Irradiation defect dispersions and effective dislocation mobility in strained ferritic grains: A statistical analysis based on 3D dislocation dynamics simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Y.; Robertson, C.

2018-06-01

The influence of irradiation defect dispersions on plastic strain spreading is investigated by means of three-dimensional dislocation dynamics (DD) simulations, accounting for thermally activated slip and cross-slip mechanisms in Fe-2.5%Cr grains. The defect-induced evolutions of the effective screw dislocation mobility are evaluated by means of statistical comparisons, for various defect number density and defect size cases. Each comparison is systematically associated with a quantitative Defect-Induced Apparent Straining Temperature shift (or «ΔDIAT»), calculated without any adjustable parameters. In the investigated cases, the ΔDIAT level associated with a given defect dispersion closely replicates the measured ductile to brittle transition temperature shift (ΔDBTT) due to the same, actual defect dispersion. The results are further analyzed in terms of dislocation-based plasticity mechanisms and their possible relations with the dose-dependent changes of the ductile to brittle transition temperature.

Politics and School Education in Australia: A Case of Shifting Purposes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cranston, Neil; Kimber, Megan; Mulford, Bill; Reid, Alan; Keating, Jack

2010-01-01

Purpose: The paper aims to argue that there has been a privileging of the private (social mobility) and economic (social efficiency) purposes of schooling at the expense of the public (democratic equality) purposes of schooling. Design/methodology/approach: The paper employs a literature review, policy and document analysis. Findings: Since the…

Airport Analyses Informing New Mobility Shifts: Opportunities to Adapt Energy-Efficient Mobility Services and Infrastructure: Preprint

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

Henao, Alejandro; Sperling, Joshua; Young, Stanley E

An airport is one of the most important assets for a region's economic development and connectivity with the rest of the nation and world. Key aspects for investigation of energy efficient mobility at airports is ground transportation including factors ranging from the infrastructure, mobility services, and associated revenues. Data is critical to understand the maturity of new mobility services that can inform both cities and airports on how to respond, approach, manage, and adapt to the challenges, opportunities, and uncertainties associated with shifts in new mobility that influence human behavior, energy-efficiency and sustainability strategies. One key question identified in thismore » article is how quickly we are adapting to new mobility options - such as app-based ride-hailing and 'pooling' services - that may provide an opportunity to influence energy efficiency of ground transportation to and from airports. By starting with airports in the regions of four smart city finalists in the U.S. DOT Smart City Challenge, this paper focuses on key observability aspects of new modes and the rate of shifts in mobility patterns across San Francisco, Portland, Denver, and Kansas City. With the emerging megatrend of rising urbanization and rising air travel demand (a predicted doubling in demand by 2035), airports are expected to increasingly be on the front lines of adaptation to new transportation technology and services in terms of infrastructure investments, policies, and revenues. As airports have demonstrated the most potential and capability of any public institution to implement fees for new ride-hailing services, they are also a prime resource for collecting important data to help understand smart mobility transitions. Results focused on the shifts in revenues for ground transportation at airports offer one vantage point into the pace of transitions and adaptations in the new emerging mobility landscape, and present an opportunity to analyze how future adaptations could support more energy-efficient scenarios.« less

Correlation of interface states/border traps and threshold voltage shift on AlGaN/GaN metal-insulator-semiconductor high-electron-mobility transistors

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

Wu, Tian-Li, E-mail: Tian-Li.Wu@imec.be; Groeseneken, Guido; Department of Electrical Engineering, KU Leuven, Leuven

2015-08-31

In this paper, three electrical techniques (frequency dependent conductance analysis, AC transconductance (AC-g{sub m}), and positive gate bias stress) were used to evaluate three different gate dielectrics (Plasma-Enhanced Atomic Layer Deposition Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}, Rapid Thermal Chemical Vapor Deposition Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}, and Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}) for AlGaN/GaN Metal-Insulator-Semiconductor High-Electron-Mobility Transistors. From these measurements, the interface state density (D{sub it}), the amount of border traps, and the threshold voltage (V{sub TH}) shift during a positive gate bias stress can be obtained. The results show that the V{sub TH} shift during a positive gate bias stress ismore » highly correlated to not only interface states but also border traps in the dielectric. A physical model is proposed describing that electrons can be trapped by both interface states and border traps. Therefore, in order to minimize the V{sub TH} shift during a positive gate bias stress, the gate dielectric needs to have a lower interface state density and less border traps. However, the results also show that the commonly used frequency dependent conductance analysis technique to extract D{sub it} needs to be cautiously used since the resulting value might be influenced by the border traps and, vice versa, i.e., the g{sub m} dispersion commonly attributed to border traps might be influenced by interface states.« less

Gas-Phase Dopant-Induced Conformational Changes Monitored with Transversal Modulation Ion Mobility Spectrometry.

PubMed

Meyer, Nicole Andrea; Root, Katharina; Zenobi, Renato; Vidal-de-Miguel, Guillermo

2016-02-16

The potential of a Transversal Modulation Ion Mobility Spectrometry (TMIMS) instrument for protein analysis applications has been evaluated. The Collision Cross Section (CCS) of cytochrome c measured with the TMIMS is in agreement with values reported in the literature. Additionally, it enables tandem IMS-IMS prefiltration in dry gas and in vapor doped gas. The chemical specificity of the different dopants enables interesting studies on the structure of proteins as CCS changed strongly depending on the specific dopant. Hexane produced an unexpectedly high CCS shift, which can be utilized to evaluate the exposure of hydrophobic parts of the protein. Alcohols produced higher shifts with a dual behavior: an increase in CCS due to vapor uptake at specific absorption sites, followed by a linear shift typical for unspecific and unstable vapor uptake. The molten globule +8 shows a very specific transition. Initially, its CCS follows the trend of the compact folded states, and then it rapidly increases to the levels of the unfolded states. This strong variation suggests that the +8 charge state undergoes a dopant-induced conformational change. Interestingly, more sterically demanding alcohols seem to unfold the protein more effectively also in the gas phase. This study shows the capabilities of the TMIMS device for protein analysis and how tandem IMS-IMS with dopants could provide better understanding of the conformational changes of proteins.

Gel shift analysis of the empA promoter region in Vibrio anguillarum.

PubMed

Denkin, Steven M; Sekaric, Pedja; Nelson, David R

2004-10-29

The induction of metalloprotease encoded by empA in Vibrio anguillarum occurs at high cell density in salmon intestinal mucus. Previously we have shown that there are significant differences in empA expression in two strains of V. anguillarum, M93Sm and NB10. It is hypothesized that differences in empA regulation are due to differences in binding of regulatory elements. Two strains of V. anguillarum, M93Sm and NB10, were examined and compared for the presence of DNA regulatory proteins that bind to and control the empA promoter region. Gel mobility shift assays, using a digoxigenin (DIG)-labeled oligomer containing a lux box-like element and the promoter for empA, were done to demonstrate the presence of a DNA-binding protein. Protein extracts from NB10 cells incubated in Luria Bertani broth + 2% NaCl (LB20), nine salts solution + 200 microg/ml mucus (NSSM), 3M (marine minimal medium), or NSS resulted in a gel mobility shift. No gel mobility shift was seen when protein extracts from either LB20- or NSSM-grown M93Sm cells were mixed with the DIG-labeled empA oligomer. The azocasein assay detected protease activity in all incubation conditions for NB10 culture supernatants. In contrast, protease activity was detected in M93Sm culture supernatants only when incubated in NSSM. Since the luxR homologue in V. anguillarum, vanT, has been cloned, sequenced, and shown to be required for protease activity, we wanted to determine if vanT mutants of NB10 exhibit the same gel shift observed in the wild-type. Site-directed mutagenesis was used to create vanT mutants in V. anguillarum M93Sm and NB10 to test whether VanT is involved with the gel mobility shift. Both vanT mutants, M02 and NB02, did not produce protease activity in any conditions. However, protein extracts from NB02 incubated in each condition still exhibited a gel shift when mixed with the DIG-labeled empA oligomer. The data demonstrate that protein extracts of V. anguillarum NB10 cells contain a protein that binds to a 50 bp oligomer containing the empA promoter-lux box-like region. NB10 cells express empA during stationary phase in all growth conditions. The DNA binding protein is not present in M93Sm extracts. M93Sm cells express protease activity only when incubated at high cell density in fish gastrointestinal mucus. The gel shift observed with NB10 cells is not due to VanT binding. The data also suggest that the DNA binding protein is responsible for the less restrictive expression of empA in NB10 compared to M93Sm.

An Autonomous Mobile Agent-Based Distributed Learning Architecture-A Proposal and Analytical Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sadiig, I. Ahmed M. J.

2005-01-01

The traditional learning paradigm involving face-to-face interaction with students is shifting to highly data-intensive electronic learning with the advances in Information and Communication Technology. An important component of the e-learning process is the delivery of the learning contents to their intended audience over a network. A distributed…

The Matter of New Media Making: An Intra-Action Analysis of Adolescents Making a Digital Book Trailer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ehret, Christian; Hollett, Ty; Jocius, Robin

2016-01-01

Representational logic cannot account for the entanglements of all that matters in making new media: feeling bodies, vibrant matter, feeling bodies and vibrant matter all moving and at different rates. In the currently shifting communicative landscape, where mobile technologies are the primary means for youths' digital production, all this…

Using Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assays to Measure Equilibrium Dissociation Constants: GAL4-p53 Binding DNA as a Model System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heffler, Michael A.; Walters, Ryan D.; Kugel, Jennifer F.

2012-01-01

An undergraduate biochemistry laboratory experiment is described that will teach students the practical and theoretical considerations for measuring the equilibrium dissociation constant (K[subscript D]) for a protein/DNA interaction using electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs). An EMSA monitors the migration of DNA through a native gel;…

Pseudo-random dynamic address configuration (PRDAC) algorithm for mobile ad hoc networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Shaochuan; Tan, Xuezhi

2007-11-01

By analyzing all kinds of address configuration algorithms, this paper provides a new pseudo-random dynamic address configuration (PRDAC) algorithm for mobile ad hoc networks. Based on PRDAC, the first node that initials this network randomly chooses a nonlinear shift register that can generates an m-sequence. When another node joins this network, the initial node will act as an IP address configuration sever to compute an IP address according to this nonlinear shift register, and then allocates this address and tell the generator polynomial of this shift register to this new node. By this means, when other node joins this network, any node that has obtained an IP address can act as a server to allocate address to this new node. PRDAC can also efficiently avoid IP conflicts and deal with network partition and merge as same as prophet address (PA) allocation and dynamic configuration and distribution protocol (DCDP). Furthermore, PRDAC has less algorithm complexity, less computational complexity and more sufficient assumption than PA. In addition, PRDAC radically avoids address conflicts and maximizes the utilization rate of IP addresses. Analysis and simulation results show that PRDAC has rapid convergence, low overhead and immune from topological structures.

Modems for emerging digital cellular-mobile radio system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feher, Kamilo

1991-01-01

Digital modem techniques for emerging digital cellular telecommunications-mobile radio system applications are described and analyzed. In particular, theoretical performance, experimental results, principles of operation, and various architectures of pi/4-QPSK (pi/4-shifted coherent or differential QPSK) modems for second-generation US digital cellular radio system applications are presented. The spectral/power efficiency and performance of the pi/4-QPSK modems (American and Japanese digital cellular emerging standards) are studied and briefly compared to GMSK (Gaussian minimum-shift keying) modems (proposed for European DECT and GSM cellular standards). Improved filtering strategies and digital pilot-aided (digital channel sounding) techniques are also considered for pi/4-QPSK and other digital modems. These techniques could significantly improve the performance of digital cellular and other digital land mobile and satellite mobile radio systems. More spectrally efficient modem trends for future cellular/mobile (land mobile) and satellite communication systems applications are also highlighted.

Shifting Patterns of Student Mobility in Asia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chan, Sheng-Ju

2012-01-01

During the past decade, Asia--traditionally one of the largest exporters of mobile students--has experienced major changes in student mobility within higher education. As the worldwide competition for international students has escalated, many Asian countries have adopted a wide range of mechanisms and strategies in facilitating student mobility.…

Urban Mobility Analysis on Efficiency and Sustainability by Means of Transportation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Branea, Ana-Maria; Gaman, Marius; Badescu, Stefana

2017-10-01

Patterns of urban land use are inherently linked to the predominantly used means of transportation, both generating and being generated themselves. While each mode of transportation shapes a different development typology a clear understanding of their interrelations and dependencies is needed in order to create a comprehensive mobility strategy. The study proposes a 15-criteria analysis framework developed to identify and quantify the main modes of transportation’s key aspects. The analysis framework was applied to a yearlong research on Timisoara, Romania, comprising hard, quantitative data, digital simulations and mobility pattern analysis and soft data, quality assessment and perceived needs and satisfaction levels. The research was carried out in clear opposition to the national trend of official mobility strategies focusing on accommodating increased levels of car traffic on the underdeveloped existing roads infrastructure. By analysing the efficiency and sustainability of all four main modes of transportation the results offer a holistic comprehensive view. While, despite current practices, no mobility strategy can focus on a single means of transportation, the article will only present in detail the research on cycling, infrastructure and use, as it is the most underdeveloped and least discussed at the national level and proven through our study to be the most efficient for a city of Timisoara’s size and characteristics. By identifying a clear link between urban land use patterns, infrastructure quality and perceptions and the most efficient means of transportation for each particular city type mobility strategies could shift the trend of urban development towards a more sustainable one.

Social, Spatial and Legislative Strategy to Shift Urban Mobility Patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Branea, Ana-Maria; Gaman, Marius; Badescu, Stefana

2017-10-01

A city’s predominant transportation mode is crucial in determining its type of urban tissue. A denser and more compact urban development is generated through pedestrian, bicycle and public transit while car based developments tend to be dispersed, characterized by unsustainable low densities. However, a clear implementation strategy eludes many urban planning practitioners and public administrations, thus highlighting the need for further research. Following an international trend, Timisoara’s mobility strategy over the past two decades, has been to accommodate an ever-increasing number of vehicles on its underdeveloped infrastructure at the expense of green areas, pedestrian lanes and even travel-turned-parking lanes. Despite the latest, slight, shift towards inner city urban development only 11% of the proposed Urban Mobility Strategy’s policies are not centred on cars. Through a 15 criteria analysis of the main means of transportation, pedestrian, bicycle, public transit and car, the authors determined the most sustainable and efficient mode based on the distance - duration relationship as being bicycles, for a city of Timisoara’s size and characteristics. Yet, the city’s infrastructure scored poorly on safety and comfort due to its incoherence and numerous dysfunctionalities. To better illustrate and understand Timisoara’s current state and proposed mobility strategy, the authors undertook a comparative analysis of Timisoara’s and Utrecht’s bike lane infrastructure. Similarities in size and number of inhabitants were only secondary selection criteria compared to Utrecht’s aspiring to model status. The aim of this study is to present the long term, multi-tier implementation strategy proposed to reorient Timisoara’s urban development towards a more compact, sustainable typology. Comprising social-educational, spatial and legislative objectives the strategy aspires to modify local behaviour towards and perception of alternative modes of transportation by influencing human behaviour at a strategic and tactical level.

Understanding Mott-Schottky Measurements under Illumination in Organic Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zonno, Irene; Martinez-Otero, Alberto; Hebig, Jan-Christoph; Kirchartz, Thomas

2017-03-01

The Mott-Schottky analysis in the dark is a frequently used method to determine the doping concentration of semiconductors from capacitance-voltage measurements, even for such complex systems as polymer:fullerene blends used for organic solar cells. While the analysis of capacitance-voltage measurements in the dark is relatively well established, the analysis of data taken under illumination is currently not fully understood. Here, we present experiments and simulations to show which physical mechanisms affect the Mott-Schottky analysis under illumination. We show that the mobility of the blend has a major influence on the shape of the capacitance-voltage curve and can be obtained from data taken under reverse bias. In addition, we show that the apparent shift of the built-in voltage observed previously can be explained by a shift of the onset of space-charge-limited collection with illumination intensity.

Analysis of heterogeneous water vapor uptake by metal iodide cluster ions via differential mobility analysis-mass spectrometry

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

Oberreit, Derek; Fluid Measurement Technologies, Inc., Saint Paul, Minnesota 55110; Rawat, Vivek K.

The sorption of vapor molecules onto pre-existing nanometer sized clusters is of importance in understanding particle formation and growth in gas phase environments and devising gas phase separation schemes. Here, we apply a differential mobility analyzer-mass spectrometer based approach to observe directly the sorption of vapor molecules onto iodide cluster ions of the form (MI){sub x}M{sup +} (x = 1-13, M = Na, K, Rb, or Cs) in air at 300 K and with water saturation ratios in the 0.01-0.64 range. The extent of vapor sorption is quantified in measurements by the shift in collision cross section (CCS) for eachmore » ion. We find that CCS measurements are sensitive enough to detect the transient binding of several vapor molecules to clusters, which shift CCSs by only several percent. At the same time, for the highest saturation ratios examined, we observed CCS shifts of up to 45%. For x < 4, cesium, rubidium, and potassium iodide cluster ions are found to uptake water to a similar extent, while sodium iodide clusters uptake less water. For x ≥ 4, sodium iodide cluster ions uptake proportionally more water vapor than rubidium and potassium iodide cluster ions, while cesium iodide ions exhibit less uptake. Measured CCS shifts are compared to predictions based upon a Kelvin-Thomson-Raoult (KTR) model as well as a Langmuir adsorption model. We find that the Langmuir adsorption model can be fit well to measurements. Meanwhile, KTR predictions deviate from measurements, which suggests that the earliest stages of vapor uptake by nanometer scale species are not well described by the KTR model.« less

SU-F-J-188: Clinical Implementation of in Room Mobile CT for Image Guided Proton Therapy

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

Li, H; Wu, R; Poenisch, F

Purpose: To implement soft-tissue image-guided proton therapy using inroom mobile CT. Methods: Anthropomorphic phantom was first used to determine the setup accuracy using in- room mobile CT. Laser and bbs were used for the initial setup (marked isocenter). CT data was then acquired with in-room mobile CT (daily CT). The shift between the marked isocenter and the planned isocenter (final isocenter) was determined from the daily CT using in-house Computer Assisted Targeting (CAT) software. Orthogonal DRRs of the day was also generated from the daily CT. The phantom was then transferred on the treatment couch top to the treatment machinemore » using a transportation system, and again aligned to the marked isocenter. Couch shifts were made to align the phantom to the final isocenter using the shifts as determined using the CAT software, and verified using orthogonal X-ray images with the daily DRRs. Results: Phantom data suggests that following the setup procedure as described above, targeting accuracy could be within 1 mm. Patient data are being acquired and analyzed. Conclusion: In-room mobile CT is capable of providing soft-tissue image-guided proton therapy.« less

Using advertisement light-panel and CMOS image sensor with frequency-shift-keying for visible light communication.

PubMed

Chow, Chi-Wai; Shiu, Ruei-Jie; Liu, Yen-Chun; Liao, Xin-Lan; Lin, Kun-Hsien; Wang, Yi-Chang; Chen, Yi-Yuan

2018-05-14

A frequency-shift-keying (FSK) visible light communication (VLC) system is proposed and demonstrated using advertisement light-panel as transmitter and mobile-phone image sensor as receiver. The developed application program (APP) in mobile-phone can retrieve the rolling shutter effect (RSE) pattern produced by the FSK VLC signal effectively. Here, we also define noise-ratio value (NRV) to evaluate the contrast of different advertisements displayed on the light-panel. Both mobile-phones under test can achieve success rate > 96% even when the transmission distance is up to 200 cm and the NRVs are low.

A Critical Review of 13 Years of Mobile Game-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giannakas, Filippos; Kambourakis, Georgios; Papasalouros, Andreas; Gritzalis, Stefanos

2018-01-01

With the increasing popularity of smartphones and tablets, game-based learning (GBL) is undergoing a rapid shift to mobile platforms. This transformation is driven by mobility, wireless interfaces, and built-in sensors that these smart devices offer in order to enable blended and context-sensitive mobile learning (m-Learning) activities. Thus,…

An Introduction to Current Trends and Benefits of Mobile Wireless Technology Use in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Sang Hyun; Mims, Clif; Holmes, Kerry P.

2006-01-01

The development of mobile wireless technologies has generated a considerable amount of excitement among practitioners and academics because it results in shifting the academic environment from traditional settings to mobile learning (m-learning) settings. Increasing numbers of institutions of higher education offer courses using mobile wireless…

UV damage-specific DNA-binding protein in xeroderma pigmentosum complementation group E

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

Kataoka, H.; Fujiwara, Y.

1991-03-29

The gel mobility shift assay method revealed a specifically ultraviolet (UV) damage recognizing, DNA-binding protein in nuclear extracts of normal human cells. The resulted DNA/protein complexes caused the two retarded mobility shifts. Four xeroderma pigmentosum complementation group E (XPE) fibroblast strains derived from unrelated Japanese families were not deficient in such a DNA damage recognition/binding protein because of the normal complex formation and gel mobility shifts, although we confirmed the reported lack of the protein in the European XPE (XP2RO and XP3RO) cells. Thus, the absence of this binding protein is not always commonly observed in all the XPE strains,more » and the partially repair-deficient and intermediately UV-hypersensitive phenotype of XPE cells are much similar whether or not they lack the protein.« less

Gel shift analysis of the empA promoter region in Vibrio anguillarum

PubMed Central

Denkin, Steven M; Sekaric, Pedja; Nelson, David R

2004-01-01

Background The induction of metalloprotease encoded by empA in Vibrio anguillarum occurs at high cell density in salmon intestinal mucus. Previously we have shown that there are significant differences in empA expression in two strains of V. anguillarum, M93Sm and NB10. It is hypothesized that differences in empA regulation are due to differences in binding of regulatory elements. Results Two strains of V. anguillarum, M93Sm and NB10, were examined and compared for the presence of DNA regulatory proteins that bind to and control the empA promoter region. Gel mobility shift assays, using a digoxigenin (DIG)-labeled oligomer containing a lux box-like element and the promoter for empA, were done to demonstrate the presence of a DNA-binding protein. Protein extracts from NB10 cells incubated in Luria Bertani broth + 2% NaCl (LB20), nine salts solution + 200 μg/ml mucus (NSSM), 3M (marine minimal medium), or NSS resulted in a gel mobility shift. No gel mobility shift was seen when protein extracts from either LB20- or NSSM-grown M93Sm cells were mixed with the DIG-labeled empA oligomer. The azocasein assay detected protease activity in all incubation conditions for NB10 culture supernatants. In contrast, protease activity was detected in M93Sm culture supernatants only when incubated in NSSM. Since the luxR homologue in V. anguillarum, vanT, has been cloned, sequenced, and shown to be required for protease activity, we wanted to determine if vanT mutants of NB10 exhibit the same gel shift observed in the wild-type. Site-directed mutagenesis was used to create vanT mutants in V. anguillarum M93Sm and NB10 to test whether VanT is involved with the gel mobility shift. Both vanT mutants, M02 and NB02, did not produce protease activity in any conditions. However, protein extracts from NB02 incubated in each condition still exhibited a gel shift when mixed with the DIG-labeled empA oligomer. Conclusions The data demonstrate that protein extracts of V. anguillarum NB10 cells contain a protein that binds to a 50 bp oligomer containing the empA promoter-lux box-like region. NB10 cells express empA during stationary phase in all growth conditions. The DNA binding protein is not present in M93Sm extracts. M93Sm cells express protease activity only when incubated at high cell density in fish gastrointestinal mucus. The gel shift observed with NB10 cells is not due to VanT binding. The data also suggest that the DNA binding protein is responsible for the less restrictive expression of empA in NB10 compared to M93Sm. PMID:15516264

Safe, Multiphase Bounds Check Elimination in Java

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-28

production of mobile code from source code, JIT compilation in the virtual ma- chine, and application code execution. The code producer uses...invariants, and inequality constraint analysis) to identify and prove redundancy of bounds checks. During class-loading and JIT compilation, the virtual...unoptimized code if the speculated invariants do not hold. The combined effect of the multiple phases is to shift the effort as- sociated with bounds

mHealth and big data will bring meaning and value to patient-reported outcomes.

PubMed

Weiler, Anne

2016-01-01

The intersection of widespread mobile adoption, cloud computing and healthcare will enable patient-reported outcomes to be used to personalize care, draw insights and shorten the cycle from research to clinical implementation. Today, patient-reported outcomes are largely collected as part of a regulatory shift to value-based or bundled care. When patients are able to record their experiences in real-time and combine them with passive data collection from sensors and mobile devices, this information can inform better care for each patient and contribute to the growing body of health data that can be used to draw insights for all patients. This paper explores the current limitations of patient reported outcomes and how mobile health and big data analysis unlocks their potential as a valuable tool to deliver care.

An evaluation of transport mode shift policies on transport-related physical activity through simulations based on random forests.

PubMed

Brondeel, Ruben; Kestens, Yan; Chaix, Basile

2017-10-23

Physical inactivity is widely recognized as one of the leading causes of mortality, and transport accounts for a large part of people's daily physical activity. This study develops a simulation approach to evaluate the impact of the Ile-de-France Urban Mobility Plan (2010-2020) on physical activity, under the hypothesis that the intended transport mode shifts are realized. Based on the Global Transport Survey (2010, n = 21,332) and on the RECORD GPS Study (2012-2013, n = 229) from the French capital region of Paris (Ile-de-France), a simulation method was designed and tested. The simulation method used accelerometer data and random forest models to predict the impact of the transport mode shifts anticipated in the Mobility Plan on transport-related moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (T-MVPA). The transport mode shifts include less private motorized trips in favor of more public transport, walking, and biking trips. The simulation model indicated a mean predicted increase of 2 min per day of T-MVPA, in case the intended transport mode shifts in the Ile-de-France Urban Mobility Plan were realized. The positive effect of the transport mode shifts on T-MVPA would, however, be larger for people with a higher level of education. This heterogeneity in the positive effect would further increase the existing inequality in transport-related physical activity by educational level. The method presented in this paper showed a significant increase in transport-related physical activity in case the intended mode shifts in the Ile-de-France Urban Mobility Plan were realized. This simulation method could be applied on other important health outcomes, such as exposure to noise or air pollution, making it a useful tool to anticipate the health impact of transport interventions or policies.

Positron transport studies at the Au - (InP:Fe) interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Au, H. L.; Lee, T. C.; Beling, C. D.; Fung, S.

1996-03-01

Positron mobility and lifetime measurements have been carried out on semi-insulating Fe-doped InP samples with Au contacts used for electric field application. The lifetime measurements, with electric fields directed towards the Au - InP:Fe interface, reveal no component associated with interfacial open-volume sites and thus give no evidence of any positron mobility. The mobility measurements, made using the Doppler-shifted annihilation radiation technique, however, reveal a temperature independent positron mobility of about 0953-8984/8/10/012/img1 in the range 150 - 300 K. These observations, together with results from I - V analysis, are discussed with reference to two possible band-bending schemes. The first, which requires an ionized shallow donor region adjacent to the Au - InP interface, seems less plausible on a number of grounds. In the second, however, an 0953-8984/8/10/012/img2 negative space charge produces an adverse diffusion barrier for positrons approaching the interface together with a non-uniform electric field in the samples capable of explaining the observed mobility results.

Piezoelectric scattering limited mobility of hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites CH3NH3PbI3

PubMed Central

Lu, Ying-Bo; Kong, Xianghua; Chen, Xiaobin; Cooke, David G.; Guo, Hong

2017-01-01

Carrier mobility is one of the most important parameters for semiconducting materials and their use in optoelectronic devices. Here we report a systematic first principles analysis of the acoustic phonon scattering mechanism that limits the mobility of CH3NH3PbI3 (MAPbI3) perovskites. Due to the unique hybrid organic-inorganic structure, the mechanical, electronic and transport properties are dominated by the same factor, i.e. the weak interatomic bond and the easy rotation of methylammonium (MA) molecules under strain. Both factors make MAPbI3 soft. Rotation of MA molecule induces a transverse shift between Pb and I atoms, resulting in a very low deformation potential and a strong piezoelectricity in MAPbI3. Hence the carrier mobility of pristine MAPbI3 is limited by the piezoelectric scattering, which is consistent to the form of its temperature dependence. Our calculations suggest that in the pristine limit, a high mobility of about several thousand cm2 V−1 S−1 is expected for MAPbI3. PMID:28150743

Prenatal exposure of mice to diethylstilbestrol disrupts T-cell differentiation by regulating Fas/Fas ligand expression through estrogen receptor element and nuclear factor-κB motifs.

PubMed

Singh, Narendra P; Singh, Udai P; Nagarkatti, Prakash S; Nagarkatti, Mitzi

2012-11-01

Prenatal exposure to diethylstilbestrol (DES) is known to cause altered immune functions and increased susceptibility to autoimmune disease in humans. In the current study, we investigated the effect of prenatal exposure to DES on thymocyte differentiation involving apoptotic pathways. Prenatal DES exposure caused thymic atrophy, apoptosis, and up-regulation of Fas and Fas ligand (FasL) expression in thymocytes. To examine the mechanism underlying DES-mediated regulation of Fas and FasL, we performed luciferase assays using T cells transfected with luciferase reporter constructs containing full-length Fas or FasL promoters. There was significant luciferase induction in the presence of Fas or FasL promoters after DES exposure. Further analysis demonstrated the presence of several cis-regulatory motifs on both Fas and FasL promoters. When DES-induced transcription factors were analyzed, estrogen receptor element (ERE), nuclear factor κB (NF-κB), nuclear factor of activated T cells (NF-AT), and activator protein-1 motifs on the Fas promoter, as well as ERE, NF-κB, and NF-AT motifs on the FasL promoter, showed binding affinity with the transcription factors. Electrophoretic mobility-shift assays were performed to verify the binding affinity of cis-regulatory motifs of Fas or FasL promoters with transcription factors. There was shift in mobility of probes (ERE or NF-κB2) of both Fas and FasL in the presence of nuclear proteins from DES-treated cells, and the shift was specific to DES because these probes failed to shift their mobility in the presence of nuclear proteins from vehicle-treated cells. Together, the current study demonstrates that prenatal exposure to DES triggers significant alterations in apoptotic molecules expressed on thymocytes, which may affect T-cell differentiation and cause long-term effects on the immune functions.

Prenatal Exposure of Mice to Diethylstilbestrol Disrupts T-Cell Differentiation by Regulating Fas/Fas Ligand Expression through Estrogen Receptor Element and Nuclear Factor-κB Motifs

PubMed Central

Singh, Narendra P.; Singh, Udai P.; Nagarkatti, Prakash S.

2012-01-01

Prenatal exposure to diethylstilbestrol (DES) is known to cause altered immune functions and increased susceptibility to autoimmune disease in humans. In the current study, we investigated the effect of prenatal exposure to DES on thymocyte differentiation involving apoptotic pathways. Prenatal DES exposure caused thymic atrophy, apoptosis, and up-regulation of Fas and Fas ligand (FasL) expression in thymocytes. To examine the mechanism underlying DES-mediated regulation of Fas and FasL, we performed luciferase assays using T cells transfected with luciferase reporter constructs containing full-length Fas or FasL promoters. There was significant luciferase induction in the presence of Fas or FasL promoters after DES exposure. Further analysis demonstrated the presence of several cis-regulatory motifs on both Fas and FasL promoters. When DES-induced transcription factors were analyzed, estrogen receptor element (ERE), nuclear factor κB (NF-κB), nuclear factor of activated T cells (NF-AT), and activator protein-1 motifs on the Fas promoter, as well as ERE, NF-κB, and NF-AT motifs on the FasL promoter, showed binding affinity with the transcription factors. Electrophoretic mobility-shift assays were performed to verify the binding affinity of cis-regulatory motifs of Fas or FasL promoters with transcription factors. There was shift in mobility of probes (ERE or NF-κB2) of both Fas and FasL in the presence of nuclear proteins from DES-treated cells, and the shift was specific to DES because these probes failed to shift their mobility in the presence of nuclear proteins from vehicle-treated cells. Together, the current study demonstrates that prenatal exposure to DES triggers significant alterations in apoptotic molecules expressed on thymocytes, which may affect T-cell differentiation and cause long-term effects on the immune functions. PMID:22888145

Improved Tandem Measurement Techniques for Aerosol Particle Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rawat, Vivek Kumar

Non-spherical, chemically inhomogeneous (complex) nanoparticles are encountered in a number of natural and engineered environments, including combustion systems (which produces highly non-spherical aggregates), reactors used in gas-phase materials synthesis of doped or multicomponent materials, and in ambient air. These nanoparticles are often highly diverse in size, composition and shape, and hence require determination of property distribution functions for accurate characterization. This thesis focuses on development of tandem mobility-mass measurement techniques coupled with appropriate data inversion routines to facilitate measurement of two dimensional size-mass distribution functions while correcting for the non-idealities of the instruments. Chapter 1 provides the detailed background and motivation for the studies performed in this thesis. In chapter 2, the development of an inversion routine is described which is employed to determine two dimensional size-mass distribution functions from Differential Mobility Analyzer-Aerosol Particle Mass analyzer tandem measurements. Chapter 3 demonstrates the application of the two dimensional distribution function to compute cumulative mass distribution function and also evaluates the validity of this technique by comparing the calculated total mass concentrations to measured values for a variety of aerosols. In Chapter 4, this tandem measurement technique with the inversion routine is employed to analyze colloidal suspensions. Chapter 5 focuses on application of a transverse modulation ion mobility spectrometer coupled with a mass spectrometer to study the effect of vapor dopants on the mobility shifts of sub 2 nm peptide ion clusters. These mobility shifts are then compared to models based on vapor uptake theories. Finally, in Chapter 6, a conclusion of all the studies performed in this thesis is provided and future avenues of research are discussed.

Forecasted range shifts of arid-land fishes in response to climate change

USGS Publications Warehouse

Whitney, James E.; Whittier, Joanna B.; Paukert, Craig P.; Olden, Julian D.; Strecker, Angela L.

2017-01-01

Climate change is poised to alter the distributional limits, center, and size of many species. Traits may influence different aspects of range shifts, with trophic generality facilitating shifts at the leading edge, and greater thermal tolerance limiting contractions at the trailing edge. The generality of relationships between traits and range shifts remains ambiguous however, especially for imperiled fishes residing in xeric riverscapes. Our objectives were to quantify contemporary fish distributions in the Lower Colorado River Basin, forecast climate change by 2085 using two general circulation models, and quantify shifts in the limits, center, and size of fish elevational ranges according to fish traits. We examined relationships among traits and range shift metrics either singly using univariate linear modeling or combined with multivariate redundancy analysis. We found that trophic and dispersal traits were associated with shifts at the leading and trailing edges, respectively, although projected range shifts were largely unexplained by traits. As expected, piscivores and omnivores with broader diets shifted upslope most at the leading edge while more specialized invertivores exhibited minimal changes. Fishes that were more mobile shifted upslope most at the trailing edge, defying predictions. No traits explained changes in range center or size. Finally, current preference explained multivariate range shifts, as fishes with faster current preferences exhibited smaller multivariate changes. Although range shifts were largely unexplained by traits, more specialized invertivorous fishes with lower dispersal propensity or greater current preference may require the greatest conservation efforts because of their limited capacity to shift ranges under climate change.

Analysis of healthy sitting behavior: interface pressure distribution and subcutaneous tissue oxygenation.

PubMed

Reenalda, Jasper; Van Geffen, Paul; Nederhand, Marc; Jannink, Michiel; IJzerman, Maarten; Rietman, Hans

2009-01-01

Pressure ulcers are a large problem in individuals who use a wheelchair for their mobility and have limited trunk stability and motor function. Because no relation between interface pressure and pressure ulcer development has been established and no clinical threshold for pressure ulcer development can be given, looking at the sitting behavior of nondisabled individuals is important. Nondisabled individuals do not develop pressure ulcers because they continuously shift posture. We analyzed the sitting behavior of 25 nondisabled male subjects by using a combination of interface pressure measurement and subcutaneous tissue oxygenation measurement by means of the Oxygen to See. These subjects shifted posture on average 7.8 +/- 5.2 times an hour. These posture shifts were merely a combination of posture shifts in the frontal and sagittal plane. Subcutaneous oxygen saturation increased on average 2.2% with each posture adjustment, indicating a positive effect of posture shifts on tissue viability. The results of this study can be used as a reference for seating interventions aimed at preventing pressure ulcers. Changing the sitting load at least every 8 minutes is recommended for wheelchair users.

Russian Snap Military Exercise in March of 2015; What Implications did this Exercise Have

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-09

Russia can mobilize rapidly the nation for war, shift substantial forces in its interior to meet any threat, and that Russia is willing to use military...Further, it demonstrates to any observer that Russia can mobilize rapidly the nation for war, shift substantial forces in its interior to meet any...the steps of qualitative research method in a class on Advanced Research Methods, September 12, 2016. 65 Robert K. Yin, Case Study Research: Design

Demonstrating Interactions of Transcription Factors with DNA by Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay.

PubMed

Yousaf, Nasim; Gould, David

2017-01-01

Confirming the binding of a transcription factor with a particular DNA sequence may be important in characterizing interactions with a synthetic promoter. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay is a powerful approach to demonstrate the specific DNA sequence that is bound by a transcription factor and also to confirm the specific transcription factor involved in the interaction. In this chapter we describe a method we have successfully used to demonstrate interactions of endogenous transcription factors with sequences derived from endogenous and synthetic promoters.

The Research Imagination in a World on the Move

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kenway, Jane; Fahey, Johannah

2006-01-01

This paper focuses on the shifting terrain of mobile researchers beginning with an overview of research and research policy on "brain mobility", and then discussing what we call their optical illusions/delusions. Subsequently, our main purpose is to elaborate on a line of inquiry that offers richer notions of researcher mobility, connectivity and…

An Optimized Protocol for Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay Using Infrared Fluorescent Dye-labeled Oligonucleotides.

PubMed

Hsieh, Yi-Wen; Alqadah, Amel; Chuang, Chiou-Fen

2016-11-29

Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assays (EMSA) are an instrumental tool to characterize the interactions between proteins and their target DNA sequences. Radioactivity has been the predominant method of DNA labeling in EMSAs. However, recent advances in fluorescent dyes and scanning methods have prompted the use of fluorescent tagging of DNA as an alternative to radioactivity for the advantages of easy handling, saving time, reducing cost, and improving safety. We have recently used fluorescent EMSA (fEMSA) to successfully address an important biological question. Our fEMSA analysis provides mechanistic insight into the effect of a missense mutation, G73E, in the highly conserved HMG transcription factor SOX-2 on olfactory neuron type diversification. We found that mutant SOX-2 G73E protein alters specific DNA binding activity, thereby causing olfactory neuron identity transformation. Here, we present an optimized and cost-effective step-by-step protocol for fEMSA using infrared fluorescent dye-labeled oligonucleotides containing the LIM-4/SOX-2 adjacent target sites and purified SOX-2 proteins (WT and mutant SOX-2 G73E proteins) as a biological example.

Hall mobility and photoconductivity in TlGaSeS crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qasrawi, A. F.; Gasanly, N. M.

2013-01-01

In this work, the fundamental properties of the TlGaSeS single crystals are investigated by means of temperature dependent electrical resistivity and Hall mobility. The crystal photo-responsibility as function of illumination intensity and temperature is also tested in the temperature range of 350-160 K. The study allowed the determination of acceptor centers as 230 and 450 meV below and above 260 K, and recombination centers as 181, 363, and 10 meV at low, moderate, and high temperatures, respectively. While the temperature-dependent Hall mobility behaved abnormally, the photoconductivity analysis reflected an illumination intensity dependent recombination center. Namely, the recombination center increased from 10 to 90 meV as the light intensity increased from 27.9 to 76.7 mW cm-2, respectively. That strange behavior was attributed to the temporary shift in Fermi level caused by photoexcitation.

Model verifies design of mobile data modem

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davarian, F.; Sumida, J.

1986-01-01

It has been proposed to use differential minimum shift keying (DMSK) modems in spacecraft-based mobile communications systems. For an employment of these modems, it is necessary that the transmitted carrier frequency be known prior to signal detection. In addition, the time needed by the receiver to lock onto the carrier frequency must be minimized. The present article is concerned with a DMSK modem developed for the Mobile Satellite Service. This device demonstrated fast acquisition time and good performance in the presence of fading. However, certain problems arose in initial attempts to study the acquisition behavior of the AFC loop through breadboard techniques. The development of a software model of the AFC loop is discussed, taking into account two cases which were plotted using the model. Attention is given to a demonstration of the viability of the modem by an approach involving modeling and analysis of the frequency synchronizer.

On-chip Micro- and Nanofluidic Electrokinetic Injection and Separation for PEGylation Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shelton, Elijah; Baum, Mary; Morse, Dan; Pennathur, Sumita; Pennathur Nanofluidics Laboratory Collaboration; Morse Laboratory Collaboration

2012-11-01

We present an experimental study of micro- and nanofluidic electrokinetic injection and separation in borosilcate channels as a method for characterizing size and zeta potential of biomolecules-specifically polyethlylene glycol (PEG), keyhole limpet hemocyanine (KLH), and pegylated KLH. While pegylation (the conjugation of proteins with PEG) is an established technique for enhancing a protein's therapeutic properties, reliable characterization of these conjugations by traditional analysis techniques (i.e. gel-electrophoresis, zetasizer) remains a challenge. Using a three-step electrokinetic sequence (load, gate, and inject), FITC labeled species and a fluorescein tracer dye are injected into a channel where they separate according to differences in electrophoretic mobility. We find the average absolute mobility of pegylated subunit KLH in 1 micron channels to be 56% that of unpegylated subunit KLH. In a 250 nm channel, we measure a 33% shift in the average absolute mobility of PEG dendrimers as compared to measurements in a 1 micron channel. These results begin to demonstrate how a micro- and nanofluidic-based approach might address the demand for effective and accessible nanoparticle characterization platforms. Supported by the Institute for Collaborative Biotechnologies.

Assessing Mobile Health Capacity and Task Shifting Strategies to Improve Hypertension Among Ghanaian Stroke Survivors.

PubMed

Nichols, Michelle; Sarfo, Fred Stephen; Singh, Arti; Qanungo, Suparna; Treiber, Frank; Ovbiagele, Bruce; Saulson, Raelle; Patel, Sachin; Jenkins, Carolyn

2017-12-01

There has been a tremendous surge in stroke prevalence in sub-Saharan Africa. Hypertension (HTN), the most potent, modifiable risk factor for stroke, is a particular challenge in sub-Saharan Africa. Culturally sensitive, efficacious HTN control programs that are timely and sustainable are needed, especially among stroke survivors. Mobile health (mHealth) technology and task-shifting offer promising approaches to address this need. Using a concurrent triangulation design, we collected data from stroke survivors, caregivers, community leaders, clinicians and hospital personnel to explore the barriers, facilitators and perceptions toward mHealth related to HTN management among poststroke survivors in Ghana. Exploration included perceptions of a nurse-led navigational model to facilitate care delivery and willingness of stroke survivors and caregivers to use mHealth technology. Two hundred stroke survivors completed study surveys while focus groups (n = 4) were conducted with stroke survivors, caregivers and community leaders (n = 28). Key informant interviews were completed with clinicians and hospital personnel (n = 10). A total of 93% of survey respondents had HTN (60% uncontrolled). Findings support mHealth strategies for poststroke care delivery and HTN management and for task-shifting through a nurse-led model. Of survey and focus group participants, 76% and 78.6%, respectively, have access to mobile phones and 90% express comfort in using mobile phones and conveyed assurance that task-shifting through a nurse-led model could facilitate management of HTN. Findings also identified barriers to care delivery and medication adherence across all levels of the social ecological model. Participants strongly supported enhanced care delivery through mobile health and were receptive toward a nurse-led navigational model. Copyright © 2017 Southern Society for Clinical Investigation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Origin of high carrier mobility and low residual stress in RF superimposed DC sputtered Al doped ZnO thin film for next generation flexible devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Naveen; Dubey, Ashish; Bahrami, Behzad; Venkatesan, S.; Qiao, Qiquan; Kumar, Mukesh

2018-04-01

In this work, the energy and flux of high energetic ions were controlled by RF superimposed DC sputtering process to increase the grain size and suppress grain boundary potential with minimum residual stress in Al doped ZnO (AZO) thin film. AZO thin films were deposited at different RF/(RF + DC) ratios by keeping total power same and were investigated for their electrical, optical, structural and nanoscale grain boundaries potential. All AZO thin film showed high crystallinity and orientation along (002) with peak shift as RF/(RF + DC) ratio increased from 0.0, pure DC, to 1.0, pure RF. This peak shift was correlated with high residual stress in as-grown thin film. AZO thin film grown at mixed RF/(RF + DC) of 0.75 showed high electron mobility, low residual stress and large crystallite size in comparison to other AZO thin films. The nanoscale grain boundary potential was mapped using Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy in all AZO thin film and it was observed that carrier mobility is controlled not only by grains size but also by grain boundary potential. The XPS analysis confirms the variation in oxygen vacancies and zinc interstitials which explain the origin of low grain boundaries potential and high carrier mobility in AZO thin film deposited at 0.75 RF/(RF + DC) ratio. This study proposes a new way to control the grain size and grain boundary potential to further tune the optoelectronic-mechanical properties of AZO thin films for next generation flexible and optoelectronic devices.

What Have We Learnt about Mobile LifeLong Learning (mLLL)?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seta, Luciano; Kukulska-Hulme, Agnes; Arrigo, Marco

2014-01-01

Mobile technologies are becoming ubiquitous in education, yet the wider implications of this phenomenon are not well understood. The paper discusses how mobile lifelong learning (mLLL) may be defined, and the challenges of forging a suitable definition in an ever-shifting technological and socio-economic landscape. mLLL appears as a ubiquitous…

Mobile Devices and Mobile Learning: Shifting the Mindset of Teachers and Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Philippa K.; Grant, Lynn; Conway, Clare; Narayan, Vickel

2016-01-01

Incorporating new media technologies that enable mobile learning to be part of educational practice poses challenges to those used to teaching in a traditional classroom environment. In this article three lecturers and a learning advisor from a New Zealand university reflect on their experiences in the progressive redesign of a Bachelor of Arts…

A comparison between coherent and noncoherent mobile systems in large Doppler shift, delay spread, and C/I environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feher, Kamilo

1993-01-01

The performance and implementation complexity of coherent and of noncoherent QPSK and GMSK modulation/demodulation techniques in a complex mobile satellite systems environment, including large Doppler shift, delay spread, and low C/I, are compared. We demonstrate that for large f(sub d)T(sub b) products, where f(sub d) is the Doppler shift and T(sub b) is the bit duration, noncoherent (discriminator detector or differential demodulation) systems have a lower BER floor than their coherent counterparts. For significant delay spreads, e.g., tau(sub rms) greater than 0.4 T(sub b), and low C/I, coherent systems outperform noncoherent systems. However, the synchronization time of coherent systems is longer than that of noncoherent systems. Spectral efficiency, overall capacity, and related hardware complexity issues of these systems are also analyzed. We demonstrate that coherent systems have a simpler overall architecture (IF filter implementation-cost versus carrier recovery) and are more robust in an RF frequency drift environment. Additionally, the prediction tools, computer simulations, and analysis of coherent systems is simpler. The threshold or capture effect in low C/I interference environment is critical for noncoherent discriminator based systems. We conclude with a comparison of hardware architectures of coherent and of noncoherent systems, including recent trends in commercial VLSI technology and direct baseband to RF transmit, RF to baseband (0-IF) receiver implementation strategies.

A comparison between coherent and noncoherent mobile systems in large Doppler shift, delay spread, and C/I environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feher, Kamilo

The performance and implementation complexity of coherent and of noncoherent QPSK and GMSK modulation/demodulation techniques in a complex mobile satellite systems environment, including large Doppler shift, delay spread, and low C/I, are compared. We demonstrate that for large f(sub d)T(sub b) products, where f(sub d) is the Doppler shift and T(sub b) is the bit duration, noncoherent (discriminator detector or differential demodulation) systems have a lower BER floor than their coherent counterparts. For significant delay spreads, e.g., tau(sub rms) greater than 0.4 T(sub b), and low C/I, coherent systems outperform noncoherent systems. However, the synchronization time of coherent systems is longer than that of noncoherent systems. Spectral efficiency, overall capacity, and related hardware complexity issues of these systems are also analyzed. We demonstrate that coherent systems have a simpler overall architecture (IF filter implementation-cost versus carrier recovery) and are more robust in an RF frequency drift environment. Additionally, the prediction tools, computer simulations, and analysis of coherent systems is simpler. The threshold or capture effect in low C/I interference environment is critical for noncoherent discriminator based systems. We conclude with a comparison of hardware architectures of coherent and of noncoherent systems, including recent trends in commercial VLSI technology and direct baseband to RF transmit, RF to baseband (0-IF) receiver implementation strategies.

An RNA electrophoretic mobility shift and mutational analysis of rnp-4f 5′-UTR intron splicing regulatory proteins in Drosophila reveals a novel new role for a dADAR protein isoform

PubMed Central

Lakshmi, G. Girija; Ghosh, Sushmita; Jones, Gabriel P.; Parikh, Roshni; Rawlins, Bridgette A.; Vaughn, Jack C.

2014-01-01

Alternative splicing greatly enhances the diversity of proteins encoded by eukaryotic genomes, and is also important in gene expression control. In contrast to the great depth of knowledge as to molecular mechanisms in the splicing pathway itself, relatively little is known about the regulatory events behind this process. The 5′-UTR and 3′-UTR in pre-mRNAs play a variety of roles in controlling eukaryotic gene expression, including translational modulation, and nearly 4,000 of the roughly 14,000 protein coding genes in Drosophila contain introns of unknown functional significance in their 5′-UTR. Here we report the results of an RNA electrophoretic mobility shift analysis of Drosophila rnp-4f 5′-UTR intron 0 splicing regulatory proteins. The pre-mRNA potential regulatory element consists of an evolutionarily-conserved 177-nt stem-loop arising from pairing of intron 0 with part of adjacent exon 2. Incubation of in vitro transcribed probe with embryo protein extract is shown to result in two shifted RNA-protein bands, and protein extract from a dADAR null mutant fly line results in only one shifted band. A mutated stem-loop in which the conserved exon 2 primary sequence is changed but secondary structure maintained by introducing compensatory base changes results in diminished band shifts. To test the hypothesis that dADAR plays a role in intron splicing regulation in vivo, levels of unspliced rnp-4f mRNA in dADAR mutant were compared to wild-type via real-time qRT-PCR. The results show that during embryogenesis unspliced rnp-4f mRNA levels fall by up to 85% in the mutant, in support of the hypothesis. Taken together, these results demonstrate a novel role for dADAR protein in rnp-4f 5′-UTR alternative intron splicing regulation which is consistent with a previously proposed model. PMID:23026215

Mobile GPU-based implementation of automatic analysis method for long-term ECG.

PubMed

Fan, Xiaomao; Yao, Qihang; Li, Ye; Chen, Runge; Cai, Yunpeng

2018-05-03

Long-term electrocardiogram (ECG) is one of the important diagnostic assistant approaches in capturing intermittent cardiac arrhythmias. Combination of miniaturized wearable holters and healthcare platforms enable people to have their cardiac condition monitored at home. The high computational burden created by concurrent processing of numerous holter data poses a serious challenge to the healthcare platform. An alternative solution is to shift the analysis tasks from healthcare platforms to the mobile computing devices. However, long-term ECG data processing is quite time consuming due to the limited computation power of the mobile central unit processor (CPU). This paper aimed to propose a novel parallel automatic ECG analysis algorithm which exploited the mobile graphics processing unit (GPU) to reduce the response time for processing long-term ECG data. By studying the architecture of the sequential automatic ECG analysis algorithm, we parallelized the time-consuming parts and reorganized the entire pipeline in the parallel algorithm to fully utilize the heterogeneous computing resources of CPU and GPU. The experimental results showed that the average executing time of the proposed algorithm on a clinical long-term ECG dataset (duration 23.0 ± 1.0 h per signal) is 1.215 ± 0.140 s, which achieved an average speedup of 5.81 ± 0.39× without compromising analysis accuracy, comparing with the sequential algorithm. Meanwhile, the battery energy consumption of the automatic ECG analysis algorithm was reduced by 64.16%. Excluding energy consumption from data loading, 79.44% of the energy consumption could be saved, which alleviated the problem of limited battery working hours for mobile devices. The reduction of response time and battery energy consumption in ECG analysis not only bring better quality of experience to holter users, but also make it possible to use mobile devices as ECG terminals for healthcare professions such as physicians and health advisers, enabling them to inspect patient ECG recordings onsite efficiently without the need of a high-quality wide-area network environment.

Random-walk mobility analysis of Lisbon's plans for the post-1755 reconstruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Sampayo, Mafalda Teixeira; Sousa-Rodrigues, David

2016-11-01

The different options for the reconstruction of the city of Lisbon in the aftermath of the 1755 earthquake are studied with an agent-based model based on randomwalks. This method gives a comparative quantitative measure of mobility of the circulation spaces within the city. The plans proposed for the city of Lisbon signified a departure from the medieval mobility city model. The intricacy of the old city circulation spaces is greatly reduced in the new plans and the mobility between different areas is substantially improved. The simulation results of the random-walk model show that those plans keeping the main force lines of the old city presented less improvement in terms ofmobility. The plans that had greater design freedom were, by contrast, easier to navigate. Lisbon's reconstruction followed a plan that included a shift in the traditional notions of mobility. This affected the daily lives of its citizens by potentiating an easy access to the waterfront, simplifying orientation and navigability. Using the random-walk model it is shown how to quantitatively measure the potential that synthetic plans have in terms of the permeability and navigability of different city public spaces.

To Move Forward, We Must Be Mobile: Practical Uses of Mobile Technology in Literacy Education Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Husbye, Nicholas E.; Elsener, Anne A.

2013-01-01

Technology continues to shift the definition of what it means to be literate. As literacy educators in teacher preparation programs, we must consider how emerging and mobile technology may be used within coursework to not only create multiple ways to conceptualize teaching 21st century literacy, but also as a professional imperative. This article…

[The Effects of Mobile Social Networking Service-Based Cognitive Behavior Therapy on Insomnia in Nurses].

PubMed

Kim, Ji Eun; Kim, Suk Sun

2017-08-01

This study aimed to examine the effects of cognitive behavior therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) based on the mobile social networking service (SNS) on dysfunctional beliefs and attitudes about sleep, sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, depression, and quality of life among rotating-shift nurses in a hospital in Korea. A nonequivalent control group pre-post test design was used. The participants included 55 nurses with rotating three-shift work (25 in the experimental group and 30 in the control group). For the experimental group, CBT-I using mobile SNS was provided once a week for 60 minutes over six weeks. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, χ²-test, independent samples t-test, and Mann-whitney U test with the SPSS 21.0 program. In the homogeneity test of the general characteristics and study variables, there were no significant differences between the two groups. Nurses in the experimental group had significantly lower scores on dysfunctional beliefs and attitudes regarding sleep and sleepiness than nurses in the control group. Nurses in the experimental group had significantly higher scores on sleep quality and quality of life than nurses in the control group. These findings indicate that using the mobile SNS-based CBT-I is feasible and has significant and positive treatment-related effects on rotating-shift nurses' irrational thoughts and beliefs in association with sleep, sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, and quality of life. These contribute to expanding our knowledge of rotating-shift nurses' sleep issues and their preferences for intervention. © 2017 Korean Society of Nursing Science

Quantifying attention shifts in augmented reality image-guided neurosurgery

PubMed Central

Drouin, Simon; Collins, D. Louis; Popa, Tiberiu; Kersten-Oertel, Marta

2017-01-01

Image-guided surgery (IGS) has allowed for more minimally invasive procedures, leading to better patient outcomes, reduced risk of infection, less pain, shorter hospital stays and faster recoveries. One drawback that has emerged with IGS is that the surgeon must shift their attention from the patient to the monitor for guidance. Yet both cognitive and motor tasks are negatively affected with attention shifts. Augmented reality (AR), which merges the realworld surgical scene with preoperative virtual patient images and plans, has been proposed as a solution to this drawback. In this work, we studied the impact of two different types of AR IGS set-ups (mobile AR and desktop AR) and traditional navigation on attention shifts for the specific task of craniotomy planning. We found a significant difference in terms of the time taken to perform the task and attention shifts between traditional navigation, but no significant difference between the different AR set-ups. With mobile AR, however, users felt that the system was easier to use and that their performance was better. These results suggest that regardless of where the AR visualisation is shown to the surgeon, AR may reduce attention shifts, leading to more streamlined and focused procedures. PMID:29184663

Quantifying attention shifts in augmented reality image-guided neurosurgery.

PubMed

Léger, Étienne; Drouin, Simon; Collins, D Louis; Popa, Tiberiu; Kersten-Oertel, Marta

2017-10-01

Image-guided surgery (IGS) has allowed for more minimally invasive procedures, leading to better patient outcomes, reduced risk of infection, less pain, shorter hospital stays and faster recoveries. One drawback that has emerged with IGS is that the surgeon must shift their attention from the patient to the monitor for guidance. Yet both cognitive and motor tasks are negatively affected with attention shifts. Augmented reality (AR), which merges the realworld surgical scene with preoperative virtual patient images and plans, has been proposed as a solution to this drawback. In this work, we studied the impact of two different types of AR IGS set-ups (mobile AR and desktop AR) and traditional navigation on attention shifts for the specific task of craniotomy planning. We found a significant difference in terms of the time taken to perform the task and attention shifts between traditional navigation, but no significant difference between the different AR set-ups. With mobile AR, however, users felt that the system was easier to use and that their performance was better. These results suggest that regardless of where the AR visualisation is shown to the surgeon, AR may reduce attention shifts, leading to more streamlined and focused procedures.

Analysis of the regulation of viral transcription.

PubMed

Gloss, Bernd; Kalantari, Mina; Bernard, Hans-Ulrich

2005-01-01

Despite the small genomes and number of genes of papillomaviruses, regulation of their transcription is very complex and governed by numerous transcription factors, cis-responsive elements, and epigenetic phenomena. This chapter describes the strategies of how one can approach a systematic analysis of these factors, elements, and mechanisms. From the numerous different techniques useful for studying transcription, we describe in detail three selected protocols of approaches that have been relevant in shaping our knowledge of human papillomavirus transcription. These are DNAse I protection ("footprinting") for location of transcription-factor binding sites, electrophoretic mobility shifts ("gelshifts") for analysis of bound transcription factors, and bisulfite sequencing for analysis of DNA methylation as a prerequisite for epigenetic transcriptional regulation.

Mobile Communication and Civil Society: Linking Patterns and Places of Use to Engagement with Others in Public

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Scott W.; Kwak, Nojin

2011-01-01

This study examined whether and how mobile communication influences the extent to which one engages with new people in public settings. Contrary to our expectation, general use of the technology in public did not detract from conversing with strangers. Shifting focus from "where" one uses the mobile phone to "how" it is used, we found that uses…

Effect of transient wave forcing on the behavior of arsenic in a sandy nearshore aquifer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rakhimbekova, S.; O'Carroll, D. M.; Robinson, C. E.

2016-12-01

Waves cause large quantities of coastal water to recirculate across the groundwater-coastal water interface in addition to inducing complex groundwater flows in the nearshore aquifer. Due to the distinct chemical composition of recirculating coastal water compared with discharging terrestrial groundwater, wave-induced recirculations and flows can alter geochemical gradients in the nearshore aquifer which may subsequently affect the mobilization and transport of reactive pollutants (e.g., arsenic). The impact of seasonal geochemical and hydrological variability on the occurrence and mobility of arsenic near the groundwater-surface water interface has been shown previously in riverine settings, however, the impact of high frequency geochemical variations (e.g., varying wave conditions) on arsenic mobility in groundwater-surface water environments is unclear. The objective of the study was to assess the impact of intensified wave conditions on the behavior of arsenic in a nearshore aquifer to determine the factors regulating its mobility and transport to receiving coastal waters. Field investigations were conducted at a permeable beach on the Great Lakes during a period of intensified wave conditions (wave event). High spatial resolution pore water sampling captured the geochemical conditions in the nearshore aquifer prior to the wave event, immediately after the wave event and over a recovery period of 3 weeks following the wave event. Shifts in pH and redox potential (ORP) gradients in response to varying wave conditions caused shifts in the iron and arsenic distributions in the aquifer. Sediment analysis was combined with the pore water distributions to assess the release of sediment-bound arsenic in response to the varying wave conditions. Insight into the effect of transient forcing on arsenic mobility and transport in groundwater-surface water environments is important for evaluating the potential risks associated with this toxic metalloid. The findings of this study also have significant implications for the fate of other reactive constituents (heavy metals, nutrients) discharging through nearshore aquifers to coastal waters.

Electrophoretic mobility shift assay reveals a novel recognition sequence for Setaria italica NAC protein.

PubMed

Puranik, Swati; Kumar, Karunesh; Srivastava, Prem S; Prasad, Manoj

2011-10-01

The NAC (NAM/ATAF1,2/CUC2) proteins are among the largest family of plant transcription factors. Its members have been associated with diverse plant processes and intricately regulate the expression of several genes. Inspite of this immense progress, knowledge of their DNA-binding properties are still limited. In our recent publication,1 we reported isolation of a membrane-associated NAC domain protein from Setaria italica (SiNAC). Transactivation analysis revealed that it was a functionally active transcription factor as it could stimulate expression of reporter genes in vivo. Truncations of the transmembrane region of the protein lead to its nuclear localization. Here we describe expression and purification of SiNAC DNA-binding domain. We further report identification of a novel DNA-binding site, [C/G][A/T][T/A][G/C]TC[C/G][A/T][C/G][G/C] for SiNAC by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. The SiNAC-GST protein could bind to the NAC recognition sequence in vitro as well as to sequences where some bases had been reshuffled. The results presented here contribute to our understanding of the DNA-binding specificity of SiNAC protein.

Electrophoretic mobility shift assay reveals a novel recognition sequence for Setaria italica NAC protein

PubMed Central

Puranik, Swati; Kumar, Karunesh; Srivastava, Prem S

2011-01-01

The NAC (NAM/ATAF1,2/CUC2) proteins are among the largest family of plant transcription factors. Its members have been associated with diverse plant processes and intricately regulate the expression of several genes. Inspite of this immense progress, knowledge of their DNA-binding properties are still limited. In our recent publication,1 we reported isolation of a membrane-associated NAC domain protein from Setaria italica (SiNAC). Transactivation analysis revealed that it was a functionally active transcription factor as it could stimulate expression of reporter genes in vivo. Truncation of the transmembrane region of the protein lead to its nuclear localization. Here we describe expression and purification of SiNAC DNA-binding domain. We further report identification of a novel DNA-binding site, [C/G][A/T] [T/A][G/C]TC[C/G][A/T][C/G][G/C] for SiNAC by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. The SiNAC-GST protein could bind to the NAC recognition sequence in vitro as well as to sequences where some bases had been reshuffled. The results presented here contribute to our understanding of the DNA-binding specificity of SiNAC protein. PMID:21918373

Biochemical analysis of NSs from different tospoviruses.

PubMed

Hedil, Marcio; de Ronde, Dryas; Kormelink, Richard

2017-10-15

Tospoviruses suppress antiviral RNA interference by coding for an RNA silencing suppressor (NSs) protein. Previously, using NSs-containing crude plant and insect cell extracts, the affinity of NSs for double-stranded (ds)RNA molecules was demonstrated by electrophoretic mobility shifts assays (EMSAs). While NSs from tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) and groundnut ringspot virus (GRSV) were able to bind small and long dsRNA molecules, the one from tomato yellow ring virus (TYRV), a distinct Asian tospovirus, only bound small dsRNA. Here, using bacterially expressed and purified NSs from GRSV and TYRV, it is shown that they are both able to bind to small and long dsRNA. Binding of siRNAs by NSs revealed two consecutive shifts, i.e. a first shift at low NSs concentrations followed by a second larger one at higher concentrations. When NSs of TSWV resistance inducing (RI) and resistance breaking (RB) isolates were analyzed using extracts from infected plants only a major siRNA shift was observed. In contrast, plant extracts containing the respective transiently expressed NSs proteins showed only the lower shift with NSs RI but no shift with NSs RB . The observed affinity for RNA duplexes, as well as the two-stepwise shift pattern, is discussed in light of NSs as a suppressor of silencing and its importance for tospovirus infection. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A qualitative study of in-home robotic telepresence for home care of community-living elderly subjects.

PubMed

Boissy, Patrick; Corriveau, Hélène; Michaud, François; Labonté, Daniel; Royer, Marie-Pier

2007-01-01

We examined the requirements for robots in home telecare using two focus groups. The first comprised six healthcare professionals involved in geriatric care and the second comprised six elderly people with disabilities living in the community. The concept of an in-home telepresence robot was illustrated using a photograph of a mobile robot, and participants were then asked to suggest potential health care applications. Interview data derived from the transcript of each group discussion were analyzed using qualitative induction based on content analysis. The analyses yielded statements that were categorized under three themes: potential applications, usability issues and user requirements. Teleoperated mobile robotic systems in the home were thought to be useful in assisting multidisciplinary patient care through improved communication between patients and healthcare professionals, and offering respite and support to caregivers under certain conditions. The shift from a traditional hospital-centred model of care in geriatrics to a home-based model creates opportunities for using telepresence with mobile robotic systems in home telecare.

Changes in brain glioma incidence and laterality correlates with use of mobile phones--a nationwide population based study in Israel.

PubMed

Barchana, Micha; Margaliot, Menahem; Liphshitz, Irena

2012-01-01

Mobile phones are in extensive use worldwide and concerns regarding their role in tumor formation were raised. Over the years multiple studies were published in order to investigate this issue using several approaches. The current study looks at secular trends of brain gliomas (low and high grade) incidence and changes in tumor's laterality over 30 years in a population extensively using this technology with a possible correlation to the spread of use of mobile phones. All brain gliomas that were diagnosed from 1980-2009 were included and subdivided into two groups--low and high grade. Secular and periodic time trend analyses of incidence rates and changes in laterality were performed. Preferred side of head using mobile phones was assessed with a questionnaire in a sample of adult individuals. A decrease in incidence of low grade giomas (LGG) that correlated with introduction of mobile technology was found from 2.57, 2.34 and 2.79 for every 100,000 in the period 1980 to the end of 1994 to 1.72, 1.82 and 1.57, respectively, over the last three 5-years periods (1995-2009). High-grade glioma incidences increased significantly from 1980-2009 but in the period after mobile phones were introduced (1994-2009) a lower, non significant, rate of increase was observed in males and a lower one (significant) in females. A shift towards left sided tumor location for all adult gliomas combined and separately for LGG and HGG was noted from 1995 onward. The shift was more marked for those who were diagnosed in ages 20-49 (p=0.03). We found a statistically significant decrease in LGG's over 30-years period that correlates with introducing of mobile phones technology and a shift in laterality towards left-sided tumors, the latter occurred in both low and high-grade gliomas.

