Sample records for load cell package

  1. DNA packaging and ejection forces in bacteriophage

    PubMed Central

    Kindt, James; Tzlil, Shelly; Ben-Shaul, Avinoam; Gelbart, William M.

    2001-01-01

    We calculate the forces required to package (or, equivalently, acting to eject) DNA into (from) a bacteriophage capsid, as a function of the loaded (ejected) length, under conditions for which the DNA is either self-repelling or self-attracting. Through computer simulation and analytical theory, we find the loading force to increase more than 10-fold (to tens of piconewtons) during the final third of the loading process; correspondingly, the internal pressure drops 10-fold to a few atmospheres (matching the osmotic pressure in the cell) upon ejection of just a small fraction of the phage genome. We also determine an evolution of the arrangement of packaged DNA from toroidal to spool-like structures. PMID:11707588

  2. Shelf life of ready to use peeled shrimps as affected by thymol essential oil and modified atmosphere packaging.

    PubMed

    Mastromatteo, Marianna; Danza, Alessandra; Conte, Amalia; Muratore, Giuseppe; Del Nobile, Matteo Alessandro

    2010-12-15

    In this work the influence of different packaging strategies on the shelf life of ready to use peeled shrimps was investigated. First, the effectiveness of the coating (Coat) and the active coating loaded with different concentrations of thymol (Coat-500, Coat-1000, and Coat-1500) on the quality loss of the investigated food product packaged in air was addressed; afterwards, the thymol concentration that had shown the best performance was used in combination with MAP (5% O(2); 95% CO(2)). Microbial cell load of main spoilage microorganisms, pH and sensorial quality were monitored during the refrigerated storage. Results of the first step suggested that the sole coating did not affect the microbial growth. A slight antimicrobial effect was obtained when the coating was loaded with thymol and a concentration dependence was also observed. Moreover, the active coating was effective in minimizing the sensory quality loss of the investigated product, it was particularly true at the lowest thymol concentration. In the second step, the thymol concentration (1000 ppm) that showed the strike balance between microbial and sensorial quality was chosen in combination with MAP. As expected, MAP significantly affected the growth of the mesophilic bacteria. In particular, a cell load reduction of about 2 log cycle for the samples under MAP respect to that in air was obtained. Moreover, the MAP packaging inhibited the growth of the Pseudomonas spp. and hydrogen sulphide-producing bacteria. The MAP alone was not able to improve the shelf life of the uncoated samples. In fact, no significant difference between the control samples packaged in air and MAP was observed. Whilst, the use of coating under MAP condition prolonged the shelf life of about 6 days with respect to the same samples packaged in air. Moreover, when the MAP was used in combination with thymol, a further shelf life prolongation with respect to the samples packaged in air was observed. In particular, a shelf life of about 14 days for the active coating under MAP compared to the same samples in air (5 days) was obtained. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. High sensitive FBG load cell for icing of overhead transmission lines

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mao, Naiqiang; Ma, Guoming; Li, Chengrong; Li, Yabo; Shi, Cheng; Du, Yue

    2017-04-01

    Heavy ice coating of overhead transmission lines created the serious threat on the safe operation of power grid. The measurement of conductor icing had been an effective and reliable methods to prevent potential risks, such as conductor breakage, insulator flashover and tower collapse. Because of the advantages of immunity to electromagnetic interference and no demand for power supply in site, the optical load cell has been widely applied in monitoring the ice coating of overhead transmission lines. In this paper, we have adopted the shearing structure with additional grooves as elastic element of load cell to detect the eccentric load. Then, two welding package fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) were mounted onto the grooves of elastic element with a direction deviation of 90° to eliminate temperature effects on strain measurement without extra FBG. After that, to avoid the occurrence of load cell breakage in heavy load measurement, the protection part has been proposed and added to the elastic element. The results of tension experiments indicate that the resolution of the load cell is 7.78 N in the conventional measuring range (0-10 kN). And in addition, the load cell proposed in this paper also has a good performance in actual experiment in which the load and temperature change simultaneously.

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

    Jason Maung, K.; Hahn, H. Thomas; Ju, Y.S.

    Multifunction integration of solar cells in load-bearing structures can enhance overall system performance by reducing parasitic components and material redundancy. The article describes a manufacturing strategy, named the co-curing scheme, to integrate thin-film silicon solar cells on carbon-fiber-reinforced epoxy composites and eliminate parasitic packaging layers. In this scheme, an assembly of a solar cell and a prepreg is cured to form a multifunctional composite in one processing step. The photovoltaic performance of the manufactured structures is then characterized under controlled cyclic mechanical loading. The study finds that the solar cell performance does not degrade under 0.3%-strain cyclic tension loading upmore » to 100 cycles. Significant degradation, however, is observed when the magnitude of cyclic loading is increased to 1% strain. The present study provides an initial set of data to guide and motivate further studies of multifunctional energy harvesting structures. (author)« less

  5. Virus Capsids as Targeted Nanoscale Delivery Vessels of Photoactive Compounds for Site-Specific Photodynamic Therapy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cohen, Brian A.

    The research presented in this work details the use of a viral capsid as an addressable delivery vessel of photoactive compounds for use in photodynamic therapy. Photodynamic therapy is a treatment that involves the interaction of light with a photosensitizing molecule to create singlet oxygen, a reactive oxygen species. Overproduction of singlet oxygen in cells can cause oxidative damage leading to cytotoxicity and eventually cell death. Challenges with the current generation of FDA-approved photosensitizers for photodynamic therapy primarily stem from their lack of tissue specificity. This work describes the packaging of photoactive cationic porphyrins inside the MS2 bacteriophage capsid, followed by external modification of the capsid with cancer cell-targeting G-quadruplex DNA aptamers to generate a tumor-specific photosensitizing agent. First, a cationic porphyrin is loaded into the capsids via nucleotide-driven packaging, a process that involves charge interaction between the porphyrin and the RNA inside the capsid. Results show that over 250 porphyrin molecules associate with the RNA within each MS2 capsid. Removal of RNA from the capsid severely inhibits the packaging of the cationic porphyrins. Porphyrin-virus constructs were then shown to photogenerate singlet oxygen, and cytotoxicity in non-targeted photodynamic treatment experiments. Next, each porphyrin-loaded capsid is externally modified with approximately 60 targeting DNA aptamers by employing a heterobifunctional crosslinking agent. The targeting aptamer is known to bind the protein nucleolin, a ubiquitous protein that is overexpressed on the cell surface by many cancer cell types. MCF-7 human breast carcinoma cells and MCF-10A human mammary epithelial cells were selected as an in vitro model for breast cancer and normal tissue, respectively. Fluorescently tagged virus-aptamer constructs are shown to selectively target MCF-7 cells versus MCF-10A cells. Finally, results are shown in which porphyrin-virus-aptamer constructs selectively target and kill cancer cells versus non-cancer cells. Specifically, the results show that MS2 is a viable candidate as an addressable nanodelivery vessel of photoactive compounds, and the implications are that the nucleotide-driven packaging approach for modifying MS2 can be used to impart new functionalities for a host of diagnostic or therapeutic applications.

  6. Buckling behavior of origami unit cell facets under compressive loads

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kshad, Mohamed Ali Emhmed; Naguib, Hani E.

    2018-03-01

    Origami structures as cores for sandwich structures are designed to withstand the compressive loads and to dissipate compressive energy. The deformation of the origami panels and the unit cell facets are the primary factors behind the compressive energy dissipation in origami structures. During the loading stage, the origami structures deform through the folding and unfolding process of the unit cell facets, and also through the plastic deformation of the facets. This work presents a numerical study of the buckling behavior of different origami unit cell elements under compressive loading. The studied origami configurations were Miura and Ron-Resch-like origami structures. Finite element package was used to model the origami structures. The study investigated the buckling behavior of the unit cell facets of two types of origami structures Miura origami and Ron-Resch-Like origami structures. The simulation was conducted using ANSYS finite element software, in which the model of the unit cell represented by shell elements, and the eigenvalues buckling solver was used to predict the theoretical buckling of the unit cell elements.

  7. The influence of package size and flute type of corrugated boxes on load bridging in unit loads

    Treesearch

    Jonghun Park; Laszlo Horvath; Marshall S. White; Samantha Phanthanousy; Philip Araman; Robert J. Bush

    2017-01-01

    Shipping pallets often are designed with the assumption that the payload carried is flexible and uniformly distributed on the pallet surface. However, packages on the pallet can act as a series of discrete loads, and the physical interactions among the packages can add stiffness to the pallet/load combination. The term ‘load bridging’ has been used to describe this...

  8. Evaluation of gallic acid loaded zein sub-micron electrospun fibre mats as novel active packaging materials.

    PubMed

    Neo, Yun Ping; Swift, Simon; Ray, Sudip; Gizdavic-Nikolaidis, Marija; Jin, Jianyong; Perera, Conrad O

    2013-12-01

    The applicability of gallic acid loaded zein (Ze-GA) electrospun fibre mats towards potential active food packaging material was evaluated. The surface chemistry of the electrospun fibre mats was determined using X-ray photon spectroscopy (XPS). The electrospun fibre mats showed low water activity and whitish colour. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy revealed the stability of the fibre mats over time. The Ze-GA fibre mats displayed similar rapid release profiles, with Ze-GA 20% exhibiting the fastest release rate in water as compared to the others. Gallic acid diffuses from the electrospun fibres in a Fickian diffusion manner and the data obtained exhibited a better fit to Higuchi model. L929 fibroblast cells were cultured on the electrospun fibres to demonstrate the absence of cytotoxicity. Overall, the Ze-GA fibre mats demonstrated antibacterial activity and properties consistent with those considered desirable for active packaging material in the food industry. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Shaper-Based Filters for the compensation of the load cell response in dynamic mass measurement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Richiedei, Dario; Trevisani, Alberto

    2018-01-01

    This paper proposes a novel model-based signal filtering technique for dynamic mass measurement through load cells. Load cells are sensors with an underdamped oscillatory response which usually imposes a long settling time. Real-time filtering is therefore necessary to compensate for such a dynamics and to quickly retrieve the mass of the measurand (which is the steady state value of the load cell response) before the measured signal actually settles. This problem has a big impact on the throughput of industrial weighing machines. In this paper a novel solution to this problem is developed: a model-based filtering technique is proposed to ensure accurate, robust and rapid estimation of the mass of the measurand. The digital filters proposed are referred to as Shaper-Based Filters (SBFs) and are based on the convolution of the load cell output signal with a sequence of few impulses (typically, between 2 and 5). The amplitudes and the instants of application of such impulses are computed through the analytical development of the load cell step response, by imposing the admissible residual oscillation in the steady-state filtered signal and by requiring the desired sensitivity of the filter. The inclusion of robustness specifications tackles effectively the unavoidable uncertainty and variability in the load cell frequency and damping. The effectiveness of the proposed filters is proved experimentally through an industrial set up: the load-cell-instrumented weigh bucket of a multihead weighing machine for packaging. A performance comparison with other benchmark filters is provided and discussed too.

  10. Conceptual waste packaging options for deep borehole disposal

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

    Su, Jiann -Cherng; Hardin, Ernest L.

    This report presents four concepts for packaging of radioactive waste for disposal in deep boreholes. Two of these are reference-size packages (11 inch outer diameter) and two are smaller (5 inch) for disposal of Cs/Sr capsules. All four have an assumed length of approximately 18.5 feet, which allows the internal length of the waste volume to be 16.4 feet. However, package length and volume can be scaled by changing the length of the middle, tubular section. The materials proposed for use are low-alloy steels, commonly used in the oil-and-gas industry. Threaded connections between packages, and internal threads used to sealmore » the waste cavity, are common oilfield types. Two types of fill ports are proposed: flask-type and internal-flush. All four package design concepts would withstand hydrostatic pressure of 9,600 psi, with factor safety 2.0. The combined loading condition includes axial tension and compression from the weight of a string or stack of packages in the disposal borehole, either during lower and emplacement of a string, or after stacking of multiple packages emplaced singly. Combined loading also includes bending that may occur during emplacement, particularly for a string of packages threaded together. Flask-type packages would be fabricated and heat-treated, if necessary, before loading waste. The fill port would be narrower than the waste cavity inner diameter, so the flask type is suitable for directly loading bulk granular waste, or loading slim waste canisters (e.g., containing Cs/Sr capsules) that fit through the port. The fill port would be sealed with a tapered, threaded plug, with a welded cover plate (welded after loading). Threaded connections between packages and between packages and a drill string, would be standard drill pipe threads. The internal flush packaging concepts would use semi-flush oilfield tubing, which is internally flush but has a slight external upset at the joints. This type of tubing can be obtained with premium, low-profile threaded connections at each end. The internal-flush design would be suitable for loading waste that arrives from the originating site in weld-sealed, cylindrical canisters. Internal, tapered plugs with sealing filet welds would seal the tubing at each end. The taper would be precisely machined onto both the tubing and the plug, producing a metal-metal sealing surface that is compressed as the package is subjected to hydrostatic pressure. The lower plug would be welded in place before loading, while the upper plug would be placed and welded after loading. Conceptual Waste Packaging Options for Deep Borehole Disposal July 30, 2015 iv Threaded connections between packages would allow emplacement singly or in strings screwed together at the disposal site. For emplacement on a drill string the drill pipe would be connected directly into the top package of a string (using an adapter sub to mate with premium semi-flush tubing threads). Alternatively, for wireline emplacement the same package designs could be emplaced singly using a sub with wireline latch, on the upper end. Threaded connections on the bottom of the lowermost package would allow attachment of a crush box, instrumentation, etc.« less

  11. Apparatus and method for skin packaging articles

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Madsen, B.; Pozsony, E. R.; Collin, E. E. (Inventor)

    1973-01-01

    A system for skin packaging articles including a loading zone for positioning articles to be packaged upon a substrate, a thermoplastic film heating and vacuum operated skin packaging zone for covering the articles with film laminated to the substrate and a slitting zone for separating and trimming the individual skin packaged articles. The articles are passed to the successive zones. The loading zone may be adapted for conveyorized instead of hand loading. In some cases, where only transverse cutting of the film web is necessary, it may be desirable to eliminate the slitting zone and remove the skin packaged article or articles directly from the packaging zone. A conveniently located operating panel contains controls for effecting automatic, semiautomatic or manual operation of the entire system of any portions in any manner desired.

  12. Submergible barge retrievable storage and permanent disposal system for radioactive waste

    DOEpatents

    Goldsberry, Fred L.; Cawley, William E.

    1981-01-01

    A submergible barge and process for submerging and storing radioactive waste material along a seabed. A submergible barge receives individual packages of radwaste within segregated cells. The cells are formed integrally within the barge, preferably surrounded by reinforced concrete. The cells are individually sealed by a concrete decking and by concrete hatch covers. Seawater may be vented into the cells for cooling, through an integral vent arrangement. The vent ducts may be attached to pumps when the barge is bouyant. The ducts are also arranged to promote passive ventilation of the cells when the barge is submerged. Packages of the radwaste are loaded into individual cells within the barge. The cells are then sealed and the barge is towed to the designated disposal-storage site. There, the individual cells are flooded and the barge will begin descent controlled by a powered submarine control device to the seabed storage site. The submerged barge will rest on the seabed permanently or until recovered by a submarine control device.

  13. Primary lithium cell life studies

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Capulli, John; Donley, Sam; Deligiannis, Frank; Shen, David

    1990-01-01

    One solution for providing a truly independent power source is to package, within the critical subsystem element, a primary battery that can remain dormant for time periods as long as the mission life, which can be 10-15 years, maximum. When primary power from the spacecraft solar array/battery system is interrupted, the backup battery system, which is connected through a diode to the power input line, would automatically support the load to avoid a power interruption to the critical load for a time period long enough to ensure that ground control could access the satellite and correct the anomaly by sending appropriate commands to the spacecraft. Critical subsystems identified for the application are telemetry and command circuits, volatile computer memory, attitude control circuits, and some critical payloads. Due to volume packaging and weight restrictions that exist on most spacecraft, coupled with the long storage periods required, lithium cell technology was selected for the backup power source. Because of the high energy density (200-400 Wh/kg), long shelf life, and load capability, soluble cathode primary lithium technology was chosen. The most important lithium cell properties that require detail characterization for this application are capacity loss, shelf life, and the voltage delay mechanism. These are functions of storage time and temperature. During storage, a passive film builds up on the lithium electrode. The film protects the lithium electrode from progressive capacity decay but requires time to break down when a load is applied. This phenomenon results in a depressed voltage during the period of film breakdown which can last from fractions of a second to minutes.

  14. 10 CFR 71.45 - Lifting and tie-down standards for all packages.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... that failure of any lifting device under excessive load would not impair the ability of the package to... its yield strength, a static force applied to the center of gravity of the package having a vertical... package must be designed so that failure of the device under excessive load would not impair the ability...

  15. 10 CFR 71.45 - Lifting and tie-down standards for all packages.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... that failure of any lifting device under excessive load would not impair the ability of the package to... its yield strength, a static force applied to the center of gravity of the package having a vertical... package must be designed so that failure of the device under excessive load would not impair the ability...

  16. 10 CFR 71.45 - Lifting and tie-down standards for all packages.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... that failure of any lifting device under excessive load would not impair the ability of the package to... its yield strength, a static force applied to the center of gravity of the package having a vertical... package must be designed so that failure of the device under excessive load would not impair the ability...

  17. 10 CFR 71.45 - Lifting and tie-down standards for all packages.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... that failure of any lifting device under excessive load would not impair the ability of the package to... its yield strength, a static force applied to the center of gravity of the package having a vertical... package must be designed so that failure of the device under excessive load would not impair the ability...

  18. 10 CFR 71.45 - Lifting and tie-down standards for all packages.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... that failure of any lifting device under excessive load would not impair the ability of the package to... its yield strength, a static force applied to the center of gravity of the package having a vertical... package must be designed so that failure of the device under excessive load would not impair the ability...

  19. Flight performance, energetics and water turnover of tippler pigeons with a harness and dorsal load

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Gessaman, J.A.; Workman, G.W.; Fuller, M.R.

    1991-01-01

    We measured carbon dioxide production and water efflux of 12 tippler pigeons (Columba spp.) during seven experimental flights using the doubly labeled water (DLW) method. Prior to the experiment birds were randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group flew as controls (no load or harness) on all seven flights. The other group wore a harness on two flights, a dorsal load/harness package (weighing about 5% of a bird's mass) on two flights, and they were without a load in three flights. Flight duration of pigeons with only a harness and with a dorsal load/harness package was 21 and 26% less, respectively, than the controls. Pigeons wearing a harness, or wearing a dorsal load/harness package lost water 50-90%, and 57-100% faster, respectively, than control pigeons. The mean CO2 production of pigeons wearing a harness or a load/harness package was not significantly different than pigeons without a harness or load. The small sample sizes and large variability in DLW measuremets precluded a good test of the energetic cost of flying with a harness and dorsal load.

  20. Flight performance energetics and water turnovers of Tippler Pigeons with a harness and doorsal load

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Gessaman, James A.; Workman, Gar W.; Fuller, Mark R.

    1991-01-01

    We measured carbon dioxide production and water efflux of 12 tippler pigeons (Columba spp.) during seven experimental flights using the doubly labeled water (DLW) method. Prior to the experiment birds were randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group flew as controls (no load or harness) on all seven flights. The other group wore a harness on two flights, a dorsal load/harness package (weighing about 5% of a birda??s mass) on two flights, and they were without a load in three flights. Plight duration of pigeons with only a harness and with a dorsal load/harness package was 21 and 26% less, respectively, than the controls. Pigeons wearing a harness, or wearing a dorsal load/harness package lost water 50-90%, and 57-100% faster, respectively, than control pigeons. The mean CO, production of pigeons wearing a harness or a load/harness package was not significantly different than pigeons without a harness or load. The small sample sizes and large variability in DLW measurements precluded a good test of the energetic cost of flying with a harness and dorsal load.

  1. Near-memory data reorganization engine

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

    Gokhale, Maya; Lloyd, G. Scott

    A memory subsystem package is provided that has processing logic for data reorganization within the memory subsystem package. The processing logic is adapted to reorganize data stored within the memory subsystem package. In some embodiments, the memory subsystem package includes memory units, a memory interconnect, and a data reorganization engine ("DRE"). The data reorganization engine includes a stream interconnect and DRE units including a control processor and a load-store unit. The control processor is adapted to execute instructions to control a data reorganization. The load-store unit is adapted to process data move commands received from the control processor via themore » stream interconnect for loading data from a load memory address of a memory unit and storing data to a store memory address of a memory unit.« less

  2. 49 CFR 172.301 - General marking requirements for non-bulk packagings.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... container load, and the entire contents of the rail car, truck or freight container are shipped from one... quantities of a single hazardous material in non-bulk packages. A transport vehicle or freight container... loaded at one loading facility; (iv) The transport vehicle or freight container contains no other...

  3. 49 CFR 172.301 - General marking requirements for non-bulk packagings.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... container load, and the entire contents of the rail car, truck or freight container are shipped from one... quantities of a single hazardous material in non-bulk packages. A transport vehicle or freight container... loaded at one loading facility; (iv) The transport vehicle or freight container contains no other...

  4. 49 CFR 172.301 - General marking requirements for non-bulk packagings.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... container load, and the entire contents of the rail car, truck or freight container are shipped from one... or freight container containing only a single hazardous material in non-bulk packages must be marked... hazardous material is loaded at one loading facility; (iv) The transport vehicle or freight container...

  5. Survival of Spoilage and Pathogenic Microorganisms on Cardboard and Plastic Packaging Materials

    PubMed Central

    Siroli, Lorenzo; Patrignani, Francesca; Serrazanetti, Diana I.; Chiavari, Cristiana; Benevelli, Marzia; Grazia, Luigi; Lanciotti, Rosalba

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this work was to study the interaction of corrugated and plastic materials with pathogenic and spoiling microorganisms frequently associated to fresh produce. The effect of the two packaging materials on the survival during the storage of microorganisms belonging to the species Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella enteritidis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Lactobacillus plantarum, Pseudomonas fluorescens, and Aspergillus flavus was studied through traditional plate counting and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results obtained showed that cardboard materials, if correctly stored, reduced the potential of packaging to cross-contaminate food due to a faster viability loss by spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms compared to the plastic ones. In fact, the cell loads of the pathogenic species considered decreased over time independently on the inoculation level and packaging material used. However, the superficial viability losses were significantly faster in cardboard compared to plastic materials. The same behavior was observed for the spoilage microorganisms considered. The SEM microphotographs indicate that the reduction of superficial contamination on cardboard surfaces was due to the entrapping of the microbial cells within the fibers and the pores of this material. In addition, SEM data showed that the entrapped cells were subjected to more or less rapid lyses, depending on the species, due to the absence of water and nutrients, with the exception of molds. The latter spoilers were able to proliferate inside the cardboard fibers only when the absorption of water was not prevented during the storage. In conclusion, the findings of this work showed the reduction of cross-contamination potential of corrugated compared to plastic packaging materials used in fruit and vegetable sector. However, the findings outlined the importance of hygiene and low humidity during cardboard storage to prevent the mold growth on packaging. PMID:29312271

  6. Flexible packaging for PV modules

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dhere, Neelkanth G.

    2008-08-01

    Economic, flexible packages that provide needed level of protection to organic and some other PV cells over >25-years have not yet been developed. However, flexible packaging is essential in niche large-scale applications. Typical configuration used in flexible photovoltaic (PV) module packaging is transparent frontsheet/encapsulant/PV cells/flexible substrate. Besides flexibility of various components, the solder bonds should also be flexible and resistant to fatigue due to cyclic loading. Flexible front sheets should provide optical transparency, mechanical protection, scratch resistance, dielectric isolation, water resistance, UV stability and adhesion to encapsulant. Examples are Tefzel, Tedlar and Silicone. Dirt can get embedded in soft layers such as silicone and obscure light. Water vapor transmittance rate (WVTR) of polymer films used in the food packaging industry as moisture barriers are ~0.05 g/(m2.day) under ambient conditions. In comparison, light emitting diodes employ packaging components that have WVTR of ~10-6 g/(m2.day). WVTR of polymer sheets can be improved by coating them with dense inorganic/organic multilayers. Ethylene vinyl acetate, an amorphous copolymer used predominantly by the PV industry has very high O2 and H2O diffusivity. Quaternary carbon chains (such as acetate) in a polymer lead to cleavage and loss of adhesional strength at relatively low exposures. Reactivity of PV module components increases in presence of O2 and H2O. Adhesional strength degrades due to the breakdown of structure of polymer by reactive, free radicals formed by high-energy radiation. Free radical formation in polymers is reduced when the aromatic rings are attached at regular intervals. This paper will review flexible packaging for PV modules.

  7. 9975 Shipping package component long-term degradation rates

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

    Daugherty, W. L.

    Special nuclear materials are being stored in the K-Area Complex using 3013 containers that are held within Model 9975 shipping packages. The service life for these packages in storage was recently increased from 15 to 20 years, since some of these packages have been stored for nearly 15 years. A strategy is also being developed whereby such storage might be extended beyond 20 years. This strategy is based on recent calculations that support acceptable 9975 package performance for 20 years with internal heat loads up to 19 watts, and identifies a lower heat load limit for which the package componentsmore » should degrade at half the bounding rate or less, thus doubling the effective storage life for these lower wattage packages. The components of the 9975 package that are sensitive to aging under storage conditions are the fiberboard overpack and the O-ring seals, although some degradation of the lead shield and outer drum are also possible. This report summarizes degradation rates applicable to lower heat load storage conditions. In particular, the O-ring seals should provide leak-tight performance for more than 40 years in packages for which their maximum temperature is ≤135 °F. Similarly, the fiberboard should remain acceptable in performance of its required safety functions for up to 40 years in packages with a maximum fiberboard temperature ≤125 °F.« less

  8. Eugenol-loaded chitosan nanoparticles: II. Application in bio-based plastics for active packaging.

    PubMed

    Woranuch, Sarekha; Yoksan, Rangrong

    2013-07-25

    The aim of the present research was to study the possibility of using eugenol-loaded chitosan nanoparticles as antioxidants for active bio-based packaging material. Eugenol-loaded chitosan nanoparticles were incorporated into thermoplastic flour (TPF) - a model bio-based plastic - through an extrusion process at temperatures above 150°C. The influences of eugenol-loaded chitosan nanoparticles on crystallinity, morphology, thermal properties, radical scavenging activity, reducing power, tensile properties and barrier properties of TPF were investigated. Although the incorporation of 3% (w/w) of eugenol-loaded chitosan nanoparticles significantly reduced the extensibility and the oxygen barrier property of TPF, it provided antioxidant activity and improved the water vapor barrier property. In addition, TPF containing eugenol-loaded chitosan nanoparticles exhibited superior radical scavenging activity and stronger reducing power compared with TPF containing naked eugenol. The results suggest the applicability of TPF containing eugenol-loaded chitosan nanoparticles as an antioxidant active packaging material. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. USING A CONTAINMENT VESSEL LIFTING APPARATUS FOR REMOTE OPERATIONS OF SHIPPING PACKAGES

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

    Loftin, Bradley; Koenig, Richard

    2013-08-08

    The 9977 and the 9975 shipping packages are used in various nuclear facilities within the Department of Energy. These shipping packages are often loaded in designated areas with designs using overhead cranes or A-frames with lifting winches. However, there are cases where loading operations must be performed in remote locations where these facility infrastructures do not exist. For these locations, a lifting apparatus has been designed to lift the containment vessels partially out of the package for unloading operations to take place. Additionally, the apparatus allows for loading and closure of the containment vessel and subsequent pre-shipment testing. This papermore » will address the design of the apparatus and the challenges associated with the design, and it will describe the use of the apparatus.« less

  10. Non-Flow Through Fuel Cell Power Module Demonstration on the SCARAB Rover

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jakupca, Ian; Guzik, Monica; Bennett, William R.; Edwards, Lawrence

    2017-01-01

    NASA demonstrated the Advanced Product Water Removal (APWR) Non-Flow-Through (NFT) PEM fuel cell technology by powering the Scarab rover over three-(3) days of field operations. The latest generation APWR NFT fuel cell stackwas packaged by the Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) Modular Power Systems (AMPS) team into a nominallyrated 1-kW fuel cell power module. This power module was functionally verified in a laboratory prior to field operations on the Scarab rover, which concluded on 2 September 2015. During this demonstration, the power module satisfied all required success criteria by supporting all electrical loads as the Scarab navigated the NASA Glenn Research Center.

  11. The Reusable Load Cell with Protection Applied for Online Monitoring of Overhead Transmission Lines Based on Fiber Bragg Grating

    PubMed Central

    Ma, Guoming; Mao, Naiqiang; Li, Yabo; Jiang, Jun; Zhou, Hongyang; Li, Chengrong

    2016-01-01

    Heavy ice coating of high–voltage overhead transmission lines may lead to conductor breakage and tower collapse causing the unexpected interrupt of power supply. The optical load cell applied in ice monitoring systems is immune to electromagnetic interference and has no need of a power supply on site. Therefore, it has become a hot research topic in China and other countries. In this paper, to solve the problem of eccentric load in measurement, we adopt the shearing structure with additional grooves to improve the strain distribution and acquire good repeatability. Then, the fiber Bragg grating (FBG) with a permanent weldable package are mounted onto the front/rear groove of the elastic element by spot welding, the direction deviation of FBGs is 90° from each other to achieve temperature compensation without an extra FBG. After that, protection parts are designed to guarantee high sensitivity for a light load condition and industrial safety under a heavy load up to 65 kN. The results of tension experiments indicate that the sensitivity and resolution of the load cell is 0.1285 pm/N and 7.782 N in the conventional measuring range (0–10 kN). Heavy load tension experiments prove that the protection structure works and the sensitivity and resolution are not changed after several high load (65 kN) cycles. In addition, the experiment shows that the resolution of the sensor is 87.79 N in the large load range, allowing the parameter to be used in heavy icing monitoring. PMID:27338403

  12. 49 CFR 177.834 - General requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... and Unloading § 177.834 General requirements. (a) Packages secured in a motor vehicle. Any package containing any hazardous material, not permanently attached to a motor vehicle, must be secured against... smoking while loading or unloading. Smoking on or about any motor vehicle while loading or unloading any...

  13. 49 CFR 177.834 - General requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... and Unloading § 177.834 General requirements. (a) Packages secured in a motor vehicle. Any package containing any hazardous material, not permanently attached to a motor vehicle, must be secured against... smoking while loading or unloading. Smoking on or about any motor vehicle while loading or unloading any...

  14. 49 CFR 177.834 - General requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... and Unloading § 177.834 General requirements. (a) Packages secured in a motor vehicle. Any package containing any hazardous material, not permanently attached to a motor vehicle, must be secured against... smoking while loading or unloading. Smoking on or about any motor vehicle while loading or unloading any...

  15. Active cooling of microvascular composites for battery packaging

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pety, Stephen J.; Chia, Patrick X. L.; Carrington, Stephen M.; White, Scott R.

    2017-10-01

    Batteries in electric vehicles (EVs) require a packaging system that provides both thermal regulation and crash protection. A novel packaging scheme is presented that uses active cooling of microvascular carbon fiber reinforced composites to accomplish this multifunctional objective. Microvascular carbon fiber/epoxy composite panels were fabricated and their cooling performance assessed over a range of thermal loads and experimental conditions. Tests were performed for different values of coolant flow rate, channel spacing, panel thermal conductivity, and applied heat flux. More efficient cooling occurs when the coolant flow rate is increased, channel spacing is reduced, and thermal conductivity of the host composite is increased. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were also performed and correlate well with the experimental data. CFD simulations of a typical EV battery pack confirm that microvascular composite panels can adequately cool battery cells generating 500 W m-2 heat flux below 40 °C.

  16. Imatinib-loaded polyelectrolyte microcapsules for sustained targeting of BCR-ABL+ leukemia stem cells.

    PubMed

    Palamà, Ilaria E; Leporatti, Stefano; de Luca, Emanuela; Di Renzo, Nicola; Maffia, Michele; Gambacorti-Passerini, Carlo; Rinaldi, Ross; Gigli, Giuseppe; Cingolani, Roberto; Coluccia, Addolorata M L

    2010-04-01

    The lack of sensitivity of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) stem cells to imatinib mesylate (IM) commonly leads to drug dose escalation or early disease relapses when therapy is stopped. Here, we report that packaging of IM into a biodegradable carrier based on polyelectrolyte microcapsules increases drug retention and antitumor activity in CML stem cells, also improving the ex vivo purging of malignant progenitors from patient autografts. Microparticles/capsules were obtained by layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly of oppositely charged polyelectrolyte multilayers on removable calcium carbonate (CaCO(3)) templates and loaded with or without IM. A leukemic cell line (KU812) and CD34(+) cells freshly isolated from healthy donors or CML patients were tested. Polyelectrolyte microcapsules (PMCs) with an average diameter of 3 microm, fluorescently labelled multilayers sensitive to the action of intracellular proteases and 95-99% encapsulation efficiency of IM, were prepared. Cell uptake efficiency of such biodegradable carriers was quantified in KU812, leukemic and normal CD34(+) stem cells (range: 70-85%), and empty PMCs did not impact cell viability. IM-loaded PMCs selectively targeted CML cells, by promoting apoptosis at doses that exert only cytostatic effects by IM alone. More importantly, residual CML cells from patient leukapheresis products were reduced or eliminated more efficiently by using IM-loaded PMCs compared with freely soluble IM, with a purging efficiency of several logs. No adverse effects on normal CD34(+) stem-cell survival and their clonogenic potential was noticed in long-term cultures of hematopoietic progenitors in vitro. This pilot study provides the proof-of-principle for the clinical application of biodegradable IM-loaded PMC as feasible, safe and effective ex vivo purging agents to target CML stem cells, in order to improve transplant outcome of resistant/relapsed patients or reduce IM dose escalation.

  17. Polyelectrolyte Complex Optimization for Macrophage Delivery of Redox Enzyme Nanoparticles

    PubMed Central

    Zhao, Yuling; Haney, Matthew J.; Klyachko, Natalia L.; Li, Shu; Booth, Stephanie L.; Higginbotham, Sheila M.; Jones, Jocelyn; Zimmerman, Matthew C.; Mosley, R. Lee; Kabanov, Alexander V.; Gendelman, Howard E.; Batrakova, Elena V.

    2011-01-01

    Background We posit that cell-mediated drug delivery can improve transport of therapeutic enzymes to the brain and decrease inflammation and neurodegeneration induced during Parkinson’s disease. Our prior work demonstrated that macrophages loaded with nanoformulated catalase (“nanozyme”) protect the nigrostriatum in a murine model of Parkinson’s disease. Packaging of catalase into block ionomer complex with a synthetic polyelectrolyte block copolymers protects the enzyme degradation in macrophages. Methods We examined relationships between the composition and structure of block ionomer complexes, their physicochemical characteristics, and loadings, release rates, and catalase activity in bone marrow-derived macrophages. Results Formation of block-ionomer complexes resulted in improved aggregation stability. Block ionomer complexes with ε-polylisine, and poly-L-glutamic acid -poly(ethylene glycol) demonstrated the least cytotoxicity and high loading and release rates, however, did not efficiently protect catalase inside macrophages. Conclusion nanozymes with polyethyleneimine- and poly(L-lysine)10-poly(ethylene glycol) provided the best protection of enzymatic activity for cell-mediated drug delivery. PMID:21182416

  18. 49 CFR 178.980 - Stacking test.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... Packaging unsafe for transportation and no loss of contents. (2) For flexible Large Packagings, there may be no deterioration which renders the Large Packaging unsafe for transportation and no loss of contents... required load, there is no permanent deformation to the Large Packaging which renders the whole Large...

  19. Functional characterization of adenoviral/retroviral chimeric vectors and their use for efficient screening of retroviral producer cell lines.

    PubMed

    Duisit, G; Salvetti, A; Moullier, P; Cosset, F L

    1999-01-20

    We have generated three different E1-deleted replication-defective adenoviral vectors expressing either Moloney murine leukemia virus (Mo-MuLV) Gag-Pol core particle proteins, gibbon ape leukemia virus (GALV) envelope glycoproteins, or an MuLV-derived retroviral vector genome encoding mCD2 antigen, a murine cell surface marker easily detectable by flow cytometry. Each of the three vectors was first characterized individually by infection of cells providing the complementary retroviral function(s) and able to induce the production of retroviral vectors with an efficiency similar to or higher than that of FLY stable retroviral packaging cells [Cosset, F.-L., Takeuchi, Y., Battini, J.-L., Weiss, R.A., and Collins, M.K.L., (1995). J. Virol. 69, 7430-7436]. In small-scale pilot experiments, TE671 cells simultaneously coinfected with the three adenoviral vectors efficiently released helper-free retroviral vectors in their supernatant, with titers greater than 10(6) infectious particles per milliliter by end-point titrations. Our results also indicated that in contrast to retroviral vector-packageable RNAs, the adenovirus-mediated overexpression of both Gag-Pol and Env packaging functions had limited impact on retroviral titers. The primary mechanism suspected is the premature intracellular cleavage of the Pr65gag precursor that we found in gag-pol-expressing cells, which in turn may impair the normal incorporation of high loads of functional Env. Last, the characterization of the adenoviral/retroviral chimeric vectors allowed the screening of various primate cells for retroviral production and we found that three hepatocyte-derived cell lines were highly efficient in the assembly and release of infectious retroviral particles.

  20. Testing a structural model for viral DNA packaging motor function by optical tweezers measurements, site directed mutagenesis, and molecular dynamics calculations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Keller, Nicholas A.; Migliori, Amy D.; Arya, Gaurav; Rao, Venigalla B.; Smith, Douglas E.

    2013-09-01

    Many double-stranded DNA viruses employ a molecular motor to package DNA into preformed capsid shells. Based on structures of phage T4 motor proteins determined by X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy, Rao, Rossmann and coworkers recently proposed a structural model for motor function. They proposed that DNA is ratcheted by a large conformational change driven by electrostatic interactions between charged residues at an interface between two globular domains of the motor protein. We have conducted experiments to test this model by studying the effect on packaging under applied load of site-directed changes altering these residues. We observe significant impairment of packaging activity including reductions in packaging rate, percent time packaging, and time active under high load. We show that these measured impairments correlate well with alterations in free energies associated with the conformational change predicted by molecular dynamics simulations.

  1. Humidity data for 9975 shipping packages with cane fiberboard

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

    Daugherty, W. L.

    The 9975 surveillance program is developing a technical basis to support extending the storage period of 9975 packages in K-Area Complex beyond the currently approved 15 years. A key element of this effort is developing a better understanding of degradation of the fiberboard assembly under storage conditions. This degradation is influenced greatly by the moisture content of the fiberboard, which is not well characterized on an individual package basis. Direct measurements of humidity and fiberboard moisture content have been made on two test packages with cane fiberboard and varying internal heat levels from 0 up to 19W. With an internalmore » heat load, a temperature gradient in the fiberboard assembly leads to varying relative humidity in the air around the fiberboard. However, the absolute humidity tends to remain approximately constant throughout the package. The moisture content of fiberboard varies under the influence of several phenomena. Changes in local fiberboard temperature (from an internal heat load) can cause fiberboard moisture changes through absorption or evaporation. Fiberboard degradation at elevated temperature will produce water as a byproduct. And the moisture level within the package is constantly seeking equilibrium with that of the surrounding room air, which varies on a daily and seasonal basis. One indicator of the moisture condition within a 9975 package might be obtained by measuring the relative humidity in the upper air space, by inserting a humidity probe through a caplug hole. However, the data indicate that for the higher internal heat loads (15 and 19 watts), a large variation in internal moisture conditions produces little or no variation in the air space relative humidity. Therefore, this approach does not appear to be sensitive to fiberboard moisture variations at the higher heat loads which are of most interest to maintaining fiberboard integrity.« less

  2. Multimedia package for LRFD concrete bridge design.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2009-02-01

    This Project developed a Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) multimedia package to provide a practical introduction and an in-depth understanding of the technological advances in the design of concrete bridges. This package can be used to train ...

  3. Concise classification of the genomic porcine endogenous retroviral gamma1 load to defined lineages.

    PubMed

    Klymiuk, Nikolai; Wolf, Eckhard; Aigner, Bernhard

    2008-02-05

    We investigated the infection history of porcine endogenous retroviruses (PERV) gamma1 by analyzing published env and LTR sequences. PERV sequences from various breeds, porcine cell lines and infected human primary cells were included in the study. We identified a considerable number of retroviral lineages indicating multiple independent colonization events of the porcine genome. A recent boost of the proviral load in an isolated pig herd and exclusive occurrence of distinct lineages in single studies indicated the ongoing colonization of the porcine genome with endogenous retroviruses. Retroviral recombination between co-packaged genomes was a general factor for PERV gamma1 diversity which indicated the simultaneous expression of different proviral loci over a period of time. In total, our detailed description of endogenous retroviral lineages is the prerequisite for breeding approaches to minimize the infectious potential of porcine tissues for the subsequent use in xenotransplantation.

  4. A novel paclitaxel-loaded poly(d,l-lactide-co-glycolide)-Tween 80 copolymer nanoparticle overcoming multidrug resistance for lung cancer treatment

    PubMed Central

    Yuan, Xun; Ji, Wenxiang; Chen, Si; Bao, Yuling; Tan, Songwei; Lu, Shun; Wu, Kongming; Chu, Qian

    2016-01-01

    Drug resistance has become a main obstacle for the effective treatment of lung cancer. To address this problem, a novel biocompatible nanoscale package, poly(d,l-lactide-co-glycolide)-Tween 80, was designed and synthesized to overcome paclitaxel (PTX) resistance in a PTX-resistant human lung cancer cell line. The poly(d,l-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA)-Tween 80 nanoparticles (NPs) could efficiently load PTX and release the drug gradually. There was an increased level of uptake of PLGA-Tween 80 in PTX-resistant lung cancer cell line A549/T, which achieved a significantly higher level of cytotoxicity than both PLGA NP formulation and Taxol®. The in vivo antitumor efficacy also showed that PLGA-Tween 80 NP was more effective than Taxol®, indicating that PLGA-Tween 80 copolymer was a promising carrier for PTX in resistant lung cancer. PMID:27307727

  5. 49 CFR 173.403 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    .... Consignment means a package or group of packages or load of radioactive material offered by a person for... removed from a surface during normal conditions of transport. (2) Non-fixed radioactive contamination... provide control over the accumulation of packages, overpacks or freight containers containing fissile...

  6. 49 CFR 173.403 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    .... Consignment means a package or group of packages or load of radioactive material offered by a person for... removed from a surface during normal conditions of transport. (2) Non-fixed radioactive contamination... provide control over the accumulation of packages, overpacks or freight containers containing fissile...

  7. 49 CFR 173.403 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    .... Consignment means a package or group of packages or load of radioactive material offered by a person for... removed from a surface during normal conditions of transport. (2) Non-fixed radioactive contamination... provide control over the accumulation of packages, overpacks or freight containers containing fissile...

  8. 49 CFR 173.403 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    .... Consignment means a package or group of packages or load of radioactive material offered by a person for... removed from a surface during normal conditions of transport. (2) Non-fixed radioactive contamination... provide control over the accumulation of packages, overpacks or freight containers containing fissile...

  9. Humidity Data for 9975 Shipping Packages with Softwood Fiberboard

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

    Daugherty, W. L.

    The 9975 surveillance program is developing a technical basis to support extending the storage period of 9975 packages in K-Area Complex beyond the currently approved 15 years. A key element of this effort is developing a better understanding of degradation of the fiberboard assembly under storage conditions. This degradation is influenced greatly by the moisture content of the fiberboard, which is not well characterized on an individual package basis. Direct measurements of humidity and fiberboard moisture content have been made on two test packages with softwood fiberboard and varying internal heat levels from 0 up to 19W. Comparable measurements withmore » cane fiberboard have been reported previously. With an internal heat load, a temperature gradient in the fiberboard assembly leads to varying relative humidity in the air around the fiberboard. However, the absolute humidity tends to remain approximately constant throughout the package, especially at lower heat loads.« less

  10. [Experimental study of interleukin-12 gene vaccines in the treatment of low-load malignant lymphoma (EL4)].

    PubMed

    Jiang, Q; Da, W; Ou, Y

    2001-11-01

    Two kinds of murine interleukin-12 (mIL-12) fusion gene vaccines were used to treat the murine low-load malignant T cell lymphoma EL4 as minimal residual disease (MRD) model. C57BL/6 synergistical mice were subcutaneously inoculated with 1 x 10(6) wild-type (wt) EL4 tumor cells as low-load lymphoma model treated with two mIL-12 gene vaccines. Package cell line PA317/12 producing mIL-12 retrovirus (RV) was used as in vivo vaccine and EL4 tumor cells transferred with mIL-12 gene as ex vivo vaccine. In both mIL-12 gene vaccine-treated groups, there was no tumor growth in 50% mice 60 days after inoculation. Nine of these no tumor growth mice were re-challenged with 5 x 10(5) wt EL4 cells, and 5 of them survived without tumors in another 60 days. All control mice died with tumors within one month after inoculation. Among those developed tumors in both vaccine-treated groups, the development of tumors was delayed, the survival period prolonged (P < 0.01), and the tumors size at death smaller (P < 0.05) as compared with the controls. In the long-survived vaccine-treated mice, no residual tumor cells were found by morphological examination. Both IL-12 gene vaccines can efficiently eliminate wt EL4 MRD in C57BL/6 mice.

  11. 49 CFR 178.707 - Standards for composite IBCs.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... designed to bear the entire stacking load. The inner receptacle and outer packaging form an integral... outer packaging. (2) A composite IBC with a fully enclosing outer packaging must be designed to permit assessment of the integrity of the inner container following the leakproofness and hydraulic tests. The outer...

  12. 49 CFR 178.970 - Bottom lift test.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... Large Packagings design types designed to be lifted from the base, there may be no permanent deformation which renders the Large Packaging unsafe for transport and there must be no loss of contents. ... permissible gross mass, the load being evenly distributed. (c) Test method. All Large Packaging design types...

  13. 49 CFR 178.975 - Top lift test.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... the test. For all Large Packagings design types designed to be lifted from the top, there may be no permanent deformation which renders the Large Packagings unsafe for transport and no loss of contents. ... load being evenly distributed. (c) Test method. (1) A Large Packaging must be lifted in the manner for...

  14. 49 CFR 178.970 - Bottom lift test.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... Packagings design types designed to be lifted from the base, there may be no permanent deformation which renders the Large Packaging unsafe for transport and there must be no loss of contents. ... gross mass, the load being evenly distributed. (c) Test method. All Large Packaging design types must be...

  15. 49 CFR 178.970 - Bottom lift test.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... Packagings design types designed to be lifted from the base, there may be no permanent deformation which renders the Large Packaging unsafe for transport and there must be no loss of contents. ... gross mass, the load being evenly distributed. (c) Test method. All Large Packaging design types must be...

  16. 49 CFR 178.970 - Bottom lift test.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... Packagings design types designed to be lifted from the base, there may be no permanent deformation which renders the Large Packaging unsafe for transport and there must be no loss of contents. ... gross mass, the load being evenly distributed. (c) Test method. All Large Packaging design types must be...

  17. 49 CFR 178.970 - Bottom lift test.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... Packagings design types designed to be lifted from the base, there may be no permanent deformation which renders the Large Packaging unsafe for transport and there must be no loss of contents. ... gross mass, the load being evenly distributed. (c) Test method. All Large Packaging design types must be...

  18. Method of forming a package for MEMS-based fuel cell

    DOEpatents

    Morse, Jeffrey D; Jankowski, Alan F

    2013-05-21

    A MEMS-based fuel cell package and method thereof is disclosed. The fuel cell package comprises seven layers: (1) a sub-package fuel reservoir interface layer, (2) an anode manifold support layer, (3) a fuel/anode manifold and resistive heater layer, (4) a Thick Film Microporous Flow Host Structure layer containing a fuel cell, (5) an air manifold layer, (6) a cathode manifold support structure layer, and (7) a cap. Fuel cell packages with more than one fuel cell are formed by positioning stacks of these layers in series and/or parallel. The fuel cell package materials such as a molded plastic or a ceramic green tape material can be patterned, aligned and stacked to form three dimensional microfluidic channels that provide electrical feedthroughs from various layers which are bonded together and mechanically support a MEMS-based miniature fuel cell. The package incorporates resistive heating elements to control the temperature of the fuel cell stack. The package is fired to form a bond between the layers and one or more microporous flow host structures containing fuel cells are inserted within the Thick Film Microporous Flow Host Structure layer of the package.

  19. Method of forming a package for mems-based fuel cell

    DOEpatents

    Morse, Jeffrey D.; Jankowski, Alan F.

    2004-11-23

    A MEMS-based fuel cell package and method thereof is disclosed. The fuel cell package comprises seven layers: (1) a sub-package fuel reservoir interface layer, (2) an anode manifold support layer, (3) a fuel/anode manifold and resistive heater layer, (4) a Thick Film Microporous Flow Host Structure layer containing a fuel cell, (5) an air manifold layer, (6) a cathode manifold support structure layer, and (7) a cap. Fuel cell packages with more than one fuel cell are formed by positioning stacks of these layers in series and/or parallel. The fuel cell package materials such as a molded plastic or a ceramic green tape material can be patterned, aligned and stacked to form three dimensional microfluidic channels that provide electrical feedthroughs from various layers which are bonded together and mechanically support a MEMOS-based miniature fuel cell. The package incorporates resistive heating elements to control the temperature of the fuel cell stack. The package is fired to form a bond between the layers and one or more microporous flow host structures containing fuel cells are inserted within the Thick Film Microporous Flow Host Structure layer of the package.

  20. Design and Implementation of a Thermal Load Reduction System in a Hyundai PHEV

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

    Kreutzer, Cory J; Rugh, John P

    Increased market penetration of electric drive vehicles (EDVs) requires overcoming a number of hurdles including limited vehicle range and the elevated cost of EDVs as compared to conventional vehicles. Climate control loads have a significant impact on range, cutting it by over 50% in both cooling and heating conditions. In order to minimize the impact of climate control on EDV range, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory has partnered with Hyundai America and key industry partners to quantify the performance of thermal load reduction technologies on a Hyundai Sonata PHEV. Technologies that impact vehicle cabin heating in cold weather conditions andmore » cabin cooling in warm weather conditions were evaluated. Tests included thermal transient and steady-state periods for all technologies, including the development of a new test methodology to evaluate the performance of occupant thermal conditioning. Heated surfaces and increased insulation demonstrated significant reductions in energy use from steady-state heating, including a 29% - 59% reduction from heated surfaces. Solar control glass packages demonstrated significant reductions in energy use for both transient and steady-state cooling, with up to a 42% reduction in transient and 12.8% reduction in steady-state energy use for the packages evaluated. Technologies that demonstrated significant climate control load reduction were selected for incorporation into a complete thermal load reduction package. The complete package is set to be evaluated in the second phase of the ongoing project.« less

  1. Supercritical CO2 impregnation of PLA/PCL films with natural substances for bacterial growth control in food packaging.

    PubMed

    Milovanovic, Stoja; Hollermann, Gesa; Errenst, Cornelia; Pajnik, Jelena; Frerich, Sulamith; Kroll, Stephen; Rezwan, Kurosch; Ivanovic, Jasna

    2018-05-01

    Biodegradable polymers with antibacterial properties are highly desirable materials for active food packaging applications. Thymol, a dietary monoterpene phenol with a strong antibacterial activity is abundant in plants belonging to the genus Thymus. This study presents two approaches for supercritical CO 2 impregnation of poly(lactic acid)(PLA)/poly(ε-caprolactone)(PCL) blended films to induce antibacterial properties of the material: (i) a batch impregnation process for loading pure thymol, and (ii) an integrated supercritical extraction-impregnation process for isolation of thyme extract and its incorporation into the films, operated in both batch or semi-continuous modes with supercritical solution circulation. The PCL content in films, impregnation time and CO 2 flow regime were varied to maximize loading of the films with thymol or thyme extract with preserving films' structure and thermal stability. Representative film samples impregnated with thymol and thyme extract were tested against Gram (-) (Escherichia coli) and Gram(+) (Bacillus subtilis) model strains, by measuring their metabolic activity and re-cultivation after exposure to the films. The film containing thymol (35.8 wt%) showed a strong antibacterial activity leading to a total reduction of bacterial cell viability. Proposed processes enable fast, controlled and organic solvent-free fabrication of the PLA/PCL films containing natural antibacterial substances at moderately low temperature, with a compact structure and a good thermal stability, for potential use as active food packaging materials. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Column compression strength of tubular packaging forms made from paper

    Treesearch

    Thomas J. Urbanik; Sung K. Lee; Charles G. Johnson

    2006-01-01

    Tubular packaging forms fabricated and shaped from rolled paper are used as reinforcing corner posts for major appliances packaged in corrugated containers. Tests of column compression strength simulate the expected performance loads from appliances stacked in warehouses. Column strength depends on tube geometry, paper properties, basis weight, and number of...

  3. Unitizing goods on pallets and slipsheets

    Treesearch

    J. F. Laundrie

    1986-01-01

    Packaging, handling, and shipping methods and facilities have changed drastically since World War II. Today, most products are individually packaged and then combined into unitized loads for more efficient handling, storage, and shipping. The purpose of this manual is to promote the most effective use of wood and wood fiber in current packaging and shipping practices...

  4. Entrapping of Nanoparticles in Yeast Cell Wall Microparticles for Macrophage-Targeted Oral Delivery of Cabazitaxel.

    PubMed

    Ren, Tianyang; Gou, Jingxin; Sun, Wanxiao; Tao, Xiaoguang; Tan, Xinyi; Wang, Puxiu; Zhang, Yu; He, Haibing; Yin, Tian; Tang, Xing

    2018-06-13

    In this work, a nano-in-micro carrier was constructed by loading polymer-lipid hybrid nanoparticles (NPs) into porous and hollow yeast cell wall microparticles (YPs) for macrophage-targeted oral delivery of cabazitaxel (CTX). The YPs, primarily composed of natural β-1,3-d-glucan, can be recognized by the apical membrane receptor, dectin-1, which has a high expression on macrophages and intestinal M cells. By combining electrostatic force-driven self-deposition with solvent hydration/lyophilization methods, the positively charged NPs loaded with CTX or fluorescence probes were efficiently packaged into YPs, as verified by scanning electron microscope (SEM), atomic force mircoscope (AFM), and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) images. NP-loaded YPs (NYPs) showed a slower in vitro drug release and higher drug stability compared with NPs in a simulated gastrointestinal environment. Biodistribution experiments confirmed a widespread distribution and extended retention time of NYPs in the intestinal tract after oral administration. Importantly, a large amount of NYPs were primarily accumulated and transported in the intestinal Peyer's patches as visualized in distribution and absorption site studies, implying that NYPs were mainly absorbed through the lymphatic pathway. In vitro cell evaluation further demonstrated that NYPs were rapidly and efficiently taken up by macrophages via receptor dectin-1-mediated endocytosis using a mouse macrophage RAW 264.7 cell line. As expected, in the study of in vivo pharmacokinetics, the oral bioavailability of CTX was improved to 32.1% when loaded in NYPs, which is approximately 5.7 times higher than that of the CTX solution, indicating the NYPs are efficient for oral targeted delivery. Hence, this nano-in-micro carrier is believed to become a hopeful alternative strategy for increasing the oral absorption of small molecule drugs.

  5. An Improved Metal-Packaged Strain Sensor Based on A Regenerated Fiber Bragg Grating in Hydrogen-Loaded Boron–Germanium Co-Doped Photosensitive Fiber for High-Temperature Applications

    PubMed Central

    Tu, Yun; Ye, Lin; Zhou, Shao-Ping; Tu, Shan-Tung

    2017-01-01

    Local strain measurements are considered as an effective method for structural health monitoring of high-temperature components, which require accurate, reliable and durable sensors. To develop strain sensors that can be used in higher temperature environments, an improved metal-packaged strain sensor based on a regenerated fiber Bragg grating (RFBG) fabricated in hydrogen (H2)-loaded boron–germanium (B–Ge) co-doped photosensitive fiber is developed using the process of combining magnetron sputtering and electroplating, addressing the limitation of mechanical strength degradation of silica optical fibers after annealing at a high temperature for regeneration. The regeneration characteristics of the RFBGs and the strain characteristics of the sensor are evaluated. Numerical simulation of the sensor is conducted using a three-dimensional finite element model. Anomalous decay behavior of two regeneration regimes is observed for the FBGs written in H2-loaded B–Ge co-doped fiber. The strain sensor exhibits good linearity, stability and repeatability when exposed to constant high temperatures of up to 540 °C. A satisfactory agreement is obtained between the experimental and numerical results in strain sensitivity. The results demonstrate that the improved metal-packaged strain sensors based on RFBGs in H2-loaded B–Ge co-doped fiber provide great potential for high-temperature applications by addressing the issues of mechanical integrity and packaging. PMID:28241465

  6. An Improved Metal-Packaged Strain Sensor Based on A Regenerated Fiber Bragg Grating in Hydrogen-Loaded Boron-Germanium Co-Doped Photosensitive Fiber for High-Temperature Applications.

    PubMed

    Tu, Yun; Ye, Lin; Zhou, Shao-Ping; Tu, Shan-Tung

    2017-02-23

    Local strain measurements are considered as an effective method for structural health monitoring of high-temperature components, which require accurate, reliable and durable sensors. To develop strain sensors that can be used in higher temperature environments, an improved metal-packaged strain sensor based on a regenerated fiber Bragg grating (RFBG) fabricated in hydrogen (H₂)-loaded boron-germanium (B-Ge) co-doped photosensitive fiber is developed using the process of combining magnetron sputtering and electroplating, addressing the limitation of mechanical strength degradation of silica optical fibers after annealing at a high temperature for regeneration. The regeneration characteristics of the RFBGs and the strain characteristics of the sensor are evaluated. Numerical simulation of the sensor is conducted using a three-dimensional finite element model. Anomalous decay behavior of two regeneration regimes is observed for the FBGs written in H₂-loaded B-Ge co-doped fiber. The strain sensor exhibits good linearity, stability and repeatability when exposed to constant high temperatures of up to 540 °C. A satisfactory agreement is obtained between the experimental and numerical results in strain sensitivity. The results demonstrate that the improved metal-packaged strain sensors based on RFBGs in H₂-loaded B-Ge co-doped fiber provide great potential for high-temperature applications by addressing the issues of mechanical integrity and packaging.

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

    Kreutzer, Cory J.; Rugh, John; Tomerlin, Jeff

    Increased market penetration of electric drive vehicles (EDVs) requires overcoming a number of hurdles, including limited vehicle range and the elevated cost in comparison to conventional vehicles. Climate control loads have a significant impact on range, cutting it by over 50% in both cooling and heating conditions. To minimize the impact of climate control on EDV range, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory has partnered with Hyundai America and key industry partners to quantify the performance of thermal load reduction technologies on a Hyundai Sonata plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. Technologies that impact vehicle cabin heating in cold weather conditions and cabinmore » cooling in warm weather conditions were evaluated. Tests included thermal transient and steady-state periods for all technologies, including the development of a new test methodology to evaluate the performance of occupant thermal conditioning. Heated surfaces demonstrated significant reductions in energy use from steady-state heating, including a 29%-59% reduction from heated surfaces. Solar control glass packages demonstrated significant reductions in energy use for both transient and steady-state cooling, with up to a 42% reduction in transient and 12.8% reduction in steady-state energy use for the packages evaluated. Technologies that demonstrated significant climate control load reduction were selected for incorporation into a complete thermal load reduction package. The complete package is set to be evaluated in the second phase of the ongoing project.« less

  8. APOBEC3-mediated hypermutation of retroviral vectors produced from some retrovirus packaging cell lines.

    PubMed

    Miller, A D; Metzger, M J

    2011-05-01

    APOBEC3 proteins are packaged into retrovirus virions and can hypermutate retroviruses during reverse transcription. We found that HT-1080 human fibrosarcoma cells hypermutate retroviruses, and that the HT-1080 cell-derived FLYA13 retrovirus packaging cells also hypermutate a retrovirus vector produced using these cells. We found no hypermutation of the same vector produced by the mouse cell-derived packaging line PT67 or by human 293 cells transfected with the vector and retrovirus packaging plasmids. We expect that avoidance of vector hypermutation will be particularly important for vectors used in gene therapy, wherein mutant proteins might stimulate deleterious immune responses.

  9. Design of Control System for Flexible Packaging Bags Palletizing Production Line Based on PLC

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zheng, Huiping; Chen, Lin; Zhao, Xiaoming; Liu, Zhanyang

    Flexible packaging bags palletizing production line is to put the bags in the required area according to particular order and size, in order to finish handling, storage, loading and unloading, transportation and other logistics work of goods. Flexible packaging bags palletizing line is composed of turning bags mechanism, shaping mechanism, indexing mechanism, marshalling mechanism, pushing bags mechanism, pressing bags mechanism, laminating mechanism, elevator, tray warehouse, tray conveyor and loaded tray conveyor. Whether the whole production line can smoothly run depends on each of the above equipment and precision control among them. In this paper the technological process and the control logic of flexible packaging bags palletizing production line is introduced. Palletizing process of the production line realized automation by means of a control system based on programmable logic controller (PLC). It has the advantages of simple structure, reliable and easy maintenance etc.

  10. Design and evaluation of thin metal surface insulation for hypersonic flight

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Miller, R. C.; Petach, A. M.

    1976-01-01

    An all-metal insulation was studied as a thermal protection system for hypersonic vehicles. Key program goals included fabricating the insulation in thin packages which are optimized for high temperature insulation of an actively cooled aluminum structure, and the use of state-of-the-art alloys. The insulation was fabricated from 300 series stainless steel in thicknesses of 0.8 to 12 mm. The outer, 0.127 mm thick, skin was textured to accommodate thermal expansion and oxidized to increase emittance. The thin insulating package was achieved using an insulation concept consisting of foil radiation shields spaced within the package, and conical foil supports to carry loads from the skin and maintain package dimensions. Samples of the metal-insulation were tested to evaluate thermal insulation capability, rain and sand erosion resistance, high temperature oxidation resistance, applied load capability, and high temperature emittance.

  11. Effect of different film packaging on microbial growth in minimally processed cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica).

