Greatly Increasing Trapped Ion Populations for Mobility Separations Using Traveling Waves in Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations

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

Deng, Liulin; Ibrahim, Yehia M.; Garimella, Sandilya V. B.

The initial use of traveling waves (TW) for ion mobility (IM) separations using a structures for lossless ion manipulations (SLIM) employed an ion funnel trap (IFT) to accumulate ions from a continuous electrospray ionization source, and limited to injected ion populations of ~106 charges due to the onset of space charge effects in the trapping region. Additional limitations arise due to the loss of resolution for the injection of ions over longer periods (e.g. in extended pulses). In this work a new SLIM ‘flat funnel’ (FF) module has been developed and demonstrated to enable the accumulation of much larger ionmore » populations and their injection for IM separations. Ion current measurements indicate a capacity of ~3.2×108 charges for the extended trapping volume, over an order of magnitude greater than the IFT. The orthogonal ion injection into a funnel shaped separation region can greatly reduce space charge effects during the initial IM separation stage, and the gradually reduced width of the path allows the ion packet to be increasingly compressed in the lateral dimension as the separation progresses, allowing e.g. efficient transmission through conductance limits or compatibility with subsequent ion manipulations. This work examined the TW, RF, and DC confining field SLIM parameters involved in ion accumulation, injection, transmission and separation in the FF IM module using both direct ion current and MS measurements. Wide m/z range ion transmission is demonstrated, along with significant increases in signal to noise (S/N) ratios due to the larger ion populations injected. Additionally, we observed a reduction in the chemical background, which was attributed to more efficient desolvation of solvent related clusters over the extended ion accumulation periods. The TW SLIM FF IM module is anticipated to be especially effective as a front end for long path SLIM IM separation modules.« less

Mobile Technology in E-Learning for Undergraduate Medical Education on Emergent Otorhinolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Disorders: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Lee, Li-Ang; Wang, Shu-Ling; Chao, Yi-Ping; Tsai, Ming-Shao; Hsin, Li-Jen; Kang, Chung-Jan; Fu, Chia-Hsiang; Chao, Wei-Chieh; Huang, Chung-Guei; Li, Hsueh-Yu

2018-01-01

Background The use of mobile technology in e-learning (M-TEL) can add new levels of experience and significantly increase the attractiveness of e-learning in medical education. Whether an innovative interactive e-learning multimedia (IM) module or a conventional PowerPoint show (PPS) module using M-TEL to teach emergent otorhinolaryngology–head and neck surgery (ORL-HNS) disorders is feasible and efficient in undergraduate medical students is unknown. Objective The aim of this study was to compare the impact of a novel IM module with a conventional PPS module using M-TEL for emergent ORL-HNS disorders with regard to learning outcomes, satisfaction, and learning experience. Methods This pilot study was conducted at an academic teaching hospital and included 24 undergraduate medical students who were novices in ORL-HNS. The cognitive style was determined using the Group Embedded Figures Test. The participants were randomly allocated (1:1) to one of the two groups matched by age, sex, and cognitive style: the IM group and the PPS group. During the 100-min learning period, the participants were unblinded to use the IM or PPS courseware on a 7-inch tablet. Pretests and posttests using multiple-choice questions to evaluate knowledge and multimedia situational tests to evaluate competence were administered. Participants evaluated their satisfaction and learning experience by the AttrakDiff2 questionnaire, and provided feedback about the modules. Results Overall, the participants had significant gains in knowledge (median of percentage change 71, 95% CI 1-100, P<.001) and competence (median of percentage change 25, 95% CI 0-33, P=.007) after 100 min of learning. Although there was no significant difference in knowledge gain between the two groups (median of difference of percentage change 24, 95% CI −75 to 36; P=.55), competence gain was significantly lower in the IM group compared with the PPS group (median of difference of percentage change −41, 95% CI −67 to −20; P=.008). However, the IM group had significantly higher scores of satisfaction (difference 2, 95% CI 2-4; P=.01), pragmatic quality (difference 1.7, 95% CI 0.1-2.7; P=.03), and hedonic stimulation (difference 1.9, 95% CI 0.3-3.1; P=.01) compared with the PPS group. Qualitative feedback indicated that the various games in the IM module attracted the participants’ attention but that the nonlinearly arranged materials affected their learning. Conclusions Using M-TEL for undergraduate medical education on emergent ORL-HNS disorders, an IM module seems to be useful for gaining knowledge, but competency may need to occur elsewhere. While the small sample size reduces the statistical power of our results, its design seems to be appropriate to determine the effects of M-TEL using a larger group. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02971735; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02971735 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6waoOpCEV) PMID:29519776

A photonic chip based frequency discriminator for a high performance microwave photonic link.