Investigating the Use of Text Messages in Mobile Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geng, Gretchen

2013-01-01

Nowadays, teaching and learning have been shifted from traditional classrooms to technology-supported learning environment. By offering a convenient, efficient and financially affordable information technology learning environment, mobile learning is a topic that is of considerable interest for education audiences owing to the pervasive nature of…

Differential detection of Gaussian MSK in a mobile radio environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simon, M. K.; Wang, C. C.

1984-01-01

Minimum shift keying with Gaussian shaped transmit pulses is a strong candidate for a modulation technique that satisfies the stringent out-of-band radiated power requirements of the mobil radio application. Numerous studies and field experiments have been conducted by the Japanese on urban and suburban mobile radio channels with systems employing Gaussian minimum-shift keying (GMSK) transmission and differentially coherent reception. A comprehensive analytical treatment is presented of the performance of such systems emphasizing the important trade-offs among the various system design parameters such as transmit and receiver filter bandwidths and detection threshold level. It is shown that two-bit differential detection of GMSK is capable of offering far superior performance to the more conventional one-bit detection method both in the presence of an additive Gaussian noise background and Rician fading.

Differential detection of Gaussian MSK in a mobile radio environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simon, M. K.; Wang, C. C.

1984-11-01

Minimum shift keying with Gaussian shaped transmit pulses is a strong candidate for a modulation technique that satisfies the stringent out-of-band radiated power requirements of the mobil radio application. Numerous studies and field experiments have been conducted by the Japanese on urban and suburban mobile radio channels with systems employing Gaussian minimum-shift keying (GMSK) transmission and differentially coherent reception. A comprehensive analytical treatment is presented of the performance of such systems emphasizing the important trade-offs among the various system design parameters such as transmit and receiver filter bandwidths and detection threshold level. It is shown that two-bit differential detection of GMSK is capable of offering far superior performance to the more conventional one-bit detection method both in the presence of an additive Gaussian noise background and Rician fading.

Rapid and Simple Detection of Hot Spot Point Mutations of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor, BRAF, and NRAS in Cancers Using the Loop-Hybrid Mobility Shift Assay

PubMed Central

Matsukuma, Shoichi; Yoshihara, Mitsuyo; Kasai, Fumio; Kato, Akinori; Yoshida, Akira; Akaike, Makoto; Kobayashi, Osamu; Nakayama, Haruhiko; Sakuma, Yuji; Yoshida, Tsutomu; Kameda, Yoichi; Tsuchiya, Eiju; Miyagi, Yohei

2006-01-01

A simple and rapid method to detect the epidermal growth factor receptor hot spot mutation L858R in lung adenocarcinoma was developed based on principles similar to the universal heteroduplex generator technology. A single-stranded oligonucleotide with an internal deletion was used to generate heteroduplexes (loop-hybrids) bearing a loop in the complementary strand derived from the polymerase chain reaction product of the normal or mutant allele. By placing deletion in the oligonucleotide adjacent to the mutational site, difference in electrophoretic mobility between loop-hybrids with normal and mutated DNA was distinguishable in a native polyacrylamide gel. The method was also modified to detect in-frame deletion mutations of epidermal growth factor receptor in lung adenocarcinomas. In addition, the method was adapted to detect hot spot mutations in the B-type Raf kinase (BRAF) at V600 and in a Ras-oncogene (NRAS) at Q61, the mutations commonly found in thyroid carcinomas. Our mutation detection system, designated the loop-hybrid mobility shift assay was sensitive enough to detect mutant DNA comprising 7.5% of the total DNA. As a simple and straightforward mutation detection technique, loop-hybrid mobility shift assay may be useful for the molecular diagnosis of certain types of clinical cancers. Other applications are also discussed. PMID:16931592

Could Expanded Freight Rail Reduce Air Pollution from Trucks?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bickford, E. E.; Holloway, T.; Johnston, M.

2010-12-01

Cars, trucks and trains are a significant source of emissions that impact both climate and air quality on regional to global scales. Diesel vehicles, most used for freight transport, account for 42% of on-road nitrogen oxide emissions, 58% of on-road fine particulate emissions, and 21% of on-road carbon dioxide emissions. With freight tonnage projected to increase 28% by 2018, and freight trucks the fastest growing source of transportation emissions, we evaluate the potential for increased rail capacity to reduce the environmental impacts of trucks. Most widely available mobile source emissions inventories contain insufficient spatial detail to quantify realistic emission scenario options, and none to date have been linked with commodity flow information in a manner appropriate to consider the true potential of rail substitution. To support a truck-to-rail analysis, and other policy assessments requiring roadway-by-roadway analysis, we have developed a freight emissions inventory for the Upper Midwest based on the Federal Highway Administration’s Freight Analysis Framework version 2.2 and the Environmental Protection Agency’s on-road emissions model, Mobile6.2. Using a Geographical Information System (GIS), we developed emissions scenarios for truck-to-rail modal shifts where 95% of freight tonnage on trips longer than 400 miles is shifted off of trucks and onto railways. Scenarios will be analyzed with the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) regional model to assess air quality impacts of associated changes. By using well-respected transportation data and realistic assumptions, results from this study have the potential to inform decisions on transportation sustainability, carbon management, public health, and air quality.

Tunable Mobility in Double-Gated MoTe2 Field-Effect Transistor: Effect of Coulomb Screening and Trap Sites.

PubMed

Ji, Hyunjin; Joo, Min-Kyu; Yi, Hojoon; Choi, Homin; Gul, Hamza Zad; Ghimire, Mohan Kumar; Lim, Seong Chu

2017-08-30

There is a general consensus that the carrier mobility in a field-effect transistor (FET) made of semiconducting transition-metal dichalcogenides (s-TMDs) is severely degraded by the trapping/detrapping and Coulomb scattering of carriers by ionic charges in the gate oxides. Using a double-gated (DG) MoTe 2 FET, we modulated and enhanced the carrier mobility by adjusting the top- and bottom-gate biases. The relevant mechanism for mobility tuning in this device was explored using static DC and low-frequency (LF) noise characterizations. In the investigations, LF-noise analysis revealed that for a strong back-gate bias the Coulomb scattering of carriers by ionized traps in the gate dielectrics is strongly screened by accumulation charges. This significantly reduces the electrostatic scattering of channel carriers by the interface trap sites, resulting in increased mobility. The reduction of the number of effective trap sites also depends on the gate bias, implying that owing to the gate bias, the carriers are shifted inside the channel. Thus, the number of active trap sites decreases as the carriers are repelled from the interface by the gate bias. The gate-controlled Coulomb-scattering parameter and the trap-site density provide new handles for improving the carrier mobility in TMDs, in a fundamentally different way from dielectric screening observed in previous studies.

30 CFR 56.14100 - Safety defects; examination, correction and records.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... MINES Machinery and Equipment Safety Devices and Maintenance Requirements § 56.14100 Safety defects; examination, correction and records. (a) Self-propelled mobile equipment to be used during a shift shall be... defective items including self-propelled mobile equipment shall be taken out of service and placed in a...

Internationalizing Higher Education in Malaysia: Government Policies and University's Response

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tham, Siew Yean

2013-01-01

The intensity of internationalization has increased with an escalation in internationalization activities, leading to increasing student, program, and institutional mobility. In Malaysia, the internationalization of higher education in terms of student mobility has changed tremendously in the last two decades as the country has shifted from a…

Mobility and Hierarchy in the Age of Near-Universal Access

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parry, Gareth

2011-01-01

With the shift toward near-universal access, the movement of students within and between systems of higher education has assumed a new importance, especially for policies aimed at widening participation and social equity. Globalization has given rise to increasing levels of student mobility across national boundaries, with participation in…

Sleep pattern and decision-making in physicians from mobile emergency care service with 12-h work schedules.

PubMed

Castro, Eleni de Araújo Sales; de Almondes, Katie Moraes

2018-06-01

Shift work schedules are biological standpoint worse because compel the body to anticipate periods of wakefulness and sleep and thus eventually cause a disruption of biological rhythms. The objective of this study is to evaluate the sleep pattern and decision-making in physicians working in mobile units of emergency attention undergoing day shift and rotating shift. The study included 26 physicians. The instruments utilized were a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the Sleep Habits Questionnaire, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and Chronotype Identification Questionnaire of Horne-Ostberg, the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) and hypothetical scenarios of decision-making created according to the Policy-Capturing Technique. For inclusion and exclusion criteria, the participants answered the Chalder Fatigue Scale, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, the Beck Depression Inventory and the Inventory of Stress Symptoms for adults of Lipp. It was found good sleep quality for physicians on day shift schedule and bad sleep quality for physicians on rotating shift schedule. The IGT measure showed no impairment in decision-making, but the hypothetical scenarios revealed impairment decision-making during the shift for both schedules. Good sleep quality was related to a better performance in decision-making. Good sleep quality seems to influence a better performance in decision-making.

Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay (EMSA) for Detecting Protein-Nucleic Acid Interactions

PubMed Central

Hellman, Lance M.; Fried, Michael G.

2009-01-01

The gel electrophoresis mobility shift assay (EMSA) is used to detect protein complexes with nucleic acids. It is the core technology underlying a wide range of qualitative and quantitative analyses for the characterization of interacting systems. In the classical assay, solutions of protein and nucleic acid are combined and the resulting mixtures are subjected to electrophoresis under native conditions through polyacrylamide or agarose gel. After electrophoresis, the distribution of species containing nucleic acid is determined, usually by autoradiography of 32P-labeled nucleic acid. In general, protein-nucleic acid complexes migrate more slowly than the corresponding free nucleic acid. In this article, we identify the most important factors that determine the stabilities and electrophoretic mobilities of complexes under assay conditions. A representative protocol is provided and commonly used variants are discussed. Expected outcomes are briefly described. References to extensions of the method and a troubleshooting guide are provided. PMID:17703195

DMSK: A practical 2400-bps receiver for the mobile satellite service: An MSAT-X Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davarian, F.; Simon, M. K.; Sumida, J.

1985-01-01

The partical aspects of a 2400-bps differential detection minimum-shift-keying (DMSK) receiver are investigated. Fundamental issues relating to hardware precision, Doppler shift, fading, and frequency offset are examined, and it is concluded that the receiver's implementation at baseband is more advantageous both in cost and simplicity than its IF implementation. The DMSK receiver has been fabricated and tested under simulated mobile satellite environment conditions. The measured receiver performance in the presence of anomalies pertinent to the link is presented in this report. Furthermore, the receiver behavior in a band-limited channel (GMSK) is also investigated. The DMSK receiver performs substantially better than a coherent minimum-shift-keying (MSK) receiver in a heavily fading environment. The DMSK radio is simple and robust, and results in a lower error floor than its coherent counterpart. Moreover, this receiver is suitable for burst-type signals, and its recovery from deep fades is fast.

Shifting Patterns of Transnational Academic Mobility: A Comparative and Historical Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Terri

2009-01-01

This article is an initial attempt to illustrate how patterns of academic mobility in the history of universities have been framed by the international politics of particular time periods. The article briefly looks at "the medieval period" and then at the emergent colonial and nationalist periods, including the ways that institutions as…

Systematising the Field of Mobile Assisted Language Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Viberg, Olga; Grönlund, Åke

2013-01-01

This study provides a systematic review of mobile assisted language (MALL) research within the specific area of second language acquisition (SLA) during the period of 2005-2012 in terms of research approaches, theories and methods, technology, and the linguistic knowledge and skills' results. The findings show a shift from the prevailing SMS-based…

Mobile medical computing driven by the complexity of neurologic diagnosis.

PubMed

Segal, Michael M

2006-07-01

Medical computing has been split between palm-sized computers optimized for mobility and desktop computers optimized for capability. This split was due to technology too immature to deliver both mobility and capability in the same computer and the lack of medical software that demanded both mobility and capability. Advances in hardware and software are ushering in an era in which fully capable computers will be available ubiquitously. As a result, medical practice, education and publishing will change. Medical practice will be improved by the use of software that not only assists with diagnosis but can do so at the bedside, where the doctor can act immediately upon suggestions such as useful findings to check. Medical education will shift away from a focus on details of unusual diseases and toward a focus on skills of physical examination and using computerized tools. Medical publishing, in contrast, will shift toward greater detail: it will be increasingly important to quantitate the frequency of findings in diseases and their time course since such information can have a major impact clinically when added to decision support software.

Sound Change and Mobility in Los Angeles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Lawrence

1975-01-01

Deals with the shift of the low-back vowel as in 'caught' to a low-central vowel as in 'cot' thereby merging such pairs as caught/cot, dawn/Don, and stalk/stock. The causes and the sociolinguistic implications of this shift are discussed. The majority of the informants were from West Los Angeles. (TL)

Defining health-related quality of life for young wheelchair users: A qualitative health economics study

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Background Wheelchairs for children with impaired mobility provide health, developmental and psychosocial benefits, however there is limited understanding of how mobility aids affect the health-related quality of life of children with impaired mobility. Preference-based health-related quality of life outcome measures are used to calculate quality-adjusted life years; an important concept in health economics. The aim of this research was to understand how young wheelchair users and their parents define health-related quality of life in relation to mobility impairment and wheelchair use. Methods The sampling frame was children with impaired mobility (≤18 years) who use a wheelchair and their parents. Data were collected through semi-structured face-to-face interviews conducted in participants’ homes. Qualitative framework analysis was used to analyse the interview transcripts. An a priori thematic coding framework was developed. Emerging codes were grouped into categories, and refined into analytical themes. The data were used to build an understanding of how children with impaired mobility define health-related quality of life in relation to mobility impairment, and to assess the applicability of two standard measures of health-related quality of life. Results Eleven children with impaired mobility and 24 parents were interviewed across 27 interviews. Participants defined mobility-related quality of life through three distinct but interrelated concepts: 1) participation and positive experiences; 2) self-worth and feeling fulfilled; 3) health and functioning. A good degree of consensus was found between child and parent responses, although there was some evidence to suggest a shift in perception of mobility-related quality of life with child age. Conclusions Young wheelchair users define health-related quality of life in a distinct way as a result of their mobility impairment and adaptation use. Generic, preference-based measures of health-related quality of life lack sensitivity in this population. Development of a mobility-related quality of life outcome measure for children is recommended. PMID:28617820

Robust multiperson detection and tracking for mobile service and social robots.

PubMed

Li, Liyuan; Yan, Shuicheng; Yu, Xinguo; Tan, Yeow Kee; Li, Haizhou

2012-10-01

This paper proposes an efficient system which integrates multiple vision models for robust multiperson detection and tracking for mobile service and social robots in public environments. The core technique is a novel maximum likelihood (ML)-based algorithm which combines the multimodel detections in mean-shift tracking. First, a likelihood probability which integrates detections and similarity to local appearance is defined. Then, an expectation-maximization (EM)-like mean-shift algorithm is derived under the ML framework. In each iteration, the E-step estimates the associations to the detections, and the M-step locates the new position according to the ML criterion. To be robust to the complex crowded scenarios for multiperson tracking, an improved sequential strategy to perform the mean-shift tracking is proposed. Under this strategy, human objects are tracked sequentially according to their priority order. To balance the efficiency and robustness for real-time performance, at each stage, the first two objects from the list of the priority order are tested, and the one with the higher score is selected. The proposed method has been successfully implemented on real-world service and social robots. The vision system integrates stereo-based and histograms-of-oriented-gradients-based human detections, occlusion reasoning, and sequential mean-shift tracking. Various examples to show the advantages and robustness of the proposed system for multiperson tracking from mobile robots are presented. Quantitative evaluations on the performance of multiperson tracking are also performed. Experimental results indicate that significant improvements have been achieved by using the proposed method.

The mobility of food retailers: How proximity to SNAP authorized food retailers changed in Atlanta during the Great Recession.

PubMed

Shannon, Jerry; Bagwell-Adams, Grace; Shannon, Sarah; Lee, Jung Sun; Wei, Yangjiaxin

2018-07-01

Retailer mobility, defined as the shifting geographic patterns of retail locations over time, is a significant but understudied factor shaping neighborhood food environments. Our research addresses this gap by analyzing changes in proximity to SNAP authorized chain retailers in the Atlanta urban area using yearly data from 2008 to 2013. We identify six demographically similar geographic clusters of census tracts in our study area based on race and economic variables. We use these clusters in exploratory data analysis to identify how proximity to the twenty largest retail food chains changed during this period. We then use fixed effects models to assess how changing store proximity is associated with race, income, participation in SNAP, and population density. Our results show clear differences in geographic distribution between store categories, but also notable variation within each category. Increasing SNAP enrollment predicted decreased distances to almost all small retailers but increased distances to many large retailers. Our chain-focused analysis underscores the responsiveness of small retailers to changes in neighborhood SNAP participation and the value of tracking chain expansion and contraction in markets across time. Better understanding of retailer mobility and the forces that drive it can be a productive avenue for future research. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Policy 2.0 Platform for Mobile Sensing and Incentivized Targeted Shifts in Mobility Behavior

PubMed Central

Semanjski, Ivana; Lopez Aguirre, Angel Javier; De Mol, Johan; Gautama, Sidharta

2016-01-01

Sustainable mobility and smart mobility management play important roles in achieving smart cities’ goals. In this context we investigate the role of smartphones as mobility behavior sensors and evaluate the responsivity of different attitudinal profiles towards personalized route suggestion incentives delivered via mobile phones. The empirical results are based on mobile sensed data collected from more than 3400 people’s real life over a period of six months. The findings show which user profiles are most likely to accept such incentives and how likely they are to result in more sustainable mode choices. In addition we provide insights into tendencies towards accepting more sustainable route options for different trip purposes and illustrate smart city platform potential (for collection of mobility behavior data and delivery of incentives) as a tool for development of personalized mobility management campaigns and policies. PMID:27399700

Racial Inequality Trends and the Intergenerational Persistence of Income and Family Structure

PubMed Central

Bloome, Deirdre

2015-01-01

Racial disparity in family incomes remained remarkably stable over the past 40 years in the United States despite major legal and social reforms. Previous scholarship presents two primary explanations for persistent inequality through a period of progressive change. One highlights continuity: because socioeconomic status is transmitted from parents to children, disparities created through histories of discrimination and opportunity denial may dissipate slowly. The second highlights change: because family income results from joining individual earnings in family units, changing family compositions can offset individuals’ changing economic chances. I examine whether black-white family income inequality trends are better characterized by the persistence of existing disadvantage (continuity) or shifting forms of disadvantage (change). I combine cross-sectional and panel analysis using Current Population Survey, Panel Study of Income Dynamics, Census, and National Vital Statistics data. Results suggest that African Americans experience relatively extreme intergenerational continuity (low upward mobility) and discontinuity (high downward mobility); both helped maintain racial inequality. Yet, intergenerational discontinuities allow new forms of disadvantage to emerge. On net, racial inequality trends are better characterized by changing forms of disadvantage than by continuity. Economic trends were equalizing but demographic trends were disequalizing; as family structures shifted, family incomes did not fully reflect labor-market gains. PMID:26456973

Contact lens materials, mucin fragmentation and relation to symptoms.

PubMed

Berry, Monica; Purslow, Chris; Murphy, Paul J; Pult, Heiko

2012-07-01

Mucins adhere to contact lenses (CLs), reflecting the renewal of the preocular fluid and enzymatic activity at the ocular surface. In this study, we aimed to analyze mucin fragmentation on materials new to the ocular surface and investigate whether this correlates with wearing comfort. Lenses were obtained from new CL wearers after 2 weeks each of wearing vifilcon A, followed by senofilcon A, and then by vifilcon A lenses. Symptoms were evaluated using the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI). CLs were extracted in a mixture of guanidinium hydrochloride and radioimmunoprecipitation assay buffer. Mucin mobility was analyzed after electrophoresis, Western blotting, and visualization with antibodies against mucin peptide core. Mobilities, normalized to total reactivity in the lane, were compared between visits for each subject and were expressed as shifts. Mucin (MUC)5AC polymers exceeding 260 kDa were observed in agarose gels; NuPAGE resolved polymers from 260 to 3.5 kDa: when large mucins were detected, the smallest fragments were missing. Fragmentation patterns were significantly different between lens types for MUC1 (analysis of variance, P = 0.006) and MUC4 (P < 0.001) but not for MUC5AC or MUC16 (P > 0.293). Mobility shifts of MUC1 and MUC4 were significantly negatively correlated (Pearson, r = -0.908; P = 0.002). For OSDI scores >15, mucin fragmentation was unchanged, whereas for OSDI scores <15, MUC4 and MUC5AC fragments were longer on vifilcon A than on senofilcon lenses (unpaired t test, P = 0.046), irrespective of the direction of change (analysis of variance, P > 0.366). Changes in MUC1 breakdown were significantly negatively correlated to the overall OSDI score (r = -0.891, P = 0.001). In asymptomatic CL wearers, only changes in mucin fragmentation in response to a new material were consistent and fast, irrespective of CL order. Lack of change seems, therefore, to be connected with discomfort during CL wear.

Mobile Technology in the Perioperative Arena: Rapid Evolution and Future Disruption.

PubMed

Rothman, Brian S; Gupta, Rajnish K; McEvoy, Matthew D

2017-03-01

Throughout the history of medicine, physicians have relied upon disruptive innovations and technologies to improve the quality of care delivered, patient outcomes, and patient satisfaction. The implementation of mobile technology in health care is quickly becoming the next disruptive technology. We first review the history of mobile technology over the past 3 decades, discuss the impact of hardware and software, explore the rapid expansion of applications (apps), and evaluate the adoption of mobile technology in health care. Next, we discuss how technology serves as the vehicle that can transform traditional didactic learning into one that adapts to the learning behavior of the student by using concepts such as the flipped classroom, just-in-time learning, social media, and Web 2.0/3.0. The focus in this modern education paradigm is shifting from teacher-centric to learner-centric, including providers and patients, and is being delivered as context-sensitive, or semantic, learning. Finally, we present the methods by which connected health systems via mobile devices increase information collection and analysis from patients in both clinical care and research environments. This enhanced patient and provider connection has demonstrated benefits including reducing unnecessary hospital readmissions, improved perioperative health maintenance coordination, and improved care in remote and underserved areas. A significant portion of the future of health care, and specifically perioperative medicine, revolves around mobile technology, nimble learners, patient-specific information and decision-making, and continuous connectivity between patients and health care systems. As such, an understanding of developing or evaluating mobile technology likely will be important for anesthesiologists, particularly with an ever-expanding scope of practice in perioperative medicine.

A Seamless Learning Design for Mobile Assisted Language Learning: An Iranian Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foomani, Elham Mohammadi; Hedayati, Mohsen

2016-01-01

Recent developments in information communication technology (ICT) have resulted in a paradigm shift in e-Learning and there is a growing interest in developing design-based research (DBR) focusing on learners and their involvement in knowledge sharing in a contextualized mode. The present study reports a mobile-assisted language learning (MALL)…

Morphological Influence of Solution-Processed Zinc Oxide Films on Electrical Characteristics of Thin-Film Transistors.

PubMed

Lee, Hyeonju; Zhang, Xue; Hwang, Jaeeun; Park, Jaehoon

2016-10-19

We report on the morphological influence of solution-processed zinc oxide (ZnO) semiconductor films on the electrical characteristics of ZnO thin-film transistors (TFTs). Different film morphologies were produced by controlling the spin-coating condition of a precursor solution, and the ZnO films were analyzed using atomic force microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoemission spectroscopy, and Hall measurement. It is shown that ZnO TFTs have a superior performance in terms of the threshold voltage and field-effect mobility, when ZnO crystallites are more densely packed in the film. This is attributed to lower electrical resistivity and higher Hall mobility in a densely packed ZnO film. In the results of consecutive TFT operations, a positive shift in the threshold voltage occurred irrespective of the film morphology, but the morphological influence on the variation in the field-effect mobility was evident. The field-effect mobility in TFTs having a densely packed ZnO film increased continuously during consecutive TFT operations, which is in contrast to the mobility decrease observed in the less packed case. An analysis of the field-effect conductivities ascribes these results to the difference in energetic traps, which originate from structural defects in the ZnO films. Consequently, the morphological influence of solution-processed ZnO films on the TFT performance can be understood through the packing property of ZnO crystallites.

Morphological Influence of Solution-Processed Zinc Oxide Films on Electrical Characteristics of Thin-Film Transistors

PubMed Central

Lee, Hyeonju; Zhang, Xue; Hwang, Jaeeun; Park, Jaehoon

2016-01-01

We report on the morphological influence of solution-processed zinc oxide (ZnO) semiconductor films on the electrical characteristics of ZnO thin-film transistors (TFTs). Different film morphologies were produced by controlling the spin-coating condition of a precursor solution, and the ZnO films were analyzed using atomic force microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoemission spectroscopy, and Hall measurement. It is shown that ZnO TFTs have a superior performance in terms of the threshold voltage and field-effect mobility, when ZnO crystallites are more densely packed in the film. This is attributed to lower electrical resistivity and higher Hall mobility in a densely packed ZnO film. In the results of consecutive TFT operations, a positive shift in the threshold voltage occurred irrespective of the film morphology, but the morphological influence on the variation in the field-effect mobility was evident. The field-effect mobility in TFTs having a densely packed ZnO film increased continuously during consecutive TFT operations, which is in contrast to the mobility decrease observed in the less packed case. An analysis of the field-effect conductivities ascribes these results to the difference in energetic traps, which originate from structural defects in the ZnO films. Consequently, the morphological influence of solution-processed ZnO films on the TFT performance can be understood through the packing property of ZnO crystallites. PMID:28773973

From teaching to learning in a mobile, wireless world.

PubMed

Billings, Diane M

2005-08-01

What research evidence justifies this shift from teaching to learning in the mobile, wireless world? We do not need evidence to answer questions such as, "Will the mobile, wireless device technology support teaching and learning?" (we already know it will), or "Will distance learning with mobile, wireless devices be as effective as that in the classroom?" (abundant evidence indicates there will be no significant differences). However, we do need to know, "How can we use these learning technologies to improve student learning and the outcomes of our academic programs?" Answers to this question will ultimately help educators prepare students to deliver safe and competent patient care in the mobile, wireless world.

Intragenerational Social Mobility and Changes in Blood Pressure: Longitudinal Analysis From the ELSA-Brasil Study.

PubMed

Guimarães, Joanna M N; Griep, Rosane H; Clarke, Philippa J; Fonseca, Maria J M; Barreto, Sandhi M; Giatti, Luana; Lotufo, Paulo A; Mill, Jose G; Pacheco, Antonio G; Chor, Dora

2018-05-07

During the past 4 decades, the highest worldwide blood pressure (BP) levels have shifted from high-income countries to low- and middle-income countries. We investigated the association of intragenerational social mobility with changes in BP and also with the incidence of hypertension over a 4-year follow-up. Data for 6,529 baseline participants from ELSA-Brasil born between 1938 and 1975 were used. Based on a social mobility matrix, occupational social mobility was defined as the change in occupational social class between participants' first occupation and current occupation (stable high; upward; downward; stable low). Incident hypertension was defined as systolic blood pressure (SBP) ≥ 140 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) ≥ 90 mm Hg or use of antihypertensive medication. Hypertensive participants at baseline were excluded. Mixed effects regression models were used. Compared to the stable high group, the downwardly mobile group showed a higher increase over time in both SBP (β = 1.49, 95% CI 0.60; 2.37) and DBP (β = 0.96, 95% CI 0.32; 1.59) after adjustments for background characteristics and also proximal risk factors such as health-related behaviors and body mass index as time-dependent covariates, and diabetes. In contrast, upward mobility had no influence on BP changes (β = 0.67, 95% CI -0.07; 1.41 for SBP, and β = 0.47, 95% CI -0.05; 1.00 for DBP). Social mobility was not associated with the incidence of hypertension. We showed socioeconomic inequalities in BP progression over the life course. The longitudinal changes in BP varied by social mobility groups in the context of low- and middle-income countries, where high BP has become most prevalent.

Implications of Shifting Technology in Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holland, Janet; Holland, John

2014-01-01

This article examines the implications of shifting technology trends by looking at what we've lost or are losing, where we are, and where we need to go for making the needed transitions in knowledge and skills. Areas of growth within new media and the tech industry are good indicators of our growing interests in mobility, improved quality,…

Elevational range shifts in four mountain ungulate species from the Swiss Alps

Treesearch

Ulf Büntgen; Lucie Greuter; Kurt Bollmann; Hannes Jenny; Andrew Liebhold; J. Diego Galván; Nils C. Stenseth; Carrie Andrew; Atle Mysterud

2017-01-01

Warming-induced range shifts along elevational and latitudinal gradients have been observed in several species from various taxa. The mobility and behavioral plasticity of large endothermic mammals, however, complicate the detection of climatic effects on their spatial distributions. Here, we analyzed 230,565 hunting locations of the four most abundant ungulate species...

Exercise leads to faster postural reflexes, improved balance and mobility, and fewer falls in older persons with chronic stroke.

PubMed

Marigold, Daniel S; Eng, Janice J; Dawson, Andrew S; Inglis, J Timothy; Harris, Jocelyn E; Gylfadóttir, Sif

2005-03-01

To determine the effect of two different community-based group exercise programs on functional balance, mobility, postural reflexes, and falls in older adults with chronic stroke. A randomized, clinical trial. Community center. Sixty-one community-dwelling older adults with chronic stroke. Participants were randomly assigned to an agility (n=30) or stretching/weight-shifting (n=31) exercise group. Both groups exercised three times a week for 10 weeks. Participants were assessed before, immediately after, and 1 month after the intervention for Berg Balance, Timed Up and Go, step reaction time, Activities-specific Balance Confidence, and Nottingham Health Profile. Testing of standing postural reflexes and induced falls evoked by a translating platform was also performed. In addition, falls in the community were tracked for 1 year from the start of the interventions. Although exercise led to improvements in all clinical outcome measures for both groups, the agility group demonstrated greater improvement in step reaction time and paretic rectus femoris postural reflex onset latency than the stretching/weight-shifting group. In addition, the agility group experienced fewer induced falls on the platform. Group exercise programs that include agility or stretching/weight shifting exercises improve postural reflexes, functional balance, and mobility and may lead to a reduction of falls in older adults with stroke.

The performance of trellis coded multilevel DPSK on a fading mobile satellite channel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simon, Marvin K.; Divsalar, Dariush

1987-01-01

The performance of trellis coded multilevel differential phase-shift-keying (MDPSK) over Rician and Rayleigh fading channels is discussed. For operation at L-Band, this signalling technique leads to a more robust system than the coherent system with dual pilot tone calibration previously proposed for UHF. The results are obtained using a combination of analysis and simulation. The analysis shows that the design criterion for trellis codes to be operated on fading channels with interleaving/deinterleaving is no longer free Euclidean distance. The correct design criterion for optimizing bit error probability of trellis coded MDPSK over fading channels will be presented along with examples illustrating its application.

Prevalence of Skin Tears in Elderly Patients: A Retrospective Chart Review of Incidence Reports in 6 Long-term Care Facilities.

PubMed

Hawk, Joyce; Shannon, Mary

2018-04-01

The incidence and prevalence of skin tears in long-term care (LTC) facilities has not been well established. To ascertain the point prevalence of reported skin tears, a retrospective review of incident reports was performed in 6 LTC facilities in western Pennsylvania from November 1, 2016 through December 31, 2016. Report data, including resident age; gender; mobility limitations; skin tear location, number, and cause (if known); occurrence time (7 am to 3 pm, 3 pm to 11 pm, or 11 pm to 7 am nursing shift); and history of previous skin tears, were abstracted. All data were entered into a statistical analysis program and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Period prevalence was used to determine prevalence rate; an independent t test was used to compare the presence of skin tears between genders. Differences between location and cause of skin tears were evaluated using a multinomial test of related proportions. A test of proportions was used to evaluate skin tear occurrence time (nursing shift) differences. The overall point prevalence rate was 9% (N = 1253 residents) ranging from 6 to 28 skin tears per facility. The average age of residents with a skin tear (n = 119) was 83.5 years. The majority (111, 93%) had mobility limitations. Falls accounted for 38 skin tears (31.9%), followed by propelling in a wheelchair (18, 15.1%; X2 =7.14; P = .008). Forearm skin tears (37, 31.1%) occurred significantly more frequently than lower leg skin tears (19, 16%; P = .016). Significantly more skin tears occurred during the 7 am to 3 pm shift (47, 39.5%) and 3 pm to 11 pm shift (49, 41.2%) than during the 11 pm to 7 am shift (23, 19.3%; X2 = 5.78; P <.01). The results of this study confirm skin tears are a significant problem among elderly residents in LTC, especially because the reported rate is likely lower than the actual rate. Research to further elucidate the incidence and prevalence of skin tears and associated risk factors is needed to help develop evidence-based risk assessment, classification systems, treatment guidelines, and preventive measures.

Identification of cis-elements for ethylene and circadian regulation of the Solanum melongena gene encoding cysteine proteinase.

PubMed

Rawat, Reetika; Xu, Zeng-Fu; Yao, Kwok-Ming; Chye, Mee-Len

2005-03-01

We have previously shown that the expression of SmCP which encodes Solanum melongena cysteine proteinase is ethylene-inducible and is under circadian control. To understand the regulation of SmCP, a 1.34-kb SmCP 5'-flanking region and its deletion derivatives were analyzed for cis-elements using GUS and luc fusions and by in vitro binding assays. Analysis of transgenic tobacco transformed with SmCP promoter-GUS constructs confirmed that the promoter region -415/+54 containing Ethylene Responsive Element ERE(-355/-348) conferred threefold ethylene-induction of GUS expression, while -827/+54 which also contains ERE(-683/-676), produced fivefold induction. Using gel mobility shift assays, we demonstrated that each ERE binds nuclear proteins from both ethephon-treated and untreated 5-week-old seedlings, suggesting that different transcriptions factors bind each ERE under varying physiological conditions. Binding was also observed in extracts from senescent, but not young, fruits. The variation in binding at the EREs in fruits and seedlings imply that organ-specific factors may participate in binding. Analysis of transgenic tobacco expressing various SmCP promoter-luc constructs containing wild-type or mutant Evening Elements (EEs) confirmed that both conserved EEs at -795/-787 and -785/-777 are important in circadian control. We confirmed the binding of total nuclear proteins to EEs in gel mobility shift assays and in DNase I footprinting. Our results suggest that multiple proteins bind the EEs which are conserved in plants other than Arabidopsis and that functional EEs and EREs are present in the 5'-flanking region of a gene encoding cysteine proteinase.

Chairs!: A Mobile Game for Organic Chemistry Students to Learn the Ring Flip of Cyclohexane

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winter, Julia; Wentzel, Michael; Ahluwalia, Sonia

2016-01-01

The hallmark of game-based learning is that students discover concepts through trial and error as they play. With the digital landscape in higher education shifting to mobile-first, new tools for learning chemistry are both possible and needed. Interactive games for chemistry bring intuitive content directly to students through their devices. The…

Understanding gas phase modifier interactions in rapid analysis by Differential Mobility-Tandem Mass Spectrometry

PubMed Central

Kafle, Amol; Coy, Stephen L.; Wong, Bryan M.; Fornace, Albert J.; Glick, James J.; Vouros, Paul

2014-01-01

A systematic study involving the use and optimization of gas phase modifiers in quantitative differential mobility- mass spectrometry (DMS-MS) analysis is presented using mucleoside-adduct biomarkers of DNA damage as an important reference point for analysis in complex matrices. Commonly used polar protic and polar aprotic modifiers have been screened for use against two deoxyguanosine adducts of DNA: N-(deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-4-aminobiphenyl (dG-C8-4-ABP) and N-(deoxyguanosin-8-y1)-2-amino-l-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (dG-C8-PhIP). Particular attention was paid to compensation voltage (CoV) shifts, peak shapes and product ion signal intensities while optimizing the DMS-MS conditions. The optimized parameters were then applied to rapid quantitation of the DNA adducts in calf thymus DNA. After a protein precipitation step, adduct levels corresponding to less than one modification in 106 normal DNA bases were detected using the DMS-MS platform. Based on DMS fundamentals and ab-initio thermochemical results we interpret the complexity of DMS modifier responses in terms of thermal activation and the development of solvent shells. At very high bulk gas temperature, modifier dipole moment may be the most important factor in cluster formation and cluster geometry in mobility differences, but at lower temperatures multi-neutral clusters are important and less predictable. This work provides a useful protocol for targeted DNA adduct quantitation and a basis for future work on DMS modifier effects. PMID:24452298

E-bike trials’ potential to promote sustained changes in car owners mobility habits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moser, Corinne; Blumer, Yann; Lena Hille, Stefanie

2018-04-01

Modal shifts hold considerable potential to mitigate carbon emissions. Electric bikes (e-bikes) represent a promising energy- and carbon-efficient alternative to cars. However, as mobility behaviour is highly habitual, convincing people to switch from cars to e-bikes is challenging. One strategy to accomplish this is the disruption of existing habits—a key idea behind an annual e-bike promotion programme in Switzerland, in which car owners can try out an e-bike for free over a two-week period in exchange for their car keys. By means of a longitudinal survey, we measured the long-term effects of this trial on mobility-related habitual associations. After one year, participants’ habitual association with car use had weakened significantly. This finding was valid both for participants who bought an e-bike after the trial and those who did not. Our findings contrast the results of other studies who find that the effect of interventions to induce modal shifts wears off over time. We conclude that an e-bike trial has the potential to break mobility habits and motivate car owners to use more sustainable means of transport.

Investigation of Defect Distributions in SiO2/AlGaN/GaN High-Electron-Mobility Transistors by Using Capacitance-Voltage Measurement with Resonant Optical Excitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Tae-Soo; Lim, Seung-Young; Park, Yong-Keun; Jung, Gunwoo; Song, Jung-Hoon; Cha, Ho-Young; Han, Sang-Woo

2018-06-01

We investigated the distributions and the energy levels of defects in SiO2/AlGaN/GaN highelectron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) by using frequency-dependent ( F- D) capacitance-voltage ( C- V) measurements with resonant optical excitation. A Schottky barrier (SB) and a metal-oxidesemiconductor (MOS) HEMT were prepared to compare the effects of defects in their respective layers. We also investigated the effects of those layers on the threshold voltage ( V th ). A drastic voltage shift in the C- V curve at higher frequencies was caused by the large number of defect levels in the SiO2/GaN interface. A significant shift in V th with additional light illumination was observed due to a charging of the defect states in the SiO2/GaN interface. The voltage shifts were attributed to the detrapping of defect states at the SiO2/GaN interface.

Persistent ecological shifts in marine molluscan assemblages across the end-Cretaceous mass extinction.

PubMed

Aberhan, Martin; Kiessling, Wolfgang

2015-06-09

Contemporary biodiversity loss and population declines threaten to push the biosphere toward a tipping point with irreversible effects on ecosystem composition and function. As a potential example of a global-scale regime shift in the geological past, we assessed ecological changes across the end-Cretaceous mass extinction based on molluscan assemblages at four well-studied sites. By contrasting preextinction and postextinction rank abundance and numerical abundance in 19 molluscan modes of life--each defined as a unique combination of mobility level, feeding mode, and position relative to the substrate--we find distinct shifts in ecospace utilization, which significantly exceed predictions from null models. The magnitude of change in functional traits relative to normal temporal fluctuations at far-flung sites indicates that molluscan assemblages shifted to differently structured systems and faunal response was global. The strengths of temporal ecological shifts, however, are mostly within the range of preextinction site-to-site variability, demonstrating that local ecological turnover was similar to geographic variation over a broad latitudinal range. In conjunction with varied site-specific temporal patterns of individual modes of life, these spatial and temporal heterogeneities argue against a concerted phase shift of molluscan assemblages from one well-defined regime to another. At a broader ecological level, by contrast, congruent tendencies emerge and suggest deterministic processes. These patterns comprise the well-known increase of deposit-feeding mollusks in postextinction assemblages and increases in predators and predator-resistant modes of life, i.e., those characterized by elevated mobility and infaunal life habits.

Conformation analysis and molecular mobility of ethylene and tetrafluoroethylene copolymer using solid-state 19F MAS and 1H --> 19F CP/MAS NMR spectroscopy.

PubMed

Aimi, Keitaro; Ando, Shinji

2004-07-01

The changes in the conformation and molecular mobility accompanied by a phase transition in the crystalline domain were analyzed for ethylene (E) and tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) copolymer, ETFE, using variable-temperature (VT) solid-state 19F magic angle spinning (MAS) and 1H --> 19F cross-polarization (CP)/MAS NMR spectroscopy. The shifts of the signals for fluorines in TFE units to higher frequency and the continuing decrease and increase in the T1rho(F) values suggest that conformational exchange motions exist in the crystalline domain between 42 and 145 degrees C. Quantum chemical calculations of magnetic shielding constants showed that the high-frequency shift of TFE units should be induced by trans to gauche conformational changes at the CH2-CF2 linkage in the E-TFE unit. Although the 19F signals of the crystalline domain are substantially overlapped with those of the amorphous domain at ambient probe temperature (68 degrees C), they were successfully distinguished by using the dipolar filter and spin-lock pulse sequences at 145 degrees C. The dipolar coupling constants for the crystalline domain, which can be estimated by fitting the dipolar oscillation behaviors in the 1H --> 19F CP curve, showed a significant decrease with increasing temperature from 42 to 145 degrees C. This is due to the averaging of 1H-19F dipolar interactions originating from the molecular motion in the crystalline domain. The increase in molecular mobility in the crystalline domain was clearly shown by VT T1rho(F) and 1H --> 19F CP measurements in the phase transition temperature range. Copyright 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Photocurrent spectroscopy of pentacene thin film transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Breban, Mihaela

We demonstrate the application of photocurrent modulation spectroscopy in characterizing the performance of organic thin-film transistors. A parallel analysis of the direct current and photocurrent voltage characteristics provides a model free determination of the field-effect mobility and the density of free carriers in the transistor channel as a function of the applied gate voltage. Applying this technique to pentacene thin-film transistors demonstrates that the mobility increases as V1/3g . The free-carrier density is approximately 1/10 of the expected capacitive charge, and the mobility increases monotonically with the free carrier density, consistent with the trap and release model of transport. Also, the modulated photocurrent spectroscopy can be used as a probe of defect states in pentacene thin film transistors, measuring simultaneously the magnitude and the phase of the photocurrent as a function of the modulation frequency. This is accomplished by modeling the photo-carrier generation process as exciton dissociation via interaction with localized traps. Experimental data reveal a Gaussian distribution of localized states centered around 0.3 eV above the highest occupied molecular orbital. We also investigated the effect of the gate dielectric material with our probe and found that the position of the extracted Gaussian slightly shifts, consistent with the expected image charge effect for Pn through the dielectric substrate. Also shifts in the Gaussian position for samples fabricated with variable deposition conditions are correlated with changes in Pn morphology. The morphological differences between Pn films were also detected in current-voltage characteristics and photocurrent spectra. However, the origin of the ubiquitous 0.3 eV defect in Pn seems to be unrelated to structural differences in Pn films.

The Impact of Urbanization on Temporal Changes in Sediment Transport in a Gravel Bed Channel in Southern Ontario, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plumb, B. D.; Annable, W. K.; Thompson, P. J.; Hassan, M. A.

2017-10-01

A field investigation has been undertaken to characterize the event-based bed load transport dynamics of a highly urbanized gravel bed stream. A combination of direct bed load and tracer particle measurements were taken over a 3 year period during which time approximately 30 sediment mobilizing events occurred. Sediment transport measurements were used to calibrate a fractional bed load transport model and combined with hydrometric data which represent four different land use conditions (ranging from rural to highly urbanized) to analyze the differences in discharge magnitude and frequency and its impact on sediment transport. Fractional transport analysis of the bed load measurements indicates that frequent intermediate discharge events can mobilize sand and fine gravel to an approximate equally mobile condition, however, the transport rates at these discharges exhibit greater variability than at discharges above the bankfull discharge. Path lengths of the coarse fraction, measured using tracer clasts, are insensitive to peak discharge, and instead transport at distances less than those reported in other gravel bed channels, which is attributed to the shorter duration discharge events common to urban streams. The magnitude-frequency analysis reveals that the frequency, time, and volume of competent sediment mobilizing events are increasing with urbanization. Variability in effective discharges suggests that a range of discharges, spanning between frequent, low magnitude events to less frequent, high magnitude events are geomorphically significant. However, trends in the different land use scenarios suggest that urbanization is shifting the geomorphic significance toward more frequent, lower magnitude events.

Assessment of potential effects of the electromagnetic fields of mobile phones on hearing

PubMed Central

Uloziene, Ingrida; Uloza, Virgilijus; Gradauskiene, Egle; Saferis, Viktoras

2005-01-01

Background Mobile phones have become indispensable as communication tools; however, to date there is only a limited knowledge about interaction between electromagnetic fields (EMF) emitted by mobile phones and auditory function. The aim of the study was to assess potential changes in hearing function as a consequence of exposure to low-intensity EMF's produced by mobile phones at frequencies of 900 and 1800 MHz. Methods The within-subject study was performed on thirty volunteers (age 18–30 years) with normal hearing to assess possible acute effect of EMF. Participants attended two sessions: genuine and sham exposure of EMF. Hearing threshold levels (HTL) on pure tone audiometry (PTA) and transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE's) were recorded before and immediately after 10 min of genuine and/or sham exposure of mobile phone EMF. The administration of genuine or sham exposure was double blind and counterbalanced in order. Results Statistical analysis revealed no significant differences in the mean HTLs of PTA and mean shifts of TEOAE's before and after genuine and/or sham mobile phone EMF 10 min exposure. The data collected showed that average TEOAE levels (averaged across a frequency range) changed less than 2.5 dB between pre- and post-, genuine and sham exposure. The greatest individual change was 10 dB, with a decrease in level from pre- to post- real exposure. Conclusion It could be concluded that a 10-min close exposure of EMFs emitted from a mobile phone had no immediate after-effect on measurements of HTL of PTA and TEOAEs in young human subjects and no measurable hearing deterioration was detected in our study. PMID:15840162

Gasoline from coal in the state of Illinois: feasibility study. Volume I. Design. [KBW gasification process, ICI low-pressure methanol process and Mobil M-gasoline process

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

Not Available

1980-01-01

Volume 1 describes the proposed plant: KBW gasification process, ICI low-pressure methanol process and Mobil M-gasoline process, and also with ancillary processes, such as oxygen plant, shift process, RECTISOL purification process, sulfur recovery equipment and pollution control equipment. Numerous engineering diagrams are included. (LTN)

Short-Term Study Tours as a Driver for Increasing Domestic Student Mobility in Order to Generate Global Work-Ready Students and Cultural Exchange in Asia Pacific

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scharoun, Lisa

2016-01-01

Recent federal government programmes in Australia have seen a shift in focus from the international student towards increasing the possibilities for domestic mobility through short- and long-term exchange opportunities. The current New Colombo Plan funding scheme encourages Australian students, who have traditionally undertaken semester-long…

A Multi-Case Study of Research Using Mobile Imaging, Sensing and Tracking Technologies to Objectively Measure Behavior: Ethical Issues and Insights to Guide Responsible Research Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nebeker, Camille; Linares-Orozco, Rubi; Crist, Katie

2015-01-01

Introduction: The increased availability of mobile sensing technologies is creating a paradigm shift for health research by creating new opportunities for measuring and monitoring behavior. For example, researchers can now collect objective information about a participant's daily activity using wearable devices that have: 1- Global Positioning…

Use of Mobile Clinical Decision Support Software by Junior Doctors at a UK Teaching Hospital: Identification and Evaluation of Barriers to Engagement.

PubMed

Patel, Rakesh; Green, William; Shahzad, Muhammad Waseem; Larkin, Chris

2015-08-13

Clinical decision support (CDS) tools improve clinical diagnostic decision making and patient safety. The availability of CDS to health care professionals has grown in line with the increased prevalence of apps and smart mobile devices. Despite these benefits, patients may have safety concerns about the use of mobile devices around medical equipment. This research explored the engagement of junior doctors (JDs) with CDS and the perceptions of patients about their use. There were three objectives for this research: (1) to measure the actual usage of CDS tools on mobile devices (mCDS) by JDs, (2) to explore the perceptions of JDs about the drivers and barriers to using mCDS, and (3) to explore the perceptions of patients about the use of mCDS. This study used a mixed-methods approach to study the engagement of JDs with CDS accessed through mobile devices. Usage data were collected on the number of interactions by JDs with mCDS. The perceived drivers and barriers for JDs to using CDS were then explored by interviews. Finally, these findings were contrasted with the perception of patients about the use of mCDS by JDs. Nine of the 16 JDs made a total of 142 recorded interactions with the mCDS over a 4-month period. Only 27 of the 114 interactions (24%) that could be categorized as on-shift or off-shift occurred on-shift. Eight individual, institutional, and cultural barriers to engagement emerged from interviews with the user group. In contrast to reported cautions and concerns about the impact of clinicians' use of mobile phone on patient health and safety, patients had positive perceptions about the use of mCDS. Patients reported positive perceptions toward mCDS. The usage of mCDS to support clinical decision making was considered to be positive as part of everyday clinical practice. The degree of engagement was found to be limited due to a number of individual, institutional, and cultural barriers. The majority of mCDS engagement occurred outside of the workplace. Further research is required to verify these findings and assess their implications for future policy and practice.

Inexpensive Audio Activities: Earbud-based Sound Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allen, Joshua; Boucher, Alex; Meggison, Dean; Hruby, Kate; Vesenka, James

2016-11-01

Inexpensive alternatives to a number of classic introductory physics sound laboratories are presented including interference phenomena, resonance conditions, and frequency shifts. These can be created using earbuds, economical supplies such as Giant Pixie Stix® wrappers, and free software available for PCs and mobile devices. We describe two interference laboratories (beat frequency and two-speaker interference) and two resonance laboratories (quarter- and half-wavelength). Lastly, a Doppler laboratory using rotating earbuds is explained. The audio signal captured by all experiments is analyzed on free spectral analysis software and many of the experiments incorporate the unifying theme of measuring the speed of sound in air.

Comparative study on nitridation and oxidation plasma interface treatment for AlGaN/GaN MIS-HEMTs with AlN gate dielectric

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Jie-Jie; Ma, Xiao-Hua; Hou, Bin; Chen, Li-Xiang; Zhu, Qing; Hao, Yue

2017-02-01

This paper demonstrated the comparative study on interface engineering of AlN/AlGaN/GaN metal-insulator-semiconductor high-electron-mobility transistors (MIS-HEMTs) by using plasma interface pre-treatment in various ambient gases. The 15 nm AlN gate dielectric grown by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition significantly suppressed the gate leakage current by about two orders of magnitude and increased the peak field-effect mobility by more than 50%. NH3/N2 nitridation plasma treatment (NPT) was used to remove the 3 nm poor-quality interfacial oxide layer and N2O/N2 oxidation plasma treatment (OPT) to improve the quality of interfacial layer, both resulting in improved dielectric/barrier interface quality, positive threshold voltage (V th) shift larger than 0.9 V, and negligible dispersion. In comparison, however, NPT led to further decrease in interface charges by 3.38 × 1012 cm-2 and an extra positive V th shift of 1.3 V. Analysis with fat field-effect transistors showed that NPT resulted in better sub-threshold characteristics and transconductance linearity for MIS-HEMTs compared with OPT. The comparative study suggested that direct removing the poor interfacial oxide layer by nitridation plasma was superior to improving the quality of interfacial layer by oxidation plasma for the interface engineering of GaN-based MIS-HEMTs.

A microfluidics-based mobility shift assay to identify new inhibitors of β-secretase for Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Liu, Rongfeng; Liu, Yu-Chih; Meng, Junwei; Zhu, Haiyan; Zhang, Xuehong

2017-11-01

The β-secretase (BACE1) initiates the generation of toxic amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) from amyloid-β precursor protein (APP), which was widely considered to play a key role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here, a novel microfluidics-based mobility shift assay (MMSA) was developed, validated, and applied for the screening of BACE1 inhibitors for AD. First, the BACE1 activity assay was established with a new fluorescent peptide substrate (FAM-EVNLDAEF) derived from the Swedish mutant APP, and high-quality ratiometric data were generated in both endpoint and kinetic modes by electrophoretic separation of peptide substrate from the BACE1 cleaved product (FAM-EVNL) before fluorescence quantification. To validate the assay, the inhibition and kinetic parameter values of two known inhibitors (AZD3839 and AZD3293) were evaluated, and the results were in good agreement with those reported by other methods. Finally, the assay was applied to screen for new inhibitors from a 900-compound library in a 384-well format, and one novel hit (IC 50 = 26.5 ± 1.5 μM) was identified. Compared with the common fluorescence-based assays, the primary advantage of the direct MMSA was to discover novel BACE1 inhibitors with lower auto-fluorescence interference, and its superb capability for kinetic study. Graphical abstract Microfluidics-based mobility shift assay for BACE1.

Modulation and coding for fast fading mobile satellite communication channels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mclane, P. J.; Wittke, P. H.; Smith, W. S.; Lee, A.; Ho, P. K. M.; Loo, C.

1988-01-01

The performance of Gaussian baseband filtered minimum shift keying (GMSK) using differential detection in fast Rician fading, with a novel treatment of the inherent intersymbol interference (ISI) leading to an exact solution is discussed. Trellis-coded differentially coded phase shift keying (DPSK) with a convolutional interleaver is considered. The channel is the Rician Channel with the line-of-sight component subject to a lognormal transformation.

A method for modelling peak signal statistics on a mobile satellite transponder

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bilodeau, Andre; Lecours, Michel; Pelletier, Marcel; Delisle, Gilles Y.

1990-01-01

A simulation method is proposed. The simulation was developed to model the peak duration and energy content of signal peaks in a mobile communication satellite operating in a Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) mode and presents an estimate of those power peaks for a system where the channels are modeled as band limited Gaussian noise, which is taken as a reasonable representation for Amplitude Commanded Single Sideband (ACSSB), Minimum Shift Keying (MSK), or Phase Shift Keying (PSK) modulated signals. The simulation results show that, under this hypothesis, the level of the signal power peaks for 10 percent, 1 percent, and 0.1 percent of the time are well described by a Rayleigh law and that their duration is extremely short and inversely proportional to the total FDM system bandwidth.

Role of IKK-alpha in the EGFR Signaling Regulation

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-01

Rho family GTPase (VAV2), and Phospholipase C (PLC) (4). These signaling activities regulate cell proliferation, mobility , and differentiation in...correlation coefficient r=0.63, pɘ.05) was found, suggesting that high IKK promotes EGFR phosphorylation in breast cancer cells (Fig. 3G ...phosphorylation (Figure 2E). Since protein phosphorylation sometimes results in a mobility shift in SDS-PAGE, we used a phospho-tag to capture phospho

Federated Ground Station Network Model and Interface Specification

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-12-01

interface definition language JSON JavaScript Object Notation LEO low Earth orbit LNA low-noise amplifier MC3 Mobile CubeSat Command and Control...Naval Research Laboratory OQPSK offset quadrature phase-shift keying xviii P2P peer-to-peer PKI public key infrastructure REST Representational...enhanced our work being performed on the Mobile CubeSat Command and Control (MC3) ground station network. You also provided crucial guidance from

"MXing it up": how African adolescents may affect social change through mobile phone use.

PubMed

Napolitano, Christopher M

2010-01-01

This chapter outlines mobile phone use among African (particularly South African) adolescents. With an estimated 350 million active mobile phone subscriptions, improving network infrastructure, low-cost Internet-ready handsets, innovative programs and applications, mobiles in Africa, and their increasingly younger, increasingly poorer, and increasingly savvy users have the potential to act as conduits for local and regional socially just change. This broad-based connectedness not only provides access to information, but also, and crucially, connects individuals and their social, intellectual, and financial capital. It may represent a powerful, transformative shift in a region where access to similar technologies was historically limited to a privileged few. In order to best leverage these developments and opportunities to promote socially just change, I argue that future mobile-based programs or initiatives in the region should be based in both contemporary developmental systems theory as well as current, popular mobile applications and services.

State of the cart.

PubMed

Bernstein, C; Weiss, S; Lorenzini, B

1994-03-15

Food on wheels: it's here, there and everywhere. But while some operations rev up cart expansion plans, others have shifted into low gear. Here's an update on that '90s phenomenon: mobile merchandising.

Photographic measurement of head and cervical posture when viewing mobile phone: a pilot study.

PubMed

Guan, Xiaofei; Fan, Guoxin; Wu, Xinbo; Zeng, Ying; Su, Hang; Gu, Guangfei; Zhou, Qi; Gu, Xin; Zhang, Hailong; He, Shisheng

2015-12-01

With the dramatic growth of mobile phone usage, concerns have been raised with regard to the adverse health effects of mobile phone on spinal posture. The aim of this study was to determine the head and cervical postures by photogrammetry when viewing the mobile phone screen, compared with those in neutral standing posture. A total of 186 subjects (81 females and 105 males) aged from 17 to 31 years old participated in this study. Subjects were instructed to stand neutrally and using mobile phone as in daily life. Using a photographic method, the sagittal head and cervical postures were assessed by head tilt angle, neck tilt angle, forward head shift and gaze angle. The photographic method showed a high intra-rater and inter-rater reliability in measuring the sagittal posture of cervical spine and gaze angle (ICCs ranged from 0.80 to 0.99). When looking at mobile phone, the head tilt angle significantly increased (from 74.55° to 95.22°, p = 0.000) and the neck angle decreased (from 54.68° to 38.77°, p = 0.000). The forward head posture was also confirmed by the significantly increased head shift (from 10.90 to 13.85 cm, p = 0.000). The posture assumed in mobile phone use was significantly correlated with neutral posture (p < 0.05). Males displayed a more forward head posture than females (p < 0.05). The head tilt angle was positively correlated with the gaze angle (r = 0.616, p = 0.000), while the neck tilt angle was negatively correlated with the gaze angle (r = -0.628, p = 0.000). Photogrammetry is a reliable, quantitative method to evaluate the head and cervical posture during mobile phone use. Compared to neutral standing, subjects display a more forward head posture when viewing the mobile phone screen, which is correlated with neutral posture, gaze angle and gender. Future studies will be needed to investigate a dose-response relationship between mobile phone use and assumed posture.

Neuronal metabolomics by ion mobility mass spectrometry: cocaine effects on glucose and selected biogenic amine metabolites in the frontal cortex, striatum, and thalamus of the rat.

PubMed

Kaplan, Kimberly A; Chiu, Veronica M; Lukus, Peter A; Zhang, Xing; Siems, William F; Schenk, James O; Hill, Herbert H

2013-02-01

We report results of studies of global and targeted neuronal metabolomes by ambient pressure ion mobility mass spectrometry. The rat frontal cortex, striatum, and thalamus were sampled from control nontreated rats and those treated with acute cocaine or pargyline. Quantitative evaluations were made by standard additions or isotopic dilution. The mass detection limit was ~100 pmol varying with the analyte. Targeted metabolites of dopamine, serotonin, and glucose followed the rank order of distribution expected between the anatomical areas. Data was evaluated by principal component analysis on 764 common metabolites (identified by m/z and reduced mobility). Differences between anatomical areas and treatment groups were observed for 53 % of these metabolites using principal component analysis. Global and targeted metabolic differences were observed between the three anatomical areas with contralateral differences between some areas. Following drug treatments, global and targeted metabolomes were found to shift relative to controls and still maintained anatomical differences. Pargyline reduced 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid below detection limits, and 5-HIAA varied between anatomical regions. Notable findings were: (1) global metabolomes were different between anatomical areas and were altered by acute cocaine providing a broad but targeted window of discovery for metabolic changes produced by drugs of abuse; (2) quantitative analysis was demonstrated using isotope dilution and standard addition; (3) cocaine changed glucose and biogenic amine metabolism in the anatomical areas tested; and (4) the largest effect of cocaine was on the glycolysis metabolome in the thalamus confirming inferences from previous positron emission tomography studies using 2-deoxyglucose.

Social Properties of Mobile Video

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitchell, April Slayden; O'Hara, Kenton; Vorbau, Alex

Mobile video is now an everyday possibility with a wide array of commercially available devices, services, and content. These new technologies have created dramatic shifts in the way video-based media can be produced, consumed, and delivered by people beyond the familiar behaviors associated with fixed TV and video technologies. Such technology revolutions change the way users behave and change their expectations in regards to their mobile video experiences. Building upon earlier studies of mobile video, this paper reports on a study using diary techniques and ethnographic interviews to better understand how people are using commercially available mobile video technologies in their everyday lives. Drawing on reported episodes of mobile video behavior, the study identifies the social motivations and values underpinning these behaviors that help characterize mobile video consumption beyond the simplistic notion of viewing video only to kill time. This paper also discusses the significance of user-generated content and the usage of video in social communities through the description of two mobile video technology services that allow users to create and share content. Implications for adoption and design of mobile video technologies and services are discussed as well.

Using Eye Tracking to Explore Consumers' Visual Behavior According to Their Shopping Motivation in Mobile Environments.

PubMed

Hwang, Yoon Min; Lee, Kun Chang

2017-07-01

Despite a strong shift to mobile shopping trends, many in-depth questions about mobile shoppers' visual behaviors in mobile shopping environments remain unaddressed. This study aims to answer two challenging research questions (RQs): (a) how much does shopping motivation like goal orientation and recreation influence mobile shoppers' visual behavior toward displays of shopping information on a mobile shopping screen and (b) how much of mobile shoppers' visual behavior influences their purchase intention for the products displayed on a mobile shopping screen? An eye-tracking approach is adopted to answer the RQs empirically. The experimental results showed that goal-oriented shoppers paid closer attention to products' information areas to meet their shopping goals. Their purchase intention was positively influenced by their visual attention to the two areas of interest such as product information and consumer opinions. In contrast, recreational shoppers tended to visually fixate on the promotion area, which positively influences their purchase intention. The results contribute to understanding mobile shoppers' visual behaviors and shopping intentions from the perspective of mindset theory.

From Multilingualism to Bilingualism: Changes in Language Use, Language Value, and Social Mobility among Engdewu Speakers in the Solomon Islands

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Emerine Hicks, Rachel

2017-01-01

On the island of Santa Cruz in the Solomon Islands, the Engdewu language is facing imminent language shift because of the increasing use of the lingua franca Solomon Islands Pijin in the community. In this article, I argue that this language shift is occurring because of changes to the social structure in Baemawz, one of the villages where Engdewu…

Dose related shifts in the developmental progress of chick embryos exposed to mobile phone induced electromagnetic fields.

PubMed

Zareen, Nusrat; Khan, Muhammad Yunus; Minhas, Liaqat Ali

2009-01-01

The possible adverse effects of Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs) emitted from mobile phones present a major public concern today. Some studies indicate EMFs effects on genes, free radical production, immunological and carcinogenic effects. On the other hand there are studies which do not support the hypothesis of any biological impacts of EMFs. This study was designed to observe the effects of mobile phone induced EMFs on survival and general growth and development of chick embryo, investigating dose-response relationship if any. This was an experimental study in which developing chick embryos were exposed to different doses of mobile phone induced EMFs. For this purpose a mobile phone was placed in the incubator in the centre of fertilised eggs in silent ringing mode and was 'rung' upon from any other line or cell phone. After incubation for 10 or 15 days the eggs were opened and the developmental mile-stones of the surviving embryos were compared with the non exposed subgroup. EMFs exposure significantly decreased the survivability of the chick embryos. The lower doses of EMFs caused growth retardation. However, this effect of growth retardation reallocated to partial growth enhancement on increasing the dose of EMFs and shifted over to definite growth enhancement on further raising the dose. There is an adverse effect of EMFs exposure on embryo survivability. Chick embryos developmental process is influenced by EMFs. However, these effects are variable depending upon the dose of EMFs exposure.

Temperature-induced band shift in bulk γ-InSe by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Huanfeng; Wang, Wei; Zhao, Yafei; Zhang, Xiaoqian; Feng, Yue; Tu, Jian; Gu, Chenyi; Sun, Yizhe; Liu, Chang; Nie, Yuefeng; Edmond Turcu, Ion C.; Xu, Yongbing; He, Liang

2018-05-01

Indium selenide (InSe) has recently become popular research topics because of its unique layered crystal structure, direct band gap and high electron mobilities. In this work, we have acquired the electronic structure of bulk γ-InSe at various temperatures using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES). We have also found that as the temperature decreases, the valence bands of γ-InSe exhibit a monotonic shift to lower binding energies. This band shift is attributed to the change of lattice parameters and has been validated by variable temperature X-ray diffraction measurements and theoretical calculations.

Water quality following extensive beetle-induced tree mortality: Interplay of aromatic carbon loading, disinfection byproducts, and hydrologic drivers.

