75 FR 21506 - Fee-Generating Cases; Use of Non-LSC Funds, Transfers of LSC Funds, Program Integrity; Attorneys...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-26

... itself has had a change of heart regarding this restriction. Although Congress did not prohibit LSC from... performed. LSC continues to find such a distinction to be artificial and not necessary to effectuate...

CD45RA, a specific marker for leukaemia stem cell sub-populations in acute myeloid leukaemia.

PubMed

Kersten, Bas; Valkering, Matthijs; Wouters, Rolf; van Amerongen, Rosa; Hanekamp, Diana; Kwidama, Zinia; Valk, Peter; Ossenkoppele, Gert; Zeijlemaker, Wendelien; Kaspers, Gertjan; Cloos, Jacqueline; Schuurhuis, Gerrit J

2016-04-01

Chemotherapy resistant leukaemic stem cells (LSC) are thought to be responsible for relapses after therapy in acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). Flow cytometry can discriminate CD34(+) CD38(-) LSC and normal haematopoietic stem cells (HSC) by using aberrant expression of markers and scatter properties. However, not all LSC can be identified using currently available markers, so new markers are needed. CD45RA is expressed on leukaemic cells in the majority of AML patients. We investigated the potency of CD45RA to specifically identify LSC and HSC and improve LSC quantification. Compared to our best other markers (CLL-1, also termed CLEC12A, CD33 and CD123), CD45RA was the most reliable marker. Patients with high percentages (>90%) of CD45RA on CD34(+) CD38(-) LSC have 1·69-fold higher scatter values compared to HSC (P < 0·001), indicating a more mature CD34(+) CD38(-) phenotype. Patients with low (<10%) or intermediate (10-90%) CD45RA expression on LSC showed no significant differences to HSC (1·12- and 1·15-fold higher, P = 0·31 and P = 0·44, respectively). CD45RA-positive LSC tended to represent more favourable cytogenetic/molecular markers. In conclusion, CD45RA contributes to more accurate LSC detection and is recommended for inclusion in stem cell tracking panels. CD45RA may contribute to define new LSC-specific therapies and to monitor effects of anti-LSC treatment. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

75 FR 80850 - Development of Strategic Plan 2011-2015

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-23

... intended for use as LSC embarks on its planning process. LSC anticipates publishing a draft Strategic Plan... process to develop a Strategic Plan for the years 2011-2015. Toward that end, LSC is soliciting... strategic planning efforts. In addition, Among other sources, LSC is considering the guidance provided by...

77 FR 27801 - Notice of Proposed Revisions for the LSC Grant Assurances for Calendar Year 2013 Funding

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-11

... LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION Notice of Proposed Revisions for the LSC Grant Assurances for Calendar Year 2013 Funding AGENCY: Legal Services Corporation. ACTION: Notice of proposed changes and request for comments. SUMMARY: The Legal Services Corporation (``LSC'') intends to revise the LSC Grant...

45 CFR Appendix to Part 1626 - Alien Eligibility for Representation by LSC Programs

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Alien Eligibility for Representation by LSC... SERVICES CORPORATION RESTRICTIONS ON LEGAL ASSISTANCE TO ALIENS Pt. 1626, App. Appendix to Part 1626—Alien Eligibility for Representation by LSC Programs Alien Eligibility for Representation by LSC Programs Alien...

45 CFR Appendix to Part 1626 - Alien Eligibility for Representation by LSC Programs

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Alien Eligibility for Representation by LSC... SERVICES CORPORATION RESTRICTIONS ON LEGAL ASSISTANCE TO ALIENS Pt. 1626, App. Appendix to Part 1626—Alien Eligibility for Representation by LSC Programs Alien Eligibility for Representation by LSC Programs Alien...

45 CFR Appendix to Part 1626 - Alien Eligibility for Representation by LSC Programs

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Alien Eligibility for Representation by LSC... SERVICES CORPORATION RESTRICTIONS ON LEGAL ASSISTANCE TO ALIENS Pt. 1626, App. Appendix to Part 1626—Alien Eligibility for Representation by LSC Programs Alien Eligibility for Representation by LSC Programs Alien...

45 CFR Appendix to Part 1626 - Alien Eligibility for Representation by LSC Programs

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Alien Eligibility for Representation by LSC... SERVICES CORPORATION RESTRICTIONS ON LEGAL ASSISTANCE TO ALIENS Pt. 1626, App. Appendix to Part 1626—Alien Eligibility for Representation by LSC Programs Alien Eligibility for Representation by LSC Programs Alien...

Concise review: preleukemic stem cells: molecular biology and clinical implications of the precursors to leukemia stem cells.

PubMed

Pandolfi, Ashley; Barreyro, Laura; Steidl, Ulrich

2013-02-01

Recent experimental evidence has shown that acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) arise from transformed immature hematopoietic cells following the accumulation of multiple stepwise genetic and epigenetic changes in hematopoietic stem cells and committed progenitors. The series of transforming events initially gives rise to preleukemic stem cells (pre-LSC), preceding the formation of fully transformed leukemia stem cells (LSC). Despite the established use of poly-chemotherapy, relapse continues to be the most common cause of death in AML and MDS. The therapeutic elimination of all LSC, as well as pre-LSC, which provide a silent reservoir for the re-formation of LSC, will be essential for achieving lasting cures. Conventional sequencing and next-generation genome sequencing have allowed us to describe many of the recurrent mutations in the bulk cell populations in AML and MDS, and recent work has also focused on identifying the initial molecular changes contributing to leukemogenesis. Here we review recent and ongoing advances in understanding the roles of pre-LSC, and the aberrations that lead to pre-LSC formation and subsequent LSC transformation.

Effects of variables upon pyrotechnically induced shock response spectra

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, J. L.

1986-01-01

Throughout the aerospace industry, large variations of 50 percent (6 dB) or more are continually noted for linear shaped charge (LSC) generated shock response spectra (SRS) from flight data (from the exact same location on different flights) and from plate tests (side by side measurements on the same test). A research program was developed to investigate causes of these large SRS variations. A series of ball drop calibration tests to verify calibration of accelerometers and a series of plate tests to investigate charge and assembly variables were performed. The resulting data were analyzed to determine if and to what degree manufacturing and assembly variables, distance from the shock source, data acquisition instrumentation, and shock energy propagation affect the SRS. LSC variables consisted of coreload, standoff, and apex angle. The assembly variable was the torque on the LSC holder. Other variables were distance from source of accelerometers, accelerometer mounting methods, and joint effects. Results indicated that LSC variables did not affect SRS as long as the plate was severed. Accelerometers mounted on mounting blocks showed significantly lower levels above 5000 Hz. Lap joints did not affect SRS levels. The test plate was mounted in an almost free-free state; therefore, distance from the source did not affect the SRS. Several varieties and brands of accelerometers were used, and all but one demonstrated very large variations in SRS.

Community-based evaluation of laparoscopic versus open simple closure of perforated peptic ulcers.

PubMed

Kuwabara, Kazuaki; Matsuda, Shinya; Fushimi, Kiyohide; Ishikawa, Koichi B; Horiguchi, Hiromasa; Fujimori, Kenji

2011-11-01

Several studies have advocated laparoscopic simple closure (LSC) as the treatment of choice for perforated peptic ulcer disease (PUD). However, there has been no comprehensive community-based evaluation of the advantages of using LSC over open simple closure (OSC). Using an administrative database, we evaluated LSC versus OSC for patients with perforated ulcers. From 6,334 patients with perforated ulcers, we identified 2,909 simple closure cases between 2006 and 2010. Study variables were demographics, mortality, co-morbidities, complications, ulcer location, surgical timing, blood transfusion, postoperative ventilation, operating room (OR) time, time to resumption of oral food intake, length of stay (LOS), and total charges. After matching patient baseline variables between OSC and LSC, we performed multivariate analyses to assess the impacts of LSC on mortality, complications, and ventilation administration. A total of 2,073 OSC cases and 836 LSC cases were identified in 670 hospitals. Younger age, duodenal ulcer, and pre-existing PUD were indicators for selection of LSC. Matching analysis indicated a correlation between LSC and lower mortality, less frequent postoperative and overall blood transfusion, shorter LOS, earlier return to oral intake, and longer OR time. There was no difference between OSC and LSC in complication rate or mortality. Longer OR time was correlated with a higher complication rate and the need for ventilation, the latter of which was independently associated with an increase in mortality. Because longer OR time was associated with more frequent complications and ventilation, surgeons should obtain the skills and strategies necessary to accomplish LSC without extending OR time improperly.

Comparison of a row-column speller vs. a novel lateral single-character speller: assessment of BCI for severe motor disabled patients.

PubMed

Pires, Gabriel; Nunes, Urbano; Castelo-Branco, Miguel

2012-06-01

Non-invasive brain-computer interface (BCI) based on electroencephalography (EEG) offers a new communication channel for people suffering from severe motor disorders. This paper presents a novel P300-based speller called lateral single-character (LSC). The LSC performance is compared to that of the standard row-column (RC) speller. We developed LSC, a single-character paradigm comprising all letters of the alphabet following an event strategy that significantly reduces the time for symbol selection, and explores the intrinsic hemispheric asymmetries in visual perception to improve the performance of the BCI. RC and LSC paradigms were tested by 10 able-bodied participants, seven participants with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), five participants with cerebral palsy (CP), one participant with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), and one participant with spinal cord injury (SCI). The averaged results, taking into account all participants who were able to control the BCI online, were significantly higher for LSC, 26.11 bit/min and 89.90% accuracy, than for RC, 21.91 bit/min and 88.36% accuracy. The two paradigms produced different waveforms and the signal-to-noise ratio was significantly higher for LSC. Finally, the novel LSC also showed new discriminative features. The results suggest that LSC is an effective alternative to RC, and that LSC still has a margin for potential improvement in bit rate and accuracy. The high bit rates and accuracy of LSC are a step forward for the effective use of BCI in clinical applications. Copyright © 2011 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

45 CFR 1610.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... (Organizing activities); (7) Section 1007(b)(8) of the LSC Act (Abortions); (8) Section 1007(b)(9) of the LSC... part 1612 of the LSC Regulations (Public policy training); (9) Section 504(a)(14) (Abortion litigation...

45 CFR 1610.3 - Prohibition.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... OF LSC FUNDS, PROGRAM INTEGRITY § 1610.3 Prohibition. A recipient may not use non-LSC funds for any purpose prohibited by the LSC Act or for any activity prohibited by or inconsistent with Section 504...

45 CFR 1610.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... (Organizing activities); (7) Section 1007(b)(8) of the LSC Act (Abortions); (8) Section 1007(b)(9) of the LSC... part 1612 of the LSC Regulations (Public policy training); (9) Section 504(a)(14) (Abortion litigation...

45 CFR 1610.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... (Organizing activities); (7) Section 1007(b)(8) of the LSC Act (Abortions); (8) Section 1007(b)(9) of the LSC... part 1612 of the LSC Regulations (Public policy training); (9) Section 504(a)(14) (Abortion litigation...

45 CFR 1610.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... (Organizing activities); (7) Section 1007(b)(8) of the LSC Act (Abortions); (8) Section 1007(b)(9) of the LSC... part 1612 of the LSC Regulations (Public policy training); (9) Section 504(a)(14) (Abortion litigation...

45 CFR 1610.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... (Organizing activities); (7) Section 1007(b)(8) of the LSC Act (Abortions); (8) Section 1007(b)(9) of the LSC... part 1612 of the LSC Regulations (Public policy training); (9) Section 504(a)(14) (Abortion litigation...

On the accuracy of the LSC-IVR approach for excitation energy transfer in molecular aggregates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teh, Hung-Hsuan; Cheng, Yuan-Chung

2017-04-01

We investigate the applicability of the linearized semiclassical initial value representation (LSC-IVR) method to excitation energy transfer (EET) problems in molecular aggregates by simulating the EET dynamics of a dimer model in a wide range of parameter regime and comparing the results to those obtained from a numerically exact method. It is found that the LSC-IVR approach yields accurate population relaxation rates and decoherence rates in a broad parameter regime. However, the classical approximation imposed by the LSC-IVR method does not satisfy the detailed balance condition, generally leading to incorrect equilibrium populations. Based on this observation, we propose a post-processing algorithm to solve the long time equilibrium problem and demonstrate that this long-time correction method successfully removed the deviations from exact results for the LSC-IVR method in all of the regimes studied in this work. Finally, we apply the LSC-IVR method to simulate EET dynamics in the photosynthetic Fenna-Matthews-Olson complex system, demonstrating that the LSC-IVR method with long-time correction provides excellent description of coherent EET dynamics in this typical photosynthetic pigment-protein complex.

Electrochemically influenced cation inter-diffusion and Co 3O 4 formation on La 0.6Sr 0.4CoO 3 infiltrated into SOFC cathodes

DOE PAGES

Song, Xueyan; Lee, Shiwoo; Chen, Yun; ...

2015-06-18

Nanosized LSC electrocatalyst was infiltrated into a porous scaffold cathode composed of Sm 2O 3-doped CeO 2 (SDC) and La 0.6Sr 0.4Co 0.2Fe 0.8O 3-δ (LSCF) in a commercial button solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC). To understand the stability of cathodes infiltrated with LSC, the infiltrated composite cells were subjected to both electrochemical operating and thermal aging states at 750 °C for 1500 h. Nanostructure and local chemistry evolution of La 0.6Sr 0.4CoO 3 (LSC) infiltrated cathodes upon operation and aging were investigated by transmission electron microscopy. After operation, the LSC remained a cubic perovskite, and the crystal grains exhibitmore » comparable size to as-infiltrated LSC grains. Inter-diffusion of Fe from the LSCF to a Fe-incorporated LSC layer developed on the LSCF backbone. However, only sharp interfaces were observed between LSC and SDC backbone in the as-infiltrated cathode and such interfaces remain after operation. The infiltrated LSC on the SDC backbone also retains granular particle morphology. Furthermore, newly grown Co 3O 4 nanocrystals were found in the operated cathode. After thermal aging, on the other hand, cation inter-diffusion across the interfaces of the infiltrate particles and the cathode backbones is less than that from the operated cells. Lastly, the following hypothesis is proposed: Co 3O 4 forms on LSC arising from local charge balancing between cobalt and oxygen vacancies.« less

Low-dose cone-beam CT via raw counts domain low-signal correction schemes: Performance assessment and task-based parameter optimization (Part II. Task-based parameter optimization).

PubMed

Gomez-Cardona, Daniel; Hayes, John W; Zhang, Ran; Li, Ke; Cruz-Bastida, Juan Pablo; Chen, Guang-Hong

2018-05-01

Different low-signal correction (LSC) methods have been shown to efficiently reduce noise streaks and noise level in CT to provide acceptable images at low-radiation dose levels. These methods usually result in CT images with highly shift-variant and anisotropic spatial resolution and noise, which makes the parameter optimization process highly nontrivial. The purpose of this work was to develop a local task-based parameter optimization framework for LSC methods. Two well-known LSC methods, the adaptive trimmed mean (ATM) filter and the anisotropic diffusion (AD) filter, were used as examples to demonstrate how to use the task-based framework to optimize filter parameter selection. Two parameters, denoted by the set P, for each LSC method were included in the optimization problem. For the ATM filter, these parameters are the low- and high-signal threshold levels p l and p h ; for the AD filter, the parameters are the exponents δ and γ in the brightness gradient function. The detectability index d' under the non-prewhitening (NPW) mathematical observer model was selected as the metric for parameter optimization. The optimization problem was formulated as an unconstrained optimization problem that consisted of maximizing an objective function d'(P), where i and j correspond to the i-th imaging task and j-th spatial location, respectively. Since there is no explicit mathematical function to describe the dependence of d' on the set of parameters P for each LSC method, the optimization problem was solved via an experimentally measured d' map over a densely sampled parameter space. In this work, three high-contrast-high-frequency discrimination imaging tasks were defined to explore the parameter space of each of the LSC methods: a vertical bar pattern (task I), a horizontal bar pattern (task II), and a multidirectional feature (task III). Two spatial locations were considered for the analysis, a posterior region-of-interest (ROI) located within the noise streaks region and an anterior ROI, located further from the noise streaks region. Optimal results derived from the task-based detectability index metric were compared to other operating points in the parameter space with different noise and spatial resolution trade-offs. The optimal operating points determined through the d' metric depended on the interplay between the major spatial frequency components of each imaging task and the highly shift-variant and anisotropic noise and spatial resolution properties associated with each operating point in the LSC parameter space. This interplay influenced imaging performance the most when the major spatial frequency component of a given imaging task coincided with the direction of spatial resolution loss or with the dominant noise spatial frequency component; this was the case of imaging task II. The performance of imaging tasks I and III was influenced by this interplay in a smaller scale than imaging task II, since the major frequency component of task I was perpendicular to imaging task II, and because imaging task III did not have strong directional dependence. For both LSC methods, there was a strong dependence of the overall d' magnitude and shape of the contours on the spatial location within the phantom, particularly for imaging tasks II and III. The d' value obtained at the optimal operating point for each spatial location and imaging task was similar when comparing the LSC methods studied in this work. A local task-based detectability framework to optimize the selection of parameters for LSC methods was developed. The framework takes into account the potential shift-variant and anisotropic spatial resolution and noise properties to maximize the imaging performance of the CT system. Optimal parameters for a given LSC method depend strongly on the spatial location within the image object. © 2018 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

Modified Oxygen Defect Chemistry at Transition Metal Oxide Heterostructures Probed by Hard X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy and X-ray Diffraction

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

Chen, Yan; Fong, Dillon D.; Herbert, F. William

Transition metal oxide hetero-structures are interesting due to the distinctly different properties that can arise from their interfaces, such as superconductivity, high catalytic activity and magnetism. Oxygen point defects can play an important role at these interfaces in inducing potentially novel properties. The design of oxide hetero-structures in which the oxygen defects are manipulated to attain specific functionalities requires the ability to resolve the state and concentration of local oxygen defects across buried interfaces. In this work, we utilized a novel combination of hard x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HAXPES) and high resolution xray diffraction (HRXRD) to probe the local oxygen defectmore » distribution across the buried interfaces of oxide heterolayers. This approach provides a non-destructive way to qualitatively probe locally the oxygen defects in transition metal oxide hetero-structures. We studied two trilayer structures as model systems - the La 0.8Sr 0.2CoO 3-δ/(La 0.5Sr 0.5) 2CoO 4/La 0.8Sr 0.2CoO 3-δ (LSC 113/LSC 214) and the La 0.8Sr 0.2CoO 3-δ/La 2NiO 4+δ/La 0.8Sr 0.2CoO 3-δ (LSC 113/LNO 214) on SrTiO 3(001) single crystal substrates. We found that the oxygen defect chemistry of these transition metal oxides was strongly impacted by the presence of interfaces and the properties of the adjacent phases. Under reducing conditions, the LSC 113 in the LSC 113/LNO 214 tri-layer had less oxygen vacancies than the LSC 113 in the LSC 113/LSC 214 tri-layer and the LSC 113 single phase film. On the other hand, LSC 214 and LNO 214 were more reduced in the two tri-layer structures when in contact with the LSC 113 layer compared to their single phase counterparts. Furthermore, the results point out a potential way to modify the local oxygen defect states at oxide hetero-interfaces.« less

Modified Oxygen Defect Chemistry at Transition Metal Oxide Heterostructures Probed by Hard X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy and X-ray Diffraction

DOE PAGES

Chen, Yan; Fong, Dillon D.; Herbert, F. William; ...

2018-04-17

Transition metal oxide hetero-structures are interesting due to the distinctly different properties that can arise from their interfaces, such as superconductivity, high catalytic activity and magnetism. Oxygen point defects can play an important role at these interfaces in inducing potentially novel properties. The design of oxide hetero-structures in which the oxygen defects are manipulated to attain specific functionalities requires the ability to resolve the state and concentration of local oxygen defects across buried interfaces. In this work, we utilized a novel combination of hard x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HAXPES) and high resolution xray diffraction (HRXRD) to probe the local oxygen defectmore » distribution across the buried interfaces of oxide heterolayers. This approach provides a non-destructive way to qualitatively probe locally the oxygen defects in transition metal oxide hetero-structures. We studied two trilayer structures as model systems - the La 0.8Sr 0.2CoO 3-δ/(La 0.5Sr 0.5) 2CoO 4/La 0.8Sr 0.2CoO 3-δ (LSC 113/LSC 214) and the La 0.8Sr 0.2CoO 3-δ/La 2NiO 4+δ/La 0.8Sr 0.2CoO 3-δ (LSC 113/LNO 214) on SrTiO 3(001) single crystal substrates. We found that the oxygen defect chemistry of these transition metal oxides was strongly impacted by the presence of interfaces and the properties of the adjacent phases. Under reducing conditions, the LSC 113 in the LSC 113/LNO 214 tri-layer had less oxygen vacancies than the LSC 113 in the LSC 113/LSC 214 tri-layer and the LSC 113 single phase film. On the other hand, LSC 214 and LNO 214 were more reduced in the two tri-layer structures when in contact with the LSC 113 layer compared to their single phase counterparts. Furthermore, the results point out a potential way to modify the local oxygen defect states at oxide hetero-interfaces.« less

76 FR 3926 - Notice and Request for Comments: LSC Elimination of the Nevada, South Dakota, and Wyoming Migrant...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-21

...-general'' grants based on poverty populations. In some regions, LSC designates migrant service areas for... the total poverty population. For many years LSC has designated migrant service areas in Nevada, South...

77 FR 35718 - LSC Strategic Plan 2012-2016; Request for Comments

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-14

... LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION LSC Strategic Plan 2012-2016; Request for Comments AGENCY: Legal Services Corporation. ACTION: Request for comments. SUMMARY: The Legal Services Corporation (``LSC'' or..., Chief of Staff and Special Assistant to the President, Legal Services Corporation, 3333 K Street NW...

45 CFR 1628.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION RECIPIENT FUND BALANCES § 1628.2 Definitions. (a) Excess fund balance means a recipient's LSC fund balance that exceeds the amount a recipient... purpose grants. (c) The LSC fund balance is the excess of LSC support plus the prior year carryover amount...

45 CFR 1628.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION RECIPIENT FUND BALANCES § 1628.2 Definitions. (a) Excess fund balance means a recipient's LSC fund balance that exceeds the amount a recipient... purpose grants. (c) The LSC fund balance is the excess of LSC support plus the prior year carryover amount...

76 FR 34102 - Request for Comments-LSC Budget Request for FY 2013

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-10

... LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION Request for Comments--LSC Budget Request for FY 2013 AGENCY: Legal Services Corporation. ACTION: Request for Comments--LSC Budget Request for FY 2013. SUMMARY: The Legal Services Corporation is beginning the process of developing its FY 2013 budget request to Congress and is...

75 FR 54389 - Request for Comments-LSC Budget Request for FY 2012

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-07

... LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION Request for Comments--LSC Budget Request for FY 2012 AGENCY: Legal Services Corporation. ACTION: Request for Comments--LSC Budget Request for FY 2012. SUMMARY: The Legal Services Corporation is beginning the process of developing its FY 2012 budget request to Congress and is...

77 FR 27801 - Request for Comments-LSC Budget Request for FY 2014

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-11

... LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION Request for Comments--LSC Budget Request for FY 2014 AGENCY: Legal Services Corporation. ACTION: Request for Comments--LSC Budget Request for FY 2014. SUMMARY: The Legal Services Corporation is beginning the process of developing its FY 2014 budget request to Congress and is...

Effects of low intensity static electromagnetic radiofrequency fields on leiomyosarcoma and smooth muscle cell lines.

PubMed

Karkabounas, Spyridon; Havelas, Konstantinos; Kostoula, Olga K; Vezyraki, Patra; Avdikos, Antonios; Binolis, Jayne; Hatziavazis, George; Metsios, Apostolos; Verginadis, Ioannis; Evangelou, Angelos

2006-01-01

In this study we investigated the effects of low intensity static radiofrequency electromagnetic field (EMF) causing no thermal effects, on leiomyosarcoma cells (LSC), isolated from tumors of fifteen Wistar rats induced via a 3,4-benzopyrene injection. Electromagnetic resonance frequencies measurements and exposure of cells to static EMF were performed by a device called multi channel dynamic exciter 100 V1 (MCDE). The LSC were exposed to electromagnetic resonance radiofrequencies (ERF) between 10 kHz to 120 kHz, for 45 min. During a 24h period, after the exposure of the LSC to ERF, there was no inhibition of cells proliferation. In contrast, at the end of a 48 h incubation period, LSC proliferation dramatically decreased by more than 98% (P<0.001). At that time, the survived LSC were only 2% of the total cell population exposed to ERF, and under the same culture conditions showed significant decrease of proliferation. These cells were exposed once again to ERF for 45 min (totally 4 sessions of exposure, of 45 min duration each) and tested using a flow cytometer. Experiments as above were repeated five times. It was found that 45% of these double exposed to ERF, LSC (EMF cells) were apoptotic and only a small percentage 2%, underwent mitosis. In order to determinate their metastatic potential, these EMF cells were also counted and tested by an aggregometer for their ability to aggregate platelets and found to maintain this ability., since they showed no difference in platelet aggregation ability compared to the LSC not exposed to ERF (control cells). In conclusion, exposure of LSC to specific ERF, decreases their proliferation rate and induces cell apoptosis. Also, the LSC that survived after exposed to ERF, had a lower proliferation rate compared to the LSC controls (P<0.05) but did not loose their potential for metastases (platelet aggregation ability). The non-malignant SMC were not affected by the EMF exposure (P<0.4). The specific ERF generated from the MCDE electronic device, used in this study, is safe for humans and animals, according to the international safety standards.

Quality factor of luminescent solar concentrators and practical concentration limits attainable with semiconductor quantum dots

DOE PAGES

Klimov, Victor I.; Baker, Thomas A.; Lim, Jaehoon; ...

2016-05-09

In this study, luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) can be utilized as both large-area collectors of solar radiation supplementing traditional photovoltaic cells as well as semitransparent “solar windows” that provide a desired degree of shading and simultaneously serve as power-generation units. An important characteristic of an LSC is a concentration factor (C) that can be thought of as a coefficient of effective enlargement (or contraction) of the area of a solar cell when it is coupled to the LSC. Here we use analytical and numerical Monte Carlo modeling in addition to experimental studies of quantum-dot-based LSCs to analyze the factors thatmore » influence optical concentration in practical devices. Our theoretical model indicates that the maximum value of C achievable with a given fluorophore is directly linked to the LSC quality factor (Q LSC) defined as the ratio of absorption coefficients at the wavelengths of incident and reemitted light. In fact, we demonstrate that the ultimate concentration limit (C 0) realized in large-area devices scales linearly with the LSC quality factor and in the case of perfect emitters and devices without back reflectors is approximately equal to Q LSC. To test the predictions of this model, we conduct experimental studies of LSCs based on visible-light emitting II–VI core/shell quantum dots with two distinct LSC quality factors. We also investigate devices based on near-infrared emitting CuInSe xS 2–x quantum dots for which the large emission bandwidth allows us to assess the impact of varied Q LSC on the concentration factor by simply varying the detection wavelength. In all cases, we find an excellent agreement between the model and the experimental observations, suggesting that the developed formalism can be utilized for express evaluation of prospective LSC performance based on the optical spectra of LSC fluorophores, which should facilitate future efforts on the development of high-performance devices based on quantum dots as well as other types of emitters.« less

Quality factor of luminescent solar concentrators and practical concentration limits attainable with semiconductor quantum dots

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

Klimov, Victor I.; Baker, Thomas A.; Lim, Jaehoon

In this study, luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) can be utilized as both large-area collectors of solar radiation supplementing traditional photovoltaic cells as well as semitransparent “solar windows” that provide a desired degree of shading and simultaneously serve as power-generation units. An important characteristic of an LSC is a concentration factor (C) that can be thought of as a coefficient of effective enlargement (or contraction) of the area of a solar cell when it is coupled to the LSC. Here we use analytical and numerical Monte Carlo modeling in addition to experimental studies of quantum-dot-based LSCs to analyze the factors thatmore » influence optical concentration in practical devices. Our theoretical model indicates that the maximum value of C achievable with a given fluorophore is directly linked to the LSC quality factor (Q LSC) defined as the ratio of absorption coefficients at the wavelengths of incident and reemitted light. In fact, we demonstrate that the ultimate concentration limit (C 0) realized in large-area devices scales linearly with the LSC quality factor and in the case of perfect emitters and devices without back reflectors is approximately equal to Q LSC. To test the predictions of this model, we conduct experimental studies of LSCs based on visible-light emitting II–VI core/shell quantum dots with two distinct LSC quality factors. We also investigate devices based on near-infrared emitting CuInSe xS 2–x quantum dots for which the large emission bandwidth allows us to assess the impact of varied Q LSC on the concentration factor by simply varying the detection wavelength. In all cases, we find an excellent agreement between the model and the experimental observations, suggesting that the developed formalism can be utilized for express evaluation of prospective LSC performance based on the optical spectra of LSC fluorophores, which should facilitate future efforts on the development of high-performance devices based on quantum dots as well as other types of emitters.« less

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

Douglas, Matthew; Bernacki, Bruce E.; Erchinger, Jennifer L.

Liquid scintillation counting (LSC) is a versatile and commonplace method for radiometric measurement of charged particle emitting radionuclides. The LSC method provides utility in a range of environmental science applications including hydrological studies of water transport, anthropogenic releases of radionuclides into the environment, and vertical mixing rates within oceans. Instrumental measurement background is one limiting factor of radiometric measurement sensitivity. As part of the development of a custom low background LSC system located in a shallow underground laboratory at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, a number of measurement applications of LSC have been considered and are summarized here. The focus ismore » on determining which aspects of such measurements would gain the greatest benefit from the reduction of LSC backgrounds by a factor of 10-100 relative to values reported in the literature. Examples of benefits include lowering the minimum detectable activity, reducing the sample size required, and shortening the elapsed timeline of the processing and analysis sequence. In particular tritium, strontium, and actinium isotopes are examined as these isotopes cover a range of requirements related to the LSC measurement method (e.g., 3H: low energy; Sr: spectral deconvolution; Ac: alpha/beta discrimination).« less

Cessations and reversals of the large-scale circulation in turbulent thermal convection.

PubMed

Xi, Heng-Dong; Xia, Ke-Qing

2007-06-01

We present an experimental study of cessations and reversals of the large-scale circulation (LSC) in turbulent thermal convection in a cylindrical cell of aspect ratio (Gamma) 1/2 . It is found that cessations and reversals of the LSC occur in Gamma = 1/2 geometry an order-of-magnitude more frequently than they do in Gamma=1 cells, and that after a cessation the LSC is most likely to restart in the opposite direction, i.e., reversals of the LSC are the most probable cessation events. This contrasts sharply to the finding in Gamma=1 geometry and implies that cessations in the two geometries are governed by different dynamics. It is found that the occurrence of reversals is a Poisson process and that a stronger rebound of the flow strength after a reversal or cessation leads to a longer period of stability of the LSC. Several properties of reversals and cessations in this system are found to be statistically similar to those of geomagnetic reversals. A direct measurement of the velocity field reveals that a cessation corresponds to a momentary decoherence of the LSC.

Local Subspace Classifier with Transform-Invariance for Image Classification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hotta, Seiji

A family of linear subspace classifiers called local subspace classifier (LSC) outperforms the k-nearest neighbor rule (kNN) and conventional subspace classifiers in handwritten digit classification. However, LSC suffers very high sensitivity to image transformations because it uses projection and the Euclidean distances for classification. In this paper, I present a combination of a local subspace classifier (LSC) and a tangent distance (TD) for improving accuracy of handwritten digit recognition. In this classification rule, we can deal with transform-invariance easily because we are able to use tangent vectors for approximation of transformations. However, we cannot use tangent vectors in other type of images such as color images. Hence, kernel LSC (KLSC) is proposed for incorporating transform-invariance into LSC via kernel mapping. The performance of the proposed methods is verified with the experiments on handwritten digit and color image classification.

45 CFR 1640.3 - Contractual agreement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... OF FEDERAL LAW TO LSC RECIPIENTS § 1640.3 Contractual agreement. As a condition of receiving LSC... respect to its LSC funds, it will be subject to the Federal laws listed in § 1640.2(a)(1). The agreement... such Federal law and of the consequences of a violation of such law, both to the recipient and to...

45 CFR 1640.3 - Contractual agreement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... OF FEDERAL LAW TO LSC RECIPIENTS § 1640.3 Contractual agreement. As a condition of receiving LSC... respect to its LSC funds, it will be subject to the Federal laws listed in § 1640.2(a)(1). The agreement... such Federal law and of the consequences of a violation of such law, both to the recipient and to...

45 CFR 1640.3 - Contractual agreement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... OF FEDERAL LAW TO LSC RECIPIENTS § 1640.3 Contractual agreement. As a condition of receiving LSC... respect to its LSC funds, it will be subject to the Federal laws listed in § 1640.2(a)(1). The agreement... such Federal law and of the consequences of a violation of such law, both to the recipient and to...

45 CFR 1640.3 - Contractual agreement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... OF FEDERAL LAW TO LSC RECIPIENTS § 1640.3 Contractual agreement. As a condition of receiving LSC... respect to its LSC funds, it will be subject to the Federal laws listed in § 1640.2(a)(1). The agreement... such Federal law and of the consequences of a violation of such law, both to the recipient and to...

75 FR 56580 - Sunshine Act Meeting of LSC Board of Directors and Its Finance Committee

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-16

... LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION Sunshine Act Meeting of LSC Board of Directors and Its Finance Committee TIME AND DATE: The Legal Services Corporation (``LSC'' or ``Corporation'') Board of Directors (``Board'') and its Finance Committee will meet consecutively on September 21, 2010, with the Finance Committee convening at 10 a.m., Eastern Time, and...

Thermal convection of liquid metal in a long inclined cylinder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teimurazov, Andrei; Frick, Peter

2017-11-01

The turbulent convection of low-Prandtl-number fluids (Pr=0.0083 ) in a long cylindrical cell, heated at one end face and cooled at the other, inclined to the vertical at angle β , 0 ≤β ≤π /2 with step π /20 , is studied numerically by solving the Oberbeck-Boussinesq equations with the large-eddy-simulation approach for small-scale turbulence. The cylinder length is L =5 D , where D is the diameter. The Rayleigh number, determined by the cylinder diameter, is of the order of 5 ×106 . We show that the structure of the flow strongly depends on the inclination angle. A stable large-scale circulation (LSC) slightly disturbed by small-scale turbulence exists in the horizontal cylinder. The deviation from a horizontal position provides strong amplification of both LSC and small-scale turbulence. The energy of turbulent pulsations increases monotonically with decreasing inclination angle β , matching the energy of the LSC at β ≈π /5 . The intensity of the LSC has a wide, almost flat, maximum for an inclined cylinder and slumps approaching the vertical position, in which the LSC vanishes. The dependence of the Nusselt number on the inclination angle has a maximum at β ≈7 π /20 and generally follows the dependence of the intensity of LSC on the inclination. This indicates that the total heat transport is highly determined by LSC. We examine the applicability of idealized thermal boundary conditions (BCs) for modeling a real experiment with liquid sodium flows. Therefore, the simulations are done with two types of temperature BCs: fixed face temperature and fixed heat flux. The intensity of the LSC is slightly higher in the latter case and leads to a corresponding increase of the Nusselt number and enhancement of temperature pulsations.

Work load, job control and risk of leaving work by sickness certification before delivery, Norway 1989.

PubMed

Strand, K; Wergeland, E; Bjerkedal, T

1997-09-01

Sickness absence in pregnancy has been shown to be associated with strenuous working conditions and parity. So far, few studies have made adjustments for possible interaction and confounding. Such adjustments are needed to more precisely identify targets for preventive measures. We have, therefore, in a representative population of pregnant employees in Norway 1989, computed adjusted odds ratios for leaving work by sickness absence more than three (LSC > 3) and eight (LSC > 8) weeks before delivery according to working conditions identified as risk factors in earlier studies; adjusted for job control, domestic conditions and sickness absence the year prior to pregnancy. The cumulative percentage of LSC > 8 and LSC > 3 was 26.4 and 51.1. Ergonomically strenuous postures and heavy lifting increased the risk of both outcomes. In addition, shift work and hectic work pace increased the risk of LSC > 3. Influence on breaks reduced risk. Only para experienced reduced risk of LSC when working part-time. Sicklisting the year prior to pregnancy had no confounding effect, which suggest that pregnancy represents a new incompatibility with work. Preventive measures should address work postures and heavy lifting, as well as conditions influencing the woman's control with her time.

Effect of weak rotation on large-scale circulation cessations in turbulent convection.

PubMed

Assaf, Michael; Angheluta, Luiza; Goldenfeld, Nigel

2012-08-17

We investigate the effect of weak rotation on the large-scale circulation (LSC) of turbulent Rayleigh-Bénard convection, using the theory for cessations in a low-dimensional stochastic model of the flow previously studied. We determine the cessation frequency of the LSC as a function of rotation, and calculate the statistics of the amplitude and azimuthal velocity fluctuations of the LSC as a function of the rotation rate for different Rayleigh numbers. Furthermore, we show that the tails of the reorientation PDF remain unchanged for rotating systems, while the distribution of the LSC amplitude and correspondingly the cessation frequency are strongly affected by rotation. Our results are in close agreement with experimental observations.

Survivin Selectively Modulates Genes Deregulated in Human Leukemia Stem Cells

PubMed Central

Fukuda, Seiji; Abe, Mariko; Onishi, Chie; Taketani, Takeshi; Purevsuren, Jamiyan; Yamaguchi, Seiji; Conway, Edward M.; Pelus, Louis M.

2011-01-01

ITD-Flt3 mutations are detected in leukemia stem cells (LSCs) in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients. While antagonizing Survivin normalizes ITD-Flt3-induced acute leukemia, it also impairs hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) function, indicating that identification of differences in signaling pathways downstream of Survivin between LSC and HSC are crucial to develop selective Survivin-based therapeutic strategies for AML. Using a Survivin-deletion model, we identified 1,096 genes regulated by Survivin in ITD-Flt3-transformed c-kit+, Sca-1+, and lineageneg (KSL) cells, of which 137 are deregulated in human LSC. Of the 137, 124 genes were regulated by Survivin exclusively in ITD-Flt3+ KSL cells but not in normal CD34neg KSL cells. Survivin-regulated genes in LSC connect through a network associated with the epidermal growth factor receptor signaling pathway and falls into various functional categories independent of effects on apoptosis. Pathways downstream of Survivin in LSC that are distinct from HSC can be potentially targeted for selective anti-LSC therapy. PMID:21253548

Ecotoxicological assessment of bluegill sunfish inhabiting a selenium-enriched fly ash stream

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

Reash, R.J.; Lohner, T.W.; Wood, K.V.

1999-07-01

Little Scary Creek (LSC), a 2nd-order tributary of the Kanawha River in West Virginia, receives treated fly ash produced during coal combustion. Selenium and other trace metals were determined in water column and sediment samples, caddisflies, and bluegill sunfish liver and gonads during 1995--96 to estimate pathways of selenium exposure and assess the likelihood of toxic effects. Selenium levels in LSC water and sediment samples, and in caddisflies were elevated compared to reference sites. Mean dry weight selenium concentrations in bluegill liver, ovary, and tested tissue equaled or exceeded published toxic thresholds. Other trace metals were significantly higher in LSCmore » bluegill. Leukopenia, elevated serum salts, and lowered liver weight were found in LSC bluegill. Fewer older bluegill were found in LSC. Sunfish in LSC are experiencing various kinds of sublethal stress, presumably due to metals exposure. However, major toxic effects that would be predicted to occur based on tissue selenium levels (complete reproductive failure or mortality) have not been observed in this population.« less

Laser scanning cytometry (LCS) allows detailed analysis of the cell cycle in PI stained human fibroblasts (TIG-7).

PubMed

Kawasaki, M; Sasaki, K; Satoh, T; Kurose, A; Kamada, T; Furuya, T; Murakami, T; Todoroki, T

1997-01-01

We have demonstrated a method for the in situ determination of the cell cycle phases of TIG-7 fibroblasts using a laser scanning cytometer (LSC) which has not only a function equivalent to flow cytometry (FCM) but also has a capability unique in itself. LSC allows a more detailed analysis of the cell cycle in cells stained with propidium iodide (PI) than FCM. With LSC it is possible to discriminate between mitotic cells and G2 cells, between post-mitotic cells and G1 cells, and between quiescent cells and cycling cells in a PI fluorescence peak (chromatin condensation) vs. fluorescence value (DNA content) cytogram for cells stained with PI. These were amply confirmed by experiments using colcemid and adriamycin. We were able to identify at least six cell subpopulations for PI stained cells using LSC; namely G1, S, G2, M, postmitotic and quiescent cell populations. LSC analysis facilitates the monitoring of effects of drugs on the cell cycle.

Temperature oscillation and the sloshing motion of the large-scale circulation in turbulent Rayleigh-Bénard convection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xi, Heng-Dong; Chen, Xin; Xia, Ke-Qing

2017-11-01

We report an experimental study of the temperature oscillation and the sloshing motion of the large-scale circulation (LSC) in turbulent Rayleigh-Bénard convection in water. Temperature measurements were made in aspect ratio one cylindrical cell by probes put in fluid and embedded in the sidewall simultaneously, and located at the 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 heights of the convection cell. The results show that the temperature measured in fluid contains information of both the LSC and the signature of the hot and cold plumes, while the temperature measured in sidewall only contains information of the LSC. It is found that the sloshing motion of the LSC can be measured by both the temperatures in fluid and in sidewall. We also studies the effect of cell tilting on the temperature oscillation and sloshing motion of the LSC. It is found that both the amplitude and the frequency of the temperature oscillation (and the sloshing motion) increase when the tilt angle increases, while the off-center distance of the sloshing motion of the LSC remains unchanged. This work is supported by the NSFC of China (Grant Nos. 11472094 and U1613227), the RGC of Hong Kong SAR (Grant No. 403712) and the 111 project of China (Grant No. B17037).

Spike sorting using locality preserving projection with gap statistics and landmark-based spectral clustering.

PubMed

Nguyen, Thanh; Khosravi, Abbas; Creighton, Douglas; Nahavandi, Saeid

2014-12-30

Understanding neural functions requires knowledge from analysing electrophysiological data. The process of assigning spikes of a multichannel signal into clusters, called spike sorting, is one of the important problems in such analysis. There have been various automated spike sorting techniques with both advantages and disadvantages regarding accuracy and computational costs. Therefore, developing spike sorting methods that are highly accurate and computationally inexpensive is always a challenge in the biomedical engineering practice. An automatic unsupervised spike sorting method is proposed in this paper. The method uses features extracted by the locality preserving projection (LPP) algorithm. These features afterwards serve as inputs for the landmark-based spectral clustering (LSC) method. Gap statistics (GS) is employed to evaluate the number of clusters before the LSC can be performed. The proposed LPP-LSC is highly accurate and computationally inexpensive spike sorting approach. LPP spike features are very discriminative; thereby boost the performance of clustering methods. Furthermore, the LSC method exhibits its efficiency when integrated with the cluster evaluator GS. The proposed method's accuracy is approximately 13% superior to that of the benchmark combination between wavelet transformation and superparamagnetic clustering (WT-SPC). Additionally, LPP-LSC computing time is six times less than that of the WT-SPC. LPP-LSC obviously demonstrates a win-win spike sorting solution meeting both accuracy and computational cost criteria. LPP and LSC are linear algorithms that help reduce computational burden and thus their combination can be applied into real-time spike analysis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

microRNA-7 down-regulation mediates excessive collagen expression in localized scleroderma.

PubMed

Etoh, Mitsuhiko; Jinnin, Masatoshi; Makino, Katsunari; Yamane, Keitaro; Nakayama, Wakana; Aoi, Jun; Honda, Noritoshi; Kajihara, Ikko; Makino, Takamitsu; Fukushima, Satoshi; Ihn, Hironobu

2013-01-01

Localized scleroderma (LSc), a connective tissue disorder restricted to the skin and subcutaneous tissue, is characterized by skin fibrosis due to an excessive deposition of types I collagen. The mechanism of such fibrosis is still unknown, but epigenetics may play some roles in the excessive collagen expression. In the present study, we investigated the mechanism of fibrosis seen in LSc, focusing on microRNA (miRNA). miRNA expression was determined by PCR array, real-time PCR, and in situ hybridization. The function of miRNA was evaluated using specific inhibitor. Immunoblotting was performed to detect α2(I) collagen protein. PCR array analysis using tissue miRNA demonstrated miR-7 level was significantly decreased in LSc skin as well as keloid tissue compared to normal skin in vivo. In situ hybridization also showed miR-7 expression in dermal fibroblasts was decreased in LSc dermis. The transfection of specific inhibitor for miR-7 into cultured normal dermal fibroblasts resulted in the up-regulation of α2(I) collagen protein in vitro. Also, the serum levels of miR-7 were significantly decreased in LSc patients compared with healthy controls, but serum miR-29a levels not. Systemic or local down-regulation of miR-7 may contribute to the pathogenesis of LSc via the overexpression of α2(I) collagen, and serum miR-7 may be useful as a disease marker. Investigation of the regulatory mechanisms of LSc by miRNA may lead to new treatments by the transfection into the lesional skin of this disease.

Immunophenotyping by slide-based cytometry and by flow cytometry are comparable

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerstner, Andreas O.; Laffers, Wiebke; Mittag, Anja; Daehnert, Ingo; Lenz, Domnik; Bootz, Friedrich; Bocsi, Jozsef; Tarnok, Attila

2005-03-01

Immunophenotyping of peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs) is performed by flow cytometry (FCM) as the golden standard. Slide based cytometry systems for example laser scanning cytometer (LSC) can give additional information (repeated staining and scanning, morphology). In order to adequately judge on the clinical usefulness of immunophenotyping by LSC it is obligatory to compare it with the long established FCM assays. We performed this study to systematically compare the two methods, FCM and LSC for immunophenotyping and to test the correlation of the results. Leucocytes were stained with directly labeled monoclonal antibodies with whole blood staining method. Aliquots of the same paraformaldehyde fixed specimens were analyzed in a FACScan (BD-Biosciences) using standard protocols and parallel with LSC (CompuCyte) after placing to glass slide, drying and fixation by aceton and 7-AAD staining. Calculating the percentage distribution of PBLs obtained by LSC and by FCM shows very good correlation with regression coefficients close to 1.0 for the major populations (neutrophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes), as well as for the lymphocyte sub-populations (T-helper-, T-cytotoxic-, B-, NK-cells). LSC can be recommended for immunophenotyping of PBLs especially in cases where only very limited sample volumes are available or where additional analysis of the cells" morphology is important. There are limitations in the detection of rare leucocytes or weak antigens where appropriate amplification steps for immunofluorescence should be engaged.

Postoperative pain medication requirements in patients undergoing computer-assisted (“Robotic”) and standard laparoscopic procedures for newly diagnosed endometrial cancer.

PubMed

Leitao, Mario M; Malhotra, Vivek; Briscoe, Gabriel; Suidan, Rudy; Dholakiya, Priyal; Santos, Kevin; Jewell, Elizabeth L; Brown, Carol L; Sonoda, Yukio; Abu-Rustum, Nadeem R; Barakat, Richard R; Gardner, Ginger J

2013-10-01

Laparoscopy (LSC) offers superior patient outcomes compared to laparotomy. Small retrospective/prospective series have suggested robotics offers further reduction in postoperative pain and pain medication use compared to standard LSC. Our objective was to compare postoperative pain in patients undergoing robotically assisted (RBT) versus standard LSC for newly diagnosed endometrial cancer. All preoperative endometrial cancer cases scheduled for RBT and LSC from May 1, 2007 to June 9, 2010 were identified. For this analysis, we only included cases not requiring conversion to laparotomy. All patients were offered intravenous (IV) patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) postoperatively. Intraoperative equivalent fentanyl doses (IEFDs) and pain scores in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) were assessed. IV PCA was used in 206 RBTs (86 %) and 208 LSCs (88 %). Median IEFD was 425 μg for LSCs and 500 μg for RBTs (P = 0.03). Median pain scores on PACU arrival were similar in both groups. Median highest pain score was 5 for LSCs and 4 for RBTs (P = 0.007). Linear regression demonstrated that the IEFD was not correlated with the highest pain score (R = 0.09; P = 0.07). Fentanyl was used postoperatively in 196 of 206 RBTs (95 %) and 187 of 208 LSCs (90 %). The total fentanyl doses were 242.5 (range 0-2705) μg and 380 (range 0-2625) μg, respectively (P < 0.001). The median hourly fentanyl doses were 16.7 (range 0-122.5) μg and 23.5 (range 0-132.4) μg, respectively (P = 0.005). Simultaneous multiple regression analysis further demonstrated RBT was independently associated with a lower total fentanyl dose compared to LSC (P = 0.02). RBT is independently associated with significantly lower postoperative pain and pain medication requirements compared to LSC. The amount of intraoperative fentanyl analgesia does not appear to correlate with postoperative pain.Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecologic malignancy in the United States, with an estimated 47,130 new cases in 2012.1 An estimated 287,100 women were diagnosed with endometrial cancer worldwide in 2008.2 Surgery is the primary treatment of choice for the majority of these women.3 The standard surgical approach has been total abdominal hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, and staging via laparotomy. Multiple retrospective series have shown that a less invasive surgical approach via laparoscopy (LSC) is feasible and safe, and also associated with improved perioperative outcomes compared to laparotomy in these patients.4 The Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) published results of the largest randomized trial (LAP2) comparing LSC to laparotomy in patients with newly diagnosed endometrial carcinoma in 2009.5,6 This landmark study essentially changed the accepted standard surgical approach in this group. Postoperative complications, median blood loss, and median length of stay (LOS), despite increased operative time, were significantly lower in LSC patients despite 25 % requiring conversion to laparotomy.5 The first 802 eligible patients randomized in LAP2 also participated in a quality-of-life (QOL) study. Within 6 weeks of surgery, patients assigned to LSC reported significantly better QOL on all scales other than fear of recurrence.6 Overall, during this 6-week postoperative period, patients assigned to LSC had superior QOL, fewer physical symptoms, less pain and pain-related interference with functioning, better physical functioning and emotional state, earlier resumption of normal activities, earlier return to work, and better body image compared to those assigned to laparotomy.6 Recurrence-free and overall survivals were the same in both groups.7 Multiple published retrospective series have shown possible benefits, such as reduced postoperative pain, using the robotic (RBT) platform compared to LSC or laparotomy in patients with endometrial cancer.8-11 In a randomized trial, LSC was found to be associated with less postoperative pain compared to vaginal approaches in patients undergoing hysterectomy for benign gynecologic disease.12 A small retrospective series reported further reductions in postoperative pain in patients who had undergone an RBT hysterectomy compared to a standard total LSC hysterectomy for benign indications.13 A recent cost analysis suggested that patients experienced less pain and required less pain medication use after RBT procedures compared to LSC for endometrial cancer.14 Based on these reports, we sought to analyze postoperative pain and the use of pain medication in patients undergoing RBT compared to standard transperitoneal LSC procedures for newly diagnosed endometrial cancer during a concurrent time period. Of note, current RBT surgery is not truly robotic in that it is not autonomous. A more appropriate term is “computer-assisted surgery,” but to satisfy current convention, we refer to it as “robotic surgery” in this manuscript.

A randomized controlled trial of soap opera videos streamed to smartphones to reduce risk of sexually transmitted human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in young urban African American women.

PubMed

Jones, Rachel; Hoover, Donald R; Lacroix, Lorraine J

2013-01-01

Love, Sex, and Choices (LSC) is a soap opera video series created to reduce HIV sex risk in women. LSC was compared to text messages in a randomized trial in 238 high-risk mostly Black young urban women. 117 received 12-weekly LSC videos, 121 received 12-weekly HIV prevention messages on smartphones. Changes in unprotected sex with high risk partners were compared by mixed models. Unprotected sex with high risk men significantly declined over 6 months post-intervention for both arms, from 21-22 acts to 5-6 (p < 0.001). This reduction was 18 % greater in the video over the text arm, though this difference was not statistically significant. However, the LSC was highly popular and viewers wanted the series to continue. This is the first study to report streaming soap opera video episodes to reduce HIV risk on smartphones. LSC holds promise as an Internet intervention that could be scaled-up and combined with HIV testing. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Investigation of beamed-energy ERH thruster performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Myrabo, Leik N.; Strayer, T. Darton; Bossard, John A.; Richard, Jacques C.; Gallimore, Alec D.

1986-01-01

The objective of this study was to determine the performance of an External Radiation Heated (ERH) thruster. In this thruster, high intensity laser energy is focused to ignite either a Laser Supported Combustion (LSC) wave or a Laser Supported Detonation (LSD) wave. Thrust is generated as the LSC or LSD wave propagates over the thruster's surface, or in the proposed thruster configuration, the vehicle afterbody. Thrust models for the LSC and LSD waves were developed and simulated on a computer. Performance parameters investigated include the effect of laser intensity, flight Mach number, and altitude on mean-thrust and coupling coefficient of the ERH thruster. Results from these models suggest that the ERH thruster using LSC/LSD wave ignition could provide propulsion performance considerably greater than any propulsion system currently available.

Azimuthal diffusion of the large-scale circulation of turbulent Rayleight-Bénard convection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Xiaozhou; van Gils, Dennis P. M.; Bodenschatz, Eberhard; Ahlers, Guenter

2015-11-01

We present measurements of the azimuthal orientation θ0 (t) of the large-scale circulation (LSC) of turbulent Rayleight-Bénard convection. The sample was a cylinder with height and diameter equal to 1.12 m. We used compressed SF6 gas at pressures up to 19 bars as the fluid. The measurements covered the Rayleigh-number range 1012 <= Ra <=1014 at a Prandtl number Pr ~= 0 . 80 . We found that the preferred orientation of the LSC upflow was aligned to the West, consistent with Earth's Coriolis force. The LSC azimuthal dynamics was diffusive, driven by the small-scale turbulent fluctuations. For Ra <=1013 the Reynolds number Reθ˙ based on the azimuthal diffusivity had a Ra dependence similar to that seen for 109 <= Ra <=1011 and Pr = 4 . 38 . The Pr dependence Reθ˙ ~Prα with α ~= - 1 . 2 was the same as that found for the Reynolds number based on the root-mean-square fluctuation velocity in the interior bulk flow. For Ra = Ra1* ~= 2 ×1013 Reθ˙ showed the ultimate-state transition and for Ra >= Ra2* ~= 8 ×1013 it had a Ra dependence with an exponent of 0 . 40 +/- 0 . 02 . Supported by the Max Planck Society, the Volkswagenstiftung, the DFD Sonderforschungsbereich SFB963, and NSF Grant DMR11-58514.

A simple high performance liquid chromatography method for analyzing paraquat in soil solution samples.

PubMed

Ouyang, Ying; Mansell, Robert S; Nkedi-Kizza, Peter

2004-01-01

A high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method with UV detection was developed to analyze paraquat (1,1'-dimethyl-4,4'-dipyridinium dichloride) herbicide content in soil solution samples. The analytical method was compared with the liquid scintillation counting (LSC) method using 14C-paraquat. Agreement obtained between the two methods was reasonable. However, the detection limit for paraquat analysis was 0.5 mg L(-1) by the HPLC method and 0.05 mg L(-1) by the LSC method. The LSC method was, therefore, 10 times more precise than the HPLC method for solution concentrations less than 1 mg L(-1). In spite of the high detection limit, the UC (nonradioactive) HPLC method provides an inexpensive and environmentally safe means for determining paraquat concentration in soil solution compared with the 14C-LSC method.

Reproducibility of Direct Quantitative Measures of Cortical Bone Micro-architecture of the Distal Radius and Tibia by HR-pQCT

PubMed Central

Burghardt, Andrew J.; Buie, Helen R.; Laib, Andres; Majumdar, Sharmila; Boyd, Steven K.

2010-01-01

Quantitative cortical micro-architectural endpoints are important for understanding structure-function relations in the context of fracture risk and therapeutic efficacy. This technique study details new image-processing methods to automatically segment and directly quantify cortical density, geometry, and micro-architecture from HR-pQCT images of the distal radius and tibia. An automated segmentation technique was developed to identify the periosteal and endosteal margins of the distal radius and tibia, and detect intra-cortical pore space morphologically consistent with Haversian canals. The reproducibility of direct quantitative cortical bone indices based on this method was assessed in a pooled dataset of 56 subjects with two repeat acquisitions for each site. The in vivo precision error was characterized using root mean square coefficient of variation (RMSCV%) from which, the least significant change (LSC) was calculated. Bland-Altman plots were used to characterize bias in the precision estimates. The reproducibility of cortical density and cross-sectional area measures was high (RMSCV <1% and <1.5%, respectively) with good agreement between young and elder medians. The LSC for cortical porosity (Ct.Po) was somewhat smaller in the radius (0.58%) compared with the distal tibia (0.84%) and significantly different between young and elder medians in the distal tibia (LSC: 0.75% vs. 0.92%; p<0.001). The LSC for pore diameter and distribution (Po.Dm and Po.Dm.SD) ranged between 15 and 23μm. Bland-Altman analysis revealed moderate bias for integral measures of area and volume, but not density nor microarchitecture. This study indicates HR-pQCT measures of cortical bone density and architecture can be measured in vivo with high reproducibility and limited bias across a biologically relevant range of values. The results of this study provide informative data for the design of future clinical studies of bone quality. PMID:20561906

Acute myeloid leukemia originates from a hierarchy of leukemic stem cell classes that differ in self-renewal capacity.

PubMed

Hope, Kristin J; Jin, Liqing; Dick, John E

2004-07-01

Emerging evidence suggests cancer stem cells sustain neoplasms; however, little is understood of the normal cell initially targeted and the resultant cancer stem cells. We show here, by tracking individual human leukemia stem cells (LSCs) in nonobese diabetic-severe combined immunodeficiency mice serially transplanted with acute myeloid leukemia cells, that LSCs are not functionally homogeneous but, like the normal hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) compartment, comprise distinct hierarchically arranged LSC classes. Distinct LSC fates derived from heterogeneous self-renewal potential. Some LSCs emerged only in recipients of serial transplantation, indicating they divided rarely and underwent self-renewal rather than commitment after cell division within primary recipients. Heterogeneity in LSC self-renewal potential supports the hypothesis that they derive from normal HSCs. Furthermore, normal developmental processes are not completely abolished during leukemogenesis. The existence of multiple stem cell classes shows the need for LSC-targeted therapies.

Evolution of acute myelogenous leukemia stem cell properties after treatment and progression.

PubMed

Ho, Tzu-Chieh; LaMere, Mark; Stevens, Brett M; Ashton, John M; Myers, Jason R; O'Dwyer, Kristen M; Liesveld, Jane L; Mendler, Jason H; Guzman, Monica; Morrissette, Jennifer D; Zhao, Jianhua; Wang, Eunice S; Wetzler, Meir; Jordan, Craig T; Becker, Michael W

2016-09-29

Most cancers evolve over time as patients initially responsive to therapy acquire resistance to the same drugs at relapse. Cancer stem cells have been postulated to represent a therapy-refractory reservoir for relapse, but formal proof of this model is lacking. We prospectively characterized leukemia stem cell populations (LSCs) from a well-defined cohort of patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) at diagnosis and relapse to assess the effect of the disease course on these critical populations. Leukemic samples were collected from patients with newly diagnosed AML before therapy and after relapse, and LSC frequency was assessed by limiting dilution analyses. LSC populations were identified using fluorescent-labeled cell sorting and transplantation into immunodeficient NOD/SCID/interleukin 2 receptor γ chain null mice. The surface antigen expression profiles of pretherapy and postrelapse LSCs were determined for published LSC markers. We demonstrate a 9- to 90-fold increase in LSC frequency between diagnosis and relapse. LSC activity at relapse was identified in populations of leukemic blasts that did not demonstrate this activity before treatment and relapse. In addition, we describe genetic instability and exceptional phenotypic changes that accompany the evolution of these new LSC populations. This study is the first to characterize the evolution of LSCs in vivo after chemotherapy, identifying a dramatic change in the physiology of primitive AML cells when the disease progresses. Taken together, these findings provide a new frame of reference by which to evaluate candidate AML therapies in which both disease control and the induction of more advanced forms of disease should be considered. © 2016 by The American Society of Hematology.

Evolution of acute myelogenous leukemia stem cell properties after treatment and progression

PubMed Central

Ho, Tzu-Chieh; LaMere, Mark; Stevens, Brett M.; Ashton, John M.; Myers, Jason R.; O’Dwyer, Kristen M.; Liesveld, Jane L.; Mendler, Jason H.; Guzman, Monica; Morrissette, Jennifer D.; Zhao, Jianhua; Wang, Eunice S.; Wetzler, Meir; Jordan, Craig T.

