common in Fukushima, the radiocesium released from CsPs was sorbed by the surrounding soil. From these results, it is expected that the radioactivity of CsPs will be lost when radiation-contaminated waste including CsPs is burned in incinerators.

Efficiency of herbal medicine Dai-kenchu-to on portal blood flow in rat models.

PubMed

Muraoka, Izumi; Takatsuki, Mitsuhisa; Soyama, Akihiko; Yamaguchi, Izumi; Tanaka, Shiro; Tanaka, Takayuki; Kinoshita, Ayaka; Hara, Takanobu; Kuroki, Tamotsu; Eguchi, Susumu

2015-09-01

To clarify the influence of Dai-Kenchu-To (DKT) on portal blood flow (PBF), PBF was continuously measured with Doppler ultrasound. Normal liver rats were divided into a DKT 90 mg/kg, DKT 270 mg/kg administered group, and control, while cirrhotic liver rats were divided into a DKT-LC 90 mg/kg administered group and Control-LC. The PBF was measured after the administration of either DKT or water for 60 min by laser Doppler flowmetry system. The PBF in the DKT 90 increased approximately 10 min after DKT was administrated, and elevated levels were maintained for approximately 10 min. A comparison of the increase in PBF by the calculating the area under the curve (AUC) revealed that flow was significantly higher in the DKT 90 compared to either the control or the DKT 270 (p < 0.05). The cirrhotic liver group showed stable PBF in both the DKT-LC and Control-LC. The AUC, revealed no significant difference between the DKT-LC and Control-LC. DKT induced an increase in PBF in normal livers; however, its effects were insufficient to increase PBF in the cirrhotic livers. No increase in the portal blood flow in the cirrhotic liver rats was probably the result of the cirrhotic liver, which had fibrotic change, and, therefore, may not have had sufficient compliance to accept the increasing blood flow volume from the intestinal tract. We suggested DKT has the potential to protect the liver by increasing PBF when the liver has either normal or mild to moderate dysfunction.

Development and deployment of an underway radioactive cesium monitor off the Japanese coast near Fukushima Dai-ichi.

PubMed

Caffrey, J A; Higley, K A; Farsoni, A T; Smith, S; Menn, S

2012-09-01

A custom radiation monitoring system was developed by Oregon State University at the request of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute to measure radioactive cesium contaminants in the ocean waters near Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant. The system was to be used on board the R/V Ka'imikai-O-Kanaloa during a 15 d research cruise to provide real-time approximations of radionuclide concentration and alert researchers to the possible occurrence of highly elevated radionuclide concentrations. A NaI(Tl) scintillation detector was coupled to a custom-built compact digital spectroscopy system and suspended within a sealed tank of continuously flowing seawater. A series of counts were acquired within an energy region corresponding to the main photopeak of (137)Cs. The system was calibrated using known quantities of radioactive (134)Cs and (137)Cs in a ratio equating to that present at the reactors' ocean outlet. The response between net count rate and concentration of (137)Cs was then used to generate temporal and geographic plots of (137)Cs concentration throughout the research cruise in Japanese coastal waters. The concentration of (137)Cs was low but detectable, reaching a peak of 3.8 ± 0.2 Bq/L. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of Radionuclide Releases from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident Part II

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Achim, Pascal; Monfort, Marguerite; Le Petit, Gilbert; Gross, Philippe; Douysset, Guilhem; Taffary, Thomas; Blanchard, Xavier; Moulin, Christophe

2014-03-01

The present part of the publication (Part II) deals with long range dispersion of radionuclides emitted into the atmosphere during the Fukushima Dai-ichi accident that occurred after the March 11, 2011 tsunami. The first part (Part I) is dedicated to the accident features relying on radionuclide detections performed by monitoring stations of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization network. In this study, the emissions of the three fission products Cs-137, I-131 and Xe-133 are investigated. Regarding Xe-133, the total release is estimated to be of the order of 6 × 1018 Bq emitted during the explosions of units 1, 2 and 3. The total source term estimated gives a fraction of core inventory of about 8 × 1018 Bq at the time of reactors shutdown. This result suggests that at least 80 % of the core inventory has been released into the atmosphere and indicates a broad meltdown of reactor cores. Total atmospheric releases of Cs-137 and I-131 aerosols are estimated to be 1016 and 1017 Bq, respectively. By neglecting gas/particulate conversion phenomena, the total release of I-131 (gas + aerosol) could be estimated to be 4 × 1017 Bq. Atmospheric transport simulations suggest that the main air emissions have occurred during the events of March 14, 2011 (UTC) and that no major release occurred after March 23. The radioactivity emitted into the atmosphere could represent 10 % of the Chernobyl accident releases for I-131 and Cs-137.

Use of otolith for detecting strontium-90 in fish from the harbor of Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant.

PubMed

Fujimoto, Ken; Miki, Shizuho; Kaeriyama, Hideki; Shigenobu, Yuya; Takagi, Kaori; Ambe, Daisuke; Ono, Tsuneo; Watanabe, Tomowo; Morinaga, Kenji; Nakata, Kaoru; Morita, Takami

2015-06-16

To clarify the level of contamination with radioactive cesium (radiocesium) discharged from Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP), three fish species caught in the main harbor of FDNPP were subjected to γ-ray analysis. The concentration of radiocesium in muscle differed among individual fish, even those of similar size of the same species, and showed little relation to the standard length of fish. The maximum concentration of radiocesium (202 kBq/kg wet) was detected from fat greenling samples. A comparison to data from outside the port indicated that the level of radiocesium contamination inside the port was higher than that outside. We found that β-rays were emitted from otoliths of fishes caught in the port of FDNPP. β-ray intensities were correlated with the concentrations of radiocesium in muscles of the three fish species. In Japanese rockfish, the β-ray count rates from otoliths were significantly correlated with the concentration of radiocesium and (90)Sr in the whole body without internal organs of Japanese rockfish. However, no β-rays were detected from brown hakeling samples collected around FDNPP, suggesting that the detection of β-rays from otoliths may indicate living in the main harbor of FDNPP.

Efficiency of herbal medicine Dai-kenchu-to on portal blood flow in rat models

PubMed Central

Muraoka, Izumi; Takatsuki, Mitsuhisa; Soyama, Akihiko; Yamaguchi, Izumi; Tanaka, Shiro; Tanaka, Takayuki; Kinoshita, Ayaka; Hara, Takanobu; Kuroki, Tamotsu; Eguchi, Susumu

2015-01-01

Introduction To clarify the influence of Dai-Kenchu-To (DKT) on portal blood flow (PBF), PBF was continuously measured with Doppler ultrasound. Methods Normal liver rats were divided into a DKT 90 mg/kg, DKT 270 mg/kg administered group, and control, while cirrhotic liver rats were divided into a DKT-LC 90 mg/kg administered group and Control-LC. The PBF was measured after the administration of either DKT or water for 60 min by laser Doppler flowmetry system. Results The PBF in the DKT 90 increased approximately 10 min after DKT was administrated, and elevated levels were maintained for approximately 10 min. A comparison of the increase in PBF by the calculating the area under the curve (AUC) revealed that flow was significantly higher in the DKT 90 compared to either the control or the DKT 270 (p < 0.05). The cirrhotic liver group showed stable PBF in both the DKT-LC and Control-LC. The AUC, revealed no significant difference between the DKT-LC and Control-LC. Discussion DKT induced an increase in PBF in normal livers; however, its effects were insufficient to increase PBF in the cirrhotic livers. No increase in the portal blood flow in the cirrhotic liver rats was probably the result of the cirrhotic liver, which had fibrotic change, and, therefore, may not have had sufficient compliance to accept the increasing blood flow volume from the intestinal tract. Conclusion We suggested DKT has the potential to protect the liver by increasing PBF when the liver has either normal or mild to moderate dysfunction. PMID:26155361

Dai-Kenchu-To, a Herbal Medicine, Attenuates Colorectal Distention-induced Visceromotor Responses in Rats

PubMed Central

Nakaya, Kumi; Nagura, Yohko; Hasegawa, Ryoko; Ito, Hitomi; Fukudo, Shin

2016-01-01

Background/Aims Dai-kenchu-to (DKT), a traditional Japanese herbal medicine, is known to increase gastrointestinal motility and improve ileal function. We tested our hypotheses that (1) pretreatment with DKT would block the colorectal distention-induced visceromotor response in rats, and (2) pretreatment with DKT would attenuate colorectal distention-induced adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) release and anxiety-related behavior. Methods Rats were pretreated with vehicle or DKT (300 mg/kg/5 mL, per os). Visceromotor responses were analyzed using electromyography in response to colorectal distention (10, 20, 40, 60, and 80 mmHg for 20 seconds at 3-minutes intervals). Anxiety-related behavior was measured during exposure to an elevated-plus maze after colorectal distention. Plasma ACTH and serum corticosterone levels were measured after exposure to the elevated-plus maze. Results Colorectal distention produced robust contractions of the abdominal musculature, graded according to stimulus intensity, in vehicle-treated rats. At 40, 60, and 80 mmHg of colorectal distention, the visceromotor responses of DKT-treated rats was significantly lower than that of vehicle-treated rats. At 80 mmHg, the amplitude was suppressed to approximately one-third in DKT-treated rats, compared with that in vehicle-treated rats. Smooth muscle compliance and the velocity of accommodation to 60 mmHg of stretching did not significantly differ between the vehicle-treated and DKT-treated rats. Similarly, the DKT did not influence colorectal distention-induced ACTH release, corticosterone levels, or anxiety-related behavior in rats. Conclusions Our results suggest that DKT attenuates the colorectal distention-induced visceromotor responses, without increasing smooth muscle compliance, ACTH release or anxiety-related behavior in rats. PMID:27095743

Dai-Kenchu-To, a Herbal Medicine, Attenuates Colorectal Distention-induced Visceromotor Responses in Rats.

PubMed

Nakaya, Kumi; Nagura, Yohko; Hasegawa, Ryoko; Ito, Hitomi; Fukudo, Shin

2016-10-30

Dai-kenchu-to (DKT), a traditional Japanese herbal medicine, is known to increase gastrointestinal motility and improve ileal function. We tested our hypotheses that (1) pretreatment with DKT would block the colorectal distention-induced visceromotor response in rats, and (2) pretreatment with DKT would attenuate colorectal distention-induced adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) release and anxiety-related behavior. Rats were pretreated with vehicle or DKT (300 mg/kg/5 mL, per os). Visceromotor responses were analyzed using electromyography in response to colorectal distention (10, 20, 40, 60, and 80 mmHg for 20 seconds at 3-minutes intervals). Anxiety-related behavior was measured during exposure to an elevated-plus maze after colorectal distention. Plasma ACTH and serum corticosterone levels were measured after exposure to the elevated-plus maze. Colorectal distention produced robust contractions of the abdominal musculature, graded according to stimulus intensity, in vehicle-treated rats. At 40, 60, and 80 mmHg of colorectal distention, the visceromotor responses of DKT-treated rats was significantly lower than that of vehicle-treated rats. At 80 mmHg, the amplitude was suppressed to approximately one-third in DKT-treated rats, compared with that in vehicle-treated rats. Smooth muscle compliance and the velocity of accommodation to 60 mmHg of stretching did not significantly differ between the vehicle-treated and DKT-treated rats. Similarly, the DKT did not influence colorectal distention-induced ACTH release, corticosterone levels, or anxiety-related behavior in rats. Our results suggest that DKT attenuates the colorectal distention-induced visceromotor responses, without increasing smooth muscle compliance, ACTH release or anxiety-related behavior in rats.

Effects of herbal medicine Dai-Kenchu-to on anorectal function in children with severe constipation.

PubMed

Iwai, N; Kume, Y; Kimura, O; Ono, S; Aoi, S; Tsuda, T

2007-04-01

We administered the herbal medicine Dai-Kenchu-To (DKT) to children with severe chronic constipation or with severe constipation after surgery for anorectal malformations. We then objectively assessed the effect of DKT on anorectal function by manometric study in addition to using a clinical scoring system. Ten children with severe chronic constipation and 5 children with severe constipation after surgery for anorectal malformations were assessed. These 15 children received 0.3 g/kg/day of DKT for periods ranging from 3 months to 1 year. We objectively assessed their bowel function, sphincter function and rectal reservoir function by anorectal manometry and clinical scoring. In 10 children with severe chronic constipation, the clinical score after administration of DKT (7.2 +/- 0.8) improved significantly compared with that before administration of DKT (4.6 +/- 2.9) (p < 0.02). The threshold sensation volume and the maximum tolerable volume after administration of DKT significantly (p < 0.05; p < 0.01) decreased (128 +/- 63 ml vs. 69 +/- 18 ml; 229 +/- 99 ml vs. 144 +/- 47 ml), and rectal compliance after administration of DKT also significantly (p < 0.05) decreased (12.4 +/- 10.9 ml/cmH(2)O vs. 4.7 +/- 3.9 ml/cmH(2)O). The present study demonstrated that DKT had a favorable clinical effect on severe constipation in children, and anorectal manometry showed an improvement in their rectal reservoir functions. It appears that the results were secondary to DKT-stimulated peristalsis of the intestine, which promoted regular bowel habits.

Radiocesium contamination of the moss Hypnum plumaeforme caused by the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident.

PubMed

Oguri, Emiko; Deguchi, Hironori

2018-03-07

We investigated 134 Cs and 137 Cs activity concentrations in the common Japanese moss species Hypnum plumaeforme collected from 32 sites within ca. 100 km radius of the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant. A total of 32 samples of H. plumaeforme were collected during the field surveys from November 2013 to September 2014. The maximum radiocesium activity concentrations in H. plumaeforme were 60.9 ± 1.8 kBq kg -1 for 134 Cs and 123 ± 2.3 kBq kg -1 for 137 Cs. The mean value for the 134 Cs/ 137 Cs was 1.17 ± 0.05, and the mean T ag value was 0.09 ± 0.13. Positive correlations were obtained between total 134 Cs + 137 Cs activity concentrations in H. plumaeforme and the air dose rate with a correlation coefficient (r) of 0.55 (P = 0.001), and between 137 Cs activity concentration in H. plumaeforme and 137 Cs deposition density on soil with r of 0.55 (P = 0.001). These results suggest that the perennial moss species H. plumaeforme could be more suitable and useful as a qualitative indicator for the radiocesium pollution compared to vascular plants spreading over the lowlands including human habitation in Fukushima Prefecture. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Fission products in National Atmospheric Deposition Program—Wet deposition samples prior to and following the Fukushima Dai-Ichi Nuclear Power Plant incident, March 8?April 5, 2011

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wetherbee, Gregory A.; Debey, Timothy M.; Nilles, Mark A.; Lehmann, Christopher M.B.; Gay, David A.

2012-01-01

Radioactive isotopes I-131, Cs-134, or Cs-137, products of uranium fission, were measured at approximately 20 percent of 167 sampled National Atmospheric Deposition Program monitoring sites in North America (primarily in the contiguous United States and Alaska) after the Fukushima Dai-Ichi Nuclear Power Plant incident on March 12, 2011. Samples from the National Atmospheric Deposition Program were analyzed for the period of March 8-April 5, 2011. Calculated 1- or 2-week radionuclide deposition fluxes at 35 sites from Alaska to Vermont ranged from 0.47 to 5,100 Becquerels per square meter during the sampling period of March 15-April 5, 2011. No fission-product isotopes were measured in National Atmospheric Deposition Program samples obtained during March 8-15, 2011, prior to the arrival of contaminated air in North America.

Traumatic midline subarachnoid hemorrhage on initial computed tomography as a marker of severe diffuse axonal injury.

PubMed

Mata-Mbemba, Daddy; Mugikura, Shunji; Nakagawa, Atsuhiro; Murata, Takaki; Ishii, Kiyoshi; Kushimoto, Shigeki; Tominaga, Teiji; Takahashi, Shoki; Takase, Kei

2018-01-05

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that midline (interhemispheric or perimesencephalic) traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage (tSAH) on initial CT may implicate the same shearing mechanism that underlies severe diffuse axonal injury (DAI). METHODS The authors enrolled 270 consecutive patients (mean age [± SD] 43 ± 23.3 years) with a history of head trauma who had undergone initial CT within 24 hours and brain MRI within 30 days. Six initial CT findings, including intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) and tSAH, were used as candidate predictors of DAI. The presence of tSAH was determined at the cerebral convexities, sylvian fissures, sylvian vallecula, cerebellar folia, interhemispheric fissure, and perimesencephalic cisterns. Following MRI, patients were divided into negative and positive DAI groups, and were assigned to a DAI stage: 1) stage 0, negative DAI; 2) stage 1, DAI in lobar white matter or cerebellum; 3) stage 2, DAI involving the corpus callosum; and 4) stage 3, DAI involving the brainstem. Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended (GOSE) scores were obtained in 232 patients. RESULTS Of 270 patients, 77 (28.5%) had DAI; tSAH and IVH were independently associated with DAI (p < 0.05). Of tSAH locations, midline tSAH was independently associated with both overall DAI and DAI stage 2 or 3 (severe DAI; p < 0.05). The midline tSAH on initial CT had sensitivity of 60.8%, specificity of 81.7%, and positive and negative predictive values of 43.7% and 89.9%, respectively, for severe DAI. When adjusted for admission Glasgow Coma Score, the midline tSAH independently predicted poor GOSE score at both hospital discharge and after 6 months. CONCLUSIONS Midline tSAH could implicate the same shearing mechanism that underlies severe DAI, for which midline tSAH on initial CT is a probable surrogate.

Effects of iridoid-anthocyanin extract of Cornus mas L. on hematological parameters, population and proliferation of lymphocytes during experimental infection of mice with Trichinella spiralis.

PubMed

Piekarska, Jolanta; Szczypka, Marianna; Kucharska, Alicja Z; Gorczykowski, Michał

2018-05-01

The influence of iridoid-anthocyanin aqueous extract of cornelian cherry fruits (CM) on hematological parameters, lymphocyte subsets and proliferation during Trichinella spiralis infection in mice was investigated. CM (100 mg/kg) was administered orally to T. spiralis-infected mice six times within a period encompassing three days prior to the infection and three days after the infection (dai). CM increased the percentage of CD3 + , CD4 + cells and CD4 + /CD8 + ratio and decreased total count of CD8 + and CD19 + splenocytes (5 th dai). An increase in total count of CD4 + , CD3 + , CD19 + splenocytes was observed (21 st dai). CM elevated the percentage of CD4 + cells (7 th dai) and CD4 + /CD8 + ratio (21 st dai) in MLN. CM increased (14 th dai) and then reduced (21 st dai) the percentage of CD8 + MLN lymphocytes and decreased total count of MLN CD8 + cells (21 st dai) and B cells (14 th dai). An activation of lymphocyte proliferation in spleen and simultaneous decrease in MLN on 5 th dai was observed. An increase in red blood cells parameters (5 th dai) and in leukocyte count (7 th dai) was found. A rise in platelet count was noticed both on 5 th and 7 th dai. Moreover, the number of adult T. spiralis on 5 th dai in mice receiving CM extract was lower than in the control mice. These results suggested that iridoid-anthocyanin aqueous extract of CM stimulated murine immune response during T. spiralis infection. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Tracking Radioactive Fallout from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Accident in Arctic Snow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osterberg, E. C.; Thompson, J.; Landis, J.; Albert, M. R.; Campbell, S. W.; Hawley, R. L.; Virginia, R. A.

2011-12-01

The March 11, 2011 magnitude 9.0 Tohoku, Japan earthquake produced a tsunami that inundated the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant and led to the accidental release of radioactive 131I, 132Te, 134Cs, and 137Cs to the atmosphere. The Japanese Nuclear Safety Commission estimates that 12,000 TBq of 137Cs were released to the atmosphere during the incident, which represents ~14% of the total estimated 137Cs emission from the Chernobyl disaster in April 1986. Measurements of airborne radiation collected at the Fukushima plant illustrate that >50% of the total emitted radiation was released on March 15 and 16 associated with explosions and fires at reactor units 1, 2, and 4, and 70% was emitted in the first 5 days of the event. The source of the radiation is thus well constrained in time and space, providing an opportunity to better understand long-range atmospheric transport processes from Asia to the Arctic, while also assessing the magnitude of the fallout in the Arctic. Here we describe the 137Cs and 134Cs fallout flux near Thule, Greenland (1700 m a.s.l.), at Summit (3200 m a.s.l.), Greenland, and within Denali National Park, Alaska (2400-3900 m a.s.l.) based on series of large-volume (5-15 l) snow pit samples collected in June and July, 2011. In addition to assessing the spatial variability of Fukushima fallout in the Arctic, the elevation range of samples allows for an analysis of any vertical heterogeneity in fallout transport and deposition. Major ion concentrations and stable water isotope ratios are used to confirm the seasonal timing of the Fukushima fallout horizon in the snowpack. Radiocesium was concentrated and isolated from the snow pit meltwater using the well-established ammonium phosphomolybdate (AMP) adsorption method, and 134Cs and 137Cs concentrations were measured using gamma spectrometry with a Canberra 3523 well-type intrinsic Ge-detector at the Dartmouth College Short-Lived Isotope Laboratory. NOAA HYPLIT atmospheric forward

Soil sampling and analytical strategies for mapping fallout in nuclear emergencies based on the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident.

PubMed

Onda, Yuichi; Kato, Hiroaki; Hoshi, Masaharu; Takahashi, Yoshio; Nguyen, Minh-Long

2015-01-01

The Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident resulted in extensive radioactive contamination of the environment via deposited radionuclides such as radiocesium and (131)I. Evaluating the extent and level of environmental contamination is critical to protecting citizens in affected areas and to planning decontamination efforts. However, a standardized soil sampling protocol is needed in such emergencies to facilitate the collection of large, tractable samples for measuring gamma-emitting radionuclides. In this study, we developed an emergency soil sampling protocol based on preliminary sampling from the FDNPP accident-affected area. We also present the results of a preliminary experiment aimed to evaluate the influence of various procedures (e.g., mixing, number of samples) on measured radioactivity. Results show that sample mixing strongly affects measured radioactivity in soil samples. Furthermore, for homogenization, shaking the plastic sample container at least 150 times or disaggregating soil by hand-rolling in a disposable plastic bag is required. Finally, we determined that five soil samples within a 3 m × 3-m area are the minimum number required for reducing measurement uncertainty in the emergency soil sampling protocol proposed here. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prevalence and impact of diffuse axonal injury in patients with moderate and severe head injury: a cohort study of early magnetic resonance imaging findings and 1-year outcome.

PubMed

Skandsen, Toril; Kvistad, Kjell Arne; Solheim, Ole; Strand, Ingrid Haavde; Folvik, Mari; Vik, Anne

2010-09-01

In this prospective cohort study the authors examined patients with moderate to severe head injuries using MR imaging in the early phase. The objective was to explore the occurrence of diffuse axonal injury (DAI) and determine whether DAI was related to level of consciousness and patient outcome. One hundred and fifty-nine patients (age range 5-65 years) with traumatic brain injury, who survived the acute phase, and who had a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of 3-13 were admitted between October 2004 and August 2008. Of these 159 patients, 106 were examined using MR imaging within 4 weeks postinjury. Patients were classified into 1 of 3 stages of DAI: Stage 1, in which lesions were confined to the lobar white matter; Stage 2, in which there were callosal lesions; and Stage 3, in which lesions occurred in the dorsolateral brainstem. The outcome measure used 12 months postinjury was the Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended (GOSE). Diffuse axonal injury was detected in 72% of the patients and a combination of DAI and contusions or hematomas was found in 50%. The GCS score was significantly lower in patients with "pure DAI" (median GCS Score 9) than in patients without DAI (median GCS Score 12; p < 0.001). The GCS score was related to outcome only in those patients with DAI (r = 0.47; p = 0.001). Patients with DAI had a median GOSE score of 7, and patients without DAI had a median GOSE score of 8 (p = 0.10). Outcome was better in patients with DAI Stage 1 (median GOSE Score 8) and DAI Stage 2 (median GOSE Score 7.5) than in patients with DAI Stage 3 (median GOSE Score 4; p < 0.001). Thus, in patients without any brainstem injury, there was no difference in good recovery between patients with DAI (67%) and patients without DAI (66%). Diffuse axonal injury was found in almost three-quarters of the patients with moderate and severe head injury who survived the acute phase. Diffuse axonal injury influenced the level of consciousness, and only in patients with DAI was GCS score

Vertical profiles of Fukushima Dai-ichi NPP-derived radiocesium concentrations in the waters of the southwestern Okhotsk Sea (2011-2017).

PubMed

Inoue, Mutsuo; Morokado, Toshiki; Fujimoto, Ken; Miki, Shizuho; Kofuji, Hisaki; Isoda, Yutaka; Nagao, Seiya

2018-04-30

We examined the vertical 134 Cs and 137 Cs concentration profiles in the southwestern Okhotsk Sea in 2011, 2013, and 2017. In June 2011, atmospheric deposition-derived 134 Cs from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) was detected at depths of 0-200 m (0.06-0.6 mBq/L). In July 2013, 134 Cs detected at depths of 100-200 m (∼0.05 mBq/L) was ascribed to the transport of low-level 134 Cs-contaminated water and/or the convection of radioactive depositions (<0.03 mBq/L at depths of 0-50 m). In July 2017, 134 Cs was detected in water samples at depths above 300 m (0.03-0.05 mBq/L), and the inventory, decay-corrected to the FDNPP accident date, exhibited its maximum value (85 Bq/m 2 ) during this period. Combining temperature-salinity data with the concentrations of global fallout-derived 137 Cs led to a plausible explanation for this observation, which is a consequence of re-entry of FDNPP-derived radiocesium through the Kuril Strait from the northwestern North Pacific Ocean to the Okhotsk Sea and subsequent mixing with the south Okhotsk subsurface layer until 2017. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of Kampo medicine "Dai-kenchu-to" on microbiome in the intestine of the rats with fast stress.

PubMed

Yoshikawa, Kozo; Shimada, Mitsuo; Kuwahara, Tomomi; Hirakawa, Hideki; Kurita, Nobuhiro; Sato, Hirohiko; Utsunomiya, Tohru; Iwata, Takashi; Miyatani, Tomohiko; Higashijima, Jun; Kashihara, Hideya; Takasu, Chie; Matsumoto, Noriko; Nakayama-Imaohji, Haruyuki

2013-01-01

Diversity of gut microbiome has been recently reported to be lost in inflammatory bowel disease. We have previously reported that the Dai-kenchu-to (DKT) prevented the bacterial translocation through suppression of cytokine and apoptosis in rat's fast stress model. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of DKT on maintenance of microbial diversity in rat's intestine with inflammation. Wister rats were received the fast stress for 5 days. In DKT group, rats were administered with DKT (300 mg/kg/day) during the fast stress (DKT-group). The gut microbiomes were analyzed at before- and after- fast stress, and the effect of DKT for on microbial diversities of the gut were evaluated by the PCR-clone library method targeting the 16 S ribosomal RNA gene. In Control-group, Erysipelotrichaceae increased to 86% in after fast stress, OTU of before-fast stress was 111 and after fast stress was only 9 (changing rate: 58%). The diversity of microbiome was severely decreased. On the other hand, in DKT-group, diversity of microbiome was kept after fast stress (Lachnospiraceae: Ruminococcaceae: Coriobacteriales 54%, 22%, 5%), Operational taxonomic units of before fast stress was 52 and after fast stress was 55 (changing rate: 6%). Family Lachnospiraceae which includes butyrate-producing Clostridia (Clostridium IV and XIVa). DKT prevented the reduction of diversity of microbiome in rat's fast stress model. Our data suggested the new anti-inflammatory mechanism of DKT through gut microbiome.

Feasibility of the Dutch ICF Activity Inventory: a pilot study

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Demographic ageing will lead to increasing pressure on visual rehabilitation services, which need to be efficiently organised in the near future. The Dutch ICF Activity Inventory (D-AI) was developed to assess the rehabilitation needs of visually impaired persons. This pilot study tests the feasibility of the D-AI using a computer-assisted telephone interview. Methods In addition to the regular intake, the first version of the D-AI was assessed in 20 patients. Subsequently, patients and intake assessors were asked to fill in an evaluation form. Based on these evaluations, a new version of the D-AI was developed. Results Mean administration time of the D-AI was 88.8 (± 41.0) minutes. Overall, patients and assessors were positive about the D-AI assessment. However, professionals and 60% of the patients found the administration time to be too long. All included items were considered relevant and only minor adjustments were recommended. Conclusion The systematic character of the revised D-AI will prevent topics from being overlooked and indicate which needs have the highest priority from a patient-centred perspective. Moreover, ongoing assessment of the D-AI will enhance evaluation of the rehabilitation process. To decrease administration time, in the revised D-AI only the top priority goals will be fully assessed. Using the D-AI, a rehabilitation plan based on individual needs can be developed for each patient. Moreover, it enables better evaluation of the effects of rehabilitation. A larger validation study is planned. PMID:21110871

Dai-Zong-Fang, A Traditional Chinese Herbal Formula, Ameliorates Insulin Resistance in db/db Mice.

PubMed

Zhu, Lili; Zhu, Xiaoyun; Sun, Guibo; Meng, Xiangbao; Wang, Min; Cui, Hanming; Wang, Jialong; Zhai, Yadong; Yang, Ke; Tang, Yang; Sun, Xiaobo; Liu, Ximing

2018-01-01

Intricate health problems, such as insulin resistance (IR) and its associated diseases, call for multi-targeted therapies with few side effects. Based on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), Dai-Zong-Fang (DZF) is an herbal formula mainly composed of Rhizoma Coptidis (Huanglian) and Fructus Aurantii Immaturus (Zhishi), of which berberine and naringin are the main constituents. Though DZF has been clinically used for treatment of IR and metabolic syndrome for decades, its mechanism in vivo remains unknown. In the present study, we observed that both DZF and metformin, the first-line drug for type 2 diabetes, ameliorated insulin resistance with significant improvement of oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and homeostasis model assessment of IR (HOMA-IR) level in diabetic C57BL/Ksj-Lepr db -/- ( db/db ) mice. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and fatty acids (FAs) also decreased in the blood. Higher dose of DZF (1 g·kg -1 ), but not metformin (0.25 g·kg -1 ), alleviated hepatic steatosis with reduced liver weight and hepatic lipid accumulation and provided protection from hepatic injury with lower alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase and increased hepatic superoxide dismutase activity in db/db mice. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) showed a decrease in FA synthase gene ( Fasn ) and an increase in FA oxidation gene Ppara expression. Western blot demonstrated that both DZF and metformin activated 5' AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) but inhibited Notch intracellular domain (NICD) and Hairy/enhancer-of-split 1 (Hes1) of Notch signaling pathway in the liver. DZF also dramatically improved the ultrastructure of skeletal muscles, AMPK phosphorylation, and GLUT4 translocation. DZF also promoted FA transport and oxidation with Cd36 and Cpt1b up-regulation in the skeletal muscle. In conclusion, DZF improves insulin sensitivity by reducing hepatic lipids through AMPK activation and Notch signal pathway

The herbal medicine, Dai-Kenchu-to, accelerates delayed gastrointestinal transit after the operation in rats.

PubMed

Fukuda, Hiroyuki; Chen, Cindy; Mantyh, Christopher; Ludwig, Kirk; Pappas, Theodore N; Takahashi, Toku

2006-04-01

Post-operative ileus (POI) is a transient bowel dysmotility after operation. We have previously shown that laparotomy alone significantly delayed gastrointestinal (GI) transit, compared to anesthesia alone. The GI transit was further delayed after laparotomy plus intestinal manipulation. Dai-Kenchu-to (DKT), an herbal medicine, has been used for treating adhesive bowel obstruction in Japan. We studied whether DKT improves delayed GI transit after the operation, with or without morphine administration in rats. Under isoflurane anesthesia, POI was induced by laparotomy with intestinal manipulation. Immediately after the operation, the rats received 51Cr by gavage. Three hours after the operation, the rats were sacrificed and GI transit was estimated by calculating the geometric center (GC). DKT (120, 360, and 1,200 mg/kg) were administered by gavage after the operation, with or without morphine administration (1 mg/kg s.c.). A muscarinic receptor antagonist (atropine; 50 mug/kg), a 5HT3 receptor antagonist (ondansetron; 1 mg/kg) and a 5HT4 receptor antagonist (GR113,808; 3 mg/kg) were administered before the operation. Truncal vagotomy was performed preceding the operation. Laparotomy with intestinal manipulation produced a significant delay in GI transit (GC = 2.93 +/- 0.16), compared to that of anesthesia alone (9.51 +/- 0.45). DKT at the dose of 360 mg/kg (GC = 3.77 +/- 0.10, P < 0.01) and 1,200 mg/kg (GC = 3.77 +/- 0.20, P < 0.01) significantly accelerated delayed GI transit induced by operation. Ondansetron, GR113,808, atropine, and truncal vagotomy abolished the stimulatory effect of DKT (360 mg/kg). When morphine was administered, GI transit was further reduced (GC = 1.97 +/- 0.10). DKT at the dose of 360 mg/kg (GC = 2.81 +/- 0.22, P < 0.05) and 1,200 mg/kg (GC = 2.87 +/- 0.23, P < 0.05) significantly improved delayed GI transit in morphine treated rats. DKT accelerates delayed GI transit induced by intestinal manipulation with and without concomitant morphine

Tracking of airborne radionuclides from the damaged Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear reactors by European networks.

PubMed

Masson, O; Baeza, A; Bieringer, J; Brudecki, K; Bucci, S; Cappai, M; Carvalho, F P; Connan, O; Cosma, C; Dalheimer, A; Didier, D; Depuydt, G; De Geer, L E; De Vismes, A; Gini, L; Groppi, F; Gudnason, K; Gurriaran, R; Hainz, D; Halldórsson, Ó; Hammond, D; Hanley, O; Holeý, K; Homoki, Zs; Ioannidou, A; Isajenko, K; Jankovic, M; Katzlberger, C; Kettunen, M; Kierepko, R; Kontro, R; Kwakman, P J M; Lecomte, M; Leon Vintro, L; Leppänen, A-P; Lind, B; Lujaniene, G; Mc Ginnity, P; Mc Mahon, C; Malá, H; Manenti, S; Manolopoulou, M; Mattila, A; Mauring, A; Mietelski, J W; Møller, B; Nielsen, S P; Nikolic, J; Overwater, R M W; Pálsson, S E; Papastefanou, C; Penev, I; Pham, M K; Povinec, P P; Ramebäck, H; Reis, M C; Ringer, W; Rodriguez, A; Rulík, P; Saey, P R J; Samsonov, V; Schlosser, C; Sgorbati, G; Silobritiene, B V; Söderström, C; Sogni, R; Solier, L; Sonck, M; Steinhauser, G; Steinkopff, T; Steinmann, P; Stoulos, S; Sýkora, I; Todorovic, D; Tooloutalaie, N; Tositti, L; Tschiersch, J; Ugron, A; Vagena, E; Vargas, A; Wershofen, H; Zhukova, O

2011-09-15

Radioactive emissions into the atmosphere from the damaged reactors of the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant (NPP) started on March 12th, 2011. Among the various radionuclides released, iodine-131 ((131)I) and cesium isotopes ((137)Cs and (134)Cs) were transported across the Pacific toward the North American continent and reached Europe despite dispersion and washout along the route of the contaminated air masses. In Europe, the first signs of the releases were detected 7 days later while the first peak of activity level was observed between March 28th and March 30th. Time variations over a 20-day period and spatial variations across more than 150 sampling locations in Europe made it possible to characterize the contaminated air masses. After the Chernobyl accident, only a few measurements of the gaseous (131)I fraction were conducted compared to the number of measurements for the particulate fraction. Several studies had already pointed out the importance of the gaseous (131)I and the large underestimation of the total (131)I airborne activity level, and subsequent calculations of inhalation dose, if neglected. The measurements made across Europe following the releases from the Fukushima NPP reactors have provided a significant amount of new data on the ratio of the gaseous (131)I fraction to total (131)I, both on a spatial scale and its temporal variation. It can be pointed out that during the Fukushima event, the (134)Cs to (137)Cs ratio proved to be different from that observed after the Chernobyl accident. The data set provided in this paper is the most comprehensive survey of the main relevant airborne radionuclides from the Fukushima reactors, measured across Europe. A rough estimate of the total (131)I inventory that has passed over Europe during this period was <1% of the released amount. According to the measurements, airborne activity levels remain of no concern for public health in Europe.

Application of the dental aesthetic index in the prioritisation of orthodontic service needs.

PubMed

Maumela, P M; Hlongwa, P

2012-08-01

The provision of orthodontic treatment to patients in government funded training institutions is a major challenge due to constrained budget and resource allocation. The Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI) has been used to estimate orthodontic treatment need and as a screening tool to determine treatment priority. The DAI focuses on aesthetics and therefore omits other malocclusion traits that might require orthodontic treatment. The aim of the study was to compare the application of the DAI with the influence other malocclusion traits not included in the DAI might have on the determination of the prioritisation of orthodontic service need. Hundred-and-twenty pretreatment study models of orthodontic patients in the permanent dentition stage were selected from the archived records of the Department of Orthodontics, University of Limpopo, using a systematic sampling method. The study casts were assessed using the DAI. Other malocclusion traits not included in the DAI were also recorded. Descriptive statistics, the Pearson correlation coefficient, Chi-square values and t-tests were employed to analyse the data. P values less than or equal to 0,05 were considered statistically significant. The mean DAI score was 35.2. Normal or minor malocclusion was found in 19.1% of the sample, whilst 17.5% had definitive malocclusion, 21.7% severe malocclusion, and 41.7% showed handicapping malocclusion. Other malocclusion traits not included in the DAI were identified and these traits accounted for 21.6% of all traits recorded in the study (DAI malocclusion traits accounted for 78.4%). Two thirds of other malocclusion traits were accounted for in categories which the DAI had already prioritised for treatment. The study showed that the DAI can be used to prioritise orthodontic service needs and could be applied in government funded institutions.

Discovery of radioactive silver ((110m)Ag) in spiders and other fauna in the terrestrial environment after the meltdown of Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant.

PubMed

Nakanishi, Hiromi; Mori, Atsushi; Takeda, Kouki; Tanaka, Houdo; Kobayashi, Natsuko; Tanoi, Keitaro; Yamakawa, Takashi; Mori, Satoshi

2015-01-01

Six months after the explosion of TEPCO's Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant, radioactive silver ((110m)Ag), was detected in concentrations of 3754 Bq/kg in Nephila clavata (the orb-web spider; Joro-gumo in Japanese) collected at Nimaibashi, Iitate village in Fukushima Prefecture, whereas (110m)Ag in the soil was 43.1 Bq/kg. A survey of 35 faunal species in the terrestrial environment during the 3.5 years after the accident showed that most of Anthropoda had two orders higher (110m)Ag in their tissues than soils, although silver is not an essential element for their life. However, tracing of the activity of (110m)Ag detected in spider Atypus karschi collected regularly at a fixed location showed that it declined much faster than the physical half-life. These results suggest that (110m)Ag was at once biologically concentrated by faunal species, especially Arthropoda, through food chain. The factors affecting the subsequent rapid decline of (110m)Ag concentration in faunal species are discussed.

Discovery of radioactive silver (110mAg) in spiders and other fauna in the terrestrial environment after the meltdown of Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant

PubMed Central

NAKANISHI, Hiromi; MORI, Atsushi; TAKEDA, Kouki; TANAKA, Houdo; KOBAYASHI, Natsuko; TANOI, Keitaro; YAMAKAWA, Takashi; MORI, Satoshi

2015-01-01

Six months after the explosion of TEPCO’s Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant, radioactive silver (110mAg), was detected in concentrations of 3754 Bq/kg in Nephila clavata (the orb-web spider; Joro-gumo in Japanese) collected at Nimaibashi, Iitate village in Fukushima Prefecture, whereas 110mAg in the soil was 43.1 Bq/kg. A survey of 35 faunal species in the terrestrial environment during the 3.5 years after the accident showed that most of Anthropoda had two orders higher 110mAg in their tissues than soils, although silver is not an essential element for their life. However, tracing of the activity of 110mAg detected in spider Atypus karschi collected regularly at a fixed location showed that it declined much faster than the physical half-life. These results suggest that 110mAg was at once biologically concentrated by faunal species, especially Arthropoda, through food chain. The factors affecting the subsequent rapid decline of 110mAg concentration in faunal species are discussed. PMID:25864469

Diffuse axonal injury by assault.

PubMed

Imajo, T; Challener, R C; Roessmann, U

1987-09-01

A case of diffuse axonal injury (DAI) by assault is reported. The majority of DAI cases documented have been due to traffic accidents and some due to falls from height. DAI is caused by angular or rotational acceleration of the victim's head. The condition is common and is the second most important head injury after subdural hematoma with regard to death. Its clinical picture is characterized by immediate and prolonged coma or demented state. Because of the subtle nature of histological changes in DAI, awareness and intentional search for the lesion is essential. The triad of DAI is as follows: focal lesions (hemorrhages and/or lacerations) in the corpus callosum and brain stem, and microscopic demonstration of axonal damage--retraction balls. The concept of DAI will elucidate and enhance the understanding of many head trauma cases.

INITIAL AND PRESENT SITUATION OF FOOD CONTAMINATION IN JAPAN AFTER THE ACCIDENT AT THE FUKUSHIMA DAI-ICHI NUCLEAR POWER PLANT.

PubMed

Aono, Tatsuo; Yoshida, Satoshi; Akashi, Makoto

2016-09-01

The accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in March 2011 affected not only the terrestrial environment of Fukushima prefecture and the surrounding area, but also the marine area facing the NPP. Our present study is focused on the concentrations of radionuclides in agricultural products of Fukushima and sea-foods collected off Fukushima after the accident. The regulation value for radiocesium in vegetables, meat and fish was revised from 500 Bq/kg-wet to 100 Bq/kg-wet on 1 April 2012. The overall activity of radiocesium in these products was found to be within the limit of tolerance in respect to Japanese and also international regulations, but there is still radiocesium found at activities greater than this level in edible wild plants, wild mushrooms and game such as boar meat. Although the activities of radionuclides exceeding the regulatory limits were not detected in marine products collected off Fukushima after April 2015, the commercial marine fishery has not received approval in the affected areas except for certain species. We learned from the Fukushima accident that long-term kinetic studies of radionuclides in terrestrial and marine environments is extremely important for prevention of internal contamination, since contamination with radionuclides occurs via the food chain in the environment. © World Health Organisation 2016. All rights reserved. The World Health Organization has granted Oxford University Press permission for the reproduction of this article.

Radioactive Cs-137 discharge from Headwater Forested Catchment in Fukushima after Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iwagami, S.; Onda, Y.; Tsujimura, M.; Sakakibara, K.; Konuma, R.

2015-12-01

Radiocesium migration from headwater forested catchment is important perception as output from the forest which is also input to the subsequent various land use and downstream rivers after Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident. In this study, Cs-137 concentration of dissolved water, suspended sediment and coarse organic matter such as leaf and branch were monitored. Discharge amount of stream water, suspended sediment and coarse organic matter were measured to investigate the discharge amount of radiocesium and composition of radiocesium discharge form through the headwater stream. Observation were conducted at stream site in four headwater catchments in Yamakiya district, located ~35 km north west of FDNPP from June 2011 (suspended sediment and coarse organic matter: August 2012) to December 2014.The Cs-137 concentration of dissolved water was around 1Bq/l at June 2011. Then declined to 0.1 Bq/l at December 2011. And in December 2014, it declined to 0.01 Bq/l order. Declining trend of Cs-137 concentration in dissolved water was expressed in double exponential model. Also temporary increase was observed in dissolved Cs-137 during the rainfall event. The Cs-137 concentration of suspended sediment and coarse organic matter were 170-49000 Bq/kg and 350-14000 Bq/kg respectably. The Cs-137 concentration of suspended sediment showed good correlation with average deposition density of catchment. The effect of decontamination works appeared in declining of Cs-137 concentration in suspended sediment. Contribution rate of Cs-137 discharge by suspended sediment was 96-99% during a year. Total annual Cs-137 discharge from the catchment were 0.02-0.3% of the deposition.

Radiological impact of TEPCO's Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident on invertebrates in the coastal benthic food web.

PubMed

Sohtome, Tadahiro; Wada, Toshihiro; Mizuno, Takuji; Nemoto, Yoshiharu; Igarashi, Satoshi; Nishimune, Atsushi; Aono, Tatsuo; Ito, Yukari; Kanda, Jota; Ishimaru, Takashi

2014-12-01

Radioactive cesium ((134)Cs and (137)Cs) concentrations in invertebrates of benthic food web (10 taxonomic classes with 46 identified families) collected from wide areas off Fukushima Prefecture (3-500 m depth) were inspected from July 2011, four months after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident, to August 2013 to elucidate time-series trends among taxa and areas. Cesium-137 was detected in seven classes (77% of 592 specimens). Higher (137)Cs concentrations within detected data were often found in areas near or south of the FDNPP, which is consistent with the reported spatial distribution of (137)Cs concentrations in highly contaminated seawater and sediments after the FDNPP accident. Overall (137)Cs concentrations in invertebrates, the maxima of which (290 Bq kg(-1)-wet in the sea urchin Glyptocidaris crenularis) were lower than in many demersal fishes, had decreased exponentially with time, and exhibited taxon-specific decreasing trends. Concentrations in Bivalvia and Gastropoda decreased clearly with respective ecological half-lives of 188 d and 102 d. In contrast, decreasing trends in Malacostraca and Polychaeta were more gradual, with longer respective ecological half-lives of 208 d and 487 d. Echinoidea showed no consistent trend, presumably because of effects of contaminated sediments taken into their digestive tract. Comparison of (137)Cs concentrations in the invertebrates and those in seawater and sediments suggest that contaminated sediments are the major source of continuing contamination in benthic invertebrates, especially in Malacostraca and Polychaeta. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Transport of the soy isoflavone daidzein and its conjugative metabolites by the carriers SOAT, NTCP, OAT4, and OATP2B1.

PubMed

Grosser, Gary; Döring, Barbara; Ugele, Bernhard; Geyer, Joachim; Kulling, Sabine E; Soukup, Sebastian T

2015-12-01

Soy isoflavones (IF) are phytoestrogens, which interact with estrogen receptors. They are extensively metabolized by glucuronosyltransferases and sulfotransferases, leading to the modulation of their estrogenic activity. It can be assumed that this biotransformation also has a crucial impact on the uptake of IF by active or passive cellular transport mechanisms, but little is known about the transport of IF phase II metabolites into the cell. Therefore, transport assays for phase II metabolites of daidzein (DAI) were carried out using HEK293 cell lines transfected with five human candidate carriers, i.e., organic anion transporter OAT4, sodium-dependent organic anion transporter (SOAT), Na(+)-taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide (NTCP), apical sodium-dependent bile acid transporter ASBT, and organic anion transporting polypeptide OATP2B1. Cellular uptake was monitored by UHPLC-DAD. DAI monosulfates were transported by the carriers NTCP and SOAT in a sodium-dependent manner, while OAT4-HEK293 cells revealed a partly sodium-dependent transport for these compounds. In contrast, DAI-7,4'-disulfate was only taken up by NTCP-HEK293 cells. DAI-7-glucuronide, but not DAI-4'-glucuronide, was transported exclusively by OATP2B1 in a sodium-independent manner. DAI-7-glucuronide-4'-sulfate, DAI-7-glucoside, and DAI were no substrate of any of the tested carriers. In addition, the inhibitory potency of the DAI metabolites toward estrone-sulfate (E1S) uptake of the above-mentioned carriers was determined. In conclusion, human SOAT, NTCP, OATP2B1, and OAT4 were identified as carriers for the DAI metabolites. Several metabolites were able to inhibit carrier-dependent E1S uptake. These findings might contribute to a better understanding of the bioactivity of IF especially in case of hormone-related cancers.

Qing-dai powder promotes recovery of colitis by inhibiting inflammatory responses of colonic macrophages in dextran sulfate sodium-treated mice.

PubMed

Xiao, Hai-Tao; Peng, Jiao; Hu, Dong-Dong; Lin, Cheng-Yuan; Du, Bin; Tsang, Siu-Wai; Lin, Ze-Si; Zhang, Xiao-Jun; Lueng, Feng-Ping; Han, Quan-Bin; Bian, Zhao-Xiang

2015-01-01

Qing-dai powder (QDP), comprising Indigo naturalis (Qing-dai) and dried alum (Ku-fan), was used in Chinese medicine to treat the conditions associated with mucosal hemorrhage, such as ulcerative colitis (UC). This study aims to investigate the effects and potential mechanism of QDP on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced acute colitis in mice and to examine the regulatory effects of QDP on macrophages. Seven- to eight-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were challenged with 2.0 % DSS in drinking water for 5 days and then the colitic mice were arbitrarily allocated into five groups (n = 10 for each group). QDP (0.77, 1.54 and 3.08 g/kg) and sulfasalazine (SASP) (0.20 g/kg) were orally administered for 7 days. The disease activity index was determined by scores of body weight loss, diarrhea and rectal bleeding; histological signs of damage was analyzed by H&E staining; myeloperoxidase activity was measured by colorimetric method, levels of proinflammatory cytokines were determined by ELISA; changes in macrophages in the colon were analyzed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and flow cytometry. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 cells were treated with or without QDP, then the production of TNF-α and IL-6 were measured by ELISA; and protein molecules such as COX-2, iNOS, IкB-α were determined by Western blot. Oral administration of QDP at dosages of 1.54 and 3.08 g/kg significantly reduced disease activity index on day 12 (P < 0.001 for 1.54 g/kg and P < 0.0008 for 3.08 g/kg), colon shortening (P = 0.012 for 1.54 g/kg, P = 0.001 for 3.08 g/kg), histological damage (P < 0.001 for 1.54 g/kg, P < 0.001 for 3.08 g/kg) and colonic myeloperoxidase activity (P = 0.002 for 1.54 g/kg, P < 0.001 for 3.08 g/kg) of DSS-treated mice. Moreover, QDP treatment (1.54 and 3.08 g/kg) significantly decreased DSS-induced infiltration of macrophages, and production of TNF-α (P = 0.005 for 1.54 g/kg, P = 0.002 for 3.08 g/kg), IL-1β (P = 0.008 for 1.54�

Neonatal exposure to daidzein, genistein, or the combination modulates bone development in female CD-1 mice.

PubMed

Kaludjerovic, Jovana; Ward, Wendy E

2009-03-01

Neonatal exposure to genistein (GEN), an isoflavone abundant in soy, favorably modulates bone mineral density (BMD) and bone strength in mice at adulthood. The study objective was to determine whether early exposure to a combination of the soy isoflavones daidzein (DAI) and GEN that naturally exists in soy protein-based infant formula results in greater benefits to bone at adulthood than either treatment alone. Male and female CD-1 mice (n = 8-16 pups per group per gender) were randomized to subcutaneous injections of DAI (2 mg x kg body weight(-1) x d(-1)), GEN (5 mg x kg body weight(-1) x d(-1)), DAI+GEN (7 mg x kg body weight(-1) x d(-1)), diethylstilbesterol (DES; positive control) (2 mg x kg body weight(-1) x d(-1)), or control (CON) from postnatal d 1-5 and were studied to 4 mo of age. BMD, biomechanical bone strength, and bone microarchitecture were assessed at the femur and lumbar vertebrae (LV). Females treated with DAI, GEN, DAI+GEN, or DES had greater (P < 0.05) BMD at the LV compared with CON and vertebra in the DAI and DES group were more resistant to compression fractures. Microstructural analyses demonstrated that treatment with DAI and GEN resulted in greater (P < 0.05) trabecular connectivity and trabecular thickness, respectively, than the CON. In conclusion, neonatal exposure to DAI and/or GEN had a positive effect on the skeleton of female mice at adulthood, but, compared with individual treatments, DAI+GEN did not have a greater benefit to bone in females or males.

Detailed deposition density maps constructed by large-scale soil sampling for gamma-ray emitting radioactive nuclides from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident.

PubMed

Saito, Kimiaki; Tanihata, Isao; Fujiwara, Mamoru; Saito, Takashi; Shimoura, Susumu; Otsuka, Takaharu; Onda, Yuichi; Hoshi, Masaharu; Ikeuchi, Yoshihiro; Takahashi, Fumiaki; Kinouchi, Nobuyuki; Saegusa, Jun; Seki, Akiyuki; Takemiya, Hiroshi; Shibata, Tokushi

2015-01-01

Soil deposition density maps of gamma-ray emitting radioactive nuclides from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) accident were constructed on the basis of results from large-scale soil sampling. In total 10,915 soil samples were collected at 2168 locations. Gamma rays emitted from the samples were measured by Ge detectors and analyzed using a reliable unified method. The determined radioactivity was corrected to that of June 14, 2011 by considering the intrinsic decay constant of each nuclide. Finally the deposition maps were created for (134)Cs, (137)Cs, (131)I, (129m)Te and (110m)Ag. The radioactivity ratio of (134)Cs-(137)Cs was almost constant at 0.91 regardless of the locations of soil sampling. The radioactivity ratios of (131)I and (129m)Te-(137)Cs were relatively high in the regions south of the Fukushima NPP site. Effective doses for 50 y after the accident were evaluated for external and inhalation exposures due to the observed radioactive nuclides. The radiation doses from radioactive cesium were found to be much higher than those from the other radioactive nuclides. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

77 FR 73057 - Japan Lessons-Learned Project Directorate Interim Staff Guidance JLD-ISG-2012-05; Performance of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-07

... height that inundated the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant site. The earthquake and tsunami... industry in the northeastern coastal areas of Japan. When the earthquake occurred, Fukushima Dai-ichi Units... loss of cooling capabilities. Following the events at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant, the...

Assessment of the risk of medium-term internal contamination in Minamisoma City, Fukushima, Japan, after the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear accident.

PubMed

Sugimoto, Amina; Gilmour, Stuart; Tsubokura, Masaharu; Nomura, Shuhei; Kami, Masahiro; Oikawa, Tomoyoshi; Kanazawa, Yukio; Shibuya, Kenji

2014-06-01

The Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear disaster, the first level-7 major nuclear disaster since Chernobyl, raised concerns about the future health consequences of exposure to and intake of radionuclides. Factors determining the risk and level of internal radiation contamination after a nuclear accident, which are a key to understanding and improving current nuclear disaster management, are not well studied. We investigated both the prevalence and level of internal contamination in residents of Minamisoma, and identified factors determining the risk and levels of contamination. We implemented a program assessing internal radiation contamination using a whole body counter (WBC) measurement and a questionnaire survey in Minamisoma, between October 2011 and March 2012. Approximately 20% of the city's population (8,829 individuals) participated in the WBC measurement for internal contamination, of which 94% responded to the questionnaire. The proportion of participants with detectable internal contamination was 40% in adults and 9% in children. The level of internal contamination ranged from 2.3 to 196.5 Bq/kg (median, 11.3 Bq/kg). Tobit regression analysis identified two main risk factors: more time spent outdoors, and intake of potentially contaminated foods and water. Our findings suggest that, with sensible and reasonable precautions, people may be able to live continuously in radiation-affected areas with limited contamination risk. To enable this, nuclear disaster response should strictly enforce food and water controls and disseminate evidence-based and up-to-date information about avoidable contamination risks.

77 FR 59675 - Compliance With Information Request, Flooding Hazard Reevaluation

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-28

... height that inundated the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant site. The earthquake and tsunami... industry in the northeastern coastal areas of Japan. When the earthquake occurred, Fukushima Dai-ichi Units... appears to have been normal. Following the events at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant, the NRC...

Dai-Huang-Fu-Zi-Tang Alleviates Intestinal Injury Associated with Severe Acute Pancreatitis by Regulating Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore of Intestinal Mucosa Epithelial Cells

PubMed Central

Kang, Xin; Liang, Zhengkai; Zhan, Libin; Song, Jianbo; Wang, Yi; Yang, Yilun; Fan, Zhiwei; Bai, Lizhi

2017-01-01

Objective The aim of the present study was to examine whether Dai-Huang-Fu-Zi-Tang (DHFZT) could regulate mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) of intestinal mucosa epithelial cells for alleviating intestinal injury associated with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). Methods A total of 72 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups (sham group, SAP group, and DHFZT group, n = 24 per group). The rats in each group were divided into 4 subgroups (n = 6 per subgroup) accordingly at 1, 3, 6, and 12 h after the operation. The contents of serum amylase, D-lactic acid, diamine oxidase activity, and degree of MPTP were measured by dry chemical method and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The change of mitochondria of intestinal epithelial cells was observed by transmission electron microscopy. Results The present study showed that DHFZT inhibited the openness of MPTP at 3, 6, and 12 h after the operation. Meanwhile, it reduced the contents of serum D-lactic acid and activity of diamine oxidase activity and also drastically relieved histopathological manifestations and epithelial cells injury of intestine. Conclusion DHFZT alleviates intestinal injury associated SAP via reducing the openness of MPTP. In addition, DHFZT could also decrease the content of serum diamine oxidase activity and D-lactic acid after SAP. PMID:29403537

Feasibility study on phyto-remediation techniques for soil contaminated by the Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear power plant accident

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

Yuu Ishimori; Akihiro Sakoda; Mina Yamada

2013-07-01

Tottori University and the Japan Atomic Energy Agency carried out jointly the feasibility study on phyto-remediation techniques, which apply to soil contaminated by the TEPCO's Fukushima Dai-ichi NPP accident. This paper illustrates the results from experimental investigations. Experimental investigations include both water-culture tests and field tests. Several plants, mainly halophytes that can specifically absorb more Na than K, and others like sunflower demonstrated for other domestic large-scale tests, were water-cultured and examined for screening. Easily cultivated and harvested plants without harmful effects on subsequent cultivation were also considered. New Zealand spinach was selected as a candidate for demonstrations in fields.more » The field tests were carried out at two sites of different agricultural types in Minami-soma, Fukushima prefecture. Concentration of {sup 137}Cs in soil is about 4.5 Bq/g-dry as the average of 10 cm depth. The aims of the field tests are to confirm absorption ability and environmental adaptation of the test plants and to document the cost and performance of projects. In conclusion, the absorption of {sup 137}Cs activity per unit area (Bq/m{sup 2}) by New Zealand spinach could be approximately 0.5%. To achieve an effective result in removal of {sup 137}Cs from soil in around a decade, it is required to find the plant which has ten or more times higher absorption capacity than New Zealand spinach. From the consistency of both results in water-culture and field tests, the water-culture test can be valid for screening. In addition, applicable sites will be limited to fields which are too steep or too narrow to use mechanical diggers, and which are free from any restrictions to enter. (authors)« less

Acceleration of small bowel motility after oral administration of dai-kenchu-to (TJ-100) assessed by cine magnetic resonance imaging

PubMed Central

Furukawa, Akira; Yamamoto, Hiroshi; Ohta, Shinichi; Linh, Nguyen Dai Hung; Syerikjan, Tulyeubai; Kaida, Sachiko; Yamaguchi, Tsuyoshi; Murata, Satoshi; Obata, Toru; Tani, Masaji; Murata, Kiyoshi

2018-01-01

Dai-kenchu-to (TJ-100) is an herbal medicine used to shorten the duration of intestinal transit by accelerating intestinal movement. However, intestinal movement in itself has not been evaluated in healthy volunteers using radiography, fluoroscopy, and radioisotopes because of exposure to ionizing radiation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of TJ-100 on intestinal motility using cinematic magnetic resonance imaging (cine MRI) with a steady-state free precession sequence. Ten healthy male volunteers received 5 g of either TJ-100 or lactose without disclosure of the identity of the substance. Each volunteer underwent two MRI examinations after taking the substances (TJ-100 and lactose) on separate days. They drank 1200 mL of tap water and underwent cine MRI after 10 min. A steady-state free precession sequence was used for imaging, which was performed thrice at 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 min. The bowel contraction frequency and distention score were assessed. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used, and differences were considered significant at a P-value <0.05. The bowel contraction frequency tended to be greater in the TJ-100 group and was significantly different in the ileum at 20 (TJ-100, 8.95 ± 2.88; lactose, 4.80 ± 2.92; P < 0.05) and 50 min (TJ-100, 9.45 ± 4.49; lactose, 4.45 ± 2.65; P < 0.05) between the groups. No significant differences were observed in the bowel distention scores. Cine MRI demonstrated that TJ-100 activated intestinal motility without dependence on ileum distention. PMID:29320574

Isotopic Pu, Am and Cm signatures in environmental samples contaminated by the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident.