PubMed

Brouillard, Brent M; Dickenson, Eric R V; Mikkelson, Kristin M; Sharp, Jonathan O

2016-12-01

The recent bark beetle epidemic across western North America may impact water quality as a result of elevated organic carbon release and hydrologic shifts associated with extensive tree dieback. Analysis of quarterly municipal monitoring data from 2004 to 2014 with discretization of six water treatment facilities in the Rocky Mountains by extent of beetle impact revealed a significant increasing trend in total organic carbon (TOC) and total trihalomethane (TTHM) production within high (≳50% areal infestation) beetle-impacted watersheds while no or insignificant trends were found in watersheds with lower impact levels. Alarmingly, the TTHM concentration trend in the high impact sites exceeded regulatory maximum contaminant levels during the most recent two years of analysis (2013-14). To evaluate seasonal differences, explore the interplay of water quality and hydrologic processes, and eliminate variability associated with municipal reporting, these treatment facilities were targeted for more detailed surface water sampling and characterization. Surface water samples collected from high impact watersheds exhibited significantly higher TOC, aromatic signatures, and disinfection byproduct (DBP) formation potential than watersheds with lower infestation levels. Spectroscopic analyses of surface water samples indicated that these heightened DBP precursor levels are a function of both elevated TOC loading and increased aromatic character. This association was heightened during precipitation and runoff events in high impact sites, supporting the hypothesis that altered hydrologic flow paths resulting from tree mortality mobilize organic carbon and elevate DBP formation potential for several months after runoff ceases. The historical trends found here likely underestimate the full extent of TTHM shifts due to monitoring biases with the extended seasonal release of DBP precursors increasing the potential for human exposure. Collectively, our analysis suggests that while water quality impacts continue to rise nearly one decade after infestation, significant increases in TOC mobilization and DBP precursors are limited to watersheds that experience extensive tree mortality. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Infrared Sensor System for Mobile-Robot Positioning in Intelligent Spaces

PubMed Central

Gorostiza, Ernesto Martín; Galilea, José Luis Lázaro; Meca, Franciso Javier Meca; Monzú, David Salido; Zapata, Felipe Espinosa; Puerto, Luis Pallarés

2011-01-01

The aim of this work was to position a Mobile Robot in an Intelligent Space, and this paper presents a sensorial system for measuring differential phase-shifts in a sinusoidally modulated infrared signal transmitted from the robot. Differential distances were obtained from these phase-shifts, and the position of the robot was estimated by hyperbolic trilateration. Due to the extremely severe trade-off between SNR, angle (coverage) and real-time response, a very accurate design and device selection was required to achieve good precision with wide coverage and acceptable robot speed. An I/Q demodulator was used to measure phases with one-stage synchronous demodulation to DC. A complete set of results from real measurements, both for distance and position estimations, is provided to demonstrate the validity of the system proposed, comparing it with other similar indoor positioning systems. PMID:22163907

Performance analysis of visual tracking algorithms for motion-based user interfaces on mobile devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winkler, Stefan; Rangaswamy, Karthik; Tedjokusumo, Jefry; Zhou, ZhiYing

2008-02-01

Determining the self-motion of a camera is useful for many applications. A number of visual motion-tracking algorithms have been developed till date, each with their own advantages and restrictions. Some of them have also made their foray into the mobile world, powering augmented reality-based applications on phones with inbuilt cameras. In this paper, we compare the performances of three feature or landmark-guided motion tracking algorithms, namely marker-based tracking with MXRToolkit, face tracking based on CamShift, and MonoSLAM. We analyze and compare the complexity, accuracy, sensitivity, robustness and restrictions of each of the above methods. Our performance tests are conducted over two stages: The first stage of testing uses video sequences created with simulated camera movements along the six degrees of freedom in order to compare accuracy in tracking, while the second stage analyzes the robustness of the algorithms by testing for manipulative factors like image scaling and frame-skipping.

Evidence of sharp and diffuse domain walls in BiFeO3 by means of unit-cell-wise strain and polarization maps obtained with high resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy.

PubMed

Lubk, A; Rossell, M D; Seidel, J; He, Q; Yang, S Y; Chu, Y H; Ramesh, R; Hÿtch, M J; Snoeck, E

2012-07-27

Domain walls (DWs) substantially influence a large number of applications involving ferroelectric materials due to their limited mobility when shifted during polarization switching. The discovery of greatly enhanced conduction at BiFeO(3) DWs has highlighted yet another role of DWs as a local material state with unique properties. However, the lack of precise information on the local atomic structure is still hampering microscopical understanding of DW properties. Here, we examine the atomic structure of BiFeO(3) 109° DWs with pm precision by a combination of high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy and a dedicated structural analysis. By measuring simultaneously local polarization and strain, we provide direct experimental proof for the straight DW structure predicted by ab initio calculations as well as the recently proposed theory of diffuse DWs, thus resolving a long-standing discrepancy between experimentally measured and theoretically predicted DW mobilities.

Privatizing responsibility: public sector reform under neoliberal government.

PubMed

Ilcan, Suzan

2009-08-01

In light of public sector reforms in Canada and elsewhere, this paper focuses on the shift of emphasis from social to private responsibilities and raises new questions about the forces of private enterprise and market-based partnerships. Under neoliberal governmental agendas, privatizing responsibility links to three main developments: the reconsideration of the relations of public and private; the mobilization of responsible citizenship; and the formation of a cultural mentality of rule that works alongside these developments. The research for this article is based on extensive analysis of policy documents and public sector reform initiatives, as well as interviews with Canadian federal public service employees.

Chemical Mass Shifts in a Digital Linear Ion Trap as Analytical Identity of o-, m-, and p-Xylene.

PubMed

Sun, Lulu; Xue, Bing; Huang, Zhengxu; Cheng, Ping; Ma, Li; Ding, Li; Zhou, Zhen

2018-07-01

Chemical mass shifts between isomeric ions of o-, m-, and p-xylene were measured using a digital linear ion trap, and the directions and values of the shifts were found to be correlated to the collision cross sections of the isomers. Both forward and reverse scans were used and the chemical shifts for each pair of isomers in scans of opposite directions were in opposite signs. Using different voltage settings (namely the voltage dividing ratio-VDR) of the ion trap allows adding high order field components in the quadrupole field and results in larger chemical mass shifts. The differential chemical mass shift which combined the shifts from forward and reverse scans doubled the amount of chemical shift, e.g., 0.077 Th between o- and p-xylene, enough for identification of the type of isomer without using an additional ion mobility spectrometer. The feature of equal and opposite chemical mass shifts also allowed to null out the chemical mass shift by calculating the mean m/z value between the two opposite scans and remove or reduce the mass error caused by chemical mass shift. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

Chemical Mass Shifts in a Digital Linear Ion Trap as Analytical Identity of o-, m-, and p-Xylene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Lulu; Xue, Bing; Huang, Zhengxu; Cheng, Ping; Ma, Li; Ding, Li; Zhou, Zhen

2018-04-01

Chemical mass shifts between isomeric ions of o-, m-, and p-xylene were measured using a digital linear ion trap, and the directions and values of the shifts were found to be correlated to the collision cross sections of the isomers. Both forward and reverse scans were used and the chemical shifts for each pair of isomers in scans of opposite directions were in opposite signs. Using different voltage settings (namely the voltage dividing ratio-VDR) of the ion trap allows adding high order field components in the quadrupole field and results in larger chemical mass shifts. The differential chemical mass shift which combined the shifts from forward and reverse scans doubled the amount of chemical shift, e.g., 0.077 Th between o- and p-xylene, enough for identification of the type of isomer without using an additional ion mobility spectrometer. The feature of equal and opposite chemical mass shifts also allowed to null out the chemical mass shift by calculating the mean m/z value between the two opposite scans and remove or reduce the mass error caused by chemical mass shift. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Conformational analysis of capsaicin using 13C, 15N MAS NMR, GIAO DFT and GA calculations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siudem, Paweł; Paradowska, Katarzyna; Bukowicki, Jarosław

2017-10-01

Capsaicin produced by plants from genus Capsicum exerts multiple pharmacological effects and has found applications in food and pharmaceutical industry. The alkaloid was studied by a combined approach: solid-state NMR, GA conformational search and GIAO DFT methods. The 13C CPMAS NMR spectra were recorded using variable contact time and dipolar dephasing experiments. The results of cross-polarization (CP) kinetics, such as TCP values and long T1ρH (100-200 ms), indicated that the capsaicin molecule is fairly mobile, especially at the end of the aliphatic chain. The15N MAS NMR spectrum showed one narrow signal at -255 ppm. Genetic algorithm (GA) search with multi modal optimization was used to find low-energy conformations of capsaicin. Theoretical GIAO DFT calculations were performed using different basis sets to characterize five selected conformations. 13C CPMAS NMR was used as a validation method and the experimental chemical shifts were compared with those calculated for selected stable conformers. Conformational analysis suggests that the side chain can be bent or extended. A comparison of the experimental and the calculated chemical shifts indicates that solid capsaicin does not have the same structure as those established by PWXRD.

The Emergence of the Worldship (I): The Shift from Planet-Based to Space-Based Civilisation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashworth, S.

Design concepts for passenger-carrying interstellar vehicles may be organised according to speed of travel and payload mass. The most likely design solutions fall on a scale which ranges from the high speed, low mass rapid transport at one end to the low speed, high mass multi-generation worldship at the other. The medium speed, medium mass cruiser is defined as an intermediate case. Using an energy-based analysis, it is shown that the rapid transport is a less plausible case. The more credible options for human interstellar flight are the multi-generation cruiser and worldship, in either case requiring the construction of an artificial mobile world-like environment for the sustainable support of a town- to city-sized community of travellers. This could be made possible by a shift in the dominant mode of human civilisation from planetary to space-based life. The long-term consequences for interstellar colonisation are illustrated with reference to the percolation theory presented by Geoffrey Landis.

Effect of Rare Earth Elements (Er, Ho) on Semi-Metallic Materials (ScN) in an Applied Electric Field

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, Hyunjung; Park, Yeonjoon; King, Glen C.; Lee, Kunik; Choi, Sang H.

2012-01-01

The development of materials and fabrication technology for field-controlled spectrally active optics is essential for applications such as membrane optics, filters for LIDARs, windows for sensors, telescopes, spectroscopes, cameras and flat-panel displays. The dopants of rare earth elements, in a host of optical systems, create a number of absorption and emission band structures and can easily be incorporated into many high quality crystalline and amorphous hosts. In wide band-gap semiconductors like ScN, the existing deep levels can capture or emit the mobile charges, and can be ionized with the loss or capture of the carriers which are the fundamental basis of concept for smart optic materials. The band gap shrinkage or splitting with dopants supports the possibility of this concept. In the present work, a semi-metallic material (ScN) was doped with rare earth elements (Er, Ho) and tested under an applied electric field to characterize spectral and refractive index shifts by either Stark or Zeeman Effect. These effects can be verified using the UV-Vis spectroscopy, the Hall Effect measurement and the ellipsometric spectroscopy. The optical band gaps of ScN doped with Er and doped with Ho were experimentally estimated as 2.33eV and 2.24eV ( 0.2eV) respectively. This is less than that of undoped ScN (2.5 0.2eV). The red-shifted absorption onset is a direct evidence for the decrease of band gap energy (Eg), and the broadening of valence band states is attributable to the doping cases. A decrease in refractive index with an applied field was observed as a small shift in absorption coefficient using a variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometer. In the presence of an electric field, mobile carriers are redistributed within the space charge region (SCR) to produce this electro-refractive effect. The shift in refractive index is also affected by the density and location of deep potential wells within the SCR. In addition, the microstructure change was observed by a TEM analysis. These results give an insight for future applications for the field-controlled spectrally active material systems.

A study on the high temperature-dependence of the electrical properties in a solution-deposited zinc-tin-oxide thin-film transistor operated in the saturation region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Kyeong Min; Bae, Byung Seong; Jung, Myunghee; Yun, Eui-Jung

2016-06-01

We investigate the effects of high temperatures in the range of 292 - 393 K on the electrical properties of solution-processed amorphous zinc-tin-oxide (a-ZTO) thin-film transistors (TFTs) operated in the saturation region. The fabricated a-ZTO TFTs have a non-patterned bottom gate and top contact structure, and they use a heavily-doped Si wafer and SiO2 as a gate electrode and a gate insulator layer, respectively. In a-ZTO TFTs, the trap release energy ( E TR ) was deduced by using Maxwell-Boltzmann statistics. The decreasing E TR toward zero with increasing gate voltage (the density of trap states ( n s )) in the a-ZTO active layer can be attributed to a shift of the Fermi level toward the mobility edge with increasing gate voltage. The TFTs with low gate voltage (low n s ) exhibit multiple trap and release characteristics and show thermally-activated behavior. In TFTs with a high gate voltage (high n s ), however, we observe decreasing mobility and conductivity with increasing temperature at temperatures ranging from 303 to 363 K. This confirms that the E TR can drop to zero, indicating a shift of the Fermi level beyond the mobility edge. Hence, the mobility edge is detected at the cusp between thermally-activated transport and band transport.

3D shape measurement system developed on mobile platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Zhoujie; Chang, Meng; Shi, Bowen; Zhang, Qican

2017-02-01

Three-dimensional (3-D) shape measurement technology based on structured light has become one hot research field inspired by the increasing requirements. Many methods have been implemented and applied in the industry applications, but most of their equipments are large and complex, cannot be portable. Meanwhile, the popularity of the smart mobile terminals, such as smart phones, provides a platform for the miniaturization and portability of this technology. The measurement system based on phase-shift algorithm and Gray-code pattern under the Android platform on a mobile phone is mainly studied and developed, and it has been encapsulated into a mobile phone application in order to reconstruct 3-D shape data in the employed smart phone easily and quickly. The experimental results of two measured object are given in this paper and demonstrate the application we developed in the mobile platform is effective.

Information Literacy in a Digital Era: Understanding the Impact of Mobile Information for Undergraduate Nursing Students.

PubMed

Doyle, Glynda J; Furlong, Karen E; Secco, Loretta

2016-01-01

Recent entry-to-practice nursing informatics competencies for Registered Nurses in Canada mean nurse educators need educational strategies to promote student competency within the rapidly evolving informatics field. A collaborative research team from three Canadian nursing programs completed a mixed method survey to describe how nursing students used mobile nursing information support and the extent of this support for learning. The Mobile Information Support Evaluation Tool (MISET) assessed Usefulness/Helpfulness, Information Literacy Support, and Use of Evidence-Based Sources. The quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed to describe students' perspectives and the ways they used mobile resources in learning situations. Findings suggest nursing students mainly accessed mobile resources to support clinical learning, and specifically for task-oriented information such as drug medication or patient conditions/diagnoses. Researchers recommend a paradigm shift whereby educators emphasize information literacy in a way that supports evidence-based quality care.

Correlation of MFOLD-predicted DNA secondary structures with separation patterns obtained by capillary electrophoresis single-strand conformation polymorphism (CE-SSCP) analysis.

PubMed

Glavac, Damjan; Potocnik, Uros; Podpecnik, Darja; Zizek, Teofil; Smerkolj, Sava; Ravnik-Glavac, Metka

2002-04-01

We have studied 57 different mutations within three beta-globin gene promoter fragments with sizes 52 bp, 77 bp, and 193 bp by fluorescent capillary electrophoresis CE-SSCP analysis. For each mutation and wild type, energetically most-favorable predicted secondary structures were calculated for sense and antisense strands using the MFOLD DNA-folding algorithm in order to investigate if any correlation exists between predicted DNA structures and actual CE migration time shifts. The overall CE-SSCP detection rate was 100% for all mutations in three studied DNA fragments. For shorter 52 bp and 77 bp DNA fragments we obtained a positive correlation between the migration time shifts and difference in free energy values of predicted secondary structures at all temperatures. For longer 193 bp beta-globin gene fragments with 46 mutations MFOLD predicted different secondary structures for 89% of mutated strands at 25 degrees C and 40 degrees C. However, the magnitude of the mobility shifts did not necessarily correlate with their secondary structures and free energy values except for the sense strand at 40 degrees C where this correlation was statistically significant (r = 0.312, p = 0.033). Results of this study provided more direct insight into the mechanism of CE-SSCP and showed that MFOLD prediction could be helpful in making decisions about the running temperatures and in prediction of CE-SSCP data patterns, especially for shorter (50-100 bp) DNA fragments. Copyright 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Using Mobile Apps to Communicate Vaccination Records: A City-wide Evaluation with a National Immunization App, Maternal Child Registry and Public Health Authorities.

PubMed

Atkinson, Katherine M; El-Khatib, Ziad; Barnum, Geoffery; Bell, Cameron; Turcotte, Marie-Claude; Murphy, Malia S Q; Teitelbaum, Mari; Chakraborty, Pranesh; Laflamme, Lucie; Wilson, Kumanan

2017-01-01

Medicine is experiencing a paradigm shift, where patients are increasingly involved in the management of their health data. We created a mobile app which permitted parental reporting of immunization status to public health authorities. We describe app use as a proxy for feasibility and acceptability as well as data utility for public health surveillance. The evaluation period ran from April 27, 2015, to April 18, 2017, during which time 2,653 unique children's records were transmitted, containing 36,105 vaccinations. Our findings suggest that mobile immunization reporting is feasible and may be an acceptable complement to existing reporting methods. Measures of data utility suggest that mobile reporting could enable more accurate assessments of vaccine coverage.

Design of an anti-Rician-fading modem for mobile satellite communication systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kojima, Toshiharu; Ishizu, Fumio; Miyake, Makoto; Murakami, Keishi; Fujino, Tadashi

1995-01-01

To design a demodulator applicable to mobile satellite communication systems using differential phase shift keying modulation, we have developed key technologies including an anti-Rician-fading demodulation scheme, an initial acquisition scheme, automatic gain control (AGC), automatic frequency control (AFC), and bit timing recovery (BTR). Using these technologies, we have developed one-chip digital signal processor (DSP) modem for mobile terminal, which is compact, of light weight, and of low power consumption. Results of performance test show that the developed DSP modem achieves good performance in terms of bit error ratio in mobile satellite communication environment, i.e., Rician fading channel. It is also shown that the initial acquisition scheme acquires received signal rapidly even if the carrier-to-noise power ratio (CNR) of the received signal is considerably low.

Bright blue-shifted fluorescent proteins with Cys in the GAF domain engineered from bacterial phytochromes: fluorescence mechanisms and excited-state dynamics.

PubMed

Hontani, Yusaku; Shcherbakova, Daria M; Baloban, Mikhail; Zhu, Jingyi; Verkhusha, Vladislav V; Kennis, John T M

2016-11-18

Near-infrared fluorescent proteins (NIR FPs) engineered from bacterial phytochromes (BphPs) are of great interest for in vivo imaging. They utilize biliverdin (BV) as a chromophore, which is a heme degradation product, and therefore they are straightforward to use in mammalian tissues. Here, we report on fluorescence properties of NIR FPs with key alterations in their BV binding sites. BphP1-FP, iRFP670 and iRFP682 have Cys residues in both PAS and GAF domains, rather than in the PAS domain alone as in wild-type BphPs. We found that NIR FP variants with Cys in the GAF or with Cys in both PAS and GAF show blue-shifted emission with long fluorescence lifetimes. In contrast, mutants with Cys in the PAS only or no Cys residues at all exhibit red-shifted emission with shorter lifetimes. Combining these results with previous biochemical and BphP1-FP structural data, we conclude that BV adducts bound to Cys in the GAF are the origin of bright blue-shifted fluorescence. We propose that the long fluorescence lifetime follows from (i) a sterically more constrained thioether linkage, leaving less mobility for ring A than in canonical BphPs, and (ii) that π-electron conjugation does not extend on ring A, making excited-state deactivation less sensitive to ring A mobility.

Toll free mobile communication: overcoming barriers in maternal and neonatal emergencies in Rural Bangladesh

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Toll free mobile telephone intervention to support mothers in pregnancy and delivery period was tested in one sub district of Bangladesh. Qualitative research was conducted to measure the changes of mobile phone use in increasing communication for maternal and neonatal complications. Methods In-depth interviews were conducted among twelve Community Skilled Birth Attendants and fourteen mothers along with their husbands prior to intervention. At intervention end, six Community Skilled Birth Attendants were purposively selected for in-depth interview. Semi structured interviews were conducted among all 27 Community Skilled Birth Attendants engaged in the intervention. One Focus Group Discussion was conducted with 10 recently delivered mothers. Thematic analysis and triangulation of different responses were conducted. Results Prior to intervention, Community Skilled Birth Attendants reported that mobile communication was not a norm. It was also revealed that poor mothers had poor accessibility to mobile services. Mothers, who communicated through mobile phone with providers noted irritability from Community Skilled Birth Attendants and sometimes found phones switched off. At the end of the project, 85% of mothers who had attended orientation sessions of the intervention communicated with Community Skilled Birth Attendants through mobile phones during maternal health complications. Once a complication is reported or anticipated over phone, Community Skilled Birth Attendants either made a prompt visit to mothers or advised for direct referral. More than 80% Community Skilled Birth Attendants communicated with Solution Linked Group for guidance on maternal health management. Prior to intervention, Solution Linked Group was not used to receive phone call from Community Skilled Birth Attendants. Community Skilled Birth Attendants were valued by the mothers. Mothers viewed that Community Skilled Birth Attendants are becoming confident in managing complication due to communication with Solution Linked Group. Conclusions The use of mobile technology in this intervention took a leap from simply rendering information to providing more rapid services. Active participation of service providers along with mothers’ accessibility motivated both the service providers and mothers to communicate through mobile phone for maternal health issues. These altogether made the shift towards adoption of an innovation. PMID:25015126

Toll free mobile communication: overcoming barriers in maternal and neonatal emergencies in Rural Bangladesh.

PubMed

Huq, Nafisa Lira; Azmi, Asrafi Jahan; Quaiyum, M A; Hossain, Shahed

2014-07-12

Toll free mobile telephone intervention to support mothers in pregnancy and delivery period was tested in one sub district of Bangladesh. Qualitative research was conducted to measure the changes of mobile phone use in increasing communication for maternal and neonatal complications. In-depth interviews were conducted among twelve Community Skilled Birth Attendants and fourteen mothers along with their husbands prior to intervention. At intervention end, six Community Skilled Birth Attendants were purposively selected for in-depth interview. Semi structured interviews were conducted among all 27 Community Skilled Birth Attendants engaged in the intervention. One Focus Group Discussion was conducted with 10 recently delivered mothers. Thematic analysis and triangulation of different responses were conducted. Prior to intervention, Community Skilled Birth Attendants reported that mobile communication was not a norm. It was also revealed that poor mothers had poor accessibility to mobile services. Mothers, who communicated through mobile phone with providers noted irritability from Community Skilled Birth Attendants and sometimes found phones switched off. At the end of the project, 85% of mothers who had attended orientation sessions of the intervention communicated with Community Skilled Birth Attendants through mobile phones during maternal health complications. Once a complication is reported or anticipated over phone, Community Skilled Birth Attendants either made a prompt visit to mothers or advised for direct referral. More than 80% Community Skilled Birth Attendants communicated with Solution Linked Group for guidance on maternal health management. Prior to intervention, Solution Linked Group was not used to receive phone call from Community Skilled Birth Attendants. Community Skilled Birth Attendants were valued by the mothers. Mothers viewed that Community Skilled Birth Attendants are becoming confident in managing complication due to communication with Solution Linked Group. The use of mobile technology in this intervention took a leap from simply rendering information to providing more rapid services. Active participation of service providers along with mothers' accessibility motivated both the service providers and mothers to communicate through mobile phone for maternal health issues. These altogether made the shift towards adoption of an innovation.

EMSA Analysis of DNA Binding By Rgg Proteins

PubMed Central

LaSarre, Breah; Federle, Michael J.

2016-01-01

In bacteria, interaction of various proteins with DNA is essential for the regulation of specific target gene expression. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) is an in vitro approach allowing for the visualization of these protein-DNA interactions. Rgg proteins comprise a family of transcriptional regulators widespread among the Firmicutes. Some of these proteins function independently to regulate target gene expression, while others have now been demonstrated to function as effectors of cell-to-cell communication, having regulatory activities that are modulated via direct interaction with small signaling peptides. EMSA analysis can be used to assess DNA binding of either type of Rgg protein. EMSA analysis of Rgg protein activity has facilitated in vitro confirmation of regulatory targets, identification of precise DNA binding sites via DNA probe mutagenesis, and characterization of the mechanism by which some cognate signaling peptides modulate Rgg protein function (e.g. interruption of DNA-binding in some cases). PMID:27430004

EMSA Analysis of DNA Binding By Rgg Proteins.

PubMed

LaSarre, Breah; Federle, Michael J

2013-08-20

In bacteria, interaction of various proteins with DNA is essential for the regulation of specific target gene expression. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) is an in vitro approach allowing for the visualization of these protein-DNA interactions. Rgg proteins comprise a family of transcriptional regulators widespread among the Firmicutes. Some of these proteins function independently to regulate target gene expression, while others have now been demonstrated to function as effectors of cell-to-cell communication, having regulatory activities that are modulated via direct interaction with small signaling peptides. EMSA analysis can be used to assess DNA binding of either type of Rgg protein. EMSA analysis of Rgg protein activity has facilitated in vitro confirmation of regulatory targets, identification of precise DNA binding sites via DNA probe mutagenesis, and characterization of the mechanism by which some cognate signaling peptides modulate Rgg protein function ( e.g. interruption of DNA-binding in some cases).

Transmission of influenza reflects seasonality of wild birds across the annual cycle

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hill, Nichola J.; Ma, Eric J.; Meixell, Brandt W.; Lindberg, Mark S.; Boyce, Walter M.; Runstadler, Jonathan A.

2016-01-01

Influenza A Viruses (IAV) in nature must overcome shifting transmission barriers caused by the mobility of their primary host, migratory wild birds, that change throughout the annual cycle. Using a phylogenetic network of viral sequences from North American wild birds (2008–2011) we demonstrate a shift from intraspecific to interspecific transmission that along with reassortment, allows IAV to achieve viral flow across successive seasons from summer to winter. Our study supports amplification of IAV during summer breeding seeded by overwintering virus persisting locally and virus introduced from a wide range of latitudes. As birds migrate from breeding sites to lower latitudes, they become involved in transmission networks with greater connectivity to other bird species, with interspecies transmission of reassortant viruses peaking during the winter. We propose that switching transmission dynamics may be a critical strategy for pathogens that infect mobile hosts inhabiting regions with strong seasonality.

Women as agents of change: Female income and mobility in India

PubMed Central

Luke, Nancy; Munshi, Kaivan

2013-01-01

Economic globalization will give many women in developing countries access to steady and relatively remunerative employment for the first time, potentially shifting bargaining power within their households and changing the choices that are made for their children. This paper exploits a unique setting — a group of tea plantations in South India where women are employed in permanent wage labor and where incomes do not vary by caste — to anticipate the impact of globalization on mobility across social groups in the future. The main result of the paper is that a relative increase in female income weakens the family's ties to the ancestral community and the traditional economy, but these mobility enhancing effects are obtained for certain historically disadvantaged castes alone. Although the paper provides a context-specific explanation for why the women from these castes emerge as agents of change, the first general implication of the analysis is that the incentive and the ability of women to use their earnings to influence household decisions depends importantly on their social background. The second implication is that historically disadvantaged groups may, in fact, be especially responsive to new opportunities precisely because they have fewer ties to the traditional economy to hold them back. PMID:24319310

Barn owls maximize head rotations by a combination of yawing and rolling in functionally diverse regions of the neck.

PubMed

Krings, Markus; Nyakatura, John A; Boumans, Mark L L M; Fischer, Martin S; Wagner, Hermann

2017-07-01

Owls are known for their outstanding neck mobility: these birds can rotate their heads more than 270°. The anatomical basis of this extraordinary neck rotation ability is not well understood. We used X-ray fluoroscopy of living owls as well as forced neck rotations in dead specimens and computer tomographic (CT) reconstructions to study how the individual cervical joints contribute to head rotation in barn owls (Tyto furcata pratincola). The X-ray data showed the natural posture of the neck, and the reconstructions of the CT-scans provided the shapes of the individual vertebrae. Joint mobility was analyzed in a spherical coordinate system. The rotational capability was described as rotation about the yaw and roll axes. The analyses suggest a functional division of the cervical spine into several regions. Most importantly, an upper region shows high rolling and yawing capabilities. The mobility of the lower, more horizontally oriented joints of the cervical spine is restricted mainly to the roll axis. These rolling movements lead to lateral bending, effectively resulting in a side shift of the head compared with the trunk during large rotations. The joints in the middle of the cervical spine proved to contribute less to head rotation. The analysis of joint mobility demonstrated how owls might maximize horizontal head rotation by a specific and variable combination of yawing and rolling in functionally diverse regions of the neck. © 2017 Anatomical Society.

Load shift potential of electric vehicles in Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Babrowski, Sonja; Heinrichs, Heidi; Jochem, Patrick; Fichtner, Wolf

2014-06-01

Many governments highly encourage electric mobility today, aiming at a high market penetration. This development would bring forth an impact on the energy system, which strongly depends on the driving and charging behavior of the users. While an uncontrolled immediate charging might strain the local grid and/or higher peak loads, there are benefits to be gained by a controlled charging. We examine six European mobility studies in order to display the effects of controlled and uncontrolled unidirectional charging. Taking into account country-specific driving patterns, we generate for each country a charging load curve corresponding to uncontrolled charging and consider the corresponding parking time at charging facilities in order to identify load shift potentials. The main results are that besides the charging power of the vehicles, the possibility to charge at the work place has a significant influence on the uncontrolled charging curve. Neither national nor regional differences are as significant. When charging is only possible at home, the vehicle availability at charging facilities during the day for all countries is at least 24%. With the additional possibility to charge at work, at least 45% are constantly available. Accordingly, we identified a big potential for load shifting through controlled charging.

The Cutting Edge of Affinity Electrophoresis Technology

PubMed Central

Kinoshita, Eiji; Kinoshita-Kikuta, Emiko; Koike, Tohru

2015-01-01

Affinity electrophoresis is an important technique that is widely used to separate and analyze biomolecules in the fields of biology and medicine. Both quantitative and qualitative information can be gained through affinity electrophoresis. Affinity electrophoresis can be applied through a variety of strategies, such as mobility shift electrophoresis, charge shift electrophoresis or capillary affinity electrophoresis. These strategies are based on changes in the electrophoretic patterns of biological macromolecules that result from interactions or complex-formation processes that induce changes in the size or total charge of the molecules. Nucleic acid fragments can be characterized through their affinity to other molecules, for example transcriptional factor proteins. Hydrophobic membrane proteins can be identified by means of a shift in the mobility induced by a charged detergent. The various strategies have also been used in the estimation of association/disassociation constants. Some of these strategies have similarities to affinity chromatography, in that they use a probe or ligand immobilized on a supported matrix for electrophoresis. Such methods have recently contributed to profiling of major posttranslational modifications of proteins, such as glycosylation or phosphorylation. Here, we describe advances in analytical techniques involving affinity electrophoresis that have appeared during the last five years. PMID:28248262

Omni-directional L-band antenna for mobile communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, C. S.; Moldovan, N.; Kijesky, J.

1988-01-01

The principle and design of an L-band omni-directional mobile communication antenna are discussed. The antenna is a circular wave guide aperture with hybrid circuits attached to higher order mode excitation. It produces polarized and symmetric two split beams in elevation. The circular waveguide is fed by eight probes with a 90 degree phase shift between their inputs. Radiation pattern characteristics are controlled by adjusting the aperture diameter and mode excitation. This antenna satisfies gain requirements as well as withstanding the harsh environment.

Trellis coded multilevel DPSK system with doppler correction for mobile satellite channels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Divsalar, Dariush (Inventor); Simon, Marvin K. (Inventor)

1991-01-01

A trellis coded multilevel differential phase shift keyed mobile communication system. The system of the present invention includes a trellis encoder for translating input signals into trellis codes; a differential encoder for differentially encoding the trellis coded signals; a transmitter for transmitting the differentially encoded trellis coded signals; a receiver for receiving the transmitted signals; a differential demodulator for demodulating the received differentially encoded trellis coded signals; and a trellis decoder for decoding the differentially demodulated signals.

Fluorescence of nitrobenzoxadiazole (NBD)-labeled lipids in model membranes is connected not to lipid mobility but to probe location.

PubMed

Amaro, Mariana; Filipe, Hugo A L; Prates Ramalho, J P; Hof, Martin; Loura, Luís M S

2016-03-14

Nitrobenzoxadiazole (NBD)-labeled lipids are popular fluorescent membrane probes. However, the understanding of important aspects of the photophysics of NBD remains incomplete, including the observed shift in the emission spectrum of NBD-lipids to longer wavelengths following excitation at the red edge of the absorption spectrum (red-edge excitation shift or REES). REES of NBD-lipids in membrane environments has been previously interpreted as reflecting restricted mobility of solvent surrounding the fluorophore. However, this requires a large change in the dipole moment (Δμ) of NBD upon excitation. Previous calculations of the value of Δμ of NBD in the literature have been carried out using outdated semi-empirical methods, leading to conflicting values. Using up-to-date density functional theory methods, we recalculated the value of Δμ and verified that it is rather small (∼2 D). Fluorescence measurements confirmed that the value of REES is ∼16 nm for 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-l-serine-N-(NBD) (NBD-PS) in dioleoylphosphatidylcholine vesicles. However, the observed shift is independent of both the temperature and the presence of cholesterol and is therefore insensitive to the mobility and hydration of the membrane. Moreover, red-edge excitation leads to an increased contribution of the decay component with a shorter lifetime, whereas time-resolved emission spectra of NBD-PS displayed an atypical blue shift following excitation. This excludes restrictions to solvent relaxation as the cause of the measured REES and TRES of NBD, pointing instead to the heterogeneous transverse location of probes as the origin of these effects. The latter hypothesis was confirmed by molecular dynamics simulations, from which the calculated heterogeneity of the hydration and location of NBD correlated with the measured fluorescence lifetimes/REES. Globally, our combination of theoretical and experiment-based techniques has led to a considerably improved understanding of the photophysics of NBD and a reinterpretation of its REES in particular.

Vacuum Bloch-Siegert shift in Landau polaritons with ultra-high cooperativity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xinwei; Bamba, Motoaki; Zhang, Qi; Fallahi, Saeed; Gardner, Geoff C.; Gao, Weilu; Lou, Minhan; Yoshioka, Katsumasa; Manfra, Michael J.; Kono, Junichiro

2018-06-01

A two-level system resonantly interacting with an a.c. magnetic or electric field constitutes the physical basis of diverse phenomena and technologies. However, Schrödinger's equation for this seemingly simple system can be solved exactly only under the rotating-wave approximation, which neglects the counter-rotating field component. When the a.c. field is sufficiently strong, this approximation fails, leading to a resonance-frequency shift known as the Bloch-Siegert shift. Here, we report the vacuum Bloch-Siegert shift, which is induced by the ultra-strong coupling of matter with the counter-rotating component of the vacuum fluctuation field in a cavity. Specifically, an ultra-high-mobility two-dimensional electron gas inside a high-Q terahertz cavity in a quantizing magnetic field revealed ultra-narrow Landau polaritons, which exhibited a vacuum Bloch-Siegert shift up to 40 GHz. This shift, clearly distinguishable from the photon-field self-interaction effect, represents a unique manifestation of a strong-field phenomenon without a strong field.

ScaMo: Realisation of an OO-functional DSL for cross platform mobile applications development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Macos, Dragan; Solymosi, Andreas

2013-10-01

The software market is dynamically changing: the Internet is going mobile, the software applications are shifting from the desktop hardware onto the mobile devices. The largest markets are the mobile applications for iOS, Android and Windows Phone and for the purpose the typical programming languages include Objective-C, Java and C ♯. The realization of the native applications implies the integration of the developed software into the environments of mentioned mobile operating systems to enable the access to different hardware components of the devices: GPS module, display, GSM module, etc. This paper deals with the definition and possible implementation of an environment for the automatic application generation for multiple mobile platforms. It is based on a DSL for mobile application development, which includes the programming language Scala and a DSL defined in Scala. As part of a multi-stage cross-compiling algorithm, this language is translated into the language of the affected mobile platform. The advantage of our method lies in the expressiveness of the defined language and the transparent source code translation between different languages, which implies, for example, the advantages of debugging and development of the generated code.

Effects of high intensity exercise on isoelectric profiles and SDS-PAGE mobility of erythropoietin.

PubMed

Voss, S; Lüdke, A; Romberg, S; Schänzer, E; Flenker, U; deMarees, M; Achtzehn, S; Mester, J; Schänzer, W

2010-06-01

Exercise induced proteinuria is a common phenomenon in high performance sports. Based on the appearance of so called "effort urines" in routine doping analysis the purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of exercise induced proteinuria on IEF profiles and SDS-PAGE relative mobility values (rMVs) of endogenous human erythropoietin (EPO). Twenty healthy subjects performed cycle-ergometer exercise until exhaustion. VO (2)max, blood lactate, urinary proteins and urinary creatinine were analysed to evaluate the exercise performance and proteinuria. IEF and SDS-PAGE analyses were performed to test for differences in electrophoretic behaviour of the endogenous EPO before and after exercise. All subjects showed increased levels of protein/creatinine ratio after performance (8.8+/-5.2-26.1+/-14.4). IEF analysis demonstrated an elevation of the relative amount of basic band areas (13.9+/-11.3-36.4+/-12.6). Using SDS-PAGE analysis we observed a decrease in rMVs after exercise and no shift in direction of the recombinant human EPO (rhEPO) region (0.543+/-0.013-0.535+/-0.012). Following identification criteria of the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) all samples were negative. The implementation of the SDS-PAGE method represents a good solution to distinguish between results influenced by so called effort urines and results of rhEPO abuse. Thus this method can be used to confirm adverse analytical findings.

Cycle of charge carrier states with formation and extinction of a floating gate in an ambipolar tetracyanoquaterthienoquinoid-based field-effect transistor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Itoh, Takuro; Toyota, Taro; Higuchi, Hiroyuki; Matsushita, Michio M.; Suzuki, Kentaro; Sugawara, Tadashi

2017-03-01

A tetracyanoquaterthienoquinoid (TCT4Q)-based field effect transistor is characterized by the ambipolar transfer characteristics and the facile shift of the threshold voltage induced by the bias stress. The trapping and detrapping kinetics of charge carriers was investigated in detail by the temperature dependence of the decay of source-drain current (ISD). We found a repeatable formation of a molecular floating gate is derived from a 'charge carrier-and-gate' cycle comprising four stages, trapping of mobile carriers, formation of a floating gate, induction of oppositely charged mobile carriers, and recombination between mobile and trapped carriers to restore the initial state.

Cloud-based crowd sensing: a framework for location-based crowd analyzer and advisor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aishwarya, K. C.; Nambi, A.; Hudson, S.; Nadesh, R. K.

2017-11-01

Cloud computing is an emerging field of computer science to integrate and explore large and powerful computing systems and storages for personal and also for enterprise requirements. Mobile Cloud Computing is the inheritance of this concept towards mobile hand-held devices. Crowdsensing, or to be precise, Mobile Crowdsensing is the process of sharing resources from an available group of mobile handheld devices that support sharing of different resources such as data, memory and bandwidth to perform a single task for collective reasons. In this paper, we propose a framework to use Crowdsensing and perform a crowd analyzer and advisor whether the user can go to the place or not. This is an ongoing research and is a new concept to which the direction of cloud computing has shifted and is viable for more expansion in the near future.

Detection of colorectal cancer (CRC) by urinary volatile organic compound analysis.

PubMed

Arasaradnam, Ramesh P; McFarlane, Michael J; Ryan-Fisher, Courtenay; Westenbrink, Erik; Hodges, Phoebe; Hodges, Paula; Thomas, Matthew G; Chambers, Samantha; O'Connell, Nicola; Bailey, Catherine; Harmston, Christopher; Nwokolo, Chuka U; Bardhan, Karna D; Covington, James A

2014-01-01

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer related death in Europe and the USA. There is no universally accepted effective non-invasive screening test for CRC. Guaiac based faecal occult blood (gFOB) testing has largely been superseded by Faecal Immunochemical testing (FIT), but sensitivity still remains poor. The uptake of population based FOBt testing in the UK is also low at around 50%. The detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) signature(s) for many cancer subtypes is receiving increasing interest using a variety of gas phase analytical instruments. One such example is FAIMS (Field Asymmetric Ion Mobility Spectrometer). FAIMS is able to identify Inflammatory Bowel disease (IBD) patients by analysing shifts in VOCs patterns in both urine and faeces. This study extends this concept to determine whether CRC patients can be identified through non-invasive analysis of urine, using FAIMS. 133 patients were recruited; 83 CRC patients and 50 healthy controls. Urine was collected at the time of CRC diagnosis and headspace analysis undertaken using a FAIMS instrument (Owlstone, Lonestar, UK). Data was processed using Fisher Discriminant Analysis (FDA) after feature extraction from the raw data. FAIMS analyses demonstrated that the VOC profiles of CRC patients were tightly clustered and could be distinguished from healthy controls. Sensitivity and specificity for CRC detection with FAIMS were 88% and 60% respectively. This study suggests that VOC signatures emanating from urine can be detected in patients with CRC using ion mobility spectroscopy technology (FAIMS) with potential as a novel screening tool.

Duplex Tear Film Evaporation Analysis.

PubMed

Stapf, M R; Braun, R J; King-Smith, P E

2017-12-01

Tear film thinning, hyperosmolarity, and breakup can cause irritation and damage to the human eye, and these form an area of active investigation for dry eye syndrome research. Recent research demonstrates that deficiencies in the lipid layer may cause locally increased evaporation, inducing conditions for breakup. In this paper, we explore the conditions for tear film breakup by considering a model for tear film dynamics with two mobile fluid layers, the aqueous and lipid layers. In addition, we include the effects of osmosis, evaporation as modified by the lipid, and the polar portion of the lipid layer. We solve the system numerically for reasonable parameter values and initial conditions and analyze how shifts in these cause changes to the system's dynamics.

Bacillus subtilis 168 Contains Two Differentially Regulated Genes Encoding l-Asparaginase

PubMed Central

Fisher, Susan H.; Wray, Lewis V.

2002-01-01

Expression of the two Bacillus subtilis genes encoding l-asparaginase is controlled by independent regulatory factors. The ansZ gene (formerly yccC) was shown by mutational analysis to encode a functional l-asparaginase, the expression of which is activated during nitrogen-limited growth by the TnrA transcription factor. Gel mobility shift and DNase I footprinting experiments indicate that TnrA regulates ansZ expression by binding to a DNA site located upstream of the ansZ promoter. The expression of the ansA gene, which encodes the second l-asparaginase, was found to be induced by asparagine. The ansA repressor, AnsR, was shown to negatively regulate its own expression. PMID:11914346

Bacillus subtilis 168 contains two differentially regulated genes encoding L-asparaginase.

PubMed

Fisher, Susan H; Wray, Lewis V

2002-04-01

Expression of the two Bacillus subtilis genes encoding L-asparaginase is controlled by independent regulatory factors. The ansZ gene (formerly yccC) was shown by mutational analysis to encode a functional L-asparaginase, the expression of which is activated during nitrogen-limited growth by the TnrA transcription factor. Gel mobility shift and DNase I footprinting experiments indicate that TnrA regulates ansZ expression by binding to a DNA site located upstream of the ansZ promoter. The expression of the ansA gene, which encodes the second L-asparaginase, was found to be induced by asparagine. The ansA repressor, AnsR, was shown to negatively regulate its own expression.

Spatial Point Data Analysis of Geolocated Tweets in the First Day of Eid Al-Fitr 2017 in Java Island

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wibowo, T. W.

2017-12-01

Eid Al-Fitr is a worldwide Muslim feast day, which in Indonesia generally accompanied by tradition of going home (mudik). The demographic patterns at the time of the holiday are generally shifted, in which some urban residents will travel to their hometowns. The impact of this shifting is that there is a quite massive mobility of the population, which is generally accompanied by traffic congestion. The presence of location sensors on smartphone devices, open the opportunity to map the movement of the population in realtime or near-realtime. Especially now that social media applications have been integrated with the capability to include location information. One of the popular social media applications in Indonesia is Twitter, which provides microblogging facilities to its users. This study aims to analyze the pattern of Geolocated Tweets data uploaded by Twitter users on the first day of Eid Al-Fitr (1 Syawal 1438H). Geolocated Tweets data mining is done by using Streaming API (Application Programming Interface) and Python programming language. There are 13,224 Geolocated Tweets points obtained at the location of the study. Various point data analysis techniques applied to the data have been collected, such as density analysis, pattern analysis, and proximity analysis. In general, active Twitter users are dominated by residents in major cities, such as Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya, Yogyakarta, Surakarta and Semarang. The results of the analysis can be used to determine whether the Geolocated Tweets data mined by the Streaming API method can be used to represent the movement of the population when mudik.

More screen operation than calling: the results of observing cyclists' behaviour while using mobile phones.

PubMed

de Waard, Dick; Westerhuis, Frank; Lewis-Evans, Ben

2015-03-01

Operating a mobile telephone while riding a bicycle is fairly common practice in the Netherlands, yet it is unknown if this use is stable or increasing. As such, whether the prevalence of mobile phone use while cycling has changed over the past five years was studied via on-road observation. In addition the impact of mobile phone use on lateral position, i.e. distance from the front wheel to the curb, was also examined to see if it compared to the results seen in previous experimental studies. Bicyclists were observed at six different locations and their behaviour was scored. It was found that compared to five years ago the use of mobile phones while cycling has changed, not in frequency, but in how cyclists were operating their phones. As found in 2008, three percent of the bicyclists were observed to be operating a phone, but a shift from calling (0.7% of cyclists observed) to operating (typing, texting, 2.3% of cyclists) was found. In 2008 nearly the complete opposite usage was observed: 2.2% of the cyclists were calling and 0.6% was texting. Another finding was that effects on lateral position were similar to those seen in experimental studies in that cyclists using a phone maintained a cycling position which was further away from the curb. It was also found that when at an intersection, cyclist's operating their phone made less head movements to the right than cyclists who were just cycling. This shift from calling to screen operation, when combined with the finding related to reduced head movements at intersections, is worrying and potentially dangerous. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of Phase Shift from Corals to Zoantharia on Reef Fish Assemblages

PubMed Central

Cruz, Igor C. S.; Loiola, Miguel; Albuquerque, Tiago; Reis, Rodrigo; de Anchieta C. C. Nunes, José; Reimer, James D.; Mizuyama, Masaru; Kikuchi, Ruy K. P.; Creed, Joel C.

2015-01-01

Consequences of reef phase shifts on fish communities remain poorly understood. Studies on the causes, effects and consequences of phase shifts on reef fish communities have only been considered for coral-to-macroalgae shifts. Therefore, there is a large information gap regarding the consequences of novel phase shifts and how these kinds of phase shifts impact on fish assemblages. This study aimed to compare the fish assemblages on reefs under normal conditions (relatively high cover of corals) to those which have shifted to a dominance of the zoantharian Palythoa cf. variabilis on coral reefs in Todos os Santos Bay (TSB), Brazilian eastern coast. We examined eight reefs, where we estimated cover of corals and P. cf. variabilis and coral reef fish richness, abundance and body size. Fish richness differed significantly between normal reefs (48 species) and phase-shift reefs (38 species), a 20% reduction in species. However there was no difference in fish abundance between normal and phase shift reefs. One fish species, Chaetodon striatus, was significantly less abundant on normal reefs. The differences in fish assemblages between different reef phases was due to differences in trophic groups of fish; on normal reefs carnivorous fishes were more abundant, while on phase shift reefs mobile invertivores dominated. PMID:25629532

The effects of shift work and time of day on fine motor control during handwriting.

PubMed

Hölzle, Patricia; Hermsdörfer, Joachim; Vetter, Céline

2014-01-01

Handwriting is an elaborate and highly automatised skill relying on fine motor control. In laboratory conditions handwriting kinematics are modulated by the time of day. This study investigated handwriting kinematics in a rotational shift system and assessed whether similar time of day fluctuations at the work place can be observed. Handwriting performance was measured in two tasks of different levels of complexity in 34 shift workers across morning (6:00-14:00), evening (14:00-22:00) and night shifts (22:00-6:00). Participants were tested during all three shifts in 2-h intervals with mobile testing devices. We calculated average velocity, script size and writing frequency to quantify handwriting kinematics and fluency. Average velocity and script size were significantly affected by the shift work schedule with the worst performance during morning shifts and the best performance during evening shifts. Our data are of high economic relevance as fine motor skills are indispensable for accurate and effective production at the work place. Handwriting is one of the most complex fine motor skills in humans, which is frequently performed in daily life. In this study, we tested handwriting repeatedly at the work place in a rotational shift system. We found slower handwriting velocity and reduced script size during morning shifts.

GTF2IRD2 from the Williams–Beuren critical region encodes a mobile-element-derived fusion protein that antagonizes the action of its related family members

PubMed Central

Palmer, Stephen J.; Taylor, Kylie M.; Santucci, Nicole; Widagdo, Jocelyn; Chan, Yee-Ka Agnes; Yeo, Jen-Li; Adams, Merritt; Gunning, Peter W.; Hardeman, Edna C.

2012-01-01

Summary GTF2IRD2 belongs to a family of transcriptional regulators (including TFII-I and GTF2IRD1) that are responsible for many of the key features of Williams–Beuren syndrome (WBS). Sequence evidence suggests that GTF2IRD2 arose in eutherian mammals by duplication and divergence from the gene encoding TFII-I. However, in GTF2IRD2, most of the C-terminal domain has been lost and replaced by the domesticated remnant of an in-frame hAT-transposon mobile element. In this first experimental analysis of function, we show that transgenic expression of each of the three family members in skeletal muscle causes significant fiber type shifts, but the GTF2IRD2 protein causes an extreme shift in the opposite direction to the two other family members. Mating of GTF2IRD1 and GTF2IRD2 mice restores the fiber type balance, indicating an antagonistic relationship between these two paralogs. In cells, GTF2IRD2 localizes to cytoplasmic microtubules and discrete speckles in the nuclear periphery. We show that it can interact directly with TFII-Iβ and GTF2IRD1, and upon co-transfection changes the normal distribution of these two proteins into a punctate nuclear pattern typical of GTF2IRD2. These data suggest that GTF2IRD2 has evolved as a regulator of GTF2IRD1 and TFII-I; inhibiting their function by direct interaction and sequestration into inactive nuclear zones. PMID:22899722

Space-to-Space Communications System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tu, Kwei; Gaylor, Kent; Vitalpur, Sharada; Sham, Cathy

1999-01-01

The Space-to-Space Communications System (SSCS) is an Ultra High Frequency (UHF) Time-Division-Multiple Access (TDMA) system that is designed, developed, and deployed by the NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) to provide voice, commands, telemetry and data services in close proximity among three space elements: International Space Station (ISS), Space Shuttle Orbiter, and Extravehicular Mobility Units (EMU). The SSCS consists of a family of three radios which are, Space-to-Space Station Radio (SSSR), Space-to-Space Orbiter Radio (SSOR), and Space-to-Space Extravehicular Mobility Radio (SSER). The SSCS can support up to five such radios at a time. Each user has its own time slot within which to transmit voice and data. Continuous Phase Frequency Shift Keying (CPFSK) carrier modulation with a burst data rate of 695 kbps and a frequency deviation of 486.5 kHz is employed by the system. Reed-Solomon (R-S) coding is also adopted to ensure data quality. In this paper, the SSCS system requirements, operational scenario, detailed system architecture and parameters, link acquisition strategy, and link performance analysis will be presented and discussed

Cardiovascular Disease Screening By Community Health Workers Can Be Cost-Effective In Low-Resource Countries

PubMed Central

Gaziano, Thomas; Abrahams-Gessel, Shafika; Surka, Sam; Sy, Stephen; Pandya, Ankur; Denman, Catalina A.; Mendoza, Carlos; Puoane, Thandi; Levitt, Naomi S.

2016-01-01

In low-resource settings, a physician is not always available. We recently demonstrated that community health workers—instead of physicians or nurses—can efficiently screen adults for cardiovascular disease in South Africa, Mexico, and Guatemala. In this analysis we sought to determine the health and economic impacts of shifting this screening to community health workers equipped with either a paper-based or a mobile phone–based screening tool. We found that screening by community health workers was very cost-effective or even cost-saving in all three countries, compared to the usual clinic-based screening. The mobile application emerged as the most cost-effective strategy because it could save more lives than the paper tool at minimal extra cost. Our modeling indicated that screening by community health workers, combined with improved treatment rates, would increase the number of deaths averted from 15,000 to 110,000, compared to standard care. Policy makers should promote greater acceptance of community health workers by both national populations and health professionals and should increase their commitment to treating cardiovascular disease and making medications available. PMID:26355056

Electron Shuttling by Dissolved Humic Substances: Using Fluorescence Spectroscopy to Move Beyond the Laboratory to Natural Lakes, Streams and Groundwaters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKnight, D. M.

2017-12-01

Humic substances are an important class of reactive chemical species in natural waters, and one important role is their capacity to as an electron acceptor and/or electron shuttle to ferric iron present as solid phase ferric oxides. Several lines of evidence point to quinone-like moieties being the main redox active moieties that can be used by microbes in respiration. Concomitantly, the humic fraction of dissolved organic mater (DOM) contains the dominant fluorophores in many natural waters. Examination of excitation emission matrices (EEMs) across redox gradients in diverse aquatic systems show that the EEMs are generally red-shifted under reducing conditions, such as anoxic bottom waters in lakes and hypoxic waters in riparian wetlands. Furthermore, there is striking similarity between the humic fluorophores that are resolved by statistical analysis and the fluorescence spectra of model quinone compounds, with the more reduced species having red-shifted fluorescence spectra. This apparent red-shift can be quantified based on the distribution of apparently "quinone-like", "semi-quinone-like" and "hydroquinone-like" fluorophores determined by the PARAFAC statistical analysis. Because fluorescence spectroscopy can be applied at ambient DOM concentrations for samples that have been maintained in an anoxic condition, fluorescence spectroscopy can provide insight into the role of humic electron shuttling in natural systems. Examples are presented demosntrating the changing EEMs in anoxic bottomwaters in a lake in the McMurdo Dry Valleys following a major flood event and the role of organic material in the mobilization of arsenic in shallow groundwater in South East Asia.

Orientation domains: A mobile grid clustering algorithm with spherical corrections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mencos, Joana; Gratacós, Oscar; Farré, Mercè; Escalante, Joan; Arbués, Pau; Muñoz, Josep Anton

2012-12-01

An algorithm has been designed and tested which was devised as a tool assisting the analysis of geological structures solely from orientation data. More specifically, the algorithm was intended for the analysis of geological structures that can be approached as planar and piecewise features, like many folded strata. Input orientation data is expressed as pairs of angles (azimuth and dip). The algorithm starts by considering the data in Cartesian coordinates. This is followed by a search for an initial clustering solution, which is achieved by comparing the results output from the systematic shift of a regular rigid grid over the data. This initial solution is optimal (achieves minimum square error) once the grid size and the shift increment are fixed. Finally, the algorithm corrects for the variable spread that is generally expected from the data type using a reshaped non-rigid grid. The algorithm is size-oriented, which implies the application of conditions over cluster size through all the process in contrast to density-oriented algorithms, also widely used when dealing with spatial data. Results are derived in few seconds and, when tested over synthetic examples, they were found to be consistent and reliable. This makes the algorithm a valuable alternative to the time-consuming traditional approaches available to geologists.

Development of bacterial communities in biological soil crusts along a revegetation chronosequence in the Tengger Desert, northwest China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Lichao; Liu, Yubing; Zhang, Peng; Song, Guang; Hui, Rong; Wang, Zengru; Wang, Jin

2017-08-01

Knowledge of structure and function of microbial communities in different successional stages of biological soil crusts (BSCs) is still scarce for desert areas. In this study, Illumina MiSeq sequencing was used to assess the compositional changes of bacterial communities in different ages of BSCs in the revegetation of Shapotou in the Tengger Desert. The most dominant phyla of bacterial communities shifted with the changed types of BSCs in the successional stages, from Firmicutes in mobile sand and physical crusts to Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria in BSCs, and the most dominant genera shifted from Bacillus, Enterococcus and Lactococcus to RB41_norank and JG34-KF-361_norank. Alpha diversity and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis indicated that bacterial richness and abundance reached their highest levels after 15 years of BSC development. Redundancy analysis showed that silt + clay content and total K were the prime determinants of the bacterial communities of BSCs. The results suggested that bacterial communities of BSCs recovered quickly with the improved soil physicochemical properties in the early stages of BSC succession. Changes in the bacterial community structure may be an important indicator in the biogeochemical cycling and nutrient storage in early successional stages of BSCs in desert ecosystems.

Network-Centric Operations Support: Lessons Learned, Status, and Way-Ahead

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-01

34 Information Sharing Environment (ISE) Presentation, Enterprise Architecture Conference, 2011 (http://goveaconference.com/Events/2011/Sessions/ Tuesday ...cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA525312) [35] Morris , Michael, et al. Widget and Mobile Technologies a Forcing Function for Acquisition Change: Paradigm Shift

The Case for Place

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Lisa Carlucci

2012-01-01

Bookstores, record stores, libraries, Facebook: these places--both physical and virtual--demonstrate an established and essential purpose as centers of community, expertise, convenience, immediacy, and respect. Yet as digital, mobile, and social shifts continue to transform culture and interactions, these spaces and places transform, too.…

Parochialism and Intercourse: Metaphors for Mobility.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, John

1994-01-01

Discusses tensions resulting from dichotomies existing between "smaller" languages and those of wider communications. It is suggested that there are four recurring approaches for dealing with this tension: communicative language shift, defense of the more threatened variety, "localization" of the stronger language (for example,…

Understanding the development of a regulated market approach to new psychoactive substances (NPS) in New Zealand using Punctuated Equilibrium Theory.

PubMed

Rychert, Marta; Wilkins, Chris

2018-05-09

The short-lived regulated legal market for new psychoactive substances (NPS) in New Zealand marked a radical departure from the traditional prohibition-based approach to drugs. This paper aimed to enhance understanding of this policy change using Punctuated Equilibrium Theory (PET). The analysis draws on 3 years of evaluative research, including interviews with key stakeholders, analysis of legislation and policy documents and academic and grey literature. The reframing of the NPS issue from one of drug control to the need for stricter market regulation was achieved by the efforts of strategic policy entrepreneurs, including the legal high industry, drug law reform advocates, influential politicians and an independent legal advisory institution. This reframing was aided by the perceived saliency of the NPS problem and ineffectiveness of previous prohibition-based responses. In the absence of any political opposition to the regulatory approach, the Psychoactive Substances Act rapidly progressed through the Parliament. However, once the interim legal market was established, portrayal of the issues shifted away from experts and lobbyists to critique from local communities, local government, animal rights activists and the media, who viewed the new regime as a source of social and health problems. The mobilization of criticism ('Schattschneider mobilization') drew on ideas of animal welfare and community safety. With a looming national election, the government responded by ending the interim market with the urgent passage of amendment legislation. Punctuated Equilibrium Theory (PET) helps explain how New Zealand's Psychoactive Substances Act (PSA) policy first emerged on the political agenda and how the initial positive tone of expert support for reform shifted to a tide of popular criticism during the interim regime. However, with its emphasis on explaining agenda-setting, PET does not account for the legislative design shortcomings of the PSA. © 2018 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Methanogenesis-induced pH–Eh shifts drives aqueous metal(loid) mobility in sulfide mineral systems under CO2 enriched conditions

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

Harvey, Omar R.; Qafoku, Nikolla; Cantrell, Kirk J.

2016-01-15

Accounting for microbially-mediated CO2 transformation is pivotal to assessing geochemical implications for elevated CO2 in subsurface environments. A series of batch-reactor experiments were conducted to decipher links between autotrophic methanogenesis, CO2 dynamics and aqueous Fe, As and Pb concentrations in the presence of sulfide minerals. Microbially-mediated solubility-trapping followed by pseudo-first order reduction of HCO3- to CH4 (k’ = 0.28-0.59 d-1) accounted for 95% of the CO2 loss from methanogenic experiments. Bicarbonate-to-methane reduction was pivotal in the mitigation of CO2-induced acidity (~1 pH unit) and enhancement of reducing conditions (Eh change from -0.215 to -0.332V ). Methanogenesis-associated shifts in pH-Eh valuesmore » showed no significant effect on aqueous Pb but favored, 1) increased aqueous As as a result of microbially-mediated dissolution of arsenopyrite and 2) decreased aqueous Fe due to mineral-trapping of CO2-mobilized Fe as Fe-carbonate. Its order of occurrence (and magnitude), relative to solubility- and mineral-trapping, highlighted the potential for autotrophic methanogenesis to modulate both carbon sequestration and contaminant mobility in CO2-impacted subsurface environments.« less

Three-dimensional rotational angiography of the left atrium and the oesophagus: the short-term mobility of the oesophagus and the stability of the fused three-dimensional model of the left atrium and the oesophagus during catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation.

PubMed

Starek, Zdenek; Lehar, Frantisek; Jez, Jiri; Scurek, Martin; Wolf, Jiri; Kulik, Tomas; Zbankova, Alena; Novak, Miroslav

2017-08-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the mobility of the oesophagus and the stability of the three-dimensional (3D) model of the oesophagus using 3D rotational angiography (3DRA) of the left atrium (LA) and the oesophagus, fused with live fluoroscopy during catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation. From March 2015 to September 2015, 3DRA of the LA and the oesophagus was performed in 33 patients before catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation. Control contrast oesophagography was performed every 30 min. The positions of the oesophagograms and the 3D model of the LA and the oesophagus were repeatedly measured and compared with the spine. The average shift of the oesophagus ranged from 2.7 ± 2.2 to 5.0 ± 3.5 mm. The average real-time oesophageal shift ranged from 2.7 ± 2.2 to 3.8 ± 3.4 mm. No significant shift was detected until the 90th minute of the procedure. The average shift of the 3D model of the LA and the oesophagus ranged from 1.4 ± 1.8 to 3.3 ± 3.0 mm (right-left direction) and from 0.9 ± 1.2 to 2.2 ± 1.3 mm (craniocaudal direction). During the 2 h procedure, there were no significant shifts of the model. During catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation, there is no significant change in the position of the oesophagus until the 90th minute of the procedure and no significant shift in the 3D model of the LA and the oesophagus. The 3D model of the oesophagus reliably depicts the position of the oesophagus during the entire procedure. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2016. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Selection for predation, not female fecundity, explains sexual size dimorphism in the orchid mantises.

PubMed

Svenson, Gavin J; Brannoch, Sydney K; Rodrigues, Henrique M; O'Hanlon, James C; Wieland, Frank

2016-12-01

Here we reconstruct the evolutionary shift towards floral simulation in orchid mantises and suggest female predatory selection as the likely driving force behind the development of extreme sexual size dimorphism. Through analysis of body size data and phylogenetic modelling of trait evolution, we recovered an ancestral shift towards sexual dimorphisms in both size and appearance in a lineage of flower-associated praying mantises. Sedentary female flower mantises dramatically increased in size prior to a transition from camouflaged, ambush predation to a floral simulation strategy, gaining access to, and visually attracting, a novel resource: large pollinating insects. Male flower mantises, however, remained small and mobile to facilitate mate-finding and reproductive success, consistent with ancestral male life strategy. Although moderate sexual size dimorphisms are common in many arthropod lineages, the predominant explanation is female size increase for increased fecundity. However, sex-dependent selective pressures acting outside of female fecundity have been suggested as mechanisms behind niche dimorphisms. Our hypothesised role of predatory selection acting on females to generate both extreme sexual size dimorphism coupled with niche dimorphism is novel among arthropods.

Selection for predation, not female fecundity, explains sexual size dimorphism in the orchid mantises

PubMed Central

Svenson, Gavin J.; Brannoch, Sydney K.; Rodrigues, Henrique M.; O’Hanlon, James C.; Wieland, Frank

2016-01-01

Here we reconstruct the evolutionary shift towards floral simulation in orchid mantises and suggest female predatory selection as the likely driving force behind the development of extreme sexual size dimorphism. Through analysis of body size data and phylogenetic modelling of trait evolution, we recovered an ancestral shift towards sexual dimorphisms in both size and appearance in a lineage of flower-associated praying mantises. Sedentary female flower mantises dramatically increased in size prior to a transition from camouflaged, ambush predation to a floral simulation strategy, gaining access to, and visually attracting, a novel resource: large pollinating insects. Male flower mantises, however, remained small and mobile to facilitate mate-finding and reproductive success, consistent with ancestral male life strategy. Although moderate sexual size dimorphisms are common in many arthropod lineages, the predominant explanation is female size increase for increased fecundity. However, sex-dependent selective pressures acting outside of female fecundity have been suggested as mechanisms behind niche dimorphisms. Our hypothesised role of predatory selection acting on females to generate both extreme sexual size dimorphism coupled with niche dimorphism is novel among arthropods. PMID:27905469

Laser-Camera Vision Sensing for Spacecraft Mobile Robot Navigation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maluf, David A.; Khalil, Ahmad S.; Dorais, Gregory A.; Gawdiak, Yuri

2002-01-01

The advent of spacecraft mobile robots-free-flyng sensor platforms and communications devices intended to accompany astronauts or remotely operate on space missions both inside and outside of a spacecraft-has demanded the development of a simple and effective navigation schema. One such system under exploration involves the use of a laser-camera arrangement to predict relative positioning of the mobile robot. By projecting laser beams from the robot, a 3D reference frame can be introduced. Thus, as the robot shifts in position, the position reference frame produced by the laser images is correspondingly altered. Using normalization and camera registration techniques presented in this paper, the relative translation and rotation of the robot in 3D are determined from these reference frame transformations.

Animal-Free Chemical Safety Assessment

PubMed Central

Loizou, George D.

2016-01-01

The exponential growth of the Internet of Things and the global popularity and remarkable decline in cost of the mobile phone is driving the digital transformation of medical practice. The rapidly maturing digital, non-medical world of mobile (wireless) devices, cloud computing and social networking is coalescing with the emerging digital medical world of omics data, biosensors and advanced imaging which offers the increasingly realistic prospect of personalized medicine. Described as a potential “seismic” shift from the current “healthcare” model to a “wellness” paradigm that is predictive, preventative, personalized and participatory, this change is based on the development of increasingly sophisticated biosensors which can track and measure key biochemical variables in people. Additional key drivers in this shift are metabolomic and proteomic signatures, which are increasingly being reported as pre-symptomatic, diagnostic and prognostic of toxicity and disease. These advancements also have profound implications for toxicological evaluation and safety assessment of pharmaceuticals and environmental chemicals. An approach based primarily on human in vivo and high-throughput in vitro human cell-line data is a distinct possibility. This would transform current chemical safety assessment practice which operates in a human “data poor” to a human “data rich” environment. This could also lead to a seismic shift from the current animal-based to an animal-free chemical safety assessment paradigm. PMID:27493630

Developing Intercultural Awareness Using Digital Storytelling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ribiero, Sandre P. M.

2016-01-01

Higher Education mirrors the shifting nature of society and work. Mobility may provide unparalleled learning opportunities for all stakeholders; however, in order to live and work in plural societies as socially responsible and intercultural knowledgeable citizens, intercultural awareness and intercultural communication skills need to be mastered.…

State Efforts to Reform Schools: Treading between a Regulatory Swamp and an English Garden.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Timar, Thomas B.; Kirp, David L.

1988-01-01

The educational reform strategies of Texas, California, and South Carolina are examined as they relate to reform outcomes. The current effort toward educational excellence must shift its focus from regulation and compliance monitoring to mobilization of institutional capacity. (SLD)

Health workforce imbalances in times of globalization: brain drain or professional mobility?