PubMed

Marpaung, David; Roeloffzen, Chris; Leinse, Arne; Hoekman, Marcel

2010-12-20

We report a high performance phase modulation direct detection microwave photonic link employing a photonic chip as a frequency discriminator. The photonic chip consists of five optical ring resonators (ORRs) which are fully programmable using thermo-optical tuning. In this discriminator a drop-port response of an ORR is cascaded with a through response of another ORR to yield a linear phase modulation (PM) to intensity modulation (IM) conversion. The balanced photonic link employing the PM to IM conversion exhibits high second-order and third-order input intercept points of + 46 dBm and + 36 dBm, respectively, which are simultaneously achieved at one bias point.

The ER Contact Proteins VAPA/B Interact with Multiple Autophagy Proteins to Modulate Autophagosome Biogenesis.

PubMed

Zhao, Yan G; Liu, Nan; Miao, Guangyan; Chen, Yong; Zhao, Hongyu; Zhang, Hong

2018-04-23

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the site of biogenesis of the isolation membrane (IM, autophagosome precursor) and forms extensive contacts with IMs during their expansion into double-membrane autophagosomes. Little is known about the molecular mechanism underlying the formation and/or maintenance of the ER/IM contact. The integral ER proteins VAPA and VAPB (VAPs) participate in establishing ER contacts with multiple membranes by interacting with different tethers. Here, we demonstrate that VAPs also modulate ER/IM contact formation. Depletion of VAPs impairs progression of IMs into autophagosomes. Upon autophagy induction, VAPs are recruited to autophagosome formation sites on the ER, a process mediated by their interactions with FIP200 and PI(3)P. VAPs directly interact with FIP200 and ULK1 through their conserved FFAT motifs and stabilize the ULK1/FIP200 complex at the autophagosome formation sites on the ER. The formation of ULK1 puncta is significantly reduced by VAPA/B depletion. VAPs also interact with WIPI2 and enhance the formation of the WIPI2/FIP200 ER/IM tethering complex. Depletion of VMP1, which increases the ER/IM contact, greatly elevates the interaction of VAPs with these autophagy proteins. The VAPB P56S mutation, which is associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, reduces the ULK1/FIP200 interaction and impairs autophagy at an early step, similar to the effect seen in VAPA/B-depleted cells. Our study reveals that VAPs directly interact with multiple ATG proteins, thereby contributing to ER/IM contact formation for autophagosome biogenesis. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Variable H13CO+ Emission in the IM Lup Disk: X-Ray Driven Time-dependent Chemistry?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cleeves, L. Ilsedore; Bergin, Edwin A.; Öberg, Karin I.; Andrews, Sean; Wilner, David; Loomis, Ryan

2017-07-01

We report the first detection of a substantial brightening event in an isotopologue of a key molecular ion, HCO+, within a protoplanetary disk of a T Tauri star. The H13CO+ J=3-2 rotational transition was observed three times toward IM Lup between 2014 July and 2015 May with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array. The first two observations show similar spectrally integrated line and continuum fluxes, while the third observation shows a doubling in the disk-integrated J=3-2 line flux compared to the continuum, which does not change between the three epochs. We explore models of an X-ray active star irradiating the disk via stellar flares, and find that the optically thin H13CO+ emission variation can potentially be explained via X-ray-driven chemistry temporarily enhancing the HCO+ abundance in the upper layers of the disk atmosphere during large or prolonged flaring events. If the HCO+ enhancement is indeed caused by an X-ray flare, future observations should be able to spatially resolve these events and potentially enable us to watch the chemical aftermath of the high-energy stellar radiation propagating across the face of protoplanetary disks, providing a new pathway to explore ionization physics and chemistry, including electron density, in disks.