PubMed

Yamamoto, M; Sakaguchi, A; Ochiai, S; Takada, T; Hamataka, K; Murakami, T; Nagao, S

2014-06-01

Dust samples from the sides of roads (black substances) have been collected together with litter and soil samples at more than 100 sites contaminated heavily in the 20-km exclusion zones around Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) (Minamisoma City, and Namie, Futaba and Okuma Towns), in Iitate Village located from 25 to 45 km northwest of the plant and in southern areas from the plant. Isotopes of Pu, Am and Cm have been measured in the samples to evaluate their total releases into the environment from the FDNPP and to get the isotopic compositions among these nuclides. For black substances and litter samples, in addition to Pu isotopes, (241)Am, (242)Cm and (243,244)Cm were determined for most of samples examined, while for soil samples, only Pu isotopes were determined. The results provided a coherent data set on (239,240)Pu inventories and isotopic composition among these transuranic nuclides. When these activity ratios were compared with those for fuel core inventories in the FDNPP accident estimated by a group at JAEA, except (239,240)Pu/(137)Cs activity ratios, fairly good agreements were found, indicating that transuranic nuclides, probably in the forms of fine particles, were released into the environment without their large fractionations. The obtained data may lead to more accurate information about the on-site situation (e.g., burn-up, conditions of fuel during the release phase, etc.), which would be difficult to get otherwise, and more detailed information on the dispersion and deposition processes of transuranic nuclides and the behavior of these nuclides in the environment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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A role for DNA-dependent activator of interferon regulatory factor in the recognition of herpes simplex virus type 1 by glial cells.

PubMed

Furr, Samantha R; Chauhan, Vinita S; Moerdyk-Schauwecker, Megan J; Marriott, Ian

2011-08-12

The rapid onset of potentially lethal neuroinflammation is a defining feature of viral encephalitis. Microglia and astrocytes are likely to play a significant role in viral encephalitis pathophysiology as they are ideally positioned to respond to invading central nervous system (CNS) pathogens by producing key inflammatory mediators. Recently, DNA-dependent activator of IFN regulatory factor (DAI) has been reported to function as an intracellular sensor for DNA viruses. To date, the expression and functional role of DAI in the inflammatory responses of resident CNS cells to neurotropic DNA viruses has not been reported. Expression of DAI and its downstream effector molecules was determined in C57BL/6-derived microglia and astrocytes, either at rest or following exposure to herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and/or murine gammaherpesvirus-68 (MHV-68), by immunoblot analysis. In addition, such expression was studied in ex vivo microglia/macrophages and astrocytes from uninfected animals or mice infected with HSV-1. Inflammatory cytokine production by glial cultures following transfection with a DAI specific ligand (B-DNA), or following HSV-1 challenge in the absence or presence of siRNA directed against DAI, was assessed by specific capture ELISA. The production of soluble neurotoxic mediators by HSV-1 infected glia following DAI knockdown was assessed by analysis of the susceptibility of neuron-like cells to conditioned glial media. We show that isolated microglia and astrocytes constitutively express DAI and its effector molecules, and show that such expression is upregulated following DNA virus challenge. We demonstrate that these resident CNS cells express DAI in situ, and show that its expression is similarly elevated in a murine model of HSV-1 encephalitis. Importantly, we show B-DNA transfection can elicit inflammatory cytokine production by isolated glial cells and DAI knockdown can significantly reduce microglial and astrocyte responses to HSV-1. Finally

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2012-06-07

... Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant in March 2011. Order EA-12-051 requires all licensees and... complying with Order EA-12-051. Following the events at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant, the NRC... agency should make additional improvements to these programs in light of the events at Fukushima Dai-ichi...

Sedimentation and remobilization of radiocesium in the coastal area of Ibaraki, 70 km south of the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant.

PubMed

Otosaka, Shigeyoshi; Kobayashi, Takuya

2013-07-01

Sedimentation and remobilization processes of radiocesium were investigated from time-series observations at nine stations in the coastal area of Ibaraki, 70-110 km south of the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (1FNPP). Sediment samples were collected four times between June 2011 and January 2012, and concentrations of radiocesium as well as sediment properties such as grain size and elemental compositions were analyzed. Cumulative inventory of (137)Cs in sediment (0-10 cm) ranged between 4 × 10(3) and 3 × 10(4) Bq/m(2) as of January 2012. This amount was generally higher at stations nearer 1FNPP and has remained at the same level since August 2011. From these results, it can be inferred that dissolved radiocesium advected southward from the region adjacent to the 1FNPP and was deposited to the sediment of the study area in the early stage after the accident. The incorporation of radiocesium into sediments was almost irreversible, and higher concentrations of (137)Cs were obtained from the finer-grained fraction of sediments. In the northern offshore stations, resuspension of the fine-grained sediments formed a high-turbidity layer 10-20 m above the seabed. These results indicate that radiocesium-enriched fine particles were transported from the coast to offshore regions through the bottom high-turbidity layer.

Psychometric analyses to improve the Dutch ICF Activity Inventory.

PubMed

Bruijning, Janna E; van Rens, Ger; Knol, Dirk; van Nispen, Ruth

2013-08-01

In the past, rehabilitation centers for the visually impaired used unstructured or semistructured methods to assess rehabilitation needs of their patients. Recently, an extensive instrument, the Dutch ICF Activity Inventory (D-AI), was developed to systematically investigate rehabilitation needs of visually impaired adults and to evaluate rehabilitation outcomes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the underlying factor structure and other psychometric properties to shorten and improve the D-AI. The D-AI was administered to 241 visually impaired persons who recently enrolled in a multidisciplinary rehabilitation center. The D-AI uses graded scores to assess the importance and difficulty of 65 rehabilitation goals. For high-priority goals (e.g., daily meal preparation), the difficulty of underlying tasks (e.g., read recipes, cut vegetables) was assessed. To reduce underlying task items (>950), descriptive statistics were investigated and factor analyses were performed for several goals. The internal consistency reliability and test-retest reliability of the D-AI were investigated by calculating Cronbach α and Cohen (weighted) κ. Finally, consensus-based discussions were used to shorten and improve the D-AI. Except for one goal, factor analysis model parameters were at least reasonable. Internal consistency reliability was satisfactory (range, 0.74 to 0.93). In total, 60% of the 65 goal importance items and 84.4% of the goal difficulty items showed moderate to almost perfect κ values (≥0.40). After consensus-based discussions, a new D-AI was produced, containing 48 goals and less than 500 tasks. The analyses were an important step in the validation process of the D-AI and to develop a more feasible assessment tool to investigate rehabilitation needs of visually impaired persons in a systematic way. The D-AI is currently implemented in all Dutch rehabilitation centers serving all visually impaired adults with various rehabilitation needs.

Curcumin mitigates axonal injury and neuronal cell apoptosis through the PERK/Nrf2 signaling pathway following diffuse axonal injury.

PubMed

Huang, Tingqin; Zhao, Junjie; Guo, Dan; Pang, Honggang; Zhao, Yonglin; Song, Jinning

2018-05-23

Diffuse axonal injury (DAI) accounts for more than 50% of all traumatic brain injury. In response to the mechanical damage associated with DAI, the abnormal proteins produced in the neurons and axons, namely, β-APP and p-tau, induce endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Curcumin, a major component extracted from the rhizome of Curcuma longa, has shown potent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-infection, and antitumor activity in previous studies. Moreover, curcumin is an activator of nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and promotes its nuclear translocation. In this study, we evaluated the therapeutic potential of curcumin for the treatment of DAI and investigated the mechanisms underlying the protective effects of curcumin against neural cell death and axonal injury after DAI. Rats subjected to a model of DAI by head rotational acceleration were treated with vehicle or curcumin to evaluate the effect of curcumin on neuronal and axonal injury. We observed that curcumin (20 mg/kg intraperitoneal) administered 1 h after DAI induction alleviated the aggregation of p-tau and β-APP in neurons, reduced ER-stress-related cell apoptosis, and ameliorated neurological deficits. Further investigation showed that the protective effect of curcumin in DAI was mediated by the PERK/Nrf2 pathway. Curcumin promoted PERK phosphorylation, and then Nrf2 dissociated from Keap1 and was translocated to the nucleus, which activated ATF4, an important bZIP transcription factor that maintains intracellular homeostasis, but inhibited the CHOP, a hallmark of ER stress and ER-associated programmed cell death. In summary, we demonstrate for the first time that curcumin confers protection against abnormal proteins and neuronal apoptosis after DAI, that the process is mediated by strengthening of the unfolded protein response to overcome ER stress, and that the protective effect of curcumin against DAI is dependent on the activation of Nrf2.

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Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-07

..., estimated to have exceeded 14 meters (45 feet) in height that inundated the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power... earthquake occurred, Fukushima Dai-ichi Units 1, 2, and 3, were in operation and Units 4, 5, and 6, were shut... facility response to the earthquake appears to have been normal. Following the events at the Fukushima Dai...

Interpreting the deposition and vertical migration characteristics of 137Cs in forest soil after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident.

PubMed

Kang, Seongjoo; Yoneda, Minoru; Shimada, Yoko; Satta, Naoya; Fujita, Yasutaka; Shin, In Hwan

2017-08-01

We investigated the deposition and depth distributions of radiocesium in the Takizawa Research Forest, Iwate Prefecture, in order to understand the behavior of radionuclides released from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant. The deposition distribution and vertical depth distribution of radiocesium in the soil were compared between topographically distinct parts of the forest where two different tree species grow. The results for all investigated locations show that almost 85% of the radiocesium has accumulated in the region of soil from the topmost organic layer to a soil depth of 0-4 cm. However, no activity was detected at depths greater than 20 cm. Analysis of the radiocesium deposition patterns in forest locations dominated by either coniferous or deciduous tree species suggests that radiocesium was sequestered and retained in higher concentrations in coniferous areas. The deposition data showed large spatial variability, reflecting the differences in tree species and topography. The variations in the measured 137 Cs concentrations reflected the variability in the characteristics of the forest floor environment and the heterogeneity of the initial ground-deposition of the Fukushima fallout. Sequential extraction experiments showed that most of the 137 Cs was present in an un-exchangeable form with weak mobility. Nevertheless, the post-vertical distribution of 137 Cs is expected to be governed by the percentage of exchangeable 137 Cs in the organic layer and the organic-rich upper soil horizons.

Input and output budgets of radiocesium concerning the forest floor in the mountain forest of Fukushima released from the TEPCO's Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant accident.

PubMed

Niizato, Tadafumi; Abe, Hironobu; Mitachi, Katsuaki; Sasaki, Yoshito; Ishii, Yasuo; Watanabe, Takayoshi

2016-09-01

Estimations of radiocesium input and output concerning the forest floor within a mountain forest region have been conducted in the north and central part of the Abukuma Mountains of Fukushima, northeast Japan, after a 2-3 year period following the TEPCO Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant accident. The radiocesium input and output associated with surface washoff, throughfall, stemflow, and litterfall processes at experimental plots installed on the forest floor of evergreen Japanese cedars and deciduous Konara oaks have been monitored. Despite the high output potential in the mountainous forest of Fukushima, the results at both monitoring locations show the radiocesium input to be 4-50 times higher than the output during the summer monsoon in Fukushima. These results indicate that the radiocesium tends to be preserved in the forest ecosystem due to extremely low output ratios (0.05%-0.19%). Thus, the associated fluxes throughout the circulation process are key issues for the projecting the environmental fate of the radiocesium levels, along with the subsequent reconstruction of life emphasized within the setting. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Measurement of ambient dose equivalent rates by walk survey around Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant using KURAMA-II until 2016.

PubMed

Andoh, Masaki; Yamamoto, Hideaki; Kanno, Takashi; Saito, Kimiaki

2018-05-17

Ambient dose equivalent rates in various environments related to human lives were measured by walk surveys using the KURAMA-II systems from 2013 to 2016 within an 80-km radius of the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant. The dose rate of the locations where the walk survey was performed decreased to about 38% of its initial value in the 42 months from June 2013 to the December 2016, which was beyond that attributable to the physical decay of radiocaesium. The ecological half-life of the slow decreasing component was evaluated to be 4.1 ± 0.2 y. The air dose rates decreased depending on the level of the evacuation areas, and the decrease in the dose rates was slightly larger in populated areas where humans are active. The dose rates as measured by walk surveys exhibited a good correlation with those by car-borne surveys, suggesting that car-borne survey data are reflecting the air dose rates in living environments surrounding roads. The comparison of walk survey data with car-borne survey data indicated that the air dose rate varies largely even within a 100 m square area, and the variation is enhanced by human activities. The dose rates measured by the walk surveys were estimated to be medial of those along roads and those of undisturbed flat ground, and they were found to be decreasing quickly compared with the air dose rate from the flat ground fixed-point measurements. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Vertical distribution of radiocesium in soils of the area affected by the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant accident

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Konoplev, A. V.; Golosov, V. N.; Yoschenko, V. I.; Nanba, K.; Onda, Y.; Takase, T.; Wakiyama, Y.

2016-05-01

Presented are results of the study of radiocesium vertical distribution in the soils of the irrigation pond catchments in the near field 0.25 to 8 km from the Fukushima Dai-ichi NPP, on sections of the Niida River floodplain, and in a forest ecosystem typical of the territory contaminated after the accident. It is shown that the vertical migration of radiocesium in undisturbed forest and grassland soils in the zone affected by the Fukushima accident is faster than it was in the soils of the 30-km zone of the Chernobyl NPP for a similar time interval after the accident. The effective dispersion coefficients in the Fukushima soils are several times higher than those for the Chernobyl soils. This may be associated with higher annual precipitation (by about 2.5 times) in Fukushima as compared to the Chernobyl zone. In the forest soils the radiocesium dispersion is faster as compared to grassland soils, both in the Fukushima and Chernobyl zones. The study and analysis of the vertical distribution of the Fukushima origin radiocesium in the Niida gawa floodplain soils has made it possible to identify areas of contaminated sediment accumulation on the floodplain. The average accumulation rate for sediments at the study locations on the Niida gawa floodplain varied from 0.3 to 3.3 cm/year. Taking into account the sediments accumulation leading to an increase in the radiocesium inventory in alluvial soils is key for predicting redistribution of radioactive contamination after the Fukushima accident on the river catchments, as well as for decision-making on contaminated territories remediation and clean-up. Clean-up of alluvial soils does not seem to be worthwhile because of the following accumulation of contaminated sediments originating from more contaminated areas, including the exclusion zone.

(14)C levels in the vicinity of the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant prior to the 2011 accident.

PubMed

Xu, Sheng; Cook, Gordon T; Cresswell, Alan J; Dunbar, Elaine; Freeman, Stewart P H T; Hastie, Helen; Hou, Xiaolin; Jacobsson, Piotr; Naysmith, Philip; Sanderson, David C W; Tripney, Brian G; Yamaguchi, Katsuhiko

2016-06-01

A 50-year-old Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) from Okuma, ∼1 km southwest of the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant, was cored and each annual ring was analysed for (14)C. The (14)C specific activity values varied from 330.4 Bq kg(-1) C in the tree ring formed in 1971 to 231.2 Bq kg(-1) C in the 2014 ring. During the periods 1971-1976 and 2011-2014, the (14)C specific activities are indistinguishable from the ambient background values. However, compared with the ambient atmospheric levels, the (14)C specific activities between 1977 and 2010 are significantly elevated, clearly indicating (14)C discharges from the reactors during their normal operations. In addition, the specific activities are positively correlated with the annual electricity generation values. The excess (14)C specific activities were <36 Bq kg(-1) C, corresponding to an additional annual effective dose of <2 μSv via the food ingestion pathway in the study location. The primary wind direction is east-southeast/southeast with a frequency of ∼30%, in comparison to ∼20% frequency for the direction of the site under study (north-northeast/northeast). This would tend to indicate a similar magnitude of additional effective dose and consequently no significant radiological impact of atmospheric (14)C discharges from the FDNPP during the entire period of normal operations. Additionally, no (14)C pulse in activity can be observed in the year 2011 ring. This might be caused by a limited (14)C release from the damaged reactors during the accident or that the prevailing wind during the short period of release (11th-25th March 2011) was not in the direction of Okuma. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Isotopic ratio and vertical distribution of radionuclides in soil affected by the accident of Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plants.

PubMed

Fujiwara, Takeshi; Saito, Takumi; Muroya, Yusa; Sawahata, Hiroyuki; Yamashita, Yuji; Nagasaki, Shinya; Okamoto, Koji; Takahashi, Hiroyuki; Uesaka, Mitsuru; Katsumura, Yosuke; Tanaka, Satoru

2012-11-01

The results of γ analyses of soil samples obtained from 50 locations in Fukushima prefecture on April 20, 2011, revealed the presence of a spectrum of radionuclides resulted from the accident of the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant (FDNPP). The sum γ radioactivity concentration ranged in more than 3 orders of magnitude, depending on the sampling locations. The contamination of soils in the northwest of the FDNPP was considerable. The (131)I/(137)Cs activity ratios of the soil samples plotted as a function of the distance from the F1 NPPs exhibited three distinctive patterns. Such patterns would reflect not only the different deposition behaviors of these radionuclides, but also on the conditions of associated release events such as temperature and compositions and physicochemical forms of released radionuclides. The (136)Cs/(137)Cs activity ratio, on the other hand, was considered to only reflect the difference in isotopic compositions of source materials. Two locations close to the NPP in the northwest direction were found to be depleted in short-lived (136)Cs. This likely suggested the presence of distinct sources with different (136)Cs/(137)Cs isotopic ratios, although their details were unknown at present. Vertical γ activity profiles of (131)I and (137)Cs were also investigated, using 20-30 cm soil cores in several locations. About 70% or more of the radionuclides were present in the uppermost 2-cm regions. It was found that the profiles of (131)I/(137)Cs activity ratios showed maxima in the 2-4 cm regions, suggesting slightly larger migration of the former nuclide. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Measurement of air dose rates over a wide area around the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant through a series of car-borne surveys.

PubMed

Andoh, Masaki; Nakahara, Yukio; Tsuda, Shuichi; Yoshida, Tadayoshi; Matsuda, Norihiro; Takahashi, Fumiaki; Mikami, Satoshi; Kinouchi, Nobuyuki; Sato, Tetsuro; Tanigaki, Minoru; Takamiya, Koichi; Sato, Nobuhiro; Okumura, Ryo; Uchihori, Yukio; Saito, Kimiaki

2015-01-01

A series of car-borne surveys using the Kyoto University RAdiation MApping (KURAMA) and KURAMA-II survey systems has been conducted over a wide area in eastern Japan since June 2011 to evaluate the distribution of air dose rates around the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant and to evaluate the time-dependent trend of decrease in air dose rates. An automated data processing system for the KURAMA-II system was established, which enabled rapid analysis of large amounts of data obtained using about 100 KURAMA-II units. The initial data used for evaluating the migration status of radioactive cesium were obtained in the first survey, followed by other car-borne surveys conducted over more extensive and wider measurement ranges. By comparing the measured air dose rates obtained in each survey (until December 2012), the decreasing trend of air dose rates measured through car-borne surveys was found to be more pronounced than those expected on the basis of the physical decay of radioactive cesium and of the air dose rates measured using NaI (Tl) survey meters in the areas surrounding the roadways. In addition, it was found that the extent of decrease in air dose rates depended on land use, wherein it decreased faster for land used as building sites than for forested areas. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Acute alcohol intoxication, diffuse axonal injury and intraventricular bleeding in patients with isolated blunt traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Matsukawa, Hidetoshi; Shinoda, Masaki; Fujii, Motoharu; Takahashi, Osamu; Murakata, Atsushi; Yamamoto, Daisuke

2013-01-01

The influence of blood alcohol level (BAL) on outcome remains unclear. This study investigated the relationships between BAL, type and number of diffuse axonal injury (DAI), intraventricular bleeding (IVB) and 6-month outcome. This study reviewed 419 patients with isolated blunt traumatic brain injury. First, it compared clinical and radiological characteristics between patients with good recovery and disability. Second, it compared BAL among DAI lesions. Third, it evaluated the correlation between the BAL and severity of IVB, number of DAI and corpus callosum injury lesions. Regardless of BAL, older age, male gender, severe Glasgow Coma Scale score (<9), abnormal pupil, IVB and lesion on genu of corpus callosum were significantly related to disability. There were no significant differences between the BAL and lesions of DAI. Simple regression analysis revealed that there were no significant correlation between BAL and severity of IVB, number of DAI and corpus callosum injury lesions. Acute alcohol intoxication was not associated with type and number of DAI lesion, IVB and disability. This study suggested that a specific type of traumatic lesion, specifically lesion on genu of corpus callosum and IVB, might be more vital for outcome.

Taxonomic study of the leafhopper genus Thagria Melichar (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Coelidiinae) from Guangxi, China.

PubMed

Fan, Zhi-Hua; Li, Zi-Zhong; Dai, Ren-Huai

2015-02-13

The paper deals with 21 valid species of the genus Thagria from Guangxi Autonomous Region, China. Eight new species are described and illustrated: T. biprocessa Fan & Dai, sp. nov., T. decussata Fan & Dai, sp. nov., T. irregularis Fan & Dai, sp. nov., T. multispinosa Fan & Dai, sp. nov., T. paramultipars Fan & Li, sp. nov., T. triangula Fan & Li, sp. nov., T. trifasciata Fan & Li, sp. nov. and T. webbi Fan & Li, sp. nov.. A key is given to distinguish all species of this genus from Guangxi, China and maps showing the geographic distribution of new species are also provided. The name Thagria xuae nom. emend. is given for T. xui Nielson.

Development of the Daily Activities of Infants Scale: a measure supporting early motor development.

PubMed

Bartlett, Doreen J; Fanning, Jamie Kneale; Miller, Linda; Conti-Becker, Angela; Doralp, Samantha

2008-08-01

We describe the development and preliminary psychometric testing of the Daily Activities of Infants Scale (DAIS), a parent-completed measure of opportunities parents provide infants for development of postural control and movement. First we obtained 1300 photographs of typical activities from 17 families with infants aged 4 to 11 months. Through consensus we established nine dimensions of activities, graded across three levels of opportunity for development. Pilot testing supported content validity of the DAIS. Subsequently, 50 parents of infants born preterm aged 4 to 11 months participated in psychometric testing. There were 25 male and 25 female infant participants with a mean gestational age of 29.4 weeks (SD 3.6) and a mean birthweight of 1266 grams (SD 635). We found that completion of the DAIS over 1 day was representative of data collected over 3 sequential days. Older infants obtained significantly higher DAIS scores than younger infants, providing preliminary evidence for discriminant validity. The DAIS scores demonstrated a part-correlation of 0.20 (p<0.01) with scores on the Alberta Infant Motor Scale obtained concurrently, providing some evidence for convergent validity. The intraclass correlation coefficients reflecting interrater reliability and test-retest reliability of the total DAIS score were 0.76 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.60-0.86) and 0.77 (95% CI 0.60-0.87) respectively. The DAIS has sufficient reliability and validity for use in clinical practice and research.

Downward migration of radiocesium in an abandoned paddy soil after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident.

PubMed

Takahashi, Junko; Wakabayashi, Shokichi; Tamura, Kenji; Onda, Yuichi

2018-02-01

After the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident on March 2011, continuous monitoring of the detailed vertical distribution of radiocesium in soil is required to evaluate the fate of radiocesium and establish strategies for remediation and management of the contaminated land. It is especially important to investigate paddy soil because little knowledge has been accumulated for paddy soil and wetland rice is a major staple in Japan. Therefore, we monitored the vertical distribution of 137 Cs in abandoned paddy soil in a planned evacuation zone from June 2011 to March 2016. The decontamination works (i.e., 5 cm of surface soil removal and re-covering with uncontaminated soil) were conducted by the government in 2015. As a result of monitoring, the 137 Cs gradually migrated downward with time and the 137 Cs concentration in the 0-10 cm soil was almost homogenous in October 2014, although it was non-cultivated. The liner relationship was obtained between the median depth, which is the thickness of a soil layer containing half of the total 137 Cs inventory, and the time after the accident, indicating the migration rate was constant (1.3 cm y -1 ) before the decontamination works. After the decontamination works, the 137 Cs concentration in the uppermost surface layer was reduced by 90%, however the total 137 Cs inventory was reduced by only 50-70%. It was shown that the efficiency of 137 Cs removal by the decontamination works decrease linearly over time in fields like the studied paddy, in which the homogenization of 137 Cs concentration occurred. Conversely, the downward migration of 137 Cs to subsurface layers deeper than 10 cm (i.e., plowpan layer) with low permeability rarely occurred. It is expected that these unique trends in distribution and migration of 137 Cs would be found in abandoned paddy soils with properties similar to the studied soil, sandy loam but poorly drained because of the low permeable plowpan layer, although further validation is

Radiation measurements in the Chiba Metropolitan Area and radiological aspects of fallout from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plants accident.

PubMed

Amano, Hikaru; Akiyama, Masakazu; Chunlei, Bi; Kawamura, Takao; Kishimoto, Takeshi; Kuroda, Tomotaka; Muroi, Takahiko; Odaira, Tomoaki; Ohta, Yuji; Takeda, Kenji; Watanabe, Yushu; Morimoto, Takao

2012-09-01

Large amounts of radioactive substances were released into the environment from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plants in eastern Japan as a consequence of the great earthquake (M 9.0) and tsunami of 11 March 2011. Radioactive substances discharged into the atmosphere first reached the Chiba Metropolitan Area on 15 March. We collected daily samples of air, fallout deposition, and tap water starting directly after the incident and measured their radioactivity. During the first two months maximum daily concentrations of airborne radionuclides observed at the Japan Chemical Analysis Center in the Chiba Metropolitan Area were as follows: 4.7 × 10(1) Bq m(-3) of (131)I, 7.5 Bq m(-3) of (137)Cs, and 6.1 Bq m(-3) of (134)Cs. The ratio of gaseous iodine to total iodine ranged from 5.2 × 10(-1) to 7.1 × 10(-1). Observed deposition rate maxima were as follows: 1.7 × 10(4) Bq m(-2) d(-1) of (131)I, 2.9 × 10(3) Bq m(-2) d(-1) of (137)Cs, and 2.9 × 10(3) Bq m(-2) d(-1) of (134)Cs. The deposition velocities (ratio of deposition rate to concentration) of cesium radionuclides and (131)I were detectably different. Radioactivity in tap water caused by the accident was detected several days after detection of radioactivity in fallout in the area. Radiation doses were estimated from external radiation and internal radiation by inhalation and ingestion of tap water for people living outdoor in the Chiba Metropolitan Area following the Fukushima accident. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Drug attitude and subjective well-being in antipsychotic treatment monotherapy in real-world settings.

PubMed

Balestrieri, Matteo; Di Sciascio, Guido; Isola, Miriam; Lomonaco, Emanuele; Maso, Elisa; Merli, Roberto; Calò, Salvatore; Bellantuono, Cesario

2009-01-01

To assess using two well-know scales (DAI-30 and SWN) the drug attitude and subjective well-being of patients treated with haloperidol or second-generation antipsychotics (SGA) in four different Italian communities. The sample included 145 patients taking five different antipsychotics (APs) in mono-therapy: haloperidol, clozapine, olanzapine, risperidone, quetiapine. A stepwise multiple regression analysis (SMRA) was used to analyse the contribution of different AP treatments and of other predictors to SWN and DAI-30 scores. Univariate analyses showed no differences in DAI-30 and SWN scores across treatments. The SMRA showed that SWN scores were negatively correlated with the severity of the psychoses (BPRS scores), while the DAI-30 scores were negatively correlated with the severity of the psychoses and positively correlated both with the length of drug treatment and with the use of olanzapine. Our study does not confirm a better drug attitude in patients treated with SGA with respect to haloperidol. The only partial exception is the better performance of olanzapine over haloperidol on DAI-30, which could be due to the lower use of anticholinergic drugs during olanzapine treatment. The differences between the SWN and DAI-30 may give good reason for the use of both instruments during AP treatments.

[Epidemiological characteristics of newly reported HIV infections in Chinese and Burmese residents, during 2012-2016 in Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan province].

PubMed

Wang, J B; Chen, X C; Duan, X; Yang, J; Wang, Y K; Yang, T; Ye, R H; Yang, Y C; Yao, S T; Jiang, Y; Duan, S; He, N

2017-10-10

Objective: To understand the epidemiological characteristics of newly reported HIV infections in Chinese and Burmese residents during 2012-2016 in Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan province (Dehong) and to provide evidence for the development of related programs on prevention and control. Methods: All the HIV infections who were newly reported during 2012-2016 in Dehong, were recruited as the study subjects, with epidemiological characteristics of the cases analyzed by using the software SPSS 22.0. Results: A total of 5 692 HIV infections were newly reported between 2012 and 2016 (including 5 592 in this study), in which the Chinese patients accounted for 43.3 % (2 419) and the rest 56.7 % (3 173) were Burmese. Differences in age, gender and other social characteristics of these newly reported HIV infections were statistically significant between the Chinese and the Burmese (all p -values <0.05). Most cases were males and between the age of 20-49 years old. Other characteristics of the patients would include: having had primary school education, married, being farmers, and with CD(4)(+)T cells counts ≥350 cells/μl. HIV infection was mainly transmitted through sexual contact among the Chinese patients but through injecting drug use among the Burmese patients. Conclusions: Epidemiological characteristics of the newly reported HIV infections were different between the Chinese and the Burmese, between 2012 and 2016 in Dehong. Targeted prevention and control programs should be taken.

Paddy-field contamination with 134Cs and 137Cs due to Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident and soil-to-rice transfer coefficients.

PubMed

Endo, Satoru; Kajimoto, Tsuyoshi; Shizuma, Kiyoshi

2013-02-01

The transfer coefficient (TF) from soil to rice plants of (134)Cs and (137)Cs in the form of radioactive deposition from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident in March 2011 was investigated in three rice paddy fields in Minami-Soma City. Rice crops were planted in the following May and harvested at the end of September. Soil cores of 30-cm depth were sampled from rice-planted paddy fields to measure (134)Cs and (137)Cs radioactivity at 5-cm intervals. (134)Cs and (137)Cs radioactivity was also measured in rice ears (rice with chaff), straws and roots. The rice ears were subdivided into chaff, brown rice, polished rice and rice bran, and the (134)Cs and (137)Cs radioactivity concentration of each plant part was measured to calculate the respective TF from the soil. The TF of roots was highest at 0.48 ± 0.10 in the field where the (40)K concentration in the soil core was relatively low, in comparison with TF values of 0.31 and 0.38 in other fields. Similar trends could be found for the TF of whole rice plants, excluding roots. The TF of rice ears was relatively low at 0.019-0.026. The TF of chaff, rice bran, brown rice and polished rice was estimated to be 0.049, 0.10-0.16, 0.013-0.017 and 0.005-0.013, respectively. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Intragastric Dai-Kenchu-To, a Japanese herbal medicine, stimulates colonic motility via transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 1 in dogs.

PubMed

Kikuchi, Daisuke; Shibata, Chikashi; Imoto, Hirofumi; Naitoh, Takeshi; Miura, Koh; Unno, Michiaki

2013-08-01

Japanese herbal medicine, also known as Kampo, is used for various diseases in Japan. One of those medicines, Dai-Kenchu-To (DKT), is considered clinically effective for adhesive bowel obstruction and chronic constipation. Although scientific evidence of DKT to improve adhesive bowel obstruction was shown in several previous reports, mechanism of DKT to improve constipation remains unknown. Our aim was to study the effect of intragastric DKT on colonic motility and defecation, and the involvement of various receptors in DKT-induced colonic contractions. Five beagle dogs were instructed with serosal strain-gauge force transducers to measure circular muscle activity at the proximal, middle, and distal colon. Dogs are suitable for a present study to administer the drugs repeatedly to the same individual and look at its effect on colonic motility. We studied the effects of DKT (2.5 or 5 g) administered into the stomach on colonic motility. Muscarinic receptor antagonist atropine, nicotinic receptor antagonist hexamthonium, or 5-hydroxytryptamine-3 receptor antagonist ondansetron was injected intravenously 10 min before DKT administration. Capsazepine, an antagonist to transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 1 (TRPV1), was administered into the stomach 5 min before DKT administration. Intragastric DKT (2.5 or 5 g) induced colonic contractions within 10 min after administration but did not induce defecation. Pretreatment with atropine, hexamthonium, ondansetron, or capsazepine inhibited DKT-induced colonic contractions. These results indicate that orally administered DKT stimulates colonic motility via TRPV1, muscarinic, nicotinic, and 5-hydroxytryptamine-3 receptors, thereby providing scientific support for the efficacy of oral DKT in chronic constipation.

77 FR 25503 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-30

....3, of the Near-Term Task Force Review of Insights from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Event. 2. Current OMB... the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant resulting from the March 11, 2011, earthquake and...

77 FR 49833 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for the Office of Management and Budget (OMB...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-17

... Near-Term Task Force Review of insights from the Fukushima Dai-Ichi Event. 3. Current OMB approval.... Abstract: Following events at the Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear power plant resulting from the March 11, 2011...

Genistein and daidzein stimulate hyaluronic acid production in transformed human keratinocyte culture and hairless mouse skin.

PubMed

Miyazaki, Kouji; Hanamizu, Tomoko; Iizuka, Ryoko; Chiba, Katsuyoshi

2002-01-01

We examined the effects of the soy isoflavones genistein (Gen) and daidzein (Dai) on the production of hyaluronic acid (HA) in a transformed human keratinocyte culture and in hairless mouse skin following topical application for 2 weeks. Gen and Dai, but not the glycosides thereof, significantly enhanced the production of HA in vitro and in vivo. Histochemistry using an HA-binding protein revealed that topical Gen and estradiol raised both the density and intensity of HA staining, which was abundant in the murine dermis. It is suggested that Gen and Dai are not released from their respective glycosides in culture or murine skin. Moreover, topical Gen and Dai may prevent and improve the cutaneous alterations caused by the loss of HA in skin. Copyright 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel

Biokinetics of radiocesium depuration in marine fish inhabiting the vicinity of the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant.

PubMed

Tateda, Yutaka; Tsumune, Daisuke; Misumi, Kazuhiro; Aono, Tatsuo; Kanda, Jota; Ishimaru, Takashi

2017-01-01

Radiocesium ( 134 Cs and 137 Cs) released from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (1FNPP) accident contaminated the fish inhabiting the port of 1FNPP. Radiocesium concentrations in some fishes, especially rockfish, have still remained at elevated levels, while concentrations in olive flounder have decreased in 2015 to the level which is close to the Japanese regulatory limit for seafood products (0.1 kBq kg-wet -1 ). In this study a dynamic food chain transfer model was applied to reconstruct radiocesium levels in olive flounder residing around the port area. As a result, the observed 137 Cs concentrations in olive flounder collected from the port could be explained by the simulated values in the fish, using the seawater level records at the port entrance. The reconstructed maximum 134 + 137 Cs concentration in olive flounder inhabiting the port area was 72 kB kg-wet -1 in July 2011 and the ecological half-life (EHL) was estimated as being 180 days during the period of 2014-2015. Short term simulation which assumed that the coastal water fish swam into the port during 1 month, demonstrated that the radiocesium level in the olive flounder may become equivalent to the depurated level in the fish which were initially contaminated. This result indicated that the increase of radiocesium levels in wandering fish is unlikely to change total radiocesium concentrations in the olive flounder. In this sense, the radiocesium levels in the olive flounder of the port area can be interpreted as being convergent in 2015, regardless of the differences in their contamination histories. On the other hand, the higher 137 Cs concentrations in fat greenling, compared to the olive flounder, can be attributed to a history of exposure to the contaminated seawater and food at the inner area of the port, such as the shallow draft quay and seawall area. As a result of the reconstructed initial higher radiocesium concentration, constrained by exposure history at the inner area of

77 FR 71019 - Japan Lessons-Learned Project Directorate Interim Staff Guidance JLD-ISG-2012-04; Guidance on...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-28

... Insights from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Accident,'' dated March 12, 2012 (ADAMS Accession No. ML12053A340... resulting nuclear accident, at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant in March 2011. Enclosure 1 to the...

78 FR 39019 - Omaha Public Power District, Fort Calhoun Station, Unit 1

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-28

... disasters, such as flooding, are undergoing NRC review as part of the lessons learned from the Fukushima Dai... of the Fukushima Dai-ichi reviews, as well as other processes. The PRB intends to use the results of...

Association of contact loading in diffuse axonal injuries from motor vehicle crashes.

PubMed

Yoganandan, Narayan; Gennarelli, Thomas A; Zhang, Jiangyue; Pintar, Frank A; Takhounts, Erik; Ridella, Stephen A

2009-02-01

Although studies have been conducted to analyze brain injuries from motor vehicle crashes, the association of head contact has not been fully established. This study examined the association in occupants sustaining diffuse axonal injuries (DAIs). The 1997 to 2006 motor vehicle Crash Injury Research Engineering Network database was used. All crash modes and all changes in velocity were included; ejections and rollovers were excluded; injuries to front and rear seat occupants with and without restraint use were considered. DAI were coded in the database using Abbreviated Injury Scale 1990. Loss of consciousness was included and head contact was based on medical- and crash-related data. Sixty-seven occupants with varying ages were coded with DAI. Forty-one adult occupants (mean, 33 years of age, 171-cm tall, 71-kg weight; 30 drivers, 11 passengers) were analyzed. Mean change in velocity was 41.2 km/h and Glasgow Coma Scale score was 4. There were 33 lateral, 6 frontal, and 2 rear crashes with 32 survivors and 9 were fatalities. Two occupants in the same crash did not sustain DAI. Although skull fractures and scalp injuries occurred in some impacts, head contact was identified in all frontal, rear, and far side, and all but one nearside crashes. Using a large sample size of occupants sustaining DAI in 1991 to 2006 model year vehicles, DAI occurred more frequently in side than frontal crashes, is most commonly associated with impact load transfer, and is not always accompanied by skull fractures. The association of head contact in >95% of cases underscores the importance of evaluating crash-related variables and medical information for trauma analysis. It would be prudent to include contact loading in addition to angular kinematics in the analysis and characterization of DAI.

The Relationship between Subclinical Asperger's Syndrome and Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration

PubMed Central

Midorikawa, Akira; Kawamura, Mitsuru

2012-01-01

Background/Aims The existence of the behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia (bv-FTD), including senile Asperger's syndrome (AS), has been proposed. However, there are no empirical case reports to support the proposal. In this report, we present 3 patients who showed symptoms of bv-FTD and demonstrated signs of autistic spectrum disorder, especially AS. Methods We evaluated 3 subjects using the diagnostic criteria for bv-FTD, and their caregivers retrospectively provided data to calculate the Autism-Spectrum Quotient, Japanese version [Wakabayashi et al.: Shinrigaku Kenkyu 2004;75:78–84]. We also compared these data with those obtained from 3 individuals with Alzheimer's disease. Results All 3 patients met the criteria for bv-FTD and had a higher Autism-Spectrum Quotient score than did comparable Alzheimer's disease subjects. Conclusion It is possible that some senile persons with frontotemporal lobar degeneration-like maladaptive behavior may suffer from subclinical AS. PMID:22719743

Comparative analysis of the electroencephalogram in patients with Alzheimer's disease, diffuse axonal injury patients and healthy controls using LORETA analysis.

PubMed

Ianof, Jéssica Natuline; Fraga, Francisco José; Ferreira, Leonardo Alves; Ramos, Renato Teodoro; Demario, José Luiz Carlos; Baratho, Regina; Basile, Luís Fernando Hindi; Nitrini, Ricardo; Anghinah, Renato

2017-01-01

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a dementia that affects a large contingent of the elderly population characterized by the presence of neurofibrillary tangles and senile plaques. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a non-degenerative injury caused by an external mechanical force. One of the main causes of TBI is diffuse axonal injury (DAI), promoted by acceleration-deceleration mechanisms. To understand the electroencephalographic differences in functional mechanisms between AD and DAI groups. The study included 20 subjects with AD, 19 with DAI and 17 healthy adults submitted to high resolution EEG with 128 channels. Cortical sources of EEG rhythms were estimated by exact low-resolution electromagnetic tomography (eLORETA) analysis. The eLORETA analysis showed that, in comparison to the control (CTL) group, the AD group had increased theta activity in the parietal and frontal lobes and decreased alpha 2 activity in the parietal, frontal, limbic and occipital lobes. In comparison to the CTL group, the DAI group had increased theta activity in the limbic, occipital sublobar and temporal areas. The results suggest that individuals with AD and DAI have impairment of electrical activity in areas important for memory and learning.

Letter to the Editor: Can dog allergen immunotherapy reduce concomitant allergic sensitization to other furry animals? A preliminary experience.

PubMed

Liccardi, G; Calzetta, L; Salzillo, A; Billeri, L; Lucà, G; Rogliani, P

2017-03-01

It has been shown that allergen immunotherapy (AIT) is effective in reducing symptoms of allergic asthma and rhinitis. Data on the efficacy are less convincing with regard to AIT for allergens of common pets (cats/dogs). We describe a case of dog allergy in which we explored if dog AIT (DAI) could reduce a concomitant allergic sensitization to other allergens of furry animals. Our case demonstrates the efficacy of sublingual DAI on SPTs, symptom score, and spirometric responses despite persistent exposure to dog allergens at home in a patient sensitized, but not exposed, to several other furry animals. Moreover, this is the first report suggesting that DAI is able to reduce SPTs responses not only to dog, but also to other furry animals such as rabbit, horse, mouse, rat, hamster, cow. We recommend an accurate anamnesis and diagnosis of dog allergy before prescribing DAI. In particular, the use of ImmunoCAP ISAC is essential to verify the presence of IgE to lipocalins / albumins belonging to other furry animals. Obviously further studies carried out by using different DAI schedules, allergen amount and time of re-evaluation, laboratory procedure should be performed to confirm our findings.

Impact of Fukushima-derived radiocesium in the western North Pacific Ocean about ten months after the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant accident.

PubMed

Kumamoto, Yuichiro; Aoyama, Michio; Hamajima, Yasunori; Murata, Akihiko; Kawano, Takeshi

2015-02-01

We measured vertical distributions of radiocesium ((134)Cs and (137)Cs) at stations along the 149°E meridian in the western North Pacific during winter 2012, about ten months after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP1) accident. The Fukushima-derived (134)Cs activity concentration and water-column inventory were largest in the transition region between 35 and 40°N approximately due to the directed discharge of the contaminated water from the FNPP1. The bomb-derived (137)Cs activity concentration just before the FNPP1 accident was derived from the excess (137)Cs activity concentration relative to the (134)Cs activity concentration. The water-column inventory of the bomb-derived (137)Cs was largest in the subtropical region south of 35°N, which implies that the Fukushima-derived (134)Cs will also be transported from the transition region to the subtropical region in the coming decades. Mean values of the water-column inventories decay-corrected for the Fukushima-derived (134)Cs and the bomb-derived (137)Cs were estimated to be 1020 ± 80 and 820 ± 120 Bq m(-2), respectively, suggesting that in winter 2012 the impact of the FNPP1 accident in the western North Pacific Ocean was nearly the same as that of nuclear weapons testing. Relationship between the water-column inventory and the activity concentration in surface water for the radiocesium is essential information for future evaluation of the total amount of Fukushima-derived radiocesium released into the North Pacific Ocean. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Measurement of soil contamination by radionuclides due to the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident and associated estimated cumulative external dose estimation.

PubMed

Endo, S; Kimura, S; Takatsuji, T; Nanasawa, K; Imanaka, T; Shizuma, K

2012-09-01

Soil sampling was carried out at an early stage of the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident. Samples were taken from areas around FDNPP, at four locations northwest of FDNPP, at four schools and in four cities, including Fukushima City. Radioactive contaminants in soil samples were identified and measured by using a Ge detector and included (129 m)Te, (129)Te, (131)I, (132)Te, (132)I, (134)Cs, (136)Cs, (137)Cs, (140)Ba and (140)La. The highest soil depositions were measured to the northwest of FDNPP. From this soil deposition data, variations in dose rates over time and the cumulative external doses at the locations for 3 months and 1y after deposition were estimated. At locations northwest of FDNPP, the external dose rate at 3 months after deposition was 4.8-98 μSv/h and the cumulative dose for 1 y was 51 to 1.0 × 10(3)mSv; the highest values were at Futaba Yamada. At the four schools, which were used as evacuation shelters, and in the four urban cities, the external dose rate at 3 months after deposition ranged from 0.03 to 3.8μSv/h and the cumulative doses for 1 y ranged from 3 to 40 mSv. The cumulative dose at Fukushima Niihama Park was estimated as the highest in the four cities. The estimated external dose rates and cumulative doses show that careful countermeasures and remediation will be needed as a result of the accident, and detailed measurements of radionuclide deposition densities in soil will be important input data to conduct these activities. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using quantum filters to process images of diffuse axonal injury

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pineda Osorio, Mateo

2014-06-01

Some images corresponding to a diffuse axonal injury (DAI) are processed using several quantum filters such as Hermite Weibull and Morse. Diffuse axonal injury is a particular, common and severe case of traumatic brain injury (TBI). DAI involves global damage on microscopic scale of brain tissue and causes serious neurologic abnormalities. New imaging techniques provide excellent images showing cellular damages related to DAI. Said images can be processed with quantum filters, which accomplish high resolutions of dendritic and axonal structures both in normal and pathological state. Using the Laplacian operators from the new quantum filters, excellent edge detectors for neurofiber resolution are obtained. Image quantum processing of DAI images is made using computer algebra, specifically Maple. Quantum filter plugins construction is proposed as a future research line, which can incorporated to the ImageJ software package, making its use simpler for medical personnel.

76 FR 59449 - Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards; Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-26

... Recommendations on the Near-Term Task Force Report Regarding the Events at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Site in Japan... the Fukushima Dai-ichi site in Japan. 10:15 a.m.-11:45 a.m.: Development of Draft Fire Human...

Environmental Remediation Activities in Japan Following the Fukushima Dai-ichi Reactor Incident - 12603

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

Lively, J.W.; Kelley, J.L.; Marcial, M.R.

2012-07-01

In March 2011, the Fukushima Dai-ichi reactor power plant was crippled by the Great Pacific earthquake and subsequent tsunami. Much of the focus in the news was on the reactor site itself as the utility company (TEPCO), the Japanese government, and experts from around the world worked to bring the damaged plants into a safe shutdown condition and stem the release of radioactivity to the environment. Most of the radioactivity released was carried out to sea with the prevailing winds. Still, as weather patterns changed and winds shifted, a significant plume of radioactive materials released from the plant deposited inmore » the environment surrounding the plant, contaminating large land areas of the Fukushima Prefecture. The magnitude of the radiological impact to the surrounding environmental is so large that the Japanese government has had to reevaluate the meaning of 'acceptably clean'. In many respects, 'acceptably clean' cannot be a one-size-fits-all standard. The economics costs of such an approach would make impossible what is already an enormous and costly environmental response and remediation task. Thus, the Japanese government has embarked upon an approach that is both situation-specific and reasonably achievable. For example, the determination of acceptably clean for a nursery school or kindergarten play yard may be different from that for a parking lot. The acceptably clean level of residual radioactivity in the surface soil of a rice paddy is different from that in a forested area. The recognized exposure situation (scenario) thus plays a large role in the decision process. While sometimes complicated to grasp or implement, such an approach does prioritize national resources to address environment remediation based upon immediate and significant risks. In addition, the Japanese government is testing means and methods, including advanced or promising technologies, that could be proven to be effective in reducing the amount of radioactivity in the

76 FR 55947 - Industrial Relations Promotion Project, Phase II in Vietnam

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-09

... to award sole source (Cooperative Agreement). SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL), Bureau.../Nathan Group LLC (DAI) for the purpose of implementing a program to strengthen compliance with... to perform the type of activity to be funded.. DAI, through its Industrial Relations Promotion...

On Dangerous Anthropogenic Interference and Climate Change Risk (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mann, M. E.

2009-12-01

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) commits signatory nations (which includes all major nations including the United States) to stabilizing greenhouse gas concentrations at levels short of Dangerous Anthropogenic Interference (“ DAI”) with the climate. To properly define DAI, one must take into account issues that are not only scientific, but, economic, political, and ethical in nature. Defining DAI is furthermore complicated by the inter-generational and regionally-disaggregated nature of the risks associated with climate change. In this talk, I will explore the nature of anthropogenic climate change risks and the notion of DAI.

Altered right anterior insular connectivity and loss of associated functions in adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome

PubMed Central

Glenne Øie, Merete; Endestad, Tor; Bruun Wyller, Vegard

2017-01-01

Impairments in cognition, pain intolerance, and physical inactivity characterize adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), yet little is known about its neurobiology. The right dorsal anterior insular (dAI) connectivity of the salience network provides a motivational context to stimuli. In this study, we examined regional functional connectivity (FC) patterns of the right dAI in adolescent CFS patients and healthy participants. Eighteen adolescent patients with CFS and 18 aged-matched healthy adolescent control participants underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. The right dAI region of interest was examined in a seed-to-voxel resting-state FC analysis using SPM and CONN toolbox. Relative to healthy adolescents, CFS patients demonstrated reduced FC of the right dAI to the right posterior parietal cortex (PPC) node of the central executive network. The decreased FC of the right dAI–PPC might indicate impaired cognitive control development in adolescent CFS. Immature FC of the right dAI–PPC in patients also lacked associations with three known functional domains: cognition, pain and physical activity, which were observed in the healthy group. These results suggest a distinct biological signature of adolescent CFS and might represent a fundamental role of the dAI in motivated behavior. PMID:28880891

Altered right anterior insular connectivity and loss of associated functions in adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome.

PubMed

Wortinger, Laura Anne; Glenne Øie, Merete; Endestad, Tor; Bruun Wyller, Vegard

2017-01-01

Impairments in cognition, pain intolerance, and physical inactivity characterize adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), yet little is known about its neurobiology. The right dorsal anterior insular (dAI) connectivity of the salience network provides a motivational context to stimuli. In this study, we examined regional functional connectivity (FC) patterns of the right dAI in adolescent CFS patients and healthy participants. Eighteen adolescent patients with CFS and 18 aged-matched healthy adolescent control participants underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. The right dAI region of interest was examined in a seed-to-voxel resting-state FC analysis using SPM and CONN toolbox. Relative to healthy adolescents, CFS patients demonstrated reduced FC of the right dAI to the right posterior parietal cortex (PPC) node of the central executive network. The decreased FC of the right dAI-PPC might indicate impaired cognitive control development in adolescent CFS. Immature FC of the right dAI-PPC in patients also lacked associations with three known functional domains: cognition, pain and physical activity, which were observed in the healthy group. These results suggest a distinct biological signature of adolescent CFS and might represent a fundamental role of the dAI in motivated behavior.

Comparing perceptions of dental aesthetics in the USA with those in eleven ethnic groups.

PubMed

Cons, N C; Jenny, J

1994-12-01

The Standard DAI is an orthodontic index based on perceptions of dental aesthetics in the USA. The Standard DAI is a regression equation linking perceptions of the social acceptability of dental aesthetics with the objective intraoral measurements of ten occlusal traits. Since the Standard DAI is based on perceptions of dental aesthetics in the USA it can be used without modification only where perceptions of dental aesthetics are similar to those in the USA. This study was designed to determine whether perceptions of dental aesthetics of students in eleven diverse ethnic groups are similar to those of students in the USA. The same 25 stimuli (photographs of dental configurations, a subset of the 200 stimuli used in deriving the Standard DAI equation) were rated for dental aesthetics by Australian, Chinese, German, Japanese, Korean, Latvian, Native American, Singaporean Chinese, Singaporean Indian, Singaporean Malay, and Thai students. Their ratings were compared with the ratings of the same 25 stimuli by students in the USA. Spearman rank-order correlations ranged from 0.84 to 0.94. These correlations are sufficiently high to show that perceptions of dental aesthetics in all eleven ethnic groups are very similar to the perceptions of USA students. Therefore the Standard DAI can be used without modification in all eleven ethnic groups.

Comparing perceptions of dental aesthetics in the USA with those in eleven ethnic groups.

PubMed

Cons, N C; Jenny, J

1994-10-01

The Standard DAI is an orthodontic index based on perceptions of dental aesthetics in the USA. The Standard DAI is a regression equation linking perceptions of the social acceptability of dental aesthetics with the objective intraoral measurements of ten occlusal traits. Since the Standard DAI is based on perceptions of dental aesthetics in the USA it can be used without modification only where perceptions of dental aesthetics are similar to those in the USA. This study was designed to determine whether perceptions of dental aesthetics of students in eleven diverse ethnic groups are similar to those of students in the USA. The same 25 stimuli (photographs of dental configurations, a subset of the 200 stimuli used in deriving the Standard DAI equation) were rated for dental aesthetics by Australian, Chinese, German, Japanese, Korean, Latvian, Native American, Singaporean Chinese, Singaporean Indian, Singaporean Malay, and Thai students. Their ratings were compared with the ratings of the same 25 stimuli by students in the USA. Spearman rank-order correlations ranged from 0.84 to 0.94. These correlations are sufficiently high to show that perceptions of dental aesthetics in all eleven ethnic groups are very similar to the perceptions of USA students. Therefore the Standard DAI can be used without modification in all eleven ethnic groups.

Isotopic compositions of (236)U and Pu isotopes in "black substances" collected from roadsides in Fukushima prefecture: fallout from the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant accident.

PubMed

Sakaguchi, Aya; Steier, Peter; Takahashi, Yoshio; Yamamoto, Masayoshi

2014-04-01

Black-colored road dusts were collected in high-radiation areas in Fukushima Prefecture. Measurement of (236)U and Pu isotopes and (134,137)Cs in samples was performed to confirm whether refractory elements, such as U and Pu, from the fuel core were discharged and to ascertain the extent of fractionation between volatile and refractory elements. The concentrations of (134,137)Cs in all samples were exceptionally high, ranging from 0.43 to 17.7 MBq/kg, respectively. (239+240)Pu was detected at low levels, ranging from 0.15 to 1.14 Bq/kg, and with high (238)Pu/(239+240)Pu activity ratios of 1.64-2.64. (236)U was successfully determined in the range of (0.28 to 6.74) × 10(-4) Bq/kg. The observed activity ratios for (236)U/(239+240)Pu were in reasonable agreement with those calculated for the fuel core inventories, indicating that trace amounts of U from the fuel cores were released together with Pu isotopes but without large fractionation. The quantities of U and (239+240)Pu emitted to the atmosphere were estimated as 3.9 × 10(6) Bq (150 g) and 2.3 × 10(9) Bq (580 mg), respectively. With regard to U, this is the first report to give a quantitative estimation of the amount discharged. Appreciable fractionation between volatile and refractory radionuclides associated with the dispersal/deposition processes with distance from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant was found.

Pu isotopes in the western North Pacific Ocean before the accident at Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamada, M.; Zheng, J.; Aono, T.

2011-12-01

Anthropogenic radionuclides such as Pu-239 (half-life: 24100 yr), Pu-240 (half-life: 6560 yr) and Pu-241 (half-life: 14.325 yr) mainly have been released into the environment as the result of atmospheric nuclear weapons testing. In the North Pacific Ocean, two distinct sources of Pu isotopes can be identified; i.e., the global stratospheric fallout and close-in tropospheric fallout from nuclear weapons testing at the Pacific Proving Grounds in the Marshall Islands. The atom ratio of Pu-240/Pu-239 is a powerful fingerprint to identify the sources of Pu in the ocean. The Pu-240/Pu-239 atom ratios in seawater and marine sediment samples collected in the western North Pacific before the accident at Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station will provide useful background data for understanding the process controlling Pu transport and for distinguishing future Pu sources. The atom ratios of Pu-240/Pu-239 in water columns from the Yamato and Tsushima Basins in the Japan Sea were significantly higher than the mean global fallout ratio of 0.18; however, there were no temporal variation of atom ratios during the period from 1984 to 1993 in the Japan Sea. The total Pu-239+240 inventories in the whole water columns were approximately doubled during the period from 1984 to 1993 in the two basins. The atom ratio of Pu-240/Pu-239 in surface water from Sagami Bay, western North Pacific Ocean, was 0.224 and showed no notable variation from the surface to the bottom with the mean atom ratio being 0.234. The atom ratios for the Pacific coast, near the Rokkasho nuclear fuel reprocessing plant, were approximately the same as the 0.224 ratio obtained from Sagami Bay, western North Pacific margin. The atom ratios in the surficial sediments from Sagami Bay ranged from 0.229 to 0.247. The mean atom ratio in the sediment columns in the East China Sea ranged from 0.248 for the Changjiang estuary to 0.268 for the shelf edge. The observed atom ratios were significantly higher than the mean

Radioactive materials deposition in Iwate prefecture, northeast japan, due to the Fukushima dai-ichi nuclear power plant accident.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Itoh, Hideyuki

2013-04-01

A catastrophic earthquake occurred in March 11, 2011, and additional tsunami gave the big damage along the pacific coastline of the northeast Japan. Tsunami also caused the accident of Fukushima dai-ichi nuclear power plant (FNPP), released of massive amount of radioactive materials to all over the northeast to central Japan. Ministry of Education, cultural, sports, science and technology (MEXT), Japan, carried out the airborne monitoring survey on several times, however, it is impossible to know the deposition of low level radiation under 0.1μSv/h. On the other hand, radioactive material was detected in Iwate by farm and livestock products, and it was necessary to understand an accurate contamination status in Iwate prefecture. Behavior of radioactive material is very similar to the ashfall by the volcanic eruption. Therefore, it is possible to apply the knowledge of volcanology to evaluation of the natural radiation dose. The author carried out the detailed contamination mapping across the Iwate prefecture. To γ-ray measurement, using scintillation counter A2700 of the clearpulse, measured on 1m grass field above ground, for one minute. The total measurement point became more than 800 point whole in Iwate. Field survey were carried out from April to November, 2011, therefore, it is necessary to consider to the half - life of the radioactive element of the cesium 134 and 137. In this study, the author reconstructed a deposition of April, 2011, just after the accident. In addition, the author also carried out the revision of the natural radiation dose included in the granite and so on. From the result, Concentration of radioactive materials depend on the topography, it tend to high concentrate in the basin or along the valley. The feeble deposition 0.01-0.2μsv/h with the radioactive material was recognized in whole prefecture. High contamination area distributed over the E-W directions widely in the southern part of the prefecture, and it also existence of the

77 FR 16098 - In the Matter of All Operating Boiling Water Reactor Licensees With Mark I and Mark II...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-19

... height, which inundated the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant site. The earthquake and tsunami... and industry in the northeastern coastal areas of Japan. When the earthquake occurred, Fukushima Dai... Nuclear Accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, Revision 0,'' issued November 2011, p. 72...

How was the UNAIDS drug access initiative implemented in Chile?

PubMed Central

Brousselle, Astrid; Champagne, François

2012-01-01

In 1997, UNAIDS decided to implement Drug Access Initiatives (DAI) in four different pilot-countries. We studied the implementation of the DAI in Chile as part of the evaluation program conducted by the ‘Agence Nationale de Recherche sur le SIDA’ (ANRS/France). The objective was to understand how the politico-organizational dynamic influenced the implementation process of the DAI. Approximately 50 semi-directed interviews and observation activities were conducted with the actors who participated in the implementation of the DAI or who played a role in the HIV/AIDS context. The program theory models were established and their evolution analyzed. This article offers an original analysis of an international HIV/AIDS drug access program that was put in place at a time when such programs were seen as a priority by international and governmental institutions. It also offers some insights for the creation of international projects that will be locally implemented. PMID:23230344

Overview of insoluble radioactive cesium particles emitted from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Satou, Yukihiko

2017-04-01

In the early stage of the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station (F1NPS) accident, number of spot type contamination has been observed in computed autoradiography (Kashimura 2013, Shibata 2013, Satou 2014). It's means presence of radioactive particles, however, insoluble cesium particle was overlooked because cesium, which is dominant radioactive element in the accident, becomes ionized in the environment. Adachi et al. (2013) showed presence of cesium (Cs)-bearing particles within air dust sample collected at Tsukuba, 170 km south from the Fukushima site, in midnight of 14 to morning of 15 March 2011. These particles were micrometer order small particles and Cs was could be detectable as element using an energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). However, other radioactive elements such as Co-60, Ru-103 and uranium, which were dominant element of radioactive particles delivered from Chernobyl accident, could not detected. Abe et al. (2014) employed a synchrotron radiation (SR)-micro(μ)-X-ray analysis to the Cs-bearing particles, and they were concluded that (1) contained elements derived from nuclear fission processes and from nuclear reactor and fuel materials; (2) were amorphous; (3) were highly oxidized; and (4) consisted of glassy spherules formed from a molten mixture of nuclear fuel and reactor material. In addition, Satou et al. (2016) and Yamaguchi et al. (2016) disclosed that silicate is main component of Cs-bearing particles. Satou et al. (2015) discovered two types of radioactive particles from soil samples collected in the vicinity of the F1NPS. These particles were remained in the natural environment more than four years, silicate is main component in common of each group particles. Group A particles were very similar to Cs-bearing particles reported by Adachi et al. except particle shape. On the other hand, group B is big particles found in north area from the F1NPS, and the strongest particles contained 20 kBq of Cs-137 within a particle

Efficacy and safety of mesalamine 1 g HS versus 500 mg BID suppositories in mild to moderate ulcerative proctitis: a multicenter randomized study.