2016-01-01

Most cancers evolve over time as patients initially responsive to therapy acquire resistance to the same drugs at relapse. Cancer stem cells have been postulated to represent a therapy-refractory reservoir for relapse, but formal proof of this model is lacking. We prospectively characterized leukemia stem cell populations (LSCs) from a well-defined cohort of patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) at diagnosis and relapse to assess the effect of the disease course on these critical populations. Leukemic samples were collected from patients with newly diagnosed AML before therapy and after relapse, and LSC frequency was assessed by limiting dilution analyses. LSC populations were identified using fluorescent-labeled cell sorting and transplantation into immunodeficient NOD/SCID/interleukin 2 receptor γ chain null mice. The surface antigen expression profiles of pretherapy and postrelapse LSCs were determined for published LSC markers. We demonstrate a 9- to 90-fold increase in LSC frequency between diagnosis and relapse. LSC activity at relapse was identified in populations of leukemic blasts that did not demonstrate this activity before treatment and relapse. In addition, we describe genetic instability and exceptional phenotypic changes that accompany the evolution of these new LSC populations. This study is the first to characterize the evolution of LSCs in vivo after chemotherapy, identifying a dramatic change in the physiology of primitive AML cells when the disease progresses. Taken together, these findings provide a new frame of reference by which to evaluate candidate AML therapies in which both disease control and the induction of more advanced forms of disease should be considered. PMID:27421961

78 FR 32474 - Request for Comments: LSC Appropriations Request for FY 2015

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-30

... and is seeking public comment and testimony on what the amount of its request should be. DATES... p.m., Eastern Daylight Time, on Thursday June 6, 2013. LSC invites public comment on what its FY...

Quality control assurance of strontium-90 in foodstuffs by LSC.

PubMed

Lopes, I; Mourato, A; Abrantes, J; Carvalhal, G; Madruga, M J; Reis, M

2014-11-01

A method based on the separation of Sr-90 by extraction chromatography and beta determination by Liquid Scintillation Counting (LSC) technique was used for strontium analysis in food samples. The methodology consisted in prior sample treatment (drying and incineration) followed by radiochemical separation of Sr-90 by extraction chromatography, using the Sr-resin. The chemical yield was determined by gravimetric method, adding stable strontium to the matrix. Beta activity (Sr-90/Y-90) was determined using a low background liquid scintillation spectrometer (Tri-Carb 3170 TR/SL, Packard). The accuracy and the precision of the method, was performed previously through recovery trials with Sr-90 spiked samples, using the same type of matrices (milk, complete meals, meat and vegetables). A reference material (IAEA_321) was now used to measure the accuracy of the procedure. Participation in interlaboratory comparison exercises was also performed in order to establish an external control on the measurements and to ensure the adequacy of the method. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Antibody therapy for acute myeloid leukaemia.

PubMed

Gasiorowski, Robin E; Clark, Georgina J; Bradstock, Kenneth; Hart, Derek N J

2014-02-01

Novel therapies with increased efficacy and decreased toxicity are desperately needed for the treatment of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). The anti CD33 immunoconjugate, gemtuzumab ozogamicin (GO), was withdrawn with concerns over induction mortality and lack of efficacy. However a number of recent trials suggest that, particularly in AML with favourable cytogenetics, GO may improve overall survival. This data and the development of alternative novel monoclonal antibodies (mAb) have renewed interest in the area. Leukaemic stem cells (LSC) are identified as the subset of AML blasts that reproduces the leukaemic phenotype upon transplantation into immunosuppressed mice. AML relapse may be caused by chemoresistant LSC and this has refocused interest on identifying and targeting antigens specific for LSC. Several mAb have been developed that target LSC effectively in xenogeneic models but only a few have begun clinical evaluation. Antibody engineering may improve the activity of potential new therapeutics for AML. The encouraging results seen with bispecific T cell-engaging mAb-based molecules against CD19 in the treatment of B-cell acute lymphobalstic leukaemia, highlight the potential efficacy of engineered antibodies in the treatment of acute leukaemia. Potent engineered mAb, possibly targeting novel LSC antigens, offer hope for improving the current poor prognosis for AML. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Genetically distinct leukemic stem cells in human CD34− acute myeloid leukemia are arrested at a hemopoietic precursor-like stage

PubMed Central

Quek, Lynn; Garnett, Catherine; Karamitros, Dimitris; Stoilova, Bilyana; Doondeea, Jessica; Kennedy, Alison; Metzner, Marlen; Ivey, Adam; Sternberg, Alexander; Hunter, Hannah; Price, Andrew; Virgo, Paul; Grimwade, David; Freeman, Sylvie; Russell, Nigel; Mead, Adam

2016-01-01

Our understanding of the perturbation of normal cellular differentiation hierarchies to create tumor-propagating stem cell populations is incomplete. In human acute myeloid leukemia (AML), current models suggest transformation creates leukemic stem cell (LSC) populations arrested at a progenitor-like stage expressing cell surface CD34. We show that in ∼25% of AML, with a distinct genetic mutation pattern where >98% of cells are CD34−, there are multiple, nonhierarchically arranged CD34+ and CD34− LSC populations. Within CD34− and CD34+ LSC–containing populations, LSC frequencies are similar; there are shared clonal structures and near-identical transcriptional signatures. CD34− LSCs have disordered global transcription profiles, but these profiles are enriched for transcriptional signatures of normal CD34− mature granulocyte–macrophage precursors, downstream of progenitors. But unlike mature precursors, LSCs express multiple normal stem cell transcriptional regulators previously implicated in LSC function. This suggests a new refined model of the relationship between LSCs and normal hemopoiesis in which the nature of genetic/epigenetic changes determines the disordered transcriptional program, resulting in LSC differentiation arrest at stages that are most like either progenitor or precursor stages of hemopoiesis. PMID:27377587

Zero point energy leakage in condensed phase dynamics: An assessment of quantum simulation methods for liquid water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Habershon, Scott; Manolopoulos, David E.

2009-12-01

The approximate quantum mechanical ring polymer molecular dynamics (RPMD) and linearized semiclassical initial value representation (LSC-IVR) methods are compared and contrasted in a study of the dynamics of the flexible q-TIP4P/F water model at room temperature. For this water model, a RPMD simulation gives a diffusion coefficient that is only a few percent larger than the classical diffusion coefficient, whereas a LSC-IVR simulation gives a diffusion coefficient that is three times larger. We attribute this discrepancy to the unphysical leakage of initially quantized zero point energy (ZPE) from the intramolecular to the intermolecular modes of the liquid as the LSC-IVR simulation progresses. In spite of this problem, which is avoided by construction in RPMD, the LSC-IVR may still provide a useful approximation to certain short-time dynamical properties which are not so strongly affected by the ZPE leakage. We illustrate this with an application to the liquid water dipole absorption spectrum, for which the RPMD approximation breaks down at frequencies in the O-H stretching region owing to contamination from the internal modes of the ring polymer. The LSC-IVR does not suffer from this difficulty and it appears to provide quite a promising way to calculate condensed phase vibrational spectra.

Zero point energy leakage in condensed phase dynamics: an assessment of quantum simulation methods for liquid water.

PubMed

Habershon, Scott; Manolopoulos, David E

2009-12-28

The approximate quantum mechanical ring polymer molecular dynamics (RPMD) and linearized semiclassical initial value representation (LSC-IVR) methods are compared and contrasted in a study of the dynamics of the flexible q-TIP4P/F water model at room temperature. For this water model, a RPMD simulation gives a diffusion coefficient that is only a few percent larger than the classical diffusion coefficient, whereas a LSC-IVR simulation gives a diffusion coefficient that is three times larger. We attribute this discrepancy to the unphysical leakage of initially quantized zero point energy (ZPE) from the intramolecular to the intermolecular modes of the liquid as the LSC-IVR simulation progresses. In spite of this problem, which is avoided by construction in RPMD, the LSC-IVR may still provide a useful approximation to certain short-time dynamical properties which are not so strongly affected by the ZPE leakage. We illustrate this with an application to the liquid water dipole absorption spectrum, for which the RPMD approximation breaks down at frequencies in the O-H stretching region owing to contamination from the internal modes of the ring polymer. The LSC-IVR does not suffer from this difficulty and it appears to provide quite a promising way to calculate condensed phase vibrational spectra.

Linearized semiclassical initial value time correlation functions with maximum entropy analytic continuation.

PubMed

Liu, Jian; Miller, William H

2008-09-28

The maximum entropy analytic continuation (MEAC) method is used to extend the range of accuracy of the linearized semiclassical initial value representation (LSC-IVR)/classical Wigner approximation for real time correlation functions. LSC-IVR provides a very effective "prior" for the MEAC procedure since it is very good for short times, exact for all time and temperature for harmonic potentials (even for correlation functions of nonlinear operators), and becomes exact in the classical high temperature limit. This combined MEAC+LSC/IVR approach is applied here to two highly nonlinear dynamical systems, a pure quartic potential in one dimensional and liquid para-hydrogen at two thermal state points (25 and 14 K under nearly zero external pressure). The former example shows the MEAC procedure to be a very significant enhancement of the LSC-IVR for correlation functions of both linear and nonlinear operators, and especially at low temperature where semiclassical approximations are least accurate. For liquid para-hydrogen, the LSC-IVR is seen already to be excellent at T=25 K, but the MEAC procedure produces a significant correction at the lower temperature (T=14 K). Comparisons are also made as to how the MEAC procedure is able to provide corrections for other trajectory-based dynamical approximations when used as priors.

Analyzing luminescent solar concentrators with front-facing photovoltaic cells using weighted Monte Carlo ray tracing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woei Leow, Shin; Corrado, Carley; Osborn, Melissa; Isaacson, Michael; Alers, Glenn; Carter, Sue A.

2013-06-01

Luminescent solar concentrators (LSC) collect ambient light from a broad range of angles and concentrate the captured light onto photovoltaic (PV) cells. LSCs with front-facing cells collect direct and indirect sunlight ensuring a gain factor greater than one. The flexible placement and percentage coverage of PV cells on the LSC panel allow for layout adjustments to be made in order to balance re-absorption losses and the level of light concentration desired. A weighted Monte Carlo ray tracing program was developed to study the transport of photons and loss mechanisms in the LSC to aid in design optimization. The program imports measured absorption/emission spectra of an organic luminescent dye (LR305), the transmission coefficient, and refractive index of acrylic as parameters that describe the system. Simulations suggest that for LR305, 8-10 cm of luminescent material surrounding the PV cell yields the highest increase in power gain per unit area of LSC added, thereby determining the ideal spacing between PV cells in the panel. For rectangular PV cells, results indicate that for each centimeter of PV cell width, an additional increase of 0.15 mm to the waveguide thickness is required to efficiently transport photon collected by the LSC to the PV cell with minimal loss.

Bigger testes increase paternity in a simultaneous hermaphrodite, independently of the sperm competition level.

PubMed

Vellnow, N; Marie-Orleach, L; Zadesenets, K S; Schärer, L

2018-02-01

Hermaphroditic animals face the fundamental evolutionary optimization problem of allocating their resources to their male vs. female reproductive function (e.g. testes and sperm vs. ovaries and eggs), and this optimal sex allocation can be affected by both pre- and post-copulatory sexual selection. For example, local sperm competition (LSC) - the competition between related sperm for the fertilization of a partner's ova - occurs in small mating groups and can favour a female-biased sex allocation, because, under LSC, investment into sperm production is predicted to show diminishing fitness returns. Here, we test whether higher testis investment increases an individual's paternity success under sperm competition, and whether the strength of this effect diminishes when LSC is stronger, as predicted by sex allocation theory. We created two subsets of individuals of the simultaneously hermaphroditic flatworm Macrostomum lignano - by sampling worms from either the highest or lowest quartile of the testis investment distribution - and estimated their paternity success in group sizes of either three (strong LSC) or eight individuals (weak LSC). Specifically, using transgenic focal individuals expressing a dominant green-fluorescent protein marker, we showed that worms with high testis investment sired 22% more offspring relative to those with low investment, corroborating previous findings in M. lignano and other species. However, the strength of this effect was not significantly modulated by the experienced group size, contrasting theoretical expectations of more strongly diminishing fitness returns under strong LSC. We discuss the possible implications for the evolutionary maintenance of hermaphroditism in M. lignano. © 2017 European Society For Evolutionary Biology. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2017 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

An important role for adenine, cholera toxin, hydrocortisone and triiodothyronine in the proliferation, self-renewal and differentiation of limbal stem cells in vitro.

PubMed

Yu, Min; Bojic, Sanja; Figueiredo, Gustavo S; Rooney, Paul; de Havilland, Julian; Dickinson, Anne; Figueiredo, Francisco C; Lako, Majlinda

2016-11-01

The cornea is a self-renewing tissue located at the front of the eye. Its transparency is essential for allowing light to focus onto the retina for visual perception. The continuous renewal of corneal epithelium is supported by limbal stem cells (LSCs) which are located in the border region between conjunctiva and cornea known as the limbus. Ex vivo expansion of LSCs has been successfully applied in the last two decades to treat patients with limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD). Various methods have been used for their expansion, yet the most widely used culture media contains a number of ingredients derived from animal sources which may compromise the safety profile of human LSC transplantation. In this study we sought to understand the role of these components namely adenine, cholera toxin, hydrocortisone and triiodothyronine with the aim of re-defining a safe and GMP compatible minimal media for the ex vivo expansion of LSCs on human amniotic membrane. Our data suggest that all four components play a critical role in maintaining LSC proliferation and promoting LSC self-renewal. However removal of adenine and triiodothyronine had a more profound impact and led to LSC differentiation and loss of viability respectively, suggesting their essential role for ex vivo expansion of LSCs. Replacement of each of the components with GMP-grade reagents resulted in equal growth to non-GMP grade media, however an enhanced differentiation of LSCs was observed, suggesting that additional combinations of GMP grade reagents need to be tested to achieve similar or better level of LSC maintenance in the same manner as the traditional LSC media. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biomolecular characterization of the levansucrase of Erwinia amylovora, a promising biocatalyst for the synthesis of fructooligosaccharides.

PubMed

Caputi, Lorenzo; Nepogodiev, Sergey A; Malnoy, Mickael; Rejzek, Martin; Field, Robert A; Benini, Stefano

2013-12-18

Erwinia amylovora is a plant pathogen that affects Rosaceae, such as apple and pear. In E. amylovora the fructans, produced by the action of a levansucrase (EaLsc), play a role in virulence and biofilm formation. Fructans are bioactive compounds, displaying health-promoting properties in their own right. Their use as food and feed supplements is increasing. In this study, we investigated the biomolecular properties of EaLsc using HPAEC-PAD, MALDI-TOF MS, and spectrophotometric assays. The enzyme, which was heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli in high yield, was shown to produce mainly fructooligosaccharides (FOSs) with a degree of polymerization between 3 and 6. The kinetic properties of EaLsc were similar to those of other phylogenetically related Gram-negative bacteria, but the good yield of FOSs, the product spectrum, and the straightforward production of the enzyme suggest that EaLsc is an interesting biocatalyst for future studies aimed at producing tailor-made fructans.

Simultaneous estimation of cross-validation errors in least squares collocation applied for statistical testing and evaluation of the noise variance components

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Behnabian, Behzad; Mashhadi Hossainali, Masoud; Malekzadeh, Ahad

2018-02-01

The cross-validation technique is a popular method to assess and improve the quality of prediction by least squares collocation (LSC). We present a formula for direct estimation of the vector of cross-validation errors (CVEs) in LSC which is much faster than element-wise CVE computation. We show that a quadratic form of CVEs follows Chi-squared distribution. Furthermore, a posteriori noise variance factor is derived by the quadratic form of CVEs. In order to detect blunders in the observations, estimated standardized CVE is proposed as the test statistic which can be applied when noise variances are known or unknown. We use LSC together with the methods proposed in this research for interpolation of crustal subsidence in the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico. The results show that after detection and removing outliers, the root mean square (RMS) of CVEs and estimated noise standard deviation are reduced about 51 and 59%, respectively. In addition, RMS of LSC prediction error at data points and RMS of estimated noise of observations are decreased by 39 and 67%, respectively. However, RMS of LSC prediction error on a regular grid of interpolation points covering the area is only reduced about 4% which is a consequence of sparse distribution of data points for this case study. The influence of gross errors on LSC prediction results is also investigated by lower cutoff CVEs. It is indicated that after elimination of outliers, RMS of this type of errors is also reduced by 19.5% for a 5 km radius of vicinity. We propose a method using standardized CVEs for classification of dataset into three groups with presumed different noise variances. The noise variance components for each of the groups are estimated using restricted maximum-likelihood method via Fisher scoring technique. Finally, LSC assessment measures were computed for the estimated heterogeneous noise variance model and compared with those of the homogeneous model. The advantage of the proposed method is the reduction in estimated noise levels for those groups with the fewer number of noisy data points.

45 CFR 1628.4 - Procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION RECIPIENT FUND BALANCES § 1628.4... recipient may request a waiver of the 10% ceiling on LSC fund balances. The request shall specify: (1) The LSC fund balance as reported in the recipient's annual audited financial statements; (2) The reason(s...

45 CFR 1628.4 - Procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION RECIPIENT FUND BALANCES § 1628.4... recipient may request a waiver of the 10% ceiling on LSC fund balances. The request shall specify: (1) The LSC fund balance as reported in the recipient's annual audited financial statements; (2) The reason(s...

Improved repeatability of nasal potential difference with a larger surface catheter.

PubMed

Vermeulen, François; Proesmans, Marijke; Boon, Mieke; De Boeck, Kris

2015-05-01

To increase the power of nasal potential difference (NPD) as a biomarker of CFTR function, improvement of its repeatability is needed. We evaluated the improvement in repeatability resulting from measuring NPD (1) over a larger surface area and (2) at a fixed location. To assess repeatability, NPD was measured on two occasions with a new method using a larger surface catheter at fixed locations on the nasal floor (LSC-floor(5cm) and LSC-floor(3cm)) or at the most negative basal potential (LSC-floor(max)); with a sidehole catheter on the nasal floor at 5 cm) from the nasal margin (SHC-floor(5cm)) or at the most negative potential (SHC-floor(max)); and with an endhole catheter below the inferior surface of the lower turbinate at the most negative potential (EHC-turb(max)). The within-subject standard deviation (S(w)) for repeated measurements of the total chloride response in the controls was smallest with the LSC-floor at a fixed location (LSC-floor(5cm) 3.1 mV; 95% CI 2.3-4.6 mV) and highest with the SHC-floor (SHC-floor(max) 14.6 mV; 95% CI 10.9-22.2 mV) or the EHC-turbinate (EHC-turb(max) 12.5 mV; 95% CI 10.7-23.0 mV) at the most negative basal potential. Measuring with the LSC-floor at the maximal potential increased the Sw (LSC-floor(max) 8.8 mV, 95% CI 6.0-16.1 mV, p=0.009 vs LSC-floor(5cm)), while measuring with the SHC-floor at a fixed location slightly decreased the Sw (SHC-floor(5cm) 9.8 mV, 95% CI 8.9-20.6 mV, p=0.06 vs SHC-floor(max)). In patients with cystic fibrosis, the S(w) was comparable, between 2.2 mV and 4.3 mV. Sample size calculations for trials using NPD to assess changes in ion transport showed that the number of subjects to be included could be approximately halved measuring with the larger surface catheter at a fixed location vs SHC or EHC at fixed locations. Measuring the NPD at a fixed location and over a larger surface resulted in increased repeatability and thereby also power as a biomarker of CFTR modulation. Copyright © 2014 European Cystic Fibrosis Society. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Modelling and analysis of workflow for lean supply chains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Jinping; Wang, Kanliang; Xu, Lida

2011-11-01

Cross-organisational workflow systems are a component of enterprise information systems which support collaborative business process among organisations in supply chain. Currently, the majority of workflow systems is developed in perspectives of information modelling without considering actual requirements of supply chain management. In this article, we focus on the modelling and analysis of the cross-organisational workflow systems in the context of lean supply chain (LSC) using Petri nets. First, the article describes the assumed conditions of cross-organisation workflow net according to the idea of LSC and then discusses the standardisation of collaborating business process between organisations in the context of LSC. Second, the concept of labelled time Petri nets (LTPNs) is defined through combining labelled Petri nets with time Petri nets, and the concept of labelled time workflow nets (LTWNs) is also defined based on LTPNs. Cross-organisational labelled time workflow nets (CLTWNs) is then defined based on LTWNs. Third, the article proposes the notion of OR-silent CLTWNS and a verifying approach to the soundness of LTWNs and CLTWNs. Finally, this article illustrates how to use the proposed method by a simple example. The purpose of this research is to establish a formal method of modelling and analysis of workflow systems for LSC. This study initiates a new perspective of research on cross-organisational workflow management and promotes operation management of LSC in real world settings.

Tracing groundwater with low-level detections of halogenated VOCs in a fractured carbonate-rock aquifer, Leetown Science Center, West Virginia, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Plummer, Niel; Sibrell, Philip L.; Casile, Gerolamo C.; Busenberg, Eurybiades; Hunt, Andrew G.; Schlosser, Peter

2013-01-01

Measurements of low-level concentrations of halogenated volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and estimates of groundwater age interpreted from 3H/3He and SF6 data have led to an improved understanding of groundwater flow, water sources, and transit times in a karstic, fractured, carbonate-rock aquifer at the Leetown Science Center (LSC), West Virginia. The sum of the concentrations of a set of 16 predominant halogenated VOCs (TDVOC) determined by gas chromatography with electron-capture detector (GC–ECD) exceeded that possible for air–water equilibrium in 34 of the 47 samples (median TDVOC of 24,800 pg kg−1), indicating that nearly all the water sampled in the vicinity of the LSC has been affected by addition of halogenated VOCs from non-atmospheric source(s). Leakage from a landfill that was closed and sealed nearly 20 a prior to sampling was recognized and traced to areas east of the LSC using low-level detection of tetrachloroethene (PCE), methyl chloride (MeCl), methyl chloroform (MC), dichlorodifluoromethane (CFC-12), and cis-1,2-dichloroethene (cis-1,2-DCE). Chloroform (CHLF) was the predominant VOC in water from domestic wells surrounding the LSC, and was elevated in groundwater in and near the Fish Health Laboratory at the LSC, where a leak of chlorinated water occurred prior to 2006. The low-level concentrations of halogenated VOCs did not exceed human or aquatic-life health criteria, and were useful in providing an awareness of the intrinsic susceptibility of the fractured karstic groundwater system at the LSC to non-atmospheric anthropogenic inputs. The 3H/3He groundwater ages of spring discharge from the carbonate rocks showed transient behavior, with ages averaging about 2 a in 2004 following a wet climatic period (2003–2004), and ages in the range of 4–7 a in periods of more average precipitation (2008–2009). The SF6 and CFC-12 data indicate older water (model ages of 10s of years or more) in the low-permeability shale of the Martinsburg Formation located to the west of the LSC. A two-a record of specific conductance, water temperature, and discharge recorded at 30-min intervals demonstrated an approximately 3-month lag in discharge at Gray Spring. The low groundwater ages of waters from the carbonate rocks support rapid advective transport of contaminants from the LSC vicinity, yet the nearly ubiquitous occurrence of low-level concentrations of halogenated VOCs at the LSC suggests the presence of long-term persistent sources, such as seepage from the closed and sealed landfill, infiltration of VOCs that may persist locally in the epikarst, exchange with low-permeability zones in fractured rock, and upward leakage of older water that may contain elevated concentrations of halogenated VOCs from earlier land use activities.

78 FR 51696 - Restrictions on Legal Assistance to Aliens

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-21

... assistance to aliens. The revisions are intended to implement three statutory changes on aliens eligible for... existing regulation were last revised in 1997. Those three changes are described in more detail in the Supplementary Information section of this preamble. LSC seeks comments on the proposed changes to the rule. LSC...

76 FR 56482 - Notice and Request For Comments: LSC Elimination of the West Virginia Migrant Service Area...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-13

... LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION Notice and Request For Comments: LSC Elimination of the West Virginia Migrant Service Area Beginning January 1, 2012 AGENCY: Legal Services Corporation. ACTION: Notice and Request for Comments. SUMMARY: The Legal Services Corporation will eliminate the West Virginia migrant...

Fire Protection in Educational Occupancies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gervais, Romeo P.

2000-01-01

Discusses the origins of school fires and the components of the fire protection code called the Life Safety Code (LSC). Three of the following LSC requirements are described: means of egress; protection from hazards; and fire suppression and alarm systems. Information on who starts fires is highlighted along with preventive measures. (GR)

76 FR 55710 - Sunshine Act Meeting of LSC Board of Directors Finance Committee

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-08

... LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION Sunshine Act Meeting of LSC Board of Directors Finance Committee TIME...'') Finance Committee will meet telephonically on September 13, 2011 at 11 a.m., Eastern Time. LOCATION: Legal..., please ``mute'' your telephone immediately. MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED: Finance Committee Agenda Open...

45 CFR 1640.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION APPLICATION OF FEDERAL LAW TO LSC RECIPIENTS § 1640.2 Definitions. (a)(1) Federal law relating to the proper use of Federal funds... the laws listed in paragraph (a)(1) of this section, LSC shall be considered a Federal agency and a...

45 CFR 1640.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION APPLICATION OF FEDERAL LAW TO LSC RECIPIENTS § 1640.2 Definitions. (a)(1) Federal law relating to the proper use of Federal funds... the laws listed in paragraph (a)(1) of this section, LSC shall be considered a Federal agency and a...

45 CFR 1640.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION APPLICATION OF FEDERAL LAW TO LSC RECIPIENTS § 1640.2 Definitions. (a)(1) Federal law relating to the proper use of Federal funds... the laws listed in paragraph (a)(1) of this section, LSC shall be considered a Federal agency and a...

45 CFR 1640.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION APPLICATION OF FEDERAL LAW TO LSC RECIPIENTS § 1640.2 Definitions. (a)(1) Federal law relating to the proper use of Federal funds... the laws listed in paragraph (a)(1) of this section, LSC shall be considered a Federal agency and a...

45 CFR 1640.3 - Contractual agreement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Contractual agreement. 1640.3 Section 1640.3... OF FEDERAL LAW TO LSC RECIPIENTS § 1640.3 Contractual agreement. As a condition of receiving LSC funds, a recipient must enter into a written contractual agreement with the Corporation that, with...

45 CFR 1628.3 - Policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION RECIPIENT FUND BALANCES § 1628.3 Policy. (a) Recipients are permitted to retain from one fiscal year to the next LSC fund balances up to 10% of their LSC support. (b) Recipients may request a waiver to retain a fund balance up to a...

45 CFR 1628.3 - Policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION RECIPIENT FUND BALANCES § 1628.3 Policy. (a) Recipients are permitted to retain from one fiscal year to the next LSC fund balances up to 10% of their LSC support. (b) Recipients may request a waiver to retain a fund balance up to a...

76 FR 4378 - Sunshine Act Meetings; Notice

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-25

... Directors and non- voting Non-Directors to committees. 9. Consider and act on Resolution 2011-XXX thanking... participation on the 2010 Search Committee for LSC President. 12. Consider and act on Resolution 2011-XXX dissolving the 2010 Search Committee for LSC President. 13. Consider and act on Resolution 2011-XXX...

45 CFR 1610.8 - Program integrity of recipient.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... OF NON-LSC FUNDS, TRANSFERS OF LSC FUNDS, PROGRAM INTEGRITY § 1610.8 Program integrity of recipient. (a) A recipient must have objective integrity and independence from any organization that engages in restricted activities. A recipient will be found to have objective integrity and independence from such an...

45 CFR 1640.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION APPLICATION OF FEDERAL LAW TO LSC RECIPIENTS § 1640.2 Definitions. (a)(1) Federal law relating to the proper use of Federal funds... the laws listed in paragraph (a)(1) of this section, LSC shall be considered a Federal agency and a...

45 CFR 1610.9 - Accounting.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Accounting. 1610.9 Section 1610.9 Public Welfare Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION USE OF NON-LSC FUNDS, TRANSFERS OF LSC FUNDS, PROGRAM INTEGRITY § 1610.9 Accounting. Funds received by a recipient from a source...

75 FR 44811 - Sunshine Act Meeting of the Board of Directors and Five Board Committees

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-29

... impediments to development of numerical criteria for the measurement of LSC performance Briefing on how the..., including identification of possible impediments to development of numerical criteria for the measurement of... on Resolution 2010-XXX regarding future amendments to the LSC Accounting Manual 14. Consider and act...

45 CFR 1628.5 - Fund balance deficits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Fund balance deficits. 1628.5 Section 1628.5... FUND BALANCES § 1628.5 Fund balance deficits. (a) Sound financial management practices such as those... spending. Use of current year LSC grant funds to liquidate deficit balances in the LSC fund from a...

45 CFR 1628.5 - Fund balance deficits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Fund balance deficits. 1628.5 Section 1628.5... FUND BALANCES § 1628.5 Fund balance deficits. (a) Sound financial management practices such as those... spending. Use of current year LSC grant funds to liquidate deficit balances in the LSC fund from a...

Comparative Toxicity of Louisiana Sweet Crude Oil (LSC) and Chemically Dispersed LSC to Two Gulf of Mexico Aquatic Test Species.

EPA Science Inventory

Environmental Protection Agency released peer reviewed results from the second phase of its independent toxicity testing on mixtures of eight oil dispersants with Louisiana Sweet Crude Oil. EPA conducted the tests as part of an effort to ensure that EPA decisions remain grounded ...

76 FR 48904 - Request for Comments-Poverty Data and LSC Funding Distribution

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-09

... LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION Request for Comments--Poverty Data and LSC Funding Distribution AGENCY... individual in poverty for each geographic area. The appropriation has further mandated that the number of individuals in poverty in each geographic area be determined by the Bureau of the Census ``on the basis of the...

Double Mapping in Metaphorical Expressions of Thought and Communication in Catalan Sign Language (LSC)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jarque, Maria-Josep

2005-01-01

This document illustrates that mental functioning and communication in Catalan Sign Language (LSC) are conceptual through metaphorical projection of bodily experiences. The data in this document show how concepts are grasped, put on student's heads, exchanged, manipulated, and so on, constituting instantiations of the basic metaphors: ideas are…

Aberrant RNA splicing and mutations in spliceosome complex in acute myeloid leukemia.

PubMed

Zhou, Jianbiao; Chng, Wee-Joo

2017-01-01

The spliceosome, the cellular splicing machinery, regulates RNA splicing of messenger RNA precursors (pre-mRNAs) into maturation of protein coding RNAs. Recurrent mutations and copy number changes in genes encoding spliceosomal proteins and splicing regulatory factors have tumor promoting or suppressive functions in hematological malignancies, as well as some other cancers. Leukemia stem cell (LSC) populations, although rare, are essential contributors of treatment failure and relapse. Recent researches have provided the compelling evidence that link the erratic spicing activity to the LSC phenotype in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In this article, we describe the diverse roles of aberrant splicing in hematological malignancies, particularly in AML and their contributions to the characteristics of LSC. We review these promising strategies to exploit the addiction of aberrant spliceosomal machinery for anti-leukemic therapy with aim to eradicate LSC. However, given the complexity and plasticity of spliceosome and not fully known functions of splicing in cancer, the challenges facing the development of the therapeutic strategies targeting RAN splicing are highlighted and future directions are discussed too.

On the equivalence of spherical splines with least-squares collocation and Stokes's formula for regional geoid computation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ophaug, Vegard; Gerlach, Christian

2017-11-01

This work is an investigation of three methods for regional geoid computation: Stokes's formula, least-squares collocation (LSC), and spherical radial base functions (RBFs) using the spline kernel (SK). It is a first attempt to compare the three methods theoretically and numerically in a unified framework. While Stokes integration and LSC may be regarded as classic methods for regional geoid computation, RBFs may still be regarded as a modern approach. All methods are theoretically equal when applied globally, and we therefore expect them to give comparable results in regional applications. However, it has been shown by de Min (Bull Géod 69:223-232, 1995. doi: 10.1007/BF00806734) that the equivalence of Stokes's formula and LSC does not hold in regional applications without modifying the cross-covariance function. In order to make all methods comparable in regional applications, the corresponding modification has been introduced also in the SK. Ultimately, we present numerical examples comparing Stokes's formula, LSC, and SKs in a closed-loop environment using synthetic noise-free data, to verify their equivalence. All agree on the millimeter level.

Guidelines for improving the reproducibility of quantitative multiparameter immunofluorescence measurements by laser scanning cytometry on fixed cell suspensions from human solid tumors.

PubMed

Shackney, Stanley; Emlet, David R; Pollice, Agnese; Smith, Charles; Brown, Kathryn; Kociban, Deborah

2006-01-01

Laser scanning Cytometry (LSC) is a versatile technology that makes it possible to perform multiple measurements on individual cells and correlate them cell by cell with other cellular features. It would be highly desirable to be able to perform reproducible, quantitative, correlated cell-based immunofluorescence studies on individual cells from human solid tumors. However, such studies can be challenging because of the presence of large numbers of cell aggregates and other confounding factors. Techniques have been developed to deal with cell aggregates in data sets collected by LSC. Experience has also been gained in addressing other key technical and methodological issues that can affect the reproducibility of such cell-based immunofluorescence measurements. We describe practical aspects of cell sample collection, cell fixation and staining, protocols for performing multiparameter immunofluorescence measurements by LSC, use of controls and reference samples, and approaches to data analysis that we have found useful in improving the accuracy and reproducibility of LSC data obtained in human tumor samples. We provide examples of the potential advantages of LSC in examining quantitative aspects of cell-based analysis. Improvements in the quality of cell-based multiparameter immunofluorescence measurements make it possible to extract useful information from relatively small numbers of cells. This, in turn, permits the performance of multiple multicolor panels on each tumor sample. With links among the different panels that are provided by overlapping measurements, it is possible to develop increasingly more extensive profiles of intracellular expression of multiple proteins in clinical samples of human solid tumors. Examples of such linked panels of measurements are provided. Advances in methodology can improve cell-based multiparameter immunofluorescence measurements on cell suspensions from human solid tumors by LSC for use in prognostic and predictive clinical applications. Copyright (c) 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Change Detection via Selective Guided Contrasting Filters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vizilter, Y. V.; Rubis, A. Y.; Zheltov, S. Y.

2017-05-01

Change detection scheme based on guided contrasting was previously proposed. Guided contrasting filter takes two images (test and sample) as input and forms the output as filtered version of test image. Such filter preserves the similar details and smooths the non-similar details of test image with respect to sample image. Due to this the difference between test image and its filtered version (difference map) could be a basis for robust change detection. Guided contrasting is performed in two steps: at the first step some smoothing operator (SO) is applied for elimination of test image details; at the second step all matched details are restored with local contrast proportional to the value of some local similarity coefficient (LSC). The guided contrasting filter was proposed based on local average smoothing as SO and local linear correlation as LSC. In this paper we propose and implement new set of selective guided contrasting filters based on different combinations of various SO and thresholded LSC. Linear average and Gaussian smoothing, nonlinear median filtering, morphological opening and closing are considered as SO. Local linear correlation coefficient, morphological correlation coefficient (MCC), mutual information, mean square MCC and geometrical correlation coefficients are applied as LSC. Thresholding of LSC allows operating with non-normalized LSC and enhancing the selective properties of guided contrasting filters: details are either totally recovered or not recovered at all after the smoothing. These different guided contrasting filters are tested as a part of previously proposed change detection pipeline, which contains following stages: guided contrasting filtering on image pyramid, calculation of difference map, binarization, extraction of change proposals and testing change proposals using local MCC. Experiments on real and simulated image bases demonstrate the applicability of all proposed selective guided contrasting filters. All implemented filters provide the robustness relative to weak geometrical discrepancy of compared images. Selective guided contrasting based on morphological opening/closing and thresholded morphological correlation demonstrates the best change detection result.

Some lumbar sympathetic neurons develop a glutamatergic phenotype after peripheral axotomy with a note on VGLUT2-positive perineuronal baskets

PubMed Central

Brumovsky, Pablo R.; Seroogy, Kim B.; Lundgren, Kerstin H.; Watanabe, Masahiko; Hökfelt, Tomas; Gebhart, G. F.

2011-01-01

Glutamate is the main excitatory neurotransmitter in the nervous system, including in primary afferent neurons. However, to date a glutamatergic phenotype of autonomic neurons has not been described. Therefore, we explored the expression of vesicular glutamate transporters (VGLUTs) type 1, 2 and 3 in lumbar sympathetic chain (LSC) and major pelvic ganglion (MPG) of naïve BALB/C mice, as well as after pelvic nerve axotomy (PNA), using immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. Colocalization with activating transcription factor-3 (ATF-3), tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) and calcitonin generelated peptide was also examined. Sham-PNA, sciatic nerve axotomy (SNA) or naïve mice were included. In naïve mice, VGLUT2-like immunoreactivity (LI) was only detected in fibers and varicosities in LSC and MPG; no ATF-3-immunoreactive (IR) neurons were visible. In contrast, PNA induced upregulation of VGLUT2 protein and transcript, as well as of ATF-3-LI in subpopulations of LSC neurons. Interestingly, VGLUT2-IR LSC neurons coexpressed ATF-3, and often lacked the noradrenergic marker TH. SNA only increased VGLUT2 protein and transcript in scattered LSC neurons. Neither PNA nor SNA upregulated VGLUT2 in MPG neurons. We also found perineuronal baskets immunoreactive either for VGLUT2 or the acetylcholinergic marker VAChT in non-PNA MPGs, usually around TH-IR neurons. VGLUT1-LI was restricted to some varicosities in MPGs, was absent in LSCs, and remained largely unaffected by PNA or SNA. This was confirmed by the lack of expression of VGLUT1 or VGLUT3 mRNAs in LSCs, even after PNA or SNA. Taken together, axotomy of visceral and non-visceral nerves results in a glutamatergic phenotype of some LSC neurons. In addition, we show previously non-described MPG perineuronal glutamatergic baskets. PMID:21596036

Leukotriene signaling via ALOX5 and cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1 is dispensable for in vitro growth of CD34+CD38- stem and progenitor cells in chronic myeloid leukemia.

PubMed

Dolinska, Monika; Piccini, Alexandre; Wong, Wan Man; Gelali, Eleni; Johansson, Anne-Sofie; Klang, Johannis; Xiao, Pingnan; Yektaei-Karin, Elham; Strömberg, Ulla Olsson; Mustjoki, Satu; Stenke, Leif; Ekblom, Marja; Qian, Hong

2017-08-19

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors targeting the BCR-ABL oncoprotein in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) are remarkably effective inducing deep molecular remission in most patients. However, they are less effective to eradicate the leukemic stem cells (LSC), resulting in disease persistence. Therefore, there is great need to develop novel therapeutic strategies to specifically target the LSC. In an experimental mouse CML model system, the leukotriene pathway, and specifically, the expression ALOX5, encoding 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO), has been reported as a critical regulator of the LSC. Based on these results, the 5-LO inhibitor zileuton has been introduced in clinical trials as a therapeutic option to target the LSC although its effect on primary human CML LSC has not been studied. We have here by using multiplex single cell PCR analyzed the expression of the mediators of the leukotriene pathway in bone marrow (BM) BCR-ABL + CD34 + CD38 - cells at diagnosis, and found low or undetectable expression of ALOX5. In line with this, zileuton did not exert significant overall growth inhibition in the long-term culture-initiating cell (LTC-IC) and colony (CFU-C) assays of BM CD34 + CD38 - cells from 7 CML patients. The majority of the single leukemic BCR-ABL + CD34 + CD38 - cells expressed cysteinyl leukotriene receptors CYSLT1 and CYSLT2. However, montelukast, an inhibitor of CYSLT1, also failed to significantly suppress CFU-C and LTC-IC growth. These findings indicate that targeting ALOX5 or CYSLT1 signaling with leukotriene antagonists, introduced into the clinical practice primarily as prophylaxis and treatment for asthma, may not be a promising pharmacological strategy to eradicate persisting LSC in CML patients. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Deep subsurface microbiology of 64-71 million year old inactive seamounts along the Louisville Seamount Chain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sylvan, J. B.; Morono, Y.; Grim, S.; Inagaki, F.; Edwards, K. J.

2013-12-01

One of the objectives of IODP Expedition 330, Louisville Seamount Trail, was to sample and learn about the subsurface biosphere in the Louisville Seamount Chain (LSC). Seamounts are volcanic constructs that are ubiquitous along the seafloor - models suggest there are >100,000 seamounts of >1 km in height globally (Wessel et al., 2010). Therefore, knowledge about microbiology in the LSC subsurface can broadly be interpreted as representative of much the seafloor. In addition, despite the fact that the vast majority of the sea floor is comprised of crust >10 Ma, the majority of work to date has focused on young sites with active hydrology. Our presentation summarizes work focusing on subsurface microbiology from two different LSC seamounts: holes U1374A (65-71 Ma) and U1376A (64 Ma). We here present data for microbial biomass in the LSC subsurface using a method we developed to quantify microbial biomass in subseafloor ocean crust. We also present results from pyrotag analysis of 15 samples from holes U1374A and holes U1376A, representing several different lithologies from 40-491 meters below seafloor (mbsf) in hole U1374A and from 29-174 mbsf in hole U1376A. Finally, we present preliminary analysis of metagenomic sequencing from three of the samples from Hole U1376A. Biomass was low in the subsurface of both seamounts, ranging from below detection to ~104 cells cm-3. Bacteria comprised >99% of the prokaryotic community in LSC subsurface samples, therefore, bacterial diversity was assessed through 454 pyrosequencing of the V4V6 region of the 16S rRNA gene. Rarefaction analysis indicates that bacterial communities from the LSC subsurface are low diversity, on the order of a few hundred operational taxonomic units per sample. The phyla Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes and the classes α-, β- and γ-Proteobacteria are most abundant in the LSC subsurface. Within these, the orders Actinomycetales, Sphingobacteriales, Bacillales and Burkholderiales are the most common. Samples from different lithologies in hole U1374A grouped together, indicating more similarity to each other than to samples from hole U1376A. However, samples from different lithologies in hole U1376A were not similar to other samples from the same site, indicating some differences in the microbial communities between the two seamounts. Preliminary analysis of the metagenomic data will provide further assessment of community structure and reveal likely metabolisms present in the LSC subsurface. Altogether, the biomass data, pyrotag analysis and metagenomic sequencing provide a well-balanced analysis of subsurface microbiology in an old oceanic crustal environment. Wessel, P., Sandwell, D. T. & Kim, S. S. (2010). The Global Seamount Census. Oceanography 23, 24-33.

Anticancer effects on leiomyosarcoma-bearing Wistar rats after electromagnetic radiation of resonant radiofrequencies.

PubMed

Avdikos, Antonios; Karkabounas, Spyridon; Metsios, Apostolos; Kostoula, Olga; Havelas, Konstantinos; Binolis, Jayne; Verginadis, Ioannis; Hatziaivazis, George; Simos, Ioannis; Evangelou, Angelos

2007-01-01

In the present study, the effects of a resonant low intensity static electromagnetic field (EMF), causing no thermal effects, on Wistar rats have been investigated. Sarcoma cell lines were isolated from leiomyosarcoma tumors induced in Wistar rats by the subcutaneous (s.c) injection of 3,4-benzopyrene. Furthermore, smooth muscle cells (SMC) were isolated from the aorta of Wistar rats and cultivated. Either leiomyosarcoma cells (LSC) or SMC were used to record a number of characteristic resonant radiofrequencies, in order to determine the specific electromagnetic fingerprint spectrum for each cell line. These spectra were used to compose an appropriate algorithm, which transforms the recorded radiofrequencies to emitted ones. The isolated LSC were cultured and then exposed to a resonant low intensity radiofrequency EMF (RF-EMF), at frequencies between 10 kHz to 120 kHz of the radiowave spectrum. The exposure lasted 45 consecutive minutes daily, for two consecutive days. Three months old female Wistar rats were inoculated with exposed and non-exposed to EMF LSC (4 x 10(6) LCS for animal). Inoculated with non-exposed to EMF cells animals were then randomly separated into three Groups. The first Group was sham exposed to the resonant EMF (control Group-CG), the second Group after the inoculation of LSC and appearance of a palpable tumor mass, was exposed to a non-resonant EMF radiation pattern, for 5 h per day till death of all animals (experimental control Group-ECG). The third Group of animals after inoculation of LSC and the appearance of a palpable tumor mass, was exposed to the resonant EMF radiation for 5 h per day, for a maximum of 60 days (experimental Group-I, EG-I). A fourth Group of animals was inoculated with LSC exposed to EMF irradiation and were not further exposed to irradiation (experimental Group-II, EG-II). Tumor induction was 100% in all Groups studied and all tumors were histologically identified as leiomyosarcomas. In the case of the EG-I, a number of tumors were completely regretted (final tumor induction: 66%). Both Groups of animals inoculated with exposed or non-exposed to the EMF LSC, (EG-I and EG-II, respectively) demonstrated a significant prolongation of the survival time and a lower tumor growth rate, in comparison to the control Group (CG) and the experimental control Group (ECG). However, the survival time of EG-I animals was found to be significantly longer and tumor growth rate significantly lower compared to EG-II animals. In conclusion, our results indicate a specific anticancer effect of resonant EMF irradiation. These results may possibly be attributed to (a) the duration of exposure of LSC and (b) the exposure of the entire animal to this irradiation.

Continuous monitoring of arthritis in animal models using optical imaging modalities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Son, Taeyoon; Yoon, Hyung-Ju; Lee, Saseong; Jang, Won Seuk; Jung, Byungjo; Kim, Wan-Uk

2014-10-01

Given the several difficulties associated with histology, including difficulty in continuous monitoring, this study aimed to investigate the feasibility of optical imaging modalities-cross-polarization color (CPC) imaging, erythema index (EI) imaging, and laser speckle contrast (LSC) imaging-for continuous evaluation and monitoring of arthritis in animal models. C57BL/6 mice, used for the evaluation of arthritis, were divided into three groups: arthritic mice group (AMG), positive control mice group (PCMG), and negative control mice group (NCMG). Complete Freund's adjuvant, mineral oil, and saline were injected into the footpad for AMG, PCMG, and NCMG, respectively. LSC and CPC images were acquired from 0 through 144 h after injection for all groups. EI images were calculated from CPC images. Variations in feet area, EI, and speckle index for each mice group over time were calculated for quantitative evaluation of arthritis. Histological examinations were performed, and the results were found to be consistent with those from optical imaging analysis. Thus, optical imaging modalities may be successfully applied for continuous evaluation and monitoring of arthritis in animal models.

45 CFR 1630.11 - Applicability to non-LSC funds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... an activity prohibited by or inconsistent with section 504, as defined by 45 CFR 1610.2(b), may be... purpose prohibited by the LSC Act, as defined by 45 CFR 1610.2(a), may be charged to private funds, except... provided. (b) According to the review and appeal procedures of 45 CFR 1630.7, the Corporation may recover...

The Verbal System of Catalan Sign Language (LSC)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morales-Lopez, Esperanza; Boldu-Menasanch, Rosa Maria; Alonso-Rodriguez, Jesus Amador; Gras-Ferrer, Victoria; Rodriguez-Gonzalez, Maria Angeles

2005-01-01

This article describes the predicative verbal system of Catalan Sign Language (LSC) as it is used by Deaf people in the province of Barcelona. We also present a historical perspective of the research on this topic, which provides insight into the changes that have taken place over the last few decades in sign language linguistics. The principal…

3 CFR 8397 - Proclamation 8397 of July 23, 2009. 35th Anniversary of the Legal Services Corporation, 2009

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... years during which the LSC has moved our Nation and our legal system towards greater equality. The LSC... of the Legal Services Corporation, 2009 8397 Proclamation 8397 Presidential Documents Proclamations Proclamation 8397 of July 23, 2009 Proc. 8397 35th Anniversary of the Legal Services Corporation, 2009By the...

The Impact of European Funding on Mainstream Learning and Skills Council Provision. Research Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirk, Gordon; Fletcher, Mick

2007-01-01

This report summarizes the findings and conclusions from a study designed to identify how European funding supports Learning and Skills Council (LSC) priorities and contributes to LSC targets. The study was carried out between November 2005 and May 2006, and had the three following main components: (1) Consultants examined questionnaires…

75 FR 21044 - Sunshine Act Meeting of the Board of Directors Search Committee for LSC President; Notice

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-22

... LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION Sunshine Act Meeting of the Board of Directors Search Committee for LSC President; Notice Time and Date: The Presidential Search Committee of the Legal Services Corporation's Board.... 2. Consider and act on draft Request for Proposals for executive search firms. 3. Public Comment. 4...

Survey of Local School Council Members, 1992: A Report on the Findings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mueller, Siegfried G.

This report is based on a survey of local school council (LSC) members in Chicago (Illinois) that was conducted in 1992 to determine and share the thoughts of LSC members on planning for school improvements and educational change, implementing policies, training, and fulfilling responsibilities and duties. Nearly 850 council members responded.…

Coupling of Luminescent Solar Concentrators to Plasmonic Solar Cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Shu-Yi

To make inexpensive solar cells is a continuous goal for solar photovoltaic (PV) energy industry. Thin film solar cells of various materials have been developed and continue to emerge in order to replace bulk silicon solar cells. A thin film solar cell not only uses less material but also requires a less expensive refinery process. In addition, other advantages coming along with small thickness are higher open circuit voltage and higher conversion efficiency. However, thin film solar cells, especially those made of silicon, have significant optical losses. In order to address this problem, this thesis investigates the spectral coupling of thin films PV to luminescent solar concentrators (LSC). LSC are passive devices, consisting of plastic sheets embedded with fluorescent dyes which absorb part of the incoming radiation spectrum and emit at specific wavelength. The emitted light is concentrated by total internal reflection to the edge of the sheet, where the PVs are placed. Since the light emitted from the LSC edge is usually in a narrow spectral range, it is possible to employ diverse strategies to enhance PV absorption at the peak of the emission wavelength. Employing plasmonic nanostructures has been shown to enhance absorption of thin films via forward scattering, diffraction and localized surface plasmon. These two strategies are theoretically investigated here for improving the absorption and elevating the output power of a thin film solar cell. First, the idea of spectral coupling of luminescent solar concentrators to plasmonic solar cells is introduced to assess its potential for increasing the power output. This study is carried out employing P3HT/PC60BM organic solar cells and LSC with Lumogen Red dyes. A simplified spectral coupling analysis is employed to predict the power density, considering the output spectrum of the LSC equivalent to the emission spectrum of the dye and neglecting any angular dependence. Plasmonic tuning is conducted to enhance absorption at the emission peak of the dye. A factorial increase in the output power density of coupled PV as compared to PV exposed directly to solar spectrum is observed for high light concentration on the edge. These initial results motivated a more in-depth study of coupled LSC-PV system, which took into account the radiative transport inside the realistic LSC. These investigations were carried out on LSCs using Lumogen Red305 and Rhodamine 6G dyes coupled to pristine and plasmonic ultra-thin film silicon solar cells. Prediction based on detailed balance shows that the coupled LSC-plasmonic solar cell can generate 63.7 mW/cm2 with a photocurrent density of 71.3 mA/cm2 which is higher than that of cSi solar cells available on current market. The second part of the thesis focuses on PV absorption enhancement techniques. First, the effect of vertical positioning of plasmonic nanostructures on absorption enhancement was theoretically investigated to understand which one of the three mechanisms usually responsible for the enhancement (forward scattering, diffraction and localized surface plamson) plays the dominant role. Simulation results suggested that the maximum enhancement occurred when placing the nanostructures in the rear side of the cell because of longer path length due to scattering. The experimental effort then switched focus on substrate patterning, which is a less expensive alternative to plasmonic absorption enhancement. Specifically, a nanostructured substrate was prepared by a simple electrochemical process based on two-step aluminum anodization technique. The absorption of thin film silicon deposited on these substrates showed a broadband enhancement. The overall photocurrent density was up to 40% higher than that of films deposited on flat substrates. In conclusion, the studies carried out in this thesis indicate that spectral coupling of LSCs to thin film solar cells could lead to significant improvements in PV output power density. Moreover, while the absorption of thin film solar cells can be enhanced by plasmonic nanostructures, it is shown that alternative methods, such as direct deposition of the films on inexpensively nanostructured substrates could also be employed to obtain significant enhancements. Combining these strategies may lead to inexpensive solar power harvesting systems with significant economic benefits. These strategies are not material-specific but applicable to a wide range of thin film solar cells.

Reliability and Validity of the Korean Version of the Lifetime Stressor Checklist-Revised in Psychiatric Outpatients with Anxiety or Depressive Disorders.

PubMed

Choi, Kang Rok; Kim, Daeho; Jang, Eun Young; Bae, Hwallip; Kim, Seok Hyeon

2017-01-01

Traumatic events and adverse stressful experiences are major etiological factors in a wide variety of physical and mental disorders. Developing psychological instruments that can be easily administered and that have good psychometric properties have become an integral part for research and practice. This study investigated the reliability and validity of the Korean version of the Lifetime Stressor Checklist-Revised (LSC-R) in a consecutive sample of psychiatric outpatients. The LSC-R is a 30-item self-reporting questionnaire examining lifetime traumatic and non-traumatic stressors. A final sample of 258 outpatients with anxiety or depressive disorders was recruited at the psychiatric department of a university-affiliated teaching hospital. Self-reported data included the Life Events Checklist (LEC), the Zung Self-Rating Depression and Anxiety Scales, and the Impact of Events Scale-Revised, in addition to the LSC-R. A convenience sample of 50 college students completed the LSC-R on two occasions separated by a three week-interval for test-retest reliability. Mean kappa for temporal stability was high (κ=0.651) and Cronbach alpha was moderate (α=0.724). Convergent validity was excellent with corresponding items on the LEC. Concurrent validity was good for symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety. An exploratory factor analysis revealed that 11 factors explained 64.3 % of the total variance. This study demonstrated good psychometric properties of the Korean version of the LSC-R, further supporting its use in clinical research and practice with a Korean speaking population.

78 FR 78398 - Notice and Request for Comments: LSC merger of the migrant service areas in Texas, Arkansas...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-26

... mission of LSC is to promote equal access to justice and to provide funding for high-quality civil legal... legal needs of migrants or seasonal farm workers and implement recommended approaches to meet their special legal needs. 42 U.S.C. 2996f(h). The regional approach to migrant delivery accomplished by merging...

78 FR 27341 - Restrictions on Legal Assistance With Respect to Criminal Proceedings in Tribal Courts

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-10

... under the LSC's adoption of the Freedom of Information Act, 42 U.S.C. 2996d(g), and the LSC regulation... maximum jail sentence that any tribal court may impose from one to three years for any single offense... a defendant is indigent, providing the defendant with a licensed defense attorney at the tribe's...

Carbon footprint of robotically-assisted laparoscopy, laparoscopy and laparotomy: a comparison.

PubMed

Woods, Demetrius L; McAndrew, Thomas; Nevadunsky, Nicole; Hou, June Y; Goldberg, Gary; Yi-Shin Kuo, Dennis; Isani, Sara

2015-12-01

To date there have been no comprehensive, comparative assessments of the environmental impact of surgical modalities. Our study seeks to quantify and compare the total greenhouse gas emissions, or 'carbon footprint', attributable to three surgical modalities. A review of 150 staging procedures, employing laparotomy (LAP), conventional laparoscopy (LSC) or robotically-assisted laparoscopy (RA-LSC), was performed. The solid waste generated (kg) and energy consumed (kWh) during each case were quantified and converted into their equivalent mass of carbon dioxide (kg CO(2) e) release into the environment. The carbon footprint is the sum of the waste production and energy consumption during each surgery (kg CO(2) e). The total carbon footprint of a RA-LSC procedure is 40.3 kg CO(2) e/patient (p < 0.01). This represents a 38% increase over that of LSC (29.2 kg CO(2) e/patient; p < 0.01) and a 77% increase over LAP (22.7 kg CO(2) e/patient; p < 0.01). Our results provide clinicians, administrators and policy-makers with knowledge of the environmental impact of their decisions to facilitate adoption of sustainable practices. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Development of an Ultra-Low Background Liquid Scintillation Counter for Trace Level Analysis

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

Erchinger, Jennifer L.; Orrell, John L.; Aalseth, Craig E.

2015-09-01

Low-level liquid scintillation counting (LSC) has been established as one of the radiation detection techniques useful in elucidating environmental processes and environmental monitoring around nuclear facilities. The Ultra-Low Background Liquid Scintillation Counter (ULB-LSC) under construction in the Shallow Underground Laboratory at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory aims to further reduce the MDAs and/or required sample processing. Through layers of passive shielding in conjunction with an active veto and 30 meters water equivalent overburden, the background reduction is expected to be 10 to 100 times below typical analytic low-background liquid scintillation systems. Simulations have shown an expected background of around 14 countsmore » per day. A novel approach to the light collection will use a coated hollow light guide cut into the inner copper shielding. Demonstration LSC measurements will show low-energy detection, spectral deconvolution, and alpha/beta discrimination capabilities, from trials with standards of tritium, strontium-90, and actinium-227, respectively. An overview of the system design and expected demonstration measurements will emphasize the potential applications of the ULB-LSC in environmental monitoring for treaty verification, reach-back sample analysis, and facility inspections.« less

Numerical Study of Three Dimensional Effects in Longitudinal Space-Charge Impedance

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

Halavanau, A.; Piot, P.

2015-06-01

Longitudinal space-charge (LSC) effects are generally considered as detrimental in free-electron lasers as they can seed instabilities. Such “microbunching instabilities” were recently shown to be potentially useful to support the generation of broadband coherent radiation pulses [1, 2]. Therefore there has been an increasing interest in devising accelerator beamlines capable of sustaining this LSC instability as a mechanism to produce a coherent light source. To date most of these studies have been carried out with a one-dimensional impedance model for the LSC. In this paper we use a N-body “Barnes-Hut” algorithm [3] to simulate the 3D space charge force inmore » the beam combined with elegant [4] and explore the limitation of the 1D model often used« less

Autophagy mediates cell cycle response by regulating nucleocytoplasmic transport of PAX6 in limbal stem cells under ultraviolet-A stress

PubMed Central

Laggner, Maria; Pollreisz, Andreas; Schmidinger, Gerald; Schmidt-Erfurth, Ursula; Chen, Ying-Ting

2017-01-01

Limbal stem cells (LSC) account for homeostasis and regeneration of corneal epithelium. Solar ultraviolet A (UVA) is the major source causing oxidative damage in the ocular surface. Autophagy, a lysosomal degradation mechanism, is essential for physiologic function and stress defense of stem cells. PAX6, a master transcription factor governing corneal homeostasis by regulating cell cycle and cell fate of LSC, responds to oxidative stress by nucleocytoplasmic shuttling. Impaired autophagy and deregulated PAX6 have been reported in oxidative stress-related ocular surface disorders. We hypothesize a functional role for autophagy and PAX6 in LSC’s stress response to UVA. Therefore, human LSC colonies were irradiated with a sub-lethal dose of UVA and autophagic activity and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) were measured by CYTO-ID assay and CM-H2DCFDA live staining, respectively. Following UVA irradiation, the percentage of autophagic cells significantly increased in LSC colonies while intracellular ROS levels remained unaffected. siRNA-mediated knockdown (KD) of ATG7 abolished UVA-induced autophagy and led to an excessive accumulation of ROS. Upon UVA exposure, LSCs displayed nuclear-to-cytoplasmic translocation of PAX6, while ATG7KD or antioxidant pretreatment largely attenuated the intracellular trafficking event. Immunofluorescence showing downregulation of proliferative marker PCNA and induction of cell cycle regulator p21 indicates cell cycle arrest in UVA-irradiated LSC. Abolishing autophagy, adenoviral-assisted restoration of nuclear PAX6 or antioxidant pretreatment abrogated the UVA-induced cell cycle arrest. Adenoviral expression of an ectopic PAX gene, PAX7, did not affect UVA cell cycle response. Furthermore, knocking down PAX6 attenuated the cell cycle progression of irradiated ATG7KD LSC by de-repressing p21 expression. Collectively, our data suggest a crosstalk between autophagy and PAX6 in regulating cell cycle response of ocular progenitors under UVA stress. Autophagy deficiency leads to impaired intracellular trafficking of PAX6, perturbed redox balance and uncurbed cell cycle progression in UVA-stressed LSCs. The coupling of autophagic machinery and PAX6 in cell cycle regulation represents an attractive therapeutic target for hyperproliferative ocular surface disorders associated with solar radiation. PMID:28700649

Introduction of a computer-based surgical platform in the surgical care of patients with newly diagnosed uterine cancer: outcomes and impact on approach.