Mobile Technology in E-Learning for Undergraduate Medical Education on Emergent Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Disorders: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Lee, Li-Ang; Wang, Shu-Ling; Chao, Yi-Ping; Tsai, Ming-Shao; Hsin, Li-Jen; Kang, Chung-Jan; Fu, Chia-Hsiang; Chao, Wei-Chieh; Huang, Chung-Guei; Li, Hsueh-Yu; Chuang, Cheng-Keng

2018-03-08

The use of mobile technology in e-learning (M-TEL) can add new levels of experience and significantly increase the attractiveness of e-learning in medical education. Whether an innovative interactive e-learning multimedia (IM) module or a conventional PowerPoint show (PPS) module using M-TEL to teach emergent otorhinolaryngology-head and neck surgery (ORL-HNS) disorders is feasible and efficient in undergraduate medical students is unknown. The aim of this study was to compare the impact of a novel IM module with a conventional PPS module using M-TEL for emergent ORL-HNS disorders with regard to learning outcomes, satisfaction, and learning experience. This pilot study was conducted at an academic teaching hospital and included 24 undergraduate medical students who were novices in ORL-HNS. The cognitive style was determined using the Group Embedded Figures Test. The participants were randomly allocated (1:1) to one of the two groups matched by age, sex, and cognitive style: the IM group and the PPS group. During the 100-min learning period, the participants were unblinded to use the IM or PPS courseware on a 7-inch tablet. Pretests and posttests using multiple-choice questions to evaluate knowledge and multimedia situational tests to evaluate competence were administered. Participants evaluated their satisfaction and learning experience by the AttrakDiff2 questionnaire, and provided feedback about the modules. Overall, the participants had significant gains in knowledge (median of percentage change 71, 95% CI 1-100, P<.001) and competence (median of percentage change 25, 95% CI 0-33, P=.007) after 100 min of learning. Although there was no significant difference in knowledge gain between the two groups (median of difference of percentage change 24, 95% CI -75 to 36; P=.55), competence gain was significantly lower in the IM group compared with the PPS group (median of difference of percentage change -41, 95% CI -67 to -20; P=.008). However, the IM group had significantly higher scores of satisfaction (difference 2, 95% CI 2-4; P=.01), pragmatic quality (difference 1.7, 95% CI 0.1-2.7; P=.03), and hedonic stimulation (difference 1.9, 95% CI 0.3-3.1; P=.01) compared with the PPS group. Qualitative feedback indicated that the various games in the IM module attracted the participants' attention but that the nonlinearly arranged materials affected their learning. Using M-TEL for undergraduate medical education on emergent ORL-HNS disorders, an IM module seems to be useful for gaining knowledge, but competency may need to occur elsewhere. While the small sample size reduces the statistical power of our results, its design seems to be appropriate to determine the effects of M-TEL using a larger group. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02971735; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02971735 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6waoOpCEV). ©Li-Ang Lee, Shu-Ling Wang, Yi-Ping Chao, Ming-Shao Tsai, Li-Jen Hsin, Chung-Jan Kang, Chia-Hsiang Fu, Wei-Chieh Chao, Chung-Guei Huang, Hsueh-Yu Li, Cheng-Keng Chuang. Originally published in JMIR Medical Education (http://mededu.jmir.org), 08.03.2018.

Cognitive Style and Mobile E-Learning in Emergent Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Disorders for Millennial Undergraduate Medical Students: Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Chao, Yi-Ping; Huang, Chung-Guei; Fang, Ji-Tseng; Wang, Shu-Ling; Chuang, Cheng-Keng; Kang, Chung-Jan; Hsin, Li-Jen; Lin, Wan-Ni; Fang, Tuan-Jen; Li, Hsueh-Yu