PubMed

Lamet, Mark; Ptak, Theodore; Dallaire, Chrystian; Shah, Umed; Grace, Michael; Spenard, Jean; de Montigny, Danielle

2005-07-01

Ulcerative proctitis (UP) usually presents as fresh rectal bleeding. Successful treatment using topical mesalamine 5-aminosalicyclic acid (5-ASA) 500 mg BID suppository led to developing a once-a-day formulation that could contribute to better acceptability and ease of use by patients. The objective of this randomized trial, conducted in 18 centers, was to compare efficacy of 2 modes of treatment with 5-ASA suppositories. Ninety-nine patients with mild or moderate UP limited to 15 cm of the anal margin, evidenced by a disease activity index (DAI) between 4 and 11, were randomized to 5-ASA 500 mg suppository (Canasa; Axcan Pharma) BID or 1 g at bedtime (HS) for 6 weeks. The study used a noninferiority hypothesis based on the mean difference in DAI values after 6 weeks of treatment on an intent-to-treat basis using analysis of covariance. DAI was derived from a composite of the measures of stool frequency, rectal bleeding, mucosal visualization at endoscopy, and general well being. There was no difference between groups at baseline for demographic and clinical parameters. Mean DAIs fell from 6.6 +/- 1.5 (SD) to 1.6 +/- 2.3 in the 500 mg BID group (n = 48) and from 6.1 +/- 1.5 to 1.3 +/- 2.2 in the 1 g HS group (n = 39). There was no significant difference (P = 0.74) in mean DAI at week 6 between the 2 groups. Both groups showed a significant reduction (P < 0.0001) in DAI over the course of the 6 weeks. Both formulations showed effectiveness in reducing each individual component of the DAI. There was no significant difference between treatments in adverse events, and both groups had an overall drug compliance of greater than 95%. This study showed that 1 g HS and 500 mg BID mesalamine suppository treatments of UP patients were equivalent in all facets of efficacy, safety, and compliance in a 6-week trial.

77 FR 33777 - Interim Staff Guidance JLD-ISG-2012-02; Compliance With Order EA-12-050, Order Modifying Licenses...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-07

... feet) in height that inundated the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant site. The earthquake and... infrastructure and industry in the northeastern coastal areas of Japan. When the earthquake occurred, Fukushima... earthquake appears to have been normal. Following the events at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant...

77 FR 441 - Measurement and Control of Combustible Gas Generation and Dispersal

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-05

... Task Force Review of Insights from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Accident'' (Fukushima Task Force Report... Fukushima Task Force Report: ``[t]he task force recommends, as part of the longer term review, that the NRC... additional information is revealed through further study of the Fukushima Dai-ichi accident.'' The Commission...

Evaluation of the extent and distribution of diffuse axonal injury from real world motor vehicle crashes - biomed 2013.

PubMed

Lillie, Elizabeth M; Urban, Jillian E; Lynch, Sarah K; Whitlow, Christopher T; Stitzel, Joel D

2013-01-01

Diffuse axonal injury (DAI) is a common traumatic brain injury (TBI) often seen as a result of motor vehicle crashes (MVC). Twelve (12) cases of DAI were selected from the Crash Injury Research and Engineering Network (CIREN) to determine the extent and distribution of injury with respect to the head contact location. Head computed tomography (CT) scans were collected for each subject and segmented using semi-automated methods to establish the volumes of DAI. The impacted area on the subject's head was approximated from evidence of a soft tissue scalp contusion on the CT scan. This was used in conjunction with subject images and identified internal vehicle contact locations to ascertain a label map of the contact location. A point cloud was developed from the contact location label map and the centroid of the point cloud was calculated as the subject's head impact location. The injury and contact location were evaluated in spherical coordinates and grouped into 0.2 by 0.2 radial increments of azimuth and elevation. The radial increments containing DAI were projected onto a meshed sphere to evaluate the radial distance from the impact location to primary location of DAI and approximate anatomical location. Of the 170 injuries observed, 123 were identified in the frontal lobe and 36 in the parietal lobe. The distribution of the DAI in relation to the change in azimuth from the contact loca y correlated with contact to the head superficial to this lobe. Results from this study provide further insight into the biomechanics of traumatic brain injury and can be used in future work as an aid to validate finite element models of the head.

Therapy development for diffuse axonal injury.

PubMed

Smith, Douglas H; Hicks, Ramona; Povlishock, John T

2013-03-01

Diffuse axonal injury (DAI) remains a prominent feature of human traumatic brain injury (TBI) and a major player in its subsequent morbidity. The importance of this widespread axonal damage has been confirmed by multiple approaches including routine postmortem neuropathology as well as advanced imaging, which is now capable of detecting the signatures of traumatically induced axonal injury across a spectrum of traumatically brain-injured persons. Despite the increased interest in DAI and its overall implications for brain-injured patients, many questions remain about this component of TBI and its potential therapeutic targeting. To address these deficiencies and to identify future directions needed to fill critical gaps in our understanding of this component of TBI, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke hosted a workshop in May 2011. This workshop sought to determine what is known regarding the pathogenesis of DAI in animal models of injury as well as in the human clinical setting. The workshop also addressed new tools to aid in the identification of this axonal injury while also identifying more rational therapeutic targets linked to DAI for continued preclinical investigation and, ultimately, clinical translation. This report encapsulates the oral and written components of this workshop addressing key features regarding the pathobiology of DAI, the biomechanics implicated in its initiating pathology, and those experimental animal modeling considerations that bear relevance to the biomechanical features of human TBI. Parallel considerations of alternate forms of DAI detection including, but not limited to, advanced neuroimaging, electrophysiological, biomarker, and neurobehavioral evaluations are included, together with recommendations for how these technologies can be better used and integrated for a more comprehensive appreciation of the pathobiology of DAI and its overall structural and functional implications. Lastly, the document closes

Emission, transport, deposition, and re-suspension of radionuclides from Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant in the atmosphere - Overview of 2-year investigations in Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kita, Kazuyuki; Igarashi, Yasuhiro; Yoshida, Naohiro; Nakajima, Teruyuki

2013-04-01

Following a huge earthquake and tsunami in Eastern Japan on 11 March, 2011, the accident in Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) occurred to emit a large amount of artificial radionuclides to the environment. Soon after the FDNPP accident, many Japanese researchers, as well as researchers in other countries, started monitoring radionuclides in various environmental fields and/or model calculations to understand extent and magnitude of radioactive pollution. In this presentation, we overview these activities for the atmospheric radionuclides in Japan as followings: 1. Investigations to evaluate radionuclide emissions by explosions at FNDPP in March 2011 and to estimate the respiration dose of the radiation at this stage. 2. Investigations to evaluate atmospheric transport and deposition processes of atmospheric radionuclide to determine the extent of radionuclide pollution. -- Based on results of the regular and urgent monitoring results, as well as the mapping of the distribution of radionuclide s accumulated by the deposition to the ground, restoration of their time-dependent emission rates has been tried, and processes determining atmospheric concentration and deposition to the ground have been investigated by using the model calculations. 3. Monitoring of the atmospheric concentrations of radionuclide after the initial, surge phase of FNDPP accident. 4. Investigations to evaluate re-suspension of radionuclide from the ground, including the soil and the vegetation. -- Intensive monitoring of the atmospheric concentrations and deposition amount of radionuclide after the initial, surge phase of the accident enable us to evaluate emission history from FNDPP, atmospheric transport and deposition processes, chemical and physical characteristics of atmospheric radionuclide especially of radio cesium, and re-suspension processes which has become dominant process to supply radio cesium to the atmosphere recently.

77 FR 55510 - Guidance on Performing a Seismic Margin Assessment

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-10

... events at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant on March 11, 2011, the NRC established a senior... agency should make additional improvements to those programs in light of the events at Fukushima Dai-ichi... Recommended Actions To Be Taken in Response to Fukushima Lessons Learned,'' dated October 3, 2011 (ADAMS...

78 FR 68774 - Onsite Emergency Response Capabilities

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-15

[email protected] . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Background As a result of the events at the Fukushima Dai-ichi... Force Review of Insights from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Accident'' (ADAMS Accession No. ML111861807), the... in Response to Fukushima Lessons Learned'' (ADAMS Accession No. ML11269A204). The NRC staff...

Convergence between observations and interviews in clinical diagnosis of reactive attachment disorder and disinhibited social engagement disorder.

PubMed

Giltaij, Hans Peter; Sterkenburg, Paula Sophia; Schuengel, Carlo

2017-10-01

A comprehensive approach is needed for diagnosing disordered attachment behavior due to the multifaceted nature of attachment. Differences between various indicators can pose a challenge for deciding on the proper diagnosis. This study assessed the convergence between clinical interview assessment and observation-based clinical diagnosis, and their linkages with inadequate care. Participating children ( N = 55) had intelligence quotients (IQs) between 50 and 85 and were referred for psychiatric consultation. Data were obtained by structured review of medical records, the Disturbances of Attachment Interview (DAI), and the Clinical Observation of Attachment (COA) procedure. Of the 18 children identified using the DAI with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fifth Edition (DSM-5) diagnosis of reactive attachment disorder (RAD) and/or disinhibited social engagement disorder (DSED), only 7 received a clinical DSM-5 diagnosis of RAD and/or DSED. Observed maladaptive attachment behavior in the COA was strongly associated with DAI scores and with clinical diagnosis of DSM-5 RAD and/or DSED. There was a significantly higher prevalence of extremes of insufficient care in children who were classified with RAD by DAI or DSM-5 and/or with DSED by DSM-5 compared to those with no attachment disorder. Using structured observation and record assessment leads to more conservative identification of RAD or DSED than using the DAI.

Vertical distribution and temporal dynamics of dissolved 137Cs concentrations in soil water after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident.

PubMed

Iwagami, Sho; Onda, Yuichi; Tsujimura, Maki; Hada, Manami; Pun, Ishwar

2017-11-01

Radiocesium ( 137 Cs) migration from headwater forested areas to downstream rivers has been investigated in many studies since the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident, which was triggered by a catastrophic earthquake and tsunami on 11 March 2011. The accident resulted in the release of a huge amount of radioactivity and its subsequent deposition in the environment. A large part of the radiocesium released has been shown to remain in the forest. The dissolved 137 Cs concentration and its temporal dynamics in river water, stream water, and groundwater have been reported, but reports of dissolved 137 Cs concentration in soil water remain sparse. In this study, soil water was sampled, and the dissolved 137 Cs concentrations were measured at five locations with different land-use types (mature/young cedar forest, broadleaf forest, meadow land, and pasture land) in Yamakiya District, located 35 km northwest of FDNPP from July 2011 to October 2012. Soil water samples were collected by suction lysimeters installed at three different depths at each site. Dissolved 137 Cs concentrations were analyzed using a germanium gamma ray detector. The dissolved 137 Cs concentrations in soil water were high, with a maximum value of 2.5 Bq/L in July 2011, and declined to less than 0.32 Bq/L by 2012. The declining trend of dissolved 137 Cs concentrations in soil water was fitted to a two-component exponential model. The rate of decline in dissolved 137 Cs concentrations in soil water (k 1 ) showed a good correlation with the radiocesium interception potential (RIP) of topsoil (0-5 cm) at the same site. Accounting for the difference of 137 Cs deposition density, we found that normalized dissolved 137 Cs concentrations of soil water in forest (mature/young cedar forest and broadleaf forest) were higher than those in grassland (meadow land and pasture land). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Identification and temporal decrease of 137Cs and 134Cs in groundwater in Minami-Soma City following the accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant.

PubMed

Shizuma, Kiyoshi; Fujikawa, Yoko; Kurihara, Momo; Sakurai, Yushi

2018-03-01

The Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident on March 11, 2011, caused severe radioactive contamination in Fukushima Prefecture. In order to clarify the safety of drinking water, we have conducted radiocesium monitoring of public tap water and groundwater in Minami-Soma City, which is 10-40 km north of the nuclear power plant. The source of tap water for Minami-Soma City is groundwater, which is treated by rapid filtration before distribution in two of the three treatment plants. The tap water was collected from six stations during 2012-2016 and groundwater was collected from 11 stations with wells between 5 and 100 m deep during 2014-2016. Radiocesium contamination of groundwater has been considered unlikely in Japan because of the small vertical migration velocity of radiocesium in Japanese soil. However, radiocesium was detected in public tap water after 2012, and the maximum 137 Cs concentration of 292 mBq L -1 was observed in 2013. In all the well water, radiocesium was detected between 2014 and 2015, at concentrations similar to those observed in tap water in the same period. In tap water and groundwater, radiocesium was decreased to below the detection limit in 2016 except for four stations. Radiocesium concentration in shallow water reached a maximum between 2013 and 2015, 2-4 years after the FDNPP accident, and then decreased. The results are interpreted that dissolved 137 Cs migrated in the soil and reached aquifers of various depth. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fast detection of diffuse axonal damage in severe traumatic brain injury: comparison of gradient-recalled echo and turbo proton echo-planar spectroscopic imaging MRI sequences.

PubMed

Giugni, Elisabetta; Sabatini, Umberto; Hagberg, Gisela E; Formisano, Rita; Castriota-Scanderbeg, Alessandro

2005-05-01

Diffuse axonal injury (DAI) is a common type of primary neuronal injury in patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), and is frequently accompanied by tissue tear hemorrhage. T2-weighted gradient-recalled echo (GRE) sequences are more sensitive than T2-weighted spin-echo images for detection of hemorrhage. The purpose of this study is to compare turbo Proton Echo Planar Spectroscopic Imaging (t-PEPSI), an extremely fast sequence, with GRE sequence in the detection of DAI. Twenty-one patients (mean age 26.8 years) with severe TBI occurred at least 3 months earlier, underwent a brain MR Imaging study on a 1.5-T scanner. A qualitative evaluation of the t-PEPSI sequences was performed by identifying the optimal echo time and in-plane resolution. The number and size of DAI lesions, as well as the signal intensity contrast ratio (SI CR), were computed for each set of GRE and t-PEPSI images, and divided according to their anatomic location as lobar and/or deep brain. There was no significant difference between GRE and t-PEPSI sequences in the detection of the total number of DAI lesions (291 vs. 230, respectively). GRE sequence delineated a higher number of DAI in the temporal lobe compared to the t-PEPSI sequence (74 vs. 37, P < .004), while no differences were found for the other regions. The SI CR was significantly lower with the t-PEPSI than the GRE sequence (P < .00001). Owing to its very short scan time and high sensitivity to the hemorrhage foci, the t-PEPSI sequence may be used as an alternative to the GRE to assess brain DAI in severe TBI patients, especially if uncooperative and medically unstable.

In Vitro Morphogenesis of Arabidopsis to Search for Novel Endophytic Fungi Modulating Plant Growth.

PubMed

Dovana, Francesco; Mucciarelli, Marco; Mascarello, Maurizio; Fusconi, Anna

2015-01-01

Fungal endophytes have shown to affect plant growth and to confer stress tolerance to the host; however, effects of endophytes isolated from water plants have been poorly investigated. In this study, fungi isolated from stems (stem-E) and roots (root-E) of Mentha aquatica L. (water mint) were identified, and their morphogenetic properties analysed on in vitro cultured Arabidopsis (L.) Heynh., 14 and 21 days after inoculation (DAI). Nineteen fungi were analysed and, based on ITS analysis, 17 isolates showed to be genetically distinct. The overall effect of water mint endophytes on Arabidopsis fresh (FW) and dry weight (DW) was neutral and positive, respectively, and the increased DW, mainly occurring 14 DAI, was possibly related to plant defence mechanism. Only three fungi increased both FW and DW of Arabidopsis at 14 and 21 DAI, thus behaving as plant growth promoting (PGP) fungi. E-treatment caused a reduction of root depth and primary root length in most cases and inhibition-to-promotion of root area and lateral root length, from 14 DAI. Only Phoma macrostoma, among the water mint PGP fungi, increased both root area and depth, 21 DAI. Root depth and area 14 DAI were shown to influence DWs, indicating that the extension of the root system, and thus nutrient uptake, was an important determinant of plant dry biomass. Reduction of Arabidopsis root depth occurred to a great extent when plants where treated with stem-E while root area decreased or increased under the effects of stem-E and root-E, respectively, pointing to an influence of the endophyte origin on root extension. M. aquatica and many other perennial hydrophytes have growing worldwide application in water pollution remediation. The present study provided a model for directed screening of endophytes able to modulate plant growth in the perspective of future field applications of these fungi.

Data Compression for Maskless Lithography Systems: Architecture, Algorithms and Implementation

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-05-19

Data Compression for Maskless Lithography Systems: Architecture, Algorithms and Implementation Vito Dai Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences...servers or to redistribute to lists, requires prior specific permission. Data Compression for Maskless Lithography Systems: Architecture, Algorithms and...for Maskless Lithography Systems: Architecture, Algorithms and Implementation Copyright 2008 by Vito Dai 1 Abstract Data Compression for Maskless

The Development and Initial Validation of the Dating Attitudes Inventory: A Measure of the Gender Context of Dating Violence in Men

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwartz, Jonathan Peter; Kelley, Frances A.; Kohli, Nidhi

2012-01-01

The development and initial psychometric investigation of the Dating Attitudes Inventory (DAI) is reported. The DAI was created, to fill a gap in the literature and to measure specific masculine ideology and traditional gender attitudes that rationalize the abuse of women. Using a sample (n = 164) of male college students, a 20-item measure was…

Radiocesium concentrations in the bark, sapwood and heartwood of three tree species collected at Fukushima forests half a year after the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear accident.

PubMed

Kuroda, Katsushi; Kagawa, Akira; Tonosaki, Mario

2013-08-01

Radiocesium ((134)Cs and (137)Cs) distribution in tree stems of Japanese cedar (aged 40-56 y), red pine (42 y), and oak (42 y) grown in Fukushima Prefecture were investigated approximately half a year after the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear accident. Japanese cedar, red pine, and oak were selected from five sites, one site, and one site, respectively. Three trees at each site were felled, and bark, sapwood (the outer layer of wood in the stem), and heartwood (the inner layer of wood in the stem) separately collected to study radiocesium concentrations measured by gamma-ray spectrometry. The radiocesium deposition densities at the five sites were within the range of 16-1020 kBq m(-2). The radiocesium was distributed in bark, sapwood, and heartwood in three tree species, indicating that very rapid translocation of radiocesium into the wood. The concentration of radiocesium in oak (deciduous angiosperm) bark was higher than that in the bark of Japanese cedar and red pine (evergreen gymnosperms). Both sapwood and heartwood contained radiocesium, and the values were much lower than that in the bark samples. The results suggest that radiocesium contamination half a year after the accident was mainly attributable to the direct radioactive deposition. The radiocesium concentrations in the Japanese cedar samples taken from five sites rose with the density of radiocesium accumulation on the ground surface. To predict the future dynamics of radiocesium in tree stems, the present results taken half a year after the accident are important, and continuous study of radiocesium in tree stems is necessary. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Infection and colonization of rice seedlings by the plant growth-promoting bacterium Herbaspirillum seropedicae Z67.

PubMed

James, Euan K; Gyaneshwar, Prasad; Mathan, Natarajan; Barraquio, Wilfredo L; Reddy, Pallavolu M; Iannetta, Pietro P M; Olivares, Fabio L; Ladha, Jagdish K

2002-09-01

A beta-glucoronidase (GUS)-marked strain of Herbaspirillum seropedicae Z67 was inoculated onto rice seedling cvs. IR42 and IR72. Internal populations peaked at over 10(6) log CFU per gram of fresh weight by 5 to 7 days after inoculation (DAI) but declined to 10(3) to 10(4) log CFU per gram of fresh weight by 28 DAI. GUS staining was most intense on coleoptiles, lateral roots, and at the junctions of some of the main and lateral roots. Bacteria entered the roots via cracks at the points of lateral root emergence, with cv. IR72 appearing to be more aggressively infected than cv. IR42. H. seropedicae subsequently colonized the root intercellular spaces, aerenchyma, and cortical cells, with a few penetrating the stele to enter the vascular tissue. Xylem vessels in leaves and stems were extensively colonized at 2 DAI but, in later harvests (7 and 13 DAI), a host defense reaction was often observed. Dense colonies of H. seropedicae with some bacteria expressing nitrogenase Fe-protein were seen within leaf and stem epidermal cells, intercellular spaces, and substomatal cavities up until 28 DAI. Epiphytic bacteria were also seen. Both varieties showed nitrogenase activity but only with added C, and the dry weights of the inoculated plants were significantly increased. Only cv. IR42 showed a significant (approximately 30%) increase in N content above that of the uninoculated controls, and it also incorporated a significant amount of 15N2.

Orthodontic treatment need of 9, 12 and 15 year-old children according to the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need and the Dental Aesthetic Index.

PubMed

Boronat-Catalá, Montserrat; Bellot-Arcís, Carlos; Montiel-Company, José María; Catalá-Pizarro, Montserrat; Almerich-Silla, José Manuel

2016-06-01

To assess the differences in occlusal features in three cohorts at 9, 12 and 15 years of age, and compare orthodontic treatment need measured by the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI) and Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN). Cross-sectional study. School of Dentistry, University of Valencia. A total of 1086 children: 321 aged 9, 397 aged 12 and 368 aged 15. Children were examined to measure their orthodontic treatment need according to IOTN and DAI. The main outcome measure was orthodontic treatment need according to the DAI and IOTN indices. Overbite and inter-incisal diastema were the occlusal features that presented significant differences between the three groups, diminishing with age. Treatment need according to the IOTN was 15.4% at 9 years, 20.9% at 12 years and 12.8% at 15 years. Treatment need according to DAI was 44.8% at 9 years, 21.7% at 12 years and 14.1% at 15 years. The diagnostic agreement between the two indices on the treatment need by age group was very low at 9 years (Kappa 0.18) and moderate at 12 and 15 years (Kappa 0.451 and 0.405, respectively). Orthodontic treatment need is greater in the mixed dentition and falls slightly as the child grows. The greatest variation in results between 9 and 15 years were found in relation to the DAI, which is consequently not recommended for use in the mixed dentition.

Development of Eimeria ninakohlyakimovae Yakimoff & Rastegaieff, 1930 emend. Levine, 1961 in experimentally infected goats (Capra hircus).

PubMed

Vieira, L S; Lima, J D; Rosa, J S

1997-12-01

The endogenous development and prepatent and patent periods of Eimeria ninakohlyakimovae were studied in 43 1-3-wk-old coccidia-free kids inoculated with 5.0 x 10(4), 1.5 x 10(5), 2.0 x 10(5), or 9.0 x 10(5) sporulated oocysts/kg. Twenty-five kids were killed at 24- or 48-hr intervals, 2-18 days after inoculation (DAI). Two generations of meronts, gamonts, gametes, and oocysts were found in sections stained with hematoxylin and eosin and examined using under light microscopy. The first generation of meronts developed in the endothelium of the lacteals, in the lamina propria, and in the lymphatic vessels of the ileum submucosa. Mature, first-generation meronts, 165.5 x 123.6 microm, were first found 10 DAI. Second-generation merogony developed in the crypt epithelial cells of the cecum and colon; mature meronts, 16.8 x 11.6 microm, were first seen 12 DAI. Gametogenesis occurred in the cecum and colon epithelium; mature microgamonts (16.1 x 13.0 microm), microgametes, macrogametes (14.7 x 12.5 microm), and oocysts (18.3 x 13.3 microm) were seen at 13 DAI. The course of the infection was followed in 18 kids examined every day until 24 DAI. The prepatent period was 14.7 (13-17) days and the patent period 6.8 (4-10) days. The sporulation time at 30 C, with constant aeration, was 2-3 days.

Xenon-133 and caesium-137 releases into the atmosphere from the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant: determination of the source term, atmospheric dispersion, and deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stohl, A.; Seibert, P.; Wotawa, G.; Arnold, D.; Burkhart, J. F.; Eckhardt, S.; Tapia, C.; Vargas, A.; Yasunari, T. J.

2012-03-01

On 11 March 2011, an earthquake occurred about 130 km off the Pacific coast of Japan's main island Honshu, followed by a large tsunami. The resulting loss of electric power at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant developed into a disaster causing massive release of radioactivity into the atmosphere. In this study, we determine the emissions into the atmosphere of two isotopes, the noble gas xenon-133 (133Xe) and the aerosol-bound caesium-137 (137Cs), which have very different release characteristics as well as behavior in the atmosphere. To determine radionuclide emissions as a function of height and time until 20 April, we made a first guess of release rates based on fuel inventories and documented accident events at the site. This first guess was subsequently improved by inverse modeling, which combined it with the results of an atmospheric transport model, FLEXPART, and measurement data from several dozen stations in Japan, North America and other regions. We used both atmospheric activity concentration measurements as well as, for 137Cs, measurements of bulk deposition. Regarding 133Xe, we find a total release of 15.3 (uncertainty range 12.2-18.3) EBq, which is more than twice as high as the total release from Chernobyl and likely the largest radioactive noble gas release in history. The entire noble gas inventory of reactor units 1-3 was set free into the atmosphere between 11 and 15 March 2011. In fact, our release estimate is higher than the entire estimated 133Xe inventory of the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant, which we explain with the decay of iodine-133 (half-life of 20.8 h) into 133Xe. There is strong evidence that the 133Xe release started before the first active venting was made, possibly indicating structural damage to reactor components and/or leaks due to overpressure which would have allowed early release of noble gases. For 137Cs, the inversion results give a total emission of 36.6 (20.1-53.1) PBq, or about 43% of the estimated

Detailed source term estimation of atmospheric release during the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant accident by coupling atmospheric and oceanic dispersion models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katata, Genki; Chino, Masamichi; Terada, Hiroaki; Kobayashi, Takuya; Ota, Masakazu; Nagai, Haruyasu; Kajino, Mizuo

2014-05-01

Temporal variations of release amounts of radionuclides during the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP1) accident and their dispersion process are essential to evaluate the environmental impacts and resultant radiological doses to the public. Here, we estimated a detailed time trend of atmospheric releases during the accident by combining environmental monitoring data and coupling atmospheric and oceanic dispersion simulations by WSPEEDI-II (Worldwide version of System for Prediction of Environmental Emergency Dose Information) and SEA-GEARN developed by the authors. New schemes for wet, dry, and fog depositions of radioactive iodine gas (I2 and CH3I) and other particles (I-131, Te-132, Cs-137, and Cs-134) were incorporated into WSPEEDI-II. The deposition calculated by WSPEEDI-II was used as input data of ocean dispersion calculations by SEA-GEARN. The reverse estimation method based on the simulation by both models assuming unit release rate (1 Bq h-1) was adopted to estimate the source term at the FNPP1 using air dose rate, and air sea surface concentrations. The results suggested that the major release of radionuclides from the FNPP1 occurred in the following periods during March 2011: afternoon on the 12th when the venting and hydrogen explosion occurred at Unit 1, morning on the 13th after the venting event at Unit 3, midnight on the 14th when several openings of SRV (steam relief valve) were conducted at Unit 2, morning and night on the 15th, and morning on the 16th. The modified WSPEEDI-II using the newly estimated source term well reproduced local and regional patterns of air dose rate and surface deposition of I-131 and Cs-137 obtained by airborne observations. Our dispersion simulations also revealed that the highest radioactive contamination areas around FNPP1 were created from 15th to 16th March by complicated interactions among rainfall (wet deposition), plume movements, and phase properties (gas or particle) of I-131 and release rates

Radiocesium discharge from paddy fields with different initial scrapings for decontamination after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident.

PubMed

Wakahara, Taeko; Onda, Yuich; Kato, Hiroaki; Sakaguchi, Aya; Yoshimura, Kazuya

2014-11-01

To explore the behavior of radionuclides released after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident in March 2011, and the distribution of radiocesium in paddy fields, we monitored radiocesium (Cs) and suspended sediment (SS) discharge from paddy fields. We proposed a rating scale for measuring the effectiveness of surface soil removal. Our experimental plots in paddy fields were located ∼40 km from the FDNPP. Two plots were established: one in a paddy field where surface soil was not removed (the "normally cultivated paddy field") and the second in a paddy field where the top 5-10 cm of soil was removed before cultivation (the "surface-removed paddy field"). The amounts of Cs and SS discharge from the paddy fields were continuously measured from June to August 2011. The Cs soil inventory measured 3 months after the FDNPP accident was approximately 200 kBq m(-2). However, after removing the surface soil, the concentration of Cs-137 decreased to 5 kBq m(-2). SS discharged from the normally cultivated and surface-removed paddy fields after puddling (mixing of soil and water before planting rice) was 11.0 kg and 3.1 kg, respectively, and Cs-137 discharge was 630,000 Bq (1240 Bq m(-2)) and 24,800 Bq (47.8 Bq m(-2)), respectively. The total amount of SS discharge after irrigation (natural rainfall-runoff) was 5.5 kg for the normally cultivated field and 70 kg for the surface-removed field, and the total amounts of Cs-137 discharge were 51,900 Bq (102 Bq m(-2)) and 165,000 Bq (317 Bq m(-2)), respectively. During the irrigation period, discharge from the surface-removed plot showed a twofold greater inflow than that from the normally cultivated plot. Thus, Cs inflow may originate from the upper canal. The topsoil removal process eliminated at least approximately 95% of the Cs-137, but upstream water contaminated with Cs-137 flowed into the paddy field. Therefore, to accurately determine the Cs discharge, it is important to examine Cs inflow from the

Facial emotion recognition in patients with focal and diffuse axonal injury.

PubMed

Yassin, Walid; Callahan, Brandy L; Ubukata, Shiho; Sugihara, Genichi; Murai, Toshiya; Ueda, Keita

2017-01-01

Facial emotion recognition impairment has been well documented in patients with traumatic brain injury. Studies exploring the neural substrates involved in such deficits have implicated specific grey matter structures (e.g. orbitofrontal regions), as well as diffuse white matter damage. Our study aims to clarify whether different types of injuries (i.e. focal vs. diffuse) will lead to different types of impairments on facial emotion recognition tasks, as no study has directly compared these patients. The present study examined performance and response patterns on a facial emotion recognition task in 14 participants with diffuse axonal injury (DAI), 14 with focal injury (FI) and 22 healthy controls. We found that, overall, participants with FI and DAI performed more poorly than controls on the facial emotion recognition task. Further, we observed comparable emotion recognition performance in participants with FI and DAI, despite differences in the nature and distribution of their lesions. However, the rating response pattern between the patient groups was different. This is the first study to show that pure DAI, without gross focal lesions, can independently lead to facial emotion recognition deficits and that rating patterns differ depending on the type and location of trauma.

Measures against increased environmental radiation dose by the TEPCO Fukushima Dai-ichi NPP accident in some local governments in the Tokyo metropolitan area: focusing on examples of both Kashiwa and Nagareyama cities in Chiba prefecture.

PubMed

Iimoto, T; Fujii, H; Oda, S; Nakamura, T; Hayashi, R; Kuroda, R; Furusawa, M; Umekage, T; Ohkubo, Y

2012-11-01

The accident of the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant of Tokyo Electric Power Cooperation (TEPCO) after the great east Japan earthquake (11 March 2011) elevated the background level of environmental radiation in Eastern Japan. Around the Tokyo metropolitan area, especially around Kashiwa and Nagareyama cities, the ambient dose equivalent rate has been significantly increased after the accident. Responding to strong requests from citizens, the local governments started to monitor the ambient dose equivalent rate precisely and officially, about 3 months after the accident had occurred. The two cities in cooperation with each other also organised a local forum supported by three radiation specialists. In this article, the activities of the local governments are introduced, with main focus on radiation monitoring and measurements. Topics are standardisation of environmental radiation measurements for ambient dose rate, dose mapping activity, investigation of foodstuff and drinking water, lending survey meters to citizens, etc. Based on the data and facts mainly gained by radiation monitoring, risk management and relating activity have been organised. 'Small consultation meetings in kindergartens', 'health consultation service for citizens', 'education meeting on radiation protection for teachers, medical staffs, local government staffs, and leaders of active volunteer parties' and 'decontamination activity', etc. are present key activities of the risk management and restoration around the Tokyo metropolitan area.

A Dutch ICF version of the Activity Inventory: results from focus groups with visually impaired persons and experts.

PubMed

Bruijning, Janna; van Nispen, Ruth; Verstraten, Peter; van Rens, Ger

2010-12-01

To develop a valid and reliable instrument to systematically investigate visual rehabilitation needs of visually impaired older adults, which is compatible with the "International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health" (ICF) structure: a new Dutch ICF version of the Activity Inventory (D-AI). The original AI was translated, adjusted and expanded. After studying literature and investigating patient records, focus group discussions were conducted until the input was just confirmatory. Six (n = 41) and seven (n = 50) discussions with patients and professionals respectively contributed to the first draft of the D-AI, which was further improved by professionals. The D-AI now consists of 10 domains, 68 goals and 813 tasks. Goals are organized into the "Activities and Participation" domains of the ICF. The original routing was maintained; only tasks organized under important (0 [not important] to 3 [very important]) and difficult (0 [not difficult] to 4 [impossible]) goals were assessed. Rehabilitation needs can be organized in the "Activities and Participation" domains of the ICF. The D-AI offers a way of systematically assessing and measuring functional limitations and disabilities, and provides detailed information about activities that are needed to perform a certain goal. Focus group discussions with Dutch patients and experts revealed additional items that will probably be relevant for other populations. Involving patients in the first step of the developing process is important to provide face and content validity. The D-AI can prioritize rehabilitation goals by multiplying importance and difficulty scores, which is helpful in formulating a rehabilitation plan.

Using Crowdsourced Geospatial Data to Aid in Nuclear Proliferation Monitoring

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-12-01

M. Stephens, and Ronald D. Bonnell, “DAI for Document Retrieval: The MINDS Project,” in Distributed Artificial Intelligence , ed. Michael N. Huhns...Ronald D. Bonnell. “DAI for Document Retrieval: The MINDS Project,” In Distributed Artificial Intelligence , edited by Michael N. Huhns, 249–283...was for the director of National Intelligence to explore ways that crowdsourced geospatial imagery technologies could aid existing governmental

Network Structures for Distributed Situation Assessment

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-08-01

name a few-can contribute to the study of DAI. Presumably, DAI will advance these fields as well by providing a modeling technology suitable for precise...moreover, current SA sys- tems are highly centralized and vulnerable. Technological advances in cheap sen- sors, microprocessors, packet radio...communications, and artificial intelligence offer promising alternatives for performing military surveillance in many situations. A new approach now being

Socioeconomic differences in prevalence, awareness, control and self-management of hypertension among four minority ethnic groups, Na Xi, Li Shu, Dai and Jing Po, in rural southwest China.

PubMed

Cai, L; Dong, J; Cui, W L; You, D Y; Golden, A R

2017-06-01

This study investigates socioeconomic differences in prevalence, awareness, control and self-management of hypertension in rural China. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among four ethnic minority groups in Yunnan Province: Na Xi, Li Shu, Dai and Jing Po. Approximately 5532 consenting individuals aged ⩾35 years (48.4% of whom were male) were selected to participate in the study using a stratified, multistage sampling technique. Information about participants' demographic characteristics and hypertension awareness, treatment, control and self-management practices was obtained using a standard questionnaire. The age-standardised prevalence of hypertension in the study population was 33.6%. In hypertensive subjects, the overall levels of awareness, treatment and control of hypertension were 42.1%, 28.5% and 6.7%, respectively. Approximately 58.7% of hypertensive patients regularly self-monitored blood pressure (BP), 64.7% adhered to their physician-prescribed anti-hypertensive drugs, and 88.0% took at least one measure to control BP. Hypertensive patients of Jing Po ethnicity had the lowest rates of awareness, treatment, control and self-management of hypertension among the four ethnic minority groups studied. Individuals with lower levels of education were more likely to be hypertensive. Further, individuals with lower levels of education had a lower probability of awareness of their hypertensive status and of treatment with antihypertensive medication. Access to medical services was positively associated with awareness of suffering from hypertension, being treated with antihypertensive medication, and compliance with antihypertensive drug treatment. This study suggests that effective strategies to enhance awareness, treatment and management of hypertension should focus on individuals with low levels of education and poor access to medical services.

Organo-Soluble Porphyrin Mixed Monolayer-Protected Gold Nanorods with Intercalated Fullerenes

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-16

Mixed Monolayer- Protected Gold Nanorods with Intercalated Fullerenes Chenming Xue, Yongqian Xu, Yi Pang, Dingshan Yu, Liming Dai, Min Gao, Augustine...Protected Gold Nanorods with Intercalated Fullerenes 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT... Fullerenes Chenming Xue, † Yongqian Xu, ‡ Yi Pang, ‡ Dingshan Yu, § Liming Dai, § Min Gao, † Augustine Urbas ± and Quan

Japan: Tsunami Flooding

Atmospheric Science Data Center

2013-04-16

... includes the area around the damaged Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power facility and extends northward along the coast. The ... of the Abukuma River to south of the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power facility, and covers an area of 41 kilometers (25 miles) by 89 ... 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) inland is visible just north of the nuclear power plant. Further up the coast, to the south of Matsukawa-ura Bay, ...

Contribution of radioactive 137Cs discharge by suspended sediment, coarse organic matter, and dissolved fraction from a headwater catchment in Fukushima after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident.

PubMed

Iwagami, Sho; Onda, Yuichi; Tsujimura, Maki; Abe, Yutaka

2017-01-01

Radiocesium ( 137 Cs) migration from headwaters in forested areas provides important information, as the output from forest streams subsequently enters various land-use areas and downstream rivers. Thus, it is important to determine the composition of 137 Cs fluxes (dissolved fraction, suspended sediment, or coarse organic matter) that migrate through a headwater stream. In this study, the 137 Cs discharge by suspended sediment and coarse organic matter from a forest headwater catchment was monitored. The 137 Cs concentrations in suspended sediment and coarse organic matter, such as leaves and branches, and the amounts of suspended sediment and coarse organic matter were measured at stream sites in three headwater catchments in Yamakiya District, located ∼35 km northwest of Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) from August 2012 to September 2013, following the earthquake and tsunami disaster. Suspended sediment and coarse organic matter were sampled at intervals of approximately 1-2 months. The 137 Cs concentrations of suspended sediment and coarse organic matter were 2.4-49 kBq/kg and 0.85-14 kBq/kg, respectively. The 137 Cs concentrations of the suspended sediment were closely correlated with the average deposition density of the catchment. The annual proportions of contribution of 137 Cs discharge by suspended sediment, coarse organic matter, and dissolved fraction were 96-99%, 0.0092-0.069%, and 0.73-3.7%, respectively. The total annual 137 Cs discharge from the catchment was 0.02-0.3% of the deposition. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Speciation analysis of I-127,129 in the crop field soil contaminated by the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant accident with newly developed chemical separation techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Honda, Maki; Matsuzaki, Hiroyuki; Saito, Takumi; Nagai, Hisao

2014-05-01

In previous study, we investigated the depth profile of the accident derived I-129 and downward migration speed in soils of near-field of Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant, including crop fields and man-made fields. I-129 in soil was measured by AMS and stable iodine (I-127) was measured by ICP-MS at MALT (Micro Analysis Laboratory, Tandem accelerator), The University of Tokyo. It was found that I-129 was concentrated near surface but distributed deeper compared with Cs-137. It was also found that I-129 seems to move downward more quickly than Cs-137. To investigate the adsorption mechanism and the elemental process of migration of the accident derived I-129 in soil, it is important to know what kind of component the I-129 combines with. Recent studies on the X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS), especially near edge structure (XANES), reported that the stable iodine (I-127) in soil existed as an organic component. However, it had not yet been proved that it was also the case with the accident derived I-129 because it had been incorporated in the soil system only recently and the abundance of I-129 in soil was more than 8 orders of magnitude smaller than sub-ppm level stable iodine (I-127). In this study a progressive sequential extraction method including the dialysis and the dynamic headspace method was newly developed to obtain only the iodine sticking to the soil organic component. The stable iodine can be quantified by direct analysis of the fraction and I-129 can be quantified by AMS method of the fraction added with carrier. The fraction of the organic component for I-127 and I-129 can be evaluated respectively by comparing with the other fraction and/or with the total concentration obtained by the bulk analysis (e.g. by the pyrohydrolysis).

Development of the Digital Arthritis Index, a Novel Metric to Measure Disease Parameters in a Rat Model of Rheumatoid Arthritis.

PubMed

Lim, Maria A; Louie, Brenton; Ford, Daniel; Heath, Kyle; Cha, Paulyn; Betts-Lacroix, Joe; Lum, Pek Yee; Robertson, Timothy L; Schaevitz, Laura

2017-01-01

Despite a broad spectrum of anti-arthritic drugs currently on the market, there is a constant demand to develop improved therapeutic agents. Efficient compound screening and rapid evaluation of treatment efficacy in animal models of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can accelerate the development of clinical candidates. Compound screening by evaluation of disease phenotypes in animal models facilitates preclinical research by enhancing understanding of human pathophysiology; however, there is still a continuous need to improve methods for evaluating disease. Current clinical assessment methods are challenged by the subjective nature of scoring-based methods, time-consuming longitudinal experiments, and the requirement for better functional readouts with relevance to human disease. To address these needs, we developed a low-touch, digital platform for phenotyping preclinical rodent models of disease. As a proof-of-concept, we utilized the rat collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) model of RA and developed the Digital Arthritis Index (DAI), an objective and automated behavioral metric that does not require human-animal interaction during the measurement and calculation of disease parameters. The DAI detected the development of arthritis similar to standard in vivo methods, including ankle joint measurements and arthritis scores, as well as demonstrated a positive correlation to ankle joint histopathology. The DAI also determined responses to multiple standard-of-care (SOC) treatments and nine repurposed compounds predicted by the SMarTR TM Engine to have varying degrees of impact on RA. The disease profiles generated by the DAI complemented those generated by standard methods. The DAI is a highly reproducible and automated approach that can be used in-conjunction with standard methods for detecting RA disease progression and conducting phenotypic drug screens.

Evaluation of a rapid method for the detection of streptococcal group A antigen directly from throat swabs.

PubMed Central

Venezia, R A; Ryan, A; Alward, S; Kostun, W A

1985-01-01

Throat swabs from 196 pediatric patients were processed by a direct extraction-latex agglutination method (Group A Strep Direct Antigen Identification Test [DAI]) that detects group A streptococci in the specimen. The method requires a 45-min enzymatic extraction period at 37 degrees C and a 4-min reaction period with antibody-linked latex particles. The results were compared with those of the culture and fluorescent antibody methods and the clinical presentation of the patient for pharyngitis. Ninety-three percent of the specimens resulted in agreement by all tests, and 28% were culture positive for group A streptococci. Compared with the culture method, the DAI had a sensitivity and a specificity of 83% and 99%, respectively. The positive predictive values were 98% versus the culture method and 93% versus the fluorescent antibody method, whereas the negative predictive values were 94% versus both other methods. Of the 14 discrepant results when both clinical presentation of an acute pharyngitis and the test results were compared, the culture method provided the best correlation. An additional 64 specimens were processed by the DAI and another direct extraction-latex agglutination method (Culturette Ten-Minute Group A Strep ID Test), and the results were compared with those of the culture method. This group had a 40.6% culture isolation rate for group A streptococci. The sensitivity and specificity of the DAI and Strep ID methods versus the culture method were 81 and 100%, and 77 and 97%, respectively. These results indicate that the DAI is accurate for diagnosing group A streptococcal pharyngitis directly from throat swabs. However, negative results in the presence of a symptomatic patient must be confirmed by standard culture techniques. PMID:3884656

Recovery of Patients with Pure Diffuse Axonal Injury Who Remained in a Coma for 6 Hours or More.

PubMed

Almeida Vieira, Rita de Cássia; Paiva, Wellingson Silva; de Oliveira, Daniel Vieira; de Paula Guirado, Vinícius Monteiro; Caetano Lança, Ellen de Fátima; de Sousa, Regina Márcia Cardoso

2018-01-01

Diffuse axonal injury (DAI) is a traumatic brain injury and one of the most common causes of unfavorable outcome and death. The aim of this study was to investigate the recovery of patients with pure DAI who remained in a coma for 6 hours or longer after brain injury. This was a follow-up study of 75 patients diagnosed with pure DAI, aged 18-60 years, with a Glasgow Coma Scale score ≤8 at hospital admission. Patient data were collected at hospital admission, hospital discharge, and 3 and 6 months after DAI. Recovery was assessed by score changes in the Katz Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living and Extended Glasgow Outcome Scale. The percentage of patients in a coma for 6-24 hours, >24 hours without brainstem signs, and >24 hours with brainstem signs was 42.7%, 20%, and 37.3%, respectively. The 6-month mortality rate was 32.0%, and the mean Extended Glasgow Outcome Scale score among survivors decreased from 3.8 at discharge (SD = 1.2) to 2.1 at 3 months (SD = 1.6) and 1.2 at 6 months (SD = 1.6). The mean Katz Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living scores were 8.5 (SD = 5.5), 3.5 (SD = 5.8), and 1.8 (SD = 4.5) at discharge and 3 and 6 months after trauma, respectively. Statistically significant differences were observed among the 3 evaluation periods. Mortality was high among patients with DAI, but almost all survivors had favorable outcomes at 6 months. Functional improvement was more pronounced in the first 3 months. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Does progesterone improve outcome in diffuse axonal injury?

PubMed

Soltani, Zahra; Shahrokhi, Nader; Karamouzian, Saeed; Khaksari, Mohammad; Mofid, Behshad; Nakhaee, Nouzar; Reihani, Hamed

2017-01-01

The benefits of progesterone have been demonstrated in the animal models of traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, the results of clinical studies are conflicting. Considering the heterogenic nature of TBI, the effect of progesterone in patients with diffuse axonal injury (DAI) was investigated in a clinical trial. In this study, 48 patients with DAI and Glasgow Coma Scale of 3-12, admitted within 4 hours after injury, were randomly assigned to the progesterone or control group. The dose of progesterone administration was 1 mg kg -1 per 12 hours for 5 days. The effect of progesterone was investigated using extended-Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS-E), functional independence measure (FIM) scores and also mortality within the follow-up period. The progesterone group exhibited higher GOS-E and FIM scores in comparison to the control group at 6 months post-injury (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively). Mortality was also found in the control group (p < 0.05). The adverse events attributed to the progesterone administration were not found throughout the study. Findings of this study suggest that progesterone may be neuroprotective in patients with DAI. However, large clinical trials are needed to assess progesterone as a promising drug in DAI.

Comparison of methods for determination of volatile organic compounds in drinking water.

PubMed

Golfinopoulos, S K; Lekkas, T D; Nikolaou, A D

2001-10-01

Comparison of four methods including liquid-liquid extraction (LLE), direct aqueous injection (DAI), purge and trap (PAT) and head space (HS) were carried out in this work for determination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including trihalomethanes (THMs) in drinking water. This comparison is made especially to show the advantages and disadvantages and specifically the different detection limits (DL) that can be obtained for a given type of analysis. LLE is applicable only for determination of the THMs concentrations, while DAI, PAT, HS methods with different DL each of them are applicable for all VOCs, with PAT to be the most sensitive. Sampling apparatus and procedure for all these methods except of PAT are very simple and easy, but possible disadvantages for LLE and DAI are the low sensitivity and especially the detection only of THMs with LLE.

Estimation of absorbed radiation dose rates in wild rodents inhabiting a site severely contaminated by the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant accident.

PubMed

Kubota, Yoshihisa; Takahashi, Hiroyuki; Watanabe, Yoshito; Fuma, Shoichi; Kawaguchi, Isao; Aoki, Masanari; Kubota, Masahide; Furuhata, Yoshiaki; Shigemura, Yusaku; Yamada, Fumio; Ishikawa, Takahiro; Obara, Satoshi; Yoshida, Satoshi

2015-04-01

The dose rates of radiation absorbed by wild rodents inhabiting a site severely contaminated by the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident were estimated. The large Japanese field mouse (Apodemus speciosus), also called the wood mouse, was the major rodent species captured in the sampling area, although other species of rodents, such as small field mice (Apodemus argenteus) and Japanese grass voles (Microtus montebelli), were also collected. The external exposure of rodents calculated from the activity concentrations of radiocesium ((134)Cs and (137)Cs) in litter and soil samples using the ERICA (Environmental Risk from Ionizing Contaminants: Assessment and Management) tool under the assumption that radionuclides existed as the infinite plane isotropic source was almost the same as those measured directly with glass dosimeters embedded in rodent abdomens. Our findings suggest that the ERICA tool is useful for estimating external dose rates to small animals inhabiting forest floors; however, the estimated dose rates showed large standard deviations. This could be an indication of the inhomogeneous distribution of radionuclides in the sampled litter and soil. There was a 50-fold difference between minimum and maximum whole-body activity concentrations measured in rodents at the time of capture. The radionuclides retained in rodents after capture decreased exponentially over time. Regression equations indicated that the biological half-life of radiocesium after capture was 3.31 d. At the time of capture, the lowest activity concentration was measured in the lung and was approximately half of the highest concentration measured in the mixture of muscle and bone. The average internal absorbed dose rate was markedly smaller than the average external dose rate (<10% of the total absorbed dose rate). The average total absorbed dose rate to wild rodents inhabiting the sampling area was estimated to be approximately 52 μGy h(-1) (1.2 mGy d(-1)), even 3 years after

Trends of Training Courses Conducted in the Human Resources Development Center of the National Institute for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology After the Fukushima Dai-Ichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident.

PubMed

Shimizu, Yuko; Iida, Haruzo; Nenoi, Mitsuru

2017-07-01

Environmental contamination with radioactive materials caused by the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) accident in 2011 raised a serious health concern among residents in Japan, and the demand for radiation experts who can handle the radiation-associated problems has increased. The Human Resources Development Center (HRDC) of the National Institute of for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology in Japan has offered a variety of training programs covering a wide range of technologies associated with radiation since 1959. In this study, the time-course change in the number and age of the applicants for training programs regularly scheduled at HRDC were analyzed to characterize the demand after the NPP accident. The results suggested that the demand for the training of industrial radiation experts elevated sharply after the NPP accident followed by a prompt decrease, and that young people were likely stimulated to learn the basics of radiation. The demand for the training of medical radiation experts was kept high regardless of the NPP accident. The demand for the training of radiation emergency experts fluctuated apparently with three components: a terminating demand after the criticality accident that occurred in 1999, an urgent demand for handling of the NPP accident, and a sustained demand from local governments that undertook reinforcement of their nuclear disaster prevention program. The demand for the training of school students appeared to be increasing after the NPP accident. It could be foreseen that the demand for training programs targeting young people and medical radiation experts would be elevated in future.

Dietary intake of antioxidants and fats in the context of coronary heart disease prevention among elderly people.

PubMed

Kolarzyk, Emilia; Skop-Lewandowska, Agata; Jaworska, Jagoda; Ostachowska-Gąsior, Agnieszka; Krzeszowska-Rosiek, Teresa

2018-03-14

Some literature data indicate that the proper intake of exogenic antioxidants from food and the proper intake of fats can offer significant protection against coronary heart disease. The estimation of total antioxidant capacity of food intake on the basis of Dietary Antioxidant Index (DAI), together with an assessment of the contribution of particular food products in DAI, and the evaluation of consumption of all dietary fats and frequency of consumption of products that are a source of fats among elderly people in Krakow, Poland. 143 persons (73 women and 70 men) aged 65-80 were studied. None of them was under specialist medical control, including cardiological control. DAI was investigated on the basis of the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) which included 145 food items. DAI was measured using the method by Benzi and expressed as FRAP (the ability to reduce Fe³⁺ to Fe²⁺, measured in mMol/l). The daily intake of fats was estimated using the 24-h nutritional recall. The frequency of fats consumption was estimated with the usage of FFQ. For statistical analysis, χ2 test was used. The mean value of DAI of all studied persons was 34.27 + 11.72 mMol/l. The largest percentage of those studied had FRAP values in the range 25-35 mMol/l. The highest contribution in the total DAI value was found in fruit (36.2%), grains and cereal-based products (23.6%), and beverages (24.0%). The consumption of vegetables was on the fourth position (7.1%). The contribution of the remaining food products was low. The consumption of total fats (about 70g/24h) and saturated fatty acids (14% of energetic value) exceeded the recommendations. The participation of mono-and polyunsaturated fatty acids in the diets was not in accordance with recommendations. The most frequently consumed fats were animal fats (sausages, butter) and cakes, but the consumption of vegetable oils, fish, nuts and seeds of oil plants was too low. The majority of elderly people made mistakes in

Diagnostic and Prognostic Capability of Newer Magnetic Resonance Imaging Brain Sequences in Diffuse Axonal Injury Patient.

PubMed

Bansal, Mayank; Sinha, Virendra Deo; Bansal, Juhi

2018-01-01

Diffuse axonal injury is one of the major causes of unconsciousness, profound neurologic deficits and persistent vegetative state after head trauma. In recent years, MR imaging has been gaining popularity as an adjunctive imaging method in patients with DAI. Our study aims to assess the relative diagnostic and prognostic capability of various MRI sequences. Retrospective observational study done in 1 year duration on 30 DAI patients. Clinical assessment done with GCS at admission and GOS at 6 month. MRI Brain FLAIR, DWI, T2*GRE AND SWI sequences taken. DAI grade were evaluated for different MRI sequences. Prognosis was correlated to total number of lesion/locations and DAI grade of patients. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS Statistical software (ver.20.0.0) and XL-Stat and ANOVA one way test, post hoc test (Turkey test) and Chi square test. We studied 30 male patients, mean age 32.57±8.72 ranges. The commonest mode of injury is RTA-80%, fall-16% followed by assault-3.33%. Out of 30 patients, 17 patients (56.67%) had GCS <=8, 13 patients (43.33%) had GCS between 9 and 12 and no patient had a GCS score between 13 and 15. The mean GCS score was 8.47±1.50. At a 6 month follow up, out of a total of 30 patients, 2 patients (6.66%) expired (GOS-1), 3 patients (10%) remained in persistent vegetative state (GOS-2), 11 patients (36.67%) and 10 patients (33.33%) were found to be severely (GOS-3) and moderately (GOS-4) disabled respectively and 4 patients (13.33%) showed good recovery (GOS-5). Mean GOS is 3.37+/-1.06. Newer imaging -SWI able to detects lesion better (diagnosis of DAI) as compared to other older sequences like FLAIR,DWI,T2*GRE. But no statistically significant found between total number of lesion/locations to the outcome and also newer imaging do not change the grade of DAI patients. Although advanced imaging in head injury, SWI helps in diagnosing the diffuse axonal injury more efficiently than other imaging sequences, but it is the grade of patients

Multikilovolt Coherent X-Ray Generation for Protein Analysis and Biological Threat Reduction

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-10-15

Space Links Neutrino Flavour (νe,νµ) Transformations with the Cosmological Constant Λ,” Yang Dai, Alex B. Borisov, James W. Longworth, Keith Boyer, and...Phys. B 36, L285 (2003). 3. “Cryptographic Unification of Mass and Space Links Neutrino Flavour (νe,νµ) Transformations with the Cosmological ...Constant, and the Higgs Mass,” Yang Dai, Alexey B. Borisov, Keith Boyer, and Charles K. Rhodes, Sandia National Laboratories, Report SAND2000-2043, August

Hyperacute cerebral fat embolism in a patient with femoral shaft fracture.

PubMed

Chen, Po-Chuan; Hsu, Chin-Wang; Liao, Wen-I; Chen, Yu-Long; Ho, Cheng-Hsuan; Tsai, Shih-Hung

2013-09-01

Fat embolism syndrome is a potentially fatal complication and occurs most commonly after long bone fracture. In patients who sustained severe trauma, both cerebral fat embolism(CFE) and diffuse axonal injury (DAI) could be the cause of altered consciousness in the absence of marked intracranial lesions in cranial computed tomography. However, distinguishing CFE and DAI can be difficult clinically. Generally, DAI develops immediately after the insult, whereas CFE occurs 48 to 72 hours after the trauma and even after internal fixation for the fractures. Fat embolism syndrome develops within an average of 48.5 hours after long bone fracture [1] but has never been reported to occur in less than 2 hours. Here, we present a patient who developed hyperacute CFE and eventually had poor neurological outcome, in contrast to previous reports stating that CFE usually has a long latent period and favorable outcomes.

A development framework for artificial intelligence based distributed operations support systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adler, Richard M.; Cottman, Bruce H.

1990-01-01

Advanced automation is required to reduce costly human operations support requirements for complex space-based and ground control systems. Existing knowledge based technologies have been used successfully to automate individual operations tasks. Considerably less progress has been made in integrating and coordinating multiple operations applications for unified intelligent support systems. To fill this gap, SOCIAL, a tool set for developing Distributed Artificial Intelligence (DAI) systems is being constructed. SOCIAL consists of three primary language based components defining: models of interprocess communication across heterogeneous platforms; models for interprocess coordination, concurrency control, and fault management; and for accessing heterogeneous information resources. DAI applications subsystems, either new or existing, will access these distributed services non-intrusively, via high-level message-based protocols. SOCIAL will reduce the complexity of distributed communications, control, and integration, enabling developers to concentrate on the design and functionality of the target DAI system itself.

Turbo-Proton Echo Planar Spectroscopic Imaging (t-PEPSI) MR technique in the detection of diffuse axonal damage in brain injury. Comparison with Gradient-Recalled Echo (GRE) sequence.

PubMed

Giugni, E; Sabatini, U; Hagberg, G E; Formisano, R; Castriota-Scanderbeg, A

2005-01-01

Diffuse axonal injury (DAI) is a common type of primary neuronal injury in patients with severe traumatic brain injury, and is frequently accompanied by tissue tear haemorrhage. The T2*-weighted gradient-recalled echo (GRE) sequences are more sensitive than T2-weighted spin-echo images for detection of haemorrhage. This study was undertaken to determine whether turbo-PEPSI, an extremely fast multi-echo-planar-imaging sequence, can be used as an alternative to the GRE sequence for detection of DAI. Nineteen patients (mean age 24,5 year) with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), occurred at least 3 months earlier, underwent a brain MRI study on a 1.5-Tesla scanner. A qualitative evaluation of the turbo-PEPSI sequences was performed by identifying the optimal echo time and in-plane resolution. The number and size of DAI lesions, as well as the signal intensity contrast ratio (SI CR), were computed for each set of GRE and turbo-PEPSI images, and divided according to their anatomic location into lobar and/or deep brain. There was no significant difference between GRE and turbo-PEPSI sequences in the total number of DAI lesions detected (283 vs 225 lesions, respectively). The GRE sequence identified a greater number of hypointense lesions in the temporal lobe compared to the t-PEPSI sequence (72 vs 35, p<0.003), while no significant differences were found for the other brain regions. The SI CR was significantly better (i.e. lower) for the turbo-PEPSI than for the GRE sequence (p<0.00001). Owing to its very short scan time and high sensitivity to the haemorrhage foci, the turbo-PEPSI sequence can be used as an alternative to the GRE to assess brain DAI in severe TBI patients, especially if uncooperative and medically unstable.

EEG indices correlate with sustained attention performance in patients affected by diffuse axonal injury.

PubMed

Coelli, Stefania; Barbieri, Riccardo; Reni, Gianluigi; Zucca, Claudio; Bianchi, Anna Maria

2018-06-01

The aim of this study is to assess the ability of EEG-based indices in providing relevant information about cognitive engagement level during the execution of a clinical sustained attention (SA) test in healthy volunteers and DAI (diffused axonal injury)-affected patients. We computed three continuous power-based engagement indices (P β /P α , 1/P α , and P β / (P α + P θ )) from EEG recordings in a control group (n = 7) and seven DAI-affected patients executing a 10-min Conners' "not-X" continuous performance test (CPT). A correlation analysis was performed in order to investigate the existence of relations between the EEG metrics and behavioral parameters in both the populations. P β /P α and 1/P α indices were found to be correlated with reaction times in both groups while P β / (P α + P θ ) and P β /P α also correlated with the errors rate for DAI patients. In line with previous studies, time course fluctuations revealed a first strong decrease of attention after 2 min from the beginning of the test and a final fading at the end. Our results provide evidence that EEG-derived indices extraction and evaluation during SA tasks are helpful in the assessment of attention level in healthy subjects and DAI patients, offering motivations for including EEG monitoring in cognitive rehabilitation practice. Graphical abstract Three EEG-derived indices were computed from four electrodes montages in a population of seven healthy volunteers and a group of seven DAI-affected patients. Results show a significant correlation between the time course of the indices and behavioral parameters, thus demonstrating their usefulness in monitoring mental engagement level during a sustained attention task.

Evaluation of sediment and 137Cs redistribution in the Oginosawa River catchment near the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant using integrated watershed modeling.