PubMed

Leitao, Mario M; Briscoe, Gabriel; Santos, Kevin; Winder, Abigail; Jewell, Elizabeth L; Hoskins, William J; Chi, Dennis S; Abu-Rustum, Nadeem R; Sonoda, Yukio; Brown, Carol L; Levine, Douglas A; Barakat, Richard R; Gardner, Ginger J

2012-05-01

To assess the introduction of computer-based surgery (ie, robotic surgery [RBT]) in the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed uterine cancer. We identified all patients who presented to our institution for initial surgical care of newly diagnosed uterine cancer from 5/1/07-12/31/10. Perioperative outcomes of laparotomy cases were compared to those of laparoscopic (LSC) or RBT cases. Complications within 30 days of surgery were graded. Of 752 patients, the planned approach was laparotomy in 103 (14%), LSC in 302 (40%), and RBT in 347 (46%). The rate of laparotomy for any reason (planned or converted) was 39% in 2007 compared to 18% in 2010 (P<0.001). Preoperative characteristics for LSC and RBT cases were similar, except 10% versus 15%, respectively, were morbidly obese (P=0.049). The extent of procedure, total nodal counts, and overall complications were similar between the LSC and RBT cases. The median length of stay was shorter for RBT cases (P<0.001). The median total room and operative times were longer for RBT cases (P<0.001), mainly due to cases in which the surgeon had less than ~40 RBT cases of experience. Robotics can be efficiently introduced into the surgical care of patients with newly diagnosed uterine cancers. RBT cases require the same operative times as LSC cases after accounting for the 40-case learning curve. Both approaches result in similar excellent patient outcomes and remain reasonable approaches for this disease. The introduction of robotics may lead to further reduction in the rate of laparotomy. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessment of heat shock protein (HSP60, HSP72, HSP90, and HSC70) expression in cultured limbal stem cells following air lifting

PubMed Central

Mohammadi, Parvaneh; Daryadel, Arezoo; Baharvand, Hossein

2010-01-01

Objectives The aim of this study is to create an ex vivo model to examine the expression of major heat-shock protein (HSP) families; HSP60, HSP72, and HSP90, and heat-shock cognate 70 (HCS70) at the mRNA and protein level in differentiating corneal cells from limbal stem cells (LSC) following air exposure. Methods Limbal biopsies taken from cadaveric normal human limbus were cultivated as explants on human amniotic membrane (HAM) and plastic dish (PD). Corneal differentiation was induced by air lifting for 16 days. The expression of putative LSC markers (P63 and ATP-binding cassette G2 [ABCG2]), corneal markers (keratin 3 [K3/12] and connexin 43 [CX43]), and HSP60, HSP72, HSP90, and HSC70 were tested by RT–PCR, immunofluorescence, and flow cytometry pre- and post-air exposure. Fresh limbal and corneal tissues were used as control groups. Results Air lifting induced corneal differentiation with a decrease in the number of P63+ cells and an increase in the number of K3+/CX43+ cells, which characterized transient amplifying cells (TACs). Moreover, denuded HAM provided a superior niche for LSC proliferation and phenotype maintenance in vitro. Additionally, we have evidence that expressions of HSC70 as well as HSP72 were enhanced through corneal differentiation and HSP90 post-air lifting in vitro and in vivo. HSP60, however, was not detected in either LSC or corneal cells, in vivo and in vitro. Conclusions These results suggest that corneal differentiation following air exposure may regulate HSP72 and HSC70 expression. In addition, HSP72 and HSP90 may protect LSC and corneal cells against oxidative stress. PMID:20806039

The downregulation of microRNA let-7a contributes to the excessive expression of type I collagen in systemic and localized scleroderma.

PubMed

Makino, Katsunari; Jinnin, Masatoshi; Hirano, Ayaka; Yamane, Keitaro; Eto, Mitsuhiko; Kusano, Takamitsu; Honda, Noritoshi; Kajihara, Ikko; Makino, Takamitsu; Sakai, Keisuke; Masuguchi, Shinichi; Fukushima, Satoshi; Ihn, Hironobu

2013-04-15

Systemic and localized scleroderma (SSc and LSc) is characterized by excessive deposition of collagen and tissue fibrosis in the skin. Although they have fundamental common characteristics including autoimmunity, little is known about the exact mechanism that mediates the excessive collagen expression in these disorders. In the current study, we tried to evaluate the possibility that microRNAs (miRNAs) play some roles in the pathogenesis of fibrosis seen in these diseases. miRNA expression patterns were evaluated by miRNA array analysis, real-time PCR, and in situ hybridization. The function of miRNAs in dermal fibroblasts was assessed using miRNA inhibitors, precursors, or protectors. In the mouse model of bleomycin-induced dermal sclerosis, the overexpression of miRNAs was performed by i.p. miRNA injection. We demonstrated let-7a expression was downregulated in SSc and LSc skin both in vivo and in vitro, compared with normal or keloid skin. The inhibition or overexpression of let-7a in human or mouse skin fibroblasts affected the protein expression of type I collagen or luciferase activity of collagen 3'-untranslated region. Also, we found let-7a was detectable and quantitative in the serum and investigated serum let-7a levels in patients with SSc or LSc. let-7a concentration was significantly decreased in these patients, especially in LSc patients. Moreover, we revealed that the intermittent overexpression of let-7a in the skin by i.p. miRNA injection improved the skin fibrosis induced by bleomycin in mice. Investigation of more detailed mechanisms of miRNA-mediated regulation of collagen expression may lead to new therapeutic approaches against SSc and LSc.

Persisting soil drought reduces leaf specific conductivity in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) and pubescent oak (Quercus pubescens).

PubMed

Sterck, Frank J; Zweifel, Roman; Sass-Klaassen, Ute; Chowdhury, Qumruzzaman

2008-04-01

Leaf specific conductivity (LSC; the ratio of stem conductivity (K(P)) to leaf area (A(L))), a measure of the hydraulic capacity of the stem to supply leaves with water, varies with soil water content. Empirical evidence for LSC responses to drought is ambiguous, because previously published results were subject to many confounding factors. We tested how LSC of similar-sized trees of the same population, under similar climatic conditions, responds to persistently wet or dry soil. Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and pubescent oak (Quercus pubescens Willd.) trees were compared between a dry site and a wet site in the Valais, an inner alpine valley in Switzerland. Soil water strongly influenced A(L) and K(P) and the plant components affecting K(P), such as conduit radius, conduit density and functional sapwood area. Trees at the dry site had lower LSC than trees with the same stem diameter at the wet site. Low LSC in trees at the dry site was associated with a smaller functional sapwood area and narrower conduits, resulting in a stronger reduction in K(P) than in A(L). These observations support the hypothesis that trees maintain a homeostatic water pressure gradient. An alternative hypothesis is that relatively high investments in leaves compared with sapwood contribute to carbon gain over an entire season by enabling rapid whole-plant photosynthesis during periods of high water availability (e.g., in spring, after rain events and during morning hours when leaf-to-air vapor pressure deficit is small). Dynamic data and a hydraulic plant growth model are needed to test how investments in leaves versus sapwood and roots contribute to transpiration and to maximizing carbon gain throughout entire growth seasons.

Using laser scanning cytometry to measure PPAR-mediated peroxisome proliferation and beta oxidation.

PubMed

Pruimboom-Brees, Ingrid M; Brees, Dominique J J E; Shen, Amy C; Keener, Mary; Francone, Omar; Amacher, David E; Loy, James K; Kerlin, Roy L

2005-01-01

Laser scanning cytometry (LSC) is a new technology that combines the properties and advantages of flow cytometry (FC) and immunohistochemistry (IHC), thus providing qualitative and quantitative information on protein expression with the additional perspective provided by cell and tissue localization. Formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded liver sections from rats exposed to a Peroxisome Proliferator Activated Receptor (PPAR) agonist were stained with antibodies against peroxisomal targeting signal-1 (PTS-1) (a highly conserved tripeptide contained within all peroxisomal enzymes), Acyl CoA oxidase (AOX) (the rate limiting enzyme of peroxisomal beta oxidation), and catalase (an inducible peroxisomal antioxidant enzyme) to evaluate peroxisomal beta oxidation, oxidative stress, and peroxisome proliferation. The LSC showed increased AOX, catalase, and PTS-1 expression in centrilobular hepatocytes that correlated favorably with the microscopic observation of centrilobular hepatocellular hypertrophy and with the palmitoyl CoA biochemical assay for peroxisomal beta oxidation, and provided additional morphologic information about peroxisome proliferation and tissue patterns of activation. Therefore, the LSC provides qualitative and quantitative evaluation of peroxisome activity with similar sensitivity but higher throughput than the traditional biochemical methods. The additional benefits of the LSC include the direct correlation between histopathologic observations and peroxisomal alterations and the potential utilization of archived formalin-fixed tissues from a variety of organs and species.

Use of Emerging Grid Computing Technologies for the Analysis of LIGO Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koranda, Scott

2004-03-01

The LIGO Scientific Collaboration (LSC) today faces the challenge of enabling analysis of terabytes of LIGO data by hundreds of scientists from institutions all around the world. To meet this challenge the LSC is developing tools, infrastructure, applications, and expertise leveraging Grid Computing technologies available today, and making available to LSC scientists compute resources at sites across the United States and Europe. We use digital credentials for strong and secure authentication and authorization to compute resources and data. Building on top of products from the Globus project for high-speed data transfer and information discovery we have created the Lightweight Data Replicator (LDR) to securely and robustly replicate data to resource sites. We have deployed at our computing sites the Virtual Data Toolkit (VDT) Server and Client packages, developed in collaboration with our partners in the GriPhyN and iVDGL projects, providing uniform access to distributed resources for users and their applications. Taken together these Grid Computing technologies and infrastructure have formed the LSC DataGrid--a coherent and uniform environment across two continents for the analysis of gravitational-wave detector data. Much work, however, remains in order to scale current analyses and recent lessons learned need to be integrated into the next generation of Grid middleware.

Laser scanning cytometry for automation of the micronucleus assay

PubMed Central

Darzynkiewicz, Zbigniew; Smolewski, Piotr; Holden, Elena; Luther, Ed; Henriksen, Mel; François, Maxime; Leifert, Wayne; Fenech, Michael

2011-01-01

Laser scanning cytometry (LSC) provides a novel approach for automated scoring of micronuclei (MN) in different types of mammalian cells, serving as a biomarker of genotoxicity and mutagenicity. In this review, we discuss the advances to date in measuring MN in cell lines, buccal cells and erythrocytes, describe the advantages and outline potential challenges of this distinctive approach of analysis of nuclear anomalies. The use of multiple laser wavelengths in LSC and the high dynamic range of fluorescence and absorption detection allow simultaneous measurement of multiple cellular and nuclear features such as cytoplasmic area, nuclear area, DNA content and density of nuclei and MN, protein content and density of cytoplasm as well as other features using molecular probes. This high-content analysis approach allows the cells of interest to be identified (e.g. binucleated cells in cytokinesis-blocked cultures) and MN scored specifically in them. MN assays in cell lines (e.g. the CHO cell MN assay) using LSC are increasingly used in routine toxicology screening. More high-content MN assays and the expansion of MN analysis by LSC to other models (i.e. exfoliated cells, dermal cell models, etc.) hold great promise for robust and exciting developments in MN assay automation as a high-content high-throughput analysis procedure. PMID:21164197

Laser Scanning Cytometry: Principles and Applications—An Update

PubMed Central

Pozarowski, Piotr; Holden, Elena; Darzynkiewicz, Zbigniew

2012-01-01

Laser scanning cytometer (LSC) is the microscope-based cytofluorometer that offers a plethora of unique analytical capabilities, not provided by flow cytometry (FCM). This review describes attributes of LSC and covers its numerous applications derived from plentitude of the parameters that can be measured. Among many LSC applications the following are emphasized: (a) assessment of chromatin condensation to identify mitotic, apoptotic cells, or senescent cells; (b) detection of nuclear or mitochondrial translocation of critical factors such as NF-κB, p53, or Bax; (c) semi-automatic scoring of micronuclei in mutagenicity assays; (d) analysis of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and use of the FISH analysis attribute to measure other punctuate fluorescence patterns such as γH2AX foci or receptor clustering; (e) enumeration and morphometry of nucleoli and other cell organelles; (f) analysis of progeny of individual cells in clonogenicity assay; (g) cell immunophenotyping; (h) imaging, visual examination, or sequential analysis using different probes of the same cells upon their relocation; (i) in situ enzyme kinetics, drug uptake, and other time-resolved processes; (j) analysis of tissue section architecture using fluorescent and chromogenic probes; (k) application for hypocellular samples (needle aspirate, spinal fluid, etc.); and (l) other clinical applications. Advantages and limitations of LSC are discussed and compared with FCM. PMID:23027005

Simultaneous determination of specific alpha and beta emitters by LSC-PLS in water samples.

PubMed

Fons-Castells, J; Tent-Petrus, J; Llauradó, M

2017-01-01

Liquid scintillation counting (LSC) is a commonly used technique for the determination of alpha and beta emitters. However, LSC has poor resolution and the continuous spectra for beta emitters hinder the simultaneous determination of several alpha and beta emitters from the same spectrum. In this paper, the feasibility of multivariate calibration by partial least squares (PLS) models for the determination of several alpha ( nat U, 241 Am and 226 Ra) and beta emitters ( 40 K, 60 Co, 90 Sr/ 90 Y, 134 Cs and 137 Cs) in water samples is reported. A set of alpha and beta spectra from radionuclide calibration standards were used to construct three PLS models. Experimentally mixed radionuclides and intercomparision materials were used to validate the models. The results had a maximum relative bias of 25% when all the radionuclides in the sample were included in the calibration set; otherwise the relative bias was over 100% for some radionuclides. The results obtained show that LSC-PLS is a useful approach for the simultaneous determination of alpha and beta emitters in multi-radionuclide samples. However, to obtain useful results, it is important to include all the radionuclides expected in the studied scenario in the calibration set. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The complete chloroplast genome sequences of Lychnis wilfordii and Silene capitata and comparative analyses with other Caryophyllaceae genomes.

PubMed

Kang, Jong-Soo; Lee, Byoung Yoon; Kwak, Myounghai

2017-01-01

The complete chloroplast genomes of Lychnis wilfordii and Silene capitata were determined and compared with ten previously reported Caryophyllaceae chloroplast genomes. The chloroplast genome sequences of L. wilfordii and S. capitata contain 152,320 bp and 150,224 bp, respectively. The gene contents and orders among 12 Caryophyllaceae species are consistent, but several microstructural changes have occurred. Expansion of the inverted repeat (IR) regions at the large single copy (LSC)/IRb and small single copy (SSC)/IR boundaries led to partial or entire gene duplications. Additionally, rearrangements of the LSC region were caused by gene inversions and/or transpositions. The 18 kb inversions, which occurred three times in different lineages of tribe Sileneae, were thought to be facilitated by the intermolecular duplicated sequences. Sequence analyses of the L. wilfordii and S. capitata genomes revealed 39 and 43 repeats, respectively, including forward, palindromic, and reverse repeats. In addition, a total of 67 and 56 simple sequence repeats were discovered in the L. wilfordii and S. capitata chloroplast genomes, respectively. Finally, we constructed phylogenetic trees of the 12 Caryophyllaceae species and two Amaranthaceae species based on 73 protein-coding genes using both maximum parsimony and likelihood methods.

ANAIS: Status and prospects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amaré, J.; Cebrián, S.; Cuesta, C.; García, E.; Ginestra, C.; Martínez, M.; Oliván, M. A.; Ortigoza, Y.; Ortiz de Solórzano, A.; Pobes, C.; Puimedón, J.; Sarsa, M. L.; Villar, J. A.; Villar, P.

2016-04-01

ANAIS (Annual modulation with NAI Scintillators) experiment aims to look for dark matter annual modulation with 250 kg of ultra-pure NaI(Tl) scintillators at the Canfranc Underground Laboratory (LSC), in order to confirm the DAMA/LIBRA positive signal in a model-independent way. The detector will consists in an array of close-packed single modules, each of them coupled to two high efficiency Hamamatsu photomultipliers. Two 12.5 kg each NaI(Tl) crystals provided by Alpha Spectra are currently taking data at the LSC. These modules have shown an outstanding light collection efficiency (12-16 phe/keV), about the double of that from DAMA/LIBRA phase 1 detectors, which could enable reducing the energy threshold down to 1 keVee. ANAIS crystal radiopurity goals are fulfilled for 232Th and 238U chains, assuming equilibrium, and in the case of 40K, present crystals activity (although not at the required 20 ppb level) could be acceptable. However, a 210Pb contamination out-of-equilibrium has been identified and its origin traced back, so we expect it will be avoided in next prototypes. Finally, current status and prospects of the experiment considering several exposure and background scenarios are presented.

Lighting system combining daylight concentrators and an artificial source

DOEpatents

Bornstein, Jonathan G.; Friedman, Peter S.

1985-01-01

A combined lighting system for a building interior includes a stack of luminescent solar concentrators (LSC), an optical conduit made of preferably optical fibers for transmitting daylight from the LSC stack, a collimating lens set at an angle, a fixture for receiving the daylight at one end and for distributing the daylight as illumination inside the building, an artificial light source at the other end of the fixture for directing artifical light into the fixture for distribution as illumination inside the building, an automatic dimmer/brightener for the artificial light source, and a daylight sensor positioned near to the LSC stack for controlling the automatic dimmer/brightener in response to the daylight sensed. The system also has a reflector positioned behind the artificial light source and a fan for exhausting heated air out of the fixture during summer and for forcing heated air into the fixture for passage into the building interior during winter.

13th ERS Lung Science Conference. The most important take home messages: News from the Underground.

PubMed

Bikov, Andras; Boots, Agnes; Bjerg, Anders; Jacinto, Tiago; Olland, Anne; Skoczyński, Szymon

2015-06-01

The 13th ERS Lung Science Conference (LSC) was organised to bring academics together from all over the world to present and discuss the latest developments regarding lung infection and immunity. The conference took place in breathtaking Estoril, Portugal; however, it wasn't the beautiful surroundings that were our main motivation to attend, but instead the scientific merit of the conference and the chance to create new scientific collaborations. The scientific programme [1] was packed with the most up-to-date content in the field of lung infection and immunity and included some of the top researchers within this exciting area. Moreover, the convenient size of the LSC offered the opportunity to renew and intensify friendships and collaborations. In particular, for researchers at the start of their career, this is a great feature and we therefore warmly recommend the LSC to ERS Juniors Members!

Simulation of a cascaded longitudinal space charge amplifier for coherent radiation generation

DOE PAGES

Halavanau, A.; Piot, P.

2016-03-03

Longitudinal space charge (LSC) effects are generally considered as harmful in free-electron lasers as they can seed unfavorable energy modulations that can result in density modulations with associated emittance dilution. It was pointed out, however, that such \\micro-bunching instabilities" could be potentially useful to support the generation of broadband coherent radiation. Therefore there has been an increasing interest in devising accelerator beam lines capable of controlling LSC induced density modulations. In the present paper we augment these previous investigations by combining a grid-less space charge algorithm with the popular particle-tracking program elegant. This high-fidelity model of the space charge ismore » used to benchmark conventional LSC models. We then employ the developed model to optimize the performance of a cascaded longitudinal space charge amplifier using beam parameters comparable to the ones achievable at Fermilab Accelerator Science & Technology (FAST) facility currently under commissioning at Fermilab.« less

Spatial coherence effect on layer thickness determination in narrowband full-field optical coherence tomography.

PubMed

Safrani, Avner; Abdulhalim, Ibrahim

2011-06-20

Longitudinal spatial coherence (LSC) is determined by the spatial frequency content of an optical beam. The use of lenses with a high numerical aperture (NA) in full-field optical coherence tomography and a narrowband light source makes the LSC length much shorter than the temporal coherence length, hence suggesting that high-resolution 3D images of biological and multilayered samples can be obtained based on the low LSC. A simplified model is derived, supported by experimental results, which describes the expected interference output signal of multilayered samples when high-NA lenses are used together with a narrowband light source. An expression for the correction factor for the layer thickness determination is found valid for high-NA objectives. Additionally, the method was applied to a strongly scattering layer, demonstrating the potential of this method for high-resolution imaging of scattering media.

Analytical study of laser-supported combustion waves in hydrogen

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kemp, N. H.; Root, R. G.

1978-01-01

Laser supported combustion (LSC) waves are an important ingredient in the fluid mechanics of CW laser propulsion using a hydrogen propellant and 10.6 micron lasers. Therefore, a computer model has been constructed to solve the one-dimensional energy equation with constant pressure and area. Physical processes considered include convection, conduction, absorption of laser energy, radiation energy loss, and accurate properties of equilibrium hydrogen. Calculations for 1, 3, 10 and 30 atm were made for intensities of 10 to the 4th to 10 to the 6th W/sq cm, which gave temperature profiles, wave speed, etc. To pursue the propulsion application, a second computer model was developed to describe the acceleration of the gas emerging from the LSC wave into a variable-pressure, converging streamtube, still including all the above-mentioned physical processes. The results show very high temperatures in LSC waves which absorb all the laser energy, and high radiative losses.

Thermal convection of liquid sodium in inclined cylinders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khalilov, Ruslan; Kolesnichenko, Ilya; Pavlinov, Alexander; Mamykin, Andrey; Shestakov, Alexander; Frick, Peter

2018-04-01

The effect of inclination on the low Prandtl number turbulent convection in a cylinder of unit aspect ratio was studied experimentally. The working fluid was sodium (Prandtl number Pr =0.0094 ), the measurements were performed for a fixed Rayleigh number Ra =(1.47 ±0.03 ) ×107 , and the inclination angle varied from β =0∘ (the Rayleigh-Bénard convection, the temperature gradient is vertical) up to β =90∘ (the applied temperature gradient is horizontal) with a step Δ β =10∘ . The effective axial heat flux characterized by the Nusselt number is minimal at β =0∘ and demonstrates a smooth growth with the increase of the cylinder inclination, reaching a maximum at angle β ≈70∘ and decreasing with a further increase of β . The maximal value of the normalized Nusselt number Nu (β )/Nu (0 ) was 1.21. In general, the dependence of Nu (β ) in a cylinder with unit aspect ratio is similar to what was observed in sodium convection in inclined long cylinders but is much weaker. The structure of the flow undergoes a significant transformation with inclination. Under moderate inclination (β ≲30∘ ), the fluctuations are strong and are provided by regular oscillations of large-scale circulation (LSC) and by turbulence. Under large inclination (β >60∘ ), the LSC is regular and the turbulence is weak, while in transient regimes (30∘<β <60∘ ), the LSC fluctuations are weak and the turbulence decreases with inclination. The maximum Nusselt number corresponds to the border of transient and large inclinations. We find the first evidence of strong LSC fluctuations in low Prandtl number convective flow under moderate inclination. The rms azimuthal fluctuations of LSC, about 27∘ at β =0∘ , decrease almost linearly up to β =30∘ , where they are about 9∘. The angular fluctuations in the vicinity of the end faces are much stronger (about 37∘ at β =0∘ ) and weakly decrease up to β =20∘ . The strong anticorrelation of the fluctuations in two halves of the cylinder indicates the torsional character of LSC fluctuations. At β =30∘ , the intensity of the oscillations at the periphery of the cylinder falls sharply to the level of oscillations in the central plane and the anticorrelation disappears; the torsional fluctuations vanish.

MEASUREMENTS OF AIRBORNE CONCENTRATIONS OF RADON AND THORON DECAY PRODUCTS.

PubMed

Chalupnik, S; Skubacz, K; Urban, P; Wysocka, M

2017-11-01

Liquid scintillation counting (LSC) is a measuring technique, broadly applied in environmental monitoring of radionuclides. One of the possible applications of LSC is the measurement of radon and thoron decay products. But this method is suitable only for grab sampling. For long-term measurements a different technique can be applied-monitors of potential alpha energy concentration (PAEC) with thermoluminescent detectors (TLD). In these devices, called Alfa-2000 sampling probe, TL detectors (CaSO4:Dy) are applied for alpha particles counting. Three independent heads are placed over the membrane filter in a dust sampler's microcyclone. Such solution enables simultaneous measurements of PAEC and dust content. Moreover, the information which is stored in TLD chips is the energy of alpha particles, not the number of counted particles. Therefore, the readout of TL detector shows directly potential alpha energy, with no dependence on equilibrium factor, etc. This technique, which had been used only for radon decay products measurements, was modified by author to allow simultaneous measurements of radon and thoron PAEC. The LSC method can be used for calibration of portable radon decay products monitors. The LSC method has the advantage to be an absolute one, the TLD method to measure directly the (dose relevant) deposited energy. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Deregulated hedgehog pathway signaling is inhibited by the smoothened antagonist LDE225 (Sonidegib) in chronic phase chronic myeloid leukaemia

PubMed Central

Irvine, David A.; Zhang, Bin; Kinstrie, Ross; Tarafdar, Anuradha; Morrison, Heather; Campbell, Victoria L.; Moka, Hothri A.; Ho, Yinwei; Nixon, Colin; Manley, Paul W.; Wheadon, Helen; Goodlad, John R.; Holyoake, Tessa L.; Bhatia, Ravi; Copland, Mhairi

2016-01-01

Targeting the Hedgehog (Hh) pathway represents a potential leukaemia stem cell (LSC)-directed therapy which may compliment tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) to eradicate LSC in chronic phase (CP) chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML). We set out to elucidate the role of Hh signaling in CP-CML and determine if inhibition of Hh signaling, through inhibition of smoothened (SMO), was an effective strategy to target CP-CML LSC. Assessment of Hh pathway gene and protein expression demonstrated that the Hh pathway is activated in CD34+ CP-CML stem/progenitor cells. LDE225 (Sonidegib), a small molecule, clinically investigated SMO inhibitor, used alone and in combination with nilotinib, inhibited the Hh pathway in CD34+ CP-CML cells, reducing the number and self-renewal capacity of CML LSC in vitro. The combination had no effect on normal haemopoietic stem cells. When combined, LDE225 + nilotinib reduced CD34+ CP-CML cell engraftment in NSG mice and, upon administration to EGFP+ /SCLtTA/TRE-BCR-ABL mice, the combination enhanced survival with reduced leukaemia development in secondary transplant recipients. In conclusion, the Hh pathway is deregulated in CML stem and progenitor cells. We identify Hh pathway inhibition, in combination with nilotinib, as a potentially effective therapeutic strategy to improve responses in CP-CML by targeting both stem and progenitor cells. PMID:27157927

Optimizing luminescent solar concentrator design

DOE PAGES

Hernandez-Noyola, Hermilo; Potterveld, David H.; Holt, Roy J.; ...

2011-12-21

Luminescent Solar Concentrators (LSCs) use fluorescent materials and light guides to convert direct and diffuse sunlight into concentrated wavelength-shifted light that produces electrical power in small photovoltaic (PV) cells with the goal of significantly reducing the cost of solar energy utilization. In this paper we present an optimization analysis based on the implementation of a genetic algorithm (GA) subroutine to a numerical ray-tracing Monte Carlo model of an LSC, SIMSOLAR-P. The initial use of the GA implementation in SIMSOLAR-P is to find the optimal parameters of a hypothetical ‘‘perfect luminescent material’’ that obeys the Kennard Stepanov (K-S) thermodynamic relationship betweenmore » emission and absorption. The optimization balances the efficiency losses in the wavelength shift and PV conversion with the efficiency losses due to re-scattering of light out of the collector. The theoretical limits of efficiency are provided for one, two and three layer configurations; the results show that a single layer configuration is far from optimal and adding a second layer in the LSC with wavelength shifted material in the near infrared region significantly increases the power output, while the gain in power by adding a third layer is relatively small. Here, the results of this study provide a theoretical upper limit to the performance of an LSC and give guidance for the properties required for luminescent materials, such as quantum nanocrystals, to operate efficiently in planar LSC configurations« less

Boltzmann-conserving classical dynamics in quantum time-correlation functions: "Matsubara dynamics".

PubMed

Hele, Timothy J H; Willatt, Michael J; Muolo, Andrea; Althorpe, Stuart C

2015-04-07

We show that a single change in the derivation of the linearized semiclassical-initial value representation (LSC-IVR or "classical Wigner approximation") results in a classical dynamics which conserves the quantum Boltzmann distribution. We rederive the (standard) LSC-IVR approach by writing the (exact) quantum time-correlation function in terms of the normal modes of a free ring-polymer (i.e., a discrete imaginary-time Feynman path), taking the limit that the number of polymer beads N → ∞, such that the lowest normal-mode frequencies take their "Matsubara" values. The change we propose is to truncate the quantum Liouvillian, not explicitly in powers of ħ(2) at ħ(0) (which gives back the standard LSC-IVR approximation), but in the normal-mode derivatives corresponding to the lowest Matsubara frequencies. The resulting "Matsubara" dynamics is inherently classical (since all terms O(ħ(2)) disappear from the Matsubara Liouvillian in the limit N → ∞) and conserves the quantum Boltzmann distribution because the Matsubara Hamiltonian is symmetric with respect to imaginary-time translation. Numerical tests show that the Matsubara approximation to the quantum time-correlation function converges with respect to the number of modes and gives better agreement than LSC-IVR with the exact quantum result. Matsubara dynamics is too computationally expensive to be applied to complex systems, but its further approximation may lead to practical methods.

Alterations in brain Protein Kinase A activity and reversal of morphine tolerance by two fragments of native Protein Kinase A inhibitor peptide (PKI).

PubMed

Dalton, George D; Smith, Forrest L; Smith, Paul A; Dewey, William L

2005-04-01

Two peptide fragments of native Protein Kinase A inhibitor (PKI), PKI-(6-22)-amide and PKI-(Myr-14-22)-amide, significantly reversed low-level morphine antinociceptive tolerance in mice. The inhibition of Protein Kinase A (PKA) activity by both peptide fragments was then measured in specific brain regions (thalamus, periaqueductal gray (PAG), and medulla) and in lumbar spinal cord (LSC), which in previous studies have been shown to play a role in morphine-induced analgesia. In drug naive animals, cytosolic PKA activity was greater than particulate PKA activity in each region, while cytosolic and particulate PKA activities were greater in thalamus and PAG compared to medulla and LSC. The addition of both peptides to homogenates from each region completely abolished cytosolic and particulate PKA activities in vitro. Following injection into the lateral ventricle of the brain of drug naive mice and morphine-tolerant mice, both peptides inhibited PKA activity in the cytosolic, but not the particulate fraction of LSC. In addition, cytosolic and particulate PKA activities were inhibited by both peptides in thalamus. These results demonstrate that the inhibition of PKA reverses morphine tolerance. Moreover, the inhibition of PKA activity in specific brain regions and LSC from morphine-tolerant mice by PKI analogs administered i.c.v. is evidence that PKA plays a role in morphine tolerance.

A comparison of chloroplast genome sequences in Aconitum (Ranunculaceae): a traditional herbal medicinal genus

PubMed Central

Yao, Gang

2017-01-01

The herbal medicinal genus Aconitum L., belonging to the Ranunculaceae family, represents the earliest diverging lineage within the eudicots. It currently comprises of two subgenera, A. subgenus Lycoctonum and A. subg. Aconitum. The complete chloroplast (cp) genome sequences were characterized in three species: A. angustius, A. finetianum, and A. sinomontanum in subg. Lycoctonum and compared to other Aconitum species to clarify their phylogenetic relationship and provide molecular information for utilization of Aconitum species particularly in Eastern Asia. The length of the chloroplast genome sequences were 156,109 bp in A. angustius, 155,625 bp in A. finetianum and 157,215 bp in A. sinomontanum, with each species possessing 126 genes with 84 protein coding genes (PCGs). While genomic rearrangements were absent, structural variation was detected in the LSC/IR/SSC boundaries. Five pseudogenes were identified, among which Ψrps19 and Ψycf1 were in the LSC/IR/SSC boundaries, Ψrps16 and ΨinfA in the LSC region, and Ψycf15 in the IRb region. The nucleotide variability (Pi) of Aconitum was estimated to be 0.00549, with comparably higher variations in the LSC and SSC than the IR regions. Eight intergenic regions were revealed to be highly variable and a total of 58–62 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) were detected in all three species. More than 80% of SSRs were present in the LSC region. Altogether, 64.41% and 46.81% of SSRs are mononucleotides in subg. Lycoctonum and subg. Aconitum, respectively, while a higher percentage of di-, tri-, tetra-, and penta- SSRs were present in subg. Aconitum. Most species of subg. Aconitum in Eastern Asia were first used for phylogenetic analyses. The availability of the complete cp genome sequences of these species in subg. Lycoctonum will benefit future phylogenetic analyses and aid in germplasm utilization in Aconitum species. PMID:29134154

A comparison of chloroplast genome sequences in Aconitum (Ranunculaceae): a traditional herbal medicinal genus.

PubMed

Kong, Hanghui; Liu, Wanzhen; Yao, Gang; Gong, Wei

2017-01-01

The herbal medicinal genus Aconitum L., belonging to the Ranunculaceae family, represents the earliest diverging lineage within the eudicots. It currently comprises of two subgenera, A . subgenus Lycoctonum and A . subg. Aconitum . The complete chloroplast (cp) genome sequences were characterized in three species: A. angustius , A. finetianum , and A. sinomontanum in subg. Lycoctonum and compared to other Aconitum species to clarify their phylogenetic relationship and provide molecular information for utilization of Aconitum species particularly in Eastern Asia. The length of the chloroplast genome sequences were 156,109 bp in A. angustius , 155,625 bp in A. finetianum and 157,215 bp in A. sinomontanum , with each species possessing 126 genes with 84 protein coding genes (PCGs). While genomic rearrangements were absent, structural variation was detected in the LSC/IR/SSC boundaries. Five pseudogenes were identified, among which Ψ rps 19 and Ψ ycf 1 were in the LSC/IR/SSC boundaries, Ψ rps 16 and Ψ inf A in the LSC region, and Ψ ycf 15 in the IRb region. The nucleotide variability ( Pi ) of Aconitum was estimated to be 0.00549, with comparably higher variations in the LSC and SSC than the IR regions. Eight intergenic regions were revealed to be highly variable and a total of 58-62 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) were detected in all three species. More than 80% of SSRs were present in the LSC region. Altogether, 64.41% and 46.81% of SSRs are mononucleotides in subg. Lycoctonum and subg. Aconitum , respectively, while a higher percentage of di-, tri-, tetra-, and penta- SSRs were present in subg. Aconitum . Most species of subg. Aconitum in Eastern Asia were first used for phylogenetic analyses. The availability of the complete cp genome sequences of these species in subg. Lycoctonum will benefit future phylogenetic analyses and aid in germplasm utilization in Aconitum species.

Chloroplast Genome Sequence of Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millspaugh) and Cajanus scarabaeoides (L.) Thouars: Genome Organization and Comparison with Other Legumes

PubMed Central

Kaila, Tanvi; Chaduvla, Pavan K.; Saxena, Swati; Bahadur, Kaushlendra; Gahukar, Santosh J.; Chaudhury, Ashok; Sharma, T. R.; Singh, N. K.; Gaikwad, Kishor

2016-01-01

Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millspaugh), a diploid (2n = 22) legume crop with a genome size of 852 Mbp, serves as an important source of human dietary protein especially in South East Asian and African regions. In this study, the draft chloroplast genomes of Cajanus cajan and Cajanus scarabaeoides (L.) Thouars were generated. Cajanus scarabaeoides is an important species of the Cajanus gene pool and has also been used for developing promising CMS system by different groups. A male sterile genotype harboring the C. scarabaeoides cytoplasm was used for sequencing the plastid genome. The cp genome of C. cajan is 152,242bp long, having a quadripartite structure with LSC of 83,455 bp and SSC of 17,871 bp separated by IRs of 25,398 bp. Similarly, the cp genome of C. scarabaeoides is 152,201bp long, having a quadripartite structure in which IRs of 25,402 bp length separates 83,423 bp of LSC and 17,854 bp of SSC. The pigeonpea cp genome contains 116 unique genes, including 30 tRNA, 4 rRNA, 78 predicted protein coding genes and 5 pseudogenes. A 50 kb inversion was observed in the LSC region of pigeonpea cp genome, consistent with other legumes. Comparison of cp genome with other legumes revealed the contraction of IR boundaries due to the absence of rps19 gene in the IR region. Chloroplast SSRs were mined and a total of 280 and 292 cpSSRs were identified in C. scarabaeoides and C. cajan respectively. RNA editing was observed at 37 sites in both C. scarabaeoides and C. cajan, with maximum occurrence in the ndh genes. The pigeonpea cp genome sequence would be beneficial in providing informative molecular markers which can be utilized for genetic diversity analysis and aid in understanding the plant systematics studies among major grain legumes. PMID:28018385

Chloroplast Genome Sequence of Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millspaugh) and Cajanus scarabaeoides (L.) Thouars: Genome Organization and Comparison with Other Legumes.

PubMed

Kaila, Tanvi; Chaduvla, Pavan K; Saxena, Swati; Bahadur, Kaushlendra; Gahukar, Santosh J; Chaudhury, Ashok; Sharma, T R; Singh, N K; Gaikwad, Kishor

2016-01-01

Pigeonpea ( Cajanus cajan (L.) Millspaugh), a diploid (2n = 22) legume crop with a genome size of 852 Mbp, serves as an important source of human dietary protein especially in South East Asian and African regions. In this study, the draft chloroplast genomes of Cajanus cajan and Cajanus scarabaeoides (L.) Thouars were generated. Cajanus scarabaeoides is an important species of the Cajanus gene pool and has also been used for developing promising CMS system by different groups. A male sterile genotype harboring the C. scarabaeoides cytoplasm was used for sequencing the plastid genome. The cp genome of C. cajan is 152,242bp long, having a quadripartite structure with LSC of 83,455 bp and SSC of 17,871 bp separated by IRs of 25,398 bp. Similarly, the cp genome of C. scarabaeoides is 152,201bp long, having a quadripartite structure in which IRs of 25,402 bp length separates 83,423 bp of LSC and 17,854 bp of SSC. The pigeonpea cp genome contains 116 unique genes, including 30 tRNA, 4 rRNA, 78 predicted protein coding genes and 5 pseudogenes. A 50 kb inversion was observed in the LSC region of pigeonpea cp genome, consistent with other legumes. Comparison of cp genome with other legumes revealed the contraction of IR boundaries due to the absence of rps19 gene in the IR region. Chloroplast SSRs were mined and a total of 280 and 292 cpSSRs were identified in C. scarabaeoides and C. cajan respectively. RNA editing was observed at 37 sites in both C. scarabaeoides and C. cajan , with maximum occurrence in the ndh genes. The pigeonpea cp genome sequence would be beneficial in providing informative molecular markers which can be utilized for genetic diversity analysis and aid in understanding the plant systematics studies among major grain legumes.

Using systems thinking to support clinical system transformation.

PubMed

Best, Allan; Berland, Alex; Herbert, Carol; Bitz, Jennifer; van Dijk, Marlies W; Krause, Christina; Cochrane, Douglas; Noel, Kevin; Marsden, Julian; McKeown, Shari; Millar, John

2016-05-16

Purpose - The British Columbia Ministry of Health's Clinical Care Management initiative was used as a case study to better understand large-scale change (LSC) within BC's health system. Using a complex system framework, the purpose of this paper is to examine mechanisms that enable and constrain the implementation of clinical guidelines across various clinical settings. Design/methodology/approach - Researchers applied a general model of complex adaptive systems plus two specific conceptual frameworks (realist evaluation and system dynamics mapping) to define and study enablers and constraints. Focus group sessions and interviews with clinicians, executives, managers and board members were validated through an online survey. Findings - The functional themes for managing large-scale clinical change included: creating a context to prepare clinicians for health system transformation initiatives; promoting shared clinical leadership; strengthening knowledge management, strategic communications and opportunities for networking; and clearing pathways through the complexity of a multilevel, dynamic system. Research limitations/implications - The action research methodology was designed to guide continuing improvement of implementation. A sample of initiatives was selected; it was not intended to compare and contrast facilitators and barriers across all initiatives and regions. Similarly, evaluating the results or process of guideline implementation was outside the scope; the methods were designed to enable conversations at multiple levels - policy, management and practice - about how to improve implementation. The study is best seen as a case study of LSC, offering a possible model for replication by others and a tool to shape further dialogue. Practical implications - Recommended action-oriented strategies included engaging local champions; supporting local adaptation for implementation of clinical guidelines; strengthening local teams to guide implementation; reducing change fatigue; ensuring adequate resources; providing consistent communication especially for front-line care providers; and supporting local teams to demonstrate the clinical value of the guidelines to their colleagues. Originality/value - Bringing a complex systems perspective to clinical guideline implementation resulted in a clear understanding of the challenges involved in LSC.

Luminescent solar concentrators and all-inorganic nanoparticle solar cells for solar energy harvesting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sholin, Veronica

Increasing energy demand and the parallel increase of greenhouse gas emissions are challenging researchers to find new and cleaner energy sources. Solar energy harvesting is arguably the most promising candidate for replacing fossil-fuel power generation. Photovoltaics are the most direct way of collecting solar energy; cost continues to hinder large-scale implementation of photovoltaics, however. Therefore, alternative technologies that will allow the extraction of solar power, while maintaining the overall costs of fabrication, installation, collection, and distribution low, must be explored. This thesis focuses on the fabrication and testing of two types of devices that step up to this challenge: the luminescent solar concentrator (LSC) and all-inorganic nanoparticle solar cells. In these devices I make use of novel materials, semiconducting polymers and inorganic nanoparticles, both of which have lower costs than the crystalline materials used in the fabrication of traditional photovoltaics. Furthermore, the cost of manufacturing LSCs and the nanoparticle solar cells is lower than the manufacturing cost of traditional optics-based concentrators and crystalline solar cells. An LSC is essentially a slab of luminescent material that acts as a planar light pipe. The LSC absorbs incoming photons and channels fluoresced photons toward appropriately located solar cells, which perform the photovoltaic conversion. By covering large areas with relatively inexpensive fluorescing organic dyes or semiconducting polymers, the area of solar cell needed is greatly reduced. Because semiconducting polymers and quantum dots may have small absorption/emission band overlaps, tunable absorption, and longer lifetimes, they are good candidates for LSC fabrication, promising improvement with respect to laser dyes traditionally used to fabricate LSCs. Here the efficiency of LSCs consisting of liquid solutions of semiconducting polymers encased in glass was measured and compared to the efficiency of LSCs based on small molecule laser dyes and on quantum dots. Factors affecting the optical efficiency of the system such as the luminescing properties of the fluorophors were examined. The experimental results were compared to Monte-Carlo simulations. Our results suggest that commercially available quantum dots cannot serve as viable LSC dyes because of large absorption/emission band overlap and relatively low quantum yield. Materials such as Red F demonstrate that semi-conducting polymers with high quantum yield and small absorption/emission band overlap are good candidates for LSCs. Recently, a solar cell system based purely on CdSe and Cite nanoparticles as the absorbing materials was proposed ans it was suggested that its operational mechanism was that of polymer donor/acceptor systems. Here we present solar cells consisting of a sintered active bilayer of CdSe and PbSe nanoparticles in the structure ITO/CdSe/interlayer/PbSe/Al, where an interlayer of LiF or Al2O3 was found necessary to prevent low shunt resistance from suppressing the photovoltaic behavior. We fabricated unoptimized solar cells with a short-circuit current of 6 mA/cm2, an open-circuit voltage of 0.18 V, and a fill factor of 41%. External quantum efficiency spectra revealed that photons from the infrared portion of the spectrum were not collected, suggesting that the low bandgap PbSe film did not contribute to the photocurrent of the structure despite exhibiting photoconductivity. Other measurements, however, showed that the PbSe film was indeed necessary to produce a photovoltage and transport electrons. Through sintering, the nanoparticle films acquired bandgaps similar to those of the corresponding bulk materials and became more conductive. Because the PbSe films were found to be considerably more conductive than the CdSe ones, we suggest that the PbSe layer is effectively behaving like a low conductivity electrical contact. Therefore, in contrast to the photovoltaics presented in the seminal research on CdSe/Cite solar cells, the CdSe/PbSe solar cell system presented here does not follow typical type-II heterojunction donor/acceptor models used to describe organic polymer solar cells.

Sol-gel derived (La 0.8M 0.2)CrO 3 (M dbnd Ca, Sr) coating layer on stainless-steel substrate for use as a separator in intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

A Lee, E.; Lee, S.; Hwang, H. J.; Moon, J.-W.

A ceramic coating technique is applied to reduce the voltage drop caused by oxidation of the metallic separator (SUS444) in intermediate-temperature (IT) solid oxide fuel cell (SOFCs) systems. Precursor solutions for (La, Ca)CrO 3 (LCC) and (La, Sr)CrO 3 (LSC) coatings are prepared by adding nitric acid and ethylene glycol into an aqueous solution of lanthanum, strontium (or calcium) and chromium nitrates. Dried LCC and LSC gel films are heat-treated at 400-800 °C after dip-coating on the SUS444 substrate. XRD and Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) analysis is used to examine the crystallization behaviour and chemical structure of the precursor solution. The oxidation behaviour of the coated SUS444 substrate is compared with an uncoated SUS444 substrate. The oxidation of the SUS444 is inhibited by the LCC and LSC thin film layers.

The NEW detector: construction, commissioning and first results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nebot-Guinot, M.; NEXT Collaboration

2017-09-01

NEXT (Neutrino Experiment with a Xenon TPC) is a neutrinoless double-beta (ββ0ν) decay experiment at the Canfranc Underground Laboratory (LSC). It seeks to detect the ββ0ν decay of Xe-136 using a high pressure xenon gas TPC with electroluminescent (EL) amplification. The NEXT-White (NEW) detector, with an active xenon mass of about 10 kg at 15 bar, is the first NEXT prototype installed at LSC. It implements the NEXT detector concept tested in smaller prototypes using the same radiopure sensors and materials that will be used in the future NEXT-100, serving as a benchmark for technical solutions as well as for the signal selection and background rejection algorithms. NEW is currently under commissioning at the LSC. In this poster proceedings we describe the technical solutions adopted for NEW construction, the lessons learned from the commissioning phase, and the first results on energy calibration and energy resolution obtained with low-energy radioactive source data.

Ignition-and-Growth Modeling of NASA Standard Detonator and a Linear Shaped Charge

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oguz, Sirri

2010-01-01

The main objective of this study is to quantitatively investigate the ignition and shock sensitivity of NASA Standard Detonator (NSD) and the shock wave propagation of a linear shaped charge (LSC) after being shocked by NSD flyer plate. This combined explosive train was modeled as a coupled Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) model with LS-DYNA hydro code. An ignition-and-growth (I&G) reactive model based on unreacted and reacted Jones-Wilkins-Lee (JWL) equations of state was used to simulate the shock initiation. Various NSD-to-LSC stand-off distances were analyzed to calculate the shock initiation (or failure to initiate) and detonation wave propagation along the shaped charge. Simulation results were verified by experimental data which included VISAR tests for NSD flyer plate velocity measurement and an aluminum target severance test for LSC performance verification. Parameters used for the analysis were obtained from various published data or by using CHEETAH thermo-chemical code.

Tandem luminescent solar concentrators based on engineered quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Kaifeng; Li, Hongbo; Klimov, Victor I.

2018-02-01

Luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) can serve as large-area sunlight collectors for terrestrial and space-based photovoltaics. Due to their high emission efficiencies and readily tunable emission and absorption spectra, colloidal quantum dots have emerged as a new and promising type of LSC fluorophore. Spectral tunability of the quantum dots also facilitates the realization of stacked multilayered LSCs, where enhanced performance is obtained through spectral splitting of incident sunlight, as in multijunction photovoltaics. Here, we demonstrate a large-area (>230 cm2) tandem LSC based on two types of nearly reabsorption-free quantum dots spectrally tuned for optimal solar-spectrum splitting. This prototype device exhibits a high optical quantum efficiency of 6.4% for sunlight illumination and solar-to-electrical power conversion efficiency of 3.1%. The efficiency gains due to the tandem architecture over single-layer devices quickly increase with increasing LSC size and can reach more than 100% in structures with window sizes of more than 2,500 cm2.

Analytical study of laser supported combustion waves in hydrogen

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kemp, N. H.; Root, R. G.

1977-01-01

A one-dimensional energy equation, with constant pressure and area, was used to model the LSC wave. This equation balances convection, conduction, laser energy absorption, radiation energy loss and radiation energy transport. Solutions of this energy equation were obtained to give profiles of temperature and other properties, as well as the relation between laser intensity and mass flux through the wave. The flow through the LSC wave was then conducted through a variable pressure, variable area streamtube to accelerate it to high speed, with the propulsion application in mind. A numerical method for coupling the LSC wave model to the streamtube flow was developed, and a sample calculation was performed. The result shows that 42% of the laser power has been radiated away by the time the gas reaches the throat. It was concluded that in the radially confined flows of interest for propulsion applications, transverse velocities would be less important than in the unconfined flows where air experiments have been conducted.

Nonimaging optics in luminescent solar concentration.

PubMed

Markman, B D; Ranade, R R; Giebink, N C

2012-09-10

Light trapped within luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) is naturally limited in angular extent by the total internal reflection critical angle, θcrit, and hence the principles of nonimaging optics can be leveraged to increase LSC concentration ratio by appropriately reshaping the edges. Here, we use rigorous ray-tracing simulations to explore the potential of this concept for realistic LSCs with compound parabolic concentrator (CPC)-tapered edges and show that, when applied to a single edge, the concentration ratio is increased by 23% while maintaining >90% of the original LSC optical efficiency. Importantly, we find that CPC-tapering all of the edges enables a significantly greater intensity enhancement up to 35% at >90% of the original optical efficiency, effectively enabling two-dimensional concentration through a cooperative, ray-recycling effect in which rays rejected by one CPC are accepted by another. These results open up a significant opportunity to improve LSC performance at virtually no added manufacturing cost by incorporating nonimaging optics into their design.

Characteristics of alpha-glucosidase production from recombinant Aspergillus oryzae by membrane-surface liquid culture in comparison with various cultivation methods.

PubMed

Morita, Masakazu; Shimamura, Hiroko; Ishida, Natsuko; Imamura, Koreyoshi; Sakiyama, Takaharu; Nakanishi, Kazuhiro

2004-01-01

alpha-Glucosidase was produced using recombinant Aspergillus oryzae by membrane-surface liquid culture (MSLC), a method previously developed by the authors and the results compared with other methods, including shaking flask culture (SFC), agar-plate culture (APC), culture on urethane sponge supports (USC), and liquid surface culture (LSC) to determine possible reasons for the advantageous features of MSLC. When yeast extract was used as a nitrogen source, the amount of enzyme produced by MSLC was 5 or more times higher than those for SFC and LSC, but similar to that using APC. Enzyme production in USC was slightly lower than in MSLC and APC. Cell growth was similar irrespective of the cultivation method used. When NaNO3, a typical inorganic nitrogen source was used, enzyme production in all the cultures was lower than that using yeast extract. However, even using NaNO3, the amount of the enzyme produced by MSLC was 8 to 20 times higher than those by SFC, APC, USC, and LSC. Although cell growth using NaNO3 was similar to that for yeast extract in MSLC, it was markedly decreased in SFC, APC, and LSC. The reason for the difference in enzyme productivity for various cultivation methods using yeast extract and NaNO3 as a nitrogen source is discussed, on the basis of the experimental findings. The role of the oxygen transfer effect and gene expression levels in enzyme production were also examined.

Hierarchical Mesoporous/Macroporous Perovskite La0.5Sr0.5CoO3-x Nanotubes: A Bifunctional Catalyst with Enhanced Activity and Cycle Stability for Rechargeable Lithium Oxygen Batteries.

PubMed

Liu, Guoxue; Chen, Hongbin; Xia, Lu; Wang, Suqing; Ding, Liang-Xin; Li, Dongdong; Xiao, Kang; Dai, Sheng; Wang, Haihui

2015-10-14

Perovskites show excellent specific catalytic activity toward both oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline solutions; however, small surface areas of the perovskites synthesized by traditional sol-gel methods lead to low utilization of catalytic sites, which gives rise to poor Li-O2 batteries performance and restricts their application. Herein, a hierarchical mesporous/macroporous perovskite La0.5Sr0.5CoO3-x (HPN-LSC) nanotube is developed to promote its application in Li-O2 batteries. The HPN-LSC nanotubes were synthesized via electrospinning technique followed by postannealing. The as-prepared HPN-LSC catalyst exhibits outstanding intrinsic ORR and OER catalytic activity. The HPN-LSC/KB electrode displays excellent performance toward both discharge and charge processes for Li-O2 batteries, which enhances the reversibility, the round-trip efficiency, and the capacity of resultant batteries. The synergy of high catalytic activity and hierarchical mesoporous/macroporous nanotubular structure results in the Li-O2 batteries with good rate capability and excellent cycle stability of sustaining 50 cycles at a current density of 0.1 mA cm(-2) with an upper-limit capacity of 500 mAh g(-1). The results will benefit for the future development of high-performance Li-O2 batteries using hierarchical mesoporous/macroporous nanostructured perovskite-type catalysts.

Effects of sodium chloride on selected parameters in cats.

PubMed

Kirk, Claudia A; Jewell, Dennis E; Lowry, Stephen R

2006-01-01

This study used 36 cats with varying renal insufficiency and physiologic status to evaluate the effect of a food high in sodium chloride (HSC) compared with a low sodium chloride (LSC) food on selected blood parameters and blood pressure. Cats eating the HSC food had an increase in serum creatinine, urea nitrogen, and phosphorus compared with cats eating the LSC food. Also, cats eating the HSC food had increased fractional excretion of calcium and increased fractional shortening during cardiac contraction. There was no effect of food on systolic, diastolic, or mean arterial pressure.

Analysis of fuel using the Direct LSC method determination of bio-originated fuel in the presence of quenching

DOE PAGES

Doll, Charles G.; Wright, Cherylyn W.; Morley, Shannon M.; ...

2017-02-01

In this paper, a modified version of the Direct LSC method to correct for quenching effect was investigated for the determination of bio-originated fuel content in fuel samples produced from multiple biological starting materials. The modified method was found to be accurate in determining the percent bio-originated fuel to within 5% of the actual value for samples with quenching effects ≤43%. Finally, analysis of highly quenched samples was possible when diluted with the exception of one sample with a 100% quenching effect.

Analysis of fuel using the Direct LSC method determination of bio-originated fuel in the presence of quenching

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

Doll, Charles G.; Wright, Cherylyn W.; Morley, Shannon M.

A modified version of the Direct LSC method to correct for quenching effect was investigated for the determination of bio-originated fuel content in fuel samples produced from multiple biological starting materials. The modified method was found to be accurate in determining the percent bio-originated fuel to within 5% of the actual value for samples with quenching effects ≤43%. Analysis of highly quenched samples was possible when diluted with the exception of one sample with a 100% quenching effect.

Analysis of fuel using the Direct LSC method determination of bio-originated fuel in the presence of quenching

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

Doll, Charles G.; Wright, Cherylyn W.; Morley, Shannon M.

In this paper, a modified version of the Direct LSC method to correct for quenching effect was investigated for the determination of bio-originated fuel content in fuel samples produced from multiple biological starting materials. The modified method was found to be accurate in determining the percent bio-originated fuel to within 5% of the actual value for samples with quenching effects ≤43%. Finally, analysis of highly quenched samples was possible when diluted with the exception of one sample with a 100% quenching effect.

Characterization of Retinitis Pigmentosa Using Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Ophthalmoscopy (FLIO).

PubMed

Andersen, Karl M; Sauer, Lydia; Gensure, Rebekah H; Hammer, Martin; Bernstein, Paul S

2018-06-01

We investigated fundus autofluorescence (FAF) lifetimes in patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) using fluorescence lifetime imaging ophthalmoscopy (FLIO). A total of 33 patients (mean age, 40.0 ± 17.0 years) with RP and an age-matched healthy group were included. The Heidelberg FLIO was used to detect FAF decays in short (SSC; 498-560 nm) and long (LSC; 560-720 nm) spectral channels. We investigated a 30° retinal field and calculated the amplitude-weighted mean fluorescence lifetime (τ m ). Additionally, macular pigment measurements, macular optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans, fundus photographs, visual fields, and fluorescein angiograms were recorded. Genetic studies were performed on nearly all patients. In RP, FLIO shows a typical pattern of prolonged τ m in atrophic regions in the outer macula (SSC, 419 ± 195 ps; LSC, 401 ± 111 ps). Within the relatively preserved retina in the macular region, ring-shaped patterns were found, most distinctive in patients with autosomal dominant RP inheritance. Mean FAF lifetimes were shortened in rings in the LSC. Central areas remained relatively unaffected. FLIO uniquely presents a distinct and specific signature in eyes affected with RP. The ring patterns show variations that indicate genetically determined pathologic processes. Shortening of FAF lifetimes in the LSC may indicate disease progression, as was previously demonstrated for Stargardt disease. Therefore, FLIO might be able to indicate disease progression in RP as well. Hyperfluorescent FLIO rings with short FAF lifetimes may provide insight into the pathophysiologic disease status of RP-affected retinas potentially providing a more detailed assessment of disease progression.

Interdecadal modulation of the Atlantic Multi-decadal Oscillation (AMO) on southwest China's temperature over the past 250 years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, Keyan; Guo, Zhengtang; Chen, Deliang; Wang, Lei; Dong, Zhipeng; Zhou, Feifei; Zhao, Yan; Li, Jinbao; Li, Yingjun; Cao, Xinguang

2018-05-01

The temperature gradient between southwestern China and Indian Ocean is one key driver of the Indian Summer Monsoon, suggesting the necessity to understand temperature variability in southwestern China. Contrary to the general warming experienced in most of China, a few regions in southwestern China have undergone a cooling trend since the 1950s. To place this cooling trend in a historical context, this study develops an Abies fabri tree-ring width chronology in the Sichuan Basin, the most populated region in southwest China. The chronology spans from 1590 to 2012, with its reliable portion from 1758 to 2012, by far the longest in the Sichuan Basin. To better extract regional climate signals encoded in tree rings with strong local disturbances, we incorporate climate signals of nearby tree-ring chronologies to generate a large-scale tree-ring chronology (LSC). The LSC shows higher correlations with temperature near the sampling site on Mount Emei and sea surface temperatures of the northern Atlantic Ocean than chronologies developed using traditional methods. The highest correlations between the LSC and temperature are found from current February to July in the Sichuan Basin for the period 1901-1950 (r = 0.70), with a sharp decrease afterwards. Interdecadal variations of the LSC match well with Atlantic Multi-decadal Oscillation reconstructions, except for the late nineteenth century and after 1980s. This study provides evidence that southwest China is a transitional region both affected by the interdecadal temperature variations of the northern Atlantic and Asian areas, although their influences weakened in recent possible due to enhanced human activities.

Radiographic techniques in the explosive component facility at Sandia National Labs.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lanoue, John C.

1997-05-01

The Explosive Component Facility at Sandia National Laboratory is a state of the art facility for the design and testing of energetic materials and components. Two key elements of these capabilities are the flash x-ray machines. One is a six head, 150 KeV and the other is a six head, 300 KeV instrument. One of the more interesting uses of the 150 KeV system has been to study the action and reaction of a linear shaped charge (LSC) while submerged in water. The submerged samples were viewed from the top to capture the interaction of one piece of LSC with another piece nearby. Each LSC was covered by separate rubber coverings and affixed to a composite-plate. Three heads, delayed by a specified time, were used to capture the time sequence of events in stop action. Side views of the LSC were done with and without the rubber coverings to examine the dampening effects of the cover. An end-on perspective was also captured by x-ray using one head and several time delays. The debris scatter produced from a larger device has also been examined. The explosive used was a pellet form initiated by a detonator and a timing lead. The x-ray radiographs show the particles from this device as they expand outward. Three x-ray source tubes were used in a large horizontal array, apertured to expose individual pieces of film. Another x-ray source was placed overhead and simultaneously exposed a film under the object.

Laser Scanning Cytometry

PubMed Central

Pozarowski, Piotr; Holden, Elena; Darzynkiewicz, Zbigniew

2013-01-01

Summary The laser scanning cytometer (LSC) is the microscope-based cytofluorometer that offers a plethora of analytical capabilities. Multilaser-excited fluorescence emitted from individual cells is measured at several wavelength ranges, rapidly (up to 5000 cells/min), with high sensitivity and accuracy. The following applications of LSC are reviewed: (1) identification of cells that differ in degree of chromatin condensation (e.g., mitotic or apoptotic cells or lymphocytes vs granulocytes vs monocytes); (2) detection of translocation between cytoplasm vs nucleus or nucleoplasm vs nucleolus of regulatory molecules such as NF- κB, p53, or Bax; (3) semiautomatic scoring of micronuclei in mutagenicity assays; (4) analysis of fluorescence in situ hybridization; (5) enumeration and morphometry of nucleoli; (6) analysis of phenotype of progeny of individual cells in clonogenicity assay; (7) cell immunophenotyping; (8) visual examination, imaging, or sequential analysis of the cells measured earlier upon their relocation, using different probes; (9) in situ enzyme kinetics and other time-resolved processes; (10) analysis of tissue section architecture; (11) application for hypocellular samples (needle aspirate, spinal fluid, etc.); (12) other clinical applications. Advantages and limitations of LSC are discussed and compared with flow cytometry. PMID:16719355

Combustion Synthesis of Sm0.5Sr0.5CoO3-x and La0.6Sr0.4CoO3-x Nanopowders for Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Cathodes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bansal, Narottam P.; Zhong, zhimin

2005-01-01

Nanopowders of Sm0.5Sr0.5CoO(3-x) (SSC) and La0.6Sr0.4CoO(3-x) (LSC) compositions, which are being investigated as cathode materials for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells, were synthesized by a solution-combustion method using metal nitrates and glycine as fuel. Development of crystalline phases in the as-synthesized powders after heat treatments at various temperatures was monitored by x-ray diffraction. Perovskite phase in LSC formed more readily than in SSC. Single phase perovskites were obtained after heat treatment of the combustion synthesized LSC and SSC powders at 1000 and 1200 C, respectively. The as-synthesized powders had an average particle size of 12 nm as determined from x-ray line broadening analysis using the Scherrer equation. Average grain size of the powders increased with increase in calcination temperature. Morphological analysis of the powders calcined at various temperatures was done by scanning electron microscopy.

Performance of a laser microsatellite network with an optical preamplifier.

PubMed

Arnon, Shlomi

2005-04-01

Laser satellite communication (LSC) uses free space as a propagation medium for various applications, such as intersatellite communication or satellite networking. An LSC system includes a laser transmitter and an optical receiver. For communication to occur, the line of sight of the transmitter and the receiver must be aligned. However, mechanical vibration and electronic noise in the control system reduce alignment between the transmitter laser beam and the receiver field of view (FOV), which results in pointing errors. The outcome of pointing errors is fading of the received signal, which leads to impaired link performance. An LSC system is considered in which the optical preamplifier is incorporated into the receiver, and a bit error probability (BEP) model is derived that takes into account the statistics of the pointing error as well as the optical amplifier and communication system parameters. The model and the numerical calculation results indicate that random pointing errors of sigma(chi)2G > 0.05 penalize communication performance dramatically for all combinations of optical amplifier gains and noise figures that were calculated.