    PubMed

    Palma, A; Mangia, N P; Fadda, A; Barberis, A; Schirra, M; D'Aquino, S

    2013-01-01

    Microorganisms are natural contaminants of fresh produce and minimally processed products, and contamination arises from a number of sources, including the environment, postharvest handling and processing. Fresh-cut products are particularly susceptible to microbial contaminations because of the changes occurring in the tissues during processing. In package gas composition of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) in combination with low storage temperatures besides reducing physiological activity of packaged produce, can also delay pathogen growth. Present study investigated on the effect of MAPs, achieved with different plastic films, on microbial growth of minimally processed cactus pear (Opuntio ficus-indica) fruit. Five different plastic materials were used for packaging the manually peeled fruit. That is: a) polypropylene film (Termoplast MY 40 micron thickness, O2 transmission rate 300 cc/m2/24h); b) polyethylene film (Bolphane BHE, 11 micron thickness, O2 transmission rate 19000 cc/m2/24h); c) polypropylene laser-perforated films (Mach Packaging) with 8, 16 or 32 100-micron holes. Total aerobic psychrophilic, mesophilic microorganisms, Enterobacteriaceae, yeast, mould populations and in-package CO2, O2 and C2H4 were determined at each storage time. Different final gas compositions, ranging from 7.8 KPa to 17.1 KPa O2, and 12.7 KPa to 2.6 KPa CO2, were achieved with MY and micro perforated films, respectively. Differences were detected in the mesophilic, Enterobacteriaceae and yeast loads, while no difference was detected in psychrophilic microorganisms. At the end of storage, microbial load in fruits sealed with MY film was significantly lower than in those sealed with BHE and micro perforated films. Furthermore, fruits packed with micro-perforated films showed the highest microbial load. This occurrence may in part be related to in-package gas composition and in part to a continuous contamination of microorganisms through micro-holes.

  12. Preparation and biomedical applications of programmable and multifunctional DNA nanoflowers

    PubMed Central

    Lv, Yifan; Hu, Rong; Zhu, Guizhi; Zhang, Xiaobing; Mei, Lei; Liu, Qiaoling; Qiu, Liping; Wu, Cuichen; Tan, Weihong

    2016-01-01

    We describe a comprehensive protocol for the preparation of multifunctional DNA nanostructures termed nanoflowers (NFs), which are self-assembled from long DNA building blocks generated via rolling-circle replication (RCR) of a designed template. NF assembly is driven by liquid crystallization and dense packaging of building blocks, which eliminates the need for conventional Watson-Crick base pairing. As a result of dense DNA packaging, NFs are resistant to nuclease degradation, denaturation or dissociation at extremely low concentrations. By manually changing the template sequence, many different functional moieties including aptamers, bioimaging agents and drug-loading sites could be easily integrated into NF particles, making NFs ideal candidates for a variety of applications in biomedicine. In this protocol, the preparation of multifunctional DNA NFs with highly tunable sizes is described for applications in cell targeting, intracellular imaging and drug delivery. Preparation and characterization of functional DNA NFs takes ~5 d; the following biomedical applications take ~10 d. PMID:26357007

  13. Eradication of high viable loads of Listeria monocytogenes contaminating food-contact surfaces

    PubMed Central

    de Candia, Silvia; Morea, Maria; Baruzzi, Federico

    2015-01-01

    This study demonstrates the efficacy of cold gaseous ozone treatments at low concentrations in the eradication of high Listeria monocytogenes viable cell loads from glass, polypropylene, stainless steel, and expanded polystyrene food-contact surfaces. Using a step by step approach, involving the selection of the most resistant strain-surface combinations, 11 Listeria sp. strains resulted inactivated by a continuous ozone flow at 1.07 mg m-3 after 24 or 48 h of cold incubation, depending on both strain and surface evaluated. Increasing the inoculum level to 9 log CFU coupon-1, the best inactivation rate was obtained after 48 h of treatment at 3.21 mg m-3 ozone concentration when cells were deposited onto stainless steel and expanded polystyrene coupons, resulted the most resistant food-contact surfaces in the previous assays. The addition of naturally contaminated meat extract to a high load of L. monocytogenes LMG 23775 cells, the most resistant strain out of the 11 assayed Listeria sp. strains, led to its complete inactivation after 4 days of treatment. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report describing the survival of L. monocytogenes and the effect of ozone treatment under cold storage conditions on expanded polystyrene, a commonly used material in food packaging. The results of this study could be useful for reducing pathogen cross-contamination phenomena during cold food storage. PMID:26236306

  14. Vibration analysis of printed circuit boards: Effect of boundary condition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Prashanth, M. D.

    2018-04-01

    A spacecraft consists of a number of electronic packages to meet the functional requirements. An electronic package is generally an assembly of printed circuit boards placed in a mechanical housing. A number of electronic components are mounted on the printed circuit board (PCB). A spacecraft experiences various types of loads during its launch such as vibration, acoustic and shock loads. Prediction of response for printed circuit boards due to vibration loads is important for mechanical design and reliability of electronic packages. The modeling and analysis of printed circuit boards is required for accurate prediction of response due to vibration loads. The response of PCB is highly dependent on the mounting configuration of PCB. In addition, anti-vibration mounts or stiffeners are used to reduce the PCB response. Vibration analysis of printed circuit boards is carried out using finite element method. The objective of this paper is to determine the dynamic characteristics of a printed circuit board. Modeling and analysis of PCB shall be carried out to study the effect of boundary conditions on the vibration response. The modeling of stiffeners or ribs shall also be considered in detail. The analysis results shall be validated using vibration tests of PCB.

  15. Corneal epithelial cell biocompatibility to silicone hydrogel and conventional hydrogel contact lens packaging solutions

    PubMed Central

    Tanti, N.C.; Jones, L.; Sheardown, H.

    2010-01-01

    Purpose Although all contact lenses (CLs) are applied initially to the eye directly from a packaging solution, little is known about the effects of these solutions on human corneal epithelial cells (HCECs). Due to the porous nature of CL materials, they have the potential to sorb components of the packaging solution during storage, which could then be subsequently released upon insertion of the CL on the eye. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of various packaging solutions on HCECs, using an in vitro model. Methods An in vitro assay was developed whereby various silicone hydrogels and conventional, poly-2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate  (polyHEMA)-based lens materials were removed directly from their packaging and then incubated for up to 24 h with HCECs. The effect of the retained and released packaging solution components on HCECs was assessed by measuring cell viability, adhesion phenotype, and apoptosis. Results Incubation of HCECs with CLs stored in borate-buffered packaging solutions resulted in a significant reduction in cell viability. Adherent cells incubated with these CLs also exhibited reduced levels of β1 and α3 integrin. Soaking borate-buffered packaged CLs in PBS before cell incubation resolved viability and integrin expression in all cases, with the exception of galyfilcon A and balafilcon A, from which a 20% reduction in cell viability was still observed. In comparison, CLs stored in phosphate-buffered packaging solutions had cellular viability and expression of integrins similar to control cells (cells incubated in the absence of a lens). When incubated with cells at a 10% concentration in serum-free medium, borate-buffered packaging solutions and borate-containing saline (Unisol 4) significantly reduced cell viability and integrin expression. Neither caspase activation nor annexin V binding was observed on cells following exposure to borate buffer solution. However, a significant decrease in reactive oxygen species was observed at 24 h. These latter results suggest that in vitro exposure to low concentration of borate/boric acid results in cell dysfunction, leading to necrosis rather than apoptosis. Conclusions Borate-buffered packaging solutions were shown to adversely affect the viability and integrin expression of HCECs in vitro. When used in ophthalmic packaging solutions, the antimicrobial properties of borate buffer may be outweighed by its relatively cytotoxic effects on cells. PMID:20169012

  16. Corneal epithelial cell biocompatibility to silicone hydrogel and conventional hydrogel contact lens packaging solutions.

    PubMed

    Gorbet, M B; Tanti, N C; Jones, L; Sheardown, H

    2010-02-19

    Although all contact lenses (CLs) are applied initially to the eye directly from a packaging solution, little is known about the effects of these solutions on human corneal epithelial cells (HCECs). Due to the porous nature of CL materials, they have the potential to sorb components of the packaging solution during storage, which could then be subsequently released upon insertion of the CL on the eye. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of various packaging solutions on HCECs, using an in vitro model. An in vitro assay was developed whereby various silicone hydrogels and conventional, poly-2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate (polyHEMA)-based lens materials were removed directly from their packaging and then incubated for up to 24 h with HCECs. The effect of the retained and released packaging solution components on HCECs was assessed by measuring cell viability, adhesion phenotype, and apoptosis. Incubation of HCECs with CLs stored in borate-buffered packaging solutions resulted in a significant reduction in cell viability. Adherent cells incubated with these CLs also exhibited reduced levels of beta(1) and alpha(3) integrin. Soaking borate-buffered packaged CLs in PBS before cell incubation resolved viability and integrin expression in all cases, with the exception of galyfilcon A and balafilcon A, from which a 20% reduction in cell viability was still observed. In comparison, CLs stored in phosphate-buffered packaging solutions had cellular viability and expression of integrins similar to control cells (cells incubated in the absence of a lens). When incubated with cells at a 10% concentration in serum-free medium, borate-buffered packaging solutions and borate-containing saline (Unisol 4) significantly reduced cell viability and integrin expression. Neither caspase activation nor annexin V binding was observed on cells following exposure to borate buffer solution. However, a significant decrease in reactive oxygen species was observed at 24 h. These latter results suggest that in vitro exposure to low concentration of borate/boric acid results in cell dysfunction, leading to necrosis rather than apoptosis. Borate-buffered packaging solutions were shown to adversely affect the viability and integrin expression of HCECs in vitro. When used in ophthalmic packaging solutions, the antimicrobial properties of borate buffer may be outweighed by its relatively cytotoxic effects on cells.

  17. Effects of melamine formaldehyde resin and CaCO3 diffuser-loaded encapsulation on correlated color temperature uniformity of phosphor-converted LEDs.

    PubMed

    Yang, Liang; Lv, Zhicheng; Jiaojiao, Yuan; Liu, Sheng

    2013-08-01

    Phosphor-free dispensing is the most widely used LED packaging method, but this method results in poor quality in angular CCT uniformity. This study proposes a diffuser-loaded encapsulation to solve the problem; the effects of melamine formaldehyde (MF) resin and CaCO3 loaded encapsulation on correlated color temperature (CCT) uniformity and luminous efficiency reduction of the phosphor-converted LEDs are investigated. Results reveal that MF resin loaded encapsulation has better light diffusion performance compared to MF resin loaded encapsulation at the same diffuser concentration, but CaCO3 loaded encapsulation has better luminous efficiency maintenance. The improvements in angular color uniformity for the LEDs emitting with MF resin and CaCO3 loaded encapsulation can be explained by the increase in photon scattering. The utility of this low cost and controllable mineral diffuser packaging method provides a practical approach for enhancing the angular color uniformity of LEDs. The diffuser mass ratio of 1% MF resin or 10% CaCO3 is the optimum condition to obtain low angular CCT variance and high luminous efficiency.

  18. Detection of osteoclastic cell-cell fusion through retroviral vector packaging.

    PubMed

    Kondo, Takako; Ikeda, Kyoji; Matsuo, Koichi

    2004-11-01

    Cell-cell fusion generates multinucleated cells such as osteoclasts in bone, myotubes in muscle, and trophoblasts in placenta. Molecular details governing these fusion processes are still largely unknown. As a step toward identification of fusogenic genes, we tested the concept that retroviral vectors can be packaged as a result of cell-cell fusion. First, we introduced replication-deficient retroviral vectors expressing mCAT-1, which mediates fusogenic interaction with the retroviral envelope protein Env, into Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells to generate vector cells. Plasmids expressing virion proteins Gag, Pol, and Env were introduced into a separate culture of CHO cells to generate packaging cells. Co-culturing vector and packaging cells resulted in production of infectious retroviruses carrying the mCAT-1 gene as a consequence of cell-cell fusion. Second, we introduced a retroviral vector into primary osteoclast precursors and co-cultured them with established osteoclast precursor RAW264.7 cells, which turned out to harbor packaging activity. Packaged retroviral vector was detected in culture supernatants only where the osteoclast differentiation factor receptor activator for NF-kappaB ligand (RANKL) induced fusion between these two cell types. These data suggest that retrovirus production can occur as a result of cell-cell fusion. This provides a novel approach for isolating and characterizing fusogenic genes using retroviral expression vectors.

  19. Low temperature co-fired ceramic packaging of CMOS capacitive sensor chip towards cell viability monitoring.

    PubMed

    Halonen, Niina; Kilpijärvi, Joni; Sobocinski, Maciej; Datta-Chaudhuri, Timir; Hassinen, Antti; Prakash, Someshekar B; Möller, Peter; Abshire, Pamela; Kellokumpu, Sakari; Lloyd Spetz, Anita

    2016-01-01

    Cell viability monitoring is an important part of biosafety evaluation for the detection of toxic effects on cells caused by nanomaterials, preferably by label-free, noninvasive, fast, and cost effective methods. These requirements can be met by monitoring cell viability with a capacitance-sensing integrated circuit (IC) microchip. The capacitance provides a measurement of the surface attachment of adherent cells as an indication of their health status. However, the moist, warm, and corrosive biological environment requires reliable packaging of the sensor chip. In this work, a second generation of low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) technology was combined with flip-chip bonding to provide a durable package compatible with cell culture. The LTCC-packaged sensor chip was integrated with a printed circuit board, data acquisition device, and measurement-controlling software. The packaged sensor chip functioned well in the presence of cell medium and cells, with output voltages depending on the medium above the capacitors. Moreover, the manufacturing of microfluidic channels in the LTCC package was demonstrated.

  20. System design of a large fuel cell hybrid locomotive

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Miller, A. R.; Hess, K. S.; Barnes, D. L.; Erickson, T. L.

    Fuel cell power for locomotives combines the environmental benefits of a catenary-electric locomotive with the higher overall energy efficiency and lower infrastructure costs of a diesel-electric. A North American consortium, a public-private partnership, is developing a prototype hydrogen-fueled fuel cell-battery hybrid switcher locomotive for urban and military-base rail applications. Switcher locomotives are used in rail yards for assembling and disassembling trains and moving trains from one point to another. At 127 tonnes (280,000 lb), continuous power of 250 kW from its (proton exchange membrane) PEM fuel cell prime mover, and transient power well in excess of 1 MW, the hybrid locomotive will be the heaviest and most powerful fuel cell land vehicle yet. This fast-paced project calls for completion of the vehicle itself near the end of 2007. Several technical challenges not found in the development of smaller vehicles arise when designing and developing such a large fuel cell vehicle. Weight, center of gravity, packaging, and safety were design factors leading to, among other features, the roof location of the lightweight 350 bar compressed hydrogen storage system. Harsh operating conditions, especially shock loads during coupling to railcars, require component mounting systems capable of absorbing high energy. Vehicle scale-up by increasing mass, density, or power presents new challenges primarily related to issues of system layout, hydrogen storage, heat transfer, and shock loads.

  1. Development and characterization of a packaging cell line for pseudo-infectious yellow fever virus particle generation.

    PubMed

    Queiroz, Sabrina Ribeiro de Almeida; Silva Júnior, José Valter Joaquim; Silva, Andréa Nazaré Monteiro Rangel da; Carvalho, Amanda Gomes de Oliveira; Santos, Jefferson José da Silva; Gil, Laura Helena Vega Gonzales

    2018-01-01

    Pseudo-infectious yellow fever viral particles (YFV-PIVs) have been used to study vaccines and viral packaging. Here, we report the development of a packaging cell line, which expresses the YFV prM/E proteins. HEK293 cells were transfected with YFV prM/E and C (84 nt) genes to generate HEK293-YFV-PrM/E-opt. The cells were evaluated for their ability to express the heterologous proteins and to package the replicon repYFV-17D-LucIRES, generating YFV-PIVs. The expression of prM/E proteins was confirmed, and the cell line trans-packaged the replicon for recovery of a reporter for the YFV-PIVs. HEK293-YFV-prM/E-opt trans-packaging capacity demonstrates its possible biotechnology application.

  2. Structural dynamics payload loads estimates

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Engels, R. C.

    1982-01-01

    Methods for the prediction of loads on large space structures are discussed. Existing approaches to the problem of loads calculation are surveyed. A full scale version of an alternate numerical integration technique to solve the response part of a load cycle is presented, and a set of short cut versions of the algorithm developed. The implementation of these techniques using the software package developed is discussed.

  3. fgui: A Method for Automatically Creating Graphical User Interfaces for Command-Line R Packages

    PubMed Central

    Hoffmann, Thomas J.; Laird, Nan M.

    2009-01-01

    The fgui R package is designed for developers of R packages, to help rapidly, and sometimes fully automatically, create a graphical user interface for a command line R package. The interface is built upon the Tcl/Tk graphical interface included in R. The package further facilitates the developer by loading in the help files from the command line functions to provide context sensitive help to the user with no additional effort from the developer. Passing a function as the argument to the routines in the fgui package creates a graphical interface for the function, and further options are available to tweak this interface for those who want more flexibility. PMID:21625291

  4. 49 CFR 178.975 - Top lift test.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... Packagings design types designed to be lifted from the top, there may be no permanent deformation which renders the Large Packagings unsafe for transport and no loss of contents. ... design types must be filled to six times the maximum permissible gross mass, the load being evenly...

  5. 49 CFR 178.975 - Top lift test.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... Packagings design types designed to be lifted from the top, there may be no permanent deformation which renders the Large Packagings unsafe for transport and no loss of contents. ... design types must be filled to six times the maximum permissible gross mass, the load being evenly...

  6. 49 CFR 178.975 - Top lift test.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... Packagings design types designed to be lifted from the top, there may be no permanent deformation which renders the Large Packagings unsafe for transport and no loss of contents. ... design types must be filled to six times the maximum permissible gross mass, the load being evenly...

  7. 49 CFR 178.975 - Top lift test.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... Packagings design types designed to be lifted from the top, there may be no permanent deformation which renders the Large Packagings unsafe for transport and no loss of contents. ... design types must be filled to six times the maximum permissible gross mass, the load being evenly...

  8. Space Station Freedom power supply commonality via modular design

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Krauthamer, S.; Gangal, M. D.; Das, R.

    1990-01-01

    At mature operations, Space Station Freedom will need more than 2000 power supplies to feed housekeeping and user loads. Advanced technology power supplies from 20 to 250 W have been hybridized for terrestrial, aerospace, and industry applications in compact, efficient, reliable, lightweight packages compatible with electromagnetic interference requirements. The use of these hybridized packages as modules, either singly or in parallel, to satisfy the wide range of user power supply needs for all elements of the station is proposed. Proposed characteristics for the power supplies include common mechanical packaging, digital control, self-protection, high efficiency at full and partial loads, synchronization capability to reduce electromagnetic interference, redundancy, and soft-start capability. The inherent reliability is improved compared with conventional discrete component power supplies because the hybrid circuits use high-reliability components such as ceramic capacitors. Reliability is further improved over conventional supplies because the hybrid packages, which may be treated as a single part, reduce the parts count in the power supply.

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

    Bradbury, Andrew M.

    The invention relates to a novel phagemid display system for packaging phagemid DNA into phagemid particles which completely avoids the use of helper phage. The system of the invention incorporates the use of bacterial packaging cell lines which have been transformed with helper plasmids containing all required phage proteins but not the packaging signals. The absence of packaging signals in these helper plasmids prevents their DNA from being packaged in the bacterial cell, which provides a number of significant advantages over the use of both standard and modified helper phage. Packaged phagemids expressing a protein or peptide of interest, inmore » fusion with a phage coat protein such as g3p, are generated simply by transfecting phagemid into the packaging cell line.« less

  10. Assessment of Proper Bonding Methods and Mechanical Characterization FPGA CQFPs

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Davis, Milton C.

    2008-01-01

    This presentation discusses fractured leads on field-programmable gate array (FPGA) during flight vibration. Actions taken to determine root cause and resolution of the failure include finite element analysis (FEA) and vibration testing and scanning electron microscopy (with X-ray microanalysis) and energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM/EDS) failure assessment. Bonding methods for surface mount parts is assessed, including critical analysis and assessment of random fatigue damage. Regarding ceramic quad flat pack (CQFP) lead fracture, after disassembling the attitude control electronics (ACE) configuration, photographs showed six leads cracked on FPGA RTSX72SU-1 CQ208B package located on the RWIC card. An identical package (FPGA RTSX32SU-1 CQ208B) mounted on the RWIC did not results in cracked pins due to vibration. FPGA lead failure theories include workmanship issues in the lead-forming, material defect in the leads of the FPGA packages, and the insecure mounting of the board in the card guides, among other theories. Studies were conducted using simple calculations to determine the response and fatigue life of the package. Shorter packages exhibited more response when loaded by out-of-plane displacement of PCB while taller packages exhibit more response when loaded by in-plane acceleration of PCB. Additionally, under-fill did not contribute to reducing stress in leads due to out-of-plane PCB loading or from component twisting, as much as corner bonding. The combination of corner bond and under-fill is best to address mechanical and thermal S/C environment. Test results of bonded parts showed reduced (dampened) amplitude and slightly shifted peaks at the un-bonded natural frequency and an additional response at the bonded frequency. Stress due to PCBB out-of-plane loading was decreased on in the corners when only a corner bond was used. Future work may address CQFP fatigue assessment, including the investigation of discrepancy in predicted fatigue damage, as well as comparing fatigue life and fatigue damage cycle ration computed using FEA and Miner's rule to results from a fatigue assessment software program.

  11. 7 CFR 959.52 - Issuance of regulations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... production area, the packaging or loading, or both, of onions on Sundays; (6) Prohibit the packaging or... Agreements and Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ONIONS GROWN IN SOUTH TEXAS Order... of onions by regulations specified in this section whenever he finds from the recommendations and...

  12. Halloysite Nanocapsules Containing Thyme Essential Oil: Preparation, Characterization, and Application in Packaging Materials.

    PubMed

    Jang, Si-Hoon; Jang, So-Ri; Lee, Gyeong-Min; Ryu, Jee-Hoon; Park, Su-Il; Park, No-Hyung

    2017-09-01

    Halloysite nanotubes (HNTs), which are natural nanomaterials, have a hollow tubular structure with about 15 nm inner and 50 nm outer diameters. Because of their tubular shape, HNTs loaded with various materials have been investigated as functional nanocapsules. In this study, thyme essential oil (TO) was encapsulated successfully in HNTs using vacuum pulling methods, followed by end-capping or a layer-by-layer surface coating process for complete encapsulation. Nanocapsules loaded with TO were mixed with flexographic ink and coated on a paper for applications as food packaging materials. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were used to characterize the morphology of the nanocapsules and to confirm the TO loading of the nanocapsules. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analyses analysis were used to complement the structural information. In addition, the controlled release of TO from the nanocapsules showed sustained release properties over a period of many days. The results reveal that the release properties of TO in these nanocapsules could be controlled by surface modifications such as end-capping and/or surface coating of bare nanocapsules. The packaging paper with TO-loaded HNT capsules was effective in eliminating against Escherichia coli during the first 5 d and showed strong antibacterial activity for about 10 d. © 2017 Institute of Food Technologists®.

  13. Long-Haul Truck Sleeper Heating Load Reduction Package for Rest Period Idling

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

    Lustbader, Jason Aaron; Kekelia, Bidzina; Tomerlin, Jeff

    Annual fuel use for sleeper cab truck rest period idling is estimated at 667 million gallons in the United States, or 6.8% of long-haul truck fuel use. Truck idling during a rest period represents zero freight efficiency and is largely done to supply accessory power for climate conditioning of the cab. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory's CoolCab project aims to reduce heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) loads and resulting fuel use from rest period idling by working closely with industry to design efficient long-haul truck thermal management systems while maintaining occupant comfort. Enhancing the thermal performance of cab/sleepers willmore » enable smaller, lighter, and more cost-effective idle reduction solutions. In addition, if the fuel savings provide a one- to three-year payback period, fleet owners will be economically motivated to incorporate them. For candidate idle reduction technologies to be implemented by original equipment manufacturers and fleets, their effectiveness must be quantified. To address this need, several promising candidate technologies were evaluated through experimentation and modeling to determine their effectiveness in reducing rest period HVAC loads. Load reduction strategies were grouped into the focus areas of solar envelope, occupant environment, conductive pathways, and efficient equipment. Technologies in each of these focus areas were investigated in collaboration with industry partners. The most promising of these technologies were then combined with the goal of exceeding a 30% reduction in HVAC loads. These technologies included 'ultra-white' paint, advanced insulation, and advanced curtain design. Previous testing showed more than a 35.7% reduction in air conditioning loads. This paper describes the overall heat transfer coefficient testing of this advanced load reduction technology package that showed more than a 43% reduction in heating load. Adding an additional layer of advanced insulation with a reflective barrier to the thermal load reduction package resulted in a 53.3% reduction in the overall heat transfer coefficient.« less

  14. Long-Haul Truck Sleeper Heating Load Reduction Package for Rest Period Idling: Preprint

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

    Lustbader, Jason; Kekelia, Bidzina; Tomerlin, Jeff

    Annual fuel use for sleeper cab truck rest period idling is estimated at 667 million gallons in the United States, or 6.8% of long-haul truck fuel use. Truck idling during a rest period represents zero freight efficiency and is largely done to supply accessory power for climate conditioning of the cab. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory's CoolCab project aims to reduce heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) loads and resulting fuel use from rest period idling by working closely with industry to design efficient long-haul truck thermal management systems while maintaining occupant comfort. Enhancing the thermal performance of cab/sleepers willmore » enable smaller, lighter, and more cost-effective idle reduction solutions. In addition, if the fuel savings provide a one- to three-year payback period, fleet owners will be economically motivated to incorporate them. For candidate idle reduction technologies to be implemented by original equipment manufacturers and fleets, their effectiveness must be quantified. To address this need, several promising candidate technologies were evaluated through experimentation and modeling to determine their effectiveness in reducing rest period HVAC loads. Load reduction strategies were grouped into the focus areas of solar envelope, occupant environment, conductive pathways, and efficient equipment. Technologies in each of these focus areas were investigated in collaboration with industry partners. The most promising of these technologies were then combined with the goal of exceeding a 30% reduction in HVAC loads. These technologies included 'ultra-white' paint, advanced insulation, and advanced curtain design. Previous testing showed more than a 35.7% reduction in air conditioning loads. This paper describes the overall heat transfer coefficient testing of this advanced load reduction technology package that showed more than a 43% reduction in heating load. Adding an additional layer of advanced insulation with a reflective barrier to the thermal load reduction package resulted in a 53.3% reduction in the overall heat transfer coefficient.« less

  15. Multi-drug loaded micelles delivering chemotherapy and targeted therapies directed against HSP90 and the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway in prostate cancer.

    PubMed

    Le, Bao; Powers, Ginny L; Tam, Yu Tong; Schumacher, Nicholas; Malinowski, Rita L; Steinke, Laura; Kwon, Glen; Marker, Paul C

    2017-01-01

    Advanced prostate cancers that are resistant to all current therapies create a need for new therapeutic strategies. One recent innovative approach to cancer therapy is the simultaneous use of multiple FDA-approved drugs to target multiple pathways. A challenge for this approach is caused by the different solubility requirements of each individual drug, resulting in the need for a drug vehicle that is non-toxic and capable of carrying multiple water-insoluble antitumor drugs. Micelles have recently been shown to be new candidate drug solubilizers for anti cancer therapy. This study set out to examine the potential use of multi-drug loaded micelles for prostate cancer treatment in preclinical models including cell line and mouse models for prostate cancers with Pten deletions. Specifically antimitotic agent docetaxel, mTOR inhibitor rapamycin, and HSP90 inhibitor 17-N-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin were incorporated into the micelle system (DR17) and tested for antitumor efficacy. In vitro growth inhibition of prostate cancer cells was greater when all three drugs were used in combination compared to each individual drug, and packaging the drugs into micelles enhanced the cytotoxic effects. At the molecular level DR17 targeted simultaneously several molecular signaling axes important in prostate cancer including androgen receptor, mTOR, and PI3K/AKT. In a mouse genetic model of prostate cancer, DR17 treatment decreased prostate weight, which was achieved by both increasing caspase-dependent cell death and decreasing cell proliferation. Similar effects were also observed when DR17 was administered to nude mice bearing prostate cancer cells xenografts. These results suggest that combining these three cancer drugs in multi-drug loaded micelles may be a promising strategy for prostate cancer therapy.

  16. 49 CFR 173.403 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    .... Consignment means a package or group of packages or load of radioactive material offered by a person for... surface during normal conditions of transport. (2) Non-fixed contamination means contamination that can be... a number (rounded up to the next tenth) which is used to provide control over the accumulation of...

  17. 49 CFR 173.33 - Hazardous materials in cargo tank motor vehicles.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... SHIPPERS-GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR SHIPMENTS AND PACKAGINGS Preparation of Hazardous Materials for... excess of ambient atmospheric pressure may not be used to load or unload any lading which may create an... tank motor vehicle having a MAWP of 25 psig or greater. (6) Substitute packagings. Unless otherwise...

  18. 49 CFR 178.980 - Stacking test.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... for transportation and no loss of contents. (2) For flexible Large Packagings, there may be no deterioration which renders the Large Packaging unsafe for transportation and no loss of contents. (3) For the... of their capacity and to their maximum net mass, with the load being evenly distributed. (c) Test...

  19. 49 CFR 178.980 - Stacking test.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... for transportation and no loss of contents. (2) For flexible Large Packagings, there may be no deterioration which renders the Large Packaging unsafe for transportation and no loss of contents. (3) For the... of their capacity and to their maximum net mass, with the load being evenly distributed. (c) Test...

  20. 49 CFR 173.316 - Cryogenic liquids in cylinders.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... °F.). (2) The cryogenic liquids of argon, nitrogen, oxygen, helium and neon must be loaded and... 49 Transportation 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Cryogenic liquids in cylinders. 173.316 Section... REQUIREMENTS FOR SHIPMENTS AND PACKAGINGS Gases; Preparation and Packaging § 173.316 Cryogenic liquids in...

  1. 49 CFR 173.316 - Cryogenic liquids in cylinders.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 2 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Cryogenic liquids in cylinders. 173.316 Section... REQUIREMENTS FOR SHIPMENTS AND PACKAGINGS Gases; Preparation and Packaging § 173.316 Cryogenic liquids in cylinders. (a) General requirements. (1) A cylinder may not be loaded with a cryogenic liquid colder than...

  2. 49 CFR 173.316 - Cryogenic liquids in cylinders.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 2 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Cryogenic liquids in cylinders. 173.316 Section... REQUIREMENTS FOR SHIPMENTS AND PACKAGINGS Gases; Preparation and Packaging § 173.316 Cryogenic liquids in cylinders. (a) General requirements. (1) A cylinder may not be loaded with a cryogenic liquid colder than...

  3. Compact propane fuel processor for auxiliary power unit application

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dokupil, M.; Spitta, C.; Mathiak, J.; Beckhaus, P.; Heinzel, A.

    With focus on mobile applications a fuel cell auxiliary power unit (APU) using liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is currently being developed at the Centre for Fuel Cell Technology (Zentrum für BrennstoffzellenTechnik, ZBT gGmbH). The system is consisting of an integrated compact and lightweight fuel processor and a low temperature PEM fuel cell for an electric power output of 300 W. This article is presenting the current status of development of the fuel processor which is designed for a nominal hydrogen output of 1 k Wth,H2 within a load range from 50 to 120%. A modular setup was chosen defining a reformer/burner module and a CO-purification module. Based on the performance specifications, thermodynamic simulations, benchmarking and selection of catalysts the modules have been developed and characterised simultaneously and then assembled to the complete fuel processor. Automated operation results in a cold startup time of about 25 min for nominal load and carbon monoxide output concentrations below 50 ppm for steady state and dynamic operation. Also fast transient response of the fuel processor at load changes with low fluctuations of the reformate gas composition have been achieved. Beside the development of the main reactors the transfer of the fuel processor to an autonomous system is of major concern. Hence, concepts for packaging have been developed resulting in a volume of 7 l and a weight of 3 kg. Further a selection of peripheral components has been tested and evaluated regarding to the substitution of the laboratory equipment.

  4. Preparation, characterization and antibacterial applications of ZnO-nanoparticles coated polyethylene films for food packaging.

    PubMed

    Tankhiwale, Rasika; Bajpai, S K

    2012-02-01

    The present work describes the preparation of ZnO nanoparticles loaded starch-coated polyethylene film. The presence of ZnO nanoparticles was confirmed by surface plasmon resonance (SPR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The ZnO loaded film was tested for its biocidal action against model bacteria Escherichia coli using zone inhibition and killing kinetics of bacterial growth methods. This newly developed material bears potential to be used as food packaging material to prevent food stuff from bacterial contamination. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Fatigue failure of pb-free electronic packages under random vibration loads

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Saravanan, S.; Prabhu, S.; Muthukumar, R.; Gowtham Raj, S.; Arun Veerabagu, S.

    2018-03-01

    The electronic equipment are used in several fields like, automotive, aerospace, consumer goods where they are subjected to vibration loads leading to failure of solder joints used in these equipment. This paper presents a methodology to predict the fatigue life of Pb-free surface mounted BGA packages subjected to random vibrations. The dynamic characteristics of the PCB, such as the natural frequencies, mode shapes and damping ratios were determined. Spectrum analysis was used to determine the stress response of the critical solder joint and the cumulative fatigue damage accumulated by the solder joint for a specific duration was determined.

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

    Stefek, T.; Daugherty, W.; Estochen, E.

    Compaction of lower layers in the fiberboard assembly has been observed in 9975 packages that contain elevated moisture. Lab testing has resulted in a better understanding of the relationship between the fiberboard moisture level and compaction of the lower fiberboard assembly, and the behavior of the fiberboard during transport. In laboratory tests of cane fiberboard, higher moisture content has been shown to correspond to higher total compaction, greater rate of compaction, and continued compaction over a longer period of time. In addition, laboratory tests have shown that the application of a dynamic load results in higher fiberboard compaction compared tomore » a static load. The test conditions and sample geometric/loading configurations were chosen to simulate the regulatory requirements for 9975 package input dynamic loading. Dynamic testing was conducted to acquire immediate and cumulative changes in geometric data for various moisture levels. Two sample sets have undergone a complete dynamic test regimen, one set for 27 weeks, and the second set for 47 weeks. The dynamic input, data acquisition, test effects on sample dynamic parameters, and results from this test program are summarized and compared to regulatory specifications for dynamic loading. Compaction of the bottom fiberboard layers due to the accumulation of moisture is one possible cause of an increase in the axial gap at the top of the package. The net compaction of the bottom layers will directly add to the axial gap. The moisture which caused this compaction migrated from the middle region of the fiberboard assembly (which is typically the hottest). This will cause the middle region to shrink axially, which will also contribute directly to the axial gap. Measurement of the axial gap provides a screening tool for identifying significant change in the fiberboard condition. The data in this report provide a basis to evaluate the impact of moisture and fiberboard compaction on 9975 package performance during storage at the Savannah River Site (SRS).« less

  7. 46 CFR 160.077-30 - Spare operating components and temporary marking.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... components. Each recreational and commercial hybrid PFD must— (1) If it has a manual or automatic inflation mechanism and is packaged and sold with one inflation medium cartridge loaded into the inflation mechanism, have at least two additional spare inflation cartridges packaged with it. If it is sold without an...

  8. Rugged microelectronic module package supports circuitry on heat sink

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Johnson, A. L.

    1966-01-01

    Rugged module package for thin film hybrid microcircuits incorporated a rigid, thermally conductive support structure, which serves as a heat sink, and a lead wire block in which T-shaped electrical connectors are potted. It protects the circuitry from shock and vibration loads, dissipates internal heat, and simplifies electrical connections between adjacent modules.

  9. Efficient Transduction of Human and Rhesus Macaque Primary T Cells by a Modified Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1-Based Lentiviral Vector.

    PubMed

    He, Huan; Xue, Jing; Wang, Weiming; Liu, Lihong; Ye, Chaobaihui; Cong, Zhe; Kimata, Jason T; Qin, Chuan; Zhou, Paul

    2017-03-01

    Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-based lentiviral vectors efficiently transduce genes to human, but not rhesus, primary T cells and hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). The poor transduction of HIV-1 vectors to rhesus cells is mainly due to species-specific restriction factors such as rhesus TRIM5α. Previously, several strategies to modify HIV-1 vectors were developed to overcome rhesus TRIM5α restriction. While the modified HIV-1 vectors efficiently transduce rhesus HSCs, they remain suboptimal for rhesus primary T cells. Recently, HIV-1 variants that encode combinations of LNEIE mutations in capsid (CA) protein and SIVmac239 Vif were found to replicate efficiently in rhesus primary T cells. Thus, the present study tested whether HIV-1 vectors packaged by a packaging construct containing these CA substitutions could efficiently transduce both human and rhesus primary CD4 T cells. To accomplish this, LNEIE mutations were made in the packaging construct CEMΔ8.9, and recombinant HIV-1 vectors packaged by Δ8.9 WT or Δ8.9 LNEIE were generated. Transduction rates, CA stability, and vector integration in CEMss-CCR5 and CEMss-CCR5-rhTRIM5α/green fluorescent protein cells, as well as transduction rates in human and rhesus primary CD4 T cells by Δ8.9 WT or Δ8.9 LNEIE-packaged HIV-1 vectors, were compared. Finally, the influence of rhesus TRIM5α variations in transduction rates to primary CD4 T cells from a cohort of 37 Chinese rhesus macaques was studied. While it maintains efficient transduction for human T-cell line and primary CD4 T cells, Δ8.9 LNEIE-packaged HIV-1 vector overcomes rhesus TRIM5α-mediated CA degradation, resulting in significantly higher transduction efficiency of rhesus primary CD4 T cells than Δ8.9 WT-packaged HIV-1 vector. Rhesus TRIM5α variations strongly influence transduction efficiency of rhesus primary CD4 T cells by both Δ8.9 WT or Δ8.9 LNEIE-packaged HIV-1 vectors. Thus, it is concluded that Δ8.9 LNEIE-packaged HIV-1 vector overcomes rhesus TRIM5α restriction and efficiently transduces both human and rhesus primary T cells.

  10. Efficient Transduction of Human and Rhesus Macaque Primary T Cells by a Modified Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1–Based Lentiviral Vector

    PubMed Central

    He, Huan; Xue, Jing; Wang, Weiming; Liu, Lihong; Ye, Chaobaihui; Cong, Zhe; Kimata, Jason T.; Qin, Chuan; Zhou, Paul

    2017-01-01

    Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-based lentiviral vectors efficiently transduce genes to human, but not rhesus, primary T cells and hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). The poor transduction of HIV-1 vectors to rhesus cells is mainly due to species-specific restriction factors such as rhesus TRIM5α. Previously, several strategies to modify HIV-1 vectors were developed to overcome rhesus TRIM5α restriction. While the modified HIV-1 vectors efficiently transduce rhesus HSCs, they remain suboptimal for rhesus primary T cells. Recently, HIV-1 variants that encode combinations of LNEIE mutations in capsid (CA) protein and SIVmac239 Vif were found to replicate efficiently in rhesus primary T cells. Thus, the present study tested whether HIV-1 vectors packaged by a packaging construct containing these CA substitutions could efficiently transduce both human and rhesus primary CD4 T cells. To accomplish this, LNEIE mutations were made in the packaging construct CEMΔ8.9, and recombinant HIV-1 vectors packaged by Δ8.9 WT or Δ8.9 LNEIE were generated. Transduction rates, CA stability, and vector integration in CEMss-CCR5 and CEMss-CCR5-rhTRIM5α/green fluorescent protein cells, as well as transduction rates in human and rhesus primary CD4 T cells by Δ8.9 WT or Δ8.9 LNEIE-packaged HIV-1 vectors, were compared. Finally, the influence of rhesus TRIM5α variations in transduction rates to primary CD4 T cells from a cohort of 37 Chinese rhesus macaques was studied. While it maintains efficient transduction for human T-cell line and primary CD4 T cells, Δ8.9 LNEIE-packaged HIV-1 vector overcomes rhesus TRIM5α-mediated CA degradation, resulting in significantly higher transduction efficiency of rhesus primary CD4 T cells than Δ8.9 WT-packaged HIV-1 vector. Rhesus TRIM5α variations strongly influence transduction efficiency of rhesus primary CD4 T cells by both Δ8.9 WT or Δ8.9 LNEIE-packaged HIV-1 vectors. Thus, it is concluded that Δ8.9 LNEIE-packaged HIV-1 vector overcomes rhesus TRIM5α restriction and efficiently transduces both human and rhesus primary T cells. PMID:28042947

  11. Analysis of the Variable Pressure Growth Chamber using the CASE/A simulation package

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mcfadden, Carl D.; Edeen, Marybeth A.

    1992-01-01

    A computer simulation of the Variable Pressure Growth Chamber (VPGC), located at the NASA Johnson Space Center, has been developed using the Computer Aided Systems Engineering and Analysis (CASE/A) package. The model has been used to perform several analyses of the VPGC. The analyses consisted of a study of the effects of a human metabolic load on the VPGC and a study of two new configurations for the temperature and humidity control (THC) subsystem in the VPGC. The objective of the human load analysis was to study the effects of a human metabolic load on the air revitalization and THC subsystems. This included the effects on the quantity of carbon dioxide injected and oxygen removed from the chamber and the effects of the additional sensible and latent heat loads. The objective of the configuration analysis was to compare the two new THC configurations against the current THC configuration to determine which had the best performance.

  12. An Elastic Plastic Contact Model with Strain Hardening for the LAMMPS Granular Package

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

    Kuhr, Bryan; Brake, Matthew Robert; Lechman, Jeremy B.

    2015-03-01

    The following details the implementation of an analytical elastic plastic contact model with strain hardening for normal im pacts into the LAMMPS granular package. The model assumes that, upon impact, the co llision has a period of elastic loading followed by a period of mixed elastic plas tic loading, with contributions to each mechanism estimated by a hyperbolic seca nt weight function. This function is implemented in the LAMMPS source code as the pair style gran/ep/history. Preliminary tests, simulating the pouring of pure nickel spheres, showed the elastic/plastic model took 1.66x as long as similar runs using gran/hertz/history.

  13. Extended shortest path selection for package routing of complex networks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ye, Fan; Zhang, Lei; Wang, Bing-Hong; Liu, Lu; Zhang, Xing-Yi

    The routing strategy plays a very important role in complex networks such as Internet system and Peer-to-Peer networks. However, most of the previous work concentrates only on the path selection, e.g. Flooding and Random Walk, or finding the shortest path (SP) and rarely considering the local load information such as SP and Distance Vector Routing. Flow-based Routing mainly considers load balance and still cannot achieve best optimization. Thus, in this paper, we propose a novel dynamic routing strategy on complex network by incorporating the local load information into SP algorithm to enhance the traffic flow routing optimization. It was found that the flow in a network is greatly affected by the waiting time of the network, so we should not consider only choosing optimized path for package transformation but also consider node congestion. As a result, the packages should be transmitted with a global optimized path with smaller congestion and relatively short distance. Analysis work and simulation experiments show that the proposed algorithm can largely enhance the network flow with the maximum throughput within an acceptable calculating time. The detailed analysis of the algorithm will also be provided for explaining the efficiency.

  14. Investigation of the quality of stored red blood cells after simulated air drop in the maritime environment.

    PubMed

    Meli, Athinoula; Hancock, Vicky; Doughty, Heidi; Smedley, Steve; Cardigan, Rebecca; Wiltshire, Michael

    2018-02-01

    Maritime medical capability may be compromised by blood resupply. Air-dropped red blood cells (RBCs) is a possible mitigation factor. This study set out to evaluate RBC storage variables after a simulated parachute air drop into the sea, as limited data exist. The air load construction for the air drop of blood was subject to static drop assessment to simulate a worst-case parachute drop scenario. One control and two test Golden Hour shipping containers were each packaged with 10 RBC units. The control box was not dropped; Test Boxes 1 and 2 were further reinforced with waterproof boxes and underwent a simulated air drop on Day 7 or Day 8 postdonation, respectively. One day after the drop and once a week thereafter until Day 43 of storage, RBCs from each box were sampled and tested for full blood counts, hemolysis, adenosine triphosphate, 2,3-diphosphoglycerate, pH, extracellular potassium, glucose, lactate, deformability, and RBC microvesicles. The packaging configuration completed the air drop with no water ingress or physical damage. All units met UK specifications for volume, hemoglobin, and hemolysis. There were no significant differences for any of the variables studied between RBCs in the control box compared to RBCs in Test Boxes 1 and 2 combined over storage. The test proved that the packaging solution and the impact of a maritime air drop as performed in this study, on Day 7 or Day 8 postdonation, did not affect the in vitro quality of RBCs in SAGM over storage for 35 days. © 2017 AABB.

  15. Protection against Experimental Cryptococcosis following Vaccination with Glucan Particles Containing Cryptococcus Alkaline Extracts.

    PubMed

    Specht, Charles A; Lee, Chrono K; Huang, Haibin; Tipper, Donald J; Shen, Zu T; Lodge, Jennifer K; Leszyk, John; Ostroff, Gary R; Levitz, Stuart M

    2015-12-22

    A vaccine capable of protecting at-risk persons against infections due to Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii could reduce the substantial global burden of human cryptococcosis. Vaccine development has been hampered though, by lack of knowledge as to which antigens are immunoprotective and the need for an effective vaccine delivery system. We made alkaline extracts from mutant cryptococcal strains that lacked capsule or chitosan. The extracts were then packaged into glucan particles (GPs), which are purified Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell walls composed primarily of β-1,3-glucans. Subcutaneous vaccination with the GP-based vaccines provided significant protection against subsequent pulmonary infection with highly virulent strains of C. neoformans and C. gattii. The alkaline extract derived from the acapsular strain was analyzed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), and the most abundant proteins were identified. Separation of the alkaline extract by size exclusion chromatography revealed fractions that conferred protection when loaded in GP-based vaccines. Robust Th1- and Th17-biased CD4(+) T cell recall responses were observed in the lungs of vaccinated and infected mice. Thus, our preclinical studies have indicated promising cryptococcal vaccine candidates in alkaline extracts delivered in GPs. Ongoing studies are directed at identifying the individual components of the extracts that confer protection and thus would be promising candidates for a human vaccine. The encapsulated yeast Cryptococcus neoformans and its closely related sister species, Cryptococcus gattii, are major causes of morbidity and mortality, particularly in immunocompromised persons. This study reports on the preclinical development of vaccines to protect at-risk populations from cryptococcosis. Antigens were extracted from Cryptococcus by treatment with an alkaline solution. The extracted antigens were then packaged into glucan particles, which are hollow yeast cell walls composed mainly of β-glucans. The glucan particle-based vaccines elicited robust T cell immune responses and protected mice from otherwise-lethal challenge with virulent strains of C. neoformans and C. gattii. The technology used for antigen extraction and subsequent loading into the glucan particle delivery system is relatively simple and can be applied to vaccine development against other pathogens. Copyright © 2015 Specht et al.

  16. CellTree: an R/bioconductor package to infer the hierarchical structure of cell populations from single-cell RNA-seq data.

    PubMed

    duVerle, David A; Yotsukura, Sohiya; Nomura, Seitaro; Aburatani, Hiroyuki; Tsuda, Koji

    2016-09-13

    Single-cell RNA sequencing is fast becoming one the standard method for gene expression measurement, providing unique insights into cellular processes. A number of methods, based on general dimensionality reduction techniques, have been suggested to help infer and visualise the underlying structure of cell populations from single-cell expression levels, yet their models generally lack proper biological grounding and struggle at identifying complex differentiation paths. Here we introduce cellTree: an R/Bioconductor package that uses a novel statistical approach, based on document analysis techniques, to produce tree structures outlining the hierarchical relationship between single-cell samples, while identifying latent groups of genes that can provide biological insights. With cellTree, we provide experimentalists with an easy-to-use tool, based on statistically and biologically-sound algorithms, to efficiently explore and visualise single-cell RNA data. The cellTree package is publicly available in the online Bionconductor repository at: http://bioconductor.org/packages/cellTree/ .

  17. The dynamic and steady state behavior of a PEM fuel cell as an electric energy source

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Costa, R. A.; Camacho, J. R.

    The main objective of this work is to extract information on the internal behavior of three small polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells under static and dynamic load conditions. A computational model was developed using Scilab [SCILAB 4, Scilab-a free scientific software package, http://www.scilab.org/, INRIA, France, December, 2005] to simulate the static and dynamic performance [J.M. Correa, A.F. Farret, L.N. Canha, An analysis of the dynamic performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cells using an electrochemical model, in: 27th Annual Conference of IEEE Industrial Electronics Society, 2001, pp. 141-146] of this particular type of fuel cell. This dynamic model is based on electrochemical equations and takes into consideration most of the chemical and physical characteristics of the device in order to generate electric power. The model takes into consideration the operating, design parameters and physical material properties. The results show the internal losses and concentration effects behavior, which are of interest for power engineers and researchers.

  18. Compositions and Methods for Inhibiting Gene Expressions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Williams, Loren D. (Inventor); Hsiao, Chiaolong (Inventor); Fang, Po-Yu (Inventor); Williams, Justin (Inventor)

    2018-01-01

    A combined packing and assembly method that efficiently packs ribonucleic acid (RNA) into virus like particles (VLPs) has been developed. The VLPs can spontaneously assemble and load RNA in vivo, efficiently packaging specifically designed RNAs at high densities and with high purity. In some embodiments the RNA is capable of interference activity, or is a precursor of a RNA capable of causing interference activity. Compositions and methods for the efficient expression, production and purification of VLP-RNAs are provided. VLP-RNAs can be used for the storage of RNA for long periods, and provide the ability to deliver RNA in stable form that is readily taken up by cells.

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

    Eric Larsen; Art Watkins; Timothy R. McJunkin

    The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) created the National Spent Nuclear Fuel Program (NSNFP) to manage DOE’s spent nuclear fuel (SNF). One of the NSNFP’s tasks is to prepare spent nuclear fuel for storage, transportation, and disposal at the national repository. As part of this effort, the NSNFP developed a standardized canister for interim storage and transportation of SNF. These canisters will be built and sealed to American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Section III, Division 3 requirements. Packaging SNF usually is a three-step process: canister loading, closure welding, and closure weld verification. After loading SNF into the canisters, themore » canisters must be seal welded and the welds verified using a combination of visual, surface eddy current, and ultrasonic inspection or examination techniques. If unacceptable defects in the weld are detected, the defective sections of weld must be removed, re-welded, and re-inspected. Due to the high contamination and/or radiation fields involved with this process, all of these functions must be performed remotely in a hot cell. The prototype apparatus to perform these functions is a floor-mounted carousel that encircles the loaded canister; three stations perform the functions of welding, inspecting, and repairing the seal welds. A welding operator monitors and controls these functions remotely via a workstation located outside the hot cell. The discussion describes the hardware and software that have been developed and the results of testing that has been done to date.« less

  20. 49 CFR 172.327 - Petroleum sour crude oil in bulk packaging.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... Bulk packaging used to transport petroleum crude oil containing hydrogen sulfide (i.e., sour crude oil... hydrogen sulfide vapors may occur. (b) The border of the square-on-point must be black or red on a white or...., manhole, loading head) where exposure to hydrogen sulfide vapors may occur. The label, tag, or sign must...

  1. 49 CFR 172.327 - Petroleum sour crude oil in bulk packaging.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... Bulk packaging used to transport petroleum crude oil containing hydrogen sulfide (i.e., sour crude oil... hydrogen sulfide vapors may occur. (b) The border of the square-on-point must be black or red on a white or...., manhole, loading head) where exposure to hydrogen sulfide vapors may occur. The label, tag, or sign must...

  2. 49 CFR 172.327 - Petroleum sour crude oil in bulk packaging.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... Bulk packaging used to transport petroleum crude oil containing hydrogen sulfide (i.e., sour crude oil... hydrogen sulfide vapors may occur. (b) The border of the square-on-point must be black or red on a white or...., manhole, loading head) where exposure to hydrogen sulfide vapors may occur. The label, tag, or sign must...

  3. Producing "Service to Non-Major" Reports Without an ICLM via NCHEMS. SAIR Conference Paper.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McCord, Michael T.; Ingle, Robert

    The procedures for producing a report on departmental service to nonmajors are described in detail. The objective was to provide information for decision-making needs without reliance on the standardized pre-packaged models. An alternative to the Induced Course Load Matrix (ICLM) of the Resource Requirements Prediction Model (RRPM) package of the…

  4. Development and testing of shingle-type solar cell modules. Final report

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

    Shepard, N.F.

    1979-02-28

    The design, development, fabrication and testing of a shingle-type terrestrial solar cell module which produces 98 watts/m/sup 2/ of exposed module area at 1 kW/m/sup 2/ insolation and 61/sup 0/C are reported. These modules make it possible to easily incorporate photovoltaic power generation into the sloping roofs of residential or commercial buildings by simply nailing the modules to the plywood roof sheathing. This design consists of nineteen series-connected 53 mm diameter solar cells arranged in a closely packaged hexagon configuration. These cells are individually bonded to the embossed surface of a 3 mm thick thermally tempered hexagon-shaped piece of ASGmore » SUNADEX glass. Monsanto SAFLEX polyvinyl butyral is used as the laminating adhesive. RTVII functions as the encapsulant between the underside of the glass superstrate and a rear protective sheet of 0.8 mm thick TEXTOLITE. The semi-flexible portion of each shingle module is a composite laminate construction consisting of outer layers of B.F. Goodrich FLEXSEAL and an epichlorohydrin closed cell foam core. The module design has satisfactorily survived the JPL-defined qualification testing program which includes 50 thermal cycles between -40 and +90/sup 0/C, a seven-day temperature-humidity exposure test and a mechanical integrity test consisting of a bidirectional cyclic loading at 2390 Pa (50 lb/ft/sup 2/) which is intended to simulate loads due to a 45 m/s (100 mph) wind.« less

  5. 49 CFR 172.400a - Exceptions from labeling.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... this subchapter). (2) A package or unit of military explosives (including ammunition) shipped by or on behalf of the DOD when in— (i) Freight containerload, carload or truckload shipments, if loaded and... cylinder permanently mounted in or on a transport vehicle. (5) A freight container, aircraft unit load...

  6. 49 CFR 172.400a - Exceptions from labeling.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... this subchapter). (2) A package or unit of military explosives (including ammunition) shipped by or on behalf of the DOD when in— (i) Freight containerload, carload or truckload shipments, if loaded and... cylinder permanently mounted in or on a transport vehicle. (5) A freight container, aircraft unit load...

  7. 49 CFR 172.400a - Exceptions from labeling.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... this subchapter). (2) A package or unit of military explosives (including ammunition) shipped by or on behalf of the DOD when in— (i) Freight containerload, carload or truckload shipments, if loaded and... cylinder permanently mounted in or on a transport vehicle. (5) A freight container, aircraft unit load...

  8. Mechanical-Electrochemical-Thermal Simulation of Lithium-Ion Cells

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

    Santhanagopalan, Shriram; Zhang, Chao; Sprague, Michael A.

    2016-06-01

    Models capture the force response for single-cell and cell-string levels to within 15%-20% accuracy and predict the location for the origin of failure based on the deformation data from the experiments. At the module level, there is some discrepancy due to poor mechanical characterization of the packaging material between the cells. The thermal response (location and value of maximum temperature) agrees qualitatively with experimental data. In general, the X-plane results agree with model predictions to within 20% (pending faulty thermocouples, etc.); the Z-plane results show a bigger variability both between the models and test-results, as well as among multiple repeatsmore » of the tests. The models are able to capture the timing and sequence in voltage drop observed in the multi-cell experiments; the shapes of the current and temperature profiles need more work to better characterize propagation. The cells within packaging experience about 60% less force under identical impact test conditions, so the packaging on the test articles is robust. However, under slow-crush simulations, the maximum deformation of the cell strings with packaging is about twice that of cell strings without packaging.« less

  9. MT3D-USGS version 1: A U.S. Geological Survey release of MT3DMS updated with new and expanded transport capabilities for use with MODFLOW

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Bedekar, Vivek; Morway, Eric D.; Langevin, Christian D.; Tonkin, Matthew J.

    2016-09-30

    MT3D-USGS, a U.S. Geological Survey updated release of the groundwater solute transport code MT3DMS, includes new transport modeling capabilities to accommodate flow terms calculated by MODFLOW packages that were previously unsupported by MT3DMS and to provide greater flexibility in the simulation of solute transport and reactive solute transport. Unsaturated-zone transport and transport within streams and lakes, including solute exchange with connected groundwater, are among the new capabilities included in the MT3D-USGS code. MT3D-USGS also includes the capability to route a solute through dry cells that may occur in the Newton-Raphson formulation of MODFLOW (that is, MODFLOW-NWT). New chemical reaction Package options include the ability to simulate inter-species reactions and parent-daughter chain reactions. A new pump-and-treat recirculation package enables the simulation of dynamic recirculation with or without treatment for combinations of wells that are represented in the flow model, mimicking the above-ground treatment of extracted water. A reformulation of the treatment of transient mass storage improves conservation of mass and yields solutions for better agreement with analytical benchmarks. Several additional features of MT3D-USGS are (1) the separate specification of the partitioning coefficient (Kd) within mobile and immobile domains; (2) the capability to assign prescribed concentrations to the top-most active layer; (3) the change in mass storage owing to the change in water volume now appears as its own budget item in the global mass balance summary; (4) the ability to ignore cross-dispersion terms; (5) the definition of Hydrocarbon Spill-Source Package (HSS) mass loading zones using regular and irregular polygons, in addition to the currently supported circular zones; and (6) the ability to specify an absolute minimum thickness rather than the default percent minimum thickness in dry-cell circumstances.Benchmark problems that implement the new features and packages test the accuracy of new code through comparison to analytical benchmarks, as well as to solutions from other published codes. The input file structure for MT3D-USGS adheres to MT3DMS conventions for backward compatibility: the new capabilities and packages described herein are readily invoked by adding three-letter package name acronyms to the name file or by setting input flags as needed. Memory is managed in MT3D-USGS using FORTRAN modules in order to simplify code development and expansion.

  10. Maestro Workflow Conductor

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

    Di Natale, Francesco

    2017-06-01

    MaestroWF is a Python tool and software package for loading YAML study specifications that represents a simulation campaign. The package is capable of parameterizing a study, pulling dependencies automatically, formatting output directories, and managing the flow and execution of the campaign. MaestroWF also provides a set of abstracted objects that can also be used to develop user specific scripts for launching simulation campaigns.

  11. High strain FBG sensors for structural fatigue testing of military aircraft

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tejedor, S.; Kopczyk, J.; Nuyens, T.; Davis, C.

    2012-02-01

    This paper reports on a series of tests investigating the performance of Draw Tower Gratings (DTGs) combined with custom-designed broad area packaging and bonding techniques for high-strain sensing applications on Defence platforms. The sensors and packaging were subjected to a series of high-strain static and cyclic loading tests and a summary of these results is presented.

  12. Development and Validation of Yoga Video Package and Its Effectiveness on Depression, Anxiety and Stress of School Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Selvi, B. Tamil; Thangarajathi, S.

    2011-01-01

    Teaching once was considered as a noble job but, within the last decade it has become an increasingly stressful profession for school teachers. Increased work load, insufficient salary package, fast changing curriculum, increase in the responsibilities of the students, modern fast mechanical life, conflicts with the colleagues and with higher…

  13. Proceedings of the 1983 Spring Meeting of the Packaging, Handling and Transportability Division of the American Defense Preparedness Association Held at Port Hueneme, California on April 26-28, 1983

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1983-01-01

    packages into a cost saving technique that we refer to as brick loading. By this s ;meant, that the packages will be fitted into every available slot...8217IIMAN4roitrATION ,r, j ŕ- AZAIMIOUti f4\\iIl’t;I¢.;LA it LOAnD Jaituary 13, 1971 File: 1173.7(a) Mr. John V. Itvdc Coloitel, N’L’C •Chinf:, Officc of S-&:cty

  14. NASA Task Load Index (TLX). Volume 1.0; Paper and Pencil Package

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hart, Sandra G.

    1986-01-01

    This booklet contains the materials necessary to collect subjective workload assessments with the NASA Task Load Index. This procedure for collecting workload ratings was developed by the Human Performance Group at NASA Ames Research Center during a three year research effort that involved more than 40 laboratory. simulation. and inflight experiments. Although the technique is still undergoing evaluation. this booklet is being distributed to allow other researchers to use it in their own experiments. Comments or suggestions about the procedure would be greatly appreciated. This package is intended to fill a "nuts and bolts" function of describing the procedure. A bibliography provides background information about previous empirical findings and the logic that supports the procedure.

  15. Microbial biodiversity, quality and shelf life of microfiltered and pasteurized extended shelf life (ESL) milk from Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

    PubMed

    Schmidt, Verena S J; Kaufmann, Veronika; Kulozik, Ulrich; Scherer, Siegfried; Wenning, Mareike

    2012-03-01

    Information on factors limiting the shelf life of extended shelf life (ESL) milk produced by microfiltration and subsequent pasteurization is very limited. In this study, three different batches of ESL milk were analyzed at different stages of the production process and during storage at 4 °C, 8 °C and 10 °C in order to evaluate the changes in bacterial cell counts, microbial diversity and enzymatic quality. Additionally, detailed biodiversity analyses of 250 retail ESL milk packages produced by five manufacturers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland were performed at the end of shelf life. It was observed that microfiltration decreased the microbial loads by 5-6 log₁₀ units to lower than 1 CFU/mL. However, bacterial counts at the end of shelf life were extremely variable and ranged between <1 and 8 log₁₀ CFU/mL. 8% of all samples showed spoilage indicated by cell counts higher than 6 log₁₀ CFU/mL. The main spoilage groups of bacteria were Gram-negative post-process recontaminants (Acinetobacter, Chryseobacterium, Psychrobacter, Sphingomonas) and the spore formers Paenibacillus and Bacillus cereus, while other spore formers and Microbacterium spp. did not reach spoilage levels. Paenibacillus spp. and B. cereus apparently influenced enzymatic spoilage, as indicated by increased free fatty acid production, pH 4.6 soluble peptide fractions and off-flavors. In some cases, enzymatic spoilage was observed although microbial counts were well below 6 log₁₀ CFU/mL. Thirteen B. cereus isolates were characterized for their toxin profiles and psychrotolerance. Hbl, nhe, and cytK toxin genes were detected in ten, thirteen, and four isolates, respectively, whereas the ces gene was always absent. Interestingly, only three of the thirteen isolates could be allocated to psychrotolerant genotypes, as indicated by the major cold shock cspA gene signature. Generally, large discrepancies in microbial loads and biodiversity were observed at the end of shelf life, even among packages of the same production batch. We suggest that such unexpected differences may be due to very low cell counts after ESL treatment, causing stochastic variations of initial species distributions in individual packages. This would result in the development of significantly different bacterial populations during cold storage, including the occasional development of high numbers of pathogenic species such as B. cereus or Acinetobacter. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. A Methodology for Flight-Time Identification of Helicopter-Slung Load Frequency Response Characteristics Using CIFER

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sahai, Ranjana; Pierce, Larry; Cicolani, Luigi; Tischler, Mark

    1998-01-01

    Helicopter slung load operations are common in both military and civil contexts. The slung load adds load rigid body modes, sling stretching, and load aerodynamics to the system dynamics, which can degrade system stability and handling qualities, and reduce the operating envelope of the combined system below that of the helicopter alone. Further, the effects of the load on system dynamics vary significantly among the large range of loads, slings, and flight conditions that a utility helicopter will encounter in its operating life. In this context, military helicopters and loads are often qualified for slung load operations via flight tests which can be time consuming and expensive. One way to reduce the cost and time required to carry out these tests and generate quantitative data more readily is to provide an efficient method for analysis during the flight, so that numerous test points can be evaluated in a single flight test, with evaluations performed in near real time following each test point and prior to clearing the aircraft to the next point. Methodology for this was implemented at Ames and demonstrated in slung load flight tests in 1997 and was improved for additional flight tests in 1999. The parameters of interest for the slung load tests are aircraft handling qualities parameters (bandwidth and phase delay), stability margins (gain and phase margin), and load pendulum roots (damping and natural frequency). A procedure for the identification of these parameters from frequency sweep data was defined using the CIFER software package. CIFER is a comprehensive interactive package of utilities for frequency domain analysis previously developed at Ames for aeronautical flight test applications. It has been widely used in the US on a variety of aircraft, including some primitive flight time analysis applications.