PubMed

Sakuma, Kazuyuki; Malins, Alex; Funaki, Hironori; Kurikami, Hiroshi; Niizato, Tadafumi; Nakanishi, Takahiro; Mori, Koji; Tada, Kazuhiro; Kobayashi, Takamaru; Kitamura, Akihiro; Hosomi, Masaaki

2018-02-01

The Oginosawa River catchment lies 15 km south-west of the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant and covers 7.7 km 2 . Parts of the catchment were decontaminated between fall 2012 and March 2014 in preparation for the return of the evacuated population. The General-purpose Terrestrial Fluid-flow Simulator (GETFLOWS) code was used to study sediment and 137 Cs redistribution within the catchment, including the effect of decontamination on redistribution. Fine resolution grid cells were used to model local features of the catchment, such as paddy fields adjacent to the Oginosawa River. The simulation was verified using monitoring data for river water discharge rates (r = 0.92), suspended sediment concentrations, and particulate 137 Cs concentrations (r = 0.40). Cesium-137 input to watercourses came predominantly from land adjacent to river channels and forest gullies, e.g. the paddy fields in the Ogi and Kainosaka districts, as the ground in these areas saturates during heavy rain and is easily eroded. A discrepancy between the simulation and monitoring results on the sediment discharge rate following decontamination may be explained by fast erosion occurring after decontamination. Forested areas far from the channels only made a minor contribution to 137 Cs input to watercourses, total erosion of between 0.001 and 0.1 mm from May 2011 to December 2015, as ground saturation is infrequent in these areas. The 2.3-6.9% y -1 decrease in the amount of 137 Cs in forest topsoil over the study period can be explained by radioactive decay (approximately 2.3% y -1 ), along with a migration downwards into subsoil and a small amount of export. The amount of 137 Cs available for release from land adjacent to rivers is expected to be lower in future than compared to this study period, as the simulations indicate a high depletion of inventory from these areas by the end of 2015. However continued monitoring of 137 Cs concentrations in river water over future years is advised, as

Temporal variations in (134)Cs and (137)Cs concentrations in seawater along the Shimokita Peninsula and the northern Sanriku coast in northeastern Japan, one year after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident.

PubMed

Kofuji, Hisaki; Inoue, Mutsuo

2013-10-01

Ninety-six seawater samples were collected between May 2011 and March 2012 at 6 sites along the Shimokita Peninsula and the northern Sanriku coast, 250-450 km north of the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP). Cesium-134 and (137)Cs concentrations were determined by low-background γ-spectrometry. During May-June 2011, (134)Cs and (137)Cs concentrations in surface waters decreased from 1.0-2.8 to 0.7-1.5 mBq/L and from 2.1-3.9 to 1.9-3.0 mBq/L, respectively. These decreases were due to diffusion and advection in the ocean after atmospheric input of the FDNPP-derived radionuclides. However, in July-August 2011, the concentrations of both radionuclides in the water samples collected on the Pacific side of the Shimokita Peninsula and the northern Sanriku coast exhibited 30-50-fold increases (∼40 mBq/L for (134)Cs and ∼50 mBq/L for (137)Cs) over concentrations observed at these sampling sites in June 2011 in contrast to the gradual decreases in the concentrations on the Tsugaru Strait side of the Shimokita Peninsula. These results suggest that radiocesium-contaminated waters offshore in the Pacific Ocean were transported to coastal regions along the Pacific side of the Shimokita Peninsula and the northern Sanriku coast by ocean currents. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

EXPERIMENTAL SUBCUTANEOUS CYSTICERCOSIS BY Taenia crassiceps IN BALB/c AND C57BL/6 MICE

PubMed Central

PEREIRA, Íria Márcia; LIMA, Sarah Buzaim; FREITAS, Aline de Araújo; VINAUD, Marina Clare; JUNIOR, Ruy de Souza LINO

2016-01-01

SUMMARY Human cysticercosis is one of the most severe parasitic infections affecting tissues. Experimental models are needed to understand the host-parasite dynamics involved throughout the course of the infection. The subcutaneous experimental model is the closest to what is observed in human cysticercosis that does not affect the central nervous system. The aim of this study was to evaluate macroscopically and microscopically the experimental subcutaneous cysticercosis caused by Taenia crassiceps cysticerci in BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice. Animals were inoculated in the dorsal subcutaneous region and macroscopic and microscopic aspects of the inflammatory process in the host-parasite interface were evaluated until 90 days after the inoculation (DAI). All the infected animals presented vesicles containing cysticerci in the inoculation site, which was translucent at 7 DAI and then remained opaque throughout the experimental days. The microscopic analysis showed granulation tissue in BALB/c mice since the acute phase of infection evolving to chronicity without cure, presenting 80% of larval stage cysticerci at 90 DAI. While C57BL/6 mice presented 67% of final stage cysticerci at 90 DAI, the parasites were surrounded by neutrophils evolving to the infection control. It is possible to conclude that the genetic features of susceptibility (BALB/c) or resistance (C57BL/6) were confirmed in an experimental subcutaneous model of cysticercosis. PMID:27410915

EXPERIMENTAL SUBCUTANEOUS CYSTICERCOSIS BY Taenia crassiceps IN BALB/c AND C57BL/6 MICE.

PubMed

Pereira, Íria Márcia; Lima, Sarah Buzaim; Freitas, Aline de Araújo; Vinaud, Marina Clare; Junior, Ruy de Souza Lino

2016-07-11

Human cysticercosis is one of the most severe parasitic infections affecting tissues. Experimental models are needed to understand the host-parasite dynamics involved throughout the course of the infection. The subcutaneous experimental model is the closest to what is observed in human cysticercosis that does not affect the central nervous system. The aim of this study was to evaluate macroscopically and microscopically the experimental subcutaneous cysticercosis caused by Taenia crassiceps cysticerci in BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice. Animals were inoculated in the dorsal subcutaneous region and macroscopic and microscopic aspects of the inflammatory process in the host-parasite interface were evaluated until 90 days after the inoculation (DAI). All the infected animals presented vesicles containing cysticerci in the inoculation site, which was translucent at 7 DAI and then remained opaque throughout the experimental days. The microscopic analysis showed granulation tissue in BALB/c mice since the acute phase of infection evolving to chronicity without cure, presenting 80% of larval stage cysticerci at 90 DAI. While C57BL/6 mice presented 67% of final stage cysticerci at 90 DAI, the parasites were surrounded by neutrophils evolving to the infection control. It is possible to conclude that the genetic features of susceptibility (BALB/c) or resistance (C57BL/6) were confirmed in an experimental subcutaneous model of cysticercosis.

Radiocesium wash-off associated with soil erosion from various land uses after the Fukushima Dai-ichi NPP accident

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wakiyama, Yoshifumi; Onda, Yuichi; Yoshimura, Kazuya; Kato, Hiroaki; Konoplev, Alexei; Zheleznyak, Mark

2014-05-01

Soil erosion is the initial process which drives radiocesium into the aquatic systems and therefore the quantification of radiocesium wash-off associated with soil erosion is indispensable for mitigating the risks. This study presents two year's observation of soil erosion and radiocesium wash-off to quantify differences in radiocesium behavior in various land uses. Seven runoff plots were established in four landscapes; uncultivated farmland (Farmland A1, Farmland B1), cultivated farmland (Farmland A2, Farmland B2), grassland (Grassland A, Grassland B) and Japanese cedar forest (Forest) in Kawamata town, an area affected by the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. The discharged sediments were collected approximately every two weeks. In laboratories, collected sediments were dried and weighed for calculating soil erosion rates (kg m-2) and served for measurements of radiocesium concentration (Bq kg-1) with HPGe detectors. The erosivity factor of the Universal Soil Loss Equation (R-factor: MJ mm ha-1 hr-1 yr-1) was calculated based on the data of precipitation. Standardized soil erosion rates (kg m-2 MJ-1 mm-1 ha hr yr), observed soil erosion rates divided by R-factor, was 1.8 × 10-4 in Farmland A1, 6.0 × 10-4 in Farmland A2, 1.5 × 10-3 in Farmland B1, 8.3 × 10-4 in Farmland B2, 9.6 × 10-6 in Grassland A, 5.9 × 10-6 in Grassland B and 2.3 × 10-6 in Forest. These erosion rates were basically proportional to their vegetation cover of soil surfaces except for cultivated farmlands. Concentrations of Cs-137 in eroded sediments basically depended on the local deposition of Cs-137 and varied enormously with ranging several orders of magnitude in all the landscapes. For the observation period of time decreasing trends in concentrations of Cs-137 in eroded sediments were not obvious. To compare these results with those of Chernobyl, we calculated normalized 'solid' wash-off coefficient (m2 g-1) with dividing the mean total concentration of Cs-137 in

Temporal changes in dissolved 137Cs concentrations in groundwater and stream water in Fukushima after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident.

PubMed

Iwagami, Sho; Tsujimura, Maki; Onda, Yuichi; Nishino, Masataka; Konuma, Ryohei; Abe, Yutaka; Hada, Manami; Pun, Ishwar; Sakaguchi, Aya; Kondo, Hiroaki; Yamamoto, Masayoshi; Miyata, Yoshiki; Igarashi, Yasuhito

2017-01-01

The concentration of dissolved 137 Cs in groundwater and stream water in the headwater catchments in Yamakiya district, located ∼35 km north west of Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP), was monitored from June 2011 to July 2013, after the earthquake and tsunami disaster. Groundwater and stream water were sampled at intervals of approximately 2 months at each site. Intensive sampling was also conducted during rainstorm events. Compared with previous data from the Chernobyl NPP accident, the concentration of dissolved 137 Cs in stream water was low. In the Iboishi-yama catchment, a trend was observed for the concentration of dissolved 137 Cs in stream water to decline, which could be divided into two phases by October 2011 (a fast flush of activity as a result of rapid washoff and a slow decline as a result of soil fixation and redistribution processes). The highest 137 Cs concentration recorded at Iboishi-yama was 1.2 Bq/L on August 6, 2011, which then declined to 0.021-0.049 Bq/L during 2013 (in stream water under normal water-flow conditions). During the rainfall events, the concentration of dissolved 137 Cs in stream water increased temporarily. The concentration of dissolved 137 Cs in groundwater at a depth of 30 m at Iboishi-yama displayed a decreasing trend from 2011 to 2013, with a range from 0.039 Bq/L to 0.0025 Bq/L. The effective half-lives of stream water in the initial fast flush and secondary phases were 0.10-0.21 and 0.69-1.5 y, respectively in the three catchments. The effective half-life of groundwater was 0.46-0.58 y at Koutaishi-yama and 0.50-3.3 y at Iboishi-yama. The trend for the concentration of dissolved 137 Cs to decline in groundwater and stream water was similar throughout 2012-2013, and the concentrations recorded in deeper groundwater were closer to those in stream water. The declining trend of dissolved 137 Cs concentrations in stream water was similar to that of the loss of canopy 137 Cs by throughfall, as shown in

Identification and VIGS-based characterization of Bx1 ortholog in rye (Secale cereale L.)

PubMed Central

Groszyk, Jolanta; Kowalczyk, Mariusz; Yanushevska, Yuliya; Stochmal, Anna; Rakoczy-Trojanowska, Monika

2017-01-01

The first step of the benzoxazinoid (BX) synthesis pathway is catalyzed by an enzyme with indole-3-glycerol phosphate lyase activity encoded by 3 genes, Bx1, TSA and Igl. A gene highly homologous to maize and wheat Bx1 has been identified in rye. The goal of the study was to analyze the gene and to experimentally verify its role in the rye BX biosynthesis pathway as a rye ortholog of the Bx1 gene. Expression of the gene showed peak values 3 days after imbibition (dai) and at 21 dai it was undetectable. Changes of the BX content in leaves were highly correlated with the expression pattern until 21 dai. In plants older than 21 dai despite the undetectable expression of the analyzed gene there was still low accumulation of BXs. Function of the gene was verified by correlating its native expression and virus-induced silencing with BX accumulation. Barley stripe mosaic virus (BSMV)-based vectors were used to induce transcriptional (TGS) and posttranscriptional (PTGS) silencing of the analyzed gene. Both strategies (PTGS and TGS) significantly reduced the transcript level of the analyzed gene, and this was highly correlated with lowered BX content. Inoculation with virus-based vectors specifically induced expression of the analyzed gene, indicating up-regulation by biotic stressors. This is the first report of using the BSMV-based system for functional analysis of rye gene. The findings prove that the analyzed gene is a rye ortholog of the Bx1 gene. Its expression is developmentally regulated and is strongly induced by biotic stress. Stable accumulation of BXs in plants older than 21 dai associated with undetectable expression of ScBx1 indicates that the function of the ScBx1 in the BX biosynthesis is redundant with another gene. We anticipate that the unknown gene is a putative ortholog of the Igl, which still remains to be identified in rye. PMID:28234909

Brain injury tolerance limit based on computation of axonal strain.

PubMed

Sahoo, Debasis; Deck, Caroline; Willinger, Rémy

2016-07-01

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of death and permanent impairment over the last decades. In both the severe and mild TBIs, diffuse axonal injury (DAI) is the most common pathology and leads to axonal degeneration. Computation of axonal strain by using finite element head model in numerical simulation can enlighten the DAI mechanism and help to establish advanced head injury criteria. The main objective of this study is to develop a brain injury criterion based on computation of axonal strain. To achieve the objective a state-of-the-art finite element head model with enhanced brain and skull material laws, was used for numerical computation of real world head trauma. The implementation of new medical imaging data such as, fractional anisotropy and axonal fiber orientation from Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) of 12 healthy patients into the finite element brain model was performed to improve the brain constitutive material law with more efficient heterogeneous anisotropic visco hyper-elastic material law. The brain behavior has been validated in terms of brain deformation against Hardy et al. (2001), Hardy et al. (2007), and in terms of brain pressure against Nahum et al. (1977) and Trosseille et al. (1992) experiments. Verification of model stability has been conducted as well. Further, 109 well-documented TBI cases were simulated and axonal strain computed to derive brain injury tolerance curve. Based on an in-depth statistical analysis of different intra-cerebral parameters (brain axonal strain rate, axonal strain, first principal strain, Von Mises strain, first principal stress, Von Mises stress, CSDM (0.10), CSDM (0.15) and CSDM (0.25)), it was shown that axonal strain was the most appropriate candidate parameter to predict DAI. The proposed brain injury tolerance limit for a 50% risk of DAI has been established at 14.65% of axonal strain. This study provides a key step for a realistic novel injury metric for DAI. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd

Mental Trauma Experienced by Caregivers of patients with Diffuse Axonal Injury or Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

PubMed Central

Syed Hassan, Syed Tajuddin; Jamaludin, Husna; Abd Raman, Rosna; Mohd Riji, Haliza; Wan Fei, Khaw

2013-01-01

Context As with care giving and rehabilitation in chronic illnesses, the concern with traumatic brain injury (TBI), particularly with diffuse axonal injury (DAI), is that the caregivers are so overwhelmingly involved in caring and rehabilitation of the victim that in the process they become traumatized themselves. This review intends to shed light on the hidden and silent trauma sustained by the caregivers of severe brain injury survivors. Motor vehicle accident (MVA) is the highest contributor of TBI or DAI. The essence of trauma is the infliction of pain and suffering and having to bear the pain (i.e. by the TBI survivor) and the burden of having to take care and manage and rehabilitate the TBI survivor (i.e. by the TBI caregiver). Moreover many caregivers are not trained for their care giving task, thus compounding the stress of care giving and rehabilitating patients. Most research on TBI including DAI, focus on the survivors and not on the caregivers. TBI injury and its effects and impacts remain the core question of most studies, which are largely based on the quantitative approach. Evidence Acquisition Qualitative research can better assess human sufferings such as in the case of DAI trauma. While quantitative research can measure many psychometric parameters to assess some aspects of trauma conditions, qualitative research is able to fully reveal the meaning, ramification and experience of TBI trauma. Both care giving and rehabilitation are overwhelmingly demanding; hence , they may complicate the caregivers’ stress. However, some positive outcomes also exist. Results Caregivers involved in caring and rehabilitation of TBI victims may become mentally traumatized. Posttraumatic recovery of the TBI survivor can enhance the entire family’s closeness and bonding as well as improve the mental status of the caregiver. Conclusions A long-term longitudinal study encompassing integrated research is needed to fully understand the traumatic experiences of

A multicenter, randomized study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of mesalamine suppositories 1 g at bedtime and 500 mg Twice daily in patients with active mild-to-moderate ulcerative proctitis.

PubMed

Lamet, Mark

2011-02-01

Ulcerative proctitis (UP) is a prevalent condition associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Topical mesalamine (5-aminosalicylic acid [5-ASA]) inhibits inflammatory processes in UP. We evaluated effects of mesalamine 1-g suppository administered QHS compared with 500-mg suppository administered BID on UP activity (e.g., disease extension/mucosal appearance), remission, onset of response, safety and compliance in 97 patients with UP. A 6-week, randomized, multicenter, parallel-group, noninferiority study was conducted (and published) with Disease Activity Index (DAI) at week 6 as the primary efficacy variable and individual components of DAI at week 6 (i.e., stool frequency, rectal bleeding, mucosal appearance, global assessment) as secondary variables. Unreported outcomes were remission (DAI < 3 at weeks 3 and 6), disease extension, and complete response to treatment (DAI = 0; post-hoc, exploratory analysis). DAI values after 6 weeks were significantly reduced (±SD) from 6.6 ± 1.5 to 1.6 ± 2.3 (500-mg BID); and from 6.1 ± 1.5 to 1.3 ± 2.2 (1-g QHS). Mucosal appearance significantly improved from baseline after 3 and 6 weeks of treatment from 1.8 ± 0.5 to 0.8 ± 0.7 and 0.5 ± 0.7 (500-mg BID; P ≤ 0.0062) and from 1.7 ± 0.5 to 0.9 ± 0.5 and 0.4 ± 0.6 (1-g QHS; P ≤ 0.0001), respectively. Remission was comparable (78.3-86.1%); onset of response generally occurred within 3 weeks, and disease extension was reduced (>70%) after 6 weeks in both groups. Mesalamine was well tolerated. Compliance was >96%. Mesalamine 500-mg BID and 1-g QHS suppositories are safe and effective for patients with UP. Most patients reported significant improvement within 3 weeks and UP remission and reduced disease extension after 6 weeks of treatment. Validity of QHS administration was confirmed.

Identification and VIGS-based characterization of Bx1 ortholog in rye (Secale cereale L.).

PubMed

Groszyk, Jolanta; Kowalczyk, Mariusz; Yanushevska, Yuliya; Stochmal, Anna; Rakoczy-Trojanowska, Monika; Orczyk, Waclaw

2017-01-01

The first step of the benzoxazinoid (BX) synthesis pathway is catalyzed by an enzyme with indole-3-glycerol phosphate lyase activity encoded by 3 genes, Bx1, TSA and Igl. A gene highly homologous to maize and wheat Bx1 has been identified in rye. The goal of the study was to analyze the gene and to experimentally verify its role in the rye BX biosynthesis pathway as a rye ortholog of the Bx1 gene. Expression of the gene showed peak values 3 days after imbibition (dai) and at 21 dai it was undetectable. Changes of the BX content in leaves were highly correlated with the expression pattern until 21 dai. In plants older than 21 dai despite the undetectable expression of the analyzed gene there was still low accumulation of BXs. Function of the gene was verified by correlating its native expression and virus-induced silencing with BX accumulation. Barley stripe mosaic virus (BSMV)-based vectors were used to induce transcriptional (TGS) and posttranscriptional (PTGS) silencing of the analyzed gene. Both strategies (PTGS and TGS) significantly reduced the transcript level of the analyzed gene, and this was highly correlated with lowered BX content. Inoculation with virus-based vectors specifically induced expression of the analyzed gene, indicating up-regulation by biotic stressors. This is the first report of using the BSMV-based system for functional analysis of rye gene. The findings prove that the analyzed gene is a rye ortholog of the Bx1 gene. Its expression is developmentally regulated and is strongly induced by biotic stress. Stable accumulation of BXs in plants older than 21 dai associated with undetectable expression of ScBx1 indicates that the function of the ScBx1 in the BX biosynthesis is redundant with another gene. We anticipate that the unknown gene is a putative ortholog of the Igl, which still remains to be identified in rye.

Dissolution rates of subsoil limestone in a doline on the Akiyoshi-dai Plateau, Japan: An approach from a weathering experiment, hydrological observations, and electrical resistivity tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akiyama, Sanae; Hattanji, Tsuyoshi; Matsushi, Yuki; Matsukura, Yukinori

2015-10-01

This study aims at estimating the controlling factors for the denudation rates of limestone, which often forms solution dolines on karst tablelands. Our approaches include (1) electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) to reveal shallow subsurface structures and hydrological settings, (2) automated monitoring of volumetric water content in soil profiles and manual measurements of subsurface CO2 concentrations and soil water chemistry, and (3) a field weathering experiment using limestone tablets with the micro-weight loss technique for determining current denudation rates. The field experiment and monitoring were carried out over 768 days from 2009-2011 at four sites with varying topographic and hydrological conditions along the sideslope of a doline on the Akiyoshi-dai karst plateau in SW-Japan. The installation depths of the limestone tablets were 15 cm or 50 cm below the slope surface. The soil moisture conditions varied site by site. Water-saturated conditions continued for 40-50% of the whole experimental period at 50-cm depth of upper and middle sites, while only 0-10% of the experimental period was water-saturated at the other sites. Chemical analysis revealed that the soil water was chemically unsaturated with calcite for all the sites. Spatial differences in concentrations of CO2 in soil pore air were statistically less significant. The denudation rates of the buried limestone tablets were 17.7-21.9 mg cm- 2 a- 1 at the upper and middle slopes, where the soil was water-saturated for a long time after precipitation. The lowest denudation of 3.9 mg cm- 2 a- 1 was observed on lower slopes where soil was not capable of maintaining water at a near saturation level even after precipitation. Statistical analysis revealed that the denudation rates of the tablets were strongly controlled by the duration for which soil pores were saturated by water (the conditions defined here are degrees of water saturation greater than 97%). Electrical resistivity tomography

Are dialysis adequacy indices independent of solute generation rate?

PubMed

Waniewski, Jacek; Debowska, Malgorzata; Lindholm, Bengt

2014-01-01

KT/V is by definition independent of solute generation rate. Alternative dialysis adequacy indices (DAIs) such as equivalent renal clearance (EKR), standard KT/V (stdKT/V), and solute removal index (SRI) are estimated as the ratio of solute mass removed to an average solute mass in the body or solute concentration in blood; both nominator and denominator in these formulas depend on the solute generation rate. Our objective was to investigate whether and under which conditions the alternative DAIs are independent of solute generation rate. By using general compartment modeling, we show that for the metabolically stable patient (in whom the solute generated during the dialysis cycle, typically, 1 week, is equal to the solute removed from the body), DAIs estimated for the dialysis cycle are in general independent of the average solute generation rate (although they may depend on the pattern of oscillations in the generation rate). However, the alternative adequacy parameters (such as EKR, stdKT/V, and SRI) may depend on solute generation rate for metabolically unstable patients.

Accumulation of Phenylpropanoids by White, Blue, and Red Light Irradiation and Their Organ-Specific Distribution in Chinese Cabbage (Brassica rapa ssp. pekinensis).

PubMed

Kim, Yeon Jeong; Kim, Yeon Bok; Li, Xiaohua; Choi, Su Ryun; Park, Suhyoung; Park, Jong Seok; Lim, Yong Pyo; Park, Sang Un

2015-08-05

This study investigated optimum light conditions for enhancing phenylpropanoid biosynthesis and the distribution of phenylpropanoids in organs of Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa ssp. pekinensis). Blue light caused a high accumulation of most phenolic compounds, including p-hydroxybenzoic acid, ferulic acid, quercetin, and kaempferol, at 12 days after irradiation (DAI). This increase was coincident with a noticeable increase in expression levels of BrF3H, BrF3'H, BrFLS, and BrDFR. Red light led to the highest ferulic acid content at 12 DAI and to elevated expression of the corresponding genes during the early stages of irradiation. White light induced the highest accumulation of kaempferol and increased expression of BrPAL and BrDFR at 9 DAI. The phenylpropanoid content analysis in different organs revealed organ-specific accumulation of p-hydroxybenzoic acid, quercetin, and kaempferol. These results demonstrate that blue light is effective at increasing phenylpropanoid biosynthesis in Chinese cabbage, with leaves and flowers representing the most suitable organs for the production of specific phenylpropanoids.

Propionyl-L-carnitine hydrochloride for treatment of mild to moderate colonic inflammatory bowel diseases.

PubMed

Merra, Giuseppe; Gasbarrini, Giovanni; Laterza, Lucrezia; Pizzoferrato, Marco; Poscia, Andrea; Scaldaferri, Franco; Arena, Vincenzo; Fiore, Francesca; Cittadini, Achille; Sgambato, Alessandro; Franceschi, Francesco; Gasbarrini, Antonio

2012-09-28

To assess clinical and endoscopic response to propionyl-L-carnitine hydrochloride (PLC) in colonic inflammatory bowel disease. Patients suffering from mild to moderate ulcerative colitis (UC) or Crohn's disease (CD) colitis, with disease activity index (DAI) between 3 and 10 and under stable therapy with oral aminosalicylates, mercaptopurine or azathioprine, for at least 8 wk prior to baseline assessments, were considered suitable for enrollment. Fourteen patients were enrolled to assume PLC 2 g/d (two active tablets twice daily) orally. Clinical-endoscopic and histological activity were assessed by DAI and histological index (HI), respectively, following a colonoscopy performed immediately before and after 4 wk treatment. Clinical response was defined as a lowering of at least 3 points in DAI and clinical remission as a DAI score ≤ 2. Histological response was defined as an improvement of HI of at least 1 point. We used median values for the analysis. Differences pre- and post-treatment were analyzed by Wilcoxon signed rank test. All patients enrolled completed the study. One patient, despite medical advice, took deflazacort 5 d before follow-up colonoscopy examination. No side effects were reported by patients during the trial. After treatment, 71% (SE 12%) of patients achieved clinical response, while 64% (SE 13%) obtained remission. Separating UC from CD patients, we observed a clinical response in 60% (SE 16%) and 100%, respectively. Furthermore 60% (SE 16%) of UC patients and 75% (SE 25%) of CD patients were in clinical remission after therapy. The median DAI was 7 [interquartile range (IQR): 4-8] before treatment and decreased to 2 (IQR: 1-3) (P < 0.01) after treatment. Only patients with UC showed a significant reduction of DAI, from a median 6.5 (IQR: 4-9) before treatment to 2 (IQR: 1-3) after treatment (P < 0.01). Conversely, in CD patients, although displaying a clear reduction of DAI from 7 (IQR: 5.5-7.5) before therapy to 1.5 (IQR: 0.5-2.5) after

Propionyl-L-carnitine hydrochloride for treatment of mild to moderate colonic inflammatory bowel diseases

PubMed Central

Merra, Giuseppe; Gasbarrini, Giovanni; Laterza, Lucrezia; Pizzoferrato, Marco; Poscia, Andrea; Scaldaferri, Franco; Arena, Vincenzo; Fiore, Francesca; Cittadini, Achille; Sgambato, Alessandro; Franceschi, Francesco; Gasbarrini, Antonio

2012-01-01

AIM: To assess clinical and endoscopic response to propionyl-L-carnitine hydrochloride (PLC) in colonic inflammatory bowel disease. METHODS: Patients suffering from mild to moderate ulcerative colitis (UC) or Crohn’s disease (CD) colitis, with disease activity index (DAI) between 3 and 10 and under stable therapy with oral aminosalicylates, mercaptopurine or azathioprine, for at least 8 wk prior to baseline assessments, were considered suitable for enrollment. Fourteen patients were enrolled to assume PLC 2 g/d (two active tablets twice daily) orally. Clinical-endoscopic and histological activity were assessed by DAI and histological index (HI), respectively, following a colonoscopy performed immediately before and after 4 wk treatment. Clinical response was defined as a lowering of at least 3 points in DAI and clinical remission as a DAI score ≤ 2. Histological response was defined as an improvement of HI of at least 1 point. We used median values for the analysis. Differences pre- and post-treatment were analyzed by Wilcoxon signed rank test. RESULTS: All patients enrolled completed the study. One patient, despite medical advice, took deflazacort 5 d before follow-up colonoscopy examination. No side effects were reported by patients during the trial. After treatment, 71% (SE 12%) of patients achieved clinical response, while 64% (SE 13%) obtained remission. Separating UC from CD patients, we observed a clinical response in 60% (SE 16%) and 100%, respectively. Furthermore 60% (SE 16%) of UC patients and 75% (SE 25%) of CD patients were in clinical remission after therapy. The median DAI was 7 [interquartile range (IQR): 4-8] before treatment and decreased to 2 (IQR: 1-3) (P < 0.01) after treatment. Only patients with UC showed a significant reduction of DAI, from a median 6.5 (IQR: 4-9) before treatment to 2 (IQR: 1-3) after treatment (P < 0.01). Conversely, in CD patients, although displaying a clear reduction of DAI from 7 (IQR: 5.5-7.5) before therapy to 1

Epidemiology of malocclusion and orthodontic treatment need of 12-13-year-old Malaysian schoolchildren.

PubMed

Esa, R; Razak, I A; Allister, J H

2001-03-01

Data on malocclusion and orthodontic treatment need in Malaysia are limited. The purpose of this study was to evaluate malocclusion and orthodontic treatment need in a sample of 12-13-year-old schoolchildren using the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI), and to assess the relationship between malocclusion and socio-demographic variables, perceptions of need for orthodontic treatment, aesthetic perception and social functioning. The sampling procedure involved a multistage, clustered and stratified random sampling. The sample comprised of 1,519 schoolchildren attending 20 secondary government and government-aided schools in urban and rural areas of Klang District in Peninsular Malaysia. There were 772 males and 747 females. Each subject was administered a questionnaire eliciting standard demographic information such as gender, parents' income and ethnic origin and questions on perception of need for orthodontic treatment and satisfaction with dental appearance and function. Intra-oral examination for occlusal status using the DAI was performed for each subject. Most subjects (62.6%) require no orthodontic treatment. Only about 7% had handicapping malocclusion that needed mandatory treatment. Malocclusion, as defined in this study, was found to be significantly associated with gender and subjects' area of residence. There were no significant differences in mean DAI scores for Malays, Chinese and Indian children. Significant associations were found between DAI scores and perception of need for orthodontic treatment, satisfaction with dental appearance and social functioning (P<0.01). The findings will be useful for the public dental service to determine priority for orthodontic treatment as part of the comprehensive care provided by the School Dental Service (SDS).

Defining an Analytic Framework to Evaluate Quantitative MRI Markers of Traumatic Axonal Injury: Preliminary Results in a Mouse Closed Head Injury Model

PubMed Central

Sadeghi, N.; Namjoshi, D.; Irfanoglu, M. O.; Wellington, C.; Diaz-Arrastia, R.

2017-01-01

Diffuse axonal injury (DAI) is a hallmark of traumatic brain injury (TBI) pathology. Recently, the Closed Head Injury Model of Engineered Rotational Acceleration (CHIMERA) was developed to generate an experimental model of DAI in a mouse. The characterization of DAI using diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (MRI; diffusion tensor imaging, DTI) may provide a useful set of outcome measures for preclinical and clinical studies. The objective of this study was to identify the complex neurobiological underpinnings of DTI features following DAI using a comprehensive and quantitative evaluation of DTI and histopathology in the CHIMERA mouse model. A consistent neuroanatomical pattern of pathology in specific white matter tracts was identified across ex vivo DTI maps and photomicrographs of histology. These observations were confirmed by voxelwise and regional analysis of DTI maps, demonstrating reduced fractional anisotropy (FA) in distinct regions such as the optic tract. Similar regions were identified by quantitative histology and exhibited axonal damage as well as robust gliosis. Additional analysis using a machine-learning algorithm was performed to identify regions and metrics important for injury classification in a manner free from potential user bias. This analysis found that diffusion metrics were able to identify injured brains almost with the same degree of accuracy as the histology metrics. Good agreement between regions detected as abnormal by histology and MRI was also found. The findings of this work elucidate the complexity of cellular changes that give rise to imaging abnormalities and provide a comprehensive and quantitative evaluation of the relative importance of DTI and histological measures to detect brain injury. PMID:28966972

Head injury assessment of non-lethal projectile impacts: A combined experimental/computational method.

PubMed

Sahoo, Debasis; Robbe, Cyril; Deck, Caroline; Meyer, Frank; Papy, Alexandre; Willinger, Remy

2016-11-01

The main objective of this study is to develop a methodology to assess this risk based on experimental tests versus numerical predictive head injury simulations. A total of 16 non-lethal projectiles (NLP) impacts were conducted with rigid force plate at three different ranges of impact velocity (120, 72 and 55m/s) and the force/deformation-time data were used for the validation of finite element (FE) NLP. A good accordance between experimental and simulation data were obtained during validation of FE NLP with high correlation value (>0.98) and peak force discrepancy of less than 3%. A state-of-the art finite element head model with enhanced brain and skull material laws and specific head injury criteria was used for numerical computation of NLP impacts. Frontal and lateral FE NLP impacts to the head model at different velocities were performed under LS-DYNA. It is the very first time that the lethality of NLP is assessed by axonal strain computation to predict diffuse axonal injury (DAI) in NLP impacts to head. In case of temporo-parietal impact the min-max risk of DAI is 0-86%. With a velocity above 99.2m/s there is greater than 50% risk of DAI for temporo-parietal impacts. All the medium- and high-velocity impacts are susceptible to skull fracture, with a percentage risk higher than 90%. This study provides tool for a realistic injury (DAI and skull fracture) assessment during NLP impacts to the human head. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Temporal Formation and Immunolocalization of an Endospore Surface Epitope During Pasteuria penetrans Sporogenesis.

PubMed

Brito, J A; Preston, J F; Dickson, D W; Giblin-Davis, R M; Williams, D S; Aldrich, H C; Rice, J D

2003-09-01

The synthesis and localization of an endospore surface epitope associated with the development of Pasteuria penetrans was determined using a monoclonal antibody (MAb) as a probe. Nematodes, uninfected or infected with P. penetrans, were harvested at 12, 16, 24, and 38 days after inoculation (DAI) and then examined to determine the developmental stage of the bacterium. Vegetative growth of P. penetrans was observed only in infected nematodes harvested at 12 and 16 DAI, whereas cells at different stages of sporulation and mature endospores were observed at 24 and 38 DAI. ELISA and immunoblot analysis revealed that the adhesin-associated epitope was first detected at 24 DAI, and increased in the later stages of sporogenesis. These results indicate that the synthesis of adhesin-related proteins occurred at a certain developmental stage relative to the sporulation process, and was associated with endospore maturation. Immunofluorescence microscopy indicated that the distribution of the epitope is nearly uniform on the periphery of each spore, as defined by parasporal fibers. Immunocytochemistry at the ultrastructural level indicated a distribution of the epitope over the parasporal fibers. The epitope also was detected over other structures such as sporangium and exosporium during the sporogenesis process, but it was not observed over the cortex, inner-spore coat, outer-spore coat, or protoplasm. The appearance of the adhesin epitope first at stage III of sporogenesis and its presence on the parasporal fibers are consistent with an adhesin-related role in the attachment of the mature endospore to the cuticle of the nematode host.

Inferring the chemical form of 137Cs deposited by the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident by measuring (137)Cs incorporated into needle leaves and male cones of Japanese cedar trees.

PubMed

Kanasashi, Tsutomu; Takenaka, Chisato; Sugiura, Yuki

2016-05-15

We hypothesized that the water-soluble (ionic) and water-insoluble (stable) radiocesium from the initial fallout of the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident was distributed in various proportions in the surrounding areas and that this distribution was reflected in the trees that suffered deposition from the initial fallout. This study attempted to evaluate local variations in the chemical form of (137)Cs derived from the initial fallout of the FDNPP accident and whether its chemical form affected the radiocesium concentration in the tissues currently growing in trees, even after the initial fallout ceased. For these estimations, the ratio between the (137)Cs concentration in Cryptomeria japonica needle leaves in the tree crown, which existed before the FDNPP accident and subsequently directly exposed to the initial fallout ((137)Cs pre-accident N), and the amount of (137)Cs in the initial fallout itself ((137)Cs fallout) was determined ((137)Cs pre-accident N/(137)Cs fallout) at 66 sites. In addition, the (137)Cs ratios between the male cones produced in 2012 ((137)Cs male cone) and needle leaves that had elongated in the spring of 2011 ((137)Cs 2011N) was determined at 82 sites ((137)Cs male cone/(137) Cs 2011N). Most of the sites with lower (137)Cs pre-accident N /(137)Cs fallout ratios were distributed in eastern Fukushima, relatively close to the Pacific Ocean coastline. Lower (137)Cs pre-accident N/(137)Cs fallout and higher (137)Cs malecone/(137)Cs 2011N were found to be associated with higher proportions of (137)Cs in ionic forms. These observations are consistent with the hypothesis, and likely reflect regional variations in the chemical form of the deposited radiocesium. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A feasible DY conjugate gradient method for linear equality constraints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

LI, Can

2017-09-01

In this paper, we propose a feasible conjugate gradient method for solving linear equality constrained optimization problem. The method is an extension of the Dai-Yuan conjugate gradient method proposed by Dai and Yuan to linear equality constrained optimization problem. It can be applied to solve large linear equality constrained problem due to lower storage requirement. An attractive property of the method is that the generated direction is always feasible and descent direction. Under mild conditions, the global convergence of the proposed method with exact line search is established. Numerical experiments are also given which show the efficiency of the method.

Method for determination of methyl tert-butyl ether and its degradation products in water

USGS Publications Warehouse

Church, C.D.; Isabelle, L.M.; Pankow, J.F.; Rose, D.L.; Tratnyek, P.G.

1997-01-01

An analytical method is described that can detect the major alkyl ether compounds that are used as gasoline oxygenates (methyl tert-butyl ether, MTBE; ethyl tert-butyl ether, ETBE; and tert-amyl methyl ether, TAME) and their most characteristic degradation products (tert-butyl alcohol, TBA; tert-butyl formate, TBF; and tert-amyl alcohol, TAA) in water at sub-ppb concentrations. The new method involves gas chromatography (GC) with direct aqueous injection (DAI) onto a polar column via a splitless injector, coupled with detection by mass spectrometry (MS). DAI-GC/MS gives excellent agreement with conventional purge-and-trap methods for MTBE over a wide range of environmentally relevant concentrations. The new method can also give simultaneous identification of polar compounds that might occur as degradation products of gasoline oxygenates, such as TBA, TBF, TAA, methyl acetate, and acetone. When the method was applied to effluent from a column microcosm prepared with core material from an urban site in New Jersey, conversion of MTBE to TBA was observed after a lag period of 35 days. However, to date, analyses of water samples from six field sites using the DAI-GC/MS method have not produced evidence for the expected products of in situ degradation of MTBE.An analytical method is described that can detect the major alkyl ether compounds that are used as gasoline oxygenates (methyl tert-butyl ether, MTBE; ethyl tert-butyl ether, ETBE; and tert-amyl methyl ether, TAME) and their most characteristic degradation products (tert-butyl alcohol, TBA; tert-butyl formate, TBF; and tert-amyl alcohol, TAA) in water at sub-ppb concentrations. The new method involves gas chromatography (GC) with direct aqueous injection (DAI) onto a polar column via a splitless injector, coupled with detection by mass spectrometry (MS). DAI-GC/MS gives excellent agreement with conventional purge-and-trap methods for MTBE over a wide range of environmentally relevant concentrations. The new method

MELCOR Model of the Spent Fuel Pool of Fukushima Dai-ichi Unit 4

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

Carbajo, Juan J

2012-01-01

Unit 4 of the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant suffered a hydrogen explosion at 6:00 am on March 15, 2011, exactly 3.64 days after the earthquake hit the plant and the off-site power was lost. The earthquake occurred on March 11 at 2:47 pm. Since the reactor of this Unit 4 was defueled on November 29, 2010, and all its fuel was stored in the spent fuel pool (SFP4), it was first believed that the explosion was caused by hydrogen generated by the spent fuel, in particular, by the recently discharged core. The hypothetical scenario was: power was lost, coolingmore » to the SFP4 water was lost, pool water heated/boiled, water level decreased, fuel was uncovered, hot Zircaloy reacted with steam, hydrogen was generated and accumulated above the pool, and the explosion occurred. Recent analyses of the radioisotopes present in the water of the SFP4 and underwater video indicated that this scenario did not occur - the fuel in this pool was not damaged and was never uncovered the hydrogen of the explosion was apparently generated in Unit 3 and transported through exhaust ducts that shared the same chimney with Unit 4. This paper will try to answer the following questions: Could that hypothetical scenario in the SFP4 had occurred? Could the spent fuel in the SPF4 generate enough hydrogen to produce the explosion that occurred 3.64 days after the earthquake? Given the magnitude of the explosion, it was estimated that at least 150 kg of hydrogen had to be generated. As part of the investigations of this accident, MELCOR models of the SFP4 were prepared and a series of calculations were completed. The latest version of MELCOR, version 2.1 (Ref. 1), was employed in these calculations. The spent fuel pool option for BWR fuel was selected in MELCOR. The MELCOR model of the SFP4 consists of a total of 1535 fuel assemblies out of which 548 assemblies are from the core defueled on Nov. 29, 2010, 783 assemblies are older assemblies, and 204 are new/fresh assemblies. The total

Current Opportunities for Clinical Monitoring of Axonal Pathology in Traumatic Brain Injury

PubMed Central

Tsitsopoulos, Parmenion P.; Abu Hamdeh, Sami; Marklund, Niklas

2017-01-01

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a multidimensional and highly complex disease commonly resulting in widespread injury to axons, due to rapid inertial acceleration/deceleration forces transmitted to the brain during impact. Axonal injury leads to brain network dysfunction, significantly contributing to cognitive and functional impairments frequently observed in TBI survivors. Diffuse axonal injury (DAI) is a clinical entity suggested by impaired level of consciousness and coma on clinical examination and characterized by widespread injury to the hemispheric white matter tracts, the corpus callosum and the brain stem. The clinical course of DAI is commonly unpredictable and it remains a challenging entity with limited therapeutic options, to date. Although axonal integrity may be disrupted at impact, the majority of axonal pathology evolves over time, resulting from delayed activation of complex intracellular biochemical cascades. Activation of these secondary biochemical pathways may lead to axonal transection, named secondary axotomy, and be responsible for the clinical decline of DAI patients. Advances in the neurocritical care of TBI patients have been achieved by refinements in multimodality monitoring for prevention and early detection of secondary injury factors, which can be applied also to DAI. There is an emerging role for biomarkers in blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and interstitial fluid using microdialysis in the evaluation of axonal injury in TBI. These biomarker studies have assessed various axonal and neuroglial markers as well as inflammatory mediators, such as cytokines and chemokines. Moreover, modern neuroimaging can detect subtle or overt DAI/white matter changes in diffuse TBI patients across all injury severities using magnetic resonance spectroscopy, diffusion tensor imaging, and positron emission tomography. Importantly, serial neuroimaging studies provide evidence for evolving axonal injury. Since axonal injury may be a key risk factor for

Perception of children and mothers regarding dental aesthetics and orthodontic treatment need: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

de Sousa, Emerson Tavares; da Silva, Beatriz Feitosa; Maia, Fabiana Barros Marinho; Forte, Franklin Delano Soares; Sampaio, Fábio Correia

2016-12-01

The normative orthodontic treatment need, established by dental professionals during the dental appointment, becomes ineffective when it does not evaluate all the factors that influence the decision-making process, including individuals' perception and satisfaction with their dental appearance. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the perception of children and their mothers as regards orthodontic treatment need and satisfaction with dental aesthetics and test if these variables are associated with the objective orthodontic treatment needs, assessed by the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI). A cross-sectional study was conducted on 308 children aged 12 years, and their mothers were randomly selected by cluster sampling (primary schools). The variables "orthodontic treatment need," "satisfaction with chewing," and "dental appearance" were assessed by means of a questionnaire. The questions were answered individually at school or home, in cases of children or mothers, respectively. DAI was assessed to make an objective clinical assessment. The variables were dichotomized and statistically analyzed by the chi-square and Fisher's exact tests, contingency coefficient C, and logistic regression. The results of the clinical evaluation (DAI) were statistically associated with the perception of orthodontic treatment need and satisfaction with dental appearance in children (p ≤ 0.01). However, no association was observed with regard to satisfaction with chewing and DAI (p = 0.10). The children's perception of orthodontic treatment need and satisfaction with the appearance of their teeth was statistically associated (p ≤ 0.01) with their mothers' perception. Maxillary overjet, maxillary and mandibular misalignment, and dental crowding were associated with the orthodontic treatment need by children and their mothers, with p value -0.05 and 5 % level of significance. Maxillary overjet was a significant predictor for the perception of orthodontic

Self perceived psychosocial impact of dental aesthetics among young adults: a cross sectional questionnaire study.

PubMed

Chakradhar, Kuracha; Doshi, Dolar; Kulkarni, Suhas; Reddy, Bandari Srikanth; Reddy, Sahithi; Srilatha, Adepu

2017-11-23

Background Oral health is not merely the absence of oral disease and dysfunction, but also influences the subject's social life and dento-facial self confidence. Objective To assess and correlate self perceived psychosocial impact of dental aesthetics among young adults based on gender. Subjects A convenience sample of Young adults of degree college in the age group of 18-23 years of Hyderabad city, India. Method Self perceived psychosocial impact of dental aesthetics was assessed using the psychosocial impact of dental aesthetics questionnaire (PIDAQ). The dental aesthetic index (DAI) was used to evaluate dental aesthetics among participants which includes 10 parameters of dento-facial anomalies related to both clinical and aesthetic aspects of the anterior teeth. Results The majority of the study population were 18 years of age (96; 31.4%) with a mean age of 19.2 ± 1.1 years. When the mean total score and individual domain scores of PIDAQ was compared based on gender, females showed higher statistical mean (p ≤ 0.05) for all except the psychology impact domain (p = 0.12). Based on DAI grading and gender, among both males [70 (32.9%)] and females [31 (33.3%)] the majority of them had a DAI score of ≤25 (grade1; normal/minor dental malocclusion). A significant negative correlation was observed between DAI, with PIDAQ and its domains (p ≤ 0.05) except for the dental self confidence (p = 0.72). Conclusion This study had examined the relationship between self-perceived psychosocial impact and dental aesthetics. So, early preventive or interceptive procedures should be carried out to prevent further psychosocial impacts on human life.

Characterization of a novel Y2K-type dehydrin VrDhn1 from Vigna radiata.

PubMed

Lin, Chia-Hui; Peng, Po-Hsin; Ko, Chia-Yun; Markhart, Albert H; Lin, Tsai-Yun

2012-05-01

A novel dehydrin gene (VrDhn1) was isolated from an embryo cDNA library of Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek (mungbean) variety VC1973A. The intronless VrDhn1 gene encodes a protein belonging to the Y(2)K-type dehydrin family. VrDhn1 protein accumulated in embryos and cotyledons during seed maturation and disappeared 2 days after seed imbibition (DAI). The expression of VrDhn1 mRNA and accumulation of VrDhn1 protein were at high levels in mature seeds, but neither mRNA nor protein was detected in mungbean vegetative tissues under normal growth conditions. The VrDhn1 mRNA level was extremely high in mature seeds and decreased to ∼30% at 1 DAI, and was not detectable at ~7 DAI. Tissue dehydration, salinity and exogenous ABA markedly induced VrDhn1 transcripts in plants as measured by quantitative real-time reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR). VrDhn1 protein was not detected using immunoblots in seedlings under stress treatments. In mature seeds or 1 DAI seedlings, VrDhn1 proteins were immunolocalized in the nucleus and cytoplasm. VrDhn1 exhibited low affinity for non-specific interaction with DNA using electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs), and the exogenous addition of Zn(2+) or Ni(2+) stimulated interaction. The His-tagged VrDhn1 (30.17 kDa) protein showed a molecular mass of 63.1 kDa on gel filtration, suggesting a dimer form. This is the first report showing that a Y(2)K-type VrDhn1 enters the nucleus and interacts with DNA during seed maturation.

The Multi-Resistant Reaction of Drought-Tolerant Coffee 'Conilon Clone 14' to Meloidogyne spp. and Late Hypersensitive-Like Response in Coffea canephora.

PubMed

Lima, Edriana A; Furlanetto, Cleber; Nicole, Michel; Gomes, Ana C M M; Almeida, Maria R A; Jorge-Júnior, Aldemiro; Correa, Valdir R; Salgado, Sônia Maria; Ferrão, Maria A G; Carneiro, Regina M D G

2015-06-01

Root-knot nematodes (RKN), Meloidogyne spp., have major economic impact on coffee production in Central and South America. Genetic control of RKN constitutes an essential part for integrated pest management strategy. The objective of this study was to evaluate the resistance of Coffea canephora genotypes (clones) to Meloidogyne spp. Sensitive and drought-tolerant coffee genotypes were used to infer their resistance using nematode reproduction factor and histopathology. Eight clonal genotypes were highly resistant to M. paranaensis. 'Clone 14' (drought-tolerant) and 'ESN2010-04' were the only genotypes highly resistant and moderately resistant, respectively, to both M. incognita races 3 and 1. Several clones were highly resistant to both avirulent and virulent M. exigua. Clone 14 and ESN2010-04 showed multiple resistance to major RKNs tested. Roots of 'clone 14' (resistant) and 'clone 22' (susceptible) were histologically studied against infection by M. incognita race 3 and M. paranaensis. Reduction of juvenile (J2) penetration in clone 14 was first seen at 2 to 6 days after inoculation (DAI). Apparent early hypersensitive reaction (HR) was seen in root cortex between 4 and 6 DAI, which led to cell death and prevention of some nematode development. At 12 to 20 DAI, giant cells formed in the vascular cylinder, besides normal development into J3/J4. From 32 to 45 DAI, giant cells were completely degenerated. Late, intense HR and cell death were frequently observed around young females and giant cells reported for the first time in coffee pathosystem. These results provide rational bases for future studies, including prospection, characterization, and expression profiling of genomic loci involved in both drought tolerance and resistance to multiple RKN species.

Starvation beneficially influences the liver physiology and nutrient metabolism in Edwardsiella tarda infected red sea bream (Pagrus major).

PubMed

Mohapatra, Sipra; Chakraborty, Tapas; Shimizu, Sonoko; Urasaki, Shintaro; Matsubara, Takahiro; Nagahama, Yoshitaka; Ohta, Kohei

2015-11-01

Dietary compromises, especially food restrictions, possess species-specific effects on the health status and infection control in several organisms, including fish. To understand the starvation-mediated physiological responses in Edwardsiella tarda infected red sea bream, especially in the liver, we performed a 20-day starvation experiment using 4 treatment (2 fed and 2 starved) groups, namely, fed-placebo, starved-placebo, fed-infected, and starved-infected, wherein bacterial exposure was done on the 11th day. In the present study, the starved groups showed reduced hepatosomatic index and drastic depletion in glycogen storage and vacuole formation. The fed-infected fish showed significant (P<0.05) increase in catalase and superoxide dismutase activity in relation to its starved equivalent. Significant (P<0.05) alteration in glucose and energy metabolism, as evident from hexokinase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity, was recorded in the starved groups. Interestingly, coinciding with the liver histology, PPAR (peroxisome proliferator activated receptors) α transcription followed a time-dependent activation in starved groups while PPARγ exhibited an opposite pattern. The transcription of hepcidin 1 and transferrin, initially increased in 0dai (days after infection) starved fish but reduced significantly (P<0.05) at later stages. Two-color immunohistochemistry and subsequent cell counting showed significant increase in P63-positive cells at 0dai and 5dai but later reduced slightly at 10dai. Similar results were also obtained in the lysosomal (cathepsin D) and non-lysosomal (ubiquitin) gene transcription level. All together, our data suggest that starvation exerts multidirectional responses, which allows for better physiological adaptations during any infectious period, in red sea bream. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Relative Humidity Has Uneven Effects on Shifts From Snow to Rain Over the Western U.S.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harpold, A. A.; Rajagopal, S.; Crews, J. B.; Winchell, T.; Schumer, R.

2017-10-01

Predicting the phase of precipitation is fundamental to water supply and hazard forecasting. Phase prediction methods (PPMs) are used to predict snow fraction, or the ratio of snowfall to total precipitation. Common temperature-based regression (Dai method) and threshold at freezing (0°C) PPMs had comparable accuracy to a humidity-based PPM (TRH method) using 6 and 24 h observations. Using a daily climate data set from 1980 to 2015, the TRH method estimates 14% and 6% greater precipitation-weighted snow fraction than the 0°C and Dai methods, respectively. The TRH method predicts four times less area with declining snow fraction than the Dai method (2.1% and 8.1% of the study domain, respectively) from 1980 to 2015, with the largest differences in the Cascade and Sierra Nevada mountains and southwestern U.S. Future Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 8.5 projections suggest warming temperatures of 4.2°C and declining relative humidity of 1% over the 21st century. The TRH method predicts a smaller reduction in snow fraction than temperature-only PPMs by 2100, consistent with lower humidity buffering declines in snow fraction caused by regional warming.

Penetration and development of Meloidogyne arenaria on two new grape rootstocks.

PubMed

Anwar, Safdar A; McKenry, M V

2002-06-01

Penetration, development, and reproduction of a virulent 'Harmony' population of Meloidogyne arenaria was studied on two nematode-resistant grape rootstocks 10-17A and 6-19B. 'Cabernet Sauvignon' was used as a susceptible control for comparison. Plants were inoculated with 100 freshly hatched second-stage juveniles (J2) of M. arenaria. Greater numbers of J2 penetrated roots of 'Cabernet' than 10-17A, and none penetrated roots of 6-19B 4 days after inoculation (DAI). At 7 DAI, vermiform J2 advanced to sausage-shaped J2 in roots of 'Cabernet,' penetrated roots of 6-19B, and had egressed from roots of 10-17A. Resistant rootstocks expressed hypersensitive responses to penetrating J2 along the root epidermis, among the cortical cells, and along the differentiating vascular bundles. At 13 DAI, 68% of the J2 had attained globose stage in roots of 'Cabernet,' whereas there was no development of vermiform J2 in roots of the other two rootstocks. The nematodes reproduced only in roots of 'Cabernet.' Lack of development of J2 in roots of the two resistant grape rootstocks might be the result of a hypersensitive response to J2 feeding.

Effect of personality traits, age and sex on aggressive driving: Psychometric adaptation of the Driver Aggression Indicators Scale in China.

PubMed

Zhang, Huihui; Qu, Weina; Ge, Yan; Sun, Xianghong; Zhang, Kan

2017-06-01

This study aimed to assess the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the Driver Aggression Indicators Scale (DAIS), which measures aggressive driving behaviors. Besides, demographic variables (sex and age) and the big five personality traits were examined as potential impact factors of aggressive driving. A total of 422 participants completed the DAIS, Big Five Personality Inventory (BFPI), and the socio-demographic scale. First, psychometric results confirmed that the DAIS had a stable two-factor structure and acceptable internal consistency. Then, agreeableness and conscientiousness were negatively correlated with hostile aggression and revenge committed by the drivers themselves, while neuroticism was positively correlated with aggressive driving committed by the drivers themselves. Meanwhile, more agreeable drivers may perceive less hostile aggression and revenge. More neurotic drivers may perceive more aggressive warning. Finally, the effects of age and sex on aggressive driving were not same as most studies. We found that older age group perceived and committed more hostile acts of aggression and revenge than younger age groups. Female drivers of 49-60 years perceived more aggressive warnings committed by other drivers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Label-free Proteomic Reveals that Cowpea Severe Mosaic Virus Transiently Suppresses the Host Leaf Protein Accumulation During the Compatible Interaction with Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata [L.] Walp.).

PubMed

Paiva, Ana L S; Oliveira, Jose T A; de Souza, Gustavo A; Vasconcelos, Ilka M

2016-12-02

Viruses are important plant pathogens that threaten diverse crops worldwide. Diseases caused by Cowpea severe mosaic virus (CPSMV) have drawn attention because of the serious damages they cause to economically important crops including cowpea. This work was undertaken to quantify and identify the responsive proteins of a susceptible cowpea genotype infected with CPSMV, in comparison with mock-inoculated controls, using label-free quantitative proteomics and databanks, aiming at providing insights on the molecular basis of this compatible interaction. Cowpea leaves were mock- or CPSMV-inoculated and 2 and 6 days later proteins were extracted and analyzed. More than 3000 proteins were identified (data available via ProteomeXchange, identifier PXD005025) and 75 and 55 of them differentially accumulated in response to CPSMV, at 2 and 6 DAI, respectively. At 2 DAI, 76% of the proteins decreased in amount and 24% increased. However, at 6 DAI, 100% of the identified proteins increased. Thus, CPSMV transiently suppresses the synthesis of proteins involved particularly in the redox homeostasis, protein synthesis, defense, stress, RNA/DNA metabolism, signaling, and other functions, allowing viral invasion and spread in cowpea tissues.

Impact of malocclusion on the quality of life of children aged 8 to 10 years.

PubMed

Dutra, Sônia Rodrigues; Pretti, Henrique; Martins, Milene Torres; Bendo, Cristiane Baccin; Vale, Miriam Pimenta

2018-01-01

The aim of the present cross-sectional study was to assess the impact of malocclusion on the quality of life of children aged 8 to 10 years attending public elementary schools in Belo Horizonte, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The Brazilian version of the Child Perceptions Questionnaire 8-10 (CPQ8-10) was used to evaluate oral health-related quality of life. The children were examined for the diagnosis of malocclusion using the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI). The data were analyzed by bivariate and multivariate descriptive statistics using Poisson regression at a 5% significance level. A total of 270 children participated in the study. Children with normal occlusion or mild malocclusion (DAI ≤ 25) were 56% less likely (95%CI: 0.258-0.758; p= 0.003) to have their quality of life affected compared with children diagnosed with extremely severe malocclusion (DAI ≥ 36). Children with a maxillary anterior overjet ≥ 3 mm had higher CPQ8-10 mean scores (19.4; SD = 17.1) than those with an overjet < 3 mm (13.6; SD = 11.7; p= 0.038). Extremely severe malocclusion and pronounced maxillary anterior overjet were associated with a negative impact on quality of life.

An empirical investigation of dance addiction.

PubMed

Maraz, Aniko; Urbán, Róbert; Griffiths, Mark Damian; Demetrovics, Zsolt

2015-01-01

Although recreational dancing is associated with increased physical and psychological well-being, little is known about the harmful effects of excessive dancing. The aim of the present study was to explore the psychopathological factors associated with dance addiction. The sample comprised 447 salsa and ballroom dancers (68% female, mean age: 32.8 years) who danced recreationally at least once a week. The Exercise Addiction Inventory (Terry, Szabo, & Griffiths, 2004) was adapted for dance (Dance Addiction Inventory, DAI). Motivation, general mental health (BSI-GSI, and Mental Health Continuum), borderline personality disorder, eating disorder symptoms, and dance motives were also assessed. Five latent classes were explored based on addiction symptoms with 11% of participants belonging to the most problematic class. DAI was positively associated with psychiatric distress, borderline personality and eating disorder symptoms. Hierarchical linear regression model indicated that Intensity (ß=0.22), borderline (ß=0.08), eating disorder (ß=0.11) symptoms, as well as Escapism (ß=0.47) and Mood Enhancement (ß=0.15) (as motivational factors) together explained 42% of DAI scores. Dance addiction as assessed with the Dance Addiction Inventory is associated with indicators of mild psychopathology and therefore warrants further research.

An Empirical Investigation of Dance Addiction

PubMed Central

Maraz, Aniko; Urbán, Róbert; Griffiths, Mark Damian; Demetrovics, Zsolt

2015-01-01

Although recreational dancing is associated with increased physical and psychological well-being, little is known about the harmful effects of excessive dancing. The aim of the present study was to explore the psychopathological factors associated with dance addiction. The sample comprised 447 salsa and ballroom dancers (68% female, mean age: 32.8 years) who danced recreationally at least once a week. The Exercise Addiction Inventory (Terry, Szabo, & Griffiths, 2004) was adapted for dance (Dance Addiction Inventory, DAI). Motivation, general mental health (BSI-GSI, and Mental Health Continuum), borderline personality disorder, eating disorder symptoms, and dance motives were also assessed. Five latent classes were explored based on addiction symptoms with 11% of participants belonging to the most problematic class. DAI was positively associated with psychiatric distress, borderline personality and eating disorder symptoms. Hierarchical linear regression model indicated that Intensity (ß=0.22), borderline (ß=0.08), eating disorder (ß=0.11) symptoms, as well as Escapism (ß=0.47) and Mood Enhancement (ß=0.15) (as motivational factors) together explained 42% of DAI scores. Dance addiction as assessed with the Dance Addiction Inventory is associated with indicators of mild psychopathology and therefore warrants further research. PMID:25951077

A prospective study of maternal preference for indomethacin prophylaxis versus symptomatic treatment of a patent ductus arteriosus in preterm infants.

PubMed

AlFaleh, Khalid; Alluwaimi, Eman; AlOsaimi, Ahlam; Alrajebah, Sheikha; AlOtaibi, Bashayer; AlRasheed, Fatima; AlKharfi, Turki; Paes, Bosco

2015-04-22

The management of a patent ductus arteriosus in preterm infants continues to be debated among neonatologists due to the absence of concrete evidence that precisely weighs the long term outcomes of active, early intervention against a conservative approach. In the majority of institutions, parents are encouraged to play an active role in the complex, decision -making processes with regard to the care of their infants. The objective of this study is to elicit maternal preferences for indomethacin prophylaxis versus treatment of a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants, utilizing a decision aid instrument (DAI). Healthy and high risk pregnant women at 23-28 weeks gestation, and mothers of admitted ELBW infants were enrolled. A computer based, validated DAI was utilized during interviews. The DAI first provides information about prematurity and concurrent morbidities with comprehensive facts of the pros and cons about prophylactic versus treatment options. It subsequently coaches participants how to select values and preferences based on their decisions. A 17-item questionnaire assessed and valued each short and long term morbidity of extreme prematurity and preferred choice for PDA management. Two hundred ninety nine subjects were enrolled; 75% were healthy women at 23-28 weeks gestation, 19% were high risk and 6% recently delivered an ELBW infant. Eighty-two percent preferred a prophylactic indomethacin strategy versus symptomatic treatment for the management of PDA. Across a spectrum of potential morbidities, the occurrence of severe intraventricular hemorrhage was viewed by mothers as the most un-wanted outcome irrespective of the two proposed options. In contrast to neonatal practitioners, mothers who used this particular DAI strongly endorsed prophylactic indomethacin versus a treatment intervention for the management of PDA in preterm infants.