Removal of actinide elements from liquid scintillation cocktail wastes using liquid-liquid extraction and demulsification techniques

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

Foltz, K.; Landsberger, S.; Srinivasan, B.

1994-12-31

A method for the separation of radionuclides with Z greater than 88, from lower-level radioactive wastes (liquid scintillation cocktail or LSC wastes), is described. The method is liquid-liquid extraction (LLX) and demulsification. The actinide elements are removed from the LSC wastes by extraction into an aqueous phase after the cocktail has been demulsified. The aqueous and organic phases are separated, then the wastes type remaining may be incinerated. Future experiments will be performed to study the effects of pH and temperature and to extend the study to wastes containing americium.

Analysis of fuel using the Direct LSC method determination of bio-originated fuel in the presence of quenching.

PubMed

Doll, Charles G; Wright, Cherylyn W; Morley, Shannon M; Wright, Bob W

2017-04-01

A modified version of the Direct LSC method to correct for quenching effect was investigated for the determination of bio-originated fuel content in fuel samples produced from multiple biological starting materials. The modified method was found to be accurate in determining the percent bio-originated fuel to within 5% of the actual value for samples with quenching effects ≤43%. Analysis of highly quenched samples was possible when diluted with the exception of one sample with a 100% quenching effect. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Understanding pyrotechnic shock dynamics and response attenuation over distance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ott, Richard J.

Pyrotechnic shock events used during stage separation on rocket vehicles produce high amplitude short duration structural response that can lead to malfunction or degradation of electronic components, cracks and fractures in brittle materials, local plastic deformation, and can cause materials to experience accelerated fatigue life. These transient loads propagate as waves through the structural media losing energy as they travel outward from the source. This work assessed available test data in an effort to better understand attenuation characteristics associated with wave propagation and attempted to update a historical standard defined by the Martin Marietta Corporation in the late 1960's using out of date data acquisition systems. Two data sets were available for consideration. The first data set came from a test that used a flight like cylinder used in NASA's Ares I-X program, and the second from a test conducted with a flat plate. Both data sets suggested that the historical standard was not a conservative estimate of shock attenuation with distance, however, the variation in the test data did not lend to recommending an update to the standard. Beyond considering attenuation with distance an effort was made to model the flat plate configuration using finite element analysis. The available flat plate data consisted of three groups of tests, each with a unique charge density linear shape charge (LSC) used to cut an aluminum plate. The model was tuned to a representative test using the lowest charge density LSC as input. The correlated model was then used to predict the other two cases by linearly scaling the input load based on the relative difference in charge density. The resulting model predictions were then compared with available empirical data. Aside from differences in amplitude due to nonlinearities associated with scaling the charge density of the LSC, the model predictions matched the available test data reasonably well. Finally, modeling best practices were recommended when using industry standard software to predict shock response on structures. As part of the best practices documented, a frequency dependent damping schedule that can be used in model development when no data is available is provided.

The complete chloroplast genome sequence of Dendrobium nobile.

PubMed

Yan, Wenjin; Niu, Zhitao; Zhu, Shuying; Ye, Meirong; Ding, Xiaoyu

2016-11-01

The complete chloroplast (cp) genome sequence of Dendrobium nobile, an endangered and traditional Chinese medicine with important economic value, is presented in this article. The total genome size is 150,793 bp, containing a large single copy (LSC) region (84,939 bp) and a small single copy region (SSC) (13,310 bp) which were separated by two inverted repeat (IRs) regions (26,272 bp). The overall GC contents of the plastid genome were 38.8%. In total, 130 unique genes were annotated and they were consisted of 76 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNA genes and 4 rRNA genes. Fourteen genes contained one or two introns.

Chemopreventive Effects of Dietary Eicosapentaenoic Acid Supplementation in Experimental Myeloid Leukemia.

PubMed

Finch, Emily R; Kudva, Avinash K; Quickel, Michael D; Goodfield, Laura L; Kennett, Mary J; Whelan, Jay; Paulson, Robert F; Prabhu, K Sandeep

2015-10-01

Current therapies for treatment of myeloid leukemia do not eliminate leukemia stem cells (LSC), leading to disease relapse. In this study, we supplemented mice with eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, C20:5), a polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acid, at pharmacologic levels, to examine whether the endogenous metabolite, cyclopentenone prostaglandin delta-12 PGJ3 (Δ(12)-PGJ3), was effective in targeting LSCs in experimental leukemia. EPA supplementation for 8 weeks resulted in enhanced endogenous production of Δ(12)-PGJ3 that was blocked by indomethacin, a cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitor. Using a murine model of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) induced by bone marrow transplantation of BCR-ABL-expressing hematopoietic stem cells, mice supplemented with EPA showed a decrease in the LSC population, and reduced splenomegaly and leukocytosis, when compared with mice on an oleic acid diet. Supplementation of CML mice carrying the T315I mutation (in BCR-ABL) with EPA resulted in a similar effect. Indomethacin blocked the EPA effect and increased the severity of BCR-ABL-induced CML and decreased apoptosis. Δ(12)-PGJ3 rescued indomethacin-treated BCR-ABL mice and decreased LSCs. Inhibition of hematopoietic-prostaglandin D synthase (H-PGDS) by HQL-79 in EPA-supplemented CML mice also blocked the effect of EPA. In addition, EPA supplementation was effective in a murine model of acute myeloid leukemia. EPA-supplemented mice exhibited a decrease in leukemia burden and a decrease in the LSC colony-forming unit (LSC-CFU). The decrease in LSCs was confirmed through serial transplantation assays in all disease models. The results support a chemopreventive role for EPA in myeloid leukemia, which is dependent on the ability to efficiently convert EPA to endogenous COX-derived prostanoids, including Δ(12)-PGJ3. ©2015 American Association for Cancer Research.

Targeting survival pathways in chronic myeloid leukaemia stem cells

PubMed Central

Sinclair, A; Latif, A L; Holyoake, T L

2013-01-01

Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) is a clonal myeloproliferative disorder characterized by the presence of a fusion oncogene BCR-ABL, which encodes a protein with constitutive TK activity. The implementation of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) marked a major advance in CML therapy; however, there are problems with current treatment. For example, relapse occurs when these drugs are discontinued in the majority of patients who have achieved a complete molecular response on TKI and these agents are less effective in patients with mutations in the BCR-ABL kinase domain. Importantly, TKI can effectively target proliferating mature cells, but do not eradicate quiescent leukaemic stem cells (LSCs), therefore allowing disease persistence despite treatment. It is essential that alternative strategies are used to target the LSC population. BCR-ABL activation is responsible for the modulation of different signalling pathways, which allows the LSC fraction to evade cell death. Several pathways have been shown to be modulated by BCR-ABL, including PI3K/AKT/mTOR, JAK-STAT and autophagy signalling pathways. Targeting components of these survival pathways, alone or in combination with TKI, therefore represents an attractive potential therapeutic approach for targeting the LSC. However, many pathways are also active in normal stem cells. Therefore, potential targets must be validated to effectively eradicate CML stem cells while sparing normal counterparts. This review summarizes the main pathways modulated in CML stem cells, the recent developments and the use of novel drugs to target components in these pathways which may be used to target the LSC population. Linked Articles This article is part of a themed section on Emerging Therapeutic Aspects in Oncology. To view the other articles in this section visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bph.2013.169.issue-8 PMID:23517124

The Medial Extra-Sellar Corridor to the Cavernous Sinus: Anatomic Description and Clinical Correlation.

PubMed

Theodosopoulos, Philip V; Cebula, Helene; Kurbanov, Almaz; Cabero, Arnau Benet; Osorio, Joseph A; Zimmer, Lee A; Froelich, Sebastien C; Keller, Jeffrey T

2016-12-01

The zenith of surgical interest in the cavernous sinus peaked in the 1980s, as evidenced by reports of 10 surgical triangles that could access the contents of the lateral sellar compartment (LSC). However, these transcranial approaches later became marginalized, first by radiosurgery's popularity and lower morbidity, and then by clinical potential of endoscopic corridors noted in several qualitative studies. Our anatomic study, taking a contemporary look at the medial extra-sellar corridor, gives a detailed qualitative-quantitative analysis for its use with increasingly popular endoscopic endonasal approaches to the cavernous sinus. In 20 cadaveric specimens, we re-examined the anatomic landmarks of the medial corridor into the LSC with qualitative descriptions and measurements. An illustrative case highlights a recurrent symptomatic pituitary adenoma that invaded the cavernous sinus approached through the medial corridor. The corridor's shape varied from tetrahedron to hexahedron. Comparing right and left sides, width averaged 3.6 ± 4.5 mm and 4.0 ± 4.4 mm, and height averaged 2.3 mm and 2.1 mm, respectively. About 35% of sides showed ample space for access into the cavernous sinus. Our case report of successful outcome lends support for the safety and efficacy of this endoscopic approach. Our re-examination of this particular surgical access into the LSC refines the understanding of the medial extra-sellar corridor as a main endoscopic access route to this compartment. Achieving safe access to the contents of the LSC, this 11th triangle is clinically relevant and potentially superior for select lesions in this region. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Real time correlation function in a single phase space integral beyond the linearized semiclassical initial value representation.

PubMed

Liu, Jian; Miller, William H

2007-06-21

It is shown how quantum mechanical time correlation functions [defined, e.g., in Eq. (1.1)] can be expressed, without approximation, in the same form as the linearized approximation of the semiclassical initial value representation (LSC-IVR), or classical Wigner model, for the correlation function [cf. Eq. (2.1)], i.e., as a phase space average (over initial conditions for trajectories) of the Wigner functions corresponding to the two operators. The difference is that the trajectories involved in the LSC-IVR evolve classically, i.e., according to the classical equations of motion, while in the exact theory they evolve according to generalized equations of motion that are derived here. Approximations to the exact equations of motion are then introduced to achieve practical methods that are applicable to complex (i.e., large) molecular systems. Four such methods are proposed in the paper--the full Wigner dynamics (full WD) and the second order WD based on "Wigner trajectories" [H. W. Lee and M. D. Scully, J. Chem. Phys. 77, 4604 (1982)] and the full Donoso-Martens dynamics (full DMD) and the second order DMD based on "Donoso-Martens trajectories" [A. Donoso and C. C. Martens, Phys. Rev. Lett. 8722, 223202 (2001)]--all of which can be viewed as generalizations of the original LSC-IVR method. Numerical tests of the four versions of this new approach are made for two anharmonic model problems, and for each the momentum autocorrelation function (i.e., operators linear in coordinate or momentum operators) and the force autocorrelation function (nonlinear operators) have been calculated. These four new approximate treatments are indeed seen to be significant improvements to the original LSC-IVR approximation.

Sharing the Wonder of Gravitational Waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Key, Joey Shapiro; LIGO Scientific Collaboration; Virgo Collaboration

2017-01-01

To share as widely as possible the excitement of the new discovery of gravitational waves, scientists in the LIGO Scientific Collaboration (LSC) and Virgo Collaboration prepared communication tools for a worldwide and diverse audience. This work included resources for traditional and social media outlets, preparing to engage at a wide range of levels and interests. The response to the LIGO discovery announcement indicated that the public is eager to engage with frontier physics. The LSC and Virgo outreach efforts hold lessons for broad STEM outreach including examples of citizen science initiatives and art +science collaboration as a way to inspire and engage a wide range of audiences.

Bubble nucleation in simple and molecular liquids via the largest spherical cavity method

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

Gonzalez, Miguel A., E-mail: m.gonzalez12@imperial.ac.uk; Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ; Abascal, José L. F.

2015-04-21

In this work, we propose a methodology to compute bubble nucleation free energy barriers using trajectories generated via molecular dynamics simulations. We follow the bubble nucleation process by means of a local order parameter, defined by the volume of the largest spherical cavity (LSC) formed in the nucleating trajectories. This order parameter simplifies considerably the monitoring of the nucleation events, as compared with the previous approaches which require ad hoc criteria to classify the atoms and molecules as liquid or vapor. The combination of the LSC and the mean first passage time technique can then be used to obtain themore » free energy curves. Upon computation of the cavity distribution function the nucleation rate and free-energy barrier can then be computed. We test our method against recent computations of bubble nucleation in simple liquids and water at negative pressures. We obtain free-energy barriers in good agreement with the previous works. The LSC method provides a versatile and computationally efficient route to estimate the volume of critical bubbles the nucleation rate and to compute bubble nucleation free-energies in both simple and molecular liquids.« less

Liquid scintillation counting methodology for 99Tc analysis. A remedy for radiopharmaceutical waste

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

Khan, Mumtaz; Um, Wooyong

2015-08-13

This paper presents a new approach for liquid scintillation counting (LSC) analysis of single-radionuclide samples containing appreciable organic or inorganic quench. This work offers better analytical results than existing LSC methods for technetium-99 ( 99gTc) analysis with significant savings in analysis cost and time. The method was developed to quantify 99gTc in environmental liquid and urine samples using LSC. Method efficiency was measured in the presence of 1.9 to 11,900 ppm total dissolved solids. The quench curve was proved to be effective in the case of spiked 99gTc activity calculation for deionized water, tap water, groundwater, seawater, and urine samples.more » Counting efficiency was found to be 91.66% for Ultima Gold LLT (ULG-LLT) and Ultima Gold (ULG). Relative error in spiked 99gTc samples was ±3.98% in ULG and ULG-LLT cocktails. Minimum detectable activity was determined to be 25.3 mBq and 22.7 mBq for ULG-LLT and ULG cocktails, respectively. A pre-concentration factor of 1000 was achieved at 100°C for 100% chemical recovery.« less

Expression and assembly of a fully active antibody in algae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mayfield, Stephen P.; Franklin, Scott E.; Lerner, Richard A.

2003-01-01

Although combinatorial antibody libraries have solved the problem of access to large immunological repertoires, efficient production of these complex molecules remains a problem. Here we demonstrate the efficient expression of a unique large single-chain (lsc) antibody in the chloroplast of the unicellular, green alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. We achieved high levels of protein accumulation by synthesizing the lsc gene in chloroplast codon bias and by driving expression of the chimeric gene using either of two C. reinhardtii chloroplast promoters and 5' and 3' RNA elements. This lsc antibody, directed against glycoprotein D of the herpes simplex virus, is produced in a soluble form by the alga and assembles into higher order complexes in vivo. Aside from dimerization by disulfide bond formation, the antibody undergoes no detectable posttranslational modification. We further demonstrate that accumulation of the antibody can be modulated by the specific growth regime used to culture the alga, and by the choice of 5' and 3' elements used to drive expression of the antibody gene. These results demonstrate the utility of alga as an expression platform for recombinant proteins, and describe a new type of single chain antibody containing the entire heavy chain protein, including the Fc domain.

Patterns of Late Quaternary hydrologic variability and atmospheric change inferred from a Northern California speleothem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oster, J. L.; Weisman, I. E.; Sharp, W. D.; Ibarra, D. E.

2017-12-01

The synthesis of hydrologically sensitive proxy records across western North America reveals spatial patterns of variability that persist, with some variation, over multiple temporal scales. For example, tree ring records from the last century highlight a distinct north-south dipole pattern in the response of regional precipitation anomalies to ENSO and the PDO, while a similar dipole pattern of wet and dry precipitation anomalies developed across the region in response to climate forcing at the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Hydrologically sensitive proxy records from the intervening transition zone can shed light on the stationarity and spatial scale of this pattern over time. Here we present records of δ18O and δ13C from a Lake Shasta Caverns stalagmite (LSC3) from Northern California that grew from 36 to 14 ka. This cave, located at 40.8°N, is situated within the transition zone and is well-positioned to enhance our understanding of regional precipitation patterns and moisture transport variability during the last glacial period and deglaciation. Six years of weekly rain isotope data indicate that varying atmospheric temperatures and moisture sources are primary controls on δ18O in Northern California precipitation. Increased δ18O and δ13C in LSC3 and slower stalagmite growth rates during MIS 2 suggest increased subtropical moisture but also dry conditions in Northern California. The δ13C record displays distinct millennial-scale oscillations during MIS 3, suggesting drier conditions also occurred during interstadials associated with Dansgaard-Oeschger cycles. The LSC3 δ18O record documents changes synchronous with δ18O in the Fort Stanton stalagmite in New Mexico, though sometimes in phase (e.g. during Heinrich Stadial 1; HS1) and sometimes anti-phased (e.g. during the Bölling-Alleröd). Likewise, the LSC3 δ13C record suggests a transition from wet to drier conditions during HS1 in marked contrast to many more southerly records that indicate wetter conditions later in HS1. These comparisons show that changes in Northern California climate were both in and out of phase with hydroclimate variations occurring to the south and southeast. Thus, the LSC3 record refines our understanding of spatial patterns of hydroclimatic change in western North America.

RF current profile control studies in the alcator C-mod tokamak

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonoli, P. T.; Porkolab, M.; Wukitch, S. J.; Bernabei, S.; Kaita, R.; Mikkelsen, D.; Phillips, C. K.; Schilling, G.

1999-09-01

Time dependent calculations of lower hybrid (LH) current profile control in Alcator C-Mod have been done using the TRANSP [1], FPPRF [2], and LSC [3] codes. Up to 3 MW of LH current drive power was applied in plasmas with high power ICRF minority heating (PICH=1.8-3 MW) and fast current ramp up. Using the experimentally measured temperature profiles, off-axis current generation resulted in nonmonotonic q-profiles with qmin~=1.6. Self-consistent effects of off-axis electron heating by the LH power were also included in the analysis and significant broadening of the electron temperature profile was found with qmin>~2 and a larger shear reversal radius.

Pre-Alignment Checks. Automotive Mechanics. Steering & Suspension. Instructor's Guide [and] Student Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spignesi, B.

This instructional package, one in a series of individualized instructional units on automotive steering and suspension, consists of a student guide and an instructor guide dealing with prealignment checks. Covered in the module are the following steps in a prealignment check: checking the ride height of a vehicle, checking the ball joints and the…

Analytical method for measuring cosmogenic 35S in natural waters

DOE PAGES

Uriostegui, Stephanie H.; Bibby, Richard K.; Esser, Bradley K.; ...

2015-05-18

Here, cosmogenic sulfur-35 in water as dissolved sulfate ( 35SO 4) has successfully been used as an intrinsic hydrologic tracer in low-SO 4, high-elevation basins. Its application in environmental waters containing high SO 4 concentrations has been limited because only small amounts of SO 4 can be analyzed using current liquid scintillation counting (LSC) techniques. We present a new analytical method for analyzing large amounts of BaSO 4 for 35S. We quantify efficiency gains when suspending BaSO 4 precipitate in Inta-Gel Plus cocktail, purify BaSO 4 precipitate to remove dissolved organic matter, mitigate interference of radium-226 and its daughter productsmore » by selection of high purity barium chloride, and optimize LSC counting parameters for 35S determination in larger masses of BaSO 4. Using this improved procedure, we achieved counting efficiencies that are comparable to published LSC techniques despite a 10-fold increase in the SO 4 sample load. 35SO 4 was successfully measured in high SO 4 surface waters and groundwaters containing low ratios of 35S activity to SO 4 mass demonstrating that this new analytical method expands the analytical range of 35SO 4 and broadens the utility of 35SO 4 as an intrinsic tracer in hydrologic settings.« less

Novel strategies for targeting leukemia stem cells: sounding the death knell for blood cancer

PubMed Central

Chavez-Gonzalez, Antonieta; Bakhshinejad, Babak; Pakravan, Katayoon

2018-01-01

Background Cancer stem cells (CSCs), also known as tumor-initiating cells (TICs), are characterized by high self-renewal and multi-lineage differentiation capacities. CSCs are thought to play indispensable roles in the initiation, progression and metastasis of many types of cancer. Leukemias are thought to be initiated and maintained by a specific sub-type of CSC, the leukemia stem cell (LSC). An important feature of LSCs is their resistance to standard therapy, which may lead to relapse. Increasing efforts are aimed at developing novel therapeutic strategies that selectively target LSCs, while sparing their normal counterparts and, thus, minimizing adverse treatment-associated side-effects. These LSC targeting therapies aim to eradicate LSCs through affecting mechanisms that control their survival, self-renewal, differentiation, proliferation and cell cycle progression. Some LSC targeting therapies have already been proven successful in pre-clinical studies and they are now being tested in clinical studies, mainly in combination with conventional treatment regimens. Conclusions A growing body of evidence indicates that the selective targeting of LSCs represents a promising approach to improve disease outcome. Beyond doubt, the CSC hypothesis has added a new dimension to the area of anticancer research, thereby paving the way for shaping a new trend in cancer therapy. PMID:27678246

Bioprocessing of a stored mixed liquid waste

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

Wolfram, J.H.; Rogers, R.D.; Finney, R.

1995-12-31

This paper describes the development and results of a demonstration for a continuous bioprocess for mixed waste treatment. A key element of the process is an unique microbial strain which tolerates high levels of aromatic solvents and surfactants. This microorganism is the biocatalysis of the continuous flow system designed for the processing of stored liquid scintillation wastes. During the past year a process demonstration has been conducted on commercial formulation of liquid scintillation cocktails (LSC). Based on data obtained from this demonstration, the Ohio EPA granted the Mound Applied Technologies Lab a treatability permit allowing the limited processing of actualmore » mixed waste. Since August 1994, the system has been successfully processing stored, {open_quotes}hot{close_quotes} LSC waste. The initial LSC waste fed into the system contained 11% pseudocumene and detectable quantities of plutonium. Another treated waste stream contained pseudocumene and tritium. Data from this initial work shows that the hazardous organic solvent, and pseudocumene have been removed due to processing, leaving the aqueous low level radioactive waste. Results to date have shown that living cells are not affected by the dissolved plutonium and that 95% of the plutonium was sorbed to the biomass. This paper discusses the bioprocess, rates of processing, effluent, and the implications of bioprocessing for mixed waste management.« less

Modelling local GPS/levelling geoid undulations using artificial neural networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kavzoglu, T.; Saka, M. H.

2005-04-01

The use of GPS for establishing height control in an area where levelling data are available can involve the so-called GPS/levelling technique. Modelling of the GPS/levelling geoid undulations has usually been carried out using polynomial surface fitting, least-squares collocation (LSC) and finite-element methods. Artificial neural networks (ANNs) have recently been used for many investigations, and proven to be effective in solving complex problems represented by noisy and missing data. In this study, a feed-forward ANN structure, learning the characteristics of the training data through the back-propagation algorithm, is employed to model the local GPS/levelling geoid surface. The GPS/levelling geoid undulations for Istanbul, Turkey, were estimated from GPS and precise levelling measurements obtained during a field study in the period 1998-99. The results are compared to those produced by two well-known conventional methods, namely polynomial fitting and LSC, in terms of root mean square error (RMSE) that ranged from 3.97 to 5.73 cm. The results show that ANNs can produce results that are comparable to polynomial fitting and LSC. The main advantage of the ANN-based surfaces seems to be the low deviations from the GPS/levelling data surface, which is particularly important for distorted levelling networks.

Age-related differences in BOLD modulation to cognitive control costs in a multitasking paradigm: Global switch, local switch, and compatibility-switch costs.

PubMed

Nashiro, Kaoru; Qin, Shuo; O'Connell, Margaret A; Basak, Chandramallika

2018-05-15

It is well documented that older adults recruit additional brain regions compared to those recruited by younger adults while performing a wide variety of cognitive tasks. However, it is unclear how such age-related over-recruitment interacts with different types of cognitive control, and whether this over-recruitment is compensatory. To test this, we used a multitasking paradigm, which allowed us to examine age-related over-activation associated with three types of cognitive costs (i.e., global switch, local switch, compatibility-switch costs). We found age-related impairments in global switch cost (GSC), evidenced by slower response times for maintaining and coordinating two tasks vs. performing only one task. However, no age-related declines were observed in either local switch cost (LSC), a cognitive cost associated with switching between the two tasks while maintaining two task loads, or compatibility-switch cost (CSC), a cognitive cost associated with incompatible vs. compatible stimulus-response mappings across the two tasks. The fMRI analyses allowed for identification of distinct cognitive cost-sensitive brain regions associated with GSC and LSC. In fronto-parietal GSC and LSC regions, older adults' increased activations were associated with poorer performance (greater costs), whereas a reverse relationship was observed in younger adults. Older adults also recruited additional fronto-parietal brain regions outside the cognitive cost-sensitive areas, which was associated with poorer performance or no behavioral benefits. Our results suggest that older adults exhibit a combination of inefficient activation within cognitive cost-sensitive regions, specifically the GSC and LSC regions, and non-compensatory over-recruitment in age-sensitive regions. Age-related declines in global switching, compared to local switching, was observed earlier in old age at both neural and behavioral levels. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Linum usitatissimum L. plastome reveals atypical structural evolution, new editing sites, and the phylogenetic position of Linaceae within Malpighiales.

PubMed

de Santana Lopes, Amanda; Pacheco, Túlio Gomes; Santos, Karla Gasparini Dos; Vieira, Leila do Nascimento; Guerra, Miguel Pedro; Nodari, Rubens Onofre; de Souza, Emanuel Maltempi; de Oliveira Pedrosa, Fábio; Rogalski, Marcelo

2018-02-01

The plastome of Linum usitatissimum was completely sequenced allowing analyses of evolution of genome structure, RNA editing sites, molecular markers, and indicating the position of Linaceae within Malpighiales. Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) is an economically important crop used as food, feed, and industrial feedstock. It belongs to the Linaceae family, which is noted by high morphological and ecological diversity. Here, we reported the complete sequence of flax plastome, the first species within Linaceae family to have the plastome sequenced, assembled and characterized in detail. The plastome of flax is a circular DNA molecule of 156,721 bp with a typical quadripartite structure including two IRs of 31,990 bp separating the LSC of 81,767 bp and the SSC of 10,974 bp. It shows two expansion events from IRB to LSC and from IRB to SSC, and a contraction event in the IRA-LSC junction, which changed significantly the size and the gene content of LSC, SSC and IRs. We identified 109 unique genes and 2 pseudogenes (rpl23 and ndhF). The plastome lost the conserved introns of clpP gene and the complete sequence of rps16 gene. The clpP, ycf1, and ycf2 genes show high nucleotide and aminoacid divergence, but they still possibly retain the functionality. Moreover, we also identified 176 SSRs, 20 tandem repeats, and 39 dispersed repeats. We predicted in 18 genes a total of 53 RNA editing sites of which 32 were not found before in other species. The phylogenetic inference based on 63 plastid protein-coding genes of 38 taxa supports three major clades within Malpighiales order. One of these clades has flax (Linaceae) sister to Chrysobalanaceae family, differing from earlier studies that included Linaceae into the euphorbioid clade.

Improved chemical and electrochemical stability of perovskite oxides with less reducible cations at the surface

DOE PAGES

Tsvetkov, Nikolai; Lu, Qiyang; Sun, Lixin; ...

2016-06-13

Segregation and phase separation of aliovalent dopants on perovskite oxide (ABO 3 ) surfaces are detrimental to the performance of energy conversion systems such as solid oxide fuel/electrolysis cells and catalysts for thermochemical H 2 O and CO 2 splitting. One key reason behind the instability of perovskite oxide surfaces is the electrostatic attraction of the negatively charged A-site dopants (for example, Sr La ') by the positively charged oxygen vacancies (Vmore » $$••\\atop{o}$$) enriched at the surface. Here we show that reducing the surface V $$••\\atop{o}$$ concentration improves the oxygen surface exchange kinetics and stability significantly, albeit contrary to the well-established understanding that surface oxygen vacancies facilitate reactions with O 2 molecules. We take La 0.8 Sr 0.2 CoO 3 (LSC) as a model perovskite oxide, and modify its surface with additive cations that are more and less reducible than Co on the B-site of LSC. By using ambient-pressure X-ray absorption and photoelectron spectroscopy, we proved that the dominant role of the less reducible cations is to suppress the enrichment and phase separation of Sr while reducing the concentration of V $$••\\atop{o}$$ and making the LSC more oxidized at its surface. Consequently, we found that these less reducible cations significantly improve stability, with up to 30 times faster oxygen exchange kinetics after 54 h in air at 530 °C achieved by Hf addition onto LSC. Finally, the results revealed a 'volcano' relation between the oxygen exchange kinetics and the oxygen vacancy formation enthalpy of the binary oxides of the additive cations. This volcano relation highlights the existence of an optimum surface oxygen vacancy concentration that balances the gain in oxygen exchange kinetics and the chemical stability loss.« less

Improved chemical and electrochemical stability of perovskite oxides with less reducible cations at the surface

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

Tsvetkov, Nikolai; Lu, Qiyang; Sun, Lixin

Segregation and phase separation of aliovalent dopants on perovskite oxide (ABO 3 ) surfaces are detrimental to the performance of energy conversion systems such as solid oxide fuel/electrolysis cells and catalysts for thermochemical H 2 O and CO 2 splitting. One key reason behind the instability of perovskite oxide surfaces is the electrostatic attraction of the negatively charged A-site dopants (for example, Sr La ') by the positively charged oxygen vacancies (Vmore » $$••\\atop{o}$$) enriched at the surface. Here we show that reducing the surface V $$••\\atop{o}$$ concentration improves the oxygen surface exchange kinetics and stability significantly, albeit contrary to the well-established understanding that surface oxygen vacancies facilitate reactions with O 2 molecules. We take La 0.8 Sr 0.2 CoO 3 (LSC) as a model perovskite oxide, and modify its surface with additive cations that are more and less reducible than Co on the B-site of LSC. By using ambient-pressure X-ray absorption and photoelectron spectroscopy, we proved that the dominant role of the less reducible cations is to suppress the enrichment and phase separation of Sr while reducing the concentration of V $$••\\atop{o}$$ and making the LSC more oxidized at its surface. Consequently, we found that these less reducible cations significantly improve stability, with up to 30 times faster oxygen exchange kinetics after 54 h in air at 530 °C achieved by Hf addition onto LSC. Finally, the results revealed a 'volcano' relation between the oxygen exchange kinetics and the oxygen vacancy formation enthalpy of the binary oxides of the additive cations. This volcano relation highlights the existence of an optimum surface oxygen vacancy concentration that balances the gain in oxygen exchange kinetics and the chemical stability loss.« less

Applicability of Taylor's hypothesis in thermally driven turbulence

PubMed Central

Verma, Mahendra K.

2018-01-01

In this paper, we show that, in the presence of large-scale circulation (LSC), Taylor’s hypothesis can be invoked to deduce the energy spectrum in thermal convection using real-space probes, a popular experimental tool. We perform numerical simulation of turbulent convection in a cube and observe that the velocity field follows Kolmogorov’s spectrum (k−5/3). We also record the velocity time series using real-space probes near the lateral walls. The corresponding frequency spectrum exhibits Kolmogorov’s spectrum (f−5/3), thus validating Taylor’s hypothesis with the steady LSC playing the role of a mean velocity field. The aforementioned findings based on real-space probes provide valuable inputs for experimental measurements used for studying the spectrum of convective turbulence. PMID:29765668

Applicability of Taylor's hypothesis in thermally driven turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Abhishek; Verma, Mahendra K.

2018-04-01

In this paper, we show that, in the presence of large-scale circulation (LSC), Taylor's hypothesis can be invoked to deduce the energy spectrum in thermal convection using real-space probes, a popular experimental tool. We perform numerical simulation of turbulent convection in a cube and observe that the velocity field follows Kolmogorov's spectrum (k-5/3). We also record the velocity time series using real-space probes near the lateral walls. The corresponding frequency spectrum exhibits Kolmogorov's spectrum (f-5/3), thus validating Taylor's hypothesis with the steady LSC playing the role of a mean velocity field. The aforementioned findings based on real-space probes provide valuable inputs for experimental measurements used for studying the spectrum of convective turbulence.

Fluid check valve has fail-safe feature

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gaul, L. C.

1965-01-01

Check valve ensures unidirectional fluid flow and, in case of failure, vents the downstream fluid to the atmosphere and gives a positive indication of malfunction. This dual valve consists of a master check valve and a fail-safe valve.

Tensile Lattice Strain Accelerates Oxygen Surface Exchange and Diffusion in La1–xSrxCoO3−δ Thin Films

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

The influence of lattice strain on the oxygen exchange kinetics and diffusion in oxides was investigated on (100) epitaxial La1–xSrxCoO3−δ (LSC) thin films grown by pulsed laser deposition. Planar tensile and compressively strained LSC films were obtained on single-crystalline SrTiO3 and LaAlO3. 18O isotope exchange depth profiling with ToF-SIMS was employed to simultaneously measure the tracer surface exchange coefficient k* and the tracer diffusion coefficient D* in the temperature range 280–475 °C. In accordance with recent theoretical findings, much faster surface exchange (∼4 times) and diffusion (∼10 times) were observed for the tensile strained films compared to the compressively strained films in the entire temperature range. The same strain effect—tensile strain leading to higher k* and D*—was found for different LSC compositions (x = 0.2 and x = 0.4) and for surface-etched films. The temperature dependence of k* and D* is discussed with respect to the contributions of strain states, formation enthalpy of oxygen vacancies, and vacancy mobility at different temperatures. Our findings point toward the control of oxygen surface exchange and diffusion kinetics by means of lattice strain in existing mixed conducting oxides for energy conversion applications. PMID:23527691

Radiocarbon application in environmental science and archaeology in Croatia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krajcar Bronić, I.; Obelić, B.; Horvatinčić, N.; Barešić, J.; Sironić, A.; Minichreiter, K.

2010-07-01

Radiocarbon is a cosmogenic radioisotope equally distributed throughout the troposphere and biosphere. This fact enables its most common application—radiocarbon dating. Natural equilibrium of radiocarbon has been disturbed by diverse anthropogenic activities during the last ˜150 years, enabling also the use of 14C in various environmental applications. Here we present three types of studies by using 14C that were performed in the Zagreb Radiocarbon Laboratory. 14C in atmospheric CO 2 has been monitored at several sites with various anthropogenic influences and the difference between the clean-air sites, the industrial city and the vicinity of a nuclear power plant has been established. 14C has been applied in geochronology of karst areas, especially in dating of tufa, speleothems and lake sediments, as well as in studies of geochemical carbon cycle. 14C has been used in various archaeological studies, among which the dating of the early Neolithic settlements in Croatia is presented. In these studies 14C was measured by radiometric techniques, i.e., by gas proportional counting and more recently by liquid scintillation counting (LSC). Two sample preparation techniques for LSC measurement were used: benzene synthesis for archaeological dating and other applications that require better precision, and direct absorption of CO 2 for monitoring purposes. The presented results show that various studies by using 14C can be successfully performed by the LSC technique, providing a large enough sample (>1 g of carbon).

Clinical and laboratory applications of slide-based cytometry with the LSC, SFM, and the iCYTE imaging cytometer instruments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bocsi, Jozsef; Luther, Ed; Mittag, Anja; Jensen, Ingo; Sack, Ulrich; Lenz, Dominik; Trezl, Lajos; Varga, Viktor S.; Molnar, Beea; Tarnok, Attila

2004-06-01

Background: Slide based cytometry (SBC) is a technology for the rapid stoichiometric analysis of cells fixed to surfaces. Its applications are highly versatile and ranges from the clinics to high throughput drug discovery. SBC is realized in different instruments such as the Laser Scanning Cytometer (LSC) and Scanning Fluorescent Microscope (SFM) and the novel inverted microscope based iCyte image cytometer (Compucyte Corp.). Methods: Fluorochrome labeled specimens were immobilized on microscopic slides. They were placed on a conventional fluorescence microscope and analyzed by photomultiplayers or digital camera. Data comparable to flow cytometry were generated. In addition, each individual event could be visualized. Applications: The major advantage of instruments is the combination of two features: a) the minimal sample volume needed, and b) the connection of fluorescence data and morphological information. Rare cells were detected, frequency of apoptosis by myricetin formaldehyde and H2O2 mixtures was determined;. Conclusion: LSC, SFM and the novel iCyte have a wide spectrum of applicability in SBC and can be introduced as a standard technology for multiple settings. In addition, the iCyte and SFM instrument is suited for high throughput screening by automation and may be in future adapted to telepathology due to their high quality images. (This study was supported by the IZKF-Leipzig, Germany and T 034245 OTKA, Hungary)

Scale-up of a Luminescent Solar Concentrator-Based Photomicroreactor via Numbering-up.

PubMed

Zhao, Fang; Cambié, Dario; Janse, Jeroen; Wieland, Eric W; Kuijpers, Koen P L; Hessel, Volker; Debije, Michael G; Noël, Timothy

2018-01-02

The use of solar energy to power chemical reactions is a long-standing dream of the chemical community. Recently, visible-light-mediated photoredox catalysis has been recognized as the ideal catalytic transformation to convert solar energy into chemical bonds. However, scaling photochemical transformations has been extremely challenging due to Bouguer-Lambert-Beer law. Recently, we have pioneered the development of luminescent solar concentrator photomicroreactors (LSC-PMs), which display an excellent energy efficiency. These devices harvest solar energy, convert the broad solar energy spectrum to a narrow-wavelength region, and subsequently waveguide the re-emitted photons to the reaction channels. Herein, we report on the scalability of such LSC-PMs via a numbering-up strategy. Paramount in our work was the use of molds that were fabricated via 3D printing. This allowed us to rapidly produce many different prototypes and to optimize experimentally key design aspects in a time-efficient fashion. Reactors up to 32 parallel channels have been fabricated that display an excellent flow distribution using a bifurcated flow distributor (standard deviations below 10%). This excellent flow distribution was crucial to scale up a model reaction efficiently, displaying yields comparable to those obtained in a single-channel device. We also found that interchannel spacing is an important and unique design parameter for numbered-up LSC-PMs, which influences greatly the photon flux experienced within the reaction channels.

Multifunctional Nitrogen-Doped Loofah Sponge Carbon Blocking Layer for High-Performance Rechargeable Lithium Batteries.

PubMed

Gu, Xingxing; Tong, Chuan-Jia; Rehman, Sarish; Liu, Li-Min; Hou, Yanglong; Zhang, Shanqing

2016-06-29

Low-cost, long-life, and high-performance lithium batteries not only provide an economically viable power source to electric vehicles and smart electricity grids but also address the issues of the energy shortage and environmental sustainability. Herein, low-cost, hierarchically porous, and nitrogen-doped loofah sponge carbon (N-LSC) derived from the loofah sponge has been synthesized via a simple calcining process and then applied as a multifunctional blocking layer for Li-S, Li-Se, and Li-I2 batteries. As a result of the ultrahigh specific area (2551.06 m(2) g(-1)), high porosity (1.75 cm(3) g(-1)), high conductivity (1170 S m(-1)), and heteroatoms doping of N-LSC, the resultant Li-S, Li-Se, and Li-I2 batteries with the N-LSC-900 membrane deliver outstanding electrochemical performance stability in all cases, i.e., high reversible capacities of 623.6 mA h g(-1) at 1675 mA g(-1) after 500 cycles, 350 mA h g(-1) at 1356 mA g(-1) after 1000 cycles, and 150 mA h g(-1) at 10550 mA g(-1) after 5000 cycles, respectively. The successful application to Li-S, Li-Se, and Li-I2 batteries suggests that loofa sponge carbon could play a vital role in modern rechargeable battery industries as a universal, cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and high-performance blocking layer.

Application of Quantum Dot nanocrystal in Luminescent solar concentrators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bakhoda, Shokoufeh; Khalaji Assadi, Morteza; Ahmadi Kandjani, Sohrab; Kayiem, Hussain H. Al; Hussain Bhat, Aamir

2018-03-01

The basic design of luminescent solar concentrator is a transparent plate doped with an appropriate luminescent material (organic dyes, quantum dots), which is able to absorb sunlight (direct and diffuse), and then guides photons produced by photoluminescence to its narrow edges where they are converted by photovoltaic cells. Unfortunately, LSCs have suffered from numerous efficiency losses. Therefore, new luminescent species and novel approaches are needed for its practical application. This paper deals with investigation of nonhazardous, environmental friendly luminescent species include CuInS2/ZnS core/shell QDs. The CuInS2/ZnS QDs possess advantages of Stocks shift as large as more than 130 nm and high photoluminescence quantum yield of 80%. The paper presents the effect of large stock shift CuInS2/ZnS QDs on reducing the reabsorption losses in LSC by using experimental investigation. The LSC sheets were fabricated by dispersing CuInS2/ZnS QDs particles in a polymethylmethacrylate waveguide. A series of LSCs (dimension 4.0 cm × 3.0 cm × 0.3cm) with different CuInS2/ZnS QDs particles concentration (0.015 and 0.03 wt.%) were fabricated and their optical properties (absorptions/emissions) were characterized. The results show that the CuInS2/ZnS QDs-LSC provides a promising way for the reduction of reabsorption losses in LSCs.

Simultaneous NOx and hydrocarbon emissions control for lean-burn engines using low-temperature solid oxide fuel cell at open circuit.

PubMed

Huang, Ta-Jen; Hsu, Sheng-Hsiang; Wu, Chung-Ying

2012-02-21

The high fuel efficiency of lean-burn engines is associated with high temperature and excess oxygen during combustion and thus is associated with high-concentration NO(x) emission. This work reveals that very high concentration of NO(x) in the exhaust can be reduced and hydrocarbons (HCs) can be simultaneously oxidized using a low-temperature solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC). An SOFC unit is constructed with Ni-YSZ as the anode, YSZ as the electrolyte, and La(0.6)Sr(0.4)CoO(3) (LSC)-Ce(0.9)Gd(0.1)O(1.95) as the cathode, with or without adding vanadium to LSC. SOFC operation at 450 °C and open circuit can effectively treat NO(x) over the cathode at a very high concentration in the simulated exhaust. Higher NO(x) concentration up to 5000 ppm can result in a larger NO(x) to N(2) rate. Moreover, a higher oxygen concentration promotes NO conversion. Complete oxidation of HCs can be achieved by adding silver to the LSC current collecting layer. The SOFC-based emissions control system can treat NO(x) and HCs simultaneously, and can be operated without consuming the anode fuel (a reductant) at near the engine exhaust temperature to eliminate the need for reductant refilling and extra heating.

Scale-up of a Luminescent Solar Concentrator-Based Photomicroreactor via Numbering-up

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

The use of solar energy to power chemical reactions is a long-standing dream of the chemical community. Recently, visible-light-mediated photoredox catalysis has been recognized as the ideal catalytic transformation to convert solar energy into chemical bonds. However, scaling photochemical transformations has been extremely challenging due to Bouguer–Lambert–Beer law. Recently, we have pioneered the development of luminescent solar concentrator photomicroreactors (LSC-PMs), which display an excellent energy efficiency. These devices harvest solar energy, convert the broad solar energy spectrum to a narrow-wavelength region, and subsequently waveguide the re-emitted photons to the reaction channels. Herein, we report on the scalability of such LSC-PMs via a numbering-up strategy. Paramount in our work was the use of molds that were fabricated via 3D printing. This allowed us to rapidly produce many different prototypes and to optimize experimentally key design aspects in a time-efficient fashion. Reactors up to 32 parallel channels have been fabricated that display an excellent flow distribution using a bifurcated flow distributor (standard deviations below 10%). This excellent flow distribution was crucial to scale up a model reaction efficiently, displaying yields comparable to those obtained in a single-channel device. We also found that interchannel spacing is an important and unique design parameter for numbered-up LSC-PMs, which influences greatly the photon flux experienced within the reaction channels. PMID:29333350

The impact of robotics on practice management of endometrial cancer: transitioning from traditional surgery.

PubMed

Hoekstra, Anna V; Jairam-Thodla, Arati; Rademaker, Alfred; Singh, Diljeet K; Buttin, Barbara M; Lurain, John R; Schink, Julian C; Lowe, M Patrick

2009-12-01

Evaluation of the impact of a new robotic surgery programme on perioperative outcomes for endometrial cancer A prospective database of all patients undergoing staging for endometrial cancer during July 2007-July 2008 was collected and analysed. Demographic data and perioperative outcomes were compared between cases performed via laparotomy, laparoscopy and robotics. Sixty-five patients underwent staging during the time of data collection (LAP-26, LSC-7, ROB-32). No difference in surgical volume in the year before vs. after robotics was identified. Median operative time for robotics and laparotomy was significantly less than for laparoscopy (p = 0.023). There was no significant difference in lymph node yields between the three groups (p = 0.92). Robotics was associated with significantly less blood loss (p < 0.0001). Complication rates were significantly lower in the robotic group compared to the laparotomy group (p = 0.05). Median hospital stay was 1 day for the minimally invasive groups. Total number of perioperative inpatient days decreased from 331 to 150 in one year. Practice management of endometrial cancer transitioned from a predominantly open approach (5.6% LSC) to robotics (11% LSC, 49% ROB) within 12 months. Robotic surgery dramatically altered our management of endometrial cancer and was associated with a significant improvement in several perioperative outcomes when compared to laparotomy and laparoscopy. Copyright (c) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

45 CFR 2540.202 - What two search components of the National Service Criminal History Check must I satisfy to...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Criminal History Check must I satisfy to determine an individual's suitability to serve in a covered... Service Criminal History Check must I satisfy to determine an individual's suitability to serve in a... National Service Criminal History Check, which consists of the following two search components: (a) State...

45 CFR 2540.202 - What two search components of the National Service Criminal History Check must I satisfy to...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Criminal History Check must I satisfy to determine an individual's suitability to serve in a covered... Service Criminal History Check must I satisfy to determine an individual's suitability to serve in a... National Service Criminal History Check, which consists of the following two search components: (a) State...

Microenvironment Determines Lineage Fate in a Human Model of MLL-AF9 Leukemia

PubMed Central

Wei, Junping; Wunderlich, Mark; Fox, Catherine; Alvarez, Sara; Cigudosa, Juan C.; Wilhelm, Jamie S.; Zheng, Yi; Cancelas, Jose A.; Gu, Yi; Jansen, Michael; DiMartino, Jorge F.; Mulloy, James C.

2008-01-01

Summary Faithful modeling of mixed lineage leukemia in murine cells has been difficult to achieve. We show that expression of MLL-AF9 in human CD34+ cells induces acute myeloid, lymphoid or mixed lineage leukemia in immunodeficient mice. Some leukemia stem cells (LSC) were multipotent and could be lineage directed by altering either the growth factors or the recipient strain of mouse, highlighting the importance of microenviromental cues. Other LSC were strictly lineage committed, demonstrating the heterogeneity of the stem cell compartment in MLL disease. Targeting the Rac signaling pathway by pharmacologic or genetic means resulted in rapid and specific apoptosis of MLL-AF9 cells, suggesting that the Rac signaling pathway may be a valid therapeutic target in MLL-rearranged AML. PMID:18538732

Properties of Blazar Jets Defined by an Economy of Power

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petropoulou, Maria; Dermer, Charles D.

2016-07-01

The absolute power of a relativistic black hole jet includes the power in the magnetic field, the leptons, the hadrons, and the radiated photons. A power analysis of a relativistic radio/γ-ray blazar jet leads to bifurcated leptonic synchrotron-Compton (LSC) and leptohadronic synchrotron (LHS) solutions that minimize the total jet power. Higher Doppler factors with increasing peak synchrotron frequency are implied in the LSC model. Strong magnetic fields {B}\\prime ≳ 100 {{G}} are found for the LHS model with variability times ≲ {10}3 {{s}}, in accord with highly magnetized, reconnection-driven jet models. Proton synchrotron models of ≳ 100 {GeV} blazar radiation can have sub-Eddington absolute jet powers, but models of dominant GeV radiation in flat spectrum radio quasars require excessive power.

Building validation tools for knowledge-based systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stachowitz, R. A.; Chang, C. L.; Stock, T. S.; Combs, J. B.

1987-01-01

The Expert Systems Validation Associate (EVA), a validation system under development at the Lockheed Artificial Intelligence Center for more than a year, provides a wide range of validation tools to check the correctness, consistency and completeness of a knowledge-based system. A declarative meta-language (higher-order language), is used to create a generic version of EVA to validate applications written in arbitrary expert system shells. The architecture and functionality of EVA are presented. The functionality includes Structure Check, Logic Check, Extended Structure Check (using semantic information), Extended Logic Check, Semantic Check, Omission Check, Rule Refinement, Control Check, Test Case Generation, Error Localization, and Behavior Verification.

45 CFR 2552.27 - What two search components of the National Service Criminal History Check must I satisfy to...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Criminal History Check must I satisfy to determine an individual's suitability to serve in a covered... a Sponsor § 2552.27 What two search components of the National Service Criminal History Check must I... conduct and document a National Service Criminal History Check, which consists of the following two search...

The Termination of Checking and the Role of Just Right Feelings: A Study of Obsessional Checkers Compared with Anxious and Non-clinical Controls.

PubMed

Salkovskis, Paul M; Millar, Josie; Gregory, James D; Wahl, Karina

2017-03-01

Repeated checking in OCD can be understood from a cognitive perspective as the motivated need to achieve certainty about the outcome of a potentially risky action, leading to the application of Elevated Evidence Requirements (EER) and overuse of subjective criteria. Twenty-four obsessional checkers, 22 anxious controls, and 26 non-clinical controls were interviewed about and rated recent episodes where they felt (a) they needed to check and (b) checked mainly out of habit (i.e. not obsessionally). Both subjective and objective criteria were rated as significantly more important in obsessional checkers than in controls; obsessional checkers also used more criteria overall for the termination of the check, and rated more criteria as "extremely important" than the control groups. The termination of the check was rated as more effortful for obsessional checkers than for the comparison groups. Analysis of the interview data was consistent with the ratings. Feelings of "rightness" were associated with the termination of a check for obsessional checkers but not for controls. Results were consistent with the proposal that the use of "just right feelings" to terminate checking are related to EER.

45 CFR 1614.1 - Purpose.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... and one-half percent (121/2%) of the recipient's LSC annualized basic field award to the involvement... in a manner which is generally open to broad participation in those activities undertaken with those...

Response of bone turnover markers to raloxifene treatment in postmenopausal women with osteopenia.

PubMed

Naylor, K E; Jacques, R M; Peel, N F A; Gossiel, F; Eastell, R

2016-08-01

We used two methods of identifying women who reached the target for raloxifene treatment with bone turnover markers. Both approaches identified women that responded to treatment but did not fully agree and may be complementary. The change in bone turnover markers (BTMs) in response to osteoporosis therapy can be assessed by a decrease beyond the least significant change (LSC) or below the mean of the reference interval (RI). We compared the performance of these two approaches in women treated with raloxifene. Fifty postmenopausal osteopenic women (age 51-72 years) were randomised to raloxifene or no treatment for 2 years. Blood samples were collected for the measurement of BTM. The LSC for each marker was calculated from the untreated women and the RI obtained from healthy premenopausal women (age 35-40 years). Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured at the spine and hip. There was a decrease in BTM in response to raloxifene treatment, percentage change at 12 weeks: C terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX) -39 % (95 % CI -48 to -28) and N terminal propeptide of type I procollagen (PINP) -32 % (95 % CI -40 to -23) P < 0.001. The proportion of women classified as responding to treatment using LSC at 12 weeks was as follows: CTX 38 % and PINP 52 % and at 48 weeks CTX 60 % and PINP 65 %. For the RI approach, the proportion of women classified as responding to treatment at 12 weeks was CTX and PINP 38 % and at 48 weeks CTX 40 % and PINP 45 %. There was a significant difference in the change in spine BMD in the raloxifene-treated group compared to the no-treatment group at week 48: difference 0.031 g/cm(2) (95 % CI 0.016 to 0.046, P < 0.001). The two approaches identified women that reached the target for treatment using BTM. Both LSC and RI criteria appear useful in identifying treatment response, but the two approaches do not fully overlap and may be complementary.

Identification of Volunteer Screening Practices for Selected Ohio Youth Organizations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henderson, Jan; Schmiesing, Ryan J.

2001-01-01

Interviews with eight coordinators of youth organization volunteers indicated that most used position descriptions, applications, reference checks, and interviews as screening tools; only four checked motor vehicle records and three checked criminal records. Consistent policies and advanced screening devices were recommended. (SK)

45 CFR 1641.7 - Causes for debarment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

..., SUSPENSION AND REMOVAL OF RECIPIENT AUDITORS Debarment § 1641.7 Causes for debarment. The debarring official... Recipients and Auditors, including the Compliance Supplement for Audits of LSC Recipients, and in OIG Audit...

45 CFR 1641.7 - Causes for debarment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

..., SUSPENSION AND REMOVAL OF RECIPIENT AUDITORS Debarment § 1641.7 Causes for debarment. The debarring official... Recipients and Auditors, including the Compliance Supplement for Audits of LSC Recipients, and in OIG Audit...

49 CFR 1572.21 - Procedures for TWIC security threat assessment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... conducts includes a fingerprint-based criminal history records check (CHRC), an intelligence-related check, and a final disposition. (b) Fingerprint-based check. The following procedures must be completed to conduct a fingerprint-based CHRC: (1) Consistent with the implementation schedule described in 49 CFR 1572...

49 CFR 1572.21 - Procedures for TWIC security threat assessment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... conducts includes a fingerprint-based criminal history records check (CHRC), an intelligence-related check, and a final disposition. (b) Fingerprint-based check. The following procedures must be completed to conduct a fingerprint-based CHRC: (1) Consistent with the implementation schedule described in 49 CFR 1572...

49 CFR 1572.21 - Procedures for TWIC security threat assessment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... conducts includes a fingerprint-based criminal history records check (CHRC), an intelligence-related check, and a final disposition. (b) Fingerprint-based check. The following procedures must be completed to conduct a fingerprint-based CHRC: (1) Consistent with the implementation schedule described in 49 CFR 1572...

49 CFR 1572.21 - Procedures for TWIC security threat assessment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... conducts includes a fingerprint-based criminal history records check (CHRC), an intelligence-related check, and a final disposition. (b) Fingerprint-based check. The following procedures must be completed to conduct a fingerprint-based CHRC: (1) Consistent with the implementation schedule described in 49 CFR 1572...

49 CFR 1572.21 - Procedures for TWIC security threat assessment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... conducts includes a fingerprint-based criminal history records check (CHRC), an intelligence-related check, and a final disposition. (b) Fingerprint-based check. The following procedures must be completed to conduct a fingerprint-based CHRC: (1) Consistent with the implementation schedule described in 49 CFR 1572...

45 CFR 1641.18 - Causes for removal.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

..., SUSPENSION AND REMOVAL OF RECIPIENT AUDITORS Removal § 1641.18 Causes for removal. The debarring official may... Recipients and Auditors, including the Compliance Supplement for Audits of LSC Recipients, and in OIG Audit...

Characterization of the Canfranc Underground Laboratory:. Status and Future Plans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luzón, G.; Carmona, J. M.; Cebrián, S.; Iguaz, F.; Irastorza, I. G.; Gómez, H.; Morales, J.; Ortiz de Solórzano, A.; Rodríguez, A.; Ruz, J.; Tomás, A.; Villar, J. A.

2007-08-01

The new Laboratorio Subterráneo de Canfranc (LSC) was inaugurated on March 2006. We report the first measurements of radon concentration, gamma background and muon fluxes performed in the Laboratory.

45 CFR 1611.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... relevant to the client's legal problem(s) and counseling the client on the relevant law and/or suggested... supported with LSC funds from a recipient. The term does not include a group, corporation or association. (d...

45 CFR 1641.18 - Causes for removal.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

..., SUSPENSION AND REMOVAL OF RECIPIENT AUDITORS Removal § 1641.18 Causes for removal. The debarring official may... Recipients and Auditors, including the Compliance Supplement for Audits of LSC Recipients, and in OIG Audit...

Profile modification computations for LHCD experiments on PBX-M using the TSC/LSC model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaita, R.; Ignat, D. W.; Jardin, S. C.; Okabayashi, M.; Sun, Y. C.

1996-02-01

The TSC-LSC computational model of the dynamics of lower hybrid current drive has been exercised extensively in comparison with data from a Princeton Beta Experiment-Modification (PBX-M) discharge where the measured q(0) attained values slightly above unity. Several significant, but plausible, assumptions had to be introduced to keep the computation from behaving pathologically over time, producing singular profiles of plasma current density and q. Addition of a heuristic current diffusion estimate, or more exactly, a smoothing of the rf-driven current with a diffusion-like equation, greatly improved the behavior of the computation, and brought theory and measurement into reasonable agreement. The model was then extended to longer pulse lengths and higher powers to investigate performance to be expected in future PBX-M current profile modification experiments.

Plasma Display at the Liberty Science Center

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bruder, Dan; Gilligan, Nick; Tarman, Lisa; Ferris, Pamella; Morgan, James; Delooper, John; Zwicker, Andrew

2009-11-01

The Liberty Science Center (LSC) is the largest (300,000 sq. ft.) education resource in the New Jersey -- New York City region. PPPL in collaboration with the LSC has had a display at the center since 2007 More than 1.5 million visitors have come to the museum since the plasma display has been introduced. The plasma display has had significant use during that time frame. During the summer of 2009 a redesigned plasma exhibit was created by a student teacher-team using the lessons learned from the existing exhibit. The display includes a DC glow discharge tube with a permanent external magnet allowing visitors to manipulate the plasma and see how plasma can be used for fusion research. The goal of the display is to allow an individual to see a plasma and understand the potential benefits of fusion energy.

Production flush of Agaricus blazei on Brazilian casing layers

PubMed Central

Colauto, Nelson Barros; da Silveira, Adriano Reis; da Eira, Augusto Ferreira; Linde, Giani Andrea

2011-01-01

This study aimed to verify the biological efficiency and production flushes of Agaricus blazei strains on different casing layers during 90 cultivation days. Four casing layers were used: mixture of subsoil and charcoal (VCS), lime schist (LSC), São Paulo peat (SPP) and Santa Catarina peat (SCP); and two genetically distant A. blazei strains. The fungus was grown in composted substratum and, after total colonization, a pasteurized casing layer was added over the substratum, and fructification was induced. Mushrooms were picked up daily when the basidiocarp veil was stretched, but before the lamella were exposed. The biological efficiency (BE) was determined by the fresh basidiocarp mass divided by the substratum dry mass, expressed in percentage. The production flushes were also determined over time production. The BE and production flushes during 90 days were affected by the strains as well as by the casing layers. The ABL26 and LSC produced the best BE of 60.4%. Although VCS is the most used casing layer in Brazil, it is inferior to other casing layers, for all strains, throughout cultivation time. The strain, not the casing layer, is responsible for eventual variations of the average mushroom mass. In average, circa 50% of the mushroom production occurs around the first month, 30% in the second month, and 20% in third month. The casing layer water management depends on the casing layer type and the strain. Production flush responds better to water reposition, mainly with ABL26, and better porosity to LSC and SCP casing layers. PMID:24031673

The crystal structure of Erwinia amylovora levansucrase provides a snapshot of the products of sucrose hydrolysis trapped into the active site.

PubMed

Wuerges, Jochen; Caputi, Lorenzo; Cianci, Michele; Boivin, Stephane; Meijers, Rob; Benini, Stefano

2015-09-01

Levansucrases are members of the glycoside hydrolase family and catalyse both the hydrolysis of the substrate sucrose and the transfer of fructosyl units to acceptor molecules. In the presence of sufficient sucrose, this may either lead to the production of fructooligosaccharides or fructose polymers. Aim of this study is to rationalise the differences in the polymerisation properties of bacterial levansucrases and in particular to identify structural features that determine different product spectrum in the levansucrase of the Gram-negative bacterium Erwinia amylovora (Ea Lsc, EC 2.4.1.10) as compared to Gram-positive bacteria such as Bacillus subtilis levansucrase. Ea is an enterobacterial pathogen responsible for the Fire Blight disease in rosaceous plants (e.g., apple and pear) with considerable interest for the agricultural industry. The crystal structure of Ea Lsc was solved at 2.77 Å resolution and compared to those of other fructosyltransferases from Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. We propose the structural features, determining the different reaction products, to reside in just a few loops at the rim of the active site funnel. Moreover we propose that loop 8 may have a role in product length determination in Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus LsdA and Microbacterium saccharophilum FFase. The Ea Lsc structure shows for the first time the products of sucrose hydrolysis still bound in the active site. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chromatin texture, DNA index, and S-phase fraction in primary breast carcinoma cells analysed by laserscanning cytometry.

PubMed

Kuliffay, P; Sanislo, L; Galbavy, S

2010-01-01

Laser scanning cytometry (LSC) is a slide-based technique capable of measuring a number of biological parameters both in immobilised cell suspensions and in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue sections. High proliferation rate in surgically removed breast tumours is an unfavourable prognostic factor. In node negative cases it can help distinguish patients with higher risk for distant metastases from those with a lower risk. In a prospective study we investigated 140 breast tumours, of which 113 were invasive ductal carcinomas, 11 were invasive lobular carcinomas, and 16 tumours were of other histological types. Cells for LSC investigations were prepared from fresh, surgically removed tumours by mechanical disintegration. After fixation the cells were stained with FITC-conjugated anti-cytokeratin (CK-FITC) to distinguish CK+ tumour cells from CK- stroma, and with propidium iodide to stain DNA. We identified three S-phase fraction (SPF) groups, with low (30 patients), moderate (54 patients), and high SPF (51 patients). Thirty-seven tumours were diploid, 83 were aneuploid, while 5 tumours had a bimodal distribution of DNA content. Chromatin texture values were increasing in the respective subclasses from the hypodiploid group to the tetraploid/hypertetraploid group. The measurement of DNA content and SPF of tumours by LSC completed by and correlated with other biological properties of the tumour cells may be a useful tool in assessing prognosis and clinical outcome of patients with breast cancer. (Tab. 5, Fig. 4, Ref. 18). Full Text (Free, PDF) www.bmj.sk.