  17. Isostatic Gravity Anomalies, Flexure and the Origin of Seaward Dipping Reflectors at Volcanic Rifted Margins

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Morgan, R. L.; Watts, A. B.

    2016-12-01

    Seaward Dipping Reflectors (SDRs) are ubiquitous features of volcanic rifted continental margins where they comprise characteristic wedge-shaped packages of mainly extrusive lava flows. However, their origin has been disputed with some workers suggesting they form by progressive subsidence of extended crust while others propose they are accommodated within the crust by one or more continent-dipping normal faults. We present here a simple model in which SDRs are formed by successive dykes, which intrude and load the crust causing a surface flexure which is subsequently infilled and then loaded by volcanic material, including lava flows. The model explains the arcuate shape, limited offlap geometries and down-dip thickening of SDRs as observed in seismic reflection profiles. By comparing observed and calculated dips we have been able to constrain the elastic plate model type and the effective elastic thickness of rifted lithosphere, Te. Results suggest a broken rather than continuous plate model and Te in the range 3-15 km. The thickness of the resulting SDR package increases with decreasing Te and decreasing compensation density. Decreasing the Tefor successive loads as rifting progresses produces offlap of sub-packages. We have verified our results using process-oriented gravity modelling, in which the gravity effect of surface volcanic infill loads is calculated and combined with the gravity effect of buried dyke loads. Results show good general agreement between observed Airy isostatic anomalies and calculated gravity anomalies. This suggests that the steep gradient that is often observed in the Airy isostatic gravity anomaly at rifted margins is a useful proxy for the landward edge of the dykes that intrude the crust prior to seafloor spreading, rather than a change in basement elevation at the boundary between oceanic and continental crust, as proposed by previous workers.

  18. SuperSegger: robust image segmentation, analysis and lineage tracking of bacterial cells.

    PubMed

    Stylianidou, Stella; Brennan, Connor; Nissen, Silas B; Kuwada, Nathan J; Wiggins, Paul A

    2016-11-01

    Many quantitative cell biology questions require fast yet reliable automated image segmentation to identify and link cells from frame-to-frame, and characterize the cell morphology and fluorescence. We present SuperSegger, an automated MATLAB-based image processing package well-suited to quantitative analysis of high-throughput live-cell fluorescence microscopy of bacterial cells. SuperSegger incorporates machine-learning algorithms to optimize cellular boundaries and automated error resolution to reliably link cells from frame-to-frame. Unlike existing packages, it can reliably segment microcolonies with many cells, facilitating the analysis of cell-cycle dynamics in bacteria as well as cell-contact mediated phenomena. This package has a range of built-in capabilities for characterizing bacterial cells, including the identification of cell division events, mother, daughter and neighbouring cells, and computing statistics on cellular fluorescence, the location and intensity of fluorescent foci. SuperSegger provides a variety of postprocessing data visualization tools for single cell and population level analysis, such as histograms, kymographs, frame mosaics, movies and consensus images. Finally, we demonstrate the power of the package by analyzing lag phase growth with single cell resolution. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  19. Hydrothermal effect and mechanical stress properties of carboxymethylcellulose based hydrogel food packaging.

    PubMed

    Gregorova, Adriana; Saha, Nabanita; Kitano, Takeshi; Saha, Petr

    2015-03-06

    The PVP-CMC hydrogel film is biodegradable, transparent, flexible, hygroscopic and breathable material which can be used as a food packaging material. The hygroscopic character of CMC and PVP plays a big role in the changing of their mechanical properties where load carrying capacity is one of important criteria for packaging materials. This paper reports about the hydrothermal effect on the mechanical and viscoelastic properties of neat CMC, and PVP-CMC (20:80) hydrogel films under the conditions of combined multiple stress factors such as temperature, time, load, frequency and humidity. The dry films were studied by transient and dynamic oscillatory experiments using dynamic mechanical analyser combined with relative humidity chamber (DMA-RH). The mechanical properties of PVP-CMC hydrogel film at room temperature (25 °C), in the range of 0-30%RH remain steady. The 20 wt% of PVP in PVP-CMC hydrogel increases the stiffness of CMC from 2940 to 3260 MPa at 25 °C and 10%RH. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Instrument Package Manipulation Through the Generation and Use of an Attenuated-Fluent Gas Fold

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Breen, Daniel P.

    2012-01-01

    This document discusses a technique that provides a means for suspending large, awkward loads, instrument packages, components, and machinery in a stable, controlled, and precise manner. In the baseplate of the test machine, a pattern of grooves and ports is installed that when pressurized generates an attenuated- fluent gas fold providing a low-cost, near-zero-coefficient-of-friction lubrication boundary layer that supports the object evenly, and in a predictable manner. Package movement control requires minimal force. Aids to repeatable travel and positional accuracy can be added via the addition of simple guide bars and stops to the floor or object being moved. This allows easily regulated three-axis motions. Loads of extreme weight and size can be moved and guided by a single person, or by automated means, using minimal force. Upon removal of the attenuated fluent gas fold, the object returns to a stable resting position without impact forces affecting the object.

  1. Modeling viscoelastic deformation of the earth due to surface loading by commercial finite element package - ABAQUS

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kit Wong, Ching; Wu, Patrick

    2017-04-01

    Wu (2004) developed a transformation scheme to model viscoelatic deformation due to glacial loading by commercial finite element package - ABAQUS. Benchmark tests confirmed that this method works extremely well on incompressible earth model. Bangtsson & Lund (2008),however, showed that the transformation scheme would lead to incorrect results if compressible material parameters are used. Their study implies that Wu's method of stress transformation is inadequate to model the load induced deformation of a compressible earth under the framework of ABAQUS. In light of this, numerical experiments are carried out to find if there exist other methods that serve this purpose. All the tested methods are not satisfying as the results failed to converge through iterations, except at the elastic limit. Those tested methods will be outlined and the results will be presented. Possible reasons of failure will also be discussed. Bängtsson, E., & Lund, B. (2008). A comparison between two solution techniques to solve the equations of glacially induced deformation of an elastic Earth. International journal for numerical methods in engineering, 75(4), 479-502. Wu, P. (2004). Using commercial finite element packages for the study of earth deformations, sea levels and the state of stress. Geophysical Journal International, 158(2), 401-408.

  2. 49 CFR 174.101 - Loading Class 1 (explosive) materials.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... point on a small area of another box. (b) Explosive bombs, unfuzed projectiles, rocket ammunition and... large metal packages of incendiary bombs, each weighing 226 kg (500 pounds) or more, may be loaded in stock cars or in flat bottom gondola cars only if they are adequately braced. Boxed bombs, rocket...

  3. Solar-heating and cooling system design package

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1980-01-01

    Package of information includes design data, performance specifications, drawings, hazard analysis, and spare parts list for commercially produced system installed in single-family dwelling in Akron, Ohio. System uses air flat-plate collectors, 12000 kg rock storage and backup heat pump. Solar portion requires 0.7 kW, and provides 35% of average total heating load including hot water. Information aids persons considering installing solar home-heating systems.

  4. Development of a functional cell-based assay that probes the specific interaction between influenza A virus NP and its packaging signal sequence RNA.

    PubMed

    Woo, Jiwon; Yu, Kyung Lee; Lee, Sun Hee; You, Ji Chang

    2015-02-06

    Although cis-acting packaging signal RNA sequences for the influenza virus NP encoding vRNA have been identified recently though genetic studies, little is known about the interaction between NP and the vRNA packaging signals either in vivo or in vitro. Here, we provide evidence that NP is able to interact specifically with the vRNA packaging sequence RNA within living cells and that the specific RNA binding activity of NP in vivo requires both the N-terminal and central region of the protein. This assay established would be a valuable tool for further detailed studies of the NP-packaging signal RNA interaction in living cells. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Design Analysis of a Prepackaged Nuclear Power Plant for an Ice Cap Location

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1959-01-15

    requirements and heating load 1.3 Site Conditions 1,U Air Transportability 1.5 Standby Power Availability 1.6 Building Structuree and Foundations 2,0...Skid with Reactor and Steam Generator Generator Weight Distribution Foundation Load Diagram (Secondary) Turbine Generator Package - Typical...Requirements and Heating Load The plant shall be capable of producing a minimum of 1500 Kw net ^ electrical energy at 4160/2400 volts, three phase

  6. Novel optimization technique of isolated microgrid with hydrogen energy storage.

    PubMed

    Beshr, Eman Hassan; Abdelghany, Hazem; Eteiba, Mahmoud

    2018-01-01

    This paper presents a novel optimization technique for energy management studies of an isolated microgrid. The system is supplied by various Distributed Energy Resources (DERs), Diesel Generator (DG), a Wind Turbine Generator (WTG), Photovoltaic (PV) arrays and supported by fuel cell/electrolyzer Hydrogen storage system for short term storage. Multi-objective optimization is used through non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm to suit the load requirements under the given constraints. A novel multi-objective flower pollination algorithm is utilized to check the results. The Pros and cons of the two optimization techniques are compared and evaluated. An isolated microgrid is modelled using MATLAB software package, dispatch of active/reactive power, optimal load flow analysis with slack bus selection are carried out to be able to minimize fuel cost and line losses under realistic constraints. The performance of the system is studied and analyzed during both summer and winter conditions and three case studies are presented for each condition. The modified IEEE 15 bus system is used to validate the proposed algorithm.

  7. Novel optimization technique of isolated microgrid with hydrogen energy storage

    PubMed Central

    Abdelghany, Hazem; Eteiba, Mahmoud

    2018-01-01

    This paper presents a novel optimization technique for energy management studies of an isolated microgrid. The system is supplied by various Distributed Energy Resources (DERs), Diesel Generator (DG), a Wind Turbine Generator (WTG), Photovoltaic (PV) arrays and supported by fuel cell/electrolyzer Hydrogen storage system for short term storage. Multi-objective optimization is used through non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm to suit the load requirements under the given constraints. A novel multi-objective flower pollination algorithm is utilized to check the results. The Pros and cons of the two optimization techniques are compared and evaluated. An isolated microgrid is modelled using MATLAB software package, dispatch of active/reactive power, optimal load flow analysis with slack bus selection are carried out to be able to minimize fuel cost and line losses under realistic constraints. The performance of the system is studied and analyzed during both summer and winter conditions and three case studies are presented for each condition. The modified IEEE 15 bus system is used to validate the proposed algorithm. PMID:29466433

  8. Transfer orbit stage mechanisms thermal vacuum test

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Oleary, Scott T.

    1990-01-01

    A systems level mechanisms test was conducted on the Orbital Sciences Corp.'s Transfer Orbit Stage (TOS). The TOS is a unique partially reusable transfer vehicle which will boost a satellite into its operational orbit from the Space Shuttle's cargo bay. The mechanical cradle and tilt assemblies will return to earth with the Space Shuttle while the Solid Rocket Motor (SRM) and avionics package are expended. A mechanisms test was performed on the forward cradle and aft tilting assemblies of the TOS under thermal vacuum conditions. Actuating these assemblies under a 1 g environment and thermal vacuum conditions proved to be a complex task. Pneumatic test fixturing was used to lift the forward cradle, and tilt the SRM, and avionics package. Clinometers, linear voltage displacement transducers, and load cells were used in the thermal vacuum chamber to measure the performance and characteristics of the TOS mechanism assembly. Incorporation of the instrumentation and pneumatic system into the test setup was not routine since pneumatic actuation of flight hardware had not been previously performed in the facility. The methods used are presented along with the problems experienced during the design, setup and test phases.

  9. Optical Diagnostic System for Solar Sails: Phase 1 Final Report

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pappa, Richard S.; Blandino, Joseph R.; Caldwell, Douglas W.; Carroll, Joseph A.; Jenkins, Christopher H. M.; Pollock, Thomas C.

    2004-01-01

    NASA's In-Space Propulsion program recently selected AEC-ABLE Engineering and L'Garde, Inc. to develop scale-model solar sail hardware and demonstrate its functionality on the ground. Both are square sail designs with lightweight diagonal booms (<100 g/m) and ultra-thin membranes (<10 g/sq m). To support this technology, the authors are developing an integrated diagnostics instrumentation package for monitoring solar sail structures such as these in a near-term flight experiment. We refer to this activity as the "Optical Diagnostic System (ODS) for Solar Sails" project. The approach uses lightweight optics and photogrammetric techniques to measure solar sail membrane and boom shape and dynamics, thermography to map temperature, and non-optical sensors including MEMS accelerometers and load cells. The diagnostics package must measure key structural characteristics including deployment dynamics, sail support tension, boom and sail deflection, boom and sail natural frequencies, sail temperature, and sail integrity. This report summarizes work in the initial 6-month Phase I period (conceptual design phase) and complements the final presentation given in Huntsville, AL on January 14, 2004.

  10. Raman Spectroscopy of DNA Packaging in Individual Human Sperm Cells distinguishes Normal from Abnormal Cells

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

    Huser, T; Orme, C; Hollars, C

    Healthy human males produce sperm cells of which about 25-40% have abnormal head shapes. Increases in the percentage of sperm exhibiting aberrant sperm head morphologies have been correlated with male infertility, and biochemical studies of pooled sperm have suggested that sperm with abnormal shape may contain DNA that has not been properly repackaged by protamine during spermatid development. We have used micro-Raman spectroscopy to obtain Raman spectra from individual human sperm cells and examined how differences in the Raman spectra of sperm chromatin correlate with cell shape. We show that Raman spectra of individual sperm cells contain vibrational marker modesmore » that can be used to assess the efficiency of DNA-packaging for each cell. Raman spectra obtained from sperm cells with normal shape provide evidence that DNA in these sperm is very efficiently packaged. We find, however, that the relative protein content per cell and DNA packaging efficiencies are distributed over a relatively wide range for sperm cells with both normal and abnormal shape. These findings indicate that single cell Raman spectroscopy should be a valuable tool in assessing the quality of sperm cells for in-vitro fertilization.« less

  11. Targeted Doxorubicin-Loaded Bacterially Derived Nano-Cells for the Treatment of Neuroblastoma.

    PubMed

    Sagnella, Sharon M; Trieu, Jennifer; Brahmbhatt, Himanshu; MacDiarmid, Jennifer A; MacMillan, Alex; Whan, Renee M; Fife, Christopher M; McCarroll, Joshua A; Gifford, Andrew J; Ziegler, David S; Kavallaris, Maria

    2018-05-01

    Advanced stage neuroblastoma is an aggressive disease with limited treatment options for patients with drug-resistant tumors. Targeted delivery of chemotherapy for pediatric cancers offers promise to improve treatment efficacy and reduce toxicity associated with systemic chemotherapy. The EnGeneIC Dream Vector (EDV TM ) is a nanocell, which can package chemotherapeutic drugs and target tumors via attachment of bispecific proteins to the surface of the nanocell. Phase I trials in adults with refractory tumors have shown an acceptable safety profile. Herein we investigated the activity of EGFR-targeted and doxorubicin-loaded EDV TM ( EGFR EDV TM Dox ) for the treatment of neuroblastoma. Two independent neuroblastoma cell lines with variable expression of EGFR protein [SK-N-BE(2), high; SH-SY-5Y, low] were used. EGFR EDV TM Dox induced apoptosis in these cells compared to control, doxorubicin, or non-doxorubicin loaded EGFR EDV TM In three-dimensional tumor spheroids, imaging and fluorescence life-time microscopy revealed that EGFR EDV TM Dox had a marked enhancement of doxorubicin penetration compared to doxorubicin alone, and improved penetration compared to non-EGFR-targeted EDV TM Dox , with enhanced spheroid penetration leading to increased apoptosis. In two independent orthotopic human neuroblastoma xenograft models, short-term studies (28 days) of tumor-bearing mice led to a significant decrease in tumor size in EGFR EDV TM Dox -treated animals compared to control, doxorubicin, or non-EGFR EDV TM Dox There was increased TUNEL staining of tumors at day 28 compared to control, doxorubicin, or non-EGFR EDV TM Dox Moreover, overall survival was increased in neuroblastoma mice treated with EGFR EDV TM Dox ( P < 0007) compared to control. Drug-loaded bispecific-antibody targeted EDVs TM offer a highly promising approach for the treatment of aggressive pediatric malignancies such as neuroblastoma. Mol Cancer Ther; 17(5); 1012-23. ©2018 AACR . ©2018 American Association for Cancer Research.

  12. NASA Task Load Index (TLX). Volume 1.0; Computerized Version

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hart, Sandra G.

    1986-01-01

    This booklet and the accompanying diskette contain the materials necessary to collect subjective workload assessments with the NASA Task Load Index on IBM PC compatible microcomputers. This procedure for collecting workload ratings was developed by the Human Performance Group at NASA Ames Research Center during a three year research effort that involved more than 40 laboratory, simulation, and inflight experiments Although the technique is still undergoing evaluation, this package is being distributed to allow other researchers to use it in their own experiments Comments or suggestions about the procedure would be greatly appreciated This package is intended to fill a "nuts and bolts" function of describing the procedure. A bibliography provides background information about previous empirical findings and the logic that supports the procedure.

  13. Battery selection for space experiments

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Francisco, David R.

    1992-01-01

    This paper will delineate the criteria required for the selection of batteries as a power source for space experiments. Four basic types of batteries will be explored, lead acid, silver zinc, alkaline manganese and nickel cadmium. A detailed description of the lead acid and silver zinc cells while a brief exploration of the alkaline manganese and nickel cadmium will be given. The factors involved in battery selection such as packaging, energy density, discharge voltage regulation, and cost will be thoroughly examined. The pros and cons of each battery type will be explored. Actual laboratory test data acquired for the lead acid and silver zinc cell will be discussed. This data will include discharging under various temperature conditions, after three months of storage and with different types of loads. A description of the required maintenance for each type of battery will be investigated. The lifetime and number of charge/discharge cycles will be discussed.

  14. Battery selection for Space Shuttle experiments

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Francisco, David R.

    1993-01-01

    This paper will delineate the criteria required for the selection of batteries as a power source for space experiments. Four basic types of batteries will be explored, lead acid, silver zinc, alkaline manganese, and nickel cadmium. A detailed description of the lead acid and silver zinc cells and a brief exploration of the alkaline manganese and nickel cadmium will be given. The factors involved in battery selection such as packaging, energy density, discharge voltage regulation, and cost will be thoroughly examined. The pros and cons of each battery type will be explored. Actual laboratory test data acquired for the lead acid and silver zinc cell will be discussed. This data will include discharging under various temperature conditions, after three months of storage, and with different types of loads. The lifetime and number of charge/discharge cycles will also be discussed. A description of the required maintenance for each type of battery will be investigated.

  15. Investigation of Micro-Scale Architectural Effects on Damage of Composites

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Stier, Bertram; Bednarcyk, Brett A.; Simon, Jaan W.; Reese, Stefanie

    2015-01-01

    This paper presents a three-dimensional, energy based, anisotropic, stiffness reduction, progressive damage model for composite materials and composite material constituents. The model has been implemented as a user-defined constitutive model within the Abaqus finite element software package and applied to simulate the nonlinear behavior of a damaging epoxy matrix within a unidirectional composite material. Three different composite microstructures were considered as finite element repeating unit cells, with appropriate periodicity conditions applied at the boundaries. Results representing predicted transverse tensile, longitudinal shear, and transverse shear stress-strain curves are presented, along with plots of the local fields indicating the damage progression within the microstructure. It is demonstrated that the damage model functions appropriately at the matrix scale, enabling localization of the damage to simulate failure of the composite material. The influence of the repeating unit cell geometry and the effect of the directionality of the applied loading are investigated and discussed.

  16. Proposed Ancestors of Phage Nucleic Acid Packaging Motors (and Cells)

    PubMed Central

    Serwer, Philip

    2011-01-01

    I present a hypothesis that begins with the proposal that abiotic ancestors of phage RNA and DNA packaging systems (and cells) include mobile shells with an internal, molecule-transporting cavity. The foundations of this hypothesis include the conjecture that current nucleic acid packaging systems have imprints from abiotic ancestors. The abiotic shells (1) initially imbibe and later also bind and transport organic molecules, thereby providing a means for producing molecular interactions that are links in the chain of events that produces ancestors to the first molecules that are both information carrying and enzymatically active, and (2) are subsequently scaffolds on which proteins assemble to form ancestors common to both shells of viral capsids and cell membranes. Emergence of cells occurs via aggregation and merger of shells and internal contents. The hypothesis continues by using proposed imprints of abiotic and biotic ancestors to deduce an ancestral thermal ratchet-based DNA packaging motor that subsequently evolves to integrate a DNA packaging ATPase that provides a power stroke. PMID:21994778

  17. Hydrophobic drug-triggered self-assembly of nanoparticles from silk-elastin-like protein polymers for drug delivery.

    PubMed

    Xia, Xiao-Xia; Wang, Ming; Lin, Yinan; Xu, Qiaobing; Kaplan, David L

    2014-03-10

    Silk-elastin-like protein polymers (SELPs) combine the mechanical and biological properties of silk and elastin. These properties have led to the development of various SELP-based materials for drug delivery. However, SELPs have rarely been developed into nanoparticles, partially due to the complicated fabrication procedures, nor assessed for potential as an anticancer drug delivery system. We have recently constructed a series of SELPs (SE8Y, S2E8Y, and S4E8Y) with various ratios of silk to elastin blocks and described their capacity to form micellar-like nanoparticles upon thermal triggering. In this study, we demonstrate that doxorubicin, a hydrophobic antitumor drug, can efficiently trigger the self-assembly of SE8Y (SELPs with silk to elastin ratio of 1:8) into uniform micellar-like nanoparticles. The drug can be loaded in the SE8Y nanoparticles with an efficiency around 6.5% (65 ng doxorubicin/μg SE8Y), S2E8Y with 6%, and S4E8Y with 4%, respectively. In vitro studies with HeLa cell lines demonstrate that the protein polymers are not cytotoxic (IC50 > 200 μg/mL), while the doxorubicin-loaded SE8Y nanoparticles showed a 1.8-fold higher cytotoxicity than the free drug. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and flow cytometry indicate significant uptake of the SE8Y nanoparticles by the cells and suggest internalization of the nanoparticles through endocytosis. This study provides an all-aqueous, facile method to prepare nanoscale, drug-loaded SELPs packages with potential for tumor cell treatments.

  18. Evaluation of the cytotoxicity of elastomeric ligatures after sterilisation with 0.25% peracetic acid.

    PubMed

    Pithon, Matheus Melo; dos Santos, Rogerio Lacerda; Judice, Renata Lima Pasini; de Assuncao, Paulo Sergio; Restle, Luciana

    2013-11-01

    Sterilisation using peracetic acid (PAA) has been advocated for orthodontic elastic bands. However, cane-loaded elastomeric ligatures can also become contaminated during processing, packaging, and manipulation before placement in the oral cavity and are therefore susceptible, and possible causes, of cross-contamination. To test the hypothesis that 0.25% peracetic acid (PAA), following the sterilisation of elastomers, influences the cytotoxicity of elastomeric ligatures on L929 cell lines. Four hundred and eighty silver elastomeric ligatures were divided into 4 groups of 120 ligatures to produce, Group TP (latex natural, bulk pack, TP Orthodontics), Group M1 (Polyurethane, bulk pack, Morelli), Group M2 (Polyurethane, cane-loaded, Morelli) and Group U (Polyurethane, cane-loaded, Uniden). Of the 120 ligatures in each group, 100 were sterilised in 0.25% PAA at time intervals (N = 20) of 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours, 4 hours and 5 hours. The 20 remaining elastomeric ligatures in each group were not sterilised and served as controls. Cytotoxicity was assessed using L929 cell lines and a dye-uptake method. Analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by the Tukey post hoc test (p < 0.05) determined statistical relevance. There was a significant difference between TP, Morelli and Uniden elastomerics (p < 0.05), but no difference between the two types of Morelli elastomerics at the 1 hour time interval. In addition, there was a significant difference between Group CC and the other groups assessed, except between Groups CC and TP at the 1 hour time interval. The non-sterilised elastomeric ligatures showed similar cell viability to that observed after 1 hour of standard sterilisation. PAA did not significantly influence the cytotoxicity of elastomeric ligatures after a sterilisation time of 1 hour and is therefore recommended for clinical use.

  19. 49 CFR 174.84 - Position in train of loaded placarded rail cars, transport vehicles, freight containers or bulk...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 2 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Position in train of loaded placarded rail cars, transport vehicles, freight containers or bulk packagings when accompanied by guards or technical escorts. 174.84 Section 174.84 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation PIPELINE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SAFETY ADMINISTRATION,...

  20. 49 CFR 174.84 - Position in train of loaded placarded rail cars, transport vehicles, freight containers or bulk...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 2 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Position in train of loaded placarded rail cars, transport vehicles, freight containers or bulk packagings when accompanied by guards or technical escorts. 174.84 Section 174.84 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation PIPELINE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SAFETY ADMINISTRATION,...

  1. Analysis of the workload imposed on the workers of the imprint and cutting/welding sectors of a flexible packaging manufacturer.

    PubMed

    de M Guimarães, L B; Pessa, S L R; Biguelini, C

    2012-01-01

    This article presents a study on the evaluation of the workload imposed to workers of two sectors of a flexible packaging manufacturer that operates in three shifts. The workers are allocated in one of the shifts (morning, evening and night shifts) without evaluation of their chronotype and/or social needs. The Imprint sector has a more dynamic work, which is done only by man due to the effort demanded by handling loads. The work in the Cutting/Welding sector is static, done mainly by women. The results showed that the overall workload was the same in the Imprint and Cutting/Welding sectors, because physical effort for load handling is higher in the former but the latter involves high static load. The levels of urinary catecholamines and salivary cortisol were consistent with the workers biological clock showing that none of the workers changed his/her biological cycle to accommodate to the time of the shift schedule.

  2. Packaging strategies for printed circuit board components. Volume I, materials & thermal stresses.

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

    Neilsen, Michael K.; Austin, Kevin N.; Adolf, Douglas Brian

    2011-09-01

    Decisions on material selections for electronics packaging can be quite complicated by the need to balance the criteria to withstand severe impacts yet survive deep thermal cycles intact. Many times, material choices are based on historical precedence perhaps ignorant of whether those initial choices were carefully investigated or whether the requirements on the new component match those of previous units. The goal of this program focuses on developing both increased intuition for generic packaging guidelines and computational methodologies for optimizing packaging in specific components. Initial efforts centered on characterization of classes of materials common to packaging strategies and computational analysesmore » of stresses generated during thermal cycling to identify strengths and weaknesses of various material choices. Future studies will analyze the same example problems incorporating the effects of curing stresses as needed and analyzing dynamic loadings to compare trends with the quasi-static conclusions.« less

  3. Definition of Small Gram Quantity Contents for Type B Radioactive Material Transportation Packages: Activity-Based Content Limitations

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

    Sitaraman, S; Kim, S; Biswas, D

    2010-10-27

    Since the 1960's, the Department of Transportation Specification (DOT Spec) 6M packages have been used extensively for transportation of Type B quantities of radioactive materials between Department of Energy (DOE) facilities, laboratories, and productions sites. However, due to the advancement of packaging technology, the aging of the 6M packages, and variability in the quality of the packages, the DOT implemented a phased elimination of the 6M specification packages (and other DOT Spec packages) in favor of packages certified to meet federal performance requirements. DOT issued the final rule in the Federal Register on October 1, 2004 requiring that use ofmore » the DOT Specification 6M be discontinued as of October 1, 2008. A main driver for the change was the fact that the 6M specification packagings were not supported by a Safety Analysis Report for Packaging (SARP) that was compliant with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations part 71 (10 CFR 71). Therefore, materials that would have historically been shipped in 6M packages are being identified as contents in Type B (and sometimes Type A fissile) package applications and addenda that are to be certified under the requirements of 10 CFR 71. The requirements in 10 CFR 71 include that the Safety Analysis Report for Packaging (SARP) must identify the maximum radioactivity of radioactive constituents and maximum quantities of fissile constituents (10 CFR 71.33(b)(1) and 10 CFR 71.33(b)(2)), and that the application (i.e., SARP submittal or SARP addendum) demonstrates that the external dose rate (due to the maximum radioactivity of radioactive constituents and maximum quantities of fissile constituents) on the surface of the packaging (i.e., package and contents) not exceed 200 mrem/hr (10 CFR 71.35(a), 10 CFR 71.47(a)). It has been proposed that a 'Small Gram Quantity' of radioactive material be defined, such that, when loaded in a transportation package, the dose rates at external points of an unshielded packaging not exceed the regulatory limits prescribed by 10 CFR 71 for non-exclusive shipments. The mass of each radioisotope presented in this paper is limited by the radiation dose rate on the external surface of the package, which per the regulatory limit should not exceed 200 mrem/hr. The results presented are a compendium of allowable masses of a variety of different isotopes (with varying impurity levels of beryllium in some of the actinide isotopes) that, when loaded in an unshielded packaging, do not result in an external dose rate on the surface of the package that exceeds 190 mrem/hr (190 mrem/hr was chosen to provide 5% conservatism relative to the regulatory limit). These mass limits define the term 'Small Gram Quantity' (SGQ) contents in the context of radioactive material transportation packages. The term SGQ is isotope-specific and pertains to contents in radioactive material transportation packages that do not require shielding and still satisfy the external dose rate requirements. Since these calculated mass limits are for contents without shielding, they are conservative for packaging materials that provide some limited shielding or if the contents are placed into a shielded package. The isotopes presented in this paper were chosen as the isotopes that Department of Energy (DOE) sites most likely need to ship. Other more rarely shipped isotopes, along with industrial and medical isotopes, are planned to be included in subsequent extensions of this work.« less

  4. 49 CFR 174.84 - Position in train of loaded placarded rail cars, transport vehicles, freight containers or bulk...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... moving or standing train must be next to and ahead of any car occupied by the guards or technical escorts... 49 Transportation 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Position in train of loaded placarded rail cars, transport vehicles, freight containers or bulk packagings when accompanied by guards or technical escorts...

  5. Absorption of Ethylene on Membranes Containing Potassium Permanganate Loaded into Alumina-Nanoparticle-Incorporated Alumina/Carbon Nanofibers.

    PubMed

    Tirgar, Ashkan; Han, Daewoo; Steckl, Andrew J

    2018-06-06

    Ethylene is a natural aging hormone in plants, and controlling its concentration has long been a subject of research aimed at reducing wastage during packaging, transport, and storage. We report on packaging membranes, produced by electrospinning, that act as efficient carriers for potassium permanganate (PPM), a widely used ethylene oxidant. PPM salt loaded on membranes composed of alumina nanofibers incorporating alumina nanoparticles outperform other absorber systems and oxidize up to 73% of ethylene within 25 min. Membrane absorption of ethylene generated by avocados was totally quenched in 21 h, and a nearly zero ethylene concentration was observed for more than 5 days. By comparison, the control experiments exhibited a concentration of 53% of the initial value after 21 h and 31% on day 5. A high surface area of the alumina nanofiber membranes provides high capacity for ethylene absorption over a long period of time. In combination with other properties, such as planar form, flexibility, ease of handling, and lightweight, these membranes are a highly desirable component of packaging materials engineered to enhance product lifetime.

  6. Molecularly imprinted hydrogels as functional active packaging materials.

    PubMed

    Benito-Peña, Elena; González-Vallejo, Victoria; Rico-Yuste, Alberto; Barbosa-Pereira, Letricia; Cruz, José Manuel; Bilbao, Ainhoa; Alvarez-Lorenzo, Carmen; Moreno-Bondi, María Cruz

    2016-01-01

    This paper describes the synthesis of novel molecularly imprinted hydrogels (MIHs) for the natural antioxidant ferulic acid (FA), and their application as packaging materials to prevent lipid oxidation of butter. A library of MIHs was synthesized using a synthetic surrogate of FA, 3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)propionic acid (HFA), as template molecule, ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate (EDMA) as cross-linker, and 1-allylpiperazine (1-ALPP) or 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA), in combination with 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) as functional monomers, at different molar concentrations. The DMAEMA/HEMA-based MIHs showed the greatest FA loading capacity, while the 1-ALLP/HEMA-based polymers exhibited the highest imprinting effect. During cold storage, FA-loaded MIHs protected butter from oxidation and led to TBARs values that were approximately half those of butter stored without protection and 25% less than those recorded for butter covered with hydrogels without FA, potentially extending the shelf life of butter. Active packaging is a new field of application for MIHs with great potential in the food industry. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Power Analysis of an Automated Dynamic Cone Penetrometer

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-09-01

    temperature and b) as a function of load current at 21 °C ..3 Fig. 4 K33 stepper motor candidate in the standard NEMA 34 package .........5 Fig. 5 Analytical...will be assessed. Fig. 4 K33 stepper motor candidate in the standard NEMA 34 package 3. Analyses Analysis of the mechanical system begins with the...DCP dynamic cone penetrometer EMF electromotive force NEMA National Electrical Manufacturers Association 20 1 DEFENSE TECH INFO CTR

  8. Design of a Miniaturized RAD Hard Point-of-Load Converter

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lofgren, Henrik; Landstrom, Sven; Gunnarsson, Marcus; Hagstrom, Maria

    2014-08-01

    As an ARTES 5.2 activity, a miniaturized radiation hardened Point-Of-Load converter (uPOL) has been developed. Several different design options have been evaluated before the final system level design was selected. The selected topology is a buck regulator with synchronous rectification utilizing peak current mode control. The PWM logic is designed using discrete electronics. Inside the POL converter package, an independent latching current limiter and clamping over- voltage protection are included as protection devices. The converter has an input voltage range of 4.8-6.2V, output voltage range of 1.2-3.5V and an output current of 0-3.5A. The final converter will be a metal packaged hybrid built on LTCC technology with an operating case temperature range of -40 to +85 °C.

  9. Quantitative Evaluation of 3 DBMS: ORACLE, SEED AND INGRES

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sylto, R.

    1984-01-01

    Characteristics required for NASA scientific data base management application are listed as well as performance testing objectives. Results obtained for the ORACLE, SEED, and INGRES packages are presented in charts. It is concluded that vendor packages can manage 130 megabytes of data at acceptable load and query rates. Performance tests varying data base designs and various data base management system parameters are valuable to applications for choosing packages and critical to designing effective data bases. An applications productivity increases with the use of data base management system because of enhanced capabilities such as a screen formatter, a reporter writer, and a data dictionary.

  10. Documentation for the MODFLOW 6 Groundwater Flow Model

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Langevin, Christian D.; Hughes, Joseph D.; Banta, Edward R.; Niswonger, Richard G.; Panday, Sorab; Provost, Alden M.

    2017-08-10

    This report documents the Groundwater Flow (GWF) Model for a new version of MODFLOW called MODFLOW 6. The GWF Model for MODFLOW 6 is based on a generalized control-volume finite-difference approach in which a cell can be hydraulically connected to any number of surrounding cells. Users can define the model grid using one of three discretization packages, including (1) a structured discretization package for defining regular MODFLOW grids consisting of layers, rows, and columns, (2) a discretization by ver­tices package for defining layered unstructured grids consisting of layers and cells, and (3) a general unstruc­tured discretization package for defining flexible grids comprised of cells and their connection properties. For layered grids, a new capability is available for removing thin cells and vertically connecting cells overlying and underlying the thin cells. For complex problems involving water-table conditions, an optional Newton-Raphson formulation, based on the formulations in MODFLOW-NWT and MODFLOW-USG, can be acti­vated. Use of the Newton-Raphson formulation will often improve model convergence and allow solutions to be obtained for difficult problems that cannot be solved using the traditional wetting and drying approach. The GWF Model is divided into “packages,” as was done in previous MODFLOW versions. A package is the part of the model that deals with a single aspect of simulation. Packages included with the GWF Model include those related to internal calculations of groundwater flow (discretization, initial conditions, hydraulic conduc­tance, and storage), stress packages (constant heads, wells, recharge, rivers, general head boundaries, drains, and evapotranspiration), and advanced stress packages (streamflow routing, lakes, multi-aquifer wells, and unsaturated zone flow). An additional package is also available for moving water available in one package into the individual features of the advanced stress packages. The GWF Model also has packages for obtaining and controlling output from the model. This report includes detailed explanations of physical and mathematical concepts on which the GWF Model and its packages are based.Like its predecessors, MODFLOW 6 is based on a highly modular structure; however, this structure has been extended into an object-oriented framework. The framework includes a robust and generalized numeri­cal solution object, which can be used to solve many different types of models. The numerical solution object has several different matrix preconditioning options as well as several methods for solving the linear system of equations. In this new framework, the GWF Model itself is an object as are each of the GWF Model packages. A benefit of the object-oriented structure is that multiple objects of the same type can be used in a single sim­ulation. Thus, a single forward run with MODFLOW 6 may contain multiple GWF Models. GWF Models can be hydraulically connected using GWF-GWF Exchange objects. Connecting GWF models in different ways permits the user to utilize a local grid refinement strategy consisting of parent and child models or to couple adjacent GWF Models. An advantage of the approach implemented in MODFLOW 6 is that multiple models and their exchanges can be incorporated into a single numerical solution object. With this design, models can be tightly coupled at the matrix level.

  11. Macrophages offer a paradigm switch for CNS delivery of therapeutic proteins

    PubMed Central

    Klyachko, Natalia L; Haney, Matthew J; Zhao, Yuling; Manickam, Devika S; Mahajan, Vivek; Suresh, Poornima; Hingtgen, Shawn D; Mosley, R Lee; Gendelman, Howard E; Kabanov, Alexander V; Batrakova, Elena V

    2013-01-01

    Aims Active targeted transport of the nanoformulated redox enzyme, catalase, in macrophages attenuates oxidative stress and as such increases survival of dopaminergic neurons in animal models of Parkinson’s disease. Optimization of the drug formulation is crucial for the successful delivery in living cells. We demonstrated earlier that packaging of catalase into a polyion complex micelle (‘nanozyme’) with a synthetic polyelectrolyte block copolymer protected the enzyme against degradation in macrophages and improved therapeutic outcomes. We now report the manufacture of nanozymes with superior structure and therapeutic indices. Methods Synthesis, characterization and therapeutic efficacy of optimal cell-based nanoformulations are evaluated. Results A formulation design for drug carriers typically works to avoid entrapment in monocytes and macrophages focusing on small-sized nanoparticles with a polyethylene glycol corona (to provide a stealth effect). By contrast, the best nanozymes for delivery in macrophages reported in this study have a relatively large size (~200 nm), which resulted in improved loading capacity and release from macrophages. Furthermore, the cross-linking of nanozymes with the excess of a nonbiodegradable linker ensured their low cytotoxicity, and efficient catalase protection in cell carriers. Finally, the ‘alternatively activated’ macrophage phenotype (M2) utilized in these studies did not promote further inflammation in the brain, resulting in a subtle but statistically significant effect on neuronal regeneration and repair in vivo. Conclusion The optimized cross-linked nanozyme loaded into macrophages reduced neuroinflammatory responses and increased neuronal survival in mice. Importantly, the approach for nanoformulation design for cell-mediated delivery is different from the common requirements for injectable formulations. PMID:24237263

  12. Macrophages offer a paradigm switch for CNS delivery of therapeutic proteins.

    PubMed

    Klyachko, Natalia L; Haney, Matthew J; Zhao, Yuling; Manickam, Devika S; Mahajan, Vivek; Suresh, Poornima; Hingtgen, Shawn D; Mosley, R Lee; Gendelman, Howard E; Kabanov, Alexander V; Batrakova, Elena V

    2014-07-01

    Active targeted transport of the nanoformulated redox enzyme, catalase, in macrophages attenuates oxidative stress and as such increases survival of dopaminergic neurons in animal models of Parkinson's disease. Optimization of the drug formulation is crucial for the successful delivery in living cells. We demonstrated earlier that packaging of catalase into a polyion complex micelle ('nanozyme') with a synthetic polyelectrolyte block copolymer protected the enzyme against degradation in macrophages and improved therapeutic outcomes. We now report the manufacture of nanozymes with superior structure and therapeutic indices. Synthesis, characterization and therapeutic efficacy of optimal cell-based nanoformulations are evaluated. A formulation design for drug carriers typically works to avoid entrapment in monocytes and macrophages focusing on small-sized nanoparticles with a polyethylene glycol corona (to provide a stealth effect). By contrast, the best nanozymes for delivery in macrophages reported in this study have a relatively large size (≈ 200 nm), which resulted in improved loading capacity and release from macrophages. Furthermore, the cross-linking of nanozymes with the excess of a nonbiodegradable linker ensured their low cytotoxicity, and efficient catalase protection in cell carriers. Finally, the 'alternatively activated' macrophage phenotype (M2) utilized in these studies did not promote further inflammation in the brain, resulting in a subtle but statistically significant effect on neuronal regeneration and repair in vivo. The optimized cross-linked nanozyme loaded into macrophages reduced neuroinflammatory responses and increased neuronal survival in mice. Importantly, the approach for nanoformulation design for cell-mediated delivery is different from the common requirements for injectable formulations.

  13. TEST SYSTEM FOR EVALUATING SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL BENDING STIFFNESS AND VIBRATION INTEGRITY

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

    Wang, Jy-An John; Wang, Hong; Bevard, Bruce Balkcom

    2013-01-01

    Transportation packages for spent nuclear fuel (SNF) must meet safety requirements specified by federal regulations. For normal conditions of transport, vibration loads incident to transport must be considered. This is particularly relevant for high-burnup fuel (>45 GWd/MTU). As the burnup of the fuel increases, a number of changes occur that may affect the performance of the fuel and cladding in storage and during transportation. The mechanical properties of high-burnup de-fueled cladding have been previously studied by subjecting defueled cladding tubes to longitudinal (axial) tensile tests, ring-stretch tests, ring-compression tests, and biaxial tube burst tests. The objective of this study ismore » to investigate the mechanical properties and behavior of both the cladding and the fuel in it under vibration/cyclic loads similar to the sustained vibration loads experienced during normal transport. The vibration loads to SNF rods during transportation can be characterized by dynamic, cyclic, bending loads. The transient vibration signals in a specified transport environment can be analyzed, and frequency, amplitude and phase components can be identified. The methodology being implemented is a novel approach to study the vibration integrity of actual SNF rod segments through testing and evaluating the fatigue performance of SNF rods at defined frequencies. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has developed a bending fatigue system to evaluate the response of the SNF rods to vibration loads. A three-point deflection measurement technique using linear variable differential transformers is used to characterize the bending rod curvature, and electromagnetic force linear motors are used as the driving system for mechanical loading. ORNL plans to use the test system in a hot cell for SNF vibration testing on high burnup, irradiated fuel to evaluate the pellet-clad interaction and bonding on the effective lifetime of fuel-clad structure bending fatigue performance. Technical challenges include pure bending implementation, remote installation and detachment of the SNF test specimen, test specimen deformation measurement, and identification of a driving system suitable for use in a hot cell. Surrogate test specimens have been used to calibrate the test setup and conduct systematic cyclic tests. The calibration and systematic cyclic tests have been used to identify test protocol issues prior to implementation in the hot cell. In addition, cyclic hardening in unidirectional bending and softening in reverse bending were observed in the surrogate test specimens. The interface bonding between the surrogate clad and pellets was found to impact the bending response of the surrogate rods; confirming this behavior in the actual spent fuel segments will be an important aspect of the hot cell test implementation,« less

  14. Profound Amplification of Pathogenic Murine Polytropic Retrovirus Release from Coinfected Cells

    PubMed Central

    Rosenke, Kyle; Lavignon, Marc; Malik, Frank; Kolokithas, Angelo; Hendrick, Duncan; Virtaneva, Kimmo; Peterson, Karin

    2012-01-01

    Previous studies indicate that mice infected with mixtures of mouse retroviruses (murine leukemia viruses [MuLVs]) exhibit dramatically altered pathology compared to mice infected with individual viruses of the mixture. Coinoculation of the ecotropic virus Friend MuLV (F-MuLV) with Fr98, a polytropic MuLV, induced a rapidly fatal neurological disease that was not observed in infections with either virus alone. The polytropic virus load in coinoculated mice was markedly enhanced, while the ecotropic F-MuLV load was unchanged. Furthermore, pseudotyping of the polytropic MuLV genome within ecotropic virions was nearly complete in coinoculated mice. In an effort to better understand these phenomena, we examined mixed retrovirus infections by utilizing in vitro cell lines. Similar to in vivo mixed infections, the polytropic MuLV genome was extensively pseudotyped within ecotropic virions; polytropic virus release was profoundly elevated in coinfected cells, and the ecotropic virus release was unchanged. A reduced level of polytropic SU protein on the surfaces of coinfected cells was observed and correlated with a reduced level of nonpseudotyped polytropic virion release. Marked amplification and pseudotyping of the polytropic MuLV were also observed in mixed Fr98–F-MuLV infections of cell lines derived from the central nervous system (CNS), the target for Fr98 pathogenesis. Additional experiments indicated that pseudotyping contributed to the elevated polytropic virus titer by increasing the efficiency of packaging and release of the polytropic genomes within ecotropic virions. Mixed infections are the rule rather than the exception in retroviral infection, and the ability to examine them in vitro should facilitate a more thorough understanding of retroviral interactions in general. PMID:22514353

  15. 49 CFR 173.199 - Category B infectious substances.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... maximum temperatures, changes in humidity and pressure, and shocks, loadings and vibrations normally... containing body parts, organs, or whole bodies, for shipment by aircraft, the outer packaging may not contain...

  16. 49 CFR 173.199 - Category B infectious substances.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... maximum temperatures, changes in humidity and pressure, and shocks, loadings and vibrations normally... containing body parts, organs, or whole bodies, for shipment by aircraft, the outer packaging may not contain...

  17. 49 CFR 173.199 - Category B infectious substances.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... maximum temperatures, changes in humidity and pressure, and shocks, loadings and vibrations normally... containing body parts, organs, or whole bodies, for shipment by aircraft, the outer packaging may not contain...

  18. New system speeds bundling of split firewood

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

    Not Available

    1979-01-01

    A firewood compacting and strapping machine is manufactured by Carolson Stapler and Shippers Supply, Omaha, and FMC Industrial Packaging Division, Philadelphia. A hydraulic compactor applies 20,000 lbs of compressive force to each bundle of split logs, reducing each package to a diameter of about 12 inches. A polypropylene band is applied and heat sealed around each bundle. Bundles are stacked on end, twenty-four to a pallet, and the entire load is banded with one horizontal strap.

  19. Oregano essential oil-based natural antimicrobial packaging film to inactivate Salmonella enterica and yeasts/molds in the atmosphere surrounding cherry tomatoes.

    PubMed

    Kwon, Sang-Jo; Chang, Yoonjee; Han, Jaejoon

    2017-08-01

    This study investigated the effectiveness of a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) film containing the natural antimicrobial oregano essential oil (OEO) as an active packaging application for decreasing the microbial growth. The film exerted an antimicrobial effect via the atmosphere surrounding the food rather than direct contact, thereby preserving the quality of cherry tomatoes. A packaging film containing microencapsulated OEO was developed. The loading content increased gradually (104.29-234.29 μg OEO/mg film) with the amount of OEO incorporated (1%, 2%, and 3%), where the PVA films containing 2% OEO had the highest loading efficiency (91.64%), followed by 1% OEO (90.96%) and 3% OEO (88.38%). The antimicrobial activities of the films were evaluated by applying it to fresh cherry tomatoes at 4 °C and 22 °C for 7 days. The large 2% OEO film as well as both the small and large 3% OEO films had strong antimicrobial effects against Salmonella enterica, molds and yeasts, and mesophilic aerobic bacteria. The changes in the hardness, weight, and color of the cherry tomatoes during storage did not differ significantly. The films could be utilized as a packaging material for fresh produce with antimicrobial effects because of the controlled atmosphere surrounding the food rather than by direct contact. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Engineering Analysis of Thermal-Load Components in the Process of Heating of Pet Preforms

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sidorov, D. É.; Kolosov, A. E.; Kazak, I. A.; Pogorelyi, A. V.

    2018-05-01

    The influence of thermal-load components (convection, collimated and uncollimated components of infrared radiation) in the process of production of PET packaging on the heating of PET preforms has been assessed. It has been established that the collimated component of infrared radiation ensures most (up to 70%) of the thermal energy in the process of heating of a PET preform.

  1. Use of the piggyBac transposon to create stable packaging cell lines for the production of clinical-grade self-inactivating γ-retroviral vectors.

    PubMed

    Feldman, Steven A; Xu, Hui; Black, Mary A; Park, Tristen S; Robbins, Paul F; Kochenderfer, James N; Morgan, Richard A; Rosenberg, Steven A

    2014-08-01

    Efforts to improve the biosafety of γ-retroviral-mediated gene therapy have resulted in a shift toward the use of self-inactivating (SIN) γ-retroviral vectors. However, scale-up and manufacturing of such vectors requires significant optimization of transient transfection-based processes or development of novel platforms for the generation of stable producer cell clones. To that end, we describe the use of the piggybac transposon to generate stable producer cell clones for the production of SIN γ-retroviral vectors. The piggybac transposon is a universal tool allowing for the stable integration of SIN γ-retroviral constructs into murine (PG13) and human 293-based Phoenix (GALV and RD114, respectively) packaging cell lines without reverse transcription. Following transposition, a high-titer clone is selected for manufacture of a master cell bank and subsequent γ-retroviral vector supernatant production. Packaging cell clones created using the piggybac transposon have comparable titers to non-SIN vectors generated via conventional methods. We describe herein the use of the piggybac transposon for the production of stable packaging cell clones for the manufacture of clinical-grade SIN γ-retroviral vectors for ex vivo gene therapy clinical trials.

  2. Uv-Light Stabilization Additive Package For Solar Cell Module And Laminated Glass Applications

    DOEpatents

    Hanoka, Jack I.; Klemchuk, Peter P.

    2002-03-05

    An ultraviolet light stabilization additive package is used in an encapsulant material that may be used in solar cell modules, laminated glass and a variety of other applications. The ultraviolet light stabilization additive package comprises a first hindered amine light stabilizer and a second hindered amine light stabilizer. The first hindered amine light stabilizer provides thermal oxidative stabilization, and the second hindered amine light stabilizer providing photo-oxidative stabilization.

  3. From Cells to Virus Particles: Quantitative Methods to Monitor RNA Packaging

    PubMed Central

    Ferrer, Mireia; Henriet, Simon; Chamontin, Célia; Lainé, Sébastien; Mougel, Marylène

    2016-01-01

    In cells, positive strand RNA viruses, such as Retroviridae, must selectively recognize their full-length RNA genome among abundant cellular RNAs to assemble and release particles. How viruses coordinate the intracellular trafficking of both RNA and protein components to the assembly sites of infectious particles at the cell surface remains a long-standing question. The mechanisms ensuring packaging of genomic RNA are essential for viral infectivity. Since RNA packaging impacts on several essential functions of retroviral replication such as RNA dimerization, translation and recombination events, there are many studies that require the determination of RNA packaging efficiency and/or RNA packaging ability. Studies of RNA encapsidation rely upon techniques for the identification and quantification of RNA species packaged by the virus. This review focuses on the different approaches available to monitor RNA packaging: Northern blot analysis, ribonuclease protection assay and quantitative reverse transcriptase-coupled polymerase chain reaction as well as the most recent RNA imaging and sequencing technologies. Advantages, disadvantages and limitations of these approaches will be discussed in order to help the investigator to choose the most appropriate technique. Although the review was written with the prototypic simple murine leukemia virus (MLV) and complex human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in mind, the techniques were described in order to benefit to a larger community. PMID:27556480

  4. Protecting enzymatic function through directed packaging into bacterial outer membrane vesicles

    PubMed Central

    Alves, Nathan J.; Turner, Kendrick B.; Medintz, Igor L.; Walper, Scott A.

    2016-01-01

    Bacteria possess innate machinery to transport extracellular cargo between cells as well as package virulence factors to infect host cells by secreting outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) that contain small molecules, proteins, and genetic material. These robust proteoliposomes have evolved naturally to be resistant to degradation and provide a supportive environment to extend the activity of encapsulated cargo. In this study, we sought to exploit bacterial OMV formation to package and maintain the activity of an enzyme, phosphotriesterase (PTE), under challenging storage conditions encountered for real world applications. Here we show that OMV packaged PTE maintains activity over free PTE when subjected to elevated temperatures (>100-fold more activity after 14 days at 37 °C), iterative freeze-thaw cycles (3.4-fold post four-cycles), and lyophilization (43-fold). We also demonstrate how lyophilized OMV packaged PTE can be utilized as a cell free reagent for long term environmental remediation of pesticide/chemical warfare contaminated areas. PMID:27117743

  5. Fully Packaged Carbon Nanotube Supercapacitors by Direct Ink Writing on Flexible Substrates.

    PubMed

    Chen, Bolin; Jiang, Yizhou; Tang, Xiaohui; Pan, Yayue; Hu, Shan

    2017-08-30

    The ability to print fully packaged integrated energy storage components (e.g., supercapacitors) is of critical importance for practical applications of printed electronics. Due to the limited variety of printable materials, most studies on printed supercapacitors focus on printing the electrode materials but rarely the full-packaged cell. This work presents for the first time the printing of a fully packaged single-wall carbon nanotube-based supercapacitor with direct ink writing (DIW) technology. Enabled by the developed ink formula, DIW setup, and cell architecture, the whole printing process is mask free, transfer free, and alignment free with precise and repeatable control on the spatial distribution of all constituent materials. Studies on cell design show that a wider electrode pattern and narrower gap distance between electrodes lead to higher specific capacitance. The as-printed fully packaged supercapacitors have energy and power performances that are among the best in recently reported planar carbon-based supercapacitors that are only partially printed or nonprinted.

  6. A packaged, low-cost, robust optical fiber strain sensor based on small cladding fiber sandwiched within periodic polymer grating.

    PubMed

    Chiang, Chia-Chin; Li, Chein-Hsing

    2014-06-02

    In the present study, a novel packaged long-period fiber grating (PLPFG) strain sensor is first presented. The MEMS process was utilized to fabricate the packaged optical fiber strain sensor. The sensor structure consisted of etched optical fiber sandwiched between two layers of thick photoresist SU-8 3050 and then packaged with poly (dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) polymer material to construct the PLPFG strain sensor. The PDMS packaging material was used to prevent the glue effect, wherein glue flows into the LPFG structure and reduces coupling strength, in the surface bonding process. Because the fiber grating was packaged with PDMS material, it was effectively protected and made robust. The resonance attenuation dip of PLPFG grows when it is loading. This study explored the size effect of the grating period and fiber diameter of PLPFG via tensile testing. The experimental results found that the best strain sensitivity of the PLPFG strain sensor was -0.0342 dB/με, and that an R2 value of 0.963 was reached.

  7. Computer assisted learning (CAL) of oral manifestations of HIV disease.

    PubMed

    Porter, S R; Telford, A; Chandler, K; Furber, S; Williams, J; Price, S; Scully, C; Triantos, D; Bain, L

    1996-09-07

    General dental practitioners (GDPs) in the UK may wish additional education on relevant aspects of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease. The aim of the present study was to develop and assess a computer assisted learning package on the oral manifestations of HIV disease of relevance to GDPs. A package was developed using a commercially-available software development tool and assessed by a group of 75 GDPs interested in education and computers. Fifty-four (72%) of the GDPs completed a self-administered questionnaire of their opinions of the package. The majority reported the package to be easy to load and run, that it provided clear instructions and displays, and that it was a more effective educational tool than videotapes, audiotapes, professional journals and textbooks, and of similar benefit as post-graduate courses. The GDPs often commented favourably on the effectiveness of the clinical images and use of questions and answers, although some had criticisms of these and other aspects of the package. As a consequence of this investigation the package has been modified and distributed to GDPs in England and Wales.

  8. In cell mutational interference mapping experiment (in cell MIME) identifies the 5' polyadenylation signal as a dual regulator of HIV-1 genomic RNA production and packaging.

    PubMed

    Smyth, Redmond P; Smith, Maureen R; Jousset, Anne-Caroline; Despons, Laurence; Laumond, Géraldine; Decoville, Thomas; Cattenoz, Pierre; Moog, Christiane; Jossinet, Fabrice; Mougel, Marylène; Paillart, Jean-Christophe; von Kleist, Max; Marquet, Roland

    2018-05-18

    Non-coding RNA regulatory elements are important for viral replication, making them promising targets for therapeutic intervention. However, regulatory RNA is challenging to detect and characterise using classical structure-function assays. Here, we present in cell Mutational Interference Mapping Experiment (in cell MIME) as a way to define RNA regulatory landscapes at single nucleotide resolution under native conditions. In cell MIME is based on (i) random mutation of an RNA target, (ii) expression of mutated RNA in cells, (iii) physical separation of RNA into functional and non-functional populations, and (iv) high-throughput sequencing to identify mutations affecting function. We used in cell MIME to define RNA elements within the 5' region of the HIV-1 genomic RNA (gRNA) that are important for viral replication in cells. We identified three distinct RNA motifs controlling intracellular gRNA production, and two distinct motifs required for gRNA packaging into virions. Our analysis reveals the 73AAUAAA78 polyadenylation motif within the 5' PolyA domain as a dual regulator of gRNA production and gRNA packaging, and demonstrates that a functional polyadenylation signal is required for viral packaging even though it negatively affects gRNA production.

  9. In cell mutational interference mapping experiment (in cell MIME) identifies the 5′ polyadenylation signal as a dual regulator of HIV-1 genomic RNA production and packaging

    PubMed Central

    Smith, Maureen R; Jousset, Anne-Caroline; Despons, Laurence; Laumond, Géraldine; Decoville, Thomas; Cattenoz, Pierre; Moog, Christiane; Jossinet, Fabrice; Mougel, Marylène; Paillart, Jean-Christophe

    2018-01-01

    Abstract Non-coding RNA regulatory elements are important for viral replication, making them promising targets for therapeutic intervention. However, regulatory RNA is challenging to detect and characterise using classical structure-function assays. Here, we present in cell Mutational Interference Mapping Experiment (in cell MIME) as a way to define RNA regulatory landscapes at single nucleotide resolution under native conditions. In cell MIME is based on (i) random mutation of an RNA target, (ii) expression of mutated RNA in cells, (iii) physical separation of RNA into functional and non-functional populations, and (iv) high-throughput sequencing to identify mutations affecting function. We used in cell MIME to define RNA elements within the 5′ region of the HIV-1 genomic RNA (gRNA) that are important for viral replication in cells. We identified three distinct RNA motifs controlling intracellular gRNA production, and two distinct motifs required for gRNA packaging into virions. Our analysis reveals the 73AAUAAA78 polyadenylation motif within the 5′ PolyA domain as a dual regulator of gRNA production and gRNA packaging, and demonstrates that a functional polyadenylation signal is required for viral packaging even though it negatively affects gRNA production. PMID:29514260

  10. Experimental and numerical investigation on laser-assisted bending of pre-loaded metal plate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nowak, Zdzisław; Nowak, Marcin; Widłaszewski, Jacek; Kurp, Piotr

    2018-01-01

    The laser forming technique has an important disadvantage, which is the limitation of plastic deformation generated by a single laser beam pass. To increase the plastic deformation it is possible to apply external forces in the laser forming process. In this paper, we investigate the influence of external pre-loads on the laser bending of steel plate. The pre-loads investigated generate bending towards the laser beam. The thermal, elastic-plastic analysis is performed using the commercial nonlinear finite element analysis package ABAQUS. The focus of the paper is to identify how this pattern of the pre-load influence the final bend angle of the plate.

  11. Fatigue damage behavior of a surface-mount electronic package under different cyclic applied loads

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ren, Huai-Hui; Wang, Xi-Shu

    2014-04-01

    This paper studies and compares the effects of pull-pull and 3-point bending cyclic loadings on the mechanical fatigue damage behaviors of a solder joint in a surface-mount electronic package. The comparisons are based on experimental investigations using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in-situ technology and nonlinear finite element modeling, respectively. The compared results indicate that there are different threshold levels of plastic strain for the initial damage of solder joints under two cyclic applied loads; meanwhile, fatigue crack initiation occurs at different locations, and the accumulation of equivalent plastic strain determines the trend and direction of fatigue crack propagation. In addition, simulation results of the fatigue damage process of solder joints considering a constitutive model of damage initiation criteria for ductile materials and damage evolution based on accumulating inelastic hysteresis energy are identical to the experimental results. The actual fatigue life of the solder joint is almost the same and demonstrates that the FE modeling used in this study can provide an accurate prediction of solder joint fatigue failure.

  12. PLA and single component silicone rubber blends for sub-zero temperature blown film packaging applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Meekum, Utai; Khiansanoi, Apichart

    2018-06-01

    The poly(lactic acid) (PLA) blend with single component silicone rubber in the presence of reactive amino silane coupling agent and polyester polyols plasticizer were studied. The manufacturing of film packaging for sub-zero temperature applications from the PLA blend was the main objective. The mechanical properties, especially the impact strengths, of PLA/silicone blends were significantly depended on the silicone loading. The outstanding impact strengths, tested at sub-zero temperature, of the blend having silicone content of 8.0 phr was achieved. It was chosen as the best candidate for the processability improvement. Adding the talc filler into the PLA/silicone blend to enhance the rheological properties was investigated. The ductility of the talc filled blends were decreased with increasing the filler contents. However, the shear viscosity of the blend was raised with talc loading. The blend loaded with 40 phr of talc filler was justified as the optimal formula for the blown film process testing and it was successfully performed with a few difficulties. The obtained blown film showed relative good flexibility in comparison with LDPE but it has low transparency.