PubMed

Marchal, Bruno; Kegels, Guy

2003-01-01

The health workforce is of strategic importance to the performance of national health systems as well as of international disease control initiatives. The brain drain from rural to urban areas, and from developing to industrialized countries is a long-standing phenomenon in the health professions but has in recent years taken extreme proportions, particularly in Africa. Adopting the wider perspective of health workforce balances, this paper presents an analysis of the underlying mechanisms of health professional migration and possible strategies to reduce its negative impact on health services. The opening up of international borders for goods and labour, a key strategy in the current liberal global economy, is accompanied by a linguistic shift from 'human capital flight' and 'brain drain' to 'professional mobility' or 'brain circulation'. In reality, this mobility is very asymmetrical, to the detriment of less developed countries, which lose not only much-needed human resources, but also considerable investments in education and fiscal income. It is argued that low professional satisfaction and the decreasing social valuation of the health professionals are important determinants of the decreasing attraction of the health professions, which underlies both the push from the exporting countries, as well as the pull from the recipient countries. Solutions should therefore be based on this wider perspective, interrelating health workforce imbalances between, but also within developing and developed countries.

Recognition of Earthquake-Induced Damage in the Abakainon Necropolis (NE Sicily): Results From Geomorphological, Geophysical and Numerical Analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bottari, C.; Albano, M.; Capizzi, P.; D'Alessandro, A.; Doumaz, F.; Martorana, R.; Moro, M.; Saroli, M.

2018-01-01

Seismotectonic activity and slope instability are a permanent threat in the archaeological site of Abakainon and in the nearby village of Tripi in NE Sicily. In recent times, signs of an ancient earthquake have been identified in the necropolis of Abakainon which dating was ascertained to the first century AD earthquake. The site is located on a slope of Peloritani Mts. along the Tindari Fault Line and contains evidence for earthquake-induced landslide, including fallen columns and blocks, horizontal shift and counter slope tilting of the tomb basements. In this paper, we used an integrated geomorphological and geophysical analysis to constrain the landslide. The research was directed to the acquisition of deep geological data for the reconstruction of slope process and the thickness of mobilized materials. The applied geophysical techniques included seismic refraction tomography and electrical resistivity tomography. The surveys were performed to delineate the sliding surface and to assess approximately the thickness of mobilized materials. The geophysical and geomorphologic data confirmed the presence of different overlapped landslides in the studied area. Moreover, a numerical simulation of the slope under seismic loads supports the hypothesis of a mobilization of the landslide mass in case of strong earthquakes (PGA > 0.3 g). However, numerical results highlight that the main cause of destruction for the Abakainon necropolis is the amplification of the seismic waves, occasionally accompanied by surficial sliding.

Miniaturised wireless smart tag for optical chemical analysis applications.

PubMed

Steinberg, Matthew D; Kassal, Petar; Tkalčec, Biserka; Murković Steinberg, Ivana

2014-01-01

A novel miniaturised photometer has been developed as an ultra-portable and mobile analytical chemical instrument. The low-cost photometer presents a paradigm shift in mobile chemical sensor instrumentation because it is built around a contactless smart card format. The photometer tag is based on the radio-frequency identification (RFID) smart card system, which provides short-range wireless data and power transfer between the photometer and a proximal reader, and which allows the reader to also energise the photometer by near field electromagnetic induction. RFID is set to become a key enabling technology of the Internet-of-Things (IoT), hence devices such as the photometer described here will enable numerous mobile, wearable and vanguard chemical sensing applications in the emerging connected world. In the work presented here, we demonstrate the characterisation of a low-power RFID wireless sensor tag with an LED/photodiode-based photometric input. The performance of the wireless photometer has been tested through two different model analytical applications. The first is photometry in solution, where colour intensity as a function of dye concentration was measured. The second is an ion-selective optode system in which potassium ion concentrations were determined by using previously well characterised bulk optode membranes. The analytical performance of the wireless photometer smart tag is clearly demonstrated by these optical absorption-based analytical experiments, with excellent data agreement to a reference laboratory instrument. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Analysis of Metal Element Distributions in Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Seeds and Relocation during Germination Based on X-Ray Fluorescence Imaging of Zn, Fe, K, Ca, and Mn

PubMed Central

Lu, Lingli; Tian, Shengke; Liao, Haibing; Zhang, Jie; Yang, Xiaoe; Labavitch, John M.; Chen, Wenrong

2013-01-01

Knowledge of mineral localization within rice grains is important for understanding the role of different elements in seed development, as well as for facilitating biofortification of seed micronutrients in order to enhance seeds’ values in human diets. In this study, the concentrations of minerals in whole rice grains, hulls, brown rice, bran and polished rice were quantified by inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy. The in vivo mineral distribution patterns in rice grains and shifts in those distribution patterns during progressive stages of germination were analyzed by synchrotron X-ray microfluorescence. The results showed that half of the total Zn, two thirds of the total Fe, and most of the total K, Ca and Mn were removed by the milling process if the hull and bran were thoroughly polished. Concentrations of all elements were high in the embryo regions even though the local distributions within the embryo varied between elements. Mobilization of the minerals from specific seed locations during germination was also element-specific. High mobilization of K and Ca from grains to growing roots and leaf primordia was observed; the flux of Zn to these expanding tissues was somewhat less than that of K and Ca; the mobilization of Mn or Fe was relatively low, at least during the first few days of germination. PMID:23451212

Development of a mobile Doppler lidar system for wind and temperature measurements at 30-70 km

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Zhaoai; Hu, Xiong; Guo, Wenjie; Guo, Shangyong; Cheng, Yongqiang; Gong, Jiancun; Yue, Jia

2017-02-01

A mobile Doppler lidar system has been developed to simultaneously measure zonal and meridional winds and temperature from 30 to 70 km. Each of the two zonal and meridional wind subsystems employs a 15 W power, 532 nm laser and a 1 m diameter telescope. Iodine vapor filters are used to stabilize laser frequency and to detect the Doppler shift of backscattered signal. The integration method is used for temperature measurement. Experiments were carried out using the mobile Doppler lidar in August 2014 at Qinghai, China (91°E, 38°N). The zonal wind was measured from 20 to 70 km at a 3 km spatial resolution and 2 h temporal resolution. The measurement error is about 0.5 m/s at 30 km, and 10 m/s at 70 km. In addition, the temperature was measured from 30 to 70 km at 1 km spatial resolution and 1 h temporal resolution. The temperature measurement error is about 0.4 K at 30 km, and 8.0 K at 70 km. Comparison of the lidar results with the temperature of the Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER), the zonal wind of the Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Re-search and Applications (MERRA), and radiosonde zonal wind shows good agreement, indicating that the Doppler lidar results are reliable.

Structural Change of Aerosol Particle Aggregates with Exposure to Elevated Relative Humidity.

PubMed

Montgomery, James F; Rogak, Steven N; Green, Sheldon I; You, Yuan; Bertram, Allan K

2015-10-20

Structural changes of aggregates composed of inorganic salts exposed to relative humidity (RH) between 0 and 80% after formation at selected RH between 0 and 60% were investigated using a tandem differential mobility analyzer (TDMA) and fluorescence microscopy. The TDMA was used to measure a shift in peak mobility diameter for 100-700 nm aggregates of hygroscopic aerosol particles composed of NaCl, Na2SO4, (NH4)2SO4, and nonhygroscopic Al2O3 as the RH was increased. Aggregates of hygroscopic particles were found to shrink when exposed to RH greater than that during the aggregation process. The degree of aggregate restructuring is greater for larger aggregates and greater increases in RH. Growth factors (GF) calculated from mobility diameter measurements as low as 0.77 were seen for NaCl before deliquescence. The GF subsequently increased to 1.23 at 80% RH, indicating growth after deliquescence. Exposure to RH lower than that experienced during aggregation did not result in structural changes. Fluorescent microscopy confirmed that aggregates formed on wire surfaces undergo an irreversible change in structure when exposed to elevated RH. Analysis of 2D movement of aggregates shows a displacement of 5-13% compared to projected length of initial aggregate from a wire surface. Surface tension due to water adsorption within the aggregate structure is a potential cause of the structural changes.

Immersive realities: articulating the shift from VR to mobile AR through artistic practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Margolis, Todd; Cornish, Tracy; Berry, Rodney; DeFanti, Thomas A.

2012-03-01

Our contemporary imaginings of technological engagement with digital environments has transitioned from flying through Virtual Reality to mobile interactions with the physical world through personal media devices. Experiences technologically mediated through social interactivity within physical environments are now being preferenced over isolated environments such as CAVEs or HMDs. Examples of this trend can be seen in early tele-collaborative artworks which strove to use advanced networking to join multiple participants in shared virtual environments. Recent developments in mobile AR allow untethered access to such shared realities in places far removed from labs and home entertainment environments, and without the bulky and expensive technologies attached to our bodies that accompany most VR. This paper addresses the emerging trend favoring socially immersive artworks via mobile Augmented Reality rather than sensorially immersive Virtual Reality installations. With particular focus on AR as a mobile, locative technology, we will discuss how concepts of immersion and interactivity are evolving with this new medium. Immersion in context of mobile AR can be redefined to describe socially interactive experiences. Having distinctly different sensory, spatial and situational properties, mobile AR offers a new form for remixing elements from traditional virtual reality with physically based social experiences. This type of immersion offers a wide array of potential for mobile AR art forms. We are beginning to see examples of how artists can use mobile AR to create social immersive and interactive experiences.

Spatial Shifts in Tidal-Fluvial Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dykstra, S. L.; Dzwonkowski, B.

2017-12-01

Fresh water discharge damps tidal propagation and increases the phase lag, which has important impacts on system-wide sediment transport process and ecological structure. Here, the role of discharge on spatial variability in the dynamics of tidal rivers is investigated in Mobile Bay and Delta, a microtidal diurnal system where discharge ranges multiple orders of magnitude. Long-term observations at 7 velocity stations and 20 water level stations, ranging over 260km along the system, were analyzed. Observations of the tidal extinguishing point in both velocity and water level were highly variable with significant shifts in location covering a distance over 140km. The velocity stations also allowed for measuring the extent of flood (i.e. point where tidal flow is arrested by discharge) shifting 100km. With increased discharge, flow characteristics at station locations can transition from an estuary (i.e. bidirectional tidal flow) to a tidal river to a traditional fluvial environment. This revealed systematic discharge induced damping and an increase in phase lag. Interestingly, before damping occurs, the tide amplifies ( 15%) seaward of the extent of flood. Another consistent pattern is the higher sensitivity of the velocity signal to discharge than water level. This causes the velocity to lag more and create progressive tides. In a microtidal diurnal system, the signal propagates further inland than a semidiurnal tide due to its lower frequency but is easily damped due to the small amplitude, creating large shifts. Previous research has focused on environments dominated by semidiurnal tides with similar magnitudes to discharge using water level observations. For example, the well studied Columbia and the St. Lawrence rivers have small shifts in their tidal extinguishing point O(10km) (Jay 2016, Matte 2014). These shifts are not large enough to observe process like discharge-induced amplification and damping at the same site like in the Mobile system, but they may indicate a decoupling of the water level and velocity signal by discharge. Throughout the world, shifts in tidal rivers are created by seasonal discharge patterns, but large storms can quickly disrupt a system and move it over 140km in a few days.

Modification and Mobility of Dunes and Ripples in Middle and High Southern Latitude Dune Fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banks, M.; Fenton, L. K.; Chojnacki, M.; Silvestro, S.

2017-12-01

Change detection analyses of aeolian bedforms (dunes and ripples), using multi-temporal images (0.25 m/pixel) acquired by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE), reveal changes and migration of some bedforms. We now have a database of 200 dune fields with migration rates for bedforms that are mobile. Results show that most northern (N) hemisphere bedforms show movement, while 50% of southern (S) hemisphere bedforms show no detectable changes. In particular, bedforms located >70° N are consistently mobile and exhibit high sand fluxes while S hemisphere bedforms progressively decrease in mobility with proximity to the S pole. We analyze HiRISE image pairs covering dune fields south of 40° S for evidence of movement and apply a dune stability index (SI) based on the presence/lack of superposed non-aeolian features and degree of degradation by non-aeolian processes (0-6, higher numbers indicating increasing evidence of stability/modification). Combining mobility data and SI for 71 dune fields, we find a clear trend of decreasing sand mobility and increasing SI with latitude: 1) both dunes and ripples are more commonly mobile at lower latitudes, although some high-latitude ripples are migrating, 2) dune fields with low SIs (≤3) tend to be active while those with higher SIs tend to be inactive, and 3) ripple migration rates decrease slightly with increasing latitude and SI, although this may be attributable to regional variations. The elevation of dune fields generally increases with increasing S latitude suggesting elevation, and decreasing pressure, may contribute to decreasing mobility. A change in dominance of active to inactive bedforms and a morphological shift to higher SIs (SI=2) both occur at 60º S and coincide with the edge of high concentrations of H2O-equivalent hydrogen content observed by the Neutron Spectrometer. This is consistent with previous studies suggesting stabilizing agents (e.g., ground ice), likely limit sediment movement (i.e. sand availability). Active dune fields with morphologies consistent with stability (i.e. migrating ripples with SI=3) may indicate possible competing influences of aeolian and non-aeolian processes (i.e. polar processes), or perhaps a temporal shift from earlier conditions dominated by polar processes to recent increases in aeolian activity.

Resistance in Unjust Times: Archer, Structured Agency and the Sociology of Health Inequalities.

PubMed

Scambler, Graham

2013-02-01

Few sociologists dissent from the notion that the mid- to late 1970s witnessed a shift in capitalism's modus operandi . Its association with a rapid increase of social and material inequality is beyond dispute. This article opens with a brief summation of contemporary British trends in economic inequalities, and finds an echo of these trends in health inequalities. It is suggested that the sociology of health inequalities in Britain lacks an analysis of agency, and that such an analysis is crucial. A case is made that the recent critical realist contribution of Margaret Archer on 'internal conversations' lends itself to an understanding of agency that is salient here. The article develops her typology of internal conversations to present characterizations of the 'focused autonomous reflexives' whose mind-sets are causally efficacious for producing and reproducing inequalities, and the 'dedicated meta-reflexives' whose casts of mind might yet predispose them to mobilize resistance to inequalities.

Role of AlGaN/GaN interface traps on negative threshold voltage shift in AlGaN/GaN HEMT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malik, Amit; Sharma, Chandan; Laishram, Robert; Bag, Rajesh Kumar; Rawal, Dipendra Singh; Vinayak, Seema; Sharma, Rajesh Kumar

2018-04-01

This article reports negative shift in the threshold-voltage in AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) with application of reverse gate bias stress. The device is biased in strong pinch-off and low drain to source voltage condition for a fixed time duration (reverse gate bias stress), followed by measurement of transfer characteristics. Negative threshold voltage shift after application of reverse gate bias stress indicates the presence of more carriers in channel as compared to the unstressed condition. We propose the presence of AlGaN/GaN interface states to be the reason of negative threshold voltage shift, and developed a process to electrically characterize AlGaN/GaN interface states. We verified the results with Technology Computer Aided Design (TCAD) ATLAS simulation and got a good match with experimental measurements.

Regional ionospheric model for improvement of navigation position with EGNOS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swiatek, Anna; Tomasik, Lukasz; Jaworski, Leszek

The problem of insufficient accuracy of EGNOS correction for the territory of Poland, located at the edge of EGNOS range is well known. The EEI PECS project (EGNOS EUPOS Integration) assumed improving the EGNOS correction by using the GPS observations from Polish ASG-EUPOS stations. A ionospheric delay parameter is a part of EGNOS correction. The comparative analysis of TEC values obtained from EGNOS and regional permanent GNSS stations showed the systematic shift. The TEC from EGNOS correction is underestimated related to computed regional TEC value. The new-‘improved’ corrections computed based on regional model were substituted for the EGNOS correction for suitable message. Dynamic measurements managed using the Mobile GPS Laboratory (MGL), showed the improvement of navigation position with TEC regional model.

The effect on road safety of a modal shift from car to bicycle.

PubMed

Stipdonk, Henk; Reurings, Martine

2012-01-01

To describe and apply a method to assess the effect on road safety of a modal shift from cars to bicycles. Ten percent of all car trips shorter than 7.5 km were assumed to be replaced by bicycle trips. Single-vehicle and multivehicle crashes involving cars and/or bicycles were considered. The safety of car occupants and cyclists was taken into account as well as the safety of other road users involved in such crashes. The computations were carried out by age and gender. Assuming constant risk (casualties per distance traveled), the expected number of accidents is proportional to the mobility shift. Several types of risk were considered: the risk of being injured as a car driver or cyclist and the risk of being involved as a car driver or cyclist in a crash in which another road user is injured. The results indicated that the total gain of the modal shift was negative for fatalities, which means that there was a net increase in the number of fatalities. The modal shift was advantageous for young drivers and disadvantageous for elderly drivers. In addition, it was more positive for males than for females. The turning point was around the age of 35. For hospitalized casualties, due to the strong influence of the many hospitalized cyclists in nonmotorized vehicle crashes, there was a strong negative overall effect, and the modal shift resulted in a positive effect for 18- and 19-year-old males only. Overall, a small increase (up to 1%) in the number of cyclist fatalities and a greater increase of 3.5 percent in the number of inpatients was expected. The increase in casualties was mainly due to the proportion of single-vehicle bicycle crashes with serious injuries in relation to the total number of injured cyclists. The effect of the modal shift was shown to depend on age and gender, resulting in fewer casualties for younger drivers and for women. It is possible to provide a first approximation of the effect on road safety of a mobility shift from cars to bicycles. This approximation indicates that, in general, road safety does not benefit from this modal shift. The effect differs for gender and age groups. Elderly drivers are safer inside a car than on a bicycle. For the number of hospitalized casualties, the modal shift increases the number of casualties for practically all ages and both genders.

Fatigue mitigation with SleepTrackTXT2 in air medical emergency care systems: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Patterson, P Daniel; Moore, Charity G; Guyette, Frank X; Doman, Jack M; Sequeira, Denisse; Werman, Howard A; Swanson, Doug; Hostler, David; Lynch, Joshua; Russo, Lindsey; Hines, Linda; Swecker, Karen; Runyon, Michael S; Buysse, Daniel J

2017-06-05

Most air medical Emergency Medical Services (EMS) clinicians work extended duration shifts, and more than 50% report inadequate sleep, poor sleep quality, and/or poor recovery between shifts. The SleepTrackTXT pilot trial (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02063737) showed that use of mobile phone text messages could impact EMS clinician self-reported fatigue and sleepiness during long duration shifts. The purpose of the SleepTrackTXT2 trial is to leverage lessons learned from the first SleepTrackTXT study and test an enhanced intervention targeting air medical EMS clinicians. We will conduct a multi-site randomized trial with a sample of adult EMS clinicians recruited from four air medical EMS systems located in the midwest, northeastern, and southern USA. Participants will be allocated to one of two possible arms for a 4-month (120-day) study period. The intervention arm will involve text-message assessments of sleepiness, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating at the beginning, every 4 hours during, and at the end of scheduled shifts. Participants reporting high levels of sleepiness, fatigue, or difficulty with concentration will receive one of nine randomly selected intervention messages to promote behavior change during shift work to improve alertness. Intervention participants will receive a text-message report on Friday of each week that shows their sleep debt over the previous 7 days followed by a text message to promote paying back sleep debt recovery when feasible. Participants in the control group receive text messages that only include assessments. Both arms will receive text-message assessments of perceived recovery since last shift, sleepiness, fatigue, or difficulty with concentration at noon (1200 hours) on days between scheduled shifts (off-duty days). We have two aims for this study: (1) to determine the short-term impact of the enhanced SleepTrackTXT2 intervention on air medical clinician fatigue reported in real time during and at the end of shift work, and (2) to determine the long-term impact of the SleepTrackTXT2 intervention on sleep quality and sleep health indicators including hours of sleep and recovery between shift work. The SleepTrackTXT2 trial may provide evidence of real-world effectiveness that would support widespread expansion of fatigue mitigation interventions in emergency care clinician shift workers. The trial may specifically support use of real-time assessments and interventions delivered via mobile technology such as text messaging. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02783027 . Registered on 23 May 2016.

Probing cation and vacancy ordering in the dry and hydrated yttrium-substituted BaSnO3 perovskite by NMR spectroscopy and first principles calculations: implications for proton mobility.

PubMed

Buannic, Lucienne; Blanc, Frédéric; Middlemiss, Derek S; Grey, Clare P

2012-09-05

Hydrated BaSn(1-x)Y(x)O(3-x/2) is a protonic conductor that, unlike many other related perovskites, shows high conductivity even at high substitution levels. A joint multinuclear NMR spectroscopy and density functional theory (total energy and GIPAW NMR calculations) investigation of BaSn(1-x)Y(x)O(3-x/2) (0.10 ≤ x ≤ 0.50) was performed to investigate cation ordering and the location of the oxygen vacancies in the dry material. The DFT energetics show that Y doping on the Sn site is favored over doping on the Ba site. The (119)Sn chemical shifts are sensitive to the number of neighboring Sn and Y cations, an experimental observation that is supported by the GIPAW calculations and that allows clustering to be monitored: Y substitution on the Sn sublattice is close to random up to x = 0.20, while at higher substitution levels, Y-O-Y linkages are avoided, leading, at x = 0.50, to strict Y-O-Sn alternation of B-site cations. These results are confirmed by the absence of a "Y-O-Y" (17)O resonance and supported by the (17)O NMR shift calculations. Although resonances due to six-coordinate Y cations were observed by (89)Y NMR, the agreement between the experimental and calculated shifts was poor. Five-coordinate Sn and Y sites (i.e., sites next to the vacancy) were observed by (119)Sn and (89)Y NMR, respectively, these sites disappearing on hydration. More five-coordinated Sn than five-coordinated Y sites are seen, even at x = 0.50, which is ascribed to the presence of residual Sn-O-Sn defects in the cation-ordered material and their ability to accommodate O vacancies. High-temperature (119)Sn NMR reveals that the O ions are mobile above 400 °C, oxygen mobility being required to hydrate these materials. The high protonic mobility, even in the high Y-content materials, is ascribed to the Y-O-Sn cation ordering, which prevents proton trapping on the more basic Y-O-Y sites.

Stimulation of hepatocytic AMP-activated protein kinase by okadaic acid and other autophagy-suppressive toxins

PubMed Central

2004-01-01

Autophagic activity in isolated rat hepatocytes is strongly suppressed by OA (okadaic acid) and other PP (protein phosphatase)-inhibitory toxins as well as by AICAR (5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide riboside), a direct activator of AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase). To investigate whether AMPK is a mediator of the effects of the toxin, a phosphospecific antibody directed against the activation of phosphorylation of the AMPK α (catalytic)-subunit at Thr172 was used to assess the activation status of this enzyme. AICAR as well as all the toxins tested (OA, microcystin-LR, calyculin A, cantharidin and tautomycin) induced strong, dose-dependent AMPKα phosphorylation, correlating with AMPK activity in situ (in intact hepatocytes) as measured by the AMPK-dependent phosphorylation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase at Ser79. All treatments induced the appearance of multiple, phosphatase-sensitive, low-mobility forms of the AMPK α-subunit, consistent with phosphorylation at several sites other than Thr172. The flavonoid naringin, an effective antagonist of OA-induced autophagy suppression, inhibited the AMPK phosphorylation and mobility shifting induced by AICAR, OA or microcystin, but not the changes induced by calyculin A or cantharidin. AMPK may thus be activated both by a naringin-sensitive and a naringin-resistant mechanism, probably involving the PPs PP2A and PP1 respectively. Neither the Thr172-phosphorylating protein kinase LKB1 nor the Thr172-dephosphorylating PP, PP2C, were mobility-shifted after treatment with toxins or AICAR, whereas a slight mobility shifting of the regulatory AMPK β-subunit was indicated. Immunoblotting with a phosphospecific antibody against pSer108 at the β-subunit revealed a naringin-sensitive phosphorylation induced by OA, microcystin and AICAR and a naringin-resistant phosphorylation induced by calyculin A and cantharidin, suggesting that β-subunit phosphorylation could play a role in AMPK activation. Naringin antagonized the autophagy-suppressive effects of AICAR and OA, but not the autophagy suppression caused by cantharidin, consistent with AMPK-mediated inhibition of autophagy by toxins as well as by AICAR. PMID:15461583

Inexpensive Audio Activities: Earbud-Based Sound Experiments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Joshua; Boucher, Alex; Meggison, Dean; Hruby, Kate; Vesenka, James

2016-01-01

Inexpensive alternatives to a number of classic introductory physics sound laboratories are presented including interference phenomena, resonance conditions, and frequency shifts. These can be created using earbuds, economical supplies such as Giant Pixie Stix® wrappers, and free software available for PCs and mobile devices. We describe two…

Importance of Labor in Adoption of a Modern Farm Input.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ndiaye, Serigne; Sofranko, Andrew J.

1988-01-01

Explores relationship between farm technology and labor availability in Africa. Studies introduction of high-yielding maize variety in Zambia and resulting effects on labor availability/mobilization. Shows shift to hybrids requires additional labor, including available children. Illustrates need for adoption research taking broader farming…

Understanding Gas Phase Modifier Interactions in Rapid Analysis by Differential Mobility-Tandem Mass Spectrometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kafle, Amol; Coy, Stephen L.; Wong, Bryan M.; Fornace, Albert J.; Glick, James J.; Vouros, Paul

2014-07-01

A systematic study involving the use and optimization of gas-phase modifiers in quantitative differential mobility-mass spectrometry (DMS-MS) analysis is presented using nucleoside-adduct biomarkers of DNA damage as an important reference point for analysis in complex matrices. Commonly used polar protic and polar aprotic modifiers have been screened for use against two deoxyguanosine adducts of DNA: N-(deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-4-aminobiphenyl (dG-C8-4-ABP) and N-(deoxyguanosin-8-y1)-2-amino-l-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (dG-C8-PhIP). Particular attention was paid to compensation voltage (CoV) shifts, peak shapes, and product ion signal intensities while optimizing the DMS-MS conditions. The optimized parameters were then applied to rapid quantitation of the DNA adducts in calf thymus DNA. After a protein precipitation step, adduct levels corresponding to less than one modification in 106 normal DNA bases were detected using the DMS-MS platform. Based on DMS fundamentals and ab initio thermochemical results, we interpret the complexity of DMS modifier responses in terms of thermal activation and the development of solvent shells. At very high bulk gas temperature, modifier dipole moment may be the most important factor in cluster formation and cluster geometry, but at lower temperatures, multi-neutral clusters are important and less predictable. This work provides a useful protocol for targeted DNA adduct quantitation and a basis for future work on DMS modifier effects.

Control of O-H bonds at a-IGZO/SiO2 interface by long time thermal annealing for highly stable oxide TFT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeon, Jae Kwon; Um, Jae Gwang; Lee, Suhui; Jang, Jin

2017-12-01

We report two-step annealing, high temperature and sequent low temperature, for amorphous indium-gallium-zinc-oxide (a-IGZO) thin-film transistor (TFT) to improve its stability and device performance. The annealing is carried out at 300 oC in N2 ambient for 1 h (1st step annealing) and then at 250 oC in vacuum for 10 h (2nd step annealing). It is found that the threshold voltage (VTH) changes from 0.4 V to -2.0 V by the 1st step annealing and to +0.6 V by 2nd step annealing. The mobility changes from 18 cm2V-1s-1 to 25 cm2V-1s-1 by 1st step and decreases to 20 cm2V-1s-1 by 2nd step annealing. The VTH shift by positive bias temperature stress (PBTS) is 3.7 V for the as-prepared TFT, and 1.7 V for the 1st step annealed TFT, and 1.3 V for the 2nd step annealed TFT. The XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) depth analysis indicates that the reduction in O-H bonds at the top interface (SiO2/a-IGZO) by 2nd step annealing appears, which is related to the positive VTH shift and smaller VTH shift by PBTS.

Differential Targeting of Unpaired Bases within Duplex DNA by the Natural Compound Clerocidin: A Valuable Tool to Dissect DNA Secondary Structure

PubMed Central

Nadai, Matteo; Palù, Giorgio; Palumbo, Manlio; Richter, Sara N.

2012-01-01

Non-canonical DNA structures have been postulated to mediate protein-nucleic acid interactions and to function as intermediates in the generation of frame-shift mutations when errors in DNA replication occur, which result in a variety of diseases and cancers. Compounds capable of binding to non-canonical DNA conformations may thus have significant diagnostic and therapeutic potential. Clerocidin is a natural diterpenoid which has been shown to selectively react with single-stranded bases without targeting the double helix. Here we performed a comprehensive analysis on several non-canonical DNA secondary structures, namely mismatches, nicks, bulges, hairpins, with sequence variations in both the single-stranded region and the double-stranded flanking segment. By analysis of clerocidin reactivity, we were able to identify the exposed reactive residues which provided information on both the secondary structure and the accessibility of the non-paired sites. Mismatches longer than 1 base were necessary to be reached by clerocidin reactive groups, while 1-base nicks were promptly targeted by clerocidin; in hairpins, clerocidin reactivity increased with the length of the hairpin loop, while, interestingly, reactivity towards bulges reached a maximum in 3-base-long bulges and declined in longer bulges. Electrophoretic mobility shift analysis demonstrated that bulges longer than 3 bases (i.e. 5- and 7-bases) folded or stacked on the duplex region therefore being less accessible by the compound. Clerocidin thus represents a new valuable diagnostic tool to dissect DNA secondary structures. PMID:23285245

Differential targeting of unpaired bases within duplex DNA by the natural compound clerocidin: a valuable tool to dissect DNA secondary structure.

PubMed

Nadai, Matteo; Palù, Giorgio; Palumbo, Manlio; Richter, Sara N

2012-01-01

Non-canonical DNA structures have been postulated to mediate protein-nucleic acid interactions and to function as intermediates in the generation of frame-shift mutations when errors in DNA replication occur, which result in a variety of diseases and cancers. Compounds capable of binding to non-canonical DNA conformations may thus have significant diagnostic and therapeutic potential. Clerocidin is a natural diterpenoid which has been shown to selectively react with single-stranded bases without targeting the double helix. Here we performed a comprehensive analysis on several non-canonical DNA secondary structures, namely mismatches, nicks, bulges, hairpins, with sequence variations in both the single-stranded region and the double-stranded flanking segment. By analysis of clerocidin reactivity, we were able to identify the exposed reactive residues which provided information on both the secondary structure and the accessibility of the non-paired sites. Mismatches longer than 1 base were necessary to be reached by clerocidin reactive groups, while 1-base nicks were promptly targeted by clerocidin; in hairpins, clerocidin reactivity increased with the length of the hairpin loop, while, interestingly, reactivity towards bulges reached a maximum in 3-base-long bulges and declined in longer bulges. Electrophoretic mobility shift analysis demonstrated that bulges longer than 3 bases (i.e. 5- and 7-bases) folded or stacked on the duplex region therefore being less accessible by the compound. Clerocidin thus represents a new valuable diagnostic tool to dissect DNA secondary structures.

Childhood Family Structure and Intergenerational Income Mobility in the United States.

PubMed

Bloome, Deirdre

2017-04-01

The declining prevalence of two-parent families helped increase income inequality over recent decades. Does family structure also condition how economic (dis)advantages pass from parents to children? If so, shifts in the organization of family life may contribute to enduring inequality between groups defined by childhood family structure. Using National Longitudinal Survey of Youth data, I combine parametric and nonparametric methods to reveal how family structure moderates intergenerational income mobility in the United States. I find that individuals raised outside stable two-parent homes are much more mobile than individuals from stable two-parent families. Mobility increases with the number of family transitions but does not vary with children's time spent coresiding with both parents or stepparents conditional on a transition. However, this mobility indicates insecurity, not opportunity. Difficulties maintaining middle-class incomes create downward mobility among people raised outside stable two-parent homes. Regardless of parental income, these people are relatively likely to become low-income adults, reflecting a new form of perverse equality. People raised outside stable two-parent families are also less likely to become high-income adults than people from stable two-parent homes. Mobility differences account for about one-quarter of family-structure inequalities in income at the bottom of the income distribution and more than one-third of these inequalities at the top.

Firm size distribution and mobility of the top 500 firms in China, the United States and the world

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Jinzhong; Xu, Qi; Chen, Qinghua; Wang, Yougui

2013-07-01

This paper considers the macroscopic and microscopic statistical features of the top 500 firms in China, the United States and the world, denoted as China 500 (CH500), Fortune 500 (US500) and Fortune Global 500 (FG500). From a macroscopic perspective, the firm size distribution of each category, when measured by revenue, is steadily distributed over the observed period, even during periods of financial crises. As is evidenced by the Gini coefficient, divergences between firm scales are most significant for the CH500. From a microscopic perspective, the underlying micro-dynamics are volatile and often turbulent due to the exit and entry of firms as well as shifts in their revenues and ranks. Such fluctuations, or mobility, are visualized in rank/revenue/share clocks. We also propose a revenue/rank/share mobility index that is a quantitative measurement of mobility. Among these, we find that the share mobility acts as an effective indicator of economic status; where there is a share mobility spike, there is an ailing economy. The share mobility indexes indicate that the 2008 Financial Crisis had little impact on the Chinese economy, while it triggered violent changes in the top 500 firms in the United States and the world.

Body Composition Remodeling and Incident Mobility Limitations in African Ancestry Men.

PubMed

Santanasto, Adam J; Miljkovic, Iva; Cvejkus, Ryan C; Gordon, Christopher L; Bunker, Clareann H; Patrick, Allen L; Wheeler, Victor W; Zmuda, Joseph M

2018-04-05

Mobility limitations are common, with higher prevalence in African Americans compared to whites, and are associated with disability, institutionalization and death. Aging is associated with losses of lean mass and a shift to central adiposity, which are more pronounced in African Americans. We aimed to examine the association of body composition remodeling with incident mobility limitations in older men of African Ancestry. Seven-year changes in body composition were measured using peripheral computed tomography (pQCT) of the calf and whole-body dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in 505 African Ancestry men aged ≥60 years and free of self-reported mobility limitations at baseline. Self-reported incident mobility limitations were assessed at 7-year follow-up. Odds of developing mobility limitations associated with baseline and change in body composition were quantified using separate logistic regression models. Seventy-five men (14.9%) developed incident mobility limitations over 6.2±0.6 years. Baseline body composition was not associated with incident mobility limitations. After adjustment for covariates, gaining total and intermuscular fat were associated with incident mobility limitations a (OR: 1.60; 95% CI: 1.21-2.13; OR: 1.51; 95% CI: 1.18-1.94). Changes in DXA lean mass were not related to mobility limitations; however, maintaining pQCT calf muscle area was protective against mobility limitations (OR: 0.65; 95% CI: 0.48-0.87). Increases in body fat, and particularly intermuscular fat, and decreases in calf skeletal muscle were associated with a higher risk of developing mobility limitations. Our findings emphasize the importance of body composition remodeling in the development of mobility limitations among African ancestry men.

Public Sector Transformation, Racial Inequality and Downward Occupational Mobility

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, George; Roscigno, Vincent J.; Huffman, Matt L.

2013-01-01

New "governance" reforms entailing shifts toward privatization have permeated the public sector over the last decade, possibly affecting workplace-based attainments. We examine the consequences of this reform for African American men, who during the civil rights era reached relative parity with whites. We analyze race-based inequities on one…

Educational Exceptionalism in Small (and Micro) States: Cooperative Educational Transfer and TVET

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jules, Tavis D.

2015-01-01

Since 2002, the 15 member states of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) have shifted human resource development reforms from focusing on providing basic, mass primary and secondary education and limited tertiary education toward diverting resources to "Technical and Vocational Education and Training" (TVET) to accommodate labor mobility.…

Reconceptualizing the Nature of Goals and Outcomes in Language/s Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leung, Constant; Scarino, Angela

2016-01-01

Transformations associated with the increasing speed, scale, and complexity of mobilities, together with the information technology revolution, have changed the demography of most countries of the world and brought about accompanying social, cultural, and economic shifts (Heugh, 2013). This complex diversity has changed the very nature of…

Peer Communication through Blogging

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wall, Steven D.; Anderson, Janice

2015-01-01

With the emergence of mobile technologies, students' access to computing devices is omnipresent, as is their ability to collaborate through multiple modalities. This 21st-century affordance has generated a shift in the way preservice teachers are prepared to use, understand. and interact with social media (e.g., blogs) during their academic years.…

Macroscopic experimental and modeling evaluation of selenite and selenate adsorption mechanisms on gibbsite

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Selenite Se(IV) and selenate Se(VI) selenium adsorption behavior was investigated on gibbsite as a function of solution pH and solution ionic strength. Adsorption of both Se redox states decreased with increasing solution pH. Electrophoretic mobility measurements showed downward shifts in point of...

The Shifting Geography of Urban Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freeman, Eric

2010-01-01

Poverty in the United States is migrating far beyond the urban core and transforming the suburbs into places increasingly stratified by income, wealth, opportunity, and education. Census data from the 2005 American Community Survey reveal new patterns of income inequality, residential mobility, and spatial segregation that make the suburbs less of…

Globalisation and Higher Education: From Within-Border to Cross-Border

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Youssef, Leïla

2014-01-01

Globalisation, the shift to a knowledge economy, and changing demographics are increasingly challenging higher education systems. The move from elite through mass to universal education, coupled with the internationalisation of higher education, has profoundly influenced the system, especially in terms of academic mobility. It has created new…

Changing Directions: The Future of Associate Degree Nursing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dillon, Patricia

1997-01-01

The majority of current nursing graduates are associate degree nurses (ADNs). However, recent trends, such as the shift to a worldwide health care market and community/primary care, suggest that a bachelor's degree is better preparation. Ways to increase the mobility of ADNs into bachelor's degree programs are needed. (SK)

Digital Literacy: Tools and Methodologies for Information Society

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rivoltella, Pier Cesare, Ed.

2008-01-01

Currently in a state of cultural transition, global society is moving from a literary society to digital one, adopting widespread use of advanced technologies such as the Internet and mobile devices. Digital media has an extraordinary impact on society's formative processes, forcing a pragmatic shift in their management and organization. This…

iTESOL: Analogous Practices in the SLA Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDonald, Lisa

2010-01-01

Recent studies of emerging technologies have shown that mobile phone production now exceeds one billion devices globally per year (Johnson, Levine & Smith, 2008). With a level of production that signifies a shift in the ownership of "networked machines" from institutions to individuals, the broad appeal of portable technologies now offers…

Geographic Mobility of Manpower in the USSR.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kossov, V. V.; Tatevosoc, R. V.

1984-01-01

The Soviet Union is experiencing substantial reduction in the growth of the working-age population, accompanied by a shift in the distribution of population growth. The government is using various means to encourage workers to move to the sparsely populated developing regions and away from the large cities. (SK)

Quantum oscillations in a topological insulator Bi2Te2Se with large bulk resistivity (6 Ω cm)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiong, Jun; Petersen, A. C.; Qu, Dongxia; Hor, Y. S.; Cava, R. J.; Ong, N. P.

2012-02-01

We report the observation of prominent Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations in a Topological Insulator, Bi2Te2Se, with large bulk resistivity (6 Ω cm at 4 K). By fitting the SdH oscillations, we infer a large metallicity parameter kFℓ=41, with a surface mobility (μs∼2800 cm2/V s) much larger than the bulk mobility (μb∼50 cm2/V s). The plot of the index fields Bν vs. filling factor ν shows a {1}/{2}-shift, consistent with massless, Dirac states.

Adding Value to the Network: Exploring the Software as a Service and Platform as a Service Models for Mobile Operators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonçalves, Vânia

The environments of software development and software provision are shifting to Web-based platforms supported by Platform/Software as a Service (PaaS/SaaS) models. This paper will make the case that there is equally an opportunity for mobile operators to identify additional sources of revenue by exposing network functionalities through Web-based service platforms. By elaborating on the concepts, benefits and risks of SaaS and PaaS, several factors that should be taken into consideration in applying these models to the telecom world are delineated.

Solution-Processed Donor-Acceptor Polymer Nanowire Network Semiconductors For High-Performance Field-Effect Transistors

PubMed Central

Lei, Yanlian; Deng, Ping; Li, Jun; Lin, Ming; Zhu, Furong; Ng, Tsz-Wai; Lee, Chun-Sing; Ong, Beng S.

2016-01-01

Organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) represent a low-cost transistor technology for creating next-generation large-area, flexible and ultra-low-cost electronics. Conjugated electron donor-acceptor (D-A) polymers have surfaced as ideal channel semiconductor candidates for OFETs. However, high-molecular weight (MW) D-A polymer semiconductors, which offer high field-effect mobility, generally suffer from processing complications due to limited solubility. Conversely, the readily soluble, low-MW D-A polymers give low mobility. We report herein a facile solution process which transformed a lower-MW, low-mobility diketopyrrolopyrrole-dithienylthieno[3,2-b]thiophene (I) into a high crystalline order and high-mobility semiconductor for OFETs applications. The process involved solution fabrication of a channel semiconductor film from a lower-MW (I) and polystyrene blends. With the help of cooperative shifting motion of polystyrene chain segments, (I) readily self-assembled and crystallized out in the polystyrene matrix as an interpenetrating, nanowire semiconductor network, providing significantly enhanced mobility (over 8 cm2V−1s−1), on/off ratio (107), and other desirable field-effect properties that meet impactful OFET application requirements. PMID:27091315

Shifts in Abundance and Diversity of Mobile Genetic Elements after the Introduction of Diverse Pesticides into an On-Farm Biopurification System over the Course of a Year

PubMed Central

Dealtry, Simone; Holmsgaard, Peter N.; Dunon, Vincent; Jechalke, Sven; Ding, Guo-Chun; Krögerrecklenfort, Ellen; Heuer, Holger; Hansen, Lars H.; Springael, Dirk; Zühlke, Sebastian; Sørensen, Søren J.

2014-01-01

Biopurification systems (BPS) are used on farms to control pollution by treating pesticide-contaminated water. It is assumed that mobile genetic elements (MGEs) carrying genes coding for enzymes involved in degradation might contribute to the degradation of pesticides. Therefore, the composition and shifts of MGEs, in particular, of IncP-1 plasmids carried by BPS bacterial communities exposed to various pesticides, were monitored over the course of an agricultural season. PCR amplification of total community DNA using primers targeting genes specific to different plasmid groups combined with Southern blot hybridization indicated a high abundance of plasmids belonging to IncP-1, IncP-7, IncP-9, IncQ, and IncW, while IncU and IncN plasmids were less abundant or not detected. Furthermore, the integrase genes of class 1 and 2 integrons (intI1, intI2) and genes encoding resistance to sulfonamides (sul1, sul2) and streptomycin (aadA) were detected and seasonality was revealed. Amplicon pyrosequencing of the IncP-1 trfA gene coding for the replication initiation protein revealed high IncP-1 plasmid diversity and an increase in the abundance of IncP-1β and a decrease in the abundance of IncP-1ε over time. The data of the chemical analysis showed increasing concentrations of various pesticides over the course of the agricultural season. As an increase in the relative abundances of bacteria carrying IncP-1β plasmids also occurred, this might point to a role of these plasmids in the degradation of many different pesticides. PMID:24771027

Agarose and Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis Methods for Molecular Mass Analysis of 5–500 kDa Hyaluronan

PubMed Central

Bhilocha, Shardul; Amin, Ripal; Pandya, Monika; Yuan, Han; Tank, Mihir; LoBello, Jaclyn; Shytuhina, Anastasia; Wang, Wenlan; Wisniewski, Hans-Georg; de la Motte, Carol; Cowman, Mary K.

2011-01-01

Agarose and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis systems for the molecular mass-dependent separation of hyaluronan (HA) in the size range of approximately 5–500 kDa have been investigated. For agarose-based systems, the suitability of different agarose types, agarose concentrations, and buffers systems were determined. Using chemoenzymatically synthesized HA standards of low polydispersity, the molecular mass range was determined for each gel composition, over which the relationship between HA mobility and logarithm of the molecular mass was linear. Excellent linear calibration was obtained for HA molecular mass as low as approximately 9 kDa in agarose gels. For higher resolution separation, and for extension to molecular masses as low as approximately 5 kDa, gradient polyacrylamide gels were superior. Densitometric scanning of stained gels allowed analysis of the range of molecular masses present in a sample, and calculation of weight-average and number-average values. The methods were validated for polydisperse HA samples with viscosity-average molecular masses of 112, 59, 37, and 22 kDa, at sample loads of 0.5 µg (for polyacrylamide) to 2.5 µg (for agarose). Use of the methods for electrophoretic mobility shift assays was demonstrated for binding of the HA-binding region of aggrecan (recombinant human aggrecan G1-IGD-G2 domains) to a 150 kDa HA standard. PMID:21684248

Responses of Roadside Soil Cation Pools to Vehicular Emission Deposition in Southern California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rossi, R.; Bain, D. J.; Jenerette, D.; Clarke, L. W.; Wilson, K.

2013-12-01

Roadside soils are heavily loaded with NO3- due to vehicular emissions. This deposition likely acidifies these soils, potentially mobilizing cationic species from soil exchange sites. Acidification driven mobilization is well documented in forest soils, but poorly understood in roadside soils. Metal concentrations in park and garden soils collected from Southern California were examined across gradients of soil chemistry, road network density, climate, and geology to examine cation mobilization effects. In our samples, soil pH is not clearly related to distance from the roadside or underlying geology. However, the depletion of several elements (Al, K) is clearly observed in near-road environments. These depletion trends occur despite contrary trends, including increased soil surface areas and soil organic matter in near-road environments. Additionally, inputs from the weathering of road building materials appear to affect soil chemistry. For example, soil Ca patterns remain relatively consistent relative to roads, suggesting Ca bearing weathering products replenish soil Ca pools in near-road areas. Simple mixing models constructed using elemental ratios are consistent with road material Ca source contributions. Observed near-road patterns in soil chemistry likely influence local ecological function, shifting plant communities and soil functions. Clear understanding of these shifts is essential to the effective use of green infrastructure and other strategies utilized to control road-sourced nutrients. This analytical framework can be applied globally as road networks continue to expand and affect larger ecosystems.

Molecular weight dependent charge carrier mobility in poly(3,3' '-dioctyl-2,2':5',2' '-terthiophene).

PubMed

Verilhac, Jean-Marie; Pokrop, Rafal; LeBlevennec, Gilles; Kulszewicz-Bajer, Irena; Buga, Katarzyna; Zagorska, Malgorzata; Sadki, Said; Pron, Adam

2006-07-13

Poly(3,3' '-dioctyl-2,2':5',2' '-terthiophene), a polymer recently used for the fabrication of organic field effect transistors, has been fractionated into five fractions distinctly differing in their molecular weights (Mn), with the goal of determining the influence of the degree of polymerization (DPn) on its principal physicochemical parameters. It has been demonstrated that within the Mn range studied (from 1.5 kDa to 10.5 kDa by SEC), corresponding to DPn from 10 to 38, the polymer band gap steadily decreases with growing molecular weight, which is clearly manifested by an increasing bathochromic shift of the band originating from the pi-pi* transition. The same trend is observed for the HOMO level, determined from the onset of the p-doping in cyclic voltammetry, which shifts from -5.10 eV to -4.90 eV for the lowest and the highest molecular weight fractions, respectively. The most pronounced influence of DPn has been found for the charge carriers' mobility-one of the most important parameters of field effect transistors (FETs) fabricated from this polymer. A fourfold increase in DPn results in an increase of the carriers' mobility by more than 3 orders of magnitude. Comparison of these results with those obtained for fractionated regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) shows a strikingly similar behavior of both polymers with respect to the molecular weight.

Stable organic thin-film transistors

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

Jia, Xiaojia; Fuentes-Hernandez, Canek; Wang, Cheng-Yin

Organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs) can be fabricated at moderate temperatures and through cost-effective solution-based processes on a wide range of low-cost flexible and deformable substrates. Although the charge mobility of state-of-the-art OTFTs is superior to that of amorphous silicon and approaches that of amorphous oxide thin-film transistors (TFTs), their operational stability generally remains inferior and a point of concern for their commercial deployment. We report on an exhaustive characterization of OTFTs with an ultrathin bilayer gate dielectric comprising the amorphous fluoropolymer CYTOP and an Al2O3:HfO2 nanolaminate. Threshold voltage shifts measured at room temperatureovertimeperiods upto5.9×105 s do not vary monotonically andmore » remain below 0.2 V in microcrystalline OTFTs (mc-OTFTs) with field-effect carrier mobility values up to 1.6 cm2 V-1 s-1. Modeling of these shifts as a function of time with a double stretched-exponential (DSE) function suggests that two compensating aging mechanisms are at play and responsible for this high stability. The measured threshold voltage shifts at temperatures up to 75°C represent at least a one-order-of-magnitude improvement in the operational stability over previous reports, bringing OTFT technologies to a performance level comparable to that reported in the scientific literature for other commercial TFTs technologies.« less

Stable organic thin-film transistors

DOE PAGES

Jia, Xiaojia; Fuentes-Hernandez, Canek; Wang, Cheng-Yin; ...

2018-01-12

Organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs) can be fabricated at moderate temperatures and through cost-effective solution-based processes on a wide range of low-cost flexible and deformable substrates. Although the charge mobility of state-of-the-art OTFTs is superior to that of amorphous silicon and approaches that of amorphous oxide thin-film transistors (TFTs), their operational stability generally remains inferior and a point of concern for their commercial deployment. We report on an exhaustive characterization of OTFTs with an ultrathin bilayer gate dielectric comprising the amorphous fluoropolymer CYTOP and an Al2O3:HfO2 nanolaminate. Threshold voltage shifts measured at room temperatureovertimeperiods upto5.9×105 s do not vary monotonically andmore » remain below 0.2 V in microcrystalline OTFTs (mc-OTFTs) with field-effect carrier mobility values up to 1.6 cm2 V-1 s-1. Modeling of these shifts as a function of time with a double stretched-exponential (DSE) function suggests that two compensating aging mechanisms are at play and responsible for this high stability. The measured threshold voltage shifts at temperatures up to 75°C represent at least a one-order-of-magnitude improvement in the operational stability over previous reports, bringing OTFT technologies to a performance level comparable to that reported in the scientific literature for other commercial TFTs technologies.« less

Stable organic thin-film transistors

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

Jia, Xiaojia; Fuentes-Hernandez, Canek; Wang, Cheng-Yin

2018-01-01

Organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs) can be fabricated at moderate temperatures and through cost-effective solution-based processes on a wide range of low-cost flexible and deformable substrates. Although the charge mobility of state-of-the-art OTFTs is superior to that of amorphous silicon and approaches that of amorphous oxide thin-film transistors (TFTs), their operational stability generally remains inferior and a point of concern for their commercial deployment. We report on an exhaustive characterization of OTFTs with an ultrathin bilayer gate dielectric comprising the amorphous fluoropolymer CYTOP and an Al2O3:HfO2 nanolaminate. Threshold voltage shifts measured at room temperatureovertimeperiods upto5.9×105 s do not vary monotonically andmore » remain below 0.2 V in microcrystalline OTFTs (mc-OTFTs) with field-effect carrier mobility values up to 1.6 cm2 V−1 s−1. Modeling of these shifts as a function of time with a double stretched-exponential (DSE) function suggests that two compensating aging mechanisms are at play and responsible for this high stability. The measured threshold voltage shifts at temperatures up to 75°C represent at least a one-order-of-magnitude improvement in the operational stability over previous reports, bringing OTFT technologies to a performance level comparable to that reported in the scientific literature for other commercial TFTs technologies.« less

Stable organic thin-film transistors

PubMed Central

Jia, Xiaojia; Fuentes-Hernandez, Canek; Wang, Cheng-Yin; Park, Youngrak; Kippelen, Bernard

2018-01-01

Organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs) can be fabricated at moderate temperatures and through cost-effective solution-based processes on a wide range of low-cost flexible and deformable substrates. Although the charge mobility of state-of-the-art OTFTs is superior to that of amorphous silicon and approaches that of amorphous oxide thin-film transistors (TFTs), their operational stability generally remains inferior and a point of concern for their commercial deployment. We report on an exhaustive characterization of OTFTs with an ultrathin bilayer gate dielectric comprising the amorphous fluoropolymer CYTOP and an Al2O3:HfO2 nanolaminate. Threshold voltage shifts measured at room temperature over time periods up to 5.9 × 105 s do not vary monotonically and remain below 0.2 V in microcrystalline OTFTs (μc-OTFTs) with field-effect carrier mobility values up to 1.6 cm2 V−1 s−1. Modeling of these shifts as a function of time with a double stretched-exponential (DSE) function suggests that two compensating aging mechanisms are at play and responsible for this high stability. The measured threshold voltage shifts at temperatures up to 75°C represent at least a one-order-of-magnitude improvement in the operational stability over previous reports, bringing OTFT technologies to a performance level comparable to that reported in the scientific literature for other commercial TFTs technologies. PMID:29340301

Dynamic modeling and mobility analysis of the transforming roving-rolling explorer (TRREx) as it Traverses Rugged Martian Terrain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edwin, Lionel E.; Mazzoleni, Andre P.

2016-03-01

All planetary surface exploration missions thus far have employed traditional rovers with a rocker-bogie suspension. These rovers can navigate moderately rough and flat terrain, but are not designed to traverse rugged terrain with steep slopes. The fact is, however, that the most scientifically interesting missions require exploration platforms with capabilities for navigating such types of rugged terrain. This issue motivates the development of new kinds of rovers that take advantage of the latest advances in robotic technologies to traverse rugged terrain efficiently. This work analyzes one such rover concept called the Transforming Roving-Rolling Explorer (TRREx) that is principally aimed at addressing the above issue. Biologically inspired by the way the armadillo curls up into a ball when threatened, and the way the golden wheel spider uses the dynamic advantages of a sphere to roll down hills when escaping danger, the TRREx rover can traverse like a traditional 6-wheeled rover over conventional terrain, but can also transform itself into a sphere, when necessary, to travel down steep inclines, or navigate rough terrain. This paper investigates the mobility of the TRREx when it is in its rolling mode, i.e. when it is a sphere and can steer itself through actuations that shift its center of mass to achieve the desired direction of roll. A mathematical model describing the dynamics of the rover in this spherical configuration is presented, and actuated rolling is demonstrated through computer simulation. Parametric analyzes that investigate the rover's mobility as a function of its design parameters are also presented. This work highlights the contribution of the spherical rolling mode to the enhanced mobility of the TRREx rover and how it could enable challenging surface exploration missions in the future.

Solid-state NMR spectroscopy of 18.5 kDa myelin basic protein reconstituted with lipid vesicles: spectroscopic characterisation and spectral assignments of solvent-exposed protein fragments.

PubMed

Zhong, Ligang; Bamm, Vladimir V; Ahmed, Mumdooh A M; Harauz, George; Ladizhansky, Vladimir

2007-12-01

Myelin basic protein (MBP, 18.5 kDa isoform) is a peripheral membrane protein that is essential for maintaining the structural integrity of the multilamellar myelin sheath of the central nervous system. Reconstitution of the most abundant 18.5 kDa MBP isoform with lipid vesicles yields an aggregated assembly mimicking the protein's natural environment, but which is not amenable to standard solution NMR spectroscopy. On the other hand, the mobility of MBP in such a system is variable, depends on the local strength of the protein-lipid interaction, and in general is of such a time scale that the dipolar interactions are averaged out. Here, we used a combination of solution and solid-state NMR (ssNMR) approaches: J-coupling-driven polarization transfers were combined with magic angle spinning and high-power decoupling to yield high-resolution spectra of the mobile fragments of 18.5 kDa murine MBP in membrane-associated form. To partially circumvent the problem of short transverse relaxation, we implemented three-dimensional constant-time correlation experiments (NCOCX, NCACX, CONCACX, and CAN(CO)CX) that were able to provide interresidue and intraresidue backbone correlations. These experiments resulted in partial spectral assignments for mobile fragments of the protein. Additional nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy (NOESY)-based experiments revealed that the mobile fragments were exposed to solvent and were likely located outside the lipid bilayer, or in its hydrophilic portion. Chemical shift index analysis showed that the fragments were largely disordered under these conditions. These combined approaches are applicable to ssNMR investigations of other peripheral membrane proteins reconstituted with lipids.

Hot injection synthesis of Cu(In, Ga)Se2 nanocrystals with tunable bandgap

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Latha, M.; Aruna Devi, R.; Velumani, S.

2018-05-01

CuIn1-xGaxSe2 nanocrystals (CIGSe NCs) were synthesized with different gallium (Ga) content by the hot injection process at low reaction temperature for the first time. The Ga content [x = Ga(In + Ga)] was varied such as 0, 0.25, 0.50 and 0.75 to study their influences on the structural, morphological, compositional and optical properties of CIGSe NCs. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed the peak shift towards higher 2θ angle. The lattice parameters a and c were decreased linearly as x value increases which propitiated Vegard's law. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis revealed a decrease in the particle size from 55 to 22 nm. Ultraviolet-visible-near infrared (UV-vis-NIR) absorption spectra indicated a blue shift towards the lower wavelength and bandgap was tuned from 1.04 to 1.41eV. Apart from this, CIGSe thin films were prepared by doctor blade coating method followed by annealing under Se/Ar atmosphere. The mobility of CIGSe thin film increased whereas resistivity decreased. Moreover, the photoconductivity of CIGSe annealed thin film exhibited almost 2-fold increase under an illumination of light. We realize from these results that the synthesized CIGSe NCs with x = 0.25 is expected to have the important perspective to be efficiently exploited as an absorber layer in cost-effective thin film solar cells.

The RAMANITA © method for non-destructive and in situ semi-quantitative chemical analysis of mineral solid-solutions by multidimensional calibration of Raman wavenumber shifts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, David C.

2005-08-01

The "RAMANITA ©" method, for semi-quantitative chemical analysis of mineral solid-solutions by multidimensional calibration of Raman wavenumber shifts and mathematical calculation by simultaneous equations, is published here in detail in English for the first time. It was conceived by the present writer 20 years ago for binary and ternary pyroxene and garnet systems. The mathematical description was set out in 1989, but in an abstract in an obscure French special publication. Detailed "step-by-step" calibration of two garnet ternaries, followed by their linking, by M. Pinet and D.C. Smith in the early 1990s provided a hexary garnet database. Much later, using this garnet database, which forms part of his personal database called RAMANITA ©, the present writer began to develop the method by improving the terminology, automating the calculations, discussing problems and experimenting with different real chemical problems in archaeometry. Although this RAMANITA © method has been very briefly mentioned in two recent books, the necessary full mathematical explanation is given only here. The method will find application in any study which requires obtaining a non-destructive semi-quantitative chemical analysis from mineral solid solutions that cannot be analysed by any destructive analytical method, in particular for archaeological, geological or extraterrestrial research projects, e.g. from gemstones or other crystalline artworks of the cultural heritage (especially by Mobile Raman Microscopy (MRM)) in situ in museums or at archaeological sites, including under water for subaquatic archaeometry; from scientifically precious mineral microinclusions (such as garnet or pyroxene within diamond); from minerals in rocks analysed in situ on planetary bodies by a rover (especially "at distance" by telescopy). Recently some other workers have begun deducing chemical compositions from Raman wavenumber shifts in multivariate chemical space, but the philosophical approach is quite different.

Dynamics-based selective 2D 1H/1H chemical shift correlation spectroscopy under ultrafast MAS conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Rongchun; Ramamoorthy, Ayyalusamy

2015-05-01

Dynamics plays important roles in determining the physical, chemical, and functional properties of a variety of chemical and biological materials. However, a material (such as a polymer) generally has mobile and rigid regions in order to have high strength and toughness at the same time. Therefore, it is difficult to measure the role of mobile phase without being affected by the rigid components. Herein, we propose a highly sensitive solid-state NMR approach that utilizes a dipolar-coupling based filter (composed of 12 equally spaced 90° RF pulses) to selectively measure the correlation of 1H chemical shifts from the mobile regions of a material. It is interesting to find that the rotor-synchronized dipolar filter strength decreases with increasing inter-pulse delay between the 90° pulses, whereas the dipolar filter strength increases with increasing inter-pulse delay under static conditions. In this study, we also demonstrate the unique advantages of proton-detection under ultrafast magic-angle-spinning conditions to enhance the spectral resolution and sensitivity for studies on small molecules as well as multi-phase polymers. Our results further demonstrate the use of finite-pulse radio-frequency driven recoupling pulse sequence to efficiently recouple weak proton-proton dipolar couplings in the dynamic regions of a molecule and to facilitate the fast acquisition of 1H/1H correlation spectrum compared to the traditional 2D NOESY (Nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy) experiment. We believe that the proposed approach is beneficial to study mobile components in multi-phase systems, such as block copolymers, polymer blends, nanocomposites, heterogeneous amyloid mixture of oligomers and fibers, and other materials.

Real-Time Fatigue Reduction in Emergency Care Clinicians: The SleepTrackTXT Randomized Trial

PubMed Central

Patterson, P. Daniel; Buysse, Daniel J.; Weaver, Matthew D.; Doman, Jack M.; Moore, Charity G.; Suffoletto, Brian P.; McManigle, Kyle L.; Callaway, Clifton W.; Yealy, Donald M.

2015-01-01

Background We assessed performance characteristics and impact of a mobile phone text-message intervention for reducing intra-shift fatigue among emergency clinician shift workers. Methods We used a randomized controlled trial of 100 participants. All participants received text-message assessments at the start, every 4-hours during, and at end of scheduled shifts over a 90-day period. Text-message queries measured self-rated sleepiness, fatigue, and difficulty with concentration. Additional text-messages were sent to intervention participants to promote alertness. A performance measure of interest was compliance with answering text-messages. Results Ninety-nine participants documented 2,621 shifts and responded to 36,073 of 40,947 text-messages (88% compliance rate). Intervention participants reported lower mean fatigue and sleepiness at 4 hours, 8 hours, and at the end of 12-hour shifts compared to controls (p<0.05). Intervention participants reported better sleep quality at 90-days compared to baseline (p=0.01). Conclusions We showed feasibility and short-term efficacy of a text-message based assessment and intervention tool. PMID:26305869

Executive function processes predict mobility outcomes in older adults.

PubMed

Gothe, Neha P; Fanning, Jason; Awick, Elizabeth; Chung, David; Wójcicki, Thomas R; Olson, Erin A; Mullen, Sean P; Voss, Michelle; Erickson, Kirk I; Kramer, Arthur F; McAuley, Edward

2014-02-01

To examine the relationship between performance on executive function measures and subsequent mobility outcomes in community-dwelling older adults. Randomized controlled clinical trial. Champaign-Urbana, Illinois. Community-dwelling older adults (N = 179; mean age 66.4). A 12-month exercise trial with two arms: an aerobic exercise group and a stretching and strengthening group. Established cognitive tests of executive function (flanker task, task switching, and a dual-task paradigm) and the Wisconsin card sort test. Mobility was assessed using the timed 8-foot up and go test and times to climb up and down a flight of stairs. Participants completed the cognitive tests at baseline and the mobility measures at baseline and after 12 months of the intervention. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to determine whether baseline executive function predicted postintervention functional performance after controlling for age, sex, education, cardiorespiratory fitness, and baseline mobility levels. Selective baseline executive function measurements, particularly performance on the flanker task (β = 0.15-0.17) and the Wisconsin card sort test (β = 0.11-0.16) consistently predicted mobility outcomes at 12 months. The estimates were in the expected direction, such that better baseline performance on the executive function measures predicted better performance on the timed mobility tests independent of intervention. Executive functions of inhibitory control, mental set shifting, and attentional flexibility were predictive of functional mobility. Given the literature associating mobility limitations with disability, morbidity, and mortality, these results are important for understanding the antecedents to poor mobility function that well-designed interventions to improve cognitive performance can attenuate. © 2014, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2014, The American Geriatrics Society.

Raman and Brillouin scattering of LiClO4 complexed in poly(propylene-glycol)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schantz, S.; Torell, L. M.; Stevens, J. R.

1988-08-01

Raman spectra of LiClO4 complexed in poly(propylene-glycol) (PPG) have been obtained for concentrations of the monomer to salt ratio (ether oxygen):Li in the range 30:1-5:1. Splitting of the symmetric stretching mode of the ClO4- anion was observed with an intensity profile that varied with salt concentration. This phenomenon indicates a changing environment about the anion. A two-component band analysis leads to the identification of dissociated ions on one hand and solvent-separated ion pairs on the other. The concentration of ion pairs is relatively low compared to that of the dissociated ions, which are predominant for all concentrations. Despite the observed increase in the absolute number of dissociated ions at higher salt concentration, the electrical conductivity is reported to decrease in the same range. This indicates that the number of ``free'' charge carriers is of less importance for the conductivity than the mobility, which is damped in this concentration range. Frequency shifts of the disordered longitudinal-acoustic mode and increased hypersonic velocities, measured with Raman and Brillouin scattering techniques, respectively, indicate increased stiffness of the polymer matrix for increasing salt concentration, which probably results in decreased ion mobility.

Cardiovascular Disease Screening By Community Health Workers Can Be Cost-Effective In Low-Resource Countries.

PubMed

Gaziano, Thomas; Abrahams-Gessel, Shafika; Surka, Sam; Sy, Stephen; Pandya, Ankur; Denman, Catalina A; Mendoza, Carlos; Puoane, Thandi; Levitt, Naomi S

2015-09-01

In low-resource settings, a physician is not always available. We recently demonstrated that community health workers-instead of physicians or nurses-can efficiently screen adults for cardiovascular disease in South Africa, Mexico, and Guatemala. In this analysis we sought to determine the health and economic impacts of shifting this screening to community health workers equipped with either a paper-based or a mobile phone-based screening tool. We found that screening by community health workers was very cost-effective or even cost-saving in all three countries, compared to the usual clinic-based screening. The mobile application emerged as the most cost-effective strategy because it could save more lives than the paper tool at minimal extra cost. Our modeling indicated that screening by community health workers, combined with improved treatment rates, would increase the number of deaths averted from 15,000 to 110,000, compared to standard care. Policy makers should promote greater acceptance of community health workers by both national populations and health professionals and should increase their commitment to treating cardiovascular disease and making medications available. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

Isotope analyses to explore diet and mobility in a medieval Muslim population at Tauste (NE Spain)

PubMed Central

Guede, Iranzu; Zuluaga, Maria Cruz; Alonso-Olazabal, Ainhoa; Murelaga, Xabier; Pina, Miriam; Gutierrez, Francisco Javier; Iacumin, Paola

2017-01-01

The Islamic necropolis discovered in Tauste (Zaragoza, Spain) is the only evidence that a large Muslim community lived in the area between the 8th and 10th centuries. A multi-isotope approach has been used to investigate the mobility and diet of this medieval Muslim population living in a shifting frontier region. Thirty-one individuals were analyzed to determine δ15N, δ13C, δ18O and 87Sr/86Sr composition. A combination of strontium and oxygen isotope analysis indicated that most individuals were of local origin although three females and two males were non-local. The non-local males would be from a warmer zone whereas two of the females would be from a more mountainous geographical region and the third from a geologically-different area. The extremely high δ15N baseline at Tauste was due to bedrock composition (gypsum and salt). High individual δ15N values were related to the manuring effect and consumption of fish. Adult males were the most privileged members of society in the medieval Muslim world and, as isotope data reflected, consumed more animal proteins than females and young males. PMID:28472159

Race Moves: Following Global Manifestations of New Racisms in Intimate Space

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mishra Tarc, Aparna

2013-01-01

This article makes tentative links between abstract global forces and the affective and material reworking of race in intimate spaces of culture and community. Using postcolonial and psychoanalytic resources the article follows enduring manifestations of race as racism surfaces and is mobilized through global shifts of people, ideas and capital.…

AIM for Digital Equity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowser, Gayl; Zabala, Joy Smiley

2012-01-01

In a 2011 segment on CNN "Headline News," Doug Levin, CEO of the State Educational Technology Director's Association, asserted that the shift to Common Core State Standards, the prevalence of open content, and the rapid increase in the availability of mobile technology will soon make paper textbooks a thing of the past in U.S. schools. He predicts…

Leave islands as refugia for low-mobility species in managed forest mosaics

Treesearch

Stephanie J. Wessell-Kelly; Deanna H. Olson

2013-01-01

In recent years, forest management in the Pacifi c Northwest has shifted from one based largely on resource extraction to one based on ecosystem management principles. Forest management based on these principles involves simultaneously balancing and sustaining multiple forest resource values, including silvicultural, social, economic, and ecological objectives. Leave...