Women's rights, the family, and organisational culture: a Lesotho case study.

PubMed

Everett, E

1997-02-01

Traditional cultural norms have had significant implications for the work and internal structure of Lesotho Save the Children (LSC). From 1964-90, the organization's work focused entirely on the needs of neglected and abandoned boys, for whom it provided residential care. After consultation with the Department of Social Welfare, it was decided to make the residential center a haven for girls as well as boys in need of protection. Many girls in Lesotho experience physical and sexual abuse within their families; moreover, daughters in poor families are often placed in households of wealthier extended family as domestics, where further abuse occurs. Cultural discomfort acknowledging and discussing sexuality extended to Children's Village staff responsible for the care of child rape victims. Coercive sex is often a prelude to marriage in Lesotho, where many women are kidnapped and raped by their prospective bridegrooms. In-service training has enabled staff to overcome their reticence regarding sexual issues and view rape as a criminal act. Although LSC is unable to challenge the oppression of women and children implicit in the traditional family, it continues to encourage girls and women to protest sexual violence, the abuse of their daughters, and the unequal distribution of labor within the family. All children in the LSC residence perform both male- and female-defined duties and attempts are being made to reduce the division of labor among staff in which females are caretakers and males are authority figures.

Does Otosclerosis Affect Dark and Transitional Cells in the Human Vestibular Labyrinth?

PubMed

Kaya, Serdar; Paparella, Michael M; Cureoglu, Sebahattin

2017-02-01

The density of vestibular dark cells (DCs) and vestibular transitional cells (TCs) can be quantitatively decreased in human temporal bones with otosclerosis. Previous reports have shown that otosclerosis can lead to vestibular symptoms. We examined 61 human temporal bone specimens from 52 deceased donors with otosclerosis group-with and without endosteal involvement (EI), and with and without endolymphatic hydrops (EH)-versus 25 specimens from 18 age-matched controls. Using light microscopy, we evaluated the nonsensory epithelium of the lateral semicircular canal (LSC) and posterior semicircular canal (PSC) of the human vestibular labyrinth, focusing on the density of DCs and TCs. In both the LSC and the PSC, as compared with the control group, the mean density of DCs significantly decreased in the EI (+) group, in the EI (+) and EH (+) subgroup, and in the EI (+) and EH (-) subgroup (p < 0.05). In addition, we found a significant difference in the mean density of DCs between the EI (+) group and the EI (-) group in the LSC and in the PSC (p < 0.05). But we found no significant difference in the mean density of TCs in any of the otosclerosis groups or subgroups as compared with the control group (p > 0.05). We found a decrease in the density of DCs associated with EI in human temporal bone specimens with otosclerosis, regardless of the presence of EH. This decrease might cause damage in ion and water transportation, leading to vestibular symptoms.

Does Otosclerosis Affect Dark and Transitional Cells in the Human Vestibular Labyrinth?

PubMed Central

Kaya, Serdar; Paparella, Michael M.; Cureoglu, Sebahattin

2016-01-01

Hypothesis The density of vestibular dark cells (DCs) and vestibular transitional cells (TCs) can be quantitatively decreased in human temporal bones with otosclerosis. Background Previous reports have shown that otosclerosis can lead to vestibular symptoms. Methods We examined 61 human temporal bone specimens from 52 deceased donors with otosclerosis group—with and without endosteal involvement (EI), and with and without endolymphatic hydrops (EH)—vs. 25 specimens from 18 age-matched controls. Using light microscopy, we evaluated the nonsensory epithelium of the lateral semicircular canal (LSC) and posterior semicircular canal (PSC) of the human vestibular labyrinth, focusing on the density of DCs and TCs. Results In both the LSC and the PSC, as compared with the control group, the mean density of DCs significantly decreased in the EI (+) group, in the EI (+) and EH (+) subgroup, and in the EI (+) and EH (−) subgroup (P < 0.05). In addition, we found a significant difference in the mean density of DCs between the EI (+) group and the EI (−) group in the LSC and in the PSC (P < 0.05). But we found no significant difference in the mean density of TCs in any of the otosclerosis groups or subgroups as compared with the control group (P > 0.05). Conclusion We found a decrease in the density of DCs associated with EI in human temporal bone specimens with otosclerosis, regardless of the presence of EH. This decrease might cause damage in ion and water transportation, leading to vestibular symptoms. PMID:27851656

The complete chloroplast genome of Sinopodophyllum hexandrum (Berberidaceae).

PubMed

Li, Huie; Guo, Qiqiang

2016-07-01

The complete chloroplast (cp) genome of the Sinopodophyllum hexandrum (Berberidaceae) was determined in this study. The circular genome is 157,940 bp in size, and comprises a pair of inverted repeat (IR) regions of 26,077 bp each, a large single-copy (LSC) region of 86,460 bp and a small single-copy (SSC) region of 19,326 bp. The GC content of the whole cp genome was 38.5%. A total of 133 genes were identified, including 88 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes and eight rRNA genes. The whole cp genome consists of 114 unique genes, and 19 genes are duplicated in the IR regions. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that S. hexandrum is closely related to Nandina domestica within the family Berberidaceae.

The complete chloroplast genome of the Dendrobium strongylanthum (Orchidaceae: Epidendroideae).

PubMed

Li, Jing; Chen, Chen; Wang, Zhe-Zhi

2016-07-01

Complete chloroplast genome sequence is very useful for studying the phylogenetic and evolution of species. In this study, the complete chloroplast genome of Dendrobium strongylanthum was constructed from whole-genome Illumina sequencing data. The chloroplast genome is 153 058 bp in length with 37.6% GC content and consists of two inverted repeats (IRs) of 26 316 bp. The IR regions are separated by large single-copy region (LSC, 85 836 bp) and small single-copy (SSC, 14 590 bp) region. A total of 130 chloroplast genes were successfully annotated, including 84 protein coding genes, 38 tRNA genes, and eight rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analyses showed that the chloroplast genome of Dendrobium strongylanthum is related to that of the Dendrobium officinal.

75 FR 18885 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comments Requested

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-13

... of information collection under review: Police check inquiry. The Department of Justice (DOJ), Bureau... approved collection. (2) Title of the Form/Collection: Police Check Inquiry. (3) Agency form number, if any... permit ATF to complete and/or initiate a police check inquiry consisting of criminal record searches. In...

75 FR 6707 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comments Requested

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-02-10

... of Information Collection Under Review: Police Check Inquiry. The Department of Justice (DOJ), Bureau... Collection: Extension of a currently approved collection. (2) Title of the Form/Collection: Police Check... necessary to permit ATF to complete and/or initiate a police check inquiry consisting of criminal record...

32 CFR 154.8 - Types and scope of personnel security investigations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... interview, NAC, LACs, credit checks, developed character references (3), employment records checks... interview. While the kind of coverage provided for by the SBI determines eligibility for access to SCI, DoD... requiring resolution in the case concerned and generally consist of record checks and/or interviews with...

32 CFR 154.8 - Types and scope of personnel security investigations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... interview, NAC, LACs, credit checks, developed character references (3), employment records checks... interview. While the kind of coverage provided for by the SBI determines eligibility for access to SCI, DoD... requiring resolution in the case concerned and generally consist of record checks and/or interviews with...

SU-F-T-165: Daily QA Analysis for Spot Scanning Beamline

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

Poenisch, F; Gillin, M; Sahoo, N

2016-06-15

Purpose: The dosimetric results of our daily quality assurance over the last 8 years for discrete pencil beam scanning proton therapy will be presented. Methods: To perform the dosimetric checks, a multi-ion chamber detector is used, which consists of an array of 5 single parallel plate ion chambers that are aligned as a cross separated by 10cm each. The Tracker is snapped into a jig, which is placed on the tabletop. Different amounts of Solid Water buildup are added to shift the dose distribution. The dosimetric checks consist of 3 parts: position check, range check and volume dose check. Results:more » The average deviation of all position-check data were 0.2±1.3%. For the range check, the average deviation was 0.1%±1.2%, which also corresponds to a range stability of better than 1 mm over all measurements. The volumetric dose output readings were all within ±1% with the exception of 2 occasions when the cable to the dose monitor was being repaired. Conclusion: Morning QA using the Tracker device gives very stable dosimetric readings but is also sensitive to mechanical and output changes in the proton therapy delivery system.« less

Spatiotemporal recruitment of human DNA polymerase delta to sites of UV damage

PubMed Central

Chea, Jennifer; Zhang, Sufang; Zhao, Hong; Zhang, Zhongtao; Lee, Ernest Y.C.; Darzynkiewicz, Zbigniew; Lee, Marietta Y.W.T.

2012-01-01

Human DNA polymerase δ (Pol δ) is involved in various DNA damage responses in addition to its central role in DNA replication. The Pol δ4 holoenzyme consists of four subunits, p125, p50, p68 and p12. It has been established that the p12 subunit is rapidly degraded in response to DNA damage by UV leading to the in vivo conversion of Pol δ4 to Pol δ3, a trimeric form lacking the p12 subunit. We provide the first analysis of the time-dependent recruitment of the individual Pol δ subunits to sites of DNA damage produced by UV irradiation through 5 μm polycarbonate filters by immunofluorescence microscopy and laser scanning cytometry (LSC). Quantitative analysis demonstrates that the recruitments of the three large subunits was near complete by 2 h and did not change significantly up to 4 h after UV exposure. However, the recruitment of p12 was incomplete even at 4 h, with about 70% of the Pol δ lacking the p12 subunit. ChIP analysis of Pol δ after global UV irradiation further demonstrates that only p125, p50 and p68 were present. Thus, Pol δ3 is the predominant form of Pol δ at sites of UV damage as a result of p12 degradation. Using LSC, we have further confirmed that Pol δ was recruited to CPD damage sites in all phases of the cell cycle. Collectively, our results show that Pol δ at the DNA damage site is the Pol δ trimer lacking p12 regardless of the cell cycle phase. PMID:22801543

The Complete Chloroplast Genome of Banana (Musa acuminata, Zingiberales): Insight into Plastid Monocotyledon Evolution

PubMed Central

Martin, Guillaume; Baurens, Franc-Christophe; Cardi, Céline; Aury, Jean-Marc; D’Hont, Angélique

2013-01-01

Background Banana (genus Musa) is a crop of major economic importance worldwide. It is a monocotyledonous member of the Zingiberales, a sister group of the widely studied Poales. Most cultivated bananas are natural Musa inter-(sub-)specific triploid hybrids. A Musa acuminata reference nuclear genome sequence was recently produced based on sequencing of genomic DNA enriched in nucleus. Methodology/Principal Findings The Musa acuminata chloroplast genome was assembled with chloroplast reads extracted from whole-genome-shotgun sequence data. The Musa chloroplast genome is a circular molecule of 169,972 bp with a quadripartite structure containing two single copy regions, a Large Single Copy region (LSC, 88,338 bp) and a Small Single Copy region (SSC, 10,768 bp) separated by Inverted Repeat regions (IRs, 35,433 bp). Two forms of the chloroplast genome relative to the orientation of SSC versus LSC were found. The Musa chloroplast genome shows an extreme IR expansion at the IR/SSC boundary relative to the most common structures found in angiosperms. This expansion consists of the integration of three additional complete genes (rps15, ndhH and ycf1) and part of the ndhA gene. No such expansion has been observed in monocots so far. Simple Sequence Repeats were identified in the Musa chloroplast genome and a new set of Musa chloroplastic markers was designed. Conclusion The complete sequence of M. acuminata ssp malaccensis chloroplast we reported here is the first one for the Zingiberales order. As such it provides new insight in the evolution of the chloroplast of monocotyledons. In particular, it reinforces that IR/SSC expansion has occurred independently several times within monocotyledons. The discovery of new polymorphic markers within Musa chloroplast opens new perspectives to better understand the origin of cultivated triploid bananas. PMID:23840670

The complete chloroplast genome of banana (Musa acuminata, Zingiberales): insight into plastid monocotyledon evolution.

PubMed

Martin, Guillaume; Baurens, Franc-Christophe; Cardi, Céline; Aury, Jean-Marc; D'Hont, Angélique

2013-01-01

Banana (genus Musa) is a crop of major economic importance worldwide. It is a monocotyledonous member of the Zingiberales, a sister group of the widely studied Poales. Most cultivated bananas are natural Musa inter-(sub-)specific triploid hybrids. A Musa acuminata reference nuclear genome sequence was recently produced based on sequencing of genomic DNA enriched in nucleus. The Musa acuminata chloroplast genome was assembled with chloroplast reads extracted from whole-genome-shotgun sequence data. The Musa chloroplast genome is a circular molecule of 169,972 bp with a quadripartite structure containing two single copy regions, a Large Single Copy region (LSC, 88,338 bp) and a Small Single Copy region (SSC, 10,768 bp) separated by Inverted Repeat regions (IRs, 35,433 bp). Two forms of the chloroplast genome relative to the orientation of SSC versus LSC were found. The Musa chloroplast genome shows an extreme IR expansion at the IR/SSC boundary relative to the most common structures found in angiosperms. This expansion consists of the integration of three additional complete genes (rps15, ndhH and ycf1) and part of the ndhA gene. No such expansion has been observed in monocots so far. Simple Sequence Repeats were identified in the Musa chloroplast genome and a new set of Musa chloroplastic markers was designed. The complete sequence of M. acuminata ssp malaccensis chloroplast we reported here is the first one for the Zingiberales order. As such it provides new insight in the evolution of the chloroplast of monocotyledons. In particular, it reinforces that IR/SSC expansion has occurred independently several times within monocotyledons. The discovery of new polymorphic markers within Musa chloroplast opens new perspectives to better understand the origin of cultivated triploid bananas.

Complete Chloroplast Genome Sequences of Important Oilseed Crop Sesamum indicum L

PubMed Central

Yi, Dong-Keun; Kim, Ki-Joong

2012-01-01

Sesamum indicum is an important crop plant species for yielding oil. The complete chloroplast (cp) genome of S. indicum (GenBank acc no. JN637766) is 153,324 bp in length, and has a pair of inverted repeat (IR) regions consisting of 25,141 bp each. The lengths of the large single copy (LSC) and the small single copy (SSC) regions are 85,170 bp and 17,872 bp, respectively. Comparative cp DNA sequence analyses of S. indicum with other cp genomes reveal that the genome structure, gene order, gene and intron contents, AT contents, codon usage, and transcription units are similar to the typical angiosperm cp genomes. Nucleotide diversity of the IR region between Sesamum and three other cp genomes is much lower than that of the LSC and SSC regions in both the coding region and noncoding region. As a summary, the regional constraints strongly affect the sequence evolution of the cp genomes, while the functional constraints weakly affect the sequence evolution of cp genomes. Five short inversions associated with short palindromic sequences that form step-loop structures were observed in the chloroplast genome of S. indicum. Twenty-eight different simple sequence repeat loci have been detected in the chloroplast genome of S. indicum. Almost all of the SSR loci were composed of A or T, so this may also contribute to the A-T richness of the cp genome of S. indicum. Seven large repeated loci in the chloroplast genome of S. indicum were also identified and these loci are useful to developing S. indicum-specific cp genome vectors. The complete cp DNA sequences of S. indicum reported in this paper are prerequisite to modifying this important oilseed crop by cp genetic engineering techniques. PMID:22606240

Topographic Map of Pathfinder Landing Site

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

Topographic map of the landing site, to a distance of 60 meters from the lander in the LSC coordinate system. The lander is shown schematically in the center; 2.5 meter radius circle (black) centered on the camera was not mapped. Gentle relief [root mean square (rms) elevation variation 0.5 m; rms a directional slope 4O] and organization of topography into northwest and northeast-trending ridges about 20 meters apart are apparent. Roughly 30% of the illustrated area is hidden from the camera behind these ridges. Contours (0.2 m interval) and color coding of elevations were generated from a digital terrain model, which was interpolated by kriging from approximately 700 measured points. Angular and parallax point coordinates were measured manually on a large (5 m length) anaglyphic uncontrolled mosaic and used to calculate Cartesian (LSC) coordinates. Errors in azimuth on the order of 10 are therefore likely; elevation errors were minimized by referencing elevations to the local horizon. The uncertainty in range measurements increases quadratically with range. Given a measurement error of 1/2 pixel, the expected precision in range is 0.3 meter at 10 meter range, and 10 meters at 60 meter range. Repeated measurements were made, compared, and edited for consistency to improve the range precision. Systematic errors undoubtedly remain and will be corrected in future maps compiled digitally from geometrically controlled images. Cartographic processing by U.S. Geological Survey.

NOTE: original caption as published in Science Magazine

Mars Pathfinder is the second in NASA's Discovery program of low-cost spacecraft with highly focused science goals. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, developed and manages the Mars Pathfinder mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech).

Bole girdling affects metabolic properties and root, trunk and branch hydraulics of young ponderosa pine trees.

PubMed

Domec, Jean-Christophe; Pruyn, Michele L

2008-10-01

Effects of trunk girdling on seasonal patterns of xylem water status, water transport and woody tissue metabolic properties were investigated in ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex P. Laws.) trees. At the onset of summer, there was a sharp decrease in stomatal conductance (g(s)) in girdled trees followed by a full recovery after the first major rainfall in September. Eliminating the root as a carbohydrate sink by girdling induced a rapid reversible reduction in g(s). Respiratory potential (a laboratory measure of tissue-level respiration) increased above the girdle (branches and upper trunk) and decreased below the girdle (lower trunk and roots) relative to control trees during the growing season, but the effect was reversed after the first major rainfall. The increase in branch respiratory potential induced by girdling suggests that the decrease in g(s) was caused by the accumulation of carbohydrates above the girdle, which is consistent with an observed increase in leaf mass per area in the girdled trees. Trunk girdling did not affect native xylem embolism or xylem conductivity. Both treated and control trunks experienced loss of xylem conductivity ranging from 10% in spring to 30% in summer. Girdling reduced xylem growth and sapwood to leaf area ratio, which in turn reduced branch leaf specific conductivity (LSC). The girdling-induced reductions in g(s) and transpiration were associated with a decrease in leaf hydraulic conductance. Two years after girdling, when root-to-shoot phloem continuity had been restored, girdled trees had a reduced density of new wood, which increased xylem conductivity and whole-tree LSC, but also vulnerability to embolism.

45 CFR 1640.4 - Violation of agreement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... OF FEDERAL LAW TO LSC RECIPIENTS § 1640.4 Violation of agreement. (a) A violation of the agreement... negligence allowed the employee or board member to engage in the activities which led to the conviction or...

NHEXAS PHASE I ARIZONA STUDY--STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE FOR FORM QA/QC CHECKS (UA-C-2.0)

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of this SOP is to outline the process of Field Quality Assurance and Quality Control checks. This procedure was followed to ensure consistent data retrieval during the Arizona NHEXAS project and the "Border" study. Keywords: custody; QA/QC; field checks.

The Nation...

78 FR 25483 - Notice of Proposed Revisions for the LSC Grant Assurances for Calendar Year 2014 Funding

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-01

.../sites/default/files/Grants/ReferenceMaterials/2014-GrantAssurances-Proposed.pdf . DATES: All comments...-GrantAssurances-Proposed.pdf . Interested parties are requested to provide comments concerning the...

76 FR 56482 - Sunshine Act Meeting of the Operations & Regulations Committee of the LSC Board of Directors

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-13

... and Congress statutory changes concerning replacement of decennial census poverty data in the... poverty data, phasing in the first redistribution over two years, and redistributing funds triennially...

Searching for Correlated Radio Transients & Gravitational Wave Bursts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kavic, Michael; Shawhan, P. S.; Yancey, C.; Cutchin, S.; Simonetti, J. H.; Bear, B.; Tsai, J.

2013-01-01

We will discuss an ongoing multi-messenger search for transient radio pulses and gravitational wave bursts. This work is being conducted jointly by the Long Wavelength Array (LWA) and the LIGO Scientific Collaboration (LSC). A variety of astrophysical sources can produce simultaneous emission of gravitational waves and coherent low-frequency electromagnetic radiation. The primary common source motivating this work is the merger of neutron star binaries for which the LWA and LSC instruments have comparable sensitivity. Additional common sources include supernovae, long timescale GRBs and cosmic string cusp events. Data taken by both instruments can be compared to search for correlated signals. Identification of correlated signals can be used to increase the sensitivity of both instruments. We will summarize the coincident observations which have already been conducted and outline plans for future work. We will describe the process being used for synthesizing these data set and present preliminary results.

Preparation of paper scintillator for detecting 3H contaminant.

PubMed

Miyoshi, Hirokazu; Ikeda, Toshiji

2013-09-01

Liquid scintillator (LS)-encapsulated silica was prepared by the sol-gel method and then was added dropwise onto a wipe paper to form a paper scintillator. First, the efficiencies of wipe were determined for both the paper scintillator and the wipe paper using a liquid scintillation counter (LSC). The efficiencies of wipe using the paper scintillator and the wipe paper were 88 and 36 %, respectively. The detection efficiencies were 5.5 % for the paper scintillator, 46 % for the wipe paper using an LS and 0.08 % for the (3)H/(14)C survey meter, respectively, compared with that of a melt-on scintillator of 47 %. Second, an (3)H contaminant on the paper scintillator was successfully detected using a photomultiplier without an LSC or an (3)H/(14)C survey meter. Finally, the paper scintillator was able to detect beta rays of the (3)H contaminant easily without an LS.

Characterization of UV fluorophores for application to luminescent solar concentrators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hellier, Kaitlin; Carter, Sue

The implementation of solar as an alternative energy source faces many challenges, including the competition for space with agriculture and the environmental impacts of solar farms in deserts. As a solution to these problems, the Carter Lab has developed Luminescent Solar Concentrator (LSC) panels for applications to greenhouses. These panels utilize a luminescent dye compatible with the spectrum used in photosynthesis for the plants below and front-facing PV cells, achieving power enhancement of greater than 20% compared with the cells alone. To increase this enhancement, additional portions of the unused spectrum must be harvested. In this talk, we will discuss the characterization of UV absorbing fluorophores, including spectra, quantum yield, and the enhancement of light output and power generation. We will also address the combination of these UV dyes with the original LSC dye in low and high concentration, and the FRET efficiency and potential applications associated with high concentration films.

The Lunar Sample Compendium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meyer, Charles

2009-01-01

The Lunar Sample Compendium is a succinct summary of the data obtained from 40 years of study of Apollo and Luna samples of the Moon. Basic petrographic, chemical and age information is compiled, sample-by-sample, in the form of an advanced catalog in order to provide a basic description of each sample. The LSC can be found online using Google. The initial allocation of lunar samples was done sparingly, because it was realized that scientific techniques would improve over the years and new questions would be formulated. The LSC is important because it enables scientists to select samples within the context of the work that has already been done and facilitates better review of proposed allocations. It also provides back up material for public displays, captures information found only in abstracts, grey literature and curatorial databases and serves as a ready access to the now-vast scientific literature.

Software tool for physics chart checks.

PubMed

Li, H Harold; Wu, Yu; Yang, Deshan; Mutic, Sasa

2014-01-01

Physics chart check has long been a central quality assurance (QC) measure in radiation oncology. The purpose of this work is to describe a software tool that aims to accomplish simplification, standardization, automation, and forced functions in the process. Nationally recognized guidelines, including American College of Radiology and American Society for Radiation Oncology guidelines and technical standards, and the American Association of Physicists in Medicine Task Group reports were identified, studied, and summarized. Meanwhile, the reported events related to physics chart check service were analyzed using an event reporting and learning system. A number of shortfalls in the chart check process were identified. To address these problems, a software tool was designed and developed under Microsoft. Net in C# to hardwire as many components as possible at each stage of the process. The software consists of the following 4 independent modules: (1) chart check management; (2) pretreatment and during treatment chart check assistant; (3) posttreatment chart check assistant; and (4) quarterly peer-review management. The users were a large group of physicists in the author's radiation oncology clinic. During over 1 year of use the tool has proven very helpful in chart checking management, communication, documentation, and maintaining consistency. The software tool presented in this work aims to assist physicists at each stage of the physics chart check process. The software tool is potentially useful for any radiation oncology clinics that are either in the process of pursuing or maintaining the American College of Radiology accreditation.

RELAP5 Analyses of OECD/NEA ROSA-2 Project Experiments on Intermediate-Break LOCAs at Hot Leg or Cold Leg

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takeda, Takeshi; Maruyama, Yu; Watanabe, Tadashi; Nakamura, Hideo

Experiments simulating PWR intermediate-break loss-of-coolant accidents (IBLOCAs) with 17% break at hot leg or cold leg were conducted in OECD/NEA ROSA-2 Project using the Large Scale Test Facility (LSTF). In the hot leg IBLOCA test, core uncovery started simultaneously with liquid level drop in crossover leg downflow-side before loop seal clearing (LSC) induced by steam condensation on accumulator coolant injected into cold leg. Water remained on upper core plate in upper plenum due to counter-current flow limiting (CCFL) because of significant upward steam flow from the core. In the cold leg IBLOCA test, core dryout took place due to rapid liquid level drop in the core before LSC. Liquid was accumulated in upper plenum, steam generator (SG) U-tube upflow-side and SG inlet plenum before the LSC due to CCFL by high velocity vapor flow, causing enhanced decrease in the core liquid level. The RELAP5/MOD3.2.1.2 post-test analyses of the two LSTF experiments were performed employing critical flow model in the code with a discharge coefficient of 1.0. In the hot leg IBLOCA case, cladding surface temperature of simulated fuel rods was underpredicted due to overprediction of core liquid level after the core uncovery. In the cold leg IBLOCA case, the cladding surface temperature was underpredicted too due to later core uncovery than in the experiment. These may suggest that the code has remaining problems in proper prediction of primary coolant distribution.

Bioanalysis works in the IAA AMS facility: Comparison of AMS analytical method with LSC method in human mass balance study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miyaoka, Teiji; Isono, Yoshimi; Setani, Kaoru; Sakai, Kumiko; Yamada, Ichimaro; Sato, Yoshiaki; Gunji, Shinobu; Matsui, Takao

2007-06-01

Institute of Accelerator Analysis Ltd. (IAA) is the first Contract Research Organization in Japan providing Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) analysis services for carbon dating and bioanalysis works. The 3 MV AMS machines are maintained by validated analysis methods using multiple control compounds. It is confirmed that these AMS systems have reliabilities and sensitivities enough for each objective. The graphitization of samples for bioanalysis is prepared by our own purification lines including the measurement of total carbon content in the sample automatically. In this paper, we present the use of AMS analysis in human mass balance and metabolism profiling studies with IAA 3 MV AMS, comparing results obtained from the same samples with liquid scintillation counting (LSC). Human samples such as plasma, urine and feces were obtained from four healthy volunteers orally administered a 14C-labeled drug Y-700, a novel xanthine oxidase inhibitor, of which radioactivity was about 3 MBq (85 μCi). For AMS measurement, these samples were diluted 100-10,000-fold with pure-water or blank samples. The results indicated that AMS method had a good correlation with LSC method (e.g. plasma: r = 0.998, urine: r = 0.997, feces: r = 0.997), and that the drug recovery in the excreta exceeded 92%. The metabolite profiles of plasma, urine and feces obtained with HPLC-AMS corresponded to radio-HPLC results measured at much higher radioactivity level. These results revealed that AMS analysis at IAA is useful to measure 14C-concentration in bioanalysis studies at very low radioactivity level.

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

Stuart Adler; L. Dunyushkina; S. Huff

The goal of this project was to develop an improved understanding of factors governing performance and degradation of mixed-conducting SOFC cathodes. Two new diagnostic tools were developed to help achieve this goal: (1) microelectrode half-cells for improved isolation of cathode impedance on thin electrolytes, and (2) nonlinear electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (NLEIS), a variant of traditional impedance that allows workers to probe nonlinear rates as a function of frequency. After reporting on the development and efficacy of these tools, this document reports on the use of these and other tools to better understand performance and degradation of cathodes based on themore » mixed conductor La{sub 1-x}Sr{sub x}CoO{sub 3-{delta}} (LSC) on gadolinia or samaria-doped ceria (GDC or SDC). We describe the use of NLEIS to measure O{sub 2} exchange on thin-film LSC electrodes, and show that O{sub 2} exchange is most likely governed by dissociative adsorption. We also describe parametric studies of porous LSC electrodes using impedance and NLEIS. Our results suggest that O{sub 2} exchange and ion transport co-limit performance under most relevant conditions, but it is O{sub 2} exchange that is most sensitive to processing, and subject to the greatest degradation and sample-to-sample variation. We recommend further work that focuses on electrodes of well-defined or characterized geometry, and probes the details of surface structure, composition, and impurities. Parallel work on primarily electronic conductors (LSM) would also be of benefit to developers, and to improved understanding of surface vs. bulk diffusion.« less

Collagen degradation products and proinflammatory cytokines in systemic and localized scleroderma.

PubMed

Becvár, R; Hulejová, H; Braun, M; Stork, J

2007-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess the degradation of collagen type I and proinflammatory cytokines in systemic and localized scleroderma compared with psoriasis and healthy controls. Total 99 individuals were examined - 24 with SSc, 22 with LSc, 39 patients with PsV and 14 healthy controls. U-PD and U-DPD were measured using a sensitive isocratic HPLC method. Serum levels of IL-6 and soluble IL-2R were assayed using commercial ELISA kits. In the SSc group U-PD and U-DPD levels (nmol/mmol creatinine) were increased compared with controls (P = 0.001) and with PsV (P = 0.006). IL-6 levels were increased compared with controls (P = 0.004) and with PsV (P = 0.002). IL-2R concentrations were insignificantly increased in comparison with controls and were lower than in PsV, but the difference was not significant. In the LSc group excretion of U-PD and U-DPD did not differ from controls, but was insignificantly decreased compared with PsV. IL-6 levels were increased compared with controls (P = 0.001) and also with PsV (P = 0.03). IL-2R concentrations were significantly increased in comparison with controls only (P = 0.03). In patients with SSc our data have shown the most intensive collagen degradation and simultaneously an active inflammation, as documented by IL-6, which reflects the pathological processes in the skin and visceral organs compared with PsV patients and healthy individuals. In the LSc group collagen degradation was similar to that in control groups, but a certain inflammatory activity was observed.

Bacterial versus fungal laccase: potential for micropollutant degradation

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Relatively high concentrations of micropollutants in municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents underscore the necessity to develop additional treatment steps prior to discharge of treated wastewater. Microorganisms that produce unspecific oxidative enzymes such as laccases are a potential means to improve biodegradation of these compounds. Four strains of the bacterial genus Streptomyces (S. cyaneus, S. ipomoea, S. griseus and S. psammoticus) and the white-rot fungus Trametes versicolor were studied for their ability to produce active extracellular laccase in biologically treated wastewater with different carbon sources. Among the Streptomyces strains evaluated, only S. cyaneus produced extracellular laccase with sufficient activity to envisage its potential use in WWTPs. Laccase activity produced by T. versicolor was more than 20 times greater, the highest activity being observed with ash branches as the sole carbon source. The laccase preparation of S. cyaneus (abbreviated LSc) and commercial laccase from T. versicolor (LTv) were further compared in terms of their activity at different pH and temperatures, their stability, their substrate range, and their micropollutant oxidation efficiency. LSc and LTv showed highest activities under acidic conditions (around pH 3 to 5), but LTv was active over wider pH and temperature ranges than LSc, especially at near-neutral pH and between 10 and 25°C (typical conditions found in WWTPs). LTv was also less affected by pH inactivation. Both laccase preparations oxidized the three micropollutants tested, bisphenol A, diclofenac and mefenamic acid, with faster degradation kinetics observed for LTv. Overall, T. versicolor appeared to be the better candidate to remove micropollutants from wastewater in a dedicated post-treatment step. PMID:24152339

A Newton-Raphson Method Approach to Adjusting Multi-Source Solar Simulators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Snyder, David B.; Wolford, David S.

2012-01-01

NASA Glenn Research Center has been using an in house designed X25 based multi-source solar simulator since 2003. The simulator is set up for triple junction solar cells prior to measurements b y adjusting the three sources to produce the correct short circuit current, lsc, in each of three AM0 calibrated sub-cells. The past practice has been to adjust one source on one sub-cell at a time, iterating until all the sub-cells have the calibrated Isc. The new approach is to create a matrix of measured lsc for small source changes on each sub-cell. A matrix, A, is produced. This is normalized to unit changes in the sources so that Ax(delta)s = (delta)isc. This matrix can now be inverted and used with the known Isc differences from the AM0 calibrated values to indicate changes in the source settings, (delta)s = A ·'x.(delta)isc This approach is still an iterative one, but all sources are changed during each iteration step. It typically takes four to six steps to converge on the calibrated lsc values. Even though the source lamps may degrade over time, the initial matrix evaluation i s not performed each time, since measurement matrix needs to be only approximate. Because an iterative approach is used the method will still continue to be valid. This method may become more important as state-of-the-art solar cell junction responses overlap the sources of the simulator. Also, as the number of cell junctions and sources increase, this method should remain applicable.

The First Complete Chloroplast Genome Sequences in Actinidiaceae: Genome Structure and Comparative Analysis.

PubMed

Yao, Xiaohong; Tang, Ping; Li, Zuozhou; Li, Dawei; Liu, Yifei; Huang, Hongwen

2015-01-01

Actinidia chinensis is an important economic plant belonging to the basal lineage of the asterids. Availability of a complete Actinidia chloroplast genome sequence is crucial to understanding phylogenetic relationships among major lineages of angiosperms and facilitates kiwifruit genetic improvement. We report here the complete nucleotide sequences of the chloroplast genomes for Actinidia chinensis and A. chinensis var deliciosa obtained through de novo assembly of Illumina paired-end reads produced by total DNA sequencing. The total genome size ranges from 155,446 to 157,557 bp, with an inverted repeat (IR) of 24,013 to 24,391 bp, a large single copy region (LSC) of 87,984 to 88,337 bp and a small single copy region (SSC) of 20,332 to 20,336 bp. The genome encodes 113 different genes, including 79 unique protein-coding genes, 30 tRNA genes and 4 ribosomal RNA genes, with 16 duplicated in the inverted repeats, and a tRNA gene (trnfM-CAU) duplicated once in the LSC region. Comparisons of IR boundaries among four asterid species showed that IR/LSC borders were extended into the 5' portion of the psbA gene and IR contraction occurred in Actinidia. The clap gene has been lost from the chloroplast genome in Actinidia, and may have been transferred to the nucleus during chloroplast evolution. Twenty-seven polymorphic simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci were identified in the Actinidia chloroplast genome. Maximum parsimony analyses of a 72-gene, 16 taxa angiosperm dataset strongly support the placement of Actinidiaceae in Ericales within the basal asterids.

75 FR 54388 - Sunshine Act Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-07

... LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION Sunshine Act Meeting Time and Date: The Legal Services Corporation Board of Directors' Search Committee for LSC President (``Search Committee'' or ``Committee'') will meet... conclusion of the Committee's agenda. Location: Legal Services Corporation, 3333 K Street, NW., Washington...

78 FR 27339 - Private Attorney Involvement

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-10

... LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION 45 CFR Part 1614 Private Attorney Involvement AGENCY: Legal Services... in the rulemaking workshops. SUMMARY: The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) is conducting two... to Mark Freedman, Senior Assistant General Counsel, Legal Services Corporation, 3333 K St NW...

Net aboveground biomass declines of four major forest types with forest ageing and climate change in western Canada's boreal forests.

PubMed

Chen, Han Y H; Luo, Yong

2015-10-01

Biomass change of the world's forests is critical to the global carbon cycle. Despite storing nearly half of global forest carbon, the boreal biome of diverse forest types and ages is a poorly understood component of the carbon cycle. Using data from 871 permanent plots in the western boreal forest of Canada, we examined net annual aboveground biomass change (ΔAGB) of four major forest types between 1958 and 2011. We found that ΔAGB was higher for deciduous broadleaf (DEC) (1.44 Mg ha(-1)  year(-1) , 95% Bayesian confidence interval (CI), 1.22-1.68) and early-successional coniferous forests (ESC) (1.42, CI, 1.30-1.56) than mixed forests (MIX) (0.80, CI, 0.50-1.11) and late-successional coniferous (LSC) forests (0.62, CI, 0.39-0.88). ΔAGB declined with forest age as well as calendar year. After accounting for the effects of forest age, ΔAGB declined by 0.035, 0.021, 0.032 and 0.069 Mg ha(-1)  year(-1) per calendar year in DEC, ESC, MIX and LSC forests, respectively. The ΔAGB declines resulted from increased tree mortality and reduced growth in all forest types except DEC, in which a large biomass loss from mortality was accompanied with a small increase in growth. With every degree of annual temperature increase, ΔAGB decreased by 1.00, 0.20, 0.55 and 1.07 Mg ha(-1)  year(-1) in DEC, ESC, MIX and LSC forests, respectively. With every cm decrease of annual climatic moisture availability, ΔAGB decreased 0.030, 0.045 and 0.17 Mg ha(-1)  year(-1) in ESC, MIX and LSC forests, but changed little in DEC forests. Our results suggest that persistent warming and decreasing water availability have profound negative effects on forest biomass in the boreal forests of western Canada. Furthermore, our results indicate that forest responses to climate change are strongly dependent on forest composition with late-successional coniferous forests being most vulnerable to climate changes in terms of aboveground biomass. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The complete chloroplast DNA sequence of the green alga Oltmannsiellopsis viridis reveals a distinctive quadripartite architecture in the chloroplast genome of early diverging ulvophytes

PubMed Central

Pombert, Jean-François; Lemieux, Claude; Turmel, Monique

2006-01-01

Background The phylum Chlorophyta contains the majority of the green algae and is divided into four classes. The basal position of the Prasinophyceae has been well documented, but the divergence order of the Ulvophyceae, Trebouxiophyceae and Chlorophyceae is currently debated. The four complete chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) sequences presently available for representatives of these classes have revealed extensive variability in overall structure, gene content, intron composition and gene order. The chloroplast genome of Pseudendoclonium (Ulvophyceae), in particular, is characterized by an atypical quadripartite architecture that deviates from the ancestral type by a large inverted repeat (IR) featuring an inverted rRNA operon and a small single-copy (SSC) region containing 14 genes normally found in the large single-copy (LSC) region. To gain insights into the nature of the events that led to the reorganization of the chloroplast genome in the Ulvophyceae, we have determined the complete cpDNA sequence of Oltmannsiellopsis viridis, a representative of a distinct, early diverging lineage. Results The 151,933 bp IR-containing genome of Oltmannsiellopsis differs considerably from Pseudendoclonium and other chlorophyte cpDNAs in intron content and gene order, but shares close similarities with its ulvophyte homologue at the levels of quadripartite architecture, gene content and gene density. Oltmannsiellopsis cpDNA encodes 105 genes, contains five group I introns, and features many short dispersed repeats. As in Pseudendoclonium cpDNA, the rRNA genes in the IR are transcribed toward the single copy region featuring the genes typically found in the ancestral LSC region, and the opposite single copy region harbours genes characteristic of both the ancestral SSC and LSC regions. The 52 genes that were transferred from the ancestral LSC to SSC region include 12 of those observed in Pseudendoclonium cpDNA. Surprisingly, the overall gene organization of Oltmannsiellopsis cpDNA more closely resembles that of Chlorella (Trebouxiophyceae) cpDNA. Conclusion The chloroplast genome of the last common ancestor of Oltmannsiellopsis and Pseudendoclonium contained a minimum of 108 genes, carried only a few group I introns, and featured a distinctive quadripartite architecture. Numerous changes were experienced by the chloroplast genome in the lineages leading to Oltmannsiellopsis and Pseudendoclonium. Our comparative analyses of chlorophyte cpDNAs support the notion that the Ulvophyceae is sister to the Chlorophyceae. PMID:16472375

Furry pet allergens, fungal DNA and microbial volatile organic compounds (MVOCs) in the commercial aircraft cabin environment.

PubMed

Fu, Xi; Lindgren, Torsten; Guo, Moran; Cai, Gui-Hong; Lundgren, Håkan; Norbäck, Dan

2013-06-01

There has been concern about the cabin environment in commercial aircraft. We measured cat, dog and horse allergens and fungal DNA in cabin dust and microbial volatile organic compounds (MVOCs) in cabin air. Samples were collected from two European airline companies, one with cabins having textile seats (TSC) and the other with cabins having leather seats (LSC), 9 airplanes from each company. Dust was vacuumed from seats and floors in the flight deck and different parts of the cabin. Cat (Fel d1), dog (Can f1) and horse allergens (Equ cx) were analyzed by ELISA. Five sequences of fungal DNA were analyzed by quantitative PCR. MVOCs were sampled on charcoal tubes in 42 TSC flights, and 17 compounds were analyzed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) with selective ion monitoring (SIM). MVOC levels were compared with levels in homes from Nordic countries. The weight of dust was 1.8 times larger in TSC cabins as compared to LSC cabins (p < 0.001). In cabins with textile seats, the geometric mean (GM) concentrations of Fel d1, Can f1 and Equ cx were 5359 ng g(-1), 6067 ng g(-1), and 13 703 ng g(-1) (GM) respectively. Levels of Fel d1, Can f1 and Equ cx were 50 times, 27 times and 75 times higher respectively, in TSC cabins as compared to LSC cabins (p < 0.001). GM levels of Aspergillus/Penicillium DNA, Aspergillus versicolor DNA, Stachybotrys chartarum DNA and Streptomyces DNA were all higher in TSC as compared to LSC (p < 0.05). The sum of MVOCs in cabin air (excluding butanols) was 3192 ng m(-3) (GM), 3.7 times higher than in homes (p < 0.001) and 2-methyl-1-butanol and 3-methyl-1-butanol concentrations were 15-17 times higher as compared to homes (p < 0.001). Concentrations of isobutanol, 1-butanol, dimethyldisulfide, 2-hexanone, 2-heptanone, 3-octanone, isobutyl acetate and ethyl-2-methylbutyrate were lower in cabin air as compared to homes (p < 0.05). In conclusion, textile seats are much more contaminated by pet allergens and fungal DNA than leather seats. The use of seats with smooth surfaces should be encouraged. The MVOC levels differed between cabin air and homes.

U.S.-MEXICO BORDER PROGRAM ARIZONA BORDER STUDY--STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE FOR FORM QA AND QC CHECKS (UA-C-2.0)

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of this SOP is to outline the process of field quality assurance and quality control checks. This procedure was followed to ensure consistent data retrieval during the Arizona NHEXAS project and the Border study. Keywords: custody; QA/QC; field checks.

The U.S.-Mex...

Redesigning Introductory Science Courses to Teach Sustainability: Introducing the L(SC)2 Paradigm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Myers, J. D.; Campbell-Stone, E.; Massey, G.

2008-12-01

Modern societies consume vast quantities of Earth resources at unsustainable levels; at the same time, resource extraction, processing, production, use and disposal have resulted in environmental damage severe enough to threaten the life-support systems of our planet. These threats are produced by multiple, integrative and cumulative environmental stresses, i.e. syndromes, which result from human physical, ecological and social interactions with the environment in specific geographic places. In recent decades, recognition of this growing threat has lead to the concept of sustainability. The science needed to provide the knowledge and know-how for a successful sustainability transition differs markedly from the science that built our modern world. Sustainability science must balanced basic and applied research, promote integrative research focused on specific problems and devise a means of merging fundamental, general scientific principles with understanding of specific places. At the same time, it must use a variety of knowledge areas, i.e. biological systems, Earth systems, technological systems and social systems, to devise solutions to the many complex and difficult problems humankind faces. Clearly, sustainability science is far removed from the discipline-based science taught in most U.S. colleges. Many introductory science courses focus on content, lack context and do not integrate scientific disciplines. To prepare the citizens who will confront future sustainability issues as well as the scientists needed to devise future sustainability strategies, educators and scientists must redesign the typical college science course. A new course paradigm, Literacies and Scientific Content in Social Context (L(SC)2), is ideally suited to teach sustainability science. It offers an alternative approach to liberal science education by redefining and expanding the concept of the interdisciplinary course and merging it with the integrated science course. In addition to promoting scientific literacy, L(SC)2 courses explicitly promote mastery of fundamental quantitative and qualitative skills critical to science and commonly a barrier to student success in science. Scientific content addresses the principles and disciplines necessary to tackle the multifaceted problems that must be solved in any sustainability transition and illustrates the limitations on what can be accomplished. Finally, social context adds the place-based component that is critical to sustainability science while revealing how science impacts students' everyday lives. Experience in addressing realistic, real-life problems fosters the habits of mind necessary to address these problems and instills a sense of social and political efficacy and responsibility. The L(SC)2 course paradigm employs a variety of educational tools (active problem-based learning, collaborative work, peer instruction, interdisciplinarity, and global context-based instruction) that improve lasting comprehension by creating a more effective learning environment. In this paradigm, STEM students learn that although there may be a technically or scientifically optimal solution to a problem, it must be responsive to a society's social, legal, cultural and religious parameters. Conversely, students in non-STEM fields learn that solutions to societal problems must be scientifically valid and technologically feasible. The interaction of STEM and non-STEM students in L(SC)2 courses builds bridges between the natural and social sciences that are critical for a successful sustainability transition and lacking in most traditional science courses.

[Design and implementation of data checking system for Chinese materia medica resources survey].

PubMed

Wang, Hui; Zhang, Xiao-Bo; Ge, Xiao-Guang; Jin, Yan; Jing, Zhi-Xian; Qi, Yuan-Hua; Wang, Ling; Zhao, Yu-Ping; Wang, Wei; Guo, Lan-Ping; Huang, Lu-Qi

2017-11-01

The Chinese material medica resources (CMMR) national survey information management system has collected a large amount of data. To help dealing with data recheck, reduce the work of inside, improve the recheck of survey data from provincial and county level, National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medical has designed a data checking system for Chinese material medica resources survey based on J2EE technology, Java language, Oracle data base in accordance with the SOA framework. It includes single data check, check score, content manage, check the survey data census data with manual checking and automatic checking about census implementation plan, key research information, general survey information, cultivation of medicinal materials information, germplasm resources information the medicine information, market research information, traditional knowledge information, specimen information of this 9 aspects 20 class 175 indicators in two aspects of the quantity and quality. The established system assists in the completion of the data consistency and accuracy, pushes the county survey team timely to complete the data entry arrangement work, so as to improve the integrity, consistency and accuracy of the survey data, and ensure effective and available data, which lay a foundation for providing accurate data support for national survey of the Chinese material medica resources (CMMR) results summary, and displaying results and sharing. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

78 FR 51750 - Sunshine Act Meeting; Cancellation-Institutional Advancement Committee

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-21

... LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION Sunshine Act Meeting; Cancellation--Institutional Advancement Committee On August 8, 2013, the Legal Services Corporation (``LSC'' or ``Corporation'') issued a public announcement that the Institutional Advancement Committee will meet telephonically on August 20, 2013, at 4 p.m...

45 CFR 1621.1 - Purpose.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION CLIENT GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES... assistance to clients as required by the LSC Act and are accountable to clients and applicants for legal... about the denial of legal assistance and clients about the manner or quality of legal assistance...

Analysis of the Complete Chloroplast Genome of a Medicinal Plant, Dianthus superbus var. longicalyncinus, from a Comparative Genomics Perspective.

PubMed

Raman, Gurusamy; Park, SeonJoo

2015-01-01

Dianthus superbus var. longicalycinus is an economically important traditional Chinese medicinal plant that is also used for ornamental purposes. In this study, D. superbus was compared to its closely related family of Caryophyllaceae chloroplast (cp) genomes such as Lychnis chalcedonica and Spinacia oleracea. D. superbus had the longest large single copy (LSC) region (82,805 bp), with some variations in the inverted repeat region A (IRA)/LSC regions. The IRs underwent both expansion and constriction during evolution of the Caryophyllaceae family; however, intense variations were not identified. The pseudogene ribosomal protein subunit S19 (rps19) was identified at the IRA/LSC junction, but was not present in the cp genome of other Caryophyllaceae family members. The translation initiation factor IF-1 (infA) and ribosomal protein subunit L23 (rpl23) genes were absent from the Dianthus cp genome. When the cp genome of Dianthus was compared with 31 other angiosperm lineages, the infA gene was found to have been lost in most members of rosids, solanales of asterids and Lychnis of Caryophyllales, whereas rpl23 gene loss or pseudogization had occurred exclusively in Caryophyllales. Nevertheless, the cp genome of Dianthus and Spinacia has two introns in the proteolytic subunit of ATP-dependent protease (clpP) gene, but Lychnis has lost introns from the clpP gene. Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis of individual protein-coding genes infA and rpl23 revealed that gene loss or pseudogenization occurred independently in the cp genome of Dianthus. Molecular phylogenetic analysis also demonstrated a sister relationship between Dianthus and Lychnis based on 78 protein-coding sequences. The results presented herein will contribute to studies of the evolution, molecular biology and genetic engineering of the medicinal and ornamental plant, D. superbus var. longicalycinus.

Analysis of the Complete Chloroplast Genome of a Medicinal Plant, Dianthus superbus var. longicalyncinus, from a Comparative Genomics Perspective

PubMed Central

Raman, Gurusamy; Park, SeonJoo

2015-01-01

Dianthus superbus var. longicalycinus is an economically important traditional Chinese medicinal plant that is also used for ornamental purposes. In this study, D. superbus was compared to its closely related family of Caryophyllaceae chloroplast (cp) genomes such as Lychnis chalcedonica and Spinacia oleracea. D. superbus had the longest large single copy (LSC) region (82,805 bp), with some variations in the inverted repeat region A (IRA)/LSC regions. The IRs underwent both expansion and constriction during evolution of the Caryophyllaceae family; however, intense variations were not identified. The pseudogene ribosomal protein subunit S19 (rps19) was identified at the IRA/LSC junction, but was not present in the cp genome of other Caryophyllaceae family members. The translation initiation factor IF-1 (infA) and ribosomal protein subunit L23 (rpl23) genes were absent from the Dianthus cp genome. When the cp genome of Dianthus was compared with 31 other angiosperm lineages, the infA gene was found to have been lost in most members of rosids, solanales of asterids and Lychnis of Caryophyllales, whereas rpl23 gene loss or pseudogization had occurred exclusively in Caryophyllales. Nevertheless, the cp genome of Dianthus and Spinacia has two introns in the proteolytic subunit of ATP-dependent protease (clpP) gene, but Lychnis has lost introns from the clpP gene. Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis of individual protein-coding genes infA and rpl23 revealed that gene loss or pseudogenization occurred independently in the cp genome of Dianthus. Molecular phylogenetic analysis also demonstrated a sister relationship between Dianthus and Lychnis based on 78 protein-coding sequences. The results presented herein will contribute to studies of the evolution, molecular biology and genetic engineering of the medicinal and ornamental plant, D. superbus var. longicalycinus. PMID:26513163

Precision of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry of the knee and heel: methodology and implications for research to reduce bone mineral loss after spinal cord injury.

PubMed

Peppler, W T; Kim, W J; Ethans, K; Cowley, K C

2017-05-01

Methodological validation of dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA)-based measures of leg bone mineral density (BMD) based on the guidelines of the International Society for Clinical Densitometry. The primary objective of this study was to determine the precision of BMD estimates at the knee and heel using the manufacturer provided DXA acquisition algorithm. The secondary objective was to determine the smallest change in DXA-based measurement of BMD that should be surpassed (least significant change (LSC)) before suggesting that a biological change has occurred in the distal femur, proximal tibia and calcaneus. Academic Research Centre, Canada. Ten people with motor-complete SCI of at least 2 years duration and 10 people from the general population volunteered to have four DXA-based measurements taken of their femur, tibia and calcaneus. BMDs for seven regions of interest (RIs) were calculated, as were short-term precision (root-mean-square (RMS) standard deviation (g cm -2 ), RMS-coefficient of variation (RMS-CV, %)) and LSC. Overall, RMS-CV values were similar between SCI (3.63-10.20%, mean=5.3%) and able-bodied (1.85-5.73%, mean=4%) cohorts, despite lower absolute BMD values at each RIs in those with SCI (35%, heel to 54%, knee; P<0.0001). Precision was highest at the calcaneus and lowest at the femur. Except at the femur, RMS-CV values were under 6%. For DXA-based estimates of BMD at the distal femur, proximal tibia and calcaneus, these precision values suggest that LSC values >10% are needed to detect differences between treated and untreated groups in studies aimed at reducing bone mineral loss after SCI.

Assessment of DNA replication in central nervous system by Laser Scanning Cytometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lenz, Dominik; Mosch, Birgit; Bocsi, Jozsef; Arendt, Thomas; Tárnok, Attila

2004-07-01

μIn neurons of patients with Alzheimers's disease (AD) signs of cell cycle re-entry as well as polyploidy have been reported1, 2, indicating that the entire or a part of the genome of the neurons is duplicated before its death but mitosis is not initiated so that the cellular DNA content remains tetraploid. It was concluded, that this imbalance is the direct cause of the neuronal loss in AD3. Manual counting of polyploidal cells is possible but time consuming and possibly statistically insufficient. The aim of this study was to develop an automated method that detects the neuronal DNA content abnormalities with Laser Scanning Cytometry (LSC).Frozen sections of formalin-fixed brain tissue of AD patients and control subjects were labelled with anti-cyclin B and anti-NeuN antibodies. Immunolabelling was performed using Cy5- and Cy2-conjugated secondary antibodies and biotin streptavidin or tyramid signal amplification. In the end sections of 20m thickness were incubated with propidium iodide (PI) (50μg/ml) and covered on slides. For analysis by the LSC PI was used as trigger. Cells identified as neurons by NeuN expression were analyzed for cyclin B expression. Per specimen data of at least 10,000 neurons were acquired. In the frozen brain sections an automated quantification of the amount of nuclear DNA is possible with LSC. The DNA ploidy as well as the cell cycle distribution can be analyzed. A high number of neurons can be scanned and the duration of measuring is shorter than a manual examination. The amount of DNA is sufficiently represented by the PI fluorescence to be able to distinguish between eu- and polyploid neurons.

Local Sensitivity of Predicted CO 2 Injectivity and Plume Extent to Model Inputs for the FutureGen 2.0 site

DOE PAGES

Zhang, Z. Fred; White, Signe K.; Bonneville, Alain; ...

2014-12-31

Numerical simulations have been used for estimating CO2 injectivity, CO2 plume extent, pressure distribution, and Area of Review (AoR), and for the design of CO2 injection operations and monitoring network for the FutureGen project. The simulation results are affected by uncertainties associated with numerous input parameters, the conceptual model, initial and boundary conditions, and factors related to injection operations. Furthermore, the uncertainties in the simulation results also vary in space and time. The key need is to identify those uncertainties that critically impact the simulation results and quantify their impacts. We introduce an approach to determine the local sensitivity coefficientmore » (LSC), defined as the response of the output in percent, to rank the importance of model inputs on outputs. The uncertainty of an input with higher sensitivity has larger impacts on the output. The LSC is scalable by the error of an input parameter. The composite sensitivity of an output to a subset of inputs can be calculated by summing the individual LSC values. We propose a local sensitivity coefficient method and applied it to the FutureGen 2.0 Site in Morgan County, Illinois, USA, to investigate the sensitivity of input parameters and initial conditions. The conceptual model for the site consists of 31 layers, each of which has a unique set of input parameters. The sensitivity of 11 parameters for each layer and 7 inputs as initial conditions is then investigated. For CO2 injectivity and plume size, about half of the uncertainty is due to only 4 or 5 of the 348 inputs and 3/4 of the uncertainty is due to about 15 of the inputs. The initial conditions and the properties of the injection layer and its neighbour layers contribute to most of the sensitivity. Overall, the simulation outputs are very sensitive to only a small fraction of the inputs. However, the parameters that are important for controlling CO2 injectivity are not the same as those controlling the plume size. The three most sensitive inputs for injectivity were the horizontal permeability of Mt Simon 11 (the injection layer), the initial fracture-pressure gradient, and the residual aqueous saturation of Mt Simon 11, while those for the plume area were the initial salt concentration, the initial pressure, and the initial fracture-pressure gradient. The advantages of requiring only a single set of simulation results, scalability to the proper parameter errors, and easy calculation of the composite sensitivities make this approach very cost-effective for estimating AoR uncertainty and guiding cost-effective site characterization, injection well design, and monitoring network design for CO2 storage projects.« less

78 FR 65933 - Restrictions on Legal Assistance With Respect to Criminal Proceedings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-04

... LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION 45 CFR Part 1613 Restrictions on Legal Assistance With Respect to Criminal Proceedings AGENCY: Legal Services Corporation. ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking. SUMMARY: This proposed rule updates the Legal Services Corporation (LSC or Corporation) regulation on legal...

75 FR 76494 - Sunshine Act Meeting; Notice

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-08

... LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION Sunshine Act Meeting; Notice TIME AND DATE: The Legal Services Corporation Board of Directors' Search Committee for LSC President (``Search Committee'' or ``Committee'') will meet on December 13, 2010. The meeting will begin at 10 a.m. (Eastern Time) and continue until...

75 FR 12802 - Notice of Availability of Calendar Year 2011 Competitive Grant Funds

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2010-03-17

... LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION Notice of Availability of Calendar Year 2011 Competitive Grant Funds AGENCY: Legal Services Corporation. ACTION: Solicitation for Proposals for the Provision of Civil Legal Services. SUMMARY: The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) is the national organization charged with...

75 FR 72842 - Sunshine Act Meeting; Notice

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-26

... LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION Sunshine Act Meeting; Notice Time and Date: The Legal Services Corporation Board of Directors' Search Committee for LSC President (``Search Committee'' or ``Committee'') will meet on November 29, 2010. The meeting will begin at 12 p.m. (Eastern Time) and continue until...

77 FR 19738 - Notice of Availability of Calendar Year 2013 Competitive Grant Funds

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-02

... LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION Notice of Availability of Calendar Year 2013 Competitive Grant Funds AGENCY: Legal Services Corporation. ACTION: Solicitation for proposals for the provision of civil legal services. SUMMARY: The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) is the national organization charged with...

45 CFR 1643.1 - Purpose.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Purpose. 1643.1 Section 1643.1 Public Welfare Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION RESTRICTION ON ASSISTED SUICIDE... any LSC funds for any assisted suicide, euthanasia or mercy killing activities prohibited by this part. ...

45 CFR 1643.1 - Purpose.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Purpose. 1643.1 Section 1643.1 Public Welfare Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION RESTRICTION ON ASSISTED SUICIDE... any LSC funds for any assisted suicide, euthanasia or mercy killing activities prohibited by this part. ...

45 CFR 1643.1 - Purpose.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Purpose. 1643.1 Section 1643.1 Public Welfare Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION RESTRICTION ON ASSISTED SUICIDE... any LSC funds for any assisted suicide, euthanasia or mercy killing activities prohibited by this part. ...

45 CFR 1643.1 - Purpose.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Purpose. 1643.1 Section 1643.1 Public Welfare Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION RESTRICTION ON ASSISTED SUICIDE... any LSC funds for any assisted suicide, euthanasia or mercy killing activities prohibited by this part. ...

45 CFR 1643.1 - Purpose.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Purpose. 1643.1 Section 1643.1 Public Welfare Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION RESTRICTION ON ASSISTED SUICIDE... any LSC funds for any assisted suicide, euthanasia or mercy killing activities prohibited by this part. ...

Hierarchical maintenance of MLL myeloid leukemia stem cells employs a transcriptional program shared with embryonic rather than adult stem cells

PubMed Central

Somervaille, Tim C. P.; Matheny, Christina J.; Spencer, Gary J.; Iwasaki, Masayuki; Rinn, John L.; Witten, Daniela M.; Chang, Howard Y.; Shurtleff, Sheila A.; Downing, James R.; Cleary, Michael L.

2009-01-01

Summary The genetic programs that promote retention of self-renewing leukemia stem cells (LSCs) at the apex of cellular hierarchies in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are not known. In a mouse model of human AML, LSCs exhibit variable frequencies that correlate with the initiating MLL oncogene and are maintained in a self-renewing state by a transcriptional sub-program more akin to that of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) than adult stem cells. The transcription/chromatin regulatory factors Myb, Hmgb3 and Cbx5 are critical components of the program and suffice for Hoxa/Meis-independent immortalization of myeloid progenitors when co-expressed, establishing the cooperative and essential role of an ESC-like LSC maintenance program ancillary to the leukemia initiating MLL/Hox/Meis program. Enriched expression of LSC maintenance and ESC-like program genes in normal myeloid progenitors and poor prognosis human malignancies links the frequency of aberrantly self-renewing progenitor-like cancer stem cells to prognosis in human cancer. PMID:19200802

Coupling socioeconomic and lake systems for sustainability: a conceptual analysis using Lake St. Clair region as a case study.