  13. Combined effects of gamma-irradiation and modified atmosphere packaging on quality of some spices.

    PubMed

    Kirkin, Celale; Mitrevski, Blagoj; Gunes, Gurbuz; Marriott, Philip J

    2014-07-01

    Thyme (Thymus vidgaris L.), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.), black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) and cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) in ground form were packaged in either air or 100% N2 and γ-irradiated at 3 different irradiation levels (7kGy, 12kGy, 17kGy). Total viable bacterial count, yeast and mould count, colour, essential oil yield and essential oil composition were determined. Microbial load was not detectable after 12kGy irradiation of all samples. Irradiation resulted in significant changes in colour values of rosemary and black pepper. The discolouration of the irradiated black pepper was lower in modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) compared to air packaging. Essential oil yield of irradiated black pepper and cumin was lower in air packaging compared to MAP. Gamma-irradiation generally decreased monoterpenes and increased oxygenated compounds, but the effect was lower in MAP. Overall, spices should be irradiated under an O2-free atmosphere to minimise quality deterioration. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Development and Packaging of Microsystems Using Foundry Services

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1998-06-01

    DEVELOPMENT AND PACKAGING OF MICROSYSTEMS USING FOUNDRY SERVICES Jeffrey T. Butler, BSEE, MSEE Captain, USAF Approved: Paul H . Ostdiek, PhD, Lt...structural polysilicon layers. CMOS Device Area Micromechanical Device Area arsenic-daped epitaxial layer >J1M* ’ MM t° H 0J n-type ailioon...Ö ♦ * ♦ m B 1 —i ft H 035 0.045 0.055 0.065 0.075 Power Applied to Driver (W) (b) Figure 4-4. (a) Driver output loading

  15. Fiberboard humidity data for 9975 shipping packages

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

    Daugherty, W. L.

    2015-07-31

    The 9975 surveillance program is identifying a technical basis to support extending the storage period of 9975 packages in KAC beyond the currently approved 15 years. A key element of this effort is developing a better understanding of degradation of the fiberboard assembly under storage conditions. This degradation is influenced greatly by the moisture content of the fiberboard, which is not well characterized on an individual package basis.Two efforts have been undertaken to better understand the levels and behavior of moisture within the fiberboard assemblies of the 9975 shipping package. In the first effort, an initial survey of humidity andmore » temperature in the upper air space of 26 packages stored in KAC was made. The data collected within this first effort help to illustrate how the upper air space humidity varies with the local ambient temperature and package heat load. In the second effort, direct measurements of two test packages are providing a correlation between humidity and fiberboard moisture levels within the package, and variations in moisture throughout the fiberboard assembly. This effort has examined packages with cane fiberboard and internal heat levels of 5 and 10W to date. Additional testing is expected to include 15 and 19W heat levels, and then repeat the same four heat levels with softwood fiberboard assemblies. This report documents the data collected to date within these two efforts.« less

  16. Fiberboard Humidity Data for 9975 Shipping Packages

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

    Daugherty, W.

    The 9975 surveillance program is identifying a technical basis to support extending the storage period of 9975 packages in KAC beyond the currently approved 15 years. A key element of this effort is developing a better understanding of degradation of the fiberboard assembly under storage conditions. This degradation is influenced greatly by the moisture content of the fiberboard, which is not well characterized on an individual package basis. Two efforts have been undertaken to better understand the levels and behavior of moisture within the fiberboard assemblies of the 9975 shipping package. In the first effort, an initial survey of humiditymore » and temperature in the upper air space of 26 packages stored in KAC was made. The data collected within this first effort help to illustrate how the upper air space humidity varies with the local ambient temperature and package heat load. In the second effort, direct measurements of two test packages are providing a correlation between humidity and fiberboard moisture levels within the package, and variations in moisture throughout the fiberboard assembly. This effort has examined packages with cane fiberboard and internal heat levels of 5 and 10W to date. Additional testing is expected to include 15 and 19W heat levels, and then repeat the same four heat levels with softwood fiberboard assemblies. This report documents the data collected to date within these two efforts« less

  17. Fiberboard humidity data for 9975 shipping packages

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

    Daugherty, W. L.

    The 9975 surveillance program is identifying a technical basis to support extending the storage period of 9975 packages in KAC beyond the currently approved 15 years. A key element of this effort is developing a better understanding of degradation of the fiberboard assembly under storage conditions. This degradation is influenced greatly by the moisture content of the fiberboard, which is not well characterized on an individual package basis.Two efforts have been undertaken to better understand the levels and behavior of moisture within the fiberboard assemblies of the 9975 shipping package. In the first effort, an initial survey of humidity andmore » temperature in the upper air space of 26 packages stored in KAC was made. The data collected within this first effort help to illustrate how the upper air space humidity varies with the local ambient temperature and package heat load. In the second effort, direct measurements of two test packages are providing a correlation between humidity and fiberboard moisture levels within the package, and variations in moisture throughout the fiberboard assembly. This effort has examined packages with cane fiberboard and internal heat levels of 5 and 10W to date. Additional testing is expected to include 15 and 19W heat levels, and then repeat the same four heat levels with softwood fiberboard assemblies. This report documents the data collected to date within these two efforts.« less

  18. An Analysis of the Joint Modular Intermodal Distribution System

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-06-01

    the differing airframes. “Two methods are available to move a CROP-load of ammunition: 1. Reconfigure the load from the CROP onto multiple 463L...used among the services lack: • Transportability across different modes without re-handling/packaging • Quick reconfiguration for onward movement...numerous linkages among different channels of distribution. In the world of integrated logistics, that means that ground, rail, air, and sea modes of

  19. Platinum covalent shell cross-linked micelles designed to deliver doxorubicin for synergistic combination cancer therapy

    PubMed Central

    Zhu, Caiying; Xiao, Jingjing; Tang, Ming; Feng, Hua; Chen, Wulian; Du, Ming

    2017-01-01

    The preparation of polymer therapeutics capable of controlled release of multiple chemotherapeutic drugs has remained a tough problem in synergistic combination cancer therapy. Herein, a novel dual-drug co-delivery system carrying doxorubicin (DOX) and platinum(IV) (Pt[IV]) was developed. An amphiphilic diblock copolymer, PCL-b-P(OEGMA-co-AzPMA), was synthesized and used as a nanoscale drug carrier in which DOX and Pt(IV) could be packaged together. The copolymers were shell cross-linked by Pt(IV) prodrug via a click reaction. Studies on the in vitro drug release and cellular uptake of the dual-drug co-delivery system showed that the micelles were effectively taken up by the cells and simultaneously released drugs in the cells. Futhermore, the co-delivery polymer nanoparticles caused much higher cell death in HeLa and A357 tumor cells than either the free drugs or single-drug-loaded micelles at the same dosage, exhibiting a synergistic combination of DOX and Pt(IV). The results obtained with the shell cross-linked micelles based on an anticancer drug used as a cross-linking linkage suggested a promising application of the micelles for multidrug delivery in combination cancer therapy. PMID:28553108

  20. 48 CFR 211.275-2 - Policy.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... (RFID), in the form of a passive RFID tag, is required for cases and palletized unit loads packaging...://www.acq.osd.mil/log/rfid/ or to— (i) A location outside the contiguous United States when the shipment...

  1. 48 CFR 211.275-2 - Policy.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... (RFID), in the form of a passive RFID tag, is required for cases and palletized unit loads packaging...://www.acq.osd.mil/log/rfid/ or to— (i) A location outside the contiguous United States when the shipment...

  2. 48 CFR 211.275-2 - Policy.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... (RFID), in the form of a passive RFID tag, is required for cases and palletized unit loads packaging...://www.acq.osd.mil/log/rfid/ or to— (i) A location outside the contiguous United States when the shipment...

  3. 49 CFR 171.16 - Detailed hazardous materials incident reports.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ..., explosion or dangerous evolution of heat (i.e., an amount of heat sufficient to be dangerous to packaging or... seal, pump, compressor, or valve; or (iii) Connection or disconnection of loading or unloading lines...

  4. 48 CFR 211.275-2 - Policy.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... (RFID), in the form of a passive RFID tag, is required for cases and palletized unit loads packaging...://www.acq.osd.mil/log/rfid/ or to— (i) A location outside the contiguous United States when the shipment...

  5. A chemometrics approach applied to Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) for monitoring the spoilage of fresh salmon (Salmo salar) stored under modified atmospheres.

    PubMed

    Saraiva, C; Vasconcelos, H; de Almeida, José M M M

    2017-01-16

    The aim of this work was to investigate the potential of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to detect and predict the bacterial load of salmon fillets (Salmo salar) stored at 3, 8 and 30°C under three packaging conditions: air packaging (AP) and two modified atmospheres constituted by a mixture of 50%N 2 /40%CO 2 /10%O 2 with lemon juice (MAPL) and without lemon juice (MAP). Fresh salmon samples were periodically examined for total viable counts (TVC), specific spoilage organisms (SSO) counts, pH, FTIR and sensory assessment of freshness. Principal components analysis (PCA) allowed identification of the wavenumbers potentially correlated with the spoilage process. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) of infrared spectral data was performed to support sensory data and to accurately identify samples freshness. The effect of the packaging atmospheres was assessed by microbial enumeration and LDA was used to determine sample packaging from the measured infrared spectra. It was verified that modified atmospheres can decrease significantly the bacterial load of fresh salmon. Lemon juice combined with MAP showed a more pronounced delay in the growth of Brochothrix thermosphacta, Photobacterium phosphoreum, psychrotrophs and H 2 S producers. Partial least squares regression (PLS-R) allowed estimates of TVC and psychrotrophs, lactic acid bacteria, molds and yeasts, Brochothrix thermosphacta, Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas spp. and H 2 S producer counts from the infrared spectral data. For TVC, the root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) value was 0.78logcfug -1 for an external set of samples. According to the results, FTIR can be used as a reliable, accurate and fast method for real time freshness evaluation of salmon fillets stored under different temperatures and packaging atmospheres. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. DOE-EM-45 PACKAGING OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE COURSE

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

    Watkins, R.; England, J.

    2010-05-28

    Savannah River National Laboratory - Savannah River Packaging Technology (SRNL-SRPT) delivered the inaugural offering of the Packaging Operations and Maintenance Course for DOE-EM-45's Packaging Certification Program (PCP) at the University of South Carolina Aiken on September 1 and 2, 2009. Twenty-nine students registered, attended, and completed this training. The DOE-EM-45 Packaging Certification Program (PCP) sponsored the presentation of a new training course, Packaging Maintenance and Operations, on September 1-2, 2009 at the University of South Carolina Aiken (USC-Aiken) campus in Aiken, SC. The premier offering of the course was developed and presented by the Savannah River National Laboratory, and attendedmore » by twenty-nine students across the DOE, NNSA and private industry. This training informed package users of the requirements associated with handling shipping containers at a facility (user) level and provided a basic overview of the requirements typically outlined in Safety Analysis Report for Packaging (SARP) Chapters 1, 7, and 8. The course taught packaging personnel about the regulatory nature of SARPs to help reduce associated and often costly packaging errors. Some of the topics covered were package contents, loading, unloading, storage, torque requirements, maintaining records, how to handle abnormal conditions, lessons learned, leakage testing (including demonstration), and replacement parts. The target audience for this course was facility operations personnel, facility maintenance personnel, and field quality assurance personnel who are directly involved in the handling of shipping containers. The training also aimed at writers of SARP Chapters 1, 7, and 8, package designers, and anyone else involved in radioactive material packaging and transportation safety. Student feedback and critiques of the training were very positive. SRNL will offer the course again at USC Aiken in September 2010.« less

  7. High burn-up spent nuclear fuel transport reliability investigation

    DOE PAGES

    Wang, Jy-An; Wang, Hong; Jiang, Hao; ...

    2018-04-15

    Transportation packages for spent nuclear fuel (SNF) must meet safety requirements under normal and accident conditions as specified by federal regulations. During road or rail transportation, SNF will experience unique conditions that could affect the structural integrity of the cladding due to vibrational and impact loading. Lack of SNF inertia-induced dynamic fatigue data, especially for the high burn-up (HBU) SNF systems, has brought significant challenges to quantify the reliability of SNF during transportation with a high degree of confidence. To address this shortcoming, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) developed a SNF vibration testing protocol without fuel pellets removal, which hasmore » provided significant insight regarding the dynamics of mechanical interactions between pellet and cladding. This research has provided a detailed understanding about the effect of loading rate and loading mode on the fatigue damage evolution of HBU SNF under normal conditions of transport (NCT). Static and dynamic loading experimental data were generated for SNF under simulated transportation environments using a cyclic integrated reversible-bending fatigue tester (CIRFT), an enabling hot-cell testing technology developed at ORNL. SNF flexural tensile strength and fatigue S-N data from pressurized water reactors (PWRs) and boiling water reactor (BWR) HBU SNF are presented in this paper, including the potential effects of pellet-cladding interface bonding, hydride reorientation, and thermal annealing to SNF vibration reliability. The data presented here can be used to meet the nuclear industry and U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission needs in safety of SNF transportation operations.« less

  8. High burn-up spent nuclear fuel transport reliability investigation

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

    Wang, Jy-An; Wang, Hong; Jiang, Hao

    Transportation packages for spent nuclear fuel (SNF) must meet safety requirements under normal and accident conditions as specified by federal regulations. During road or rail transportation, SNF will experience unique conditions that could affect the structural integrity of the cladding due to vibrational and impact loading. Lack of SNF inertia-induced dynamic fatigue data, especially for the high burn-up (HBU) SNF systems, has brought significant challenges to quantify the reliability of SNF during transportation with a high degree of confidence. To address this shortcoming, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) developed a SNF vibration testing protocol without fuel pellets removal, which hasmore » provided significant insight regarding the dynamics of mechanical interactions between pellet and cladding. This research has provided a detailed understanding about the effect of loading rate and loading mode on the fatigue damage evolution of HBU SNF under normal conditions of transport (NCT). Static and dynamic loading experimental data were generated for SNF under simulated transportation environments using a cyclic integrated reversible-bending fatigue tester (CIRFT), an enabling hot-cell testing technology developed at ORNL. SNF flexural tensile strength and fatigue S-N data from pressurized water reactors (PWRs) and boiling water reactor (BWR) HBU SNF are presented in this paper, including the potential effects of pellet-cladding interface bonding, hydride reorientation, and thermal annealing to SNF vibration reliability. The data presented here can be used to meet the nuclear industry and U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission needs in safety of SNF transportation operations.« less

  9. Performance of a natural gas fuel processor for residential PEFC system using a novel CO preferential oxidation catalyst

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Echigo, Mitsuaki; Shinke, Norihisa; Takami, Susumu; Tabata, Takeshi

    Natural gas fuel processors have been developed for 500 W and 1 kW class residential polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) systems. These fuel processors contain all the elements—desulfurizers, steam reformers, CO shift converters, CO preferential oxidation (PROX) reactors, steam generators, burners and heat exchangers—in one package. For the PROX reactor, a single-stage PROX process using a novel PROX catalyst was adopted. In the 1 kW class fuel processor, thermal efficiency of 83% at HHV was achieved at nominal output assuming a H 2 utilization rate in the cell stack of 76%. CO concentration below 1 ppm in the product gas was achieved even under the condition of [O 2]/[CO]=1.5 at the PROX reactor. The long-term durability of the fuel processor was demonstrated with almost no deterioration in thermal efficiency and CO concentration for 10,000 h, 1000 times start and stop cycles, 25,000 cycles of load change.

  10. Development of a large scale bipolar NiH2 battery

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Adler, E.; Perez, F.

    1983-01-01

    The bipolar battery concept, developed in cooperation with NASA, is described in the context of the advantages afforded by near-term IPV and CVP cell technology. The projected performance, development requirements, and a possible approach to bipolar battery design are outlined. Consideration is given to packaging electrodes within a common hydrophobic plastic frame, electrode technology that involves a photochemically etched 0.1 mm thick nickel substrate coated with a 10 mg/sq cm mixture of platinum powder and TFE30, and an electrode design that eliminates the screen and doubles the electrode thickness (from the currently used 0.8 mm) while retaining the active material loading of 1.6-1.8 gm/cu cm. Also covered are thermal management, and electrolyte and oxygen management. It is concluded that a high voltage, high capacity, bipolar NiH2 cell can be configured with proper development for use in large power systems, and that it can provide considerable weight savings.

  11. Evaluating Weathering of Food Packaging Polyethylene-Nano-clay Composites: Release of Nanoparticles and their Impacts.

    PubMed

    Han, Changseok; Zhao, Amy; Varughese, Eunice; Sahle-Demessie, E

    2018-01-01

    Nano-fillers are increasingly incorporated into polymeric materials to improve the mechanical, barrier or other matrix properties of nanocomposites used for consumer and industrial applications. However, over the life cycle, these nanocomposites could degrade due to exposure to environmental conditions, resulting in the release of embedded nanomaterials from the polymer matrix into the environment. This paper presents a rigorous study on the degradation and the release of nanomaterials from food packaging composites. Films of nano-clay-loaded low-density polyethylene (LDPE) composite for food packaging applications were prepared with the spherilene technology and exposed to accelerated weathering of ultraviolet (UV) irradiation or low concentration of ozone at 40 °C. The changes in the structural, surface morphology, chemical and physical properties of the films during accelerated weathering were investigated. Qualitative and quantitative changes in properties of pristine and aged materials and the release of nano-clay proceeded slowly until 130 hr irradiation and then accelerated afterward resulting complete degradation. Although nano-clay increased the stability of LDPE and improved thermal and barrier properties, they accelerated the UV oxidation of LDPE. With increasing exposure to UV, the surface roughness, chemiluminescence index, and carbonyl index of the samples increased while decreasing the intensity of the wide-angle X-ray diffraction pattern. Nano-clay particles with sizes ranging from 2-8 nm were released from UV and ozone weathered composite. The concentrations of released nanoparticles increased with an increase in aging time. Various toxicity tests, including reactive oxygen species generation and cell activity/viability were also performed on the released nano-clay and clay polymer. The released nano-clays basically did not show toxicity. Our combined results demonstrated the degradation properties of nano-clay particle-embedded LDPE composites toxicity of released nano-clay particles to A594 adenocarcinomic human alveolar basal epithelial cells was observed, which will help with future risk based-formulations of exposure.

  12. Interaction of packaging motor with the polymerase complex of dsRNA bacteriophage

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

    Lisal, Jiri; Kainov, Denis E.; Lam, TuKiet T.

    2006-07-20

    Many viruses employ molecular motors to package their genomes into preformed empty capsids (procapsids). In dsRNA bacteriophages the packaging motor is a hexameric ATPase P4, which is an integral part of the multisubunit procapsid. Structural and biochemical studies revealed a plausible RNA-translocation mechanism for the isolated hexamer. However, little is known about the structure and regulation of the hexamer within the procapsid. Here we use hydrogen-deuterium exchange and mass spectrometry to delineate the interactions of the P4 hexamer with the bacteriophage phi12 procapsid. P4 associates with the procapsid via its C-terminal face. The interactions also stabilize subunit interfaces within themore » hexamer. The conformation of the virus-bound hexamer is more stable than the hexamer in solution, which is prone to spontaneous ring openings. We propose that the stabilization within the viral capsid increases the packaging processivity and confers selectivity during RNA loading.« less

  13. A Compact, Soft-Switching DC-DC Converter for Electric Propulsion

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Button, Robert; Redilla, Jack; Ayyanar, Raja

    2003-01-01

    A hybrid, soft-switching, DC-DC converter has been developed with superior soft switching characteristics, high efficiency, and low electro-magnetic interference. This hybrid topology is comprised of an uncontrolled bridge operating at full pulse-width, and a controlled section operating as a conventional phase modulated converter. The unique topology is able to maintain zero voltage switching down to no load operating conditions. A breadboard prototype was developed and tested to demonstrate the benefits of the topology. Improvements were then made to reduce the size of passive components and increase efficiency in preparation for packaging. A packaged prototype was then designed and built, and several innovative packaging techniques are presented. Performance test data is presented that reveals deficiencies in the design of the power transformer. A simple redesign of the transformer windings eliminated the deficiency. Future plans to improve the converter and packaging design are presented along with several conclusions.

  14. Herpes Simplex Virus DNA Packaging without Measurable DNA Synthesis

    PubMed Central

    Church, Geoffrey A.; Dasgupta, Anindya; Wilson, Duncan W.

    1998-01-01

    Herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 DNA synthesis and packaging occur within the nuclei of infected cells; however, the extent to which the two processes are coupled remains unclear. Correct packaging is thought to be dependent upon DNA debranching or other repair processes, and such events commonly involve new DNA synthesis. Furthermore, the HSV UL15 gene product, essential for packaging, nevertheless localizes to sites of active DNA replication and may link the two events. It has previously been difficult to determine whether packaging requires concomitant DNA synthesis due to the complexity of these processes and of the viral life cycle; however, we have recently described a model system which simplifies the study of HSV assembly. Cells infected with HSV strain tsProt.A accumulate unpackaged capsids at the nonpermissive temperature of 39°C. Following release of the temperature block, these capsids proceed to package viral DNA in a single, synchronous wave. Here we report that, when DNA replication was inhibited prior to release of the temperature block, DNA packaging and later events in viral assembly nevertheless occurred at near-normal levels. We conclude that, under our conditions, HSV DNA packaging does not require detectable levels of DNA synthesis. PMID:9525593

  15. Software development to implement the TxDOT culvert rating guide.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2013-05-01

    This implementation project created CULVLR: Culvert Load Rating, Version 1.0.0, a Windows-based : desktop application software package that automates the process by which Texas Department of Transportation : (TxDOT) engineers and their consultants ...

  16. Development of Poly(lactic acid)/Chitosan Fibers Loaded with Essential Oil for Antimicrobial Applications

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Yaowen; Wang, Shuyao; Zhang, Rong; Lan, Wenting; Qin, Wen

    2017-01-01

    Cinnamon essential oil (CEO) was successfully encapsulated into chitosan (CS) nanoparticles at different loading amounts (1%, 1.5%, 2%, and 2.5% v/v) using oil-in-water (o/w) emulsion and ionic-gelation methods. In order to form active packaging, poly(lactic acid) (PLA) was used to fabricate PLA/CS-CEO composite fibers using a simple electrospinning method. The shape, size, zeta potential, and encapsulation efficacy of the CS-CEO nanoparticles were investigated. The composition, morphology, and release behavior of the composite fibers were investigated. PLA/CS-CEO-1.5 showed good stability and favorable sustained release of CEO, resulting in improved antimicrobial activity compared to the other blends. The PLA/CS-CEO fibers showed high long-term inactivation rates against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus due to the sustained release of CEO, indicating that the developed PLA/CS-CEO fibers have great potential for active food packaging applications. PMID:28737719

  17. A study of the compatibility of an existing CFD package with a broader class of material constitutions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    French, K. W., Jr.

    1985-01-01

    The flexibility of the PHOENICS computational fluid dynamics package was assessed along two general avenues; parallel modeling and analog modeling. In parallel modeling the dependent and independent variables retain their identity within some scaling factors, even though the boundary conditions and especially the constitutive relations do not correspond to any realistic fluid dynamic situation. PHOENICS was used to generate a CFD model that should exhibit the physical anomalies of a granular medium and permit reasonable similarity with boundary conditions typical to membrane or porous piston loading. A considerable portion of the study was spent prying into the existing code with a prejudice toward rate type and disarming any inherent fluid behavior. The final stages of the study were directed at the more specific problem of multiaxis loading of cylindrical geometry with a concern for the appearance of bulging, cross slab shear failure modes.

  18. Effect of gamma irradiation under various atmospheres of packaging on the microbial and physicochemical properties of turmeric powder

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Esmaeili, Saeideh; Barzegar, Mohsen; Sahari, Mohammad Ali; Berengi-Ardestani, Samira

    2018-07-01

    This study investigated the effect of gamma irradiation (0, 5, 10, and 15 kGy) under various atmospheres of packaging (air, N₂, and vacuum) on the microbial load and physicochemical properties of turmeric powder, including antioxidant activities, total phenolic content (TPC), color parameters, and curcuminoid content. The efficiency of irradiation in reducing microbial contamination in the samples was observed even at the lowest dose. By increasing the irradiation dose, the microbial load was not detectable. Irradiation in the presence of oxygen had synergistic effects on the extraction of curcuminoids and TPC, and increased the antioxidant activity of the methanolic extracts: highest activity was observed at 15 kGy. Generally, gamma irradiation up to the dose of 10 kGy under air atmosphere not only ensured microbial safety and desirability of turmeric powder, but also improved the extraction yield of bioactive compounds and, consequently, antioxidant activities of the samples.

  19. 3-D Analysis of Flanged Joints Through Various Preload Methods Using ANSYS

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Murugan, Jeyaraj Paul; Kurian, Thomas; Jayaprakash, Janardhan; Sreedharapanickar, Somanath

    2015-10-01

    Flanged joints are being employed in aerospace solid rocket motor hardware for the integration of various systems or subsystems. Hence, the design of flanged joints is very important in ensuring the integrity of motor while functioning. As these joints are subjected to higher loads due to internal pressure acting inside the motor chamber, an appropriate preload is required to be applied in this joint before subjecting it to the external load. Preload, also known as clamp load, is applied on the fastener and helps to hold the mating flanges together. Generally preload is simulated as a thermal load and the exact preload is obtained through number of iterations. Infact, more iterations are required when considering the material nonlinearity of the bolt. This way of simulation will take more computational time for generating the required preload. Now a days most commercial software packages use pretension elements for simulating the preload. This element does not require iterations for inducing the preload and it can be solved with single iteration. This approach takes less computational time and thus one can study the characteristics of the joint easily by varying the preload. When the structure contains more number of joints with different sizes of fasteners, pretension elements can be used compared to thermal load approach for simulating each size of fastener. This paper covers the details of analyses carried out simulating the preload through various options viz., preload through thermal, initial state command and pretension element etc. using ANSYS finite element package.

  20. The Shock and Vibration Bulletin. Part 4. Impact, Packaging and Shipping, Blast and Impulsive Loading

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1975-06-01

    Explosive forces are completely through undisturbed air where appreciable dominant and the plate is rotated through an aerodynamic forces retard its...are relatively of the explosive system drops rapidly with dense compared to air , do produce sufficient flyer thickness, little is gained by increasing...impulsive loadings generated by a fuel air explosive . A membrane model based on a total plastic strain energy function, a rigid strain hardening

  1. An Evaluation of Automotive Interior Packages Based on Human Ocular and Joint Motor Properties

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tanaka, Yoshiyuki; Rakumatsu, Takeshi; Horiue, Masayoshi; Miyazaki, Tooru; Nishikawa, Kazuo; Nouzawa, Takahide; Tsuji, Toshio

    This paper proposes a new evaluation method of an automotive interior package based on human oculomotor and joint-motor properties. Assuming the long-term driving situation in the express high way, the three evaluation indices were designed on i) the ratio of head motion at gazing the driving items; ii) the load torque for maintaining the standard driving posture; and iii) the human force manipulability at the end-point of human extremities. Experiments were carried out for two different interior packages with four subjects who have the special knowledge on the automobile development. Evaluation results demonstrate that the proposed method can quantitatively analyze the driving interior in good agreement with the generally accepted subjective opinion in the automobile industry.

  2. Effect of load eccentricity on the buckling of thin-walled laminated C-columns

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wysmulski, Pawel; Teter, Andrzej; Debski, Hubert

    2018-01-01

    The study investigates the behaviour of short, thin-walled laminated C-columns under eccentric compression. The tested columns are simple-supported. The effect of load inaccuracy on the critical and post-critical (local buckling) states is examined. A numerical analysis by the finite element method and experimental tests on a test stand are performed. The samples were produced from a carbon-epoxy prepreg by the autoclave technique. The experimental tests rest on the assumption that compressive loads are 1.5 higher than the theoretical critical force. Numerical modelling is performed using the commercial software package ABAQUS®. The critical load is determined by solving an eigen problem using the Subspace algorithm. The experimental critical loads are determined based on post-buckling paths. The numerical and experimental results show high agreement, thus demonstrating a significant effect of load inaccuracy on the critical load corresponding to the column's local buckling.

  3. Delaying microbial proliferation in freshly peeled shallots by active packaging incorporating ethanol vapour-controlled release sachets and low storage temperature.

    PubMed

    Utto, Weerawate; Preutikul, Rittirong; Malila, Patcharee; Noomhorm, Athapol; Bronlund, John E

    2018-03-01

    This research was conducted to investigate effects of ethanol vapour released in active packaging and storage temperatures on the quality of freshly peeled shallots. The package tested was a solid polypropylene tray incorporating an ethanol vapour-controlled release sachet. The sachet was made of an aluminium foil film on one side and either low-density polyethylene or nylon/polyethylene on the other. Individual sachets contained silica gel adsorbent as the carrier pre-loaded with ethanol. One sachet was placed in each tray containing the peeled shallots and the tray was heat sealed with the low-density polyethylene film lid. Packages were stored at either 10 or 25 ℃ for 10 d. Trays containing only peeled shallots were designated as controls. High storage temperature stimulated quality changes in the shallots. Although ethanol vapour accumulated in the active package headspace, the extent to which ethanol concentrations increased within the shallots was not significantly different from that in the control packages. Microbial proliferation in terms of yeast and mould counts could be delayed through a combination of 10 ℃ and ethanol vapour released from the low-density polyethylene sachet. The ethanol vapour accumulated in the packages did not have a significant effect on mass loss, firmness, and colour changes in the peeled shallots, or on the concentrations of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the packages.

  4. Bacterial microbiota profile in gills of modified atmosphere-packaged oysters stored at 4 °C.

    PubMed

    Chen, Huibin; Wang, Meiying; Lin, Xiangzhi; Shi, Caihua; Liu, Zhiyu

    2017-02-01

    As filter-feeding bivalves, oysters can accumulate microorganisms into their gills, causing spoilage and potential safety issues. This study aims to investigate the changes in the gill microbiota of oysters packed under air and modified atmospheres (MAs, 50% CO 2 : 50% N 2 , 70% CO 2 : 30% O 2 , and 50% CO 2 : 50% O 2 ) during storage at 4 °C. The diversity of bacterial microbiota in oyster gills was profiled through polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) analysis on the 16S rRNA gene V3 region to describe the variation during the entire storage period. The DGGE profile revealed high bacterial diversity in the air- and MA-packaged oyster gills, and the spoilage bacterial microbiota varied in the MA-packaged oyster gills. Results indicated that CO 2 :O 2 (70%:30%) was suitable for oyster MA packaging and that high bacterial loads in oyster gills need to be considered during storage. In addition, Lactobacillus and Lactococcus species were found to grow dominantly in fresh oyster gills under MA packaging, which supports the potential application of MA packaging for oyster storage. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. ISLE (Image and Signal Processing LISP Environment) reference manual

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

    Sherwood, R.J.; Searfus, R.M.

    1990-01-01

    ISLE is a rapid prototyping system for performing image and signal processing. It is designed to meet the needs of a person doing development of image and signal processing algorithms in a research environment. The image and signal processing modules in ISLE form a very capable package in themselves. They also provide a rich environment for quickly and easily integrating user-written software modules into the package. ISLE is well suited to applications in which there is a need to develop a processing algorithm in an interactive manner. It is straightforward to develop the algorithms, load it into ISLE, apply themore » algorithm to an image or signal, display the results, then modify the algorithm and repeat the develop-load-apply-display cycle. ISLE consists of a collection of image and signal processing modules integrated into a cohesive package through a standard command interpreter. ISLE developer elected to concentrate their effort on developing image and signal processing software rather than developing a command interpreter. A COMMON LISP interpreter was selected for the command interpreter because it already has the features desired in a command interpreter, it supports dynamic loading of modules for customization purposes, it supports run-time parameter and argument type checking, it is very well documented, and it is a commercially supported product. This manual is intended to be a reference manual for the ISLE functions The functions are grouped into a number of categories and briefly discussed in the Function Summary chapter. The full descriptions of the functions and all their arguments are given in the Function Descriptions chapter. 6 refs.« less

  6. Development and analytical characterization of vitamin(s)-loaded chitosan nanoparticles for potential food packaging applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aresta, Antonella; Calvano, Cosima Damiana; Trapani, Adriana; Cellamare, Saverio; Zambonin, Carlo Giorgio; De Giglio, Elvira

    2013-04-01

    Most vitamins are well-known natural antioxidant agents which can be usefully employed for foods preservation to increase their shelf life. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the potential of vitamin-based chitosan nanoparticles (CSNPs) for novel food packaging application. In particular, Vitamin C- and/or E-loaded CSNPs were formulated following the ionic gelation technique and using sulfobutylether-β-cyclodextrin as cross-linking agent. The obtained CSNPs were characterized in terms of size and zeta potential measurements, leading to size range of 375-503 nm and zeta range values from +16.0 to +33.8 mV. At the solid-state, the same particles were subjected to X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Then, the antioxidant potential of the produced vitamin(s) nanoparticulate formulations has been evaluated through 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl test, a rapid spectrophotometric assay. The standardized procedure was used on vitamin(s)-modified CSNPs systems to determine both the amount of active vitamin(s) loaded in CSNPs and their release performances by in vitro release studies. Of all, high vitamins association efficiency along with an improvement of their shelf life (also under light exposure up to 7 days) were achieved. Altogether, the results suggest that Vitamin E is available in a hydrophilic delivery system able to replace organic solvents usually used for the solubilization of this antioxidant agent. In conclusion, these nanocarriers represent a promising strategy for the co-administration of Vitamin E and Vitamin C in packaging materials intended for a better storage of hydrophilic and/or lipophilic food.

  7. 49 CFR 173.4a - Excepted quantities.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... of withstanding without leakage the pressure differential specified in § 173.27(c) of this part. (b... ice), and lithium batteries and cells. (c) Inner packaging limits. The maximum quantity of hazardous..., rigid outer packaging. (5) Placement of the material in the package or packing different materials in...

  8. Airworthiness Qualification Criteria for Rotorcraft with External Sling Loads

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Key, David L.

    2002-01-01

    This report presents the results of a study to develop airworthiness requirements for rotorcraft with external sling loads. The report starts with a review of the various phenomena that limit external sling load operations. Specifically discussed are the rotorcraft-load aeroservoelastic stability, load-on handling qualities, effects of automatic flight control system failure, load suspension system failure, and load stability at speed. Based on past experience and treatment of these phenomena, criteria are proposed to form a package for airworthiness qualification. The desired end objective is a set of operational flight envelopes for the rotorcraft with intended loads that can be provided to the user to guide operations in the field. The specific criteria proposed are parts of ADS-33E-PRF; MIL-F-9490D, and MIL-STD-913A all applied in the context of external sling loads. The study was performed for the Directorate of Engineering, U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command (AMCOM), as part of the contract monitored by the Aerothermodynamics Directorate, U.S. Army AMCOM.

  9. 14 CFR 121.1001 - Applicability and definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... Section 121.1001 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION... REQUIREMENTS: DOMESTIC, FLAG, AND SUPPLEMENTAL OPERATIONS Hazardous Materials Training Program § 121.1001...) Handling; (4) Storage incidental to transport; (5) Packaging of company material; or (6) Loading. (b...

  10. 14 CFR 121.1001 - Applicability and definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... Section 121.1001 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION... REQUIREMENTS: DOMESTIC, FLAG, AND SUPPLEMENTAL OPERATIONS Hazardous Materials Training Program § 121.1001...) Handling; (4) Storage incidental to transport; (5) Packaging of company material; or (6) Loading. (b...

  11. 14 CFR 121.1001 - Applicability and definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... Section 121.1001 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION... REQUIREMENTS: DOMESTIC, FLAG, AND SUPPLEMENTAL OPERATIONS Hazardous Materials Training Program § 121.1001...) Handling; (4) Storage incidental to transport; (5) Packaging of company material; or (6) Loading. (b...

  12. 14 CFR 121.1001 - Applicability and definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... Section 121.1001 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION... REQUIREMENTS: DOMESTIC, FLAG, AND SUPPLEMENTAL OPERATIONS Hazardous Materials Training Program § 121.1001...) Handling; (4) Storage incidental to transport; (5) Packaging of company material; or (6) Loading. (b...

  13. 14 CFR 121.1001 - Applicability and definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... Section 121.1001 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION... REQUIREMENTS: DOMESTIC, FLAG, AND SUPPLEMENTAL OPERATIONS Hazardous Materials Training Program § 121.1001...) Handling; (4) Storage incidental to transport; (5) Packaging of company material; or (6) Loading. (b...

  14. destiny: diffusion maps for large-scale single-cell data in R.

    PubMed

    Angerer, Philipp; Haghverdi, Laleh; Büttner, Maren; Theis, Fabian J; Marr, Carsten; Buettner, Florian

    2016-04-15

    : Diffusion maps are a spectral method for non-linear dimension reduction and have recently been adapted for the visualization of single-cell expression data. Here we present destiny, an efficient R implementation of the diffusion map algorithm. Our package includes a single-cell specific noise model allowing for missing and censored values. In contrast to previous implementations, we further present an efficient nearest-neighbour approximation that allows for the processing of hundreds of thousands of cells and a functionality for projecting new data on existing diffusion maps. We exemplarily apply destiny to a recent time-resolved mass cytometry dataset of cellular reprogramming. destiny is an open-source R/Bioconductor package "bioconductor.org/packages/destiny" also available at www.helmholtz-muenchen.de/icb/destiny A detailed vignette describing functions and workflows is provided with the package. carsten.marr@helmholtz-muenchen.de or f.buettner@helmholtz-muenchen.de Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  15. Waste Generator Instructions: Key to Successful Implementation of the US DOE's 435.1 for Transuranic Waste Packaging Instructions (LA-UR-12-24155) - 13218

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

    French, David M.; Hayes, Timothy A.; Pope, Howard L.

    In times of continuing fiscal constraints, a management and operation tool that is straightforward to implement, works as advertised, and virtually ensures compliant waste packaging should be carefully considered and employed wherever practicable. In the near future, the Department of Energy (DOE) will issue the first major update to DOE Order 435.1, Radioactive Waste Management. This update will contain a requirement for sites that do not have a Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) waste certification program to use two newly developed technical standards: Contact-Handled Defense Transuranic Waste Packaging Instructions and Remote-Handled Defense Transuranic Waste Packaging Instructions. The technical standards aremore » being developed from the DOE O 435.1 Notice, Contact-Handled and Remote-Handled Transuranic Waste Packaging, approved August 2011. The packaging instructions will provide detailed information and instruction for packaging almost every conceivable type of transuranic (TRU) waste for disposal at WIPP. While providing specificity, the packaging instructions leave to each site's own discretion the actual mechanics of how those Instructions will be functionally implemented at the floor level. While the Technical Standards are designed to provide precise information for compliant packaging, the density of the information in the packaging instructions necessitates a type of Rosetta Stone that translates the requirements into concise, clear, easy to use and operationally practical recipes that are waste stream and facility specific for use by both first line management and hands-on operations personnel. The Waste Generator Instructions provide the operator with step-by-step instructions that will integrate the sites' various operational requirements (e.g., health and safety limits, radiological limits or dose limits) and result in a WIPP certifiable waste and package that can be transported to and emplaced at WIPP. These little known but widely productive Waste Generator Instructions (WGIs) have been used occasionally in the past at large sites for treatment and packaging of TRU waste. The WGIs have resulted in highly efficient waste treatment, packaging and certification for disposal of TRU waste at WIPP. For example, a single WGI at LANL, combined with an increase in gram loading, resulted in a mind boggling 6,400% increase in waste loading for {sup 238}Pu heat source waste. In fact, the WGI combined with a new Contact Handled (CH) TRU Waste Content (TRUCON) Code provided a massive increase in shippable wattage per Transuranic Package Transporter-II (TRUPACT-II) over the previously used and more restrictive TRUCON Code that have been used previously for the heat source waste. In fact, the use of the WGI process at LANL's TA-55 facility reduced non-compliant drums for WIPP certification and disposal from a 13% failure rate down to a 0.5% failure rate and is expected to further reduce the failure rate to zero drums per year. The inherent value of the WGI is that it can be implemented in a site's current procedure issuance process and it provides documented proof of what actions were taken for each waste stream packaged. The WGI protocol provides a key floor-level operational component to achieve goal alignment between actual site operations, the WIPP TRU waste packaging instructions, and DOE O 435.1. (authors)« less

  16. Fuel cell technology program

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1973-01-01

    A fuel cell technology program was established to advance the state-of-the-art of hydrogen-oxygen fuel cells using low temperature, potassium hydroxide electrolyte technology as the base. Program tasks are described consisting of baseline cell design and stack testing, hydrogen pump design and testing, and DM-2 powerplant testing and technology extension efforts. A baseline cell configuration capable of a minimum of 2000 hours of life was defined. A 6-cell prototype stack, incorporating most of the scheme cell features, was tested for a total of 10,497 hours. A 6-cell stack incorporating all of the design features was tested. The DM-2 powerplant with a 34 cell stack, an accessory section packaged in the basic configuration anticipated for the space shuttle powerplant and a powerplant control unit, was defined, assembled, and tested. Cells were used in the stack and a drag-type hydrogen pump was installed in the accessory section. A test program was established, in conjunction with NASA/JSC, based on space shuttle orbiter mission. A 2000-hour minimum endurance test and a 5000-hour goal were set and the test started on August 8, 1972. The 2000-hour milestone was completed on November 3, 1972. On 13 March 1973, at the end of the thirty-first simulated seven-day mission and 5072 load hours, the test was concluded, all goals having been met. At this time, the DM-2 was in excellent condition and capable of additional endurance.

  17. Experimental Methods Using Photogrammetric Techniques for Parachute Canopy Shape Measurements

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jones, Thomas W.; Downey, James M.; Lunsford, Charles B.; Desabrais, Kenneth J.; Noetscher, Gregory

    2007-01-01

    NASA Langley Research Center in partnership with the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Center has collaborated on the development of a payload instrumentation package to record the physical parameters observed during parachute air drop tests. The instrumentation package records a variety of parameters including canopy shape, suspension line loads, payload 3-axis acceleration, and payload velocity. This report discusses the instrumentation design and development process, as well as the photogrammetric measurement technique used to provide shape measurements. The scaled model tests were conducted in the NASA Glenn Plum Brook Space Propulsion Facility, OH.

  18. A calibration procedure for load cells to improve accuracy of mini-lysimeters in monitoring evapotranspiration

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Misra, R. K.; Padhi, J.; Payero, J. O.

    2011-08-01

    SummaryWe used twelve load cells (20 kg capacity) in a mini-lysimeter system to measure evapotranspiration simultaneously from twelve plants growing in separate pots in a glasshouse. A data logger combined with a multiplexer was used to connect all load cells with the full-bridge excitation mode to acquire load-cell signal. Each load cell was calibrated using fixed load within the range of 0-0.8 times the full load capacity of load cells. Performance of all load cells was assessed on the basis of signal settling time, excitation compensation, hysteresis and temperature. Final calibration of load cells included statistical consideration of these effects to allow prediction of lysimeter weights and evapotranspiration over short-time intervals for improved accuracy and sustained performance. Analysis of the costs for the mini-lysimeter system indicates that evapotranspiration can be measured economically at a reasonable accuracy and sufficient resolution with robust method of load-cell calibration.

  19. Oufti: An integrated software package for high-accuracy, high-throughput quantitative microscopy analysis

    PubMed Central

    Paintdakhi, Ahmad; Parry, Bradley; Campos, Manuel; Irnov, Irnov; Elf, Johan; Surovtsev, Ivan; Jacobs-Wagner, Christine

    2016-01-01

    Summary With the realization that bacteria display phenotypic variability among cells and exhibit complex subcellular organization critical for cellular function and behavior, microscopy has re-emerged as a primary tool in bacterial research during the last decade. However, the bottleneck in today’s single-cell studies is quantitative image analysis of cells and fluorescent signals. Here, we address current limitations through the development of Oufti, a stand-alone, open-source software package for automated measurements of microbial cells and fluorescence signals from microscopy images. Oufti provides computational solutions for tracking touching cells in confluent samples, handles various cell morphologies, offers algorithms for quantitative analysis of both diffraction and non-diffraction-limited fluorescence signals, and is scalable for high-throughput analysis of massive datasets, all with subpixel precision. All functionalities are integrated in a single package. The graphical user interface, which includes interactive modules for segmentation, image analysis, and post-processing analysis, makes the software broadly accessible to users irrespective of their computational skills. PMID:26538279

  20. Reliability, Durability and Packaging of Fibre Bragg Gratings for Large-Scale Structural Health Monitoring of Defence Platforms

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-08-01

    thermoset system designed to achieve good wetting , high-strength and low-creep adhesion. Many commercially-available adhesives were sourced and...Bragg grating: 1. Removal of the fibre coating. 2. Photosensitization of the fibre. 3. Exposure of the grating to UV laser light. 4. Annealing and...molecular hydrogen loading (H2 loading) in a heated pressure vessel . Photosensitisation results in a stronger refractive index contrast for a given

  1. 49 CFR 176.160 - Protection against weather.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 2 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Protection against weather. 176.160 Section 176.160 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation PIPELINE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS... Protection against weather. Any person loading or unloading packages containing Class 1 (explosive) materials...

  2. 49 CFR 176.160 - Protection against weather.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 2 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Protection against weather. 176.160 Section 176.160 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation PIPELINE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS... Protection against weather. Any person loading or unloading packages containing Class 1 (explosive) materials...

  3. 49 CFR 176.160 - Protection against weather.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 2 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Protection against weather. 176.160 Section 176.160 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation PIPELINE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS... Protection against weather. Any person loading or unloading packages containing Class 1 (explosive) materials...

  4. 49 CFR 176.160 - Protection against weather.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Protection against weather. 176.160 Section 176.160 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation PIPELINE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS... Protection against weather. Any person loading or unloading packages containing Class 1 (explosive) materials...

  5. 49 CFR 176.160 - Protection against weather.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 2 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Protection against weather. 176.160 Section 176.160 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation PIPELINE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS... Protection against weather. Any person loading or unloading packages containing Class 1 (explosive) materials...

  6. Pathogen inactivation treatment of plasma and platelet concentrates and their predicted functionality in massive transfusion protocols.

    PubMed

    Arbaeen, Ahmad F; Schubert, Peter; Serrano, Katherine; Carter, Cedric J; Culibrk, Brankica; Devine, Dana V

    2017-05-01

    Trauma transfusion packages for hemorrhage control consist of red blood cells, plasma, and platelets at a set ratio. Although pathogen reduction improves the transfusion safety of platelet and plasma units, there is an associated reduction in quality. This study aimed to investigate the impact of riboflavin/ultraviolet light-treated plasma or platelets in transfusion trauma packages composed of red blood cell, plasma, and platelet units in a ratio of 1:1:1 in vitro by modeling transfusion scenarios for trauma patients and assessing function by rotational thromboelastometry. Pathogen-reduced or untreated plasma and buffy coat platelet concentrate units produced in plasma were used in different combinations with red blood cells in trauma transfusion packages. After reconstitution of these packages with hemodiluted blood, the hemostatic functionality was analyzed by rotational thromboelastometry. Hemostatic profiles of pathogen-inactivated buffy coat platelet concentrate and plasma indicated decreased activity compared with their respective controls. Reconstitution of hemodiluted blood (hematocrit = 20%) with packages that contained treated or nontreated components resulted in increased alpha and maximum clot firmness and enhanced clot-formation time. Simulating transfusion scenarios based on 30% blood replacement with a transfusion trauma package resulted in a nonsignificant difference in rotational thromboelastometry parameters between packages containing treated and nontreated blood components (p ≥ 0.05). Effects of pathogen inactivation treatment were evident when the trauma package percentage was 50% or greater and contained both pathogen inactivation-treated plasma and buffy coat platelet concentrate. Rotational thromboelastometry investigations suggest that there is relatively little impact of pathogen inactivation treatment on whole blood clot formation unless large amounts of treated components are used. © 2017 AABB.

  7. Probabilistic Design and Analysis Framework

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Strack, William C.; Nagpal, Vinod K.

    2010-01-01

    PRODAF is a software package designed to aid analysts and designers in conducting probabilistic analysis of components and systems. PRODAF can integrate multiple analysis programs to ease the tedious process of conducting a complex analysis process that requires the use of multiple software packages. The work uses a commercial finite element analysis (FEA) program with modules from NESSUS to conduct a probabilistic analysis of a hypothetical turbine blade, disk, and shaft model. PRODAF applies the response surface method, at the component level, and extrapolates the component-level responses to the system level. Hypothetical components of a gas turbine engine are first deterministically modeled using FEA. Variations in selected geometrical dimensions and loading conditions are analyzed to determine the effects of the stress state within each component. Geometric variations include the cord length and height for the blade, inner radius, outer radius, and thickness, which are varied for the disk. Probabilistic analysis is carried out using developing software packages like System Uncertainty Analysis (SUA) and PRODAF. PRODAF was used with a commercial deterministic FEA program in conjunction with modules from the probabilistic analysis program, NESTEM, to perturb loads and geometries to provide a reliability and sensitivity analysis. PRODAF simplified the handling of data among the various programs involved, and will work with many commercial and opensource deterministic programs, probabilistic programs, or modules.

  8. GENERAL PURPOSE ADA PACKAGES

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Klumpp, A. R.

    1994-01-01

    Ten families of subprograms are bundled together for the General-Purpose Ada Packages. The families bring to Ada many features from HAL/S, PL/I, FORTRAN, and other languages. These families are: string subprograms (INDEX, TRIM, LOAD, etc.); scalar subprograms (MAX, MIN, REM, etc.); array subprograms (MAX, MIN, PROD, SUM, GET, and PUT); numerical subprograms (EXP, CUBIC, etc.); service subprograms (DATE_TIME function, etc.); Linear Algebra II; Runge-Kutta integrators; and three text I/O families of packages. In two cases, a family consists of a single non-generic package. In all other cases, a family comprises a generic package and its instances for a selected group of scalar types. All generic packages are designed to be easily instantiated for the types declared in the user facility. The linear algebra package is LINRAG2. This package includes subprograms supplementing those in NPO-17985, An Ada Linear Algebra Package Modeled After HAL/S (LINRAG). Please note that LINRAG2 cannot be compiled without LINRAG. Most packages have widespread applicability, although some are oriented for avionics applications. All are designed to facilitate writing new software in Ada. Several of the packages use conventions introduced by other programming languages. A package of string subprograms is based on HAL/S (a language designed for the avionics software in the Space Shuttle) and PL/I. Packages of scalar and array subprograms are taken from HAL/S or generalized current Ada subprograms. A package of Runge-Kutta integrators is patterned after a built-in MAC (MIT Algebraic Compiler) integrator. Those packages modeled after HAL/S make it easy to translate existing HAL/S software to Ada. The General-Purpose Ada Packages program source code is available on two 360K 5.25" MS-DOS format diskettes. The software was developed using VAX Ada v1.5 under DEC VMS v4.5. It should be portable to any validated Ada compiler and it should execute either interactively or in batch. The largest package requires 205K of main memory on a DEC VAX running VMS. The software was developed in 1989, and is a copyrighted work with all copyright vested in NASA.

  9. High temperature insulation materials for reradiative thermal protection systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hughes, T. A.

    1972-01-01

    Results are presented of a two year program to evaluate packaged thermal insulations for use under a metallic radiative TPS of a shuttle orbiter vehicle. Evaluations demonstrated their survival for up to 100 mission reuse cycles under shuttle acoustic and thermal loads with peak temperatures of 1000 F, 1800 F, 2000 F, 2200 F and 2500 F. The specimens were composed of low density refractory fiber felts, packaged in thin gage metal foils. In addition, studies were conducted on the venting requirements of the packages, salt spray resistance of the metal foils, and the thermal conductivity of many of the insulations as a function of temperature and ambient air pressure. Data is also presented on the radiant energy transport through insulations, and back-scattering coefficients were experimentally determined as a function of source temperature.

  10. Lunar surface structural concepts and construction studies

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mikulas, Martin

    1991-01-01

    The topics are presented in viewgraph form and include the following: lunar surface structures construction research areas; lunar crane related disciplines; shortcomings of typical mobile crane in lunar base applications; candidate crane cable suspension systems; NIST six-cable suspension crane; numerical example of natural frequency; the incorporation of two new features for improved performance of the counter-balanced actively-controlled lunar crane; lunar crane pendulum mechanics; simulation results; 1/6 scale lunar crane testbed using GE robot for global manipulation; basic deployable truss approaches; bi-pantograph elevator platform; comparison of elevator platforms; perspective of bi-pantograph beam; bi-pantograph synchronously deployable tower/beam; lunar module off-loading concept; module off-loader concept packaged; starburst deployable precision reflector; 3-ring reflector deployment scheme; cross-section of packaged starburst reflector; and focal point and thickness packaging considerations.

  11. Noncanonical self-assembly of multifunctional DNA nanoflowers for biomedical applications.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Guizhi; Hu, Rong; Zhao, Zilong; Chen, Zhuo; Zhang, Xiaobing; Tan, Weihong

    2013-11-06

    DNA nanotechnology has been extensively explored to assemble various functional nanostructures for versatile applications. Mediated by Watson-Crick base-pairing, these DNA nanostructures have been conventionally assembled through hybridization of many short DNA building blocks. Here we report the noncanonical self-assembly of multifunctional DNA nanostructures, termed as nanoflowers (NFs), and the versatile biomedical applications. These NFs were assembled from long DNA building blocks generated via rolling circle replication (RCR) of a designer template. NF assembly was driven by liquid crystallization and dense packaging of building blocks, without relying on Watson-Crick base-pairing between DNA strands, thereby avoiding the otherwise conventional complicated DNA sequence design. NF sizes were readily tunable in a wide range, by simply adjusting such parameters as assembly time and template sequences. NFs were exceptionally resistant to nuclease degradation, denaturation, or dissociation at extremely low concentration, presumably resulting from the dense DNA packaging in NFs. The exceptional biostability is critical for biomedical applications. By rational design, NFs can be readily incorporated with myriad functional moieties. All these properties make NFs promising for versatile applications. As a proof-of-principle demonstration, in this study, NFs were integrated with aptamers, bioimaging agents, and drug loading sites, and the resultant multifunctional NFs were demonstrated for selective cancer cell recognition, bioimaging, and targeted anticancer drug delivery.

  12. Noncanonical self-assembly of multifunctional DNA nanoflowers for biomedical applications

    PubMed Central

    Zhu, Guizhi; Hu, Rong; Zhao, Zilong; Chen, Zhuo; Zhang, Xiaobing; Tan, Weihong

    2013-01-01

    DNA nanotechnology has been extensively explored to assemble various functional nanostructures for versatile applications. Mediated by Watson-Crick base-pairing, these DNA nanostructures have been conventionally assembled through hybridization of many short DNA building blocks. Here we report the noncanonical self-assembly of multifunctional DNA nanostructures, termed as nanoflowers (NFs), and the versatile biomedical applications. These NFs were assembled from long DNA building blocks generated via Rolling Circle Replication (RCR) of a designer template. NF assembly was driven by liquid crystallization and dense packaging of building blocks, without relying on Watson-Crick base-pairing between DNA strands, thereby avoiding the otherwise conventional complicated DNA sequence design. NF sizes were readily tunable in a wide range, by simply adjusting such parameters as assembly time and template sequences. NFs were exceptionally resistant to nuclease degradation, denaturation, or dissociation at extremely low concentration, presumably resulting from the dense DNA packaging in NFs. The exceptional biostability is critical for biomedical applications. By rational design, NFs can be readily incorporated with myriad functional moieties. All these properties make NFs promising for versatile applications. As a proof-of-principle demonstration, in this study, NFs were integrated with aptamers, bioimaging agents, and drug loading sites, and the resultant multifunctional NFs were demonstrated for selective cancer cell recognition, bioimaging, and targeted anticancer drug delivery. PMID:24164620

  13. A novel approach for calculating shelf life of minimally processed vegetables.

    PubMed

    Corbo, Maria Rosaria; Del Nobile, Matteo Alessandro; Sinigaglia, Milena

    2006-01-15

    Shelf life of minimally processed vegetables is often calculated by using the kinetic parameters of Gompertz equation as modified by Zwietering et al. [Zwietering, M.H., Jongenburger, F.M., Roumbouts, M., van't Riet, K., 1990. Modelling of the bacterial growth curve. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 56, 1875-1881.] taking 5x10(7) CFU/g as the maximum acceptable contamination value consistent with acceptable quality of these products. As this method does not allow estimation of the standard errors of the shelf life, in this paper the modified Gompertz equation was re-parameterized to directly include the shelf life as a fitting parameter among the Gompertz parameters. Being the shelf life a fitting parameter is possible to determine its confidence interval by fitting the proposed equation to the experimental data. The goodness-of-fit of this new equation was tested by using mesophilic bacteria cell loads from different minimally processed vegetables (packaged fresh-cut lettuce, fennel and shredded carrots) that differed for some process operations or for package atmosphere. The new equation was able to describe the data well and to estimate the shelf life. The results obtained emphasize the importance of using the standard errors for the shelf life value to show significant differences among the samples.

  14. A Model of BGA Thermal Fatigue Life Prediction Considering Load Sequence Effects

    PubMed Central

    Hu, Weiwei; Li, Yaqiu; Sun, Yufeng; Mosleh, Ali

    2016-01-01

    Accurate testing history data is necessary for all fatigue life prediction approaches, but such data is always deficient especially for the microelectronic devices. Additionally, the sequence of the individual load cycle plays an important role in physical fatigue damage. However, most of the existing models based on the linear damage accumulation rule ignore the sequence effects. This paper proposes a thermal fatigue life prediction model for ball grid array (BGA) packages to take into consideration the load sequence effects. For the purpose of improving the availability and accessibility of testing data, a new failure criterion is discussed and verified by simulation and experimentation. The consequences for the fatigue underlying sequence load conditions are shown. PMID:28773980

  15. Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase negatively regulates human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Host proteins are incorporated inside human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) virions during assembly and can either positively or negatively regulate HIV-1 infection. Although the identification efficiency of host proteins is improved by mass spectrometry, how those host proteins affect HIV-1 replication has not yet been fully clarified. Results In this study, we show that virion-associated glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) does not allosterically inactivate HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) but decreases the efficiency of reverse transcription reactions by decreasing the packaging efficiency of lysyl-tRNA synthetase (LysRS) and tRNALys3 into HIV-1 virions. Two-dimensional (2D) gel electrophoresis demonstrated that some isozymes of GAPDH with different isoelectric points were expressed in HIV-1-producing CEM/LAV-1 cells, and a proportion of GAPDH was selectively incorporated into the virions. Suppression of GAPDH expression by RNA interference in CEM/LAV-1 cells resulted in decreased GAPDH packaging inside the virions, and the GAPDH-packaging-defective virus maintained at least control levels of viral production but increased the infectivity. Quantitative analysis of reverse transcription products indicated that the levels of early cDNA products of the GAPDH-packaging-defective virus were higher than those of the control virus owing to the higher packaging efficiencies of LysRS and tRNALys3 into the virions rather than the GAPDH-dependent negative allosteric modulation for RT. Furthermore, immunoprecipitation assay using an anti-GAPDH antibody showed that GAPDH directly interacted with Pr55gag and p160gag-pol and the overexpression of LysRS in HIV-1-producing cells resulted in a decrease in the efficiency of GAPDH packaging in HIV particles. In contrast, the viruses produced from cells expressing a high level of GAPDH showed decreased infectivity in TZM-bl cells and reverse transcription efficiency in TZM-bl cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Conclusions These findings indicate that GAPDH negatively regulates HIV-1 infection and provide insights into a novel function of GAPDH in the HIV-1 life cycle and a new host defense mechanism against HIV-1 infection. PMID:23237566

  16. Load measurement system with load cell lock-out mechanism

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Le, Thang; Carroll, Monty; Liu, Jonathan

    1995-01-01

    In the frame work of the project Shuttle Plume Impingement Flight Experiment (SPIFEX), a Load Measurement System was developed and fabricated to measure the impingement force of Shuttle Reaction Control System (RCS) jets. The Load Measurement System is a force sensing system that measures any combination of normal and shear forces up to 40 N (9 lbf) in the normal direction and 22 N (5 lbf) in the shear direction with an accuracy of +/- 0.04 N (+/- 0.01 lbf) Since high resolution is required for the force measurement, the Load Measurement System is built with highly sensitive load cells. To protect these fragile load cells in the non-operational mode from being damaged due to flight loads such as launch and landing loads of the Shuttle vehicle, a motor driven device known as the Load Cell Lock-Out Mechanism was built. This Lock-Out Mechanism isolates the load cells from flight loads and re-engages the load cells for the force measurement experiment once in space. With this highly effective protection system, the SPIFEX load measurement experiment was successfully conducted on STS-44 in September 1994 with all load cells operating properly and reading impingement forces as expected.

  17. Nef exosomes isolated from the plasma of individuals with HIV-associated dementia (HAD) can induce Aβ(1-42) secretion in SH-SY5Y neural cells.

    PubMed

    Khan, Mahfuz B; Lang, Michelle J; Huang, Ming-Bo; Raymond, Andrea; Bond, Vincent C; Shiramizu, Bruce; Powell, Michael D

    2016-04-01

    In the era of combined antiretroviral therapy (CART), many of the complications due to HIV-1 infection have diminished. One exception is HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND). HAND is a spectrum of disorders in cognitive function that ranges from asymptomatic disease to severe dementia (HAD). The milder form of HAND has actually remained the same or slightly increased in prevalence in the CART era. Even in individuals who have maintained undetectable HIV RNA loads, viral proteins such as Nef and Tat can continue to be expressed. In this report, we show that Nef protein and nef messenger RNA (mRNA) are packaged into exosomes that remain in circulation in patients with HAD. Plasma-derived Nef exosomes from patients with HAD have the ability to interact with the neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y and deliver nef mRNA. The mRNA can induce expression of Nef in target cells and subsequently increase expression and secretion of beta-amyloid (Aβ) and Aβ peptides. Increase secretion of amyloid peptide could contribute to cognitive impairment seen in HAND.

  18. VIBRATION TESTING OF RESILIENT PACKAGE CUSHIONING MATERIALS

    DTIC Science & Technology

    government and industry. Testing equipment which meets tentative ASTM requirements was developed. Preliminary tests were conducted on a resilient expanded ... polystyrene foam (in 3 densities) and a polyether urethane foam (in one density). When vibrated under static loads known to provide optimum shock

  19. VR Lab ISS Graphics Models Data Package

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Paddock, Eddie; Homan, Dave; Bell, Brad; Miralles, Evely; Hoblit, Jeff

    2016-01-01

    All the ISS models are saved in AC3D model format which is a text based format that can be loaded into blender and exported to other formats from there including FBX. The models are saved in two different levels of detail, one being labeled "LOWRES" and the other labeled "HIRES". There are two ".str" files (HIRES _ scene _ load.str and LOWRES _ scene _ load.str) that give the hierarchical relationship of the different nodes and the models associated with each node for both the "HIRES" and "LOWRES" model sets. All the images used for texturing are stored in Windows ".bmp" format for easy importing.