Macroscopic experimental and modeling evaluation of selenite and selenate adsorption mechanisms on gibbsite

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Selenite Se(IV) and selenate Se(VI) adsorption behavior was investigated on gibbsite as a function of solution pH and solution ionic strength. Adsorption of both Se redox states decreased with increasing solution pH. Electrophoretic mobility measurements showed downward shifts in point of zero cha...

Political Reform and the Historical Trajectories of U.S. Social Movements in the Twentieth Century

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amenta, Edwin; Caren, Neal; Stobaugh, James E.

2012-01-01

We propose a political reform theory, a political and historical institutionalist argument that holds that shifts in political structures, partisan regimes and policy greatly influence movements. We appraise this argument, along with resource mobilization, political opportunity and media alternatives, by analyzing 600,000 articles in the "New York…

Employee Turnover: Evidence from a Case Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borland, Jeff

1997-01-01

Patterns of employee turnover from a medium-sized law firm in Australia were examined in regard to theories of worker mobility (matching, sectoral shift, and incentive). Results support a role for matching effects, but personnel practices affect the timing of turnover. Matching and incentive-based theories do not explain the high rates of turnover…

Relational Rurals: Some Thoughts on Relating Things and Theory in Rural Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heley, Jesse; Jones, Laura

2012-01-01

This paper considers how shifts within the social sciences towards conceptualising spatiality in relational terms have unfolded in rural studies in particular ways over the past decade or so. A period in which networks, connections, flows and mobility have all established themselves as compelling conceptual frames for research, the rural has…

Adaptive data rate SSMA system for personal and mobile satellite communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ikegami, Tetsushi; Takahashi, Takashi; Arakaki, Yoshiya; Wakana, Hiromitsu

1995-01-01

An adaptive data rate SSMA (spread spectrum multiple access) system is proposed for mobile and personal multimedia satellite communications without the aid of system control earth stations. This system has a constant occupied bandwidth and has variable data rates and processing gains to mitigate communication link impairments such as fading, rain attenuation and interference as well as to handle variable data rate on demand. Proof of concept hardware for 6MHz bandwidth transponder is developed, that uses offset-QPSK (quadrature phase shift keying) and MSK (minimum shift keying) for direct sequence spread spectrum modulation and handle data rates of 4k to 64kbps. The RS422 data interface, low rate voice and H.261 video codecs are installed. The receiver is designed with coherent matched filter technique to achieve fast code acquisition, AFC (automatic frequency control) and coherent detection with minimum hardware losses in a single matched filter circuit. This receiver structure facilitates variable data rate on demand during a call. This paper shows the outline of the proposed system and the performance of the prototype equipment.

A dimer of the lymphoid protein RAG1 recognizes the recombination signal sequence and the complex stably incorporates the high mobility group protein HMG2.

PubMed

Rodgers, K K; Villey, I J; Ptaszek, L; Corbett, E; Schatz, D G; Coleman, J E

1999-07-15

RAG1 and RAG2 are the two lymphoid-specific proteins required for the cleavage of DNA sequences known as the recombination signal sequences (RSSs) flanking V, D or J regions of the antigen-binding genes. Previous studies have shown that RAG1 alone is capable of binding to the RSS, whereas RAG2 only binds as a RAG1/RAG2 complex. We have expressed recombinant core RAG1 (amino acids 384-1008) in Escherichia coli and demonstrated catalytic activity when combined with RAG2. This protein was then used to determine its oligomeric forms and the dissociation constant of binding to the RSS. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays show that up to three oligomeric complexes of core RAG1 form with a single RSS. Core RAG1 was found to exist as a dimer both when free in solution and as the minimal species bound to the RSS. Competition assays show that RAG1 recognizes both the conserved nonamer and heptamer sequences of the RSS. Zinc analysis shows the core to contain two zinc ions. The purified RAG1 protein overexpressed in E.coli exhibited the expected cleavage activity when combined with RAG2 purified from transfected 293T cells. The high mobility group protein HMG2 is stably incorporated into the recombinant RAG1/RSS complex and can increase the affinity of RAG1 for the RSS in the absence of RAG2.

Analysis of E2F factors during epidermal differentiation.

PubMed

Chang, Wing Y; Dagnino, Lina

2005-01-01

The multigene E2F family of transcription factors is central in the control of cell cycle progression. The expression and activity of E2F proteins is tightly regulated transcriptionally and posttranslationally as a function of the proliferation and differentiation status of the cell. In this chapter, we review protocols designed to determine E2F mRNA abundance in tissues by in situ hybridization techniques. The ability to culture primary epidermal keratinocytes and maintain them as either undifferentiated or terminally differentiated cells allows the biochemical and molecular characterization of changes in E2F expression and activity. Thus, we also discuss in detail methods to analyze E2F protein abundance by immunoblot and their ability to bind DNA in cultured cells using electrophoretic mobility shift assays.

Cell proteins bind to multiple sites within the 5' untranslated region of poliovirus RNA.

PubMed Central

del Angel, R M; Papavassiliou, A G; Fernández-Tomás, C; Silverstein, S J; Racaniello, V R

1989-01-01

The 5' noncoding region of poliovirus RNA contains sequences necessary for translation and replication. These functions are probably carried out by recognition of poliovirus RNA by cellular and/or viral proteins. Using a mobility-shift electrophoresis assay and 1,10-phenanthroline/Cu+ footprinting, we demonstrate specific binding of cytoplasmic factors with a sequence from nucleotides 510-629 within the 5' untranslated region (UTR). Complex formation was also observed with a second sequence (nucleotides 97-182) within the 5' UTR. These two regions of the 5' UTR appear to be recognized by distinct cell factors as determined by competition analysis and the effects of ionic strength on complex formation. However, both complexes contain eukaryotic initiation factor 2 alpha, as revealed by their reaction with specific antibody. Images PMID:2554308

Buffer Gas Modifiers Effect Resolution in Ion Mobility Spectrometry through Selective Ion-Molecule Clustering Reactions

PubMed Central

Fernández-Maestre, Roberto; Wu, Ching; Hill, Herbert H.

2013-01-01

RATIONALE When polar molecules (modifiers) are introduced into the buffer gas of an ion mobility spectrometer, most ion mobilities decrease due to the formation of ion-modifier clusters. METHODS We used ethyl lactate, nitrobenzene, 2-butanol, and tetrahydrofuran-2-carbonitrile as buffer gas modifiers and electrospray ionization ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) coupled to quadrupole mass spectrometry. Ethyl lactate, nitrobenzene, and tetrahydrofuran-2-carbonitrile had not been tested as buffer gas modifiers and 2-butanol had not been used with basic amino acids. RESULTS The ion mobilities of several diamines (arginine, histidine, lysine, and atenolol) were not affected or only slightly reduced when these modifiers were introduced into the buffer gas (3.4% average reduction in an analyte's mobility for the three modifiers). Intramolecular bridges caused limited change in the ion mobilities of diamines when modifiers were added to the buffer gas; these bridges hindered the attachment of modifier molecules to the positive charge of ions and delocalized the charge, which deterred clustering. There was also a tendency towards large changes in ion mobility when the mass of the analyte decreased; ethanolamine, the smallest compound tested, had the largest reduction in ion mobility with the introduction of modifiers into the buffer gas (61%). These differences in mobilities, together with the lack of shift in bridge-forming ions, were used to separate ions that overlapped in IMS, such as isoleucine and lysine, and arginine and phenylalanine, and made possible the prediction of separation or not of overlapping ions. CONCLUSIONS The introduction of modifiers into the buffer gas in IMS can selectively alter the mobilities of analytes to aid in compound identification and/or enable the separation of overlapping analyte peaks. PMID:22956312

The pig CYP2E1 promoter is activated by COUP-TF1 and HNF-1 and is inhibited by androstenone.

PubMed

Tambyrajah, Winston S; Doran, Elena; Wood, Jeffrey D; McGivan, John D

2004-11-15

Functional analysis of the pig cytochrome P4502E1 (CYP2E1) promoter identified two major activating elements. One corresponded to the hepatic nuclear factor 1 (HNF-1) consensus binding sequence at nucleotides -128/-98 and the other was located in the region -292/-266. The binding of proteins in pig liver nuclear extracts to a synthetic double-stranded oligonucleotide corresponding to this more distal activating sequence was studied by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. The minimum protein binding sequence was identified as TGTTCTGACCTCTGGG. Gel super-shift assays identified the protein binding to this site as chick ovalbumin upstream promoter transcription factor 1 (COUP-TF1). Androstenone inhibited promoter activity in transfection experiments only with constructs which included the COUP-TF1 binding site. Androstenone inhibited COUP-TF1 binding to synthetic oligonucleotides but did not affect HNF-1 binding. The results offer an explanation for the inhibition of CYP2E1 protein expression by androstenone in isolated pig hepatocytes and may be relevant to the low expression of hepatic CYP2E1 in those pigs which accumulate high levels of androstenone in vivo.

Diet-induced changes of redox potential underlie compositional shifts in the rumen archaeal community.

PubMed

Friedman, Nir; Shriker, Eran; Gold, Ben; Durman, Thomer; Zarecki, Raphy; Ruppin, Eytan; Mizrahi, Itzhak

2017-01-01

Dietary changes are known to affect gut community structure, but questions remain about the mechanisms by which diet induces shifts in microbiome membership. Here, we addressed these questions in the rumen microbiome ecosystem - a complex microbial community that resides in the upper digestive tract of ruminant animals and is responsible for the degradation of the ingested plant material. Our dietary intervention experiments revealed that diet affects the most abundant taxa within the microbiome and that a specific group of methanogenic archaea of the order Methanomicrobiales is highly sensitive to its changes. Using metabolomic analyses together with in vitro microbiology approaches and whole-genome sequencing of Methanomicrobium mobile, a key species within this group, we identified that redox potential changes with diet and is the main factor that causes these dietary induced alternations in this taxa's abundance. Our genomic analysis suggests that the redox potential effect stems from a reduced number of anti-reactive oxygen species proteins coded in this taxon's genome. Our study highlights redox potential as a pivotal factor that could serve as a sculpturing force of community assembly within anaerobic gut microbial communities. © 2016 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Correlation of proton irradiation induced threshold voltage shifts to deep level traps in AlGaN/GaN heterostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Z.; Cardwell, D.; Sasikumar, A.; Kyle, E. C. H.; Chen, J.; Zhang, E. X.; Fleetwood, D. M.; Schrimpf, R. D.; Speck, J. S.; Arehart, A. R.; Ringel, S. A.

2016-04-01

The impact of proton irradiation on the threshold voltage (VT) of AlGaN/GaN heterostructures is systematically investigated to enhance the understanding of a primary component of the degradation of irradiated high electron mobility transistors. The value of VT was found to increase monotonically as a function of 1.8 MeV proton fluence in a sub-linear manner reaching 0.63 V at a fluence of 1 × 1014 cm-2. Silvaco Atlas simulations of VT shifts caused by GaN buffer traps using experimentally measured introduction rates, and energy levels closely match the experimental results. Different buffer designs lead to different VT dependences on proton irradiation, confirming that deep, acceptor-like defects in the GaN buffer are primarily responsible for the observed VT shifts. The proton irradiation induced VT shifts are found to depend on the barrier thickness in a linear fashion; thus, scaling the barrier thickness could be an effective way to reduce such degradation.

Making value a priority: how this paradigm shift is changing the landscape in health care.

PubMed

Kimberly, John; Cronk, Imran

2016-10-01

The world of health care is changing dramatically, as reflected in the number, magnitude, and scope of innovative new approaches-to how illness is treated and how better health is promoted-that are being implemented around the globe. The changes triggered by these initiatives affect both how care is organized, managed, and paid for and the kinds of approaches that are being developed to keep people healthy. Underlying these changes is a more fundamental paradigm shift, a shift in the priority given to "value" in the formulation of policy and management practice. This brief essay highlights five trends that are central in this shift: increasing emphasis on health promotion, movement toward value-based payment, advances in digital/mobile technology, exploitation of big data, and changes in support for biomedical research. Each of these has its own value controversies, and the individual impact of each is impossible to predict. Collectively, however, their impact is likely to be significant. © 2016 New York Academy of Sciences.

Childhood Family Structure and Intergenerational Income Mobility in the United States

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

The declining prevalence of two-parent families helped increase income inequality over recent decades. Does family structure also condition how economic (dis)advantages pass from parents to children? If so, shifts in the organization of family life may contribute to enduring inequality between groups defined by childhood family structure. Using National Longitudinal Survey of Youth data, I combine parametric and nonparametric methods to reveal how family structure moderates intergenerational income mobility in the United States. I find that individuals raised outside stable two-parent homes are much more mobile than individuals from stable two-parent families. Mobility increases with the number of family transitions but does not vary with children’s time spent coresiding with both parents or stepparents conditional on a transition. However, this mobility indicates insecurity, not opportunity. Difficulties maintaining middle-class incomes create downward mobility among people raised outside stable two-parent homes. Regardless of parental income, these people are relatively likely to become low-income adults, reflecting a new form of perverse equality. People raised outside stable two-parent families are also less likely to become high-income adults than people from stable two-parent homes. Mobility differences account for about one-quarter of family-structure inequalities in income at the bottom of the income distribution and more than one-third of these inequalities at the top. PMID:28315158

Effect of Phosphorylation on Interactions between Transmembrane Domains of SERCA and Phospholamban.

PubMed

Martin, Peter D; James, Zachary M; Thomas, David D

2018-06-05

We have used site-directed spin labeling and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) to map interactions between the transmembrane (TM) domains of the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca 2+ -ATPase (SERCA) and phospholamban (PLB) as affected by PLB phosphorylation. In the cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum, PLB binding to SERCA results in Ca-dependent enzyme inhibition, which is reversed by PLB phosphorylation at Ser16. Previous spectroscopic studies on SERCA-PLB have largely focused on the cytoplasmic domain of PLB, showing that phosphorylation induces a structural shift in this domain relative to SERCA. However, SERCA inhibition is due entirely to TM domain interactions. Therefore, we focus here on PLB's TM domain, attaching Cys-reactive spin labels at five different positions. In each case, continuous-wave EPR indicated moderate spin-label mobility, with the addition of SERCA revealing two populations, one indistinguishable from PLB alone and another with more restricted rotational mobility, presumably due to SERCA-binding. Phosphorylation had no effect on the rotational mobility of either component but significantly decreased the mole fraction of the restricted component. Solvent-accessibility experiments using power-saturation EPR and saturation-recovery EPR confirmed that these two spectral components were SERCA-bound and unbound PLB and showed that phosphorylation increased the overall lipid accessibility of the TM domain by increasing the fraction of unbound PLB. However-based on these results-at physiological levels of SERCA and PLB, most SERCA would have bound PLB even after phosphorylation. Additionally, no structural shift in the TM domain of SERCA-bound PLB was detected, as there were no significant changes in membrane insertion depth or its accessibility. Therefore, we conclude that under physiological conditions, the phosphorylation of PLB induces little or no change in the interaction of the TM domain with SERCA, so relief of inhibition is predominantly due to the previously observed structural shift in the cytoplasmic domain. Copyright © 2018 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Carbon Mobility at Subduction Interfaces via Deformation-Enhanced Fluid Infiltration: Evidence from the Swiss/Italian Alps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaeckel, K. P.; Bebout, G. E.; Angiboust, S.

2016-12-01

The interplay between fluid flow and deformation along subduction interfaces, and the extent to which deformation-enhanced fluid infiltration can drive decarbonation and carbonate dissolution, remain poorly understood. Recent work on HP/UHP decarbonation in W. Alps suites has indicated that, in intact volumes of metasediment, metabasalt, and ophicarbonate away from major shear zones and with few veins, carbonate is largely retained to 80-90 km depths (Cook-Kollars et al., 2014; Collins et al., 2015; Chem. Geol.). Yet uncertain is whether forearc fluid infiltration focused in intensely sheared and fractured zones could result in greater mobilization of C from subducting sections, in quantities sufficient to impact subduction zone C cycling. Lower-plate rocks at Arosa and Dent Blanche interface exposures (Bachmann et al., 2009, JGR; Angiboust et al., 2015, G3) are primarily calc-schist intercalated with meta-ultramafic and metamafic schist and contain carbonate-bearing veins of varying abundance and texture. At some localities, these sections contain blocks of carbonate, metabasalt, and upper-plate gneiss. Strongly deformed veins concordant with the foliation parallel to the thrust interface commonly contain carbonate and quartz. In highly sheared regions in the Arosa Zone, δ18O(VSMOW) values of some host-rocks and veins are shifted from +20 ± 2‰, values observed regionally for the Schistes Lustres, to values of +11 to +13‰. These shifts can be explained by interaction with externally-derived H2O-rich fluids with δ18O of +9 to +11‰. Smaller datasets for Dent Blanche localities hint at similar δ18O shifts. Most of these rocks contain little evidence of C release by decarbonation reactions. Evidence exists for local-scale dissolution of carbonate, during pressure solution, and carbonate-bearing veins reflect C mobility in fluids. Ongoing work assesses whether volumes of carbonate removed in some regions balance with those precipitated nearby in veins and pressure shadows.

[Agrarian change and regional settling in Chile].

PubMed

Canales Ceron, A

1996-01-01

"This study analyzes the effect of agrarian change on regional settling dynamics in Chile during the last 35 years. The transformations of agrarian structure have produced important changes in the spatial configuration of country-city relations, particularly regarding the new features of rural-urban migration in regional contexts. Whereas until the sixties rural-urban migration was associated with an occupational shift from agriculture to urban employment, after the seventies this relation practically disappeared, leaving a virtual disassociation between the territorial mobility of the population and the occupational mobility of the labor force. This disassociation is a central trait of the current regional pattern of country-city relations." (SUMMARY IN ENG) excerpt

A pilot study of an mHealth application for healthcare workers: poor uptake despite high reported acceptability at a rural South African community-based MDR-TB treatment program.

PubMed

Chaiyachati, Krisda H; Loveday, Marian; Lorenz, Stephen; Lesh, Neal; Larkan, Lee-Megan; Cinti, Sandro; Friedland, Gerald H; Haberer, Jessica E

2013-01-01

As the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal addresses a growing multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) epidemic by shifting care and treatment from trained specialty centers to community hospitals, delivering and monitoring MDR-TB therapy has presented new challenges. In particular, tracking and reporting adverse clinical events have been difficult for mobile healthcare workers (HCWs), trained health professionals who travel daily to patient homes to administer and monitor therapy. We designed and piloted a mobile phone application (Mobilize) for mobile HCWs that electronically standardized the recording and tracking of MDR-TB patients on low-cost, functional phones. We assess the acceptability and feasibility of using Mobilize to record and submit adverse events forms weekly during the intensive phase of MDR-TB therapy and evaluate mobile HCW perceptions throughout the pilot period. All five mobile HCWs at one site were trained and provided with phones. Utilizing a mixed-methods evaluation, mobile HCWs' usage patterns were tracked electronically for seven months and analyzed. Qualitative focus groups and questionnaires were designed to understand the impact of mobile phone technology on the work environment. Mobile HCWs submitted nine of 33 (27%) expected adverse events forms, conflicting with qualitative results in which mobile HCWs stated that Mobilize improved adverse events communication, helped their daily workflow, and could be successfully expanded to other health interventions. When presented with the conflict between their expressed views and actual practice, mobile HCWs cited forgetfulness and believed patients should take more responsibility for their own care. This pilot experience demonstrated poor uptake by HCWs despite positive responses to using mHealth. Though our results should be interpreted cautiously because of the small number of mobile HCWs and MDR-TB patients in this study, we recommend carefully exploring the motivations of HCWs and technologic enhancements prior to scaling new mHealth initiatives in resource poor settings.

Current mHealth Technologies for Physical Activity Assessment and Promotion

PubMed Central

O’Reilly, Gillian A.; Spruijt-Metz, Donna

2014-01-01

Context Novel mobile assessment and intervention capabilities are changing the face of physical activity (PA) research. A comprehensive systematic review of how mobile technology has been used for measuring PA and promoting PA behavior change is needed. Evidence acquisition Article collection was conducted using six databases from February to June 2012 with search terms related to mobile technology and PA. Articles that described the use of mobile technologies for PA assessment, sedentary behavior assessment, and/or interventions for PA behavior change were included. Articles were screened for inclusion and study information was extracted. Evidence synthesis Analyses were conducted from June to September 2012. Mobile phone–based journals and questionnaires, short message service (SMS) prompts, and on-body PA sensing systems were the mobile technologies most utilized. Results indicate that mobile journals and questionnaires are effective PA self-report measurement tools. Intervention studies that reported successful promotion of PA behavior change employed SMS communication, mobile journaling, or both SMS and mobile journaling. Conclusions mHealth technologies are increasingly being employed to assess and intervene on PA in clinical, epidemiologic, and intervention research. The wide variations in technologies used and outcomes measured limit comparability across studies, and hamper identification of the most promising technologies. Further, the pace of technologic advancement currently outstrips that of scientific inquiry. New adaptive, sequential research designs that take advantage of ongoing technology development are needed. At the same time, scientific norms must shift to accept “smart,” adaptive, iterative, evidence-based assessment and intervention technologies that will, by nature, improve during implementation. PMID:24050427

Current mHealth technologies for physical activity assessment and promotion.

PubMed

O'Reilly, Gillian A; Spruijt-Metz, Donna

2013-10-01

Novel mobile assessment and intervention capabilities are changing the face of physical activity (PA) research. A comprehensive systematic review of how mobile technology has been used for measuring PA and promoting PA behavior change is needed. Article collection was conducted using six databases from February to June 2012 with search terms related to mobile technology and PA. Articles that described the use of mobile technologies for PA assessment, sedentary behavior assessment, and/or interventions for PA behavior change were included. Articles were screened for inclusion and study information was extracted. Analyses were conducted from June to September 2012. Mobile phone-based journals and questionnaires, short message service (SMS) prompts, and on-body PA sensing systems were the mobile technologies most utilized. Results indicate that mobile journals and questionnaires are effective PA self-report measurement tools. Intervention studies that reported successful promotion of PA behavior change employed SMS communication, mobile journaling, or both SMS and mobile journaling. mHealth technologies are increasingly being employed to assess and intervene on PA in clinical, epidemiologic, and intervention research. The wide variations in technologies used and outcomes measured limit comparability across studies, and hamper identification of the most promising technologies. Further, the pace of technologic advancement currently outstrips that of scientific inquiry. New adaptive, sequential research designs that take advantage of ongoing technology development are needed. At the same time, scientific norms must shift to accept "smart," adaptive, iterative, evidence-based assessment and intervention technologies that will, by nature, improve during implementation. © 2013 American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Electrophoretic mobility shift in native gels indicates calcium-dependent structural changes of neuronal calcium sensor proteins.

PubMed

Viviano, Jeffrey; Krishnan, Anuradha; Wu, Hao; Venkataraman, Venkat

2016-02-01

In proteins of the neuronal calcium sensor (NCS) family, changes in structure as well as function are brought about by the binding of calcium. In this article, we demonstrate that these structural changes, solely due to calcium binding, can be assessed through electrophoresis in native gels. The results demonstrate that the NCS proteins undergo ligand-dependent conformational changes that are detectable in native gels as a gradual decrease in mobility with increasing calcium but not other tested divalent cations such as magnesium, strontium, and barium. Surprisingly, such a gradual change over the entire tested range is exhibited only by the NCS proteins but not by other tested calcium-binding proteins such as calmodulin and S100B, indicating that the change in mobility may be linked to a unique NCS family feature--the calcium-myristoyl switch. Even within the NCS family, the changes in mobility are characteristic of the protein, indicating that the technique is sensitive to the individual features of the protein. Thus, electrophoretic mobility on native gels provides a simple and elegant method to investigate calcium (small ligand)-induced structural changes at least in the superfamily of NCS proteins. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Group-Oriented Services: A Shift towards Consumer-Managed Relationships in the Telecom Industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vrdoljak, Luka; Bojic, Iva; Podobnik, Vedran; Jezic, Gordan; Kusek, Mario

Today, telecom operators face a threefold challenge: a social challenge dealing with the evolution of the consumer lifestyle, a technological challenge dealing with ever changing ICT trends and a business challenge dealing with the need for innovative business models. This paper introduces an idea of group-oriented services, a special type of personalized telecom services, as a possible solution for all three of these challenges. A proof-of-concept service, called Agent-Based Mobile Content Brokerage, is presented and elaborated with the aim to demonstrate a shift towards consumer-managed relationships, a novel provisioning paradigm within the telecom industry.

Probing surface states in PbS nanocrystal films using pentacene field effect transistors: controlling carrier concentration and charge transport in pentacene.

PubMed

Park, Byoungnam; Whitham, Kevin; Bian, Kaifu; Lim, Yee-Fun; Hanrath, Tobias

2014-12-21

We used a bilayer field effect transistor (FET) consisting of a thin PbS nanocrystals (NCs) film interfaced with vacuum-deposited pentacene to probe trap states in NCs. We interpret the observed threshold voltage shift in context of charge carrier trapping by PbS NCs and relate the magnitude of the threshold voltage shift to the number of trapped carriers. We explored a series of NC surface ligands to modify the interface between PbS NCs and pentacene and demonstrate the impact of interface chemistry on charge carrier density and the FET mobility in a pentacene FET.

Smartphone Analytics: Mobilizing the Lab into the Cloud for Omic-Scale Analyses.

PubMed

Montenegro-Burke, J Rafael; Phommavongsay, Thiery; Aisporna, Aries E; Huan, Tao; Rinehart, Duane; Forsberg, Erica; Poole, Farris L; Thorgersen, Michael P; Adams, Michael W W; Krantz, Gregory; Fields, Matthew W; Northen, Trent R; Robbins, Paul D; Niedernhofer, Laura J; Lairson, Luke; Benton, H Paul; Siuzdak, Gary

2016-10-04

Active data screening is an integral part of many scientific activities, and mobile technologies have greatly facilitated this process by minimizing the reliance on large hardware instrumentation. In order to meet with the increasingly growing field of metabolomics and heavy workload of data processing, we designed the first remote metabolomic data screening platform for mobile devices. Two mobile applications (apps), XCMS Mobile and METLIN Mobile, facilitate access to XCMS and METLIN, which are the most important components in the computer-based XCMS Online platforms. These mobile apps allow for the visualization and analysis of metabolic data throughout the entire analytical process. Specifically, XCMS Mobile and METLIN Mobile provide the capabilities for remote monitoring of data processing, real time notifications for the data processing, visualization and interactive analysis of processed data (e.g., cloud plots, principle component analysis, box-plots, extracted ion chromatograms, and hierarchical cluster analysis), and database searching for metabolite identification. These apps, available on Apple iOS and Google Android operating systems, allow for the migration of metabolomic research onto mobile devices for better accessibility beyond direct instrument operation. The utility of XCMS Mobile and METLIN Mobile functionalities was developed and is demonstrated here through the metabolomic LC-MS analyses of stem cells, colon cancer, aging, and bacterial metabolism.

Smartphone Analytics: Mobilizing the Lab into the Cloud for Omic-Scale Analyses

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Active data screening is an integral part of many scientific activities, and mobile technologies have greatly facilitated this process by minimizing the reliance on large hardware instrumentation. In order to meet with the increasingly growing field of metabolomics and heavy workload of data processing, we designed the first remote metabolomic data screening platform for mobile devices. Two mobile applications (apps), XCMS Mobile and METLIN Mobile, facilitate access to XCMS and METLIN, which are the most important components in the computer-based XCMS Online platforms. These mobile apps allow for the visualization and analysis of metabolic data throughout the entire analytical process. Specifically, XCMS Mobile and METLIN Mobile provide the capabilities for remote monitoring of data processing, real time notifications for the data processing, visualization and interactive analysis of processed data (e.g., cloud plots, principle component analysis, box-plots, extracted ion chromatograms, and hierarchical cluster analysis), and database searching for metabolite identification. These apps, available on Apple iOS and Google Android operating systems, allow for the migration of metabolomic research onto mobile devices for better accessibility beyond direct instrument operation. The utility of XCMS Mobile and METLIN Mobile functionalities was developed and is demonstrated here through the metabolomic LC-MS analyses of stem cells, colon cancer, aging, and bacterial metabolism. PMID:27560777

Smartphone Analytics: Mobilizing the Lab into the Cloud for Omic-Scale Analyses

DOE PAGES

Montenegro-Burke, J. Rafael; Phommavongsay, Thiery; Aisporna, Aries E.; ...

2016-08-25

Active data screening is an integral part of many scientific activities, and mobile technologies have greatly facilitated this process by minimizing the reliance on large hardware instrumentation. In order to meet with the increasingly growing field of metabolomics and heavy workload of data processing, we designed the first remote metabolomic data screening platform for mobile devices. Two mobile applications (apps), XCMS Mobile and METLIN Mobile, facilitate access to XCMS and METLIN, which are the most important components in the computer-based XCMS Online platforms. These mobile apps allow for the visualization and analysis of metabolic data throughout the entire analytical process.more » Specifically, XCMS Mobile and METLIN Mobile provide the capabilities for remote monitoring of data processing, real time notifications for the data processing, visualization and interactive analysis of processed data (e.g., cloud plots, principle component analysis, box-plots, extracted ion chromatograms, and hierarchical cluster analysis), and database searching for metabolite identification. These apps, available on Apple iOS and Google Android operating systems, allow for the migration of metabolomic research onto mobile devices for better accessibility beyond direct instrument operation. The utility of XCMS Mobile and METLIN Mobile functionalities was developed and is demonstrated here through the metabolomic LC-MS analyses of stem cells, colon cancer, aging, and bacterial metabolism.« less

Smartphone Analytics: Mobilizing the Lab into the Cloud for Omic-Scale Analyses

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

Montenegro-Burke, J. Rafael; Phommavongsay, Thiery; Aisporna, Aries E.

Active data screening is an integral part of many scientific activities, and mobile technologies have greatly facilitated this process by minimizing the reliance on large hardware instrumentation. In order to meet with the increasingly growing field of metabolomics and heavy workload of data processing, we designed the first remote metabolomic data screening platform for mobile devices. Two mobile applications (apps), XCMS Mobile and METLIN Mobile, facilitate access to XCMS and METLIN, which are the most important components in the computer-based XCMS Online platforms. These mobile apps allow for the visualization and analysis of metabolic data throughout the entire analytical process.more » Specifically, XCMS Mobile and METLIN Mobile provide the capabilities for remote monitoring of data processing, real time notifications for the data processing, visualization and interactive analysis of processed data (e.g., cloud plots, principle component analysis, box-plots, extracted ion chromatograms, and hierarchical cluster analysis), and database searching for metabolite identification. These apps, available on Apple iOS and Google Android operating systems, allow for the migration of metabolomic research onto mobile devices for better accessibility beyond direct instrument operation. The utility of XCMS Mobile and METLIN Mobile functionalities was developed and is demonstrated here through the metabolomic LC-MS analyses of stem cells, colon cancer, aging, and bacterial metabolism.« less

Revisiting Insider-Outsider Research in Comparative and International Education. Bristol Papers in Education: Comparative and International Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crossley, Michael, Ed.; Arthur, Lore, Ed.; McNess, Elizabeth, Ed.

2016-01-01

This volume recognises how many researchers across the social sciences, and in comparative and international education in particular, see themselves as insiders or outsiders or, more pertinently, shifting combinations of both, in the research process. The book revisits and problematises these concepts in an era where the global mobility of…

Getting in Touch: Use of Mobile Devices in the Elementary Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ciampa, Katia; Gallagher, Tiffany L.

2013-01-01

In this single-case study, we examined the perceived influence of school-wide Apple iPod Touch integration on student learning and engagement. Data collection consisted of elementary teacher and principal interviews, as well as parent surveys. Findings revealed that there was a marked shift in teachers' and students' perceived roles when the iPod…

Perspectives on Distance Education and Social Media

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powers, Lisa; Alhussain, Ruqaya; Averbeck, Clemens; Warner, Andre

2012-01-01

There is a dramatic shift in the tools that are used in today's technology-based distance education. While distance education is not new, there are new types of socially rich, mobile technologies that empower learners to be more in control of what they learn, when they learn it, and how they learn it. Students are taking more responsibility for…

The Shift of the University Paradigm and Reform of the Korean University Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Hyun-Chong

2005-01-01

The 21st century society is characterised as a knowledge-based society, education mobility society, and cyber schooling society. This new paradigm of university enables us to restructure the university system in Korea. To establish an efficient and competitive education system, it is essential to change the current university system. Restructuring…

Dynamic Gender Differences in a Post-Socialist Labor Market: Russia, 1991-1997

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gerber, Theodore P.; Mayorova, Olga

2006-01-01

We examine how the shift from state socialism affects gender inequality in the labor market using multivariate models of employment exit, employment entry, job mobility and new job quality for 3,580 Russian adults from 1991 through 1997. Gender differences changed in a complex fashion. Relative to men, women gained greater access to employment,…

What Are More Effective in English Classrooms: Textbooks or Podcasts?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Selwood, Jaime; Lauer, Joe; Enokida, Kazumichi

2016-01-01

In the 21st century it has become clear that more and more language-learning pedagogical materials have begun to shift to a digital mobile-access format and away from being a textbook and classroom based one. High quality language-learning podcasts can provide a cheap, beneficial and portable technology that allows learners the freedom to access…

The Egg The Cart The Horse The Chicken: Cyberwriting, Sound, Intermedia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Hazel; Dean, Roger T.

2002-01-01

Focuses on the way new technologies are shifting page-based notions of literature. Argues hyperlinking and animation allow for new kinds of textual structure and linguistic mobility. Suggests the merging of words, sound, and visual image within the domain of the computer can create new types of meaning through semiotic juxtaposition and exchange.…

Synthetic and Biomass Alternate Fueling in Aviation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hendricks, Robert C.; Bushnell, Dennis M.

2009-01-01

Must use earth's most abundant natural resources - Biomass, Solar, Arid land (43%), Seawater (97%) with nutrients (80%) plus brackish waters and nutrients resolve environmental triangle of conflicts energy-food-freshwater and ultrafine particulate hazards. Requires Paradigm Shift - Develop and Use Solar* for energy; Biomass for aviation and hybrid-electric-compressed air mobility fueling with transition to hydrogen long term.

Choosing the Arts: The Moral Regulation of Parents in the Educational Marketplace

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saifer, Adam; Gaztambide-Fernández, Rubén

2017-01-01

The neoliberal turn in public education positions the parent as a consumer within an expanding educational marketplace. This shift is premised on the notion that the free market is best suited to promote equity. Critics of this claim highlight how a larger choice arena creates additional opportunities for privileged parents to mobilize their…

Opting in and Creating Demand: Why Young People Choose to Teach Mathematics to Each Other

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tucker-Raymond, Eli; Lewis, Naama; Moses, Maisha; Milner, Chad

2016-01-01

Access to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields serves as a key entry point to economic mobility and civic enfranchisement. Such access must take seriously the intellectual power of the knowledge and practices of non-dominant youth. In our case, this has meant to shift epistemic authority in mathematics from academic…

Crude Oil Price Modeling...A Macro- Economic Approach

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-01-01

tire industry of hotels , restaurants and service stations exploded across the landscape to support an increasingly mobile population.22 A Shifting...Refining Capacity Ratio(PRCR) eßmlim^Sß^ SmmS /iß^Mmn- LNofPRCR .< , iir’l ■:■’■■ -. Ill’ U". Square of PRCR OPEC Market Share NA NA

Identification of transactivation-responsive DNA-binding protein 43 (TARDBP43; TDP-43) as a novel factor for TNF-α expression upon lipopolysaccharide stimulation in human monocytes.

PubMed

Murata, H; Hattori, T; Maeda, H; Takashiba, S; Takigawa, M; Kido, J; Nagata, T

2015-08-01

Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) is a major cytokine implicated in various inflammatory diseases. The nature of the nuclear factors associated with human TNF-α gene regulation is not well elucidated. We previously identified a novel region located from -550 to -487 in human TNF-α promoter that did not contain the reported binding sites for nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) but showed lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced transcriptional activity. The purpose of this study is to identify novel factors that bind to the promoter region and regulate TNF-α expression. To identify DNA-binding proteins that bound to the target region of TNF-α promoter, a cDNA library from LPS-stimulated human monocytic cell line THP-1 was screened using a yeast one-hybrid system. Cellular localizations of the DNA-binding protein in the cells were examined by subcellular immunocytochemistry. Nuclear amounts of the protein in LPS-stimulated THP-1 cells were identified by western blot analysis. Expression of mRNA of the protein in the cells was quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays were performed to confirm the DNA-binding profile. Overexpression of the protein and knockdown of the gene were also performed to investigate the role for TNF-α expression. Several candidates were identified from the cDNA library and transactivation-responsive DNA-binding protein 43 (TARDBP43; TDP-43) was focused on. Western blot analysis revealed that nuclear TDP-43 protein was increased in the LPS-stimulated THP-1 cells. Expression of TDP-43 mRNA was already enhanced before TNF-α induction by LPS. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay analysis showed that nuclear extracts obtained by overexpressing FLAG-tagged TDP-43 bound to the -550 to -487 TNF-α promoter fragments. Overexpression of TDP-43 in THP-1 cells resulted in an increase of TNF-α expression. Knockdown of TDP-43 in THP-1 cells downregulated TNF-α expression. We identified TDP-43 as one of the novel TNF-α factors and found that it bound to the LPS-responsive element in the TNF-α promoter to increase TNF-α expression. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Finite Element Analysis and Vibration Control of Lorry’s Shift Mechanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiangwei, Li

2017-11-01

The transmission is one of the important parts of the automobile’s transmission system, Shift mechanism’s main function of transmission is to adjust the position of the shift fork, toggle the synchronizer’s tooth ring, so that the gears are separated and combined to achieve the shift. Therefore, in order to ensure the reliability and stability of the shift process, the vibration characteristics of the shift mechanism cannot be ignored. The static analysis of the shift fork is carried out, and the stress distribution of the shift fork is obtained according to the operating characteristics of the shift mechanism of the lorry transmission in this paper. The modal analysis of the shift mechanism shows the low-order vibration frequencies and the corresponding modal vibration shapes, and the vibration control analysis is carried out according to the simulation results. The simulation results provide the theoretical basis for the reasonable optimization design of the shift mechanism of the lorry transmission.

Electric wind in a Differential Mobility Analyzer

DOE PAGES

Palo, Marus; Meelis Eller; Uin, Janek; ...

2015-10-25

Electric wind -- the movement of gas, induced by ions moving in an electric field -- can be a distorting factor in size distribution measurements using Differential Mobility Analyzers (DMAs). The aim of this study was to determine the conditions under which electric wind occurs in the locally-built VLDMA (Very Long Differential Mobility Analyzer) and TSI Long-DMA (3081) and to describe the associated distortion of the measured spectra. Electric wind proved to be promoted by the increase of electric field strength, aerosol layer thickness, particle number concentration and particle size. The measured size spectra revealed three types of distortion: wideningmore » of the size distribution, shift of the mode of the distribution to smaller diameters and smoothing out the peaks of the multiply charged particles. Electric wind may therefore be a source of severe distortion of the spectrum when measuring large particles at high concentrations.« less

Enhancing user acceptance of mandated mobile health information systems: the ePOC (electronic point-of-care project) experience.

PubMed

Burgess, Lois; Sargent, Jason

2007-01-01

From a clinical perspective, the use of mobile technologies, such as Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) within hospital environments is not new. A paradigm shift however is underway towards the acceptance and utility of these systems within mobile-based healthcare environments. Introducing new technologies and associated work practices has intrinsic risks which must be addressed. This paper contends that intervening to address user concerns as they arise throughout the system development lifecycle will lead to greater levels of user acceptance, while ultimately enhancing the deliverability of a system that provides a best fit with end user needs. It is envisaged this research will lead to the development of a formalised user acceptance framework based on an agile approach to user acceptance measurement. The results of an ongoing study of user perceptions towards a mandated electronic point-of-care information system in the Northern Illawarra Ambulatory Care Team (TACT) are presented.

Polyvinyl Alcohol Microspheres Reinforced Thermoplastic Starch Composites

PubMed Central

Zha, Dongdong; Li, Bengang; Yin, Peng; Li, Panxin

2018-01-01

We reported a new method to prepare polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/thermoplastic starch (TPS) composites by using polyvinyl alcohol microspheres (PVAMS). The PVAMS/TPS composites were characterized using tensile test, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The results exhibited that adding small amounts of PVAMSs can effectively improve the mechanical strength and toughness of the composites, especially for the 1 wt %PVAMS in TPS matrix, with a tensile strength of 3.5 MPa, an elongation at break at 71.73% and an impact strength of 33.4 kJ/m2. Furthermore, the SEM and shift in the tan δ peak (Tα and Tβ) at the maximum value of 69.87 and −36.52 °C indicates that the PVAMS decreased the mobility of the amorphous starch molecules due to the strong intermolecular hydrogen bonds between PVAMS and TPS. The peak temperature of maximum decomposition rate (Tp) of 1 wt % PVAMS/TPS composites increased about 5 °C compared with TPS in TGA curves. PMID:29690506

Resistance in Unjust Times: Archer, Structured Agency and the Sociology of Health Inequalities

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Few sociologists dissent from the notion that the mid- to late 1970s witnessed a shift in capitalism’s modus operandi. Its association with a rapid increase of social and material inequality is beyond dispute. This article opens with a brief summation of contemporary British trends in economic inequalities, and finds an echo of these trends in health inequalities. It is suggested that the sociology of health inequalities in Britain lacks an analysis of agency, and that such an analysis is crucial. A case is made that the recent critical realist contribution of Margaret Archer on ‘internal conversations’ lends itself to an understanding of agency that is salient here. The article develops her typology of internal conversations to present characterizations of the ‘focused autonomous reflexives’ whose mind-sets are causally efficacious for producing and reproducing inequalities, and the ‘dedicated meta-reflexives’ whose casts of mind might yet predispose them to mobilize resistance to inequalities. PMID:25076798

The clpB gene of Bifidobacterium breve UCC 2003: transcriptional analysis and first insights into stress induction.

PubMed

Ventura, Marco; Kenny, John G; Zhang, Ziding; Fitzgerald, Gerald F; van Sinderen, Douwe

2005-09-01

The so-called clp genes, which encode components of the Clp proteolytic complex, are widespread among bacteria. The Bifidobacterium breve UCC 2003 genome contains a clpB gene with significant homology to predicted clpB genes from other members of the Actinobacteridae group. The heat- and osmotic-inducibility of the B. breve UCC 2003 clpB homologue was verified by slot-blot analysis, while Northern blot and primer extension analyses showed that the clpB gene is transcribed as a monocistronic unit with a single promoter. The role of a hspR homologue, known to control the regulation of clpB and dnaK gene expression in other high G+C content bacteria was investigated by gel mobility shift assays. Moreover the predicted 3D structure of HspR provides further insight into the binding mode of this protein to the clpB promoter region, and highlights the key amino acid residues believed to be involved in the protein-DNA interaction.

Identification of Mobile Phone and Analysis of Original Version of Videos through a Delay Time Analysis of Sound Signals from Mobile Phone Videos.

PubMed

Hwang, Min Gu; Har, Dong Hwan

2017-11-01

This study designs a method of identifying the camera model used to take videos that are distributed through mobile phones and determines the original version of the mobile phone video for use as legal evidence. For this analysis, an experiment was conducted to find the unique characteristics of each mobile phone. The videos recorded by mobile phones were analyzed to establish the delay time of sound signals, and the differences between the delay times of sound signals for different mobile phones were traced by classifying their characteristics. Furthermore, the sound input signals for mobile phone videos used as legal evidence were analyzed to ascertain whether they have the unique characteristics of the original version. The objective of this study was to find a method for validating the use of mobile phone videos as legal evidence using mobile phones through differences in the delay times of sound input signals. © 2017 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Trellis coded modulation for 4800-9600 bps transmission over a fading mobile satellite channel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Divsalar, D.; Simon, M. K.

1986-01-01

The combination of trellis coding and multiple phase-shift-keyed (MPSK) signalling with the addition of asymmetry to the signal set is discussed with regard to its suitability as a modulation/coding scheme for the fading mobile satellite channel. For MPSK, introducing nonuniformity (asymmetry) into the spacing between signal points in the constellation buys a further improvement in performance over that achievable with trellis coded symmetric MPSK, all this without increasing average or peak power, or changing the bandwidth constraints imposed on the system. Whereas previous contributions have considered the performance of trellis coded modulation transmitted over an additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channel, the emphasis in the paper is on the performance of trellis coded MPSK in the fading environment. The results will be obtained by using a combination of analysis and simulation. It will be assumed that the effect of the fading on the phase of the received signal is fully compensated for either by tracking it with some form of phase-locked loop or with pilot tone calibration techniques. Thus, results will reflect only the degradation due to the effect of the fading on the amplitude of the received signal. Also, we shall consider only the case where interleaving/deinterleaving is employed to further combat the fading. This allows for considerable simplification of the analysis and is of great practical interest. Finally, the impact of the availability of channel state information on average bit error probability performance is assessed.

Wireless and wearable EEG system for evaluating driver vigilance.

PubMed

Lin, Chin-Teng; Chuang, Chun-Hsiang; Huang, Chih-Sheng; Tsai, Shu-Fang; Lu, Shao-Wei; Chen, Yen-Hsuan; Ko, Li-Wei

2014-04-01

Brain activity associated with attention sustained on the task of safe driving has received considerable attention recently in many neurophysiological studies. Those investigations have also accurately estimated shifts in drivers' levels of arousal, fatigue, and vigilance, as evidenced by variations in their task performance, by evaluating electroencephalographic (EEG) changes. However, monitoring the neurophysiological activities of automobile drivers poses a major measurement challenge when using a laboratory-oriented biosensor technology. This work presents a novel dry EEG sensor based mobile wireless EEG system (referred to herein as Mindo) to monitor in real time a driver's vigilance status in order to link the fluctuation of driving performance with changes in brain activities. The proposed Mindo system incorporates the use of a wireless and wearable EEG device to record EEG signals from hairy regions of the driver conveniently. Additionally, the proposed system can process EEG recordings and translate them into the vigilance level. The study compares the system performance between different regression models. Moreover, the proposed system is implemented using JAVA programming language as a mobile application for online analysis. A case study involving 15 study participants assigned a 90 min sustained-attention driving task in an immersive virtual driving environment demonstrates the reliability of the proposed system. Consistent with previous studies, power spectral analysis results confirm that the EEG activities correlate well with the variations in vigilance. Furthermore, the proposed system demonstrated the feasibility of predicting the driver's vigilance in real time.

Channel Acquisition for Massive MIMO-OFDM With Adjustable Phase Shift Pilots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

You, Li; Gao, Xiqi; Swindlehurst, A. Lee; Zhong, Wen

2016-03-01

We propose adjustable phase shift pilots (APSPs) for channel acquisition in wideband massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems employing orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) to reduce the pilot overhead. Based on a physically motivated channel model, we first establish a relationship between channel space-frequency correlations and the channel power angle-delay spectrum in the massive antenna array regime, which reveals the channel sparsity in massive MIMO-OFDM. With this channel model, we then investigate channel acquisition, including channel estimation and channel prediction, for massive MIMO-OFDM with APSPs. We show that channel acquisition performance in terms of sum mean square error can be minimized if the user terminals' channel power distributions in the angle-delay domain can be made non-overlapping with proper phase shift scheduling. A simplified pilot phase shift scheduling algorithm is developed based on this optimal channel acquisition condition. The performance of APSPs is investigated for both one symbol and multiple symbol data models. Simulations demonstrate that the proposed APSP approach can provide substantial performance gains in terms of achievable spectral efficiency over the conventional phase shift orthogonal pilot approach in typical mobility scenarios.

Measuring the local mobility of graphene on semiconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhong, Haijian; Liu, Zhenghui; Wang, Jianfeng; Pan, Anlian; Xu, Gengzhao; Xu, Ke

2018-04-01

Mobility is an important parameter to gauge the performance of graphene devices, which is usually measured by FET or Hall methods relying on the use of insulating substrates. However, these methods are not applicable for the case of graphene on semiconductors, because some current will inevitably cross their junctions and flow through the semiconductors except directly traversing the graphene surface. Here we demonstrate a method for measuring the local mobility of graphene on gallium nitrides combining Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) and conductive atomic force microscopy (C-AFM). The carrier density related to Fermi level shifts in graphene can be acquired from KPFM. The local mobility of graphene is calculated from the carrier mean free path available from the effective contact area, which can be fitted from the local I-V curves in graphene/GaN junctions by C-AFM. Our method can be used to investigate an arbitrary region in graphene and also be applied to other semiconductor substrates and do not introduce damages. These results will benefit recent topical application researches for graphene integration in various semiconductor devices.

Development and operation of a mobile test facility for education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, Christopher T.

The automotive industry saw a large shift towards vehicle electrification after the turn of the century. It became necessary to ensure that new and existing engineers were qualified to design and calibrate these new systems. To ensure this training, Michigan Tech received a grant to develop a curriculum based around vehicle electrification. As part of this agenda, the Michigan Tech Mobile Laboratory was developed to provide hands-on training for professional engineers and technicians in hybrid electric vehicles and vehicle electrification. The Mobile Lab has since then increased the scope of the delivered curriculum to include other automotive areas and even customizable course content to meet specific needs. This thesis outlines the development of the Mobile Laboratory and its powertrain test facilities. The focus of this thesis is to discuss the different hardware and software systems within the lab and test cells. Detailed instructions on the operation and maintenance of each of the systems are discussed. In addition, this thesis outlines the setup and operation of the necessary equipment for several of the experiments for the on and off campus courses and seminars.

Innovative Mobile Smart Photonic Dimensional, Color and Spectral Measurement Engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hofmann, Dr Dietrich, Prof; Dittrich (B. Eng. , Paul-Gerald; Höfner (B. Eng. , Dieter; Kraus, Daniel

2015-02-01

Aim of the paper is the demonstration of a paradigm shift in dimensional, color and spectral measurements in industry, biology/medicine, farming/environmental protection and security, as well as in education and training: Measurement engineering and quality assurance become mobile, modular and smart. Smartpads, smartphones and smartwatches (smartcomps) in combination with innovative hardware apps (hwapps) and conventional software apps (swapps) are fundamental enablers for the transformation from conventional stationary working places towards innovative mobile working places with in-field measurements and point-of-care (POC) diagnostics. Furthermore mobile open online courses (MOOCs) are transforming the study habits. Practical examples for the application of innovative photonic micro dimensiometers, colorimeters and spectrometers will be given. The innovative approach opens so far untapped enormous markets for measurement science, engineering, applications, education and training. These innovative working conditions will be fast accepted due to their convenience, reliability and affordability. A highly visible advantage of smartcomps is the huge number of their real distribution, their worldwide connectivity via Internet and cloud services, the standardized interfaces like USB and HDMI and the experienced capabilities of their users for practical operations, obtained with their private smartcomps.

Late Holocene dune mobilizations in the northwestern Negev dunefield, Israel: A response to combined anthropogenic activity and short-term intensified windiness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roskin, Joel; Katra, Itzhak; Blumberg, Dan G.

2013-04-01

The study of the effects of past climates on ancient cultures is usually based on geologic records pertaining to rainfall and temperature fluctuations and shifts. This study proposes a paradigm of anthropogenic activity and windiness fluctuations to explain aeolian sedimentation and dune mobilization in the northwestern (NW) Negev Desert dunefield (Israel). The proposed paradigm contributes a different approach to estimating the effect of climate changes on the unprecedented agricultural and urban settlement expansion during the late Roman to Early Islamic period in the northern and central Negev Desert. This study builds upon the late Holocene cluster of luminescence ages of Roskin et al. (Age, origin and climatic controls on vegetated linear dunes in the northwestern Negev Desert (Israel), Quaternary Science Reviews 30 (2011), 1649-1674) coupled with analysis of archaeological finds and historical texts. We suggest that whereas the NW Negev dunefield was generally stable during the Holocene, intermittent dune mobilization during the late Holocene, at ~1.8 ka and mostly 1.4-1.1 ka (~600-900 CE), are linked to periods of human occupation. The idea that the last glacial dune encroachments alone that formed the NW Negev dunefield is connected to cold-event windy climates that may have intensified East Mediterranean cyclonic winter storms, cannot explain the late Holocene dune mobilizations. We conceptually model a connection between late Holocene dune mobilization, widespread anthropogenic occupation and activity, and windiness. We maintain that historic grazing and uprooting shrubs for fuel in the past by nomads and sedentary populations led to decimation of dune stabilizers, biogenic soil crusts and vegetation, causing dune erodibility and low-grade activity. Short-term events of amplified wind power in conjunction with periods of augmented anthropogenic activity that triggered major events of dune mobilization (elongation) and accretion have been preserved in the dune chronostratigraphy. Because they were short lived, the dune mobilization events, corresponding windiness, and probable dustiness which were examined affected the northern Negev landscape differentially. However, they cannot be proved to have affected the environment sufficiently to influence the decline of the late Byzantine and Early Islam agricultural establishment. This study demonstrates the sensitivity of dunes in arid and semi-arid regions to a combination of local and short-term fluctuations in windiness at times of widespread grazing (anthropogenic activity). The results remind us that in similar future scenarios, sand mobilization may be similarly retriggered to varying degrees.

Using mobile distributed pyrolysis facilities to deliver a forest residue resource for bio-fuel production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, Duncan

Distributed mobile conversion facilities using either fast pyrolysis or torrefaction processes can be used to convert forest residues to more energy dense substances (bio-oil, bio-slurry or torrefied wood) that can be transported as feedstock for bio-fuel facilities. All feedstock are suited for gasification, which produces syngas that can be used to synthesise petrol or diesel via Fischer-Tropsch reactions, or produce hydrogen via water gas shift reactions. Alternatively, the bio-oil product of fast pyrolysis may be upgraded to produce petrol and diesel, or can undergo steam reformation to produce hydrogen. Implementing a network of mobile facilities reduces the energy content of forest residues delivered to a bio-fuel facility as mobile facilities use a fraction of the biomass energy content to meet thermal or electrical demands. The total energy delivered by bio-oil, bio-slurry and torrefied wood is 45%, 65% and 87% of the initial forest residue energy content, respectively. However, implementing mobile facilities is economically feasible when large transport distances are required. For an annual harvest of 1.717 million m3 (equivalent to 2000 ODTPD), transport costs are reduced to less than 40% of the total levelised delivered feedstock cost when mobile facilities are implemented; transport costs account for up to 80% of feedstock costs for conventional woodchip delivery. Torrefaction provides the lowest cost pathway of delivering a forest residue resource when using mobile facilities. Cost savings occur against woodchip delivery for annual forest residue harvests above 2.25 million m3 or when transport distances greater than 250 km are required. Important parameters that influence levelised delivered costs of feedstock are transport distances (forest residue spatial density), haul cost factors, thermal and electrical demands of mobile facilities, and initial moisture content of forest residues. Relocating mobile facilities can be optimised for lowest cost delivery as transport distances of raw biomass are reduced. The overall cost of bio-fuel production is determined by the feedstock delivery pathway and also the bio-fuel production process employed. Results show that the minimum cost of petrol and diesel production is 0.86 litre -1 when a bio-oil feedstock is upgraded. This corresponds to a 2750 TPD upgrading facility requiring an annual harvest of 4.30 million m3. The miniμm cost of hydrogen production is 2.92 kg -1, via the gasification of a woodchip feedstock and subsequent water gas shift reactions. This corresponds to a 1100 ODTPD facility and requires an annual harvest of 947,000 m3. The levelised cost of bio-fuel strongly depends on the size of annual harvest required for bio-fuel facilities. There are optimal harvest volumes (bio-fuel facility sizes) for each bio-fuel production route, which yield minimum bio-fuel production costs. These occur as the benefits of economies of scale for larger bio-fuel facilities compete against increasing transport costs for larger harvests. Optimal harvest volumes are larger for bio-fuel production routes that use feedstock sourced from mobile facilities, as mobile facilities reduce total transport requirements.

In vivo phosphorylation of a peptide tag for protein purification.

PubMed

Goux, Marine; Fateh, Amina; Defontaine, Alain; Cinier, Mathieu; Tellier, Charles

2016-05-01

To design a new system for the in vivo phosphorylation of proteins in Escherichia coli using the co-expression of the α-subunit of casein kinase II (CKIIα) and a target protein, (Nanofitin) fused with a phosphorylatable tag. The level of the co-expressed CKIIα was controlled by the arabinose promoter and optimal phosphorylation was obtained with 2 % (w/v) arabinose as inductor. The effectiveness of the phosphorylation system was demonstrated by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (NUT-PAGE) and staining with a specific phosphoprotein-staining gel. The resulting phosphorylated tag was also used to purify the phosphoprotein by immobilized metal affinity chromatography, which relies on the specific interaction of phosphate moieties with Fe(III). The use of a single tag for both the purification and protein array anchoring provides a simple and straightforward system for protein analysis.

Fragment screening using capillary electrophoresis (CEfrag) for hit identification of heat shock protein 90 ATPase inhibitors.

PubMed

Austin, Carol; Pettit, Simon N; Magnolo, Sharon K; Sanvoisin, Jonathan; Chen, Wenjie; Wood, Stephen P; Freeman, Lauren D; Pengelly, Reuben J; Hughes, Dallas E

2012-08-01

CEfrag is a new fragment screening technology based on affinity capillary electrophoresis (ACE). Here we report on the development of a mobility shift competition assay using full-length human heat shock protein 90α (Hsp90α), radicicol as the competitor probe ligand, and successful screening of the Selcia fragment library. The CEfrag assay was able to detect weaker affinity (IC(50) >500 µM) fragments than were detected by a fluorescence polarization competition assay using FITC-labeled geldanamycin. The binding site of selected fragments was determined by co-crystallization with recombinant Hsp90α N-terminal domain and X-ray analysis. The results of this study confirm that CEfrag is a sensitive microscale technique enabling detection of fragments binding to the biological target in near-physiological solution.

Considerations of digital phase modulation for narrowband satellite mobile communication

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grythe, Knut

1990-01-01

The Inmarsat-M system for mobile satellite communication is specified as a frequency division multiple access (FDMA) system, applying Offset Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK) for transmitting 8 kbit/sec in 10 kHz user channel bandwidth. We consider Digital Phase Modulation (DPM) as an alternative modulation format for INMARSAT-M. DPM is similar to Continuous Phase Modulation (CPM) except that DPM has a finite memory in the premodular filter with a continuous varying modulation index. It is shown that DPM with 64 states in the VA obtains a lower bit error rate (BER). Results for a 5 kHz system, with the same 8 kbit/sec transmitted bitstream, is also presented.

Plasticizers effect on native biodegradable package materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cozar, Onuc; Cioica, Nicolae; Coţa, Constantin; Nagy, Elena Mihaela; Fechete, Radu

2017-01-01

Changes in intensity of some IR and Raman bands suggest the plasticizing - antiplasticizing effects of water and glycerol contents and a small increase of amorphous/crystalline ratio, too. The nuclear magnetic relaxation data show that the amorphous/crystalline ratio depends on amylose/amylopectin mobility and also by the place of their polymer chain segments. Thus the distributions of spin-spin (T2) relaxation times and the shift toward higher values of some T2 characteristic peaks show that the increasing of water and glycerol content in the starch package materials lead to the more mobile amylose and amylopectin polymer chain segments and the prevalence of amorphous regions in the prepared native corn starch samples.

Characterization of SiO2/SiC interface states and channel mobility from MOSFET characteristics including variable-range hopping at cryogenic temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshioka, Hironori; Hirata, Kazuto

2018-04-01

The characteristics of SiC MOSFETs (drain current vs. gate voltage) were measured at 0.14-350 K and analyzed considering variable-range hopping conduction through interface states. The total interface state density was determined to be 5.4×1012 cm-2 from the additional shift in the threshold gate voltage with a temperature change. The wave-function size of interface states was determined from the temperature dependence of the measured hopping current and was comparable to the theoretical value. The channel mobility was approximately 100 cm2V-1s-1 and was almost independent of temperature.

Recent Immigrants as Labor Market Arbitrageurs: Evidence from the Minimum Wage.

PubMed

Cadena, Brian C

2014-03-01

This paper investigates the local labor supply effects of changes to the minimum wage by examining the response of low-skilled immigrants' location decisions. Canonical models emphasize the importance of labor mobility when evaluating the employment effects of the minimum wage; yet few studies address this outcome directly. Low-skilled immigrant populations shift toward labor markets with stagnant minimum wages, and this result is robust to a number of alternative interpretations. This mobility provides behavior-based evidence in favor of a non-trivial negative employment effect of the minimum wage. Further, it reduces the estimated demand elasticity using teens; employment losses among native teens are substantially larger in states that have historically attracted few immigrant residents.

Digital 8-DPSK Modem For Trellis-Coded Communication

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jedrey, T. C.; Lay, N. E.; Rafferty, W.

1989-01-01

Digital real-time modem processes octuple differential-phase-shift-keyed trellis-coded modulation. Intended for use in communicating data at rate up to 4.8 kb/s in land-mobile satellite channel (Rician fading) of 5-kHz bandwidth at carrier frequency of 1 to 2 GHz. Modulator and demodulator contain digital signal processors performing modem functions. Design flexible in that functions altered via software. Modem successfully tested and evaluated in both laboratory and field experiments, including recent full-scale satellite experiment. In all cases, modem performed within 1 dB of theory. Other communication systems benefitting from this type of modem include land mobile (without satellites), paging, digitized voice, and frequency-modulation subcarrier data broadcasting.

Bacteroides fragilis mobilizable transposon Tn5520 requires a 71 base pair origin of transfer sequence and a single mobilization protein for relaxosome formation during conjugation.

PubMed

Vedantam, Gayatri; Knopf, Sarah; Hecht, David W

2006-01-01

Tn5520 is the smallest known bacterial mobilizable transposon and was isolated from an antibiotic resistant Bacteroides fragilis clinical isolate. When a conjugation apparatus is provided in trans, Tn5520 is mobilized (transferred) efficiently within, and from, both Bacteroides spp. and Escherichia coli. Only two genes are present on Tn5520; one encodes an integrase, and the other a multifunctional mobilization (Mob) protein BmpH. BmpH is essential for Tn5520 mobility. The focus of this study was to identify the Tn5520 origin of conjugative transfer (oriT) and to study BmpH-oriT binding. We delimited the functional Tn5520 oriT to a 71 bp sequence upstream of the bmpH gene. A plasmid vector harbouring this minimal 71 bp oriT was mobilized at the same frequency as that of intact Tn5520. The minimal oriT contains one 17 bp inverted repeat (IR) sequence. We constructed and tested multiple IR mutants and showed that the IR was essential in its entirety for mobilization. A nick site sequence (5'-GCTAC-3') was also identified within the minimal oriT; this sequence resembled nick sites found in plasmids of Gram positive origin. We further showed that mutation of a highly conserved GC dinucleotide in the nick site sequence completely abolished mobilization. We also purified BmpH and showed that it specifically bound a Tn5520 oriT fragment in electrophoretic mobility shift assays. We also identified non-nick site sequences within the minimal oriT that were essential for mobilization. We hypothesize that transposon-based single Mob protein systems may contribute to efficient gene dissemination from Bacteroides spp., because fewer DNA processing proteins are required for relaxosome formation.

Analysis of Documents Published in Scopus Database on Foreign Language Learning through Mobile Learning: A Content Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Uzunboylu, Huseyin; Genc, Zeynep

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study is to determine the recent trends in foreign language learning through mobile learning. The study was conducted employing document analysis and related content analysis among the qualitative research methodology. Through the search conducted on Scopus database with the key words "mobile learning and foreign language…

Cloning and functional analysis of 5'-upstream region of the Pokemon gene.

PubMed

Yang, Yutao; Zhou, Xiaowei; Zhu, Xudong; Zhang, Chuanfu; Yang, Zhixin; Xu, Long; Huang, Peitang

2008-04-01

Pokemon, the POK erythroid myeloid ontogenic factor, not only regulates the expression of many genes, but also plays an important role in cell tumorigenesis. To investigate the molecular mechanism regulating expression of the Pokemon gene in humans, its 5'-upstream region was cloned and analyzed. Transient analysis revealed that the Pokemon promoter is constitutive. Deletion analysis and a DNA decoy assay indicated that the NEG-U and NEG-D elements were involved in negative regulation of the Pokemon promoter, whereas the POS-D element was mainly responsible for its strong activity. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays suggested that the NEG-U, NEG-D and POS-D elements were specifically bound by the nuclear extract from A549 cells in vitro. Mutation analysis demonstrated that cooperation of the NEG-U and NEG-D elements led to negative regulation of the Pokemon promoter. Moreover, the NEG-U and NEG-D elements needed to be an appropriate distance apart in the Pokemon promoter in order to cooperate. Taken together, our results elucidate the mechanism underlying the regulation of Pokemon gene transcription, and also define a novel regulatory sequence that may be used to decrease expression of the Pokemon gene in cancer gene therapy.

Predicting impact of multi-paths on phase change in map-based vehicular ad hoc networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahmes, Mark; Lemieux, George; Sonnenberg, Jerome; Chester, David B.