PubMed

Mavrommati, Georgia; Baustian, Melissa M; Dreelin, Erin A

2014-04-01

Applying sustainability at an operational level requires understanding the linkages between socioeconomic and natural systems. We identified linkages in a case study of the Lake St. Clair (LSC) region, part of the Laurentian Great Lakes system. Our research phases included: (1) investigating and revising existing coupled human and natural systems frameworks to develop a framework for this case study; (2) testing and refining the framework by hosting a 1-day stakeholder workshop and (3) creating a causal loop diagram (CLD) to illustrate the relationships among the systems' key components. With stakeholder assistance, we identified four interrelated pathways that include water use and discharge, land use, tourism and shipping that impact the ecological condition of LSC. The interrelationships between the pathways of water use and tourism are further illustrated by a CLD with several feedback loops. We suggest that this holistic approach can be applied to other case studies and inspire the development of dynamic models capable of informing decision making for sustainability.

Synchrotron X-ray studies of model SOFC cathodes, part II: Porous powder cathodes

DOE PAGES

Chang, Kee-Chul; Ingram, Brian; Ilavsky, Jan; ...

2017-10-28

Infiltrated La 0.6Sr 0.4Co 0.2Fe 0.8O 3-δ (LSCF) sintered porous powder cathodes for solid oxide fuel cells have been investigated by synchrotron ultra-small angle x-ray scattering (USAXS). Here, we demonstrated that atomic layer deposition (ALD) is the method for a uniform coating and liquid-phase infiltration for growing nanoscale particles on the porous LSCF surfaces. The MnO infiltrate, grown by ALD, forms a conformal layer with a uniform thickness throughout the pores evidenced by USAXS thickness fringes. The La 0.6Sr 0.4CoO 3 (LSC) and La 2Zr 2O 7 (LZO) infiltrates, grown by liquid-phase infiltration, were found to form nanoscale particles onmore » the surfaces of LSCF particles resulting in increased surface areas. In conclusion, impedance measurements suggest that the catalytic property of LSC infiltrate, not the increased surface area of LZO, is important for increasing oxygen reduction activities.« less

Synchrotron X-ray studies of model SOFC cathodes, part II: Porous powder cathodes

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

Chang, Kee-Chul; Ingram, Brian; Ilavsky, Jan

Infiltrated La 0.6Sr 0.4Co 0.2Fe 0.8O 3-δ (LSCF) sintered porous powder cathodes for solid oxide fuel cells have been investigated by synchrotron ultra-small angle x-ray scattering (USAXS). Here, we demonstrated that atomic layer deposition (ALD) is the method for a uniform coating and liquid-phase infiltration for growing nanoscale particles on the porous LSCF surfaces. The MnO infiltrate, grown by ALD, forms a conformal layer with a uniform thickness throughout the pores evidenced by USAXS thickness fringes. The La 0.6Sr 0.4CoO 3 (LSC) and La 2Zr 2O 7 (LZO) infiltrates, grown by liquid-phase infiltration, were found to form nanoscale particles onmore » the surfaces of LSCF particles resulting in increased surface areas. In conclusion, impedance measurements suggest that the catalytic property of LSC infiltrate, not the increased surface area of LZO, is important for increasing oxygen reduction activities.« less

AMPK/FIS1-Mediated Mitophagy Is Required for Self-Renewal of Human AML Stem Cells.

PubMed

Pei, Shanshan; Minhajuddin, Mohammad; Adane, Biniam; Khan, Nabilah; Stevens, Brett M; Mack, Stephen C; Lai, Sisi; Rich, Jeremy N; Inguva, Anagha; Shannon, Kevin M; Kim, Hyunmin; Tan, Aik-Choon; Myers, Jason R; Ashton, John M; Neff, Tobias; Pollyea, Daniel A; Smith, Clayton A; Jordan, Craig T

2018-06-06

Leukemia stem cells (LSCs) are thought to drive the genesis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) as well as relapse following chemotherapy. Because of their unique biology, developing effective methods to eradicate LSCs has been a significant challenge. In the present study, we demonstrate that intrinsic overexpression of the mitochondrial dynamics regulator FIS1 mediates mitophagy activity that is essential for primitive AML cells. Depletion of FIS1 attenuates mitophagy and leads to inactivation of GSK3, myeloid differentiation, cell cycle arrest, and a profound loss of LSC self-renewal potential. Further, we report that the central metabolic stress regulator AMPK is also intrinsically activated in LSC populations and is upstream of FIS1. Inhibition of AMPK signaling recapitulates the biological effect of FIS1 loss. These data suggest a model in which LSCs co-opt AMPK/FIS1-mediated mitophagy as a means to maintain stem cell properties that may be otherwise compromised by the stresses induced by oncogenic transformation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Implementation of direct LSC method for diesel samples on the fuel market.

PubMed

Krištof, Romana; Hirsch, Marko; Kožar Logar, Jasmina

2014-11-01

The European Union develops common EU policy and strategy on biofuels and sustainable bio-economy through several documents. The encouragement of biofuel's consumption is therefore the obligation of each EU member state. The situation in Slovenian fuel market is presented and compared with other EU countries in the frame of prescribed values from EU directives. Diesel is the most common fuel for transportation needs in Slovenia. The study was therefore performed on diesel. The sampling net was determined in accordance with the fuel consumption statistics of the country. 75 Sampling points were located on different types of roads. The quantity of bio-component in diesel samples was determined by direct LSC method through measurement of C-14 content. The measured values were in the range from 0 up to nearly 6 mass percentage of bio-component in fuel. The method has proved to be appropriate, suitable and effective for studies on the real fuel market. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Saliency detection algorithm based on LSC-RC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Wei; Tian, Weiye; Wang, Ding; Luo, Xin; Wu, Yingfei; Zhang, Yu

2018-02-01

Image prominence is the most important region in an image, which can cause the visual attention and response of human beings. Preferentially allocating the computer resources for the image analysis and synthesis by the significant region is of great significance to improve the image area detecting. As a preprocessing of other disciplines in image processing field, the image prominence has widely applications in image retrieval and image segmentation. Among these applications, the super-pixel segmentation significance detection algorithm based on linear spectral clustering (LSC) has achieved good results. The significance detection algorithm proposed in this paper is better than the regional contrast ratio by replacing the method of regional formation in the latter with the linear spectral clustering image is super-pixel block. After combining with the latest depth learning method, the accuracy of the significant region detecting has a great promotion. At last, the superiority and feasibility of the super-pixel segmentation detection algorithm based on linear spectral clustering are proved by the comparative test.

High-resolution imaging optomechatronics for precise liquid crystal display module bonding automated optical inspection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ni, Guangming; Liu, Lin; Zhang, Jing; Liu, Juanxiu; Liu, Yong

2018-01-01

With the development of the liquid crystal display (LCD) module industry, LCD modules become more and more precise with larger sizes, which demands harsh imaging requirements for automated optical inspection (AOI). Here, we report a high-resolution and clearly focused imaging optomechatronics for precise LCD module bonding AOI inspection. It first presents and achieves high-resolution imaging for LCD module bonding AOI inspection using a line scan camera (LSC) triggered by a linear optical encoder, self-adaptive focusing for the whole large imaging region using LSC, and a laser displacement sensor, which reduces the requirements of machining, assembly, and motion control of AOI devices. Results show that this system can directly achieve clearly focused imaging for AOI inspection of large LCD module bonding with 0.8 μm image resolution, 2.65-mm scan imaging width, and no limited imaging width theoretically. All of these are significant for AOI inspection in the LCD module industry and other fields that require imaging large regions with high resolution.

Reactivity assay of surface carboxyl chain-ends of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) film and track-etched microporous membranes using fluorine labelled- and/or 3H-labelled derivatization reagents: tandem analysis by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and liquid scintillation counting (LSC)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deldime, Michèle; Dewez, Jean-Luc; Schneider, Yves-Jacques; Marchand-Brynaert, Jacqueline

1995-09-01

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) films and track-etched microporous membranes of two different porosities were pretreated by hydrolysis and/or oxidation in order to enhance the amount of carboxyl chain-ends displayed on their surface. The reactivity of these carboxyl functions was determined by derivatization assays in which the reactions were carried out under conditions likely to be encountered in the coupling of water-soluble biochemical signals on the surface of biomaterials. Original reagents, fluorine-labelled and/or 3H-labelled aminoacid compounds, were used. The derivatized PET samples were examined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to characterize their apparent surfaces, and by liquid scintillation counting (LSC) to quantify the amount of tags fixed on their open surfaces. Using this dual assay technique, we analyzed the surface of microporous membranes which are currently used as substrates for cell culture systems.

Implication of adaptive smoothness constraint and Helmert variance component estimation in seismic slip inversion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Qingbiao; Xu, Caijun; Yi, Lei; Liu, Yang; Wen, Yangmao; Yin, Zhi

2017-10-01

When ill-posed problems are inverted, the regularization process is equivalent to adding constraint equations or prior information from a Bayesian perspective. The veracity of the constraints (or the regularization matrix R) significantly affects the solution, and a smoothness constraint is usually added in seismic slip inversions. In this paper, an adaptive smoothness constraint (ASC) based on the classic Laplacian smoothness constraint (LSC) is proposed. The ASC not only improves the smoothness constraint, but also helps constrain the slip direction. A series of experiments are conducted in which different magnitudes of noise are imposed and different densities of observation are assumed, and the results indicated that the ASC was superior to the LSC. Using the proposed ASC, the Helmert variance component estimation method is highlighted as the best for selecting the regularization parameter compared with other methods, such as generalized cross-validation or the mean squared error criterion method. The ASC may also benefit other ill-posed problems in which a smoothness constraint is required.

Commissioning of the ArDM experiment at the Canfranc underground laboratory: first steps towards a tonne-scale liquid argon time projection chamber for Dark Matter searches

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

Calvo, J.; Cantini, C.; Crivelli, P.

The Argon Dark Matter (ArDM) experiment consists of a liquid argon (LAr) time projection chamber (TPC) sensitive to nuclear recoils, resulting from scattering of hypothetical Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) on argon targets. With an active target mass of 850 kg ArDM represents an important milestone towards developments for large LAr Dark Matter detectors. Here we present the experimental apparatus currently installed underground at the Laboratorio Subterráneo de Canfranc (LSC), Spain. We show data on gaseous or liquid argon targets recorded in 2015 during the commissioning of ArDM in single phase at zero E-field (ArDM Run I). The data confirmsmore » the overall good and stable performance of the ArDM tonne-scale LAr detector.« less

The Analysis of Sulfur-35 as a Young Groundwater Tracer at E-Tunnel, Rainier Mesa, Nevada National Security Site

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

Deinhart, A.; Bibby, R.; Roberts, S.

Analysis of the relatively short-lived radionuclide sulfur-35 (t 1/2 = 87 days) provides useful insight into groundwater discharge from E-Tunnel at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). Discharge rates at E-Tunnel vary with precipitation, potentially as the result of short or fast flowpaths between recharge and discharge. The presence of sulfur-35 in groundwater would indicate a significant component of young (< 2-year-old) groundwater. We collected two large volume (20 L) samples of discharge water in November 2016. The samples were sent to Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), where they were processed and analyzed by Liquid Scintillation Counting (LSC). Sulfur-35 wasmore » not detected in either the sample or field duplicate, a finding consistent with E-Tunnel discharge containing no significant component of groundwater with age less than six months.« less

The complete chloroplast genome of an irreplaceable dietary and model crop, foxtail millet (Setaria italica).

PubMed

Wang, Shuo; Gao, Li-Zhi

2016-11-01

The complete chloroplast genome sequence of foxtail millet (Setaria italica), an important food and fodder crop in the family Poaceae, is first reported in this study. The genome consists of 1 35 516 bp containing a pair of inverted repeats (IRs) of 21 804 bp separated by a large single-copy (LSC) region and a small single-copy (SSC) region of 79 896 bp and 12 012 bp, respectively. Coding sequences constitute 58.8% of the genome harboring 111 unique genes, 71 of which are protein-coding genes, 4 are rRNA genes, and 36 are tRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis indicated foxtail millet clustered with Panicum virgatum and Echinochloa crus-galli belonging to the tribe Paniceae of the subfamily Panicoideae. This newly determined chloroplast genome will provide valuable information for the future breeding programs of valuable cereal crops in the family Poaceae.

Discussion on the installation checking method of precast composite floor slab with lattice girders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Li; Jin, Xing; Wang, Yahui; Zhou, Hele; Gu, Jianing

2018-03-01

Based on the installation checking requirements of China’s current standards and the international norms for prefabricated structural precast components, it proposed an installation checking method for precast composite floor slab with lattice girders. By taking an equivalent composite beam consisted of a single lattice girder and the precast concrete slab as the checking object, compression instability stress of upper chords and yield stress of slab distribution reinforcement at the maximum positive moment, tensile yield stress of upper chords, slab normal section normal compression stress and shear instability stress of diagonal bars at the maximum negative moment were checked. And the bending stress and deflection of support beams, strength and compression stability bearing capacity of the vertical support, shear bearing capacity of the bolt and compression bearing capacity of steel tube wall at the bolt were checked at the same time. Every different checking object was given a specific load value and load combination. Application of installation checking method was given and testified by example.

45 CFR 1630.12 - Applicability to derivative income.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

..., regulations, guidelines, and instructions, the Accounting Guide for LSC recipients, the terms and conditions... 45 Public Welfare 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Applicability to derivative income. 1630.12... CORPORATION COST STANDARDS AND PROCEDURES § 1630.12 Applicability to derivative income. (a) Derivative income...

77 FR 10574 - Sunshine Act Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-22

... Affairs. 5. Staff report on LSC Continuity of Operations Plan. 6. Public comment. 7. Consider and act on... LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION Sunshine Act Meeting DATE AND TIME: The Legal Services Corporation's Operations & Regulations Committee will meet February 29, 2012. The meeting will commence at 3:30 p.m...

75 FR 4108 - Sunshine Act Meeting Notice; Board of Directors and Five Committees of the Board

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2010-01-26

..., Chief Administrative Officer. 8. Inspector General briefing. Jeffrey Schanz, Inspector General. 9..., Treasurer & Comptroller. Comments by Charles Jeffress, Chief Administrative Officer. 5. Presentation on LSC... (FY) 2009 Annual Financial Audit. Ronald ``Dutch'' Merryman, Assistant Inspector General for Audits...

78 FR 19326 - Notice of Funding Availability for Calendar Year 2014 Competitive Grant Funds Request for...

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2013-03-29

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75 FR 41239 - Sunshine Act; Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-15

... LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION Sunshine Act; Notice of Meeting TIME AND DATE: The Legal Services Corporation Board of Directors' Search Committee for LSC President (``Search Committee'' or ``Committee'') will meet on July 20, 2010. The meeting will begin at 4 p.m. (Central Daylight Savings Time) and...

LSC Store

Science.gov Websites

Adventures - Calendar - About - FAQ - Fermilab Friends - Fermilab Home Fermilab Office of Education & Adventures Teacher Resource Center Visit the store at the Lederman Science Center. Merchandise includes Maintainer: ed-webmaster@fnal.gov Lederman Science Education Center Fermilab MS 777 Box 500 Batavia, IL 60510

76 FR 54258 - Request for Comments-Fiscal Oversight Task Force Report and Recommendations

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-31

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75 FR 5351 - Proposed Revisions to Accounting Guide for LSC Recipients

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-02-02

... elements of an adequate accounting and financial reporting system, including the use of specific internal... checklist of accounting procedures and internal controls. The proposed revisions update the checklist to... accounting procedures and internal controls to reflect current best practices; (7) updated and new references...

75 FR 42786 - Accounting Guide for LSC Recipients (2010 Edition)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-22

... adequate accounting and financial reporting system, including the use of specific internal controls and... the Accounting Procedures and Internal Control Checklist in Appendix VII. Sections G2, G3, and M of... the responsibilities of a recipient to maintain adequate accounting records and internal control...

The Quality Control Algorithms Used in the Creation of NASA Kennedy Space Center Lightning Protection System Towers Meteorological Database

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Orcutt, John M.; Brenton, James C.

2016-01-01

An accurate database of meteorological data is essential for designing any aerospace vehicle and for preparing launch commit criteria. Meteorological instrumentation were recently placed on the three Lightning Protection System (LPS) towers at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) launch complex 39B (LC-39B), which provide a unique meteorological dataset existing at the launch complex over an extensive altitude range. Data records of temperature, dew point, relative humidity, wind speed, and wind direction are produced at 40, 78, 116, and 139 m at each tower. The Marshall Space Flight Center Natural Environments Branch (EV44) received an archive that consists of one-minute averaged measurements for the period of record of January 2011 - April 2015. However, before the received database could be used EV44 needed to remove any erroneous data from within the database through a comprehensive quality control (QC) process. The QC process applied to the LPS towers' meteorological data is similar to other QC processes developed by EV44, which were used in the creation of meteorological databases for other towers at KSC. The QC process utilized in this study has been modified specifically for use with the LPS tower database. The QC process first includes a check of each individual sensor. This check includes removing any unrealistic data and checking the temporal consistency of each variable. Next, data from all three sensors at each height are checked against each other, checked against climatology, and checked for sensors that erroneously report a constant value. Then, a vertical consistency check of each variable at each tower is completed. Last, the upwind sensor at each level is selected to minimize the influence of the towers and other structures at LC-39B on the measurements. The selection process for the upwind sensor implemented a study of tower-induced turbulence. This paper describes in detail the QC process, QC results, and the attributes of the LPS towers meteorological database.

Take the Reins on Model Quality with ModelCHECK and Gatekeeper

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Corey

2012-01-01

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

Simple Check Valves for Microfluidic Devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Willis, Peter A.; Greer, Harold F.; Smith, J. Anthony

2010-01-01

A simple design concept for check valves has been adopted for microfluidic devices that consist mostly of (1) deformable fluorocarbon polymer membranes sandwiched between (2) borosilicate float glass wafers into which channels, valve seats, and holes have been etched. The first microfluidic devices in which these check valves are intended to be used are micro-capillary electrophoresis (microCE) devices undergoing development for use on Mars in detecting compounds indicative of life. In this application, it will be necessary to store some liquid samples in reservoirs in the devices for subsequent laboratory analysis, and check valves are needed to prevent cross-contamination of the samples. The simple check-valve design concept is also applicable to other microfluidic devices and to fluidic devices in general. These check valves are simplified microscopic versions of conventional rubber- flap check valves that are parts of numerous industrial and consumer products. These check valves are fabricated, not as separate components, but as integral parts of microfluidic devices. A check valve according to this concept consists of suitably shaped portions of a deformable membrane and the two glass wafers between which the membrane is sandwiched (see figure). The valve flap is formed by making an approximately semicircular cut in the membrane. The flap is centered over a hole in the lower glass wafer, through which hole the liquid in question is intended to flow upward into a wider hole, channel, or reservoir in the upper glass wafer. The radius of the cut exceeds the radius of the hole by an amount large enough to prevent settling of the flap into the hole. As in a conventional rubber-flap check valve, back pressure in the liquid pushes the flap against the valve seat (in this case, the valve seat is the adjacent surface of the lower glass wafer), thereby forming a seal that prevents backflow.

78 FR 4462 - Sunshine Act; Meeting Notice

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-22

... Delivery 3:45 p.m. of Legal Services Committee. 2. Operations & Regulations Committee..... 3. Institutional..., a portion of the meeting may be closed to the public to hear briefings by management and LSC's... also 45 CFR Sec. 1622.2 & 1622.3. Institutional Advancement Committee--Open, except that, upon a vote...

78 FR 30338 - Notice of Funding Availability for Calendar Year 2013 Grant Funds; Request for Applications: 2013...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-22

... LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION Notice of Funding Availability for Calendar Year 2013 Grant Funds...: Legal Services Corporation. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) is the national organization charged with administering federal funds provided for civil legal services to low...

78 FR 30339 - Notice of Funding Availability for Calendar Year 2013 Grant Funds; Request for Applications: 2013...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-22

... LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION Notice of Funding Availability for Calendar Year 2013 Grant Funds; Request for Applications: 2013 Disaster Relief Emergency Grant Funds AGENCY: Legal Services Corporation. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) is the national organization charged with...

76 FR 1642 - Notice of Availability of Calendar Year 2011 Competitive Grant Funds

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-11

... LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION Notice of Availability of Calendar Year 2011 Competitive Grant Funds AGENCY: Legal Services Corporation. ACTION: Solicitation for Proposals for the Provision of Civil Legal Services in Louisiana for service area LA-1. SUMMARY: The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) is the national...

Sediment and Lower Water Column Oxygen Consumption in the Seasonally-hypoxic Region of the Louisiana Continental Shelf

EPA Science Inventory

We report sediment and bottom water respiration rates from 10 cruises from 2003-2007 on the Louisiana Continental Shelf (LSC) where summer hypoxia regularly occurs. Cruises were conducted during spring (5 cruises), summer (3 cruises) and fall (2 cruises). Cruise average sediment ...

45 CFR 1636.1 - Purpose.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Purpose. 1636.1 Section 1636.1 Public Welfare Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION CLIENT IDENTITY AND STATEMENT OF FACTS § 1636.1 Purpose. The purpose of this rule is to ensure that, when an LSC recipient files a...

45 CFR 1640.4 - Violation of agreement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Violation of agreement. 1640.4 Section 1640.4 Public Welfare Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION APPLICATION OF FEDERAL LAW TO LSC RECIPIENTS § 1640.4 Violation of agreement. (a) A violation of the agreement...

45 CFR 1640.4 - Violation of agreement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Violation of agreement. 1640.4 Section 1640.4 Public Welfare Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION APPLICATION OF FEDERAL LAW TO LSC RECIPIENTS § 1640.4 Violation of agreement. (a) A violation of the agreement...

45 CFR 1640.4 - Violation of agreement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Violation of agreement. 1640.4 Section 1640.4 Public Welfare Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION APPLICATION OF FEDERAL LAW TO LSC RECIPIENTS § 1640.4 Violation of agreement. (a) A violation of the agreement...

45 CFR 1640.4 - Violation of agreement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Violation of agreement. 1640.4 Section 1640.4 Public Welfare Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION APPLICATION OF FEDERAL LAW TO LSC RECIPIENTS § 1640.4 Violation of agreement. (a) A violation of the agreement...

77 FR 46995 - Termination, Limited Reductions in Funding, and Debarment Procedures; Recompetition; Enforcement...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-07

... LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION 45 CFR Parts 1606, 1618, and 1623 Termination, Limited Reductions in...- cost procedures (45 CFR part 1630). LSC has also adopted grant termination procedures (45 CFR part 1606... reduce a recipient's funding by less than five percent without using the 1606 termination procedures...

45 CFR 1630.12 - Applicability to derivative income.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Applicability to derivative income. 1630.12... CORPORATION COST STANDARDS AND PROCEDURES § 1630.12 Applicability to derivative income. (a) Derivative income... activity. (b) Derivative income which is allocated to the LSC fund in accordance with paragraph (a) of this...

76 FR 5289 - Income Level for Individuals Eligible for Assistance

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-31

... amendments to the Federal Poverty Guidelines as issued by the Department of Health and Human Services. DATES... Poverty Guidelines. Since 1982, the Department of Health and Human Services has been responsible for updating and issuing the Federal Poverty Guidelines. On January 26, 2011, LSC issued a notice in the...

Apodization in high-contrast long-slit spectroscopy. Closer, deeper, fainter, cooler

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vigan, A.; N'Diaye, M.; Dohlen, K.

2013-07-01

The spectroscopy of faint planetary-mass companions to nearby stars is one of the main challenges that new-generation high-contrast spectro-imagers are going to face. However, the high contrast ratio between main-sequence stars and young planets makes it difficult to extract a companion spectrum that is not biased by the signal from the star. In a previous work we demonstrated that coupling long-slit spectroscopy (LSS) and classical Lyot coronagraphy (CLC) to form a long-slit coronagraph (LSC) allows low-mass companions to be properly characterized when combined with an innovative a posteriori data analysis methods based on the spectral deconvolution (SD). However, the presence of a slit in the coronagraphic focal plane induces a complex distribution of energy in the Lyot pupil plane that cannot be easily masked with a binary Lyot stop, creating strong diffraction residuals at close angular separation. To alleviate this concern, we propose to use a pupil apodization to suppress diffraction, creating an apodized long-slit coronagraph (ALSC). We show that this concept allows looking at a closer separation from the star, at deeper contrast, which enables the characterization of fainter substellar companions. After describing how the apodization was optimized, we demonstrate its advantages with respect to the CLC in the context of SPHERE/IRDIS LSS mode at low resolution with a 0.12'' slit and 0.18'' coronagraphic mask. We performed different sets of simulations with and without aberrations, and with and without a slit to demonstrate that the apodization is a more appropriate concept for LSS, at the expense of a significantly reduced throughput (37%) compared to the LSC. Then we performed detailed end-to-end simulations of the LSC and the ALSC that include realistic levels of aberrations to obtain several datasets representing 1 h of integration time on stars of spectral type A0 to M0 located at 10 pc. We inserted the spectra of planetary companions at different effective temperatures (Teff) and surface gravities (log g) into the data at angular separations of 0.3'' to 1.5'' and with contrast ratios from 6 to 18 mag. Using the SD method to subtract the speckles, we show that the ALSC brings a gain in sensitivity of up to ~3 mag at 0.3'' over the LSC and that both concepts are essentially equivalent for separations larger than 0.5''. The gain at small separation is the result of suppressing of the bright Airy rings that are difficult to estimate at very small angular separations because of the point spread function chromaticity. The improved sensitivity is confirmed by extracting the simulated companions spectra from the data and comparing them to libraries of models to determine their Teff and log g. Using a restoration factor that quantitatively compares the input and output spectra, we show that the ALSC data systematically leads to better quality spectra below 0.5''. In terms of Teff, we demonstrate that at small angular separations the limit with the ALSC is always lower by at least 100 K, inducing an increase in sensitivity of a factor up to 1.8 in objects' masses at young ages. Finally, for the determination of log g, we show that the ALSC provides a less biased estimation than the LSC.

76 FR 23515 - Enhanced Weapons, Firearms Background Checks, and Security Event Notifications

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-27

... material and would add new event notification requirements on the theft or loss of enhanced weapons...-2011-0017] RIN 3150-AI49 Enhanced Weapons, Firearms Background Checks, and Security Event Notifications... regulations governing security event notifications. These proposed regulations are consistent with the...

42 CFR 483.470 - Condition of participation: Physical environment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... climate; and (iv) Functional furniture appropriate to the client's needs, and individual closet space in... Fire Protection Association, 1 Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02269. If any changes in this edition of... the changes. (ii) Chapter 19.3.6.3.2, exception number 2 of the adopted LSC does not apply to a...

42 CFR 483.470 - Condition of participation: Physical environment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

..., comfortable, mattress; (iii) Bedding appropriate to the weather and climate; and (iv) Functional furniture... changes in this edition of the Code are incorporated by reference, CMS will publish notice in the Federal Register to announce the changes. (ii) Chapter 19.3.6.3.2, exception number 2 of the adopted LSC does not...

42 CFR 483.470 - Condition of participation: Physical environment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... climate; and (iv) Functional furniture appropriate to the client's needs, and individual closet space in... Fire Protection Association, 1 Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02269. If any changes in this edition of... the changes. (ii) Chapter 19.3.6.3.2, exception number 2 of the adopted LSC does not apply to a...

42 CFR 483.470 - Condition of participation: Physical environment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... climate; and (iv) Functional furniture appropriate to the client's needs, and individual closet space in... Fire Protection Association, 1 Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02269. If any changes in this edition of... the changes. (ii) Chapter 19.3.6.3.2, exception number 2 of the adopted LSC does not apply to a...

Making the Vision Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Plant, Helen; Ravenhall, Mark

2008-01-01

One of the successes of the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) has been to recognize the importance of advice and guidance to adults on courses as well as those wanting to access provision. Information, advice and guidance (IAG) matters: it helps people to overcome barriers to learning. It enables adults to identify what learning is right for them.…

45 CFR 1610.4 - Authorized use of non-LSC funds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... activity prohibited by or inconsistent with Section 504. (c) A recipient may receive private funds and use.... (a) A recipient may receive tribal funds and expend them in accordance with the specific purposes for which the tribal funds were provided. (b) A recipient may receive public or IOLTA funds and use them in...

45 CFR 1634.3 - Competition for grants and contracts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... CORPORATION COMPETITIVE BIDDING FOR GRANTS AND CONTRACTS § 1634.3 Competition for grants and contracts. (a... Corporation under Section 1006(a)(1)(A) of the LSC Act shall be subject to the competitive bidding process... selected on the basis of the competitive bidding process described in this part. (b) The Corporation shall...

45 CFR 1634.3 - Competition for grants and contracts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... CORPORATION COMPETITIVE BIDDING FOR GRANTS AND CONTRACTS § 1634.3 Competition for grants and contracts. (a... Corporation under Section 1006(a)(1)(A) of the LSC Act shall be subject to the competitive bidding process... selected on the basis of the competitive bidding process described in this part. (b) The Corporation shall...

45 CFR 1626.5 - Aliens eligible for assistance based on immigration status.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Aliens eligible for assistance based on...) LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION RESTRICTIONS ON LEGAL ASSISTANCE TO ALIENS § 1626.5 Aliens eligible for... LSC Act and regulations and other applicable law, a recipient may provide legal assistance to an alien...

45 CFR 1628.3 - Policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Policy. 1628.3 Section 1628.3 Public Welfare... Policy. (a) Recipients are permitted to retain from one fiscal year to the next LSC fund balances up to... Corporation are not subject to the fund balance policy set forth in this part. Revenue and expenses relating...

42 CFR 483.470 - Condition of participation: Physical environment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

..., comfortable, mattress; (iii) Bedding appropriate to the weather and climate; and (iv) Functional furniture... changes in this edition of the Code are incorporated by reference, CMS will publish notice in the Federal Register to announce the changes. (ii) Chapter 19.3.6.3.2, exception number 2 of the adopted LSC does not...

Scenario-Based Programming, Usability-Oriented Perception

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alexandron, Giora; Armoni, Michal; Gordon, Michal; Harel, David

2014-01-01

In this article, we discuss the possible connection between the programming language and the paradigm behind it, and programmers' tendency to adopt an external or internal perspective of the system they develop. Based on a qualitative analysis, we found that when working with the visual, interobject language of live sequence charts (LSC),…

Status report on the Zagreb Radiocarbon Laboratory - AMS and LSC results of VIRI intercomparison samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sironić, Andreja; Krajcar Bronić, Ines; Horvatinčić, Nada; Barešić, Jadranka; Obelić, Bogomil; Felja, Igor

2013-01-01

A new line for preparation of the graphite samples for 14C dating by Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) in the Zagreb Radiocarbon Laboratory has been validated by preparing graphite from various materials distributed within the Fifth International Radiocarbon Intercomparison (VIRI) study. 14C activity of prepared graphite was measured at the SUERC AMS facility. The results are statistically evaluated by means of the z-score and u-score values. The mean z-score value of 28 prepared VIRI samples is (0.06 ± 0.23) showing excellent agreement with the consensus VIRI values. Only one sample resulted in the u-score value above the limit of acceptability (defined for the confidence interval of 99%) and this was probably caused by a random contamination of the graphitization rig. After the rig had been moved to the new adapted and isolated room, all u-score values laid within the acceptable limits. Our LSC results of VIRI intercomparison samples are also presented and they are all accepted according to the u-score values.

“Is Your Man Stepping Out?” An online pilot study to evaluate acceptability of a guide-enhanced HIV prevention soap opera video series and feasibility of recruitment by Facebook© advertising

PubMed Central

Jones, Rachel; Lacroix, Lorraine J.; Nolte, Kerry

2015-01-01

Love, Sex, and Choices (LSC) is a 12-episode soap opera video series developed to reduce HIV risk among at-risk Black urban women. We added a video guide commentator to offer insights at critical dramatic moments. An online pilot study evaluated acceptability of the Guide Enhanced LSC (GELSC) and feasibility of Facebook© advertising, streaming to smartphones, and retention. Facebook© ads targeted high HIV-prevalence areas. In 30 days, Facebook© ads generated 230 screening interviews; 84 were high risk, 40 watched GELSC, and 39 followed up at 30 days. Recruitment of high-risk participants was 10 per week compared to 7 per week in previous field recruitment. Half the sample was Black; 12% were Latina. Findings suggest GELSC influenced sex scripts and behaviors. It was feasible to recruit young urban women from a large geographic area via Facebook© and to retain the sample. We extended the reach to at-risk women by streaming to mobile devices. PMID:26066692

Luminescent Solar Concentrator Daylighting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bornstein, Jonathan G.

1984-11-01

Various systems that offer potential solutions to the problem of interior daylighting have been discussed in the literature. Virtually all of these systems rely on some method of tracking the sun along its azimuth and elevation, i.e., direct imaging of the solar disk. A simpler approach, however, involves a nontracking nonimaging device that effectively eliminates moving parts and accepts both the diffuse and direct components of solar radiation. Such an approach is based on a system that combines in a common luminaire the light emitted by luminescent solar concentrators (LSC), of the three primary colors, with a highly efficient artificial point source (HID metal halide) that automatically compensates for fluctuations in the LSC array via a daylight sensor and dimming ballast. A preliminary analysis suggests that this system could supply 90% of the lighting requirement, over the course of an 8 hour day, strictly from the daylight component under typical insolation con-ditions in the Southwest United States. In office buildings alone, the total aggregate energy savings may approach a half a quad annually. This indicates a very good potential for the realization of substantial savings in building electric energy consumption.

Luminescent Solar Concentrators in the Algal Industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hellier, Katie; Corrado, Carley; Carter, Sue; Detweiler, Angela; Bebout, Leslie

2013-03-01

Today's industry for renewable energy sources and highly efficient energy management systems is rapidly increasing. Development of increased efficiency Luminescent Solar Concentrators (LSCs) has brought about new applications for commercial interests, including greenhouses for agricultural crops. This project is taking first steps to explore the potential of LSCs to enhance production and reduce costs for algae and cyanobacteria used in biofuels and nutraceuticals. This pilot phase uses LSC filtered light for algal growth trials in greenhouses and laboratory experiments, creating specific wavelength combinations to determine effects of discrete solar light regimes on algal growth and the reduction of heating and water loss in the system. Enhancing the optimal spectra for specific algae will not only increase production, but has the potential to lessen contamination of large scale production due to competition from other algae and bacteria. Providing LSC filtered light will reduce evaporation and heating in regions with limited water supply, while the increased energy output from photovoltaic cells will reduce costs of heating and mixing cultures, thus creating a more efficient and cost effective production system.

Design and development of 500 m long HTS cable system in the KEPCO power grid, Korea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sohn, S. H.; Lim, J. H.; Yang, B. M.; Lee, S. K.; Jang, H. M.; Kim, Y. H.; Yang, H. S.; Kim, D. L.; Kim, H. R.; Yim, S. W.; Won, Y. J.; Hwang, S. D.

2010-11-01

In Korea, two long-term field demonstrations for high temperature superconducting (HTS) cable have been carried out for several years; Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) and LS Cable Ltd. (LSC) independently. Encouraged at the result of the projects performed in parallel, a new project targeting the real grid operation was launched in the fourth quarter of 2008 with the Korean government's financial support. KEPCO and LSC are jointly collaborating in the selection of substation, determination of cable specification, design of cryogenic system, and the scheme of protection coordination. A three phase 500 m long HTS cable at a distribution level voltage of 22.9 kV is to be built at 154/22.9 kV Icheon substation located in near Seoul. A hybrid cryogenic system reflecting the contingency plan is being designed including cryocoolers. The HTS cable system will be installed in the second quarter of 2010, being commissioned by the fall of 2010. This paper describes the objectives of the project and design issues of the cable and cryogenic system in detail.

Effect of graded InGaN drain region and 'In' fraction in InGaN channel on performances of InGaN tunnel field-effect transistor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duan, Xiaoling; Zhang, Jincheng; Wang, Shulong; Quan, Rudai; Hao, Yue

2017-12-01

An InGaN-based graded drain region tunnel field-effect transistor (GD-TFET) is proposed to suppress the ambipolar behavior. The simulation results with the trade-off between on-state current (Ion) and ambipolar current (Iambipolar) show decreased Iambipolar (1.9 × 10-14 A/μm) in comparison with that of conventional TFETs (2.0 × 10-8 A/μm). Furthermore, GD-TFET with high 'In' fraction InxGa1-xN source-side channel (SC- GD-TFET) is explored and exhibits 5.3 times Ion improvement and 60% average subthreshold swing (SSavg) reduction in comparison with GD-TFET by adjusting 'In' fraction in the InxGa1-xN source-side channel. The improvement is attributed to the confinement of BTBT in the source-side channel by the heterojunction. And then, the optimum value for source-side channel length (Lsc) is researched by DC performances results, which shows it falls into the range between Lsc = 10 nm and 20 nm.

Plasma Physics/Fusion Energy Education at the Liberty Science Center

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zwicker, Andrew; Delooper, John; Carpe, Andy; Amara, Joe; Butnick, Nancy; Lynch, Ellen; Osowski, Jeff

2007-11-01

The Liberty Science Center (LSC) is the largest (300,000 sq. ft.) education resource in the New Jersey-New York City region. A major 109 million expansion and renewal was recently completed. Accordingly, PPPL has expanded the science education collaboration with the Center into three innovative, hands-on programs. On the main floor, a new fusion exhibit is one of the focuses of ``Energy Quest.'' This includes a DC glow discharge tube with a permanent external magnet allowing visitors to manipulate the plasma while reading information on plasma creation and fusion energy. In the section of LSC dedicated to intensive science investigations (20,000 sq. ft) we have added ``Live from NSTX'' which will give students an opportunity to connect via video-conferencing to the NSTX control room during plasma operations. A prototype program was completed in May, 2007 with three high school physics classes and will be expanded when NSTX resumes operation. Finally, a plasma physics laboratory in this area will have a fully functioning, research-grade plasma source that will allow long-term visitors an opportunity to perform experiments in plasma processing, plasma spectroscopy, and dusty plasmas.

An analysis of the ArcCHECK-MR diode array's performance for ViewRay quality assurance.

PubMed

Ellefson, Steven T; Culberson, Wesley S; Bednarz, Bryan P; DeWerd, Larry A; Bayouth, John E

2017-07-01

The ArcCHECK-MR diode array utilizes a correction system with a virtual inclinometer to correct the angular response dependencies of the diodes. However, this correction system cannot be applied to measurements on the ViewRay MR-IGRT system due to the virtual inclinometer's incompatibility with the ViewRay's multiple simultaneous beams. Additionally, the ArcCHECK's current correction factors were determined without magnetic field effects taken into account. In the course of performing ViewRay IMRT quality assurance with the ArcCHECK, measurements were observed to be consistently higher than the ViewRay TPS predictions. The goals of this study were to quantify the observed discrepancies and test whether applying the current factors improves the ArcCHECK's accuracy for measurements on the ViewRay. Gamma and frequency analysis were performed on 19 ViewRay patient plans. Ion chamber measurements were performed at a subset of diode locations using a PMMA phantom with the same dimensions as the ArcCHECK. A new method for applying directionally dependent factors utilizing beam information from the ViewRay TPS was developed in order to analyze the current ArcCHECK correction factors. To test the current factors, nine ViewRay plans were altered to be delivered with only a single simultaneous beam and were measured with the ArcCHECK. The current correction factors were applied using both the new and current methods. The new method was also used to apply corrections to the original 19 ViewRay plans. It was found the ArcCHECK systematically reports doses higher than those actually delivered by the ViewRay. Application of the current correction factors by either method did not consistently improve measurement accuracy. As dose deposition and diode response have both been shown to change under the influence of a magnetic field, it can be concluded the current ArcCHECK correction factors are invalid and/or inadequate to correct measurements on the ViewRay system. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

32 CFR 147.24 - The national agency check.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 32 National Defense 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false The national agency check. 147.24 Section 147.24 National Defense Department of Defense OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PERSONNEL, MILITARY AND CIVILIAN... reinvestigations. It consists of a review of; (a) Investigative and criminal history files of the FBI, including a...

32 CFR 147.24 - The national agency check.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 32 National Defense 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false The national agency check. 147.24 Section 147.24 National Defense Department of Defense OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PERSONNEL, MILITARY AND CIVILIAN... reinvestigations. It consists of a review of; (a) Investigative and criminal history files of the FBI, including a...

32 CFR 147.24 - The national agency check.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 32 National Defense 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false The national agency check. 147.24 Section 147.24 National Defense Department of Defense OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PERSONNEL, MILITARY AND CIVILIAN... reinvestigations. It consists of a review of; (a) Investigative and criminal history files of the FBI, including a...

32 CFR 147.24 - The national agency check.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 32 National Defense 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false The national agency check. 147.24 Section 147.24 National Defense Department of Defense OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PERSONNEL, MILITARY AND CIVILIAN... reinvestigations. It consists of a review of; (a) Investigative and criminal history files of the FBI, including a...

32 CFR 147.24 - The national agency check.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 32 National Defense 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false The national agency check. 147.24 Section 147.24 National Defense Department of Defense OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PERSONNEL, MILITARY AND CIVILIAN... reinvestigations. It consists of a review of; (a) Investigative and criminal history files of the FBI, including a...

Polystyrene-Core, Silica-Shell Scintillant Nanoparticles for Low-Energy Radionuclide Quantification in Aqueous Media.

PubMed

Janczak, Colleen M; Calderon, Isen A C; Mokhtari, Zeinab; Aspinwall, Craig A

2018-02-07

β-particle emitting radionuclides are useful molecular labels due to their abundance in biomolecules. Detection of β-emission from 3 H, 35 S, and 33 P, important biological isotopes, is challenging due to the low energies (E max ≤ 300 keV) and short penetration depths (≤0.6 mm) in aqueous media. The activity of biologically relevant β-emitters is usually measured in liquid scintillation cocktail (LSC), a mixture of energy-absorbing organic solvents, surfactants, and scintillant fluorophores, which places significant limitations on the ability to acquire time-resolved measurements directly in aqueous biological systems. As an alternative to LSC, we developed polystyrene-core, silica-shell nanoparticle scintillators (referred to as nanoSCINT) for quantification of low-energy β-particle emitting radionuclides directly in aqueous solutions. The polystyrene acts as an absorber for energy from emitted β-particles and can be loaded with a range of hydrophobic scintillant fluorophores, leading to photon emission at visible wavelengths. The silica shell serves as a hydrophilic shield for the polystyrene core, enabling dispersion in aqueous media and providing better compatibility with water-soluble analytes. While polymer and inorganic scintillating microparticles are commercially available, their large size and/or high density complicates effective dispersion throughout the sample volume. In this work, nanoSCINT nanoparticles were prepared and characterized. nanoSCINT responds to 3 H, 35 S, and 33 P directly in aqueous solutions, does not exhibit a change in scintillation response between pH 3.0 and 9.5 or with 100 mM NaCl, and can be recovered and reused for activity measurements in bulk aqueous samples, demonstrating the potential for reduced production of LSC waste and reduced total waste volume during radionuclide quantification. The limits of detection for 1 mg/mL nanoSCINT are 130 nCi/mL for 3 H, 8 nCi/mL for 35 S, and <1 nCi/mL for 33 P.

A Highly Active Endo-Levanase BT1760 of a Dominant Mammalian Gut Commensal Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron Cleaves Not Only Various Bacterial Levans, but Also Levan of Timothy Grass

PubMed Central

Vija, Heiki; Aasamets, Anneli; Viigand, Katrin

2017-01-01

Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, an abundant commensal of the human gut, degrades numerous complex carbohydrates. Recently, it was reported to grow on a β-2,6-linked polyfructan levan produced by Zymomonas mobilis degrading the polymer into fructooligosaccharides (FOS) with a cell surface bound endo-levanase BT1760. The FOS are consumed by B. thetaiotaomicron, but also by other gut bacteria, including health-promoting bifidobacteria and lactobacilli. Here we characterize biochemical properties of BT1760, including the activity of BT1760 on six bacterial levans synthesized by the levansucrase Lsc3 of Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato, its mutant Asp300Asn, levansucrases of Zymomonas mobilis, Erwinia herbicola, Halomonas smyrnensis as well as on levan isolated from timothy grass. For the first time a plant levan is shown as a perfect substrate for an endo-fructanase of a human gut bacterium. BT1760 degraded levans to FOS with degree of polymerization from 2 to 13. At optimal reaction conditions up to 1 g of FOS were produced per 1 mg of BT1760 protein. Low molecular weight (<60 kDa) levans, including timothy grass levan and levan synthesized from sucrose by the Lsc3Asp300Asn, were degraded most rapidly whilst levan produced by Lsc3 from raffinose least rapidly. BT1760 catalyzed finely at human body temperature (37°C) and in moderately acidic environment (pH 5–6) that is typical for the gut lumen. According to differential scanning fluorimetry, the Tm of the endo-levanase was 51.5°C. All tested levans were sufficiently stable in acidic conditions (pH 2.0) simulating the gastric environment. Therefore, levans of both bacterial and plant origin may serve as a prebiotic fiber for B. thetaiotaomicron and contribute to short-chain fatty acids synthesis by gut microbiota. In the genome of Bacteroides xylanisolvens of human origin a putative levan degradation locus was disclosed. PMID:28103254

A Highly Active Endo-Levanase BT1760 of a Dominant Mammalian Gut Commensal Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron Cleaves Not Only Various Bacterial Levans, but Also Levan of Timothy Grass.

PubMed

Mardo, Karin; Visnapuu, Triinu; Vija, Heiki; Aasamets, Anneli; Viigand, Katrin; Alamäe, Tiina

2017-01-01

Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, an abundant commensal of the human gut, degrades numerous complex carbohydrates. Recently, it was reported to grow on a β-2,6-linked polyfructan levan produced by Zymomonas mobilis degrading the polymer into fructooligosaccharides (FOS) with a cell surface bound endo-levanase BT1760. The FOS are consumed by B. thetaiotaomicron, but also by other gut bacteria, including health-promoting bifidobacteria and lactobacilli. Here we characterize biochemical properties of BT1760, including the activity of BT1760 on six bacterial levans synthesized by the levansucrase Lsc3 of Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato, its mutant Asp300Asn, levansucrases of Zymomonas mobilis, Erwinia herbicola, Halomonas smyrnensis as well as on levan isolated from timothy grass. For the first time a plant levan is shown as a perfect substrate for an endo-fructanase of a human gut bacterium. BT1760 degraded levans to FOS with degree of polymerization from 2 to 13. At optimal reaction conditions up to 1 g of FOS were produced per 1 mg of BT1760 protein. Low molecular weight (<60 kDa) levans, including timothy grass levan and levan synthesized from sucrose by the Lsc3Asp300Asn, were degraded most rapidly whilst levan produced by Lsc3 from raffinose least rapidly. BT1760 catalyzed finely at human body temperature (37°C) and in moderately acidic environment (pH 5-6) that is typical for the gut lumen. According to differential scanning fluorimetry, the Tm of the endo-levanase was 51.5°C. All tested levans were sufficiently stable in acidic conditions (pH 2.0) simulating the gastric environment. Therefore, levans of both bacterial and plant origin may serve as a prebiotic fiber for B. thetaiotaomicron and contribute to short-chain fatty acids synthesis by gut microbiota. In the genome of Bacteroides xylanisolvens of human origin a putative levan degradation locus was disclosed.

Response of bone turnover markers to three oral bisphosphonate therapies in postmenopausal osteoporosis: the TRIO study.

PubMed

Naylor, K E; Jacques, R M; Paggiosi, M; Gossiel, F; Peel, N F A; McCloskey, E V; Walsh, J S; Eastell, R

2016-01-01

We used bone turnover markers to identify women who responded to bisphosphonate treatment for osteoporosis. Response was more likely with alendronate and ibandronate than risedronate. There was a greater decrease in bone markers if baseline bone turnover markers were higher and if the patient took more than 80 % of her medication. Biochemical response to bisphosphonate therapy can be assessed using either a decrease in bone turnover marker beyond the least significant change (LSC) or a reduction to within a reference interval (RI). We compared the performance of these target responses and determined whether response was related to the type of bisphosphonate, compliance and baseline bone turnover markers. Biochemical responses to three oral bisphosphonates were assessed in an open, controlled trial comprising 172 postmenopausal osteoporotic women (age 53-84 years), randomised to alendronate, ibandronate or risedronate, plus calcium and vitamin D supplementation for 2 years. The LSC for each marker was derived within the study population, whereas RIs were obtained from a control group of healthy premenopausal women (age 35-40 years). Over 70 % of women achieved a target response for serum CTX and PINP, irrespective of the approach used. The percentage decrease at 12 weeks was greater for women with baseline PINP above the RI -63 % (difference 13 %, 95 % CI 0 to 27.1, P = 0.049) and good compliance -67 % (difference 15.9 %, 95 % CI 6.3 to 25.5, P = 0.001). Responders had a greater increase in spine bone density compared to nonresponders; for example 6.2 vs. 2.3 % (difference 3.9 %, 95 % CI 1.6 to 6.3, P = 0.0011) for PINP LSC. The magnitude of change in bone markers was greater with ibandronate and alendronate than risedronate. Both approaches to response identified similar proportions of women as responders. Nonresponders had smaller increases in BMD, and we suggest that biochemical assessment of response is a useful tool for the management of women with postmenopausal osteoporosis.

Evaluation of Least-Squares Collocation and the Reduced Point Mass method using the International Association of Geodesy, Joint Study Group 0.3 test data.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tscherning, Carl Christian; Herceg, Matija

2014-05-01

The methods of Least-Squares Collocation (LSC) and the Reduced Point Mass method (RPM) both uses radial basis-functions for the representation of the anomalous gravity potential (T). LSC uses as many base-functions as the number of observations, while the RPM method uses as many as deemed necessary. Both methods have been evaluated and for some tests compared in the two areas (Central Europe and South-East Pacific). For both areas test data had been generated using EGM2008. As observational data (a) ground gravity disturbances, (b) airborne gravity disturbances, (c) GOCE like Second order radial derivatives and (d) GRACE along-track potential differences were available. The use of these data for the computation of values of (e) T in a grid was the target of the evaluation and comparison investigation. Due to the fact that T in principle can only be computed using global data, the remove-restore procedure was used, with EGM2008 subtracted (and later added to T) up to degree 240 using dataset (a) and (b) and up to degree 36 for datasets (c) and (d). The estimated coefficient error was accounted for when using LSC and in the calculation of error-estimates. The main result is that T was estimated with an error (computed minus control data, (e) from which EGM2008 to degree 240 or 36 had been subtracted ) as found in the table (LSC used): Area Europe Data-set (mgal) (e)-240(a) (b) (e)-36 (c) (d) Mean -0.0 0.0 -0.1 -0.1 -0.3 -1.8 Standard deviation4.1 0.8 2.7 32.6 6.0 19.2 Max. difference 19.9 10.4 16.9 69.9 31.3 47.0 Min.difference -16.2 -3.7 -15.5 -92.1 -27.8 -65.5 Area Pacific Data-set (mgal) (e)-240(a) (b) (e)-36 (c) (d) Mean -0.1 -0.1 -0.1 4.6 -0.2 0.2 Standard deviation4.8 0.2 1.9 49.1 6.7 18.6 Max.difference 22.2 1.8 13.4 115.5 26.9 26.5 Min.difference -28.7 -3.1 -15.7 -106.4 -33.6 22.1 The result using RPM with data-sets (a), (b), (c) gave comparable results. The use of (d) with the RPM method is being implemented. Tests were also done computing dataset (a) from the other datasets. The results here may serve as a bench-mark for other radial basis-function implementations for computing approximations to T. Improvements are certainly possible, e.g. by taking the topography and bathymetry into account.

A self-consistency check for unitary propagation of Hawking quanta

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baker, Daniel; Kodwani, Darsh; Pen, Ue-Li; Yang, I.-Sheng

2017-11-01

The black hole information paradox presumes that quantum field theory in curved space-time can provide unitary propagation from a near-horizon mode to an asymptotic Hawking quantum. Instead of invoking conjectural quantum-gravity effects to modify such an assumption, we propose a self-consistency check. We establish an analogy to Feynman’s analysis of a double-slit experiment. Feynman showed that unitary propagation of the interfering particles, namely ignoring the entanglement with the double-slit, becomes an arbitrarily reliable assumption when the screen upon which the interference pattern is projected is infinitely far away. We argue for an analogous self-consistency check for quantum field theory in curved space-time. We apply it to the propagation of Hawking quanta and test whether ignoring the entanglement with the geometry also becomes arbitrarily reliable in the limit of a large black hole. We present curious results to suggest a negative answer, and we discuss how this loss of naive unitarity in QFT might be related to a solution of the paradox based on the soft-hair-memory effect.

MPST Software: grl_pef_check

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Call, Jared A.; Kwok, John H.; Fisher, Forest W.

2013-01-01

This innovation is a tool used to verify and validate spacecraft sequences at the predicted events file (PEF) level for the GRAIL (Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory, see http://www.nasa. gov/mission_pages/grail/main/index. html) mission as part of the Multi-Mission Planning and Sequencing Team (MPST) operations process to reduce the possibility for errors. This tool is used to catch any sequence related errors or issues immediately after the seqgen modeling to streamline downstream processes. This script verifies and validates the seqgen modeling for the GRAIL MPST process. A PEF is provided as input, and dozens of checks are performed on it to verify and validate the command products including command content, command ordering, flight-rule violations, modeling boundary consistency, resource limits, and ground commanding consistency. By performing as many checks as early in the process as possible, grl_pef_check streamlines the MPST task of generating GRAIL command and modeled products on an aggressive schedule. By enumerating each check being performed, and clearly stating the criteria and assumptions made at each step, grl_pef_check can be used as a manual checklist as well as an automated tool. This helper script was written with a focus on enabling the user with the information they need in order to evaluate a sequence quickly and efficiently, while still keeping them informed and active in the overall sequencing process. grl_pef_check verifies and validates the modeling and sequence content prior to investing any more effort into the build. There are dozens of various items in the modeling run that need to be checked, which is a time-consuming and errorprone task. Currently, no software exists that provides this functionality. Compared to a manual process, this script reduces human error and saves considerable man-hours by automating and streamlining the mission planning and sequencing task for the GRAIL mission.

Air Conditioner Charging. Automotive Mechanics. Air Conditioning. Instructor's Guide [and] Student Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spignesi, B.

This instructional package, one in a series of individualized instructional units on automobile air conditioning, consists of a student guide and an instructor guide dealing with air conditioning charging. Covered in the module are checking the air conditioning system for leaks, checking and adding refrigerant oil as needed, evacuating the system,…

76 FR 19792 - Notice of Intent To Award-Grant Awards for the Provision of Civil Legal Services to Eligible...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-08

... LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION Notice of Intent To Award--Grant Awards for the Provision of Civil Legal Services to Eligible Clients in Louisiana (Service Area LA- 1) Beginning June 2011 AGENCY: Legal...: The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) hereby announces its intention to award grants and contracts to...

Learning and Skills: Opportunities or Threats for Disabled Learners? FEDA Responds.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mace, Jackie, Ed.

Challenges will be created by proposed changes to post-school education and training for people with learning difficulties and disabilities. Two important bills have been proposed. The Learning and Skills Bill (LSB) changes the whole architecture of the post-school education and training sector. LSB sets up the Learning and Skills Council (LSC)…

Delivering Quality and Choice. How Performance Indicators Help and How Performance Indicators Hinder. Research Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perry, Adrian; Simpson, Matthew

2006-01-01

This document reports on a research project held in 2005, which looked to see how performance indicators related to area needs. It shows the results of research across four Learning and Skills Council (LSC) areas, with contributions also from national stakeholders and other witnesses. Findings include: (1) Performance indicators are regarded as…

Local School Council Meetings during the First Year of Chicago School Reform.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Easton, John Q.; And Others

This study analyzes local school council (LSC) meetings in Chicago (Illinois) during their first year of operation. The Chicago School Reform Act of 1988 created a radical shift in authority from the central bureaucracy to the LSCs, empowering the LSCs to set educational policy and govern schools. The councils hire and evaluate the principal,…

45 CFR 1627.4 - Membership fees or dues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Membership fees or dues. 1627.4 Section 1627.4... AND MEMBERSHIP FEES OR DUES § 1627.4 Membership fees or dues. (a) LSC funds may not be used to pay membership fees or dues to any private or nonprofit organization, whether on behalf of a recipient or an...

75 FR 32816 - Sunshine Act Meeting of the Board of Directors Finance Committee Amended Notice

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-09

... LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION Sunshine Act Meeting of the Board of Directors Finance Committee Amended Notice Changes to the Meeting Date and Time: The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) is announcing an amendment to the notice of the joint meeting of the Board of Directors' Audit and Operations & Regulations Committees (Joint Committees). The meetin...

Fermilab Friends for Science Education | Newsletters

Science.gov Websites

, Responding to Lab-wide Changes, 2012 Events: Mark Your Calendar!, Board of Directors Changes, ??? A Question for You ??? Winter 2011 First FFSE "Members Only" Tour a Success, Our New Look, Upcoming Events, New Face at the LSC, For Outstanding High School Science Students, FFSE Board Seeks Members

Management Observation Facility Fume Hoods

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

Sundsmo, V. A.

I reviewed all the hoods used for AS&I work in buildings 253, 254, and 255. All have had the minimum annual surveys conducted and some have had semi-annual reviews. The operating parameter labels are posted consistent to the right or above right (with the only exception the perchloric acid hood in 1734- on the left) which facilitates users knowing where to check for information. All hoods with sash doors (except the SE one in 1734 have a note on the Operating Parameters label to "keep sash doors closed". Again, this was checking consistency. No surveys were missed.

Plastid genome sequence of an ornamental and editable fruit tree of Rosaceae, Prunus mume.

PubMed

Wang, Shuo; Gao, Cheng-Wen; Gao, Li-Zhi

2016-11-01

Here we assembled and analyzed the complete chloroplast genome of Prunus mume, a popular ornamental and editable fruit tree of Rosaceae. The cp genome exhibited a circular DNA molecule of 157 712 bp with a typical quadripartite structure consisted of two inverted repeat regions (IRa and IRb) of 26 394 bp separated by large (LSC) and small (SSC) single-copy regions of 85 861 and 19 063 bp, respectively. It encoded 112 unique genes, 19 of which were duplicated in the IR regions, giving a total of 131 genes. Eighteen of these genes harbored one or two introns. GC content was 38.9%, and coding regions accounted for 51.3% of the genome. Phylogenetic analysis showed that P. mume clustered with P. persica and P. kansuensis in the genus Punus. This newly determined chloroplast genome will enhance modern breeding programs for the purpose of genetic improvement of this valuable plant.

Complete plastid genome sequence of goosegrass (Eleusine indica) and comparison with other Poaceae.

PubMed

Zhang, Hui; Hall, Nathan; McElroy, J Scott; Lowe, Elijah K; Goertzen, Leslie R

2017-02-05

Eleusine indica, also known as goosegrass, is a serious weed in at least 42 countries. In this paper we report the complete plastid genome sequence of goosegrass obtained by de novo assembly of paired-end and mate-paired reads generated by Illumina sequencing of total genomic DNA. The goosegrass plastome is a circular molecule of 135,151bp in length, consisting of two single-copy regions separated by a pair of inverted repeats (IRs) of 20,919 bases. The large (LSC) and the small (SSC) single-copy regions span 80,667 bases and 12,646 bases, respectively. The plastome of goosegrass has 38.19% GC content and includes 108 unique genes, of which 76 are protein-coding, 28 are transfer RNA, and 4 are ribosomal RNA. The goosegrass plastome sequence was compared to eight other species of Poaceae. Although generally conserved with respect to Poaceae, this genomic resource will be useful for evolutionary studies within this weed species and the genus Eleusine. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Computational Fact Checking from Knowledge Networks

PubMed Central

Ciampaglia, Giovanni Luca; Shiralkar, Prashant; Rocha, Luis M.; Bollen, Johan; Menczer, Filippo; Flammini, Alessandro

2015-01-01

Traditional fact checking by expert journalists cannot keep up with the enormous volume of information that is now generated online. Computational fact checking may significantly enhance our ability to evaluate the veracity of dubious information. Here we show that the complexities of human fact checking can be approximated quite well by finding the shortest path between concept nodes under properly defined semantic proximity metrics on knowledge graphs. Framed as a network problem this approach is feasible with efficient computational techniques. We evaluate this approach by examining tens of thousands of claims related to history, entertainment, geography, and biographical information using a public knowledge graph extracted from Wikipedia. Statements independently known to be true consistently receive higher support via our method than do false ones. These findings represent a significant step toward scalable computational fact-checking methods that may one day mitigate the spread of harmful misinformation. PMID:26083336

78 FR 35984 - Interim Eligible Class of NRC-Licensed Facilities; Docket Nos. (as Shown in Attachment 1...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-14

... consisting of a fingerprint-based background check against applicable Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI... completed hard-copy FBI Form FD- 258, ``Fingerprint Card,'' to the NRC as specified in Attachment 3, for all... Section 161A.b. shall be subject to a background check by the Attorney General, based on fingerprints and...

Validation of daily increments and a marine-entry check in the otoliths of sockeye salmon Oncorhynchus nerka post-smolts.