  20. The standard 20 AH battery. [for the mutlimission modular spacecraft

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Zollner, M. T.

    1977-01-01

    The modular power system, which is the first intended use for the NASA standard battery, is basically a four foot by four foot by eighteen inch box which can handle a complement of three 20 ampere hour batteries or later on the intended use is for three 50 ampere hour batteries to be the full complement. The system is designed to be used as a plug on component on a multi mission modular spacecraft. It has as a design point a basically 1250 watt orbital average load. The way it breaks up in a near earth orbit it would be somewhere around 1,000 watts for everything except 10 minutes, and during any 10 minute period it may go up to a peak of 3,000 watt load. Features of the battery reviewed include criteria to store electrical energy, the battery package, the covers and cases, and electrolytes. The capacities expected are 90 percent, the average cell capacity for 24 C, 90 percent of the actual battery capacity of 19 C, and 85 percent of the actual 25 degree battery capacity at zero discharge voltage for 50 percent DOD new battery is in the vicinity expected or predicted of 26.4 volts.

  1. Progress on ITER Diagnostic Integration

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Johnson, David; Feder, Russ; Klabacha, Jonathan; Loesser, Doug; Messineo, Mike; Stratton, Brentley; Wood, Rick; Zhai, Yuhu; Andrew, Phillip; Barnsley, Robin; Bertschinger, Guenter; Debock, Maarten; Reichle, Roger; Udintsev, Victor; Vayakis, George; Watts, Christopher; Walsh, Michael

    2013-10-01

    On ITER, front-end components must operate reliably in a hostile environment. Many will be housed in massive port plugs, which also shield the machine from radiation. Multiple diagnostics reside in a single plug, presenting new challenges for developers. Front-end components must tolerate thermally-induced stresses, disruption-induced mechanical loads, stray ECH radiation, displacement damage, and degradation due to plasma-induced coatings. The impact of failures is amplified due to the difficulty in performing robotic maintenance on these large structures. Motivated by needs to minimize disruption loads on the plugs, standardize the handling of shield modules, and decouple the parallel efforts of the many parties, the packaging strategy for diagnostics has recently focused on the use of 3 vertical shield modules inserted from the plasma side into each equatorial plug structure. At the front of each is a detachable first wall element with customized apertures. Progress on US equatorial and upper plugs will be used as examples, including the layout of components in the interspace and port cell regions. Supported by PPPL under contract DE-AC02-09CH11466 and UT-Battelle, LLC under contract DE-AC05-00OR22725 with the U.S. DOE.

  2. Numerical simulation of deformation and failure processes of a complex technical object under impact loading

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kraus, E. I.; Shabalin, I. I.; Shabalin, T. I.

    2018-04-01

    The main points of development of numerical tools for simulation of deformation and failure of complex technical objects under nonstationary conditions of extreme loading are presented. The possibility of extending the dynamic method for construction of difference grids to the 3D case is shown. A 3D realization of discrete-continuum approach to the deformation and failure of complex technical objects is carried out. The efficiency of the existing software package for 3D modelling is shown.

  3. CellTrans: An R Package to Quantify Stochastic Cell State Transitions.

    PubMed

    Buder, Thomas; Deutsch, Andreas; Seifert, Michael; Voss-Böhme, Anja

    2017-01-01

    Many normal and cancerous cell lines exhibit a stable composition of cells in distinct states which can, e.g., be defined on the basis of cell surface markers. There is evidence that such an equilibrium is associated with stochastic transitions between distinct states. Quantifying these transitions has the potential to better understand cell lineage compositions. We introduce CellTrans, an R package to quantify stochastic cell state transitions from cell state proportion data from fluorescence-activated cell sorting and flow cytometry experiments. The R package is based on a mathematical model in which cell state alterations occur due to stochastic transitions between distinct cell states whose rates only depend on the current state of a cell. CellTrans is an automated tool for estimating the underlying transition probabilities from appropriately prepared data. We point out potential analytical challenges in the quantification of these cell transitions and explain how CellTrans handles them. The applicability of CellTrans is demonstrated on publicly available data on the evolution of cell state compositions in cancer cell lines. We show that CellTrans can be used to (1) infer the transition probabilities between different cell states, (2) predict cell line compositions at a certain time, (3) predict equilibrium cell state compositions, and (4) estimate the time needed to reach this equilibrium. We provide an implementation of CellTrans in R, freely available via GitHub (https://github.com/tbuder/CellTrans).

  4. Destructive examination of shipping package 9975-02101

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

    Daugherty, W. L.

    Destructive and non-destructive examinations have been performed on the components of shipping package 9975-02101 as part of the comprehensive Model 9975 package surveillance program. This package is one of ten high-wattage packages that were selected for field surveillance in FY15, and was identified to contain several non-conforming conditions. Most of these conditions (mold, stains, drum corrosion, calculated fiberboard dimensions and fiberboard damage) relate to the accumulation of water in the outer and lower portions of the cane fiberboard assembly. In the short term, this causes local but reversible changes in the fiberboard properties. Long-term effects can include the permanent lossmore » of fiberboard properties (thus far observed only in the bottom fiberboard layers) and reduced drum integrity due to corrosion. The observed conditions must be fully evaluated by KAC to ensure the safety function of the package is being maintained. Three of the other nine FY15 high-wattage packages examined in the K-Area Complex showed similar behavior. Corrosion of the overpack drum has been seen primarily in those packages with relatively severe fiberboard degradation. Visual examination of the drums in storage for external corrosion should be considered as a screening tool to identify additional packages with potential fiberboard degradation. Where overpack drum corrosion has been observed, it is typically heaviest adjacent to the stitch welds along the bottom edge. It is possible that changes to the stitch weld design would reduce the degree of corrosion in this area, but would not eliminate it. Several factors can contribute to the concentration of moisture in the fiberboard, including higher than average initial moisture content, higher internal temperature (due to internal heat load and placement with the array of packages), and the creation of additional moisture as the fiberboard begins to degrade.« less

  5. Documentation of the seawater intrusion (SWI2) package for MODFLOW

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Bakker, Mark; Schaars, Frans; Hughes, Joseph D.; Langevin, Christian D.; Dausman, Alyssa M.

    2013-01-01

    The SWI2 Package is the latest release of the Seawater Intrusion (SWI) Package for MODFLOW. The SWI2 Package allows three-dimensional vertically integrated variable-density groundwater flow and seawater intrusion in coastal multiaquifer systems to be simulated using MODFLOW-2005. Vertically integrated variable-density groundwater flow is based on the Dupuit approximation in which an aquifer is vertically discretized into zones of differing densities, separated from each other by defined surfaces representing interfaces or density isosurfaces. The numerical approach used in the SWI2 Package does not account for diffusion and dispersion and should not be used where these processes are important. The resulting differential equations are equivalent in form to the groundwater flow equation for uniform-density flow. The approach implemented in the SWI2 Package allows density effects to be incorporated into MODFLOW-2005 through the addition of pseudo-source terms to the groundwater flow equation without the need to solve a separate advective-dispersive transport equation. Vertical and horizontal movement of defined density surfaces is calculated separately using a combination of fluxes calculated through solution of the groundwater flow equation and a simple tip and toe tracking algorithm. Use of the SWI2 Package in MODFLOW-2005 only requires the addition of a single additional input file and modification of boundary heads to freshwater heads referenced to the top of the aquifer. Fluid density within model layers can be represented using zones of constant density (stratified flow) or continuously varying density (piecewise linear in the vertical direction) in the SWI2 Package. The main advantage of using the SWI2 Package instead of variable-density groundwater flow and dispersive solute transport codes, such as SEAWAT and SUTRA, is that fewer model cells are required for simulations using the SWI2 Package because every aquifer can be represented by a single layer of cells. This reduction in number of required model cells and the elimination of the need to solve the advective-dispersive transport equation results in substantial model run-time savings, which can be large for regional aquifers. The accuracy and use of the SWI2 Package is demonstrated through comparison with existing exact solutions and numerical solutions with SEAWAT. Results for an unconfined aquifer are also presented to demonstrate application of the SWI2 Package to a large-scale regional problem.

  6. WASTE PACKAGE REMEDIATION SYSTEM DESCRIPTION DOCUMENT

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

    N.D. Sudan

    2000-06-22

    The Waste Package Remediation System remediates waste packages (WPs) and disposal containers (DCs) in one of two ways: preparation of rejected DC closure welds for repair or opening of the DC/WP. DCs are brought to the Waste Package Remediation System for preparation of rejected closure welds if testing of the closure weld by the Disposal Container Handling System indicates an unacceptable, but repairable, welding flaw. DC preparation of rejected closure welds will require removal of the weld in such a way that the Disposal Container Handling System may resume and complete the closure welding process. DCs/WPs are brought to themore » Waste Package Remediation System for opening if the Disposal Container Handling System testing of the DC closure weld indicates an unrepairable welding flaw, or if a WP is recovered from the subsurface repository because suspected damage to the WP or failure of the WP has occurred. DC/WP opening will require cutting of the DC/WP such that a temporary seal may be installed and the waste inside the DC/WP removed by another system. The system operates in a Waste Package Remediation System hot cell located in the Waste Handling Building that has direct access to the Disposal Container Handling System. One DC/WP at a time can be handled in the hot cell. The DC/WP arrives on a transfer cart, is positioned within the cell for system operations, and exits the cell without being removed from the cart. The system includes a wide variety of remotely operated components including a manipulator with hoist and/or jib crane, viewing systems, machine tools for opening WPs, and equipment used to perform pressure and gas composition sampling. Remotely operated equipment is designed to facilitate DC/WP decontamination and hot cell equipment maintenance, and interchangeable components are provided where appropriate. The Waste Package Remediation System interfaces with the Disposal Container Handling System for the receipt and transport of WPs and DCs. The Waste Handling Building System houses the system, and provides the facility, safety, and auxiliary systems required to support operations. The system receives power from the Waste Handling Building Electrical System. The system also interfaces with the various DC systems.« less

  7. Single Vector Calibration System for Multi-Axis Load Cells and Method for Calibrating a Multi-Axis Load Cell

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Parker, Peter A. (Inventor)

    2003-01-01

    A single vector calibration system is provided which facilitates the calibration of multi-axis load cells, including wind tunnel force balances. The single vector system provides the capability to calibrate a multi-axis load cell using a single directional load, for example loading solely in the gravitational direction. The system manipulates the load cell in three-dimensional space, while keeping the uni-directional calibration load aligned. The use of a single vector calibration load reduces the set-up time for the multi-axis load combinations needed to generate a complete calibration mathematical model. The system also reduces load application inaccuracies caused by the conventional requirement to generate multiple force vectors. The simplicity of the system reduces calibration time and cost, while simultaneously increasing calibration accuracy.

  8. Mechanism isolates load weighing cell during lifting of load

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Haigler, J. S.

    1966-01-01

    Load weighing cell used in conjuction with a hoist is isolated during lifting and manipulation of the load. A simple mechanism, attached to a crane hook, provides a screw adjustment for engaging the load cell during weighing of the load and isolating it from lift forces during hoisting of the load.

  9. Exosomes from uninfected cells activate transcription of latent HIV-1.

    PubMed

    Barclay, Robert A; Schwab, Angela; DeMarino, Catherine; Akpamagbo, Yao; Lepene, Benjamin; Kassaye, Seble; Iordanskiy, Sergey; Kashanchi, Fatah

    2017-07-14

    HIV-1 infection causes AIDS, infecting millions worldwide. The virus can persist in a state of chronic infection due to its ability to become latent. We have previously shown a link between HIV-1 infection and exosome production. Specifically, we have reported that exosomes transport viral proteins and RNA from infected cells to neighboring uninfected cells. These viral products could then elicit an innate immune response, leading to activation of the Toll-like receptor and NF-κB pathways. In this study, we asked whether exosomes from uninfected cells could activate latent HIV-1 in infected cells. We observed that irrespective of combination antiretroviral therapy, both short- and long-length viral transcripts were increased in wild-type HIV-1-infected cells exposed to purified exosomes from uninfected cells. A search for a possible mechanism for this finding revealed that the exosomes increase RNA polymerase II loading onto the HIV-1 promoter in the infected cells. These viral transcripts, which include trans-activation response (TAR) RNA and a novel RNA that we termed TAR- gag , can then be packaged into exosomes and potentially be exported to neighboring uninfected cells, leading to increased cellular activation. To better decipher the exosome release pathways involved, we used siRNA to suppress expression of ESCRT (endosomal sorting complex required for transport) proteins and found that ESCRT II and IV significantly control exosome release. Collectively, these results imply that exosomes from uninfected cells activate latent HIV-1 in infected cells and that true transcriptional latency may not be possible in vivo , especially in the presence of combination antiretroviral therapy.

  10. Parasitic heat loss reduction in AMTEC cells by heat shield optimization

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

    Borkowski, C.A.; Svedberg, R.C.; Hendricks, T.J.

    1997-12-31

    Alkali metal thermal to electric conversion (AMTEC) cell performance can be increased by the proper design of thermal radiative shielding internal to the AMTEC cell. These heat shields essentially lower the radiative heat transfer between the heat input zone of the cell and the heat rejection zone of the cell. In addition to lowering the radiative heat transfer between the heat input and heat rejection surfaces of the cell, the shields raise the AMTEC cell performance by increasing the temperature of the beta alumina solid electrolyte (BASE). This increase in temperature of the BASE tube allows the evaporator temperature tomore » be increased without sodium condensing within the BASE tubes. Experimental testing and theoretical analysis have been performed to compare the relative merits of two candidate heat shield packages: (1) chevron, and (2) cylindrical heat shields. These two heat shield packages were compared to each other and a baseline cell which had no heat shields installed. For the two heat shield packages, the reduction in total heat transfer is between 17--27% for the heat input surface temperature varying from 700 C, 750 C, and 800 C with the heat rejection surface temperature kept at 300 C.« less

  11. Calculation Package for the Analysis of Performance of Cells 1-6, with Underdrain, of the Environmental Management Waste Management Facility Oak Ridge, Tennessee

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

    Gonzales D.

    2010-03-30

    This calculation package presents the results of an assessment of the performance of the 6 cell design of the Environmental Management Waste Management Facility (EMWMF). The calculations show that the new cell 6 design at the EMWMF meets the current WAC requirement. QA/QC steps were taken to verify the input/output data for the risk model and data transfer from modeling output files to tables and calculation.

  12. Bird impact analysis package for turbine engine fan blades

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hirschbein, M. S.

    1982-01-01

    A computer program has been developed to analyze the gross structural response of turbine engine fan blades subjected to bird strikes. The program couples a NASTRAN finite element model and modal analysis of a fan blade with a multi-mode bird impact analysis computer program. The impact analysis uses the NASTRAN blade model and a fluid jet model of the bird to interactively calculate blade loading during a bird strike event. The analysis package is computationaly efficient, easy to use and provides a comprehensive history of the gross structual blade response. Example cases are presented for a representative fan blade.

  13. A versatile computer package for mechanism analysis, part 2: Dynamics and balance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Davies, T.

    The algorithms required for the shaking force components, the shaking moment about the crankshaft axis, and the input torque and bearing load components are discussed using the textile machine as a focus for the discussion. The example is also used to provide illustrations of the output for options on the hodograph of the shaking force vector. This provides estimates of the optimum contrarotating masses and their locations for a generalized primary Lanchester balancer. The suitability of generalized Lanchester balancers particularly for textile machinery, and the overall strategy used during the development of the package are outlined.

  14. Antimicrobial packaging of chicken fillets based on the release of carvacrol from chitosan/cyclodextrin films.

    PubMed

    Higueras, Laura; López-Carballo, Gracia; Hernández-Muñoz, Pilar; Catalá, Ramón; Gavara, Rafael

    2014-10-01

    Chitosan/cyclodextrin films (CS:CD) incorporating carvacrol were obtained by casting, and conditioned at 23°C and 75% relative humidity prior to being immersed in liquid carvacrol until they reached sorption equilibrium. In a previous work, the in vitro antimicrobial activity of these films was studied. In this work, active films were used to inhibit microbial growth in packaged chicken breast fillets. Samples of CS:CD films loaded with carvacrol, of different sizes and thus with different quantities of antimicrobial agent, were stuck to the aluminium lid used to seal PP/EVOH/PP cups containing 25g of chicken fillets. These samples were stored for 9days at 4°C. The packages were hermetically sealed and it was confirmed that they provided an infinite barrier to carvacrol. The partition of the antimicrobial agent within the food/packaging system was analysed. The antimicrobial devices rapidly released a large percentage of the agent load, amounts that were gained by the adhesive coating of the lid and especially by the chicken fillets. The latter were the main sorbent phase, with average concentrations ranging between 200 and 5000mg/Kg during the period of storage. The microbiota of the packaged fresh chicken fillets - mesophiles, psychrophiles, Pseudomonas spp., enterobacteria, lactic acid bacteria and yeasts and fungi - were analysed and monitored during storage. A general microbial inhibition was observed, increasing with the size of the active device. Inhibition with a 24cm(2) device ranged from 0.3 log reductions against lactic acid bacteria to 1.8logs against yeasts and fungi. However, the large amount of antimicrobial that was sorbed or that reacted with the fillet caused an unacceptable sensory deterioration. These high sorption values are probably due to a great chemical compatibility between chicken proteins and carvacrol. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. 49 CFR 174.57 - Cleaning cars.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Cleaning cars. 174.57 Section 174.57... and Loading Requirements § 174.57 Cleaning cars. All hazardous material which has leaked from a package in any rail car or on other railroad property must be carefully removed. ...

  16. 49 CFR 174.57 - Cleaning cars.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 2 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Cleaning cars. 174.57 Section 174.57... and Loading Requirements § 174.57 Cleaning cars. All hazardous material which has leaked from a package in any rail car or on other railroad property must be carefully removed. ...

  17. 49 CFR 174.57 - Cleaning cars.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 2 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Cleaning cars. 174.57 Section 174.57... and Loading Requirements § 174.57 Cleaning cars. All hazardous material which has leaked from a package in any rail car or on other railroad property must be carefully removed. ...

  18. 49 CFR 174.57 - Cleaning cars.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 2 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Cleaning cars. 174.57 Section 174.57... and Loading Requirements § 174.57 Cleaning cars. All hazardous material which has leaked from a package in any rail car or on other railroad property must be carefully removed. ...

  19. 49 CFR 174.57 - Cleaning cars.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 2 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Cleaning cars. 174.57 Section 174.57... and Loading Requirements § 174.57 Cleaning cars. All hazardous material which has leaked from a package in any rail car or on other railroad property must be carefully removed. ...

  20. 49 CFR 173.320 - Cryogenic liquids; exceptions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... atmospheric gases and helium: (1) During loading and unloading operations (pressure rises may exceed 25.3 psig...; exceptions. (a) Atmospheric gases and helium, cryogenic liquids, in Dewar flasks, insulated cylinders... the pressure in such packagings will not exceed 25.3 psig under ambient temperature conditions during...

  1. The R package 'icosa' for coarse resolution global triangular and penta-hexagonal gridding

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kocsis, Adam T.

    2017-04-01

    With the development of the internet and the computational power of personal computers, open source programming environments have become indispensable for science in the past decade. This includes the increase of the GIS capacity of the free R environment, which was originally developed for statistical analyses. The flexibility of R made it a preferred programming tool in a multitude of disciplines from the area of the biological and geological sciences. Many of these subdisciplines operate with incidence (occurrence) data that are in a large number of cases to be grained before further analyses can be conducted. This graining is executed mostly by gridding data to cells of a Gaussian grid of various resolutions to increase the density of data in a single unit of the analyses. This method has obvious shortcomings despite the ease of its application: well-known systematic biases are induced to cell sizes and shapes that can interfere with the results of statistical procedures, especially if the number of incidence points influences the metrics in question. The 'icosa' package employs a common method to overcome this obstacle by implementing grids with roughly equal cell sizes and shapes that are based on tessellated icosahedra. These grid objects are essentially polyhedra with xyz Cartesian vertex data that are linked to tables of faces and edges. At its current developmental stage, the package uses a single method of tessellation which balances grid cell size and shape distortions, but its structure allows the implementation of various other types of tessellation algorithms. The resolution of the grids can be set by the number of breakpoints inserted into a segment forming an edge of the original icosahedron. Both the triangular and their inverted penta-hexagonal grids are available for creation with the package. The package also incorporates functions to look up coordinates in the grid very effectively and data containers to link data to the grid structure. The classes defined in the package are communicating with classes of the 'sp' and 'raster' packages and functions are supplied that allow resolution change and type conversions. Three-dimensional rendering is made available with the 'rgl' package and two-dimensional projections can be calculated using 'sp' and 'rgdal'. The package was developed as part of a project funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (KO - 5382/1-1).

  2. Testing of an Amine-Based Pressure-Swing System for Carbon Dioxide and Humidity Control

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lin, Amy; Smith, Frederick; Sweterlitsch, Jeffrey; Graf, John; Nalette, Tim; Papale, William; Campbell, Melissa; Lu, Sao-Dung

    2007-01-01

    In a crewed spacecraft environment, atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and moisture control is crucial. Hamilton Sundstrand has developed a stable and efficient amine-based CO2 and water vapor sorbent, SA9T, that is well-suited for use in a spacecraft environment. The sorbent is efficiently packaged in pressure-swing regenerable beds that are thermally linked to improve removal efficiency and minimize vehicle thermal loads. Flows are all controlled with a single spool valve. This technology has been baselined for the new Orion spacecraft. However, more data was needed on the operational characteristics of the package in a simulated spacecraft environment. A unit was therefore tested with simulated metabolic loads in a closed chamber at Johnson Space Center during the last third of 2006. Tests were run at a variety of cabin temperatures and with a range of operating conditions varying cycle time, vacuum pressure, air flow rate, and crew activity levels. Results of this testing are presented and potential flight operational strategies discussed.

  3. Open-source FCPEM-Performance & Durability Model Consideration of Membrane Properties on Cathode Degradation

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

    Knights, Shanna; Harvey, David

    The durability of PEM fuel cells is a primary requirement for large scale commercialization of these power systems in transportation and stationary market applications which target operational lifetimes of 5,000 hours and 60,000 hours by 2020, respectively. Key degradation modes contributing to fuel cell lifetime limitations have been largely associated with the platinum-based cathode catalyst layer. Furthermore, as fuel cells are driven to low cost materials and lower catalyst loadings in order to meet the cost targets for commercialization, the catalyst durability has become even more important. While over the past few years significant progress has been made in identifyingmore » the underlying causes of fuel cell degradation and key parameters that greatly influence the degradation rates, many gaps with respect to knowledge of the driving mechanisms still exist; in particular, the acceleration of the mechanisms due to different membrane compositions remains an area not well understood. The focus of this project extension was to enhance the predictive capability of the PEM Fuel Cell Performance & Durability Model called FC-APOLLO (Application Package for Open-source Long Life Operation) by including interaction effects of membrane transport properties such as water transport, changes in proton conductivity, and overall water uptake/adsorption and the state of the catalyst layer local conditions to further understand the driving forces for platinum dissolution.« less

  4. Mitigation of Biofilm Formation on Corrugated Cardboard Fresh Produce Packaging Surfaces Using a Novel Thiazolidinedione Derivative Integrated in Acrylic Emulsion Polymers.

    PubMed

    Brandwein, Michael; Al-Quntar, Abed; Goldberg, Hila; Mosheyev, Gregory; Goffer, Moshe; Marin-Iniesta, Fulgencio; López-Gómez, Antonio; Steinberg, Doron

    2016-01-01

    Various surfaces associated with the storage and packing of food are known to harbor distinct bacterial pathogens. Conspicuously absent among the plethora of studies implicating food packaging materials and machinery is the study of corrugated cardboard packaging, the worldwide medium for transporting fresh produce. In this study, we observed the microbial communities of three different store-bought fruits and vegetables, along with their analog cardboard packaging using high throughput sequencing technology. We further developed an anti-biofilm polymer meant to coat corrugated cardboard surfaces and mediate bacterial biofilm growth on said surfaces. Integration of a novel thiazolidinedione derivative into the acrylic emulsion polymers was assessed using Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometry (EDS) analysis and surface topography was visualized and quantified on corrugated cardboard surfaces. Biofilm growth was measured using q-PCR targeting the gene encoding 16s rRNA. Additionally, architectural structure of the biofilm was observed using SEM. The uniform integration of the thiazolidinedione derivative TZD-6 was confirmed, and it was determined via q-PCR to reduce biofilm growth by ~80% on tested surfaces. A novel and effective method for reducing microbial load and preventing contamination on food packaging is thereby proposed.

  5. The effects of additives to SnAgCu alloys on microstructure and drop impact reliability of solder joints

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Weiping; Lee, Ning-Cheng

    2007-07-01

    The impact reliability of solder joints in electronic packages is critical to the lifetime of electronic products, especially those portable devices using area array packages such as ball-grid array (BGA) and chip-scale packages (CSP). Currently, SnAgCu (SAC) solders are most widely used for lead-free applications. However, BGA and CSP solder joints using SAC alloys are fragile and prone to premature interfacial failure, especially under shock loading. To further enhance impact reliability, a family of SAC alloys doped with a small amount of additives such as Mn, Ce, Ti, Bi, and Y was developed. The effects of doping elements on drop test performance, creep resistance, and microstructure of the solder joints were investigated, and the solder joints made with the modified alloys exhibited significantly higher impact reliability.

  6. DOE perspective on fuel cells in transportation

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

    Kost, R.

    1996-04-01

    Fuel cells are one of the most promising technologies for meeting the rapidly growing demand for transportation services while minimizing adverse energy and environmental impacts. This paper reviews the benefits of introducing fuel cells into the transportation sector; in addition to dramatically reduced vehicle emissions, fuel cells offer the flexibility than use petroleum-based or alternative fuels, have significantly greater energy efficiency than internal combustion engines, and greatly reduce noise levels during operation. The rationale leading to the emphasis on proton-exchange-membrane fuel cells for transportation applications is reviewed as are the development issues requiring resolution to achieve adequate performance, packaging, andmore » cost for use in automobiles. Technical targets for power density, specific power, platinum loading on the electrodes, cost, and other factors that become increasingly more demanding over time have been established. Fuel choice issues and pathways to reduced costs and to a renewable energy future are explored. One such path initially introduces fuel cell vehicles using reformed gasoline while-on-board hydrogen storage technology is developed to the point of allowing adequate range (350 miles) and refueling convenience. This scenario also allows time for renewable hydrogen production technologies and the required supply infrastructure to develop. Finally, the DOE Fuel Cells in Transportation program is described. The program, whose goal is to establish the technology for fuel cell vehicles as rapidly as possible, is being implemented by means of the United States Fuel Cell Alliance, a Government-industry alliance that includes Detroit`s Big Three automakers, fuel cell and other component suppliers, the national laboratories, and universities.« less

  7. RD2-MolPack-Chim3, a packaging cell line for stable production of lentiviral vectors for anti-HIV gene therapy.

    PubMed

    Stornaiuolo, Anna; Piovani, Bianca Maria; Bossi, Sergio; Zucchelli, Eleonora; Corna, Stefano; Salvatori, Francesca; Mavilio, Fulvio; Bordignon, Claudio; Rizzardi, Gian Paolo; Bovolenta, Chiara

    2013-08-01

    Over the last two decades, several attempts to generate packaging cells for lentiviral vectors (LV) have been made. Despite different technologies, no packaging clone is currently employed in clinical trials. We developed a new strategy for LV stable production based on the HEK-293T progenitor cells; the sequential insertion of the viral genes by integrating vectors; the constitutive expression of the viral components; and the RD114-TR envelope pseudotyping. We generated the intermediate clone PK-7 expressing constitutively gag/pol and rev genes and, by adding tat and rd114-tr genes, the stable packaging cell line RD2-MolPack, which can produce LV carrying any transfer vector (TV). Finally, we obtained the RD2-MolPack-Chim3 producer clone by transducing RD2-MolPack cells with the TV expressing the anti-HIV transgene Chim3. Remarkably, RD114-TR pseudovirions have much higher potency when produced by stable compared with transient technology. Most importantly, comparable transduction efficiency in hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) is obtained with 2-logs less physical particles respect to VSV-G pseudovirions produced by transient transfection. Altogether, RD2-MolPack technology should be considered a valid option for large-scale production of LV to be used in gene therapy protocols employing HSC, resulting in the possibility of downsizing the manufacturing scale by about 10-fold in respect to transient technology.

  8. 49 CFR 173.21 - Forbidden materials and packages.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... vehicle operator shall monitor the inside temperature of the transport vehicle, freight container, or... container, or overpack with another material, the mixing of which is likely to cause a dangerous evolution... vehicle, freight container, or motor vehicle equipped with a mechanical refrigeration unit, or loaded with...

  9. 49 CFR 173.21 - Forbidden materials and packages.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... vehicle operator shall monitor the inside temperature of the transport vehicle, freight container, or... container, or overpack with another material, the mixing of which is likely to cause a dangerous evolution... vehicle, freight container, or motor vehicle equipped with a mechanical refrigeration unit, or loaded with...

  10. 49 CFR 173.21 - Forbidden materials and packages.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... vehicle operator shall monitor the inside temperature of the transport vehicle, freight container, or... container, or overpack with another material, the mixing of which is likely to cause a dangerous evolution... vehicle, freight container, or motor vehicle equipped with a mechanical refrigeration unit, or loaded with...

  11. 49 CFR 173.21 - Forbidden materials and packages.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... vehicle operator shall monitor the inside temperature of the transport vehicle, freight container, or... container, or overpack with another material, the mixing of which is likely to cause a dangerous evolution... vehicle, freight container, or motor vehicle equipped with a mechanical refrigeration unit, or loaded with...

  12. 49 CFR 173.21 - Forbidden materials and packages.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... vehicle operator shall monitor the inside temperature of the transport vehicle, freight container, or... container, or overpack with another material, the mixing of which is likely to cause a dangerous evolution... vehicle, freight container, or motor vehicle equipped with a mechanical refrigeration unit, or loaded with...

  13. Pizza.py Toolkit

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

    Plimpton, Steve; Jones, Matt; Crozier, Paul

    2006-01-01

    Pizza.py is a loosely integrated collection of tools, many of which provide support for the LAMMPS molecular dynamics and ChemCell cell modeling packages. There are tools to create input files. convert between file formats, process log and dump files, create plots, and visualize and animate simulation snapshots. Software packages that are wrapped by Pizza.py. so they can invoked from within Python, include GnuPlot, MatLab, Raster3d. and RasMol. Pizza.py is written in Python and runs on any platform that supports Python. Pizza.py enhances the standard Python interpreter in a few simple ways. Its tools are Python modules which can be invokedmore » interactively, from scripts, or from GUIs when appropriate. Some of the tools require additional Python packages to be installed as part of the users Python. Others are wrappers on software packages (as listed above) which must be available on the users system. It is easy to modify or extend Pizza.py with new functionality or new tools, which need not have anything to do with LAMMPS or ChemCell.« less

  14. Kinetics of Epstein-Barr virus load and virus-specific CD8+ T cells in acute infectious mononucleosis.

    PubMed

    Hoshino, Yo; Nishikawa, Kazuo; Ito, Yoshinori; Kuzushima, Kiyotaka; Kimura, Hiroshi

    2011-03-01

    During the convalescent phase of acute infectious mononucleosis (AIM), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) load shrinks rapidly in association with a rapid decline in the number of EBV-specific CD8(+) T cells. The actual contribution of EBV-specific CD8(+) T cells in reducing EBV load, however, is not known. To clarify the impact of EBV-specific CD8(+) T cells on the contraction of EBV load in AIM, we estimated half-lives of both EBV load and EBV-specific CD8(+) T cells. Blood was serially taken from five pediatric patients with AIM during the convalescent period, including the very early phase, and both EBV load and EBV-specific CD8(+) T cell numbers were assayed. EBV load declined rapidly (half-life 1.5 d) during the first 2 weeks after onset of symptoms. This half-life was seven-fold shorter than that reported for CD27(+) memory B cells. Subsequently, the EBV load declined much more slowly, with a half-life of 38.7 d. EBV-specific CD8(+) T cell numbers also declined concomitantly with the decrease in EBV load. The half-life of EBV-specific CD8(+) T cells during first 2 weeks was 2.9 d. The number of EBV-specific CD8(+) T cells and the rate of change of viral load correlated significantly (R(2) ≥ 0.8; p ≤ 0.02). The short half-life of EBV load, together with the strong correlation between the number of EBV-specific CD8(+) T cells and the rate of change of viral load indicates an active role for EBV-specific CD8(+) T cells in elimination of EBV in AIM. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Calculation of reinforced-concrete frame strength under a simultaneous static cross section load and a column lateral impact

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Belov, Nikolay; Yugov, Nikolay; Kopanitsa, Dmitry; Kopanitsa, Georgy; Yugov, Alexey; Kaparulin, Sergey; Plyaskin, Andrey; Kalichkina, Anna; Ustinov, Artyom

    2016-01-01

    When designing buildings with reinforced concrete that are planned to resist dynamic loads it is necessary to calculate this structural behavior under operational static and emergency impact and blast loads. Calculations of the structures under shock-wave loads can be performed by solving dynamic equations that do not consider static loads. Due to this fact the calculation of reinforced concrete frame under a simultaneous static and dynamic load in full 3d settings becomes a very non trivial and resource consuming problem. This problem can be split into two tasks. The first one is a shock-wave problem that can be solved using software package RANET-3, which allows solving the problem using finite elements method adapted for dynamic task. This method calculates strain-stress state of the material and its dynamic destruction, which is considered as growth and consolidation of micro defects under loading. On the second step the results of the first step are taken as input parameters for quasi static calculation of simultaneous static and dynamic load using finite elements method in AMP Civil Engineering-11.

  16. Mixed Oxide Fresh Fuel Package Auxiliary Equipment

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

    Yapuncich, F.; Ross, A.; Clark, R.H.

    2008-07-01

    The United States Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) is overseeing the construction the Mixed Oxide (MOX) Fuel Fabrication Facility (MFFF) on the Savannah River Site. The new facility, being constructed by NNSA's contractor Shaw AREVA MOX Services, will fabricate fuel assemblies utilizing surplus plutonium as feedstock. The fuel will be used in designated commercial nuclear reactors. The MOX Fresh Fuel Package (MFFP), which has recently been licensed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) as a type B package (USA/9295/B(U)F-96), will be utilized to transport the fabricated fuel assemblies from the MFFF to the nuclear reactors. It wasmore » necessary to develop auxiliary equipment that would be able to efficiently handle the high precision fuel assemblies. Also, the physical constraints of the MFFF and the nuclear power plants require that the equipment be capable of loading and unloading the fuel assemblies both vertically and horizontally. The ability to reconfigure the load/unload evolution builds in a large degree of flexibility for the MFFP for the handling of many types of both fuel and non fuel payloads. The design and analysis met various technical specifications including dynamic and static seismic criteria. The fabrication was completed by three major fabrication facilities within the United States. The testing was conducted by Sandia National Laboratories. The unique design specifications and successful testing sequences will be discussed. (authors)« less

  17. Sleeper Cab Climate Control Load Reduction for Long-Haul Truck Rest Period Idling

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

    Lustbader, J. A.; Kreutzer, C.; Adelman, S.

    2015-04-29

    Annual fuel use for long-haul truck rest period idling is estimated at 667 million gallons in the United States. The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s CoolCab project aims to reduce heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) loads and resulting fuel use from rest period idling by working closely with industry to design efficient long-haul truck climate control systems while maintaining occupant comfort. Enhancing the thermal performance of cab/sleepers will enable smaller, lighter, and more cost-effective idle reduction solutions. In order for candidate idle reduction technologies to be implemented at the original equipment manufacturer and fleet level, theirmore » effectiveness must be quantified. To address this need, a number of promising candidate technologies were evaluated through experimentation and modeling to determine their effectiveness in reducing rest period HVAC loads. For this study, load reduction strategies were grouped into the focus areas of solar envelope, occupant environment, and conductive pathways. The technologies selected for a complete-cab package of technologies were “ultra-white” paint, advanced insulation, and advanced curtains. To measure the impact of these technologies, a nationally-averaged solar-weighted reflectivity long-haul truck paint color was determined and applied to the baseline test vehicle. Using the complete-cab package of technologies, electrical energy consumption for long-haul truck daytime rest period air conditioning was reduced by at least 35% for summer weather conditions in Colorado. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory's CoolCalc model was then used to extrapolate the performance of the thermal load reduction technologies nationally for 161 major U.S. cities using typical weather conditions for each location over an entire year.« less

  18. RSEIS and RFOC: Seismic Analysis in R

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lees, J. M.

    2015-12-01

    Open software is essential for reproducible scientific exchange. R-packages provide a platform for development of seismological investigation software that can be properly documented and traced for data processing. A suite of R packages designed for a wide range of seismic analysis is currently available in the free software platform called R. R is a software platform based on the S-language developed at Bell Labs decades ago. Routines in R can be run as standalone function calls, or developed in object-oriented mode. R comes with a base set of routines, and thousands of user developed packages. The packages developed at UNC include subroutines and interactive codes for processing seismic data, analyzing geographic information (GIS) and inverting data involved in a variety of geophysical applications. On CRAN (Comprehensive R Archive Network, http://www.r-project.org/) currently available packages related to seismic analysis are RSEIS, Rquake, GEOmap, RFOC, zoeppritz, RTOMO, and geophys, Rwave, PEIP, hht, rFDSN. These include signal processing, data management, mapping, earthquake location, deconvolution, focal mechanisms, wavelet transforms, Hilbert-Huang Transforms, tomographic inversion, and Mogi deformation among other useful functionality. All software in R packages is required to have detailed documentation, making the exchange and modification of existing software easy. In this presentation, I will focus on packages RSEIS and RFOC, showing examples from a variety of seismic analyses. The R approach has similarities to the popular (and expensive) MATLAB platform, although R is open source and free to down load.

  19. Central cooling: compressive chillers

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

    Christian, J.E.

    1978-03-01

    Representative cost and performance data are provided in a concise, useable form for three types of compressive liquid packaged chillers: reciprocating, centrifugal, and screw. The data are represented in graphical form as well as in empirical equations. Reciprocating chillers are available from 2.5 to 240 tons with full-load COPs ranging from 2.85 to 3.87. Centrifugal chillers are available from 80 to 2,000 tons with full load COPs ranging from 4.1 to 4.9. Field-assemblied centrifugal chillers have been installed with capacities up to 10,000 tons. Screw-type chillers are available from 100 to 750 tons with full load COPs ranging from 3.3more » to 4.5.« less

  20. Delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs in tumour cell-derived microparticles.

    PubMed

    Tang, Ke; Zhang, Yi; Zhang, Huafeng; Xu, Pingwei; Liu, Jing; Ma, Jingwei; Lv, Meng; Li, Dapeng; Katirai, Foad; Shen, Guan-Xin; Zhang, Guimei; Feng, Zuo-Hua; Ye, Duyun; Huang, Bo

    2012-01-01

    Cellular microparticles are vesicular plasma membrane fragments with a diameter of 100-1,000 nanometres that are shed by cells in response to various physiological and artificial stimuli. Here we demonstrate that tumour cell-derived microparticles can be used as vectors to deliver chemotherapeutic drugs. We show that tumour cells incubated with chemotherapeutic drugs package these drugs into microparticles, which can be collected and used to effectively kill tumour cells in murine tumour models without typical side effects. We describe several mechanisms involved in this process, including uptake of drug-containing microparticles by tumour cells, synthesis of additional drug-packaging microparticles by these cells that contribute to the cytotoxic effect and the inhibition of drug efflux from tumour cells. This study highlights a novel drug delivery strategy with potential clinical application.

  1. Detection and Use of Load and Gage Output Repeats of Wind Tunnel Strain-Gage Balance Data

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ulbrich, N.

    2017-01-01

    Criteria are discussed that may be used for the detection of load and gage output repeats of wind tunnel strain-gage balance data. First, empirical thresholds are introduced that help determine if the loads or electrical outputs of a pair of balance calibration or check load data points match. A threshold of 0.01 percent of the load capacity is suggested for the identification of matching loads. Similarly, a threshold of 0.1 microV/V is recommended for the identification of matching electrical outputs. Two examples for the use of load and output repeats are discussed to illustrate benefits of the implementation of a repeat point detection algorithm in a balance data analysis software package. The first example uses the suggested load threshold to identify repeat data points that may be used to compute pure errors of the balance loads. This type of analysis may reveal hidden data quality issues that could potentially be avoided by making calibration process improvements. The second example uses the electrical output threshold for the identification of balance fouling. Data from the calibration of a six-component force balance is used to illustrate the calculation of the pure error of the balance loads.

  2. HB-Line Plutonium Oxide Data Collection Strategy

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

    Watkins, R.; Varble, J.; Jordan, J.

    2015-05-26

    HB-Line and H-Canyon will handle and process plutonium material to produce plutonium oxide for feed to the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility (MFFF). However, the plutonium oxide product will not be transferred to the MFFF directly from HB-Line until it is packaged into a qualified DOE-STD-3013-2012 container. In the interim, HB-Line will load plutonium oxide into an inner, filtered can. The inner can will be placed in a filtered bag, which will be loaded into a filtered outer can. The outer can will be loaded into a certified 9975 with getter assembly in compliance with onsite transportation requirement, for subsequentmore » storage and transfer to the K-Area Complex (KAC). After DOE-STD-3013-2012 container packaging capabilities are established, the product will be returned to HB-Line to be packaged into a qualified DOE-STD-3013-2012 container. To support the transfer of plutonium oxide to KAC and then eventually to MFFF, various material and packaging data will have to be collected and retained. In addition, data from initial HB-Line processing operations will be needed to support future DOE-STD-3013-2012 qualification as amended by the HB-Line DOE Standard equivalency. As production increases, the volume of data to collect will increase. The HB-Line data collected will be in the form of paper copies and electronic media. Paper copy data will, at a minimum, consist of facility procedures, nonconformance reports (NCRs), and DCS print outs. Electronic data will be in the form of Adobe portable document formats (PDFs). Collecting all the required data for each plutonium oxide can will be no small effort for HB-Line, and will become more challenging once the maximum annual oxide production throughput is achieved due to the sheer volume of data to be collected. The majority of the data collected will be in the form of facility procedures, DCS print outs, and laboratory results. To facilitate complete collection of this data, a traveler form will be developed which identifies the required facility procedures, DCS print outs, and laboratory results needed to assemble a final data package for each HB-Line plutonium oxide interim oxide can. The data traveler may identify the specific values (data) required to be extracted from the collected facility procedures and DCS print outs. The data traveler may also identify associated criteria to be checked. Inevitably there will be procedure anomalies during the course of the HB-Line plutonium oxide campaign that will have to be addressed in a timely manner.« less

  3. Amborella trichopoda, plasmodesmata, and the evolution of phloem loading.

    PubMed

    Turgeon, Robert; Medville, Richard

    2011-01-01

    Phloem loading is the process by which photoassimilates synthesized in the mesophyll cells of leaves enter the sieve elements and companion cells of minor veins in preparation for long distance transport to sink organs. Three loading strategies have been described: active loading from the apoplast, passive loading via the symplast, and passive symplastic transfer followed by polymer trapping of raffinose and stachyose. We studied phloem loading in Amborella trichopoda, a premontane shrub that may be sister to all other flowering plants. The minor veins of A. trichopoda contain intermediary cells, indicative of the polymer trap mechanism, forming an arc on the abaxial side and subtending a cluster of ordinary companion cells in the interior of the veins. Intermediary cells are linked to bundle sheath cells by highly abundant plasmodesmata whereas ordinary companion cells have few plasmodesmata, characteristic of phloem that loads from the apoplast. Intermediary cells, ordinary companion cells, and sieve elements form symplastically connected complexes. Leaves provided with (14)CO(2) translocate radiolabeled sucrose, raffinose, and stachyose. Therefore, structural and physiological evidence suggests that both apoplastic and polymer trapping mechanisms of phloem loading operate in A. trichopoda. The evolution of phloem loading strategies is complex and may be difficult to resolve.

  4. Community-based Ontology Development, Annotation and Discussion with MediaWiki extension Ontokiwi and Ontokiwi-based Ontobedia

    PubMed Central

    Ong, Edison; He, Yongqun

    2016-01-01

    Hundreds of biological and biomedical ontologies have been developed to support data standardization, integration and analysis. Although ontologies are typically developed for community usage, community efforts in ontology development are limited. To support ontology visualization, distribution, and community-based annotation and development, we have developed Ontokiwi, an ontology extension to the MediaWiki software. Ontokiwi displays hierarchical classes and ontological axioms. Ontology classes and axioms can be edited and added using Ontokiwi form or MediaWiki source editor. Ontokiwi also inherits MediaWiki features such as Wikitext editing and version control. Based on the Ontokiwi/MediaWiki software package, we have developed Ontobedia, which targets to support community-based development and annotations of biological and biomedical ontologies. As demonstrations, we have loaded the Ontology of Adverse Events (OAE) and the Cell Line Ontology (CLO) into Ontobedia. Our studies showed that Ontobedia was able to achieve expected Ontokiwi features. PMID:27570653

  5. Induced PTF1a expression in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells activates acinar gene networks, reduces tumorigenic properties, and sensitizes cells to gemcitabine treatment.

    PubMed

    Jakubison, Brad L; Schweickert, Patrick G; Moser, Sarah E; Yang, Yi; Gao, Hongyu; Scully, Kathleen; Itkin-Ansari, Pamela; Liu, Yunlong; Konieczny, Stephen F

    2018-05-02

    Pancreatic acinar cells synthesize, package, and secrete digestive enzymes into the duodenum to aid in nutrient absorption and meet metabolic demands. When exposed to cellular stresses and insults, acinar cells undergo a dedifferentiation process termed acinar-ductal metaplasia (ADM). ADM lesions with oncogenic mutations eventually give rise to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). In healthy pancreata, the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) factors MIST1 and PTF1a coordinate an acinar-specific transcription network that maintains the highly developed differentiation status of the cells, protecting the pancreas from undergoing a transformative process. However, when MIST1 and PTF1a gene expression is silenced, cells are more prone to progress to PDAC. In this study, we tested whether induced MIST1 or PTF1a expression in PDAC cells could (i) re-establish the transcriptional program of differentiated acinar cells and (ii) simultaneously reduce tumor cell properties. As predicted, PTF1a induced gene expression of digestive enzymes and acinar-specific transcription factors, while MIST1 induced gene expression of vesicle trafficking molecules as well as activation of unfolded protein response components, all of which are essential to handle the high protein production load that is characteristic of acinar cells. Importantly, induction of PTF1a in PDAC also influenced cancer-associated properties, leading to a decrease in cell proliferation, cancer stem cell numbers, and repression of key ATP-binding cassette efflux transporters resulting in heightened sensitivity to gemcitabine. Thus, activation of pancreatic bHLH transcription factors rescues the acinar gene program and decreases tumorigenic properties in pancreatic cancer cells, offering unique opportunities to develop novel therapeutic intervention strategies for this deadly disease. © 2018 The Authors. Published by FEBS Press and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  6. Structural load control during construction

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mikulas, Martin M., Jr.

    1991-01-01

    In the absence of gravitational pull, the major design considerations for large space structures are stiffness for controllability, and transient dynamic loadings (as opposed to the traditional static load associated with earth-based structures). Because of the absence of gravitational loading, space structures can be designed to be significantly lighter than their counterparts on Earth. For example, the Space Shuttle manipulator arm is capable of moving and positioning a 60,000 lb payload, yet weighs less than 1,000 lbs. A recent design for the Space Station which had a total weight of about 500,000 lbs. used a primary loadcarrying keel beam which weighed less than 10,000 lbs. For many large space structures designs it is quite common for the load-carrying structure to have a mass fraction on the order of one or two percent of the total spacecraft mass. This significant weight reduction for large space structures is commonly accompanied by very low natural frequencies. These low frequencies cause an unprecedented level of operational complexity for mission applications which require a high level of positioning and control accuracy. This control problem is currently the subject of considerable research directed towards reducing the flexibility problem. In addition, however, the small mass fraction typically results in structures which are quite unforgiving to inadvertent high loadings. In other words, the structures are 'fragile.' In order to deal with the fragility issue CSC developed a load-limiting concept for space truss structures. This concept is aimed at limiting the levels of load which can occur in a large space structure during the construction process as well as during subsequent operations. Currently, the approach for dealing with large loadings is to make the structure larger. The impact this has on construction is significant. The larger structures are more difficult to package in the launch vehicle, and in fact in some instances the concept must be changed from a deployable truss to an erectable truss to permit packaging. The new load-limiting concept is aimed at permitting the use in large space structures of smaller trusses with a high level of strength robustness, in order to simplify the construction process. To date several analyses conducted on the concept have demonstrated its feasibility, and an experiment is currently being designed to demonstrate its operation.

  7. The Three R's of Utility Savings: Rate Reduction, Rebates and Retrofit.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Petiunas, Raymond V.

    1993-01-01

    An effective way to increase electricity energy savings for school districts is to integrate rate case participation (rate reduction) with conservation and load-management efforts (rebates) and retrofit operations, to obtain a total energy cost reduction package. Describes how a Pennsylvania consortium of school districts saved its member…

  8. Microbial load monitor

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Holen, J. T.; Royer, E. R.

    1976-01-01

    A card configuration which combines the functions of identification, enumeration and antibiotic sensitivity into one card was developed. An instrument package was designed around the card to integrate the card filling, incubation reading, computation and decision making process into one compact unit. Support equipment was also designed to prepare the expandable material used in the MLM.

  9. 7 CFR 956.8 - Handle.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... ORDERS; FRUITS, VEGETABLES, NUTS), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE SWEET ONIONS GROWN IN THE WALLA WALLA VALLEY... ship and means to package, load, sell, transport, or in any way place Walla Walla Sweet Onions or cause Walla Walla Sweet Onions to be placed in the current of commerce within the production area or between...

  10. 7 CFR 956.8 - Handle.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE SWEET ONIONS GROWN IN THE WALLA WALLA VALLEY... ship and means to package, load, sell, transport, or in any way place Walla Walla Sweet Onions or cause Walla Walla Sweet Onions to be placed in the current of commerce within the production area or between...

  11. 7 CFR 956.8 - Handle.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... ORDERS; FRUITS, VEGETABLES, NUTS), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE SWEET ONIONS GROWN IN THE WALLA WALLA VALLEY... ship and means to package, load, sell, transport, or in any way place Walla Walla Sweet Onions or cause Walla Walla Sweet Onions to be placed in the current of commerce within the production area or between...

  12. 7 CFR 956.8 - Handle.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE SWEET ONIONS GROWN IN THE WALLA WALLA VALLEY... ship and means to package, load, sell, transport, or in any way place Walla Walla Sweet Onions or cause Walla Walla Sweet Onions to be placed in the current of commerce within the production area or between...

  13. 7 CFR 956.8 - Handle.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE SWEET ONIONS GROWN IN THE WALLA WALLA VALLEY... ship and means to package, load, sell, transport, or in any way place Walla Walla Sweet Onions or cause Walla Walla Sweet Onions to be placed in the current of commerce within the production area or between...

  14. 77 FR 8946 - Notice of Application for Special Permits

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-02-15

    ... service motor vehicles for use in transporting a corrosive solid material in alternative packaging. (modes... the ``Nature of Application'' portion of the table below as follows: 1--Motor vehicle, 2--Rail freight... limitations and certain loading and stowage requirements. (mode 4) 15536-N ......... WavesinSolids LLC, 49 CFR...

  15. Force dependent internalization of magnetic nanoparticles results in highly loaded endothelial cells for use as potential therapy delivery vectors.

    PubMed

    MacDonald, Cristin; Barbee, Kenneth; Polyak, Boris

    2012-05-01

    To investigate the kinetics, mechanism and extent of MNP loading into endothelial cells and the effect of this loading on cell function. MNP uptake was examined under field on/off conditions, utilizing varying magnetite concentration MNPs. MNP-loaded cell viability and functional integrity was assessed using metabolic respiration, cell proliferation and migration assays. MNP uptake in endothelial cells significantly increased under the influence of a magnetic field versus non-magnetic conditions. Larger magnetite density of the MNPs led to a higher MNP internalization by cells under application of a magnetic field without compromising cellular respiration activity. Two-dimensional migration assays at no field showed that higher magnetite loading resulted in greater cell migration rates. In a three-dimensional migration assay under magnetic field, the migration rate of MNP-loaded cells was more than twice that of unloaded cells and was comparable to migration stimulated by a serum gradient. Our results suggest that endothelial cell uptake of MNPs is a force dependent process. The in vitro assays determined that cell health is not adversely affected by high MNP loadings, allowing these highly magnetically responsive cells to be potentially beneficial therapy (gene, drug or cell) delivery systems.

  16. Electromagnetic interference reduction using electromagnetic bandgap structures in packages, enclosures, cavities, and antennas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mohajer Iravani, Baharak

    Electromagnetic interference (EMI) is a source of noise problems in electronic devices. The EMI is attributed to coupling between sources of radiation and components placed in the same media such as package or chassis. This coupling can be either through conducting currents or through radiation. The radiation of electromagnetic (EM) fields is supported by surface currents. Thus, minimizing these surface currents is considered a major and critical step to suppress EMI. In this work, we present novel strategies to confine surface currents in different applications including packages, enclosures, cavities, and antennas. The efficiency of present methods of EM noise suppression is limited due to different drawbacks. For example, the traditional use of lossy materials and absorbers suffers from considerable disadvantages including mechanical and thermal reliability leading to limited life time, cost, volume, and weight. In this work, we consider the use of Electromagnetic Band Gap (EBG) structures. These structures are suitable for suppressing surface currents within a frequency band denoted as the bandgap. Their design is straight forward, they are inexpensive to implement, and they do not suffer from the limitations of the previous methods. A new method of EM noise suppression in enclosures and cavity-backed antennas using mushroom-type EBG structures is introduced. The effectiveness of the EBG as an EMI suppresser is demonstrated using numerical simulations and experimental measurements. To allow integration of EBGs in printed circuit boards and packages, novel miniaturized simple planar EBG structures based on use of high-k dielectric material (epsilonr > 100) are proposed. The design consists of meander lines and patches. The inductive meander lines serve to provide current continuity bridges between the capacitive patches. The high-k dielectric material increases the effective capacitive load substantially in comparison to commonly used material with much lower dielectric constant. Meander lines can increase the effective inductive load which pushes down the lower edge of bandgap, thus resulting in a wider bandgap. Simulation results are included to show that the proposed EBG structures provide very wide bandgap (˜10GHz) covering the multiple harmonics of of currently available microprocessors and its harmonics. To speed up the design procedure, a model based on combination of lumped elements and transmission lines is proposed. The derived model predicts accurately the starting edge of bandgap. This result is verified with full-wave analysis. Finally, another novel compact wide band mushroom-type EBG structure using magneto-dielectric materials is designed. Numerical simulations show that the proposed EBG structure provides in-phase reflection bandgap which is several times greater than the one obtained from a conventional EBG operating at the same frequency while its cell size is smaller. This type of EBG structure can be used efficiently as a ground plane for low-profile wideband antennas.

  17. Conductor disc used to suppress spurious mode and enhance electric coupling in a dielectric loaded combline resonator

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pholele, T. M.; Chuma, J. M.

    2016-03-01

    The effects of conductor disc in a dielectric loaded combline resonator on its spurious performance, unloaded quality factor (Qu), and coupling coefficients are analysed using a commercial electromagnetic software package CST Microwave Studio (CST MWS). The disc improves the spurious free band but simultaneously deteriorates the Qu. The presence of the disc substantially improves the electric coupling by a factor of 1.891 for an aperture opening of 12 mm, while it has insignificant effect on the magnetic coupling.

  18. IPS guidestar selection for stellar mode (ASTRO)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mullins, Larry; Wooten, Lewis

    1988-01-01

    This report describes how guide stars are selected for the Optical Sensor Package (OSP) for the Instrument Pointing System (IPS) when it is operating in the stellar mode on the ASTRO missions. It also describes how the objective loads are written and how the various roll angles are related; i.e., the celestial roll or position angle, the objective load roll angles, and the IPS gimbal angles. There is a brief description of how the IPS operates and its various modes of operation; i.e., IDOP, IDIN, and OSPCAL.

  19. Development of methodology for component testing under impact loading for space applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Church, Phillip; Taylor, Nicholas; Perkinson, Marie-Claire; Wishart, Alex; Vijendran, Sanjay; Braithwaite, Chris

    2017-06-01

    A number of recent studies have highlighted the scientific benefits of penetrator technology in conducting exploration on other planetary bodies and moons within the solar system. Such a ``hard landing'' approach is cheaper and easier than the traditional ``soft landing'' method. However it is necessary for the science package of such a mission to withstand the rapid decelerations that will occur upon impact. This paper outlines an approach that has been developed to simulate the loading appropriate to Europa and also to monitor component performance before, during and after the impact.

  20. Spontaneous Packaging and Hypothermic Storage of Mammalian Cells with a Cell-Membrane-Mimetic Polymer Hydrogel in a Microchip.

    PubMed

    Xu, Yan; Mawatari, Kazuma; Konno, Tomohiro; Kitamori, Takehiko; Ishihara, Kazuhiko

    2015-10-21

    Currently, continuous culture/passage and cryopreservation are two major, well-established methods to provide cultivated mammalian cells for experiments in laboratories. Due to the lack of flexibility, however, both laboratory-oriented methods are unable to meet the need for rapidly growing cell-based applications, which require cell supply in a variety of occasions outside of laboratories. Herein, we report spontaneous packaging and hypothermic storage of mammalian cells under refrigerated (4 °C) and ambient conditions (25 °C) using a cell-membrane-mimetic methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) polymer hydrogel incorporated within a glass microchip. Its capability for hypothermic storage of cells was comparatively evaluated over 16 days. The results reveal that the cytocompatible MPC polymer hydrogel, in combination with the microchip structure, enabled hypothermic storage of cells with quite high viability, high intracellular esterase activity, maintained cell membrane integrity, and small morphological change for more than 1 week at 4 °C and at least 4 days at 25 °C. Furthermore, the stored cells could be released from the hydrogel and exhibited the ability to adhere to a surface and achieve confluence under standard cell culture conditions. Both hypothermic storage conditions are ordinary flexible conditions which can be easily established in places outside of laboratories. Therefore, cell packaging and storage using the hydrogel incorporated within the microchip would be a promising miniature and portable solution for flexible supply and delivery of small amounts of cells from bench to bedside.

  1. Status Report - Cane Fiberboard Properties and Degradation Rates for Storage of the 9975 Shipping Package in KAMS

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

    Daugherty, W. L.

    Thermal, mechanical and physical properties have been measured on cane fiberboard samples following accelerated aging for up to approximately 7 years. The aging environments have included elevated temperature < 250 ?F (the maximum allowed service temperature for fiberboard in 9975 packages) and elevated humidity. The results from this testing have been analyzed, and aging models fit to the data. Correlations relating several properties (thermal conductivity, energy absorption, weight loss and height decrease) to their rate of change in potential storage environments have been developed. Combined with an estimate of the actual conditions the fiberboard experiences in KAMS, these models allowmore » development of service life predictions. Some of the predicted degradation rates presented in this report are relatively extreme. However, these relate to environments that do not exist within KAMS, or would be postulated only as upset conditions that would not likely persist for an extended period. For a typical package with ~10 watts internal heat load or less, and ambient temperatures below 90 ?F, the fiberboard experiences storage conditions less severe than any of the aging environments. Little or no degradation of the fiberboard is expected for typical storage conditions. It should be noted that the ultimate service life will be determined by the cumulative effect of degradation from all the conditions these packages might encounter. The assumptions and inputs behind the models in this report should be well understood before attempting to identify an actual service life in KAMS. Additional data continue to be collected to permit future refinements to the models and assumptions. For developing service life predictions, the ambient conditions within KAMS can be reasonably identified, and the temperature profiles within the various packages (with a range of heat loads and at varying locations within an array of packages) can be calculated. However, the humidity within the package is not as well characterized. While the outer drum does not provide an air-tight seal, it does greatly restrict the gain or loss of moisture in the fiberboard. Preliminary efforts have identified a relationship between the moisture content of fiberboard samples and the relative humidity of the surrounding air, but further work is needed in this area. Improvement in understanding this relationship might be realized with a change in the way humidity data are collected during field surveillances. It is recommended that the humidity be measured through a caplug hole before the package is removed from its storage location. The package would remain in thermal equilibrium, and anomalous humidity changes could be avoided. Further work should be performed to better define KAMS storage conditions and the environment within the 9975 shipping packages, and to identify appropriate limits for each property. This should be a joint effort by SRNL and NMM personnel. The results and model predictions presented in this report are applicable to 9975 packages with cane fiberboard overpack assemblies. A separate effort is underway to identify whether softwood fiberboard would behave similarly. In addition, the degradation models do not address the effects of non-conforming conditions such as the presence of excess moisture and mold, or beetle infestations.« less

  2. funtooNorm: an R package for normalization of DNA methylation data when there are multiple cell or tissue types.

    PubMed

    Oros Klein, Kathleen; Grinek, Stepan; Bernatsky, Sasha; Bouchard, Luigi; Ciampi, Antonio; Colmegna, Ines; Fortin, Jean-Philippe; Gao, Long; Hivert, Marie-France; Hudson, Marie; Kobor, Michael S; Labbe, Aurelie; MacIsaac, Julia L; Meaney, Michael J; Morin, Alexander M; O'Donnell, Kieran J; Pastinen, Tomi; Van Ijzendoorn, Marinus H; Voisin, Gregory; Greenwood, Celia M T

    2016-02-15

    DNA methylation patterns are well known to vary substantially across cell types or tissues. Hence, existing normalization methods may not be optimal if they do not take this into account. We therefore present a new R package for normalization of data from the Illumina Infinium Human Methylation450 BeadChip (Illumina 450 K) built on the concepts in the recently published funNorm method, and introducing cell-type or tissue-type flexibility. funtooNorm is relevant for data sets containing samples from two or more cell or tissue types. A visual display of cross-validated errors informs the choice of the optimal number of components in the normalization. Benefits of cell (tissue)-specific normalization are demonstrated in three data sets. Improvement can be substantial; it is strikingly better on chromosome X, where methylation patterns have unique inter-tissue variability. An R package is available at https://github.com/GreenwoodLab/funtooNorm, and has been submitted to Bioconductor at http://bioconductor.org. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press.