2014-05-01

Dynamic Spectrum Access, which through its ability to adapt the operating frequency of a radio, is widely believed to be a solution to the limited spectrum problem. Mobile Ad Hoc Networks (MANETs) can extend high capacity mobile communications over large areas where fixed and tethered-mobile systems are not available. In one use case with high potential impact cognitive radio employs spectrum sensing to facilitate identification of allocated frequencies not currently accessed by their primary users. Primary users own the rights to radiate at a specific frequency and geographic location, secondary users opportunistically attempt to radiate at a specific frequency when the primary user is not using it. We quantify optimal signal detection in map based cognitive radio networks with multiple rapidly varying phase changes and multiple orthogonal signals. Doppler shift occurs due to reflection, scattering, and rapid vehicle movement. Path propagation as well as vehicle movement produces either constructive or destructive interference with the incident wave. Our signal detection algorithms can assist the Doppler spread compensation algorithm by deciding how many phase changes in signals are present in a selected band of interest. Additionally we can populate a spatial radio environment map (REM) database with known information that can be leveraged in an ad hoc network to facilitate Dynamic Spectrum Access. We show how topography can help predict the impact of multi-paths on phase change, as well as about the prediction from dense traffic areas. Utilization of high resolution geospatial data layers in RF propagation analysis is directly applicable.

Stay or Leave? Externalization of Job Mobility and the Effect on the U.S. Gender Earnings Gap, 1979-2009

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kronberg, Anne-Kathrin

2013-01-01

As jobs in the United States become less secure and traditional job ladders deteriorate, employees increasingly change employers to build their career. This article explores how this shift affects gender earnings disparities. I find that the effect of changing employers depends on whether changes occur in "good" or "bad" jobs and whether…

Digital Learning for All, Now--A School Leader's Guide for 1:1 on a Budget

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Costa, Jonathan P., Sr.

2012-01-01

Instead of carrying bulging backpacks, imagine students carrying mobile devices that allow them to access information from anywhere at any time. How do we transition from print to digital learning in the midst of economic challenges? This breakthrough guide shows educators how to affordably make the shift to one-to-one computing and transform…

National Identities on the Move: Examples from the Historical Worlds of Greater Britain and Hellenism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klerides, Eleftherios

2009-01-01

The purpose of this article is to explore "the mobility of national identities" with reference to the field of education. It argues that as products of multimodal discourse, national identities can move across or between geopolitical settings, and in the process of their movement they tend to shift and change their shape in certain ways.…

Ceaselessly Exploring, Arriving Where We Started and Knowing It for the First Time

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davies, Richard

2016-01-01

In this paper I explore the implications of the increasing social and sociable uses of new, mobile internet associated technologies (MIATs) for online learning. In particular I focus on tablet computers as at the vanguard of this shift. Drawing on discourses of technobiophilia and phatic communion, the propositions explored in this paper are that:…

Mobile Perspectives: On E-Books. E-Reading--The Transition in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCarthy, David

2011-01-01

Higher education's interest in digital content, especially e-books, has gone off the charts. With the rapid acceptance of e-books for pleasure reading, attention has now shifted to e-textbooks and their promise of significant cost savings and cutting-edge features. But getting a good grasp on the fast-moving realm of digital content for higher…

An Object Oriented Approach to Improve the Precision of Learning Object Retrieval in a Self Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raghuveer, V. R.; Tripathy, B. K.

2012-01-01

With the advancements in the WWW and ICT, the e-learning domain has developed very fast. Even many educational institutions these days have shifted their focus towards the e-learning and mobile learning environments. However, from the quality of learning point of view, which is measured in terms of "active learning" taking place, the…

Dynamics of calcium concentration in stemwood of red spruce and Siberian fir

Treesearch

Kevin T. Smith; Walter C. Shortle; Rakesh Minocha; Vladislav A. Alexeyev

1996-01-01

The atmospheric deposition of strong acid anions such as sulfate and nitrate shifts the ion exchange equilibrium in the rooting zone of sensitive forests. Red spruce and other northern coniferous forests are especially sensitive to deposition due to the shallow rooting of trees in a mor-type forest floor. Initially, the deposition of strong acid ions mobilizes...

Technology Counts 2010: Powering Up--Mobile Learning Seeks the Spotlight in K-12 Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Education Week, 2010

2010-01-01

Much like the shifting landscape in K-12 educational technology, this year's "Technology Counts" issue is changing to address the challenges of covering schools in the digital age. The 2010 report does not issue state report cards or state policy reports. Instead, the report takes a more district- and school-level look at educational…

The Researcher and the Studier: On Stress, Tiredness and Homelessness in the University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hodgson, Naomi

2016-01-01

Recent European policy has seen a shift from a concern with lifelong learning in the Lisbon Strategy to research and innovation in the Horizon 2020 programme. Accordingly, there has been an increased policy focus on the researcher who, like the lifelong learner must be entrepreneurial, adaptable, mobile, but who must also find new ways in which to…

Ubiquitous computing in shared-care environments.

PubMed

Koch, S

2006-07-01

In light of future challenges, such as growing numbers of elderly, increase in chronic diseases, insufficient health care budgets and problems with staff recruitment for the health-care sector, information and communication technology (ICT) becomes a possible means to meet these challenges. Organizational changes such as the decentralization of the health-care system lead to a shift from in-hospital to both advanced and basic home health care. Advanced medical technologies provide solutions for distant home care in form of specialist consultations and home monitoring. Furthermore, the shift towards home health care will increase mobile work and the establishment of shared care teams which require ICT-based solutions that support ubiquitous information access and cooperative work. Clinical documentation and decision support systems are the main ICT-based solutions of interest in the context of ubiquitous computing for shared care environments. This paper therefore describes the prerequisites for clinical documentation and decision support at the point of care, the impact of mobility on the documentation process, and how the introduction of ICT-based solutions will influence organizations and people. Furthermore, the role of dentistry in shared-care environments is discussed and illustrated in the form of a future scenario.

Development of an interactive game-based rehabilitation tool for dynamic balance training.

PubMed

Lange, BeLinda; Flynn, Sheryl; Proffitt, Rachel; Chang, Chien-Yen; Rizzo, Albert Skip

2010-01-01

Conventional physical therapy techniques have been shown to improve balance, mobility, and gait following neurological injury. Treatment involves training patients to transfer weight onto the impaired limb to improve weight shift while standing and walking. Visual biofeedback and force plate systems are often used for treatment of balance and mobility disorders. Researchers have also been exploring the use of video game consoles such as the Nintendo Wii Fit as rehabilitation tools. Case studies have demonstrated that the use of video games may have promise for balance rehabilitation. However, initial usability studies and anecdotal evidence suggest that the current commercial games are not compatible with controlled, specific exercise required to meet therapy goals. Based on focus group data and observations with patients, a game has been developed to specifically target weight shift training using an open source game engine and the Nintendo Wii Fit Balance Board. The prototype underwent initial usability testing with a sample of clinicians and with persons with neurological injury. Overall, feedback was positive, and areas for improvement were identified. This preliminary research provides support for the development of a game that caters specifically to the key requirements of balance rehabilitation.

Mobile Learning Projects--A Critical Analysis of the State of the Art

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frohberg, D.; Goth, C.; Schwabe, G.

2009-01-01

This paper provides a critical analysis of Mobile Learning projects published before the end of 2007. The review uses a Mobile Learning framework to evaluate and categorize 102 Mobile Learning projects, and to briefly introduce exemplary projects for each category. All projects were analysed with the criteria: context, tools, control,…

Medical Students' Perceptions of Using Mobile Phones for Their English Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iwata, Jun; Tamaki, Yuko; Shudong, Wang; Telloyan, John; Ajiki, Yuri; Clayton, John

2014-01-01

The authors conducted a needs analysis to investigate their medical students' needs and preferences for using mobile devices for their English study. The analysis showed the students' expectations of mobile learning were very high and two-thirds of them were interested in building medical English terminology through mobile learning. Then, the…

Angular phase shift in polarization-angle dependence of microwave-induced magnetoresistance oscillations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Han-Chun; Samaraweera, Rasanga L.; Mani, R. G.; Reichl, C.; Wegscheider, W.

2016-12-01

We examine the microwave frequency (f ) variation of the angular phase shift, θ0, observed in the polarization-angle dependence of microwave-induced magnetoresistance oscillations in a high-mobility GaAs/AlGaAs two-dimensional electron system. By fitting the diagonal resistance Rx x versus θ plots to an empirical cosine square law, we extract θ0 and trace its quasicontinuous variation with f . The results suggest that the overall average of θ0 extracted from Hall bar device sections with length-to-width ratios of L /W =1 and 2 is the same. We compare the observations with expectations arising from the "ponderomotive force" theory for microwave radiation-induced transport phenomena.

Boundary versus bulk behavior of time-dependent correlation functions in one-dimensional quantum systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eliëns, I. S.; Ramos, F. B.; Xavier, J. C.; Pereira, R. G.

2016-05-01

We study the influence of reflective boundaries on time-dependent responses of one-dimensional quantum fluids at zero temperature beyond the low-energy approximation. Our analysis is based on an extension of effective mobile impurity models for nonlinear Luttinger liquids to the case of open boundary conditions. For integrable models, we show that boundary autocorrelations oscillate as a function of time with the same frequency as the corresponding bulk autocorrelations. This frequency can be identified as the band edge of elementary excitations. The amplitude of the oscillations decays as a power law with distinct exponents at the boundary and in the bulk, but boundary and bulk exponents are determined by the same coupling constant in the mobile impurity model. For nonintegrable models, we argue that the power-law decay of the oscillations is generic for autocorrelations in the bulk, but turns into an exponential decay at the boundary. Moreover, there is in general a nonuniversal shift of the boundary frequency in comparison with the band edge of bulk excitations. The predictions of our effective field theory are compared with numerical results obtained by time-dependent density matrix renormalization group (tDMRG) for both integrable and nonintegrable critical spin-S chains with S =1 /2 , 1, and 3 /2 .

Population dynamics of Agriophyllum squarrosum, a pioneer annual plant endemic to mobile sand dunes, in response to global climate change.

PubMed

Qian, Chaoju; Yin, Hengxia; Shi, Yong; Zhao, Jiecai; Yin, Chengliang; Luo, Wanyin; Dong, Zhibao; Chen, Guoxiong; Yan, Xia; Wang, Xiao-Ru; Ma, Xiao-Fei

2016-05-23

Climate change plays an important role in the transition of ecosystems. Stratigraphic investigations have suggested that the Asian interior experienced frequent transitions between grassland and desert ecosystems as a consequence of global climate change. Using maternally and bi-parentally inherited markers, we investigated the population dynamics of Agriophyllum squarrosum (Chenopodiaceae), an annual pioneer plant endemic to mobile sand dunes. Phylogeographic analysis revealed that A. squarrosum could originate from Gurbantunggut desert since ~1.6 Ma, and subsequently underwent three waves of colonisation into other deserts and sandy lands corresponding to several glaciations. The rapid population expansion and distribution range shifts of A. squarrosum from monsoonal climate zones suggested that the development of the monsoonal climate significantly enhanced the population growth and gene flow of A. squarrosum. These data also suggested that desertification of the fragile grassland ecosystems in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau was more ancient than previously suggested and will be aggravated under global warming in the future. This study provides new molecular phylogeographic insights into how pioneer annual plant species in desert ecosystems respond to global climate change, and facilitates evaluation of the ecological potential and genetic resources of future crops for non-arable dry lands to mitigate climate change.

Population dynamics of Agriophyllum squarrosum, a pioneer annual plant endemic to mobile sand dunes, in response to global climate change

PubMed Central

Qian, Chaoju; Yin, Hengxia; Shi, Yong; Zhao, Jiecai; Yin, Chengliang; Luo, Wanyin; Dong, Zhibao; Chen, Guoxiong; Yan, Xia; Wang, Xiao-Ru; Ma, Xiao-Fei

2016-01-01

Climate change plays an important role in the transition of ecosystems. Stratigraphic investigations have suggested that the Asian interior experienced frequent transitions between grassland and desert ecosystems as a consequence of global climate change. Using maternally and bi-parentally inherited markers, we investigated the population dynamics of Agriophyllum squarrosum (Chenopodiaceae), an annual pioneer plant endemic to mobile sand dunes. Phylogeographic analysis revealed that A. squarrosum could originate from Gurbantunggut desert since ~1.6 Ma, and subsequently underwent three waves of colonisation into other deserts and sandy lands corresponding to several glaciations. The rapid population expansion and distribution range shifts of A. squarrosum from monsoonal climate zones suggested that the development of the monsoonal climate significantly enhanced the population growth and gene flow of A. squarrosum. These data also suggested that desertification of the fragile grassland ecosystems in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau was more ancient than previously suggested and will be aggravated under global warming in the future. This study provides new molecular phylogeographic insights into how pioneer annual plant species in desert ecosystems respond to global climate change, and facilitates evaluation of the ecological potential and genetic resources of future crops for non-arable dry lands to mitigate climate change. PMID:27210568

Do comprehensive schools reduce social mobility?

PubMed

Boliver, Vikki; Swift, Adam

2011-03-01

This paper investigates the claim that the shift from a selective to a comprehensive school system had a deleterious effect on social mobility in Great Britain. Using data from the National Child Development Study, we compare the chances, for both class and income mobility, of those who attended different kinds of school. Where media attention focuses exclusively on the chances for upward mobility of those children from lowly origins who were (or would have been) judged worthy of selection into a grammar school, we offer more rounded analyses. We match respondents in a way that helps us to distinguish those inequalities in mobility chances that are due to differences between children from those due to differences between the schools they attended; we look at the effects of the school system on the mobility chances of all children, not merely those from less advantaged origins; and we compare comprehensive- and selective-system schools, not merely comprehensive and grammar schools. After matching, we find, first, that going to a grammar school rather than a comprehensive does not make low-origin children more likely to be upwardly mobile but it helps them move further if they are; second, that grammar schools do not benefit working-class children, in terms of class mobility, more than they benefit service-class children, but, in terms of income mobility, such schools benefit low-income children somewhat more than they benefit higher-income children - that benefit relating only to rather modest and limited movements within the income distribution. Finally, however, the selective system as a whole yields no mobility advantage of any kind to children from any particular origins: any assistance to low-origin children provided by grammar schools is cancelled out by the hindrance suffered by those who attended secondary moderns. Overall, our findings suggest that comprehensive schools were as good for mobility as the selective schools they replaced. © London School of Economics and Political Science 2011.

Oxygen "getter" effects on microstructure and carrier transport in low temperature combustion-processed a-InXZnO (X = Ga, Sc, Y, La) transistors.

PubMed

Hennek, Jonathan W; Smith, Jeremy; Yan, Aiming; Kim, Myung-Gil; Zhao, Wei; Dravid, Vinayak P; Facchetti, Antonio; Marks, Tobin J

2013-07-24

In oxide semiconductors, such as those based on indium zinc oxide (IXZO), a strong oxygen binding metal ion ("oxygen getter"), X, functions to control O vacancies and enhance lattice formation, hence tune carrier concentration and transport properties. Here we systematically study, in the IXZO series, the role of X = Ga(3+) versus the progression X = Sc(3+) → Y(3+) → La(3+), having similar chemical characteristics but increasing ionic radii. IXZO films are prepared from solution over broad composition ranges for the first time via low-temperature combustion synthesis. The films are characterized via thermal analysis of the precursor solutions, grazing incidence angle X-ray diffraction (GIAXRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) with high angle annular dark field (HAADF) imaging. Excellent thin-film transistor (TFT) performance is achieved for all X, with optimal compositions after 300 °C processing exhibiting electron mobilities of 5.4, 2.6, 2.4, and 1.8 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) for Ga(3+), Sc(3+), Y(3+), and La(3+), respectively, and with I(on)/I(off) = 10(7)-10(8). Analysis of the IXZO TFT positive bias stress response shows X = Ga(3+) to be superior with mobilities (μ) retaining >95% of the prestress values and threshold voltage shifts (ΔV(T)) of <1.6 V, versus <85% μ retention and ΔV(T) ≈ 20 V for the other trivalent ions. Detailed microstructural analysis indicates that Ga(3+) most effectively promotes oxide lattice formation. We conclude that the metal oxide lattice formation enthalpy (ΔH(L)) and metal ionic radius are the best predictors of IXZO oxygen getter efficacy.

Im/mobilities and dis/connectivities in medical globalisation: How global is Global Health?

PubMed

Dilger, Hansjörg; Mattes, Dominik

2018-03-01

The interdisciplinary, politically contested field of Global Health has often been described as a consequence of, and response to, an intensification of the mobilities of, and connectivities between, people, pathogens, ideas, and infrastructure across national borders and large distances. However, such global mobilities and connectivities are not as omnidirectional and unpatterned as the rhetoric of many Global Health actors suggests. Instead, we argue that they are suffused by a plethora of institutional, national, and global political agendas, and substantially shaped by transnational and postcolonial power relations. Furthermore, the configurations that are typically subsumed under the category of Global Health represent only a minor part of the range of im/mobilities and dis/connectivities that are essential for understanding transformations of epidemiological patterns, health care infrastructures, and the responses to health-related challenges in a globalising world. In order to broaden such a limiting analytical perspective, we propose to expand the analytical focus in studying Global Health phenomena by paying close attention to the myriad ways in which particular im/mobilities and dis/connectivities constitute medicine and well-being in global and transnational settings. Pursuing a conceptual shift from studies of 'Global Health' to studying 'medical globalization' may carve out new analytical ground for such an endeavour.

Associations of rotational shift work and night shift status with hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Manohar, Sandhya; Thongprayoon, Charat; Cheungpasitporn, Wisit; Mao, Michael A; Herrmann, Sandra M

2017-10-01

The reported risks of hypertension (HTN) in rotating shift and night shift workers are controversial. The objective of this meta-analysis was to assess the association between shift work status and HTN. A literature search was performed using MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane Database from inception through October 2016. Studies that reported odds ratios (OR) comparing the risk of HTN in shift workers were included. A prespecified subgroup analysis by rotating shift and night shift statuses were also performed. Pooled OR and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using a random-effect, generic inverse variance method. The protocol for this study is registered with International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews; no. CRD42016051843. Twenty-seven observational studies (nine cohort and 18 cross-sectional studies) with a total of 394 793 individuals were enrolled. The pooled ORs of HTN in shift workers in cohort and cross-sectional studies were 1.31 (95% CI, 1.07-1.60) and 1.10 (95% CI, 1.00-1.20), respectively. When meta-analysis was restricted only to cohort studies in rotating shift, the pooled OR of HTN in rotating shift workers was 1.34 (95% CI, 1.08-1.67). The data regarding night shift and HTN in cohort studies was limited. The pooled OR of HTN in night shift workers in cross-sectional studies was 1.07 (95% CI, 0.85-1.35). Based on the findings of our meta-analysis, shiftwork status may play an important role in HTN, as there is a significant association between rotating shift work and HTN. However, there is no significant association between night shift status and risk of HTN.

High-mobility group (HMG) protein HMG-1 and TATA-binding protein-associated factor TAF(II)30 affect estrogen receptor-mediated transcriptional activation.

PubMed

Verrier, C S; Roodi, N; Yee, C J; Bailey, L R; Jensen, R A; Bustin, M; Parl, F F

1997-07-01

The estrogen receptor (ER) belongs to a family of ligand-inducible nuclear receptors that exert their effects by binding to cis-acting DNA elements in the regulatory region of target genes. The detailed mechanisms by which ER interacts with the estrogen response element (ERE) and affects transcription still remain to be elucidated. To study the ER-ERE interaction and transcription initiation, we employed purified recombinant ER expressed in both the baculovirus-Sf9 and his-tagged bacterial systems. The effect of high-mobility group (HMG) protein HMG-1 and purified recombinant TATA-binding protein-associated factor TAF(II)30 on ER-ERE binding and transcription initiation were assessed by electrophoretic mobility shift assay and in vitro transcription from an ERE-containing template (pERE2LovTATA), respectively. We find that purified, recombinant ER fails to bind to ERE in spite of high ligand-binding activity and electrophoretic and immunological properties identical to ER in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. HMG-1 interacts with ER and promotes ER-ERE binding in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. The effectiveness of HMG-1 to stimulate ER-ERE binding in the electrophoretic mobility shift assay depends on the sequence flanking the ERE consensus as well as the position of the latter in the oligonucleotide. We find that TAF(II)30 has no effect on ER-ERE binding either alone or in combination with ER and HMG-1. Although HMG-1 promotes ER-ERE binding, it fails to stimulate transcription initiation either in the presence or absence of hormone. In contrast, TAF(II)30, while not affecting ER-ERE binding, stimulates transcription initiation 20-fold in the presence of HMG-1. These results indicate that HMG-1 and TAF(II)30 act in sequence, the former acting to promote ER-ERE binding followed by the latter to stimulate transcription initiation.

Sargassum-associated mobile fauna communities in the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and Sargasso Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, L.; Schell, J. M.; Goodwin, D.; Biggs, D.; Siuda, A. N.

2016-02-01

Sargassum natans and S. fluitans are entirely pelagic, offering a pseudo-benthic structural habitat for an associated community of mobile fauna. In turn, the mobile fauna community supports foraging seabirds, fish, and turtles. Recent satellite observations suggest Sargassum in the Sargasso Sea is seeded annually from the Gulf of Mexico. Furthermore, the Caribbean is in the midst of a Sargassum inundation that appears disconnected in origin from the Sargasso Sea and Gulf of Mexico. Sargassum and fauna were collected via dip net during spring and summer 2015 from the Gulf of Mexico, Sargasso Sea and Eastern Caribbean to study the impacts that region, aggregation pattern (isolated clump, windrow, mat), and Sargassum variety morphology have on mobile fauna community composition. Sargassum from all three regions shared five common (frequency >10%) species: flatworm spp., Portunus sayi, Litiopa melanostoma, Leander tenuicornis, and Latreutes fucorum). The Gulf presented the most unique species (9 unique / 16 total) followed by the Sargasso Sea (5 unique / 12 total) and the Caribbean (1 unique / 6 total). The majority of species unique to the Gulf of Mexico were juvenile fish while those in the Caribbean and Sargasso Sea were benthic-like species residing on the Sargassum itself. Differences in the morphological forms of Sargassum had a marked effect on fauna diversity and abundance. In all three regions, fewer individuals and species were found on the broad-leafed, less compact S. natans VIII than on the denser S. natans I and S. fluitans III. This study identifies the differences in macrofauna abundance and diversity between varieties of Sargassum and highlights the potential for dramatic community changes that could result from largescale Sargassum blooms and species shifts. Any shift in these keystone communities could result in negative cascading effects on seabirds, economically important fish populations, and juvenile turtles which use the seaweed as a nursery habitat.

Effect of tunneling layers on the performances of floating-gate based organic thin-film transistor nonvolatile memories

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

Wang, Wei, E-mail: wwei99@jlu.edu.cn; Han, Jinhua; Ying, Jun

2014-09-22

Two types of floating-gate based organic thin-film transistor nonvolatile memories (FG-OTFT-NVMs) were demonstrated, with poly(methyl methacrylate co glycidyl methacrylate) (P(MMA-GMA)) and tetratetracontane (TTC) as the tunneling layer, respectively. Their device performances were measured and compared. In the memory with a P(MMA-GMA) tunneling layer, typical unipolar hole transport was obtained with a relatively small mobility of 0.16 cm{sup 2}/V s. The unidirectional shift of turn-on voltage (V{sub on}) due to only holes trapped/detrapped in/from the floating gate resulted in a small memory window of 12.5 V at programming/erasing voltages (V{sub P}/V{sub E}) of ±100 V and a nonzero reading voltage. Benefited from the well-ordered moleculemore » orientation and the trap-free surface of TTC layer, a considerably high hole mobility of 1.7 cm{sup 2}/V s and a visible feature of electrons accumulated in channel and trapped in floating-gate were achieved in the memory with a TTC tunneling layer. High hole mobility resulted in a high on current and a large memory on/off ratio of 600 at the V{sub P}/V{sub E} of ±100 V. Both holes and electrons were injected into floating-gate and overwritten each other, which resulted in a bidirectional V{sub on} shift. As a result, an enlarged memory window of 28.6 V at the V{sub P}/V{sub E} of ±100 V and a zero reading voltage were achieved. Based on our results, a strategy is proposed to optimize FG-OTFT-NVMs by choosing a right tunneling layer to improve the majority carrier mobility and realize ambipolar carriers injecting and trapping in the floating-gate.« less

Redox Roll-Front Mobilization of Geogenic Uranium by Nitrate Input into Aquifers: Risks for Groundwater Resources.

PubMed

van Berk, Wolfgang; Fu, Yunjiao

2017-01-03

Redox conditions are seen as the key to controlling aqueous uranium concentrations (cU (aq) ). Groundwater data collected by a state-wide groundwater quality monitoring study in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (Germany) reveal peak cU (aq) up to 75 μg L -1 but low background uranium concentrations (median cU (aq) < 0.5 μg L -1 ). To characterize the hydrogeochemical processes causing such groundwater contamination by peak cU (aq) , we reanalyzed measured redox potentials and total concentrations of aqueous uranium, nitrate, and sulfate species in groundwater together with their distribution across the aquifer depth and performed semigeneric 2D reactive mass transport modeling which is based on chemical thermodynamics. The combined interpretation of modeling results and measured data reveals that high cU (aq) and its depth-specific distribution depending on redox conditions is a result of a nitrate-triggered roll-front mobilization of geogenic uranium in the studied aquifers which are unaffected by nuclear activities. The modeling results show that groundwater recharge containing (fertilizer-derived) nitrate drives the redox shift from originally reducing toward oxidizing environments, when nitrate input has consumed the reducing capacity of the aquifers, which is present as pyrite, degradable organic carbon, and geogenic U(IV) minerals. This redox shift controls the uranium roll-front mobilization and results in high cU (aq) within the redoxcline. Moreover, the modeling results indicate that peak cU (aq) occurring at this redox front increase along with the temporal progress of such redox conversion within the aquifer.

Charting the course for nurses' achievement of higher education levels.

PubMed

Kovner, Christine T; Brewer, Carol; Katigbak, Carina; Djukic, Maja; Fatehi, Farida

2012-01-01

To improve patient outcomes and meet the challenges of the U.S. health care system, the Institute of Medicine recommends higher educational attainment for the nursing workforce. Characteristics of registered nurses (RNs) who pursue additional education are poorly understood, and this information is critical to planning long-term strategies for U.S. nursing education. To identify factors predicting enrollment and completion of an additional degree among those with an associate or bachelor's as their pre-RN licensure degree, we performed logistic regression analysis on data from an ongoing nationally representative panel study following the career trajectories of newly licensed RNs. For associate degree RNs, predictors of obtaining a bachelor's degree are the following: being Black, living in a rural area, nonnursing work experience, higher positive affectivity, higher work motivation, working in the intensive care unit, and working the day shift. For bachelor's RNs, predictors of completing a master's degree are the following: being Black, nonnursing work experience, holding more than one job, working the day shift, working voluntary overtime, lower intent to stay at current employer, and higher work motivation. Mobilizing the nurse workforce toward higher education requires integrated efforts from policy makers, philanthropists, employers, and educators to mitigate the barriers to continuing education. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effectiveness of Mobile Devices on Vocabulary Learning: A Meta-Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mahdi, Hassan Saleh

2018-01-01

Mobile devices are considered as the most widely used information and communication technologies. They have provided great advantages in language learning. This study reports a meta-analysis of the effectiveness of using mobile devices on vocabulary learning. A meta-analysis was conducted on research that compared the outcomes from students…

Air Mobility Command Global Reach to Africa: Sustained Rapid Global Mobility to United States Africa Command

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-06-12

the entire Global Reach Laydown (GRL) strategy. Finally, analysis within this paper shows a correlation between political climate , basing, ground...17 Analysis of Literature...study researched Air Mobility Command (AMC) delivery of DoD resources to and through USAFRICOM. Specifically, the research and analysis within

Regulatory motifs for CREB-binding protein and Nfe2l2 transcription factors in the upstream enhancer of the mitochondrial uncoupling protein 1 gene.

PubMed

Rim, Jong S; Kozak, Leslie P

2002-09-13

Thermogenesis against cold exposure in mammals occurs in brown adipose tissue (BAT) through mitochondrial uncoupling protein (UCP1). Expression of the Ucp1 gene is unique in brown adipocytes and is regulated tightly. The 5'-flanking region of the mouse Ucp1 gene contains cis-acting elements including PPRE, TRE, and four half-site cAMP-responsive elements (CRE) with BAT-specific enhancer elements. In the course of analyzing how these half-site CREs are involved in Ucp1 expression, we found that a DNA regulatory element for NF-E2 overlaps CRE2. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay and competition assays with the CRE2 element indicates that nuclear proteins from BAT, inguinal fat, and retroperitoneal fat tissue interact with the CRE2 motif (CGTCA) in a specific manner. A supershift assay using an antibody against the CRE-binding protein (CREB) shows specific affinity to the complex from CRE2 and nuclear extract of BAT. Additionally, Western blot analysis for phospho-CREB/ATF1 shows an increase in phosphorylation of CREB/ATF1 in HIB-1B cells after norepinephrine treatment. Transient transfection assay using luciferase reporter constructs also indicates that the two half-site CREs are involved in transcriptional regulation of Ucp1 in response to norepinephrine and cAMP. We also show that a second DNA regulatory element for NF-E2 is located upstream of the CRE2 region. This element, which is found in a similar location in the 5'-flanking region of the human and rodent Ucp1 genes, shows specific binding to rat and human NF-E2 by electrophoretic mobility shift assay with nuclear extracts from brown fat. Co-transfections with an Nfe2l2 expression vector and a luciferase reporter construct of the Ucp1 enhancer region provide additional evidence that Nfe2l2 is involved in the regulation of Ucp1 by cAMP-mediated signaling.

Dye shift: a neglected source of genotyping error in molecular ecology.

PubMed

Sutton, Jolene T; Robertson, Bruce C; Jamieson, Ian G

2011-05-01

Molecular ecologists must be vigilant in detecting and accounting for genotyping error, yet potential errors stemming from dye-induced mobility shift (dye shift) may be frequently neglected and largely unknown to researchers who employ 3-primer systems with automated genotyping. When left uncorrected, dye shift can lead to mis-scoring alleles and even to falsely calling new alleles if different dyes are used to genotype the same locus in subsequent reactions. When we used four different fluorophore labels from a standard dye set to genotype the same set of loci, differences in the resulting size estimates for a single allele ranged from 2.07 bp to 3.68 bp. The strongest effects were associated with the fluorophore PET, and relative degree of dye shift was inversely related to locus size. We found little evidence in the literature that dye shift is regularly accounted for in 3-primer studies, despite knowledge of this phenomenon existing for over a decade. However, we did find some references to erroneous standard correction factors for the same set of dyes that we tested. We thus reiterate the need for strict quality control when attempting to reduce possible sources of genotyping error, and in cases where different dyes are applied to a single locus, perhaps mistakenly, we strongly discourage researchers from assuming generic correction patterns. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Effects of Sleep Deprivation on the Cognitive Performance of Nurses Working in Shift.

PubMed

Kaliyaperumal, Deepalakshmi; Elango, Yaal; Alagesan, Murali; Santhanakrishanan, Iswarya

2017-08-01

Sleep deprivation and altered circadian rhythm affects the cognitive performance of an individual. Quality of sleep is compromised in those who are frequently involved in extended working hours and shift work which is found to be more common among nurses. Cognitive impairment leads to fatigability, decline in attention and efficiency in their workplace which puts their health and patients' health at risk. To find out the prevalence of sleep deprivation and its impact on cognition among shift working nurses. Sleep deprivation among 97 female and three male healthy nurses of age 20-50 years was assessed by Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS). Cognition was assessed by Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) questionnaire. Mobile applications were used to test their vigilance, reaction time, photographic memory and numerical cognition. The above said parameters were assessed during end of day shift and 3-4 days after start of night shift. Poor sleep quality was observed among 69% of shift working nurses according to ESS scores. The cognitive performance was analysed using Wilcoxon signed rank test. The MoCA score was found to be lesser among 66% of nurses during night (25.72) than day (26.81). During the night, 32% made more mathematical errors. It was also found that, 71%, 83% and 68% of the nurses scored lesser during night in the Stroop's colour test, vigilance test and memory tests respectively. Thus, impairment in cognitive performance was statistically significant (p<0.001) among shift working nurses. Cognitive performance was found to be impaired among shift working nurses, due to poor sleep quality and decreased alertness during wake state. Thus, shift work poses significant cognitive risks in work performance of nurses.

Comparison of approaches for mobile document image analysis using server supported smartphones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ozarslan, Suleyman; Eren, P. Erhan

2014-03-01

With the recent advances in mobile technologies, new capabilities are emerging, such as mobile document image analysis. However, mobile phones are still less powerful than servers, and they have some resource limitations. One approach to overcome these limitations is performing resource-intensive processes of the application on remote servers. In mobile document image analysis, the most resource consuming process is the Optical Character Recognition (OCR) process, which is used to extract text in mobile phone captured images. In this study, our goal is to compare the in-phone and the remote server processing approaches for mobile document image analysis in order to explore their trade-offs. For the inphone approach, all processes required for mobile document image analysis run on the mobile phone. On the other hand, in the remote-server approach, core OCR process runs on the remote server and other processes run on the mobile phone. Results of the experiments show that the remote server approach is considerably faster than the in-phone approach in terms of OCR time, but adds extra delays such as network delay. Since compression and downscaling of images significantly reduce file sizes and extra delays, the remote server approach overall outperforms the in-phone approach in terms of selected speed and correct recognition metrics, if the gain in OCR time compensates for the extra delays. According to the results of the experiments, using the most preferable settings, the remote server approach performs better than the in-phone approach in terms of speed and acceptable correct recognition metrics.

The provider perspective: investigating the effect of the Electronic Patient-Reported Outcome (ePRO) mobile application and portal on primary care provider workflow.

PubMed

Hans, Parminder K; Gray, Carolyn Steele; Gill, Ashlinder; Tiessen, James

2018-03-01

Aim This qualitative study investigates how the Electronic Patient-Reported Outcome (ePRO) mobile application and portal system, designed to capture patient-reported measures to support self-management, affected primary care provider workflows. The Canadian health system is facing an ageing population that is living with chronic disease. Disruptive innovations like mobile health technologies can help to support health system transformation needed to better meet the multifaceted needs of the complex care patient. However, there are challenges with implementing these technologies in primary care settings, in particular the effect on primary care provider workflows. Over a six-week period interdisciplinary primary care providers (n=6) and their complex care patients (n=12), used the ePRO mobile application and portal to collaboratively goal-set, manage care plans, and support self-management using patient-reported measures. Secondary thematic analysis of focus groups, training sessions, and issue tracker reports captured user experiences at a Toronto area Family Health Team from October 2014 to January 2015. Findings Key issues raised by providers included: liability concerns associated with remote monitoring, increased documentation activities due to a lack of interoperability between the app and the electronic patient record, increased provider anxiety with regard to the potential for the app to disrupt and infringe upon appointment time, and increased demands for patient engagement. Primary care providers reported the app helped to focus care plans and to begin a collaborative conversation on goal-setting. However, throughout our investigation we found a high level of provider resistance evidenced by consistent attempts to shift the app towards fitting with existing workflows rather than adapting much of their behaviour. As health systems seek innovative and disruptive models to better serve this complex patient population, provider change resistance will need to be addressed. New models and technologies cannot be disruptive in an environment that is resisting change.

MicroRNA156: A Potential Graft-Transmissible MicroRNA That Modulates Plant Architecture and Tuberization in Solanum tuberosum ssp. andigena1[C][W][OPEN

PubMed Central

Bhogale, Sneha; Mahajan, Ameya S.; Natarajan, Bhavani; Rajabhoj, Mohit; Thulasiram, Hirekodathakallu V.; Banerjee, Anjan K.

2014-01-01

MicroRNA156 (miR156) functions in maintaining the juvenile phase in plants. However, the mobility of this microRNA has not been demonstrated. So far, only three microRNAs, miR399, miR395, and miR172, have been shown to be mobile. We demonstrate here that miR156 is a potential graft-transmissible signal that affects plant architecture and tuberization in potato (Solanum tuberosum). Under tuber-noninductive (long-day) conditions, miR156 shows higher abundance in leaves and stems, whereas an increase in abundance of miR156 has been observed in stolons under tuber-inductive (short-day) conditions, indicative of a photoperiodic control. Detection of miR156 in phloem cells of wild-type plants and mobility assays in heterografts suggest that miR156 is a graft-transmissible signal. This movement was correlated with changes in leaf morphology and longer trichomes in leaves. Overexpression of miR156 in potato caused a drastic phenotype resulting in altered plant architecture and reduced tuber yield. miR156 overexpression plants also exhibited altered levels of cytokinin and strigolactone along with increased levels of LONELY GUY1 and StCyclin D3.1 transcripts as compared with wild-type plants. RNA ligase-mediated rapid amplification of complementary DNA ends analysis validated SQUAMOSA PROMOTER BINDING-LIKE3 (StSPL3), StSPL6, StSPL9, StSPL13, and StLIGULELESS1 as targets of miR156. Gel-shift assays indicate the regulation of miR172 by miR156 through StSPL9. miR156-resistant SPL9 overexpression lines exhibited increased miR172 levels under a short-day photoperiod, supporting miR172 regulation via the miR156-SPL9 module. Overall, our results strongly suggest that miR156 is a phloem-mobile signal regulating potato development. PMID:24351688

A plasmid containing the human metallothionein II gene can function as an antibody-assisted electrophoretic biosensor for heavy metals.

PubMed

Wooten, Dennis C; Starr, Clarise R; Lyon, Wanda J

2016-01-01

Different forms of heavy metals affect biochemical systems in characteristic ways that cannot be detected with typical metal analysis methods like atomic absorption spectrometry. Further, using living systems to analyze interaction of heavy metals with biochemical systems can be laborious and unreliable. To generate a reliable easy-to-use biologically-based biosensor system, the entire human metallothionein-II (MT-II) gene was incorporated into a plasmid (pUC57-MT) easily replicated in Escherichia coli. In this system, a commercial polyclonal antibody raised against human metal-responsive transcription factor-1 protein (MTF-1 protein) could modify the electrophoretic migration patterns (i.e. cause specific decreases in agarose gel electrophoretic mobility) of the plasmid in the presence or absence of heavy metals other than zinc (Zn). In the study here, heavy metals, MTF-1 protein, and polyclonal anti-MTF-1 antibody were used to assess pUC57-MT plasmid antibody-assisted electrophoretic mobility. Anti-MTF-1 antibody bound both MTF-1 protein and pUC57-MT plasmid in a non-competitive fashion such that it could be used to differentiate specific heavy metal binding. The results showed that antibody-inhibited plasmid migration was heavy metal level-dependent. Zinc caused a unique mobility shift pattern opposite to that of other metals tested, i.e. Zn blocked the antibody ability to inhibit plasmid migration, despite a greatly increased affinity for DNA by the antibody when Zn was present. The Zn effect was reversed/modified by adding MTF-1 protein. Additionally, antibody inhibition of plasmid mobility was resistant to heat pre-treatment and trypsinization, indicating absence of residual DNA extraction-resistant bacterial DNA binding proteins. DNA binding by anti-DNA antibodies may be commonly enhanced by xenobiotic heavy metals and elevated levels of Zn, thus making them potentially effective tools for assessment of heavy metal bioavailability in aqueous solutions and fluid obtained from metal implant sites.

Early Hg mobility in cultivated tropical soils one year after slash-and-burn of the primary forest, in the Brazilian Amazon.

PubMed

Béliveau, Annie; Lucotte, Marc; Davidson, Robert; Lopes, Luis Otávio do Canto; Paquet, Serge

2009-07-15

In the Brazilian Amazon, forest conversion to agricultural lands (slash-and-burn cultivation) contributes to soil mercury (Hg) release and to aquatic ecosystem contamination. Recent studies have shown that soil Hg loss occurs rapidly after deforestation, suggesting that Hg mobility could be related to the massive cation input resulting from biomass burning. The objective of this research was to determine the effects of the first year of slash-and-burn agriculture on soil Hg levels at the regional scale of the Tapajós River, in the state of Pará, Brazilian Amazon. A total of 429 soil samples were collected in 26 farms of five riparian communities of the Tapajós basin. In September 2004, soil samples were collected from primary forest sites planned for slash-and-burn cultivation. In August 2005, one year after the initial burning, a second campaign was held and the exact same sites were re-sampled. Our results showed that total Hg levels in soils did not change significantly during the first year following slash-and-burn, suggesting no immediate release of soil Hg at that point in time. However, an early Hg mobility was detected near the surface (0-5 cm), reflected by a significant shift in Hg distribution in soil fractions. Indeed, a transfer of Hg from fine to coarser soil particles was observed, indicating that chemical bonds between Hg and fine particles could have been altered. A correspondence analysis (CA) showed that this process could be linked to a chemical competition caused by cation enrichment. The regional dimension of the study highlighted the prevailing importance of soil types in Hg dynamics, as shown by differentiated soil responses following deforestation according to soil texture. Confirming an early Hg mobility and indicating an eventual Hg release out of the soil, our results reinforce the call for the development of more sustainable agricultural practices in the Amazon.

Model for Ultrafast Carrier Scattering in Semiconductors

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-11-14

energy transfer between semi-classical carrier drift-diffusion under an electric field and quantum kinetics of interband /intersubband transitions...from an electron during each phonon-emission event. The net rate of phonon emission is determined by the Boltzmann scattering equation which depends ...energy-drift term under a strong dc field was demonstrated to reduce the field- dependent drift velocity and mobility. The Doppler shift in the energy

Identification of T. gondii Myosin Light Chain-1 as a Direct Target of TachypleginA-2, a Small-Molecule Inhibitor of Parasite Motility and Invasion

PubMed Central

Leung, Jacqueline M.; Tran, Fanny; Pathak, Ravindra B.; Poupart, Séverine; Heaslip, Aoife T.; Ballif, Bryan A.; Westwood, Nicholas J.; Ward, Gary E.

2014-01-01

Motility of the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii plays an important role in the parasite’s life cycle and virulence within animal and human hosts. Motility is driven by a myosin motor complex that is highly conserved across the Phylum Apicomplexa. Two key components of this complex are the class XIV unconventional myosin, TgMyoA, and its associated light chain, TgMLC1. We previously showed that treatment of parasites with a small-molecule inhibitor of T. gondii invasion and motility, tachypleginA, induces an electrophoretic mobility shift of TgMLC1 that is associated with decreased myosin motor activity. However, the direct target(s) of tachypleginA and the molecular basis of the compound-induced TgMLC1 modification were unknown. We show here by “click” chemistry labelling that TgMLC1 is a direct and covalent target of an alkyne-derivatized analogue of tachypleginA. We also show that this analogue can covalently bind to model thiol substrates. The electrophoretic mobility shift induced by another structural analogue, tachypleginA-2, was associated with the formation of a 225.118 Da adduct on S57 and/or C58, and treatment with deuterated tachypleginA-2 confirmed that the adduct was derived from the compound itself. Recombinant TgMLC1 containing a C58S mutation (but not S57A) was refractory to click labelling and no longer exhibited a mobility shift in response to compound treatment, identifying C58 as the site of compound binding on TgMLC1. Finally, a knock-in parasite line expressing the C58S mutation showed decreased sensitivity to compound treatment in a quantitative 3D motility assay. These data strongly support a model in which tachypleginA and its analogues inhibit the motility of T. gondii by binding directly and covalently to C58 of TgMLC1, thereby causing a decrease in the activity of the parasite’s myosin motor. PMID:24892871

Design and development of the mobile game based on the J2ME technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Junhua

2011-12-01

With the continuous improvement of mobile performance, mobile entertainment applications market trend has been increasingly clear, mobile entertainment applications will be after the PC entertainment applications is another important business growth. Through the full analysis of the current mobile entertainment applications market demand and trends, the author has accumulated a lot of theoretical knowledge and practical experience. Rational, using of some new technology for a mobile entertainment games design, and described the development of key technologies required for mobile game an analysis and design of the game, and to achieve a complete game development. Light of the specific mobile game project - "Battle City", detailed the development of a mobile game based on the J2ME platform, the basic steps and the various key elements, focusing on how to use object-oriented thinking on the role of mobile phones in the abstract and Game Animation package, the source code with specific instructions.

Design and development of the mobile game based on the J2ME technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, JunHua

2012-01-01

With the continuous improvement of mobile performance, mobile entertainment applications market trend has been increasingly clear, mobile entertainment applications will be after the PC entertainment applications is another important business growth. Through the full analysis of the current mobile entertainment applications market demand and trends, the author has accumulated a lot of theoretical knowledge and practical experience. Rational, using of some new technology for a mobile entertainment games design, and described the development of key technologies required for mobile game an analysis and design of the game, and to achieve a complete game development. Light of the specific mobile game project - "Battle City", detailed the development of a mobile game based on the J2ME platform, the basic steps and the various key elements, focusing on how to use object-oriented thinking on the role of mobile phones in the abstract and Game Animation package, the source code with specific instructions.

Executive Function Processes Predict Mobility Outcomes in Older Adults

PubMed Central

Gothe, Neha P.; Fanning, Jason; Awick, Elizabeth; Chung, David; Wójcicki, Thomas R.; Olson, Erin A.; Mullen, Sean P.; Voss, Michelle; Erickson, Kirk I.; Kramer, Arthur F.; McAuley, Edward

2013-01-01

BACKGROUND: There is growing evidence suggesting an association between cognitive function and physical performance in late life. This study examined the relationship between performance on executive function measures and subsequent mobility outcomes among community dwelling older adults across a 12-month randomized controlled exercise trial. DESIGN: Randomized controlled clinical trial SETTING: Champaign-Urbana, Illinois PARTICIPANTS: Community dwelling older adults (N = 179; Mage = 66.4) INTERVENTION: A 12-month exercise trial with two arms: an aerobic exercise group and a stretching and strengthening group MEASUREMENTS: Established cognitive tests of executive function including the flanker task, task switching and a dual task paradigm, and the Wisconsin card sort test. Mobility was assessed using the timed 8-foot up and go test and times to climb up and down a flight of stairs. METHODS: Participants completed the cognitive measures at baseline and the mobility measures at baseline and after 12 months of the intervention. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to determine whether baseline executive function predicted post-intervention functional performance after controlling for age, sex, education, cardiorespiratory fitness and baseline mobility levels. RESULTS: Our analyses revealed that selective baseline executive function measures, particularly performance on the flanker task (β’s =.15 to .17) and the Wisconsin card sort test (β’s =.11 to .16) consistently predicted mobility outcomes at month 12. The estimates were in the expected direction, such that better baseline performance on the executive function measures predicted better performance on the timed mobility tests independent of the intervention group. CONCLUSION: Executive functions of inhibitory control, mental set shifting and attentional flexibility were predictive of functional mobility. Given the literature associating mobility limitations with disability, morbidity, and mortality, these results are important for understanding the antecedents to poor mobility function that can be attenuated by well-designed interventions to improve cognitive performance. PMID:24521364

Simulations of absorption spectra of conjugated oligomers: role of planar conformation and aggregation in condensed phase

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Xiang-Ai; Wen, Jin; Zheng, Dong; Ma, Jing

2018-04-01

This Review highlights the structure/property relationship underlying the morphology modulation through various factors towards the exploration of light-absorbing materials for efficient utilisation of solar power. Theoretical study using a combination of molecular dynamics imulations and the time-dependent density functional theory demonstrated that the planarity plays an important role in tuning spectral properties of oligomer aggregates. The aggregation-induced blue-shift in absorption spectra of oligothiophenes and the red-shift for oligofluorenols were rationalised in a unified way from the reduced (and increased) content of planar conformations in molecular aggregates. The planarity versus non-planarity of oligomers can be modulated by introduction of alkyl side chain or steric bulky substituents. The substitution with various groups in the ortho-position of azobenzene leads to the distorted backbone, breaking symmetry, and hence the red-shift in spectra, expanding the application in biological systems with visible light absorption. The donor-acceptor substituent groups in conjugated oligomers can increase the degree of planarity, electron delocalisation and polarisation, and charge separation, giving rise to the red-shift in spectra and enhancement in polarisability and charge mobility for device applications. The solvent dependent and pH-sensitive properties and intramolecular hydrogen bonds also caused the shift of absorption spectra with the appearance of planar conformers.

Recent Immigrants as Labor Market Arbitrageurs: Evidence from the Minimum Wage*

PubMed Central

Cadena, Brian C.

2014-01-01

This paper investigates the local labor supply effects of changes to the minimum wage by examining the response of low-skilled immigrants’ location decisions. Canonical models emphasize the importance of labor mobility when evaluating the employment effects of the minimum wage; yet few studies address this outcome directly. Low-skilled immigrant populations shift toward labor markets with stagnant minimum wages, and this result is robust to a number of alternative interpretations. This mobility provides behavior-based evidence in favor of a non-trivial negative employment effect of the minimum wage. Further, it reduces the estimated demand elasticity using teens; employment losses among native teens are substantially larger in states that have historically attracted few immigrant residents. PMID:24999288

Study on the spectral efficiency of SFH-GMSK in land mobile telephone communication by direct simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bao, H.; Kwatra, S. C.; Kim, Junghwan; Stevens, G. H.

1990-01-01

A spread spectrum system, slow frequency hopping with GMSK (Gaussian minimum shift keying) modulation (SFH-GMSK), is proposed for mobile telephone communications. The system performance is evaluated using computer simulation and is compared with an unspread system. Results show that under multipath fading conditions, when the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is greater than 15 dB, slow frequency hopping gives some bit error rate improvement over the unspread system. Theoretical predictions indicate that a system efficiency of 20-65 users per cell can be achieved in the cellular configuration. Joint use of SFH-GMSK and FM is also investigated. It is shown that FM interference can cause serious degradation to the SFH-GMSK performance.

Facilitating Wellness in Urban-Dwelling, Low-Income Older Adults Through Community Mobility: A Mixed-Methods Study.

PubMed

Mulry, Claire M; Papetti, Christina; De Martinis, Julian; Ravinsky, Mark

Community participation is integral to wellness. This study examined the outcomes of Let's Go, a program designed to facilitate community participation of urban-dwelling, low-income older adults. Fifty-two older adults participated in a mixed-methods, single-group pretest-posttest study. The Impact on Participation and Autonomy Questionnaire, participant surveys, and semistructured interviews were used to evaluate self-reported participation in community-based occupations, confidence, isolation, frequency of community trips, autonomy outdoors, and satisfaction with social life and relationships. Significant improvement was found in participation, confidence, frequency of community trips, autonomy outdoors, and satisfaction with social life and relationships at 4 wk and 6 mo. Qualitative themes were decreased isolation, importance of peer and community support, increased knowledge of mobility options, and a shift from fear to confidence. Community mobility programming can facilitate the participation of marginalized older adults in community-based occupations. Copyright © 2017 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

The Mobile Chamber

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scharfstein, Gregory; Cox, Russell

2012-01-01

A document discusses a simulation chamber that represents a shift from the thermal-vacuum chamber stereotype. This innovation, currently in development, combines the capabilities of space simulation chambers, the user-friendliness of modern-day electronics, and the modularity of plug-and-play computing. The Mobile Chamber is a customized test chamber that can be deployed with great ease, and is capable of bringing payloads at temperatures down to 20 K, in high vacuum, and with the desired metrology instruments integrated to the systems control. Flexure plans to lease Mobile Chambers, making them affordable for smaller budgets and available to a larger customer base. A key feature of this design will be an Apple iPad-like user interface that allows someone with minimal training to control the environment inside the chamber, and to simulate the required extreme environments. The feedback of thermal, pressure, and other measurements is delivered in a 3D CAD model of the chamber's payload and support hardware. This GUI will provide the user with a better understanding of the payload than any existing thermal-vacuum system.

Micro modules for mobile shape, color and spectral imaging with smartpads in industry, biology and medicine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hofmann, Dietrich; Dittrich, Paul-Gerald; Düntsch, Eric; Kraus, Daniel

2014-02-01

Aim of the paper is the demonstration of a paradigm shift in shape, color and spectral measurements in industry, biology and medicine as well as in measurement education and training. Innovative hardware apps (hwapps) and software apps (swapps) with smartpads are fundamental enablers for the transformation from conventional stationary working places towards innovative mobile working places with in-field measurements and point-of-care (POC) diagnostics. Mobile open online courses (MOOCs) are transforming the study habits. Practical examples for the application of innovative photonic micro shapemeters, colormeters and spectrometers will be given. The innovative approach opens so far untapped enormous markets for measurement science, engineering and training. These innovative working conditions will be fast accepted due to their convenience, reliability and affordability. A highly visible advantage of smartpads is the huge number of their distribution, their worldwide connectivity via Internet and cloud services, the standardized interfaces like USB and HDMI and the experienced capabilities of their users for practical operations, learned with their private smartpads.

Mechanism of high-fluence proton induced electrical degradation in AlGaN/GaN high-electron-mobility transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lei, Zhifeng; Guo, Hongxia; Tang, Minghua; Peng, Chao; Zhang, Zhangang; Huang, Yun; En, Yunfei

2018-07-01

The effects of displacement damage induced by 3 and 6 MeV protons in AlGaN/GaN high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) are investigated. For the 6 MeV protons at a dose of 5 × 1014 cm‑2, a 12% decrease in saturation current, a 3.8% decrease in the peak transconductance, a 0.3 V positive shift of the threshold voltage, and a three-to fourfold decrease in reverse gate leakage current are observed compared with the pre-irradiation values. The main degradation mechanism is considered to be the generation of deep trap states in the band gap, which remove electrons and reduce the carrier mobility in a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG). Both the carrier removal rate and negatively charged trap density can be extracted, which shows that about 3500 proton injections lead to one carrier removal. Proton fluence and energy are found to be two key parameters that affect the degradation characteristics of irradiated GaN HEMTs.

Strain engineering on electronic structure and carrier mobility in monolayer GeP3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, Bowen; Long, Mengqiu; Zhang, Xiaojiao; Dong, Yulan; Li, Mingjun; Yi, Yougen; Duan, Haiming

2018-06-01

Using density functional theory coupled with the Boltzmann transport equation with relaxation time approximation, we have studied the strain effect on the electronic structure and carrier mobility of two-dimensional monolayer GeP3. We find that the energies of valence band maximum and conduction band minimum are nearly linearly shifted with a biaxial strain in the range of  ‑4% to 6%, and the band structure experiences a remarkable transition from semiconductor to metal with the appropriate compression (‑5% strain). Under biaxial strain, the mobility of the electron and hole in monolayer GeP3 reduces and increases by more than one order of magnitude, respectively. It is suggested that it is possible to perform successive transitions from an n-type semiconductor (‑4% strain) to a good performance p-semiconductor (+6% strain) by applying strain in monolayer GeP3, which is potentially useful for flexible electronics and nanosized mechanical sensors.

Electrical characterization of vertically stacked p-FET SOI nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cardoso Paz, Bruna; Cassé, Mikaël; Barraud, Sylvain; Reimbold, Gilles; Vinet, Maud; Faynot, Olivier; Antonio Pavanello, Marcelo

2018-03-01

This work presents the performance and transport characteristics of vertically stacked p-type MOSFET SOI nanowires (NWs) with inner spacers and epitaxial growth of SiGe raised source/drain. The conventional procedure to extract the effective oxide thickness (EOT) and Shift and Ratio Method (S&R) have been adapted and validated through tridimensional numerical simulations. Electrical characterization is performed for NWs with [1 1 0]- and [1 0 0]-oriented channels, as a function of both fin width (WFIN) and channel length (L). Results show a good electrostatic control and reduced short channel effects (SCE) down to 15 nm gate length, for both orientations. Effective mobility is found around two times higher for [1 1 0]- in comparison to [1 0 0]-oriented NWs due to higher holes mobility contribution in (1 1 0) plan. Improvements obtained on ION/IOFF by reducing WFIN are mainly due to subthreshold slope decrease, once small and none mobility increase is obtained for [1 1 0]- and [1 0 0]-oriented NWs, respectively.

Altering the orientation of a fused protein to the RNA-binding ribosomal protein L7Ae and its derivatives through circular permutation.

PubMed

Ohuchi, Shoji J; Sagawa, Fumihiko; Sakamoto, Taiichi; Inoue, Tan

2015-10-23

RNA-protein complexes (RNPs) are useful for constructing functional nano-objects because a variety of functional proteins can be displayed on a designed RNA scaffold. Here, we report circular permutations of an RNA-binding protein L7Ae based on the three-dimensional structure information to alter the orientation of the displayed proteins on the RNA scaffold. An electrophoretic mobility shift assay and atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis revealed that most of the designed circular permutants formed an RNP nano-object. Moreover, the alteration of the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) orientation was confirmed with AFM by employing EGFP on the L7Ae permutant on the RNA. The results demonstrate that targeted fine-tuning of the stereo-specific fixation of a protein on a protein-binding RNA is feasible by using the circular permutation technique. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

GAS6 is an estrogen-inducible gene in mammary epithelial cells

PubMed Central

Mo, Rigen; Zhu, Yiwei Tony; Zhang, Zhongyi; Rao, Sambasiva M.; Zhu, Yi-Jun

2007-01-01

To identify estrogen responsive genes in mammary glands, microarray assays were performed. Twenty genes were found to be up-regulated while 16 genes were repressed in the 9h estrogen treated glands. The induction of GAS6, one of the genes up-regulated by estrogen, was confirmed by RNase protection assay. Furthermore, GAS6 was also demonstrated to be induced by estrogen in ER positive breast cancer cells. Analysis of GAS6 promoter revealed that GAS6 promoter was regulated by estrogen. An estrogen response element (ERE) was identified in the GAS6 promoter. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay revealed that ERα interacted with the ERE in the GAS6 promoter. Chromatin immunoprecipitation demonstrated that ERα was recruited to the GAS6 promoter upon estrogen stimulation. These results suggested that GAS6 is an estrogen target gene in mammary epithelial cells. PMID:17174935

Analysis of a cis-Acting Element Involved in Regulation by Estrogen of Human Angiotensinogen Gene Expression.

PubMed

Zhao, Yan-Yan; Sun, Kai-Lai; Ashok, Kumar

1998-01-01

The work was aimed to identify the estrogen responsive element in the human angiotensinogen gene. The nucleotide sequence between the transcription initiation site and TATA box in angiotensinogen gene promoter was found to be strongly homologous with the consensus estrogen responsive element. This sequence was confirmed as the estrogen responsive element (HAG ERE) by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. The recombinant expression vectors were constructed in which chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) reporter gene was driven by angiotensinogen core promoter with HAG ERE of by TK core promoter with multiplied HAG ERE, and were used in cotransfection with the human estrogen receptor expression vector into HepG(2) cells; CAT assays showed an increase of the CAT activity on 17beta-estradiol treatment in those transfectants. These results suggest that the human angiotensinogen gene is transcriptionally up-regulated by estrogen through the estrogen responsive element near TATA box of the promoter.

Altering the orientation of a fused protein to the RNA-binding ribosomal protein L7Ae and its derivatives through circular permutation

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

Ohuchi, Shoji J.; Sagawa, Fumihiko; Sakamoto, Taiichi

RNA-protein complexes (RNPs) are useful for constructing functional nano-objects because a variety of functional proteins can be displayed on a designed RNA scaffold. Here, we report circular permutations of an RNA-binding protein L7Ae based on the three-dimensional structure information to alter the orientation of the displayed proteins on the RNA scaffold. An electrophoretic mobility shift assay and atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis revealed that most of the designed circular permutants formed an RNP nano-object. Moreover, the alteration of the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) orientation was confirmed with AFM by employing EGFP on the L7Ae permutant on the RNA. Themore » results demonstrate that targeted fine-tuning of the stereo-specific fixation of a protein on a protein-binding RNA is feasible by using the circular permutation technique.« less

A Historical Materialist Analysis of the Debate in Swedish Print Media on Mobile Phones in School Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ott, Torbjörn

2014-01-01

The use of mobile phones for teaching and learning in schools has been a controversial matter. In this paper the debate in two Swedish newspapers on the use of mobile phones in schools is analysed using a historical materialist framework. The results are discussed in relation to contemporary research on mobile learning. The analysis reveals that…

5G: The Convergence of Wireless Communications.

PubMed

Chávez-Santiago, Raúl; Szydełko, Michał; Kliks, Adrian; Foukalas, Fotis; Haddad, Yoram; Nolan, Keith E; Kelly, Mark Y; Masonta, Moshe T; Balasingham, Ilangko

As the rollout of 4G mobile communication networks takes place, representatives of industry and academia have started to look into the technological developments toward the next generation (5G). Several research projects involving key international mobile network operators, infrastructure manufacturers, and academic institutions, have been launched recently to set the technological foundations of 5G. However, the architecture of future 5G systems, their performance, and mobile services to be provided have not been clearly defined. In this paper, we put forth the vision for 5G as the convergence of evolved versions of current cellular networks with other complementary radio access technologies. Therefore, 5G may not be a single radio access interface but rather a "network of networks". Evidently, the seamless integration of a variety of air interfaces, protocols, and frequency bands, requires paradigm shifts in the way networks cooperate and complement each other to deliver data rates of several Gigabits per second with end-to-end latency of a few milliseconds. We provide an overview of the key radio technologies that will play a key role in the realization of this vision for the next generation of mobile communication networks. We also introduce some of the research challenges that need to be addressed.

5G: rethink mobile communications for 2020+.

PubMed

Chih-Lin, I; Han, Shuangfeng; Xu, Zhikun; Sun, Qi; Pan, Zhengang

2016-03-06

The 5G network is anticipated to meet the challenging requirements of mobile traffic in the 2020s, which are characterized by super high data rate, low latency, high mobility, high energy efficiency and high traffic density. This paper provides an overview of China Mobile's 5G vision and potential solutions. Three key characteristics of 5G are analysed, i.e. super fast, soft and green. The main 5G R&D themes are further elaborated, which include five fundamental rethinkings of the traditional design methodologies. The 5G network design considerations are also discussed, with cloud radio access network, ultra-dense network, software defined network and network function virtualization examined as key potential solutions towards a green and soft 5G network. The paradigm shift to user-centric network operation from the traditional cell-centric operation is also investigated, where the decoupled downlink and uplink, control and data, and adaptive multiple connections provide sufficient means to achieve a user-centric 5G network with 'no more cells'. The software defined air interface is investigated under a uniform framework and can adaptively adapt the parameters to well satisfy various requirements in different 5G scenarios. © 2016 The Author(s).

Immigration politics Italian style: the paradoxical behaviour of mainstream and populist parties.

PubMed

Perlmutter, T

1996-01-01

This article explores the role of electoral politics in managing immigration as a policy option in Italy. Italy was late in passing its first comprehensive immigration legislation (1990). A small, liberal party waged a campaign against the proposed immigration law. A party known for right-wing posturing did not mobilize against the law. These political postures were not anticipated by conventional wisdom. Conventional wisdom suggests that immigration should not be an electoral issue and that consensus solutions should be sought. It is argued that the Italian response supports the view that in a fragmented, multi-party system, minor parties will be more likely to mobilize. Two mass media studies were used as the basis for this article's analysis. The studies provide detailed evidence on party willingness to publicly discuss immigration and the ways the issues are framed. The Italian case illustrates the tendency for mainstream, pro-system parties to politicize the issue and extremist, anti-system parties to depoliticize it. The DC and PCI, as mass parties, behaved traditionally and supported moderately open immigration policies, but in closed forums. The minor parties had a stake in shifting electoral support, so the PSI took an outspoken stand and the PARI publicized its exclusion from the policy-making process and its support for more restrictive policies. It was the constituencies and the leadership structure that facilitated these strategies. The author differs from Betz's party analysis by arguing that party ideology may not be a useful guide for predicting stands on immigration, and that it is difficult to generalize about immigration.

ROMANCE: A new software tool to improve data robustness and feature identification in CE-MS metabolomics.

PubMed

González-Ruiz, Víctor; Gagnebin, Yoric; Drouin, Nicolas; Codesido, Santiago; Rudaz, Serge; Schappler, Julie

2018-05-01

The use of capillary electrophoresis coupled to mass spectrometry (CE-MS) in metabolomics remains an oddity compared to the widely adopted use of liquid chromatography. This technique is traditionally regarded as lacking the reproducibility to adequately identify metabolites by their migration times. The major reason is the variability of the velocity of the background electrolyte, mainly coming from shifts in the magnitude of the electroosmotic flow and from the suction caused by electrospray interfaces. The use of the effective electrophoretic mobility is one solution to overcome this issue as it is a characteristic feature of each compound. To date, such an approach has not been applied to metabolomics due to the complexity and size of CE-MS data obtained in such studies. In this paper, ROMANCE (RObust Metabolomic Analysis with Normalized CE) is introduced as a new software for CE-MS-based metabolomics. It allows the automated conversion of batches of CE-MS files with minimal user intervention. ROMANCE converts the x-axis of each MS file from the time into the effective mobility scale and the resulting files are already pseudo-aligned, present normalized peak areas and improved reproducibility, and can eventually follow existing metabolomic workflows. The software was developed in Scala, so it is multi-platform and computationally-efficient. It is available for download under a CC license. In this work, the versatility of ROMANCE was demonstrated by using data obtained in the same and in different laboratories, as well as its application to the analysis of human plasma samples. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Need for, and financial feasibility of, satellite-aided land mobile communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Castruccio, P. A.; Marantz, C. S.; Freibaum, J.

1982-01-01

Questions regarding the role of a mobile-satellite system in augmenting the terrestrial communications system are considered, and a market assessment study is discussed. Aspects of an investment analysis are examined, taking into account a three phase financial study of four postulated land Mobile Satellite Service (LMSS) systems, project profitability evaluation methods, risk analysis methods, financial projections, potential investor acceptance standards, and a risk analysis. It is concluded that a satellite augmented terrestrial mobile service appears to be economically and technically superior to a service depending exclusively on terrestrial systems. The interest in the Mobile Satellite Service is found to be worldwide, and the ground equipment market is potentially large.

Staying in STEM or changing course: Do natives and immigrants pursue the path of least resistance?

PubMed

Han, Siqi

2016-07-01

This paper examines why Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields are becoming "immigrant" fields of study as native students shift from STEM fields to law, medicine and business. Using data from the 2010 National Survey of College Graduates, the analyses find that foreign college-educated immigrants with STEM degrees tend to remain in STEM fields, while natives are more likely to shift from STEM fields to law, medicine and business in graduate school. Among those who moved into law, medicine and business, the gains in earnings are larger for natives than for foreign educated immigrants. These results have important implications for the social mobility of highly educated natives and immigrants. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Transcriptional activation of rat creatine kinase B by 17beta-estradiol in MCF-7 cells involves an estrogen responsive element and GC-rich sites.