2018-01-01

Background Electronic learning (e-learning) through mobile technology represents a novel way to teach emergent otorhinolaryngology-head and neck surgery (ORL-HNS) disorders to undergraduate medical students. Whether a cognitive style of education combined with learning modules can impact learning outcomes and satisfaction in millennial medical students is unknown. Objective The aim of this study was to assess the impact of cognitive styles and learning modules using mobile e-learning on knowledge gain, competence gain, and satisfaction for emergent ORL-HNS disorders. Methods This randomized controlled trial included 60 undergraduate medical students who were novices in ORL-HNS at an academic teaching hospital. The cognitive style of the participants was assessed using the group embedded figures test. The students were randomly assigned (1:1) to a novel interactive multimedia (IM) group and conventional Microsoft PowerPoint show (PPS) group matched by age, sex, and cognitive style. The content for the gamified IM module was derived from and corresponded to the textbook-based learning material of the PPS module (video lectures). The participants were unblinded and used fully automated courseware containing the IM or PPS module on a 7-inch tablet for 100 min. Knowledge and competence were assessed using multiple-choice questions and multimedia situation tests, respectively. Each participant also rated their global satisfaction. Results All of the participants (median age 23 years, range 22-26 years; 36 males and 24 females) received the intended intervention after randomization. Overall, the participants had significant gains in knowledge (median 50%, interquartile range [IQR]=17%-80%, P<.001) and competence (median 13%, IQR=0%-33%, P=.006). There were no significant differences in knowledge gain (40%, IQR=13%-76% vs 60%, IQR=20%-100%, P=.42) and competence gain (0%, IQR= −21% to 38% vs 25%, IQR=0%-33%, P=.16) between the IM and PPS groups. However, the IM group had a higher satisfaction score (8, IQR=6-9 vs 6, IQR=4-7, P=.01) compared with the PPS group. Using Friedman’s two-way nonparametric analysis of variance, cognitive styles (field-independent, field-intermediate, or field-dependent classification) and learning modules (IM or PPS) had significant effects on both knowledge gain (both adjusted P<.001) and satisfaction (both adjusted P<.001). Conclusions Mobile e-learning is an effective modality to improve knowledge of emergent ORL-HNS in millennial undergraduate medical students. Our findings suggest the necessity of developing various modules for undergraduate medical students with different cognitive styles. Trial Registration Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02971735; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02971735 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6waoOpCEV) PMID:29439943

Adaptive Units of Learning and Educational Videogames

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moreno-Ger, Pablo; Thomas, Pilar Sancho; Martinez-Ortiz, Ivan; Sierra, Jose Luis; Fernandez-Manjon, Baltasar

2007-01-01

In this paper, we propose three different ways of using IMS Learning Design to support online adaptive learning modules that include educational videogames. The first approach relies on IMS LD to support adaptation procedures where the educational games are considered as Learning Objects. These games can be included instead of traditional content…

Posterior Orbitofrontal and Anterior Cingulate Pathways to the Amygdala Target Inhibitory and Excitatory Systems with Opposite Functions.

PubMed

Zikopoulos, Basilis; Höistad, Malin; John, Yohan; Barbas, Helen

2017-05-17

The bidirectional dialogue of the primate posterior orbitofrontal cortex (pOFC) with the amygdala is essential in cognitive-emotional functions. The pOFC also sends a uniquely one-way excitatory pathway to the amygdalar inhibitory intercalated masses (IM), which inhibit the medial part of the central amygdalar nucleus (CeM). Inhibition of IM has the opposite effect, allowing amygdalar activation of autonomic structures and emotional arousal. Using multiple labeling approaches to identify pathways and their postsynaptic sites in the amygdala in rhesus monkeys, we found that the anterior cingulate cortex innervated mostly the basolateral and CeM amygdalar nuclei, poised to activate CeM for autonomic arousal. By contrast, a pathway from pOFC to IM exceeded all other pathways to the amygdala by density and size and proportion of large and efficient terminals. Moreover, whereas pOFC terminals in IM innervated each of the three distinct classes of inhibitory neurons, most targeted neurons expressing dopamine- and cAMP-regulated phosphoprotein (DARPP-32+), known to be modulated by dopamine. The predominant pOFC innervation of DARPP-32+ neurons suggests activation of IM and inhibition of CeM, resulting in modulated autonomic function. By contrast, inhibition of DARPP-32 neurons in IM by high dopamine levels disinhibits CeM and triggers autonomic arousal. The findings provide a mechanism to help explain how a strong pOFC pathway, which is poised to moderate activity of CeM, through IM, can be undermined by the high level of dopamine during stress, resulting in collapse of potent inhibitory mechanisms in the amygdala and heightened autonomic drive, as seen in chronic anxiety disorders. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The dialogue between prefrontal cortex and amygdala allows thoughts and emotions to influence actions. The posterior orbitofrontal cortex sends a powerful pathway that targets a special class of amygdalar intercalated mass (IM) inhibitory neurons, whose wiring may help modulate autonomic function. By contrast, the anterior cingulate cortex innervates other amygdalar parts, activating circuits to help avoid danger. Most IM neurons in primates label for the protein DARPP-32, known to be activated or inhibited based on the level of dopamine. Stress markedly increases dopamine release and inhibits IM neurons, compromises prefrontal control of the amygdala, and sets off a general alarm system as seen in affective disorders, such as chronic anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. Copyright © 2017 the authors 0270-6474/17/375051-14$15.00/0.