Reliability and validity of measures used in assessing dental anxiety in 5- to 15-year-old Croatian children.

PubMed

Majstorovic, M; Veerkamp, J S; Skrinjaric, I

2003-12-01

The aim of the study was to evaluate reliability and validity of different questionnaires and predict related causes, as concomitant factors in assessing different aspects of children's dental anxiety. Children were interviewed on dental anxiety, dispositional risk factors and satisfaction with the dentist after dental treatment had been accomplished. Parents were interviewed on dental anxiety as well. The study population included 165 children (91 boys) aged 5 to 15 years, referred to a university dental clinic by general dental practitioners because of a history of fear and uncooperative behaviour during previous dental visits. Children were treated by two dentists, both experienced in treating fearful children. Statistical analysis was performed in Statistics for Windows, Release 5.5 and Release 7.5. Pearson's correlation coefficients were calculated for validity and Cronbach alpha for reliability of the measures. Spearman Brown prophecy formula was used for correction of the alpha scores. Results The children's total average CFSS-DS score was 27.02, with no significant difference with respect to gender. The highest Cronbach alpha scores regarding reliability were obtained for the S-DAI, the CFSS-DS and the PDAS. Pearson's correlations regarding validity presented significant correlations between the CMFQ, the CDAS and the S-DAI, between the OAS, the CDAS and the S-DAI, as well as between the OAS and the DVSS-SV. Previous negative medical experience had significant influence on children's dental anxiety, supporting Rachman's conditioning theory. Anxious children were more likely to show behaviour problems (aggression) and more introvert in expressing their judgement regarding the dentist. Both the S-DAI and the CFSS-DS, which were standardized in the Croatian population sample, showed the highest reliability in assessment of children's dental anxiety.

Evaluation of reading, writing, and watching TV using the Dutch ICF Activity Inventory.

PubMed

Bruijning, Janna E; van Rens, Ger H M B; Knol, Dirk L; van Nispen, Ruth M A

2014-11-01

To investigate the longitudinal outcomes of rehabilitation (from baseline to 4 and 12 months) at a multidisciplinary rehabilitation center. The three goals ("Reading," "Writing," and "Watching TV") were measured with the Dutch ICF Activity Inventory (D-AI). In addition, outcomes were compared with the Low Vision Quality-of-Life questionnaire (LVQOL) for better insight into the (longitudinal) interpretation. In a cohort of 241 visually impaired persons, corrected and uncorrected linear mixed models were used to determine longitudinal rehabilitation outcomes for the D-AI goals "Reading," "Writing," and "Watching TV," and difficulty and underlying tasks, as well as for the LVQOL scales "Basic aspects" and "Reading and fine work." At baseline, Spearman correlations were determined for similar scales of the D-AI and LVQOL. Importance scores of goals were stable over time. Difficulty scores decreased over time, but the differences were not significant at each measurement moment. For reading, difficulty of underlying tasks seemed to reflect the (change in) difficulty at the goal level; however, change in writing tasks did not reflect the change in the umbrella goal. Each of the three subscales of underlying tasks of the goal "Watching TV" changed in a different way. Changes in similar LVQOL scales were comparable, although less pronounced and more influenced by depression. Prescription or advice of low-vision aids and training in visual devices was not related (p > 0.01) with any of the outcome measures. It seems reasonable to conclude that the decrease in perceived difficulty was an effect of rehabilitation. The D-AI goal scores for difficulty were less influenced by depression and may be more sensitive to measure change over time compared with the LVQOL. Importance scores may not be useful for evaluation purposes.

Progressive increase in brain glucose metabolism after intrathecal administration of autologous mesenchymal stromal cells in patients with diffuse axonal injury.

PubMed

Vaquero, Jesús; Zurita, Mercedes; Bonilla, Celia; Fernández, Cecilia; Rubio, Juan J; Mucientes, Jorge; Rodriguez, Begoña; Blanco, Edelio; Donis, Luis

2017-01-01

Cell therapy in neurological disability after traumatic brain injury (TBI) is in its initial clinical stage. We describe our preliminary clinical experience with three patients with diffuse axonal injury (DAI) who were treated with intrathecal administration of autologous mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). Three patients with established neurological sequelae due to DAI received intrathecally autologous MSCs. The total number of MSCs administered was 60 × 10 6 (one patient), 100 × 10 6 (one patient) and 300 × 10 6 (one patient). All three patients showed improvement after cell therapy, and subsequent studies with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) showed a diffuse and progressive increase in brain glucose metabolism. Our present results suggest benefit of intrathecal administration of MSCs in patients with DAI, as well as a relationship between this type of treatment and increase in brain glucose metabolism. These preliminary findings raise the question of convenience of assessing the potential benefit of intrathecal administration of MSCs for brain diseases in which a decrease in glucose metabolism represents a crucial pathophysiological finding, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other dementias. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Cellular Therapy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Distribution of MICA microsatellite in 13 population groups of China].

PubMed

Ban, G H; Chu, J Y; Xu, S B; Yang, Z Q; Qian, Y P; Yu, J K; Na, J B; Liu, X J; Zhang, S Z

2001-01-01

The genetic data of MICA microsatellite were obtained by genotyping 577 samples in 13 population groups of China, which are Han-YN, Han-GD, Han-SD, Bai, Dai, Lahu, Li, Naxi, Sala, She, Tu, Wa and Zang-YN, with genescan. Five alleles have been observed in the population groups, which are A4, A5, A5.1, A6 and A9. A5 allele is the most frequent in all population groups except Lahu and Li, while the most frequent allele for Lahu and Li is A5. 1 and A4 respectively. The second most frequent allele is the A5.1 in Han-YN, Han-SD, Dai, Naxi, Sala, She, and Wa. The lest frequent allele for Han-YN, Han-GD, Lahu, Naxi, She, Wa is the A6 which is not observed in Li. A4 allele is the lest frequent in Han-SD, Bai, Dai, Sala, Tu, Zang-YN. The results show that the distribution of MICA microsatellite is different in these population groups, and the polymorphism information contents (PIC) of this microsatellite is high. It is a potential useful marker in the study of human origin and migration, personal identification, gene mapping and location, and disease diagnosis.

Double-blind, placebo-controlled evaluation of 5-ASA suppositories in active distal proctitis and measurement of extent of spread using /sup 99m/Tc-labeled 5-ASA suppositories

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

Williams, C.N.; Haber, G.; Aquino, J.A.

1987-12-01

Patients with active distal proctitis received either 5-aminosalicylic (5-ASA) acid or identical placebo suppositories, 500 mg t.i.d. for 6 weeks. Activity at 3 and 6 wks was assessed using a Disease Activity Index (DAI), derived from four categories: number of daily evacuations more than usual, evacuations containing blood, sigmoidoscopy appearance, and physician's overall assessment. Each category was graded 0-3. There was thus 0-12 points scored ranging from complete remission to severe disease. A minimum score of 3 from two categories was necessary for study entry. Of 27 patients randomized, 14 received active medication and 13 placebo. Of the 14 patients,more » with initial mean DAI 7.1 +/- 1.8, 11 were in complete remission at 6 wks (78.6%). Whereas, there was no significant change in the placebo group, with initial mean DAI 7.1 +/- 1.8. An additional 6 patients with inflammatory bowel disease and 6 healthy volunteers were given /sup 99m/Tc-labelled 5-aminosalicylic acid suppositories. The extent of spread was limited to the rectum, and the suppositories were retained for 3 hours. There was no absorbed radioactivity. 5-ASA suppositories are safe, well-tolerated, and effective treatment for active distal proctitis.« less

Hyperbolic phonon polaritons in hexagonal boron nitride (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dai, Siyuan; Ma, Qiong; Fei, Zhe; Liu, Mengkun; Goldflam, Michael D.; Andersen, Trond; Garnett, William; Regan, Will; Wagner, Martin; McLeod, Alexander S.; Rodin, Alexandr; Zhu, Shou-En; Watanabe, Kenji; Taniguchi, T.; Dominguez, Gerado; Thiemens, Mark; Castro Neto, Antonio H.; Janssen, Guido C. A. M.; Zettl, Alex; Keilmann, Fritz; Jarillo-Herrero, Pablo; Fogler, Michael M.; Basov, Dmitri N.

2016-09-01

Uniaxial materials whose axial and tangential permittivities have opposite signs are referred to as indefinite or hyperbolic media. While hyperbolic responses are normally achieved with metamaterials, hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) naturally possesses this property due to the anisotropic phonons in the mid-infrared. Using scattering-type scanning near-field optical microscopy, we studied polaritonic phenomena in hBN. We performed infrared nano-imaging of highly confined and low-loss hyperbolic phonon polaritons in hBN. The polariton wavelength was shown to be governed by the hBN thickness according to a linear law persisting down to few atomic layers [1]. Additionally, we carried out the modification of hyperbolic response in meta-structures comprised of a mononlayer graphene deposited on hBN [2]. Electrostatic gating of the top graphene layer allows for the modification of wavelength and intensity of hyperbolic phonon polaritons in bulk hBN. The physics of the modification originates from the plasmon-phonon coupling in the hyperbolic medium. Furthermore, we demonstrated the "hyperlens" for subdiffractional focusing and imaging using a slab of hBN [3]. References [1] S. Dai et al., Science, 343, 1125 (2014). [2] S. Dai et al., Nature Nanotechnology, 10, 682 (2015). [3] S. Dai et al., Nature Communications, 6, 6963 (2015).

Subjective response to antipsychotic treatment and compliance in schizophrenia. A naturalistic study comparing olanzapine, risperidone and haloperidol (EFESO Study)

PubMed Central

García-Cabeza, Ignacio; Gómez, Juan-Carlos; Sacristán, Jose A; Edgell, Eric; González de Chavez, Manuel

2001-01-01

Background In order to compare the effectiveness of different antipsychotic drugs in the treatment of schizophrenia it is very important to evaluate subjective response and compliance in patient cohorts treated according to routine clinical practice. Method Outpatients with schizophrenia entered this prospective, naturalistic study when they received a new prescription for an antipsychotic drug. Treatment assignment was based on purely clinical criteria, as the study did not include any experimental intervention. Patients treated with olanzapine, risperidone or haloperidol were included in the analysis. Subjective response was measured using the 10-item version of the Drug Attitude Inventory (DAI-10), and treatment compliance was measured using a physician-rated 4 point categorical scale. Results A total of 2128 patients initiated treatment (as monotherapy) with olanzapine, 417 with risperidone, and 112 with haloperidol. Olanzapine-treated patients had significantly higher DAI-10 scores and significantly better treatment compliance compared to both risperidone- and haloperidol-treated patients. Risperidone-treated patients had a significantly higher DAI-10 score compared to haloperidol-treated patients. Conclusion Subjective response and compliance were superior in olanzapine-treated patients, compared to patients treated with risperidone and haloperidol, in routine clinical practice. Differences in subjective response were explained largely, but not completely, by differences in incidence of EPS. PMID:11835695

Prospective longitudinal MRI study of brain volumes and diffusion changes during the first year after moderate to severe traumatic brain injury

PubMed Central

Brezova, Veronika; G⊘ran Moen, Kent; Skandsen, Toril; Vik, Anne; Brewer, James B.; Salvesen, Øyvind; Håberg, Asta K.

2014-01-01

The objectives of this prospective study in 62 moderate–severe TBI patients were to investigate volume change in cortical gray matter (GM), hippocampus, lenticular nucleus, lobar white matter (WM), brainstem and ventricles using a within subject design and repeated MRI in the early phase (1–26 days) and 3 and 12 months postinjury and to assess changes in GM apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) in normal appearing tissue in the cortex, hippocampus and brainstem. The impact of Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score at admission, duration of post-traumatic amnesia (PTA), and diffusion axonal injury (DAI) grade on brain volumes and ADC values over time was assessed. Lastly, we determined if MRI-derived brain volumes from the 3-month scans provided additional, significant predictive value to 12-month outcome classified with the Glasgow Outcome Scale—Extended after adjusting for GCS, PTA and age. Cortical GM loss was rapid, largely finished by 3 months, but the volume reduction was unrelated to GCS score, PTA, or presence of DAI. However, cortical GM volume at 3 months was a significant independent predictor of 12-month outcome. Volume loss in the hippocampus and lenticular nucleus was protracted and statistically significant first at 12 months. Slopes of volume reduction over time for the cortical and subcortical GGM were significantly different. Hippocampal volume loss was most pronounced and rapid in individuals with PTA > 2 weeks. The 3-month volumes of the hippocampus and lentiform nucleus were the best independent predictors of 12-month outcome after adjusting for GCS, PTA and age. In the brainstem, volume loss was significant at both 3 and 12 months. Brainstem volume reduction was associated with lower GCS score and the presence of DAI. Lobar WM volume was significantly decreased first after 12 months. Surprisingly DAI grade had no impact on lobar WM volume. Ventricular dilation developed predominantly during the first 3 months, and was strongly

Climatic Droughts and the Impacts on Crop Yields in Northern India during the Past Century

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ge, Y.; Cai, X.; Zhu, T.

2014-12-01

Drought has become an increasingly severe threat to water and food security recently. This study presents a novel method to calculate the return period of drought, considering drought as event characterized by expected drought inter-arrival time, duration, severity and peak intensity. Recently, Copula distribution, a multivariable probability distribution, is used to deal with strongly correlated variables in analyzing complex hydrologic phenomenon. This study assesses drought conditions in Northern India, including 8 sites, in the past century using Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) from two latest datasets, Dai (2011, 2013) and Sheffield et al. (2012), which concluded conflicting results about global average drought trend. Our results include the change of the severity, intensity and duration of drought events during the past century and the impact of the drought condition on crop yields in the region. It is found that drought variables are highly correlated, thus copulas joint distribution enables the estimation of multi-variate return period. Based on Dai's dataset from 1900 to 2012, for a fixed drought return period the severity and duration is lower for the period before1955 in sites close to the Indus basin (site 1) or off the coast of the Indian Ocean (Bay of Bengal) (site 8), while they are higher for the period after 1955 in other inland sites (sites 3-7), (e.g., severity in Fig.1). Projections based on two models (IPCC AR4 and AR5) in Dai (2011, 2013) suggested less severity and shorter duration in longer-year drought (e.g., 100-year drought), but larger in shorter-year drought (e.g., 2-year drought). Drought could bring nonlinear responses and unexpected losses in agriculture system, thus prediction and management are essential. Therefore, in the years with extreme drought conditions, impact assessment of drought on crop yield of corn, barley, wheat and sorghum will be also conducted through correlating crop yields with drought conditions during

76 FR 61401 - Atomic Safety and Licensing Board; In the Matter of Nuclear Innovation North America LLC (South...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-04

... Fukushima Dai-ichi accident. \\1\\ Intervenors are the Sustainable Energy and Economic Development Coalition... proffered Fukushima-related contention immediately after the conclusion of the evidentiary hearing. As with...

Predicting the long-term (137)Cs distribution in Fukushima after the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant accident: a parameter sensitivity analysis.

PubMed

Yamaguchi, Masaaki; Kitamura, Akihiro; Oda, Yoshihiro; Onishi, Yasuo

2014-09-01

Radioactive materials deposited on the land surface of Fukushima Prefecture from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant explosion is a crucial issue for a number of reasons, including external and internal radiation exposure and impacts on agricultural environments and aquatic biota. Predicting the future distribution of radioactive materials and their fates is therefore indispensable for evaluation and comparison of the effectiveness of remediation options regarding human health and the environment. Cesium-137, the main radionuclide to be focused on, is well known to adsorb to clay-rich soils; therefore its primary transportation mechanism is in the form of soil erosion on the land surface and transport of sediment-sorbed contaminants in the water system. In this study, we applied the Soil and Cesium Transport model, which we have developed, to predict a long-term cesium distribution in the Fukushima area, based on the Universal Soil Loss Equation and simple sediment discharge formulas. The model consists of calculation schemes of soil erosion, transportation and deposition, as well as cesium transport and its future distribution. Since not all the actual data on parameters is available, a number of sensitivity analyses were conducted here to find the range of the output results due to the uncertainties of parameters. The preliminary calculation indicated that a large amount of total soil loss remained in slope, and the residual sediment was transported to rivers, deposited in rivers and lakes, or transported farther downstream to the river mouths. Most of the sediment deposited in rivers and lakes consists of sand. On the other hand, most of the silt and clay portions transported to river were transported downstream to the river mouths. The rate of sediment deposition in the Abukuma River basin was three times as high as those of the other 13 river basins. This may be due to the larger catchment area and more moderate channel slope of the Abukuma River basin

Atmospheric removal times of the aerosol-bound radionuclides 137Cs and 131I during the months after the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant accident - a constraint for air quality and climate models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kristiansen, N. I.; Stohl, A.; Wotawa, G.

2012-05-01

Caesium-137 (137Cs) and iodine-131 (131I) are radionuclides of particular concern during nuclear accidents, because they are emitted in large amounts and are of significant health impact. 137Cs and 131I attach to the ambient accumulation-mode (AM) aerosols and share their fate as the aerosols are removed from the atmosphere by scavenging within clouds, precipitation and dry deposition. Here, we estimate their removal times from the atmosphere using a unique high-precision global measurement data set collected over several months after the accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant in March 2011. The noble gas xenon-133 (133Xe), also released during the accident, served as a passive tracer of air mass transport for determining the removal times of 137Cs and 131I via the decrease in the measured ratios 137Cs/133Xe and 131I/133Xe over time. After correction for radioactive decay, the 137Cs/133Xe ratios reflect the removal of aerosols by wet and dry deposition, whereas the 131I/133Xe ratios are also influenced by aerosol production from gaseous 131I. We find removal times for 137Cs of 10.0-13.9 days and for 131I of 17.1-24.2 days during April and May 2011. We discuss possible caveats (e.g. late emissions, resuspension) that can affect the results, and compare the 137Cs removal times with observation-based and modeled aerosol lifetimes. Our 137Cs removal time of 10.0-13.9 days should be representative of a "background" AM aerosol well mixed in the extratropical Northern Hemisphere troposphere. It is expected that the lifetime of this vertically mixed background aerosol is longer than the lifetime of AM aerosols originating from surface sources. However, the substantial difference to the mean lifetimes of AM aerosols obtained from aerosol models, typically in the range of 3-7 days, warrants further research on the cause of this discrepancy. Too short modeled AM aerosol lifetimes would have serious implications for air quality and climate model predictions.

77 FR 40385 - Sunshine Act Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-09

.... Briefing on the Status of Lessons Learned from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Accident (Public Meeting) (Contact... individuals with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in...

78 FR 18376 - Sunshine Act Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-26

... of Radiation Control Program Directors (CRCPD) (Public Meeting) (Contact: Cindy Flannery, 301-415...:00 a.m. Briefing on the Status of Lessons Learned from the Fukushima Dai'ichi Accident (Public...

78 FR 1154 - Onsite Emergency Response Capabilities

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-08

... the actions stemming from the NRC's lessons-learned efforts associated with the March 2011 Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident in Japan. DATES: Submit comments by February 22, 2013. Comments...

78 FR 44035 - Station Blackout Mitigation Strategies

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-23

... the actions stemming from the NRC's lessons- learned efforts associated with the March 2011 Fukushima..., 2011, Fukushima Dai-ichi accident in Japan. By making these documents publicly available, the NRC seeks...

Atmospheric removal times of the aerosol-bound radionuclides 137Cs and 131I measured after the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear accident - a constraint for air quality and climate models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kristiansen, N. I.; Stohl, A.; Wotawa, G.

2012-11-01

Caesium-137 (137Cs) and iodine-131 (131I) are radionuclides of particular concern during nuclear accidents, because they are emitted in large amounts and are of significant health impact. 137Cs and 131I attach to the ambient accumulation-mode (AM) aerosols and share their fate as the aerosols are removed from the atmosphere by scavenging within clouds, precipitation and dry deposition. Here, we estimate their removal times from the atmosphere using a unique high-precision global measurement data set collected over several months after the accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant in March 2011. The noble gas xenon-133 (133Xe), also released during the accident, served as a passive tracer of air mass transport for determining the removal times of 137Cs and 131I via the decrease in the measured ratios 137Cs/133Xe and 131I/133Xe over time. After correction for radioactive decay, the 137Cs/133Xe ratios reflect the removal of aerosols by wet and dry deposition, whereas the 131I/133Xe ratios are also influenced by aerosol production from gaseous 131I. We find removal times for 137Cs of 10.0-13.9 days and for 131I of 17.1-24.2 days during April and May 2011. The removal time of 131I is longer due to the aerosol production from gaseous 131I, thus the removal time for 137Cs serves as a better estimate for aerosol lifetime. The removal time of 131I is of interest for semi-volatile species. We discuss possible caveats (e.g. late emissions, resuspension) that can affect the results, and compare the 137Cs removal times with observation-based and modeled aerosol lifetimes. Our 137Cs removal time of 10.0-13.9 days should be representative of a "background" AM aerosol well mixed in the extratropical Northern Hemisphere troposphere. It is expected that the lifetime of this vertically mixed background aerosol is longer than the lifetime of fresh AM aerosols directly emitted from surface sources. However, the substantial difference to the mean lifetimes of AM aerosols

Pre symptomatic detection of wheat leaf rust in the susceptible cv Skalmeje and the resistant cv Esket by means of UV laser-induced fluorescence.

PubMed

Bürling, K; Hunsche, M; Noga, G

2010-01-01

In modern agriculture there is a great demand for a rapid and objective screening method for stress resistance, because so far, the resistance of new cultivars is tested in time- and money consuming field experiments. Based on fluorescence ratios, and lifetime of fluorophores measured by fluorescence spectroscopy, we have postulated that an early discrimination of susceptible and resistant wheat cultivars to the leaf rust pathogen Puccinia triticina can be accomplished. As representative for leaf rust resistant and leaf rust susceptible wheat genotypes the cultivars Esket and Skalmeje, respectively, were chosen. Plants were grown under controlled environment conditions and inoculated with the leaf rust pathogen at the second-leaf-stage by single-droplet application. Fluorescence measurements were carried out from two to four days after inoculation (dai) by using a compact fibre-optic fluorescence spectrometer with nanosecond time-resolution. Experimental results indicated that UV laser-induced spectral characteristics as well as determination of fluorescence lifetime are suited to detect leaf rust two dai. For this purpose several ratios and wavelength can be considered. In general, the tested cultivars showed distinct responses to the pathogen development. In this context the ratio F451/F687 measured three dai and mean lifetimes at 500 nm and 530 nm are suited to differentiate the resistant Esket from the susceptible Skalmeje genotypes.

Building a National Heritage Registry for the Sudan: the Friedrich W. Hinkel Archive Digitization Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lawrenz, S.

2017-08-01

The Republic of the Sudan is home to outstanding and diverse cultural heritage ranging from Neolithic sites of human activity and settlement to historic sites of the 19th and 20th century. While certain phases of the Sudan's cultural heritage such as the period of Egyptian influence during the second and first millennium B.C. have been the focus of archaeological research since the 19th century, other aspects of the country's rich history have remained largely unknown locally and internationally due to a lack of documentation and registration of such sites. Since 2014, the German Archaeological Institute (DAI) has been engaged in an effort to support the creation of a national heritage registry in close cooperation with the National Corporation for Antiquities and Museums (NCAM) by digitizing the archive of German architect Friedrich W. Hinkel and engaging in capacity building measures focusing on analog and digital data curation. The archive contains structured information (photos, drawings, maps and assembled written documentation) regarding over 14,000 archaeological and historical sites in the Sudan using an alphanumeric coding system that allows for easy integration of data in a digital environment such as the DAI's IT infrastructure, the iDAI.world. As such the data assembled by Hinkel will serve as the basis of the national heritage registry currently in development.

Spin Dynamics in the electron-doped high-Tc superconductors Pr0.88LaCe0.12CuO4-δ

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dai, Pengcheng

2007-03-01

We briefly review results of recent neutron scattering experiments designed to probe the evolution of antiferromagnetic (AF) order and spin dynamics in the electron- doped Pr0.88LaCe0.12CuO4-δ (PLCCO) as the system is tuned from its as-grown non-superconducting AF state into an optimally doped superconductor (Tc = 27.5 K) without static AF order [1-3]. For under doped materials, a quasi-two- dimensional spin-density wave was found to coexist with three- dimensional AF order and superconductivity. In addition, the low-energy spin excitations follow Bose statistics. In the case of optimally doped material, we have discovered a magnetic resonance intimately related to superconductivity analogous to the resonance in hole-doped materials. On the other hand, the low energy spin excitations have very weak temperature dependence and do not follow Bose statistics, in sharp contrast to the as-grown nonsuperconducting materials. 1 Stephen D. Wilson, Pengcheng Dai, Shiliang Li, Songxue Chi, H. J. Kang, and J. W. Lynn, Nature (London) 442, 59 (2006). 2 Stephen D. Wilson, Shiliang Li, Hyungje Woo, Pengcheng Dai, H. A. Mook, C. D. Frost, S. Komiya, and Y. Ando, Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 157001 (2006). 3. Stephen D. Wilson, Shiliang Li, Pengcheng Dai, Wei Bao, J. H. Chung, H. J. Kang, S.-H. Lee, S. Komiya, and Y. Ando, Phys. Rev. B 74, 144514 (2006).

Geoethics and decision science issues in Japan's disaster management system: case study in the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sugimoto, Megumi

2015-04-01

The March 11, 2011 Tohoku earthquake and its tsunami killed 18,508 people, including the missing (National Police Agency report as of April 2014) and raise the Level 7 accident at TEPCO's Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power station in Japan. The problems revealed can be viewed as due to a combination of risk-management, risk-communication, and geoethics issues. Japan's preparations for earthquakes and tsunamis are based on the magnitude of the anticipated earthquake for each region. The government organization coordinating the estimation of anticipated earthquakes is the "Headquarters for Earthquake Research Promotion" (HERP), which is under the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). Japan's disaster mitigation system is depicted schematically as consisting of three layers: seismology, civil engineering, and disaster mitigation planning. This research explains students in geoscience should study geoethics as part of their education related Tohoku earthquake and the Level 7 accident at TEPCO's Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power station. Only when they become practicing professionals, they will be faced with real geoethical dilemmas. A crisis such as the 2011 earthquake, tsunami, and Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear accident, will force many geoscientists to suddenly confront previously unanticipated geoethics and risk-communication issues. One hopes that previous training will help them to make appropriate decisions under stress. We name it "decision science".

Scanning electron microscopy observations of the interaction between Trichoderma harzianum and perithecia of Gibberella zeae.

PubMed

Inch, S; Gilbert, J

2011-01-01

Chronological events associated with the interaction between a strain of Trichoderma harzianum, T472, with known biological control activity against perithecial production of G. zeae, were studied with scanning electron microscopy to investigate the mechanisms of control. Large clusters of perithecia consisting of 5-15 perithecia formed on the autoclaved, mulched wheat straw inoculated with G. zeae alone (control) with an average of 157 perithecia per plate. Small clusters consisting of 3-6 and an average of 15 perithecia per plate perithecia formed on straw that was treated with T. harzianum. The mature perithecia from straw treated with T. harzianum produced less pigment and were lighter in color than those from the control plates. Furthermore the cells of the outer wall of these perithecia were abnormal in appearance and unevenly distributed across the surface. Immature perithecia were colonized by T. harzianum approximately 15 d after inoculation (dai) with the biocontrol agent and pathogen. Few perithecia were colonized at later stages. The affected perithecia collapsed 21 dai, compared to the perithecia in the control samples that began to collapse 28 dai. Abundant mycelium of T. harzianum was seen on the perithecia of treated samples. Perithecial structures may be resistant to penetration by the mycelium because direct penetration was not observed. Trichoderma harzianum colonized the substrate quickly and out-competed the pathogen, G. zeae.

78 FR 21275 - Station Blackout Mitigation Strategies

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-10

... stemming from the NRC's lessons-learned efforts associated with the March 2011 Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident in Japan. DATES: Submit comments by May 28, 2013. Comments received after this date...

77 FR 39528 - Sunshine Act Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-03

.... Briefing on the Status of Lessons Learned from the Fukushima, Dai-Ichi Accident (Public Meeting), (Contact...- 1651. * * * * * The NRC Commission Meeting Schedule can be found on the Internet at: http://www.nrc.gov...

Incidence and Pathogenicity of Plant-Parasitic Nematodes Associated with Blueberry (Vaccinium spp.) Replant Disease in Georgia and North Carolina

PubMed Central

Jagdale, Ganpati B.; Holladay, Ted; Brannen, P. M.; Cline, W. O.; Agudelo, P.; Nyczepir, A. P.; Noe, J. P.

2013-01-01

Blueberry replant disease (BRD) is an emerging threat to continued blueberry (Vaccinium spp.) production in Georgia and North Carolina. Since high populations of ring nematode Mesocriconema ornatum were found to be associated with commercially grown blueberries in Georgia, we hypothesized that M. ornatum may be responsible for predisposing blueberry to BRD. We therefore tested the pathogenicity of M. ornatum on 10-wk-old Rabbiteye blueberries (Vaccinium virgatum) by inoculating with initial populations (Pi) of 0 (water control), 10, 100, 1,000. and 10,000 mixed stages of M. ornatum/pot under both greenhouse (25 ± 2°C) and field microplot conditions. Nematode soil population densities and reproduction rates were assessed 75, 150, 225, and 255, and 75, 150, 225, and 375 d after inoculation (DAI) in both the greenhouse and field experiments, respectively. Plant growth parameters were recorded in the greenhouse and field microplot experiments at 255 and 375 DAI, respectively. The highest M. ornatum population density occurred with the highest Pi level, at 75 and 150 DAI under both greenhouse (P < 0.01) and field (P < 0.01) conditions. However, M. ornatum rate of reproduction increased significantly in pots receiving the lowest Pi level of 10 nematodes/plant compared with the pots receiving Pi levels of 100, 1,000, and 10,000 nematodes 75 DAI. Plant-parasitic nematode populations were determined in commercial blueberry replant sites in Georgia and North Carolina during the 2010 growing season. Mesocriconema ornatum and Dolichodorus spp. were the predominant plant-parasitic nematodes in Georgia and North Carolina, respectively, with M. ornatum occurring in nearly half the blueberry fields sampled in Georgia. Other nematode genera detected in both states included Tylenchorhynchus spp., Hoplolaimus spp., Hemicycliophora spp., and Xiphinema spp. Paratrichodorus spp. was also found only in Georgia. In Georgia, our results indicate that blueberry is a host for M. ornatum

A method for addressing differences in concentrations of fipronil and three degradates obtained by two different laboratory methods

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crawford, Charles G.; Martin, Jeffrey D.

2017-07-21

In October 2012, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began measuring the concentration of the pesticide fipronil and three of its degradates (desulfinylfipronil, fipronil sulfide, and fipronil sulfone) by a new laboratory method using direct aqueous-injection liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (DAI LC–MS/MS). This method replaced the previous method—in use since 2002—that used gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The performance of the two methods is not comparable for fipronil and the three degradates. Concentrations of these four chemical compounds determined by the DAI LC–MS/MS method are substantially lower than the GC/MS method. A method was developed to correct for the difference in concentrations obtained by the two laboratory methods based on a methods comparison field study done in 2012. Environmental and field matrix spike samples to be analyzed by both methods from 48 stream sites from across the United States were sampled approximately three times each for this study. These data were used to develop a relation between the two laboratory methods for each compound using regression analysis. The relations were used to calibrate data obtained by the older method to the new method in order to remove any biases attributable to differences in the methods. The coefficients of the equations obtained from the regressions were used to calibrate over 16,600 observations of fipronil, as well as the three degradates determined by the GC/MS method retrieved from the USGS National Water Information System. The calibrated values were then compared to over 7,800 observations of fipronil and to the three degradates determined by the DAI LC–MS/MS method also retrieved from the National Water Information System. The original and calibrated values from the GC/MS method, along with measures of uncertainty in the calibrated values and the original values from the DAI LC–MS/MS method, are provided in an accompanying data release.

Influence of the erineum strain of Colomerus vitis (Acari: Eriophyidae) on grape (Vitis vinifera) defense mechanisms.

PubMed

Javadi Khederi, Saeid; Khanjani, Mohammad; Gholami, Mansur; Panzarino, Onofrio; de Lillo, Enrico

2018-05-01

Grape (Vitis vinifera) is commonly affected by the erineum strain of Colomerus vitis (GEM) in Iran and the susceptibility of grape cultivars to GEM is poorly understood. In order to evaluate the impact of GEM on grape and its defense mechanisms against the mite, an exploratory study was carried out on 19 cultivars (18 Iranian and the non-native Muscat Gordo). The differential susceptibility of cultivars to GEM was compared on the basis of the area of leaf damage induced by GEM. The cultivars White Thompson seedless of Bovanat, Atabaki Zarghan, Koladari Ghoochan and Sahebi Uroomie were less susceptible to GEM, whereas Ghalati Dodaj, Rishbaba, Muscat Gordo and Neyshaboori Birjand appeared to be the most affected by the mite. In a no-choice setup, plants of selected cultivars of these two groups were infested by GEM and assayed for 10 biomarkers usually related to plant stress mechanisms against plant feeders: the activity of defense enzymes-peroxidase (POX), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), catalase (CAT), the amount of total polyphenolics, total flavonoids, total soluble carbohydrates, hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), and malondialdehyde (MDA) expressing lipid peroxidation. The biomarkers were assessed in grape leaves 7 days before releasing the mites, as well as 7, 14 and 28 days after infestation (DAI). The activity of the enzymes and the amount of the compounds usually increased in percentage after mite infestation. A significant negative correlation was found between the area of leaf damage and PPO, POX, SOD, MDA and H 2 O 2 for all sampling dates. The area of leaf damage showed a significant positive correlation with total soluble carbohydrates at 28 DAI, and significant negative correlations with CAT (at 14 and 28 DAI), PAL and total flavonoids (at 7 DAI). No correlation was observed between area of leaf damage and total polyphenolics. The biomarkers PPO, SOD, CAT activity and H 2 O 2 provided the best

Kefir treatment ameliorates dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis in rats

PubMed Central

Senol, Altug; Isler, Mehmet; Sutcu, Recep; Akin, Mete; Cakir, Ebru; Ceyhan, Betul M; Kockar, M Cem

2015-01-01

AIM: To investigate the preventive effect of kefir on colitis induced with dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) in rats. METHODS: Twenty-four male Wistar-albino rats were randomized into four groups: normal control, kefir-control, colitis, and kefir-colitis groups. Rats in the normal and kefir-control groups were administered tap water as drinking water for 14 d. Rats in the colitis and kefir-colitis groups were administered a 3% DSS solution as drinking water for 8-14 d to induce colitis. Rats in the kefir-control and kefir-colitis groups were administered 5 mL kefir once a day for 14 d while rats in the normal control and colitis group were administered an identical volume of the placebo (skim milk) using an orogastric feeding tube. Clinical colitis was evaluated with reference to the disease activity index (DAI), based on daily weight loss, stool consistency, and presence of bleeding in feces. Rats were sacrificed on the 15th day, blood specimens were collected, and colon tissues were rapidly removed. Levels of myeloperoxidase (MPO), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-10, malondialdehyde, and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) were measured in colon tissue. RESULTS: The DAI was lower in the kefir-colitis group than in the colitis group (on the 3rd and 5th days of colitis induction; P < 0.01). The DAI was also significantly higher in the colitis group between days 2 and 6 of colitis induction when compared to the normal control and kefir-control groups. The DAI was statistically higher only on the 6th day in the kefir-colitis group when compared to that in the normal control groups. Increased colon weight and decreased colon length were observed in colitis-induced rats. Mean colon length in the colitis group was significantly shorter than that of the kefir-control group. Kefir treatment significantly decreased histologic colitis scores (P < 0.05). MPO activity in the colitis group was significantly higher than in the kefir-control group (P < 0

Kefir treatment ameliorates dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis in rats.

PubMed

Senol, Altug; Isler, Mehmet; Sutcu, Recep; Akin, Mete; Cakir, Ebru; Ceyhan, Betul M; Kockar, M Cem

2015-12-14

To investigate the preventive effect of kefir on colitis induced with dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) in rats. Twenty-four male Wistar-albino rats were randomized into four groups: normal control, kefir-control, colitis, and kefir-colitis groups. Rats in the normal and kefir-control groups were administered tap water as drinking water for 14 d. Rats in the colitis and kefir-colitis groups were administered a 3% DSS solution as drinking water for 8-14 d to induce colitis. Rats in the kefir-control and kefir-colitis groups were administered 5 mL kefir once a day for 14 d while rats in the normal control and colitis group were administered an identical volume of the placebo (skim milk) using an orogastric feeding tube. Clinical colitis was evaluated with reference to the disease activity index (DAI), based on daily weight loss, stool consistency, and presence of bleeding in feces. Rats were sacrificed on the 15(th) day, blood specimens were collected, and colon tissues were rapidly removed. Levels of myeloperoxidase (MPO), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-10, malondialdehyde, and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) were measured in colon tissue. The DAI was lower in the kefir-colitis group than in the colitis group (on the 3(rd) and 5(th) days of colitis induction; P < 0.01). The DAI was also significantly higher in the colitis group between days 2 and 6 of colitis induction when compared to the normal control and kefir-control groups. The DAI was statistically higher only on the 6(th) day in the kefir-colitis group when compared to that in the normal control groups. Increased colon weight and decreased colon length were observed in colitis-induced rats. Mean colon length in the colitis group was significantly shorter than that of the kefir-control group. Kefir treatment significantly decreased histologic colitis scores (P < 0.05). MPO activity in the colitis group was significantly higher than in the kefir-control group (P < 0.05). Kefir treatment

77 FR 70123 - Retrospective Review Under Executive Order 13579

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-23

... ongoing review of its regulations related to the recent events at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant in Japan; and (5) the NRC's previous and ongoing efforts to update its regulations in a systematic...

78 FR 16893 - Sunshine Act Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-19

... Tuesday April 23, 2013 9:00 a.m. Briefing on the Status of Lessons Learned from the Fukushima Dai'ichi... Internet at: http://www.nrc.gov/public-involve/public-meetings/schedule.html . * * * * * The NRC provides...

77 FR 43406 - Notice of Sunshine Act Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-24

... Tuesday, August 7, 2012 9:00 a.m. Briefing on the Status of Lessons Learned from the Fukushima Dai-ichi... Internet at: http://www.nrc.gov/public-involve/public-meetings/schedule.html . * * * * * The NRC provides...

78 FR 21171 - Sunshine Act Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-09

..., 2013 9:00 a.m. Briefing on the Status of Lessons Learned from the Fukushima Dai'ichi Accident (Public...- 1651. * * * * * The NRC Commission Meeting Schedule can be found on the Internet at: http://www.nrc.gov...

78 FR 22580 - Sunshine Act Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-16

... April 23, 2013 9:00 a.m. Briefing on the Status of Lessons Learned from the Fukushima Dai'ichi Accident... Meeting Schedule can be found on the Internet at: http://www.nrc.gov/public-involve/public-meetings...

78 FR 78338 - Japan-U.S. Decommissioning and Remediation Fukushima Recovery Forum Tokyo, Japan February 18-19...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-26

... nuclear energy research and development, the decommissioning of the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station, environmental management, emergency management, nuclear security, and safety and regulatory issues. The Decommissioning and Environmental Management Working Group (DEMWG) under the Bilateral...

Assessment of malocclusion severity and orthodontic treatment needs in 12-15-year-old school children of Namakkal District, Tamil Nadu, using Dental Aesthetic Index.

PubMed

Nagalakshmi, S; James, S; Rahila, C; Balachandar, K; Satish, R

2017-01-01

The present study was aimed to assess the severity of malocclusion and orthodontic treatment needs among 12-15-year-old schoolchildren in rural area of Namakkal district, Tamil Nadu, India, using the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI). A cross-sectional study was conducted among a sample of 1078 schoolchildren (12-15 years of age) who were selected by two-stage cluster sampling technique. Severity of malocclusion and orthodontic treatment needs were assessed according to the DAI using a specially designed survey pro forma with the aid of the WHO's Oral Health Survey: Basic Methods. Based on the distribution of data, analysis of variance and unpaired student t-test were used. Out of the total of 1078 children examined, 528 (49%) were males and 550 (57%) were females. The results indicate that 82.74% of the schoolchildren were found with little or no malocclusion requiring no orthodontic treatment. The gender-wise distribution of DAI score among children aged 12 years had significant difference between males (20.43 ± 3.67) and females (21.62 ± 4.335) (P = 0.015) and children aged 15 years also showed highly significant difference among gender (P = 0.000). Malocclusion not only impacts the appearance of the person but also affects the self-esteem and psychological well-being. This is the first step in understanding the treatment need so that further steps can be taken in preventive and interceptive care.

Salvia miltiorrhiza (dan shen) significantly ameliorates colon inflammation in dextran sulfate sodium induced colitis.

PubMed

Wen, Xiao-Dong; Wang, Chong-Zhi; Yu, Chunhao; Zhang, Zhiyu; Calway, Tyler; Wang, Yunwei; Li, Ping; Yuan, Chun-Su

2013-01-01

Inflammatory bowel disease increases the risks of human colorectal cancer. In this study, the effects of Salvia miltiorrhiza extract (SME) on chemically-induced colitis in a mouse model were evaluated. Chemical composition of SME was determined by HPLC analysis. A/J mice received a single injection of AOM 7.5 mg/kg. After one week, these mice received 2.5% DSS for eight days, or DSS plus SME (25 or 50 mg/kg). DSS-induced colitis was scored with the disease activity index (DAI). Body weight and colon length were also measured. The severity of inflammatory lesions was further evaluated by colon tissue histological assessment. HPLC assay showed that the major constituents in the tested SME were danshensu, protocatechuic aldehyde, salvianolic acid D, and salvianolic acid B. In the model group, the DAI score reached its highest level on Day 8, while the SME group on both doses showed a significantly reduced DAI score (both p < 0.01). As an objective index of the severity of inflammation, colon length was significantly shorter in the model group than the vehicle group. Treatment with 25 and 50 mg/kg of SME inhibited the shortening of colon in a dose-related manner (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively). SME groups also significantly reduced weight reduction (p < 0.05). Colitis histological data supported the pharmacological observations. Thus, Salvia miltiorrhiza could be a promising candidate in preventing and treating colitis and in reducing the risks of inflammation-associated colorectal cancer.

A development framework for distributed artificial intelligence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adler, Richard M.; Cottman, Bruce H.

1989-01-01

The authors describe distributed artificial intelligence (DAI) applications in which multiple organizations of agents solve multiple domain problems. They then describe work in progress on a DAI system development environment, called SOCIAL, which consists of three primary language-based components. The Knowledge Object Language defines models of knowledge representation and reasoning. The metaCourier language supplies the underlying functionality for interprocess communication and control access across heterogeneous computing environments. The metaAgents language defines models for agent organization coordination, control, and resource management. Application agents and agent organizations will be constructed by combining metaAgents and metaCourier building blocks with task-specific functionality such as diagnostic or planning reasoning. This architecture hides implementation details of communications, control, and integration in distributed processing environments, enabling application developers to concentrate on the design and functionality of the intelligent agents and agent networks themselves.

Student Development of Educational Software: Spin-Offs from Classroom Use of DIAS.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrington, John A., Jr.; And Others

1988-01-01

Describes several college courses which encourage students to develop computer software programs in the areas of remote sensing and geographic information systems. A microcomputer-based tutorial package, the Digital Image Analysis System (DAIS), teaches the principles of digital processing. (LS)

ANALYSIS OF VOLATILES AND SEMIVOLATILES BY DIRECT AQUEOUS INJECTION

EPA Science Inventory

Direct aqueous injection analysis (DAI) with gas chromatographic separation and ion trap mass spectral detection was used to analyze aqueous samples for g/L levels of 54 volatile and semivolatile compounds, and problematic non-purgeables and non-extractables. The method reduces ...

Linear and nonlinear genetic relationships between type traits and productive life in US dairy goats.

PubMed

Castañeda-Bustos, V J; Montaldo, H H; Valencia-Posadas, M; Shepard, L; Pérez-Elizalde, S; Hernández-Mendo, O; Torres-Hernández, G

2017-02-01

Linear or nonlinear genetic relationships between productive life and functional productive life at 72 mo, with final score (SCO), stature, strength, dairyness (DAI), teat diameter, rear legs (side view), rump angle, rump width (RUW), fore udder attachment (FUA), rear udder height, rear udder arch, udder depth (UDD), suspensory ligament (SUS), and teat placement, as well as heritabilities and correlations were estimated from multibreed US dairy goat records. Productive life was defined as the total days in production until 72 mo of age (PL72) for goats having the opportunity to express the trait. Functional productive life (FPL72) was analyzed by incorporating first lactation milk yield, fat yield, protein yield, and SCO in the statistical model. Heritabilities and correlations were estimated using linear mixed models with pedigree additive genetic relationships and ASReml software. Nonlinearity of genetic relationships was assessed based on second-degree polynomial (quadratic) regression models, with the breeding values of PL72 or FPL72 as responses and the breeding values for each type trait (linear and quadratic) as predictor variables. Heritability estimates were 0.19, 0.14, 0.18, 0.20, 0.14, 0.07, 0.28, 0.20, 0.15, 0.13, 0.25, 0.18, 0.20, 0.21, 0.21, and 0.32 for PL72, FPL72, SCO, stature, strength, DAI, teat diameter, rear legs, rump angle, RUW, FUA, rear udder height, rear udder arch, UDD, SUS, and teat placement, respectively. The type traits SCO, RUW, and FUA were the most correlated with PL72 and FPL72, so these may be used as selection criteria to increase longevity in dairy goats. An increase in the coefficient of determination >1% for the second degree, compared with that for the linear model for either PL72 or FPL72, was taken as evidence of a nonlinear genetic relationship. Using this criterion, PL72 showed maximum values at intermediate scores in DAI, UDD, and RUW, and maximum values at extreme scores in FUA and SUS, whereas FPL72 showed maximum

Adherence to depot versus oral antipsychotic medication in schizophrenic patients during the long-term therapy.

PubMed

Stanković, Zana; Ille, Tatjana

2013-03-01

There is a high rate of schizophrenic patients who do not adhere to their prescribed therapy, despite the implementation of antipsychotic long-acting injections and the introduction of atypical antipsychotics. The aim of this study was to investigate the differences in sociodemographic, clinical and medication adherence variables between the two groups of schizophrenic patients on maintenance therapy with depot antipsychotic fluphenazine decanoate and oral antipsychotics only as well as a correlation between the medication adherence and other examined variables. A total of 56 patients of both genders, aged < 60 years, with the diagnosis of schizophrenia (F20) (ICD-10, 1992) clinically stable for at least 6 months were introduced in this cross-sectional study. The patients from the depot group (n = 19) were on classical depot antipsychotic fluphenazine decanoate administering intramuscularly every 4 weeks (with or without oral antipsychotic augmentation) and the patients from the oral group (n = 37) were on oral therapy alone with classical or atypical antipsychotics, either as monotherapy or combined. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) was used to assess symptom severity. Item G12 of the PANSS was used to assess insight into the illness. The patients completed the Medical Adherence Rating Scale (MARS) was used to assess adherence to the therapy. A higher MARS score indicates behavior [Medical Adherence Questionnaire (MAQ subscale)] and attitudes toward medication [Drug Attitude Inventory (DAI subscale)] that are more consistent with treatment adherence. The exclusion criteria were determined. The Pearson's chi2 test was used to compare categorical variables, Student's t-test to compare continuous variables and Pearson's correlation to test the correlation significance; p = 0.05. Significant between-group differences in age, illness duration, chlorpromazine equivalents, PANSS score and DAI subscore were found. Item G12 of the PANSS subscore and MARS

U.S. EPA, Pesticide Product Label, BALAN E.C., 02/08/1993

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

2011-04-21

... CII CDIIct 517~ • tOO. • • • • Ali 3 ..... 0." lIP DollCllllliPor __ foodI~VUgs • or daI'.1Q.. ... pi' r ,', L • ~"'-cIioiIy"'-- _ . ..., WtIorIn e 6 • ' .. Maid boom .... _ .. ...

Effect of migration patterns on maternal genetic structure: a case of Tai-Kadai migration from China to Thailand.

PubMed

Kampuansai, Jatupol; Kutanan, Wibhu; Tassi, Francesca; Kaewgahya, Massupa; Ghirotto, Silvia; Kangwanpong, Daoroong

2017-02-01

The migration of the Tai-Kadai speaking people from southern China to northern Thailand over the past hundreds of years has revealed numerous patterns that have likely been influenced by routes, purposes and periods of time. To study the effects of different migration patterns on Tai-Kadai maternal genetic structure, mitochondrial DNA hypervariable region I sequences from the Yong and the Lue people having well-documented histories in northern Thailand were analyzed. Although the Yong and Lue people were historically close relatives who shared Xishuangbanna Dai ancestors, significant genetic differences have been observed among them. The Yong people who have been known to practice mass migration have exhibited a closer genetic affinity to their Dai ancestors than have the Lue people. Genetic heterogeneity and a sudden reduced effective population size within the Lue group is likely a direct result of the circumstances of the founder effect.

The Effects of Psychoeducation on Long-term Inpatients with Schizophrenia and Schizoaffective Disorder.

PubMed

Yanagida, Nobuhiko; Uchino, Toshiro; Uchimura, Naohisa

2017-05-08

This study aimed to examine the significance of intervention to improve medication adherence in long-term inpatients by providing psychoeducation and then elucidating the effects of this training in terms of patient knowledge and attitudes. Subjects were patients who had been hospitalized for more than 1 year after being admitted to a psychiatric hospital, had been diagnosed as F2 (schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder) according to the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Edition, and were capable of verbal communication. Patients suspected of having dementia were excluded. Items surveyed were patient background, prescriptions, Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) score, Drug Attitude Inventory-10 (DAI-10) score, and Knowledge of Illness and Drugs Inventory (KIDI) score. The amount of medication taken and GAF, DAI-10, and KIDI scores were evaluated within 1 week of starting psychoeducation and within 1 week of completing psychoeducation. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test and McNemar test was used to compare scores before and after intervention. The mean overall KIDI score increased significantly, and the mean overall DAI-10 score improved significantly after intervention. Furthermore, the mean overall KIDI score of very long-term inpatients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder increased significantly after intervention. Psychoeducation produced improvement in some areas of knowledge and attitudes towards medication among long-term inpatients. These results demonstrate that psychoeducation has an effect on long-term inpatients that is similar to the effect observed in earlier studies on patients leading community lives, including patients who have just been admitted or discharged and patients attending day care or outpatient visits.

Salvia miltiorrhiza (Dan Shen) Significantly Ameliorates Colon Inflammation in Dextran Sulfate Sodium Induced Colitis

PubMed Central

Wen, Xiao-Dong; Wang, Chong-Zhi; Yu, Chunhao; Zhang, Zhiyu; Calway, Tyler; Wang, Yunwei; Li, Ping; Yuan, Chun-Su

2014-01-01

Inflammatory bowel disease increases the risks of human colorectal cancer. In this study, the effects of Salvia miltiorrhiza extract (SME) on chemically-induced colitis in a mouse model were evaluated. Chemical composition of SME was determined by HPLC analysis. A/J mice received a single injection of AOM 7.5 mg/kg. After one week, these mice received 2.5% DSS for 8 days, or DSS plus SME (25 or 50 mg/kg). DSS-induced colitis was scored with the disease activity index (DAI). Body weight and colon length were also measured. The severity of inflammatory lesions was further evaluated by colon tissue histological assessment. HPLC assay showed that the major constituents in the tested SME were danshensu, protocatechuic aldehyde, salvianolic acid D and salvianolic acid B. In the model group, the DAI score reached its highest level on Day 8, while the SME group on both doses showed a significantly reduced DAI score (both P < 0.01). As an objective index of the severity of inflammation, colon length was reduced significantly from the vehicle group to model group. Treatment with 25 and 50 mg/kg of SME inhibited the reduction of colon in a dose-related manner (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively). SME groups also significantly reduced weight reduction (P < 0.05). Colitis histological data supported the pharmacological observations. Thus, Salvia miltiorrhiza could be a promising candidate in preventing and treating colitis and in reducing the risks of inflammation-associated colorectal cancer. PMID:24117071

Effects of Working Memory Demand on Neural Mechanisms of Motor Response Selection and Control

PubMed Central

Barber, Anita D.; Caffo, Brian S.; Pekar, James J.; Mostofsky, Stewart H.

2013-01-01

Inhibitory control commonly recruits a number of frontal regions: pre-supplementary motor area (pre-SMA), frontal eye fields (FEFs), and right-lateralized posterior inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), dorsal anterior insula (DAI), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), and inferior frontal junction (IFJ). These regions may directly implement inhibitory motor control or may be more generally involved in executive control functions. Two go/no-go tasks were used to distinguish regions specifically recruited for inhibition from those that additionally show increased activity with working memory demand. The pre-SMA and IFG were recruited for inhibition in both tasks and did not have greater activation for working memory demand on no-go trials, consistent with a role in inhibitory control. Activation in pre-SMA also responded to response selection demand and was increased with working memory on go trials specifically. The bilateral FEF and right DAI were commonly active for no-go trials. The FEF was also recruited to a greater degree with working memory demand on go trials and may bias top–down information when stimulus–response mappings change. The DAI, additionally responded to increased working memory demand on both go and no-go trials and may be involved in accessing sustained task information, alerting, or autonomic changes when cognitive demands increase. DLPFC activation was consistent with a role in working memory retrieval on both go and no-go trials. The inferior frontal junction, on the other hand, had greater activation with working memory specifically for no-go trials and may detect salient stimuli when the task requires frequent updating of working memory representations. PMID:23530923

Prevalence of orthodontic treatment need in permanent dentition of Iranian population: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.

PubMed

Eslamipour, Faezeh; Afshari, Zohreh; Najimi, Arash

2018-01-01

Malocclusion is a common oral health problem and can affect the psychosocial well-being in the long term. Therefore, in the recent decades, demand for orthodontic treatment to correct malocclusion has greatly increased worldwide. This systematic review and meta-analysis was undertaken to assess existing evidence on the prevalence of orthodontic treatment need in Iran. National and international databases were searched for articles on the prevalence of orthodontic treatment need using index of orthodontic treatment need (IOTN) and dental aesthetic index (DAI). The required data were completed by hand-searching. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the quality of articles was checked by a professional checklist. Data extraction and meta-analysis were performed. A random effects model was employed, and publication bias was checked. From a total of 443 articles that reported orthodontic treatment need in Iran, 24 articles were included in the meta-analysis process. Meta-analysis was performed on components of IOTN and DAI. The pooled prevalence of orthodontic treatment need based on Dental Health Component and Aesthetic Component of IOTN and DAI was 23.8% (19.5%-28.7%), 4.8% (3.3%-7%), and 16.1% (12.3%-20.8%). The results were found to be heterogeneous ( P < 0.05). The results of this study revealed that orthodontic treatment need was not high in the Iranian population. Considering the differing prevalence of orthodontic treatment need based on normative index and self-perceived index, it is essential to improve the people's awareness of malocclusion and its side effects on their oral and general health.

Identification of opossums Didelphis aurita (Wied-Neuweid, 1826) as a definitive host of Sarcocystis falcatula-like sporocysts.

PubMed

Gallo, Samira Salim Mello; Lindsay, David Scott; Ederli, Nicole Brand; Matteoli, Filipe Pereira; Venancio, Thiago Motta; de Oliveira, Francisco Carlos Rodrigues

2018-01-01

This study was conducted to identify the Sarcocystis species that infect the opossum Didelphis aurita in order to determine which sporocysts they are excreating in to the environment and help determine the role of D. aurita in the epidemiology of Sarcocystis. Sporocysts were obtained from intestinal tracts of 8 of 13 D. aurita trapped in Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, and were orally inoculated into Melopsittacus undulatus and Balb/c nude Mus musculus. Portions of organs and muscles were processed for histology, immunohistochemistry, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and PCR using primers JNB 33/54, and ITS. Amplification products were subjected to RFLP using DraI and HinfI. Some birds were euthanized 6, 7, 13, 16, and 24 days after inoculation (DAI). All other birds and all mice were euthanized 60 DAI. Schizonts were observed in the lungs using histology and immunostaining in birds examined prior to 60 DAI. Sarcocysts with a ~ 1.5-μm-thick wall were found in the breast, thigh, and tongue of some birds. Sarcocystis asexual stages were isolated in cell cultures inoculated with sporozoites. Parasite DNA isolated from bird tissues and cell cultures demonstrated that S. falcatula-like parasites were present in all samples derived from positive opossums. Asexual stages molecularly characterized as S. lindsayi-like were isolated in cell culture from one opossum with an apparent multiple infection. This study demonstrated that D. aurita is a definitive host for S. falcatula-like parasites and indicates that S. lindsayi-like parasites can be found in coinfections of this opossum species.

Efficacy and Safety of Mesalamine Suppositories for Treatment of Ulcerative Proctitis in Children and Adolescents

PubMed Central

Heyman, Melvin B.; Kierkus, Jaroslaw; Spénard, Jean; Shbaklo, Hadia; Giguere, Monique

2011-01-01

Background Treatment of ulcerative proctitis has not been well studied in pediatric populations. We conducted an open-label trial to evaluate the clinical efficacy of a mesalamine suppository (500 mg) to treat pediatric patients with mild to moderate ulcerative proctitis. Methods Pediatric patients (5–17 years of age) with ulcerative proctitis were enrolled for baseline evaluations, including a flexible sigmoidoscopic (or colonoscopic) assessment with biopsies performed at study entry. Eligible patients were started on mesalamine suppositories (500 mg) at bedtime. Two follow-up visits were scheduled after 3 and 6 weeks of treatment. The dose could be increased to 500 mg twice daily at the week 3 follow-up visit if deemed appropriate by the investigator based on the Disease Activity Index (DAI) assessment. The primary outcome measure was a DAI derived from a composite score of stool frequency, urgency of defecation, rectal bleeding, and general well-being. Results Forty-nine patients were included in the intent-to-treat analysis. The mean DAI value decreased from 5.5 at baseline to 1.6 and 1.5 at weeks 3 and 6, respectively (P < 0.0001). Only 4 patients had their dose increased to 500 mg twice daily at week 3. Forty-one patients experienced at least one adverse event, most of which were deemed mild and unrelated to study therapy. The most common treatment-emergent adverse events were gastrointestinal (n = 30, 61.2%). Conclusions This study showed that a daily bedtime dose of a 500 mg mesalamine suppository is safe and efficacious in children with ulcerative proctitis. PMID:20848454

Perception of personal dental appearance in Nigerian adolescents.

PubMed

Onyeaso, Chukwudi Ochi; Sanu, Oluwatosin Oluyemi

2005-06-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship among Nigerian adolescents' awareness of malocclusion, their satisfaction with personal dental appearance, and the severity of their occlusal irregularities. The sample consisted of 577 randomly selected secondary school adolescents-306 (53%) boys and 271 (47%) girls aged 12 to 17 years (mean age, 14.73 +/- 1.12). A pretested questionnaire was used to assess the subjects' awareness of malocclusion and satisfaction with personal dental appearance; the actual severity of malocclusion was determined by using the dental aesthetic index (DAI), performed by an orthodontist in a school environment under natural illumination. Statistically significant, negative, weak correlations were found between awareness of malocclusion and satisfaction at the various DAI scores as follows: < or =25 (r = -0.3774, P < .001), 26 to 30 (r = -0.4305, P < .001), 31 to 35 (r = -0.5137, P < .001), and > or =36 (r = -0.5104, P < .001). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) did not show a significant value of any of the 3 factors. Multivariate analysis with age as the covariate did not show a significant effect. Also, the association between socioeconomic status and the variables was not significant ( P > .05). Generally, no statistically significant sex differences were found in relation to the DAI scores, awareness, or satisfaction ( P > .05). Significant, negative, weak correlations were found between Nigerian adolescents' awareness of malocclusion and satisfaction with personal dental appearance at the various severity levels of malocclusion. It would be worthwhile to assess such a relationship with the index of orthodontic treatment need in the Nigerian population.

Measuring attachment to life in old age: the Portuguese version of the Positive Valuation of Life Scale (Positive VOL).