PubMed

Wang, F; Samudio, I; Safe, S

2001-01-01

The rat creatine kinase B (CKB) gene is induced by estrogen in the uterus, and constructs containing rat CKB gene promoter inserts are highly estrogen-responsive in cell culture. Analysis of the upstream -568 to -523 region of the promoter in HeLa cells has identified an imperfect palindromic estrogen response element (ERE) that is required for hormone inducibility. Analysis of the CKB gene promoter in MCF-7 breast cancer cells confirmed that pCKB7 (containing the -568 to -523 promoter insert) was estrogen-responsive in transient transfection studies. However, mutation and deletion analysis of this region of the promoter showed that two GC-rich sites and the concensus ERE were functional cis-elements that bound estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha)/Sp1 and ERalpha proteins, respectively. The role of these elements was confirmed in gel mobility shift and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays and transfection studies in MDA-MB-231 and Schneider Drosophila SL-2 cells. These results show that transcriptional activation of CKB by estrogen is dependent, in part, on ERalpha/Sp1 action which is cell context-dependent. Copyright 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The dimensions of mobilities: the spatial relationships between corporeal and digital mobilities.

PubMed

Taipale, Sakari

2014-01-01

The aim of this article is to study how the corporeal and digital mobilities are spatially organised in relation to each other in everyday life. The dimensions of mobilities are modelled by using survey data (N=612) collected from Finland in 2011, Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) and Multiple Regression Analysis (MRA). The results show that the combined use of corporeal and digital means of mobility affect the spatial organisation of mobilities only little. The results indicate that young people and students are more likely to benefit from their mobility in networking activities as they are equipped with a larger variety of mobility means than older people and pensioners. Lastly, women and people living in essentially urban areas are more likely to augment their physical travelling practices by using small-sized digital mobilities than men and people living in rural locations. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Performance Analysis of Hierarchical Group Key Management Integrated with Adaptive Intrusion Detection in Mobile ad hoc Networks

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-04-05

applications in wireless networks such as military battlefields, emergency response, mobile commerce , online gaming, and collaborative work are based on the...www.elsevier.com/locate/peva Performance analysis of hierarchical group key management integrated with adaptive intrusion detection in mobile ad hoc...Accepted 19 September 2010 Available online 26 September 2010 Keywords: Mobile ad hoc networks Intrusion detection Group communication systems Group

Mobile health: a synopsis and comment on "Increasing physical activity with mobile devices: a meta-analysis".

PubMed

Johnston, Winter; Hoffman, Sara; Thornton, Louise

2014-03-01

We offer a synopsis and commentary on J. Fanning and colleagues' article "Increasing Physical Activity with Mobile Devices: A Meta-Analysis" published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research. Although regular physical activity has a range of benefits, very few adults in the USA meet recommended guidelines for daily physical activity. The meta-analysis of Fanning et al. (2012) aimed to synthesize the results of research using mobile devices to increase physical activity. Their review identified 11 studies that used mobile technologies, including short message service (SMS), apps, or personal digital assistant (PDA) to improve physical activity behaviors among participants. Fanning et al. conclude that while literature in this area is limited to date, there is initial support for the efficacy of mobile-based interventions for improving physical activity. Included studies varied greatly, and the majority used only SMS to influence physical behaviors, meaning generalization of results to other forms of mobile technologies may be premature. This review does, however, provide a foundation for understanding how mobile-based interventions may be used efficaciously for the development of future interventions to improve health behaviors.

Reconceptualizing resistance: sociology and the affective dimension of resistance.

PubMed

Hynes, Maria

2013-12-01

This paper re-examines the sociological study of resistance in light of growing interest in the concept of affect. Recent claims that we are witness to an 'affective turn' and calls for a 'new sociological empiricism' sensitive to affect indicate an emerging paradigm shift in sociology. Yet, mainstream sociological study of resistance tends to have been largely unaffected by this shift. To this end, this paper presents a case for the significance of affect as a lens by which to approach the study of resistance. My claim is not simply that the forms of actions we would normally recognize as resistance have an affective dimension. Rather, it is that the theory of affect broadens 'resistance' beyond the purview of the two dominant modes of analysis in sociology; namely, the study of macropolitical forms, on the one hand, and the micropolitics of everyday resistance on the other. This broadened perspective challenges the persistent assumption that ideological forms of power and resistance are the most pertinent to the contemporary world, suggesting that much power and resistance today is of a more affective nature. In making this argument, it is a Deleuzian reading of affect that is pursued, which opens up to a level of analysis beyond the common understanding of affect as emotion. I argue that an affective approach to resistance would pay attention to those barely perceptible transitions in power and mobilizations of bodily potential that operate below the conscious perceptions and subjective emotions of social actors. These affective transitions constitute a new site at which both power and resistance operate. © London School of Economics and Political Science 2013.

Rapid Detection of Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3 Activity in Mouse Sperm Using Fluorescent Gel Shift Electrophoresis

PubMed Central

Choi, Hoseok; Choi, Bomi; Seo, Ju Tae; Lee, Kyung Jin; Gye, Myung Chan; Kim, Young-Pil

2016-01-01

Assaying the glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3) activity in sperm is of great importance because it is closely implicated in sperm motility and male infertility. While a number of studies on GSK3 activity have relied on labor-intensive immunoblotting to identify phosphorylated GSK3, here we report the simple and rapid detection of GSK3 activity in mouse sperm using conventional agarose gel electrophoresis and a fluorescent peptide substrate. When a dye-tethered and prephosphorylated (primed) peptide substrate for GSK3 was employed, a distinct mobility shift in the fluorescent bands on the agarose was observed by GSK3-induced phosphorylation of the primed peptides. The GSK3 activity in mouse testes and sperm were quantifiable by gel shift assay with low sample consumption and were significantly correlated with the expression levels of GSK3 and p-GSK3. We suggest that our assay can be used for reliable and rapid detection of GSK3 activity in cells and tissue extracts. PMID:27092510

Tracing Single Electrons in a Disordered Polymer Film at Room Temperature.

PubMed

Wilma, Kevin; Issac, Abey; Chen, Zhijian; Würthner, Frank; Hildner, Richard; Köhler, Jürgen

2016-04-21

The transport of charges lies at the heart of essentially all modern (opto-) electronic devices. Although inorganic semiconductors built the basis for current technologies, organic materials have become increasingly important in recent years. However, organic matter is often highly disordered, which directly impacts the charge carrier dynamics. To understand and optimize device performance, detailed knowledge of the transport mechanisms of charge carriers in disordered matter is therefore of crucial importance. Here we report on the observation of the motion of single electrons within a disordered polymer film at room temperature, using single organic chromophores as probe molecules. The migration of a single electron gives rise to a varying electric field in its vicinity, which is registered via a shift of the emission spectra (Stark shift) of a chromophore. The spectral shifts allow us to determine the electron mobility and reveal for each nanoenvironment a distinct number of different possible electron-transfer pathways within the rugged energy landscape of the disordered polymer matrix.

The Complex Association Between Fear of Falling and Mobility Limitation in Relation to Late-Life Falls: A SHARE-Based Analysis.

PubMed

Litwin, Howard; Erlich, Bracha; Dunsky, Ayelet

2018-07-01

This study examines fear of falling (FOF) in relation to falls in light of mobility limitation. Data on community-dwelling older Europeans, aged 65+, were drawn from two consecutive waves of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). The analysis regressed fall status in 2013 on reported FOF 2 to 3 years earlier, controlling for previous falls. FOF predicted subsequent falls when mobility limitation was low to moderate. However, the effect of FOF on fall probability was reversed when mobility limitation was high. The analysis underscores a complex association between FOF and mobility limitation in relation to late-life falls. People who are worried about falling tend to fall more. Those having high mobility limitation but lacking FOF are also more likely to fall. In cases of considerable mobility limitation, FOF may act as a protective buffer. The less worried in this group, however, may be subject to greater falling, and thus require greater attention.

Analysis of the effect of mobile phone base station antenna loading on localized SAR and its consequences for measurements.

PubMed

Hansson, Björn; Thors, Björn; Törnevik, Christer

2011-12-01

In this work, the effect of antenna element loading on the localized specific absorption rate (SAR) has been analyzed for base station antennas. The analysis was conducted in order to determine whether localized SAR measurements of large multi-element base station antennas can be conducted using standardized procedures and commercially available equipment. More specifically, it was investigated if the antenna shifting measurement procedure, specified in the European base station exposure assessment standard EN 50383, will produce accurate localized SAR results for base station antennas larger than the specified measurement phantom. The obtained results show that SAR accuracy is affected by the presence of lossy material within distances of one wavelength from the tested antennas as a consequence of coupling and redistribution of transmitted power among the antenna elements. It was also found that the existing standardized phantom is not optimal for SAR measurements of large base station antennas. A new methodology is instead proposed based on a larger, box-shaped, whole-body phantom. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Investigation of non-uniformity and inclusions in 6LiInSe2 utilizing laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiggins, Brenden; Tupitsyn, Eugene; Bhattacharya, Pijush; Rowe, Emmanuel; Lukosi, Eric; Chvala, Ondrej; Burger, Arnold; Stowe, Ashley

2013-09-01

Impurity analysis and compositional distribution studies have been conducted on a crystal of LiInSe2, a compound semiconductor which recently has been shown to respond to ionizing radiation. IR microscopy and laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) revealed the presence of inclusions within the crystal lattice. These precipitates were revealed to be alkali and alkaline earth elemental impurities with non-uniform spatial distribution in the crystal. LIBS compositional maps correlate the presence of these impurities with visual color differences in the crystal as well as a significant shift of the band gap. Further, LIBS revealed variation in the ratio of I-III-VI2 elemental constituents throughout the crystal. Analysis of compositional variation and impurities will aid in discerning optimal synthesis and crystal growth parameters to maximize the mobility-lifetime product and charge collection efficiency in the LiInSe2 crystal. Preliminary charge trapping calculations have also been conducted with the Monte Carlo N-particle eXtended (MCNPx) package indicating preferential trapping of holes during irradiation with thermal neutrons.

Structural and optical properties of the ZnS/GaSe heterojunctions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alharbi, S. R.; Abdallaha, Maisam M. A.; Qasrawi, A. F.

2017-11-01

In the current work, the ZnS/GaSe thin film heterojunction interfaces are experimentally designed and characterized by means of x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersion spectroscopy and optical spectroscopy techniques. The heterojunction is observed to exhibit physical nature of formation with an induced crystallization of GaSe by the ZnS substrate. For this heterojunction, the hot probe technique suggested the formation of a p-ZnS/n-GaSe interface. In addition, the designed energy band diagram of the heterojunction which was actualized with the help of the optical spectrophotometric data analysis revealed a respective conduction and valence band offsets of 0.67 and 0.73 eV. On the other hand, the dielectric dispersion analysis and modeling which was studied in the frequency range of 270-1000 THz, have shown that the interfacing of the ZnS with GaSe strongly affects the properties of ZnS as it reduces the number of free carriers, shifts down the plasmon frequency, increases the charge carrier scattering time and results in higher values of drift mobility at Terahertz frequencies.

The T4 Phage DNA Mimic Protein Arn Inhibits the DNA Binding Activity of the Bacterial Histone-like Protein H-NS*

PubMed Central

Ho, Chun-Han; Wang, Hao-Ching; Ko, Tzu-Ping; Chang, Yuan-Chih; Wang, Andrew H.-J.

2014-01-01

The T4 phage protein Arn (Anti restriction nuclease) was identified as an inhibitor of the restriction enzyme McrBC. However, until now its molecular mechanism remained unclear. In the present study we used structural approaches to investigate biological properties of Arn. A structural analysis of Arn revealed that its shape and negative charge distribution are similar to dsDNA, suggesting that this protein could act as a DNA mimic. In a subsequent proteomic analysis, we found that the bacterial histone-like protein H-NS interacts with Arn, implying a new function. An electrophoretic mobility shift assay showed that Arn prevents H-NS from binding to the Escherichia coli hns and T4 p8.1 promoters. In vitro gene expression and electron microscopy analyses also indicated that Arn counteracts the gene-silencing effect of H-NS on a reporter gene. Because McrBC and H-NS both participate in the host defense system, our findings suggest that T4 Arn might knock down these mechanisms using its DNA mimicking properties. PMID:25118281

The association between antagonist hamstring coactivation and episodes of knee joint shifting and buckling

PubMed Central

Segal, N.A.; Nevitt, M.C.; Welborn, R.D.; Nguyen, U.-S.D.T.; Niu, J.; Lewis, C.E.; Felson, D.T.; Frey-Law, L.

2016-01-01

SUMMARY Objective Hamstring coactivation during quadriceps activation is necessary to counteract the quadriceps pull on the tibia, but coactivation can be elevated with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis (OA). To guide rehabilitation to attenuate risk for mobility limitations and falls, this study evaluated whether higher antagonistic open kinetic chain hamstring coactivation is associated with knee joint buckling (sudden loss of support) and shifting (a sensation that the knee might give way). Design At baseline, median hamstring coactivation was assessed during maximal isokinetic knee extensor strength testing and at baseline and 24-month follow-up, knee buckling and shifting was self-reported. Associations between tertiles of co-activation and knee (1) buckling, (2) shifting and (3) either buckling or shifting were assessed using logistic regression, adjusted for age, sex, knee OA and pain. Results 1826 participants (1089 women) were included. Mean ± SD age was 61.7 ± 7.7 years, BMI was 30.3 ± 5.5 kg/m2 and 38.2% of knees had OA. There were no consistent statistically significant associations between hamstring coactivation and ipsilateral prevalent or incident buckling or the combination of buckling and shifting. The odds ratios for incident shifting in the highest in comparison with the lowest tertile of coactivation had similar magnitudes in the combined and medial hamstrings, but only reached statistical significance for lateral hamstring coactivation, OR(95%CI) 1.53 (0.99, 2.36). Conclusions Hamstring coactivation during an open kinetic chain quadriceps exercise was not consistently associated with prevalent or incident self-reported knee buckling or shifting in older adults with or at risk for knee OA. PMID:25765501

Defense.gov - Special Report - Progress Report: Department of Defense

Science.gov Websites

the need to re-shape and re-balance the direction of the Department and an increasingly challenging capabilities, requirements, risks and needs for the purpose of shifting the Department toward a different , the Landing Platform Dock ship and Mobile Landing Platform ship; and Completing production of the C-17

Coordinates of Human Visual and Inertial Heading Perception.

PubMed

Crane, Benjamin Thomas

2015-01-01

Heading estimation involves both inertial and visual cues. Inertial motion is sensed by the labyrinth, somatic sensation by the body, and optic flow by the retina. Because the eye and head are mobile these stimuli are sensed relative to different reference frames and it remains unclear if a perception occurs in a common reference frame. Recent neurophysiologic evidence has suggested the reference frames remain separate even at higher levels of processing but has not addressed the resulting perception. Seven human subjects experienced a 2s, 16 cm/s translation and/or a visual stimulus corresponding with this translation. For each condition 72 stimuli (360° in 5° increments) were delivered in random order. After each stimulus the subject identified the perceived heading using a mechanical dial. Some trial blocks included interleaved conditions in which the influence of ±28° of gaze and/or head position were examined. The observations were fit using a two degree-of-freedom population vector decoder (PVD) model which considered the relative sensitivity to lateral motion and coordinate system offset. For visual stimuli gaze shifts caused shifts in perceived head estimates in the direction opposite the gaze shift in all subjects. These perceptual shifts averaged 13 ± 2° for eye only gaze shifts and 17 ± 2° for eye-head gaze shifts. This finding indicates visual headings are biased towards retina coordinates. Similar gaze and head direction shifts prior to inertial headings had no significant influence on heading direction. Thus inertial headings are perceived in body-centered coordinates. Combined visual and inertial stimuli yielded intermediate results.

Coordinates of Human Visual and Inertial Heading Perception

PubMed Central

Crane, Benjamin Thomas

2015-01-01

Heading estimation involves both inertial and visual cues. Inertial motion is sensed by the labyrinth, somatic sensation by the body, and optic flow by the retina. Because the eye and head are mobile these stimuli are sensed relative to different reference frames and it remains unclear if a perception occurs in a common reference frame. Recent neurophysiologic evidence has suggested the reference frames remain separate even at higher levels of processing but has not addressed the resulting perception. Seven human subjects experienced a 2s, 16 cm/s translation and/or a visual stimulus corresponding with this translation. For each condition 72 stimuli (360° in 5° increments) were delivered in random order. After each stimulus the subject identified the perceived heading using a mechanical dial. Some trial blocks included interleaved conditions in which the influence of ±28° of gaze and/or head position were examined. The observations were fit using a two degree-of-freedom population vector decoder (PVD) model which considered the relative sensitivity to lateral motion and coordinate system offset. For visual stimuli gaze shifts caused shifts in perceived head estimates in the direction opposite the gaze shift in all subjects. These perceptual shifts averaged 13 ± 2° for eye only gaze shifts and 17 ± 2° for eye-head gaze shifts. This finding indicates visual headings are biased towards retina coordinates. Similar gaze and head direction shifts prior to inertial headings had no significant influence on heading direction. Thus inertial headings are perceived in body-centered coordinates. Combined visual and inertial stimuli yielded intermediate results. PMID:26267865

Frequency-Stable Ionic-Type Hybrid Gate Dielectrics for High Mobility Solution-Processed Metal-Oxide Thin-Film Transistors

PubMed Central

Heo, Jae Sang; Choi, Seungbeom; Jo, Jeong-Wan; Kang, Jingu; Park, Ho-Hyun; Kim, Yong-Hoon; Park, Sung Kyu

2017-01-01

In this paper, we demonstrate high mobility solution-processed metal-oxide thin-film transistors (TFTs) by using a high-frequency-stable ionic-type hybrid gate dielectric (HGD). The HGD gate dielectric, a blend of sol-gel aluminum oxide (AlOx) and poly(4-vinylphenol) (PVP), exhibited high dielectric constant (ε~8.15) and high-frequency-stable characteristics (1 MHz). Using the ionic-type HGD as a gate dielectric layer, an minimal electron-double-layer (EDL) can be formed at the gate dielectric/InOx interface, enhancing the field-effect mobility of the TFTs. Particularly, using the ionic-type HGD gate dielectrics annealed at 350 °C, InOx TFTs having an average field-effect mobility of 16.1 cm2/Vs were achieved (maximum mobility of 24 cm2/Vs). Furthermore, the ionic-type HGD gate dielectrics can be processed at a low temperature of 150 °C, which may enable their applications in low-thermal-budget plastic and elastomeric substrates. In addition, we systematically studied the operational stability of the InOx TFTs using the HGD gate dielectric, and it was observed that the HGD gate dielectric effectively suppressed the negative threshold voltage shift during the negative-illumination-bias stress possibly owing to the recombination of hole carriers injected in the gate dielectric with the negatively charged ionic species in the HGD gate dielectric. PMID:28772972

In-hospital Mobility Variations across Primary Diagnoses among Older Adults

PubMed Central

Valiani, Vincenzo; Gao, Shiyao; Chen, Zhiguo; Swami, Sunil; Harle, Christopher A.; Lipori, Gigi; Sourdet, Sandrine; Wu, Samuel; Nayfield, Susan G.; Sabbá, Carlo; Pahor, Marco; Manini, Todd M.

2016-01-01

Objectives To examine the relationship between primary diagnoses and mobility impairment and recovery among hospitalized older adults. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting UF Health Shands Hospital, an 852-bed level I trauma center located in Gainesville, Florida. Participants 18,551 older adults (≥65 years) with 29,148 hospitalizations between 1/2009 and 4/2014. Measurements Incident and discharge mobility impairment and recovery were assessed using the Braden activity subscale score that was recorded by the nursing staff at every shift change–approximately three times per day. Primary diagnosis ICD-9 codes were used as predictors and re-categorized by using the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality Clinical Classification Software. Results Out of the 15,498 hospital records where the patient was initially observed to “walk frequently”, 3,186 (20.6%) developed incident mobility impairment (chair-fast or bedfast). Primary diagnoses with a surgical or invasive procedure were the most prevalent (77.2 %) among the hospital observations with incident mobility impairment; otherwise primary diagnoses without surgery were much more associated with discharge mobility impairment (59%). The highest incidence of mobility impairment occurred in patients with heart valve disorders and aortic and peripheral/visceral artery aneurysms (6.24 and 6.05 events per 30 person-days, respectively); septicemia showed the highest incidence rate for mobility limitation at discharge (0.94 events per 30 person-days). Mobility impairment was observed in 13,650 (46.8% of total) records at admission and 5,930 (43.44%) were observed to recover to a state of walking occasionally or frequently. Osteoarthritis and cancer of gastrointestinal organs/peritoneum had the highest incidence rate for mobility recovery (7.68 and 5.63 events per 30 person-days respectively). Conclusions Approximately 1 out of 5 patients who were mobile at admission became significantly impaired during hospitalization. However, about half (43.4%) of patients observed to have mobility impairment at admission recovered during hospitalization. Conditions most associated with mobility impairment and recovery are varied, but older patients hospitalized for septicemia and cardiovascular diseases with surgery (heart valve disorders and aortic/peripheral/visceral artery aneurysms) appear to be at most risk for incident mobility impairment that did not recover at discharge. PMID:26971132

Correlation of proton irradiation induced threshold voltage shifts to deep level traps in AlGaN/GaN heterostructures

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

Zhang, Z.; Cardwell, D.; Sasikumar, A.

2016-04-28

The impact of proton irradiation on the threshold voltage (V{sub T}) of AlGaN/GaN heterostructures is systematically investigated to enhance the understanding of a primary component of the degradation of irradiated high electron mobility transistors. The value of V{sub T} was found to increase monotonically as a function of 1.8 MeV proton fluence in a sub-linear manner reaching 0.63 V at a fluence of 1 × 10{sup 14} cm{sup −2}. Silvaco Atlas simulations of V{sub T} shifts caused by GaN buffer traps using experimentally measured introduction rates, and energy levels closely match the experimental results. Different buffer designs lead to different V{sub T} dependences on protonmore » irradiation, confirming that deep, acceptor-like defects in the GaN buffer are primarily responsible for the observed V{sub T} shifts. The proton irradiation induced V{sub T} shifts are found to depend on the barrier thickness in a linear fashion; thus, scaling the barrier thickness could be an effective way to reduce such degradation.« less

Globalization and International Student Mobility: A Network Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shields, Robin

2013-01-01

This article analyzes changes to the network of international student mobility in higher education over a 10-year period (1999-2008). International student flows have increased rapidly, exceeding 3 million in 2009, and extensive data on mobility provide unique insight into global educational processes. The analysis is informed by three theoretical…

A Pea Plasma Membrane Protein Exhibiting Blue Light-Induced Phosphorylation Retains Photosensitivity following Triton Solubilization.

PubMed Central

Short, T. W.; Reymond, P.; Briggs, W. R.

1993-01-01

Phosphorylation of a polypeptide of approximately 120 kD in pea (Pisum sativum L.) plasma membranes in response to blue light has been shown to be involved in phototropic curvature, but the relationship of this protein to the kinase and photoreceptor acting upon it is uncertain. Using two-phase aqueous partitioning to isolate right-side-out plasma membrane vesicles, we have obtained evidence suggesting that the photoreceptor, kinase, and substrate are localized to the plasma membrane fraction. Latent phosphorylation accessible through Triton X-100 or freeze/thaw treatments of purified plasma membrane vesicles indicates that at least the kinase moiety is present on the internal face of the plasma membrane. Effects of solubilization of vesicles on fluence-response characteristics and on phosphorylation levels provide evidence that the receptor, kinase, and protein substrate are present together in individual mixed detergent micelles, either as a stable complex or as domains of a single polypeptide. In vivo blue-light irradiation results in a small but significant decrease in mobility of the 120-kD phosphorylated protein on sodium dodecylsulfate gel electrophoresis. This mobility shift is evident on Coomassie-stained gels and on western blots probed with polyclonal antibodies raised against the 120-kD protein. Among the plasma membrane proteins bound to the reactive nucleotide analog fluorosulfonylbenzoyladenine (FSBA), a distinct protein band at 120 kD can be detected on blots probed with anti-FSBA antibodies. This band exhibits an in vivo light-dependent mobility shift identical to that observed for the protein band and antibodies specific for the 120-kD protein, implying that the 120-kD protein has an integral nucleotide binding site and consistent with the possibility that the substrate protein is also a kinase. PMID:12231721

Quantitative Experimental Determination of Primer-Dimer Formation Risk by Free-Solution Conjugate Electrophoresis

PubMed Central

Desmarais, Samantha M.; Leitner, Thomas; Barron, Annelise E.

2012-01-01

DNA barcodes are short, unique ssDNA primers that “mark” individual biomolecules. To gain better understanding of biophysical parameters constraining primer-dimer formation between primers that incorporate barcode sequences, we have developed a capillary electrophoresis method that utilizes drag-tag-DNA conjugates to quantify dimerization risk between primer-barcode pairs. Results obtained with this unique free-solution conjugate electrophoresis (FSCE) approach are useful as quantitatively precise input data to parameterize computation models of dimerization risk. A set of fluorescently labeled, model primer-barcode conjugates were designed with complementary regions of differing lengths to quantify heterodimerization as a function of temperature. Primer-dimer cases comprised two 30-mer primers, one of which was covalently conjugated to a lab-made, chemically synthesized poly-N-methoxyethylglycine drag-tag, which reduced electrophoretic mobility of ssDNA to distinguish it from ds primer-dimers. The drag-tags also provided a shift in mobility for the dsDNA species, which allowed us to quantitate primer-dimer formation. In the experimental studies, pairs of oligonucleotide primer-barcodes with fully or partially complementary sequences were annealed, and then separated by free-solution conjugate CE at different temperatures, to assess effects on primer-dimer formation. When less than 30 out of 30 basepairs were bonded, dimerization was inversely correlated to temperature. Dimerization occurred when more than 15 consecutive basepairs formed, yet non-consecutive basepairs did not create stable dimers even when 20 out of 30 possible basepairs bonded. The use of free-solution electrophoresis in combination with a peptoid drag-tag and different fluorophores enabled precise separation of short DNA fragments to establish a new mobility shift assay for detection of primer-dimer formation. PMID:22331820

Charge carrier mobility and electronic properties of Al(Op)3: impact of excimer formation

PubMed Central

Friederich, Pascal; Schäfer, Bernhard; Fattori, Valeria; Sun, Xiangnan; Strunk, Timo; Meded, Velimir; Hueso, Luis E; Wenzel, Wolfgang; Ruben, Mario

2015-01-01

Summary We have studied the electronic properties and the charge carrier mobility of the organic semiconductor tris(1-oxo-1H-phenalen-9-olate)aluminium(III) (Al(Op)3) both experimentally and theoretically. We experimentally estimated the HOMO and LUMO energy levels to be −5.93 and −3.26 eV, respectively, which were close to the corresponding calculated values. Al(Op)3 was successfully evaporated onto quartz substrates and was clearly identified in the absorption spectra of both the solution and the thin film. A structured steady state fluorescence emission was detected in solution, whereas a broad, red-shifted emission was observed in the thin film. This indicates the formation of excimers in the solid state, which is crucial for the transport properties. The incorporation of Al(Op)3 into organic thin film transistors (TFTs) was performed in order to measure the charge carrier mobility. The experimental setup detected no electron mobility, while a hole mobility between 0.6 × 10−6 and 2.1 × 10−6 cm2·V−1·s−1 was measured. Theoretical simulations, on the other hand, predicted an electron mobility of 9.5 × 10−6 cm2·V−1·s−1 and a hole mobility of 1.4 × 10−4 cm2·V−1·s−1. The theoretical simulation for the hole mobility predicted an approximately one order of magnitude higher hole mobility than was observed in the experiment, which is considered to be in good agreement. The result for the electron mobility was, on the other hand, unexpected, as both the calculated electron mobility and chemical common sense (based on the capability of extended aromatic structures to efficiently accept and delocalize additional electrons) suggest more robust electron charge transport properties. This discrepancy is explained by the excimer formation, whose inclusion in the multiscale simulation workflow is expected to bring the theoretical simulation and experiment into agreement. PMID:26171287

Sociotechnical analysis of nurses' use of personal mobile phones at work.

PubMed

Bautista, John Robert; Lin, Trisha T C

2016-11-01

Nurses' use of personal mobiles phones at work is a growing trend in healthcare organizations. Although recent studies have explored the positive and negative implications of nurses using personal mobile phones at work, none has yet analyzed the interactions of sociotechnical components (users, technology and policy) on nurses' use of personal mobile phones at work. Identify sociotechnical interactions by analyzing each sociotechnical component (users, technology and policy) that affects nurses' use of personal mobile phones at work. In-depth interviews were conducted with 30 nurses employed in 13 hospitals in the Philippines. The respondents include staff nurses (n=23), charge nurses (n=4), and nurse managers (n=3). Staff nurses were asked on their use of personal mobile phones at work, while charge and nurse managers were asked on their observations regarding staff nurses' use of personal mobile phones at work. Responses were analyzed qualitatively using sociotechnical analysis. Sociotechnical analysis indicated that staff nurses used their personal mobile phones at work in various ways because its use helped in their nursing work, but inevitably altered a few of their routines. Although most hospitals had policies that prohibit the use of mobile phones, staff nurses justified their use of personal mobile phones by using it for work purposes and for the benefit of their patients. Staff nurses highlighted the absence of hospital-provided mobile phones as a key reason for using personal mobile phones at work. Charge nurses and nurse managers also influenced staff nurses' use of personal mobile phones at work. Nurses could use their personal mobile phones at work for work purposes to enhance their clinical performance and improve patient care. Hospital administrators can leverage on nurses' use of personal mobile phones at work by formulating policies that consider both the benefits and potential drawbacks of mobile phone usage. Recommendations are made for the formulation of hospital policies to optimize the use of personal mobile phones of nurses at work. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Changes in peat chemistry associated with permafrost thaw increase greenhouse gas production

PubMed Central

Hodgkins, Suzanne B.; Tfaily, Malak M.; McCalley, Carmody K.; Logan, Tyler A.; Crill, Patrick M.; Saleska, Scott R.; Rich, Virginia I.; Chanton, Jeffrey P.

2014-01-01

Carbon release due to permafrost thaw represents a potentially major positive climate change feedback. The magnitude of carbon loss and the proportion lost as methane (CH4) vs. carbon dioxide (CO2) depend on factors including temperature, mobilization of previously frozen carbon, hydrology, and changes in organic matter chemistry associated with environmental responses to thaw. While the first three of these effects are relatively well understood, the effect of organic matter chemistry remains largely unstudied. To address this gap, we examined the biogeochemistry of peat and dissolved organic matter (DOM) along a ∼40-y permafrost thaw progression from recently- to fully thawed sites in Stordalen Mire (68.35°N, 19.05°E), a thawing peat plateau in northern Sweden. Thaw-induced subsidence and the resulting inundation along this progression led to succession in vegetation types accompanied by an evolution in organic matter chemistry. Peat C/N ratios decreased whereas humification rates increased, and DOM shifted toward lower molecular weight compounds with lower aromaticity, lower organic oxygen content, and more abundant microbially produced compounds. Corresponding changes in decomposition along this gradient included increasing CH4 and CO2 production potentials, higher relative CH4/CO2 ratios, and a shift in CH4 production pathway from CO2 reduction to acetate cleavage. These results imply that subsidence and thermokarst-associated increases in organic matter lability cause shifts in biogeochemical processes toward faster decomposition with an increasing proportion of carbon released as CH4. This impact of permafrost thaw on organic matter chemistry could intensify the predicted climate feedbacks of increasing temperatures, permafrost carbon mobilization, and hydrologic changes. PMID:24711402

Mobile Phone Ratiometric Imaging Enables Highly Sensitive Fluorescence Lateral Flow Immunoassays without External Optical Filters.

PubMed

Shah, Kamal G; Singh, Vidhi; Kauffman, Peter C; Abe, Koji; Yager, Paul

2018-05-14

Paper-based diagnostic tests based on the lateral flow immunoassay concept promise low-cost, point-of-care detection of infectious diseases, but such assays suffer from poor limits of detection. One factor that contributes to poor analytical performance is a reliance on low-contrast chromophoric optical labels such as gold nanoparticles. Previous attempts to improve the sensitivity of paper-based diagnostics include replacing chromophoric labels with enzymes, fluorophores, or phosphors at the expense of increased fluidic complexity or the need for device readers with costly optoelectronics. Several groups, including our own, have proposed mobile phones as suitable point-of-care readers due to their low cost, ease of use, and ubiquity. However, extant mobile phone fluorescence readers require costly optical filters and were typically validated with only one camera sensor module, which is inappropriate for potential point-of-care use. In response, we propose to couple low-cost ultraviolet light-emitting diodes with long Stokes-shift quantum dots to enable ratiometric mobile phone fluorescence measurements without optical filters. Ratiometric imaging with unmodified smartphone cameras improves the contrast and attenuates the impact of excitation intensity variability by 15×. Practical application was shown with a lateral flow immunoassay for influenza A with nucleoproteins spiked into simulated nasal matrix. Limits of detection of 1.5 and 2.6 fmol were attained on two mobile phones, which are comparable to a gel imager (1.9 fmol), 10× better than imaging gold nanoparticles on a scanner (18 fmol), and >2 orders of magnitude better than gold nanoparticle-labeled assays imaged with mobile phones. Use of the proposed filter-free mobile phone imaging scheme is a first step toward enabling a new generation of highly sensitive, point-of-care fluorescence assays.

Are There Differences in Gait Mechanics in Patients With A Fixed Versus Mobile Bearing Total Ankle Arthroplasty? A Randomized Trial.

PubMed

Queen, Robin M; Franck, Christopher T; Schmitt, Daniel; Adams, Samuel B

2017-10-01

Total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) is an alternative to arthrodesis, but no randomized trial has examined whether a fixed bearing or mobile bearing implant provides improved gait mechanics. We wished to determine if fixed- or mobile-bearing TAA results in a larger improvement in pain scores and gait mechanics from before surgery to 1 year after surgery, and to quantify differences in outcomes using statistical analysis and report the standardized effect sizes for such comparisons. Patients with end-stage ankle arthritis who were scheduled for TAA between November 2011 and June 2013 (n = 40; 16 men, 24 women; average age, 63 years; age range, 35-81 years) were prospectively recruited for this study from a single foot and ankle orthopaedic clinic. During this period, 185 patients underwent TAA, with 144 being eligible to participate in this study. Patients were eligible to participate if they were able to meet all study inclusion criteria, which were: no previous diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, a contralateral TAA, bilateral ankle arthritis, previous revision TAA, an ankle fusion revision, or able to walk without the use of an assistive device, weight less than 250 pounds (114 kg), a sagittal or coronal plane deformity less than 15°, no presence of avascular necrosis of the distal tibia, no current neuropathy, age older than 35 years, no history of a talar neck fracture, or an avascular talus. Of the 144 eligible patients, 40 consented to participate in our randomized trial. These 40 patients were randomly assigned to either the fixed (n = 20) or mobile bearing implant group (n = 20). Walking speed, bilateral peak dorsiflexion angle, peak plantar flexion angle, sagittal plane ankle ROM, peak ankle inversion angle, peak plantar flexion moment, peak plantar flexion power during stance, peak weight acceptance, and propulsive vertical ground reaction force were analyzed during seven self-selected speed level walking trials for 33 participants using an eight-camera motion analysis system and four force plates. Seven patients were not included in the analysis owing to cancelled surgery (one from each group) and five were lost to followup (four with fixed bearing and one with mobile bearing implants). A series of effect-size calculations and two-sample t-tests comparing postoperative and preoperative increases in outcome variables between implant types were used to determine the differences in the magnitude of improvement between the two patient cohorts from before surgery to 1 year after surgery. The sample size in this study enabled us to detect a standardized shift of 1.01 SDs between group means with 80% power and a type I error rate of 5% for all outcome variables in the study. This randomized trial did not reveal any differences in outcomes between the two implant types under study at the sample size collected. In addition to these results, effect size analysis suggests that changes in outcome differ between implant types by less than 1 SD. Detection of the largest change score or observed effect (propulsive vertical ground reaction force [Fixed: 0.1 ± 0.1; 0.0-1.0; Mobile: 0.0 ± 0.1; 0.0-0.0; p = 0.0.051]) in this study would require a future trial to enroll 66 patients. However, the smallest change score or observed effect (walking speed [Fixed: 0.2 ± 0.3; 0.1-0.4; Mobile: 0.2 ± 0.3; 0.0-0.3; p = 0.742]) requires a sample size of 2336 to detect a significant difference with 80% power at the observed effect sizes. To our knowledge, this is the first randomized study to report the observed effect size comparing improvements in outcome measures between fixed and mobile bearing implant types. This study was statistically powered to detect large effects and descriptively analyze observed effect sizes. Based on our results there were no statistically or clinically meaningful differences between the fixed and mobile bearing implants when examining gait mechanics and pain 1 year after TAA. Level II, therapeutic study.

A Kinase-Independent Function of c-Src Mediates p130Cas Phosphorylation at the Serine-639 Site in Pressure Overloaded Myocardium

PubMed Central

Palanisamy, Arun P.; Suryakumar, Geetha; Panneerselvam, Kavin; Willey, Christopher D.; Kuppuswamy, Dhandapani

2017-01-01

Early work in pressure overloaded (PO) myocardium shows that integrins mediate focal adhesion complex formation by recruiting the adaptor protein p130Cas (Cas) and nonreceptor tyrosine kinase c-Src. To explore c-Src role in Cas-associated changes during PO, we used a feline right ventricular in vivo PO model and a three-dimensional (3D) collagen-embedded adult cardiomyocyte in vitro model that utilizes a Gly-Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser (RGD) peptide for integrin stimulation. Cas showed slow electrophoretic mobility (band-shifting), recruitment to the cytoskeleton, and tyrosine phosphorylation at 165, 249, and 410 sites in both 48 h PO myocardium and 1 h RGD-stimulated cardiomyocytes. Adenoviral mediated expression of kinase inactive (negative) c-Src mutant with intact scaffold domains (KN-Src) in cardiomyocytes did not block the RGD stimulated changes in Cas. Furthermore, expression of KN-Src or kinase active c-Src mutant with intact scaffold function (A-Src) in two-dimensionally (2D) cultured cardiomyocytes was sufficient to cause Cas band-shifting, although tyrosine phosphorylation required A-Src. These data indicate that c-Src’s adaptor function, but not its kinase function, is required for a serine/threonine specific phosphorylation(s) responsible for Cas band-shifting. To explore this possibility, Chinese hamster ovary cells that stably express Cas were infected with either β-gal or KN-Src adenoviruses and used for Cas immunoprecipitation combined with mass spectrometry analysis. In the KN-Src expressing cells, Cas showed phosphorylation at the serine-639 (human numbering) site. A polyclonal antibody raised against phospho-serine-639 detected Cas phosphorylation in 24–48 h PO myocardium. Our studies indicate that c-Src’s adaptor function mediates serine-639 phosphorylation of Cas during integrin activation in PO myocardium. PMID:25976166

Identifying seasonal mobility profiles from anonymized and aggregated mobile phone data. Application in food security.

PubMed

Zufiria, Pedro J; Pastor-Escuredo, David; Úbeda-Medina, Luis; Hernandez-Medina, Miguel A; Barriales-Valbuena, Iker; Morales, Alfredo J; Jacques, Damien C; Nkwambi, Wilfred; Diop, M Bamba; Quinn, John; Hidalgo-Sanchís, Paula; Luengo-Oroz, Miguel

2018-01-01

We propose a framework for the systematic analysis of mobile phone data to identify relevant mobility profiles in a population. The proposed framework allows finding distinct human mobility profiles based on the digital trace of mobile phone users characterized by a Matrix of Individual Trajectories (IT-Matrix). This matrix gathers a consistent and regularized description of individual trajectories that enables multi-scale representations along time and space, which can be used to extract aggregated indicators such as a dynamic multi-scale population count. Unsupervised clustering of individual trajectories generates mobility profiles (clusters of similar individual trajectories) which characterize relevant group behaviors preserving optimal aggregation levels for detailed and privacy-secured mobility characterization. The application of the proposed framework is illustrated by analyzing fully anonymized data on human mobility from mobile phones in Senegal at the arrondissement level over a calendar year. The analysis of monthly mobility patterns at the livelihood zone resolution resulted in the discovery and characterization of seasonal mobility profiles related with economic activities, agricultural calendars and rainfalls. The use of these mobility profiles could support the timely identification of mobility changes in vulnerable populations in response to external shocks (such as natural disasters, civil conflicts or sudden increases of food prices) to monitor food security.

Identifying Mobility Types in Cognitively Heterogeneous Older Adults Based on GPS-Tracking: What Discriminates Best?

PubMed

Wettstein, Markus; Wahl, Hans-Werner; Shoval, Noam; Auslander, Gail; Oswald, Frank; Heinik, Jeremia

2015-12-01

Heterogeneity in older adults' mobility and its correlates have rarely been investigated based on objective mobility data and in samples including cognitively impaired individuals. We analyzed mobility profiles within a cognitively heterogeneous sample of N = 257 older adults from Israel and Germany based on GPS tracking technology. Participants were aged between 59 and 91 years (M = 72.9; SD = 6.4) and were either cognitively healthy (CH, n = 146), mildly cognitively impaired (MCI, n = 76), or diagnosed with an early-stage dementia of the Alzheimer's type (DAT, n = 35). Based on cluster analysis, we identified three mobility types ("Mobility restricted," "Outdoor oriented," "Walkers"), which could be predicted based on socio-demographic indicators, activity, health, and cognitive impairment status using discriminant analysis. Particularly demented individuals and persons with worse health exhibited restrictions in mobility. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of heterogeneity in mobility in old age. © The Author(s) 2013.

Interface Superconductivity in Cuprates Defies Fermi-Liquid Description

DOE PAGES

Radović, Zoran; Vanević, Mihajlo; Wu, Jie; ...

2016-07-26

La 2-xSr xCuO 4/La 2CuO 4 bilayers show interface superconductivity that originates from accumulation and depletion of mobile charge carriers across the interface. Surprisingly, the doping level can be varied broadly (within the interval 0.15 < x < 0.47) without affecting the transition temperature, which stays essentially constant and equal to that in optimally doped material, T c ≈ 40 K. Here we argue that this finding implies that doping up to the optimum level does not shift the chemical potential, unlike in ordinary Fermi liquids. Lastly, we discuss possible physical scenarios that can give doping-independent chemical potential in themore » pseudogap regime: electronic phase separation, formation of charge-density waves, strong Coulomb interactions, or self-trapping of mobile charge carriers.« less

Rib kinematics during lung ventilation in the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis): an XROMM analysis

PubMed Central

Moritz, Sabine; Codd, Jonathan; Sellers, William I.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT The current hypothesis regarding the mechanics of breathing in crocodylians is that the double-headed ribs, with both a capitulum and tuberculum, rotate about a constrained axis passing through the two articulations; moreover, this axis shifts in the caudal thoracic ribs, as the vertebral parapophysis moves from the centrum to the transverse process. Additionally, the ventral ribcage in crocodylians is thought to possess additional degrees of freedom through mobile intermediate ribs. In this study, X-ray reconstruction of moving morphology (XROMM) was used to quantify rib rotation during breathing in American alligators. Whilst costovertebral joint anatomy predicted overall patterns of motion across the ribcage (decreased bucket handle motion and increased calliper motion), there were significant deviations: anatomical axes overestimated pump handle motion and, generally, ribs in vivo rotate about all three body axes more equally than predicted. The intermediate ribs are mobile, with a high degree of rotation measured about the dorsal intracostal joints, especially in the more caudal ribs. Motion of the sternal ribs became increasingly complex caudally, owing to a combination of the movements of the vertebral and intermediate segments. As the crocodylian ribcage is sometimes used as a model for the ancestral archosaur, these results have important implications for how rib motion is reconstructed in fossil taxa, and illustrate the difficulties in reconstructing rib movement based on osteology alone. PMID:28855323

Influence of shifting cultivation practices on soil-plant-beetle interactions.

PubMed

Ibrahim, Kalibulla Syed; Momin, Marcy D; Lalrotluanga, R; Rosangliana, David; Ghatak, Souvik; Zothansanga, R; Kumar, Nachimuthu Senthil; Gurusubramanian, Guruswami

2016-08-01

Shifting cultivation (jhum) is a major land use practice in Mizoram. It was considered as an eco-friendly and efficient method when the cycle duration was long (15-30 years), but it poses the problem of land degradation and threat to ecology when shortened (4-5 years) due to increased intensification of farming systems. Studying beetle community structure is very helpful in understanding how shifting cultivation affects the biodiversity features compared to natural forest system. The present study examines the beetle species diversity and estimates the effects of shifting cultivation practices on the beetle assemblages in relation to change in tree species composition and soil nutrients. Scarabaeidae and Carabidae were observed to be the dominant families in the land use systems studied. Shifting cultivation practice significantly (P < 0.05) affected the beetle and tree species diversity as well as the soil nutrients as shown by univariate (one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), correlation and regression, diversity indices) and multivariate (cluster analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), detrended correspondence analysis (DCA), canonical variate analysis (CVA), permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA), permutational multivariate analysis of dispersion (PERMDISP)) statistical analyses. Besides changing the tree species composition and affecting the soil fertility, shifting cultivation provides less suitable habitat conditions for the beetle species. Bioindicator analysis categorized the beetle species into forest specialists, anthropogenic specialists (shifting cultivation habitat specialist), and habitat generalists. Molecular analysis of bioindicator beetle species was done using mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) marker to validate the beetle species and describe genetic variation among them in relation to heterogeneity, transition/transversion bias, codon usage bias, evolutionary distance, and substitution pattern. The present study revealed the fact that shifting cultivation practice significantly affects the beetle species in terms of biodiversity pattern as well as evolutionary features. Spatiotemporal assessment of soil-plant-beetle interactions in shifting cultivation system and their influence in land degradation and ecology will be helpful in making biodiversity conservation decisions in the near future.

78 FR 3427 - Motorola Mobility LLC and Google Inc.; Analysis of Proposed Consent Order To Aid Public Comment

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-16

... such circumstances ``simply requires those making promises to keep them.'' \\16\\ \\15\\ See, e.g... FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION [File No. 121-0120] Motorola Mobility LLC and Google Inc.; Analysis of... from breaches by Google and its subsidiary Motorola Mobility, Inc. (``Motorola'') of Motorola's...

Design and Analysis of a Dynamic Mobility Management Scheme for Wireless Mesh Network

PubMed Central

Roy, Sudipta

2013-01-01

Seamless mobility management of the mesh clients (MCs) in wireless mesh network (WMN) has drawn a lot of attention from the research community. A number of mobility management schemes such as mesh network with mobility management (MEMO), mesh mobility management (M3), and wireless mesh mobility management (WMM) have been proposed. The common problem with these schemes is that they impose uniform criteria on all the MCs for sending route update message irrespective of their distinct characteristics. This paper proposes a session-to-mobility ratio (SMR) based dynamic mobility management scheme for handling both internet and intranet traffic. To reduce the total communication cost, this scheme considers each MC's session and mobility characteristics by dynamically determining optimal threshold SMR value for each MC. A numerical analysis of the proposed scheme has been carried out. Comparison with other schemes shows that the proposed scheme outperforms MEMO, M3, and WMM with respect to total cost. PMID:24311982

The Long Way From Government Open Data to Mobile Health Apps: Overcoming Institutional Barriers in the US Federal Government

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Government agencies in the United States are creating mobile health (mHealth) apps as part of recent policy changes initiated by the White House’s Digital Government Strategy. Objective The objective of the study was to understand the institutional and managerial barriers for the implementation of mHealth, as well as the resulting adoption pathways of mHealth. Methods This article is based on insights derived from qualitative interview data with 35 public managers in charge of promoting the reuse of open data through Challenge.gov, the platform created to run prizes, challenges, and the vetting and implementation of the winning and vendor-created apps. Results The process of designing apps follows three different pathways: (1) entrepreneurs start to see opportunities for mobile apps, and develop either in-house or contract out to already vetted Web design vendors; (2) a top-down policy mandates agencies to adopt at least two customer-facing mobile apps; and (3) the federal government uses a policy instrument called “Prizes and Challenges”, encouraging civic hackers to design health-related mobile apps using open government data from HealthData.gov, in combination with citizen needs. All pathways of the development process incur a set of major obstacles that have to be actively managed before agencies can promote mobile apps on their websites and app stores. Conclusions Beyond the cultural paradigm shift to design interactive apps and to open health-related data to the public, the managerial challenges include accessibility, interoperability, security, privacy, and legal concerns using interactive apps tracking citizen. PMID:25537314

The Long Way From Government Open Data to Mobile Health Apps: Overcoming Institutional Barriers in the US Federal Government.

PubMed

Mergel, Ines

2014-12-23

Government agencies in the United States are creating mobile health (mHealth) apps as part of recent policy changes initiated by the White House's Digital Government Strategy. The objective of the study was to understand the institutional and managerial barriers for the implementation of mHealth, as well as the resulting adoption pathways of mHealth. This article is based on insights derived from qualitative interview data with 35 public managers in charge of promoting the reuse of open data through Challenge.gov, the platform created to run prizes, challenges, and the vetting and implementation of the winning and vendor-created apps. The process of designing apps follows three different pathways: (1) entrepreneurs start to see opportunities for mobile apps, and develop either in-house or contract out to already vetted Web design vendors; (2) a top-down policy mandates agencies to adopt at least two customer-facing mobile apps; and (3) the federal government uses a policy instrument called "Prizes and Challenges", encouraging civic hackers to design health-related mobile apps using open government data from HealthData.gov, in combination with citizen needs. All pathways of the development process incur a set of major obstacles that have to be actively managed before agencies can promote mobile apps on their websites and app stores. Beyond the cultural paradigm shift to design interactive apps and to open health-related data to the public, the managerial challenges include accessibility, interoperability, security, privacy, and legal concerns using interactive apps tracking citizen.

A mobile clinic approach to the delivery of community-based mental health services in rural Haiti.

PubMed

Fils-Aimé, J Reginald; Grelotti, David J; Thérosmé, Tatiana; Kaiser, Bonnie N; Raviola, Giuseppe; Alcindor, Yoldie; Severe, Jennifer; Affricot, Emmeline; Boyd, Katherine; Legha, Rupinder; Daimyo, Shin; Engel, Stephanie; Eustache, Eddy

2018-01-01

This study evaluates the use of a mental health mobile clinic to overcome two major challenges to the provision of mental healthcare in resource-limited settings: the shortage of trained specialists; and the need to improve access to safe, effective, and culturally sound care in community settings. Employing task-shifting and supervision, mental healthcare was largely delivered by trained, non-specialist health workers instead of specialists. A retrospective chart review of 318 unduplicated patients assessed and treated during the mobile clinic's first two years (January 2012 to November 2013) was conducted to explore outcomes. These data were supplemented by a quality improvement questionnaire, illustrative case reports, and a qualitative interview with the mobile clinic's lead community health worker. The team evaluated an average of 42 patients per clinic session. The most common mental, neurological, or substance abuse (MNS) disorders were depression and epilepsy. Higher follow-up rates were seen among those with diagnoses of bipolar disorder and neurological conditions, while those with depression or anxiety had lower follow-up rates. Persons with mood disorders who were evaluated on at least two separate occasions using a locally developed depression screening tool experienced a significant reduction in depressive symptoms. The mental health mobile clinic successfully treated a wide range of MNS disorders in rural Haiti and provided care to individuals who previously had no consistent access to mental healthcare. Efforts to address these common barriers to the provision of mental healthcare in resource-limited settings should consider supplementing clinic-based with mobile services.

Mobile, Multi-modal, Label-Free Imaging Probe Analysis of Choroidal Oximetry and Retinal Hypoxia

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-01

eyes and image choroidal vessels/capillaries using CARS intravital microscopy Subtask 3: Measure oxy-hemoglobin levels in PBI test and control eyes...AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-14-1-0537 TITLE: Mobile, Multi-modal, Label-Free Imaging Probe Analysis of Choroidal Oximetry and Retinal Hypoxia...4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Mobile, Multimodal, Label-Free Imaging Probe Analysis of Choroidal Oximetry and Retinal Hypoxia 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER W81XWH

Risk Assessment for Mobile Systems Through a Multilayered Hierarchical Bayesian Network.

PubMed

Li, Shancang; Tryfonas, Theo; Russell, Gordon; Andriotis, Panagiotis

2016-08-01

Mobile systems are facing a number of application vulnerabilities that can be combined together and utilized to penetrate systems with devastating impact. When assessing the overall security of a mobile system, it is important to assess the security risks posed by each mobile applications (apps), thus gaining a stronger understanding of any vulnerabilities present. This paper aims at developing a three-layer framework that assesses the potential risks which apps introduce within the Android mobile systems. A Bayesian risk graphical model is proposed to evaluate risk propagation in a layered risk architecture. By integrating static analysis, dynamic analysis, and behavior analysis in a hierarchical framework, the risks and their propagation through each layer are well modeled by the Bayesian risk graph, which can quantitatively analyze risks faced to both apps and mobile systems. The proposed hierarchical Bayesian risk graph model offers a novel way to investigate the security risks in mobile environment and enables users and administrators to evaluate the potential risks. This strategy allows to strengthen both app security as well as the security of the entire system.

A tone-aided dual vestigial sideband system for digital communications on fading channels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hladik, Stephen M.; Saulnier, Gary J.; Rafferty, William

1989-01-01

A spectrally efficient tone-aided dual vestigial sideband (TA/DVSB) system for digital data communications on fading channels is presented and described analytically. This PSK (phase-shift-keying) system incorporates a feed-forward, tone-aided demodulation technique to compensate for Doppler frequency shift and channel- induced, multipath fading. In contrast to other tone-in-band-type systems, receiver synchronization is derived from the complete data VSBs. Simulation results for the Rician fading channel are presented. These results demonstrate the receiver's ability to mitigate performance degradation due to fading and to obtain proper data carrier synchronization, suggesting that the proposed TA/DVSB system has promise for this application. Simulated BER (bit-error rate) data indicate that the TA/DVSB system effectively alleviates the channel distortions of the land mobile satellite application.

Australia is ‘free to choose’ economic growth and falling environmental pressures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hatfield-Dodds, Steve; Schandl, Heinz; Adams, Philip D.; Baynes, Timothy M.; Brinsmead, Thomas S.; Bryan, Brett A.; Chiew, Francis H. S.; Graham, Paul W.; Grundy, Mike; Harwood, Tom; McCallum, Rebecca; McCrea, Rod; McKellar, Lisa E.; Newth, David; Nolan, Martin; Prosser, Ian; Wonhas, Alex

2015-11-01

Over two centuries of economic growth have put undeniable pressure on the ecological systems that underpin human well-being. While it is agreed that these pressures are increasing, views divide on how they may be alleviated. Some suggest technological advances will automatically keep us from transgressing key environmental thresholds; others that policy reform can reconcile economic and ecological goals; while a third school argues that only a fundamental shift in societal values can keep human demands within the Earth’s ecological limits. Here we use novel integrated analysis of the energy-water-food nexus, rural land use (including biodiversity), material flows and climate change to explore whether mounting ecological pressures in Australia can be reversed, while the population grows and living standards improve. We show that, in the right circumstances, economic and environmental outcomes can be decoupled. Although economic growth is strong across all scenarios, environmental performance varies widely: pressures are projected to more than double, stabilize or fall markedly by 2050. However, we find no evidence that decoupling will occur automatically. Nor do we find that a shift in societal values is required. Rather, extensions of current policies that mobilize technology and incentivize reduced pressure account for the majority of differences in environmental performance. Our results show that Australia can make great progress towards sustainable prosperity, if it chooses to do so.

An Analysis of WhatsApp Usage for Communication Between Consulting and Emergency Physicians.

PubMed

Gulacti, Umut; Lok, Ugur; Hatipoglu, Sinan; Polat, Haci

2016-06-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate WhatsApp messenger usage for communication between consulting and emergency physicians. A retrospective, observational study was conducted in the emergency department (ED) of a tertiary care university hospital between January 2014 and June 2014. A total of 614 consultations requested by using the WhatsApp application were evaluated, and 519 eligible consultations were included in the study. The WhatsApp messages that were transferred to consultant physicians consisted of 510 (98.3%) photographic images, 517 (99.6%) text messages, 59 (11.3%) videos, and 10 (1.9%) voice messages. Consultation was most frequently requested from the orthopedics clinic (n = 160, 30.8%). The majority of requested consultations were terminated only by evaluation via WhatsApp messages. (n = 311, 59.9%). Most of the consulting physicians were outside of the hospital or were mobile at the time of the consultation (n = 292, 56.3%). The outside consultation request rate was significantly higher for night shifts than for day shifts (p = .004), and the majority of outside consultation request were concluded by only WhatsApp application (p < .001). WhatsApp is useful a communication tool between physicians, especially for ED consultants who are outside the hospital, because of the ability to transfer large amounts of clinical and radiological data during a short period of time.

Australia is 'free to choose' economic growth and falling environmental pressures.

PubMed

Hatfield-Dodds, Steve; Schandl, Heinz; Adams, Philip D; Baynes, Timothy M; Brinsmead, Thomas S; Bryan, Brett A; Chiew, Francis H S; Graham, Paul W; Grundy, Mike; Harwood, Tom; McCallum, Rebecca; McCrea, Rod; McKellar, Lisa E; Newth, David; Nolan, Martin; Prosser, Ian; Wonhas, Alex

2015-11-05

Over two centuries of economic growth have put undeniable pressure on the ecological systems that underpin human well-being. While it is agreed that these pressures are increasing, views divide on how they may be alleviated. Some suggest technological advances will automatically keep us from transgressing key environmental thresholds; others that policy reform can reconcile economic and ecological goals; while a third school argues that only a fundamental shift in societal values can keep human demands within the Earth's ecological limits. Here we use novel integrated analysis of the energy-water-food nexus, rural land use (including biodiversity), material flows and climate change to explore whether mounting ecological pressures in Australia can be reversed, while the population grows and living standards improve. We show that, in the right circumstances, economic and environmental outcomes can be decoupled. Although economic growth is strong across all scenarios, environmental performance varies widely: pressures are projected to more than double, stabilize or fall markedly by 2050. However, we find no evidence that decoupling will occur automatically. Nor do we find that a shift in societal values is required. Rather, extensions of current policies that mobilize technology and incentivize reduced pressure account for the majority of differences in environmental performance. Our results show that Australia can make great progress towards sustainable prosperity, if it chooses to do so.

The NMR contribution to protein-protein networking in Fe-S protein maturation.

PubMed

Banci, Lucia; Camponeschi, Francesca; Ciofi-Baffoni, Simone; Piccioli, Mario

2018-03-22

Iron-sulfur proteins were among the first class of metalloproteins that were actively studied using NMR spectroscopy tailored to paramagnetic systems. The hyperfine shifts, their temperature dependencies and the relaxation rates of nuclei of cluster-bound residues are an efficient fingerprint of the nature and the oxidation state of the Fe-S cluster. NMR significantly contributed to the analysis of the magnetic coupling patterns and to the understanding of the electronic structure occurring in [2Fe-2S], [3Fe-4S] and [4Fe-4S] clusters bound to proteins. After the first NMR structure of a paramagnetic protein was obtained for the reduced E. halophila HiPIP I, many NMR structures were determined for several Fe-S proteins in different oxidation states. It was found that differences in chemical shifts, in patterns of unobserved residues, in internal mobility and in thermodynamic stability are suitable data to map subtle changes between the two different oxidation states of the protein. Recently, the interaction networks responsible for maturing human mitochondrial and cytosolic Fe-S proteins have been largely characterized by combining solution NMR standard experiments with those tailored to paramagnetic systems. We show here the contribution of solution NMR in providing a detailed molecular view of "Fe-S interactomics". This contribution was particularly effective when protein-protein interactions are weak and transient, and thus difficult to be characterized at high resolution with other methodologies.

Genomic Instability and Breast Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-01

Survival Assay—Atotal of 1 103 cells were seeded onto a 60-mm dish in triplicate. Twenty-four hours after seeding, cells were irradiated by using a JL...ShepherdMark I-68A 137Cs- irradiator at indicated doses and incubated for 14 days. Result- ing colonies were fixed and stainedwithCoomassie Blue. Num...antibodies, cell culture, transfection and siRNAs, DNA substrates protein purification in insect cells, electrophoretic mobility shift assay and the ATPase

Widget and Mobile Technologies a Forcing Function for Acquisition Change: Paradigm Shift Without Leaving Bodies Behind

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-04-30

Board if it is believed that the functional or technical implementation was misunderstood ( Apple Inc., 2012). In the Android world, registered...Behind Michael Morris, Christopher Raney, Kenneth Trabue, Timothy Boyce, Kari Nip, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific Apple App Store...Leaf Clusters, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Army Achievement Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Superior Unit Award, the

Emerging role of digital technology and remote monitoring in the care of cardiac patients.

PubMed

Banchs, Javier E; Scher, David Lee

2015-07-01

Current available mobile health technologies make possible earlier diagnosis and long-term monitoring of patients with cardiovascular diseases. Remote monitoring of patients with implantable devices and chronic diseases has resulted in better outcomes reducing health care costs and hospital admissions. New care models, which shift point of care to the outpatient setting and the patient's home, necessitate innovations in technology. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mapping the transcription start points of the Staphylococcus aureus eap, emp, and vwb promoters reveals a conserved octanucleotide sequence that is essential for expression of these genes.

PubMed

Harraghy, Niamh; Homerova, Dagmar; Herrmann, Mathias; Kormanec, Jan

2008-01-01

Mapping the transcription start points of the eap, emp, and vwb promoters revealed a conserved octanucleotide sequence (COS). Deleting this sequence abolished the expression of eap, emp, and vwb. However, electrophoretic mobility shift assays gave no evidence that this sequence was a binding site for SarA or SaeR, known regulators of eap and emp.

Charge Management Optimization for Future TOU Rates: Preprint

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

Zhang, Jiucai; Markel, Tony

2016-07-01

The effectiveness of future time of use (TOU) rates to enable managed charging for providing demand response depends on the vehicle's flexibility and the benefits to owners. This paper adopts opportunity, delayed, and smart charging methods to quantify these impacts, flexibilities, and benefits. Simulation results show that delayed and smart charging methods can shift most charging events to lower TOU rate periods without compromising the charged energy and individual driver mobility needs.

Intelligent Advanced Communications IP Telephony Feasibility for the U.S. Navy: Phase 2

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-31

PDAs) and smart phones. In addition, it considers how solutions integrate on-premise enterprise functions with the functions of mobile operators...and Control System GIG Global Information Grid GigE Gigabit Ethernet GIPS Global IP Solutions Inc. GMSK Gaussian Minimum Shift Keying GPHY Gigabit...Feasibility for the U.S. Navy – Phase 2 UAC User Agent Client UART Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter UAS User Agent Server UCR

Common Mobile Learning Characteristics--An Analysis of Mobile Learning Models and Frameworks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Imtinan, Umera; Chang, Vanessa; Issa, Tomayess

2013-01-01

Mobile learning offers learning opportunities to learners without the limitations of time and space. Mobile learning has introduced a number of flexible options to the learners across disciplines and at different educational levels. However, designing mobile learning content is an equally challenging task for the instructional designers.…

The social impacts of the energy shortage, behavioral and attitude shifts

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1975-09-01

An analysis of the social impacts of the energy shortage; specifically, an : analysis of shifts in social behavior, or trip-making characteristics, and : shifts in social attitudes towards the energy shortage and conservation policies, : Data were ob...

Evaluation of electron mobility in InSb quantum wells by means of percentage-impact

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

Mishima, T. D.; Edirisooriya, M.; Santos, M. B.

2014-05-15

In order to quantitatively analyze the contribution of each scattering factor toward the total carrier mobility, we use a new convenient figure-of-merit, named a percentage impact. The mobility limit due to a scattering factor, which is widely used to summarize a scattering analysis, has its own advantage. However, a mobility limit is not quite appropriate for the above purpose. A comprehensive understanding of the difference in contribution among many scattering factors toward the total carrier mobility can be obtained by evaluating percentage impacts of scattering factors, which can be straightforwardly calculated from their mobility limits and the total mobility. Ourmore » percentage impact analysis shows that threading dislocation is one of the dominant scattering factors for the electron transport in InSb quantum wells at room temperature.« less

Ion dynamics in a trapped ion mobility spectrometer†

PubMed Central

Hernandez, Diana Rosa; DeBord, John Daniel; Ridgeway, Mark E.; Kaplan, Desmond A.; Park, Melvin A.; Fernandez-Lima, Francisco

2014-01-01

In the present paper, theoretical simulations and experimental observations are used to describe the ion dynamics in a trapped ion mobility spectrometer. In particular, the ion motion, ion transmission and mobility separation are discussed as a function of the bath gas velocity, radial confinement, analysis time and speed. Mobility analysis and calibration procedure are reported for the case of sphere-like molecules for positive and negative ion modes. Results showed that a maximal mobility resolution can be achieved by optimizing the gas velocity, radial confinement (RF amplitude) and ramp speed (voltage range and ramp time). The mobility resolution scales with the electric field and gas velocity and R = 100–250 can be routinely obtained at room temperature. PMID:24571000

Night Shift Work and Risk of Depression: Meta-analysis of Observational Studies.

PubMed

Lee, Aeyoung; Myung, Seung Kwon; Cho, Jung Jin; Jung, Yu Jin; Yoon, Jong Lull; Kim, Mee Young

2017-07-01

This study aimed to assess whether night shift work is associated with the risk of depression by using a meta-analysis of observational studies. We searched PubMed and EMBASE in August, 2016 to locate eligible studies and investigated the association between night shift work and the risk of depression, reporting outcome measures with adjusted odds ratios (ORs) or relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). In the meta-analysis of a total of 11 observational studies with 9 cross-sectional study, 1 longitudinal study, and 1 cohort study, night shift work was significantly associated with an increased risk of depression (OR/RR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.24-1.64; I² = 78.0%). Also, subgroup meta-analyses by gender, night shift work duration, type of occupation, continent, and type of publication showed that night shift work was consistently associated with the increased risk of depression. The current meta-analysis suggests that night shift work is associated with the increased risk of depression. However, further large prospective cohort studies are needed to confirm this association. © 2017 The Korean Academy of Medical Sciences.