  3. 40 CFR 86.1308-84 - Dynamometer and engine equipment specifications.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... technique involves the calibration of a master load cell (i.e., dynamometer case load cell). This... hydraulically actuated precalibrated master load cell. This calibration is then transferred to the flywheel torque measuring device. The technique involves the following steps: (i) A master load cell shall be...

  4. Miga Aero Actuator and 2D Machined Mechanical Binary Latch

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gummin, Mark A.

    2013-01-01

    Shape memory alloy (SMA) actuators provide the highest force-to-weight ratio of any known actuator. They can be designed for a wide variety of form factors from flat, thin packages, to form-matching packages for existing actuators. SMA actuators can be operated many thousands of times, so that ground testing is possible. Actuation speed can be accurately controlled from milliseconds to position and hold, and even electronic velocity-profile control is possible. SMA actuators provide a high degree of operational flexibility, and are truly smart actuators capable of being accurately controlled by onboard microprocessors across a wide range of voltages. The Miga Aero actuator is a SMA actuator designed specifically for spaceflight applications. Providing 13 mm of stroke with either 20- or 40-N output force in two different models, the Aero actuator is made from low-outgassing PEEK (polyether ether ketone) plastic, stainless steel, and nickel-titanium SMA wires. The modular actuator weighs less than 28 grams. The dorsal output attachment allows the Aero to be used in either PUSH or PULL modes by inverting the mounting orientation. The SPA1 actuator utilizes commercially available SMA actuator wire to provide 3/8-in. (approx. =.1 cm) of stroke at a force of over 28 lb (approx. = .125 N). The force is provided by a unique packaging of the single SMA wire that provides the output force of four SMA wires mechanically in parallel. The output load is shared by allowing the SMA wire to slip around the output attachment end to adjust or balance the load, preventing any individual wire segment from experiencing high loads during actuation. A built-in end limit switch prevents overheating of the SMA element following actuation when used in conjunction with the Miga Analog Driver [a simple MOSFET (metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor) switching circuit]. A simple 2D machined mechanical binary latch has been developed to complement the capabilities of SMA wire actuators. SMA actuators typically perform ideally as latch-release devices, wherein a spring-loaded device is released when the SMA actuator actuates in one direction. But many applications require cycling between two latched states open and closed.

  5. Yeast Microcapsule-Mediated Targeted Delivery of Diverse Nanoparticles for Imaging and Therapy via the Oral Route.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Xing; Zhang, Xiangjun; Han, Songling; Dou, Yin; Liu, Mengyu; Zhang, Lin; Guo, Jiawei; Shi, Qing; Gong, Genghao; Wang, Ruibing; Hu, Jiang; Li, Xiaohui; Zhang, Jianxiang

    2017-02-08

    Targeting of nanoparticles to distant diseased sites after oral delivery remains highly challenging due to the existence of many biological barriers in the gastrointestinal tract. Here we report targeted oral delivery of diverse nanoparticles in multiple disease models, via a "Trojan horse" strategy based on a bioinspired yeast capsule (YC). Diverse charged nanoprobes including quantum dots (QDs), iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs), and assembled organic fluorescent nanoparticles can be effectively loaded into YC through electrostatic force-driven spontaneous deposition, resulting in different diagnostic YC assemblies. Also, different positive nanotherapies containing an anti-inflammatory drug indomethacin (IND) or an antitumor drug paclitaxel (PTX) are efficiently packaged into YC. YCs containing either nanoprobes or nanotherapies may be rapidly endocytosed by macrophages and maintained in cells for a relatively long period of time. Post oral administration, nanoparticles packaged in YC are first transcytosed by M cells and sequentially endocytosed by macrophages, then transported to neighboring lymphoid tissues, and finally delivered to remote diseased sites of inflammation or tumor in mice or rats, all through the natural route of macrophage activation, recruitment, and deployment. For the examined acute inflammation model, the targeting efficiency of YC-delivered QDs or IONPs is even higher than that of control nanoprobes administered at the same dose via intravenous injection. Assembled IND or PTX nanotherapies orally delivered via YCs exhibit remarkably potentiated efficacies as compared to nanotherapies alone in animal models of inflammation and tumor, which is consistent with the targeting effect and enhanced accumulation of drug molecules at diseased sites. Consequently, through the intricate transportation route, nanoprobes or nanotherapies enveloped in YC can be preferentially delivered to desired targets, affording remarkably improved efficacies for the treatment of multiple diseases associated with inflammation.

  6. Reference Gene Validation for RT-qPCR, a Note on Different Available Software Packages

    PubMed Central

    De Spiegelaere, Ward; Dern-Wieloch, Jutta; Weigel, Roswitha; Schumacher, Valérie; Schorle, Hubert; Nettersheim, Daniel; Bergmann, Martin; Brehm, Ralph; Kliesch, Sabine; Vandekerckhove, Linos; Fink, Cornelia

    2015-01-01

    Background An appropriate normalization strategy is crucial for data analysis from real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reactions (RT-qPCR). It is widely supported to identify and validate stable reference genes, since no single biological gene is stably expressed between cell types or within cells under different conditions. Different algorithms exist to validate optimal reference genes for normalization. Applying human cells, we here compare the three main methods to the online available RefFinder tool that integrates these algorithms along with R-based software packages which include the NormFinder and GeNorm algorithms. Results 14 candidate reference genes were assessed by RT-qPCR in two sample sets, i.e. a set of samples of human testicular tissue containing carcinoma in situ (CIS), and a set of samples from the human adult Sertoli cell line (FS1) either cultured alone or in co-culture with the seminoma like cell line (TCam-2) or with equine bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (eBM-MSC). Expression stabilities of the reference genes were evaluated using geNorm, NormFinder, and BestKeeper. Similar results were obtained by the three approaches for the most and least stably expressed genes. The R-based packages NormqPCR, SLqPCR and the NormFinder for R script gave identical gene rankings. Interestingly, different outputs were obtained between the original software packages and the RefFinder tool, which is based on raw Cq values for input. When the raw data were reanalysed assuming 100% efficiency for all genes, then the outputs of the original software packages were similar to the RefFinder software, indicating that RefFinder outputs may be biased because PCR efficiencies are not taken into account. Conclusions This report shows that assay efficiency is an important parameter for reference gene validation. New software tools that incorporate these algorithms should be carefully validated prior to use. PMID:25825906

  7. Reference gene validation for RT-qPCR, a note on different available software packages.

    PubMed

    De Spiegelaere, Ward; Dern-Wieloch, Jutta; Weigel, Roswitha; Schumacher, Valérie; Schorle, Hubert; Nettersheim, Daniel; Bergmann, Martin; Brehm, Ralph; Kliesch, Sabine; Vandekerckhove, Linos; Fink, Cornelia

    2015-01-01

    An appropriate normalization strategy is crucial for data analysis from real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reactions (RT-qPCR). It is widely supported to identify and validate stable reference genes, since no single biological gene is stably expressed between cell types or within cells under different conditions. Different algorithms exist to validate optimal reference genes for normalization. Applying human cells, we here compare the three main methods to the online available RefFinder tool that integrates these algorithms along with R-based software packages which include the NormFinder and GeNorm algorithms. 14 candidate reference genes were assessed by RT-qPCR in two sample sets, i.e. a set of samples of human testicular tissue containing carcinoma in situ (CIS), and a set of samples from the human adult Sertoli cell line (FS1) either cultured alone or in co-culture with the seminoma like cell line (TCam-2) or with equine bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (eBM-MSC). Expression stabilities of the reference genes were evaluated using geNorm, NormFinder, and BestKeeper. Similar results were obtained by the three approaches for the most and least stably expressed genes. The R-based packages NormqPCR, SLqPCR and the NormFinder for R script gave identical gene rankings. Interestingly, different outputs were obtained between the original software packages and the RefFinder tool, which is based on raw Cq values for input. When the raw data were reanalysed assuming 100% efficiency for all genes, then the outputs of the original software packages were similar to the RefFinder software, indicating that RefFinder outputs may be biased because PCR efficiencies are not taken into account. This report shows that assay efficiency is an important parameter for reference gene validation. New software tools that incorporate these algorithms should be carefully validated prior to use.

  8. Trans-packaging of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 genome into Gag virus-like particles in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

    PubMed

    Tomo, Naoki; Goto, Toshiyuki; Morikawa, Yuko

    2013-03-26

    Yeast is recognized as a generally safe microorganism and is utilized for the production of pharmaceutical products, including vaccines. We previously showed that expression of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Gag protein in Saccharomyces cerevisiae spheroplasts released Gag virus-like particles (VLPs) extracellularly, suggesting that the production system could be used in vaccine development. In this study, we further establish HIV-1 genome packaging into Gag VLPs in a yeast cell system. The nearly full-length HIV-1 genome containing the entire 5' long terminal repeat, U3-R-U5, did not transcribe gag mRNA in yeast. Co-expression of HIV-1 Tat, a transcription activator, did not support the transcription. When the HIV-1 promoter U3 was replaced with the promoter for the yeast glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene, gag mRNA transcription was restored, but no Gag protein expression was observed. Co-expression of HIV-1 Rev, a factor that facilitates nuclear export of gag mRNA, did not support the protein synthesis. Progressive deletions of R-U5 and its downstream stem-loop-rich region (SL) to the gag start ATG codon restored Gag protein expression, suggesting that a highly structured noncoding RNA generated from the R-U5-SL region had an inhibitory effect on gag mRNA translation. When a plasmid containing the HIV-1 genome with the R-U5-SL region was coexpressed with an expression plasmid for Gag protein, the HIV-1 genomic RNA was transcribed and incorporated into Gag VLPs formed by Gag protein assembly, indicative of the trans-packaging of HIV-1 genomic RNA into Gag VLPs in a yeast cell system. The concentration of HIV-1 genomic RNA in Gag VLPs released from yeast was approximately 500-fold higher than that in yeast cytoplasm. The deletion of R-U5 to the gag gene resulted in the failure of HIV-1 RNA packaging into Gag VLPs, indicating that the packaging signal of HIV-1 genomic RNA present in the R-U5 to gag region functions similarly in yeast cells. Our data indicate that selective trans-packaging of HIV-1 genomic RNA into Gag VLPs occurs in a yeast cell system, analogous to a mammalian cell system, suggesting that yeast may provide an alternative packaging system for lentiviral RNA.

  9. A Mutation in UL15 of Herpes Simplex Virus 1 That Reduces Packaging of Cleaved Genomes▿

    PubMed Central

    Yang, Kui; Wills, Elizabeth G.; Baines, Joel D.

    2011-01-01

    Herpesvirus genomic DNA is cleaved from concatemers that accumulate in infected cell nuclei. Genomic DNA is inserted into preassembled capsids through a unique portal vertex. Extensive analyses of viral mutants have indicated that intact capsids, the portal vertex, and all components of a tripartite terminase enzyme are required to both cleave and package viral DNA, suggesting that DNA cleavage and packaging are inextricably linked. Because the processes have not been functionally separable, it has been difficult to parse the roles of individual proteins in the DNA cleavage/packaging reaction. In the present study, a virus bearing the deletion of codons 400 to 420 of UL15, encoding a terminase component, was analyzed. This virus, designated vJB27, failed to replicate on noncomplementing cells but cleaved concatemeric DNA to ca. 35 to 98% of wild-type levels. No DNA cleavage was detected in cells infected with a UL15-null virus or a virus lacking UL15 codons 383 to 385, comprising a motif proposed to couple ATP hydrolysis to DNA translocation. The amount of vJB27 DNA protected from DNase I digestion was reduced compared to the wild-type virus by 6.5- to 200-fold, depending on the DNA fragment analyzed, thus indicating a profound defect in DNA packaging. Capsids containing viral DNA were not detected in vJB27-infected cells, as determined by electron microscopy. These data suggest that pUL15 plays an essential role in DNA translocation into the capsid and indicate that this function is separable from its role in DNA cleavage. PMID:21880766

  10. Randomization and In Vivo Selection Reveal a GGRG Motif Essential for Packaging Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 2 RNA ▿ †

    PubMed Central

    Baig, Tayyba T.; Lanchy, Jean-Marc; Lodmell, J. Stephen

    2009-01-01

    The packaging signal (ψ) of human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2) is present in the 5′ noncoding region of RNA and contains a 10-nucleotide palindrome (pal; 5′-392-GGAGUGCUCC) located upstream of the dimerization signal stem-loop 1 (SL1). pal has been shown to be functionally important in vitro and in vivo. We previously showed that the 3′ side of pal (GCUCC-3′) is involved in base-pairing interactions with a sequence downstream of SL1 to make an extended SL1, which is important for replication in vivo and the regulation of dimerization in vitro. However, the role of the 5′ side of pal (5′-GGAGU) was less clear. Here, we characterized this role using an in vivo SELEX approach. We produced a population of HIV-2 DNA genomes with random sequences within the 5′ side of pal and transfected these into COS-7 cells. Viruses from COS-7 cells were used to infect C8166 permissive cells. After several weeks of serial passage in C8166 cells, surviving viruses were sequenced. On the 5′ side of pal there was a striking convergence toward a GGRGN consensus sequence. Individual clones with consensus and nonconsensus sequences were tested in infectivity and packaging assays. Analysis of individuals that diverged from the consensus sequence showed normal viral RNA and protein synthesis but had replication defects and impaired RNA packaging. These findings clearly indicate that the GGRG motif is essential for viral replication and genomic RNA packaging. PMID:18971263

  11. Design of high precision temperature control system for TO packaged LD

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liang, Enji; Luo, Baoke; Zhuang, Bin; He, Zhengquan

    2017-10-01

    Temperature is an important factor affecting the performance of TO package LD. In order to ensure the safe and stable operation of LD, a temperature control circuit for LD based on PID technology is designed. The MAX1978 and an external PID circuit are used to form a control circuit that drives the thermoelectric cooler (TEC) to achieve control of temperature and the external load can be changed. The system circuit has low power consumption, high integration and high precision,and the circuit can achieve precise control of the LD temperature. Experiment results show that the circuit can achieve effective and stable control of the laser temperature.

  12. A Comprehensive Computer Package for Ambulatory Surgical Facilities

    PubMed Central

    Kessler, Robert R.

    1980-01-01

    Ambulatory surgical centers are a cost effective alternative to hospital surgery. Their increasing popularity has contributed to heavy case loads, an accumulation of vast amounts of medical and financial data and economic pressures to maintain a tight control over “cash flow”. Computerization is now a necessity to aid ambulatory surgical centers to maintain their competitive edge. An on-line system is especially necessary as it allows interactive scheduling of surgical cases, immediate access to financial data and rapid gathering of medical and statistical information. This paper describes the significant features of the computer package in use at the Salt Lake Surgical Center, which processes 500 cases per month.

  13. Hazardous Material Packaging and Transportation

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

    Hypes, Philip A.

    2016-02-04

    This is a student training course. Some course objectives are to: recognize and use standard international and US customary units to describe activities and exposure rates associated with radioactive material; determine whether a quantity of a single radionuclide meets the definition of a class 7 (radioactive) material; determine, for a given single radionuclide, the shipping quantity activity limits per 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 173.435; determine the appropriate radioactive material hazard class proper shipping name for a given material; determine when a single radionuclide meets the DOT definition of a hazardous substance; determine the appropriate packaging required for amore » given radioactive material; identify the markings to be placed on a package of radioactive material; determine the label(s) to apply to a given radioactive material package; identify the entry requirements for radioactive material labels; determine the proper placement for radioactive material label(s); identify the shipping paper entry requirements for radioactive material; select the appropriate placards for a given radioactive material shipment or vehicle load; and identify allowable transport limits and unacceptable transport conditions for radioactive material.« less

  14. Ferritin heavy chain as a molecular imaging reporter gene in glioma xenografts.

    PubMed

    Cheng, Sen; Mi, Ruifang; Xu, Yu; Jin, Guishan; Zhang, Junwen; Zhou, Yiqiang; Chen, Zhengguang; Liu, Fusheng

    2017-06-01

    The development of glioma therapy in clinical practice (e.g., gene therapy) calls for efficiently visualizing and tracking glioma cells in vivo. Human ferritin heavy chain is a novel gene reporter in magnetic resonance imaging. This study proposes hFTH as a reporter gene for MR molecular imaging in glioma xenografts. Rat C6 glioma cells were infected by packaged lentivirus carrying hFTH and EGFP genes and obtained by fluorescence-activated cell sorting. The iron-loaded ability was analyzed by the total iron reagent kit. Glioma nude mouse models were established subcutaneously and intracranially. Then, in vivo tumor bioluminescence was performed via the IVIS spectrum imaging system. The MR imaging analysis was analyzed on a 7T animal MRI scanner. Finally, the expression of hFTH was analyzed by western blotting and histological analysis. Stable glioma cells carrying hFTH and EGFP reporter genes were successfully obtained. The intracellular iron concentration was increased without impairing the cell proliferation rate. Glioma cells overexpressing hFTH showed significantly decreased signal intensity on T 2 -weighted MRI both in vitro and in vivo. EGFP fluorescent imaging could also be detected in the subcutaneous and intracranial glioma xenografts. Moreover, the expression of the transferritin receptor was significantly increased in glioma cells carrying the hFTH reporter gene. Our study illustrated that hFTH generated cellular MR imaging contrast efficiently in glioma via regulating the expression of transferritin receptor. This might be a useful reporter gene in cell tracking and MR molecular imaging for glioma diagnosis, gene therapy and tumor metastasis.

  15. 40 CFR 201.16 - Standard for locomotive load cell test stands.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Standard for locomotive load cell test... Interstate Rail Carrier Operations Standards § 201.16 Standard for locomotive load cell test stands. (a) Effective January 15, 1984, no carrier subject to this reguation shall operate locomotive load cell test...

  16. 40 CFR 201.16 - Standard for locomotive load cell test stands.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Standard for locomotive load cell test... Interstate Rail Carrier Operations Standards § 201.16 Standard for locomotive load cell test stands. (a) Effective January 15, 1984, no carrier subject to this reguation shall operate locomotive load cell test...

  17. 40 CFR 201.16 - Standard for locomotive load cell test stands.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Standard for locomotive load cell test... Interstate Rail Carrier Operations Standards § 201.16 Standard for locomotive load cell test stands. (a) Effective January 15, 1984, no carrier subject to this reguation shall operate locomotive load cell test...

  18. 40 CFR 201.16 - Standard for locomotive load cell test stands.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 26 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Standard for locomotive load cell test... Interstate Rail Carrier Operations Standards § 201.16 Standard for locomotive load cell test stands. (a) Effective January 15, 1984, no carrier subject to this reguation shall operate locomotive load cell test...

  19. 40 CFR 201.16 - Standard for locomotive load cell test stands.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 26 2012-07-01 2011-07-01 true Standard for locomotive load cell test... Interstate Rail Carrier Operations Standards § 201.16 Standard for locomotive load cell test stands. (a) Effective January 15, 1984, no carrier subject to this reguation shall operate locomotive load cell test...

  20. Toward Serotonin Fluorescent False Neurotransmitters: Development of Fluorescent Dual Serotonin and Vesicular Monoamine Transporter Substrates for Visualizing Serotonin Neurons.

    PubMed

    Henke, Adam; Kovalyova, Yekaterina; Dunn, Matthew; Dreier, Dominik; Gubernator, Niko G; Dincheva, Iva; Hwu, Christopher; Šebej, Peter; Ansorge, Mark S; Sulzer, David; Sames, Dalibor

    2018-05-16

    Ongoing efforts in our laboratories focus on design of optical reporters known as fluorescent false neurotransmitters (FFNs) that enable the visualization of uptake into, packaging within, and release from individual monoaminergic neurons and presynaptic sites in the brain. Here, we introduce the molecular probe FFN246 as an expansion of the FFN platform to the serotonergic system. Combining the acridone fluorophore with the ethylamine recognition element of serotonin, we identified FFN54 and FFN246 as substrates for both the serotonin transporter and the vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2). A systematic structure-activity study revealed the basic structural chemotype of aminoalkyl acridones required for serotonin transporter (SERT) activity and enabled lowering the background labeling of these probes while maintaining SERT activity, which proved essential for obtaining sufficient signal in the brain tissue (FFN246). We demonstrate the utility of FFN246 for direct examination of SERT activity and SERT inhibitors in 96-well cell culture assays, as well as specific labeling of serotonergic neurons of the dorsal raphe nucleus in the living tissue of acute mouse brain slices. While we found only minor FFN246 accumulation in serotonergic axons in murine brain tissue, FFN246 effectively traces serotonin uptake and packaging in the soma of serotonergic neurons with improved photophysical properties and loading parameters compared to known serotonin-based fluorescent tracers.

  1. Enhancing the Breadth and Efficacy of Therapeutic Vaccines for Breast Cancer

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-10-01

    sequence data produced by the Slansky team following their single-cell emulsion RT-PCR technique; however, it can be packaged and shared for use...cell emulsion RT-PCR. Additional modifications were made to our epitope discovery workflow to increase efficacy of transcript and neoantigen candidate...the MiTCR [8] open source software package developed by MiLaboratory. MiTCR is a highly efficient and fast approach to CDR3 extraction, clonotype

  2. Rapid DNA replication origin licensing protects stem cell pluripotency

    PubMed Central

    Matson, Jacob Peter; Dumitru, Raluca; Coryell, Philip; Baxley, Ryan M; Chen, Weili; Twaroski, Kirk; Webber, Beau R; Tolar, Jakub; Bielinsky, Anja-Katrin; Purvis, Jeremy E

    2017-01-01

    Complete and robust human genome duplication requires loading minichromosome maintenance (MCM) helicase complexes at many DNA replication origins, an essential process termed origin licensing. Licensing is restricted to G1 phase of the cell cycle, but G1 length varies widely among cell types. Using quantitative single-cell analyses, we found that pluripotent stem cells with naturally short G1 phases load MCM much faster than their isogenic differentiated counterparts with long G1 phases. During the earliest stages of differentiation toward all lineages, MCM loading slows concurrently with G1 lengthening, revealing developmental control of MCM loading. In contrast, ectopic Cyclin E overproduction uncouples short G1 from fast MCM loading. Rapid licensing in stem cells is caused by accumulation of the MCM loading protein, Cdt1. Prematurely slowing MCM loading in pluripotent cells not only lengthens G1 but also accelerates differentiation. Thus, rapid origin licensing is an intrinsic characteristic of stem cells that contributes to pluripotency maintenance. PMID:29148972

  3. Packaging - Materials review

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Herrmann, Matthias

    2014-06-01

    Nowadays, a large number of different electrochemical energy storage systems are known. In the last two decades the development was strongly driven by a continuously growing market of portable electronic devices (e.g. cellular phones, lap top computers, camcorders, cameras, tools). Current intensive efforts are under way to develop systems for automotive industry within the framework of electrically propelled mobility (e.g. hybrid electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, full electric vehicles) and also for the energy storage market (e.g. electrical grid stability, renewable energies). Besides the different systems (cell chemistries), electrochemical cells and batteries were developed and are offered in many shapes, sizes and designs, in order to meet performance and design requirements of the widespread applications. Proper packaging is thereby one important technological step for designing optimum, reliable and safe batteries for operation. In this contribution, current packaging approaches of cells and batteries together with the corresponding materials are discussed. The focus is laid on rechargeable systems for industrial applications (i.e. alkaline systems, lithium-ion, lead-acid). In principle, four different cell types (shapes) can be identified - button, cylindrical, prismatic and pouch. Cell size can be either in accordance with international (e.g. International Electrotechnical Commission, IEC) or other standards or can meet application-specific dimensions. Since cell housing or container, terminals and, if necessary, safety installations as inactive (non-reactive) materials reduce energy density of the battery, the development of low-weight packages is a challenging task. In addition to that, other requirements have to be fulfilled: mechanical stability and durability, sealing (e.g. high permeation barrier against humidity for lithium-ion technology), high packing efficiency, possible installation of safety devices (current interrupt device, valve, etc.), chemical inertness, cost issues, and others. Finally, proper cell design has to be considered for effective thermal management (i.e. cooling and heating) of battery packs.

  4. Solving PDEs with Intrepid

    DOE PAGES

    Bochev, P.; Edwards, H. C.; Kirby, R. C.; ...

    2012-01-01

    Intrepid is a Trilinos package for advanced discretizations of Partial Differential Equations (PDEs). The package provides a comprehensive set of tools for local, cell-based construction of a wide range of numerical methods for PDEs. This paper describes the mathematical ideas and software design principles incorporated in the package. We also provide representative examples showcasing the use of Intrepid both in the context of numerical PDEs and the more general context of data analysis.

  5. Load cell having strain gauges of arbitrary location

    DOEpatents

    Spletzer, Barry [Albuquerque, NM

    2007-03-13

    A load cell utilizes a plurality of strain gauges mounted upon the load cell body such that there are six independent load-strain relations. Load is determined by applying the inverse of a load-strain sensitivity matrix to a measured strain vector. The sensitivity matrix is determined by performing a multivariate regression technique on a set of known loads correlated to the resulting strains. Temperature compensation is achieved by configuring the strain gauges as co-located orthogonal pairs.

  6. Force Dependent Internalization of Magnetic Nanoparticles Results in Highly Loaded Endothelial Cells for Use as Potential Therapy Delivery Vectors

    PubMed Central

    MacDonald, Cristin; Barbee, Kenneth

    2015-01-01

    Purpose To investigate the kinetics, mechanism and extent of MNP loading into endothelial cells and the effect of this loading on cell function. Methods MNP uptake was examined under field on/off conditions, utilizing varying magnetite concentration MNPs. MNP-loaded cell viability and functional integrity was assessed using metabolic respiration, cell proliferation and migration assays. Results MNP uptake in endothelial cells significantly increased under the influence of a magnetic field versus non-magnetic conditions. Larger magnetite density of the MNPs led to a higher MNP internalization by cells under application of a magnetic field without compromising cellular respiration activity. Two-dimensional migration assays at no field showed that higher magnetite loading resulted in greater cell migration rates. In a three-dimensional migration assay under magnetic field, the migration rate of MNP-loaded cells was more than twice that of unloaded cells and was comparable to migration stimulated by a serum gradient. Conclusions Our results suggest that endothelial cell uptake of MNPs is a force dependent process. The in vitro assays determined that cell health is not adversely affected by high MNP loadings, allowing these highly magnetically responsive cells to be potentially beneficial therapy (gene, drug or cell) delivery systems. PMID:22234617

  7. Lessons Learned in the Design and Use of IP1 / IP2 Flexible Packaging - 13621

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

    Sanchez, Mike; Reeves, Wendall; Smart, Bill

    2013-07-01

    For many years in the USA, Low Level Radioactive Waste (LLW), contaminated soils and construction debris, have been transported, interim stored, and disposed of, using IP1 / IP2 metal containers. The performance of these containers has been more than adequate, with few safety occurrences. The containers are used under the regulatory oversight of the US Department of Transportation (DOT), 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). In the late 90's the introduction of flexible packaging for the transport, storage, and disposal of low level contaminated soils and construction debris was introduced. The development of flexible packaging came out of a needmore » for a more cost effective package, for the large volumes of waste generated by the decommissioning of many of the US Department of Energy (DOE) legacy sites across the US. Flexible packaging had to be designed to handle a wide array of waste streams, including soil, gravel, construction debris, and fine particulate dust migration. The design also had to meet all of the IP1 requirements under 49CFR 173.410, and be robust enough to pass the IP2 testing 49 CFR 173.465 required for many LLW shipments. Tens of thousands of flexible packages have been safely deployed and used across the US nuclear industry as well as for hazardous non-radioactive applications, with no recorded release of radioactive materials. To ensure that flexible packages are designed properly, the manufacturer must use lessons learned over the years, and the tests performed to provide evidence that these packages are suitable for transporting low level radioactive wastes. The design and testing of flexible packaging for LLW, VLLW and other hazardous waste streams must be as strict and stringent as the design and testing of metal containers. The design should take into consideration the materials being loaded into the package, and should incorporate the right materials, and manufacturing methods, to provide a quality, safe product. Flexible packaging can be shown to meet the criteria for safe and fit for purpose packaging, by meeting the US DOT regulations, and the IAEA Standards for IP-1 and IP-2 including leak tightness. (authors)« less

  8. Characterizing the uncertainty in holddown post load measurements

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Richardson, J. A.; Townsend, J. S.

    1993-01-01

    In order to understand unexpectedly erratic load measurements in the launch-pad supports for the space shuttle, the sensitivities of the load cells in the supports were analyzed using simple probabilistic techniques. NASA engineers use the loads in the shuttle's supports to calculate critical stresses in the shuttle vehicle just before lift-off. The support loads are measured with 'load cells' which are actually structural components of the mobile launch platform which have been instrumented with strain gauges. Although these load cells adequately measure vertical loads, the horizontal load measurements have been erratic. The load measurements were simulated in this study using Monte Carlo simulation procedures. The simulation studies showed that the support loads are sensitive to small deviations in strain and calibration. In their current configuration, the load cells will not measure loads with sufficient accuracy to reliably calculate stresses in the shuttle vehicle. A simplified model of the holddown post (HDP) load measurement system was used to study the effect on load measurement accuracy for several factors, including load point deviations, gauge heights, and HDP geometry.

  9. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Gilmore Load Cell Machine: Load Cell Calibrations to 2.22 x 10(exp 7) Newtons

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Haynes, Michael W.

    2000-01-01

    Designed in 1964 and erected in 1966, the mission of the Gilmore Load Cell Machine was to provide highly accurate calibrations for large capacity load cells in support of NASA's Apollo Program. Still in use today, the Gilmore Machine is a national treasure with no equal.

  10. 40 CFR 201.27 - Procedures for: (1) Determining applicability of the locomotive load cell test stand standard and...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... applicability of the locomotive load cell test stand standard and switcher locomotive standard by noise measurement on a receiving property; (2) measurement of locomotive load cell test stands more than 120 meters... locomotive load cell test stand standard and switcher locomotive standard by noise measurement on a receiving...

  11. 40 CFR 201.27 - Procedures for: (1) Determining applicability of the locomotive load cell test stand standard and...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... applicability of the locomotive load cell test stand standard and switcher locomotive standard by noise measurement on a receiving property; (2) measurement of locomotive load cell test stands more than 120 meters... locomotive load cell test stand standard and switcher locomotive standard by noise measurement on a receiving...

  12. 40 CFR 201.27 - Procedures for: (1) Determining applicability of the locomotive load cell test stand standard and...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... applicability of the locomotive load cell test stand standard and switcher locomotive standard by noise measurement on a receiving property; (2) measurement of locomotive load cell test stands more than 120 meters... locomotive load cell test stand standard and switcher locomotive standard by noise measurement on a receiving...

  13. 40 CFR 201.27 - Procedures for: (1) Determining applicability of the locomotive load cell test stand standard and...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... applicability of the locomotive load cell test stand standard and switcher locomotive standard by noise measurement on a receiving property; (2) measurement of locomotive load cell test stands more than 120 meters... locomotive load cell test stand standard and switcher locomotive standard by noise measurement on a receiving...

  14. 40 CFR 201.27 - Procedures for: (1) Determining applicability of the locomotive load cell test stand standard and...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... applicability of the locomotive load cell test stand standard and switcher locomotive standard by noise measurement on a receiving property; (2) measurement of locomotive load cell test stands more than 120 meters... locomotive load cell test stand standard and switcher locomotive standard by noise measurement on a receiving...

  15. Hysteretic Models Considering Axial-Shear-Flexure Interaction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ceresa, Paola; Negrisoli, Giorgio

    2017-10-01

    Most of the existing numerical models implemented in finite element (FE) software, at the current state of the art, are not capable to describe, with enough reliability, the interaction between axial, shear and flexural actions under cyclic loading (e.g. seismic actions), neglecting crucial effects for predicting the nature of the collapse of reinforced concrete (RC) structural elements. Just a few existing 3D volume models or fibre beam models can lead to a quite accurate response, but they are still computationally inefficient for typical applications in earthquake engineering and also characterized by very complex formulation. Thus, discrete models with lumped plasticity hinges may be the preferred choice for modelling the hysteretic behaviour due to cyclic loading conditions, in particular with reference to its implementation in a commercial software package. These considerations lead to this research work focused on the development of a model for RC beam-column elements able to consider degradation effects and interaction between the actions under cyclic loading conditions. In order to develop a model for a general 3D discrete hinge element able to take into account the axial-shear-flexural interaction, it is necessary to provide an implementation which involves a corrector-predictor iterative scheme. Furthermore, a reliable constitutive model based on damage plasticity theory is formulated and implemented for its numerical validation. Aim of this research work is to provide the formulation of a numerical model, which will allow implementation within a FE software package for nonlinear cyclic analysis of RC structural members. The developed model accounts for stiffness degradation effect and stiffness recovery for loading reversal.

  16. System analyses on advanced nuclear fuel cycle and waste management

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cheon, Myeongguk

    To evaluate the impacts of accelerator-driven transmutation of waste (ATW) fuel cycle on a geological repository, two mathematical models are developed: a reactor system analysis model and a high-level waste (HLW) conditioning model. With the former, fission products and residual trans-uranium (TRU) contained in HLW generated from a reference ATW plant operations are quantified and the reduction of TRU inventory included in commercial spent-nuclear fuel (CSNF) is evaluated. With the latter, an optimized waste loading and composition in solidification of HLW are determined and the volume reduction of waste packages associated with CSNF is evaluated. WACOM, a reactor system analysis code developed in this study for burnup calculation, is validated by ORIGEN2.1 and MCNP. WACOM is used to perform multicycle analysis for the reference lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) cooled transmuter. By applying the results of this analysis to the reference ATW deployment scenario considered in the ATW roadmap, the HLW generated from the ATW fuel cycle is quantified and the reduction of TRU inventory contained in CSNF is evaluated. A linear programming (LP) model has been developed for determination of an optimized waste loading and composition in solidification of HLW. The model has been applied to a US-defense HLW. The optimum waste loading evaluated by the LP model was compared with that estimated by the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) in the US and a good agreement was observed. The LP model was then applied to the volume reduction of waste packages associated with CSNF. Based on the obtained reduction factors, the expansion of Yucca Mountain Repository (YMR) capacity is evaluated. It is found that with the reference ATW system, the TRU contained in CSNF could be reduced by a factor of ˜170 in terms of inventory and by a factor of ˜40 in terms of toxicity under the assumed scenario. The number of waste packages related to CSNF could be reduced by a factor of ˜8 in terms of volume and by factor of ˜10 on the basis of electricity generation when a sufficient cooling time for discharged spent fuel and zero process chemicals in HLW are assumed. The expansion factor of Yucca Mountain Repository capacity is estimated to be a factor of 2.4, much smaller than the reduction factor of CSNF waste packages, due to the existence of DOE-owned spent fuel and HLW. The YMR, however, could support 10 times greater electricity generation as long as the statutory capacity of DOE-owned SNF and HLW remains unchanged. This study also showed that the reduction of the number of waste packages could strongly be subject to the heat generation rate of HLW and the amount of process chemicals contained in HLW. For a greater reduction of the number of waste packages, a sufficient cooling time for discharged fuel and efforts to minimize the amount of process chemicals contained in HLW are crucial.

  17. Three-dimensional micro-electrode array for recording dissociated neuronal cultures.

    PubMed

    Musick, Katherine; Khatami, David; Wheeler, Bruce C

    2009-07-21

    This work demonstrates the design, fabrication, packaging, characterization, and functionality of an electrically and fluidically active three-dimensional micro-electrode array (3D MEA) for use with neuronal cell cultures. The successful function of the device implies that this basic concept-construction of a 3D array with a layered approach-can be utilized as the basis for a new family of neural electrode arrays. The 3D MEA prototype consists of a stack of individually patterned thin films that form a cell chamber conducive to maintaining and recording the electrical activity of a long-term three-dimensional network of rat cortical neurons. Silicon electrode layers contain a polymer grid for neural branching, growth, and network formation. Along the walls of these electrode layers lie exposed gold electrodes which permit recording and stimulation of the neuronal electrical activity. Silicone elastomer micro-fluidic layers provide a means for loading dissociated neurons into the structure and serve as the artificial vasculature for nutrient supply and aeration. The fluidic layers also serve as insulation for the micro-electrodes. Cells have been shown to survive in the 3D MEA for up to 28 days, with spontaneous and evoked electrical recordings performed in that time. The micro-fluidic capability was demonstrated by flowing in the drug tetrotodoxin to influence the activity of the culture.

  18. Mitigation of Biofilm Formation on Corrugated Cardboard Fresh Produce Packaging Surfaces Using a Novel Thiazolidinedione Derivative Integrated in Acrylic Emulsion Polymers

    PubMed Central

    Brandwein, Michael; Al-Quntar, Abed; Goldberg, Hila; Mosheyev, Gregory; Goffer, Moshe; Marin-Iniesta, Fulgencio; López-Gómez, Antonio; Steinberg, Doron

    2016-01-01

    Various surfaces associated with the storage and packing of food are known to harbor distinct bacterial pathogens. Conspicuously absent among the plethora of studies implicating food packaging materials and machinery is the study of corrugated cardboard packaging, the worldwide medium for transporting fresh produce. In this study, we observed the microbial communities of three different store-bought fruits and vegetables, along with their analog cardboard packaging using high throughput sequencing technology. We further developed an anti-biofilm polymer meant to coat corrugated cardboard surfaces and mediate bacterial biofilm growth on said surfaces. Integration of a novel thiazolidinedione derivative into the acrylic emulsion polymers was assessed using Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometry (EDS) analysis and surface topography was visualized and quantified on corrugated cardboard surfaces. Biofilm growth was measured using q-PCR targeting the gene encoding 16s rRNA. Additionally, architectural structure of the biofilm was observed using SEM. The uniform integration of the thiazolidinedione derivative TZD-6 was confirmed, and it was determined via q-PCR to reduce biofilm growth by ~80% on tested surfaces. A novel and effective method for reducing microbial load and preventing contamination on food packaging is thereby proposed. PMID:26909074

  19. Preconditioning of mesenchymal stromal cells toward nucleus pulposus-like cells by microcryogels-based 3D cell culture and syringe-based pressure loading system.

    PubMed

    Zeng, Yang; Feng, Siyu; Liu, Wei; Fu, Qinyouen; Li, Yaqian; Li, Xiaokang; Chen, Chun; Huang, Chenyu; Ge, Zigang; Du, Yanan

    2017-04-01

    To precondition mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs) with mechanical stimulation may enhance cell survival and functions following implantation in load bearing environment such as nucleus pulposus (NP) in intervertebral disc (IVD). In this study, preconditioning of MSCs toward NP-like cells was achieved in previously developed poly (ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) microcryogels (PMs) within a syringe-based three-dimensional (3D) culture system which provided a facile and cost-effective pressure loading approach. PMs loaded with alginate and MSCs could be incubated in a sealable syringe which could be air-compressed to apply pressure loading through a programmable syringe pump. Expression levels of chondrogenic marker genes SOX9, COL II, and ACAN were significantly upregulated in MSCs when pressure loading of 0.2 MPa or 0.8 MPa was implemented. Expression levels of COL I and COL X were downregulated when pressure loading was applied. In a nude mouse model, MSCs loaded in PMs mechanically stimulated for three days were subcutaneously injected using the same culture syringe. Three weeks postinjection, more proteoglycans (PGs) were deposited and more SOX9 and COL II but less COL I and COL X were stained in 0.2 MPa group. Furthermore, injectable MSCs-loaded PMs were utilized in an ex vivo rabbit IVD organ culture model that demonstrated the leak-proof function and enhanced cell retention of PMs assisted cell delivery to a load bearing environment for potential NP regeneration. This microcryogels-based 3D cell culture and syringe-based pressure loading system represents a novel method for 3D cell culture with mechanical stimulation for better function. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 105B: 507-520, 2017. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  20. [Activities of Bay Area Research Corporation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2003-01-01

    During the final year of this effort the HALFSHEL code was converted to work on a fast single processor workstation from it s parallel configuration. This was done because NASA Ames NAS facility stopped supporting space science and we no longer had access to parallel computer time. The single processor version of HALFSHEL was upgraded to address low density cells by using a a 3-D SOR solver to solve the equation Delta central dot E = 0. We then upgraded the ionospheric load packages to provide a multiple species load of the ionosphere out to 1.4 Rm. With these new tools we began to perform a series of simulations to address the major topic of this research effort; determining the loss rate of O(sup +) and O2(sup +) from Mars. The simulations used the nominal Parker spiral field and in one case used a field perpendicular to the solar wind flow. The simulations were performed for three different solar EUV fluxes consistent with the different solar evolutionary states believed to exist before today. The 1 EUV case is the nominal flux of today. The 3 EUV flux is called Epoch 2 and has three times the flux of todays. The 6 EUV case is Epoch 3 and has 6 times the EUV flux of today.

  1. Sesamol-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles for treatment of skin cancer.

    PubMed

    Geetha, T; Kapila, Meenakshi; Prakash, Om; Deol, Parneet Kaur; Kakkar, Vandita; Kaur, Indu Pal

    2015-02-01

    Abstract Role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in skin carcinogenesis is well documented. Natural molecules, like sesamol, with marked antioxidant potential can be useful in combating skin cancers. In vitro antiproliferative (using MTT assay) and DNA fragmentation studies in HL 60 cell lines, confirmed the apoptotic nature of sesamol. However, it showed a significant flux across the mice skin upon topical application, such that its local availability in skin is limited. Former is attributed mainly to its properties like small size, low molecular weight (138.28), and a sufficient lipid and water solubility (log P 1.29; solubility 38.8 mg/ml). To achieve its maximum epicutaneous delivery, packaging it into a suitable carrier system is thus indicated. Sesamol-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (S-SLN) were thus prepared with particle size of 127.9 nm (PI: 0.256) and entrapment efficiency of 88.21%. Topical application of S-SLN in a cream base indicated significant retention in the skin with minimal flux across skin as confirmed by the in-vivo skin retention and ex-vivo skin permeation studies. In vivo anticancer studies performed on TPA-induced and benzo(a)pyrene initiated tumour production (ROS mediated) in mouse epidermis showed the normalization (in histology studies) of skin cancers post their induction, upon treatment with S-SLN.

  2. Optimization of Residual Stresses in MMC's through Process Parameter Control and the use of Heterogeneous Compensating/Compliant Interfacial Layers. OPTCOMP2 User's Guide

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pindera, Marek-Jerzy; Salzar, Robert S.

    1996-01-01

    A user's guide for the computer program OPTCOMP2 is presented in this report. This program provides a capability to optimize the fabrication or service-induced residual stresses in unidirectional metal matrix composites subjected to combined thermomechanical axisymmetric loading by altering the processing history, as well as through the microstructural design of interfacial fiber coatings. The user specifies the initial architecture of the composite and the load history, with the constituent materials being elastic, plastic, viscoplastic, or as defined by the 'user-defined' constitutive model, in addition to the objective function and constraints, through a user-friendly data input interface. The optimization procedure is based on an efficient solution methodology for the inelastic response of a fiber/interface layer(s)/matrix concentric cylinder model where the interface layers can be either homogeneous or heterogeneous. The response of heterogeneous layers is modeled using Aboudi's three-dimensional method of cells micromechanics model. The commercial optimization package DOT is used for the nonlinear optimization problem. The solution methodology for the arbitrarily layered cylinder is based on the local-global stiffness matrix formulation and Mendelson's iterative technique of successive elastic solutions developed for elastoplastic boundary-value problems. The optimization algorithm employed in DOT is based on the method of feasible directions.

  3. The Next Generation in Subsidence and Aquifer-System Compaction Modeling within the MODFLOW Software Family: A New Package for MODFLOW-2005 and MODFLOW-OWHM

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Boyce, S. E.; Leake, S. A.; Hanson, R. T.; Galloway, D. L.

    2015-12-01

    The Subsidence and Aquifer-System Compaction Packages, SUB and SUB-WT, for MODFLOW are two currently supported subsidence packages within the MODFLOW family of software. The SUB package allows the calculation of instantaneous and delayed releases of water from distributed interbeds (relatively more compressible fine-grained sediments) within a saturated aquifer system or discrete confining beds. The SUB-WT package does not include delayed releases, but does perform a more rigorous calculation of vertical stresses that can vary the effective stress that causes compaction. This calculation of instantaneous compaction can include the effect of water-table fluctuations for unconfined aquifers on effective stress, and can optionally adjust the elastic and inelastic storage properties based on the changes in effective stress. The next generation of subsidence modeling in MODFLOW is under development, and will merge and enhance the capabilities of the SUB and SUB-WT Packages for MODFLOW-2005 and MODFLOW-OWHM. This new version will also provide some additional features such as stress dependent vertical hydraulic conductivity of interbeds, time-varying geostatic loads, and additional attributes related to aquifer-system compaction and subsidence that will broaden the class of problems that can be simulated. The new version will include a redesigned source code, a new user friendly input file structure, more output options, and new subsidence solution options. This presentation will discuss progress in developing the new package and the new features being implemented and their potential applications. By Stanley Leake, Scott E. Boyce, Randall T. Hanson, and Devin Galloway

  4. An Object-Oriented Serial DSMC Simulation Package

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Hongli; Cai, Chunpei

    2011-05-01

    A newly developed three-dimensional direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) simulation package, named GRASP ("Generalized Rarefied gAs Simulation Package"), is reported in this paper. This package utilizes the concept of simulation engine, many C++ features and software design patterns. The package has an open architecture which can benefit further development and maintenance of the code. In order to reduce the engineering time for three-dimensional models, a hybrid grid scheme, combined with a flexible data structure compiled by C++ language, are implemented in this package. This scheme utilizes a local data structure based on the computational cell to achieve high performance on workstation processors. This data structure allows the DSMC algorithm to be very efficiently parallelized with domain decomposition and it provides much flexibility in terms of grid types. This package can utilize traditional structured, unstructured or hybrid grids within the framework of a single code to model arbitrarily complex geometries and to simulate rarefied gas flows. Benchmark test cases indicate that this package has satisfactory accuracy for complex rarefied gas flows.

  5. 49 CFR 173.318 - Cryogenic liquids in cargo tanks.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... than two times the tank's design pressure. (6) Maximum filling rate. (i) For a tank used in oxygen and... the design service temperature of the packaging. (2) A cargo tank may not be loaded with any material... two independent pressure relief systems which are not connected in series, namely: (A) A primary...

  6. 49 CFR 173.318 - Cryogenic liquids in cargo tanks.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... than two times the tank's design pressure. (6) Maximum filling rate. (i) For a tank used in oxygen and... the design service temperature of the packaging. (2) A cargo tank may not be loaded with any material... two independent pressure relief systems which are not connected in series, namely: (A) A primary...

  7. 49 CFR 173.318 - Cryogenic liquids in cargo tanks.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... than two times the tank's design pressure. (6) Maximum filling rate. (i) For a tank used in oxygen and... the design service temperature of the packaging. (2) A cargo tank may not be loaded with any material... two independent pressure relief systems which are not connected in series, namely: (A) A primary...

  8. 49 CFR 173.318 - Cryogenic liquids in cargo tanks.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... than two times the tank's design pressure. (6) Maximum filling rate. (i) For a tank used in oxygen and... the design service temperature of the packaging. (2) A cargo tank may not be loaded with any material... two independent pressure relief systems which are not connected in series, namely: (A) A primary...

  9. 49 CFR 174.61 - Transport vehicles and freight containers on flat cars.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... cars. 174.61 Section 174.61 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation PIPELINE AND... containers on flat cars. (a) A transport vehicle, freight container, or package containing a hazardous... has fuel or any article classed as a hazardous material may be loaded and transported on a flat car as...

  10. 49 CFR 174.61 - Transport vehicles and freight containers on flat cars.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... cars. 174.61 Section 174.61 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation PIPELINE AND... containers on flat cars. (a) A transport vehicle, freight container, or package containing a hazardous... has fuel or any article classed as a hazardous material may be loaded and transported on a flat car as...

  11. 49 CFR 174.61 - Transport vehicles and freight containers on flat cars.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... cars. 174.61 Section 174.61 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation PIPELINE AND... containers on flat cars. (a) A transport vehicle, freight container, or package containing a hazardous... has fuel or any article classed as a hazardous material may be loaded and transported on a flat car as...

  12. 49 CFR 174.61 - Transport vehicles and freight containers on flat cars.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... cars. 174.61 Section 174.61 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation PIPELINE AND... containers on flat cars. (a) A transport vehicle, freight container, or package containing a hazardous... has fuel or any article classed as a hazardous material may be loaded and transported on a flat car as...

  13. Perspectives on essential oil-loaded nano-delivery packaging technology for controlling stored cereal and grain pests

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Insect pests and food-borne fungi and their associated toxic metabolites cause significant losses in stored food products. Plant-derived essential oils (EOs) can control the growth and proliferation of insect and fungal pests. Plant EOs are environmentally friendly and non-toxic, and their applicati...

  14. 21 CFR 172.133 - Dimethyl dicarbonate.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... additive is used or intended for use as a microbial control agent in the following beverages under normal circumstances of bottling, canning, or other forms of final packaging, where the viable microbial load has been... juice, fruit flavor, or both, with juice content not to exceed 50 percent, in an amount not to exceed...

  15. Developing User Strategies in PVS: A Tutorial

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Archer, Myla; diVito, Ben; Munoz, Cesar

    2003-01-01

    This tutorial provides an overview of the PVS strategy language, and explains how to define new PVS strategies and load them into PVS, and how to create a strategy package. It then discusses several useful techniques that can be used in developing user strategies, and provides examples that illustrate many of these techniques.

  16. Phalange Tactile Load Cell

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ihrke, Chris A. (Inventor); Diftler, Myron A. (Inventor); Linn, Douglas Martin (Inventor); Platt, Robert (Inventor); Griffith, Bryan Kristian (Inventor)

    2010-01-01

    A tactile load cell that has particular application for measuring the load on a phalange in a dexterous robot system. The load cell includes a flexible strain element having first and second end portions that can be used to mount the load cell to the phalange and a center portion that can be used to mount a suitable contact surface to the load cell. The strain element also includes a first S-shaped member including at least three sections connected to the first end portion and the center portion and a second S-shaped member including at least three sections coupled to the second end portion and the center portion. The load cell also includes eight strain gauge pairs where each strain gauge pair is mounted to opposing surfaces of one of the sections of the S-shaped members where the strain gauge pairs provide strain measurements in six-degrees of freedom.

  17. 40 CFR 201.23 - Test site, weather conditions and background noise criteria for measurement at a 30 meter (100...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... rail car operations and locomotive load cell test stands. 201.23 Section 201.23 Protection of... locomotive and rail car operations and locomotive load cell test stands. (a) The standard test site shall be... contribution from the operation of the load cell, if any, including load cell contribution during test. (h...

  18. Using Cell-ID 1.4 with R for Microscope-Based Cytometry

    PubMed Central

    Bush, Alan; Chernomoretz, Ariel; Yu, Richard; Gordon, Andrew

    2012-01-01

    This unit describes a method for quantifying various cellular features (e.g., volume, total and subcellular fluorescence localization) from sets of microscope images of individual cells. It includes procedures for tracking cells over time. One purposefully defocused transmission image (sometimes referred to as bright-field or BF) is acquired to segment the image and locate each cell. Fluorescent images (one for each of the color channels to be analyzed) are then acquired by conventional wide-field epifluorescence or confocal microscopy. This method uses the image processing capabilities of Cell-ID (Gordon et al., 2007, as updated here) and data analysis by the statistical programming framework R (R-Development-Team, 2008), which we have supplemented with a package of routines for analyzing Cell-ID output. Both Cell-ID and the analysis package are open-source. PMID:23026908

  19. Load balance in total knee arthroplasty: an in vitro analysis.

    PubMed

    El-Hawary, Ron; Roth, Sandra E; King, Graham J W; Chess, David G; Johnson, James A

    2006-09-01

    One of the goals of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is to balance the loads between the compartments of the knee. An instrumented load cell that measures compartment loads in real time is utilized to evaluate conventional, qualitative methods of achieving this balance. TKA was performed on 10 cadaveric knees. Prior to and after load balancing, compartment forces were measured at flexion angles of 0-90 degrees. Knees were randomly assigned into one of two groups, based upon whether or not the surgeons could visualize the load cell's output during balancing. Prior to attempting load balance, there were significant differences between the medial and lateral compartment loads for all knees (p < 0.05). After attempting balance with the aid of the load cell, there was equal load balance at all angles studied. Without the aid of the load cell, balance was not consistently achieved at every angle. Conventional load balancing techniques in TKA are not perfect. Copyright 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  20. Calculation of reinforced-concrete frame strength under a simultaneous static cross section load and a column lateral impact

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

    Belov, Nikolay, E-mail: n.n.belov@mail.ru; Kopanitsa, Dmitry, E-mail: kopanitsa@mail.ru; Yugov, Alexey, E-mail: yugalex@mail.ru

    When designing buildings with reinforced concrete that are planned to resist dynamic loads it is necessary to calculate this structural behavior under operational static and emergency impact and blast loads. Calculations of the structures under shock-wave loads can be performed by solving dynamic equations that do not consider static loads. Due to this fact the calculation of reinforced concrete frame under a simultaneous static and dynamic load in full 3d settings becomes a very non trivial and resource consuming problem. This problem can be split into two tasks. The first one is a shock-wave problem that can be solved usingmore » software package RANET-3, which allows solving the problem using finite elements method adapted for dynamic task. This method calculates strain-stress state of the material and its dynamic destruction, which is considered as growth and consolidation of micro defects under loading. On the second step the results of the first step are taken as input parameters for quasi static calculation of simultaneous static and dynamic load using finite elements method in AMP Civil Engineering-11.« less

  1. 49 CFR 171.12 - North American Shipments.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ...) Lithium metal cells and batteries. Lithium metal cells and batteries (UN3090) are forbidden for transport aboard passenger-carrying aircraft. The outside of each package that contains lithium cells or batteries...

  2. Interactions between HIV-1 Gag and Viral RNA Genome Enhance Virion Assembly.

    PubMed

    Dilley, Kari A; Nikolaitchik, Olga A; Galli, Andrea; Burdick, Ryan C; Levine, Louis; Li, Kelvin; Rein, Alan; Pathak, Vinay K; Hu, Wei-Shau

    2017-08-15

    Most HIV-1 virions contain two copies of full-length viral RNA, indicating that genome packaging is efficient and tightly regulated. However, the structural protein Gag is the only component required for the assembly of noninfectious viruslike particles, and the viral RNA is dispensable in this process. The mechanism that allows HIV-1 to achieve such high efficiency of genome packaging when a packageable viral RNA is not required for virus assembly is currently unknown. In this report, we examined the role of HIV-1 RNA in virus assembly and found that packageable HIV-1 RNA enhances particle production when Gag is expressed at levels similar to those in cells containing one provirus. However, such enhancement is diminished when Gag is overexpressed, suggesting that the effects of viral RNA can be replaced by increased Gag concentration in cells. We also showed that the specific interactions between Gag and viral RNA are required for the enhancement of particle production. Taken together, these studies are consistent with our previous hypothesis that specific dimeric viral RNA-Gag interactions are the nucleation event of infectious virion assembly, ensuring that one RNA dimer is packaged into each nascent virion. These studies shed light on the mechanism by which HIV-1 achieves efficient genome packaging during virus assembly. IMPORTANCE Retrovirus assembly is a well-choreographed event, during which many viral and cellular components come together to generate infectious virions. The viral RNA genome carries the genetic information to new host cells, providing instructions to generate new virions, and therefore is essential for virion infectivity. In this report, we show that the specific interaction of the viral RNA genome with the structural protein Gag facilitates virion assembly and particle production. These findings resolve the conundrum that HIV-1 RNA is selectively packaged into virions with high efficiency despite being dispensable for virion assembly. Understanding the mechanism used by HIV-1 to ensure genome packaging provides significant insights into viral assembly and replication. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

  3. Advancements in vibroacoustic evaluation of satellite structures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stavrinidis, C.; Witting, M.; Ikoss, S. I.; Klein, M.

    2001-02-01

    The importance of the launcher vibroacoustic environment is increasing with respect to satellite loads due to the increase in size and decrease in surface mass of lightweight appendages like antennas and solar arrays. The loads generated by the vibroacoustic environment need to be covered adequately to ensure satellite structural integrity. This is of particular importance in the low-frequency range where the low frequencies of light appendages and equipment couple with the acoustic environment. In order to cope with the increasing demand for prediction of structural loads due to the acoustic environment, various methods have been developed in the frame of ESA research and development activities. These range from simplified approaches with partial fluid-structure coupling, e.g. the POSTAR package provided by INTESPACE (France) to more sophisticated approaches with full fluid-structure coupling. In the frequency domain this includes pure finite element modelling techniques, where specific tools have been developed by FFA (Sweden) using the ASKA package, as well as coupled finite element—boundary element approaches that have been developed in cooperation with DASA-Dornier (Germany), STRACO (France) and FFA using the commercial packages ASKA and RAYON. For fully coupled fluid structure analysis in the time domain the ASTRYD code from METRAVIB (France) is employed where advancements have been supported by CNES. Applications of these tools range from simple benchmarks such as simply supported plates, cavity enclosures or generic satellite-fairing models to complex satellite structure configurations. Evaluations of antenna reflector structures (Artemis communication antenna) and satellite equipment panels (polar platform) are presented. The paper covers also the investigation of payload/fairing effects (influence of fairing helium purging on the coupled-system response) together with DASA-Dornier, FFA and STRACO, as well as the vibroacoustic analysis of solar array stacks carried out by FOKKER (The Netherlands) and METRAVIB, where the air effects in the inter panel gaps are being taken into account.

  4. Performance Assessment of a Generic Repository in Bedded Salt for DOE-Managed Nuclear Waste

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stein, E. R.; Sevougian, S. D.; Hammond, G. E.; Frederick, J. M.; Mariner, P. E.

    2016-12-01

    A mined repository in salt is one of the concepts under consideration for disposal of DOE-managed defense-related spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and high level waste (HLW). Bedded salt is a favorable medium for disposal of nuclear waste due to its low permeability, high thermal conductivity, and ability to self-heal. Sandia's Generic Disposal System Analysis framework is used to assess the ability of a generic repository in bedded salt to isolate radionuclides from the biosphere. The performance assessment considers multiple waste types of varying thermal load and radionuclide inventory, the engineered barrier system comprising the waste packages, backfill, and emplacement drifts, and the natural barrier system formed by a bedded salt deposit and the overlying sedimentary sequence (including an aquifer). The model simulates disposal of nearly the entire inventory of DOE-managed, defense-related SNF (excluding Naval SNF) and HLW in a half-symmetry domain containing approximately 6 million grid cells. Grid refinement captures the detail of 25,200 individual waste packages in 180 disposal panels, associated access halls, and 4 shafts connecting the land surface to the repository. Equations describing coupled heat and fluid flow and reactive transport are solved numerically with PFLOTRAN, a massively parallel flow and transport code. Simulated processes include heat conduction and convection, waste package failure, waste form dissolution, radioactive decay and ingrowth, sorption, solubility limits, advection, dispersion, and diffusion. Simulations are run to 1 million years, and radionuclide concentrations are observed within an aquifer at a point approximately 4 kilometers downgradient of the repository. The software package DAKOTA is used to sample likely ranges of input parameters including waste form dissolution rates and properties of engineered and natural materials in order to quantify uncertainty in predicted concentrations and sensitivity to input parameters. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

  5. Wave Resource Characterization Using an Unstructured Grid Modeling Approach

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

    Wu, Wei-Cheng; Yang, Zhaoqing; Wang, Taiping

    This paper presents a modeling study conducted on the central Oregon coast for wave resource characterization using the unstructured-grid SWAN model coupled with a nested-grid WWIII model. The flexibility of models of various spatial resolutions and the effects of open- boundary conditions simulated by a nested-grid WWIII model with different physics packages were evaluated. The model results demonstrate the advantage of the unstructured-grid modeling approach for flexible model resolution and good model skills in simulating the six wave resource parameters recommended by the International Electrotechnical Commission in comparison to the observed data in Year 2009 at National Data Buoy Centermore » Buoy 46050. Notably, spectral analysis indicates that the ST4 physics package improves upon the model skill of the ST2 physics package for predicting wave power density for large waves, which is important for wave resource assessment, device load calculation, and risk management. In addition, bivariate distributions show the simulated sea state of maximum occurrence with the ST4 physics package matched the observed data better than that with the ST2 physics package. This study demonstrated that the unstructured-grid wave modeling approach, driven by the nested-grid regional WWIII outputs with the ST4 physics package, can efficiently provide accurate wave hindcasts to support wave resource characterization. Our study also suggests that wind effects need to be considered if the dimension of the model domain is greater than approximately 100 km, or O (10^2 km).« less

  6. Scater: pre-processing, quality control, normalization and visualization of single-cell RNA-seq data in R.

    PubMed

    McCarthy, Davis J; Campbell, Kieran R; Lun, Aaron T L; Wills, Quin F

    2017-04-15

    Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) is increasingly used to study gene expression at the level of individual cells. However, preparing raw sequence data for further analysis is not a straightforward process. Biases, artifacts and other sources of unwanted variation are present in the data, requiring substantial time and effort to be spent on pre-processing, quality control (QC) and normalization. We have developed the R/Bioconductor package scater to facilitate rigorous pre-processing, quality control, normalization and visualization of scRNA-seq data. The package provides a convenient, flexible workflow to process raw sequencing reads into a high-quality expression dataset ready for downstream analysis. scater provides a rich suite of plotting tools for single-cell data and a flexible data structure that is compatible with existing tools and can be used as infrastructure for future software development. The open-source code, along with installation instructions, vignettes and case studies, is available through Bioconductor at http://bioconductor.org/packages/scater . davis@ebi.ac.uk. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press.

  7. Load sensing system

    DOEpatents

    Sohns, Carl W.; Nodine, Robert N.; Wallace, Steven Allen

    1999-01-01

    A load sensing system inexpensively monitors the weight and temperature of stored nuclear material for long periods of time in widely variable environments. The system can include an electrostatic load cell that encodes weight and temperature into a digital signal which is sent to a remote monitor via a coaxial cable. The same cable is used to supply the load cell with power. When multiple load cells are used, vast

  8. Determination of the Crack Resistance Parameters at Equipment Nozzle Zones Under the Seismic Loads Via Finite Element Method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kyrychok, Vladyslav; Torop, Vasyl

    2018-03-01

    The present paper is devoted to the problem of the assessment of probable crack growth at pressure vessel nozzles zone under the cyclic seismic loads. The approaches to creating distributed pipeline systems, connected to equipment are being proposed. The possibility of using in common different finite element program packages for accurate estimation of the strength of bonded pipelines and pressure vessels systems is shown and justified. The authors propose checking the danger of defects in nozzle domain, evaluate the residual life of the system, basing on the developed approach.

  9. Helium refrigeration considerations for cryomodule design

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

    Ganni, V.; Knudsen, P.