PubMed

Freshwater, C; Trudel, M; Beacham, T D; Neville, C-E; Tucker, S; Juanes, F

2015-07-01

Juvenile sockeye salmon Oncorhynchus nerka that were reared and smolted in laboratory conditions were found to produce otolith daily increments, as well as a consistently visible marine-entry check formed during their transition to salt water. Field-collected O. nerka post-smolts of an equivalent age also displayed visible checks; however, microchemistry estimates of marine-entry date using Sr:Ca ratios differed from visual estimates by c. 9 days suggesting that microstructural and microchemical processes occur on different time scales. © 2015 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

WFPC2 CYCLE 15 Intflat Linearity Check and Filter Rotation Anomaly Monitor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonzaga, Shireen

2006-07-01

Intflat observations will be taken to provide a linearity check: the linearity test consists of a series of intflats in F555W, in each gain and each shutter. A combination of intflats, visflats, and earthflats will be used to check the repeatability of filter wheel motions. {Intflat sequences tied to decons, visits 1-18 in prop 10363, have been moved to the cycle 15 decon proposal xxxx for easier scheduling.} Note: long-exposure WFPC2 intflats must be scheduled during ACS anneals to prevent stray light from the WFPC2 lamps from contaminating long ACS external exposures.

Characterization of the complete chloroplast genome of Platycarya strobilacea (Juglandaceae)

Treesearch

Jing Yan; Kai Han; Shuyun Zeng; Peng Zhao; Keith Woeste; Jianfang Li; Zhan-Lin Liu

2017-01-01

The whole chloroplast genome (cp genome) sequence of Platycarya strobilacea was characterized from Illumina pair-end sequencing data. The complete cp genome was 160,994 bp in length and contained a large single copy region (LSC) of 90,225 bp and a small single copy region (SSC) of 18,371 bp, which were separated by a pair of inverted repeat regions...

The Impact of a Strategy-Based Intervention on the Comprehension and Strategy Use of Struggling Adolescent Readers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cantrell, Susan Chambers; Almasi, Janice F.; Carter, Janis C.; Rintamaa, Margaret; Madden, Angela

2010-01-01

This study examines the impact of the Learning Strategies Curriculum (LSC), an adolescent reading intervention program, on 6th- and 9th-grade students' reading comprehension and strategy use. Using a randomized treatment-control group design, the study compared student outcomes for these constructs for 365 students who received daily instruction…

Where the Rubber Meets the Road: The Role of Collegiality and Normative Science in Our Profession

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Plazek, David J.

2010-01-01

Lyndon State College's (LSC) participation in the America's Future Initiative on the U.S. national debt, in association with Public Agenda, began with a grant application for funding to participate. After being awarded funding, as the sole political scientist, I was selected with approval by the administration to attend the September 11 to 13,…

An Evaluation of the ELNP e-Learning Quality Assurance Program: Perspectives of Gap Analysis and Innovation Diffusion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Ming-Puu

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the appropriateness of a nationwide quality assurance framework for e-learning from participants' perspectives. Two types of quality evaluation programs were examined in this study, including the e-Learning Service Certification program (eLSC) and the e-Learning Courseware Certification program (eLCC). Gap…

Numeral-Incorporating Roots in Numeral Systems: A Comparative Analysis of Two Sign Languages

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fuentes, Mariana; Massone, Maria Ignacia; Fernandez-Viader, Maria del Pilar; Makotrinsky, Alejandro; Pulgarin, Francisca

2010-01-01

Numeral-incorporating roots in the numeral systems of Argentine Sign Language (LSA) and Catalan Sign Language (LSC), as well as the main features of the number systems of both languages, are described and compared. Informants discussed the use of numerals and roots in both languages (in most cases in natural contexts). Ten informants took part in…

Microengineering of artificial capillaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moldovan, Nicanor I.

2002-11-01

Biocompatibility and functionality of implanted inorganic medical devices is limited by the local reaction of the organism, with a recently recognized contribution of nearby microvasculature. We explored the possibility to microengineer pre-embedded microvascular networks in the surface of inorganic devices. The implants would thus function as carriers of pre-assembled microvessels, ready to expand, and contribute to local angiogenesis. Based on our own studies on the role played by local microtopography in angiogenesis (the tunneling concept), we have shown the feasibility of endothelial cells cultivation in grooves created on the surface of the materials to be implanted, either polymeric or silicon. In order to develop this new technology, we devised an in situ approach to the study of the cellular behavior on micropatterned surfaces, by use of Laser Scanning Cytometry (LSC). In this report I will present our results regarding the LSC analysis of endothelial cells cultivated in grooves made on the surface of silicon wafers, and the consequences of this treatment on endothelial physiology. When comparing the growth of endothelial cells on line patterned and non-patterned areas, in terms of several morphological parameters of cell nuclei, our data support the conclusion that lateral confinement of endothelial cells induces a quiescent state, possibly by inhibiting their ability to proliferate.

Experimental study of the influence of the counter and scintillator on the universal curves in the cross-efficiency method in LSC.

PubMed

Cassette, P; Tartès, I

2014-05-01

The cross-efficiency method in LSC is one of the approaches proposed for the extension of the Système International de Référence (SIR) to radionuclides emitting no gamma radiation. This method is based on a so-called "universal cross-efficiency curve", establishing a relationship between the detection efficiency of the radionuclide to be measured and the detection efficiency of a suitable tracer. This paper reports a study at LNHB on the influence of the scintillator and of the LS counter on the cross-efficiency curves. This was done by measuring the cross-efficiency curves obtained for (63)Ni and (55)Fe vs. (3)H, using three different commercial LS counters (Guardian 1414, Tricarb 3170 and Quantulus 1220), three different liquid scintillator cocktails (Ultima Gold, Hionic Fluor and PicoFluor 15 from Perkin Elmer(®)), and for chemical and colour-quenched sources. This study shows that these cross-efficiency curves are dependent on the scintillator, on the counter used and on the nature of the quenching phenomenon, and thus cannot definitively be considered as "universal". © 2013 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Academic and social concerns of students in higher education.

PubMed

Lahav, Orit; Nolan, Clodagh; Katz, Noomi

2016-01-01

Engaging in higher education poses challenges for students facing the multiple demands of work, learning and personal life. Evidence for occupational therapy (OT) practice within learning support centers (LSC) in higher education is lacking. 1) to examine areas of difficulties that students experience based upon age, gender, work and faculty; 2) to validate the Trinity Student Profile (TSP) in Israel. The TSP contains 75 items that result in three factors: person, occupation and environment. It is reliable and valid in the Irish sample. It was translated into Hebrew with permission. Participants in the current study included 150 second-year college students. A significant difference within the person factor for age was found (p < 0.009). Significant interactions were found for person and occupation factors ranging from (p < 0.045 to 0.009) within different groups, and none for the environmental factor. These findings suggest the importance of the person and occupation components of student concerns in the students' experience. Further studies with the TSP and other measures in the field of OT should be conducted in different countries. OT within LSC would benefit from further use of the TSP such an instrument.

The complete chloroplast genome of Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum using Illumina sequencing.

PubMed

Raveendar, Sebastin; Na, Young-Wang; Lee, Jung-Ro; Shim, Donghwan; Ma, Kyung-Ho; Lee, Sok-Young; Chung, Jong-Wook

2015-07-20

Chloroplast (cp) genome sequences provide a valuable source for DNA barcoding. Molecular phylogenetic studies have concentrated on DNA sequencing of conserved gene loci. However, this approach is time consuming and more difficult to implement when gene organization differs among species. Here we report the complete re-sequencing of the cp genome of Capsicum pepper (Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum) using the Illumina platform. The total length of the cp genome is 156,817 bp with a 37.7% overall GC content. A pair of inverted repeats (IRs) of 50,284 bp were separated by a small single copy (SSC; 18,948 bp) and a large single copy (LSC; 87,446 bp). The number of cp genes in C. annuum var. glabriusculum is the same as that in other Capsicum species. Variations in the lengths of LSC; SSC and IR regions were the main contributors to the size variation in the cp genome of this species. A total of 125 simple sequence repeat (SSR) and 48 insertions or deletions variants were found by sequence alignment of Capsicum cp genome. These findings provide a foundation for further investigation of cp genome evolution in Capsicum and other higher plants.

Biology and Clinical Relevance of Acute Myeloid Leukemia Stem Cells.

PubMed

Reinisch, Andreas; Chan, Steven M; Thomas, Daniel; Majeti, Ravindra

2015-07-01

Evidence for the cancer stem cell model was first demonstrated in xenotransplanted blood and bone marrow samples from patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) almost two decades ago, supporting the concept that a rare clonal and mutated leukemic stem cell (LSC) population is sufficient to drive leukemic growth. The inability to eliminate LSCs with conventional therapies is thought to be the primary cause of disease relapse in AML patients, and as such, novel therapies with the ability to target this population are required to improve patient outcomes. An important step towards this goal is the identification of common immunophenotypic surface markers and biological properties that distinguish LSCs from normal hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) across AML patients. This work has resulted in the development of a large number of potential LSC-selective therapies that target cell surface molecules, intracellular signaling pathways, and the bone marrow microenvironment. Here, we will review the basic biology, immunophenotypic detection, and clinical relevance of LSCs, as well as emerging biological and small-molecule strategies that either directly target LSCs or indirectly target these cells through modulation of their microenvironment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

miR-99 regulates normal and malignant hematopoietic stem cell self-renewal.

PubMed

Khalaj, Mona; Woolthuis, Carolien M; Hu, Wenhuo; Durham, Benjamin H; Chu, S Haihua; Qamar, Sarah; Armstrong, Scott A; Park, Christopher Y

2017-07-21

The microRNA-99 ( miR-99 ) family comprises a group of broadly conserved microRNAs that are highly expressed in hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and acute myeloid leukemia stem cells (LSCs) compared with their differentiated progeny. Herein, we show that miR-99 regulates self-renewal in both HSCs and LSCs. miR-99 maintains HSC long-term reconstitution activity by inhibiting differentiation and cell cycle entry. Moreover, miR-99 inhibition induced LSC differentiation and depletion in an MLL-AF9-driven mouse model of AML, leading to reduction in leukemia-initiating activity and improved survival in secondary transplants. Confirming miR-99 's role in established AML, miR-99 inhibition induced primary AML patient blasts to undergo differentiation. A forward genetic shRNA library screen revealed Hoxa1 as a critical mediator of miR-99 function in HSC maintenance, and this observation was independently confirmed in both HSCs and LSCs. Together, these studies demonstrate the importance of noncoding RNAs in the regulation of HSC and LSC function and identify miR-99 as a critical regulator of stem cell self-renewal. © 2017 Khalaj et al.

miR-99 regulates normal and malignant hematopoietic stem cell self-renewal

PubMed Central

Khalaj, Mona; Woolthuis, Carolien M.; Hu, Wenhuo; Durham, Benjamin H.; Chu, S. Haihua; Qamar, Sarah; Armstrong, Scott A.

2017-01-01

The microRNA-99 (miR-99) family comprises a group of broadly conserved microRNAs that are highly expressed in hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and acute myeloid leukemia stem cells (LSCs) compared with their differentiated progeny. Herein, we show that miR-99 regulates self-renewal in both HSCs and LSCs. miR-99 maintains HSC long-term reconstitution activity by inhibiting differentiation and cell cycle entry. Moreover, miR-99 inhibition induced LSC differentiation and depletion in an MLL-AF9–driven mouse model of AML, leading to reduction in leukemia-initiating activity and improved survival in secondary transplants. Confirming miR-99’s role in established AML, miR-99 inhibition induced primary AML patient blasts to undergo differentiation. A forward genetic shRNA library screen revealed Hoxa1 as a critical mediator of miR-99 function in HSC maintenance, and this observation was independently confirmed in both HSCs and LSCs. Together, these studies demonstrate the importance of noncoding RNAs in the regulation of HSC and LSC function and identify miR-99 as a critical regulator of stem cell self-renewal. PMID:28733386

"Is Your Man Stepping Out?" An Online Pilot Study to Evaluate Acceptability of a Guide-Enhanced HIV Prevention Soap Opera Video Series and Feasibility of Recruitment by Facebook Advertising.

PubMed

Jones, Rachel; Lacroix, Lorraine J; Nolte, Kerry

2015-01-01

Love, Sex, and Choices (LSC) is a 12-episode soap opera video series developed to reduce HIV risk among at-risk Black urban women. We added a video guide commentator to offer insights at critical dramatic moments. An online pilot study evaluated acceptability of the Guide-Enhanced LSC (GELSC) and feasibility of Facebook advertising, streaming to smartphones, and retention. Facebook ads targeted high-HIV-prevalence areas. In 30 days, Facebook ads generated 230 screening interviews: 84 were high risk, 40 watched GELSC, and 39 followed up at 30 days. Recruitment of high-risk participants was 10 per week, compared to seven per week in previous field recruitment. Half the sample was Black; 12% were Latina. Findings suggest GELSC influenced sex scripts and behaviors. It was feasible to recruit young urban women from a large geographic area via Facebook and to retain the sample. We extended the reach to at-risk women by streaming to mobile devices. Copyright © 2015 Association of Nurses in AIDS Care. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Toward improved design of check dam systems: A case study in the Loess Plateau, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pal, Debasish; Galelli, Stefano; Tang, Honglei; Ran, Qihua

2018-04-01

Check dams are one of the most common strategies for controlling sediment transport in erosion prone areas, along with soil and water conservation measures. However, existing mathematical models that simulate sediment production and delivery are often unable to simulate how the storage capacity of check dams varies with time. To explicitly account for this process-and to support the design of check dam systems-we developed a modelling framework consisting of two components, namely (1) the spatially distributed Soil Erosion and Sediment Delivery Model (WaTEM/SEDEM), and (2) a network-based model of check dam storage dynamics. The two models are run sequentially, with the second model receiving the initial sediment input to check dams from WaTEM/SEDEM. The framework is first applied to Shejiagou catchment, a 4.26 km2 area located in the Loess Plateau, China, where we study the effect of the existing check dam system on sediment dynamics. Results show that the deployment of check dams altered significantly the sediment delivery ratio of the catchment. Furthermore, the network-based model reveals a large variability in the life expectancy of check dams and abrupt changes in their filling rates. The application of the framework to six alternative check dam deployment scenarios is then used to illustrate its usefulness for planning purposes, and to derive some insights on the effect of key decision variables, such as the number, size, and site location of check dams. Simulation results suggest that better performance-in terms of life expectancy and sediment delivery ratio-could have been achieved with an alternative deployment strategy.

22 CFR 96.35 - Suitability of agencies and persons to provide adoption services consistent with the Convention.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... charge(s), child abuse charge(s), or lawsuit(s) against the agency or person, related to the provision of... background check and a child abuse clearance for any such individual in the United States in a senior... check and a child abuse clearance to the accrediting entity; (2) Completes and retains a FBI Form FD-258...

22 CFR 96.35 - Suitability of agencies and persons to provide adoption services consistent with the Convention.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... charge(s), child abuse charge(s), or lawsuit(s) against the agency or person, related to the provision of... background check and a child abuse clearance for any such individual in the United States in a senior... check and a child abuse clearance to the accrediting entity; (2) Completes and retains a FBI Form FD-258...

22 CFR 96.35 - Suitability of agencies and persons to provide adoption services consistent with the Convention.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... charge(s), child abuse charge(s), or lawsuit(s) against the agency or person, related to the provision of... background check and a child abuse clearance for any such individual in the United States in a senior... check and a child abuse clearance to the accrediting entity; (2) Completes and retains a FBI Form FD-258...

22 CFR 96.35 - Suitability of agencies and persons to provide adoption services consistent with the Convention.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... charge(s), child abuse charge(s), or lawsuit(s) against the agency or person, related to the provision of... background check and a child abuse clearance for any such individual in the United States in a senior... check and a child abuse clearance to the accrediting entity; (2) Completes and retains a FBI Form FD-258...

The UN Commission on Life Saving Commodities 3 years on: global progress update and results of a multicountry assessment.

PubMed

Pronyk, Paul M; Nemser, Bennett; Maliqi, Blerta; Springstubb, Nora; Sera, Diana; Karimov, Rouslan; Katwan, Elizabeth; Walter, Benedicte; Bijleveld, Pascal

2016-04-01

In September, 2012, the UN Commission on Life Saving Commodities (UNCoLSC) outlined a plan to expand availability and access to 13 life saving commodities. We profile global and country progress against these recommendations between 2012 and 2015. For 12 countries in sub-Saharan Africa that were off-track to achieve the Millennium Development Goals for maternal and child survival, we reviewed key documents and reference data, and conducted interviews with ministry staff and partners to assess the status of the UNCoLSC recommendations. The RMNCH fund provided short-term catalytic financing to support country plans to advance the commodity agenda, with activities coded by UNCoLSC recommendation. Our network of technical resource teams identified, addressed, and monitored progress against cross-cutting commodity-related challenges that needed coordinated global action. In 2014 and 2015, child and maternal health commodities had fewer bottlenecks than reproductive and neonatal commodities. Common bottlenecks included regulatory challenges (ten of 12 countries); poor quality assurance (11 of 12 countries); insufficient staff training (more than half of facilities on average); and weak supply chains systems (11 of 12 countries), with stock-outs of priority commodities in about 40% of facilities on average. The RMNCH fund committed US$175·7 million to 19 countries to support strategies addressing crucial gaps. $68·2 million (39·0%) of the funds supported systems-strengthening interventions with the remainder split across reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health. Health worker training ($88·6 million, 50·4%), supply chain ($53·3 million, 30·0%), and demand generation ($21·1 million, 12·0%) were the major topics of focus. All priority commodities are now listed in the WHO Essential Medicines List; appropriate price reductions were secured; quality manufacturing was improved; a fast-track registration mechanism for prequalified products was established; and methods were developed for advocacy, quantification, demand generation, supply chain, and provider training. Slower progress was evident around regulatory harmonisation and quality assurance. Much work is needed to achieve full implementation of the UNCoLSC recommendations. Coordinated efforts to secure price reductions beyond the 13 commodities and improve regulatory efficiency, quality, and supply chains are still needed alongside broader dissemination of work products. Governments of Norway (NORAD) and the UK (DFID). Copyright © 2015 World Health Organization; licensee Elsevier. This is an Open Access article published without any waiver of WHO's privileges and immunities under international law, convention, or agreement. This Article should not be reproduced for use in association with the promotion of commercial products, services, or any legal entity. There should be no suggestion that WHO endorses any specific organisation or products. The use of the WHO logo is not permitted. This notice should be preserved along with the Article's original URL.

Data quality assessment for comparative effectiveness research in distributed data networks

PubMed Central

Brown, Jeffrey; Kahn, Michael; Toh, Sengwee

2015-01-01

Background Electronic health information routinely collected during healthcare delivery and reimbursement can help address the need for evidence about the real-world effectiveness, safety, and quality of medical care. Often, distributed networks that combine information from multiple sources are needed to generate this real-world evidence. Objective We provide a set of field-tested best practices and a set of recommendations for data quality checking for comparative effectiveness research (CER) in distributed data networks. Methods Explore the requirements for data quality checking and describe data quality approaches undertaken by several existing multi-site networks. Results There are no established standards regarding how to evaluate the quality of electronic health data for CER within distributed networks. Data checks of increasing complexity are often employed, ranging from consistency with syntactic rules to evaluation of semantics and consistency within and across sites. Temporal trends within and across sites are widely used, as are checks of each data refresh or update. Rates of specific events and exposures by age group, sex, and month are also common. Discussion Secondary use of electronic health data for CER holds promise but is complex, especially in distributed data networks that incorporate periodic data refreshes. The viability of a learning health system is dependent on a robust understanding of the quality, validity, and optimal secondary uses of routinely collected electronic health data within distributed health data networks. Robust data quality checking can strengthen confidence in findings based on distributed data network. PMID:23793049

OntoCheck: verifying ontology naming conventions and metadata completeness in Protégé 4.

PubMed

Schober, Daniel; Tudose, Ilinca; Svatek, Vojtech; Boeker, Martin

2012-09-21

Although policy providers have outlined minimal metadata guidelines and naming conventions, ontologies of today still display inter- and intra-ontology heterogeneities in class labelling schemes and metadata completeness. This fact is at least partially due to missing or inappropriate tools. Software support can ease this situation and contribute to overall ontology consistency and quality by helping to enforce such conventions. We provide a plugin for the Protégé Ontology editor to allow for easy checks on compliance towards ontology naming conventions and metadata completeness, as well as curation in case of found violations. In a requirement analysis, derived from a prior standardization approach carried out within the OBO Foundry, we investigate the needed capabilities for software tools to check, curate and maintain class naming conventions. A Protégé tab plugin was implemented accordingly using the Protégé 4.1 libraries. The plugin was tested on six different ontologies. Based on these test results, the plugin could be refined, also by the integration of new functionalities. The new Protégé plugin, OntoCheck, allows for ontology tests to be carried out on OWL ontologies. In particular the OntoCheck plugin helps to clean up an ontology with regard to lexical heterogeneity, i.e. enforcing naming conventions and metadata completeness, meeting most of the requirements outlined for such a tool. Found test violations can be corrected to foster consistency in entity naming and meta-annotation within an artefact. Once specified, check constraints like name patterns can be stored and exchanged for later re-use. Here we describe a first version of the software, illustrate its capabilities and use within running ontology development efforts and briefly outline improvements resulting from its application. Further, we discuss OntoChecks capabilities in the context of related tools and highlight potential future expansions. The OntoCheck plugin facilitates labelling error detection and curation, contributing to lexical quality assurance in OWL ontologies. Ultimately, we hope this Protégé extension will ease ontology alignments as well as lexical post-processing of annotated data and hence can increase overall secondary data usage by humans and computers.

Creation of a master table for checking indication and contraindication of medicine from a knowledge base linked with a thesaurus.

PubMed

Ji, Shanmei; Matsumura, Yasushi; Kuwata, Shigeki; Nakano, Hirohiko; Chen, Yufeng; Teratani, Tadamasa; Zhang, Qiyan; Mineno, Takahiro; Takeda, Hiroshi

2004-12-01

To develop a system for checking indication and contraindication of medicines in prescription order entry system, a master table consisting of the disease names corresponding to the medicines adopted in a hospital is needed. The creation of this table requires a considerable manpower. We developed a Web-based system for constructing a medicine/disease thesaurus and a knowledge base. By authority management of users, this system enables many specialists to create the thesaurus collaboratively without confusion. It supports the creation of a knowledge base using concept names by referring to the thesaurus, which is automatically converted to the check master table. When a disease name or medicine name was added to the thesaurus, the check table was automatically updated. We constructed a thesaurus and a knowledge base in the field of circulatory system disease. The knowledge base linked with the thesaurus proved to be efficient for making the check master table for indication/contraindication of medicines.

Influence of a Shared Leadership Model in Creating a School Culture of Inquiry and Collegiality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khourey-Bowers, Claudia; Dinko, Richard L.; Hart, Raymond G.

2005-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a Local Systemic Change (LSC) initiative (N = 216) at Year 2 in a 5-year plan. Key questions were: What is the extent of school and teacher involvement?; What is the impact on teacher preparedness, attitudes, and beliefs?; and What is the extent of institutionalization? The model of…

Compulsory Project-Level Involvement and the Use of Program-Level Evaluations: Evaluating the Local Systemic Change for Teacher Enhancement Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Kelli; Weiss, Iris R.

2011-01-01

In 1995, the National Science Foundation (NSF) contracted with principal investigator Iris Weiss and an evaluation team at Horizon Research, Inc. (HRI) to conduct a national evaluation of the Local Systemic Change for Teacher Enhancement program (LSC). HRI conducted the core evaluation under a $6.25 million contract with NSF. This program…

Immunity status of adults and children against poliomyelitis virus type 1 strains CHAT and Sabin (LSc-2ab) in Germany.

PubMed

Eggers, Maren; Terletskaia-Ladwig, Elena; Rabenau, Holger F; Doerr, Hans W; Diedrich, Sabine; Enders, Gisela; Enders, Martin

2010-12-09

In October 2007, the working group CEN/TC 216 of the European Committee for standardisation suggested that the Sabin oral poliovirus vaccine type 1 strain (LSc-2ab) presently used for virucidal tests should be replaced by another attenuated vaccine poliovirus type 1 strain, CHAT. Both strains were historically used as oral vaccines, but the Sabin type 1 strain was acknowledged to be more attenuated. In Germany, vaccination against poliomyelitis was introduced in 1962 using the oral polio vaccine (OPV) containing Sabin strain LSc-2ab. The vaccination schedule was changed from OPV to an inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) containing wild polio virus type 1 strain Mahoney in 1998. In the present study, we assessed potential differences in neutralising antibody titres to Sabin and CHAT in persons with a history of either OPV, IPV, or OPV with IPV booster. Neutralisation poliovirus antibodies against CHAT and Sabin 1 were measured in sera of 41 adults vaccinated with OPV. Additionally, sera from 28 children less than 10 years of age and immunised with IPV only were analysed. The neutralisation assay against poliovirus was performed according to WHO guidelines. The neutralisation activity against CHAT in adults with OPV vaccination history was significantly lower than against Sabin poliovirus type 1 strains (Wilcoxon signed-rank test P < 0.025). In eight sera, the antibody titres measured against CHAT were less than 8, although the titre against Sabin 1 varied between 8 and 64. Following IPV booster, anti-CHAT antibodies increased rapidly in sera of CHAT-negative adults with OPV history. Sera from children with IPV history neutralised CHAT and Sabin 1 strains equally. The lack of neutralising antibodies against the CHAT strain in persons vaccinated with OPV might be associated with an increased risk of reinfection with the CHAT polio virus type 1, and this implies a putative risk of transmission of the virus to polio-free communities. We strongly suggest that laboratory workers who were immunised with OPV receive a booster vaccination with IPV before handling CHAT in the laboratory.

Availability, prices and affordability of UN Commission's lifesaving medicines for reproductive and maternal health in Uganda.

PubMed

Kibira, Denis; Kitutu, Freddy Eric; Merrett, Gemma Buckland; Mantel-Teeuwisse, Aukje K

2017-01-01

Uganda was one of seven countries in which the United Nations Commission on Life Saving Commodities (UNCoLSC) initiative was implemented starting from 2013. A nationwide survey was conducted in 2015 to determine availability, prices and affordability of essential UNCoLSC maternal and reproductive health (MRH) commodities. The survey at health facilities in Uganda was conducted using an adapted version of the standardized methodology co-developed by World Health Organisation (WHO) and Health Action International (HAI). In this study, six maternal and reproductive health commodities, that were part of the UNCoLSC initiative, were studied in the public, private and mission health sectors. Median price ratios were calculated with Management Sciences for Health International Drug Price Indicator prices as reference. Maternal and reproductive health commodity stocks were reviewed from stock cards for their availability for a period of 6 months preceding the survey. Affordability was measured using wages of the lowest paid government worker. Overall none of the six maternal and reproductive commodities was found in the surveyed health facilities. Public sector had the highest availability (52%), followed by mission sector (36%) and then private sector had the least (30%). Stock outs ranged from 7 to 21 days in public sector; 2 to 23 days in private sector and 3 to 27 days in mission sector. During the survey, maternal health commodities were more available and had less number of stock out days than reproductive health commodities. Median price ratios (MPR) indicated that medicines and commodities were more expensive in Uganda compared to international reference prices. Furthermore, MRH medicines and commodities were more expensive and less affordable in private sector compared to mission sector. Access to MRH commodities is inadequate in Uganda. Maternal health commodities were more available, cheaper and thus more affordable than reproductive health commodities in the current study. Efforts should be undertaken by the Ministry of Health and stakeholders to improve availability, prices and affordability of MRH commodities in Uganda to ensure that sustainable Development Goals are met.

The complete chloroplast DNA sequence of Eleutherococcus senticosus (Araliaceae); comparative evolutionary analyses with other three asterids.

PubMed

Yi, Dong-Keun; Lee, Hae-Lim; Sun, Byung-Yun; Chung, Mi Yoon; Kim, Ki-Joong

2012-05-01

This study reports the complete chloroplast (cp) DNA sequence of Eleutherococcus senticosus (GenBank: JN 637765), an endangered endemic species. The genome is 156,768 bp in length, and contains a pair of inverted repeat (IR) regions of 25,930 bp each, a large single copy (LSC) region of 86,755 bp and a small single copy (SSC) region of 18,153 bp. The structural organization, gene and intron contents, gene order, AT content, codon usage, and transcription units of the E. senticosus chloroplast genome are similar to that of typical land plant cp DNA. We aligned and analyzed the sequences of 86 coding genes, 19 introns and 113 intergenic spacers (IGS) in three different taxonomic hierarchies; Eleutherococcus vs. Panax, Eleutherococcus vs. Daucus, and Eleutherococcus vs. Nicotiana. The distribution of indels, the number of polymorphic sites and nucleotide diversity indicate that positional constraint is more important than functional constraint for the evolution of cp genome sequences in Asterids. For example, the intron sequences in the LSC region exhibited base substitution rates 5-11-times higher than that of the IR regions, while the intron sequences in the SSC region evolved 7-14-times faster than those in the IR region. Furthermore, the Ka/Ks ratio of the gene coding sequences supports a stronger evolutionary constraint in the IR region than in the LSC or SSC regions. Therefore, our data suggest that selective sweeps by base collection mechanisms more frequently eliminate polymorphisms in the IR region than in other regions. Chloroplast genome regions that have high levels of base substitutions also show higher incidences of indels. Thirty-five simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci were identified in the Eleutherococcus chloroplast genome. Of these, 27 are homopolymers, while six are di-polymers and two are tri-polymers. In addition to the SSR loci, we also identified 18 medium size repeat units ranging from 22 to 79 bp, 11 of which are distributed in the IGS or intron regions. These medium size repeats may contribute to developing a cp genome-specific gene introduction vector because the region may use for specific recombination sites.

GPS-determined Crustal Deformation of South Korea after the 2011 Tohoku-Oki Earthquake: Straining Heterogeneity and Seismicity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ree, J. H.; Kim, S.; Yoon, H. S.; Choi, B. K.; Park, P. H.

2017-12-01

The GPS-determined, pre-, co- and post-seismic crustal deformations of the Korean peninsula with respect to the 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake (Baek et al., 2012, Terra Nova; Kim et al., 2015, KSCE Jour. of Civil Engineering) are all stretching ones (extensional; horizontal stretching rate larger than horizontal shortening rate). However, focal mechanism solutions of earthquakes indicate that South Korea has been at compressional regime dominated by strike- and reverse-slip faultings. We reevaluated the velocity field of GPS data to see any effect of the Tohoku-Oki earthquake on the Korean crustal deformation and seismicity. To calculate the velocity gradient tensor of GPS sites, we used a gridding method based on least-square collocation (LSC). This LSC method can overcome shortcomings of the segmentation methods including the triangulation method. For example, an undesirable, abrupt change in components of velocity field occurs at segment boundaries in the segmentation methods. It is also known that LSC method is more useful in evaluating deformation patterns in intraplate areas with relatively small displacements. Velocity vectors of South Korea, pointing in general to 113° before the Tohoku-Oki earthquake, instantly changed their direction toward the epicenter (82° on average) during the Tohoku-Oki earthquake, and then gradually returned to the original position about 2 years after the Tohoku-Oki earthquake. Our calculation of velocity gradient tensors after the Tohoku-Oki earthquake shows that the stretching and rotating fields are quite heterogeneous, and that both stretching and shortening areas exist in South Korea. In particular, after the post-seismic relaxation ceased (i.e., from two years after the Tohoku-Oki earthquake), regions with thicker and thinner crusts tend to be shortening and stretching, respectively, in South Korea. Furthermore, the straining rate is larger in the regions with thinner crust. Although there is no meaningful correlation between seismicity and crustal straining pattern of South Korea at present, the seismicity tends to be localized along boundaries between areas with opposite vorticity, particularly for velocity field for one year after the Tohoku-Oki earthquake.

Complete chloroplast genomes from apomictic Taraxacum (Asteraceae): Identity and variation between three microspecies

PubMed Central

Majeský, Ľuboš; Schwarzacher, Trude; Gornall, Richard; Heslop-Harrison, Pat

2017-01-01

Chloroplast DNA sequences show substantial variation between higher plant species, and less variation within species, so are typically excellent markers to investigate evolutionary, population and genetic relationships and phylogenies. We sequenced the plastomes of Taraxacum obtusifrons Markl. (O978); T. stridulum Trávniček ined. (S3); and T. amplum Markl. (A978), three apomictic triploid (2n = 3x = 24) dandelions from the T. officinale agg. We aimed to characterize the variation in plastomes, define relationships and correlations with the apomictic microspecies status, and refine placement of the microspecies in the evolutionary or phylogenetic context of the Asteraceae. The chloroplast genomes of accessions O978 and S3 were identical and 151,322 bp long (where the nuclear genes are known to show variation), while A978 was 151,349 bp long. All three genomes contained 135 unique genes, with an additional copy of the trnF-GGA gene in the LSC region and 20 duplicated genes in the IR region, along with short repeats, the typical major Inverted Repeats (IR1 and IR2, 24,431bp long), and Large and Small Single Copy regions (LSC 83,889bp and SSC 18,571bp in O978). Between the two Taraxacum plastomes types, we identified 28 SNPs. The distribution of polymorphisms suggests some parts of the Taraxacum plastome are evolving at a slower rate. There was a hemi-nested inversion in the LSC region that is common to Asteraceae, and an SSC inversion from ndhF to rps15 found only in some Asteraceae lineages. A comparative repeat analysis showed variation between Taraxacum and the phylogenetically close genus Lactuca, with many more direct repeats of 40bp or more in Lactuca (1% larger plastome than Taraxacum). When individual genes and non-coding regions were for Asteraceae phylogeny reconstruction, not all showed the same evolutionary scenario suggesting care is needed for interpretation of relationships if a limited number of markers are used. Studying genotypic diversity in plastomes is important to characterize the nature of evolutionary processes in nuclear and cytoplasmic genomes with the different selection pressures, population structures and breeding systems. PMID:28182646

Complete chloroplast genomes from apomictic Taraxacum (Asteraceae): Identity and variation between three microspecies.

PubMed

M Salih, Rubar Hussein; Majeský, Ľuboš; Schwarzacher, Trude; Gornall, Richard; Heslop-Harrison, Pat

2017-01-01

Chloroplast DNA sequences show substantial variation between higher plant species, and less variation within species, so are typically excellent markers to investigate evolutionary, population and genetic relationships and phylogenies. We sequenced the plastomes of Taraxacum obtusifrons Markl. (O978); T. stridulum Trávniček ined. (S3); and T. amplum Markl. (A978), three apomictic triploid (2n = 3x = 24) dandelions from the T. officinale agg. We aimed to characterize the variation in plastomes, define relationships and correlations with the apomictic microspecies status, and refine placement of the microspecies in the evolutionary or phylogenetic context of the Asteraceae. The chloroplast genomes of accessions O978 and S3 were identical and 151,322 bp long (where the nuclear genes are known to show variation), while A978 was 151,349 bp long. All three genomes contained 135 unique genes, with an additional copy of the trnF-GGA gene in the LSC region and 20 duplicated genes in the IR region, along with short repeats, the typical major Inverted Repeats (IR1 and IR2, 24,431bp long), and Large and Small Single Copy regions (LSC 83,889bp and SSC 18,571bp in O978). Between the two Taraxacum plastomes types, we identified 28 SNPs. The distribution of polymorphisms suggests some parts of the Taraxacum plastome are evolving at a slower rate. There was a hemi-nested inversion in the LSC region that is common to Asteraceae, and an SSC inversion from ndhF to rps15 found only in some Asteraceae lineages. A comparative repeat analysis showed variation between Taraxacum and the phylogenetically close genus Lactuca, with many more direct repeats of 40bp or more in Lactuca (1% larger plastome than Taraxacum). When individual genes and non-coding regions were for Asteraceae phylogeny reconstruction, not all showed the same evolutionary scenario suggesting care is needed for interpretation of relationships if a limited number of markers are used. Studying genotypic diversity in plastomes is important to characterize the nature of evolutionary processes in nuclear and cytoplasmic genomes with the different selection pressures, population structures and breeding systems.

Students take the lead for learning in practice: A process for building self-efficacy into undergraduate nursing education.

PubMed

Henderson, Amanda; Harrison, Penny; Rowe, Jennifer; Edwards, Sam; Barnes, Margaret; Henderson, Simon; Henderson, Amanda

2018-04-10

To prepare graduate nurses for practice, the curriculum and pedagogy need to facilitate student engagement, active learning and the development of self-efficacy. This pilot project describes and explores an initiative, the Check-in and Check-out process, that aims to engage students as active partners in their learning and teaching in their clinical preparation for practice. Three interdependent elements make up the process: a check-in (briefing) part; a clinical practice part, which supports students as they engage in their learning and practise clinical skills; and a check-out (debriefing) part. A student evaluation of this initiative confirmed the value of the process, which has subsequently been embedded in the preparation for practice and work-integrated learning courses in the undergraduate nursing programs at the participating university. The introduction of a singular learning process provides consistency in the learning approach used across clinical learning spaces, irrespective of their location or focus. A consistent learning process-including a common language that easily transfers across all clinical courses and clinical settings-arguably enhances the students' learning experience, helps them to actively manage their preparation for clinical practice and to develop self-efficacy. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Psychometric properties of the Body Checking Questionnaire in college women.

PubMed

White, Emily K; Claudat, Kim; Jones, Sarah C; Barchard, Kimberly A; Warren, Cortney S

2015-03-01

While the Body Checking Questionnaire (BCQ; Reas et al., 2002) is the most commonly-used measure of body checking behaviors, findings on the factor structure in nonclinical samples are mixed. This study investigated the factor structure and psychometric properties of the BCQ among nonclinical college women. In Study 1 (n=326), an exploratory factor analysis indicated factors corresponding to (a) behavioral and (b) visual checking. In Study 2 (n=1013), a confirmatory factor analysis revealed adequate fit for these factors, better than the original or total score solutions. Scales based upon the two factors demonstrated good internal consistency, convergent validity with measures of eating pathology, and sensitivity for detecting at-risk eating pathology. Results suggest an alternate two-factor solution that differs from the original three-factor solution. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Verifying Architectural Design Rules of the Flight Software Product Line

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ganesan, Dharmalingam; Lindvall, Mikael; Ackermann, Chris; McComas, David; Bartholomew, Maureen

2009-01-01

This paper presents experiences of verifying architectural design rules of the NASA Core Flight Software (CFS) product line implementation. The goal of the verification is to check whether the implementation is consistent with the CFS architectural rules derived from the developer's guide. The results indicate that consistency checking helps a) identifying architecturally significant deviations that were eluded during code reviews, b) clarifying the design rules to the team, and c) assessing the overall implementation quality. Furthermore, it helps connecting business goals to architectural principles, and to the implementation. This paper is the first step in the definition of a method for analyzing and evaluating product line implementations from an architecture-centric perspective.

'Constraint consistency' at all orders in cosmological perturbation theory

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

Nandi, Debottam; Shankaranarayanan, S., E-mail: debottam@iisertvm.ac.in, E-mail: shanki@iisertvm.ac.in

2015-08-01

We study the equivalence of two—order-by-order Einstein's equation and Reduced action—approaches to cosmological perturbation theory at all orders for different models of inflation. We point out a crucial consistency check which we refer to as 'Constraint consistency' condition that needs to be satisfied in order for the two approaches to lead to identical single variable equation of motion. The method we propose here is quick and efficient to check the consistency for any model including modified gravity models. Our analysis points out an important feature which is crucial for inflationary model building i.e., all 'constraint' inconsistent models have higher ordermore » Ostrogradsky's instabilities but the reverse is not true. In other words, one can have models with constraint Lapse function and Shift vector, though it may have Ostrogradsky's instabilities. We also obtain single variable equation for non-canonical scalar field in the limit of power-law inflation for the second-order perturbed variables.« less

Taboo thoughts and doubt/checking

PubMed Central

Pinto, Anthony; Eisen, Jane L.; Mancebo, Maria C.; Greenberg, Benjamin D.; Stout, Robert L.; Rasmussen, Steven A.

2007-01-01

The purpose of this report was to improve upon earlier factor analyses of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptom categories by minimizing the heterogeneity in the aggressive obsessions category. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted on data from 293 adults with primary OCD. The resulting five factors (Symmetry/Ordering, Hoarding, Doubt/Checking, Contamination/Cleaning, and Taboo Thoughts) are phenomenologically more homogeneous than prior category-based factors and are consistent with those derived in previous item-level analyses. PMID:17368563

Use of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation for chronic pruritus.

PubMed

Mohammad Ali, Basma Mourad; Hegab, Doaa Salah; El Saadany, Hanan Mohammad

2015-01-01

Pruritus is a distressing symptom in many dermatological as well as systemic conditions, and it is sometimes very chronic and relapsing. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is an inexpensive form of analgesia that could also ameliorate itching. This study aimed to evaluate TENS efficacy in patients with pruritus due to some types of chronic eczema, and in patients with chronic hepatic disease. Ten patients with atopic dermatitis (AD), 20 patients with lichen simplex chronicus (LSC), and 16 patients with chronic liver disease having chronic distressing pruritus received three sessions of TENS weekly for 12 sessions, and the effect on the visual analogue scale (VAS) scores was recorded after 2 weeks of therapy, at treatment end, and after an additional month for follow up. There was a statistically significant decline in the mean VAS score for studied groups at weeks 2 and 4 of therapy compared to baseline, but the improvement was more significant in patients with AD, and LSC (p < 0.001 for both) than in those with chronic liver disease (p < 0.01) who also showed an early re-elevation of VAS score on follow up. TENS therapy holds promise as a palliative, alternative, safe and inexpensive treatment for patients with some chronic pruritic conditions. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Approaches for targeting self-renewal pathways in cancer stem cells: implications for hematological treatments.

PubMed

Horne, Gillian A; Copland, Mhairi

2017-05-01

Self-renewal is considered a defining property of stem cells. Self-renewal is essential in embryogenesis and normal tissue repair and homeostasis. However, in cancer, self-renewal pathways, e.g. WNT, NOTCH, Hedgehog and BMP, frequently become de-regulated in stem cells, or more mature progenitor cells acquire self-renewal properties, resulting in abnormal tissue growth and tumorigenesis. Areas covered: This review considers the conserved embryonic self-renewal pathways, including WNT, NOTCH, Hedgehog and BMP. The article describes recent advances in our understanding of these pathways in leukemia and, more specifically, leukemia stem cells (LSC), how these pathways cross-talk and interact with the LSC microenvironment, and discusses the clinical implications and potential therapeutic strategies, both in preclinical and in clinical trials for hematological malignancies. Expert opinion: The conserved embryonic self-renewal pathways are frequently de-regulated in cancer stem cells (CSC), including LSCs. There is significant cross-talk between self-renewal pathways, and their downstream targets, and the microenvironment. Effective targeting of these pathways is challenging due to cross-talk, and importantly, because these pathways are important for normal stem cells as well as CSC, adverse effects on normal tissues may mean a therapeutic window cannot be identified. Nonetheless, several agents targeting these pathways are currently in clinical trials in hematological malignancies.

Determining the biomass fraction of mixed waste fuels: A comparison of existing industry and {sup 14}C-based methodologies

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

Muir, G.K.P., E-mail: Graham.Muir@glasgow.ac.uk; Hayward, S.; Tripney, B.G.

2015-01-15

Highlights: • Compares industry standard and {sup 14}C methods for determining bioenergy content of MSW. • Differences quantified through study at an operational energy from waste plant. • Manual sort and selective dissolution are unreliable measures of feedstock bioenergy. • {sup 14}C methods (esp. AMS) improve precision and reliability of bioenergy determination. • Implications for electricity generators and regulators for award of bio-incentives. - Abstract: {sup 14}C analysis of flue gas by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) and liquid scintillation counting (LSC) were used to determine the biomass fraction of mixed waste at an operational energy-from-waste (EfW) plant. Results were convertedmore » to bioenergy (% total) using mathematical algorithms and assessed against existing industry methodologies which involve manual sorting and selective dissolution (SD) of feedstock. Simultaneous determinations using flue gas showed excellent agreement: 44.8 ± 2.7% for AMS and 44.6 ± 12.3% for LSC. Comparable bioenergy results were obtained using a feedstock manual sort procedure (41.4%), whilst a procedure based on selective dissolution of representative waste material is reported as 75.5% (no errors quoted). {sup 14}C techniques present significant advantages in data acquisition, precision and reliability for both electricity generator and industry regulator.« less

ACID EVAPORATION OF ULTIMA GOLD TM AB LIQUID SCINTILLATION COCKTAIL RESIDUE

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

Kyser, E.; Fondeur, F.; Crump, S.

2011-12-21

Prior analyses of samples from the F/H Lab solutions showed the presence of diisopropylnapthalene (DIN), a major component of Ultima Gold{trademark} AB liquid scintillation cocktail (LSC). These solutions are processed through H-Canyon Tank 10.5 and ultimately through the 17.8E evaporator. Similar solutions originated in SRNL streams sent to the same H Canyon tanks. This study examined whether the presence of these organics poses a process-significant hazard for the evaporator. Evaporation and calorimetry testing of surrogate samples containing 2000 ppm of Ultima Gold{trademark} AB LSC in 8 M nitric acid have been completed. These experiments showed that although reactions between nitricmore » acid and the organic components do occur, they do not appear to pose a significant hazard for runaway reactions or generation of energetic compounds in canyon evaporators. The amount of off-gas generated was relatively modest and appeared to be well within the venting capacity of the H-Canyon evaporators. A significant fraction of the organic components likely survives the evaporation process primarily as non-volatile components that are not expected to represent any new process concerns during downstream operations such as neutralization. Laboratory Waste solutions containing minor amounts of DIN can be safely received, stored, transferred, and processed through the canyon waste evaporator.« less

Standardization of Tc-99 by two methods and participation at the CCRI(II)-K2. Tc-99 comparison.

PubMed

Sahagia, M; Antohe, A; Ioan, R; Luca, A; Ivan, C

2014-05-01

The work accomplished within the participation at the 2012 key comparison of Tc-99 is presented. The solution was standardized for the first time in IFIN-HH by two methods: LSC-TDCR and 4π(PC)β-γ efficiency tracer. The methods are described and the results are compared. For the LSC-TDCR method, the program TDCR07c, written and provided by P. Cassette, was used for processing the measurement data. The results are 2.1% higher than when applying the TDCR06b program; the higher value, calculated with the software TDCR07c, was used for reporting the final result in the comparison. The tracer used for the 4π(PC)β-γ efficiency tracer method was a standard (60)Co solution. The sources were prepared from the mixture (60)Co+(99)Tc solution and a general extrapolation curve, type: N(βTc-99)/(M)(Tc-99)=f [1-ε(Co-60)], was drawn. This value was not used for the final result of the comparison. The difference between the values of activity concentration obtained by the two methods was within the limit of the combined standard uncertainty of the difference of these two results. © 2013 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Musashi2 sustains the mixed-lineage leukemia–driven stem cell regulatory program

PubMed Central

Park, Sun-Mi; Gönen, Mithat; Vu, Ly; Minuesa, Gerard; Tivnan, Patrick; Barlowe, Trevor S.; Taggart, James; Lu, Yuheng; Deering, Raquel P.; Hacohen, Nir; Figueroa, Maria E.; Paietta, Elisabeth; Fernandez, Hugo F.; Tallman, Martin S.; Melnick, Ari; Levine, Ross; Leslie, Christina; Lengner, Christopher J.; Kharas, Michael G.

2015-01-01

Leukemia stem cells (LSCs) are found in most aggressive myeloid diseases and contribute to therapeutic resistance. Leukemia cells exhibit a dysregulated developmental program as the result of genetic and epigenetic alterations. Overexpression of the RNA-binding protein Musashi2 (MSI2) has been previously shown to predict poor survival in leukemia. Here, we demonstrated that conditional deletion of Msi2 in the hematopoietic compartment results in delayed leukemogenesis, reduced disease burden, and a loss of LSC function in a murine leukemia model. Gene expression profiling of these Msi2-deficient animals revealed a loss of the hematopoietic/leukemic stem cell self-renewal program and an increase in the differentiation program. In acute myeloid leukemia patients, the presence of a gene signature that was similar to that observed in Msi2-deficent murine LSCs correlated with improved survival. We determined that MSI2 directly maintains the mixed-lineage leukemia (MLL) self-renewal program by interacting with and retaining efficient translation of Hoxa9, Myc, and Ikzf2 mRNAs. Moreover, depletion of MLL target Ikzf2 in LSCs reduced colony formation, decreased proliferation, and increased apoptosis. Our data provide evidence that MSI2 controls efficient translation of the oncogenic LSC self-renewal program and suggest MSI2 as a potential therapeutic target for myeloid leukemia. PMID:25664853

Consistency Check for the Bin Packing Constraint Revisited

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dupuis, Julien; Schaus, Pierre; Deville, Yves

The bin packing problem (BP) consists in finding the minimum number of bins necessary to pack a set of items so that the total size of the items in each bin does not exceed the bin capacity C. The bin capacity is common for all the bins.

Building Consistency between Title, Problem Statement, Purpose, & Research Questions to Improve the Quality of Research Plans and Reports

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newman, Isadore; Covrig, Duane M.

2013-01-01

Consistency in the title, problem, purpose, and research question improve the logic and transparency of research. When these components of research are aligned research design and planning are more coherent and research reports are more readable. This article reviews the process for checking for and improving consistency. Numerous examples of…

SU-E-T-649: Quality Assurances for Proton Therapy Delivery Equipment

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

Arjomandy, B; Kase, Y; Flanz, J

2015-06-15

Purpose: The number of proton therapy centers has increased dramatically over the past decade. Currently, there is no comprehensive set of guidelines that addresses quality assurance (QA) procedures for the different technologies used for proton therapy. The AAPM has charged task group 224 (TG-224) to provide recommendations for QA required for accurate and safe dose delivery, using existing and next generation proton therapy delivery equipment. Methods: A database comprised of QA procedures and tolerance limits was generated from many existing proton therapy centers in and outside of the US. These consist of proton therapy centers that possessed double scattering, uniformmore » scanning, and pencil beams delivery systems. The diversity in beam delivery systems as well as the existing devices to perform QA checks for different beam parameters is the main subject of TG-224. Based on current practice at the clinically active proton centers participating in this task group, consensus QA recommendations were developed. The methodologies and requirements of the parameters that must be verified for consistency of the performance of the proton beam delivery systems are discussed. Results: TG-224 provides procedures and QA checks for mechanical, imaging, safety and dosimetry requirements for different proton equipment. These procedures are categorized based on their importance and their required frequencies in order to deliver a safe and consistent dose. The task group provides daily, weekly, monthly, and annual QA check procedures with their tolerance limits. Conclusions: The procedures outlined in this protocol provide sufficient information to qualified medical physicists to perform QA checks for any proton delivery system. Execution of these procedures should provide confidence that proton therapy equipment is functioning as commissioned for patient treatment and delivers dose safely and accurately within the established tolerance limits. The report will be published in late 2015.« less

Review of the energy check of an electron-only linear accelerator over a 6 year period: sensitivity of the technique to energy shift.

PubMed

Biggs, Peter J

2003-04-01

The calibration and monthly QA of an electron-only linear accelerator dedicated to intra-operative radiation therapy has been reviewed. Since this machine is calibrated prior to every procedure, there was no necessity to adjust the output calibration at any time except, perhaps, when the magnetron is changed, provided the machine output is reasonably stable. This gives a unique opportunity to study the dose output of the machine per monitor unit, variation in the timer error, flatness and symmetry of the beam and the energy check as a function of time. The results show that, although the dose per monitor unit varied within +/- 2%, the timer error within +/- 0.005 MU and the asymmetry within 1-2%, none of these parameters showed any systematic change with time. On the other hand, the energy check showed a linear drift with time for 6, 9, and 12 MeV (2.1, 3.5, and 2.5%, respectively, over 5 years), while at 15 and 18 MeV, the energy check was relatively constant. It is further shown that based on annual calibrations and RPC TLD checks, the energy of each beam is constant and that therefore the energy check is an exquisitely sensitive one. The consistency of the independent checks is demonstrated.

Experimental investigation on thermochemical sulfate reduction by H2S initiation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zhang, T.; Amrani, A.; Ellis, G.S.; Ma, Q.; Tang, Y.

2008-01-01

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is known to catalyze thermochemical sulfate reduction (TSR) by hydrocarbons (HC), but the reaction mechanism remains unclear. To understand the mechanism of this catalytic reaction, a series of isothermal gold-tube hydrous pyrolysis experiments were conducted at 330 ??C for 24 h under a constant confining pressure of 24.1 MPa. The reactants used were saturated HC (sulfur-free) and CaSO4 in the presence of variable H2S partial pressures at three different pH conditions. The experimental results showed that the in-situ pH of the aqueous solution (herein, in-situ pH refers to the calculated pH of aqueous solution under the experimental conditions) can significantly affect the rate of the TSR reaction. A substantial increase in the TSR reaction rate was recorded with a decrease in the in-situ pH value of the aqueous solution involved. A positive correlation between the rate of TSR and the initial partial pressure of H2S occurred under acidic conditions (at pH ???3-3.5). However, sulfate reduction at pH ???5.0 was undetectable even at high initial H2S concentrations. To investigate whether the reaction of H2S(aq) and HSO4- occurs at pH ???3, an additional series of isothermal hydrous pyrolysis experiments was conducted with CaSO4 and variable H2S partial pressures in the absence of HC at the same experimental temperature and pressure conditions. CaSO4 reduction was not measurable in the absence of paraffin even with high H2S pressure and acidic conditions. These experimental observations indicate that the formation of organosulfur intermediates from H2S reacting with hydrocarbons may play a significant role in sulfate reduction under our experimental conditions rather than the formation of elemental sulfur from H2S reacting with sulfate as has been suggested previously (Toland W. G. (1960) Oxidation of organic compounds with aqueous sulphate. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 82, 1911-1916). Quantification of labile organosulfur compounds (LSC), such as thiols and sulfides, was performed on the products of the reaction of H2S and HC from a series of gold-tube non-isothermal hydrous pyrolysis experiments conducted at about pH 3 from 300 to 370 ??C and a 0.1-??C/h heating rate. Incorporation of sulfur into HC resulted in an appreciable amount of thiol and sulfide formation. The rate of LSC formation positively correlated with the initial H2S pressure. Thus, we propose that the LSC produced from H2S reaction with HC are most likely the reactive intermediates for H2S initiation of sulfate reduction. We further propose a three-step reaction scheme of sulfate reduction by HC under reservoir conditions, and discuss the geological implications of our experimental findings with regard to the effect of formation water and oil chemistry, in particular LSC content. ?? 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Extension of specification language for soundness and completeness of service workflow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viriyasitavat, Wattana; Xu, Li Da; Bi, Zhuming; Sapsomboon, Assadaporn

2018-05-01

A Service Workflow is an aggregation of distributed services to fulfill specific functionalities. With ever increasing available services, the methodologies for the selections of the services against the given requirements become main research subjects in multiple disciplines. A few of researchers have contributed to the formal specification languages and the methods for model checking; however, existing methods have the difficulties to tackle with the complexity of workflow compositions. In this paper, we propose to formalize the specification language to reduce the complexity of the workflow composition. To this end, we extend a specification language with the consideration of formal logic, so that some effective theorems can be derived for the verification of syntax, semantics, and inference rules in the workflow composition. The logic-based approach automates compliance checking effectively. The Service Workflow Specification (SWSpec) has been extended and formulated, and the soundness, completeness, and consistency of SWSpec applications have been verified; note that a logic-based SWSpec is mandatory for the development of model checking. The application of the proposed SWSpec has been demonstrated by the examples with the addressed soundness, completeness, and consistency.

OntoCheck: verifying ontology naming conventions and metadata completeness in Protégé 4

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Although policy providers have outlined minimal metadata guidelines and naming conventions, ontologies of today still display inter- and intra-ontology heterogeneities in class labelling schemes and metadata completeness. This fact is at least partially due to missing or inappropriate tools. Software support can ease this situation and contribute to overall ontology consistency and quality by helping to enforce such conventions. Objective We provide a plugin for the Protégé Ontology editor to allow for easy checks on compliance towards ontology naming conventions and metadata completeness, as well as curation in case of found violations. Implementation In a requirement analysis, derived from a prior standardization approach carried out within the OBO Foundry, we investigate the needed capabilities for software tools to check, curate and maintain class naming conventions. A Protégé tab plugin was implemented accordingly using the Protégé 4.1 libraries. The plugin was tested on six different ontologies. Based on these test results, the plugin could be refined, also by the integration of new functionalities. Results The new Protégé plugin, OntoCheck, allows for ontology tests to be carried out on OWL ontologies. In particular the OntoCheck plugin helps to clean up an ontology with regard to lexical heterogeneity, i.e. enforcing naming conventions and metadata completeness, meeting most of the requirements outlined for such a tool. Found test violations can be corrected to foster consistency in entity naming and meta-annotation within an artefact. Once specified, check constraints like name patterns can be stored and exchanged for later re-use. Here we describe a first version of the software, illustrate its capabilities and use within running ontology development efforts and briefly outline improvements resulting from its application. Further, we discuss OntoChecks capabilities in the context of related tools and highlight potential future expansions. Conclusions The OntoCheck plugin facilitates labelling error detection and curation, contributing to lexical quality assurance in OWL ontologies. Ultimately, we hope this Protégé extension will ease ontology alignments as well as lexical post-processing of annotated data and hence can increase overall secondary data usage by humans and computers. PMID:23046606

Data consistency checks for Jefferson Lab Experiment E00-002

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Telfeyan, John; Niculescu, Gabriel; Niculescu, Ioana

2006-10-01

Jefferson Lab experiment E00-002 aims to measure inclusive electron-proton and electron-deuteron scattering cross section at low Q squared and moderately low Bjorken x. Data in this kinematic region will further our understanding of the transition between the perturbative and non-perturbative regimes of Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD). As part of the data analysis effort underway at James Madison University (JMU) a comprehensive set of checks and tests was implemented. These tests ensure the quality and consistency of the experimental data, as well as providing, where appropriate, correction factors between the experimental apparatus as used and its idealized computer-simulated representation. This contribution will outline this testing procedure as implemented in the JMU analysis, highlighting the most important features/results.

[Validation of a German-language Version of the Body Checking Questionnaire (BCQ) in Adolescents with Anorexia and Bulimia Nervosa].

PubMed

Steinfeld, Beate; Bauer, Anika; Waldorf, Manuel; Engel, Nicole; Braks, Karsten; Huber, Thomas J; Vocks, Silja

2017-01-01

Body-related checking behavior, as a behavioral manifestation of a disturbed body image, fosters the development and maintenance of eating disorders. The Body Checking Questionnaire (BCQ) is the most commonly used questionnaire for measuring body-related checking behavior internationally. To date, validation studies are only available for adult populations. Therefore, the aim of this study was to statistically test the German-language version of the BCQ in adolescents. A total of N=129 female adolescents were examined, comprising n=57 with Anorexia Nervosa, n=24 with Bulimia Nervosa, and n=48 healthy female adolescents. A confirmatory factor analysis supports the subdivision of the BCQ into a general factor and the subfactors "overall appearance", "specific body parts" and "idiosyncratic checking", which was also found in the original version. The internal consistencies are good (α≥0.81), and the BCQ is able to differentiate well between adolescents with and without eating disorders. Significant correlations between the BCQ and other body image questionnaires point to a good convergent validity. The German-language BCQ thus constitutes a valid and reliable instrument for measuring body-related checking behavior among adolescents in clinical research and practice. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

ACS Science Data Buffer Check/Self-Tests for CS Buffer RAM and MIE RAM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balzano, V.

2001-07-01

The ACS Science Buffer RAM is checked for bit flips during SAA passages. This is followed by a Control Section {CS} self-test consisting of writing/reading a specified bit pattern from each memory location in Buffer RAM and a similar test for MIE RAM. The MIE must be placed in BOOT mode for its self-test. The CS Buffer RAM self-test as well as the bit flip tests are all done with the CS in Operate.

COS Side 2 Science Data Buffer Check/Self-Tests for CS Buffer RAM and DIB RAM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bacinski, John

2013-10-01

The COS Science Buffer RAM is checked for bit flips during SAA passages. This is followed by a Control Section {CS} self-test consisting of writing/reading a specified bit pattern from each memory location in Buffer RAM and a similar test for DIB RAM. The DIB must be placed in BOOT mode for its self-test. The CS Buffer RAM self-test as well as the bit flip tests are all done with the CS in Operate.

ACS Science Data Buffer Check/Self-Tests for CS Buffer RAM and MIE RAM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Welty, Alan

2005-07-01

The ACS Science Buffer RAM is checked for bit flips during SAA passages. Thisis followed by a Control Section {CS} self-test consisting of writing/reading a specified bit pattern from each memory location in Buffer RAM and a similar test for MIE RAM. The MIE must be placed in BOOT mode for its self-test. The CS Buffer RAM self-test as well as the bit flip tests are all done with the CS in Operate.

Taboo thoughts and doubt/checking: a refinement of the factor structure for obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms.

PubMed

Pinto, Anthony; Eisen, Jane L; Mancebo, Maria C; Greenberg, Benjamin D; Stout, Robert L; Rasmussen, Steven A

2007-06-30

The purpose of this report was to improve upon earlier factor analyses of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptom categories by minimizing the heterogeneity in the aggressive obsessions category. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted on data from 293 adults with primary OCD. The resulting five factors (Symmetry/Ordering, Hoarding, Doubt/Checking, Contamination/Cleaning, and Taboo Thoughts) are phenomenologically more homogeneous than prior category-based factors and are consistent with those derived in previous item-level analyses.

Framework for Automation of Hazard Log Management on Large Critical Projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vinerbi, Lorenzo; Babu, Arun P.