A Four-Phase Modulation System for Use with an Adaptive Array.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-07-01

MODULATION SYSTEM FORIteia epr * ~USE WITH AN ADAPTIVE ARRAY *P RIGOG EOTM~E _____________________________________ ESL 711679-5 7s AUTHOeO~) 9 . CONTRACT r0...OUSOLE1T6 UNCLASSIFIED SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF THIS P040E (when Doe I91 r2 UNCLASSIFIED 8ncumV CL"M,ICAnIo, o TP , ImS 8... ., 9 fte-H - LMS...nterval has a duration of : Tb seconds. a(t) is a pseudonotse code, i.e., a maximum length " lInear shift register sequence [ 9 ]. The code symbol interval

A very dark stellar system lost in Virgo: kinematics and metallicity of SECCO 1 with MUSE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beccari, G.; Bellazzini, M.; Magrini, L.; Coccato, L.; Cresci, G.; Fraternali, F.; de Zeeuw, P. T.; Husemann, B.; Ibata, R.; Battaglia, G.; Martin, N.; Testa, V.; Perina, S.; Correnti, M.

2017-02-01

We present the results of VLT-MUSE (Very Large Telescope-Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer) integral field spectroscopy of SECCO 1, a faint, star-forming stellar system recently discovered as the stellar counterpart of an ultracompact high-velocity cloud (HVC 274.68+74.0), very likely residing within a substructure of the Virgo cluster of galaxies. We have obtained the radial velocity of a total of 38 individual compact sources identified as H II regions in the main and secondary bodies of the system, and derived the metallicity for 18 of them. We provide the first direct demonstration that the two stellar bodies of SECCO 1 are physically associated and that their velocities match the H I velocities. The metallicity is quite uniform over the whole system, with a dispersion lower than the uncertainty on individual metallicity estimates. The mean abundance, <12 + log(O/H)> = 8.44, is much higher than the typical values for local dwarf galaxies of similar stellar mass. This strongly suggests that the SECCO 1 stars were born from a pre-enriched gas cloud, possibly stripped from a larger galaxy. Using archival Hubble Space Telescope (HST) images, we derive a total stellar mass of ≃1.6 × 105 M⊙ for SECCO 1, confirming that it has a very high H I-to-stellar mass ratio for a dwarf galaxy, M_{H I}/M* ˜ 100. The star formation rate, derived from the Hα flux, is a factor of more than 10 higher than in typical dwarf galaxies of similar luminosity.

Intensity Modulation: A Novel Approach to Percept Control in Spinal Cord Stimulation.

PubMed

Tan, Daniel; Tyler, Dustin; Sweet, Jennifer; Miller, Jonathan

2016-04-01

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) can be effective for neuropathic pain, but clinical benefit is sometimes inadequate or is offset by stimulation-induced side-effects, and response can be inconsistent among patients. Intensity-modulated stimulation (IMS) is an alternative to tonic stimulation (TS) that involves continuous variation of stimulation intensity in a sinusoidal pattern between two different values, sequentially activating distinct axonal populations to produce an effect that resembles natural physiological signals. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of IMS on the clinical effect of SCS. Seven patients undergoing a percutaneous SCS trial for postlaminectomy syndrome were enrolled. Thresholds for perception, pain relief, and discomfort were measured and used to create patient-specific models of axonal activation and charge delivery for both TS and IMS. All participants underwent three two-min periods of blinded stimulation using TS, IMS, and placebo, and were asked to describe the effect on quality of the sensory percept and pain relief. All participants perceived IMS differently from placebo, and five noted significant differences from TS that resulted in a more comfortable sensation. TS was described as electric and tingling, whereas IMS was described as producing a focal area of deep pressure with a sense of motion away from that focus. The anatomic location of coverage was similar between the two forms of stimulation, although one participant reported better lower back coverage with IMS. Computer modeling revealed that, compared with TS, IMS involved 36.4% less charge delivery and produced 78.7% less suprathreshold axonal activation. IMS for SCS is feasible, produces a more comfortable percept than conventional TS, and appears to provide a similar degree of pain relief with significantly lower energy requirements. Further studies are necessary to determine whether this represents an effective alternative to tonic SCS for treatment of neuropathic pain. © 2015 International Neuromodulation Society.