    Many of the present day accelerators are based on superconducting radio frequency (SRF) cavities, packaged in cryo-modules (CM), which depend on helium refrigeration at sub-atmospheric pressures, nominally 2 K. These specialized helium refrigeration systems are quite cost intensive to produce and operate. Particularly as there is typically no work extraction below the 4.5-K supply, it is important that the exergy loss between this temperature level and the CM load temperature(s) be minimized by the process configuration choices. This paper will present, compare and discuss several possible helium distribution process arrangements to support the CM loads.

  10. Model 9975 Life Extension Test Package 3 - Interim Report - January 2017

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

    Daugherty, W.

    2017-01-31

    Life extension package LE3 (9975-03203) has been instrumented and subjected to an elevated temperature environment for approximately 8 years. During this time, the cane fiberboard has been maintained at a maximum temperature of ~160 - 165 °F, which was established by a combination of internal (19 watts) and external heat sources. Several tests and parameters were used to characterize the package components. Results from these tests generally indicate agreement between this full-scale shipping package and small-scale laboratory tests on fiberboard samples, including the degradation models based on the laboratory tests. These areas of agreement include the rate of change ofmore » fiberboard weight, dimensions and density, and change in fiberboard thermal conductivity. Corrosion of the lead shield occurred at a high rate during the first several weeks of aging, but dropped significantly after most of the moisture in the fiberboard migrated away from the lead shield. Dimensional measurements of the lead shield indicate that no significant creep deformation has occurred. This is consistent with literature data that predict a very small creep deformation for the time at temperature experienced by this package. The SCV O-rings were verified to remain leak-tight after ~5 years aging at an average temperature of ~170 °F. This package provides an example of the extent to which moisture within a typical fiberboard assembly can redistribute in the presence of a temperature gradient such as might be created by a 19 watt internal heat load. The majority of water within the fiberboard migrated to the bottom layers of fiberboard, with approximately 2 kg of water (2 liters) eventually escaping from the package. Two conditions have developed that are not consistent with package certification requirements. The axial gap at the top of the package increased to a maximum value of 1.549 inches, exceeding the 1 inch criterion. In addition, staining and/or corrosion have formed in a few spots on the drum. However, the package remains capable of performing its function. Aging of this package continues.« less

  11. Cells Respond to Distinct Nanoparticle Properties with Multiple Strategies As Revealed by Single-Cell RNA-Seq

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

    Mitchell, Hugh D.; Markillie, Lye Meng; Chrisler, William B.

    The impact of distinct nanoparticle (NP) properties on cellular response and ultimately human health is unclear. This gap is partially due to experimental difficulties in achieving uniform NP loads in the studied cells, creating heterogeneous populations with some cells “overloaded” while other cells are loaded with few or no NPs. Yet gene expression studies have been conducted in the population as a whole, identifying generic responses, while missing unique responses due to signal averaging across many cells, each carrying different loads. Here we applied single-cell RNA-Seq to alveolar epithelial cells carrying defined loads of aminated or carboxylated quantum dots (QDs),more » showing higher or lower toxicity, respectively. Interestingly, cells carrying lower loads responded with multiple strategies, mostly with upregulated processes, which were nonetheless coherent and unique to each QD type. In contrast, cells carrying higher loads responded more uniformly, with mostly downregulated processes that were shared across QD types. Strategies unique to aminated QDs showed strong upregulation of stress responses, coupled in some cases with regulation of cell cycle, protein synthesis and organelle activities. In contrast, strategies unique to carboxylated QDs showed upregulation of DNA repair and RNA activities, and decreased regulation of cell division, coupled in some cases with upregulation of stress responses and ATP related functions. Together, our studies suggest scenarios where higher NP loads lock cells into uniform responses, mostly shutdown of cellular processes, whereas lower loads allow for unique responses to each NP type that are more diversified, proactive defenses or repairs of the NP insults.« less

  12. Phenformin-loaded polymeric micelles for targeting both cancer cells and cancer stem cells in vitro and in vivo.

    PubMed

    Krishnamurthy, Sangeetha; Ng, Victor W L; Gao, Shujun; Tan, Min-Han; Yang, Yi Yan

    2014-11-01

    Conventional cancer chemotherapy often fails as most anti-cancer drugs are not effective against drug-resistant cancer stem cells. These surviving cancer stem cells lead to relapse and metastasis. In this study, an anti-diabetic drug, phenformin, capable of eliminating cancer stem cells was loaded into micelles via self-assembly using a mixture of a diblock copolymer of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and urea-functionalized polycarbonate and a diblock copolymer of PEG and acid-functionalized polycarbonate through hydrogen bonding. The phenformin-loaded micelles, having an average diameter of 102 nm with narrow size distribution, were stable in serum-containing solution over 48 h and non-cytotoxic towards non-cancerous cells. More than 90% of phenformin was released from the micelles over 96 h. Lung cancer stem cells (side population cells, i.e. SP cells) and non-SP cells were sorted from H460 human lung cancer cell line, and treated with free phenformin and phenformin-loaded micelles. The results showed that the drug-loaded micelles were more effective in inhibiting the growth of both SP and non-SP cells. In vivo studies conducted in an H460 human lung cancer mouse model demonstrated that the drug-loaded micelles had greater anti-tumor efficacy, and reduced the population of SP cells in the tumor tissues more effectively than free phenformin. Liver function analysis was performed following drug treatments, and the results indicated that the drug-loaded micelles did not cause liver damage, a harmful side-effect of phenformin when used clinically. These phenformin-loaded micelles may be used to target both cancer cells and cancer stem cells in chemotherapy for the prevention of relapse and metastasis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Surveillance and Monitoring Program Full-Scale Experiments to Evaluate the Potential for Corrosion in 3013 Containers

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

    Narlesky, Joshua Edward; Berg, John M.; Duque, Juan

    A set of six long-term, full-scale experiments were initiated to determine the type and extent of corrosion that occurs in 3013 containers packaged with chloride-bearing plutonium oxide materials. The materials were exposed to a high relative humidity environment representative of actual packaging conditions for the materials in storage. The materials were sealed in instrumented, inner 3013 containers with corrosion specimens designed to test the corrosiveness of the environment inside the containers under various conditions. This report focuses on initial loading conditions that are used to establish a baseline to show how the conditions change throughout the storage lifetime of themore » containers.« less

  14. Initial viral load determines the magnitude of the human CD8 T cell response to yellow fever vaccination.

    PubMed

    Akondy, Rama S; Johnson, Philip L F; Nakaya, Helder I; Edupuganti, Srilatha; Mulligan, Mark J; Lawson, Benton; Miller, Joseph D; Pulendran, Bali; Antia, Rustom; Ahmed, Rafi

    2015-03-10

    CD8 T cells are a potent tool for eliminating intracellular pathogens and tumor cells. Thus, eliciting robust CD8 T-cell immunity is the basis for many vaccines under development. However, the relationship between antigen load and the magnitude of the CD8 T-cell response is not well-described in a human immune response. Here we address this issue by quantifying viral load and the CD8 T-cell response in a cohort of 80 individuals immunized with the live attenuated yellow fever vaccine (YFV-17D) by sampling peripheral blood at days 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 14, 30, and 90. When the virus load was below a threshold (peak virus load < 225 genomes per mL, or integrated virus load < 400 genome days per mL), the magnitude of the CD8 T-cell response correlated strongly with the virus load (R(2) ∼ 0.63). As the virus load increased above this threshold, the magnitude of the CD8 T-cell responses saturated. Recent advances in CD8 T-cell-based vaccines have focused on replication-incompetent or single-cycle vectors. However, these approaches deliver relatively limited amounts of antigen after immunization. Our results highlight the requirement that T-cell-based vaccines should deliver sufficient antigen during the initial period of the immune response to elicit a large number of CD8 T cells that may be needed for protection.

  15. Estimation of dynamic rotor loads for the rotor systems research aircraft: Methodology development and validation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Duval, R. W.; Bahrami, M.

    1985-01-01

    The Rotor Systems Research Aircraft uses load cells to isolate the rotor/transmission systm from the fuselage. A mathematical model relating applied rotor loads and inertial loads of the rotor/transmission system to the load cell response is required to allow the load cells to be used to estimate rotor loads from flight data. Such a model is derived analytically by applying a force and moment balance to the isolated rotor/transmission system. The model is tested by comparing its estimated values of applied rotor loads with measured values obtained from a ground based shake test. Discrepancies in the comparison are used to isolate sources of unmodeled external loads. Once the structure of the mathematical model has been validated by comparison with experimental data, the parameters must be identified. Since the parameters may vary with flight condition it is desirable to identify the parameters directly from the flight data. A Maximum Likelihood identification algorithm is derived for this purpose and tested using a computer simulation of load cell data. The identification is found to converge within 10 samples. The rapid convergence facilitates tracking of time varying parameters of the load cell model in flight.

  16. Evaluation of tools for highly variable gene discovery from single-cell RNA-seq data.

    PubMed

    Yip, Shun H; Sham, Pak Chung; Wang, Junwen

    2018-02-21

    Traditional RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) allows the detection of gene expression variations between two or more cell populations through differentially expressed gene (DEG) analysis. However, genes that contribute to cell-to-cell differences are not discoverable with RNA-seq because RNA-seq samples are obtained from a mixture of cells. Single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) allows the detection of gene expression in each cell. With scRNA-seq, highly variable gene (HVG) discovery allows the detection of genes that contribute strongly to cell-to-cell variation within a homogeneous cell population, such as a population of embryonic stem cells. This analysis is implemented in many software packages. In this study, we compare seven HVG methods from six software packages, including BASiCS, Brennecke, scLVM, scran, scVEGs and Seurat. Our results demonstrate that reproducibility in HVG analysis requires a larger sample size than DEG analysis. Discrepancies between methods and potential issues in these tools are discussed and recommendations are made.

  17. Association Between HIV-1 RNA Level and CD4 Cell Count Among Untreated HIV-Infected Individuals

    PubMed Central

    Lima, Viviane D.; Fink, Valeria; Yip, Benita; Hogg, Robert S.; Harrigan, P. Richard

    2009-01-01

    Objectives. We examined the significance of plasma HIV-1 RNA levels (or viral load alone) in predicting CD4 cell decline in untreated HIV-infected individuals. Methods. Data were obtained from the British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS. Participants included all residents who ever had a viral load determination in the province and who had never taken antiretroviral drugs (N = 890). We analyzed a total of 2074 viral load measurements and 2332 CD4 cell counts. Linear mixed-effects models were used to predict CD4 cell decline over time. Results. Longitudinal viral load was strongly associated with CD4 cell decline over time; an average of 1 log10 increase in viral load was associated with a 55-cell/mm3 decrease in CD4 cell count. Conclusions. Our results support the combined use of CD4 cell count and viral load as prognostic markers in HIV-infected individuals before the introduction of antiretroviral therapy. PMID:19218172

  18. Wind Turbine Load Mitigation based on Multivariable Robust Control and Blade Root Sensors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Díaz de Corcuera, A.; Pujana-Arrese, A.; Ezquerra, J. M.; Segurola, E.; Landaluze, J.

    2014-12-01

    This paper presents two H∞ multivariable robust controllers based on blade root sensors' information for individual pitch angle control. The wind turbine of 5 MW defined in the Upwind European project is the reference non-linear model used in this research work, which has been modelled in the GH Bladed 4.0 software package. The main objective of these controllers is load mitigation in different components of wind turbines during power production in the above rated control zone. The first proposed multi-input multi-output (MIMO) individual pitch H" controller mitigates the wind effect on the tower side-to-side acceleration and reduces the asymmetrical loads which appear in the rotor due to its misalignment. The second individual pitch H" multivariable controller mitigates the loads on the three blades reducing the wind effect on the bending flapwise and edgewise momentums in the blades. The designed H" controllers have been validated in GH Bladed and an exhaustive analysis has been carried out to calculate fatigue load reduction on wind turbine components, as well as to analyze load mitigation in some extreme cases.

  19. MODFLOW-NWT, A Newton formulation for MODFLOW-2005

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Niswonger, Richard G.; Panday, Sorab; Ibaraki, Motomu

    2011-01-01

    This report documents a Newton formulation of MODFLOW-2005, called MODFLOW-NWT. MODFLOW-NWT is a standalone program that is intended for solving problems involving drying and rewetting nonlinearities of the unconfined groundwater-flow equation. MODFLOW-NWT must be used with the Upstream-Weighting (UPW) Package for calculating intercell conductances in a different manner than is done in the Block-Centered Flow (BCF), Layer Property Flow (LPF), or Hydrogeologic-Unit Flow (HUF; Anderman and Hill, 2000) Packages. The UPW Package treats nonlinearities of cell drying and rewetting by use of a continuous function of groundwater head, rather than the discrete approach of drying and rewetting that is used by the BCF, LPF, and HUF Packages. This further enables application of the Newton formulation for unconfined groundwater-flow problems because conductance derivatives required by the Newton method are smooth over the full range of head for a model cell. The NWT linearization approach generates an asymmetric matrix, which is different from the standard MODFLOW formulation that generates a symmetric matrix. Because all linear solvers presently available for use with MODFLOW-2005 solve only symmetric matrices, MODFLOW-NWT includes two previously developed asymmetric matrix-solver options. The matrix-solver options include a generalized-minimum-residual (GMRES) Solver and an Orthomin / stabilized conjugate-gradient (CGSTAB) Solver. The GMRES Solver is documented in a previously published report, such that only a brief description and input instructions are provided in this report. However, the CGSTAB Solver (called XMD) is documented in this report. Flow-property input for the UPW Package is designed based on the LPF Package and material-property input is identical to that for the LPF Package except that the rewetting and vertical-conductance correction options of the LPF Package are not available with the UPW Package. Input files constructed for the LPF Package can be used with slight modification as input for the UPW Package. This report presents the theory and methods used by MODFLOW-NWT, including the UPW Package. Additionally, this report provides comparisons of the new methodology to analytical solutions of groundwater flow and to standard MODFLOW-2005 results by use of an unconfined aquifer MODFLOW example problem. The standard MODFLOW-2005 simulation uses the LPF Package with the wet/dry option active. A new example problem also is presented to demonstrate MODFLOW-NWT's ability to provide a solution for a difficult unconfined groundwater-flow problem.

  20. The effects of dynamic loading on the intervertebral disc.

    PubMed

    Chan, Samantha C W; Ferguson, Stephen J; Gantenbein-Ritter, Benjamin

    2011-11-01

    Loading is important to maintain the balance of matrix turnover in the intervertebral disc (IVD). Daily cyclic diurnal assists in the transport of large soluble factors across the IVD and its surrounding circulation and applies direct and indirect stimulus to disc cells. Acute mechanical injury and accumulated overloading, however, could induce disc degeneration. Recently, there is more information available on how cyclic loading, especially axial compression and hydrostatic pressure, affects IVD cell biology. This review summarises recent studies on the response of the IVD and stem cells to applied cyclic compression and hydrostatic pressure. These studies investigate the possible role of loading in the initiation and progression of disc degeneration as well as quantifying a physiological loading condition for the study of disc degeneration biological therapy. Subsequently, a possible physiological/beneficial loading range is proposed. This physiological/beneficial loading could provide insight into how to design loading regimes in specific system for the testing of various biological therapies such as cell therapy, chemical therapy or tissue engineering constructs to achieve a better final outcome. In addition, the parameter space of 'physiological' loading may also be an important factor for the differentiation of stem cells towards most ideally 'discogenic' cells for tissue engineering purpose.

  1. A novel packaging system for the generation of helper-free oncolytic MVM vector stocks.

    PubMed

    Brandenburger, A; Russell, S

    1996-10-01

    MVM-based autonomous parvoviral vectors have been shown to target the expression of heterologous genes in neoplastic cells and are therefore of interest for cancer gene therapy. The traditional method for production of parvoviral vectors requires the cotransfection of vector and helper plasmids into MVM-permissive cell lines, but recombination between the cotransfected plasmids invariably gives rise to vector stocks that are heavily contaminated with wild-type MVM. Therefore, to minimise recombination between the vector and helper genomes we have utilised a cell line in which the MVM helper functions are expressed inducibly from a modified MVM genome that is stably integrated into the host cell chromosome. Using this MVM packaging cell line, we could reproducibly generate MVM vector stocks that contained no detectable helper virus.

  2. Evaluation of a load cell model for dynamic calibration of the rotor systems research aircraft

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Duval, R. W.; Bahrami, H.; Wellman, B.

    1985-01-01

    The Rotor Systems Research Aircraft uses load cells to isolate the rotor/transmission system from the fuselage. An analytical model of the relationship between applied rotor loads and the resulting load cell measurements is derived by applying a force-and-moment balance to the isolated rotor/transmission system. The model is then used to estimate the applied loads from measured load cell data, as obtained from a ground-based shake test. Using nominal design values for the parameters, the estimation errors, for the case of lateral forcing, were shown to be on the order of the sensor measurement noise in all but the roll axis. An unmodeled external load appears to be the source of the error in this axis.

  3. Cancer nanomedicine: gold nanoparticle mediated combined cancer therapy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, C.; Bromma, Kyle; Chithrani, B. D.

    2018-02-01

    Recent developments in nanotechnology has provided new tools for cancer therapy and diagnosis. Among other nanomaterial systems, gold nanoparticles are being used as radiation dose enhancers and anticancer drug carriers in cancer therapy. Fate of gold nanoparticles within biological tissues can be probed using techniques such as TEM (transmission electron microscopy) and SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) due to their high electron density. We have shown for the first time that cancer drug loaded gold nanoparticles can reach the nucleus (or the brain) of cancer cells enhancing the therapeutic effect dramatically. Nucleus of the cancer cells are the most desirable target in cancer therapy. In chemotherapy, smart delivery of highly toxic anticancer drugs through packaging using nanoparticles will reduce the side effects and improve the quality and care of cancer patients. In radiation therapy, use of gold nanoparticles as radiation dose enhancer is very promising due to enhanced localized dose within the cancer tissue. Recent advancement in nanomaterial characterization techniques will facilitate mapping of nanomaterial distribution within biological specimens to correlate the radiobiological effects due to treatment. Hence, gold nanoparticle mediated combined chemoradiation would provide promising tools to achieve personalized and tailored cancer treatments in the near future.

  4. Defective Anks1a disrupts the export of receptor tyrosine kinases from the endoplasmic reticulum

    PubMed Central

    Park, Soochul

    2016-01-01

    EphA2 has been implicated in amplifying ErbB2 tumorigenic signaling. One protein that interacts with EphA2 is the Anks1a PTB adaptor. However, the precise role of Anks1a in EphA2-mediated tumorigenesis is unclear. We demonstrated that Anks1a localizes to the ER upon phosphorylation and that the Ankyrin repeats and PTB of Anks1a bind to EphA2 and Sec23, respectively. Thus, Anks1a facilitates the selective packaging of EphA2 into COPII vesicles. Additionally, Anks1a knockout mice, a phenocopy of EphA2 knockout mice, exhibited markedly reduced ErbB2-induced breast tumorigenesis. Strikingly, ErbB2 did not localize to the cell surface following Anks1a knockdown in primary mammary tumor cells over-expressing ErbB2. Importantly, EphA2 was critical for stabilizing ErbB2 through complex formation, but its interaction with Anks1a also facilitated ErbB2 loading into COPII carriers. These findings suggest a novel role for Anks1a in the molecular pathogenesis of breast tumors and possibly other human diseases. PMID:27802842

  5. Study of Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Particulate Reinforced Aluminum Matrix Composite Foam

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kumar, Suresh; Pandey, O. P.

    Metal foams cellular metals have gained an important role in the field of metallurgy, though barely a few decades old. Aluminum composite foam exhibit unique properties such as light weight, blast palliation, sound absorption, high energy absorption, and flame resistance. In the present investigation the effect of variation in the amount of CaCO3 as blowing agent on the microstructure and wear behavior of LM13 alloy foams has been studied. The blowing agent was blended in highly viscous semi-solid melt by stirring process. The process parameters that influence the formation of bubbles like the melt temperature, size and amount of blowing agent and its distribution has been optimized to get uniform size foams. The distribution behavior of blowing agent is influenced by the melt viscosity and stirring speed. For packaging application, the dry sliding wear behavior of the prepared foam was investigated by using a pin on disc method at applied loads of 9.8, 19.6 and 29.4 N at room temperature. The results indicate that the wear rate is dependent on the cell size and cell wall thickness of the foam.

  6. West Nile virus infectious replicon particles generated using a packaging-restricted cell line is a safe reporter system.

    PubMed

    Li, Wei; Ma, Le; Guo, Li-Ping; Wang, Xiao-Lei; Zhang, Jing-Wei; Bu, Zhi-Gao; Hua, Rong-Hong

    2017-06-12

    West Nile virus (WNV) is a neurotropic pathogen which causes zoonotic disease in humans. Recently, there have been an increasing number of infected cases and there are no clinically approved vaccines or effective drugs to treat WNV infections in humans. The purpose of this study was to facilitate vaccine and antiviral drug discovery by developing a packaging cell line-restricted WNV infectious replicon particle system. We constructed a DNA-based WNV replicon lacking the C-prM-E coding region and replaced it with a GFP coding sequence. To produce WNV replicon particles, cell lines stably-expressing prM-E and C-prM-E were constructed. When the WNV replicon plasmid was co-transfected with a WNV C-expressing plasmid into the prM-E-expressing cell line or directly transfected the C-prM-E expressing cell line, the replicon particle was able to replicate, form green fluorescence foci, and exhibit cytopathic plaques similar to that induced by the wild type virus. The infectious capacity of the replicon particles was restricted to the packaging cell line as the replicons demonstrated only one round of infection in other permissive cells. Thus, this system provides a safe and convenient reporter WNV manipulating tool which can be used to study WNV viral invasion mechanisms, neutralizing antibodies and antiviral efficacy.

  7. 49 CFR 173.24b - Additional general requirements for bulk packagings.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... test specimen. (c) Air pressure in excess of ambient atmospheric pressure may not be used to load or unload any lading which may create an air-enriched mixture within the flammability range of the lading in... subchapter) or a pressure vessel design code approved by the Associate Administrator; (iv) Be approved by the...

  8. 49 CFR 173.24b - Additional general requirements for bulk packagings.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... test specimen. (c) Air pressure in excess of ambient atmospheric pressure may not be used to load or unload any lading which may create an air-enriched mixture within the flammability range of the lading in... subchapter) or a pressure vessel design code approved by the Associate Administrator; (iv) Be approved by the...

  9. 49 CFR 173.24b - Additional general requirements for bulk packagings.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... test specimen. (c) Air pressure in excess of ambient atmospheric pressure may not be used to load or unload any lading which may create an air-enriched mixture within the flammability range of the lading in... subchapter) or a pressure vessel design code approved by the Associate Administrator; (iv) Be approved by the...

  10. 49 CFR 173.24b - Additional general requirements for bulk packagings.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... test specimen. (c) Air pressure in excess of ambient atmospheric pressure may not be used to load or unload any lading which may create an air-enriched mixture within the flammability range of the lading in... subchapter) or a pressure vessel design code approved by the Associate Administrator; (iv) Be approved by the...

  11. CFD-based design load analysis of 5MW offshore wind turbine

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tran, T. T.; Ryu, G. J.; Kim, Y. H.; Kim, D. H.

    2012-11-01

    The structure and aerodynamic loads acting on NREL 5MW reference wind turbine blade are calculated and analyzed based on advanced Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and unsteady Blade Element Momentum (BEM). A detailed examination of the six force components has been carried out (three force components and three moment components). Structure load (gravity and inertia load) and aerodynamic load have been obtained by additional structural calculations (CFD or BEM, respectively,). In CFD method, the Reynolds Average Navier-Stokes approach was applied to solve the continuity equation of mass conservation and momentum balance so that the complex flow around wind turbines was modeled. Written in C programming language, a User Defined Function (UDF) code which defines transient velocity profile according to the Extreme Operating Gust condition was compiled into commercial FLUENT package. Furthermore, the unsteady BEM with 3D stall model has also adopted to investigate load components on wind turbine rotor. The present study introduces a comparison between advanced CFD and unsteady BEM for determining load on wind turbine rotor. Results indicate that there are good agreements between both present methods. It is importantly shown that six load components on wind turbine rotor is significant effect under Extreme Operating Gust (EOG) condition. Using advanced CFD and additional structural calculations, this study has succeeded to construct accuracy numerical methodology to estimate total load of wind turbine that compose of aerodynamic load and structure load.

  12. Dynamic Hydrostatic Pressure Regulates Nucleus Pulposus Phenotypic Expression and Metabolism in a Cell Density-Dependent Manner.

    PubMed

    Shah, Bhranti S; Chahine, Nadeen O

    2018-02-01

    Dynamic hydrostatic pressure (HP) loading can modulate nucleus pulposus (NP) cell metabolism, extracellular matrix (ECM) composition, and induce transformation of notochordal NP cells into mature phenotype. However, the effects of varying cell density and dynamic HP magnitude on NP phenotype and metabolism are unknown. This study examined the effects of physiological magnitudes of HP loading applied to bovine NP cells encapsulated within three-dimensional (3D) alginate beads. Study 1: seeding density (1 M/mL versus 4 M/mL) was evaluated in unloaded and loaded (0.1 MPa, 0.1 Hz) conditions. Study 2: loading magnitude (0, 0.1, and 0.6 MPa) applied at 0.1 Hz to 1 M/mL for 7 days was evaluated. Study 1: 4 M/mL cell density had significantly lower adenosine triphosphate (ATP), glycosaminoglycan (GAG) and collagen content, and increased lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). HP loading significantly increased ATP levels, and expression of aggrecan, collagen I, keratin-19, and N-cadherin in HP loaded versus unloaded groups. Study 2: aggrecan expression increased in a dose dependent manner with HP magnitude, whereas N-cadherin and keratin-19 expression were greatest in low HP loading compared to unloaded. Overall, the findings of the current study indicate that cell seeding density within a 3D construct is a critical variable influencing the mechanobiological response of NP cells to HP loading. NP mechanobiology and phenotypic expression was also found to be dependent on the magnitude of HP loading. These findings suggest that HP loading and culture conditions of NP cells may require complex optimization for engineering an NP replacement tissue.

  13. Method and apparatus for calibrating multi-axis load cells in a dexterous robot

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wampler, II, Charles W. (Inventor); Platt, Jr., Robert J. (Inventor)

    2012-01-01

    A robotic system includes a dexterous robot having robotic joints, angle sensors adapted for measuring joint angles at a corresponding one of the joints, load cells for measuring a set of strain values imparted to a corresponding one of the load cells during a predetermined pose of the robot, and a host machine. The host machine is electrically connected to the load cells and angle sensors, and receives the joint angle values and strain values during the predetermined pose. The robot presses together mating pairs of load cells to form the poses. The host machine executes an algorithm to process the joint angles and strain values, and from the set of all calibration matrices that minimize error in force balance equations, selects the set of calibration matrices that is closest in a value to a pre-specified value. A method for calibrating the load cells via the algorithm is also provided.

  14. [Assessment of the probability of encountering staphylococcal enterotoxins in lactic acid cheese packaged in laminates].

    PubMed

    Steinka, Izabela

    2004-01-01

    Immunoassay methods were used to identify the presence of staphylococcal enterotoxins in lactic acid cheese vacuum and non-vacuum packed. There was assessed the probability of encountering staphylococcal enterotoxin in cheese dependent on different systems of packaging, count of staphylococcal cells, intensiveness of coagulase synthesis and tightness of packaging. The presence of enterotoxin was identified in 5% of researched samples of products stored for 14 days. The influence of packaging system and tightness on presence of enterotoxin was observed. The probability of presence of staphylococcal and enterotoxin in relation to researched factors was presented by the mathematical models.

  15. Cells respond to distinct nanoparticle properties with multiple strategies as revealed by single-cell RNA-Seq

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

    Mitchell, Hugh D.; Markillie, Lye Meng; Chrisler, William B.

    The impact of distinct nanoparticle (NP) properties on cellular response and ultimately human health is unclear. This gap is partially due to experimental difficulties in achieving uniform NP loads in the studied cells, creating heterogeneous populations with some cells “overloaded” while other cells are loaded with few or no NPs. Yet gene expression studies have been conducted in the population as a whole, identifying generic responses, while missing unique responses due to signal averaging across many cells, each carrying different loads. In this paper, we applied single-cell RNA-Seq to alveolar epithelial cells carrying defined loads of aminated or carboxylated quantummore » dots (QDs), showing higher or lower toxicity, respectively. Interestingly, cells carrying lower loads responded with multiple strategies, mostly with up-regulated processes, which were nonetheless coherent and unique to each QD type. In contrast, cells carrying higher loads responded more uniformly, with mostly down-regulated processes that were shared across QD types. Strategies unique to aminated QDs showed strong up-regulation of stress responses, coupled in some cases with regulation of cell cycle, protein synthesis, and organelle activities. In contrast, strategies unique to carboxylated QDs showed up-regulation of DNA repair and RNA activities and decreased regulation of cell division, coupled in some cases with up-regulation of stress responses and ATP-related functions. Finally, together, our studies suggest scenarios where higher NP loads lock cells into uniform responses, mostly shutdown of cellular processes, whereas lower loads allow for unique responses to each NP type that are more diversified proactive defenses or repairs of the NP insults.« less

  16. Cells respond to distinct nanoparticle properties with multiple strategies as revealed by single-cell RNA-Seq

    DOE PAGES

    Mitchell, Hugh D.; Markillie, Lye Meng; Chrisler, William B.; ...

    2016-10-27

    The impact of distinct nanoparticle (NP) properties on cellular response and ultimately human health is unclear. This gap is partially due to experimental difficulties in achieving uniform NP loads in the studied cells, creating heterogeneous populations with some cells “overloaded” while other cells are loaded with few or no NPs. Yet gene expression studies have been conducted in the population as a whole, identifying generic responses, while missing unique responses due to signal averaging across many cells, each carrying different loads. In this paper, we applied single-cell RNA-Seq to alveolar epithelial cells carrying defined loads of aminated or carboxylated quantummore » dots (QDs), showing higher or lower toxicity, respectively. Interestingly, cells carrying lower loads responded with multiple strategies, mostly with up-regulated processes, which were nonetheless coherent and unique to each QD type. In contrast, cells carrying higher loads responded more uniformly, with mostly down-regulated processes that were shared across QD types. Strategies unique to aminated QDs showed strong up-regulation of stress responses, coupled in some cases with regulation of cell cycle, protein synthesis, and organelle activities. In contrast, strategies unique to carboxylated QDs showed up-regulation of DNA repair and RNA activities and decreased regulation of cell division, coupled in some cases with up-regulation of stress responses and ATP-related functions. Finally, together, our studies suggest scenarios where higher NP loads lock cells into uniform responses, mostly shutdown of cellular processes, whereas lower loads allow for unique responses to each NP type that are more diversified proactive defenses or repairs of the NP insults.« less

  17. DEsingle for detecting three types of differential expression in single-cell RNA-seq data.

    PubMed

    Miao, Zhun; Deng, Ke; Wang, Xiaowo; Zhang, Xuegong

    2018-04-24

    The excessive amount of zeros in single-cell RNA-seq data include "real" zeros due to the on-off nature of gene transcription in single cells and "dropout" zeros due to technical reasons. Existing differential expression (DE) analysis methods cannot distinguish these two types of zeros. We developed an R package DEsingle which employed Zero-Inflated Negative Binomial model to estimate the proportion of real and dropout zeros and to define and detect 3 types of DE genes in single-cell RNA-seq data with higher accuracy. The R package DEsingle is freely available at https://github.com/miaozhun/DEsingle and is under Bioconductor's consideration now. zhangxg@tsinghua.edu.cn. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

  18. Advances in rechargeable lithium molybdenum disulfide batteries

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Brandt, K.; Stiles, J. A. R.

    1985-01-01

    The lithium molybdenum disulfide system as demonstrated in a C size cell, offers performance characteristics for applications where light weight and low volume are important. A gravimetric energy density of 90 watt hours per kilogram can be achieved in a C size cell package. The combination of charge retention capabilities, high energy density and a state of charge indicator in a rechargeable cell provides power package for a wide range of devices. The system overcomes the memory effect in Nicads where the full capacity of the battery cannot be utilized unless it was utilized on previous cycles. The development of cells with an advanced electrolyte formulation led to an improved rate capability especially at low temperatures and to a significantly improved life cycle.

  19. TLM-Tracker: software for cell segmentation, tracking and lineage analysis in time-lapse microscopy movies.

    PubMed

    Klein, Johannes; Leupold, Stefan; Biegler, Ilona; Biedendieck, Rebekka; Münch, Richard; Jahn, Dieter

    2012-09-01

    Time-lapse imaging in combination with fluorescence microscopy techniques enable the investigation of gene regulatory circuits and uncovered phenomena like culture heterogeneity. In this context, computational image processing for the analysis of single cell behaviour plays an increasing role in systems biology and mathematical modelling approaches. Consequently, we developed a software package with graphical user interface for the analysis of single bacterial cell behaviour. A new software called TLM-Tracker allows for the flexible and user-friendly interpretation for the segmentation, tracking and lineage analysis of microbial cells in time-lapse movies. The software package, including manual, tutorial video and examples, is available as Matlab code or executable binaries at http://www.tlmtracker.tu-bs.de.

  20. 49 CFR 173.4a - Excepted quantities.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... ice), and lithium batteries and cells. (c) Inner packaging limits. The maximum quantity of hazardous materials in each inner packaging is limited to: (1) For toxic material with a Division 6.1 primary or... excepted quantities must meet the following: (1) Each inner receptacle must be constructed of plastic, or...

  1. Disruption of Specific RNA-RNA Interactions in a Double-Stranded RNA Virus Inhibits Genome Packaging and Virus Infectivity

    PubMed Central

    Fajardo, Teodoro; Sung, Po-Yu; Roy, Polly

    2015-01-01

    Bluetongue virus (BTV) causes hemorrhagic disease in economically important livestock. The BTV genome is organized into ten discrete double-stranded RNA molecules (S1-S10) which have been suggested to follow a sequential packaging pathway from smallest to largest segment during virus capsid assembly. To substantiate and extend these studies, we have investigated the RNA sorting and packaging mechanisms with a new experimental approach using inhibitory oligonucleotides. Putative packaging signals present in the 3’untranslated regions of BTV segments were targeted by a number of nuclease resistant oligoribonucleotides (ORNs) and their effects on virus replication in cell culture were assessed. ORNs complementary to the 3’ UTR of BTV RNAs significantly inhibited virus replication without affecting protein synthesis. Same ORNs were found to inhibit complex formation when added to a novel RNA-RNA interaction assay which measured the formation of supramolecular complexes between and among different RNA segments. ORNs targeting the 3’UTR of BTV segment 10, the smallest RNA segment, were shown to be the most potent and deletions or substitution mutations of the targeted sequences diminished the RNA complexes and abolished the recovery of viable viruses using reverse genetics. Cell-free capsid assembly/RNA packaging assay also confirmed that the inhibitory ORNs could interfere with RNA packaging and further substitution mutations within the putative RNA packaging sequence have identified the recognition sequence concerned. Exchange of 3’UTR between segments have further demonstrated that RNA recognition was segment specific, most likely acting as part of the secondary structure of the entire genomic segment. Our data confirm that genome packaging in this segmented dsRNA virus occurs via the formation of supramolecular complexes formed by the interaction of specific sequences located in the 3’ UTRs. Additionally, the inhibition of packaging in-trans with inhibitory ORNs suggests this that interaction is a bona fide target for the design of compounds with antiviral activity. PMID:26646790

  2. Disruption of Specific RNA-RNA Interactions in a Double-Stranded RNA Virus Inhibits Genome Packaging and Virus Infectivity.

    PubMed

    Fajardo, Teodoro; Sung, Po-Yu; Roy, Polly

    2015-12-01

    Bluetongue virus (BTV) causes hemorrhagic disease in economically important livestock. The BTV genome is organized into ten discrete double-stranded RNA molecules (S1-S10) which have been suggested to follow a sequential packaging pathway from smallest to largest segment during virus capsid assembly. To substantiate and extend these studies, we have investigated the RNA sorting and packaging mechanisms with a new experimental approach using inhibitory oligonucleotides. Putative packaging signals present in the 3'untranslated regions of BTV segments were targeted by a number of nuclease resistant oligoribonucleotides (ORNs) and their effects on virus replication in cell culture were assessed. ORNs complementary to the 3' UTR of BTV RNAs significantly inhibited virus replication without affecting protein synthesis. Same ORNs were found to inhibit complex formation when added to a novel RNA-RNA interaction assay which measured the formation of supramolecular complexes between and among different RNA segments. ORNs targeting the 3'UTR of BTV segment 10, the smallest RNA segment, were shown to be the most potent and deletions or substitution mutations of the targeted sequences diminished the RNA complexes and abolished the recovery of viable viruses using reverse genetics. Cell-free capsid assembly/RNA packaging assay also confirmed that the inhibitory ORNs could interfere with RNA packaging and further substitution mutations within the putative RNA packaging sequence have identified the recognition sequence concerned. Exchange of 3'UTR between segments have further demonstrated that RNA recognition was segment specific, most likely acting as part of the secondary structure of the entire genomic segment. Our data confirm that genome packaging in this segmented dsRNA virus occurs via the formation of supramolecular complexes formed by the interaction of specific sequences located in the 3' UTRs. Additionally, the inhibition of packaging in-trans with inhibitory ORNs suggests this that interaction is a bona fide target for the design of compounds with antiviral activity.

  3. Viral nanoparticle-encapsidated enzyme and restructured DNA for cell delivery and gene expression

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Jinny L.; Dixit, Aparna Banerjee; Robertson, Kelly L.; Qiao, Eric; Black, Lindsay W.

    2014-01-01

    Packaging specific exogenous active proteins and DNAs together within a single viral-nanocontainer is challenging. The bacteriophage T4 capsid (100 × 70 nm) is well suited for this purpose, because it can hold a single long DNA or multiple short pieces of DNA up to 170 kb packed together with more than 1,000 protein molecules. Any linear DNA can be packaged in vitro into purified procapsids. The capsid-targeting sequence (CTS) directs virtually any protein into the procapsid. Procapsids are assembled with specific CTS-directed exogenous proteins that are encapsidated before the DNA. The capsid also can display on its surface high-affinity eukaryotic cell-binding peptides or proteins that are in fusion with small outer capsid and head outer capsid surface-decoration proteins that can be added in vivo or in vitro. In this study, we demonstrate that the site-specific recombinase cyclic recombination (Cre) targeted into the procapsid is enzymatically active within the procapsid and recircularizes linear plasmid DNA containing two terminal loxP recognition sites when packaged in vitro. mCherry expression driven by a cytomegalovirus promoter in the capsid containing Cre-circularized DNA is enhanced over linear DNA, as shown in recipient eukaryotic cells. The efficient and specific packaging into capsids and the unpackaging of both DNA and protein with release of the enzymatically altered protein–DNA complexes from the nanoparticles into cells have potential in numerous downstream drug and gene therapeutic applications. PMID:25161284

  4. Enabling More than Moore: Accelerated Reliability Testing and Risk Analysis for Advanced Electronics Packaging

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ghaffarian, Reza; Evans, John W.

    2014-01-01

    For five decades, the semiconductor industry has distinguished itself by the rapid pace of improvement in miniaturization of electronics products-Moore's Law. Now, scaling hits a brick wall, a paradigm shift. The industry roadmaps recognized the scaling limitation and project that packaging technologies will meet further miniaturization needs or ak.a "More than Moore". This paper presents packaging technology trends and accelerated reliability testing methods currently being practiced. Then, it presents industry status on key advanced electronic packages, factors affecting accelerated solder joint reliability of area array packages, and IPC/JEDEC/Mil specifications for characterizations of assemblies under accelerated thermal and mechanical loading. Finally, it presents an examples demonstrating how Accelerated Testing and Analysis have been effectively employed in the development of complex spacecraft thereby reducing risk. Quantitative assessments necessarily involve the mathematics of probability and statistics. In addition, accelerated tests need to be designed which consider the desired risk posture and schedule for particular project. Such assessments relieve risks without imposing additional costs. and constraints that are not value added for a particular mission. Furthermore, in the course of development of complex systems, variances and defects will inevitably present themselves and require a decision concerning their disposition, necessitating quantitative assessments. In summary, this paper presents a comprehensive view point, from technology to systems, including the benefits and impact of accelerated testing in offsetting risk.

  5. simBio: a Java package for the development of detailed cell models.

    PubMed

    Sarai, Nobuaki; Matsuoka, Satoshi; Noma, Akinori

    2006-01-01

    Quantitative dynamic computer models, which integrate a variety of molecular functions into a cell model, provide a powerful tool to create and test working hypotheses. We have developed a new modeling tool, the simBio package (freely available from ), which can be used for constructing cell models, such as cardiac cells (the Kyoto model from Matsuoka et al., 2003, 2004 a, b, the LRd model from Faber and Rudy, 2000, and the Noble 98 model from Noble et al., 1998), epithelial cells (Strieter et al., 1990) and pancreatic beta cells (Magnus and Keizer, 1998). The simBio package is written in Java, uses XML and can solve ordinary differential equations. In an attempt to mimic biological functional structures, a cell model is, in simBio, composed of independent functional modules called Reactors, such as ion channels and the sarcoplasmic reticulum, and dynamic variables called Nodes, such as ion concentrations. The interactions between Reactors and Nodes are described by the graph theory and the resulting graph represents a blueprint of an intricate cellular system. Reactors are prepared in a hierarchical order, in analogy to the biological classification. Each Reactor can be composed or improved independently, and can easily be reused for different models. This way of building models, through the combination of various modules, is enabled through the use of object-oriented programming concepts. Thus, simBio is a straightforward system for the creation of a variety of cell models on a common database of functional modules.

  6. heatmaply: an R package for creating interactive cluster heatmaps for online publishing.

    PubMed

    Galili, Tal; O'Callaghan, Alan; Sidi, Jonathan; Sievert, Carson

    2018-05-01

    heatmaply is an R package for easily creating interactive cluster heatmaps that can be shared online as a stand-alone HTML file. Interactivity includes a tooltip display of values when hovering over cells, as well as the ability to zoom in to specific sections of the figure from the data matrix, the side dendrograms, or annotated labels. Thanks to the synergistic relationship between heatmaply and other R packages, the user is empowered by a refined control over the statistical and visual aspects of the heatmap layout. The heatmaply package is available under the GPL-2 Open Source license. It comes with a detailed vignette, and is freely available from: http://cran.r-project.org/package=heatmaply. tal.galili@math.tau.ac.il. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

  7. A Novel AS1411 Aptamer-Based Three-Way Junction Pocket DNA Nanostructure Loaded with Doxorubicin for Targeting Cancer Cells in Vitro and in Vivo.

    PubMed

    Taghdisi, Seyed Mohammad; Danesh, Noor Mohammad; Ramezani, Mohammad; Yazdian-Robati, Rezvan; Abnous, Khalil

    2018-05-07

    Active targeting of nanostructures containing chemotherapeutic agents can improve cancer treatment. Here, a three-way junction pocket DNA nanostructure was developed for efficient doxorubicin (Dox) delivery into cancer cells. The three-way junction pocket DNA nanostructure is composed of three strands of AS1411 aptamer as both a therapeutic aptamer and nucleolin target, the potential biomarker of prostate (PC-3 cells) and breast (4T1 cells) cancers. The properties of the Dox-loaded three-way junction pocket DNA nanostructure were characterized and verified to have several advantages, including high serum stability and a pH-responsive property. Cellular uptake studies showed that the Dox-loaded DNA nanostructure was preferably internalized into target cancer cells (PC-3 and 4T1 cells). MTT cell viability assay demonstrated that the Dox-loaded DNA nanostructure had significantly higher cytotoxicity for PC-3 and 4T1 cells compared to that of nontarget cells (CHO cells, Chinese hamster ovary cell). The in vivo antitumor effect showed that the Dox-loaded DNA nanostructure was more effective in prohibition of the tumor growth compared to free Dox. These findings showed that the Dox-loaded three-way junction pocket DNA nanostructure could significantly reduce the cytotoxic effects of Dox against nontarget cells.

  8. Effect of different packaging methods and storage temperature on microbiological and physicochemical quality characteristics of meatball.

    PubMed

    Yilmaz, I; Demirci, M

    2010-06-01

    The objective of this research was to determine physicochemical changes and microbiological quality of the different packaged meatball samples. Meatball samples in polystyrene tray were closed with polyethylene film (PS packs), vacuumed and modified atmosphere packaged, (MAP) (65% N(2), 35% CO(2)), and held under refrigerated display (4 °C) for 8, 16 and 16 days for PS packs, vacuum and MAP, respectively. Microbial load, free fatty acids and thiobarbituric acid values of the samples tended to increase with storage time. Bacteria counts of the raw meatball samples increased 2 log cycles at the end of storage compared with initial values. Meatball samples can be stored without any microbiological problem for 7 days at 4 °C. Results from this study suggested that shelf-life assigned to modified-MAP and vacuum-packed meatballs may be appropriate. Meatball samples underwent physical deformation when they were packed before vacuum process. With these negative factors considered, MAP is superior to other two packs methods.

  9. Fabrication and characterization of tea polyphenols loaded pullulan-CMC electrospun nanofiber for fruit preservation.

    PubMed

    Shao, Ping; Niu, Ben; Chen, Hangjun; Sun, Peilong

    2018-02-01

    Edible packaging films using polymer for food preservation have been developed for a long time. In this study, the effects of different concentrations (0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, w/v) of tea polyphenols incorporated into pullulan-Carboxymethylcellulose sodium (Pul-CMC) solutions on electrospun nanofiber films were evaluated. The fiber size distribution was characterized by scanning electron microscopy. The morphological features of nanofibers were modulated through adjusting process parameters (e.g. concentration of polymer solution, applied voltage and feeding rate). Increasing the applied voltage from 19 to 21kV and the feed rate from 0.36 to 0.6mL/h leads to a reduction in mean fiber diameter. Fruit packaging potential was evaluated using strawberry. The pullulan-CMC-TP nanofibers significantly decreased weight loss and maintained the firmness of the strawberries, and improved the quality of the fruit during storage. The findings demonstrate a facile packaging route to improve food sustainability and reduce waste. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Spooled packaging of shape memory alloy actuators

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Redmond, John A.

    A vast cross-section of transportation, manufacturing, consumer product, and medical technologies rely heavily on actuation. Accordingly, progress in these industries is often strongly coupled to the advancement of actuation technologies. As the field of actuation continues to evolve, smart materials show significant promise for satisfying the growing needs of industry. In particular, shape memory alloy (SMA) wire actuators present an opportunity for low-cost, high performance actuation, but until now, they have been limited or restricted from use in many otherwise suitable applications by the difficulty in packaging the SMA wires within tight or unusually shaped form constraints. To address this packaging problem, SMA wires can be spool-packaged by wrapping around mandrels to make the actuator more compact or by redirecting around multiple mandrels to customize SMA wire pathways to unusual form factors. The goal of this dissertation is to develop the scientific knowledge base for spooled packaging of low-cost SMA wire actuators that enables high, predictable performance within compact, customizable form factors. In developing the scientific knowledge base, this dissertation defines a systematic general representation of single and multiple mandrel spool-packaged SMA actuators and provides tools for their analysis, understanding, and synthesis. A quasi-static analytical model distills the underlying mechanics down to the three effects of friction, bending, and binding, which enables prediction of the behavior of generic spool-packaged SMA actuators with specifiable geometric, loading, frictional, and SMA material parameters. An extensive experimental and simulation-based parameter study establishes the necessary understanding of how primary design tradeoffs between performance, packaging, and cost are governed by the underlying mechanics of spooled actuators. A design methodology outlines a systematic approach to synthesizing high performance SMA wire actuators with mitigated material, power, and packaging costs and compact, customizable form factors. By examining the multi-faceted connections between performance, packaging, and cost, this dissertation builds a knowledge base that goes beyond implementing SMA actuators for particular applications. Rather, it provides a well-developed strategy for realizing the advantages of SMA actuation for a broadened range of applications, thereby enabling opportunities for new functionality and capabilities in industry.

  11. 49 CFR 210.33 - Operation standards (switcher locomotives, load cell test stands, car coupling operations, and...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... cell test stands, car coupling operations, and retarders). 210.33 Section 210.33 Transportation Other... (switcher locomotives, load cell test stands, car coupling operations, and retarders). (a) Measurement on receiving property of the noise emission levels from switcher locomotives, load cell test stands, car...

  12. 49 CFR 210.33 - Operation standards (switcher locomotives, load cell test stands, car coupling operations, and...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... cell test stands, car coupling operations, and retarders). 210.33 Section 210.33 Transportation Other... (switcher locomotives, load cell test stands, car coupling operations, and retarders). (a) Measurement on receiving property of the noise emission levels from switcher locomotives, load cell test stands, car...

  13. 49 CFR 210.33 - Operation standards (switcher locomotives, load cell test stands, car coupling operations, and...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... cell test stands, car coupling operations, and retarders). 210.33 Section 210.33 Transportation Other... (switcher locomotives, load cell test stands, car coupling operations, and retarders). (a) Measurement on receiving property of the noise emission levels from switcher locomotives, load cell test stands, car...

  14. 49 CFR 210.33 - Operation standards (switcher locomotives, load cell test stands, car coupling operations, and...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... cell test stands, car coupling operations, and retarders). 210.33 Section 210.33 Transportation Other... (switcher locomotives, load cell test stands, car coupling operations, and retarders). (a) Measurement on receiving property of the noise emission levels from switcher locomotives, load cell test stands, car...

  15. 49 CFR 210.33 - Operation standards (switcher locomotives, load cell test stands, car coupling operations, and...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... cell test stands, car coupling operations, and retarders). 210.33 Section 210.33 Transportation Other... (switcher locomotives, load cell test stands, car coupling operations, and retarders). (a) Measurement on receiving property of the noise emission levels from switcher locomotives, load cell test stands, car...

  16. Cyrface: An interface from Cytoscape to R that provides a user interface to R packages.

    PubMed

    Gonçalves, Emanuel; Mirlach, Franz; Saez-Rodriguez, Julio

    2013-01-01

    There is an increasing number of software packages to analyse biological experimental data in the R environment. In particular, Bioconductor, a repository of curated R packages, is one of the most comprehensive resources for bioinformatics and biostatistics. The use of these packages is increasing, but it requires a basic understanding of the R language, as well as the syntax of the specific package used. The availability of user graphical interfaces for these packages would decrease the learning curve and broaden their application. Here, we present a Cytoscape app termed Cyrface that allows Cytoscape apps to connect to any function and package developed in R. Cyrface can be used to run R packages from within the Cytoscape environment making use of a graphical user interface. Moreover, it can link R packages with the capabilities of Cytoscape and its apps, in particular network visualization and analysis. Cyrface's utility has been demonstrated for two Bioconductor packages ( CellNOptR and DrugVsDisease), and here we further illustrate its usage by implementing a workflow of data analysis and visualization. Download links, installation instructions and user guides can be accessed from the Cyrface's homepage ( http://www.ebi.ac.uk/saezrodriguez/cyrface/) and from the Cytoscape app store ( http://apps.cytoscape.org/apps/cyrface).

  17. Packaging - Materials review

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

    Herrmann, Matthias

    2014-06-16

    Nowadays, a large number of different electrochemical energy storage systems are known. In the last two decades the development was strongly driven by a continuously growing market of portable electronic devices (e.g. cellular phones, lap top computers, camcorders, cameras, tools). Current intensive efforts are under way to develop systems for automotive industry within the framework of electrically propelled mobility (e.g. hybrid electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, full electric vehicles) and also for the energy storage market (e.g. electrical grid stability, renewable energies). Besides the different systems (cell chemistries), electrochemical cells and batteries were developed and are offered in manymore » shapes, sizes and designs, in order to meet performance and design requirements of the widespread applications. Proper packaging is thereby one important technological step for designing optimum, reliable and safe batteries for operation. In this contribution, current packaging approaches of cells and batteries together with the corresponding materials are discussed. The focus is laid on rechargeable systems for industrial applications (i.e. alkaline systems, lithium-ion, lead-acid). In principle, four different cell types (shapes) can be identified - button, cylindrical, prismatic and pouch. Cell size can be either in accordance with international (e.g. International Electrotechnical Commission, IEC) or other standards or can meet application-specific dimensions. Since cell housing or container, terminals and, if necessary, safety installations as inactive (non-reactive) materials reduce energy density of the battery, the development of low-weight packages is a challenging task. In addition to that, other requirements have to be fulfilled: mechanical stability and durability, sealing (e.g. high permeation barrier against humidity for lithium-ion technology), high packing efficiency, possible installation of safety devices (current interrupt device, valve, etc.), chemical inertness, cost issues, and others. Finally, proper cell design has to be considered for effective thermal management (i.e. cooling and heating) of battery packs.« less

  18. Large-scale Clinical-grade Retroviral Vector Production in a Fixed-Bed Bioreactor

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Xiuyan; Olszewska, Malgorzata; Qu, Jinrong; Wasielewska, Teresa; Bartido, Shirley; Hermetet, Gregory; Sadelain, Michel

    2015-01-01

    The successful genetic engineering of patient T cells with γ-retroviral vectors expressing chimeric antigen receptors or T-cell receptors for phase II clinical trials and beyond requires the large-scale manufacture of high-titer vector stocks. The production of retroviral vectors from stable packaging cell lines using roller bottles or 10- to 40-layer cell factories is limited by a narrow harvest window, labor intensity, open-system operations, and the requirement for significant incubator space. To circumvent these shortcomings, we optimized the production of vector stocks in a disposable fixed-bed bioreactor using good manufacturing practice–grade packaging cell lines. High-titer vector stocks were harvested over 10 days, representing a much broader harvest window than the 3-day harvest afforded by cell factories. For PG13 and 293Vec packaging cells, the average vector titer and the vector stocks’ yield in the bioreactor were higher by 3.2- to 7.3-fold, and 5.6- to 13.1-fold, respectively, than those obtained in cell factories. The vector production was 10.4 and 18.6 times more efficient than in cell factories for PG13 and 293Vec cells, respectively. Furthermore, the vectors produced from the fixed-bed bioreactors passed the release test assays for clinical applications. Therefore, a single vector lot derived from 293Vec is suitable to transduce up to 500 patients cell doses in the context of large clinical trials using chimeric antigen receptors or T-cell receptors. These findings demonstrate for the first time that a robust fixed-bed bioreactor process can be used to produce γ-retroviral vector stocks scalable up to the commercialization phase. PMID:25751502

  19. Common source-multiple load vs. separate source-individual load photovoltaic system

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Appelbaum, Joseph

    1989-01-01

    A comparison of system performance is made for two possible system setups: (1) individual loads powered by separate solar cell sources; and (2) multiple loads powered by a common solar cell source. A proof for resistive loads is given that shows the advantage of a common source over a separate source photovoltaic system for a large range of loads. For identical loads, both systems perform the same.

  20. Highly efficient in vitro and in vivo delivery of functional RNAs using new versatile MS2-chimeric retrovirus-like particles

    PubMed Central

    Prel, Anne; Caval, Vincent; Gayon, Régis; Ravassard, Philippe; Duthoit, Christine; Payen, Emmanuel; Maouche-Chretien, Leila; Creneguy, Alison; Nguyen, Tuan Huy; Martin, Nicolas; Piver, Eric; Sevrain, Raphaël; Lamouroux, Lucille; Leboulch, Philippe; Deschaseaux, Frédéric; Bouillé, Pascale; Sensébé, Luc; Pagès, Jean-Christophe

    2015-01-01

    RNA delivery is an attractive strategy to achieve transient gene expression in research projects and in cell- or gene-based therapies. Despite significant efforts investigating vector-directed RNA transfer, there is still a requirement for better efficiency of delivery to primary cells and in vivo. Retroviral platforms drive RNA delivery, yet retrovirus RNA-packaging constraints limit gene transfer to two genome-molecules per viral particle. To improve retroviral transfer, we designed a dimerization-independent MS2-driven RNA packaging system using MS2-Coat-retrovirus chimeras. The engineered chimeric particles promoted effective packaging of several types of RNAs and enabled efficient transfer of biologically active RNAs in various cell types, including human CD34+ and iPS cells. Systemic injection of high-titer particles led to gene expression in mouse liver and transferring Cre-recombinase mRNA in muscle permitted widespread editing at the ROSA26 locus. We could further show that the VLPs were able to activate an osteoblast differentiation pathway by delivering RUNX2- or DLX5-mRNA into primary human bone-marrow mesenchymal-stem cells. Thus, the novel chimeric MS2-lentiviral particles are a versatile tool for a wide range of applications including cellular-programming or genome-editing. PMID:26528487

  1. A cross-sectional study on the relationship of job stress with natural killer cell activity and natural killer cell subsets among healthy nurses.

    PubMed

    Morikawa, Yuko; Kitaoka-Higashiguchi, Kazuyo; Tanimoto, Chie; Hayashi, Midori; Oketani, Reiko; Miura, Katsuyuki; Nishijo, Muneko; Nakagawa, Hideaki

    2005-09-01

    The present study investigated the effects of job stress on cellular immune function, such as NK cell activity and NK cell subsets. The participants were 61 female nurses aged 23-59, who worked in a public psychiatric hospital in Ishikawa, Japan. Each subject completed the Nursing Job Stressor Scale (NJSS) and their NK cell activity and lymphocyte surface antigens (CD16+56+) were evaluated as immune system parameters. The NJSS has seven subscales: conflict with other nursing staff, nursing role conflict, conflict with physicians or autonomy, conflict with death or dying, quantitative work load, qualitative work load and conflict with patients. Factors influencing NK cell activity, and the proportion and cell counts of CD16+56+ lymphocytes were evaluated. Increase in quantitative work load significantly decreased NK cell activity. Conversely, no linear relationship was observed between qualitative work load and immunological variables, with the highest percentage of CD16+56+ lymphocytes observed among participants in the medium work load group. The other five NJSS subscales did not relate to immune parameters. In conclusion, the results suggest that perceived job strains, particularly quantitative work load, decreased NK cell function.

  2. DIELECTROPHORESIS-BASED MICROFLUIDIC SEPARATION AND DETECTION SYSTEMS

    PubMed Central

    Yang, Jun; Vykoukal, Jody; Noshari, Jamileh; Becker, Frederick; Gascoyne, Peter; Krulevitch, Peter; Fuller, Chris; Ackler, Harold; Hamilton, Julie; Boser, Bernhard; Eldredge, Adam; Hitchens, Duncan; Andrews, Craig

    2009-01-01

    Diagnosis and treatment of human diseases frequently requires isolation and detection of certain cell types from a complex mixture. Compared with traditional separation and detection techniques, microfluidic approaches promise to yield easy-to-use diagnostic instruments tolerant of a wide range of operating environments and capable of accomplishing automated analyses. These approaches will enable diagnostic advances to be disseminated from sophisticated clinical laboratories to the point-of-care. Applications will include the separation and differential analysis of blood cell subpopulations for host-based detection of blood cell changes caused by disease, infection, or exposure to toxins, and the separation and analysis of surface-sensitized, custom dielectric beads for chemical, biological, and biomolecular targets. Here we report a new particle separation and analysis microsystem that uses dielectrophoretic field-flow fractionation (DEP-FFF). The system consists of a microfluidic chip with integrated sample injector, a DEP-FFF separator, and an AC impedance sensor. We show the design of a miniaturized impedance sensor integrated circuit (IC) with improved sensitivity, a new packaging approach for micro-flumes that features a slide-together compression package and novel microfluidic interconnects, and the design, control, integration and packaging of a fieldable prototype. Illustrative applications will be shown, including the separation of different sized beads and different cell types, blood cell differential analysis, and impedance sensing results for beads, spores and cells. PMID:22025905

  3. Load sensing system

    DOEpatents

    Sohns, C.W.; Nodine, R.N.; Wallace, S.A.

    1999-05-04

    A load sensing system inexpensively monitors the weight and temperature of stored nuclear material for long periods of time in widely variable environments. The system can include an electrostatic load cell that encodes weight and temperature into a digital signal which is sent to a remote monitor via a coaxial cable. The same cable is used to supply the load cell with power. When multiple load cells are used, vast inventories of stored nuclear material can be continuously monitored and inventoried of minimal cost. 4 figs.

  4. Controlled High Filler Loading of Functionalized Al2O3-Filled Epoxy Composites for LED Thermal Management

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Permal, Anithambigai; Devarajan, Mutharasu; Hung, Huong Ling; Zahner, Thomas; Lacey, David; Ibrahim, Kamarulazizi

    2018-03-01

    Thermal management in light-emitting diode (LED) has been extensively researched recently. This study is intended to develop an effective thermally conductive epoxy composite as thermal interface material (TIM) for headlamp LEDs. Silane-functionalized aluminum oxide (Al2O3) powder of different average particle sizes (44 and 10 µm) was studied for its feasibility as filler at its maximum loading. A detailed comparison of three different methods of particle dispersions, hand-mix, speed-mix and calendaring process (3-roll mill), has been reported. The dispersion of Al2O3 particles, the thermal conductivity and thermal degradation characteristics of the composites were investigated and explained in detail. At 75 wt.% filler loading, 10 and 44 µm Al2O3 achieved composite thermal conductivities of 1.13 and 2.08 W/mK, respectively, which is approximately 528 and 1055% of enhancement with respect to neat epoxy. The package-level thermal performance of the LED employing the Al2O3-filled TIMs was carried out using thermal transient analysis. The experimental junction-to-ambient thermal resistances ( R thJ-A) achieved were 6.65, 7.24, and 8.63 K/W for Al2O3_44µm, Al2O3_10µm and neat epoxy, respectively. The results revealed that the Al2O3_44µm fillers-filled composite performed better in both material-level and package-level thermal characteristics.

  5. First-Time Analysis of Completely Restored DTREM Instrument Data from Apollo 14 and 15

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    McBride, Marie J.; Williams, David R.; Hills, H. Kent; Turner, Niescja

    2013-01-01

    The Dust, Thermal and Radiation Engineering Measurement (DTREM) packages (figure 1) mounted on the central stations of the Apollo 11, 12, 14, and 15 ALSEPs (Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Packages) measured the outputs of exposed solar cells and thermistors over time. The goal of the experiment, also commonly known as the dust detector, was to study the long-term effects of dust, radiation, and temperature at the lunar surface on solar cells. The monitors returned data for up to almost 8 years from the lunar surface.