2016-08-01

Hazard log is a database of all risk management activities in a project. Maintaining its correctness and consistency on large safety/mission critical projects involving multiple vendors, suppliers, and partners is critical and challenging. IBM DOORS is one of the popular tool used for hazard management in space applications. However, not all stake- holders are familiar with it. Also, It is not always feasible to expect all stake-holders to provide correct and consistent hazard data.The current work describes the process and tools to simplify the process of hazard data collection on large projects. It demonstrates how the collected data from all stake-holders is merged to form the hazard log while ensuring data consistency and correctness.The data provided by all parties are collected using a template containing scripts. The scripts check for mistakes based on internal standards of company in charge of hazard management. The collected data is then subjected to merging in DOORS, which also contain scripts to check and import data to form the hazard log. The proposed tool has been applied to a mission critical project, and has been found to save time and reduce the number of mistakes while creating the hazard log. The use of automatic checks paves the way for correct tracking of risk and hazard analysis activities for large critical projects.

Evaluation of Controlled Vocabularies by Inter-Indexer Consistency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Monreal, Concha Soler; Gil-Leiva, Isidoro

2011-01-01

Introduction: Several controlled vocabularies are used for indexing three journal articles to check if better or equal consistency rates are achieved with a list of descriptors than with a standard thesaurus and augmented thesaurus. Method: A terminology set for library and information Science was used to build a list of descriptors with…

Magnetic mapping of (carbonated) oceanic crust-mantle boundary: New insights from Linnajavri, northern Norway

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tominaga, M.; Beinlich, A.; Tivey, M.; Andrade Lima, E.; Weiss, B. P.

2012-12-01

The contribution of lower oceanic crust and upper mantle to marine magnetic anomalies has long been recognized, but the detailed magnetic character of this non-volcanic source layer remains to be fully defined. Here, we report preliminary results of a magnetic survey and source characterization of a "carbonated" oceanic Moho (petrological "Mohorovicic discontinuity") sequence observed at the Linnajavri Serpentinite Complex (LSC), northern Norway. The LSC is located at 67° 36'N and 16° 24'E within the upper Allochthon of the Norwegian Caledonides and represents a dismembered ophiolite. Particularly in the southern ("Ridoalggicohkka") area of the LSC, gabbro, serpentinite and its talc-carbonate (soapstone) and quartz-carbonate (listvenite) altered equivalents are extraordinarily well-exposed [1]. An intact oceanic Moho is exposed here, despite its complex tectonic setting. The small degree of arctic rock weathering (≤ 2 mm weathering surface) allowed for detailed regional-scale surface magnetic mapping across alteration fronts (serpentinite-soapstone; soapstone-listvenite) and lithological contacts (soapstone-gabbro). Magnetic mapping was conducted using a handheld 3-axis magnetometer, surface-towed resistivity meter and Teka surface magnetic susceptometer with sample spacing of 1 m. Geophysical field mapping was combined with petrological observations and scanning SQUID microscopy (SM) mapping conducted on thin sections from rock samples that were drilled along the survey lines. Regional scale magnetic mapping indicates that the total magnetic field across both the "carbonated" Moho and the soapstone-serpentinite interfaces show higher frequency changes in their magnetic anomaly character and amplitudes than the surface-towed resistivity data. SQUID microscopy mapping of both natural remanence magnetization (NRM) and anhysteretic remanence magnetization (ARM) on gabbro, serpentinite, soapstone, and listvenite samples, with a sensor-sample separation of ˜190 μm, show that the distribution of microscopically measurable ferromagnetic and possibly sulfide minerals produces a different bulk intensity for each of the rock types. SM vector magnetic field maps of these samples also reveal that the magnetization associated with these grains (observed as dipole-like fields in SM maps) is variable in direction from grain to grain, which may result from different alteration histories for each grain. These complex magnetization patterns acquired through thermal and chemical alteration history may explain the short wavelength magnetic anomalies observed along our traverse lines. [1] Beinlich, A., Plümper, O., Hövelmann, J., Austrheim, H. and Jamtveit, B. (2012), Terra Nova, in press.

MOM: A meteorological data checking expert system in CLIPS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Odonnell, Richard

1990-01-01

Meteorologists have long faced the problem of verifying the data they use. Experience shows that there is a sizable number of errors in the data reported by meteorological observers. This is unacceptable for computer forecast models, which depend on accurate data for accurate results. Most errors that occur in meteorological data are obvious to the meteorologist, but time constraints prevent hand-checking. For this reason, it is necessary to have a 'front end' to the computer model to ensure the accuracy of input. Various approaches to automatic data quality control have been developed by several groups. MOM is a rule-based system implemented in CLIPS and utilizing 'consistency checks' and 'range checks'. The system is generic in the sense that it knows some meteorological principles, regardless of specific station characteristics. Specific constraints kept as CLIPS facts in a separate file provide for system flexibility. Preliminary results show that the expert system has detected some inconsistencies not noticed by a local expert.

Approximations and Solution Estimates in Optimization

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-04-06

comprehensive descriptions of epi-convergence and its connections to variational analysis broadly. Our motivation for going beyond normed linear spaces , which...proper, every closed ball in this metric space is compact and the existence of solutions of such optimal fitting problems is more easily established...lsc-fcns(X), dl(fν , f) → 0 implies that fν epi-converges to f. We recall that a metric space is proper if every closed ball in that space is compact

Evaluation of Sediment Contamination in Pearl Harbor

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-06-01

petroleum hydrocarbons , and silver are present at sufficiently ele- vated sediment concentrations to cause environmental concern. Overall sediment qual...application and drydock cleanup procedures were used. 17 Hydrocarbons Hydrocarbon contaminants include all petroleum -based fuel products such as diesel...150 180 lSC0  c150 170 420 710 900 E Organotins 356 34 27 25 37 21 21 s0 23 33 91 44 (ppb) E Petroleum Hydrocarbons 50 300 290 C50 400 230 54 50 72

Complete Chloroplast Genome of Pinus massoniana (Pinaceae): Gene Rearrangements, Loss of ndh Genes, and Short Inverted Repeats Contraction, Expansion.

PubMed

Ni, ZhouXian; Ye, YouJu; Bai, Tiandao; Xu, Meng; Xu, Li-An

2017-09-11

The chloroplast genome (CPG) of Pinus massoniana belonging to the genus Pinus (Pinaceae), which is a primary source of turpentine, was sequenced and analyzed in terms of gene rearrangements, ndh genes loss, and the contraction and expansion of short inverted repeats (IRs). P. massoniana CPG has a typical quadripartite structure that includes large single copy (LSC) (65,563 bp), small single copy (SSC) (53,230 bp) and two IRs (IRa and IRb, 485 bp). The 108 unique genes were identified, including 73 protein-coding genes, 31 tRNAs, and 4 rRNAs. Most of the 81 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) identified in CPG were mononucleotides motifs of A/T types and located in non-coding regions. Comparisons with related species revealed an inversion (21,556 bp) in the LSC region; P. massoniana CPG lacks all 11 intact ndh genes (four ndh genes lost completely; the five remained truncated as pseudogenes; and the other two ndh genes remain as pseudogenes because of short insertions or deletions). A pair of short IRs was found instead of large IRs, and size variations among pine species were observed, which resulted from short insertions or deletions and non-synchronized variations between "IRa" and "IRb". The results of phylogenetic analyses based on whole CPG sequences of 16 conifers indicated that the whole CPG sequences could be used as a powerful tool in phylogenetic analyses.

The immune receptor Trem1 cooperates with diminished DNA damage response to induce preleukemic stem cell expansion.

PubMed

Du, W; Amarachintha, S; Wilson, A; Pang, Q

2017-02-01

Fanconi anemia (FA) is an inherited bone marrow failure syndrome with extremely high risk of leukemic transformation. Here we investigate the relationship between DNA damage response (DDR) and leukemogenesis using the Fanca knockout mouse model. We found that chronic exposure of the Fanca -/- hematopoietic stem cells to DNA crosslinking agent mitomycin C in vivo leads to diminished DDR, and the emergence/expansion of pre-leukemia stem cells (pre-LSCs). Surprisingly, although genetic correction of Fanca deficiency in the pre-LSCs restores DDR and reduces genomic instability, but fails to prevent pre-LSC expansion or delay leukemia development in irradiated recipients. Furthermore, we identified transcription program underlying dysregulated DDR and cell migration, myeloid proliferation, and immune response in the Fanca -/- pre-LSCs. Forced expression of the downregulated DNA repair genes, Rad51c or Trp53i13, in the Fanca -/- pre-LSCs partially rescues DDR but has no effect on leukemia, whereas shRNA knockdown of the upregulated immune receptor genes Trem1 or Pilrb improves leukemia-related survival, but not DDR or genomic instability. Furthermore, Trem1 cooperates with diminished DDR in vivo to promote Fanca -/- pre-LSC expansion and leukemia development. Our study implicates diminishing DDR as a root cause of FA leukemogenesis, which subsequently collaborates with other signaling pathways for leukemogenic transformation.

MicroRNAs in Control of Stem Cells in Normal and Malignant Hematopoiesis

PubMed Central

Roden, Christine; Lu, Jun

2016-01-01

Studies on hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and leukemia stem cells (LSCs) have helped to establish the paradigms of normal and cancer stem cell concepts. For both HSCs and LSCs, specific gene expression programs endowed by their epigenome functionally distinguish them from their differentiated progenies. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), as a class of small non-coding RNAs, act to control post-transcriptional gene expression. Research in the past decade has yielded exciting findings elucidating the roles of miRNAs in control of multiple facets of HSC and LSC biology. Here we review recent progresses on the functions of miRNAs in HSC emergence during development, HSC switch from a fetal/neonatal program to an adult program, HSC self-renewal and quiescence, HSC aging, HSC niche, and malignant stem cells. While multiple different miRNAs regulate a diverse array of targets, two common themes emerge in HSC and LSC biology: miRNA mediated regulation of epigenetic machinery and cell signaling pathways. In addition, we propose that miRNAs themselves behave like epigenetic regulators, as they possess key biochemical and biological properties that can provide both stability and alterability to the epigenetic program. Overall, the studies of miRNAs in stem cells in the hematologic contexts not only provide key understandings to post-transcriptional gene regulation mechanisms in HSCs and LSCs, but also will lend key insights for other stem cell fields. PMID:27547713

Rapid analysis method for the determination of 14C specific activity in irradiated graphite

PubMed Central

Remeikis, Vidmantas; Lagzdina, Elena; Garbaras, Andrius; Gudelis, Arūnas; Garankin, Jevgenij; Juodis, Laurynas; Duškesas, Grigorijus; Lingis, Danielius; Abdulajev, Vladimir; Plukis, Artūras

2018-01-01

14C is one of the limiting radionuclides used in the categorization of radioactive graphite waste; this categorization is crucial in selecting the appropriate graphite treatment/disposal method. We propose a rapid analysis method for 14C specific activity determination in small graphite samples in the 1–100 μg range. The method applies an oxidation procedure to the sample, which extracts 14C from the different carbonaceous matrices in a controlled manner. Because this method enables fast online measurement and 14C specific activity evaluation, it can be especially useful for characterizing 14C in irradiated graphite when dismantling graphite moderator and reflector parts, or when sorting radioactive graphite waste from decommissioned nuclear power plants. The proposed rapid method is based on graphite combustion and the subsequent measurement of both CO2 and 14C, using a commercial elemental analyser and the semiconductor detector, respectively. The method was verified using the liquid scintillation counting (LSC) technique. The uncertainty of this rapid method is within the acceptable range for radioactive waste characterization purposes. The 14C specific activity determination procedure proposed in this study takes approximately ten minutes, comparing favorably to the more complicated and time consuming LSC method. This method can be potentially used to radiologically characterize radioactive waste or used in biomedical applications when dealing with the specific activity determination of 14C in the sample. PMID:29370233

Quantification of chemotaxis during pediatric cardiac surgery by flow and laser scanning cytometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarnok, Attila; Schmid, Joerg W.; Osmancik, Pavel; Lenz, Dominik; Pipek, Michal; Hambsch, Joerg; Gerstner, Andreas O.; Schneider, Peter

2002-05-01

Cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) alters the leukocyte composition of the peripheral blood (PB). This response contributes to the sometimes adverse outcome with capillary leakage. Migration of activated cells to sites of inflammation, driven by chemokines is part of this response. In order to determine the chemotactic activity of patients serum during and after surgery we established an assay for PB leukocytes (PBL). PBL from healthy donors were isolated and 250,000 cells were placed into a migration chamber separated by a filter from a second lower chamber filled with patient serum. After incubation cells from top and bottom chamber were removed and stained with a cocktail of monoclonal antibodies for leukocyte subsets and analyzed on a flow cytometer (FCM). Cells at the bottom of the filter belong to the migrating compartment and were quantified by LSC after staining of nucleated cells. Increased chemotactic activity started at onset of anaesthesia followed by a phase of low activity immediately after surgery and a second phase of a high post-operative activity. The in vitro results correlated with results obtained by immunopenotyping of circulating PBL. Manipulation of the chemokine pattern might prove beneficial to prevent extravasation of cells leading to tissue damage. In chemotaxis assays with low amount of available serum the combined use of FCM and Laser Scanning LSC proved as an appropriate analytical tool.

Removal of actinide elements from liquid scintillation cocktail wastes using liquid-liquid extraction and demulsification techniques

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

Foltz, K.; Landsberger, S.; Srinivasan, B.

1994-12-31

For many years liquid scintillation cocktail (LSC) wastes have been generated and stored at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). These wastes are stored in thousands of 10--20 m scintillation vials, many of which contain elements with Z > 88. Because storage space is limited, disposal of this waste is pressing. These wastes could be commercially incinerated if the radionuclides with Z>88 are reduced to sufficiently low levels. However, there is currently no deminimus level for these radionuclides, and separation techniques are still being tested. The University of Illinois is conducting experiments to separate radionuclides with Z > 88 from simulated LSCmore » wastes by using liquid-liquid extraction (LLX) and demulsification techniques. The actinide elements are removed from the LSC by extraction into an aqueous phase after the cocktail has been demulsified. The aqueous and organic phases are separated and the organic phase, now free from radionuclides with Z > 88, can be sent to a commercial incineration facility. The aqueous phase may be treated and disposed of using existing techniques. The LLX separation techniques used solutions of sodium oxalate, aluminum nitrate, and tetrasodium EDTA at varying concentrations. These extractants were mixed with the simulated waste in a 1:1 volume ratio. Using 1.0M Na{sub 4} EDTA salt solutions, decontamination ratios as high as 230 were achieved.« less

Monte Carlo ray-tracing simulations of luminescent solar concentrators for building integrated photovoltaics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leow, Shin Woei; Corrado, Carley; Osborn, Melissa; Carter, Sue A.

2013-09-01

Luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) have the ability to receive light from a wide range of angles, concentrating the captured light onto small photo active areas. This enables greater incorporation of LSCs into building designs as windows, skylights and wall claddings in addition to rooftop installations of current solar panels. Using relatively cheap luminescent dyes and acrylic waveguides to effect light concentration onto lesser photovoltaic (PV) cells, there is potential for this technology to approach grid price parity. We employ a panel design in which the front facing PV cells collect both direct and concentrated light ensuring a gain factor greater than one. This also allows for flexibility in determining the placement and percentage coverage of PV cells during the design process to balance reabsorption losses against the power output and level of light concentration desired. To aid in design optimization, a Monte-Carlo ray tracing program was developed to study the transport of photons and loss mechanisms in LSC panels. The program imports measured absorption/emission spectra and transmission coefficients as simulation parameters with interactions of photons in the panel determined by comparing calculated probabilities with random number generators. LSC panels with multiple dyes or layers can also be simulated. Analysis of the results reveals optimal panel dimensions and PV cell layouts for maximum power output for a given dye concentration, absorbtion/emission spectrum and quantum efficiency.

Quantification of telomere length by FISH and laser scanning cytometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahoney, John E.; Sahin, Ergun; Jaskelioff, Mariela; Chin, Lynda; DePinho, Ronald A.; Protopopov, Alexei I.

2008-02-01

Telomeres play a critical role in the maintenance of chromosomal stability. Telomere erosion, coupled with loss of DNA damage checkpoint function, results in genomic instability that promotes the development of cancer. The critical role of telomere dynamics in cancer has motivated the development of technologies designed to monitor telomere reserves in a highly quantitative and high-throughput manner in humans and model organisms. To this end, we have adapted and modified two established technologies, telomere-FISH and laser scanning cytometry. Specifically, we have produced a number of enhancements to the iCys LSC (CompuCyte) package including software updates, use of 60X dry objectives, and increased spatial resolution by 0.2 um size of stage steps. In addition, the 633 nm HeNe laser was replaced with a 532 nm green diode laser to better match the viewing options. Utilization of telomere-deficient mouse cells with short dysfunctional telomeres and matched telomerase reconstituted cultures demonstrated significantly higher mean integral specific fluorescence values for mTR transfectants relative to empty vector controls: 4.485M vs. 1.362M (p<0.0001). Histograms of average telomere intensities for individual cells were obtained and demonstrated intercellular heterogeneity in telomere lengths. The validation of the approach derives from a strong correlation between iCys LSC values and Southern blotting. This validated method greatly increases our experimental throughput and objectivity.

Rapid analysis method for the determination of 14C specific activity in irradiated graphite.

PubMed

Remeikis, Vidmantas; Lagzdina, Elena; Garbaras, Andrius; Gudelis, Arūnas; Garankin, Jevgenij; Plukienė, Rita; Juodis, Laurynas; Duškesas, Grigorijus; Lingis, Danielius; Abdulajev, Vladimir; Plukis, Artūras

2018-01-01

14C is one of the limiting radionuclides used in the categorization of radioactive graphite waste; this categorization is crucial in selecting the appropriate graphite treatment/disposal method. We propose a rapid analysis method for 14C specific activity determination in small graphite samples in the 1-100 μg range. The method applies an oxidation procedure to the sample, which extracts 14C from the different carbonaceous matrices in a controlled manner. Because this method enables fast online measurement and 14C specific activity evaluation, it can be especially useful for characterizing 14C in irradiated graphite when dismantling graphite moderator and reflector parts, or when sorting radioactive graphite waste from decommissioned nuclear power plants. The proposed rapid method is based on graphite combustion and the subsequent measurement of both CO2 and 14C, using a commercial elemental analyser and the semiconductor detector, respectively. The method was verified using the liquid scintillation counting (LSC) technique. The uncertainty of this rapid method is within the acceptable range for radioactive waste characterization purposes. The 14C specific activity determination procedure proposed in this study takes approximately ten minutes, comparing favorably to the more complicated and time consuming LSC method. This method can be potentially used to radiologically characterize radioactive waste or used in biomedical applications when dealing with the specific activity determination of 14C in the sample.

Checking the Dark Matter Origin of a 3.53 keV Line with the Milky Way Center.

PubMed

Boyarsky, A; Franse, J; Iakubovskyi, D; Ruchayskiy, O

2015-10-16

We detect a line at 3.539±0.011  keV in the deep exposure data set of the Galactic center region, observed with the x-ray multi-mirror mission Newton. The dark matter interpretation of the signal observed in the Perseus galaxy cluster, the Andromeda galaxy [A. Boyarsky et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 113, 251301 (2014)], and in the stacked spectra of galaxy clusters [E. Bulbul et al., Astrophys. J. 789, 13 (2014)], together with nonobservation of the line in blank-sky data, put both lower and upper limits on the possible intensity of the line in the Galactic center data. Our result is consistent with these constraints for a class of Milky Way mass models, presented previously by observers, and would correspond to the radiative decay dark matter lifetime, τDM∼6-8×10(27)  sec. Although it is hard to exclude an astrophysical origin of this line based on the Galactic center data alone, this is an important consistency check of the hypothesis that encourages us to check it with more observational data that are expected by the end of 2015.

A master bosonization duality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jensen, Kristan

2018-01-01

We conjecture a new sequence of dualities between Chern-Simons gauge theories simultaneously coupled to fundamental bosons and fermions. These dualities reduce to those proposed by Aharony when the number of bosons or fermions is zero. Our conjecture passes a number of consistency checks. These include the matching of global symmetries and consistency with level/rank duality in massive phases.

Consistent Correlations for Parameterised Boolean Equation Systems with Applications in Correctness Proofs for Manipulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Willemse, Tim A. C.

We introduce the concept of consistent correlations for parameterised Boolean equation systems (PBESs), motivated largely by the laborious proofs of correctness required for most manipulations in this setting. Consistent correlations focus on relating the equations that occur in PBESs, rather than their solutions. For a fragment of PBESs, consistent correlations are shown to coincide with a recently introduced form of bisimulation. Finally, we show that bisimilarity on processes induces consistent correlations on PBESs encoding model checking problems. We apply our theory to two example manipulations from the literature.

COS Science Data Buffer Check/Self-Tests for CS Buffer RAM and DIB RAM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Welty, Alan

2009-07-01

The COS Science Buffer RAM is checked for bit flips during SAA passages. This is followed by a Control Section {CS} self-test consisting of writing/reading a specified bit pattern from each memory location in Buffer RAM and a similar test for DIB RAM. The DIB must be placed in BOOT mode for its self-test. The CS Buffer RAM self-test as well as the bit flip tests are all done with the CS in Operate.Supports Activity COS-03

FSCATT: Angular Dependence and Filter Options.

DTIC Science & Technology

The input routines to the code have been completely rewritten to allow for a free-form input format. The input routines now provide self-consistency checks and diagnostics for the user’s edification .

Detecting Inconsistencies in Multi-View Models with Variability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lopez-Herrejon, Roberto Erick; Egyed, Alexander

Multi-View Modeling (MVM) is a common modeling practice that advocates the use of multiple, different and yet related models to represent the needs of diverse stakeholders. Of crucial importance in MVM is consistency checking - the description and verification of semantic relationships amongst the views. Variability is the capacity of software artifacts to vary, and its effective management is a core tenet of the research in Software Product Lines (SPL). MVM has proven useful for developing one-of-a-kind systems; however, to reap the potential benefits of MVM in SPL it is vital to provide consistency checking mechanisms that cope with variability. In this paper we describe how to address this need by applying Safe Composition - the guarantee that all programs of a product line are type safe. We evaluate our approach with a case study.

PDB data curation.

PubMed

Wang, Yanchao; Sunderraman, Rajshekhar

2006-01-01

In this paper, we propose two architectures for curating PDB data to improve its quality. The first one, PDB Data Curation System, is developed by adding two parts, Checking Filter and Curation Engine, between User Interface and Database. This architecture supports the basic PDB data curation. The other one, PDB Data Curation System with XCML, is designed for further curation which adds four more parts, PDB-XML, PDB, OODB, Protin-OODB, into the previous one. This architecture uses XCML language to automatically check errors of PDB data that enables PDB data more consistent and accurate. These two tools can be used for cleaning existing PDB files and creating new PDB files. We also show some ideas how to add constraints and assertions with XCML to get better data. In addition, we discuss the data provenance that may affect data accuracy and consistency.

Design and performance of daily quality assurance system for carbon ion therapy at NIRS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saotome, N.; Furukawa, T.; Hara, Y.; Mizushima, K.; Tansho, R.; Saraya, Y.; Shirai, T.; Noda, K.

2017-09-01

At National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS), we have been commissioning a rotating-gantry system for carbon-ion radiotherapy. This rotating gantry can transport heavy ions at 430 MeV/u to an isocenter with irradiation angles of ±180° that can rotate around the patient so that the tumor can be irradiated from any direction. A three-dimensional pencil-beam scanning irradiation system equipped with the rotating gantry enables the optimal use of physical characteristics of carbon ions to provide accurate treatment. To ensure the treatment quality using such a complex system, the calibration of the primary dose monitor, output check, range check, dose rate check, machine safety check, and some mechanical tests should be performed efficiently. For this purpose, we have developed a measurement system dedicated for quality assurance (QA) of this gantry system: the Daily QA system. The system consists of an ionization chamber system and a scintillator system. The ionization chamber system is used for the calibration of the primary dose monitor, output check, and dose rate check, and the scintillator system is used for the range check, isocenter, and gantry angle. The performance of the Daily QA system was verified by a beam test. The stability of the output was within 0.5%, and the range was within 0.5 mm. The coincidence of the coordinates between the patient-positioning system and the irradiation system was verified using the Daily QA system. Our present findings verified that the new Daily QA system for a rotating gantry is capable of verifying the irradiation system with sufficient accuracy.

The Regulation of Polysaccharide Specific Humoral Immune Response Against Intact Streptococcus Pneumoniae

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-06-19

Attanavanich, K . and J. F. Kearney (2004). "Marginal zone, but not follicular B cells, are potent activators of naive CD4 T cells." J Immunol 172(2): 803-11...resistance in B cells." J Immunol 157(7): 2749-53. Fujita, T., K . Inoue, et al. (1994). "Fungal metabolites. Part 11. A potent immunosuppressive activity...Girkontaite, I., K . Missy, et al. (2001). "Lsc is required for marginal zone B cells, regulation of lymphocyte motility and immune responses." Nat

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

Erchinger, J. L.; Orrell, John L.; Aalseth, C. E.

The Ultra-Low Background Liquid Scintillation Counter developed by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory will expand the application of liquid scintillation counting by enabling lower detection limits and smaller sample volumes. By reducing the overall count rate of the background environment approximately 2 orders of magnitude below that of commercially available systems, backgrounds on the order of tens of counts per day over an energy range of ~3–3600 keV can be realized. Finally, initial test results of the ULB LSC show promising results for ultra-low background detection with liquid scintillation counting.

Color quench correction for low level Cherenkov counting.

PubMed

Tsroya, S; Pelled, O; German, U; Marco, R; Katorza, E; Alfassi, Z B

2009-05-01

The Cherenkov counting efficiency varies strongly with color quenching, thus correction curves must be used to obtain correct results. The external (152)Eu source of a Quantulus 1220 liquid scintillation counting (LSC) system was used to obtain a quench indicative parameter based on spectra area ratio. A color quench correction curve for aqueous samples containing (90)Sr/(90)Y was prepared. The main advantage of this method over the common spectra indicators is its usefulness also for low level Cherenkov counting.

Accumulation of sediment-associated viruses in shellfish.

PubMed Central

Landry, E F; Vaughn, J M; Vicale, T J; Mann, R

1983-01-01

The present study focused on the importance of contaminated sediments in shellfish accumulation of human viruses. Epifaunal (Crassostrea virginica) and infaunal (Mercenaria mercenaria) shellfish, placed on or in cores, were exposed to either resuspended or undisturbed sediments containing bound poliovirus type 1 (LSc 2ab). Consistent bioaccumulation by oysters (four of five trials) was only noted when sediment-bound viruses occurred in the water column. Virus accumulation was observed in a single instance where sediments remained in an undisturbed state. While the incidence of bioaccumulation was higher with resuspended rather than undisturbed contaminated sediment, the actual concentration of accumulated viruses was not significantly different. The accumulation of viruses from oysters residing on uninoculated sediments. When clams were exposed to undisturbed, virus-contaminated sediments, two of five shellfish pools yielded viral isolates. Bioaccumulation of undisturbed sediments by these bivalves was considered marginal when related to the concentration of virus in contaminated sediments; they would only represent a significant threat when suspended in the water column. Arguments were advanced for water-column sampling in the region of the water-sediment interface to provide an accurate determination of the virological quality of shellfish harvesting waters. PMID:6297392

Technical Note: Development and performance of a software tool for quality assurance of online replanning with a conventional Linac or MR-Linac.

PubMed

Chen, Guang-Pei; Ahunbay, Ergun; Li, X Allen

2016-04-01

To develop an integrated quality assurance (QA) software tool for online replanning capable of efficiently and automatically checking radiation treatment (RT) planning parameters and gross plan quality, verifying treatment plan data transfer from treatment planning system (TPS) to record and verify (R&V) system, performing a secondary monitor unit (MU) calculation with or without a presence of a magnetic field from MR-Linac, and validating the delivery record consistency with the plan. The software tool, named ArtQA, was developed to obtain and compare plan and treatment parameters from both the TPS and the R&V system database. The TPS data are accessed via direct file reading and the R&V data are retrieved via open database connectivity and structured query language. Plan quality is evaluated with both the logical consistency of planning parameters and the achieved dose-volume histograms. Beams in between the TPS and R&V system are matched based on geometry configurations. To consider the effect of a 1.5 T transverse magnetic field from MR-Linac in the secondary MU calculation, a method based on modified Clarkson integration algorithm was developed and tested for a series of clinical situations. ArtQA has been used in their clinic and can quickly detect inconsistencies and deviations in the entire RT planning process. With the use of the ArtQA tool, the efficiency for plan check including plan quality, data transfer, and delivery check can be improved by at least 60%. The newly developed independent MU calculation tool for MR-Linac reduces the difference between the plan and calculated MUs by 10%. The software tool ArtQA can be used to perform a comprehensive QA check from planning to delivery with conventional Linac or MR-Linac and is an essential tool for online replanning where the QA check needs to be performed rapidly.

Technical Note: Development and performance of a software tool for quality assurance of online replanning with a conventional Linac or MR-Linac

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

Chen, Guang-Pei, E-mail: gpchen@mcw.edu; Ahunbay, Ergun; Li, X. Allen

Purpose: To develop an integrated quality assurance (QA) software tool for online replanning capable of efficiently and automatically checking radiation treatment (RT) planning parameters and gross plan quality, verifying treatment plan data transfer from treatment planning system (TPS) to record and verify (R&V) system, performing a secondary monitor unit (MU) calculation with or without a presence of a magnetic field from MR-Linac, and validating the delivery record consistency with the plan. Methods: The software tool, named ArtQA, was developed to obtain and compare plan and treatment parameters from both the TPS and the R&V system database. The TPS data aremore » accessed via direct file reading and the R&V data are retrieved via open database connectivity and structured query language. Plan quality is evaluated with both the logical consistency of planning parameters and the achieved dose–volume histograms. Beams in between the TPS and R&V system are matched based on geometry configurations. To consider the effect of a 1.5 T transverse magnetic field from MR-Linac in the secondary MU calculation, a method based on modified Clarkson integration algorithm was developed and tested for a series of clinical situations. Results: ArtQA has been used in their clinic and can quickly detect inconsistencies and deviations in the entire RT planning process. With the use of the ArtQA tool, the efficiency for plan check including plan quality, data transfer, and delivery check can be improved by at least 60%. The newly developed independent MU calculation tool for MR-Linac reduces the difference between the plan and calculated MUs by 10%. Conclusions: The software tool ArtQA can be used to perform a comprehensive QA check from planning to delivery with conventional Linac or MR-Linac and is an essential tool for online replanning where the QA check needs to be performed rapidly.« less

ERP to chess stimuli reveal expert-novice differences in the amplitudes of N2 and P3 components.

PubMed

Wright, Michael J; Gobet, Fernand; Chassy, Philippe; Ramchandani, Payal Nanik

2013-10-01

ERP experiments were conducted to analyze the underlying neural events when chess players make simple judgments of a board position. Fourteen expert players and 14 age-matched novices viewed, for each of four tasks, 128 unique positions on a mini (4 × 4) chess board each presented for 0.5 s. The tasks were to respond: (a) if white king was in check, (b) if black knight was present, (c) if white king was not in check, and (d) if no black knight was present. Experts showed an enhanced N2 with check targets and a larger P3 with knight targets, relative to novices. Expert-novice differences in posterior N2 began as early as 240 ms on check-related searches. Results were consistent with the view that prolonged N2 components reflect matching of current perceptual input to memory, and thus are sensitive to experts' superior pattern recognition and memory retrieval of chunks. Copyright © 2013 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

The Bright Future of Gravitational Wave Astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonzalez, Gabriela

2008-04-01

These are exciting times in the search for gravitational waves. Gravitational waves are expected from many different astrophysical sources: brief transients from violent events like supernova explosions and collisions of neutron stars and black holes, coalescence of compact binary systems, continuous waves from rotating systems, and stochastic signals from cosmological origin or unresolved transients. The LIGO gravitational wave detectors have achieved unprecedented sensitivity to gravitational waves, and other detectors around the world are expected to reach similar sensitivities. The LIGO Scientific Collaboration (LSC) has recently completed their most sensitive observation run to date with LIGO and GEO detectors, including several months of joint observations with the European VIRGO detector. The LIGO Laboratory and the LSC, as well as the Virgo Collaboration, are actively preparing for operating enhanced detectors in the very near future. The next decade will see the construction and commissioning of Advanced LIGO and VIRGO, and quite possibly the launch of the space-based LISA mission, starting for sure then, if not earlier, a new era for gravitational wave astronomy. Plans for a world-wide network of ground based detectors involving more detectors in Europe, Japan and Australia are becoming more concrete. The future of gravitational wave astronomy is bright indeed! In this talk, will briefly describe the present status of the ground and space based detector projects and discuss the science we may expect to do with the detectors (and detections!) we will have in the upcoming era of gravitational wave astronomy.

Overhead View of Pathfinder Landing Site

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

Planimetric (overhead view) map of the landing site, to a distance of 20 meters from the spacecraft. North is at the top in this and Plates 3-5. To produce this map, images were geometrically projected onto an assumed mean surface representing the ground. Features above the ground plane (primarily rocks) therefore appear displaced radially outward; the amount of distortion increases systematically with distance. The upper surfaces of the lander and rover also appear enlarged and displaced because of their height. Primary grid (white) is based on the Landing Site Cartographic (LSC) coordinate system, defined with X eastward, Y north, and Z up, and origin located at the mean ground surface immediately beneath the deployed position of the IMP camera gimbal center. Secondary ticks (cyan) are based on the Mars local level (LL) frame, which has X north, Y east, Z down, with origin in the center of the lander baseplate. Rover positions (including APXS measurements) are commonly reported in the LL frame. Yellow grid shows polar coordinates based on the LSC system. Cartographic image processing by U.S. Geological Survey.

NOTE: original caption as published in Science Magazine

Mars Pathfinder is the second in NASA's Discovery program of low-cost spacecraft with highly focused science goals. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, developed and manages the Mars Pathfinder mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech).

DNMT3A and TET2 in the Pre-Leukemic Phase of Hematopoietic Disorders

PubMed Central

Sato, Hanae; Wheat, Justin C.; Steidl, Ulrich; Ito, Keisuke

2016-01-01

In recent years, advances in next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology have provided the opportunity to detect putative genetic drivers of disease, particularly cancers, with very high sensitivity. This knowledge has substantially improved our understanding of tumor pathogenesis. In hematological malignancies such as acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes, pioneering work combining multi-parameter flow cytometry and targeted resequencing in leukemia have clearly shown that different classes of mutations appear to be acquired in particular sequences along the hematopoietic differentiation hierarchy. Moreover, as these mutations can be found in “normal” cells recovered during remission and can be detected at relapse, there is strong evidence for the existence of “pre-leukemic” stem cells (pre-LSC). These cells, while phenotypically normal by flow cytometry, morphology, and functional studies, are speculated to be molecularly poised to transform owing to a limited number of predisposing mutations. Identifying these “pre-leukemic” mutations and how they propagate a pre-malignant state has important implications for understanding the etiology of these disorders and for the development of novel therapeutics. NGS studies have found a substantial enrichment for mutations in epigenetic/chromatin remodeling regulators in pre-LSC, and elegant genetic models have confirmed that these mutations can predispose to a variety of hematological malignancies. In this review, we will discuss the current understanding of pre-leukemic biology in myeloid malignancies, and how mutations in two key epigenetic regulators, DNMT3A and TET2, may contribute to disease pathogenesis. PMID:27597933

The Recognition of Mental Illness, Schizophrenia Identification, and Help-Seeking from Friends in Late Adolescence.

PubMed

Yamasaki, Syudo; Ando, Shuntaro; Shimodera, Shinji; Endo, Kaori; Okazaki, Yuji; Asukai, Nozomu; Usami, Satoshi; Nishida, Atsushi; Sasaki, Tsukasa

2016-01-01

The recognition of mental illness without anticipating stigma might encourage adolescents' help-seeking behavior. We aimed to identify the relationship between mental illness identification and adolescents' intention to seek help if faced with mental illness. We examined the relationships between help-seeking intentions and recognition of mental illness (RMI) without correctly identifying the disease name, as well as correct labelling of schizophrenia (LSC) using a vignette about a person with schizophrenia in a cross-sectional survey of 9,484 Japanese high-school students aged 15-18 years. When compared with adolescents who were unable to recognize the mental illness (UMI) in the vignette, those in the RMI group reported they were significantly more likely to seek help from friends (odds ratio [OR] = 1.29; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.17-1.41; P < 0.001) and expressed an increased likelihood to seek help from professionals (all P < .05). Those in the LSC group reported they were significantly less likely to exhibit help-seeking behavior (OR = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.65-0.92, P = 0.003) and expressed an increased likelihood of help-seeking from health professionals than the UMI group (all P < .05). The ability to recognize mental illness without identifying the disease may increase help-seeking from friends, while the ability to identify the disease as schizophrenia might decrease late adolescents' help-seeking. To promote help-seeking behavior among adolescents, improving their ability to recognize mental illness generally is recommended.

Large eddy simulation on Rayleigh–Bénard convection of cold water in the neighborhood of the maximum density

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Xiao-Jie; Zhang, Li; Hu, Yu-Peng; Li, You-Rong

2018-06-01

In order to understand the effect of the Rayleigh number, the density inversion phenomenon and the aspect ratio on the flow patterns and the heat transfer characteristics of Rayleigh–Bénard convection of cold water in the neighborhood of the maximum density, a series of large eddy simulations are conducted by using the finite volume method. The Rayleigh number ranges between 106 and 109, the density inversion parameter and the aspect ratio are varied from 0 to 0.9 and from 0.4 to 2.5, respectively. The results indicate that the reversal of the large scale circulation (LSC) occurs with the increase of the Rayleigh number. When there exists a density inversion phenomenon, the key driver for the LSC is hot plumes. When the density inversion parameter is large enough, a stagnant region is found near the top of the container as the hot plumes cannot move to the top wall. The flow pattern structures depend mainly on the aspect ratio. When the aspect ratio is small, the rolls are vertically stacked and the flow keeps on switching among different flow states. For a moderate aspect ratio, different long-lived roll states coexist at a fixed aspect ratio. For a larger aspect ratio, the flow state is everlasting. The number of rolls increases with the increase of the aspect ratio. Furthermore, the aspect ratio has only slight influence on the time averaged Nusselt number for all density inversion parameters.

Operando X-ray Investigation of Electrode/Electrolyte Interfaces in Model Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

We employed operando anomalous surface X-ray diffraction to investigate the buried interface between the cathode and the electrolyte of a model solid oxide fuel cell with atomic resolution. The cell was studied under different oxygen pressures at elevated temperatures and polarizations by external potential control. Making use of anomalous X-ray diffraction effects at the Y and Zr K-edges allowed us to resolve the interfacial structure and chemical composition of a (100)-oriented, 9.5 mol % yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) single crystal electrolyte below a La0.6Sr0.4CoO3−δ (LSC) electrode. We observe yttrium segregation toward the YSZ/LSC electrolyte/electrode interface under reducing conditions. Under oxidizing conditions, the interface becomes Y depleted. The yttrium segregation is corroborated by an enhanced outward relaxation of the YSZ interfacial metal ion layer. At the same time, an increase in point defect concentration in the electrolyte at the interface was observed, as evidenced by reduced YSZ crystallographic site occupancies for the cations as well as the oxygen ions. Such changes in composition are expected to strongly influence the oxygen ion transport through this interface which plays an important role for the performance of solid oxide fuel cells. The structure of the interface is compared to the bare YSZ(100) surface structure near the microelectrode under identical conditions and to the structure of the YSZ(100) surface prepared under ultrahigh vacuum conditions. PMID:27346923

Effect of quench on alpha/beta pulse shape discrimination of liquid scintillation cocktails.

PubMed

DeVol, Timothy A; Theisen, Christopher D; DiPrete, David P

2007-05-01

The objectives of this paper are (1) to illustrate that knowledge of the external quench parameter is insufficient to properly setup a pulse shape discriminating liquid scintillation counter (LSC) for quantitative measurement, (2) to illustrate dependence on pulse shape discrimination on the radionuclide (more than just radiation and energy), and (3) to compare the pulse shape discrimination (PSD) of two commercial instruments. The effects various quenching agents, liquid scintillation cocktails, radionuclides, and LSCs have on alpha/beta pulse shape discriminating liquid scintillation counting were quantified. Alpha emitting radionuclides (239)Pu and (241)Am and beta emitter (90)Sr/(90)Y were investigated to quantify the nuclide dependence on alpha/beta pulse shape discrimination. Also, chemical and color quenching agents, nitromethane, nitric acid, and yellow dye impact on alpha/beta pulse shape discrimination using PerkinElmer Optiphase "HiSafe" 2 and 3, and Ultima Gold AB liquid scintillation cocktails were determined. The prepared samples were counted on the PerkinElmer Wallac WinSpectral 1414 alpha/beta pulse shape discriminating LSC. It was found that for the same level of quench, as measured by the external quench parameter, different quench agents influenced the pulse shape discrimination and the pulse shape discrimination parameters differently. The radionuclide also affects alpha/beta pulse shape discrimination. By comparison with the PerkinElmer Tri-carb 3150 TR/AB, the Wallac 1414 exhibited better pulse shape discrimination capability under the same experimental conditions.

Clonal tracing of Sox9+ liver progenitors in oval cell injury

PubMed Central

Tarlow, Branden D.; Finegold, Milton J.; Grompe, Markus

2014-01-01

Proliferating ducts, termed “oval cells”, have long thought to be bipotential, i.e. produce both biliary ducts and hepatocytes during chronic liver injury. The precursor to oval cells is considered to be a facultative liver stem cell (LSC). Recent lineage tracing experiments indicated that the LSC is Sox9+ and can replace the bulk of hepatocyte mass in several settings. However, no clonal relationship between Sox9+ cells and the two epithelial liver lineages was established. We labeled Sox9+ mouse liver cells at low density with a multicolor fluorescent confetti reporter. Organoid formation validated the progenitor activity of the labeled population. Sox9+ cells were traced in multiple oval cell injury models using both histology and FACS. Surprisingly, only rare clones containing both hepatocytes and oval cells were found in any experiment. Quantitative analysis showed that Sox9+ cells contributed only minimally (<1%) to the hepatocyte pool, even in classic oval cell injury models. In contrast, clonally marked mature hepatocytes demonstrated the ability to self-renew in all classic mouse oval cell activation injuries. A hepatocyte chimera model to trace hepatocytes and non-parenchymal cells also demonstrated the prevalence of hepatocyte-driven regeneration in mouse oval cell injury models. Conclusion Sox9+ ductal progenitor cells give rise to clonal oval cell proliferation and bipotential organoids but rarely produce hepatocytes in vivo. Hepatocytes themselves are the predominant source of new parenchyma cells in prototypical mouse models of oval cell activation. PMID:24700457

Comparative analysis of complete chloroplast genome sequence and inversion variation in Lasthenia burkei (Madieae, Asteraceae).

PubMed

Walker, Joseph F; Zanis, Michael J; Emery, Nancy C

2014-04-01

Complete chloroplast genome studies can help resolve relationships among large, complex plant lineages such as Asteraceae. We present the first whole plastome from the Madieae tribe and compare its sequence variation to other chloroplast genomes in Asteraceae. We used high throughput sequencing to obtain the Lasthenia burkei chloroplast genome. We compared sequence structure and rates of molecular evolution in the small single copy (SSC), large single copy (LSC), and inverted repeat (IR) regions to those for eight Asteraceae accessions and one Solanaceae accession. The chloroplast sequence of L. burkei is 150 746 bp and contains 81 unique protein coding genes and 4 coding ribosomal RNA sequences. We identified three major inversions in the L. burkei chloroplast, all of which have been found in other Asteraceae lineages, and a previously unreported inversion in Lactuca sativa. Regions flanking inversions contained tRNA sequences, but did not have particularly high G + C content. Substitution rates varied among the SSC, LSC, and IR regions, and rates of evolution within each region varied among species. Some observed differences in rates of molecular evolution may be explained by the relative proportion of coding to noncoding sequence within regions. Rates of molecular evolution vary substantially within and among chloroplast genomes, and major inversion events may be promoted by the presence of tRNAs. Collectively, these results provide insight into different mechanisms that may promote intramolecular recombination and the inversion of large genomic regions in the plastome.

Clinical practice guidelines consistency for patients with multimorbidity: a case-study in the management of type 2 diabetes and hypertension.

PubMed

Galopin, Alexandre; Bouaud, Jacques; Pereira, Suzanne; Séroussi, Brigitte

2015-01-01

Decision support for the guideline-based management of patients with multimorbidity is a challenge since it relies on the combination of single-disease clinical practice guidelines (CPGs). The aim of this work is to present a framework to check, at the modelling level, whether two CPGs overlap and are potentially inconsistent, thus requiring further reconciliation. The method relies on an ontological comparison of the patient profiles covered by CPGs and the recommended actions attached. It was applied to check the consistency of CPGs for the management of arterial hypertension and for the management of type 2 diabetes. Results showed that the two CPGs had only one common patient profile, although more profiles were impacted through profile subsumption. In this specific case, recommended actions were not found inconsistent since antihypertensive and anti-diabetic drugs could be combined in an additive way.

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

Berezhiani, Lasha; Khoury, Justin; Wang, Junpu, E-mail: lashaber@gmail.com, E-mail: jkhoury@sas.upenn.edu, E-mail: jwang217@jhu.edu

Single-field perturbations satisfy an infinite number of consistency relations constraining the squeezed limit of correlation functions at each order in the soft momentum. These can be understood as Ward identities for an infinite set of residual global symmetries, or equivalently as Slavnov-Taylor identities for spatial diffeomorphisms. In this paper, we perform a number of novel, non-trivial checks of the identities in the context of single field inflationary models with arbitrary sound speed. We focus for concreteness on identities involving 3-point functions with a soft external mode, and consider all possible scalar and tensor combinations for the hard-momentum modes. In allmore » these cases, we check the consistency relations up to and including cubic order in the soft momentum. For this purpose, we compute for the first time the 3-point functions involving 2 scalars and 1 tensor, as well as 2 tensors and 1 scalar, for arbitrary sound speed.« less

The design and implementation of postprocessing for depth map on real-time extraction system.

PubMed

Tang, Zhiwei; Li, Bin; Li, Huosheng; Xu, Zheng

2014-01-01

Depth estimation becomes the key technology to resolve the communications of the stereo vision. We can get the real-time depth map based on hardware, which cannot implement complicated algorithm as software, because there are some restrictions in the hardware structure. Eventually, some wrong stereo matching will inevitably exist in the process of depth estimation by hardware, such as FPGA. In order to solve the problem a postprocessing function is designed in this paper. After matching cost unique test, the both left-right and right-left consistency check solutions are implemented, respectively; then, the cavities in depth maps can be filled by right depth values on the basis of right-left consistency check solution. The results in the experiments have shown that the depth map extraction and postprocessing function can be implemented in real time in the same system; what is more, the quality of the depth maps is satisfactory.

A molecular-sized tunnel-porous crystal with a ratchet gear structure and its one-way guest-molecule transportation property

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kataoka, Keisuke; Yasumoto, Tetsuaki; Manabe, Yousuke; Sato, Hiroyasu; Yamano, Akihito; Katagiri, Toshimasa

2013-01-01

An anisotropic tunnel microporous crystal was prepared. Active transportation of anthracene as a guest molecule in the anisotropic tunnels was observed. The direction of anthracene movement implies that the anisotropic tunnel did not work as a flap-check valve. The direction of the movement was consistent with that caused by a Brownian ratchet.An anisotropic tunnel microporous crystal was prepared. Active transportation of anthracene as a guest molecule in the anisotropic tunnels was observed. The direction of anthracene movement implies that the anisotropic tunnel did not work as a flap-check valve. The direction of the movement was consistent with that caused by a Brownian ratchet. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. CCDC reference numbers 837539 and 837540. For ESI and crystallographic data in CIF or other electronic format see DOI: 10.1039/c2nr30880k

Evaluating the accuracy of technicians and pharmacists in checking unit dose medication cassettes.

PubMed

Ambrose, Peter J; Saya, Frank G; Lovett, Larry T; Tan, Sandy; Adams, Dale W; Shane, Rita

2002-06-15

The accuracy rates of board-registered pharmacy technicians and pharmacists in checking unit dose medication cassettes in the inpatient setting at two separate institutions were examined. Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, both in Los Angeles county, petitioned the California State Board of Pharmacy to approve a waiver of the California Code of Regulations to conduct an experimental program to compare the accuracy of unit dose medication cassettes checked by pharmacists with that of cassettes checked by trained, certified pharmacy technicians. The study consisted of three parts: assessing pharmacist baseline checking accuracy (Phase I), developing a technician-training program and certifying technicians who completed the didactic and practical training (Phase II), and evaluating the accuracy of certified technicians checking unit dose medication cassettes as a daily function (Phase III). Twenty-nine pharmacists and 41 technicians (3 of whom were pharmacy interns) participated in the study. Of the technicians, all 41 successfully completed the didactic and practical training, 39 successfully completed the audits and became certified checkers, and 2 (including 1 of the interns) did not complete the certification audits because they were reassigned to another work area or had resigned. In Phase II, the observed accuracy rate and its lower confidence limit exceeded the predetermined minimum requirement of 99.8% for a certified checker. The mean accuracy rates for technicians were identical at the two institutions (p = 1.0). The difference in mean accuracy rates between pharmacists (99.52%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 99.44-99.58%) and technicians, (99.89%; 95% CI 99.87-99.90%) was significant (p < 0.0001). Inpatient technicians who had been trained and certified in a closely supervised program that incorporated quality assurance mechanisms could safely and accurately check unit dose medication cassettes filled by other technicians.

Development of a check sheet for collecting information necessary for occupational safety and health activities and building relevant systems in overseas business places.

PubMed

Kajiki, Shigeyuki; Kobayashi, Yuichi; Uehara, Masamichi; Nakanishi, Shigemoto; Mori, Koji

2016-06-07

This study aimed to develop an information gathering check sheet to efficiently collect information necessary for Japanese companies to build global occupational safety and health management systems in overseas business places. The study group consisted of 2 researchers with occupational physician careers in a foreign-affiliated company in Japan and 3 supervising occupational physicians who were engaged in occupational safety and health activities in overseas business places. After investigating information and sources of information necessary for implementing occupational safety and health activities and building relevant systems, we conducted information acquisition using an information gathering check sheet in the field, by visiting 10 regions in 5 countries (first phase). The accuracy of the information acquired and the appropriateness of the information sources were then verified in study group meetings to improve the information gathering check sheet. Next, the improved information gathering check sheet was used in another setting (3 regions in 1 country) to confirm its efficacy (second phase), and the information gathering check sheet was thereby completed. The information gathering check sheet was composed of 9 major items (basic information on the local business place, safety and health overview, safety and health systems, safety and health staff, planning/implementation/evaluation/improvement, safety and health activities, laws and administrative organs, local medical care systems and public health, and medical support for resident personnel) and 61 medium items. We relied on the following eight information sources: the internet, company (local business place and head office in Japan), embassy/consulate, ISO certification body, university or other educational institutions, and medical institutions (aimed at Japanese people or at local workers). Through multiple study group meetings and a two-phased field survey (13 regions in 6 countries), an information gathering check sheet was completed. We confirmed the possibility that this check sheet would enable the user to obtain necessary information when expanding safety and health activities in a country or region that is new to the user. It is necessary in the future to evaluate safety and health systems and activities using this information gathering check sheet in a local business place in any country in which a Japanese business will be established, and to verify the efficacy of the check sheet by conducting model programs to test specific approaches.

Network meta-analysis: application and practice using Stata.

PubMed

Shim, Sungryul; Yoon, Byung-Ho; Shin, In-Soo; Bae, Jong-Myon

2017-01-01

This review aimed to arrange the concepts of a network meta-analysis (NMA) and to demonstrate the analytical process of NMA using Stata software under frequentist framework. The NMA tries to synthesize evidences for a decision making by evaluating the comparative effectiveness of more than two alternative interventions for the same condition. Before conducting a NMA, 3 major assumptions-similarity, transitivity, and consistency-should be checked. The statistical analysis consists of 5 steps. The first step is to draw a network geometry to provide an overview of the network relationship. The second step checks the assumption of consistency. The third step is to make the network forest plot or interval plot in order to illustrate the summary size of comparative effectiveness among various interventions. The fourth step calculates cumulative rankings for identifying superiority among interventions. The last step evaluates publication bias or effect modifiers for a valid inference from results. The synthesized evidences through five steps would be very useful to evidence-based decision-making in healthcare. Thus, NMA should be activated in order to guarantee the quality of healthcare system.

Runtime Analysis of Linear Temporal Logic Specifications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Giannakopoulou, Dimitra; Havelund, Klaus

2001-01-01

This report presents an approach to checking a running program against its Linear Temporal Logic (LTL) specifications. LTL is a widely used logic for expressing properties of programs viewed as sets of executions. Our approach consists of translating LTL formulae to finite-state automata, which are used as observers of the program behavior. The translation algorithm we propose modifies standard LTL to B chi automata conversion techniques to generate automata that check finite program traces. The algorithm has been implemented in a tool, which has been integrated with the generic JPaX framework for runtime analysis of Java programs.

Automata-Based Verification of Temporal Properties on Running Programs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Giannakopoulou, Dimitra; Havelund, Klaus; Lan, Sonie (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

This paper presents an approach to checking a running program against its Linear Temporal Logic (LTL) specifications. LTL is a widely used logic for expressing properties of programs viewed as sets of executions. Our approach consists of translating LTL formulae to finite-state automata, which are used as observers of the program behavior. The translation algorithm we propose modifies standard LTL to Buchi automata conversion techniques to generate automata that check finite program traces. The algorithm has been implemented in a tool, which has been integrated with the generic JPaX framework for runtime analysis of Java programs.

Effects of a growth check on daily age estimates of age-0 alligator gar

USGS Publications Warehouse

Snow, Richard A.; Long, James M.

2016-01-01

Accurate age and growth information is essential for a complete knowledge of life history, growth rates, age at sexual maturity, and average life span in fishes. Alligator gar are becoming increasingly managed throughout their range and because this species spawns in backwater flooded areas, their offspring are prone to stranding in areas with limited prey, potentially affecting their growth. Because fish growth is tightly linked with otolith growth and annulus formation, the ability to discern marks not indicative of annuli (age checks) in alligator gar would give managers some insight when estimating ages. Previous studies have suggested that checks are often present prior to the first annulus in otoliths of alligator gar, affecting age estimates. We investigated check formation in otoliths of alligator gar in relation to growth and food availability. Sixteen age-0 alligator gar were marked with oxytetracycline (OTC) to give a reference point and divided equitably into two groups: a control group with abundant prey and an experimental group with limited prey. The experimental group was given 2 g of food per week for 20 days and then given the same prey availability as the control group for the next 20 days. After 40 days, the gar were measured, sacrificed, and their sagittae removed to determine if checks were present. Checks were visible on 14 of the 16 otoliths in the experimental group, associated with low growth during the first 20 days when prey was limited and accelerated growth after prey availability was increased. No checks were observed on otoliths of the control group, where growth and prey availability were consistent. Age estimates of fish in the control group were more accurate than those in the experimental group, showing that fish growth as a function of prey availability likely induced the checks by compressing daily ring formation.

Machine-checked proofs of the design and implementation of a fault-tolerant circuit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bevier, William R.; Young, William D.

1990-01-01

A formally verified implementation of the 'oral messages' algorithm of Pease, Shostak, and Lamport is described. An abstract implementation of the algorithm is verified to achieve interactive consistency in the presence of faults. This abstract characterization is then mapped down to a hardware level implementation which inherits the fault-tolerant characteristics of the abstract version. All steps in the proof were checked with the Boyer-Moore theorem prover. A significant results is the demonstration of a fault-tolerant device that is formally specified and whose implementation is proved correct with respect to this specification. A significant simplifying assumption is that the redundant processors behave synchronously. A mechanically checked proof that the oral messages algorithm is 'optimal' in the sense that no algorithm which achieves agreement via similar message passing can tolerate a larger proportion of faulty processor is also described.

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

Vercher, E.; Pena, M.P.; Martinez-Andreu, A.

Isobaric experimental data of vapor-liquid equilibrium for the ethanol-water-strontium bromide system at different mole fractions of strontium bromide have been measured at 100.6 kPa. Data were correlated by Jaques and Furter's method. Thermodynamic consistency was checked by Herington's method with satisfactory results.

Low-cost photovoltaics: Luminescent solar concentrators and colloidal quantum dot solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leow, Shin Woei

Solar energy has long been lauded as an inexhaustible fuel source with more energy reaching the earth's surface in one hour than the global consumption for a year. Although capable of satisfying the world's energy requirements, solar energy remains an expensive technology that has yet to attain grid parity. Another drawback is that existing solar farms require large quantities of land in order to generate power at useful rates. In this work, we look to luminescent solar concentrator systems and quantum dot technology as viable solutions to lowering the cost of solar electricity production with the flexibility to integrate such technologies into buildings to achieve dual land use. Luminescent solar concentrator (LSC) windows with front-facing photovoltaic (PV) cells were built and their gain and power efficiency were investigated. Conventional LSCs employ a photovoltaic (PV) cell that is placed on the edge of the LSC, facing inward. This work describes a new design with the PV cells on the front-face allowing them to receive both direct solar irradiation and wave-guided photons emitted from a dye embedded in an acrylic sheet, which is optically coupled to the PV cells. Parameters investigated include the thickness of the waveguide, edge treatment of the window, cell width, and cell placement. The data allowed us to make projections that aided in designing windows for maximized overall efficiency. A gain in power of 2.2x over the PV cells alone was obtained with PV cell coverage of 5%, and a power conversion efficiency as high as 6.8% was obtained with a PV cell coverage of 31%. Balancing the trade-offs between gain and efficiency, the design with the lowest cost per watt attained a power efficiency of 3.8% and a gain of 1.6x. With the viability of the LSC demonstrated, a weighted Monte-Carlo Ray Tracing program was developed to study the transport of photons and loss mechanisms in the LSC to aid in design optimization. The program imports measured absorption/emission spectra of an organic luminescent dye (LR305), the transmission coefficient and refractive index of acrylic as parameters that describe the system. Simulations suggest that for LR305, 8-10cm of luminescent material surrounding the PV cell yields the highest increase in power gain per unit area of LSC added, thereby determining the ideal spacing between PV cells in the panel. The model also predicts that for different PV cell dimensions, there exists an optimum waveguide thickness which efficiently transports photon collected by the waveguide to the PV cell with minimal loss, and maintains an even distribution of photons across the cell surface. For the case of the 12.5 by 1cm rectangular cells used in this work, the calculated waveguide thickness is 3mm. For larger cells, every 1cm increment in PV cell width should be accompanied by a 0.75mm increase in waveguide thickness to preserve peak performance. In line with the goal of pushing for cost competitive photovoltaics, the last part of this work shifts to the study of colloidal quantum dot solar cells. A combination of low temperature, highly scalable fabrication process and reduced material usage for thin films offers us a means to produce flexible and cheap solar cells. Tagging on to existing work already performed on germanium quantum dot solar cells, additional work was carried out to further characterize the material. The effect of film thickness, nano-particle surface conditions and thermal anneal were investigated. There is evidence to suggest that the quantum dot devices contain high levels of parasitic resistances. Short circuit current densities increase by up to two times with two spin-cast layers compared to four, leading to the conjecture that charge carrier life time is low with high levels of recombination. Annealing to improve carrier mobility produces devices with current densities up to 301microA, a fourfold increase, but output voltages saw a sharp decrease from 0.12V to 0.015V. In tandem with the work on germanium, experiments on silicon quantum dots were also carried out to investigate their viability for use as photovoltaic devices. The stronger bonds formed by silicon hindered the ligand exchange process. Schottky diodes were made via drop casting and displayed a clear photovoltaic effect albeit with very low current densities. Interestingly, an open circuit voltage was observed even when not under illumination and further investigations are ongoing.

A Categorization of Dynamic Analyzers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lujan, Michelle R.

1997-01-01

Program analysis techniques and tools are essential to the development process because of the support they provide in detecting errors and deficiencies at different phases of development. The types of information rendered through analysis includes the following: statistical measurements of code, type checks, dataflow analysis, consistency checks, test data,verification of code, and debugging information. Analyzers can be broken into two major categories: dynamic and static. Static analyzers examine programs with respect to syntax errors and structural properties., This includes gathering statistical information on program content, such as the number of lines of executable code, source lines. and cyclomatic complexity. In addition, static analyzers provide the ability to check for the consistency of programs with respect to variables. Dynamic analyzers in contrast are dependent on input and the execution of a program providing the ability to find errors that cannot be detected through the use of static analysis alone. Dynamic analysis provides information on the behavior of a program rather than on the syntax. Both types of analysis detect errors in a program, but dynamic analyzers accomplish this through run-time behavior. This paper focuses on the following broad classification of dynamic analyzers: 1) Metrics; 2) Models; and 3) Monitors. Metrics are those analyzers that provide measurement. The next category, models, captures those analyzers that present the state of the program to the user at specified points in time. The last category, monitors, checks specified code based on some criteria. The paper discusses each classification and the techniques that are included under them. In addition, the role of each technique in the software life cycle is discussed. Familiarization with the tools that measure, model and monitor programs provides a framework for understanding the program's dynamic behavior from different, perspectives through analysis of the input/output data.