PubMed

Araújo, Lia; Ribeiro, Oscar; Teixeira, Laetitia; Azevedo, Maria João; Jopp, Daniela S; Rott, Christoph; Paúl, Constança

2015-10-01

This study aims to present the psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the Positive Valuation of Life Scale (Lawton et al. in J Aging Ment Healt 13:3-31, 2001). Sample included 207 community-dwelling elders (129 women; M Age = 77.2 years, SD = 7.5). The data collection included the translated and adapted Portuguese version of Positive Valuation of Life Scale, Life Satisfaction Index Z, Meaning in Life Questionnaire and Geriatric Depression Scale. From exploratory factor analysis, two factors emerged, existential beliefs and perceived control, explaining 49 % of the total variance. Both factors were positively related with meaning in life and life satisfaction and negatively related with depression (p < 0.05). The values obtained for internal consistency for the total scale and for each subscale were good (α > 0.75). The Portuguese version of Positive VOL Scale represents a reliable and valid measure to capture the subjective experience of attachment to one's life. The two-factor structure is an update to Lawton's previous work and in line with findings obtained in the USA (Dennis et al. in What is valuation of life for frail community-dwelling older adults: factor structure and criterion validity of the VOL, Thomas Jefferson University, Center for Applied Research on Aging and Health Research, 2005) and Japan (Nakagawa et al. in Shinrigaku Kenkyu 84:37-46, 2013). Future research is required to investigate VOL predictors and the potential changes toward the end of the life span.

The National Shipbuilding Research Program, Analytical Quality Circles

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-09-01

standard tools for quality control, in English, see “Guide to Quality Control” by Dr. Kaoru Ishikawa , Asian Productivity Organization, Aoyama Dai-ichi...factors affect work evaluation is shown schemati- cally by Characteristic-Factor Diagrams (also called Fishbone or Ishikawa Diagrams), see Figure 2-5

77 FR 25375 - Emergency Planning Zone

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-30

... health and safety in light of the real-world experience of the Chernobyl and Fukushima disasters, which... the following paragraphs. Chernobyl, September 11, and Fukushima Experiences The petitioner cites reports and findings regarding the Chernobyl and Fukushima Dai-ichi accidents, and the September 11, 2001...

76 FR 55723 - Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, Sequoyah Nuclear Plant Units 1 and 2 License...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-08

... environmentally unacceptable conditions. Following the events at the Fukushima (Japan) Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant... the Fukushima accident is unlikely to occur at any TVA plant. Nonetheless, the effort has resulted in... the Fukushima Dai-ichi Accident, concluded that continued operation and continued licensing activities...

Measurement of dissolved Cs-137 in stream water, soil water and groundwater at Headwater Forested Catchment in Fukushima after Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iwagami, Sho; Tsujimura, Maki; Onda, Yuichi; Sakakibara, Koichi; Konuma, Ryohei; Sato, Yutaro

2016-04-01

Radiocesium migration from headwater forested catchment is important perception as output from the forest which is also input to the subsequent various land use and downstream rivers after Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident. In this study, dissolved Cs-137 concentration of stream water, soil water and groundwater were measured. Observations were conducted at headwater catchment in Yamakiya district, located 35 km northwest of FDNPP from April 2014 to November 2015. Stream water discharge was monitored and stream water samples were taken at main channel and sub channel. Stream water discharge was monitored by combination of parshallflume and v-notch weir. Stream water was sampled manually at steady state condition in 3-4 month interval and also intense few hours interval sampling were conducted during rainfall events using automated water sampler. Around the sub channel, it is found that there is a regularly saturated area at the bottom of the slope, temporary saturated area which saturate during the rainy season in summer and regularly dry area. 6 interval cameras were installed to monitor the changing situation of saturated area. Suction lysimeters were installed at three areas (regularly saturated area, temporary saturated area and dry area) for sampling soil water in depth of 0.1 m and 0.3 m. Boreholes were installed at three points along the sub channel. Three boreholes with depth of 3 m, 5 m and 10 m were installed at temporary saturated area, 20 m upstream of sub channel weir. Another three boreholes with depth of 3 m, 5 m and 10 m were installed at dry area, 40 m upstream of sub channel weir. And a borehole with depth of 20 m was installed at ridge of sub catchment, 52 m upstream of sub channel weir. Groundwater was sampled by electrically powered pump and groundwater level was monitored. Also suction-free lysimeter was installed at temporary saturated area for sampling the near surface subsurface water. Soil water samples were collected

Estimating the Duration of Public Concern After the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station Accident From the Occurrence of Radiation Exposure-Related Terms on Twitter: A Retrospective Data Analysis

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Background After the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station accident in Japan on March 11, 2011, a large number of comments, both positive and negative, were posted on social media. Objective The objective of this study was to clarify the characteristics of the trend in the number of tweets posted on Twitter, and to estimate how long public concern regarding the accident continued. We surveyed the attenuation period of the first term occurrence related to radiation exposure as a surrogate endpoint for the duration of concern. Methods We retrieved 18,891,284 tweets from Twitter data between March 11, 2011 and March 10, 2012, containing 143 variables in Japanese. We selected radiation, radioactive, Sievert (Sv), Becquerel (Bq), and gray (Gy) as keywords to estimate the attenuation period of public concern regarding radiation exposure. These data, formatted as comma-separated values, were transferred into a Statistical Analysis System (SAS) dataset for analysis, and survival analysis methodology was followed using the SAS LIFETEST procedure. This study was approved by the institutional review board of Hokkaido University and informed consent was waived. Results A Kaplan-Meier curve was used to show the rate of Twitter users posting a message after the accident that included one or more of the keywords. The term Sv occurred in tweets up to one year after the first tweet. Among the Twitter users studied, 75.32% (880,108/1,168,542) tweeted the word radioactive and 9.20% (107,522/1,168,542) tweeted the term Sv. The first reduction was observed within the first 7 days after March 11, 2011. The means and standard errors (SEs) of the duration from the first tweet on March 11, 2011 were 31.9 days (SE 0.096) for radioactive and 300.6 days (SE 0.181) for Sv. These keywords were still being used at the end of the study period. The mean attenuation period for radioactive was one month, and approximately one year for radiation and radiation units. The difference in mean duration

Reconsideration of the Coexistence of Buddhist Temple Education and State Education in Xishuangbanna, China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Jing; Moore, Danièle

2014-01-01

This paper presents data gathered in interviews with 29 informants in Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan, China--an administrative region with Theravada Buddhist religious identity. The data highlight tensions between the traditional faith-based education provided by Theravada Buddhist temple schools and secular state education. The…

Using within-day hive weight changes to measure environmental effects on honey bee colonies

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Patterns in within-day hive weight data from two independent datasets in Arizona and California were modeled using piecewise regression, and analyzed with respect to honey bee colony behavior and landscape effects. The regression analysis yielded information on the start and finish of a colony’s dai...

76 FR 70913 - Retrospective Review Under Executive Order 13579

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-16

... Fukushima Task Force Report. DATES: November 16, 2011. ADDRESSES: You can access publicly available... Enhancing Reactor Safety in the 21st Century: The Near-Term Task Force Review of Insights from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Accident'' (Fukushima Task Force Report, ML111861807), was issued. The Commission has...

76 FR 58165 - Petitions for Rulemaking Submitted by the Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc.

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-20

...-Term Task Force Review of Insights from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Accident'' (Fukushima Task Force Report... the Fukushima Task Force Report for the purpose of providing the Commission with fully-informed... recommendations from the Fukushima Task Force Report, and is not providing a separate opportunity for public...

The Dairy Greenhouse Gas Model: A Tool for estimating greenhouse gas emissions and the carbon footprint of dairy production systems

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and their potential impact on the environment has become an important national and international concern. Animal agriculture is a recognized source of GHG emissions, but good information does not exist on the net emissions from our farms. A software tool called the Dai...

Hole and Electron Extraction Layers Based on Graphene Oxide Derivatives for High-Performance Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-01

Yuhua Xue , Yunxiang Gao , Dingshan Yu , Michael Durstock , and Liming Dai * Hole and Electron Extraction Layers Based on Graphene Oxide...H. Wu , L. Chen , S. Su , Y. Cao , Adv. Mater. 2011 , 23 , 4636 . [ 29 ] T.-Y. Chu , S.-W. Tsang , J. Zhou , P. G. Verly , J

Impact of self-esteem on the oral-health-related quality of life of children with malocclusion.

PubMed

Agou, Shoroog; Locker, David; Streiner, David L; Tompson, Bryan

2008-10-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between self-esteem and oral-health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in a sample of children seeking orthodontic treatment in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. This was a cross-sectional study of children aged 11 to 14 years, evaluating the associations among the child perception questionnaire (CPQ11-14), the self-esteem subscale of the child health questionnaire, and the dental aesthetic index (DAI). The CPQ11-14 scores were significantly related to the self-esteem scores and the DAI ratings. Regression analysis showed that self-esteem contributed significantly to the variance in CPQ11-14 scores. However, the amount of variance explained by normative measures of malocclusion was relatively small. The impact of malocclusion on quality of life is substantial in children with low self-esteem. Compared with normative measures of malocclusion, self-esteem is a more salient determinant of OHRQoL in children seeking orthodontic treatment. Longitudinal data will be of value to confirm this finding.

Changing Faces of Reform. Proceedings of the Annual Rural & Small Schools Conference (18th, Manhattan, Kansas, October 27-28, 1996).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kansas State Univ., Manhattan. Center for Rural Education and Small Schools.

This proceedings contains abstracts of 21 presentations. Titles and presenters are: "Teaching and Learning in Multiage Classrooms" (Laura Blevins and others); "Leadership, School Reform and the Rural School Superintendent" (Mike Boone); "Teaching English as a Second Language from Theory to Practice" (Mingsheng Dai); "A Guide for Central Office…

Effects of 7-O substitutions on estrogenic and anti-estrogenic activities of daidzein analogues in MCF-7 breast cancer cells

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Daidzein (1) is a natural estrogenic isoflavone. We report here that 1 can be transformed into an antiestrogenic ligand by simple alkyl substitutions of the 7-hydroxyl hydrogen. To test the effect of such structural modifications on the hormonal activities of the resulting compounds, a series of dai...

What We Know about Literacy Practices for Adults with Learning Disabilities: A Review of Published Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scanlon, David; Mellard, Daryl F.; Garrison, Steven; Lancaster, Sean; Mellard, Jessica; Rausch, Trena

The research on literacy practices for adults with learning disabilities was reviewed. A computerized search of four databases--Dissertation Abstracts International (DAI), ERIC, Psychological Abstracts (PA), and Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI)--yielded more than 500 pertinent publications that were published during the past 14 years. Of the…

78 FR 44034 - Petition for Rulemaking Submitted by the Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc.

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-23

... the Fukushima Dai-ichi Accident,'' (Fukushima Task Force Report, ADAMS Accession No. ML111861807..., pages 43-46, of the Fukushima Task Force Report, which discusses the enhancement of spent fuel pool... Commission was still in the process of reviewing the Fukushima Task Force Report, and the NRC did not...

76 FR 44377 - Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS); Meeting of the ACRS Subcommittee on Fukushima...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-25

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS); Meeting of the ACRS Subcommittee on Fukushima; Notice of Meeting The ACRS Subcommittee on Fukushima will hold a meeting on August... task force review of the events at the Fukushima Dai-Ichi reactor site in Japan. The Subcommittee will...

Three Dimensionally Interconnected Silicon Nanomembranes for Optical Phased Array (OPA) and Optical True Time Delay (TTD) Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-06-01

Nanophotonic Waveguides," J. Lightwave Technol. 25 (1), 151-156 (2007). [7-4] Yongbo Tang, Zhechao Wang, Lech Wosinski, Urban Westergren, and Sailing...Waveguides," Photonics Journal, IEEE 3 (2), 203-208 (2011). [8-25] Zhechao Wang, Ning Zhu, Yongbo Tang, Lech Wosinski, Daoxin Dai, and Sailing He

Assessing dangerous climate change through an update of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) "reasons for concern".

PubMed

Smith, Joel B; Schneider, Stephen H; Oppenheimer, Michael; Yohe, Gary W; Hare, William; Mastrandrea, Michael D; Patwardhan, Anand; Burton, Ian; Corfee-Morlot, Jan; Magadza, Chris H D; Füssel, Hans-Martin; Pittock, A Barrie; Rahman, Atiq; Suarez, Avelino; van Ypersele, Jean-Pascal

2009-03-17

Article 2 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change [United Nations (1992) http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/convkp/conveng.pdf. Accessed February 9, 2009] commits signatory nations to stabilizing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that "would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference (DAI) with the climate system." In an effort to provide some insight into impacts of climate change that might be considered DAI, authors of the Third Assessment Report (TAR) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) identified 5 "reasons for concern" (RFCs). Relationships between various impacts reflected in each RFC and increases in global mean temperature (GMT) were portrayed in what has come to be called the "burning embers diagram." In presenting the "embers" in the TAR, IPCC authors did not assess whether any single RFC was more important than any other; nor did they conclude what level of impacts or what atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases would constitute DAI, a value judgment that would be policy prescriptive. Here, we describe revisions of the sensitivities of the RFCs to increases in GMT and a more thorough understanding of the concept of vulnerability that has evolved over the past 8 years. This is based on our expert judgment about new findings in the growing literature since the publication of the TAR in 2001, including literature that was assessed in the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report (AR4), as well as additional research published since AR4. Compared with results reported in the TAR, smaller increases in GMT are now estimated to lead to significant or substantial consequences in the framework of the 5 "reasons for concern."

Behaviors Related to Mosquito-Borne Diseases among Different Ethnic Minority Groups along the China-Laos Border Areas.

PubMed

Wu, Chao; Guo, Xiaofang; Zhao, Jun; Lv, Quan; Li, Hongbin; McNeil, Edward B; Chongsuvivatwong, Virasakdi; Zhou, Hongning

2017-10-15

Background : In China, mosquito-borne diseases are most common in the sub-tropical area of Yunnan province. The objective of this study was to examine behaviors related to mosquito-borne diseases in different ethnic minority groups and different socioeconomic groups of people living in this region. Methods : A stratified two-stage cluster sampling technique with probability proportional to size was used in Mengla County, Xishuangbanna Prefecture, Yunnan. Twelve villages were used to recruit adult (≥18 years old) and eight schools were used for children (<18 years old). A questionnaire on behaviors and environment variables related to mosquito-borne diseases was devised. Results : Multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) grouped 20 behaviors into three domains, namely, environmental condition, bed net use behaviors, and repellent use behaviors, respectively. The Han ethnicity had the lowest odds of rearing pigs, their odds being significantly lower than those of Yi and Yao. For bed net use, Dai and other ethnic minority groups were less likely to use bed nets compared to Yi and Yao. The odds of repellent use in the Han ethnicity was lower than in Yi, but higher than in Dai. The Dai group was the most likely ethnicity to use repellents. Farmers were at a higher risk for pig rearing and not using repellents. Education of less than primary school held the lowest odds of pig rearing. Those with low income were at a higher risk for not using bed nets and repellent except in pig rearing. Those with a small family size were at a lower risk for pig rearing. Conclusion : Different ethnic and socioeconomic groups in the study areas require different specific emphases for the prevention of mosquito-borne diseases.

Attitudes Toward Medications and the Relationship to Outcomes in Patients with Schizophrenia.

PubMed

Campbell, Angela H; Scalo, Julieta F; Crismon, M Lynn; Barner, Jamie C; Argo, Tami R; Lawson, Kenneth A; Miller, Alexander

The determinants of attitudes toward medication (ATM) are not well elucidated. In particular, literature remains equivocal regarding the influence of cognition, adverse events, and psychiatric symptomatology. This study evaluated relationships between those outcomes in schizophrenia and ATM. This is a retrospective analysis of data collected during the Texas Medication Algorithm Project (TMAP, n=307 with schizophrenia-related diagnoses), in outpatient clinics at baseline and every 3 months for ≥1 year (for cognition: 3rd and 9th month only). The Drug Attitude Inventory (DAI-30) measured ATM, and independent variables were: cognition (Trail Making Test [TMT], Verbal Fluency Test, Hopkins Verbal Learning Test), adverse events (Systematic Assessment for Treatment-Emergent Adverse Events, Barnes Akathisia Rating Scale), psychiatric symptomatology (Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, Scale for Assessment of Negative Symptoms [SANS]), and medication adherence (Medication Compliance Scale). Analyses included binary logistic regression (cognition, psychiatric symptoms) and chi-square (adverse events, adherence) for baseline comparisons, and linear regression (cognition) or ANOVA (adverse events, adherence) for changes over time. Mean DAI-30 scores did not change over 12 months. Odds of positive ATM increased with higher TMT Part B scores (p=0.03) and lower SANS scores (p=0.02). Worsening of general psychopathology (p<0.001), positive symptoms (p<0.001), and negative symptoms (p=0.007) correlated with negative changes in DAI-30 scores. Relationships between cognition, negative symptoms, and ATM warrant further investigation. Studies evaluating therapies for cognitive deficits and negative symptoms should consider including ATM measures as endpoints. Patterns and inconsistencies in findings across studies raise questions about whether some factors thought to influence ATM have nonlinear relationships.

Prevalence of orthodontic treatment need in permanent dentition of Iranian population: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies

PubMed Central

Eslamipour, Faezeh; Afshari, Zohreh; Najimi, Arash

2018-01-01

Background: Malocclusion is a common oral health problem and can affect the psychosocial well-being in the long term. Therefore, in the recent decades, demand for orthodontic treatment to correct malocclusion has greatly increased worldwide. This systematic review and meta-analysis was undertaken to assess existing evidence on the prevalence of orthodontic treatment need in Iran. Materials and Methods: National and international databases were searched for articles on the prevalence of orthodontic treatment need using index of orthodontic treatment need (IOTN) and dental aesthetic index (DAI). The required data were completed by hand-searching. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the quality of articles was checked by a professional checklist. Data extraction and meta-analysis were performed. A random effects model was employed, and publication bias was checked. Results: From a total of 443 articles that reported orthodontic treatment need in Iran, 24 articles were included in the meta-analysis process. Meta-analysis was performed on components of IOTN and DAI. The pooled prevalence of orthodontic treatment need based on Dental Health Component and Aesthetic Component of IOTN and DAI was 23.8% (19.5%–28.7%), 4.8% (3.3%–7%), and 16.1% (12.3%-20.8%). The results were found to be heterogeneous (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The results of this study revealed that orthodontic treatment need was not high in the Iranian population. Considering the differing prevalence of orthodontic treatment need based on normative index and self-perceived index, it is essential to improve the people's awareness of malocclusion and its side effects on their oral and general health. PMID:29497441

Dendrite segregation in Ni3Al-based intermetallic single crystals alloyed with Cr, Mo, W, Ti, Co, and Re

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drozdov, A. A.; Povarova, K. B.; Morozov, A. E.; Antonova, A. V.; Bulakhtina, M. A.; Alad'ev, N. A.

2015-07-01

The character of dendrite segregation in Ni3Al-based intermetallic VKNA-type alloy single crystals with a dendritic-cellular structure is studied. Distribution coefficient k d of an alloying element (AE) in the alloy during solidification k d = c d.a.I/ c 0 ( c 0 is the AE content in the alloy (liquid phase composition), c d.a.I is the AE content in primary dendrite arms of the alloy (in the solid phase)) and segregation coefficient k s = c d.a.I/ c i.d ( c i.d is the AE content in the interdendritic space) have been found. A comparative study of the dendrite segregation parameters in VKNA-nype Ni3Al-based intermetallic alloys and the well-known ZhS36-type nickel superalloy shows that the intermetallic alloys satisfy to the rule deduced for two- and three-component nickel-based superalloys: if an introduced AE increases the melting temperature of the basic metal, we have k d > 1 (Co, W, Re); if it decreases the melting temperature, we have k d < 1 (Al, Ti, Cr, Mo). Dendrite segregation coefficients k s are dependent on the proportion of the AE contents in the alloys. In nickel superalloys, the dendrite segregation of aluminum, tungsten, and rhenium is higher than that in the intermetallic alloys. The dendrite segregation coefficients of tungsten and rhenium is higher by a factor of 1.5-2 than that in the VKNA-type intermetallic alloys with a low content of refractory metals. This can be due to the retardation of diffusion of refractory metals in the solid phase of a nickel superalloy highly alloyed with these elements.

Assessment of orthodontic treatment need among tribal children of Indore division, Central India

PubMed Central

MURALIDHARAN, SHRIKANTH; GOWDA, SRINIVASA; AMBEKAR, RUTUJA; RATHORE, BHUPENDRA S.; CHABRA, SAKSHI; LALANI, AFSHEEN; HARANI, HARSH

2018-01-01

Introduction India is home to many tribes which have an interesting and varied history of origins, customs and social practices. Oral health care in tribal areas is limited due to shortage of dental manpower, financial constraints and the lack of perceived need for dental care among tribal masses. Objective To assess orthodontic treatment need among tribal children of Indore division, Central India. Methods A cross-sectional house to house survey was carried out among 800 tribal children aged 5 to 15 years old in two major tribal districts of Indore division. Permissions and consent were obtained from local administrative authorities, ethical committee and parents respectively. A structured proforma was used to record demographic data. Examination for dentofacial anomalies was conducted according to WHO 1997 survey methods. Descriptive tables and analytical tests like ANOVA, post-hoc and chi-square test were employed. Results The mean age was 9.75(±2.43) years. The mean DAI score among 12 to 15 years old children was 23.19±5.22. Female exhibited higher (24.51±5.34) mean DAI score compared to males (22.12±4.87) (p<0.05). The Patelia tribes (24.38±5.13) reported higher mean DAI score than Bhilala (23.02±5.69) and Bhil tribe (22.73±4.79) (p<0.005). Conclusion The tribal children had minor malocclusion with no or slight treatment need. Categorization of orthodontic treatment need according to malocclusion severity is particularly important for the planning of corresponding public policies. The isolation of the villages, lack of transportation options imposes limitations on the availability of health professionals to provide dental services. PMID:29440959

Assessment of orthodontic treatment need among tribal children of Indore division, Central India.

PubMed

Muralidharan, Shrikanth; Chauhan, Astha; Gowda, Srinivasa; Ambekar, Rutuja; Rathore, Bhupendra S; Chabra, Sakshi; Lalani, Afsheen; Harani, Harsh

2018-01-01

India is home to many tribes which have an interesting and varied history of origins, customs and social practices. Oral health care in tribal areas is limited due to shortage of dental manpower, financial constraints and the lack of perceived need for dental care among tribal masses. To assess orthodontic treatment need among tribal children of Indore division, Central India. A cross-sectional house to house survey was carried out among 800 tribal children aged 5 to 15 years old in two major tribal districts of Indore division. Permissions and consent were obtained from local administrative authorities, ethical committee and parents respectively. A structured proforma was used to record demographic data. Examination for dentofacial anomalies was conducted according to WHO 1997 survey methods. Descriptive tables and analytical tests like ANOVA, post-hoc and chi-square test were employed. The mean age was 9.75(±2.43) years. The mean DAI score among 12 to 15 years old children was 23.19±5.22. Female exhibited higher (24.51±5.34) mean DAI score compared to males (22.12±4.87) (p<0.05). The Patelia tribes (24.38±5.13) reported higher mean DAI score than Bhilala (23.02±5.69) and Bhil tribe (22.73±4.79) (p<0.005). The tribal children had minor malocclusion with no or slight treatment need. Categorization of orthodontic treatment need according to malocclusion severity is particularly important for the planning of corresponding public policies. The isolation of the villages, lack of transportation options imposes limitations on the availability of health professionals to provide dental services.

Proteome Analysis of Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Mutants Reveals Differentially Induced Proteins during Brown Planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens) Infestation

PubMed Central

Sangha, Jatinder Singh; Yolanda, H. Chen; Kaur, Jatinder; Khan, Wajahatullah; Abduljaleel, Zainularifeen; Alanazi, Mohammed S.; Mills, Aaron; Adalla, Candida B.; Bennett, John; Prithiviraj, Balakrishnan; Jahn, Gary C.; Leung, Hei

2013-01-01

Although rice resistance plays an important role in controlling the brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens, not all varieties have the same level of protection against BPH infestation. Understanding the molecular interactions in rice defense response is an important tool to help to reveal unexplained processes that underlie rice resistance to BPH. A proteomics approach was used to explore how wild type IR64 and near-isogenic rice mutants with gain and loss of resistance to BPH respond during infestation. A total of 65 proteins were found markedly altered in wild type IR64 during BPH infestation. Fifty-two proteins associated with 11 functional categories were identified using mass spectrometry. Protein abundance was less altered at 2 and 14 days after infestation (DAI) (T1, T2, respectively), whereas higher protein levels were observed at 28 DAI (T3). This trend diminished at 34 DAI (T4). Comparative analysis of IR64 with mutants showed 22 proteins that may be potentially associated with rice resistance to the brown planthopper (BPH). Ten proteins were altered in susceptible mutant (D1131) whereas abundance of 12 proteins including S-like RNase, Glyoxalase I, EFTu1 and Salt stress root protein “RS1” was differentially changed in resistant mutant (D518). S-like RNase was found in greater quantities in D518 after BPH infestation but remained unchanged in IR64 and decreased in D1131. Taken together, this study shows a noticeable level of protein abundance in the resistant mutant D518 compared to the susceptible mutant D1131 that may be involved in rendering enhanced level of resistance against BPH. PMID:23434671

Comparison of transcript profiles in different life stages of the nematode Globodera pallida under different host potato genotypes.

PubMed

Palomares-Rius, Juan E; Hedley, Pete E; Cock, Peter J A; Morris, Jenny A; Jones, John T; Vovlas, Nikos; Blok, Vivian

2012-12-01

The potato cyst nematodes (PCNs) Globodera pallida and Globodera rostochiensis are important parasites of potato. PCNs undergo complex biotrophic interactions with their hosts that involve gene expression changes in both the nematode and the host plant. The aim of this study was to determine key genes that are differentially expressed in Globodera pallida life cycle stages and during the initiation of the feeding site in susceptible and partially resistant potato genotypes. For this purpose, two microarray experiments were designed: (i) a comparison of eggs, infective second-stage juveniles (J2s) and sedentary parasitic-stage J2s (SJ2); (ii) a comparison of SJ2s at 8 days after inoculation (DAI) in the susceptible cultivar (Desirée) and two partially resistant lines. The results showed differential expression of G. pallida genes during the stages studied, including previously characterized effectors. In addition, a large number of genes changed their expression between SJ2s in the susceptible cultivar and those infecting partially resistant lines; the number of genes with modified expression was lower when the two partially resistant lines were compared. Moreover, a histopathological study was performed at several time points (7, 14 and 30 DAI) and showed the similarities between both partially resistant lines with a delay and degeneration in the formation of the syncytia in comparison with the susceptible cultivar. Females at 30 DAI in partially resistant lines showed a delay in their development in comparison with those in the susceptible cultivar. © 2012 THE AUTHORS. MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY © 2012 BSPP AND BLACKWELL PUBLISHING LTD.

Xenon-133 and caesium-137 releases into the atmosphere from the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant: determination of the source term, atmospheric dispersion, and deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stohl, A.; Seibert, P.; Wotawa, G.; Arnold, D.; Burkhart, J. F.; Eckhardt, S.; Tapia, C.; Vargas, A.; Yasunari, T. J.

2012-04-01

This presentation will show the results of a paper currently under review in ACPD and some additional new results, including more data and with an independent box modeling approach to support some of the findings of the ACPD paper. On 11 March 2011, an earthquake occurred about 130 km off the Pacific coast of Japan's main island Honshu, followed by a large tsunami. The resulting loss of electric power at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant (FD-NPP) developed into a disaster causing massive release of radioactivity into the atmosphere. In this study, we determine the emissions of two isotopes, the noble gas xenon-133 (133Xe) and the aerosol-bound caesium-137 (137Cs), which have very different release characteristics as well as behavior in the atmosphere. To determine radionuclide emissions as a function of height and time until 20 April, we made a first guess of release rates based on fuel inventories and documented accident events at the site. This first guess was subsequently improved by inverse modeling, which combined the first guess with the results of an atmospheric transport model, FLEXPART, and measurement data from several dozen stations in Japan, North America and other regions. We used both atmospheric activity concentration measurements as well as, for 137Cs, measurements of bulk deposition. Regarding 133Xe, we find a total release of 16.7 (uncertainty range 13.4-20.0) EBq, which is the largest radioactive noble gas release in history not associated with nuclear bomb testing. There is strong evidence that the first strong 133Xe release started early, before active venting was performed. The entire noble gas inventory of reactor units 1-3 was set free into the atmosphere between 11 and 15 March 2011. For 137Cs, the inversion results give a total emission of 35.8 (23.3-50.1) PBq, or about 42% of the estimated Chernobyl emission. Our results indicate that 137Cs emissions peaked on 14-15 March but were generally high from 12 until 19 March, when they

Xenon-133 and caesium-137 releases into the atmosphere from the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant: determination of the source term, atmospheric dispersion, and deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stohl, A.; Seibert, P.; Wotawa, G.; Arnold, D.; Burkhart, J. F.; Eckhardt, S.; Tapia, C.; Vargas, A.; Yasunari, T. J.

2011-10-01

On 11 March 2011, an earthquake occurred about 130 km off the Pacific coast of Japan's main island Honshu, followed by a large tsunami. The resulting loss of electric power at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant (FD-NPP) developed into a disaster causing massive release of radioactivity into the atmosphere. In this study, we determine the emissions of two isotopes, the noble gas xenon-133 (133Xe) and the aerosol-bound caesium-137 (137Cs), which have very different release characteristics as well as behavior in the atmosphere. To determine radionuclide emissions as a function of height and time until 20 April, we made a first guess of release rates based on fuel inventories and documented accident events at the site. This first guess was subsequently improved by inverse modeling, which combined the first guess with the results of an atmospheric transport model, FLEXPART, and measurement data from several dozen stations in Japan, North America and other regions. We used both atmospheric activity concentration measurements as well as, for 137Cs, measurements of bulk deposition. Regarding 133Xe, we find a total release of 16.7 (uncertainty range 13.4-20.0) EBq, which is the largest radioactive noble gas release in history not associated with nuclear bomb testing. There is strong evidence that the first strong 133Xe release started very early, possibly immediately after the earthquake and the emergency shutdown on 11 March at 06:00 UTC. The entire noble gas inventory of reactor units 1-3 was set free into the atmosphere between 11 and 15 March 2011. For 137Cs, the inversion results give a total emission of 35.8 (23.3-50.1) PBq, or about 42% of the estimated Chernobyl emission. Our results indicate that 137Cs emissions peaked on 14-15 March but were generally high from 12 until 19 March, when they suddenly dropped by orders of magnitude exactly when spraying of water on the spent-fuel pool of unit 4 started. This indicates that emissions were not only coming from

The Nature and Nurture of Giftedness: A New Framework for Understanding Gifted Education. Education & Psychology of the Gifted Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dai, David Yun

2010-01-01

With unprecedented scope and vision, Dr. Dai systematically redefines giftedness and proposes a new framework for the field of gifted education. He identifies nine essential tensions, revolving around three core questions: What do we know about the respective roles of natural ability, environment and experiences, and personal effort in talent…

77 FR 16483 - Petition for Rulemaking Submitted by the Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc.

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-21

... Enhancing Reactor Safety in the 21st Century: The Near-Term Task Force Review of Insights from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Accident'' (Fukushima Task Force Report, ADAMS Accession No. ML111861807), dated July 12..., of the Fukushima Task Force Report, regarding the enhancement of the ability of nuclear power plants...

Characterizing drought for forested landscapes and streams

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The changing nature of drought is a growing global concern (Cook et al. 2015, Dai 2011, Seneviratne et al. 2010, Sheffield and Wood 2008b, Trenberth et al. 2014, Wilhite et al. 2014). Drought can be a severe natural disaster with substantial social and economic consequences affecting large areas wit...

More Supernova Surprises

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-09-24

originated in South America. E veryone appreciates the beauty of dai- sies, chrysanthemums, and sunfl ow- ers, and many of us enjoy eating lettuce ...few fossils. On page 1621 of this issue, Barreda et al. ( 1) describe an unusually well-preserved new fossil that sheds light on the history of

Selected Readings in Transition: Cultural Differences, Chronic Illness, and Job Matching. Volume 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dais, Teresa; And Others

This collection of four papers examines various aspects of the transition from school to adulthood and employment for individuals with disabilities. The first paper, "An Analysis of Transition Assessment Practices: Do They Recognize Cultural Differences?" (Teresa A. Dais), discusses the need for assessment practices to meet the needs of culturally…

Estimating the Duration of Public Concern After the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station Accident From the Occurrence of Radiation Exposure-Related Terms on Twitter: A Retrospective Data Analysis.

PubMed

Nishimoto, Naoki; Ota, Mizuki; Yagahara, Ayako; Ogasawara, Katsuhiko

2016-11-25

After the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station accident in Japan on March 11, 2011, a large number of comments, both positive and negative, were posted on social media. The objective of this study was to clarify the characteristics of the trend in the number of tweets posted on Twitter, and to estimate how long public concern regarding the accident continued. We surveyed the attenuation period of the first term occurrence related to radiation exposure as a surrogate endpoint for the duration of concern. We retrieved 18,891,284 tweets from Twitter data between March 11, 2011 and March 10, 2012, containing 143 variables in Japanese. We selected radiation, radioactive, Sievert (Sv), Becquerel (Bq), and gray (Gy) as keywords to estimate the attenuation period of public concern regarding radiation exposure. These data, formatted as comma-separated values, were transferred into a Statistical Analysis System (SAS) dataset for analysis, and survival analysis methodology was followed using the SAS LIFETEST procedure. This study was approved by the institutional review board of Hokkaido University and informed consent was waived. A Kaplan-Meier curve was used to show the rate of Twitter users posting a message after the accident that included one or more of the keywords. The term Sv occurred in tweets up to one year after the first tweet. Among the Twitter users studied, 75.32% (880,108/1,168,542) tweeted the word radioactive and 9.20% (107,522/1,168,542) tweeted the term Sv. The first reduction was observed within the first 7 days after March 11, 2011. The means and standard errors (SEs) of the duration from the first tweet on March 11, 2011 were 31.9 days (SE 0.096) for radioactive and 300.6 days (SE 0.181) for Sv. These keywords were still being used at the end of the study period. The mean attenuation period for radioactive was one month, and approximately one year for radiation and radiation units. The difference in mean duration between the keywords was attributed

Fukushima nuclear power plant accident was preventable

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanoglu, Utku; Synolakis, Costas

2015-04-01

On 11 March 2011, the fourth largest earthquake in recorded history triggered a large tsunami, which will probably be remembered from the dramatic live pictures in a country, which is possibly the most tsunami-prepared in the world. The earthquake and tsunami caused a major nuclear power plant (NPP) accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi, owned by Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO). The accident was likely more severe than the 1979 Three Mile Island and less severe than the Chernobyl 1986 accidents. Yet, after the 26 December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami had hit the Madras Atomic Power Station there had been renewed interest in the resilience of NPPs to tsunamis. The 11 March 2011 tsunami hit the Onagawa, Fukushima Dai-ichi, Fukushima Dai-ni, and Tokai Dai-ni NPPs, all located approximately in a 230km stretch along the east coast of Honshu. The Onagawa NPP was the closest to the source and was hit by an approximately height of 13m tsunami, of the same height as the one that hit the Fukushima Dai-ichi. Even though the Onagawa site also subsided by 1m, the tsunami did not reach to the main critical facilities. As the International Atomic Energy Agency put it, the Onagawa NPP survived the event "remarkably undamaged." At Fukushima Dai-ichi, the three reactors in operation were shut down due to strong ground shaking. The earthquake damaged all offsite electric transmission facilities. Emergency diesel generators (EDGs) provided back up power and started cooling down the reactors. However, the tsunami flooded the facilities damaging 12 of its 13 EDGs and caused a blackout. Among the consequences were hydrogen explosions that released radioactive material in the environment. It is unfortunately clear that TEPCO and Japan's principal regulator Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) had failed in providing a professional hazard analysis for the plant, even though their last assessment had taken place only months before the accident. The main reasons are the following. One

76 FR 70067 - Taxpayers and Ratepayers United, et al.; Environmental Impacts of Severe Reactor and Spent Fuel...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-10

... environmental issues raised in the Fukushima Task Force Report. The NRC is not instituting a public comment... Reactor Safety in the 21st Century: The Near-Term Task Force Review of Insights from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Accident'' (Fukushima Task Force Report, ADAMS Accession No. ML111861807), dated July 12, 2011, as...

A Study of Strategic Lessons Learned in Vietnam. Volume III. US Foreign Policy and Vietnam 1945-1975

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-02-15

itself, a threat. According to Mr. Lord, Global interdependence is no longer a slogan, but an insistent reality. The crises of oil, food , and infla...conflict and dis- approve of French colonialist objectives. a. Not recognize Bao Dai because of Asian perception of him as a puppet of the Franch . b. Not

The Other in Education: The Distance between School Education and Local Culture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hongcheng, Shen; Minhui, Qian

2010-01-01

By means of an investigation into the school education of the Dai people in Dehong, Yunnan province, this article expounds on the interactive relationship between modern education and local culture and the problems of cultural adaptation among ethnic minority students. School education, as a symbol of state power, always endeavors to transform…

Assessing dangerous climate change through an update of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) “reasons for concern”

PubMed Central

Smith, Joel B.; Schneider, Stephen H.; Oppenheimer, Michael; Yohe, Gary W.; Hare, William; Mastrandrea, Michael D.; Patwardhan, Anand; Burton, Ian; Corfee-Morlot, Jan; Magadza, Chris H. D.; Füssel, Hans-Martin; Pittock, A. Barrie; Rahman, Atiq; Suarez, Avelino; van Ypersele, Jean-Pascal

2009-01-01

Article 2 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change [United Nations (1992) http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/convkp/conveng.pdf. Accessed February 9, 2009] commits signatory nations to stabilizing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that “would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference (DAI) with the climate system.” In an effort to provide some insight into impacts of climate change that might be considered DAI, authors of the Third Assessment Report (TAR) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) identified 5 “reasons for concern” (RFCs). Relationships between various impacts reflected in each RFC and increases in global mean temperature (GMT) were portrayed in what has come to be called the “burning embers diagram.” In presenting the “embers” in the TAR, IPCC authors did not assess whether any single RFC was more important than any other; nor did they conclude what level of impacts or what atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases would constitute DAI, a value judgment that would be policy prescriptive. Here, we describe revisions of the sensitivities of the RFCs to increases in GMT and a more thorough understanding of the concept of vulnerability that has evolved over the past 8 years. This is based on our expert judgment about new findings in the growing literature since the publication of the TAR in 2001, including literature that was assessed in the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report (AR4), as well as additional research published since AR4. Compared with results reported in the TAR, smaller increases in GMT are now estimated to lead to significant or substantial consequences in the framework of the 5 “reasons for concern.” PMID:19251662

Behaviors Related to Mosquito-Borne Diseases among Different Ethnic Minority Groups along the China-Laos Border Areas

PubMed Central

Wu, Chao; Guo, Xiaofang; Zhao, Jun; Lv, Quan; Li, Hongbin; McNeil, Edward B.; Chongsuvivatwong, Virasakdi; Zhou, Hongning

2017-01-01

Background: In China, mosquito-borne diseases are most common in the sub-tropical area of Yunnan province. The objective of this study was to examine behaviors related to mosquito-borne diseases in different ethnic minority groups and different socioeconomic groups of people living in this region. Methods: A stratified two-stage cluster sampling technique with probability proportional to size was used in Mengla County, Xishuangbanna Prefecture, Yunnan. Twelve villages were used to recruit adults (≥18 years old) and eight schools were used for children (<18 years old). A questionnaire on behaviors and environment variables related to mosquito-borne diseases was devised. Results: Multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) grouped 20 behaviors into three domains, namely, environmental condition, bed net use behaviors, and repellent use behaviors, respectively. The Han ethnicity had the lowest odds of rearing pigs, their odds being significantly lower than those of Yi and Yao. For bed net use, Dai and other ethnic minority groups were less likely to use bed nets compared to Yi and Yao. The odds of repellent use in the Han ethnicity was lower than in Yi, but higher than in Dai. The Dai group was the most likely ethnicity to use repellents. Farmers were at a higher risk for pig rearing and not using repellents. Education of less than primary school held the lowest odds of pig rearing. Those with low income were at a higher risk for not using bed nets and repellent except in pig rearing. Those with a small family size were at a lower risk for pig rearing. Conclusion: Different ethnic and socioeconomic groups in the study areas require different specific emphases for the prevention of mosquito-borne diseases. PMID:29036937

EspL is a bacterial cysteine protease effector that cleaves RHIM proteins to block necroptosis and inflammation.

PubMed

Pearson, Jaclyn S; Giogha, Cristina; Mühlen, Sabrina; Nachbur, Ueli; Pham, Chi L L; Zhang, Ying; Hildebrand, Joanne M; Oates, Clare V; Lung, Tania Wong Fok; Ingle, Danielle; Dagley, Laura F; Bankovacki, Aleksandra; Petrie, Emma J; Schroeder, Gunnar N; Crepin, Valerie F; Frankel, Gad; Masters, Seth L; Vince, James; Murphy, James M; Sunde, Margaret; Webb, Andrew I; Silke, John; Hartland, Elizabeth L

2017-01-13

Cell death signalling pathways contribute to tissue homeostasis and provide innate protection from infection. Adaptor proteins such as receptor-interacting serine/threonine-protein kinase 1 (RIPK1), receptor-interacting serine/threonine-protein kinase 3 (RIPK3), TIR-domain-containing adapter-inducing interferon-β (TRIF) and Z-DNA-binding protein 1 (ZBP1)/DNA-dependent activator of IFN-regulatory factors (DAI) that contain receptor-interacting protein (RIP) homotypic interaction motifs (RHIM) play a key role in cell death and inflammatory signalling 1-3 . RHIM-dependent interactions help drive a caspase-independent form of cell death termed necroptosis 4,5 . Here, we report that the bacterial pathogen enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) uses the type III secretion system (T3SS) effector EspL to degrade the RHIM-containing proteins RIPK1, RIPK3, TRIF and ZBP1/DAI during infection. This requires a previously unrecognized tripartite cysteine protease motif in EspL (Cys47, His131, Asp153) that cleaves within the RHIM of these proteins. Bacterial infection and/or ectopic expression of EspL leads to rapid inactivation of RIPK1, RIPK3, TRIF and ZBP1/DAI and inhibition of tumour necrosis factor (TNF), lipopolysaccharide or polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C))-induced necroptosis and inflammatory signalling. Furthermore, EPEC infection inhibits TNF-induced phosphorylation and plasma membrane localization of mixed lineage kinase domain-like pseudokinase (MLKL). In vivo, EspL cysteine protease activity contributes to persistent colonization of mice by the EPEC-like mouse pathogen Citrobacter rodentium. The activity of EspL defines a family of T3SS cysteine protease effectors found in a range of bacteria and reveals a mechanism by which gastrointestinal pathogens directly target RHIM-dependent inflammatory and necroptotic signalling pathways.

Deciphering the Measured Ratios of Iodine-131 to Cesium-137 at the Fukushima Reactors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsui, T.

2011-12-01

We calculate the relative abundance of the radioactive isotopes Iodine-131 and Cesium-137 produced by nuclear fission in reactors and compare it with data taken at the troubled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant. The ratio of radioactivities of these two isotopes can be used to obtain information about when the nuclear reactions terminated.

What Good Is World Literature?: World Literature Pedagogy and the Rhetoric of Moral Crisis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Karen R.

2011-01-01

The past decade has seen a resurgence of scholarship on world literature. The best-selling successes of "Great Books" arguments contained in Azar Nafisi's memoir "Reading Lolita in Tehran" and in Dai Sijie's novel "Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress" seem to mirror, on the popular front, this scholarly return to the question of world…

A morphological study of diffuse axonal injury in a rat model by lateral head rotation trauma.

PubMed

Xiaoshengi, He; Guitao, Yang; Xiang, Zhang; Zhou, Fei

2010-03-01

Morphology in diffuse axonal injury (DAI) by lateral head rotation was investigated. SD rats were divided into injury (n=9) and sham (n=3) groups. A device was used to produce lateral rotational acceleration of the rats' heads. At different survival times three rats were killed for light and electron microscopic examination of the brain tissue. Sagittal sections were made from medulla oblongata and immunolabelled for NF68. At post-traumatic 30 min, NF68 immunolabelling showed a small number ofswollen and irregular axons. Ultrastructurally slightly-separated myelin lamellae and disorderly arranged neurofilaments occurred. At 2 and 24 h axonal damage became more severe. Increases in immunolabelled axonal swellings, disconnected axons and axonal retraction bulbs appeared. EM provided evidence of myelin separation, peri-axonal spaces, blank areas in axoplasm, loss of microtubules, peripheral accumulation of mitochondria and clumped neurofilaments for DAI. A tendency was noted for greater labelling with NF68 as axonal damage increased. The disorderly arrangement of NFs occurred at early stage of post-traumatic axonal changes.

Preparation of Spray-Dried Soy Isoflavone-Loaded Gelatin Microspheres for Enhancement of Dissolution: Formulation, Characterization and in Vitro Evaluation

PubMed Central

Panizzon, Gean Pier; Bueno, Fernanda Giacomini; Ueda-Nakamura, Tânia; Nakamura, Celso Vataru; Dias Filho, Benedito Prado

2014-01-01

The most bioactive soy isoflavones (SI), daidzein (DAI) and genistein (GEN) have poor water solubility, which reduces their bioavailability and health benefits and limits their use in industry. The goal of this study was to develop and characterize a new gelatin matrix to microencapsulate DAI and GEN from soy extract (SE) by spray drying, in order to obtain solid dispersions to overcome solubility problems and to allow controlled release. The influences of 1:2 (MP2) and 1:3 (MP3) SE/polymer ratios on the solid state, yield, morphology, encapsulation efficiency, particle size distribution, release kinetics and cumulative release were evaluated. Analyses showed integral microparticles and high drug content. MP3 and MP2 yield were 43.6% and 55.9%, respectively, with similar mean size (p > 0.05), respectively. X-ray diffraction revealed the amorphous solid state of SE. In vitro release tests showed that dissolution was drastically increased. The results indicated that SE microencapsulation might offer a good system to control SI release, as an alternative to improve bioavailability and industrial applications. PMID:25494200

Phosphorylation of Isoflavones by Bacillus subtilis BCRC 80517 May Represent Xenobiotic Metabolism.

PubMed

Hsu, Chen; Wu, Bo-Yuan; Chang, Yu-Chuan; Chang, Chi-Fon; Chiou, Tai-Ying; Su, Nan-Wei

2018-01-10

The soy isoflavones daidzein (DAI) and genistein (GEN) have beneficial effects on human health. However, their oral bioavailability is hampered by their low aqueous solubility. Our previous study revealed two water-soluble phosphorylated conjugates of isoflavones, daidzein 7-O-phosphate and genistein 7-O-phosphate, generated via biotransformation by Bacillus subtilis BCRC80517 cultivated with isoflavones. In this study, two novel derivatives of isoflavones, daidzein 4'-O-phosphate and genistein 4'-O-phosphate, were identified by HPLC-ESI-MS/MS and 1 H, 13 C, and 31 P NMR, and their biotransformation roadmaps were proposed. Primarily, isoflavone glucosides were deglycosylated and then phosphorylated predominantly into 7-O-phosphate conjugates with traces of 4'-O-phosphate conjugates. Inevitably, trace quantities of glucosides were converted into 6″-O-succinyl glucosides. GEN was more efficiently phosphorylated than DAI. Nevertheless, the presence of GEN prolonged the time until the exponential phase of cell growth, whereas the other isoflavones showed little effect on cell growth. Our findings provide new insights into the novel microbial phosphorylation of isoflavones involved in xenobiotic metabolism.

Valuing Precaution in Climate Change Policy Analysis (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howarth, R. B.

2010-12-01

The U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change calls for stabilizing greenhouse gas concentrations to prevent “dangerous anthropogenic interference” (DAI) with the global environment. This treaty language emphasizes a precautionary approach to climate change policy in a setting characterized by substantial uncertainty regarding the timing, magnitude, and impacts of climate change. In the economics of climate change, however, analysts often work with deterministic models that assign best-guess values to parameters that are highly uncertain. Such models support a “policy ramp” approach in which only limited steps should be taken to reduce the future growth of greenhouse gas emissions. This presentation will explore how uncertainties related to (a) climate sensitivity and (b) climate-change damages can be satisfactorily addressed in a coupled model of climate-economy dynamics. In this model, capping greenhouse gas concentrations at ~450 ppm of carbon dioxide equivalent provides substantial net benefits by reducing the risk of low-probability, catastrophic impacts. This result formalizes the intuition embodied in the DAI criterion in a manner consistent with rational decision-making under uncertainty.

tRNAs as Biomarkers and Regulators for Breast Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-08-01

codon usage and tRNA genes of 18 unicellular organisms and quantification of Bacillus subtilis tRNAs: gene expression level and species-specific...CONTRACTING ORGANIZATION : The University of Chicago Chicago, IL 60637 REPORT...Geslain, Q. Dai. 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT

Variation of Phytoplankton Absorption Coefficients in the Northern South China Sea during Spring and Autumn

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-05-21

of water masses, Qingdao ocean university press, 375-385, 2001. Liu, K. K., Chao, S. Y., Shaw, P. T., Gong, G. C., Chen, C. C., and Tang , T. Y...ELEMENT NUMBER 0602435N 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER Jingyu Wu, Huasheng Hong, Shaoling Shang, Minhan Dai, Zhongping Lee 5a. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT

Abilities, Motives, and Personal Styles: Reply

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spelke, Elizabeth S.; Grace, Ariel D.

2006-01-01

Responds to the comments of P. L. Ackerman (see record EJ751362), D. Y. Dai (see record EJ751364), and M. C. Gridley (see record EJ751365) on E. S. Spelke's original article "Sex differences in intrinsic aptitude for mathematics and science? A critical review" (see record EJ733610). Here, the current authors first consider Ackerman's…

Comment on "Proactive quantum secret sharing"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Gan; Wang, Yue

2017-03-01

In the paper, Qin and Dai (Quantum Inf Process 14:4237-4244, 2015) proposed a proactive quantum secret sharing scheme. We study the security of the proposed scheme and find that it is not secure. In the distribution phase of the proposed scheme, two dishonest participants may collaborate to eavesdrop the secret of the dealer without introducing any error.

U. S. Naval Forces, Vietnam Monthly Historical Summary for March 1969

DTIC Science & Technology

1967-10-02

r.:- tures prior to the start of the mission. At about 1730 on the 19th PCF 101 was proceeding down the C£A Dai River from floi An in company with PCF...effectiveness of night operations was devcojedr, A 23-inch XENON tank searchlight, modified with a pink filter to provide con- patibility with a starlight scope

Commensal Bacteria Control Cancer Response to Therapy by Modulating the Tumor Microenvironment | Poster

Cancer.gov

Noriho Iida, Amiran Dzutsev, C. Andrew Stewart, Loretta Smith, Nicolas Bouladoux, Rebecca A. Weingarten, Daniel A. Molina, Rosalba Salcedo, Timothy Back, Sarah Cramer, Ren-Ming Dai, Hiu Kiu, Marco Cardone, Shruti Naik, Anil K. Patri, Ena Wang, Francesco M. Marincola, Karen M. Frank, Yasmine Belkaid, Giorgio Trinchieri, Romina S. Goldszmid Science 342(6161):967-970, 2013

From wildlife biology to soil science, the USDA and the United Nations

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

It all(?) started at age 18, wearing a rented tuxedo at the Explorers Club in NYC. I tried to explain my high school research on pine marten to my dinner companions while perched nervously on the dais. I haven’t worn a penguin suit since, but every year has been just as fascinating as I’ve worked my...

Estimations of direct release rate of 137Cs and 90Sr to the ocean from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant for five-and-a-half years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsumune, Daisuke; Aoyama, Michio; Tsubono, Takaki; Misumi, Kazuhiro; Tateda, Yutaka

2017-04-01

A series of accidents at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (1F NPP) following the earthquake and tsunami of 11 March 2011 resulted in the release of radioactive materials to the ocean by two major pathways, direct release from the accident site and atmospheric deposition. Additional release pathways by river input and runoff from 1F NPP site with precipitation and were also effective for coastal zone in the specific periods before starting direct release on March 26 2011. Direct release from 1F NPP site is dominant one year after the accident. We estimated the direct release rate of 137Cs and 90Sr for more than five-and-a-half years after the accident by the Regional Ocean Model System (ROMS). Direct release rate of 137Cs were estimated for five-and-a-half years after the accident by comparing simulated results and measured activities adjacent to the 1F NPP site(at 5,6 discharge and south discharge). Directly release rate of 137Cs was estimated to be the order of magnitude of 1014 Bq/day and decreased exponentially with time to be the order of magnitude of 109 Bq/day by the end of September 2016. Estimated direct release rate have exponentially reduced with constant rate since November 2011. Apparent half-life of direct release rate was estimated to be 346 days. The estimated total amounts of directly released 137Cs was 3.7±0.7 PBq for five and a half years. Simulated 137Cs activities attributable to direct release were in good agreement with observed activities, a result that implies the estimated direct release rate was reasonable. Simulated 137Cs activity affected off coast in the Fukushima prefecture. We used the measured 137Cs activities by the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) for the estimation of direct release. The sea water samples were corrected from the coast. The averaged 137Cs activities from November 2013 to June 2016 were 391 and 383 Bq/m3 at 5,6 discharge and south discharge, respectively. The averaged 137Cs activities measured by the

Ability of dairy cows to be inseminated according to breed and genetic merit for production traits under contrasting pasture-based feeding systems.

PubMed

Bedere, N; Disenhaus, C; Ducrocq, V; Leurent-Colette, S; Delaby, L

2017-05-01

Strong genetic selection on production traits is considered to be responsible for the declined ability of dairy cows to ensure reproduction. The present study aimed to quantify the effect of genetic characteristics (breeds and genetic merit for production traits) and feeding systems (FS) on the ability of dairy cows to be inseminated. An experiment was conducted during 9 years on Normande and Holstein cows assigned to contrasted pasture-based FS. Diets were based on maize silage in winter and grazing plus concentrate in spring in the High FS; and on grass silage in winter and grazing with no concentrate during spring in the low FS. Within breed, cows were classified into two genetic groups with similar estimated breeding values (EBV) for milk solids: cows with high EBV for milk yield were included in a Milk-Group and those with high EBV for fat and protein contents were included in a Content-Group. Holstein produced more milk throughout lactation than Normande cows (+2294 kg in the High FS and +1280 kg in the Low FS, P<0.001) and lost more body condition to nadir (-1.00 point in the High FS and -0.80 kg in the Low FS, P<0.001). They also showed a poorer ability to be inseminated because of both a delayed commencement of luteal activity (CLA) and delayed first service (more days from start of the breeding season to first service, DAI1). Cows in the Milk-Group produced more milk than cows in the Content-Group, but milk solids production was similar. Cows in the Content-Group had earlier CLA than cows in the Milk-Group (P<0.01). Genetic group neither affected ovulation detection rate nor DAI1. Within breed and FS, cows with high genetic merit for milk yield had later CLA and DAI1. Cows in the High FS produced more milk and lost less condition to nadir than cows in the Low FS. FS did not affect dairy cows' ability to be inseminated. However, cows with higher milk protein content, and presumably better energy balance, had earlier CLA (P<0.01) and DAI1 (P<0.10). In

77 FR 30029 - Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards; Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-21

..., Rockville, Maryland. Wednesday, June 6, 2012, Conference Room T2-B1, 11545 Rockville Pike, Rockville... evaluation of the Fukushima Dai-ichi accident. 12:45 p.m.-2:15 p.m.: Proposed Revision 1 to Regulatory Guide... proprietary, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(4)]. Thursday, June 7, 2012, Conference Room T2-B1, 11545 Rockville...

IL-27 Found to Play Significant Role in Conferring HIV Resistance | Poster

Cancer.gov

By Nancy Parrish, Staff Writer The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) targets specific immune cells in the body known as macrophages because these are the cells that eliminate foreign material such as bacteria or viruses. HIV is able to reproduce and spread throughout the body if it can avoid destruction by macrophages. A recent study by Lue Dai, Ph.D., and colleagues revealed

Evaluation of Novel Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Derived Lipid Mediators of Inflammation to Ameliorate the Deleterious Effects of Blast Overpressure on Eye and Brain Visual Processing Centers in Rats

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-01

ferry these drugs across the blood brain barrier after intravenous injection post- blast, such as by packaging them in liposomes or dendrimer based...Kannan RM. (2012). Dendrimer -based targeted intravitreal therapy for sustained attenuation of neuroinflammation in retinal degeneration. Biomaterials...Neuroinflammation. 10: 96-102. Kannan S, Dai H, Navath RS, Balakrishnan B, Jyoti A, Romero R, and Kannan RM. (2012). Dendrimer -based targeted

Discussions on Petty Bourgeois and Angry Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yuanshan, Zhang; Lei, Rao; Liangyu, Feng; Gui, Peng

2011-01-01

Petty bourgeois and angry youth are two large sets of contemporary Chinese youth. There is no doubt that most contemporary youth do not belong to either of these two sets. However, these two large sets are indeed very fashionable at this time, and it is easy to simply distinguish between them by means of two terms: the label "shuai dai"…

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At the KSC Visitor Complex, former astronaut Robert "Hoot" Gibson (at podium) addresses the audience at his induction ceremony into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame. Also standing is former astronaut James A. Lovell. Seated on the dais, from left, are actor and Master of Ceremonies Lance Henriksen and former astronaut John H. Glenn. Also being inducted with Gibson are Space Shuttle astronauts Daniel Brandenstein, Story Musgrave, and Sally K. Ride. Conceived by six of the Mercury Program astronauts, the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame opened in 1990 to provide a place where space travelers could be remembered for their participation and accomplishments in the U.S. space program. The four new inductees join 48 previously honored astronauts from the ranks of the Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, Apollo-Soyuz, and Space Shuttle programs.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-06-21

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At the KSC Visitor Complex, former astronaut Robert "Hoot" Gibson (at podium) addresses the audience at his induction ceremony into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame. Also standing is former astronaut James A. Lovell. Seated on the dais, from left, are actor and Master of Ceremonies Lance Henriksen and former astronaut John H. Glenn. Also being inducted with Gibson are Space Shuttle astronauts Daniel Brandenstein, Story Musgrave, and Sally K. Ride. Conceived by six of the Mercury Program astronauts, the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame opened in 1990 to provide a place where space travelers could be remembered for their participation and accomplishments in the U.S. space program. The four new inductees join 48 previously honored astronauts from the ranks of the Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, Apollo-Soyuz, and Space Shuttle programs.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At the KSC Visitor Complex, former astronaut James A. Lovell (standing left) applauds former astronaut Sally K. Ride at her induction ceremony into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame. Seated on the dais, from left, are former astronauts Gordon Cooper, Scott Carpenter, and Buzz Aldrin, all previously inducted into the Hall of Fame. Being inducted with Ride are Space Shuttle astronauts Daniel Brandenstein, Robert "Hoot" Gibson, and Story Musgrave. Conceived by six of the Mercury Program astronauts, the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame opened in 1990 to provide a place where space travelers could be remembered for their participation and accomplishments in the U.S. space program. The four new inductees join 48 previously honored astronauts from the ranks of the Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, Apollo-Soyuz, and Space Shuttle programs.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-06-21

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At the KSC Visitor Complex, former astronaut James A. Lovell (standing left) applauds former astronaut Sally K. Ride at her induction ceremony into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame. Seated on the dais, from left, are former astronauts Gordon Cooper, Scott Carpenter, and Buzz Aldrin, all previously inducted into the Hall of Fame. Being inducted with Ride are Space Shuttle astronauts Daniel Brandenstein, Robert "Hoot" Gibson, and Story Musgrave. Conceived by six of the Mercury Program astronauts, the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame opened in 1990 to provide a place where space travelers could be remembered for their participation and accomplishments in the U.S. space program. The four new inductees join 48 previously honored astronauts from the ranks of the Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, Apollo-Soyuz, and Space Shuttle programs.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At the KSC Visitor Complex, former astronaut Daniel Brandenstein (standing right) is presented to the audience at his induction ceremony into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame. Also standing is former astronaut James A. Lovell. Seated on the dais, from left, are former astronauts John H. Glenn and Gordon Cooper, both previously inducted into the Hall of Fame. Being inducted with Brandenstein are Space Shuttle astronauts Robert "Hoot" Gibson, Story Musgrave, and Sally K. Ride. Conceived by six of the Mercury Program astronauts, the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame opened in 1990 to provide a place where space travelers could be remembered for their participation and accomplishments in the U.S. space program. The four new inductees join 48 previously honored astronauts from the ranks of the Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, Apollo-Soyuz, and Space Shuttle programs.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-06-21

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At the KSC Visitor Complex, former astronaut Daniel Brandenstein (standing right) is presented to the audience at his induction ceremony into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame. Also standing is former astronaut James A. Lovell. Seated on the dais, from left, are former astronauts John H. Glenn and Gordon Cooper, both previously inducted into the Hall of Fame. Being inducted with Brandenstein are Space Shuttle astronauts Robert "Hoot" Gibson, Story Musgrave, and Sally K. Ride. Conceived by six of the Mercury Program astronauts, the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame opened in 1990 to provide a place where space travelers could be remembered for their participation and accomplishments in the U.S. space program. The four new inductees join 48 previously honored astronauts from the ranks of the Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, Apollo-Soyuz, and Space Shuttle programs.

mantisGRID: a grid platform for DICOM medical images management in Colombia and Latin America.