  6. Advanced Liquid-Free, Piezoresistive, SOI-Based Pressure Sensors for Measurements in Harsh Environments.

    PubMed

    Ngo, Ha-Duong; Mukhopadhyay, Biswaijit; Ehrmann, Oswin; Lang, Klaus-Dieter

    2015-08-18

    In this paper we present and discuss two innovative liquid-free SOI sensors for pressure measurements in harsh environments. The sensors are capable of measuring pressures at high temperatures. In both concepts media separation is realized using a steel membrane. The two concepts represent two different strategies for packaging of devices for use in harsh environments and at high temperatures. The first one is a "one-sensor-one-packaging_technology" concept. The second one uses a standard flip-chip bonding technique. The first sensor is a "floating-concept", capable of measuring pressures at temperatures up to 400 °C (constant load) with an accuracy of 0.25% Full Scale Output (FSO). A push rod (mounted onto the steel membrane) transfers the applied pressure directly to the center-boss membrane of the SOI-chip, which is placed on a ceramic carrier. The chip membrane is realized by Deep Reactive Ion Etching (DRIE or Bosch Process). A novel propertied chip housing employing a sliding sensor chip that is fixed during packaging by mechanical preloading via the push rod is used, thereby avoiding chip movement, and ensuring optimal push rod load transmission. The second sensor can be used up to 350 °C. The SOI chips consists of a beam with an integrated centre-boss with was realized using KOH structuring and DRIE. The SOI chip is not "floating" but bonded by using flip-chip technology. The fabricated SOI sensor chip has a bridge resistance of 3250 Ω. The realized sensor chip has a sensitivity of 18 mV/µm measured using a bridge current of 1 mA.

  7. Computational methods for evaluation of cell-based data assessment--Bioconductor.

    PubMed

    Le Meur, Nolwenn

    2013-02-01

    Recent advances in miniaturization and automation of technologies have enabled cell-based assay high-throughput screening, bringing along new challenges in data analysis. Automation, standardization, reproducibility have become requirements for qualitative research. The Bioconductor community has worked in that direction proposing several R packages to handle high-throughput data including flow cytometry (FCM) experiment. Altogether, these packages cover the main steps of a FCM analysis workflow, that is, data management, quality assessment, normalization, outlier detection, automated gating, cluster labeling, and feature extraction. Additionally, the open-source philosophy of R and Bioconductor, which offers room for new development, continuously drives research and improvement of theses analysis methods, especially in the field of clustering and data mining. This review presents the principal FCM packages currently available in R and Bioconductor, their advantages and their limits. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Genetic load makes cancer cells more sensitive to common drugs: evidence from Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia.

    PubMed

    Pavel, Ana B; Korolev, Kirill S

    2017-05-16

    Genetic alterations initiate tumors and enable the evolution of drug resistance. The pro-cancer view of mutations is however incomplete, and several studies show that mutational load can reduce tumor fitness. Given its negative effect, genetic load should make tumors more sensitive to anticancer drugs. Here, we test this hypothesis across all major types of cancer from the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia, which provides genetic and expression data of 496 cell lines together with their response to 24 common anticancer drugs. We found that the efficacy of 9 out of 24 drugs showed significant association with genetic load in a pan-cancer analysis. The associations for some tissue-drug combinations were remarkably strong, with genetic load explaining up to 83% of the variance in the drug response. Overall, the role of genetic load depended on both the drug and the tissue type with 10 tissues being particularly vulnerable to genetic load. We also identified changes in gene expression associated with increased genetic load, which included cell-cycle checkpoints, DNA damage and apoptosis. Our results show that genetic load is an important component of tumor fitness and can predict drug sensitivity. Beyond being a biomarker, genetic load might be a new, unexplored vulnerability of cancer.

  9. Measuring Fluctuating Pressure Levels and Vibration Response in a Jet Plume

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Osterholt, Douglas J.; Knox, Douglas M.

    2011-01-01

    The characterization of loads due to solid rocket motor plume impingement allows for moreaccurate analyses of components subjected to such an environment. Typically, test verification of predicted loads due to these conditions is widely overlooked or unsuccessful. ATA Engineering, Inc., performed testing during a solid rocket motor firing to obtain acceleration and pressure responses in the hydrodynamic field surrounding the jet plume. The test environment necessitated a robust design to facilitate measurements being made in close proximity to the jet plume. This paper presents the process of designing a test fixture and an instrumentation package that could withstand the solid rocket plume environment and protect the required instrumentation.

  10. Vaults Engineered for Hydrophobic Drug Delivery

    PubMed Central

    Buehler, Daniel C.; Toso, Daniel B.; Kickhoefer, Valerie A.; Zhou, Z. Hong

    2013-01-01

    The vault nanoparticle is one of the largest known ribonucleoprotein complexes in the sub-100 nm range. Highly conserved and almost ubiquitously expressed in eukaryotes, vaults form a large nanocapsule with a barrel-shaped morphology surrounding a large hollow interior. These properties make vaults an ideal candidate for development into a drug delivery vehicle. In this study, we report the first example of using vaults towards this goal. We engineered recombinant vaults to encapsulate the highly insoluble and toxic hydrophobic compound All-trans Retinoic Acid (ATRA) using a vault binding lipoprotein complex that forms a lipid bilayer nanodisk. These recombinant vaults offer protection to the encapsulated ATRA from external elements. Furthermore, a cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) reconstruction shows the vault binding lipoprotein complex sequestered within the vault lumen. Finally, these ATRA loaded vaults have enhanced cytotoxicity against the hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2. The ability to package therapeutic compounds into the vault is an important achievement toward their development into a viable and versatile platform for drug delivery. PMID:21506266

  11. First Results from the Cornell COBRA Accelerator for Light Ion ICF Research

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lindholm, F.; Krastelev, E. G.; Greenly, J. B.; Kusse, B. R.

    1996-11-01

    COBRA, the Cornell Beam Research Accelerator, is a four-stage linear induction adder based on the Sandia National Laboratories SABRE accelerator design. The full 4 × 1 MV, 200 kA, 40 ns COBRA was completed in June 1996, after a year of initial operation with a single stage. Accelerator operation will be described, and first experimental results of power coupling and ion beam generation using a closely-coupled (short MITL) applied-B extraction ion diode load will be presented. A diagnostic package for beam optics including local microdivergence and aiming measurements is being developed, and results from both the single-stage experiments and new experiments on the full accelerator will be presented. A 20 ns, 15% voltage precursor to the main pulse resulting from coupling through the nonlinear magnetization characteristic of the Metglas^circR core at high magnetization rate was seen in the single-cell experiments. This mechanism will be discussed and its consequences on the full accelerator will be investigated.

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

    Von Dreele, Robert

    One of the goals in developing GSAS-II was to expand from the capabilities of the original General Structure Analysis System (GSAS) which largely encompassed just structure refinement and post refinement analysis. GSAS-II has been written almost entirely in Python loaded with graphics, GUI and mathematical packages (matplotlib, pyOpenGL, wxpython, numpy and scipy). Thus, GSAS-II has a fully developed modern GUI as well as extensive graphical display of data and results. However, the structure and operation of Python has required new approaches to many of the algorithms used in crystal structure analysis. The extensions beyond GSAS include image calibration/integration as wellmore » as peak fitting and unit cell indexing for powder data which are precursors for structure solution. Structure solution within GSAS-II begins with either Pawley or LeBail extracted structure factors from powder data or those measured in a single crystal experiment. Both charge flipping and Monte Carlo-Simulated Annealing techniques are available; the former can be applied to (3+1) incommensurate structures as well as conventional 3D structures.« less

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

    Driscoll, Frederick; Platt, Andrew; Sirnivas, Senu

    This project was performed under the Work for Others—Funds in Agreement FIA-14-1793 between Statoil and the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, manager and operator of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). To support the development of a 6-MW spar-mounted offshore wind turbine, Statoil funded NREL to perform tasks in the following three categories: 1. Design and analysis 2. Wake modeling 3. Concept resource assessment. This summarizes the document reports on the design and analysis work package, which built a FAST [Jonkman & Buhl, 2005] computer model of the Hywind 6-MW floating wind turbine system and uses this tool to evaluate themore » performance of a set of design load cases (DLCs). The FAST model was also used in Work Package 2: Wake Modeling.« less

  14. Control Technologies for Room Air-conditioner and Packaged Air-conditioner

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ito, Nobuhisa

    Trends of control technologies about air-conditioning machineries, especially room or packaged air conditioners, are presented in this paper. Multiple air conditioning systems for office buildings are mainly described as one application of the refrigeration cycle control technologies including sensors for thermal comfort and heating/ cooling loads are also described as one of the system control technologies. Inverter systems and related technologies for driving variable speed compressors are described in both case of including induction motors and brushless DC motors. Technologies for more accurate control to meet various kind of regulations such as ozone layer destruction, energy saving and global warming, and for eliminating harmonic distortion of power source current, as a typical EMC problem, will be urgently desired.

  15. Bonded polyimide fuel cell package

    DOEpatents

    Morse, Jeffrey D.; Jankowski, Alan; Graff, Robert T.; Bettencourt, Kerry

    2010-06-08

    Described herein are processes for fabricating microfluidic fuel cell systems with embedded components in which micron-scale features are formed by bonding layers of DuPont Kapton.TM. polyimide laminate. A microfluidic fuel cell system fabricated using this process is also described.

  16. Device Stores and Discharges Metered Fluid

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hooper, S. L.; Setzer, D.

    1983-01-01

    Hand-held container accepts measured amount of liquid from pressurized supply. Supply pressure drives spring-loaded piston that stores enough mechanical energy to discharge measured liquid into another container. Original application of container was to rehydrate sterilized pre-packaged food in zerogravity environment of space vehicles. Possible terrestrial applicatios include dispensing of toxic fluids or metering of fluids for household, commercial or laboratory uses.

  17. Structural dynamics payload loads estimates: User guide

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Shanahan, T. G.; Engels, R. C.

    1982-01-01

    This User Guide with an overview of an integration scheme to determine the response of a launch vehicle with multiple payloads. Chapter II discusses the software package associated with the integration scheme together with several sample problems. A short cut version of the integration technique is also discussed. The Guide concludes with a list of references and the listings of the subroutines.

  18. 76 FR 13313 - Hazardous Materials: Cargo Tank Motor Vehicle Loading and Unloading Operations

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-03-11

    ... hazardous materials in quantities of 3,000 liters or greater to identify the causes of the incidents and to... involving tanks with a capacity of 3,000 liters or greater revealed that 90% of the incidents occur by... incidental storage of hazardous materials in bulk packagings having a capacity greater than 3,000 liters. The...

  19. Miniature spectrally selective dosimeter

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Adams, R. R.; Macconochie, I. O.; Poole, B. D., Jr. (Inventor)

    1980-01-01

    A miniature spectrally selective dosimeter capable of measuring selected bandwidths of radiation exposure on small mobile areas is described. This is achieved by the combination of photovoltaic detectors, electrochemical integrators (E-cells) and filters in a small compact case which can be easily attached in close proximity to and substantially parallel to the surface being measured. In one embodiment two photovoltaic detectors, two E-cells, and three filters are packaged in a small case with attaching means consisting of a safety pin. In another embodiment, two detectors, one E-cell, three filters are packaged in a small case with attaching means consisting of a clip to clip over a side piece of an eye glass frame.

  20. MitoTALEN: A General Approach to Reduce Mutant mtDNA Loads and Restore Oxidative Phosphorylation Function in Mitochondrial Diseases

    PubMed Central

    Hashimoto, Masami; Bacman, Sandra R; Peralta, Susana; Falk, Marni J; Chomyn, Anne; Chan, David C; Williams, Sion L; Moraes, Carlos T

    2015-01-01

    We have designed mitochondrially targeted transcription activator-like effector nucleases or mitoTALENs to cleave specific sequences in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) with the goal of eliminating mtDNA carrying pathogenic point mutations. To test the generality of the approach, we designed mitoTALENs to target two relatively common pathogenic mtDNA point mutations associated with mitochondrial diseases: the m.8344A>G tRNALys gene mutation associated with myoclonic epilepsy with ragged red fibers (MERRF) and the m.13513G>A ND5 mutation associated with MELAS/Leigh syndrome. Transmitochondrial cybrid cells harbouring the respective heteroplasmic mtDNA mutations were transfected with the respective mitoTALEN and analyzed after different time periods. MitoTALENs efficiently reduced the levels of the targeted pathogenic mtDNAs in the respective cell lines. Functional assays showed that cells with heteroplasmic mutant mtDNA were able to recover respiratory capacity and oxidative phosphorylation enzymes activity after transfection with the mitoTALEN. To improve the design in the context of the low complexity of mtDNA, we designed shorter versions of the mitoTALEN specific for the MERRF m.8344A>G mutation. These shorter mitoTALENs also eliminated the mutant mtDNA. These reductions in size will improve our ability to package these large sequences into viral vectors, bringing the use of these genetic tools closer to clinical trials. PMID:26159306

  1. Performance Assessments of Generic Nuclear Waste Repositories in Shale

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stein, E. R.; Sevougian, S. D.; Mariner, P. E.; Hammond, G. E.; Frederick, J.

    2017-12-01

    Simulations of deep geologic disposal of nuclear waste in a generic shale formation showcase Geologic Disposal Safety Assessment (GDSA) Framework, a toolkit for repository performance assessment (PA) whose capabilities include domain discretization (Cubit), multiphysics simulations (PFLOTRAN), uncertainty and sensitivity analysis (Dakota), and visualization (Paraview). GDSA Framework is used to conduct PAs of two generic repositories in shale. The first considers the disposal of 22,000 metric tons heavy metal of commercial spent nuclear fuel. The second considers disposal of defense-related spent nuclear fuel and high level waste. Each PA accounts for the thermal load and radionuclide inventory of applicable waste types, components of the engineered barrier system, and components of the natural barrier system including the host rock shale and underlying and overlying stratigraphic units. Model domains are half-symmetry, gridded with Cubit, and contain between 7 and 22 million grid cells. Grid refinement captures the detail of individual waste packages, emplacement drifts, access drifts, and shafts. Simulations are run in a high performance computing environment on as many as 2048 processes. Equations describing coupled heat and fluid flow and reactive transport are solved with PFLOTRAN, an open-source, massively parallel multiphase flow and reactive transport code. Additional simulated processes include waste package degradation, waste form dissolution, radioactive decay and ingrowth, sorption, solubility, advection, dispersion, and diffusion. Simulations are run to 106 y, and radionuclide concentrations are observed within aquifers at a point approximately 5 km downgradient of the repository. Dakota is used to sample likely ranges of input parameters including waste form and waste package degradation rates and properties of engineered and natural materials to quantify uncertainty in predicted concentrations and sensitivity to input parameters. Sandia National Laboratories is a multimission laboratory managed and operated by National Technology and Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC., a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International, Inc., for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-NA-0003525. SAND2017- 8305 A

  2. Mechanical scale and load cell underwater weighing: a comparison of simultaneous measurements and the reliability of methods.

    PubMed

    Moon, Jordan R; Stout, Jeffrey R; Walter, Ashley A; Smith, Abbie E; Stock, Matt S; Herda, Trent J; Sherk, Vanessa D; Young, Kaelin C; Lockwood, Christopher M; Kendall, Kristina L; Fukuda, David H; Graef, Jennifer L; Cramer, Joel T; Beck, Travis W; Esposito, Enrico N

    2011-03-01

    Both load cell and mechanical scale-based hydrostatic weighing (HW) systems are used for the measurement of underwater weight. However, there has been no direct comparison of the 2 methods. The purpose of the current investigation was to simultaneously compare a load cell and mechanical scale for use in HW. Twenty-seven men and women (mean ± SD, age: 22 ± 2 years) participated in the 2-day investigation. Each subject completed 2 HW assessments 24 hours apart. Single-day comparisons of all trials for both days revealed no significant difference between the mechanical scale and the load cell (mean difference < 0.016 kg, p > 0.05). True underwater weight values were not significantly different between methods for either days (mean difference < 0.014 kg, p > 0.05) and accounted for a mean difference in percent fat (%FAT) of <0.108%. The 95% limits of agreement indicated a maximum difference between methods of 0.53% FAT. Both methods produced similar reliability SEM values (mechanical SEM < 0.72%FAT, load cell SEM < 0.75%FAT). In conclusion, there was no difference between mechanical scale and load cell measurements of underwater weights and the added precision of the load cell only marginally (<0.16%FAT) improved day-to-day reliability. Either a mechanical scale or load cell can be used for HW with similar accuracy and reliability in young adults with a body mass index of 18.7-34.4 (5-25%FAT).

  3. Retrovirus-specific differences in matrix and nucleocapsid protein-nucleic acid interactions: implications for genomic RNA packaging.

    PubMed

    Sun, Meng; Grigsby, Iwen F; Gorelick, Robert J; Mansky, Louis M; Musier-Forsyth, Karin

    2014-01-01

    Retroviral RNA encapsidation involves a recognition event between genomic RNA (gRNA) and one or more domains in Gag. In HIV-1, the nucleocapsid (NC) domain is involved in gRNA packaging and displays robust nucleic acid (NA) binding and chaperone functions. In comparison, NC of human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1), a deltaretrovirus, displays weaker NA binding and chaperone activity. Mutation of conserved charged residues in the deltaretrovirus bovine leukemia virus (BLV) matrix (MA) and NC domains affects virus replication and gRNA packaging efficiency. Based on these observations, we hypothesized that the MA domain may generally contribute to NA binding and genome encapsidation in deltaretroviruses. Here, we examined the interaction between HTLV-2 and HIV-1 MA proteins and various NAs in vitro. HTLV-2 MA displays higher NA binding affinity and better chaperone activity than HIV-1 MA. HTLV-2 MA also binds NAs with higher affinity than HTLV-2 NC and displays more robust chaperone function. Mutation of two basic residues in HTLV-2 MA α-helix II, previously implicated in BLV gRNA packaging, reduces NA binding affinity. HTLV-2 MA binds with high affinity and specificity to RNA derived from the putative packaging signal of HTLV-2 relative to nonspecific NA. Furthermore, an HIV-1 MA triple mutant designed to mimic the basic character of HTLV-2 MA α-helix II dramatically improves binding affinity and chaperone activity of HIV-1 MA in vitro and restores RNA packaging to a ΔNC HIV-1 variant in cell-based assays. Taken together, these results are consistent with a role for deltaretrovirus MA proteins in viral RNA packaging.

  4. BoolFilter: an R package for estimation and identification of partially-observed Boolean dynamical systems.

    PubMed

    Mcclenny, Levi D; Imani, Mahdi; Braga-Neto, Ulisses M

    2017-11-25

    Gene regulatory networks govern the function of key cellular processes, such as control of the cell cycle, response to stress, DNA repair mechanisms, and more. Boolean networks have been used successfully in modeling gene regulatory networks. In the Boolean network model, the transcriptional state of each gene is represented by 0 (inactive) or 1 (active), and the relationship among genes is represented by logical gates updated at discrete time points. However, the Boolean gene states are never observed directly, but only indirectly and incompletely through noisy measurements based on expression technologies such as cDNA microarrays, RNA-Seq, and cell imaging-based assays. The Partially-Observed Boolean Dynamical System (POBDS) signal model is distinct from other deterministic and stochastic Boolean network models in removing the requirement of a directly observable Boolean state vector and allowing uncertainty in the measurement process, addressing the scenario encountered in practice in transcriptomic analysis. BoolFilter is an R package that implements the POBDS model and associated algorithms for state and parameter estimation. It allows the user to estimate the Boolean states, network topology, and measurement parameters from time series of transcriptomic data using exact and approximated (particle) filters, as well as simulate the transcriptomic data for a given Boolean network model. Some of its infrastructure, such as the network interface, is the same as in the previously published R package for Boolean Networks BoolNet, which enhances compatibility and user accessibility to the new package. We introduce the R package BoolFilter for Partially-Observed Boolean Dynamical Systems (POBDS). The BoolFilter package provides a useful toolbox for the bioinformatics community, with state-of-the-art algorithms for simulation of time series transcriptomic data as well as the inverse process of system identification from data obtained with various expression technologies such as cDNA microarrays, RNA-Seq, and cell imaging-based assays.

  5. Mechanotransduction and the functional response of bone to mechanical strain

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Duncan, R. L.; Turner, C. H.

    1995-01-01

    Mechanotransduction plays a crucial role in the physiology of many tissues including bone. Mechanical loading can inhibit bone resorption and increase bone formation in vivo. In bone, the process of mechanotransduction can be divided into four distinct steps: (1) mechanocoupling, (2) biochemical coupling, (3) transmission of signal, and (4) effector cell response. In mechanocoupling, mechanical loads in vivo cause deformations in bone that stretch bone cells within and lining the bone matrix and create fluid movement within the canaliculae of bone. Dynamic loading, which is associated with extracellular fluid flow and the creation of streaming potentials within bone, is most effective for stimulating new bone formation in vivo. Bone cells in vitro are stimulated to produce second messengers when exposed to fluid flow or mechanical stretch. In biochemical coupling, the possible mechanisms for the coupling of cell-level mechanical signals into intracellular biochemical signals include force transduction through the integrin-cytoskeleton-nuclear matrix structure, stretch-activated cation channels within the cell membrane, G protein-dependent pathways, and linkage between the cytoskeleton and the phospholipase C or phospholipase A pathways. The tight interaction of each of these pathways would suggest that the entire cell is a mechanosensor and there are many different pathways available for the transduction of a mechanical signal. In the transmission of signal, osteoblasts, osteocytes, and bone lining cells may act as sensors of mechanical signals and may communicate the signal through cell processes connected by gap junctions. These cells also produce paracrine factors that may signal osteoprogenitors to differentiate into osteoblasts and attach to the bone surface. Insulin-like growth factors and prostaglandins are possible candidates for intermediaries in signal transduction. In the effector cell response, the effects of mechanical loading are dependent upon the magnitude, duration, and rate of the applied load. Longer duration, lower amplitude loading has the same effect on bone formation as loads with short duration and high amplitude. Loading must be cyclic to stimulate new bone formation. Aging greatly reduces the osteogenic effects of mechanical loading in vivo. Also, some hormones may interact with local mechanical signals to change the sensitivity of the sensor or effector cells to mechanical load.

  6. Large pollen loads of a South African asclepiad do not interfere with the foraging behaviour or efficiency of pollinating honey bees

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Coombs, G.; Dold, A. P.; Brassine, E. I.; Peter, C. I.

    2012-07-01

    The pollen of asclepiads (Asclepiadoideae, Apocynaceae) and most orchids (Orchidaceae) are packaged as large aggregations known as pollinaria that are removed as entire units by pollinators. In some instances, individual pollinators may accumulate large loads of these pollinaria. We found that the primary pollinator of Cynanchum ellipticum (Apocynaceae—Asclepiadoideae), the honey bee Apis mellifera, accumulate very large agglomerations of pollinaria on their mouthparts when foraging on this species. We tested whether large pollinarium loads negatively affected the foraging behaviour and foraging efficiency of honey bees by slowing foraging speeds or causing honey bees to visit fewer flowers, and found no evidence to suggest that large pollinarium loads altered foraging behaviour. C. ellipticum displayed consistently high levels of pollination success and pollen transfer efficiency (PTE). This may be a consequence of efficiently loading large numbers of pollinaria onto pollinators even when primary points of attachment on pollinators are already occupied and doing so in a manner that does not impact the foraging behaviour of pollinating insects.

  7. Meso-scopic Densification in Brittle Granular Materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Neal, William; Appleby-Thomas, Gareth; Collins, Gareth

    2013-06-01

    Particulate materials are ideally suited to shock absorbing applications due to the large amounts of energy required to deform their inherently complex meso-structure. Significant effort is being made to improve macro-scale material models to represent these atypical materials. On the long road towards achieving this capability, an important milestone would be to understand how particle densification mechanisms are affected by loading rate. In brittle particulate materials, the majority of densification is caused by particle fracture. Macro-scale quasi-static and dynamic compaction curves have been measured that show good qualitative agreement. There are, however, some differences that appear to be dependent on the loading rate that require further investigation. This study aims to investigate the difference in grain-fracture behavior between the quasi-static and shock loading response of brittle glass microsphere beds using a combination of quasi-static and dynamic loading techniques. Results from pressure-density measurements, sample recovery, and meso-scale hydrocode models (iSALE, an in-house simulation package) are discussed to explain the differences in particle densification mechanisms between the two loading rate regimes. Gratefully funded by AWE.plc.

  8. RIP-ET: A riparian evapotranspiration package for MODFLOW-2005

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Maddock, Thomas; Baird, Kathryn J.; Hanson, R.T.; Schmid, Wolfgang; Ajami, Hoori

    2012-01-01

    A new evapotranspiration package for the U.S. Geological Survey's groundwater-flow model, MODFLOW, is documented. The Riparian Evapotranspiration Package (RIP-ET) provides flexibility in simulating riparian and wetland transpiration not provided by the Evapotranspiration (EVT) or Segmented Function Evapotranspiration (ETS1) Packages for MODFLOW 2005. This report describes how the RIP-ET package was conceptualized and provides input instructions, listings and explanations of the source code, and an example. Traditional approaches to modeling evapotranspiration (ET) processes assume a piecewise linear relationship between ET flux and hydraulic head. The RIP-ET replaces this traditional relationship with a segmented, nonlinear dimensionless curve that reflects the eco-physiology of riparian and wetland ecosystems. Evapotranspiration losses from these ecosystems are dependent not only on hydraulic head, but on the plant types present. User-defined plant functional groups (PFGs) are used to elucidate the interaction between plant transpiration and groundwater conditions. Five generalized plant functional groups based on transpiration rates, plant rooting depth, and water tolerance ranges are presented: obligate wetland, shallow-rooted riparian, deep-rooted riparian, transitional riparian and bare ground/open water. Plant functional groups can be further divided into subgroups (PFSGs) based on plant size, density or other characteristics. The RIP-ET allows for partial habitat coverage and mixtures of plant functional subgroups to be present in a single model cell. RIP-ET also distinguishes between plant transpiration and bare-ground evaporation. Habitat areas are designated by polygons; each polygon can contain a mixture of PFSGs and bare ground, and is assigned a surface elevation. This process requires a determination of fractional coverage for each of the plant functional subgroups present in a polygon to account for the mixture of coverage types and resulting transpiration. The fractional cover within a cell has two components: (1) the polygonal fraction of active habitat (excluding area of bare ground, dead trees, or brush) in a cell, and (2) fraction of plant type area or bare ground area in a polygon. RIP-ET determines the transpiration rate for each plant functional group and evaporation from bare ground/open water in a cell, the total ET in the cell, and the total ET rate over the region of simulation.

  9. Assessment of cytomegalovirus and cell-mediated immunity for predicting outcomes in non-HIV-infected patients with Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia.

    PubMed

    Kim, Taeeun; Park, Se Yoon; Lee, Hyun-Jung; Kim, Sun-Mi; Sung, Heungsup; Chong, Yong Pil; Lee, Sang-Oh; Choi, Sang-Ho; Kim, Yang Soo; Woo, Jun Hee; Kim, Sung-Han

    2017-07-01

    The clinical importance of pulmonary cytomegalovirus (CMV) co-infection in patients with Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP) is uncertain. We therefore determined the association of CMV infection with outcomes in non-HIV-infected patients with PCP by assessing CMV viral load and CMV-specific T-cell response.We prospectively enrolled all non-HIV-infected patients with confirmed PCP, over a 2-year period. Real-time polymerase chain reaction from bronchoalveolar lavage was performed to measure CMV viral load, and CMV enzyme-linked immunospot assays of peripheral blood were used to measure CMV-specific T-cell responses. The primary outcome was 30-day mortality.A total of 76 patients were finally analyzed. The mortality in patients with high BAL CMV viral load (>2.52 log copies/mL, 6/32 [18%]) showed a nonsignificant trend to be higher than in those with low CMV viral load (2/44 [5%], P = .13). However, the mortality in patients with low CMV-specific T-cell responses (<5 spots/2.0 × 10 PBMC, 6/29 [21%]) was significantly higher than in patients with high CMV-specific T-cell response (2/47 [4%], P = .048). Moreover, the 2 strata with high CMV viral load and low CMV-specific T-cell responses (4/14 [29%]) and low CMV viral load and low CMV-specific T-cell responses (2/15 [13%]) had poorer outcomes than the 2 strata with high CMV viral load and high CMV-specific T-cell responses (2/18 [11%]) and low CMV viral load and high CMV-specific T-cell responses (0/29 [0%]).These data suggest that the CMV replication and impaired CMV-specific T-cell responses adversely affect the outcomes in non-HIV-infected patients with PCP.

  10. Talking while walking: Cognitive loading and injurious falls in Parkinson's disease.

    PubMed

    LaPointe, Leonard L; Stierwalt, Julie A G; Maitland, Charles G

    2010-10-01

    Multitasking has become a way of life, from operating multiple software packages simultaneously on a computer, to carrying on a conversation on a cell phone while driving. Perhaps one of the most common dual tasks performed is talking while walking. In isolation, neither task would be considered difficult to perform, yet when coupled, the relative ease of each task may change. This paper details significant problems that result from injurious falls, and points out the vulnerability of those who have been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. In addition, it provides an illustrative study that demonstrates the potential danger of talking while walking, especially when the cognitive-linguistic complexity of verbal tasks is manipulated. In this investigation, 25 participants with Parkinson's disease and 13 participants without neurological compromise completed gait tasks while conducting tasks of low (counting by ones), middle (serial subtraction of threes), and high load (alpha-numeric sequencing). The results indicated that cognitive-linguistic demand had an impact on gait, the effects of which were demonstrated in individuals without neurological compromise as well as those with Parkinson's disease. One finding, altered double-support time, distinguished the Parkinson group from the control participants. These results suggest that it might be prudent for healthcare professionals and caregivers to alter expectations and monitor the cognitive-linguistic demands placed on elderly individuals, particularly those with neurological compromise who might be at greater risk for injurious falls.

  11. Impact of cold plasma on Citrobacter freundii in apple juice: inactivation kinetics and mechanisms.

    PubMed

    Surowsky, Björn; Fröhling, Antje; Gottschalk, Nathalie; Schlüter, Oliver; Knorr, Dietrich

    2014-03-17

    Various studies have shown that cold plasma is capable of inactivating microorganisms located on a variety of food surfaces, food packaging materials and process equipment under atmospheric pressure conditions; however, less attention has been paid to the impact of cold plasma on microorganisms in liquid foodstuffs. The present study investigates cold plasma's ability to inactivate Citrobacter freundii in apple juice. Optical emission spectroscopy (OES) and temperature measurements were performed to characterise the plasma source. The plasma-related impact on microbial loads was evaluated by traditional plate count methods, while morphological changes were determined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Physiological property changes were obtained through flow cytometric measurements (membrane integrity, esterase activity and membrane potential). In addition, mathematical modelling was performed in order to achieve a reliable prediction of microbial inactivation and to establish the basis for possible industrial implementation. C. freundii loads in apple juice were reduced by about 5 log cycles after a plasma exposure of 480s using argon and 0.1% oxygen plus a subsequent storage time of 24h. The results indicate that a direct contact between bacterial cells and plasma is not necessary for achieving successful inactivation. The plasma-generated compounds in the liquid, such as H2O2 and most likely hydroperoxy radicals, are particularly responsible for microbial inactivation. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  12. Dielectric properties of inorganic fillers filled epoxy thin film

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Norshamira, A.; Mariatti, M.

    2015-07-01

    The demand on the small size and high performance electronics has driven changes in the electronic packaging requirements from discrete capacitor to embedded capacitor. Embedded capacitor can improve electrical performance compared with discrete capacitor. This study aimed to achieve high dielectric of epoxy thin film composite that were targeted for application as embedded capacitor. In this study, inorganic fillers such as Calcium Copper Titanate (CCTO), Iron(III) Oxide (Fe2O3) and Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) were loaded in epoxy system at 5 and 20vol%. Morphology and dielectric properties were investigated to identify the effect of fillers loading and types of fillers on the properties of epoxy thin film composite. Based on the study, CCTO with 20vol% loading was found to have good dielectric properties compared to other type of fillers.

  13. Comparison of Hydrodynamic Load Predictions Between Engineering Models and Computational Fluid Dynamics for the OC4-DeepCwind Semi-Submersible: Preprint

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

    Benitz, M. A.; Schmidt, D. P.; Lackner, M. A.

    Hydrodynamic loads on the platforms of floating offshore wind turbines are often predicted with computer-aided engineering tools that employ Morison's equation and/or potential-flow theory. This work compares results from one such tool, FAST, NREL's wind turbine computer-aided engineering tool, and the computational fluid dynamics package, OpenFOAM, for the OC4-DeepCwind semi-submersible analyzed in the International Energy Agency Wind Task 30 project. Load predictions from HydroDyn, the offshore hydrodynamics module of FAST, are compared with high-fidelity results from OpenFOAM. HydroDyn uses a combination of Morison's equations and potential flow to predict the hydrodynamic forces on the structure. The implications of the assumptionsmore » in HydroDyn are evaluated based on this code-to-code comparison.« less

  14. Micelle Delivery of Parthenolide to Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells

    PubMed Central

    Baranello, Michael P.; Bauer, Louisa; Jordan, Craig T.; Benoit, Danielle S. W.

    2018-01-01

    Parthenolide (PTL) has shown great promise as a novel anti-leukemia agent as it selectively eliminates acute myeloid leukemia (AML) blast cells and leukemia stem cells (LSCs) while sparing normal hematopoietic cells. This success has not yet translated to the clinical setting because PTL is rapidly cleared from blood due to its hydrophobicity. To increase the aqueous solubility of PTL, we previously developed micelles formed from predominantly hydrophobic amphiphilic diblock copolymers of poly(styrene-alt-maleic anhydride)-b-poly(styrene) (e.g., PSMA100-b-PS258) that exhibit robust PTL loading (75%efficiency, 11% w/w capacity) and release PTL over 24 h. Here, PTL-loaded PSMA-b-PS micelles were thoroughly characterized in vitro for PTL delivery to MV4-11 AML cells. Additionally, the mechanisms governing micelle-mediated cytotoxicity were examined in comparison to free PTL. PSMA-b-PS micelles were taken up by MV4-11 cells as evidenced by transmission electron microscopy and flow cytometry. Specifically, MV4-11 cells relied on clathrin-mediated endocytosis, rather than caveolae-mediated endocytosis and macropinocytosis. In addition, PTL-loaded PSMA-b-PS micelles exhibited a dose-dependent cytotoxicity towards AML cells and were capable of reducing cell viability by 75% at 10 μM PTL, while unloaded micelles were nontoxic. At 10 μM PTL, the cytotoxicity of PTL-loaded micelles increased gradually over 24 h while free PTL achieved maximal cytotoxicity between 2 and 4 h, demonstrating micelle-mediated delivery of PTL to AML cells and stability of the drug-loaded micelle even in the presence of cells. Both free PTL and PTL-loaded micelles induced NF-κB inhibition at 10 μM PTL doses, demonstrating some mechanistic similarities in cytotoxicity. However, free PTL relied more heavily on exofacial free thiol interactions to induce cytotoxicity than PTL-loaded micelles; free PTL cytotoxicity was reduced by over twofold when cell surface free thiols were depleted, where PTL-loaded micelle doses were unaffected by cell surface thiol modulation. The physical properties, stability, and efficacy of PTL-loaded PSMA-b-PS micelles support further development of a leukemia therapeutic with greater bioavailability and the potential to eliminate LSCs. PMID:29552235

  15. Reversible Bending Fatigue Test System for Investigating Vibration Integrity of Spent Nuclear Fuel during Transportation

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

    Wang, Jy-An John; Wang, Hong; Bevard, Bruce Balkcom

    Transportation packages for spent nuclear fuel (SNF) must meet safety requirements under normal and accident conditions as specified by federal regulations. During transportation, SNF experiences unique conditions and challenges to cladding integrity due to the vibrational and impact loading during road or rail shipment. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has been developing testing capabilities that can be used to improve the understanding of the impacts on SNF integrity due to vibration loading, especially for high burn-up SNF in normal transportation operation conditions. This information can be used to meet the nuclear industry and U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission needs in themore » area of safety and security of spent nuclear fuel storage and transport operations. The ORNL developed test system can perform reversible-bending fatigue testing to evaluate both the static and dynamic mechanical response of SNF rods under simulated loads. The testing apparatus is also designed to meet the challenges of hot-cell operation, including remote installation and detachment of the SNF test specimen, in-situ test specimen deformation measurement, and implementation of a driving system suitable for use in a hot cell. The system contains a U-frame set-up equipped with uniquely designed grip rigs, to protect SNF rod and to ensure valid test results, and use of 3 specially designed LVDTs to obtain the in-situ curvature measurement. A variety of surrogate test rods have been used to develop and calibrate the test system as well as in performing a series of systematic cyclic fatigue tests. The surrogate rods include stainless steel (SS) cladding, SS cladding with cast epoxy, and SS cladding with alumina pellets inserts simulating fuel pellets. Testing to date has shown that the interface bonding between the SS cladding and the alumina pellets has a significant impact on the bending response of the test rods as well as their fatigue strength. The failure behaviors observed from tested surrogate rods provides a fundamental understanding of the underlying failure mechanisms of the SNF surrogate rod under vibration which has not been achieved previously. The newly developed device is scheduled to be installed in the hot-cell in summer 2013 to test high burnup SNF.« less

  16. 21 CFR 864.7825 - Sickle cell test.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Sickle cell test. 864.7825 Section 864.7825 Food... DEVICES HEMATOLOGY AND PATHOLOGY DEVICES Hematology Kits and Packages § 864.7825 Sickle cell test. (a) Identification. A sickle cell test is a device used to determine the sickle cell hemoglobin content of human...

  17. 21 CFR 864.7825 - Sickle cell test.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Sickle cell test. 864.7825 Section 864.7825 Food... DEVICES HEMATOLOGY AND PATHOLOGY DEVICES Hematology Kits and Packages § 864.7825 Sickle cell test. (a) Identification. A sickle cell test is a device used to determine the sickle cell hemoglobin content of human...

  18. 21 CFR 864.7825 - Sickle cell test.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Sickle cell test. 864.7825 Section 864.7825 Food... DEVICES HEMATOLOGY AND PATHOLOGY DEVICES Hematology Kits and Packages § 864.7825 Sickle cell test. (a) Identification. A sickle cell test is a device used to determine the sickle cell hemoglobin content of human...

  19. 21 CFR 864.7825 - Sickle cell test.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Sickle cell test. 864.7825 Section 864.7825 Food... DEVICES HEMATOLOGY AND PATHOLOGY DEVICES Hematology Kits and Packages § 864.7825 Sickle cell test. (a) Identification. A sickle cell test is a device used to determine the sickle cell hemoglobin content of human...

  20. 21 CFR 864.7825 - Sickle cell test.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Sickle cell test. 864.7825 Section 864.7825 Food... DEVICES HEMATOLOGY AND PATHOLOGY DEVICES Hematology Kits and Packages § 864.7825 Sickle cell test. (a) Identification. A sickle cell test is a device used to determine the sickle cell hemoglobin content of human...

  1. Transcriptome analysis of PCOS arrested 2-cell embryos.

    PubMed

    Lu, Cuiling; Chi, Hongbin; Wang, Yapeng; Feng, Xue; Wang, Lina; Huang, Shuo; Yan, Liying; Lin, Shengli; Liu, Ping; Qiao, Jie

    2018-06-18

    In an attempt to explore the early developmental arrest in embryos from polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) patients, we sequenced the transcriptome profiles of PCOS arrested 2-cell embryos, non-PCOS arrested 2-cell embryos and non-arrested 2-cell embryos using single-cell RNA-Seq technique. Differential expression analysis was performed using the DEGSeq R package. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment was analyzed using the GOseq R package. Data revealed 62 differentially expressed genes between non-PCOS arrested and PCOS arrested embryos and 2217 differentially expressed genes between PCOS arrested and non-arrested 2-cell embryos. A total of 49 differently expressed genes (DEGs) were annotated with GO terms in the up-regulated genes between PCOS arrested and non-PCOS arrested embryos after GO enrichment. A total of 29 DEGs were annotated with GO terms in the down-regulated genes between PCOS arrested and non-arrested 2-cell embryos after GO enrichment. These data can provide a reference for screening specific genes involved in the arrest of PCOS embryos.

  2. Selective labeling of retinal ganglion cells with calcium indicators by retrograde loading in vitro

    PubMed Central

    Behrend, Matthew R.; Ahuja, Ashish K.; Humayun, Mark S.; Weiland, James D.; Chow, Robert H.

    2012-01-01

    Here we present a retrograde loading technique that makes it possible for the first time to rapidly load a calcium indicator in the majority of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in salamander retina, and then to observe physiological activity of these dye-loaded cells. Dextran-conjugated calcium indicator, dissolved in water, was applied to the optic nerve stump. Following dye loading, the isolated retina was mounted on a microelectrode array to demonstrate that electrical activity and calcium activity were preserved, as the retina responded to electrical stimuli. PMID:19428523

  3. The effect of metal loading on Cd adsorption onto Shewanella oneidensis bacterial cell envelopes: The role of sulfhydryl sites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yu, Qiang; Fein, Jeremy B.

    2015-10-01

    The adsorption and desorption of Cd onto Shewanella oneidensis bacterial cells with and without blocking of sulfhydryl sites was measured in order to determine the effect of metal loading and to understand the role of sulfhydryl sites in the adsorption reactions. The observed adsorption/desorption behaviors display strong dependence on metal loading. Under a high loading of 40 μmol Cd/g bacterial cells, blocking the sulfhydryl sites within the cell envelope by exposure of the biomass to monobromo(trimethylammonio)bimane bromide (qBBr) does not significantly affect the extent of Cd adsorption, and we observed fully reversible adsorption under this condition. In contrast, under a low metal loading of 1.3 μmol Cd/g bacterial cells, the extent of Cd adsorption onto sulfhydryl-blocked S. oneidensis cells was significantly lower than that onto untreated cells, and only approximately 50-60% of the adsorbed Cd desorbed from the cells upon acidification. In conjunction with previous EXAFS results, our findings demonstrate that Cd adsorption onto S. oneidensis under low metal loading conditions is dominated by sulfhydryl binding, and thus is controlled by a distinct adsorption mechanism from the non-sulfhydryl site binding which controls Cd adsorption under high metal loading conditions. We use the data to develop a surface complexation model that constrains the values of the stability constants for individual Cd-sulfhydryl and Cd-non-sulfhydryl bacterial complexes, and we use this approach to account for the Cd adsorption behavior as a function of both pH and metal loading. This approach is crucial in order to predict metal adsorption onto bacteria under environmentally relevant metal loading conditions where sulfhydryl binding sites can dominate the adsorption reaction.

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

    Not Available

    Kongsberg Engineering a.s. has developed an oil loading system for the Central North Sea, in 492-ft waters, which is not permanent, is safer, economical and withstands the environmental forces in the area. The ''Subload'' system is based on loading directly from a seafloor terminal to two 78,000 dwt dynamically positioned shuttle tankers. Upon arrival at the field, a shuttle tanker fitted with an SPM loading yoke and a riser reel deploys a 16-in. flexible riser attached to a lower riser package fitted with thrusters. Controlled by signals from a special high-accuracy underwater maneuver the lower riser end into docking positionmore » with the seafloor terminal. The terminal is located at the end of a two-km, 28-in. pipe line from the production platform. Presentation of the system, the company said that the diverless hookup procedure between the intrument-controlled riser connection and the subsea wellhead requires 45 minutes. The shuttle tanker loading could be completed twice a day in seven and a half hours per operation.« less

  5. A manpower scheduling heuristic for aircraft maintenance application

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sze, San-Nah; Sze, Jeeu-Fong; Chiew, Kang-Leng

    2012-09-01

    This research studies a manpower scheduling for aircraft maintenance, focusing on in-flight food loading operation. A group of loading teams with flexible shifts is required to deliver and upload packaged meals from the ground kitchen to aircrafts in multiple trips. All aircrafts must be served within predefined time windows. The scheduling process takes into account of various constraints such as meal break allocation, multi-trip traveling and food exposure time limit. Considering the aircrafts movement and predefined maximum working hours for each loading team, the main objective of this study is to form an efficient roster by assigning a minimum number of loading teams to the aircrafts. We proposed an insertion based heuristic to generate the solutions in a short period of time for large instances. This proposed algorithm is implemented in various stages for constructing trips due to the presence of numerous constraints. The robustness and efficiency of the algorithm is demonstrated in computational results. The results show that the insertion heuristic more efficiently outperforms the company's current practice.

  6. Wearable woven supercapacitor fabrics with high energy density and load-bearing capability.

    PubMed

    Shen, Caiwei; Xie, Yingxi; Zhu, Bingquan; Sanghadasa, Mohan; Tang, Yong; Lin, Liwei

    2017-10-30

    Flexible power sources with load bearing capability are attractive for modern wearable electronics. Here, free-standing supercapacitor fabrics that can store high electrical energy and sustain large mechanical loads are directly woven to be compatible with flexible systems. The prototype with reduced package weight/volume provides an impressive energy density of 2.58 mWh g -1 or 3.6 mWh cm -3 , high tensile strength of over 1000 MPa, and bearable pressure of over 100 MPa. The nanoporous thread electrodes are prepared by the activation of commercial carbon fibers to have three-orders of magnitude increase in the specific surface area and 86% retention of the original strength. The novel device configuration woven by solid electrolyte-coated threads shows excellent flexibility and stability during repeated mechanical bending tests. A supercapacitor watchstrap is used to power a liquid crystal display as an example of load-bearing power sources with various form-factor designs for wearable electronics.

  7. Climbing performance of Harris' hawks (Parabuteo unicinctus) with added load: Implications for muscle mechanics and for radiotracking

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Pennycuick, C.J.; Fuller, M.R.; McAllister, L.

    1989-01-01

    Two Harris' hawks were trained to fly along horizontal and climbing flight paths, while carrying loads of various masses, to provide data for estimating available muscle power during short flights. The body mass of both hawks was about 920 g, and they were able to carry loads up to 630 g in horizontal flight. The rate of climb decreased with increasing all-up mass, as also did the climbing power (product of weight and rate of climb). Various assumptions about the aerodynamic power in low-speed climbs led to estimates of the maximum power output of the flight muscles ranging from 41 to 46 W. This, in turn, would imply a stress during shortening of around 210 kPa. The effects of a radio package on a bird that is raising young should be considered in relation to the food load that the forager can normally carry, rather than in relation to its body mass.

  8. The effects of vibration loading on adipose stem cell number, viability and differentiation towards bone-forming cells

    PubMed Central

    Tirkkonen, Laura; Halonen, Heidi; Hyttinen, Jari; Kuokkanen, Hannu; Sievänen, Harri; Koivisto, Anna-Maija; Mannerström, Bettina; Sándor, George K. B.; Suuronen, Riitta; Miettinen, Susanna; Haimi, Suvi

    2011-01-01

    Mechanical stimulation is an essential factor affecting the metabolism of bone cells and their precursors. We hypothesized that vibration loading would stimulate differentiation of human adipose stem cells (hASCs) towards bone-forming cells and simultaneously inhibit differentiation towards fat tissue. We developed a vibration-loading device that produces 3g peak acceleration at frequencies of 50 and 100 Hz to cells cultured on well plates. hASCs were cultured using either basal medium (BM), osteogenic medium (OM) or adipogenic medium (AM), and subjected to vibration loading for 3 h d–1 for 1, 7 and 14 day. Osteogenesis, i.e. differentiation of hASCs towards bone-forming cells, was analysed using markers such as alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, collagen production and mineralization. Both 50 and 100 Hz vibration frequencies induced significantly increased ALP activity and collagen production of hASCs compared with the static control at 14 day in OM. A similar trend was detected for mineralization, but the increase was not statistically significant. Furthermore, vibration loading inhibited adipocyte differentiation of hASCs. Vibration did not affect cell number or viability. These findings suggest that osteogenic culture conditions amplify the stimulatory effect of vibration loading on differentiation of hASCs towards bone-forming cells. PMID:21613288

  9. Advanced nickel-hydrogen cell configuration study

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1983-01-01

    Long-term trends in the evolution of space power technology point toward increased payload power demand which in turn translates into both higher battery system charge storage capability and higher operating voltages. State of the art nickel-hydrogen cells of the 50 to 60 Wh size, packaged in individual pressure vessels, are capable of meeting the required cycle life for a wide range of anticipated operating conditions; however, they provided several drawbacks to battery system integrated efforts. Because of size, high voltage/high power systems require integrating hundreds of cells into the operating system. Packaging related weight and volume inefficiencies degrade the energy density and specific energy of individual cells currently at 30 Wh/cudm and 40 Wh/kg respectively. In addition, the increased parts count and associated handling significantly affect the overall battery related costs. Spacecraft battery systems designers within industry and Government realize that to reduce weight, volume, and cost requires increases in the capacity of nickel-hydrogen cells.

  10. Prediction of glycosaminoglycan synthesis in intervertebral disc under mechanical loading.

    PubMed

    Gao, Xin; Zhu, Qiaoqiao; Gu, Weiyong

    2016-09-06

    The loss of glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content is a major biochemical change during intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration. Abnormal mechanical loading is one of the major factors causing disc degeneration. In this study, a multiscale mathematical model was developed to quantify the effect of mechanical loading on GAG synthesis. This model was based on a recently developed cell volume dependent GAG synthesis theory that predicts the variation of GAG synthesis rate of a cell under the influence of mechanical stimuli, and the biphasic theory that describes the deformation of IVD under mechanical loading. The GAG synthesis (at the cell level) was coupled with the mechanical loading (at the tissue level) via a cell-matrix unit approach which established a relationship between the variation of cell dilatation and the local tissue dilatation. This multiscale mathematical model was used to predict the effect of static load (creep load) on GAG synthesis in bovine tail discs. The predicted results are in the range of experimental results. This model was also used to investigate the effect of static (0.2MPa) and diurnal loads (0.1/0.3MPa and 0.15/0.25MPa in 12/12 hours shift with an average of 0.2MPa over a cycle) on GAG synthesis. It was found that static load and diurnal loads have different effects on GAG synthesis in a diurnal cycle, and the diurnal load effects depend on the amplitude of the load. The model is important to understand the effect of mechanical loading at the tissue level on GAG synthesis at the cellular level, as well as to optimize the mechanical loading in growing engineered tissue. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Comparative Analysis of Gender Differences in the HIV-1 Infection Dynamics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ballesteros, P.; Estrada, J. L.; Barriga, G.; Molinar, F.; Hernández, M. C.; Huerta, L.; Cocho, G.; Villarreal, C.

    2006-09-01

    We have performed a retrospective study of the HIV-1 viral load and CD4 T-cell counts in blood plasma of more than 3000 Mexican patients. We found that women had consistently lower viral loads than men for CD4 T-cell counts higher than 50 cells/μL and higher viral loads when CD4 T-cell counts were at most 50 cells/μL. Our results show the same pattern as the one reported in studies performed in European and North American populations. We present theoretical predictions of viral load dynamics during highly active antiretroviral therapy taking into account gender differences.

  12. DESIGN ANALYSIS FOR THE DEFENSE HIGH-LEVEL WASTE DISPOSAL CONTAINER

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

    G. Radulesscu; J.S. Tang

    The purpose of ''Design Analysis for the Defense High-Level Waste Disposal Container'' analysis is to technically define the defense high-level waste (DHLW) disposal container/waste package using the Waste Package Department's (WPD) design methods, as documented in ''Waste Package Design Methodology Report'' (CRWMS M&O [Civilian Radioactive Waste Management System Management and Operating Contractor] 2000a). The DHLW disposal container is intended for disposal of commercial high-level waste (HLW) and DHLW (including immobilized plutonium waste forms), placed within disposable canisters. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)-managed spent nuclear fuel (SNF) in disposable canisters may also be placed in a DHLW disposal container alongmore » with HLW forms. The objective of this analysis is to demonstrate that the DHLW disposal container/waste package satisfies the project requirements, as embodied in Defense High Level Waste Disposal Container System Description Document (SDD) (CRWMS M&O 1999a), and additional criteria, as identified in Waste Package Design Sensitivity Report (CRWMS M&Q 2000b, Table 4). The analysis briefly describes the analytical methods appropriate for the design of the DHLW disposal contained waste package, and summarizes the results of the calculations that illustrate the analytical methods. However, the analysis is limited to the calculations selected for the DHLW disposal container in support of the Site Recommendation (SR) (CRWMS M&O 2000b, Section 7). The scope of this analysis is restricted to the design of the codisposal waste package of the Savannah River Site (SRS) DHLW glass canisters and the Training, Research, Isotopes General Atomics (TRIGA) SNF loaded in a short 18-in.-outer diameter (OD) DOE standardized SNF canister. This waste package is representative of the waste packages that consist of the DHLW disposal container, the DHLW/HLW glass canisters, and the DOE-managed SNF in disposable canisters. The intended use of this analysis is to support Site Recommendation reports and to assist in the development of WPD drawings. Activities described in this analysis were conducted in accordance with the Development Plan ''Design Analysis for the Defense High-Level Waste Disposal Container'' (CRWMS M&O 2000c) with no deviations from the plan.« less

  13. Effect of specific silencing of EMMPRIN on the growth and cell cycle distribution of MCF-7 breast cancer cells.

    PubMed

    Yang, X Q; Yang, J; Wang, R; Zhang, S; Tan, Q W; Lv, Q; Meng, W T; Mo, X M; Li, H J

    2015-12-02

    The extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN, CD147) is a member of the immunoglobulin family and shows increased expression in tumor cells. We examined the effect of RNAi-mediated EMMPRIN gene silencing induced by lentiviral on the growth and cycle distribution of MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Lentiviral expressing EMMPRIN-short hairpin RNA were packaged to infect MCF-7 cells. The inhibition efficiency of EMMPRIN was validated by real-time fluorescent quantitation polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. The effect of EMMPRIN on cell proliferation ability was detected using the MTT assay and clone formation experiments. Changes in cell cycle were detected by flow cytometry. EMMPRIN-short hairpin RNA-packaged lentiviral significantly down-regulated EMMPRIN mRNA and protein expression, significantly inhibited cell proliferation and in vitro tumorigenicity, and induced cell cycle abnormalities. Cells in the G0/G1 and G2/M phases were increased, while cells in the S phase were decreased after infection of MCF-7 cells for 3 days. The EMMPRIN gene facilitates breast cancer cell malignant proliferation by regulating cell cycle distribution and may be a molecular target for breast cancer gene therapy.

  14. Mosquito cell-derived West Nile virus replicon particles mimic arbovirus inoculum and have reduced spread in mice.

    PubMed

    Boylan, Brendan T; Moreira, Fernando R; Carlson, Tim W; Bernard, Kristen A

    2017-02-01

    Half of the human population is at risk of infection by an arthropod-borne virus. Many of these arboviruses, such as West Nile, dengue, and Zika viruses, infect humans by way of a bite from an infected mosquito. This infectious inoculum is insect cell-derived giving the virus particles distinct qualities not present in secondary infectious virus particles produced by infected vertebrate host cells. The insect cell-derived particles differ in the glycosylation of virus structural proteins and the lipid content of the envelope, as well as their induction of cytokines. Thus, in order to accurately mimic the inoculum delivered by arthropods, arboviruses should be derived from arthropod cells. Previous studies have packaged replicon genome in mammalian cells to produce replicon particles, which undergo only one round of infection, but no studies exist packaging replicon particles in mosquito cells. Here we optimized the packaging of West Nile virus replicon genome in mosquito cells and produced replicon particles at high concentration, allowing us to mimic mosquito cell-derived viral inoculum. These particles were mature with similar genome equivalents-to-infectious units as full-length West Nile virus. We then compared the mosquito cell-derived particles to mammalian cell-derived particles in mice. Both replicon particles infected skin at the inoculation site and the draining lymph node by 3 hours post-inoculation. The mammalian cell-derived replicon particles spread from the site of inoculation to the spleen and contralateral lymph nodes significantly more than the particles derived from mosquito cells. This in vivo difference in spread of West Nile replicons in the inoculum demonstrates the importance of using arthropod cell-derived particles to model early events in arboviral infection and highlights the value of these novel arthropod cell-derived replicon particles for studying the earliest virus-host interactions for arboviruses.

  15. Application of Electronic Nose for Measuring Total Volatile Basic Nitrogen and Total Viable Counts in Packaged Pork During Refrigerated Storage.

    PubMed

    Li, Miaoyun; Wang, Haibiao; Sun, Lingxia; Zhao, Gaiming; Huang, Xianqing

    2016-04-01

    The objective of this study was to predict the total viable counts (TVC) and total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) in pork using an electronic nose (E-nose), and to assess the freshness of chilled pork during storage using different packaging methods, including pallet packaging (PP), vacuum packaging (VP), and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP, 40% O2 /40% CO2 /20% N2 ). Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to analyze the E-nose signals, and the results showed that the relationships between the freshness of chilled pork and E-nose signals could be distinguished in the loadings plots, and the freshness of chilled pork could be distributed along 2 first principal components. Multiple linear regression (MLR) was used to correlate TVC and TVB-N to E-nose signals. High F and R2 values were obtained in the MLR output of TVB-N (F = 32.1, 21.6, and 24.2 for PP [R2 = 0.93], VP [R2 = 0.94], and MAP [R2 = 0.95], respectively) and TVC (F = 34.2, 46.4, and 7.8 for PP [R2 = 0.98], VP [R2 = 0.89], and MAP [R2 = 0.85], respectively). The results of this study suggest that it is possible to use the E-nose technology to predict TVB-N and TVC for assessing the freshness of chilled pork during storage. © 2016 Institute of Food Technologists®

  16. soilphysics: An R package to determine soil preconsolidation pressure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    da Silva, Anderson Rodrigo; de Lima, Renato Paiva

    2015-11-01

    Preconsolidation pressure is a parameter obtained from the soil compression curve and has been used as an indicator of load-bearing capacity of soil, as well as to characterize the impacts suffered by the use of machines. Despite its importance in soil physics, there is a few software or computational routines to support its determination. In this paper we present a computational package in R language, the package soilphysics, which contains implementations of the main methods for determining preconsolidation pressure, such as the method of Casagrande, Pacheco Silva, regression methods and the method of the virgin compression line intercept. There is still a consensus that Casagrande is the standard method, although the method of Pacheco Silva has shown similar values. The method of the virgin compression line intercept can be used when trying to be more conservative on the value (smaller) of preconsolidation pressure. Furthermore, Casagrande could be replaced by a regression method when the compression curve is obtained from saturated soils. The theory behind each method is presented and the algorithms are thoroughly described. We also give some support on how to use the R functions. Examples are used to illustrate the capabilities of the package, and the results are briefly discussed. The latter were validated using a recently published VBA. With soilphysics, the user has all the graphical and statistical power of R to determine preconsolidation pressure using different methods. The package is distribution free (under the GPL-2|3) and is currently available from the Comprehensive R Archive Network.

  17. Computational Modeling | Photovoltaic Research | NREL

    Science.gov Websites

    performance of single- and multijunction cells and modules. We anticipate the upcoming completion of our next software package for a simplified electronic design of single- and multicrystalline silicon solar cells

  18. MDplot: Visualise Molecular Dynamics.

    PubMed

    Margreitter, Christian; Oostenbrink, Chris

    2017-05-10

    The MDplot package provides plotting functions to allow for automated visualisation of molecular dynamics simulation output. It is especially useful in cases where the plot generation is rather tedious due to complex file formats or when a large number of plots are generated. The graphs that are supported range from those which are standard, such as RMsD/RMsF (root-mean-square deviation and root-mean-square fluctuation, respectively) to less standard, such as thermodynamic integration analysis and hydrogen bond monitoring over time. All told, they address many commonly used analyses. In this article, we set out the MDplot package's functions, give examples of the function calls, and show the associated plots. Plotting and data parsing is separated in all cases, i.e. the respective functions can be used independently. Thus, data manipulation and the integration of additional file formats is fairly easy. Currently, the loading functions support GROMOS, GROMACS, and AMBER file formats. Moreover, we also provide a Bash interface that allows simple embedding of MDplot into Bash scripts as the final analysis step. The package can be obtained in the latest major version from CRAN (https://cran.r-project.org/package=MDplot) or in the most recent version from the project's GitHub page at https://github.com/MDplot/MDplot, where feedback is also most welcome. MDplot is published under the GPL-3 license.

  19. Liposomal Packaging Generates Wnt Protein with In Vivo Biological Activity

    PubMed Central

    Zhao, Ludan; Kim, Jae-Beom; ten Berge, Derk; Ponnusamy, Karthik; Carre, A. Lyonel; Dudek, Henryk; Zachlederova, Marie; McElhaney, Michael; Brunton, Shirley; Gunzner, Janet; Callow, Marinella; Polakis, Paul; Costa, Mike; Zhang, Xiaoyan M.; Helms, Jill A.; Nusse, Roel

    2008-01-01

    Wnt signals exercise strong cell-biological and regenerative effects of considerable therapeutic value. There are, however, no specific Wnt agonists and no method for in vivo delivery of purified Wnt proteins. Wnts contain lipid adducts that are required for activity and we exploited this lipophilicity by packaging purified Wnt3a protein into lipid vesicles. Rather than being encapsulated, Wnts are tethered to the liposomal surface, where they enhance and sustain Wnt signaling in vitro. Molecules that effectively antagonize soluble Wnt3a protein but are ineffective against the Wnt3a signal presented by a cell in a paracrine or autocrine manner are also unable to block liposomal Wnt3a activity, suggesting that liposomal packaging mimics the biological state of active Wnts. When delivered subcutaneously, Wnt3a liposomes induce hair follicle neogenesis, demonstrating their robust biological activity in a regenerative context. PMID:18698373

  20. Liposomal packaging generates Wnt protein with in vivo biological activity.

    PubMed

    Morrell, Nathan T; Leucht, Philipp; Zhao, Ludan; Kim, Jae-Beom; ten Berge, Derk; Ponnusamy, Karthik; Carre, A Lyonel; Dudek, Henryk; Zachlederova, Marie; McElhaney, Michael; Brunton, Shirley; Gunzner, Janet; Callow, Marinella; Polakis, Paul; Costa, Mike; Zhang, Xiaoyan M; Helms, Jill A; Nusse, Roel

    2008-08-13

    Wnt signals exercise strong cell-biological and regenerative effects of considerable therapeutic value. There are, however, no specific Wnt agonists and no method for in vivo delivery of purified Wnt proteins. Wnts contain lipid adducts that are required for activity and we exploited this lipophilicity by packaging purified Wnt3a protein into lipid vesicles. Rather than being encapsulated, Wnts are tethered to the liposomal surface, where they enhance and sustain Wnt signaling in vitro. Molecules that effectively antagonize soluble Wnt3a protein but are ineffective against the Wnt3a signal presented by a cell in a paracrine or autocrine manner are also unable to block liposomal Wnt3a activity, suggesting that liposomal packaging mimics the biological state of active Wnts. When delivered subcutaneously, Wnt3a liposomes induce hair follicle neogenesis, demonstrating their robust biological activity in a regenerative context.

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