Analytical Characterization of SPM Impact on XPM-Induced Degradation in Dispersion-Compensated WDM Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luís, Ruben S.; Cartaxo, Adolfo V. T.

2005-03-01

This paper proposes the definition of a cross-phase modulation (XPM)-induced power penalty for intensity modulation/direct detection (IM-DD) systems as a function of the normalized variance of the XPM-induced IM. This allows the definition of 1-dB power penalty reference values. New expressions of the equivalent linear model transfer functions for the XPM-induced IM and phase modulation (PM) that include the influence of self-phase modulation (SPM) as well as group-velocity dispersion are derived. The new expressions allow a significant extension for higher powers and dispersion parameters of expressions derived in previous papers for single-segment and multisegment fiber systems with dispersion compensation. Good agreement between analytical results and numerical simulations is obtained. Consistency with work performed numerically and experimentally by other authors is shown, validating the proposed model. Using the proposed model, the influence of residual dispersion and SPM on the limitations imposed by XPM on the performance of dispersion-compensated systems is assessed. It is shown that inline residual dispersion may lead to performance improvement for a properly tuned total residual dispersion. The influence of SPM is shown to degrade the system performance when nonzero-dispersion-shifted fiber is used. However, systems using standard single-mode fiber may benefit from the presence of SPM.

Cognitive Style and Mobile E-Learning in Emergent Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Disorders for Millennial Undergraduate Medical Students: Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Lee, Li-Ang; Chao, Yi-Ping; Huang, Chung-Guei; Fang, Ji-Tseng; Wang, Shu-Ling; Chuang, Cheng-Keng; Kang, Chung-Jan; Hsin, Li-Jen; Lin, Wan-Ni; Fang, Tuan-Jen; Li, Hsueh-Yu

2018-02-13

Electronic learning (e-learning) through mobile technology represents a novel way to teach emergent otorhinolaryngology-head and neck surgery (ORL-HNS) disorders to undergraduate medical students. Whether a cognitive style of education combined with learning modules can impact learning outcomes and satisfaction in millennial medical students is unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of cognitive styles and learning modules using mobile e-learning on knowledge gain, competence gain, and satisfaction for emergent ORL-HNS disorders. This randomized controlled trial included 60 undergraduate medical students who were novices in ORL-HNS at an academic teaching hospital. The cognitive style of the participants was assessed using the group embedded figures test. The students were randomly assigned (1:1) to a novel interactive multimedia (IM) group and conventional Microsoft PowerPoint show (PPS) group matched by age, sex, and cognitive style. The content for the gamified IM module was derived from and corresponded to the textbook-based learning material of the PPS module (video lectures). The participants were unblinded and used fully automated courseware containing the IM or PPS module on a 7-inch tablet for 100 min. Knowledge and competence were assessed using multiple-choice questions and multimedia situation tests, respectively. Each participant also rated their global satisfaction. All of the participants (median age 23 years, range 22-26 years; 36 males and 24 females) received the intended intervention after randomization. Overall, the participants had significant gains in knowledge (median 50%, interquartile range [IQR]=17%-80%, P<.001) and competence (median 13%, IQR=0%-33%, P=.006). There were no significant differences in knowledge gain (40%, IQR=13%-76% vs 60%, IQR=20%-100%, P=.42) and competence gain (0%, IQR= -21% to 38% vs 25%, IQR=0%-33%, P=.16) between the IM and PPS groups. However, the IM group had a higher satisfaction score (8, IQR=6-9 vs 6, IQR=4-7, P=.01) compared with the PPS group. Using Friedman's two-way nonparametric analysis of variance, cognitive styles (field-independent, field-intermediate, or field-dependent classification) and learning modules (IM or PPS) had significant effects on both knowledge gain (both adjusted P<.001) and satisfaction (both adjusted P<.001). Mobile e-learning is an effective modality to improve knowledge of emergent ORL-HNS in millennial undergraduate medical students. Our findings suggest the necessity of developing various modules for undergraduate medical students with different cognitive styles. Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02971735; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02971735 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6waoOpCEV). ©Li-Ang Lee, Yi-Ping Chao, Chung-Guei Huang, Ji-Tseng Fang, Shu-Ling Wang, Cheng-Keng Chuang, Chung-Jan Kang, Li-Jen Hsin, Wan-Ni Lin, Tuan-Jen Fang, Hsueh-Yu Li. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 13.02.2018.