PubMed

Garcia Ruiz, Manuel; Garcia Chaves, Alvin; Ruiz Ibañez, Carlos; Gutierrez Mazo, Jorge Mario; Ramirez Giraldo, Juan Carlos; Pelaez Echavarria, Alejandro; Valencia Diaz, Edison; Pelaez Restrepo, Gustavo; Montoya Munera, Edwin Nelson; Garcia Loaiza, Bernardo; Gomez Gonzalez, Sebastian

2011-04-01

This paper presents the mantisGRID project, an interinstitutional initiative from Colombian medical and academic centers aiming to provide medical grid services for Colombia and Latin America. The mantisGRID is a GRID platform, based on open source grid infrastructure that provides the necessary services to access and exchange medical images and associated information following digital imaging and communications in medicine (DICOM) and health level 7 standards. The paper focuses first on the data abstraction architecture, which is achieved via Open Grid Services Architecture Data Access and Integration (OGSA-DAI) services and supported by the Globus Toolkit. The grid currently uses a 30-Mb bandwidth of the Colombian High Technology Academic Network, RENATA, connected to Internet 2. It also includes a discussion on the relational database created to handle the DICOM objects that were represented using Extensible Markup Language Schema documents, as well as other features implemented such as data security, user authentication, and patient confidentiality. Grid performance was tested using the three current operative nodes and the results demonstrated comparable query times between the mantisGRID (OGSA-DAI) and Distributed mySQL databases, especially for a large number of records.

Activity and Differential Induction of Chitinase Isozymes in Soybean Cultivars Resistant or Susceptible to Root-knot Nematodes.

PubMed

Qtu, J; Hallmann, J; Kokalis-Burelle, N; Weaver, D B; Rodríguez-Kábana, R; Tuzun, S

1997-12-01

Host physiological events in relation to infestation by parasitic nematodes are not well documented. Soybean plant responses to Meloidogyne incognita infestation were compared to resistant (Bryan) and susceptible (Brim) cultivars at 0, 1, 3, 10, 20, and 34 days after infestation (DAI). The resistant cultivar had higher chitinase activity than the susceptible cultivar at every sample time beginning at 3 DAI. Results from isoelectric focusing gel electrophoresis analyses indicated that three acidic chitinase isozymes with isoelectric points (pIs) of 4.8, 4.4, and 4.2 accumulated to a greater extent in the resistant compared to the susceptible cultivar following challenge. SDS-PAGE analysis of root proteins revealed that two proteins with molecular weights of approximately 31 and 46 kD accumulated more rapidly and to a higher level in the resistant than in the susceptible cultivar. Additionally, three major protein bands (33, 22, and 20 kD) with chitinase activity were detected with a modified SDS-PAGE analysis in which glycolchitin was added into the gel matrix. These results indicate that higher chitinase activity and early induction of specific chitinase isozymes may be associated with resistance to root-knot nematode in soybean.

Needs of Patients with Schizophrenia Among an Ethnic Minority Group in Latin America.

PubMed

Caqueo-Urízar, Alejandra; Boyer, Laurent; Gilman, Stephen E

2017-06-01

The aim of the study is to describe the need profile of outpatients with schizophrenia belonging to an Aymara ethnic group in Latin-America and to compare that profile to non-Aymara patients. A sample of 253 patients were evaluated with the Two-Way Communication Checklist (2-COM Checklist) measuring the needs and satisfaction of the patient; Positive and Negative Syndrome scale for Schizophrenia (PANSS) and Attitude to the Drugs (DAI-10). No significant differences were found between Aymara and non-Aymara, either in the total number of needs or in the subscales of satisfaction or in the types of needs. After adjustment for socio-demographic and clinical factors, patients with higher severity (PANSS) had higher number of needs and lower level of satisfaction. Higher score on DAI-10 is related to a higher total number of needs and better satisfaction with medication. Age, sex, ethnicity and employment were also associated with specific needs. The profile of the needs of schizophrenic Aymara patients does not differ from that of non-Aymara patients, and that in both groups it is necessary that the treatment primarily address symptom management and the subjective aspects of quality of life.

A Cost Analysis of the Department of the Navy Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response to the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-06-01

2010). The first several hours after a major natural disaster constitute a period of incomplete situational awareness (United States Department of... disasters caused a catastrophic crisis at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant in Honshu, Japan. 5 Once both USGS and Japanese...However, the massive tsunami hit Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima the hardest. Nuclear reactors were severely damaged, and utilities such as gas, water

Southeast Asia Report.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-03-08

Fatherland Construction Bonds (DAI DOAN KET, 4 Jan 84) ...,-. 60 AGRICULTURE Thanh Hoa Province Reports Self -Sufficiency in Grain for Nearly 3...Years (Luong Ngoc Bich; NHAN DAN, 6 Jan 84) 63 Ministry Official Discusses Agricultural Self -Sufficiency (M. Dunin-Wasowicz...off for the day at 2030 [1330 GMT] we will rebroadcast reports from the battlefields. All our esteemed and beloved compatriots and comrades-in-arms

Coordination in Distributed Intelligent Systems Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-12-13

working in the area of Distributed Artificial Intelligence (DAI) unanimously endorses the idea that coordination - a fundamental paradigm - represents a...using the distributed artificial intelligence paradigm. Section 4 discusses the healthcare applications. On the other hand, Section 5 describes...coordination mechanisms should be used is in the control of swarms of UA Vs (unmanned aerial vehicles). The UAVs are considered in this case as highly mobile

Different Effects of Three Selected Lactobacillus Strains in Dextran Sulfate Sodium-Induced Colitis in BALB/c Mice.

PubMed

Cui, Yi; Wei, Hongyun; Lu, Fanggen; Liu, Xiaowei; Liu, Deliang; Gu, Li; Ouyang, Chunhui

2016-01-01

To analyze the changes of different Lactobacillus species in ulcerative colitis patients and to further assess the therapeutic effects of selected Lactobacillus strains on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced experimental colitis in BALB/c mice. Forty-five active ulcerative colitis (UC) patients and 45 population-based healthy controls were enrolled. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and real-time PCR were performed for qualitative and quantitative analyses, respectively, of the Lactobacillus species in UC patients. Three Lactobacillus strains from three species were selected to assess the therapeutic effects on experimental colitis. Sixty 8-week-old BALB/c mice were divided into six groups. The five groups that had received DSS were administered normal saline, mesalazine, L. fermentum CCTCC M206110 strain, L. crispatus CCTCC M206119 strain, or L. plantarum NCIMB8826 strain. We assessed the severity of colitis based on disease activity index (DAI), body weight loss, colon length, and histologic damage. The detection rate of four of the 11 Lactobacillus species decreased significantly (P < 0.05), and the detection rate of two of the 11 Lactobacillus species increased significantly (P < 0.05) in UC patients. Relative quantitative analysis revealed that eight Lactobacillus species declined significantly in UC patients (P < 0.05), while three Lactobacillus species increased significantly (P < 0.05). The CCTCC M206110 treatment group had less weight loss and colon length shortening, lower DAI scores, and lower histologic scores (P < 0.05), while the CCTCC M206119 treatment group had greater weight loss and colon length shortening, higher histologic scores, and more severe inflammatory infiltration (P < 0.05). NCIMB8826 improved weight loss and colon length shortening (P < 0.05) with no significant influence on DAI and histologic damage in the colitis model. Administration of an L. crispatus CCTCC M206119 supplement aggravated DSS-induced colitis. L

Different Effects of Three Selected Lactobacillus Strains in Dextran Sulfate Sodium-Induced Colitis in BALB/c Mice

PubMed Central

Cui, Yi; Wei, Hongyun; Lu, Fanggen; Liu, Xiaowei; Liu, Deliang; Gu, Li; Ouyang, Chunhui

2016-01-01

Aim To analyze the changes of different Lactobacillus species in ulcerative colitis patients and to further assess the therapeutic effects of selected Lactobacillus strains on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced experimental colitis in BALB/c mice. Methods Forty-five active ulcerative colitis (UC) patients and 45 population-based healthy controls were enrolled. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and real-time PCR were performed for qualitative and quantitative analyses, respectively, of the Lactobacillus species in UC patients. Three Lactobacillus strains from three species were selected to assess the therapeutic effects on experimental colitis. Sixty 8-week-old BALB/c mice were divided into six groups. The five groups that had received DSS were administered normal saline, mesalazine, L. fermentum CCTCC M206110 strain, L. crispatus CCTCC M206119 strain, or L. plantarum NCIMB8826 strain. We assessed the severity of colitis based on disease activity index (DAI), body weight loss, colon length, and histologic damage. Results The detection rate of four of the 11 Lactobacillus species decreased significantly (P < 0.05), and the detection rate of two of the 11 Lactobacillus species increased significantly (P < 0.05) in UC patients. Relative quantitative analysis revealed that eight Lactobacillus species declined significantly in UC patients (P < 0.05), while three Lactobacillus species increased significantly (P < 0.05). The CCTCC M206110 treatment group had less weight loss and colon length shortening, lower DAI scores, and lower histologic scores (P < 0.05), while the CCTCC M206119 treatment group had greater weight loss and colon length shortening, higher histologic scores, and more severe inflammatory infiltration (P < 0.05). NCIMB8826 improved weight loss and colon length shortening (P < 0.05) with no significant influence on DAI and histologic damage in the colitis model. Conclusions Administration of an L. crispatus CCTCC M206119 supplement aggravated

Comparison of efficacy of once daily multimatrix mesalazine 2.4 g/day and 4.8 g/day with other 5-aminosalicylic acid preparation in active ulcerative colitis: a randomized, double-blind study.

PubMed

Ogata, Haruhiko; Yokoyama, Tadashi; Mizushima, Seiichi; Hagino, Atsushi; Hibi, Toshifumi

2018-04-01

This study compared the efficacy of multimatrix mesalazine 2.4 g/day and 4.8 g/day with controlled-release mesalazine 2.25 g/day. In this multicenter, randomized, double-blind study, 251 patients with mildly to moderately active ulcerative colitis received multimatrix mesalazine 2.4 g/day once daily (Multimatrix-2.4), 4.8 g/day once daily (Multimatrix-4.8), or controlled-release (time-dependent) mesalazine 2.25 g/day 3 times daily (Time-2.25) for 8 weeks. The primary efficacy endpoint was the change in the ulcerative colitis-disease activity index (UC-DAI) score. The mean change in the UC-DAI score and standard deviation in the per protocol set was -1.9±2.5 for Multimatrix-2.4 and -2.4±2.8 for Time-2.25. The difference between Multimatrix-2.4 and Time-2.25 was 0.3 (two-sided 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.5 to 1.1), thus non-inferiority was not demonstrated based on the pre-defined non-inferiority margin (1.0). In the full analysis set, the difference between Multimatrix-4.8 and Time-2.25 was -1.2 (two-sided 95% CI, -2.0 to -0.5), and the mean change in UC-DAI score in the FAS was -3.3 (two-sided 95% CI, -3.9 to -2.8) for Multimatrix-4.8 and -1.9 (two-sided 95% CI, -2.5 to -1.3) for Multimatrix-2.4, indicating that Multimatrix-4.8 was more effective than Time-2.25 and Multimatrix-2.4. There was no difference among the treatment groups in terms of safety. This study showed that the efficacy of multimatrix mesalazine 2.4 g/day was comparable to controlled release mesalazine 2.25 g/day, although non-inferiority was not demonstrated. Importantly, this was the first study to indicate that multimatrix mesalazine 4.8 g/day was more effective than 2.4g/day with no associated safety concerns.

The Infection of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) Roots by Meloidogyne incognita Alters the Expression of Actin-Depolymerizing Factor (ADF) Genes, Particularly in Association with Giant Cell Formation

PubMed Central

Liu, Bin; Liu, Xingwang; Liu, Ying; Xue, Shudan; Cai, Yanling; Yang, Sen; Dong, Mingming; Zhang, Yaqi; Liu, Huiling; Zhao, Binyu; Qi, Changhong; Zhu, Ning; Ren, Huazhong

2016-01-01

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) is threatened by substantial yield losses due to the south root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita). However, understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the process of nematode infection is still limited. In this study, we found that M. incognita infection affected the structure of cells in cucumber roots and treatment of the cytoskeleton inhibitor (cytochalasin D) reduced root-knot nematode (RKN) parasitism. It is known that Actin-Depolymerizing Factor (ADF) affects cell structure, as well as the organization of the cytoskeleton. To address the hypothesis that nematode-induced abnormal cell structures and cytoskeletal rearrangements might be mediated by the ADF genes, we identified and characterized eight cucumber ADF (CsADF) genes. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the cucumber ADF gene family is grouped into four ancient subclasses. Expression analysis revealed that CsADF1, CsADF2-1, CsADF2-2, CsADF2-3 (Subclass I), and CsADF6 (Subclass III) have higher transcript levels than CsADF7-1, CsADF7-2 (Subclass II genes), and CsADF5 (Subclass IV) in roots. Members of subclass I genes (CsADF1, CsADF2-1, CsADF2-2, and CsADF2-3), with the exception of CsADF2-1, exhibited a induction of expression in roots 14 days after their inoculation (DAI) with nematodes. However, the expression of subclass II genes (CsADF7-1 and CsADF7-2) showed no significant change after inoculation. The transcript levels of CsADF6 (Subclass III) showed a specific induction at 21 DAI, while CsADF5 (Subclass IV) was weakly expressed in roots, but was strongly up-regulated as early as 7 DAI. In addition, treatment of roots with cytochalasin D caused an approximately 2-fold down-regulation of the CsADF genes in the treated plants. These results suggest that CsADF gene mediated actin dynamics are associated with structural changes in roots as a consequence of M. incognita infection. PMID:27695469

Direct comparison of two different mesalamine formulations for the induction of remission in patients with ulcerative colitis: A double-blind, randomized study

PubMed Central

Ito, Hiroaki; Iida, Mitsuo; Matsumoto, Takayuki; Suzuki, Yasuo; Sasaki, Hidetaka; Yoshida, Toyomitsu; Takano, Yuichi; Hibi, Toshifumi

2010-01-01

Background: Mesalamine is the first-line drug for the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC). We directly compared the efficacy and safety of two mesalamine formulations for the induction of remission in patients with UC. Methods: In a multicenter, double-blind, randomized study, 229 patients with mild-to-moderate active UC were assigned to 4 groups: 66 and 65 received a pH-dependent release formulation of 2.4 g/day (pH-2.4 g) or 3.6 g/day (pH-3.6 g), respectively; 65 received a time-dependent release formulation of 2.25 g/day (Time-2.25 g), and 33 received placebo (Placebo). The drugs were administered three times daily for eight weeks. The primary endpoint was a decrease in the UC disease activity index (UC-DAI). Results: In the full analysis set (n = 225) the decrease in UC-DAI in each group was 1.5 in pH-2.4 g, 2.9 in pH-3.6 g, 1.3 in Time-2.25 g and 0.3 in Placebo, respectively. These results demonstrate the superiority of pH-3.6 g over Time-2.25 g (P = 0.003) and the noninferiority of pH-2.4 g to Time-2.25 g. Among the patients with proctitis-type UC, a significant decrease in UC-DAI was observed in pH-2.4 g and pH-3.6 g as compared to Placebo, but not in Time-2.25 g. No differences were observed in the safety profiles. Conclusions: Higher dose of the pH-dependent release formulation was more effective for induction of remission in patients with mild-to-moderate active UC. Additionally, the pH-dependent release formulation was preferable to the time-dependent release formulation for patients with proctitis-type UC (UMIN Clinical Trials Registry, no. C000000288). (Inflamm Bowel Dis 2010) PMID:20049950

Alteration of matrix metalloproteinase-3 O-glycan structure as a biomarker for disease activity of rheumatoid arthritis.

PubMed

Takeshita, Masaru; Kuno, Atsushi; Suzuki, Katsuya; Matsuda, Atsushi; Shimazaki, Hiroko; Nakagawa, Tomomi; Otomo, Yuki; Kabe, Yasuaki; Suematsu, Makoto; Narimatsu, Hisashi; Takeuchi, Tsutomu

2016-05-21

Nearly all secreted proteins are glycosylated, and serum glycoproteins that exhibit disease-associated glycosylation changes have potential to be biomarkers. In rheumatoid arthritis (RA), C-reactive protein (CRP), and matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) are widely used as serologic biomarkers, but they lack sufficient specificity or precision. We performed comparative glycosylation profiling of MMP-3 using a recently developed antibody-overlay lectin microarray technology that allows semicomprehensive and quantitative analysis of specific protein glycosylation to develop an RA-specific disease activity biomarker. Serum was taken from patients with RA (n = 24) whose disease activity was scored using composite measures, and MMP-3 was immunoprecipitated and subjected to lectin microarray analysis. A disease activity index (DAI) based on lectin signal was developed and validated using another cohort (n = 60). Synovial fluid MMP-3 in patients with RA and patients with osteoarthritis (OA) was also analyzed. Intense signals were observed on a sialic acid-binding lectin (Agrocybe cylindracea galectin [ACG]) and O-glycan-binding lectins (Jacalin, Agaricus bisporus agglutinin [ABA], and Amaranthus caudatus agglutinin [ACA]) by applying subnanogram levels of serum MMP-3. ACG, ABA, and ACA revealed differences in MMP-3 quantity, and Jacalin revealed differences in MMP-3 quality. The resultant index, ACG/Jacalin, correlated well with disease activity. Further validation using another cohort confirmed that this index correlated well with several DAIs and their components, and reflected DAI changes following RA treatment, with correlations greater than those for MMP-3 and CRP. Furthermore, MMP-3, which generated a high ACG/Jacalin score, accumulated in synovial fluid of patients with RA but not in that of patients with OA. Sialidase digestion revealed that the difference in quality was derived from O-glycan α-2,6-sialylation. This is the first report of a glycoprotein

Effects of transcranial LED therapy on the cognitive rehabilitation for diffuse axonal injury due to severe acute traumatic brain injury: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Santos, João Gustavo Rocha Peixoto Dos; Zaninotto, Ana Luiza Costa; Zângaro, Renato Amaro; Carneiro, Ana Maria Costa; Neville, Iuri Santana; de Andrade, Almir Ferreira; Teixeira, Manoel Jacobsen; Paiva, Wellingson Silva

2018-04-24

Photobiomodulation describes the use of red or near-infrared light to stimulate or regenerate tissue. It was discovered that near-infrared wavelengths (800-900 nm) and red (600 nm) light-emitting diodes (LED) are able to penetrate through the scalp and skull and have the potential to improve the subnormal cellular activity of compromised brain tissue. Different experimental and clinical studies were performed to test LED therapy for traumatic brain injury (TBI) with promising results. One of the proposals of this present study is to develop different approaches to maximize the positive effects of this therapy and improve the quality of life of TBI patients. This is a double-blinded, randomized, controlled trial of patients with diffuse axonal injury (DAI) due to a severe TBI in an acute stage (less than 8 h). Thirty two patients will be randomized to active coil helmet and inactive coil (sham) groups in a 1:1 ratio. The protocol includes 18 sessions of transcranial LED stimulation (627 nm, 70 mW/cm 2 , 10 J/cm 2 ) at four points of the frontal and parietal regions for 30 s each, totaling 120 s, three times per week for 6 weeks, lasting 30 min. Patients will be evaluated with the Glasgow Outcome Scale Extended (GOSE) before stimulation and 1, 3, and 6 months after the first stimulation. The study hypotheses are as follows: (1) transcranial LED therapy (TCLT) will improve the cognitive function of DAI patients and (2) TCLT will promote beneficial hemodynamic changes in cerebral circulation. This study evaluates early and delayed effects of TCLT on the cognitive rehabilitation for DAI following severe acute TBI. There is a paucity of studies regarding the use of this therapy for cognitive improvement in TBI. There are some experimental studies and case series presenting interesting results for TBI cognitive improvement but no clinical trials. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03281759 . Registered on 13 September 2017.

Cross-sectional comparison of first-generation antipsychotic long-acting injections vs risperidone long-acting injection: patient-rated attitudes, satisfaction and tolerability

PubMed Central

Singh, Sourabh Moti; Haddad, Peter M.; Husain, Nusrat; Heaney, Eamonn; Tomenson, Barbara; Chaudhry, Imran B.

2016-01-01

Objectives: The objective of this study was to compare patients’ attitudes and satisfaction with medication and patient-rated tolerability between those prescribed a first-generation antipsychotic long-acting injection (FGA-LAI) and those prescribed risperidone long-acting injection (RLAI). Method: A cross-sectional study of a representative sample of outpatients prescribed an FGA-LAI or RLAI for a minimum of 6 months and attending a depot clinic. Attitudes to medication were assessed by the Drug Attitude Inventory (DAI-30), tolerability was measured by the Liverpool University Neuroleptic Side Effect Rating Scale (LUNSERS) and satisfaction with antipsychotic medication was assessed by the Satisfaction with Antipsychotic Medication (SWAM) scale. Results: The RLAI (n = 28) and FGA-LAI (n = 39) groups did not differ in terms of mean age, sex, diagnosis and ethnicity. All individual LAIs were prescribed within British National Formulary limits. The most commonly prescribed FGA-LAI was flupentixol decanoate (n = 22). There was no significant difference between the RLAI and FGA-LAI groups in terms of mean total scores on the DAI-30, LUNSERS and SWAM or the tolerability subscales of the LUNSERS or the two subscales (treatment acceptability and medication insight) of the SWAM. In both LAI groups there was a low level of side effects (LUNSERS) and a generally positive attitude (DAI-30) and reasonable satisfaction (SWAM) with medication. Conclusions: Patients treated with FGA-LAI and RLAI for at least 6 months did not differ in terms of patient-rated tolerability, attitudes and satisfaction with medication. The current design cannot determine whether differences would have been evident earlier on during treatment. These results should be regarded as preliminary and are subject to prescribing bias. Randomized studies avoid prescribing bias and are a superior way to compare specific LAIs. Ideally randomized studies should include patient-rated outcome measures including

Anti-inflammatory effects and mechanisms of vagal nerve stimulation combined with electroacupuncture in a rodent model of TNBS-induced colitis.

PubMed

Jin, Haifeng; Guo, Jie; Liu, Jiemin; Lyu, Bin; Foreman, Robert D; Yin, Jieyun; Shi, Zhaohong; Chen, Jiande D Z

2017-09-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects and mechanisms of vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) and additive effects of electroacupuncture (EA) on colonic inflammation in a rodent model of IBD. Chronic inflammation in rats was induced by intrarectal TNBS (2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid). The rats were then treated with sham ES (electrical stimulation), VNS, or VNS + EA for 3 wk. Inflammatory responses were assessed by disease activity index (DAI), macroscopic scores and histological scores of colonic tissues, plasma levels of TNFα, IL-1β, and IL-6, and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity of colonic tissues. The autonomic function was assessed by the spectral analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) derived from the electrocardiogram. It was found that 1 ) the area under curve (AUC) of DAI was substantially decreased with VNS + EA and VNS, with VNS + EA being more effective than VNS ( P < 0.001); 2 ) the macroscopic score was 6.43 ± 0.61 in the sham ES group and reduced to 1.86 ± 0.26 with VNS ( P < 0.001) and 1.29 ± 0.18 with VNS + EA ( P < 0.001); 3 ) the histological score was 4.05 ± 0.58 in the sham ES group and reduced to 1.93 ± 0.37 with VNS ( P < 0.001) and 1.36 ± 0.20 with VNS + EA ( P < 0.001); 4 ) the plasma levels of TNFα, IL-1β, IL-6, and MPO were all significantly decreased with VNS and VNS + EA compared with the sham ES group; and 5 ) autonomically, both VNS + EA and VNS substantially increased vagal activity and decreased sympathetic activity compared with sham EA ( P < 0.001, P < 0.001, respectively). In conclusion, chronic VNS improves inflammation in TNBS-treated rats by inhibiting proinflammatory cytokines via the autonomic mechanism. Addition of noninvasive EA to VNS may enhance the anti-inflammatory effect of VNS. NEW & NOTEWORTHY This is the first study to address and compare the effects of vagal nerve stimulation (VNS), electrical acupuncture (EA) and VNS + EA on TNBS (2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid

Japan-U.S. Relations: Issues for Congress

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-02-15

million Japanese were displaced. Damage to several reactors at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant complex led the government to declare a state of...the March 11, 2011, natural disasters and meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Public trust in the safety of nuclear power...aircraft’s safety record may be connected to widespread distrust of the government stemming from the nuclear disaster at the Fukushima Daichi

Characterizing and Targeting Replication Stress Response Defects in Breast Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-08-01

1 AD_________________ Award Number: W81XWH-10-1-0558 TITLE: Characterizing and Targeting Replication Stress Response Defects in Breast Cancer ...PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Shiaw-Yih Lin, Ph.D. CONTRACTING ORGANIZATION: University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Houston, TX 77030 REPORT...Response Defects in Breast Cancer 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) Betty Diamond 5d. PROJECT NUMBER Chun-Jen Lin, Hui Dai

Cabin Safety Subject Index,

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-01-01

1949 CABIN SAFETY SUBJECT XNDEX(U) FEDERAL AVIATION /~D-AiS 4e9 ADMINISTRATION WASHINGTON DC OFFICE OF RYIRTION MEDICINE D N POLLARD ET AL. JAN 84...City, Oklahoma 73125 13. Type of Report and Period Covered 12. Sponsoring Agency Name and AddressOffice of Aviation Medicine & Office of Flight...Regulations numbers, Air Carrier Operations Bulletin numbers, Advisory Circular numbers, and Office of Aviation Medicine report numbers. U

Development of New Immunogens and a Controlled Release Delivery System for Oral Immunization Against Staphylococcal Enterotoxin B

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-12-06

DSN 343-7322. N fjGARX\\R. GILBERT COL, MS Deputy Chief of Staff for Information Management REPRODUCTION QUALITY NOTICE This document is the best quality...1976. 35. Ogre, P.L.: Karzon, D.T. Distribution of poliovirus antibody in serum, nasopharymrt and alimentary tract folloving segmental limunization...sysemst, In.- Hisholl, DAI. ; Advances in human fertility and reproductive endocrinology. NWe York, Raven Press Books. Ltd; Vol. 2. 1963: 175-199. 52. Tic

Cooperation between the U.S. and Vietnamese Governments to Address the Agent Orange Issue in Vietnam

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-09

administrative separation at the 17th parallel (lat. 17° N ). The North would be governed by the Viet Minh, and the South by Bao Dai; the conference...28 Vitali Lipik, “Dioxin becomes most dangerous man-made poison,” Pravda Report, June 2005, accessed November 14, 2016, http...26, 2016. http://thediplomat.com/2014/07/agent-orange-legacy- scourges-vietnam/. Lipik, Vitali . “Dioxin becomes most dangerous man-made poison

Observations of Fallout from the Fukushima Reactor Accident in San Francisco Bay Area Rainwater

PubMed Central

Norman, Eric B.; Angell, Christopher T.; Chodash, Perry A.

2011-01-01

We have observed fallout from the recent Fukushima Dai-ichi reactor accident in samples of rainwater collected in the San Francisco Bay area. Gamma ray spectra measured from these samples show clear evidence of fission products – 131,132I, 132Te, and 134,137Cs. The activity levels we have measured for these isotopes are very low and pose no health risk to the public. PMID:21957447

Improvements Could Be Made in Reconciling Other Defense Organizations Civilian Pay to the General Ledger

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-25

could not record a journal entry to this account. DFAS Indianapolis provided us with a System Change Proposal dated April 17, 2014, which proposed a...system change to DAI to permit journal entries to USSGL 2213 that was implemented in October 2015. However, DFAS Indianapolis should not have allowed...properly accrued civilian pay for the 12 ODOs that used the Defense Agencies Initiative or the Defense Business Management System general ledgers

The American Experience with Pacification in Vietnam. Volume 2: Elements of Pacification

DTIC Science & Technology

1972-03-01

Regiment elmnts conducted coordinated mortar /ground attacks throughout Dai Loc district--recently an area of CAP concern. At the time of the attack...essentially they should be very light infantry forces equipped with automatic weapons, light mortars , grenade launchers, and rugged but light com...it lasted, a signifi- cant part of USOMI- effort was channeled toward its direct support. Piai:ers and commodities, such as fertilizer and cement

Classification of Complex Sounds.

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-10-31

spectral weights may be useful in developing signal enhancement techniques based on psychological aspects of the listener (providing a complement to...Journals) Green, D.M., and Berg, B.G. (1991). Spectral weights and the profile bowl. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology , 43A, 449-458. Dai, H...Macmillan and C.D. Creelman . Cambridge/NY: Cambridge Universi- ty Press, 1991.) J. Math. Psych., in press. Training Currently, there are two graduate

Multilevel, Multicomponent Microarchitectures of Vertically-Aligned Carbon Nanotubes for Diverse Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-31

Oxide from Synthesis to Proper- ties and to Novel Devices. J. Mater. Chem. 2007, 17, 711– 720. 29. Wang, Z. L. The New Field of Nanopiezotronics...regard, wehave reportedpreviously thepreparation of multicomponent micropatterns of VA- MWNTs interposed with nanoparticles ,17 nonaligned CNTs,18 or VA...aligned arrays on growth substrates, which enabled us to fabricate the CNT nanoelectrode *Address correspondence to lqu@bit.edu.cn, liming.dai

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At the KSC Visitor Complex, former astronaut John H. Glenn (at podium) presents former astronaut Robert "Hoot" Gibson (standing right) at his induction ceremony into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame. Also standing is former astronaut James A. Lovell. Seated on the dais, from left, are actor and Master of Ceremonies Lance Henriksen (left), and former astronauts Sally K. Ride and Daniel Brandenstein (right), both inducted into the Hall of Fame today. Also being inducted is Space Shuttle astronaut Story Musgrave. Conceived by six of the Mercury Program astronauts, the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame opened in 1990 to provide a place where space travelers could be remembered for their participation and accomplishments in the U.S. space program. The four new inductees join 48 previously honored astronauts from the ranks of the Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, Apollo-Soyuz, and Space Shuttle programs.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-06-21

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At the KSC Visitor Complex, former astronaut John H. Glenn (at podium) presents former astronaut Robert "Hoot" Gibson (standing right) at his induction ceremony into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame. Also standing is former astronaut James A. Lovell. Seated on the dais, from left, are actor and Master of Ceremonies Lance Henriksen (left), and former astronauts Sally K. Ride and Daniel Brandenstein (right), both inducted into the Hall of Fame today. Also being inducted is Space Shuttle astronaut Story Musgrave. Conceived by six of the Mercury Program astronauts, the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame opened in 1990 to provide a place where space travelers could be remembered for their participation and accomplishments in the U.S. space program. The four new inductees join 48 previously honored astronauts from the ranks of the Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, Apollo-Soyuz, and Space Shuttle programs.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At the KSC Visitor Complex, former astronaut Frederick H. (Rick) Hauck (standing right) congratulates former astronaut Daniel Brandenstein (standing center) at his induction ceremony into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame. Also standing is former astronaut James A. Lovell. Seated on the dais, from left, are former astronauts John H. Glenn and Gordon Cooper, both previously inducted into the Hall of Fame. Being inducted with Brandenstein are Space Shuttle astronauts Robert "Hoot" Gibson, Story Musgrave, and Sally K. Ride. Conceived by six of the Mercury Program astronauts, the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame opened in 1990 to provide a place where space travelers could be remembered for their participation and accomplishments in the U.S. space program. The four new inductees join 48 previously honored astronauts from the ranks of the Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, Apollo-Soyuz, and Space Shuttle programs.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-06-21

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At the KSC Visitor Complex, former astronaut Frederick H. (Rick) Hauck (standing right) congratulates former astronaut Daniel Brandenstein (standing center) at his induction ceremony into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame. Also standing is former astronaut James A. Lovell. Seated on the dais, from left, are former astronauts John H. Glenn and Gordon Cooper, both previously inducted into the Hall of Fame. Being inducted with Brandenstein are Space Shuttle astronauts Robert "Hoot" Gibson, Story Musgrave, and Sally K. Ride. Conceived by six of the Mercury Program astronauts, the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame opened in 1990 to provide a place where space travelers could be remembered for their participation and accomplishments in the U.S. space program. The four new inductees join 48 previously honored astronauts from the ranks of the Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, Apollo-Soyuz, and Space Shuttle programs.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At the KSC Visitor Complex, former astronaut Robert L. Crippen (right) presents former astronaut Sally K. Ride (standing center) at her induction ceremony into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame. Also standing is former astronaut James A. Lovell. Seated on the dais are, from left, former astronauts John H. Glenn, Gordon Cooper, Buzz Aldrin, and Walter Cunningham, all previously inducted into the Hall of Fame. Being inducted with Ride are Space Shuttle astronauts Daniel Brandenstein, Robert "Hoot" Gibson, and Story Musgrave. Conceived by six of the Mercury Program astronauts, the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame opened in 1990 to provide a place where space travelers could be remembered for their participation and accomplishments in the U.S. space program. The four new inductees join 48 previously honored astronauts from the ranks of the Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, Apollo-Soyuz, and Space Shuttle programs.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-06-21

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At the KSC Visitor Complex, former astronaut Robert L. Crippen (right) presents former astronaut Sally K. Ride (standing center) at her induction ceremony into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame. Also standing is former astronaut James A. Lovell. Seated on the dais are, from left, former astronauts John H. Glenn, Gordon Cooper, Buzz Aldrin, and Walter Cunningham, all previously inducted into the Hall of Fame. Being inducted with Ride are Space Shuttle astronauts Daniel Brandenstein, Robert "Hoot" Gibson, and Story Musgrave. Conceived by six of the Mercury Program astronauts, the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame opened in 1990 to provide a place where space travelers could be remembered for their participation and accomplishments in the U.S. space program. The four new inductees join 48 previously honored astronauts from the ranks of the Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, Apollo-Soyuz, and Space Shuttle programs.

Effects of methanolic extract from leaves of Rubus imperialis in DSS-induced colitis in mice.

PubMed

da Silva, Luisa Mota; Somensi, Lincon Bordignon; Boeing, Thaise; Barp, Cristiane; Cechinel-Filho, Valdir; Niero, Rivaldo; de Andrade, Sérgio Faloni

2016-12-01

This study investigated the effects of Rubus imperialis, a berry known as "amora-branca", in colitis dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced in mice. Animals were treated orally with vehicle (water), 5-aminosalicylic acid (100 mg/kg) or methanolic extract from leaves of R. imperialis (MERI, 100 mg/kg), once a day during seven days. The disease activity index (DAI) was observed daily. Colons were collected for histological, histochemical and biochemical analysis. The administration of MERI exacerbated colitis, as indicated by DAI heightened weight loss and increased histological colonic injury. MERI also decreased the colon mucin levels and increased colonic TNF content. The colonic levels of reduced glutathione and the superoxide dismutase activity in colitic group treated with MERI were decreased. Despite the worsening of colitis, MERI not altered the intestinal transit, body weight, colon length or organs weight in normal mice. Tormentic acid (TA) and 2β,3β,19α-trihydroxyursolic acid (THA), compounds isolated from MERI, reduced the L929 cells viability. Thus, MERI may have aggravated the DSS-induced colitis through intense intestinal mucus barrier impairment, which would lead to inflammatory responses, TA and THA contribute to the intestinal damage verified suggesting caution about the use of R. imperialis preparations, particularly in inflammatory bowel diseases.

Effects of indigo naturalis on colonic mucosal injuries and inflammation in rats with dextran sodium sulphate-induced ulcerative colitis.

PubMed

Wang, Yunliang; Liu, Lijuan; Guo, Yi; Mao, Tangyou; Shi, Rui; Li, Junxiang

2017-08-01

The effects of indigo naturalis (IN), which is a traditional Chinese herbal formulation, have been clinically demonstrated in treating refractory ulcerative colitis (UC). The present study aimed to verify the effects and mechanisms of IN in experimental UC rats. A total of 48 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into six groups: Chow, model, high-dose IN, medium-dose IN, low-dose IN and mesalazine (a bowel-specific aminosalicylate drug) groups. The models were administered 3.5% dextran sodium sulphate solution for 7 days. The treatment groups were administered IN or mesalazine and then sacrificed and sampled on day 8. Disease activity index (DAI), histological damage score (HDS) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity were used to evaluate the severity of UC. Colon and serum cytokines were detected using liquid-phase chip technology and the expression of occludin protein in colonic mucosa was assessed by immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis. The results indicated that the oral administration of IN may reduce DAI, HDS and MPO activity. IN also reduced the expression of inflammatory cytokines and increased the expression of colonic mucosal repair-related cytokines and occludin protein. These results highlight the potential of IN as a therapeutic agent for treating UC through its action of inflammation control and colonic mucosal damage repair.

Effects of indigo naturalis on colonic mucosal injuries and inflammation in rats with dextran sodium sulphate-induced ulcerative colitis

PubMed Central

Wang, Yunliang; Liu, Lijuan; Guo, Yi; Mao, Tangyou; Shi, Rui; Li, Junxiang

2017-01-01

The effects of indigo naturalis (IN), which is a traditional Chinese herbal formulation, have been clinically demonstrated in treating refractory ulcerative colitis (UC). The present study aimed to verify the effects and mechanisms of IN in experimental UC rats. A total of 48 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into six groups: Chow, model, high-dose IN, medium-dose IN, low-dose IN and mesalazine (a bowel-specific aminosalicylate drug) groups. The models were administered 3.5% dextran sodium sulphate solution for 7 days. The treatment groups were administered IN or mesalazine and then sacrificed and sampled on day 8. Disease activity index (DAI), histological damage score (HDS) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity were used to evaluate the severity of UC. Colon and serum cytokines were detected using liquid-phase chip technology and the expression of occludin protein in colonic mucosa was assessed by immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis. The results indicated that the oral administration of IN may reduce DAI, HDS and MPO activity. IN also reduced the expression of inflammatory cytokines and increased the expression of colonic mucosal repair-related cytokines and occludin protein. These results highlight the potential of IN as a therapeutic agent for treating UC through its action of inflammation control and colonic mucosal damage repair. PMID:28781623

Suppressive effect of pectic polysaccharides extracted from Rauwolfia verticillata (Lour.) Baill.var.hainanensis Tsiang on inflammation by regulation of NF- κ B pathway and interleukin-17 in mice with dextran sulphatesodium-induced ulcerative colitis.

PubMed

Miao, Xin-Pu; Sun, Xiao-Ning; Cui, Lu-Jia; Cao, Qin-Fang; Zhuang, Gui-Feng; Deng, Tao-Zhi; Zhang, Dong-Yan

2015-02-01

To investigate the effects of pectic polysaccharides extracted from Rauwolfia verticillata (Lour.) Baill.var.hainanensis Tsiang on an experimental murine colitis model. Experimental colitis was induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS), and mice were divided into 4 groups: control, DSS alone, DSS plus SASP, DSS plus pectic polysaccharides. The disease activity index (DAI) and histological score were observed. The tumor necrosis factor (TNF)- α and interleukin (IL)-17 levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. I κ B and NF- κ B p65 expression were assessed by western blot analysis. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity was determined by using MPO assay kit. Administration of pectic polysaccharides significantly reduced the severity of DSS-induced colitis as assessed by DAI and histological score, and resulted in down regulation of MPO activity and NF- κ B p65 expression and subsequent degradation of I κ B protein, strikingly reduced the production of TNF- a and IL-17. Pectic polysaccharides extracted from Rauvolfia verticillata (Lour.)Baill.var. hainanensis Tsiang exerts beneficial effects in experimental colitis and may therefore provide a useful therapeutic approach for the treatment of UC. Copyright © 2015 Hainan Medical College. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Malocclusion: social, functional and emotional influence on children.

PubMed

Martins-Júnior, P A; Marques, L S; Ramos-Jorge, M L

2012-01-01

To determine the association between types of malocclusion and quality of life in children between 8-10 years of age and establish correlations between the severity of the malocclusion and particular bio-psychosocial variables. The sample was made up of 102 schoolchildren aged 8-10 years. Clinical exams were performed using the criteria of the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI) to determine the presence and severity of malocclusions. The impact on quality of life was assessed using the Child Perceptions Questionnaire (CPQ8-10). Statistical analysis involved the chi-square test, Fisher's exact test and Spearman's correlation analysis. Malocclusions affected 61% of the children examined. There was a positive correlation between total CPQ8-10 and DAI scores (P = 0.034). The following types of malocclusion had a significant effect on the quality of life of the children: upper anterior irregularity > or = 2 mm, anterior open bite > or = 2 mm and diastema > or = 2 mm. Children with malocclusion experienced a greater negative impact on quality of life in comparison to those without malocclusion. Malocclusions had a negative influence over the quality of life of children between 8-10 years of age. More severe malocclusions had a greater impact with regard to social, emotional and functional aspects.

Individual and contextual determinants of malocclusion in 12-year-old schoolchildren in a Brazilian city.

PubMed

Jordão, Lidia Moraes Ribeiro; Vasconcelos, Daniela Nobre; Moreira, Rafael da Silveira; Freire, Maria do Carmo Matias

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to describe malocclusion prevalence and its association with individual and contextual factors among Brazilian 12-year-old schoolchildren. This cross-sectional study included data from an oral health survey carried out in Goiânia, Brazil (n = 2,075), and data from the files of the local health authority. The data were collected through oral clinical examinations. The Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI) was used to assess occlusion. The presence of malocclusion (DAI > 25) was used as the dependent variable. The individual independent variables consisted of adolescents' sex and race and their mothers' level of schooling. The clinical variables were caries experience and presence of adverse periodontal condition (calculus and/or gingival bleeding). The contextual variables included type of school and the location of schools in the city's health districts. The Rao-Scott test and multilevel logistic regression were performed. The prevalence of malocclusion was 40.1%. In the final model, significantly higher rates of malocclusion were found among those who attended schools located in less affluent health districts and whose mothers had fewer years of education. Rates were also higher among those presenting calculus and/or gingival bleeding. Malocclusion demonstrated a high prevalence rate and the inequalities in its distribution were determined by individual and contextual factors.

Does Quantitative Research in Child Maltreatment Tell the Whole Story? The Need for Mixed-Methods Approaches to Explore the Effects of Maltreatment in Infancy.

PubMed

Glass, Samuel; Gajwani, Ruchika; Turner-Halliday, Fiona

Background and Aims. Research on child maltreatment has largely overlooked the under-five age group and focuses primarily on quantitative measurement. This mixed-methods study of maltreated children (N = 92) entering care (age 6-60 months) combines a quantitative focus on the associations between care journey characteristics and mental health outcomes with a qualitative exploration of maltreatment in four different families. Methods. Care journey data was obtained from social care records; mental health and attachment assessments were carried out following entry to care; qualitative data comprised semistructured interviews with professionals, foster carers, and parents. Results. Significant associations were found between suspected sexual abuse and increased DAI inhibited attachment symptoms (p = 0.001) and between reported domestic violence and decreased DAI inhibited (p = 0.016) and disinhibited (p = 0.004) attachment symptoms. Qualitative results: two themes demonstrate the complexity of assessing maltreatment: (1) overlapping maltreatment factors occur in most cases and (2) maltreatment effects may be particularly challenging to isolate. Conclusions. Qualitative exploration has underscored the complexity of assessing maltreatment, indicating why expected associations were not found in this study and posing questions for the quantitative measurement of maltreatment in general. We therefore suggest a new categorisation of maltreatment and call for the complimentary research lenses of further mixed-methods approaches.

The effect of presentation level and stimulation rate on speech perception and modulation detection for cochlear implant users.

PubMed

Brochier, Tim; McDermott, Hugh J; McKay, Colette M

2017-06-01

In order to improve speech understanding for cochlear implant users, it is important to maximize the transmission of temporal information. The combined effects of stimulation rate and presentation level on temporal information transfer and speech understanding remain unclear. The present study systematically varied presentation level (60, 50, and 40 dBA) and stimulation rate [500 and 2400 pulses per second per electrode (pps)] in order to observe how the effect of rate on speech understanding changes for different presentation levels. Speech recognition in quiet and noise, and acoustic amplitude modulation detection thresholds (AMDTs) were measured with acoustic stimuli presented to speech processors via direct audio input (DAI). With the 500 pps processor, results showed significantly better performance for consonant-vowel nucleus-consonant words in quiet, and a reduced effect of noise on sentence recognition. However, no rate or level effect was found for AMDTs, perhaps partly because of amplitude compression in the sound processor. AMDTs were found to be strongly correlated with the effect of noise on sentence perception at low levels. These results indicate that AMDTs, at least when measured with the CP910 Freedom speech processor via DAI, explain between-subject variance of speech understanding, but do not explain within-subject variance for different rates and levels.

Soluble P3HT-Grafted Graphene for Efficient Bilayer-Heterojunction Photovoltaic Devices

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-01

lem, particularly in the bulk heterojunction photovol- taic devices. As the building blocks for CNTs and other carbon nanomaterials , the two...known carbon nanomaterials .25 Compared with CNTs, the one-atom thickness and 2-D carbon net- work of graphene lead to a much higher specific sur- face...Nanotube Hybrid Films for Supercapacitors . J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2010, 1, 467–470. 28. Liu, Y.; Yu, D.; Zeng, C.; Miao, Z.; Dai., L. Biocompatible Graphene

Soluble P3HT-Grafted Graphene for Efficient Bilayer - Heterojunction Photovoltaic Devices

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-01

the building blocks for CNTs and other carbon nanomaterials , the two-dimensional (2-D) single atomic carbon sheets of graphene show remarkable elec...highest room- temperature mobility for electron and hole transport among all known carbon nanomaterials .25 Compared with CNTs, the one-atom thickness and...Nano 2010, 4, 887–894. 27. Yu, D.; Dai, L. Self-Assembled Graphene/Carbon Nanotube Hybrid Films for Supercapacitors . J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2010, 1, 467

Background Information Relating to Southeast Asia and Vietnam (Revised Edition)

DTIC Science & Technology

1965-06-16

60,000 to 80,000—mainly by coercion and " bandwagon " effect , but also by prom- ising material and political rewards. The loyalties of the hard core...exchange of letters between Bao Dai and French High Commissioner Leon Pignon puts into effect the Elysee Agree- ment. United States sends message...the "con- siderable progress" made in South Vietnam in the fight against Communist subversion and rebellion; emphasizes that effective measures to

KSC-2009-4178

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-07-16

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – CNN correspondent John Zarella, left, moderates NASA's 40th Anniversary of Apollo Celebration of the July 1969 launch and landing on the moon. The ceremony, held in the Apollo/Saturn V Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida featured Apollo astronauts (at the dais) Buzz Aldrin, Walt Cunningham, Edgar Mitchell, Al Worden, Charlie Duke, Vance Brand, Gerald Carr and Bruce McCandless. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Computing Systems Configuration for Highly Integrated Guidance and Control Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-06-01

conmmunication ear lea imlustrielaiservenant dais an projet. Cela eat renda , possible entre auies par l’adoption dene mibodologie do travai coammune, par...computed graph results to data processors for post processing, or commnicating with system I/O modules. The ESU PI- Bus interface logic includes extra ...the extra constraint checking helps to find more problems at compile time), and it is especially well- suited for large software systems written by a

Japan-U.S. Relations: Issues for Congress

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-24

disasters and meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Public trust in the safety of nuclear power collapsed, and a vocal anti- nuclear ...to half a million Japanese were displaced. Damage to several reactors at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant complex led the government to...of Japan’s power generation capacity, and the 2006 “New National Energy Strategy” had set out a goal of significantly increasing Japan’s nuclear power

Proceedings of a Workshop on Distributed Sensor Nets Held at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on December 7-8, 1978

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-12-01

become increa ingly powerful . Natural language commanication requi e. that a dialogue participants know not only the structure of language but also...actl’viesti* wih Oveie imue. . DAI systems of involved in Interpreting and .’espondlng to a any power will certainly also have to view message...communicating parsimoniously over a nmisy mdium ml.tagaeudrtadn ytm aebe when there is euffliiet processing power available rather poor at this to date. By

Enterprise Resource Planning Systems Schedule Delays and Reengineering Weaknesses Increase Risks to DoD’s Auditability Goals

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-07-13

completed through SAP -standard templates that are then used for gap analysis as compared to the commercial-off-the-shelf “To-Be” process. The Navy ERP ...13F25-04 4800 Mark Center Drive Alexandria, VA 22350-1500 Acronyms and Abbreviations BPR CMO DAI DCMO DEAMS DLA EBS EC ERP FIAR GAO...overall objective was to evaluate six Enterprise Resource Planning ( ERP ) systems that we identified as necessary for DoD to produce auditable

An Exploratory Study of Ram Accelerator Principles

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-10-01

deeply indebted to their students, Carl Knowlen, Alan Kull, Ed Burnham, Kelley Ann Scott, Alfred Alvarez, Dai Murakami, Ivan Stonich, Dean Brackett, Dale...Conference, Honolulu, HI, June 8-10, 1987. 15. D.R. Stull and M. Prophet, project directors, JANAF Thermochemical Tables, U.S. Government Printing...Propulsion, Pergamon Press, New York, 1957. A-2. W.G. Vincenti and C.H. Kruger, Introduction to Physical Gas Dynamics, Wiley, New York, 1965. A-3. D.R. Stull

Southeast Asia Report. No. 1325

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-08-15

Delegation Visits Nicaragua 71 Condolences Sent to Venezuelan CP 71 Truong Chinh Greets Columbia’s National Day 72 Albanian Envoy Hosts Reception 72...Khoi; NGHIEN CUU GIAO DUC , May 83) 81 Hoa Hao People Living Standards Improve (Thai Duy; DAI DOAN KET, 22 Jun 83) 84 BIOGRAPHIC...have been trans - ported on ships which regularly service the route between Europe and 11 Southeast Asia. Harry said: "If we can use Indonesian flag

Substitution of Formal and Informal Home Care Service Use and Nursing Home Service Use: Health Outcomes, Decision-Making Preferences, and Implications for a Public Health Policy.

PubMed

Chen, Chia-Ching; Yamada, Tetsuji; Nakashima, Taeko; Chiu, I-Ming

2017-01-01

The purposes of this study are: (1) to empirically identify decision-making preferences of long-term health-care use, especially informal and formal home care (FHC) service use; (2) to evaluate outcomes vs. costs based on substitutability of informal and FHC service use; and (3) to investigate health outcome disparity based on substitutability. The methods of ordinary least squares, a logit model, and a bivariate probit model are used by controlling for socioeconomic, demographic, and physical/mental health factors to investigate outcomes and costs based substitutability of informal and formal health-care use. The data come from the 2013 Japanese Study of Aging and Retirement (JSTAR), which is designed by Keizai-Sangyo Kenkyu-jo, Hitotsubashi University, and the University of Tokyo. The JSTAR is a globally comparable data survey of the elderly. There exists a complement relationship between the informal home care (IHC) and community-based FHC services, and the elasticity's ranges from 0.18 to 0.22. These are reasonable results, which show that unobservable factors are positively related to IHC and community-based FHC, but negatively related to nursing home (NH) services based on our bivariate probit model. Regarding health-care outcome efficiency issue, the IHC is the best one among three types of elderly care: IHC, community-based FHC, and NH services. Health improvement/outcome of elderly with the IHC is heavier concentrated on IHC services than the elderly care services by community-based FHC and NH care services. Policy makers need to address a diversity of health outcomes and efficiency of services based on providing services to elderly through resource allocation to the different types of long-term care. A provision of partial or full compensation for elderly care at home is recommendable and a viable option to improve their quality of lives.

A Multicenter, Randomized Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Mesalamine Suppositories 1 g at Bedtime and 500 mg Twice Daily in Patients with Active Mild-to-Moderate Ulcerative Proctitis

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Abstract Background Ulcerative proctitis (UP) is a prevalent condition associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Topical mesalamine (5-aminosalicylic acid [5-ASA]) inhibits inflammatory processes in UP. Methods We evaluated effects of mesalamine 1-g suppository administered QHS compared with 500-mg suppository administered BID on UP activity (e.g., disease extension/mucosal appearance), remission, onset of response, safety and compliance in 97 patients with UP. A 6-week, randomized, multicenter, parallel-group, noninferiority study was conducted (and published) with Disease Activity Index (DAI) at week 6 as the primary efficacy variable and individual components of DAI at week 6 (i.e., stool frequency, rectal bleeding, mucosal appearance, global assessment) as secondary variables. Unreported outcomes were remission (DAI < 3 at weeks 3 and 6), disease extension, and complete response to treatment (DAI = 0; post-hoc, exploratory analysis). Results DAI values after 6 weeks were significantly reduced (±SD) from 6.6 ± 1.5 to 1.6 ± 2.3 (500-mg BID); and from 6.1 ± 1.5 to 1.3 ± 2.2 (1-g QHS). Mucosal appearance significantly improved from baseline after 3 and 6 weeks of treatment from 1.8 ± 0.5 to 0.8 ± 0.7 and 0.5 ± 0.7 (500-mg BID; P ≤ 0.0062) and from 1.7 ± 0.5 to 0.9 ± 0.5 and 0.4 ± 0.6 (1-g QHS; P ≤ 0.0001), respectively. Remission was comparable (78.3–86.1%); onset of response generally occurred within 3 weeks, and disease extension was reduced (>70%) after 6 weeks in both groups. Mesalamine was well tolerated. Compliance was >96%. Conclusions Mesalamine 500-mg BID and 1-g QHS suppositories are safe and effective for patients with UP. Most patients reported significant improvement within 3 weeks and UP remission and reduced disease extension after 6 weeks of treatment. Validity of QHS administration was confirmed. PMID:20676771

Comparison of efficacy of once daily multimatrix mesalazine 2.4 g/day and 4.8 g/day with other 5-aminosalicylic acid preparation in active ulcerative colitis: a randomized, double-blind study

PubMed Central

Yokoyama, Tadashi; Mizushima, Seiichi; Hagino, Atsushi; Hibi, Toshifumi

2018-01-01

Background/Aims This study compared the efficacy of multimatrix mesalazine 2.4 g/day and 4.8 g/day with controlled-release mesalazine 2.25 g/day. Methods In this multicenter, randomized, double-blind study, 251 patients with mildly to moderately active ulcerative colitis received multimatrix mesalazine 2.4 g/day once daily (Multimatrix-2.4), 4.8 g/day once daily (Multimatrix-4.8), or controlled-release (time-dependent) mesalazine 2.25 g/day 3 times daily (Time-2.25) for 8 weeks. The primary efficacy endpoint was the change in the ulcerative colitis-disease activity index (UC-DAI) score. Results The mean change in the UC-DAI score and standard deviation in the per protocol set was −1.9±2.5 for Multimatrix-2.4 and −2.4±2.8 for Time-2.25. The difference between Multimatrix-2.4 and Time-2.25 was 0.3 (two-sided 95% confidence interval [CI], −0.5 to 1.1), thus non-inferiority was not demonstrated based on the pre-defined non-inferiority margin (1.0). In the full analysis set, the difference between Multimatrix-4.8 and Time-2.25 was −1.2 (two-sided 95% CI, −2.0 to −0.5), and the mean change in UC-DAI score in the FAS was −3.3 (two-sided 95% CI, −3.9 to −2.8) for Multimatrix-4.8 and −1.9 (two-sided 95% CI, −2.5 to −1.3) for Multimatrix-2.4, indicating that Multimatrix-4.8 was more effective than Time-2.25 and Multimatrix-2.4. There was no difference among the treatment groups in terms of safety. Conclusions This study showed that the efficacy of multimatrix mesalazine 2.4 g/day was comparable to controlled release mesalazine 2.25 g/day, although non-inferiority was not demonstrated. Importantly, this was the first study to indicate that multimatrix mesalazine 4.8 g/day was more effective than 2.4g/day with no associated safety concerns. PMID:29743838

Diurnal variations in water vapor over Central and South America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meza, Amalia; Mendoza, Luciano; Clara, Bianchi

2017-04-01

Diurnal variations in atmospheric integrated water vapor (IWV) are studied employing IWV estimates, with a 30 minutes sampling rate, derived from Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) observations during the period 2007-2013. The analysis was performed in 70 GNSS tracking sites (GPS + GLONASS) belonging to Central and South America, which have more than 5 years of data. The selected area involves different climate types, from polar to tropical, and diverse relieves, therefore the patterns of IWV diurnal variations are very different for each station. There are many processes that could induce diurnal variations in atmospheric water vapor (Dai et al, 1999 a,b), the most relevant causes are: surface evapotranspiration, atmospheric large-scale vertical motion, atmospheric low-level moisture convergence and precipitation and vertical mixing (which affects the vertical distribution of water vapor but does not affect the IWV). Firstly, our work study the main characteristics of the IWV diurnal cycle (and for surface temperature, T) obtained for all stations together, using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). First and second PCA modes highlight the global main behaviors of IWV variability for all stations. The first mode on IWV represent the 70% of the variability and could be related to the surface evapotranspiration, while the second mode (27 % of the variability) is practically in counter phase to T variability (its first mode represent the 97% of the variability), therefore this mode could be related to breeze regime. Then, every station is separately analyzed and seasonal and local variations (relative to the relives) are detected, these results spotlight, among other characteristics, the sea and mountain breeze regime. This presentation shows the first analysis of IWV diurnal cycle performed over Central and South America and another original characteristic is PCA technique employed to infer the results. Reference: Dai, A., K. E. Trenberth, and T. R. Karl

Developing Inhibitors of Ovarian Cancer Progression by Targeted Disruption of the Gamma-Synuclein Activated Migratory and Survival Signaling Pathways

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-04-01

Golub TR. A molecular signature of metastasis in primary solid tumors. Nat Gene 2003;33:49–54. 2. van’t Verr LJ, Dai H, van de Vijver MJ, et al. Gene...Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19111 REPORT DATE: April 2007 TYPE OF REPORT: Final PREPARED FOR: U.S. Army Medical Research and... TYPE Final 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) 1 Apr 2003 – 31 Mar 2007 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER Developing Inhibitors of Ovarian

KSC-2009-4179

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-07-16

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – With CNN correspondent John Zarella (left) moderating, Apollo astronauts (at the dais) Buzz Aldrin, Walt Cunningham, Edgar Mitchell, Al Worden, Charlie Duke, Vance Brand, Gerald Carr and Bruce McCandless share stories of their experiences during NASA's 40th Anniversary of Apollo Celebration of the July 1969 launch and landing on the moon. The ceremony was held in the Apollo/Saturn V Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Characterization of Mechanical, Thermal and Wear Properties of Titanium Rich Metallic Glasses.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-12-20

public release; distribution unlimited. j i1 ,E LECTE .DOISTRIBUTION STATEMENT ( of the obeiract enterd In Block 20, It diferent bm Repow ) 1...I D-Ai23 595 CHRACTERIZATION OF MECHANICAL THERMAL AND NEAR / I PROPERTIES OF TITANIUM RI..(U) NORTHEASTERN UNIY BOSTON INA INST OF CHEMICAL ANALYSIS...BUREAU OF STANDARDS-1963-A I7 - ’Unclassified 9C.I¢,TY CLASSIFICATION Of THIS PAGE (Mmn Vao. .tr)RUC REPORT DOCUMENTATION PA8 EORE- COMPLrETING 540R I

Effects of Early Acute Care on Autonomic Outcomes in SCI: Bedside to Bench and Back

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-01

fractures in the US military. Spine J. 2012;12(9):777–83. [PMID:21393068] http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.spinee.2011.01.029 3. Macciocchi S, Seel RT...47. Dai, L.Y., Wang, X.Y. and Jiang, L.S. (2007). Neurologic recovery from thoracolumbar burst fractures : is it predicted by the amount of initial...patients (15%) also presented with a concurrent traumatic brain injury. Additional complications and comorbidi- ties included 1 pulmonary embolism without

Database Approach for Resource Management at ROK (Republic of Korea) Army Division Level.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-12-01

found in the general ledger at that unit activity. Major Classification Account series Asset accounts 1000 - 1999 Liability accounts 2000 - 2999...shludge Suplie -Maeil-W." mt~a eiin R Dai V-xp uni EQUIPME NT Figure 5.2 Logical model of DRMS. 66 -0• P Entities of the resource management system...through the company level around the division and identifies the chain of command of a unit. . C. Structure (1) 1st digit: units classified into their

An Autonomous Mobile Platform for Underway Surface Carbon Measurements in Open-Ocean and Coastal Waters

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-06-01

Sarmiento , J ., Stephens, B. and Weller, R., 2004. Ocean Carbon and Climate Change (OCCC): An Implementation Strategy for U. S. Ocean Carbon Cycle...M. Ishii, T. Midorikawa, Y. Nojiri, A. Körtzinger, T. Steinhoff, M. Hopemma, J . Olafsson, T.S. Arnarson, B. Tilbrook, T. Johannessen, A. Olsen, R...Biogeochemical Cycles, 19, GB1009, 10.1029/2004GB002295. [5] Cai, W.- J ., Dai, M. and Wang, Y., 2006. Air-sea exchange of carbon dioxide in ocean margins: A

Evaluation of Total Daily Dose and Glycemic Control for Patients on U-500 Insulin Admitted to the Hospital

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-20

regular insulin has significantly increased in recent years. These patients are severely insulin resistant requiring high doses of insulin to achieve...on U-500 Insulin Admitted to the Hospital presented at SURF Conference, San Antonio, TX 20 May 201 6 with MDWI 41-108, and has been assigned local...59th CSPG/SGVU) C.201 4 . I 52d PROTOCOL TITLE Evaluation of Total Dai ly Dose and Glycemic Control for Patients on U-500 Insulin Admitted to the

U.S. - Panama Relations in the 1990’s: Developing a Post-Noriega Strategy

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-03-08

Latin America Daily Report, 22 December 1989, p. 28. 22. "Foreign Minister Linares Outlines Foreign Policy," Panama City Circuito RPC Television (Channel...Daily Report 2 May 1989: 20. "Endara Says U.S. Forces To Leave in 1 Month." Panama City Circuito RPC TV (Channel 4) 23 December 1989, reported in FBIS...America Dai Report 12 January 1990: 29. "Foreign Minister Linares Outlines Foreign Policy." Panama City Circuito RPC Television (Channel 4) 25 December

Sequence data for two large-subunit rRNA genes from an Asian strain of Alexandrium catenella.