Night Shift Work and Risk of Depression: Meta-analysis of Observational Studies

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

This study aimed to assess whether night shift work is associated with the risk of depression by using a meta-analysis of observational studies. We searched PubMed and EMBASE in August, 2016 to locate eligible studies and investigated the association between night shift work and the risk of depression, reporting outcome measures with adjusted odds ratios (ORs) or relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). In the meta-analysis of a total of 11 observational studies with 9 cross-sectional study, 1 longitudinal study, and 1 cohort study, night shift work was significantly associated with an increased risk of depression (OR/RR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.24–1.64; I2 = 78.0%). Also, subgroup meta-analyses by gender, night shift work duration, type of occupation, continent, and type of publication showed that night shift work was consistently associated with the increased risk of depression. The current meta-analysis suggests that night shift work is associated with the increased risk of depression. However, further large prospective cohort studies are needed to confirm this association. PMID:28581264

FunShift: a database of function shift analysis on protein subfamilies

PubMed Central

Abhiman, Saraswathi; Sonnhammer, Erik L. L.

2005-01-01

Members of a protein family normally have a general biochemical function in common, but frequently one or more subgroups have evolved a slightly different function, such as different substrate specificity. It is important to detect such function shifts for a more accurate functional annotation. The FunShift database described here is a compilation of function shift analysis performed between subfamilies in protein families. It consists of two main components: (i) subfamilies derived from protein domain families and (ii) pairwise subfamily comparisons analyzed for function shift. The present release, FunShift 12, was derived from Pfam 12 and consists of 151 934 subfamilies derived from 7300 families. We carried out function shift analysis by two complementary methods on families with up to 500 members. From a total of 179 210 subfamily pairs, 62 384 were predicted to be functionally shifted in 2881 families. Each subfamily pair is provided with a markup of probable functional specificity-determining sites. Tools for searching and exploring the data are provided to make this database a valuable resource for protein function annotation. Knowledge of these functionally important sites will be useful for experimental biologists performing functional mutation studies. FunShift is available at http://FunShift.cgb.ki.se. PMID:15608176

The Role of Sex Work Pay in Moderating the Effect of Mobile Phone Solicitation on Condom Practices: An Analysis of Female Sex Workers in India

PubMed Central

Navani-Vazirani, S; Heylen, E; Deardorff, J; Srikrishnan, AK; Vasudevan, CK; Solomon, D; Ekstrand, ML

2017-01-01

Mobile phones remain a largely untapped resource in the ongoing challenge to address Female Sex Worker (FSW) health, including HIV prevention services, in India. An important step towards designing effective mobile phone-based initiatives for FSWs is clarifying the contextual influences of mobile phone solicitation on sexual risk behavior. In this paper, we extend previously identified associations between mobile phone solicitation and condom practices by examining whether this association is moderated by sex work pay and offer key considerations for future research and implementation. Specifically, we conducted an analysis among 589 Indian FSWs, where FSWs who did not use mobile phones to solicit clients had the lowest mean sex work pay (INR 394/ USD 6.54) compared to FSWs who used both mobile and traditional strategies (INR 563/ USD 9.34). Our analysis indicate low paid FSWs who used mobile phones concurrently with traditional strategies had 2.46 times higher odds of inconsistent condom use compared to low paid FSWs who did not use mobile phones for client solicitation. No such effect was identified among high paid FSWs. These findings also identified group level differences among FSWs reporting different mobile phone solicitation strategies, including violence, client condom use and HIV status. Our results indicate that low pay does moderate the association between mobile phone solicitation and condom practices, but only among a sub-set of low paid FSWs. These findings also demonstrate the utility of classification by different mobile phone solicitation strategies for accurate assessment of sexual risk among mobile phone soliciting FSWs. In turn, this paves the way for novel approaches to utilize mobile phones for FSW HIV prevention. We discuss one such example, a mobile phone-based rapid screening tool for acute HIV infection targeting Indian FSWs. PMID:29202126

The Role of Sex Work Pay in Moderating the Effect of Mobile Phone Solicitation on Condom Practices: An Analysis of Female Sex Workers in India.

PubMed

Navani-Vazirani, S; Heylen, E; Deardorff, J; Srikrishnan, A K; Vasudevan, C K; Solomon, D; Ekstrand, M L

2017-01-01

Mobile phones remain a largely untapped resource in the ongoing challenge to address Female Sex Worker (FSW) health, including HIV prevention services, in India. An important step towards designing effective mobile phone-based initiatives for FSWs is clarifying the contextual influences of mobile phone solicitation on sexual risk behavior. In this paper, we extend previously identified associations between mobile phone solicitation and condom practices by examining whether this association is moderated by sex work pay and offer key considerations for future research and implementation. Specifically, we conducted an analysis among 589 Indian FSWs, where FSWs who did not use mobile phones to solicit clients had the lowest mean sex work pay (INR 394/ USD 6.54) compared to FSWs who used both mobile and traditional strategies (INR 563/ USD 9.34). Our analysis indicate low paid FSWs who used mobile phones concurrently with traditional strategies had 2.46 times higher odds of inconsistent condom use compared to low paid FSWs who did not use mobile phones for client solicitation. No such effect was identified among high paid FSWs. These findings also identified group level differences among FSWs reporting different mobile phone solicitation strategies, including violence, client condom use and HIV status. Our results indicate that low pay does moderate the association between mobile phone solicitation and condom practices, but only among a sub-set of low paid FSWs. These findings also demonstrate the utility of classification by different mobile phone solicitation strategies for accurate assessment of sexual risk among mobile phone soliciting FSWs. In turn, this paves the way for novel approaches to utilize mobile phones for FSW HIV prevention. We discuss one such example, a mobile phone-based rapid screening tool for acute HIV infection targeting Indian FSWs.

Switched on or switched off? A survey of mobile, computer and Internet use in a community mental health rehabilitation sample.

PubMed

Tobitt, Simon; Percival, Robert

2017-07-04

UK society is undergoing a technological revolution, including meeting health needs through technology. Government policy is shifting towards a "digital by default" position. Studies have trialled health technology interventions for those experiencing psychosis and shown them to be useful. To gauge levels of engagement with mobile phones (Internet-enabled or cell phone), computers and the Internet in the specific population of community mental health rehabilitation. Two surveys were conducted: with service-users on use/non-use of technologies, and interest in technology interventions and support; and with placements on facilities and support available to service-users. Levels of engagement in this population were substantially less than those recorded in the general UK and other clinical populations: 40.2% regularly use mobiles, 17.5% computers, and 14.4% the Internet. Users of all three technologies were significantly younger than non-users. Users of mobiles and computers were significantly more likely to live in lower support/higher independence placements. Of surveyed placements, 35.5% provide a communal computer and 38.7% IT skills sessions. Community mental health rehabilitation service-users risk finding themselves excluded by a "digital divide". Action is needed to ensure equal access to online opportunities, including healthcare innovations. Clinical and policy implications are discussed.

"Contextualizing Context": Reconciling Environmental Exposures, Social Networks, and Location Preferences in Health Research.

PubMed

Kestens, Yan; Wasfi, Rania; Naud, Alexandre; Chaix, Basile

2017-03-01

The aim of this paper is to review the recent advances in health and place research and discuss concepts useful to explore how context affects health. More specifically, it reviews measures and tools used to account for place; concepts relating to daily mobility and multiple exposure to places, and further points to the intertwining between social and spatial networks to help further our understanding of how context translates into health profiles. Significant advances in environmental or neighborhood effects have been made in the last decades. Specifically, conceptual and methodological developments have improved our consideration of spatial processes, shifting from a residential-based view of context to a more dynamic activity space and daily mobility paradigm. Yet, such advances have led to overlooking other potentially important aspects related to social networks and decision-making processes. With an increasing capacity to collect high-precision data on daily mobility and behavior, new possibilities in understanding how environments relate to behavior and health inequalities arise. Two overlooked aspects need to be addressed: the questions of "with or for whom", and "why". While the former calls for a better consideration of social networks and social interactions, the latter calls for refining our understanding of place preference and decision-making leading to daily mobility and multiple exposures.

Tunneling Characteristics Depending on Schottky Barriers and Diffusion Current in SiOC.

PubMed

Oh, Teresa; Kim, Chy Hyung

2016-02-01

To obtain a diffusion current in SiOC, the aluminum doped zinc oxide films were deposited on SiOC/Si wafer by a RF magnetron sputtering. All the X-ray patterns of the SiOC films showed amorphous phases. The level of binding energy of Si atoms will lead to an additional potential modulation by long range Coulombic and covalent interactions with oxygen ions. The growth of the AZO film was affected by the characteristics of SiOC, resulting in similar trends in XPS spectra and a shift to higher AZO lattice d values than the original AZO d values in XRD analyses. The charges trapped by the defects at the interlayer between AZO and SiOC films induced the decreased mobility of carriers. In the absence of trap charges, AZO grown on SiOC film such as the sample prepared at O2 = 25 or 30 sccm, which has low charge carrier concentration and high mobility, showed high mobility in an ambipolar characteristic of oxide semiconductor due to the tunneling effect and diffusion current. The structural matching of an interface between AZO and amorphous SiOC enhanced the height of Schottky Barrier (SB), and then the mobility was increased by the tunneling effect from band to band through the high SB.

SU-E-J-115: Correlation of Displacement Vector Fields Calculated by Deformable Image Registration Algorithms with Motion Parameters of CT Images with Well-Defined Targets and Controlled-Motion

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

Jaskowiak, J; Ahmad, S; Ali, I

Purpose: To investigate correlation of displacement vector fields (DVF) calculated by deformable image registration algorithms with motion parameters in helical axial and cone-beam CT images with motion artifacts. Methods: A mobile thorax phantom with well-known targets with different sizes that were made from water-equivalent material and inserted in foam to simulate lung lesions. The thorax phantom was imaged with helical, axial and cone-beam CT. The phantom was moved with a cyclic motion with different motion amplitudes and frequencies along the superior-inferior direction. Different deformable image registration algorithms including demons, fast demons, Horn-Shunck and iterative-optical-flow from the DIRART software were usedmore » to deform CT images for the phantom with different motion patterns. The CT images of the mobile phantom were deformed to CT images of the stationary phantom. Results: The values of displacement vectors calculated by deformable image registration algorithm correlated strongly with motion amplitude where large displacement vectors were calculated for CT images with large motion amplitudes. For example, the maximal displacement vectors were nearly equal to the motion amplitudes (5mm, 10mm or 20mm) at interfaces between the mobile targets lung tissue, while the minimal displacement vectors were nearly equal to negative the motion amplitudes. The maximal and minimal displacement vectors matched with edges of the blurred targets along the Z-axis (motion-direction), while DVF’s were small in the other directions. This indicates that the blurred edges by phantom motion were shifted largely to match with the actual target edge. These shifts were nearly equal to the motion amplitude. Conclusions: The DVF from deformable-image registration algorithms correlated well with motion amplitude of well-defined mobile targets. This can be used to extract motion parameters such as amplitude. However, as motion amplitudes increased, image artifacts increased significantly and that limited image quality and poor correlation between the motion amplitude and DVF was obtained.« less

Understanding DOC Mobilization Dynamics Through High Frequency Measurements in a Headwater Catchment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Werner, B.; Musolff, A.; Lechtenfeld, O.; de Rooij, G. H.; Fleckenstein, J. H.

2017-12-01

Increasing dissolved organic carbon (DOC) exports from headwater catchments impact the quality of downstream waters and pose challenges to water supply. The importance of riparian zones for DOC export from catchments in humid, temperate climates has generally been acknowledged, but the hydrological controls and biogeochemical factors that govern mobilization of DOC from riparian zones remain elusive. By analyzing high-frequency time series of UV-VIS based water quality we therefore aim at a better understanding on temporal dynamics of DOC mobilization and exports. In a first step a one year high frequency (15 minutes) data set from a headwater catchment in the Harz Mountains (Germany) was systematically analyzed for event-based patterns in DOC concentrations. Here, a simplistic linear model was generated to explain DOC concentration level and variability in the stream. Furthermore, spectral (e.g. slopes and SUVA254) and molecular (FT-ICR-MS) characterization of DOC was used to fingerprint in-stream DOC during events. Continuous DOC concentrations were best predicted (R², NSE = 0.53) by instantaneous discharge (Q) and antecede wetness conditions of the last 30 days (AWC30 = Precip.30/PET30) as well as mean air temperature (Tmean30) and mean discharge (Qmean30) of the preceding 30 days. Analyses of 36 events revealed seasonal trends for the slope, intercept and R² of linear log(DOC)-log(Q) regressions that can be best explained by the mean air temperature of the preceding 15 days. Continuously available optical DOC quality parameters SUVA254 and spectral slope (275 nm - 295 nm) systematically changed with shifts in discharge and in DOC concentration. This is underlined by selected FT-ICR-MS measurements indicating higher DOC aromaticity and oxygen content at high flow conditions. The change of DOC quality parameters during events indicate a shift in the activated source zones: DOC with a different quality was mobilized during high flow conditions when higher groundwater levels connected formerly disconnected DOC source zones to the stream. We conclude that the high concentration variability of DOC can be explained by a few controlling variables only. These variables can be linked to event-based DOC source activation and more seasonal controls of DOC production.

Tactical Intelligence Applications Experimentation (TIAX) Report. Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield (IPB)-An Automated Approach to Terrain and Mobility Corridor Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-10-20

Preparation of the Battlefield (IPB) - Phase A An Automated Approach to Terrain and Mobility Cocridor Analysis Prepared For The ;*ttlefield Systems... the Battlefield (IPB) - Phase A An Automated Approach to Terrain and Mobility Corridcr Analysis, Prepared For The Battlefield Systems Integration... series of snapshots developed for Option A. The situation snapshots would be deteloped in like manner for each option, and stored in an

Proceedings of the Fourth International Mobile Satellite Conference (IMSC 1995)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rigley, Jack R. (Compiler); Estabrook, Polly (Compiler); Reekie, D. Hugh M. (Editor)

1995-01-01

The theme to the 1995 International Mobile Satellite Conference was 'Mobile Satcom Comes of Age'. The sessions included Modulation, Coding, and Multiple Access; Hybrid Networks - 1; Spacecraft Technology; propagation; Applications and Experiments - 1; Advanced System Concepts and Analysis; Aeronautical Mobile Satellite Communications; Mobile Terminal Antennas; Mobile Terminal Technology; Current and Planned Systems; Direct Broadcast Satellite; The Use of CDMA for LEO and ICO Mobile Satellite Systems; Hybrid Networks - 2; and Applications and Experiments - 2.

Cyber threat model for tactical radio networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurdziel, Michael T.

2014-05-01

The shift to a full information-centric paradigm in the battlefield has allowed ConOps to be developed that are only possible using modern network communications systems. Securing these Tactical Networks without impacting their capabilities has been a challenge. Tactical networks with fixed infrastructure have similar vulnerabilities to their commercial counterparts (although they need to be secure against adversaries with greater capabilities, resources and motivation). However, networks with mobile infrastructure components and Mobile Ad hoc Networks (MANets) have additional unique vulnerabilities that must be considered. It is useful to examine Tactical Network based ConOps and use them to construct a threat model and baseline cyber security requirements for Tactical Networks with fixed infrastructure, mobile infrastructure and/or ad hoc modes of operation. This paper will present an introduction to threat model assessment. A definition and detailed discussion of a Tactical Network threat model is also presented. Finally, the model is used to derive baseline requirements that can be used to design or evaluate a cyber security solution that can be scaled and adapted to the needs of specific deployments.

Effect of the phenoxy groups on PDIB and its derivatives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Peng; Guan, Baijie; Zhou, Qiao; Zhao, Meiyu; Huang, Jindou; Ma, Fengcai

2016-10-01

The anisotropic hole and electron mobilities in N,N‧-3,4,9,10-perylenediimide-1,7-phenoxy (PDIB-2OPh) and N,Nʹ-3,4,9,10-perylenediimide (PDIB) were theoretically predicted using the Marcus-Hush theory. The substituent effect of phenoxy on their mobility rates, absorption spectra, electron affinities, and ionization potentials was explored. By comparing the simulated hole mobility in PDIB and PDIB-2OPh, it is found that the phenoxy rings act as spacers between adjacent stacking columns in the phenoxy-substituted derivatives. The increasement of the number of benzene oxygen groups leads to the absorption spectra red-shift of these molecular systems. This coincides with their change tendency of the adiabatic ionization potentials, vertical ionization potentials. However, the calculated adiabatic electron affinities and vertical electron affinities of N,N‧-butyl-3,4,9,10-perylenediimide-1,6,7,12-phenoxy (PDIB-4OPh) are larger than those of PDIB;OPh. The steric effect in PDIB-4OPh is expected to cause space reversal and thus to changes in the properties of the molecule.

Effect of the phenoxy groups on PDIB and its derivatives

PubMed Central

Song, Peng; Guan, Baijie; Zhou, Qiao; Zhao, Meiyu; Huang, Jindou; Ma, Fengcai

2016-01-01

The anisotropic hole and electron mobilities in N,N′-3,4,9,10-perylenediimide-1,7-phenoxy (PDIB-2OPh) and N,Nʹ-3,4,9,10-perylenediimide (PDIB) were theoretically predicted using the Marcus–Hush theory. The substituent effect of phenoxy on their mobility rates, absorption spectra, electron affinities, and ionization potentials was explored. By comparing the simulated hole mobility in PDIB and PDIB-2OPh, it is found that the phenoxy rings act as spacers between adjacent stacking columns in the phenoxy-substituted derivatives. The increasement of the number of benzene oxygen groups leads to the absorption spectra red-shift of these molecular systems. This coincides with their change tendency of the adiabatic ionization potentials, vertical ionization potentials. However, the calculated adiabatic electron affinities and vertical electron affinities of N,N′-butyl-3,4,9,10-perylenediimide-1,6,7,12-phenoxy (PDIB-4OPh) are larger than those of PDIB;OPh. The steric effect in PDIB-4OPh is expected to cause space reversal and thus to changes in the properties of the molecule. PMID:27759050

Need for early diagnosis of mental and mobility changes in Wernicke encephalopathy.

PubMed

Wijnia, Jan W; Oudman, Erik; Bresser, Esmay L; Gerridzen, Ineke J; van de Wiel, Albert; Beuman, Carla; Mulder, Cornelis L

2014-12-01

Korsakoff syndrome is a chronic form of amnesia resulting from thiamine deficiency. The syndrome can develop from unrecognized or undertreated Wernicke encephalopathy. The intra-individual course of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome has not been studied extensively, nor has the temporal progression of gait disturbances and other symptoms of Wernicke encephalopathy. Here we present the detailed history of a patient whose acute symptoms of Wernicke encephalopathy were far from stable. We follow his mobility changes and the shifts in his mental status from global confusion and impaired consciousness to more selective cognitive deficits. His Wernicke encephalopathy was missed and left untreated, being labeled as "probable" Korsakoff syndrome. Patients with a history of self-neglect and alcohol abuse, at risk of or suffering with Wernicke encephalopathy, should receive immediate and adequate vitamin replacement. Self-neglecting alcoholics who are bedridden may have severe illness and probably active Wernicke encephalopathy. In these patients, mobility changes, delirium, or impaired consciousness can be an expression of Wernicke encephalopathy, and should be treated to prevent further damage from the neurologic complications of thiamine deficiency.

Simulation of hole-mobility in doped relaxed and strained Ge layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watling, Jeremy R.; Riddet, Craig; Chan, Morgan Kah H.; Asenov, Asen

2010-11-01

As silicon based metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) are reaching the limits of their performance with scaling, alternative channel materials are being considered to maintain performance in future complementary metal-oxide semiconductor technology generations. Thus there is renewed interest in employing Ge as a channel material in p-MOSFETs, due to the significant improvement in hole mobility as compared to Si. Here we employ full-band Monte Carlo to study hole transport properties in Ge. We present mobility and velocity-field characteristics for different transport directions in p-doped relaxed and strained Ge layers. The simulations are based on a method for over-coming the potentially large dynamic range of scattering rates, which results from the long-range nature of the unscreened Coulombic interaction. Our model for ionized impurity scattering includes the affects of dynamic Lindhard screening, coupled with phase-shift, and multi-ion corrections along with plasmon scattering. We show that all these effects play a role in determining the hole carrier transport in doped Ge layers and cannot be neglected.

mHealth: Mobile Technologies to Virtually Bring the Patient Into an Oncology Practice.

PubMed

Pennell, Nathan A; Dicker, Adam P; Tran, Christine; Jim, Heather S L; Schwartz, David L; Stepanski, Edward J

2017-01-01

Accompanied by the change in the traditional medical landscape, advances in wireless technology have led to the development of telehealth or mobile health (mHealth), which offers an unparalleled opportunity for health care providers to continually deliver high-quality care. This revolutionary shift makes the patient the consumer of health care and empowers patients to be the driving force of management of their own health through mobile devices and wearable technology. This article presents an overview of technology as it pertains to clinical practice considerations. Telemedicine is changing the way clinical care is delivered without regard for proximity to the patient, whereas nonclinical telehealth applications affect distance education for consumers or clinicians, meetings, research, continuing medical education, and health care management. Technology has the potential to reduce administrative burdens and improve both efficiency and quality of care delivery in the clinic. Finally, the potential for telehealth approaches as cost-effective ways to improve adherence to treatment is explored. As telehealth advances, health care providers must understand the fundamental framework for applying telehealth strategies to incorporate into successful clinical practice.

Artificial semiconductor/insulator superlattice channel structure for high-performance oxide thin-film transistors

PubMed Central

Ahn, Cheol Hyoun; Senthil, Karuppanan; Cho, Hyung Koun; Lee, Sang Yeol

2013-01-01

High-performance thin-film transistors (TFTs) are the fundamental building blocks in realizing the potential applications of the next-generation displays. Atomically controlled superlattice structures are expected to induce advanced electric and optical performance due to two-dimensional electron gas system, resulting in high-electron mobility transistors. Here, we have utilized a semiconductor/insulator superlattice channel structure comprising of ZnO/Al2O3 layers to realize high-performance TFTs. The TFT with ZnO (5 nm)/Al2O3 (3.6 nm) superlattice channel structure exhibited high field effect mobility of 27.8 cm2/Vs, and threshold voltage shift of only < 0.5 V under positive/negative gate bias stress test during 2 hours. These properties showed extremely improved TFT performance, compared to ZnO TFTs. The enhanced field effect mobility and stability obtained for the superlattice TFT devices were explained on the basis of layer-by-layer growth mode, improved crystalline nature of the channel layers, and passivation effect of Al2O3 layers. PMID:24061388

Centaur: A Mobile Dexterous Humanoid for Surface Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rehnmark, Fredrik; Ambrose, Robert O.; Goza, S. Michael; Junkin, Lucien; Neuhaus, Peter D.; Pratt, Jerry E.

2005-01-01

Future human and robotic planetary expeditions could benefit greatly from expanded Extra-Vehicular Activity (EVA) capabilities supporting a broad range of multiple, concurrent surface operations. Risky, expensive and complex, conventional EVAs are restricted in both duration and scope by consumables and available manpower, creating a resource management problem. A mobile, highly dexterous Extra-Vehicular Robotic (EVR) system called Centaur is proposed to cost-effectively augment human astronauts on surface excursions. The Centaur design combines a highly capable wheeled mobility platform with an anthropomorphic upper body mounted on a three degree-of-freedom waist. Able to use many ordinary handheld tools, the robot could conserve EVA hours by relieving humans of many routine inspection and maintenance chores and assisting them in more complex tasks, such as repairing other robots. As an astronaut surrogate, Centaur could take risks unacceptable to humans, respond more quickly to EVA emergencies and work much longer shifts. Though originally conceived as a system for planetary surface exploration, the Centaur concept could easily be adapted for terrestrial military applications such as de-Gig, surveillance and other hazardous duties.

Meta-analysis on shift work and risks of specific obesity types.

PubMed

Sun, M; Feng, W; Wang, F; Li, P; Li, Z; Li, M; Tse, G; Vlaanderen, J; Vermeulen, R; Tse, L A

2018-01-01

This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the associations between shift work patterns and risks of specific types of obesity. PubMed was searched until March 2017 for observational studies that examined the relationships between shift work patterns and obesity. Odds ratio for obesity was extracted using a fixed-effects or random-effects model. Subgroup meta-analyses were carried out for study design, specific obesity types and characteristics of shift work pattern. A total of 28 studies were included in this meta-analysis. The overall odds ratio of night shift work was 1.23 (95% confidence interval = 1.17-1.29) for risk of obesity/overweight. Cross-sectional studies showed a higher risk of 1.26 than those with the cohort design (risk ratio = 1.10). Shift workers had a higher frequency of developing abdominal obesity (odds ratio = 1.35) than other obesity types. Permanent night workers demonstrated a 29% higher risk than rotating shift workers (odds ratio 1.43 vs. 1.14). This meta-analysis confirmed the risks of night shift work for the development of overweight and obesity with a potential gradient association suggested, especially for abdominal obesity. Modification of working schedules is recommended, particularly for prolonged permanent night work. More accurate and detailed measurements on shift work patterns should be conducted in future research. © 2017 World Obesity Federation.

System for Processing Coded OFDM Under Doppler and Fading

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tsou, Haiping; Darden, Scott; Lee, Dennis; Yan, Tsun-Yee

2005-01-01

An advanced communication system has been proposed for transmitting and receiving coded digital data conveyed as a form of quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) on orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) signals in the presence of such adverse propagation-channel effects as large dynamic Doppler shifts and frequency-selective multipath fading. Such adverse channel effects are typical of data communications between mobile units or between mobile and stationary units (e.g., telemetric transmissions from aircraft to ground stations). The proposed system incorporates novel signal processing techniques intended to reduce the losses associated with adverse channel effects while maintaining compatibility with the high-speed physical layer specifications defined for wireless local area networks (LANs) as the standard 802.11a of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE 802.11a). OFDM is a multi-carrier modulation technique that is widely used for wireless transmission of data in LANs and in metropolitan area networks (MANs). OFDM has been adopted in IEEE 802.11a and some other industry standards because it affords robust performance under frequency-selective fading. However, its intrinsic frequency-diversity feature is highly sensitive to synchronization errors; this sensitivity poses a challenge to preserve coherence between the component subcarriers of an OFDM system in order to avoid intercarrier interference in the presence of large dynamic Doppler shifts as well as frequency-selective fading. As a result, heretofore, the use of OFDM has been limited primarily to applications involving small or zero Doppler shifts. The proposed system includes a digital coherent OFDM communication system that would utilize enhanced 802.1la-compatible signal-processing algorithms to overcome effects of frequency-selective fading and large dynamic Doppler shifts. The overall transceiver design would implement a two-frequency-channel architecture (see figure) that would afford frequency diversity for reducing the adverse effects of multipath fading. By using parallel concatenated convolutional codes (also known as Turbo codes) across the dual-channel and advanced OFDM signal processing within each channel, the proposed system is intended to achieve at least an order of magnitude improvement in received signal-to-noise ratio under adverse channel effects while preserving spectral efficiency.

Solution characterization of [methyl-13C]methionine HIV-1 reverse transcriptase by NMR spectroscopy☆

PubMed Central

Zheng, Xunhai; Mueller, Geoffrey A.; DeRose, Eugene F.; London, Robert E.

2013-01-01

HIV reverse transcriptase (RT) is a primary target for drug intervention in the treatment of AIDS. Wereport the first solution NMR studies of [methyl-13 C]methionine HIV-1 RT, aimed at better understanding the conformational and dynamic characteristics of RT, both in the presence and absence of the non-nucleoside RT inhibitor (NNRTI) nevirapine. The selection of methionine as a structural probe was based both on its favorable NMR characteristics, and on the presence of two important active site methionine residues, M18466 and M23066. Observation of the M184 resonance is subunit dependent; in the p66 subunit the solvent-exposed residue produces a readily observed signal with a characteristic resonance shift, while in the globular p51 subunit, the M18451 resonance is shifted and broadened as M184 becomes buried in the protein interior. In contrast, although structural data indicates that the environment of M230 is also strongly subunit dependent, the M230 resonances from both subunits have very similar shift and relaxation characteristics. A comparison of chemical shift and intensity data with model-based predictions gives reasonable agreement for M18466, while M23066, located on the β-hairpin “primer grip”, is more mobile and solvent-exposed than suggested by crystal structures of the apo enzyme which have a “closed” fingers-thumb conformation. This mobility of the primer grip is presumably important for binding of non-nucleoside RT inhibitors (NNRTIs), since the NNRTI binding pocket is not observed in the absence of the inhibitors, requiring instead that the binding pocket be dynamically accessible. In the presence of the nevirapine, both the M18466 and M23066 resonances are significantly perturbed, while none of the methionine resonances in the p51 subunit is sensitive to this inhibitor. Site-directed mutagenesis indicates that both M16 and M357 produce two resonances in each subunit, and for both residues, the intensity ratio of the component peaks is strongly subunit dependent. Conformational features that might explain the multiple peaks are discussed. PMID:19665484

Enabling smart personalized healthcare: a hybrid mobile-cloud approach for ECG telemonitoring.

PubMed

Wang, Xiaoliang; Gui, Qiong; Liu, Bingwei; Jin, Zhanpeng; Chen, Yu

2014-05-01

The severe challenges of the skyrocketing healthcare expenditure and the fast aging population highlight the needs for innovative solutions supporting more accurate, affordable, flexible, and personalized medical diagnosis and treatment. Recent advances of mobile technologies have made mobile devices a promising tool to manage patients' own health status through services like telemedicine. However, the inherent limitations of mobile devices make them less effective in computation- or data-intensive tasks such as medical monitoring. In this study, we propose a new hybrid mobile-cloud computational solution to enable more effective personalized medical monitoring. To demonstrate the efficacy and efficiency of the proposed approach, we present a case study of mobile-cloud based electrocardiograph monitoring and analysis and develop a mobile-cloud prototype. The experimental results show that the proposed approach can significantly enhance the conventional mobile-based medical monitoring in terms of diagnostic accuracy, execution efficiency, and energy efficiency, and holds the potential in addressing future large-scale data analysis in personalized healthcare.

Mobile Phone Overuse Among Elementary School Students in Korea: Factors Associated With Mobile Phone Use as a Behavior Addiction.

PubMed

Kim, Ran; Lee, Kwang-Ja; Choi, Yun-Jung

2015-01-01

This research was conducted to examine the relationships among mobile phone use, anxiety, and parental attitudes toward child-rearing in a convenience sample of 351 Grade 6 elementary school students. There were 157 boys and 194 girls. A mobile phone overuse questionnaire, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Parental Attitude Inventory were used for data collection. The data were analyzed by the t test, analysis of variance, hierarchical regression, and descriptive analysis using SPSS WIN 18.0. Mobile phone use was greater in girls than in boys, and the difference was statistically significant. Mobile phone use was positively correlated with anxiety, and it was negatively correlated with parental child-raising attitudes. Mobile phone use in girls was mainly affected by anxiety, and in boys, it was significantly affected by the maternal child-raising attitude. This research provides basic data for parent education, school policy, and prevention programs about mobile phone overuse that support mental health improvement in the individual, family, and community.

Discriminant analysis of fused positive and negative ion mobility spectra using multivariate self-modeling mixture analysis and neural networks.

PubMed

Chen, Ping; Harrington, Peter B

2008-02-01

A new method coupling multivariate self-modeling mixture analysis and pattern recognition has been developed to identify toxic industrial chemicals using fused positive and negative ion mobility spectra (dual scan spectra). A Smiths lightweight chemical detector (LCD), which can measure positive and negative ion mobility spectra simultaneously, was used to acquire the data. Simple-to-use interactive self-modeling mixture analysis (SIMPLISMA) was used to separate the analytical peaks in the ion mobility spectra from the background reactant ion peaks (RIP). The SIMPLSIMA analytical components of the positive and negative ion peaks were combined together in a butterfly representation (i.e., negative spectra are reported with negative drift times and reflected with respect to the ordinate and juxtaposed with the positive ion mobility spectra). Temperature constrained cascade-correlation neural network (TCCCN) models were built to classify the toxic industrial chemicals. Seven common toxic industrial chemicals were used in this project to evaluate the performance of the algorithm. Ten bootstrapped Latin partitions demonstrated that the classification of neural networks using the SIMPLISMA components was statistically better than neural network models trained with fused ion mobility spectra (IMS).

Combined EDL-Mobility Planning for Planetary Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kuwata, Yoshiaki; Balaram, Bob

2011-01-01

This paper presents an analysis framework for planetary missions that have coupled mobility and EDL (Entry-Descent-Landing) systems. Traditional systems engineering approaches to mobility missions such as MERs (Mars Exploration Rovers) and MSL (Mars Science Laboratory) independently study the EDL system and the mobility system, and does not perform explicit trade-off between them or risk minimization of the overall system. A major challenge is that EDL operation is inherently uncertain and its analysis results such as landing footprint are described using PDF (Probability Density Function). The proposed approach first builds a mobility cost-to-go map that encodes the driving cost of any point on the map to a science target location. The cost could include variety of metrics such as traverse distance, time, wheel rotation on soft soil, and closeness to hazards. It then convolves the mobility cost-to-go map with the landing PDF given by the EDL system, which provides a histogram of driving cost, which can be used to evaluate the overall risk of the mission. By capturing the coupling between EDL and mobility explicitly, this analysis framework enables quantitative tradeoff between EDL and mobility system performance, as well as the characterization of risks in a statistical way. The simulation results are presented with a realistic Mars terrain data

Effect of Shift Work on Sleep, Health, and Quality of Life of Health-care Workers.

PubMed

Nena, Evangelia; Katsaouni, Maria; Steiropoulos, Paschalis; Theodorou, Evangelos; Constantinidis, Theodoros C; Tripsianis, Grigorios

2018-01-01

Shift work is associated with sleep disruption, impaired quality of life, and is a risk factor for several health conditions. Aim of this study was to investigate the impact of shift work on sleep and quality of life of health-care workers (HCW). Tertiary University hospital in Greece. Cross-sectional study. Included were HCW, working either in an irregular shift system or exclusively in morning shifts. All participants answered the WHO-5 Well-Being Index (WHO-5) and a questionnaire on demographics and medical history. Shift workers filled the Shift Work Disorders Screening Questionnaire (SWDSQ). Descriptive statistics, Student's t -test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), Pearson's r correlation coefficient, and multivariate stepwise linear regression analysis were applied. Included were 312 employees (87.9% females), 194 working in irregular shift system and 118 in morning shifts. Most shift-workers (58.2%) were somehow or totally dissatisfied with their sleep quality. Regression analysis revealed the following independent determinants for sleep impairment: parenthood ( P < 0.001), age 36-45 years ( P < 0.001), >3 night shifts/week ( P < 0.001), work >5 years in an irregular shift system ( P < 0.001). Diabetes mellitus was the most common medical condition reported by shift workers ( P = 0.008). Comparison between the two groups revealed a significantly impairment in WHO-5 total score, as well as in 4 of 5 of its items ( P < 0.001). Shift-work impairs quality of life, whereas its duration and frequency, along with age and family status of employees can have adverse effects on sleep.

An analysis of clock-shift experiments: is scatter increased and deflection reduced in clock-shifted homing pigeons?

PubMed

Chappell

1997-01-01

Clock-shifting (altering the phase of the internal clock) in homing pigeons leads to a deflection in the vanishing bearing of the clock-shifted group relative to controls. However, two unexplained phenomena are common in clock-shift experiments: the vanishing bearings of the clock-shifted group are often more scattered (with a shorter vector length) than those of the control group, and the deflection of the mean bearing of the clock-shifted group from that of the controls is often smaller than expected theoretically. Here, an analysis of 55 clock-shift experiments performed in four countries over 21 years is reported. The bearings of the clock-shifted groups were significantly more scattered than those of controls and less deflected than expected, but these effects were not significantly different at familiar and unfamiliar sites. The possible causes of the effects are discussed and evaluated with reference to this analysis and other experiments. The most likely causes appear to be conflict between the directions indicated by the sun compass and either unshifted familiar visual landmarks (at familiar sites only) or the unshifted magnetic compass (possible at both familiar and unfamiliar sites).

General Design Memorandum, Gulfport Harbor, Mississippi. Design Memorandum Number 1. Appendix F. Regional Impact and Financial Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-03-01

District, Mobile AREA A ORK UNIT NUMBCRS Economic Analysis Sec., Planning Div. (CESAM-PD-FE) P. 0. Box 2288, Mobile , AL 36628-0001 11. CONTROLLING OPPICE...NAME AND ADDRESS It. REPORT DATE US Army Engineer District, Mobile March 1990 Plan Development Sec., Planning Div. (CESAM-PD-FP) IS. NUMBER OF PAGES P...0. Box 2288, Mobile , AL 36628-0001 114 14. MONITORING AGENCY NAMIE & AOORIESSQif EU110nt km cIOfi.IAd 011*e) VS. SECURITY CLASS. (of Wol roport

[Mobile-phone e-mail use, social networks, and loneliness among Japanese high school students].

PubMed

Ogata, Yasuko; Izumi, Yukiko; Kitaike, Tadashi

2006-07-01

The purposes of this study were to assess the loneliness of Japanese high school students who own and use a mobile phone, to clarify the relationships between students' loneliness and their social network and frequency of use of e-mail feature, and to demonstrate relationships with a student's social network and recognition of the benefits and drawbacks of mobile phone use. The participants were 227 students from two classes in each grade of a high school in the Kanto region of Japan. Participants answered a questionnaire covering the UCLA Loneliness Scale as well as questions pertaining to the circumstances of use of their mobile phones, their social networks (e.g., number of friends), and their perceptions of the benefits and drawbacks of mobile phone use. The questionnaires of students owning a mobile phone were analyzed. Total scores for the UCLA Loneliness Scale were calculated, and factor analysis was performed for the benefits and drawbacks. A total of 220 questionnaires were returned, for which 94.1 percent of respondents owned a mobile phone. The percentages of male and female respondents were 58% and 42%. Chronbach's alpha for the UCLA Loneliness Scale (total score) was 0.87, a result similar to previous studies with high school and university students. Factor analysis revealed five factors associated with the benefits and drawbacks of mobile phone use. Multiple-regression analysis showed that 42.9% of the variance in "frequency of e-mail use" was explained by grade level, frequency of mobile phone use, and two of the five factors from the benefits and drawbacks ("difficulty of communication," and "possible sleep loss due to nighttime e-mailing"). Stepwise multiple-regression analysis revealed that 24.4% of the variance in UCLA Loneliness Score was explained by gender, the frequency of e-mail use, the number of friends and the presence/absence of a girlfriend or boyfriend. Presence of an active social network and frequent e-mailing by mobile phone reduced students' loneliness. The frequency depended on their recognition of the benefits and drawbacks of mobile phone use and by the frequency of mobile phone use. This study established that students appreciate the usefulness of their mobile phone as an immediate communication tool, and are aware of its limitations. Although they experience frustration and lack of sleep (because of nighttime use), students use mobile phones to deepen their friendships.

[Collective action around drinking water in two mid-sized cities in Mexico].

PubMed

Trevino Carrillo, A H

1998-01-01

The efforts by residents of marginal neighborhoods of two medium-sized Mexican cities to obtain potable water and sewer services were compared in order to determine the forms of organization and social relations involved. The two cities, Queretaro and Celaya, are located in different states but share the same river basin. The organizational structures of the municipal water services and their relationships to the state government, the local political structures and practices, and the patterns of conflict resolution differed greatly in the two cities. The study describes the public water services, the social demand for water, the characteristics of the barrio organizations and mobilizations, and the relevant city officials in both study sites. The focus then shifts to theoretical discussion regarding collective actions and social movements and the new area of research constituted by citizen mobilizations to demand services.

[Strategies for tuberculosis control in Brazil: networking and civil society participation].

PubMed

Santos Filho, Ezio Távora dos; Santos Gomes, Zaïra Machado dos

2007-09-01

Although no significant changes in the tuberculosis indicators have been registered in Brazil in recent years, there is a clear shift in the political scenario regarding the manner this disease has been tackled, with the appearance of civil society standing out. Considerations about the conditions that contributed to its emergence are made, such as the origin, composition, actions, partners and perspectives on social mobilization. Due to initiatives for tuberculosis control on an international level and attempts to encourage social mobilization on state and municipal levels, the Brazilian federal government began to engage in a more consistent and coherent policy, also including civil society in its actions. In spite of being an actor acknowledged by the public power and considered strategic for the success of tuberculosis control actions, community participation requires incentives and constant support from other sectors.

Magnetic materials for mobile communication antennas substrate application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Hui; Liang, Difei; Li, Weijia; Pang, Chao

2017-11-01

In this work, 3Ba0.7Sr0.3O·2CoO·10.8Fe2O3 and Ba2Co2Fe12O22 had been fabricated successfully by conventional ceramic process. Crystallographic structure and electromagnetic properties of two kind of hexagonal ferrite with different sintering temperature were investigated. X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Agilent-N5230A Network Analyzer were used to measure ferrite samples. The mobile phone antenna performance was analysed by HFSS. The results revealed that the main phase of two ferrite samples generated at lower temperature due to additive. The optimized parameters of ferrite are sintering temperature at 1000°C. And to emulate antenna model by HFSS find that Z-type and Y-type ferrite substrate can contribute to antenna frequency shifting, radiation efficiency were affected a little.

Effect of heavy doping on the optical spectra of silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Chen-jia; A, Borghesi; G, Guizzetti; L, Nosenzo; E, Reguzzoni; A, Stella

1985-07-01

In this paper reflectance (R) and thermoreflectance (TR) spectra in heavily doped silicon concerning both interband and intraband transitions are reported and discussed. The heavily doped sample shows a red-shift and lifetime broadening in the two singularities E1(similar 3.4eV) and E2(similar 4.5eV). The values of the scattering time τ extracted from the reflectivity fit are obtained and compared with those obtained from Hall mobility measurements.

Meta-analysis of association between mobile phone use and glioma risk.

PubMed

Wang, Yabo; Guo, Xiaqing

2016-12-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between mobile phone use and glioma risk through pooling the published data. By searching Medline, EMBSE, and CNKI databases, we screened the open published case-control or cohort studies about mobile phone use and glioma risk by systematic searching strategy. The pooled odds of mobile use in glioma patients versus healthy controls were calculated by meta-analysis method. The statistical analysis was done by Stata12.0 software (http://www.stata.com). After searching the Medline, EMBSE, and CNKI databases, we ultimately included 11 studies range from 2001 to 2008. For ≥1 year group, the data were pooled by random effects model. The combined data showed that there was no association between mobile phone use and glioma odds ratio (OR) =1.08 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.91-1.25,P > 0.05). However, a significant association was found between mobile phone use more than 5 years and glioma risk OR = 1.35 (95% CI: 1.09-1.62, P < 0.05). The publication bias of this study was evaluated by funnel plot and line regression test. The funnel plot and line regression test (t = 0.25,P = 0.81) did not indicate any publication bias. Long-term mobile phone use may increase the risk of developing glioma according to this meta-analysis.

Manufacturing of a novel double-function ssDNA aptamer for sensitive diagnosis and efficient neutralization of SEA.

PubMed

Sedighian, Hamid; Halabian, Raheleh; Amani, Jafar; Heiat, Mohammad; Taheri, Ramezan Ali; Imani Fooladi, Abbas Ali

2018-05-01

Staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) is an enterotoxin produced mainly by Staphylococcus aureus. In recent years, it has become the most prevalent compound for staphylococcal food poisoning (SFP) around the world. In this study, we isolate new dual-function single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) aptamers by using some new methods, such as the Taguchi method, by focusing on the detection and neutralization of SEA enterotoxin in food and clinical samples. For the asymmetric polymerase chain reaction (PCR) optimization of each round of systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX), we use Taguchi L9 orthogonal arrays, and the aptamer mobility shift assay (AMSA) is used for initial evaluation of the protein-DNA interactions on the last SELEX round. In our investigation the dissociation constant (K D ) value and the limit of detection (LOD) of the candidate aptamer were found to be 8.5 ± 0.91 of nM and 5 ng/ml using surface plasmon resonance (SPR). In the current study, the Taguchi and mobility shift assay methods were innovatively harnessed to improve the selection process and evaluate the protein-aptamer interactions. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on employing these two methods in aptamer technology especially against bacterial toxin. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of differential habitat warming on complex communities.

PubMed

Tunney, Tyler D; McCann, Kevin S; Lester, Nigel P; Shuter, Brian J

2014-06-03

Food webs unfold across a mosaic of micro and macro habitats, with each habitat coupled by mobile consumers that behave in response to local environmental conditions. Despite this fundamental characteristic of nature, research on how climate change will affect whole ecosystems has overlooked (i) that climate warming will generally affect habitats differently and (ii) that mobile consumers may respond to this differential change in a manner that may fundamentally alter the energy pathways that sustain ecosystems. This reasoning suggests a powerful, but largely unexplored, avenue for studying the impacts of climate change on ecosystem functioning. Here, we use lake ecosystems to show that predictable behavioral adjustments to local temperature differentials govern a fundamental structural shift across 54 food webs. Data show that the trophic pathways from basal resources to a cold-adapted predator shift toward greater reliance on a cold-water refuge habitat, and food chain length increases, as air temperatures rise. Notably, cold-adapted predator behavior may substantially drive this decoupling effect across the climatic range in our study independent of warmer-adapted species responses (for example, changes in near-shore species abundance and predator absence). Such modifications reflect a flexible food web architecture that requires more attention from climate change research. The trophic pathway restructuring documented here is expected to alter biomass accumulation, through the regulation of energy fluxes to predators, and thus potentially threatens ecosystem sustainability in times of rapid environmental change.

Triple helix-forming oligonucleotide corresponding to the polypyrimidine sequence in the rat alpha 1(I) collagen promoter specifically inhibits factor binding and transcription.

PubMed

Kovacs, A; Kandala, J C; Weber, K T; Guntaka, R V

1996-01-19

Type I and III fibrillar collagens are the major structural proteins of the extracellular matrix found in various organs including the myocardium. Abnormal and progressive accumulation of fibrillar type I collagen in the interstitial spaces compromises organ function and therefore, the study of transcriptional regulation of this gene and specific targeting of its expression is of major interest. Transient transfection of adult cardiac fibroblasts indicate that the polypurine-polypyrimidine sequence of alpha 1(I) collagen promoter between nucleotides - 200 and -140 represents an overall positive regulatory element. DNase I footprinting and electrophoretic mobility shift assays suggest that multiple factors bind to different elements of this promoter region. We further demonstrate that the unique polypyrimidine sequence between -172 and -138 of the promoter represents a suitable target for a single-stranded polypurine oligonucleotide (TFO) to form a triple helix DNA structure. Modified electrophoretic mobility shift assays show that this TFO specifically inhibits the protein-DNA interaction within the target region. In vitro transcription assays and transient transfection experiments demonstrate that the transcriptional activity of the promoter is inhibited by this oligonucleotide. We propose that TFOs represent a therapeutic potential to specifically influence the expression of alpha 1(I) collagen gene in various disease states where abnormal type I collagen accumulation is known to occur.

The Radiology Resident iPad Toolbox: an educational and clinical tool for radiology residents.

PubMed

Sharpe, Emerson E; Kendrick, Michael; Strickland, Colin; Dodd, Gerald D

2013-07-01

Tablet computing and mobile resources are the hot topics in technology today, with that interest spilling into the medical field. To improve resident education, a fully configured iPad, referred to as the "Radiology Resident iPad Toolbox," was created and implemented at the University of Colorado. The goal was to create a portable device with comprehensive educational, clinical, and communication tools that would contain all necessary resources for an entire 4-year radiology residency. The device was distributed to a total of 34 radiology residents (8 first-year residents, 8 second-year residents, 9 third-year residents, and 9 fourth-year residents). This article describes the process used to develop and deploy the device, provides a distillation of useful applications and resources decided upon after extensive evaluation, and assesses the impact this device had on resident education. The Radiology Resident iPad Toolbox is a cost-effective, portable, educational instrument that has increased studying efficiency; improved access to study materials such as books, radiology cases, lectures, and web-based resources; and increased interactivity in educational conferences and lectures through the use of audience-response software, with questions geared toward the new ABR board format. This preconfigured tablet fully embraces the technology shift into mobile computing and represents a paradigm shift in educational strategy. Copyright © 2013 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Coherence Preservation of a Single Neutral Atom Qubit Transferred between Magic-Intensity Optical Traps.

PubMed

Yang, Jiaheng; He, Xiaodong; Guo, Ruijun; Xu, Peng; Wang, Kunpeng; Sheng, Cheng; Liu, Min; Wang, Jin; Derevianko, Andrei; Zhan, Mingsheng

2016-09-16

We demonstrate that the coherence of a single mobile atomic qubit can be well preserved during a transfer process among different optical dipole traps (ODTs). This is a prerequisite step in realizing a large-scale neutral atom quantum information processing platform. A qubit encoded in the hyperfine manifold of an ^{87}Rb atom is dynamically extracted from the static quantum register by an auxiliary moving ODT and reinserted into the static ODT. Previous experiments were limited by decoherences induced by the differential light shifts of qubit states. Here, we apply a magic-intensity trapping technique which mitigates the detrimental effects of light shifts and substantially enhances the coherence time to 225±21  ms. The experimentally demonstrated magic trapping technique relies on the previously neglected hyperpolarizability contribution to the light shifts, which makes the light shift dependence on the trapping laser intensity parabolic. Because of the parabolic dependence, at a certain "magic" intensity, the first order sensitivity to trapping light-intensity variations over ODT volume is eliminated. We experimentally demonstrate the utility of this approach and measure hyperpolarizability for the first time. Our results pave the way for constructing scalable quantum-computing architectures with single atoms trapped in an array of magic ODTs.

Mobile phone use and glioma risk: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Yang, Ming; Guo, WenWen; Yang, ChunSheng; Tang, JianQin; Huang, Qian; Feng, ShouXin; Jiang, AiJun; Xu, XiFeng; Jiang, Guan

2017-01-01

Many studies have previously investigated the potential association between mobile phone use and the risk of glioma. However, results from these individual studies are inconclusive and controversial. The objective of our study was to investigate the potential association between mobile phone use and subsequent glioma risk using meta-analysis. We performed a systematic search of the Science Citation Index Embase and PubMed databases for studies reporting relevant data on mobile phone use and glioma in 1980-2016. The data were extracted and measured in terms of the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) using the random effects model. Subgroup analyses were also carried out. This meta-analysis eventually included 11 studies comprising a total 6028 cases and 11488 controls. There was a significant positive association between long-term mobile phone use (minimum, 10 years) and glioma (OR = 1.44, 95% CI = 1.08-1.91). And there was a significant positive association between long-term ipsilateral mobile phone use and the risk of glioma (OR = 1.46, 95% CI = 1.12-1.92). Long-term mobile phone use was associated with 2.22 times greater odds of low-grade glioma occurrence (OR = 2.22, 95% CI = 1.69-2.92). Mobile phone use of any duration was not associated with the odds of high-grade glioma (OR = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.72-0.92). Contralateral mobile phone use was not associated with glioma regardless of the duration of use. Similarly, this association was not observed when the analysis was limited to high-grade glioma. Our results suggest that long-term mobile phone use may be associated with an increased risk of glioma. There was also an association between mobile phone use and low-grade glioma in the regular use or long-term use subgroups. However, current evidence is of poor quality and limited quantity. It is therefore necessary to conduct large sample, high quality research or better characterization of any potential association between long-term ipsilateral mobile phone use and glioma risk.

Mobile phone use and glioma risk: A systematic review and meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Tang, JianQin; Huang, Qian; Feng, ShouXin; Jiang, AiJun; Xu, XiFeng; Jiang, Guan

2017-01-01

Objective Many studies have previously investigated the potential association between mobile phone use and the risk of glioma. However, results from these individual studies are inconclusive and controversial. The objective of our study was to investigate the potential association between mobile phone use and subsequent glioma risk using meta-analysis. Methods We performed a systematic search of the Science Citation Index Embase and PubMed databases for studies reporting relevant data on mobile phone use and glioma in 1980–2016. The data were extracted and measured in terms of the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) using the random effects model. Subgroup analyses were also carried out. This meta-analysis eventually included 11 studies comprising a total 6028 cases and 11488 controls. Results There was a significant positive association between long-term mobile phone use (minimum, 10 years) and glioma (OR = 1.44, 95% CI = 1.08–1.91). And there was a significant positive association between long-term ipsilateral mobile phone use and the risk of glioma (OR = 1.46, 95% CI = 1.12–1.92). Long-term mobile phone use was associated with 2.22 times greater odds of low-grade glioma occurrence (OR = 2.22, 95% CI = 1.69–2.92). Mobile phone use of any duration was not associated with the odds of high-grade glioma (OR = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.72–0.92). Contralateral mobile phone use was not associated with glioma regardless of the duration of use. Similarly, this association was not observed when the analysis was limited to high-grade glioma. Conclusions Our results suggest that long-term mobile phone use may be associated with an increased risk of glioma. There was also an association between mobile phone use and low-grade glioma in the regular use or long-term use subgroups. However, current evidence is of poor quality and limited quantity. It is therefore necessary to conduct large sample, high quality research or better characterization of any potential association between long-term ipsilateral mobile phone use and glioma risk. PMID:28472042

The Grand Challenges Discourse: Transforming Identity Work in Science and Science Policy.

PubMed

Kaldewey, David

2018-01-01

This article analyzes the concept of "grand challenges" as part of a shift in how scientists and policymakers frame and communicate their respective agendas. The history of the grand challenges discourse helps to understand how identity work in science and science policy has been transformed in recent decades. Furthermore, the question is raised whether this discourse is only an indicator, or also a factor in this transformation. Building on conceptual history and historical semantics, the two parts of the article reconstruct two discursive shifts. First, the observation that in scientific communication references to "problems" are increasingly substituted by references to "challenges" indicates a broader cultural trend of how attitudes towards what is problematic have shifted in the last decades. Second, as the grand challenges discourse is rooted in the sphere of sports and competition, it introduces a specific new set of societal values and practices into the spheres of science and technology. The article concludes that this process can be characterized as the sportification of science, which contributes to self-mobilization and, ultimately, to self-optimization of the participating scientists, engineers, and policymakers.

Improvements in the bias illumination stability of amorphous InGaZnO thin-film transistors by using thermal treatments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Woo-Byung; Lee, Dong Keun; Ryu, Sang Ouk

2014-07-01

The a-IGZO deposited by using the rf sputtering method features a conductive or an insulator characteristic based on amount of oxygen. We demonstrated that a post-treatment affects the resistance patterns of particular-sized InGaZnO(IGZO) thin films in a-IGZO thin-film transistors (TFTs). Post-annealing shifted the driving voltage of a-IGZO TFT to positive or negative values, depending on the annealing temperatures. Post-annealing may introduce oxygen vacancies or desorbed oxygen in the IGZO thin film. The changed driving voltage of IGZO TFTs coincides with the shift of the resistance pattern of IGZO. The fabricated a-IGZO TFTs exhibited a field effect mobility of 6.2 cm2/Vs, an excellent subthreshold gate swing of 0.32 V/decade, and a high I on/off ratio of > 109. Under positive bias illumination stress (PBIS) and negative bias illumination stress (NBIS), after 3,600 seconds, the device threshold voltage shifted about 0.2 V and 0.3 V, respectively.

To What Extent is FAIMS Beneficial in the Analysis of Proteins?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cooper, Helen J.

2016-04-01

High field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometry (FAIMS), also known as differential ion mobility spectrometry, is emerging as a tool for biomolecular analysis. In this article, the benefits and limitations of FAIMS for protein analysis are discussed. The principles and mechanisms of FAIMS separation of ions are described, and the differences between FAIMS and conventional ion mobility spectrometry are detailed. Protein analysis is considered from both the top-down (intact proteins) and the bottom-up (proteolytic peptides) perspective. The roles of FAIMS in the analysis of complex mixtures of multiple intact proteins and in the analysis of multiple conformers of a single protein are assessed. Similarly, the application of FAIMS in proteomics and targeted analysis of peptides are considered.

Analysis of defect structure in silicon. Effect of grain boundary density on carrier mobility in UCP material

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dunn, J.; Stringfellow, G. B.; Natesh, R.

1982-01-01

The relationships between hole mobility and grain boundary density were studied. Mobility was measured using the van der Pauw technique, and grain boundary density was measured using a quantitative microscopy technique. Mobility was found to decrease with increasing grain boundary density.

Community Decline as a Generator of "Elite" Mobility: A Gender Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fasick, Frank A.; Dexter, Carolyn R.

Economic decline in a community offering opportunities for higher education was studied as a contributing factor to extensive upward mobility among persons beginning their occupational careers. One process through which mobility into professional occupations by individuals whose fathers were manual workers ("elite" mobility) was documented--the…

Development of robotic mobility for infants: rationale and outcomes.

PubMed

Larin, Hélène M; Dennis, Carole W; Stansfield, Sharon

2012-09-01

To assess the feasibility of a robotic mobility device for infants using alternative control interfaces aimed at promoting early self-initiated mobility, and to assess the effects of a training protocol and robot experience. Observational and pre-post quantitative case studies. Standardised, research laboratory and day-care centres with toys and individuals familiar to infants. Children with and without disabilities, aged 5 months to 3 years. In each study, infants were seated over a Pioneer™ 3-DX mobile robot. Some infants controlled the directional movement of the robot by weight shifting their body on a Nintendo® Wii™ Balance Board (the WeeBot), while others used a modified joystick. Infants participated in five sessions over 2 to 5 weeks. Sessions consisted of administering a 10-minute training protocol preceded and followed by 2 to 3 minutes of free play. One child with motor impairment used a button switch array and a different experimental design. From the videotaped free-play periods, goal-directed behaviours were coded and time in motion was measured. In the training period, a scoring system was developed to measure the infants' driving performance. Preliminary outcomes indicate that infants without disabilities, aged 5 to 10 months, demonstrated significant improvement in driving performance and goal-directed movement using the WeeBot. Infants who used the joystick were less successful on all measures. Results for infants with disabilities using the WeeBot were mixed. Mobile robots offer promise to enhance the development of early self-mobility. Novel types of interfaces, such as the WeeBot, warrant further investigation. Copyright © 2012 Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nursing as a pathway to women's empowerment and inter-generational mobility.

PubMed

Brownie, Sharon; Wahedna, Abdul Haq; Crisp, Nigel

2018-05-23

To assess the impact of nursing education on the intergenerational mobility of graduates of nursing upskilling programs. Challenges for low and middle-income countries include poverty and limited access to health, education, and social services compounded by workforce shortages, inequality, and female disempowerment. Little is known about the impact of nursing education on women's empowerment and intergenerational mobility in such settings. A cross-sectional study using data collected through an online alumni survey. Data were collected March to May 2016 using an online questionnaire, as part of a larger nursing program alumni survey. Intergenerational mobility was assessed by comparing the respondents' educational qualification with their fathers' and mothers' education levels. Descriptive statistics were analysed using frequencies and percentages. Associations between parental and respondents' education levels were assessed using chi-square tests. Out of 446 female respondents who completed the survey, 379 and 366 indicated their fathers' and mothers' education level respectively. A third of the respondents' mothers had no formal schooling; lower levels of parental education being significantly associated with increase in respondents age (p<0.001) and associated shift from Uganda to Kenya and Tanzania (p<0.001). Respondents had a marked upward intergenerational education mobility with 76% (278/366) and 59% (223/379) of them achieving a qualification two-levels above their mothers and fathers respectively. Tanzanian respondents had significantly higher rates of upward mobility than Kenyan and Ugandan respondents. Nursing education positively impacted gender, economic factors, and health outcomes. Further research is needed to confirm the "triple impact" of nursing education on improving health, gender equality, and economic growth in low and middle-income countries. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Oral health care attitudes of nursing assistants in long-term care facilities.

PubMed

Kaz, M E; Schuchman, L

1988-01-01

This study compares the oral health attitudes of nursing assistants employed in facilities served by mobile dental units, with attitudes of nursing assistants employed in facilities that are not served by mobile dental units. Seventy-seven nursing assistants were selected from seven long-term care facilities. Mobile dental service was available in four of the seven facilities. Certified nursing assistants completed a three part questionnaire that included demographics, personal oral health care habits, and an attitudinal section based on Kegeles' health belief model, measured by a Likert-type scale. Demographically, a majority of assistants in each group were female, worked the first shift, and had worked at their respective facilities from 6-12 months. On the average, assistants who worked at facilities that were not served by a mobile dental unit had more years of postsecondary education. Both groups had similar in-service dental histories for the previous year. A greater number of nursing assistants at facilities that were not served by a mobile dental unit reported having dental checkups within the past year. The majority of assistants in each group brushed their teeth twice per day, used a medium or hard toothbrush, and did not floss. Attitudinal mean scores were similar in all the areas of the health belief model, with the exception that assistants who were not served by a dental unit showed a greater mean score for the area of susceptibility. Through use of the t-test, the area of susceptibility was found to be statistically significant (P = .05) between the two groups. Results suggest nursing assistants' exposure to mobile dental services may not strongly influence oral health attitudes.

cDNA cloning and characterization of mouse DTEF-1 and ETF, members of the TEA/ATTS family of transcription factors.

PubMed

Yockey, C E; Shimizu, N

1998-02-01

Members of the TEA/ATTS family of transcription factors have been found in most representative eukaryotic organisms. In vertebrates, the TEA family contains at least four members, which share overlapping DNA-binding specificity and have similar transcriptional activation properties. In this article, we describe the cDNA cloning and characterization of the murine TEA proteins DTEF-1 (mDTEF-1) and ETF. Using in situ hybridization analysis of mouse embryos, we found that mDTEF-1 and ETF transcript distributions substantially overlap. ETF is expressed throughout the embryo except in the myocardium early in development, whereas late in development, it is enriched in lung and neuroectoderm. Mouse DTEF-1 is expressed at a much lower level throughout development and is substantially enriched in ectoderm and skin, as well as in the developing pituitary at midgestation. Northern blot analysis of adult mouse tissue total RNA showed that both ETF and mDTEF-1 are abundant in uterus and lung relative to other tissues. Using gel mobility shift assays and GAL4-fusion protein analysis, we demonstrated that the full coding sequences of ETF and mDTEF-1 encode M-CAT/GT-IIC-binding proteins containing activation domains.

Determination of the DNA-binding kinetics of three related but heteroimmune bacteriophage repressors using EMSA and SPR analysis

PubMed Central

Henriksson-Peltola, Petri; Sehlén, Wilhelmina; Haggård-Ljungquist, Elisabeth

2007-01-01

Bacteriophages P2, P2 Hy dis and WΦ are very similar but heteroimmune Escherichia coli phages. The structural genes show over 96% identity, but the repressors show between 43 and 63% identities. Furthermore, the operators, which contain two directly repeated sequences, vary in sequence, length, location relative to the promoter and spacing between the direct repeats. We have compared the in vivo effects of the wild type and mutated operators on gene expression with the complexes formed between the repressors and their wild type or mutated operators using electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), and real-time kinetics of the protein–DNA interactions using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) analysis. Using EMSA, the repressors formed different protein–DNA complexes, and only WΦ was significantly affected by point mutations. However, SPR analysis showed a reduced association rate constant and an increased dissociation rate constant for P2 and WΦ operator mutants. The association rate constants of P2 Hy dis was too fast to be determined. The P2 Hy dis dissociation response curves were shown to be triphasic, while both P2 and WΦ C were biphasic. Thus, the kinetics of complex formation and the nature of the complexes formed differ extensively between these very closely related phages. PMID:17412705

Association between rotating night shift work and metabolic syndrome in Korean workers: differences between 8-hour and 12-hour rotating shift work.

PubMed

Oh, Jae-Il; Yim, Hyeon Woo

2018-02-07

This study aimed to analyze the association between the shift work schedule and metabolic syndrome (MetS). This is a retrospective longitudinal study based on the 2015 health checkup data of 2,090 workers evaluated for MetS in 2010 at a general hospital in Korea. The participants were divided according to their shift work schedule into daytime, three-shift (8-h rotation), and two-shift (12-h rotation) workers. The index that indicates the association between the shift work schedule and MetS is the odds ratio (OR) calculated using multivariate logistic regression. The analysis for the entire group of workers indicated that there was positive association between two-shift rotation and MetS (OR=1.58, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.09, 2.29). In the analysis of rotating night-shift workers, the years of rotating night shifts, frequency of night-shift work, and sleep disturbance were added to the confounding variables, and two-shift work remained positively associated with MetS (OR=1.72, 95% CI: 1.10, 2.70). The risk of MetS differs based on the shift work schedules they engage in. Hence, structural changes to the shift work schedules are required to prevent MetS in night-shift workers.

Association between rotating night shift work and metabolic syndrome in Korean workers: differences between 8-hour and 12-hour rotating shift work

PubMed Central

OH, Jae-Il; YIM, Hyeon Woo

2017-01-01

This study aimed to analyze the association between the shift work schedule and metabolic syndrome (MetS). This is a retrospective longitudinal study based on the 2015 health checkup data of 2,090 workers evaluated for MetS in 2010 at a general hospital in Korea. The participants were divided according to their shift work schedule into daytime, three-shift (8-h rotation), and two-shift (12-h rotation) workers. The index that indicates the association between the shift work schedule and MetS is the odds ratio (OR) calculated using multivariate logistic regression. The analysis for the entire group of workers indicated that there was positive association between two-shift rotation and MetS (OR=1.58, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.09, 2.29). In the analysis of rotating night-shift workers, the years of rotating night shifts, frequency of night-shift work, and sleep disturbance were added to the confounding variables, and two-shift work remained positively associated with MetS (OR=1.72, 95% CI: 1.10, 2.70). The risk of MetS differs based on the shift work schedules they engage in. Hence, structural changes to the shift work schedules are required to prevent MetS in night-shift workers. PMID:29046489

Distraction of clinicians by smartphones in hospitals: a concept analysis.

PubMed

McBride, Deborah L

2015-09-01

To report an analysis of the concept of distraction of clinicians by smartphones and other mobile devices in hospitals. In the healthcare literature, the concept of distraction of clinicians by smartphones and other mobile devices in hospitals has no consistent definition. Concept analysis. Journal articles published from 2003-2014. Rodgers' Evolutionary Concept Analysis Method was used to analyse the concept of distraction of clinicians by smartphones and other mobile devices in hospitals. This analysis led to a definition of distraction of clinicians by smartphones as the interruption of a hospital clinician's primary task by the internally or externally initiated use of their smartphone or other mobile device. There are six attributes of distraction by smartphones and other mobile devices in hospitals. These attributes are: (1) an experience by a clinician; (2) an intrusion into a primary clinical task; (3) discontinuity of the clinical task; (4) externally or internally initiated; (5) situated in a healthcare setting; and (6) mediated by a smartphone or other mobile device. Use of the definition and the defining attributes of distraction of clinicians by smartphones will increase the validity and reliability of future studies. It will be extended to form a classification system of distractions within a framework of clinical practice, which will be used to unify and standardize future research studies. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.