PubMed Central

Yeung, P K; Kong, K F; Wong, F T; Wong, J T

1996-01-01

PCR generated two distinct products from a toxic isolate of Alexandrium catenella, which had been taken from Dai Ya Bay (southern China), by using primers for large-subunit rRNA. This pattern is distinct from published data for North American Alexandrium species. Sequences of the two products suggest that the smaller was generated by a deletion event. Single-cell PCR generated the same pattern, confirming that the two products were not the results from different individuals. PMID:8900010

Deterioration of Synthetic Fiber Rope during Marine Usage. Appendix A.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-12-31

Rigidity, Moisture and Fibre Structure, JTI 48(6), T163-%174 (1957). R394 Khosla, N.K., Shrinkage Properties of Continuous Filament Yarns with Different...8217D-Ai3i 685 DETERIORATION OF SYNTHETIC FIBER ROPE DURING MARINE i/i USAGE APPENDIX AU) MASSACHUSETTS INST OF TECH CAMBRIDGE S BACKER ET AL. 31 DEC...79 70A -. - - DETERIORATION OF SYNTHETIC FIBER ROPE DURING MARINE USAGE -- APPNDIX A PROGRESS REPORT PROJECT R/T-11 PERIOD JANUARY 1 - DECEMBER 31

Detection of U Sco in X-rays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schlegel, Eric M.; Schaefer, Brad; Pagnotta, Ashley; Page, Kim; Osborne, Julian; Drake, Jeremy; Orio, Marina; Takei, Dai; Kuulkers, Erik; Ness, Jan-Uwe

2010-02-01

Eric M. Schlegel (UT-San Antonio); Brad Schaefer and Ashley Pagnotta (LSU); Kim Page and Julian Osborne (Leicester); Jeremy Drake (SAO); Marina Orio (Wisconsin), Dai Takei (Rikkyo Univ.), and Erik Kuulkers and Jan-Uwe Ness (ESA/ESAC), representing a large collaboration, report that U Sco has been detected in the X-ray band using the Swift satellite following the optical outburst discovery at V=8.05 on 2010 January 28.4743 (www.aavso.org/publications/alerts/alert415.shtml).

Mechanisms of Residual Stress Generation in Mechanical Surface Treatment: the Role of Cyclic Plasticity and Texture

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-08-24

modulus, yield strength, strain hardening exponent, and hardness can be estimated by this technique (Pethica 1982, Newey, Wilkins & Pollock 1982, Stone et...properties of metal alloys: a review", International Journal of Fatigue, vol. 24, no. 10, pp. 1021-1036. Newey, D., Wilkins , M.A. & Pollock, H.M. 1982...Zhang, Y., Zhang, S., Yu, C., Tang , Y., Zhang, H., Wu, H., Guo, D., Wang, S., Xia, X., Chen, M. & Dai, Y. 1997, "Laser shock-processing for

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At the KSC Visitor Complex, former astronaut James A. Lovell (standing left) greets former astronaut Story Musgrave (standing right) at his induction ceremony into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame. Also seated on the dais are, from left, former astronaut and Senator John H. Glenn, astronaut and Associate Director (Technical) of the Johnson Space Center John W. Young, and former astronaut Buzz Aldrin, all previously inducted into the Hall of Fame. Being inducted with Musgrave are Space Shuttle astronauts Daniel Brandenstein, Robert "Hoot" Gibson, and Sally Ride. Conceived by six of the Mercury Program astronauts, the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame opened in 1990 to provide a place where space travelers could be remembered for their participation and accomplishments in the U.S. space program. The four new inductees join 48 previously honored astronauts from the ranks of the Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, Apollo-Soyuz, and Space Shuttle programs.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-06-21

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At the KSC Visitor Complex, former astronaut James A. Lovell (standing left) greets former astronaut Story Musgrave (standing right) at his induction ceremony into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame. Also seated on the dais are, from left, former astronaut and Senator John H. Glenn, astronaut and Associate Director (Technical) of the Johnson Space Center John W. Young, and former astronaut Buzz Aldrin, all previously inducted into the Hall of Fame. Being inducted with Musgrave are Space Shuttle astronauts Daniel Brandenstein, Robert "Hoot" Gibson, and Sally Ride. Conceived by six of the Mercury Program astronauts, the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame opened in 1990 to provide a place where space travelers could be remembered for their participation and accomplishments in the U.S. space program. The four new inductees join 48 previously honored astronauts from the ranks of the Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, Apollo-Soyuz, and Space Shuttle programs.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At the KSC Visitor Complex, former astronaut Robert L. Crippen (standing right) congratulates former astronaut Sally K. Ride at her induction ceremony into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame. Also standing is former astronaut James A. Lovell. Seated on the dais, from left, are former astronauts Gordon Cooper, Scott Carpenter, Buzz Aldrin, Walter Cunningham, Edgar B. Mitchell, and Fred W. Haise, all previously inducted into the Hall of Fame. Being inducted with Ride are Space Shuttle astronauts Daniel Brandenstein, Robert "Hoot" Gibson, and Story Musgrave. Conceived by six of the Mercury Program astronauts, the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame opened in 1990 to provide a place where space travelers could be remembered for their participation and accomplishments in the U.S. space program. The four new inductees join 48 previously honored astronauts from the ranks of the Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, Apollo-Soyuz, and Space Shuttle programs.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-06-21

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At the KSC Visitor Complex, former astronaut Robert L. Crippen (standing right) congratulates former astronaut Sally K. Ride at her induction ceremony into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame. Also standing is former astronaut James A. Lovell. Seated on the dais, from left, are former astronauts Gordon Cooper, Scott Carpenter, Buzz Aldrin, Walter Cunningham, Edgar B. Mitchell, and Fred W. Haise, all previously inducted into the Hall of Fame. Being inducted with Ride are Space Shuttle astronauts Daniel Brandenstein, Robert "Hoot" Gibson, and Story Musgrave. Conceived by six of the Mercury Program astronauts, the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame opened in 1990 to provide a place where space travelers could be remembered for their participation and accomplishments in the U.S. space program. The four new inductees join 48 previously honored astronauts from the ranks of the Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, Apollo-Soyuz, and Space Shuttle programs.

Comparing Avocado, Swamp Bay, and Camphortree as Hosts of Raffaelea lauricola Using a Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP)-Labeled Strain of the Pathogen.

PubMed

Campbell, A S; Ploetz, R C; Rollins, J A

2017-01-01

Raffaelea lauricola, a fungal symbiont of the ambrosia beetle Xyleborus glabratus, causes laurel wilt in members of the Lauraceae plant family. North American species in the family, such as avocado (Persea americana) and swamp bay (P. palustris), are particularly susceptible to laurel wilt, whereas the Asian camphortree (Cinnamomum camphora) is relatively tolerant. To determine whether susceptibility is related to pathogen colonization, a green fluorescent protein-labeled strain of R. lauricola was generated and used to inoculate avocado, swamp bay, and camphortree. Trees were harvested 3, 10, and 30 days after inoculation (DAI), and disease severity was rated on a 1-to-10 scale. By 30 DAI, avocado and swamp bay developed significantly more severe disease than camphortree (mean severities of 6.8 and 5.5 versus 1.6, P < 0.003). The extent of xylem colonization was recorded as the percentage of lumena that were colonized by the pathogen. More xylem was colonized in avocado than camphortree (0.9% versus 0.1%, P < 0.03) but colonization in swamp bay (0.4%) did not differ significantly from either host. Although there were significant correlations between xylem colonization and laurel wilt severity in avocado (r = 0.74), swamp bay (r = 0.82), and camphortree (r = 0.87), even severely affected trees of all species were scarcely colonized by the pathogen.

Chemical constituents and anti-inflammatory activities of Maqian (Zanthoxylum myriacanthum var. pubescens) bark extracts

PubMed Central

Zhang, Huan-li; Gan, Xiao-qing; Fan, Qing-fei; Yang, Jing-jing; Zhang, Ping; Hu, Hua-bin; Song, Qi-shi

2017-01-01

In this study, 44 compounds in the petroleum ether extract of Maqian (Zanthoxylum myriacanthum var. pubescens) bark, a traditional Dai herbal medicine, were identified by GC-MS. Major components included 3(2H)-benzofuranone, asarinin and (dimethoxymethyl)-3-methoxy-benzene. A total of 18 compounds were isolated from the ethyl acetate extracts of Maqian bark by column chromatography and identified by chemical and spectral analyses. Rhoifoline B, zanthoxyline dimethoxy derivative, N-nortidine, nitidine, decarine are the major alkaloids. Both the petroleum ether and ethyl acetate extracts showed significant inhibition on NO production, which imply anti-inflammatory activity, in lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW 264.7 cells without cell toxicity. Decarine is the major anti-inflammatory constituent with NO IC50 values of 48.43 μM on RAW264.7 cells. The petroleum ether extract, the ethyl acetate extract and decarine showed anti-inflammatory activities through inhibiting TNF-α and IL-1β production in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated THP-1 cells without cell toxicity too. Decarine showed anti-inflammatory activity on human colon cells by reducing IL-6 and IL-8 production in TNF-α+IL-1β-induced Caco-2 cells. These results support the use of Maqian bark as a remedy for enteritis and colitis recorded by Dai medicine in China, and elucidate the major pharmacological compounds in Maqian bark. PMID:28383530

Diffuse axonal injury in brain trauma: insights from alterations in neurofilaments

PubMed Central

Siedler, Declan G.; Chuah, Meng Inn; Kirkcaldie, Matthew T. K.; Vickers, James C.; King, Anna E.

2014-01-01

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) from penetrating or closed forces to the cranium can result in a range of forms of neural damage, which culminate in mortality or impart mild to significant neurological disability. In this regard, diffuse axonal injury (DAI) is a major neuronal pathophenotype of TBI and is associated with a complex set of cytoskeletal changes. The neurofilament triplet proteins are key structural cytoskeletal elements, which may also be important contributors to the tensile strength of axons. This has significant implications with respect to how axons may respond to TBI. It is not known, however, whether neurofilament compaction and the cytoskeletal changes that evolve following axonal injury represent a component of a protective mechanism following damage, or whether they serve to augment degeneration and progression to secondary axotomy. Here we review the structure and role of neurofilament proteins in normal neuronal function. We also discuss the processes that characterize DAI and the resultant alterations in neurofilaments, highlighting potential clues to a possible protective or degenerative influence of specific neurofilament alterations within injured neurons. The potential utility of neurofilament assays as biomarkers for axonal injury is also discussed. Insights into the complex alterations in neurofilaments will contribute to future efforts in developing therapeutic strategies to prevent, ameliorate or reverse neuronal degeneration in the central nervous system (CNS) following traumatic injury. PMID:25565963

Phosphatidylethanol in Blood as a Marker of Chronic Alcohol Use: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

Viel, Guido; Boscolo-Berto, Rafael; Cecchetto, Giovanni; Fais, Paolo; Nalesso, Alessandro; Ferrara, Santo Davide

2012-01-01

The present paper aims at a systematic review of the current knowledge on phosphatidylethanol (PEth) in blood as a direct marker of chronic alcohol use and abuse. In March 2012, the search through “MeSH” and “free-text” protocols in the databases Medline/PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and Ovid/Embase, combining the terms phosphatidylethanol and alcohol, provided 444 records, 58 of which fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were used to summarize the current evidence on the formation, distribution and degradation of PEth in human blood: (1), the presence and distribution of different PEth molecular species (2), the most diffused analytical methods devoted to PEth identification and quantization (3), the clinical efficiency of total PEth quantification as a marker of chronic excessive drinking (4), and the potential utility of this marker for identifying binge drinking behaviors (5). Twelve papers were included in the meta-analysis and the mean (M) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of total PEth concentrations in social drinkers (DAI ≤ 60 g/die; M = 0.288 μM; CI 0.208–0.367 μM) and heavy drinkers (DAI > 60 g/die; M = 3.897 μM; CI 2.404–5.391 μM) were calculated. The present analysis demonstrates a good clinical efficiency of PEth for detecting chronic heavy drinking. PMID:23203094

Sodium 4-phenylbutyrate suppresses the development of dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis in mice.

PubMed

Ono, Kazuhiko; Nimura, Satoshi; Nishinakagawa, Takuya; Hideshima, Yuko; Enjyoji, Munechika; Nabeshima, Kazuki; Nakashima, Manabu

2014-03-01

Sodium 4-phenylbutyrate (PBA) exhibits anti-inflammatory effects by suppressing nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activation. In the present study, the effects of PBA on a mouse model of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis were investigated. The therapeutic efficacy of PBA (150 mg/kg body weight) in DSS-induced colitis was assessed based on the disease activity index (DAI), colon length, the production of inflammatory cytokines and histopathological examination. The results showed an increase in the median survival time in the PBA-treated group compared with that of the untreated DSS control group. DAI scores were lower in the PBA-treated group than in the DSS control group during the 12 days of the experiment. Additionally, PBA treatment inhibited shortening of the colon and the production of the inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β and IL-6, which were measured in the colonic lavage fluids. Histopathological examination of the DSS control group showed diffused clusters of chronic inflammatory cells infiltrating the lamina propria, partial exfoliation of the surface epithelium and decreased numbers of mature goblet cells. By contrast, in the PBA-treated group the histopathological findings were the same as those of the normal healthy controls. These results suggest that PBA strongly prevents DSS-induced colitis by suppressing the mechanisms involved in its pathogenesis.

Spatiotemporal deep imaging of syncytium induced by the soybean cyst nematode Heterodera glycines.

PubMed

Ohtsu, Mina; Sato, Yoshikatsu; Kurihara, Daisuke; Suzaki, Takuya; Kawaguchi, Masayoshi; Maruyama, Daisuke; Higashiyama, Tetsuya

2017-11-01

Parasite infections cause dramatic anatomical and ultrastructural changes in host plants. Cyst nematodes are parasites that invade host roots and induce a specific feeding structure called a syncytium. A syncytium is a large multinucleate cell formed by cell wall dissolution-mediated cell fusion. The soybean cyst nematode (SCN), Heterodera glycines, is a major soybean pathogen. To investigate SCN infection and the syncytium structure, we established an in planta deep imaging system using a clearing solution ClearSee and two-photon excitation microscopy (2PEM). Using this system, we found that several cells were incorporated into the syncytium; the nuclei increased in size and the cell wall openings began to be visible at 2 days after inoculation (DAI). Moreover, at 14 DAI, in the syncytium developed in the cortex, there were thickened concave cell wall pillars that resembled "Parthenon pillars." In contrast, there were many thick board-like cell walls and rarely Parthenon pillars in the syncytium developed in the stele. We revealed that the syncytia were classified into two types based on the pattern of the cell wall structures, which appeared to be determined by the position of the syncytium inside roots. Our results provide new insights into the developmental process of syncytium induced by cyst nematode and a better understanding of the three-dimensional structure of the syncytium in host roots.

Antipathy of Trichoderma against Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc.: Evaluation of Cell Wall-Degrading Enzymatic Activities and Molecular Diversity Analysis of Antagonists.

PubMed

Hirpara, Darshna G; Gajera, Harsukh P; Hirpara, Hitesh Z; Golakiya, Balubhai A

2017-01-01

The fungus Trichoderma is a teleomorph of the Hypocrea genus and associated with biological control of plant diseases. The microscopic, biochemical, and molecular characterization of Trichoderma was carried out and evaluated for in vitro antagonistic activity against the fungal pathogen Sclerotium rolfsii causing stem rot disease in groundnut. In total, 11 isolates of Trichoderma were examined for antagonism at 6 and 12 days after inoculation (DAI). Out of 11, T. virens NBAII Tvs12 evidenced the highest (87.91%) growth inhibition of the test pathogen followed by T. koningii MTCC 796 (67.03%), T. viride NBAII Tv23 (63.74%), and T. harzianum NBAII Th1 (60.44%). Strong mycoparasitism was observed in the best antagonist Tvs12 strain during 6-12 DAI. The specific activity of cell wall-degrading enzymes - chitinase and β-1,3-glucanase - was positively correlated with growth inhibition of the test pathogen. In total, 18 simple sequence repeat (SSR) polymorphisms were reported to amplify 202 alleles across 11 Trichoderma isolates. The average polymorphism information content for SSR markers was found to be 0.80. The best antagonist Tvs 12 was identified with 7 unique SSR alleles amplified by 5 SSR markers. Clustering patterns of 11 Trichoderma strains showed the best antagonist T. virens NBAII Tvs 12 outgrouped with a minimum 3% similarity from the rest of Trichoderma. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Reducing abrupt climate change risk using the Montreal Protocol and other regulatory actions to complement cuts in CO2 emissions.

PubMed

Molina, Mario; Zaelke, Durwood; Sarma, K Madhava; Andersen, Stephen O; Ramanathan, Veerabhadran; Kaniaru, Donald

2009-12-08

Current emissions of anthropogenic greenhouse gases (GHGs) have already committed the planet to an increase in average surface temperature by the end of the century that may be above the critical threshold for tipping elements of the climate system into abrupt change with potentially irreversible and unmanageable consequences. This would mean that the climate system is close to entering if not already within the zone of "dangerous anthropogenic interference" (DAI). Scientific and policy literature refers to the need for "early," "urgent," "rapid," and "fast-action" mitigation to help avoid DAI and abrupt climate changes. We define "fast-action" to include regulatory measures that can begin within 2-3 years, be substantially implemented in 5-10 years, and produce a climate response within decades. We discuss strategies for short-lived non-CO(2) GHGs and particles, where existing agreements can be used to accomplish mitigation objectives. Policy makers can amend the Montreal Protocol to phase down the production and consumption of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) with high global warming potential. Other fast-action strategies can reduce emissions of black carbon particles and precursor gases that lead to ozone formation in the lower atmosphere, and increase biosequestration, including through biochar. These and other fast-action strategies may reduce the risk of abrupt climate change in the next few decades by complementing cuts in CO(2) emissions.

Angular Impact Mitigation System for Bicycle Helmets to Reduce Head Acceleration and Risk of Traumatic Brain Injury

PubMed Central

Hansen, Kirk; Dau, Nathan; Feist, Florian; Deck, Caroline; Willinger, Rémy; Madey, Steven M.; Bottlang, Michael

2013-01-01

Angular acceleration of the head is a known cause of traumatic brain injury (TBI), but contemporary bicycle helmets lack dedicated mechanisms to mitigate angular acceleration. A novel Angular Impact Mitigation (AIM) system for bicycle helmets has been developed that employs an elastically suspended aluminum honeycomb liner to absorb linear acceleration in normal impacts as well as angular acceleration in oblique impacts. This study tested bicycle helmets with and without AIM technology to comparatively assess impact mitigation. Normal impact tests were performed to measure linear head acceleration. Oblique impact tests were performed to measure angular head acceleration and neck loading. Furthermore, acceleration histories of oblique impacts were analyzed in a computational head model to predict the resulting risk of TBI in the form of concussion and diffuse axonal injury (DAI). Compared to standard helmets, AIM helmets resulted in a 14% reduction in peak linear acceleration (p < 0.001), a 34% reduction in peak angular acceleration (p < 0.001), and a 22% to 32% reduction in neck loading (p < 0.001). Computational results predicted that AIM helmets reduced the risk of concussion and DAI by 27% and 44%, respectively. In conclusion, these results demonstrated that AIM technology could effectively improve impact mitigation compared to a contemporary expanded polystyrene-based bicycle helmet, and may enhance prevention of bicycle-related TBI. Further research is required. PMID:23770518

Changes in aridity in response to the global warming hiatus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guan, Xiaodan; Huang, Jianping; Guo, Ruixia

2017-02-01

The global warming slowdown or warming hiatus, began around the year 2000 and has persisted for nearly 15 years. Most studies have focused on the interpretation of the hiatus in temperature. In this study, changes in a global aridity index (AI) were analyzed by using a newly developed dynamical adjustment method that can successfully identify and separate dynamically induced and radiatively forced aridity changes in the raw data. The AI and Palmer Drought Severity Index produced a wetting zone over the mid-to-high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere in recent decades. The dynamical adjustment analysis suggested that this wetting zone occurred in response to the global warming hiatus. The dynamically induced AI (DAI) played a major role in the AI changes during the hiatus period, and its relationships with the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), and Atlantic Multi-decadal Oscillation (AMO) also indicated that different phases of the NAO, PDO, and AMO contributed to different performances of the DAI over the Northern Hemisphere. Although the aridity wetting over the mid-to-high latitudes may relieve long-term drying in certain regions, the hiatus is temporary, and so is the relief. Accelerated global warming will return when the NAO, PDO, and AMO revert to their opposite phases in the future, and the wetting zone is likely to disappear.

A System for Fast Navigation of Autonomous Vehicles

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-09-01

AD-A243 523 4, jj A System for Fast Navigation of Autonomous Vehicles Sanjiv Singh, Dai Feng, Paul Keller, Gary Shaffer, Wen Fan Shi, Dong Hun Shin...FUNDING NUMBERS A System for Fast Navigation of Autonomous Vehicles 6. AUTHOR(S) S. Singh, D. Feng, P. Keller, G. Shaffer, W.F. Shi, D.H. Shin, J. West...common in the control of autonomous vehicles to establish the necessary kinematic models but to ignore an explicit representation of the vehicle dynamics

Construction of a high-tech operating room for image-guided surgery using VR.

PubMed

Suzuki, Naoki; Hattori, Asaki; Suzuki, Shigeyuki; Otake, Yoshito; Hayashibe, Mitsuhiro; Kobayashi, Susumu; Nezu, Takehiko; Sakai, Haruo; Umezawa, Yuji

2005-01-01

This project aimed to construct an operating room to implement high dimensional (3D, 4D) medical imaging and medical virtual reality techniques that would enable clinical tests for new surgical procedures. We designed and constructed such an operating room at Dai-san Hospital, the Jikei Univ. School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. The room was equipped with various facilities for image-guided, robot and tele- surgery. In this report, we describe an outline of our "high-tech operating room" and future plans.

United States-Vietnam Relations 1945-1967, Study Prepared by the Department of Defense, Book 10 of 12

DTIC Science & Technology

1971-01-01

may be the only sound solution ." Collins . . * • (Saigon) 2250 to Dulles, 13 December 195^ 8l1 -226. The Defense Department reviews the...continued support of Diem in spite of a "Bao Dai solution ." The fear that $300 million plus our national prestige would be lost in a gamble" is a...basic disagreement. ’ The French conclude:. "Diem is a bad choice...without him some solution might be possible but with him there is none...What

President Bill Clinton visits JSC

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-04-14

S98-05023 (14 April 1998) --- A large crowd of JSC employees listen to President Bill Clinton during an April 14 visit to the Johnson Space Center. NASA, Houston and JSC officials, as well as the STS-95 Discovery crew members scheduled to fly in space later this year, are on the dais with the President. He earlier had gone inside several of the Shuttle and ISS crew training facilities and mockups. Photo Credit: Joe McNally, National Geographic, for NASA

A Proteomic Approach to Identify Phosphorylation-Dependent Targets of BRCT Domains

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-01

Elias, P. & de Lange, T. (1997) EMBO J. 16, 1785–1794. 45. Broccoli , D., Smogorzewska, A., Chong, L. & de Lange, T. (1997) Nat. Genet. 17, 231–235...mammalian telomere interactome: regulation and regulatory activities of telomeres. Crit. Rev. Eukaryot. Gene Expr. 16, 103–118 (2006). 13. Broccoli , D... Broccoli , D., Dai, Y., Hardy, S. & de Lange, T. p53- and ATM-dependent apoptosis induced by telomeres lacking TRF2. Science 283, 1321–1325 (1999). 30. Liu

Quantum Confined Semiconductors

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-02-01

diodes [8-10], metamaterials [11-13], and solar cells [14,15]. As a consequence, the optical and electrical stability of colloidal quantum dots...PbS quantum dot solar cells with high fill factor,” ACS Nano, 4 (7), 3743–3752 (2010). [15] Gur, I., Fromer, N. A., Geier, M. L. and Alivisatos, A...P., “Air-stable all-inorganic nanocrystal solar cells processed from solution,” Sci. 310, 462–465 (2005). [16] Dai, Q., Wang, Y. N., Zhang, Y

'Designing Ambient Interactions - Pervasive Ergonomic Interfaces for Ageing Well' (DAI'10)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geven, Arjan; Prost, Sebastian; Tscheligi, Manfred; Soldatos, John; Gonzalez, Mari Feli

The workshop will focus on novel computer based interaction mechanisms and interfaces, which boost natural interactivity and obviate the need for conventional tedious interfaces. Such interfaces are increasingly used in ambient intelligence environments and related applications, including application boosting elderly cognitive support, cognitive rehabilitation and Ambient Assisted Living (AAL). The aim of the workshop is to provide insights on the technological underpinnings of such interfaces, along with tools and techniques for their design and evaluation.

FDA Response to the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Facility Incident

MedlinePlus

... products from Japan. This means that whole shipping containers are screened by CBP. FDA field staff also ... by consumers or doctors claiming amazing results; limited availability and advance payment requirements; promises of no-risk, ...

KSC-08pd1810

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-06-23

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A Senate field hearing held at the Canaveral Port Authority and chaired by Florida Sen. Bill Nelson (right) focuses on workforce related challenges at NASA's Kennedy Space Center and potential solutions to mitigate the transition's effects on the community. The hearing examined issues surrounding the retirement of the space shuttle and the transition to the new Orion/Ares system. At the dais with Nelson are NASA Administrator Michael Griffin (left) and Florida Sen. Mel Martinez (center). Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Investigation of Gene Expression Correlating With Centrosome Amplification in Development and Progression of Breast Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-09-01

M. A., Broerse, J. J., deVries, J. B., vandenBerg, K. K., Knaan, 33. Papa, D., Li, S. A. & Li, J. J. (2003) Mol. Carcinog. 38, 97-105. S. & van der ...Veer LI, Dai H, van de Vijver MJ, et al. Gene (n = 84). These data are similar to those of van de expression profiling predicts clinical outcome of...breast Vijver et al,"O who demonstrated a significant cancer. Nature 2002;415:530-536. correlation between outcome and expression of 70 10 van de Vijver

Report on Research at AFGL. Survey of Programs and Progress

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-06-10

simulation analysis by incorpo- gives off matter through surface outgas - rating critical ionization effects, surface sing, via various thrusters and...February 1985), ADLA 1 7:658 AG-R8-13(I 6My18) D127 Dai!y Mlagnetograins ftr 1980 Ira 0 the AFGL 110 ork AFH;UTR- xS -0o29 (22 February 1985), ADA169470...during re-entry. ter data from a 1982 shuttle flight sup- A comprehensive network of polar iono- ports the claim that water vapor outgas - spheric

A User’s Manual for Electromagnetic Surface Patch (ESP) Code. Version II. Polygonal Plates and Wires.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-09-01

to geometries not large in terms of wavelength and the lack of analytical results which can provide physical insight into the problem. The first...EPTS)*Ŗ) STPM *2. ’TP’ (CABS (ETPS)*Ŗ) STTHi2.*TP*(CARS(ETTS)*Ŗ) RETURN - 1 END 296 do APPENDIX 37 * SUBROUTINE SURFFY SUBROUTINE.SURF!? (KXl,YN1...D-Ai135 837 A USER’S MAiNUAfL FOR ELECTROMAGNETIC SURFACE PATCH (ESP) 1 /4 CODE VERSION 11 P.-(U) OHIO STATE UNIV COLUMBUS U CLAS ELECTROSCIENCE LAB E

Application of Nondestructive Testing Techniques to Materials Testing.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-01-01

describes enjoy the same luxury. Real-time interpolation of the data set the dynamic-range limitations of real-time digital imaging sys - terns due to...delta encoded, ELEMENT %’. ~ ._________ litlcrcrtnen t) hr t is currtent value. I n DAI SY . thle accumulator is% a sitmple up-co uriter, and the binary...roughly 36 A. Phase Qrittization antd Phase Qiuan:ti, ’o / rr, r kilolbytes of focus mem-ory. 2 Such an architecture requtres For :i sy -,𔃾 @tl V.it)1 M)0

KSC-06pd0373

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-02-27

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At the dais (right), Kwatsi Alibaruho speaks to guests at NASA Kennedy Space Center's annual BEST (Black Employee Strategy Team) African-American History Month luncheon. Among attendees was Center Director Jim Kennedy. The guest speaker for the luncheon, Alibaruho is a flight director from Johnson Space Center Mission Control. The theme for this year's luncheon was "Creating New Paths From Journeys Past." The luncheon was held in the Kurt H. Debus Center at Kennedy Space Center's Visitor Complex. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

Swim and Survival at Sea Training: Does It Meet the Navy’s Needs

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-06-01

34minimum water survival qualification for service in the Navy" [Ref. 2]. One can infer that, due to the nature of the job and its environment. Naval...they will receive dai !A Y im inctract to until they qual ifl. How lori 8 can oAAC of these individuals remain in swim hold status? The RTC’s are...occurred whilo victims were on duty. resulting in 43 drowni r[.ef. f Fighty of these mishapr involved personrvol Wh, ci t lor intentional ly jumped from

Characterizing and Targeting Replication Stress Response Defects in Breast Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-08-01

NUMBER Shiaw-Yih Lin , Chun-Jen Lin, Lili Gong, Hui Dai, Ju-Seog Lee 5e. TASK NUMBER E-Mail: sylin@mdanderson.org The University of...the mammary fat pads of female nude mice. We closely monitored tumor formation in the mice. Notably, tumors began to form in 3 of 10 mice injected...and two independent TUSC4-knockdown MCF-10A cell lines (TUSC4 #1 and TUSC4 #4) were injected per mouse into mammary fat pads of 6-week-old female nude

Introduction to Dynamic Bifurcation.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-05-01

D-Ai33 252 INTRODUCTION TO DYNAMIC BIFtJRCATION(U) BROWIN UNIV PROVIDENCE RI LEFSCHETZ CENTER FOR DYNAMICAL SYSTEMS J K HALE MAY 83 LCDS-83-16 AFOSR...AV 04 Lefschetz Center for Dynamical Systems 0@0 UNCLASSIFIED. %;". "" I " PO. T NUMUER i2 ACCLSSIONNO .l l’. " . 0’l . 11...A0., .,N ; Lefschet; Center for Dynamical Systems Div. of Applied Math., Prov., R.I. 02912 PE61102F; 2304/A4 "t. CONTrOLLING OFFICE NAME AND ADORESS

Leaf gas exchange and oxidative stress in sorghum plants supplied with silicon and infected by Colletotrichum sublineolum.

PubMed

Resende, Renata Sousa; Rodrigues, Fabrício Ávila; Cavatte, Paulo Cezar; Martins, Samuel Cordeiro Vitor; Moreira, Wiler Ribas; Chaves, Agnaldo Rodrigues Melo; Damatta, Fábio Murilo

2012-09-01

Considering the economic importance of anthracnose, caused by Colletotrichum sublineolum, and silicon (Si) to enhance sorghum resistance against this disease, this study aimed to investigate the effect of this element on leaf gas exchange and also the antioxidative system when infected by C. sublineolum. Plants from sorghum line CMSXS142 (BR 009 [Tx623] - Texas), growing in hydroponic culture with (+Si, 2 mM) or without (-Si) Si, were inoculated with C. sublineolum. Disease severity was assessed at 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 days after inoculation (dai) and data were used to calculate the area under anthracnose progress curve (AUAPC). Further, the net carbon assimilation rate (A), stomatal conductance to water vapor (g(s)), internal-to-ambient CO₂ concentration ratio (C(i)/C(a)), and transpiration rate (E); the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and glutathione reductase (GR); the electrolyte leakage (EL), and the concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were determined. The AUAPC was reduced by 86% for the +Si plants compared with the -Si plants. The values of A, g(s), and E were lower upon inoculation of -Si plants in contrast to inoculated +Si plants with decreases of 31 and 60% for A, 34 and 61% for g(s), and 27 and 57% for E, respectively, at 4 and 8 dai. For the noninoculated plants, there was no significant difference between the -Si and +Si treatments for the values of A, g(s), and E. The C(i)/C(a) ratio was similar between the -Si and +Si treatments, regardless of the pathogen inoculation. The activities of SOD, CAT, APX, and GR tended to be higher in the +Si plants compared with the -Si plants upon inoculation with C. sublineolum. The EL significantly increased for -Si plants compared with +Si plants. The MDA concentration significantly increased by 31 and 38% at 4 and 8 dai, respectively, for the -Si plants compared with the +Si plants. Based on these results, Si may have a

Estimation of the time-dependent radioactive source-term from the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident using atmospheric transport modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schoeppner, M.; Plastino, W.; Budano, A.; De Vincenzi, M.; Ruggieri, F.

2012-04-01

Several nuclear reactors at the Fukushima Dai-ichi power plant have been severely damaged from the Tōhoku earthquake and the subsequent tsunami in March 2011. Due to the extremely difficult on-site situation it has been not been possible to directly determine the emissions of radioactive material. However, during the following days and weeks radionuclides of 137-Caesium and 131-Iodine (amongst others) were detected at monitoring stations throughout the world. Atmospheric transport models are able to simulate the worldwide dispersion of particles accordant to location, time and meteorological conditions following the release. The Lagrangian atmospheric transport model Flexpart is used by many authorities and has been proven to make valid predictions in this regard. The Flexpart software has first has been ported to a local cluster computer at the Grid Lab of INFN and Department of Physics of University of Roma Tre (Rome, Italy) and subsequently also to the European Mediterranean Grid (EUMEDGRID). Due to this computing power being available it has been possible to simulate the transport of particles originating from the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant site. Using the time series of the sampled concentration data and the assumption that the Fukushima accident was the only source of these radionuclides, it has been possible to estimate the time-dependent source-term for fourteen days following the accident using the atmospheric transport model. A reasonable agreement has been obtained between the modelling results and the estimated radionuclide release rates from the Fukushima accident.

Production of Lytic Enzymes by Trichoderma Isolates during in vitro Antagonism with Aspergillus Niger, The Causal Agent of Collar ROT of Peanut

PubMed Central

Gajera, H. P.; Vakharia, D. N.

2012-01-01

Twelve isolates of Trichoderma (six of T. harzianum, five of T. viride, one of T. virens), which reduced variably the incidence of collar rot disease caused in peanut by Aspergillus niger Van Tieghem, were evaluated for their potential to produce lytic enzymes during in vitro antagonism. T. viride 60 inhibited highest (86.2%) growth of test fungus followed by T. harzianum 2J (80.4%) at 6 days after inoculation (DAI) on PDA media. The specific activities of chitinase, β-1,3-glucanase and protease were 11, 3.46 and 9 folds higher in T6 antagonist (T. viride 60 and A. niger interactions) followed by 8.72, 2.85 and 9 folds in T8antagonist (T. harzianum 2J and A. niger interactions), respectively, compared to the activity produced by control petri plate T13 (A. niger alone) at 6 DAI. Activity of these lytic enzymes induced in antagonists’ plates comprises the growth of Trichoderma isolates. However, cellulase and poly galacturonase were found least amount in these antagonists treatment. A significant positive correlation (p=0.01) between percentage growth inhibition of test fungus and lytic enzymes – (chitinase, β-1,3-glucanase and protease) in the culture medium of antagonist treatment established a relationship to inhibit growth of fungal pathogen by increasing the levels of these enzymes. Among the Trichoderma isolates, T. viride 60 was found best strain to be used in biological control of plant pathogen A. niger. PMID:24031802

Optimizations of packed sorbent and inlet temperature for large volume-direct aqueous injection-gas chromatography to determine high boiling volatile organic compounds in water.

PubMed

Yu, Bofan; Song, Yonghui; Han, Lu; Yu, Huibin; Liu, Yang; Liu, Hongliang

2014-08-22

For the expanded application area, fast trace analysis of certain high boiling point (i.e., 150-250 °C) volatile organic compounds (HVOCs) in water, a large volume-direct aqueous injection-gas chromatography (LV-DAI-GC) method was optimized for the following parameters: packed sorbent for sample on-line pretreatment, inlet temperature and detectors configuration. Using the composite packed sorbent self-prepared with lithium chloride and a type of diatomite, the method enabled safe injection of an approximately 50-100 μL sample at an inlet temperature of 150 °C in the splitless mode and separated HVOCs from water matrix in 2 min. Coupled with a flame ionization detector (FID), an electron capture detector (ECD) and a flame photometric detector (FPD), the method could simultaneously quantify 27 HVOCs that belong to seven subclasses (i.e., halogenated aliphatic hydrocarbons, chlorobenzenes, nitrobenzenes, anilines, phenols, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and organic sulfides) in 26 min. Injecting a 50 μL sample without any enrichment step, such as cryotrap focusing, the limits of quantification (LOQs) for the 27 HVOCs was 0.01-3 μg/L. Replicate analyses of the 27 HVOCs spiked source and river water samples exhibited good precision (relative standard deviations ≤ 11.3%) and accuracy (relative errors ≤ 17.6%). The optimized LV-DAI-GC was robust and applicable for fast determination and automated continuous monitoring of HVOCs in surface water. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reducing abrupt climate change risk using the Montreal Protocol and other regulatory actions to complement cuts in CO2 emissions

PubMed Central

Molina, Mario; Zaelke, Durwood; Sarma, K. Madhava; Andersen, Stephen O.; Ramanathan, Veerabhadran; Kaniaru, Donald

2009-01-01

Current emissions of anthropogenic greenhouse gases (GHGs) have already committed the planet to an increase in average surface temperature by the end of the century that may be above the critical threshold for tipping elements of the climate system into abrupt change with potentially irreversible and unmanageable consequences. This would mean that the climate system is close to entering if not already within the zone of “dangerous anthropogenic interference” (DAI). Scientific and policy literature refers to the need for “early,” “urgent,” “rapid,” and “fast-action” mitigation to help avoid DAI and abrupt climate changes. We define “fast-action” to include regulatory measures that can begin within 2–3 years, be substantially implemented in 5–10 years, and produce a climate response within decades. We discuss strategies for short-lived non-CO2 GHGs and particles, where existing agreements can be used to accomplish mitigation objectives. Policy makers can amend the Montreal Protocol to phase down the production and consumption of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) with high global warming potential. Other fast-action strategies can reduce emissions of black carbon particles and precursor gases that lead to ozone formation in the lower atmosphere, and increase biosequestration, including through biochar. These and other fast-action strategies may reduce the risk of abrupt climate change in the next few decades by complementing cuts in CO2 emissions. PMID:19822751

Resting position of the head and malocclusion in a group of patients with cerebral palsy

PubMed Central

Martinez-Mihi, Victoria; Orellana, Lorena M.; Silvestre-Rangil, Javier

2014-01-01

Cerebral palsy are found as a result of these disorders, along with associated neuromuscular functional alterations that affect the resting position of the head. In this context, the resting position of the head could be responsible for several skeletal and dental occlusal disorders among patients with cerebral palsy. Objective: To assess the presence of malocclusions in patients with cerebral palsy, define the most frequent types of malocclusions, and evaluate how the resting position of the head may be implicated in the development of such malocclusions. Study design: Forty-four patients aged between 12-55 years (18 males and 26 females) were studied. Occlusal conditions, the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI), changes in the resting position of the head, and breathing and swallowing functions were assessed. Results: Orthodontic treatment was required by 70.8% of the patients, the most frequent malocclusions being molar class II, open bite and high overjet. These individuals showed altered breathing and swallowing functions, as well as habit and postural disorders. The resting position of the head, especially the hyperextended presentation, was significantly correlated to high DAI scores. Conclusions: The results obtained suggest that patients with cerebral palsy are more susceptible to present malocclusions, particularly molar class II malocclusion, increased open bite, and high overjet. Such alterations in turn are more common in patients with a hyperextended position of the head. Key words:Cerebral palsy, malocclusion, head position, disabled patients. PMID:24596627

Mortality and Epidemiology in 256 Cases of Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury: Korean Neuro-Trauma Data Bank System (KNTDBS) 2010-2014.

PubMed

Jeong, Hee-Won; Choi, Seung-Won; Youm, Jin-Young; Lim, Jeong-Wook; Kwon, Hyon-Jo; Song, Shi-Hun

2017-11-01

Among pediatric injury, brain injury is a leading cause of death and disability. To improve outcomes, many developed countries built neurotrauma databank (NTDB) system but there was not established nationwide coverage NTDB until 2009 and there have been few studies on pediatric traumatic head injury (THI) patients in Korea. Therefore, we analyzed epidemiology and outcome from the big data of pediatric THI. We collected data on pediatric patients from 23 university hospitals including 9 regional trauma centers from 2010 to 2014 and analyzed their clinical factors (sex, age, initial Glasgow coma scale, cause and mechanism of head injury, presence of surgery). Among all the 2617 THI patients, total number of pediatric patients was 256. The average age of the subjects was 9.07 (standard deviation±6.3) years old. The male-to female ratio was 1.87 to 1 and male dominance increases with age. The most common cause for trauma were falls and traffic accidents. Age ( p =0.007), surgery ( p <0.001), mechanism of trauma ( p =0.016), subdural hemorrhage (SDH) ( p <0.001), diffuse axonal injury (DAI) ( p <0.001) were statistically significant associated with severe brain injury. Falls were the most common cause of trauma, and age, surgery, mechanism of trauma, SDH, DAI increased with injury severity. There is a critical need for effective fall and traffic accidents prevention strategies for children, and we should give attention to these predicting factors for more effective care.

Efficacy and tolerability of paliperidone ER in patients with unsatisfactorily controlled schizophrenia by other antipsychotics: a flexible-dose approach

PubMed Central

Mauri, Massimo C.; Adami, Marina; Reggiardo, Giorgio; Giulio, Corrivetti

2015-01-01

This study evaluates the effectiveness of paliperidone ER in patients with symptomatic but not highly acute schizophrenia in terms of efficacy, safety, and patients’ perception of their social functioning and well-being. This is a multicenter, open-label prospective study with a flexible-dose approach; 133 patients were enrolled and followed for 13 weeks after switching to paliperidone ER. Outcome efficacy measures were as follows: the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), the Clinical Global Impression-Severity (CGI-S) scale, and the Personal and Social Performance (PSP) scale; in addition, the Subjective Well-being under Neuroleptics (SWN-20) scale, the Drug Attitude Inventory (DAI-30), and the sleep evaluation scale were used. Symptom Rating Scale (ESRS), adverse events, and subjective side effects were recorded. 118/133(88.7%) patients completed the study. The mean PANSS score decreased (88.98±10.09 to 66.52±16.29; P<0.001); 40.5% of the patients achieved improvement of at least 30%. PSP and CGI-S scores as well as DAI-30 and SWN-20 decreased (P<0.001). ESRS (P<0.001) decreased significantly from the baseline. Throughout the trial, no deaths occurred and only one serious adverse event was reported. Paliperidone ER has proved to be efficacious, safe, and well tolerated also with this approach more closely resembling actual clinical practice. Patient-relevant outcome parameters such as social functioning and quality of life improved, which is crucial for treatment adherence in clinical practice. PMID:26230269

Efficacy and tolerability of paliperidone ER in patients with unsatisfactorily controlled schizophrenia by other antipsychotics: a flexible-dose approach.

PubMed

Mauri, Mauro; Mauri, Massimo C; Adami, Marina; Reggiardo, Giorgio; Giulio, Corrivetti

2015-11-01

This study evaluates the effectiveness of paliperidone ER in patients with symptomatic but not highly acute schizophrenia in terms of efficacy, safety, and patients' perception of their social functioning and well-being. This is a multicenter, open-label prospective study with a flexible-dose approach; 133 patients were enrolled and followed for 13 weeks after switching to paliperidone ER. Outcome efficacy measures were as follows: the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), the Clinical Global Impression-Severity (CGI-S) scale, and the Personal and Social Performance (PSP) scale; in addition, the Subjective Well-being under Neuroleptics (SWN-20) scale, the Drug Attitude Inventory (DAI-30), and the sleep evaluation scale were used. Symptom Rating Scale (ESRS), adverse events, and subjective side effects were recorded. 118/133(88.7%) patients completed the study. The mean PANSS score decreased (88.98 ± 10.09 to 66.52 ± 16.29; P < 0.001); 40.5% of the patients achieved improvement of at least 30%. PSP and CGI-S scores as well as DAI-30 and SWN-20 decreased (P < 0.001). ESRS (P < 0.001) decreased significantly from the baseline. Throughout the trial, no deaths occurred and only one serious adverse event was reported. Paliperidone ER has proved to be efficacious, safe, and well tolerated also with this approach more closely resembling actual clinical practice. Patient-relevant outcome parameters such as social functioning and quality of life improved, which is crucial for treatment adherence in clinical practice.

KSC-08pd1808

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-06-23

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A Senate field hearing held at the Canaveral Port Authority and chaired by Florida Sen. Bill Nelson (third from right on the dais) focuses on workforce related challenges at NASA's Kennedy Space Center and potential solutions to mitigate the transition's effects on the community. The hearing examined issues surrounding the retirement of the space shuttle and the transition to the new Orion/Ares system. At the table representing NASA are Administrator Michael Griffin and Associate Administrator of Space Operations William Gerstenmaier. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd1809

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-06-23

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A Senate field hearing held at the Canaveral Port Authority and chaired by Florida Sen. Bill Nelson (third from right on the dais) focuses on workforce related challenges at NASA's Kennedy Space Center and potential solutions to mitigate the transition's effects on the community. The hearing examined issues surrounding the retirement of the space shuttle and the transition to the new Orion/Ares system. At the table representing NASA are Administrator Michael Griffin and Associate Administrator of Space Operations William Gerstenmaier. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

A Study of Strategic Lessons Learned in Vietnam. Volume 5. Planning the War

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-04-04

Military Assistance Plan Book - Vietnam, May 7, 1965, (SECRET), Now unclassified; and PROVN, p. F-3, 33. General William C. Westmoreland’s Private Files...Washington, D.C." US Government Printing Office, 1971), hereafter DOD US/VN Relations, Book 1 of 12, II.. A.1.., "The Bao Dai Solution," pp. A-5 to A-26. The...Doubleday, 1907), p., 147. 31, DOD US/VN Relations, See Cable, Douglas Dillion to Secretary of State, July 29, !953, Book 9 of 12, V.B.3., pp, 107-108

Systematic technology evaluation program for SiC/SiC composite-based accident-tolerant LWR fuel cladding and core structures: Revision 2015

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

Katoh, Yutai; Terrani, Kurt A.

2015-08-01

Fuels and core structures in current light water reactors (LWR’s) are vulnerable to catastrophic failure in severe accidents as unfortunately evidenced by the March 2011 Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident. This vulnerability is attributed primarily to the rapid oxidation kinetics of zirconium alloys in a water vapor environment at very high temperatures. Zr alloys are the primary material in LWR cores except for the fuel itself. Therefore, alternative materials with reduced oxidation kinetics as compared to zirconium alloys are sought to enable enhanced accident-tolerant fuels and cores.

Risk communication, geoethics and decision science issues in Japan's disaster management system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sugimoto, M.

2014-12-01

Issues in Japan's disaster management system were revealed by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, and by the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power station accident. Many important decisions were based on scientific data, but appear not to have sufficiently considered the uncertainties of the data and the societal aspects of the problems. The issues that arose show the need for scientists to appropriately deal with risk communication and geoethics and issues. This paper discusses necessity of　education for risk communication, geoethics and decisions science in school before students become sicentific decision makers in future.

Sustaining Soldier Health and Performance in the Former Republic of Yugoslavia. Guidance for Small Unit Leaders

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-06-01

with harmful plants . Use clothing as a protective barrier for the skin. b. Clean clothing after contact with dangerous plants . Clothing can be...boots and the outermost clothing should be rel-ioved for sleeping. r. Use lip balm to prevent chapped and sunburned lips (Cold Climate Lipstick , Antichap...0DAIS551CS 5~ Ith’ S3Z- u0cij US Army Research Institute of Fnviro.uet 11, Medicllne 50o52 2 Natick . !’I 01160-5007 and USARIE>’ T" Walter Reed Arm InstituE

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Eclipsing times of BE Cep (Dai+, 2012)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dai, H.-F.; Yang, Y.-G.; Hu, S.-M.; Guo, D.-F.

2012-03-01

New CCD observations of BE Cep were carried out from 2008 to 2011, using the 1.0m Cassegrain telescope at the Weihai Astronomical Observatory (WHAO) of Shandong University, the 85cm telescope and the 60cm telescope at the Xinglong station (XLs) of National Astronomical Observatories of China (NAOC), and the 1.56m telescope at the Sheshan Station of Shanghai Astronomical Observatory (SHAO). (2 data files).

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

Mei, Chuansheng; Nowak, Jerzy; Seiler, John

PsJN bacterization. With the MapMan software to analyze microarray data, the number of up- and down-regulated probes was calculated. The number of up-regulated probes in Alamo was 26, 14, 14, and 12% at 0.5, 2, 4 and 8 days after inoculation (DAI) with PsJN, respectively while the corresponding number in CR was 24, 22, 21, and 19%, respectively. In both cultivars, the largest number of up-regulated probes occurred at 0.5 DAI. Noticeable differences throughout the timeframe between Alamo and CR were that the number was dramatically decreased to half (12%) in Alamo but remained high in CR (approximately 20%). The number of down regulated genes demonstrated different trends in Alamo and CR. Alamo had an increasing trend from 9% at 0.5 DAI to 11, 17, and 28% at 2, 4, and 8 DAI, respectively. However, CR had 13% at 0.5 and 2 DAI, and declined to 10% at 4 and 8 DAI. With the aid of MapMan and PageMan, we mapped the response of the ID probes to the observed major gene regulatory network and major biosynthetic pathway changes associated with the beneficial bacterial endophyte infection, colonization, and early growth promotion process. We found significant differences in gene expression patterns between responsive and non-responsive cultivars in many pathways, including redox state regulation, signaling, proteolysis, transcription factors, as well as hormone (SA and JA in particular)-associated pathways. Form microarray data, a total of 50 key genes have been verified using qPCR. Ten of these genes were chosen for further functional study via either overexpression and/or RNAi knockout technologies. These genes were calmodulin-related calcium sensor protein (CAM), glutathione S-transferase (GST), histidine-containing phosphotransfer protein (H-221), 3 different zinc finger proteins (ZF-371, ZF131 and ZF242), EF hand transcription factor (EF-622), peroxidase, cellulose synthase catalytic submit A2 (CESA2), and Aux/IAA family. A total of 8 overexpression and 5 RNAi transgenic

Nodulation in Dimorphandra wilsonii Rizz. (Caesalpinioideae), a Threatened Species Native to the Brazilian Cerrado

PubMed Central

Fonseca, Márcia Bacelar; Peix, Alvaro; de Faria, Sergio Miana; Mateos, Pedro F.; Rivera, Lina P.; Simões-Araujo, Jean L.; França, Marcel Giovanni Costa; dos Santos Isaias, Rosy Mary; Cruz, Cristina; Velázquez, Encarna; Scotti, Maria Rita; Sprent, Janet I.; James, Euan K.

2012-01-01

The threatened caesalpinioid legume Dimorphandra wilsonii, which is native to the Cerrado biome in Brazil, was examined for its nodulation and N2-fixing ability, and was compared with another, less-threatened species, D. jorgei. Nodulation and potential N2 fixation was shown on seedlings that had been inoculated singly with five bradyrhizobial isolates from mature D. wilsonii nodules. The infection of D. wilsonii by two of these strains (Dw10.1, Dw12.5) was followed in detail using light and transmission electron microscopy, and was compared with that of D. jorgei by Bradyrhizobium strain SEMIA6099. The roots of D. wilsonii were infected via small transient root hairs at 42 d after inoculation (dai), and nodules were sufficiently mature at 63 dai to express nitrogenase protein. Similar infection and nodule developmental processes were observed in D. jorgei. The bacteroids in mature Dimorphandra nodules were enclosed in plant cell wall material containing a homogalacturonan (pectic) epitope that was recognized by the monoclonal antibody JIM5. Analysis of sequences of their rrs (16S rRNA) genes and their ITS regions showed that the five D. wilsonii strains, although related to SEMIA6099, may constitute five undescribed species of genus Bradyrhizobium, whilst their nodD and nifH gene sequences showed that they formed clearly separated branches from other rhizobial strains. This is the first study to describe in full the N2-fixing symbiotic interaction between defined rhizobial strains and legumes in the sub-family Caesalpinioideae. This information will hopefully assist in the conservation of the threatened species D. wilsonii. PMID:23185349

Orthodontic treatment need in a Spanish young adult population

PubMed Central

Montiel-Company, José M.; Manzanera-Pastor, David; Almerich-Silla, José M.

2012-01-01

Objectives: Orthodontic treatment need has often been assessed in child populations, but few studies employing internationally-recognized indices have been conducted in adult or young adult populations. The aim of this study was to determine the orthodontic treatment need of a young adult population in Spain by means of the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI), the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN) and the need perceived by the patients. Study design: A cross-sectional epidemiological study was conducted in a broad, representative sample of 671 adults aged between 35 and 44 years using health centers in the Valencia Region of Spain, following the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO). Results: Orthodontic treatment was required by 31.3% of the sample according to the DAI and 19.2% according to the IOTN (DHC). The orthodontic treatment need perceived by the patients was 21.1%. On relating treatment need to different variables, significant differences in patient perception were encountered by gender, as women perceived a greater need (23.9%) than men (14.4%). Significant differences in previous orthodontic treatment history were found between middle/high (15%) and low (9%) social class and between secondary/tertiary (14%) and primary (3.3%) education. Conclusions: There was no agreement between the treatment need assessed objectively by the indices and that perceived by the patient, or between the indices themselves. The decision to undergo orthodontic treatment can depend on socioeconomic and psychological factors and on values and principles that do not easily lend themselves to objective measurement. Key words:Orthodontics, epidemiology, adult, malocclusion. PMID:22322504

Double Arc Instability in the Solar Corona

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

Ishiguro, N.; Kusano, K., E-mail: n-ishiguro@isee.nagoya-u.ac.jp

The stability of the magnetic field in the solar corona is important for understanding the causes of solar eruptions. Although various scenarios have been suggested to date, the tether-cutting reconnection scenario proposed by Moore et al. is one of the widely accepted models to explain the onset process of solar eruptions. Although the tether-cutting reconnection scenario proposes that the sigmoidal field formed by internal reconnection is the magnetic field in the pre-eruptive state, the stability of the sigmoidal field has not yet been investigated quantitatively. In this paper, in order to elucidate the stability problem of the pre-eruptive state, wemore » developed a simple numerical analysis in which the sigmoidal field is modeled by a double arc electric current loop and its stability is analyzed. As a result, we found that the double arc loop is more easily destabilized than the axisymmetric torus, and it becomes unstable even if the external field does not decay with altitude, which is in contrast to the axisymmetric torus instability. This suggests that tether-cutting reconnection may well work as the onset mechanism of solar eruptions, and if so, the critical condition for eruption under a certain geometry may be determined by a new type of instability rather than by the torus instability. Based on them, we propose a new type of instability called double arc instability (DAI). We discuss the critical conditions for DAI and derive a new parameter κ , defined as the product of the magnetic twist and the normalized flux of the tether-cutting reconnection.« less

Oral administration of geraniol ameliorates acute experimental murine colitis by inhibiting pro-inflammatory cytokines and NF-κB signaling.

PubMed

Medicherla, Kanakaraju; Sahu, Bidya Dhar; Kuncha, Madhusudana; Kumar, Jerald Mahesh; Sudhakar, Godi; Sistla, Ramakrishna

2015-09-01

Ulcerative colitis is associated with a considerable reduction in the quality of life of patients. The use of phyto-ingredients is becoming an increasingly attractive approach for the management of colitis. Geraniol is a monoterpene with anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties. In this study, we investigated the therapeutic potential of geraniol as a complementary and alternative medicine against dextran sulphate sodium (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis in mice. Disease activity indices (DAI) comprising body weight loss, presence of occult blood and stool consistency were assessed for evaluation of colitis symptoms. Intestinal damage was assessed by evaluating colon length and its histology. Pre-treatment with geraniol significantly reduced the DAI score, improved stool consistency (without occult blood) and increased the colon length. The amount of pro-inflammatory cytokines, specifically TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 and the activity of myeloperoxidase in colon tissue were significantly decreased in geraniol pre-treated mice. Western blot analyses revealed that geraniol interfered with NF-κB signaling by inhibiting NF-κB (p65)-DNA binding, and IκBα phosphorylation, degradation and subsequent increase in nuclear translocation. Moreover, the expressions of downstream target pro-inflammatory enzymes such as iNOS and COX-2 were significantly reduced by geraniol. Pre-treatment with geraniol also restored the DSS-induced decline in antioxidant parameters such as reduced glutathione and superoxide dismutase activity and attenuated the increase in lipid peroxidation marker, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and nitrative stress marker, nitrites in colon tissue. Thus, our results suggest that geraniol is a potential therapeutic agent for inflammatory bowel disease.

A comparison of two implant techniques on patient-based outcome measures: a report of flapless vs. conventional flapped implant placement.

PubMed

Lindeboom, Jerome A; van Wijk, Arjen J

2010-04-01

Flapless implant surgery is considered to offer advantages over the traditional flap access approach. There may be minimized bleeding, decreased surgical times and minimal patient discomfort. Controlled studies comparing patient outcome variables to support these assumptions, however, are lacking. The objective of this clinical study was to compare patient outcome variables using flapless and flapped implant surgical techniques. From January 2008 to October 2008, 16 consecutive patients with edentulous maxillas were included in the study. Patients were randomly allocated to either implant placement with a flapless procedure (eight patients, mean age 54.6 + or - 2.9 years) or surgery with a conventional flap procedure (eight patients, mean age 58.7 + or - 7.2 years). All implants were placed using a Nobel guide CT-guided surgical template. Outcome measures were the Dutch version of the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), dental anxiety using the s-DAI and oral health-related quality of life (OHIP-14). Ninety-six implants were successfully placed. All implants were placed as two-phase implants and the after-implant placement dentures were adapted. No differences could be shown between conditions on dental anxiety (s-DAI), emotional impact (IES-R), anxiety, procedure duration or technical difficulty, although the flapless group did score consistently higher. The flap procedure group reported less impact on quality of life and included more patients who reported feeling no pain at all during placement. Differences found in the patient outcome variables do suggest that patients in the flapless implant group had to endure more than patients in the flap group.

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE PRODUCTS AS A NOVEL TREATMENT STRATEGY FOR INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE

PubMed Central

Jackson, Lindsey N.; Zhou, Yuning; Qiu, Suimin; Wang, Qingding; Evers, B. Mark

2008-01-01

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) affects the mucosal lining of the gastrointestinal tract; the etiology is unknown and treatment is directed at systemic immunosuppression. Natural products, including medicinal herbs, have provided approximately half of the drugs developed for clinical use over the past 20 years. The purpose of our current study was to determine the effects of a novel combination of herbal extracts on intestinal inflammation using a murine model of IBD. Female Swiss-Webster mice were randomized to receive normal water or 5% dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) drinking water to induce colitis. Mice were treated with either a novel combination of herbal aqueous extracts or vehicle control per os (po) or per rectum (pr) every 24h for 7-8d. Disease activity index score (DAI) was determined daily; mice were sacrificed and colons analyzed by H&E staining, MPO assay, and cytokine (TNF-α, IL-6) ELISAs. Mice treated with the combination of herbal extracts, either po or pr, had significantly less rectal bleeding and lower DAI scores when compared to the vehicle-treated group. Moreover, colonic ulceration, leukocytic infiltration, and cytokine levels (TNF-α and IL-6) were decreased in the colons of herbal-treated mice, reflected by H&E staining, MPO assay, and cytokine ELISA. Treatment with the combination of medicinal herbs decreases leukocyte infiltration and mucosal ulceration, ameliorating the course of acute colonic inflammation. This herbal remedy may prove to be a novel and safe therapeutic alternative in the treatment of IBD. PMID:19051360