A Neighboring Dwarf Irregular Galaxy Hidden by the Milky Way

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Massey, Philip; Henning, P. A.; Kraan-Korteweg, R. C.

2003-11-01

We have obtained VLA and optical follow-up observations of the low-velocity H I source HIZSS 3 discovered by Henning et al. and Rivers in a survey for nearby galaxies hidden by the disk of the Milky Way. Its radio characteristics are consistent with this being a nearby (~1.8 Mpc) low-mass dwarf irregular galaxy (dIm). Our optical imaging failed to reveal a resolved stellar population but did detect an extended Hα emission region. The location of the Hα source is coincident with a partially resolved H I cloud in the 21 cm map. Spectroscopy confirms that the Hα source has a similar radial velocity to that of the H I emission at this location, and thus we have identified an optical counterpart. The Hα emission (100 pc in diameter and with a luminosity of 1.4×1038 ergs s-1) is characteristic of a single H II region containing a modest population of OB stars. The galaxy's radial velocity and distance from the solar apex suggests that it is not a Local Group member, although a more accurate distance is needed to be certain. The properties of HIZSS 3 are comparable to those of GR 8, a nearby dIm with a modest amount of current star formation. Further observations are needed to characterize its stellar population, determine the chemical abundances, and obtain a more reliable distance estimate.

Development of an ion mobility spectrometer with UV ionization source to detect ketones and BTX

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ni, Kai; Guo, Jingran; Ou, Guangli; Lei, Yu; Wang, Xiaohao

2014-11-01

Ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) is an attractive material analysis technology for developing a miniaturized volatile organic compounds (VOCs) on-site monitoring sensor. Having simple instrumentation, IMS is especially suitable when portability and sensitivity are required. In this work, we designed an ion mobility spectrometer with UV ionization. The geometric parameters of the UV-IMS were optimized based on a numerical simulation. The simulation results demonstrated that the drift electric field in the drift region was approximately homogenous and in the reaction region had an ion focusing effect, which could improve the sensitivity and resolving power of the IMS. The UV-IMS has been constructed and used to detect VOCs, such as acetone, benzene, toluene and m-xylene (BTX). The resolution of these substance measured from the UV-IMS in the atmospheric conditions are about 30 and the limit of detection (LOD) is low to ppmv. The ion mobility module and electric circuit are integrated in a main PCB, which can facilitate mass production and miniaturization. The present UV-IMS is expected to become a tool of choice for the on-site monitoring for VOCs.

Recruitment of racial and ethnic minorities to clinical trials conducted within specialty clinics: an intervention mapping approach.

PubMed

Amorrortu, Rossybelle P; Arevalo, Mariana; Vernon, Sally W; Mainous, Arch G; Diaz, Vanessa; McKee, M Diane; Ford, Marvella E; Tilley, Barbara C

2018-02-17

Despite efforts to increase diversity in clinical trials, racial/ethnic minority groups generally remain underrepresented, limiting researchers' ability to test the efficacy and safety of new interventions across diverse populations. We describe the use of a systematic framework, intervention mapping (IM), to develop an intervention to modify recruitment behaviors of coordinators and specialist investigators with the goal of increasing diversity in trials conducted within specialty clinics. To our knowledge IM has not been used in this setting. The IM framework was used to ensure that the intervention components were guided by health behavior theories and the evidence. The IM steps consisted of (1) conducting a needs assessment, (2) identification of determinants and objectives, (3) selection of theory-informed methods and practical applications, (4) development and creation of program components, (5) development of an adoption and implementation plan, and (6) creation of an evaluation plan. The intervention included five educational modules, one in-person and four web-based, plus technical assistance calls to coordinators. Modules addressed the intervention rationale, development of clinic-specific plans to obtain minority-serving physician referrals, physician-centered and patient-centered communication, and patient navigation. The evaluation, a randomized trial, was recently completed in 50 specialty clinics and is under analysis. Using IM we developed a recruitment intervention that focused on building relationships with minority-serving physicians to encourage minority patient referrals. IM enhanced our understanding of factors that may influence minority recruitment and helped us integrate strategies from multiple disciplines that were relevant for our audience.

Glutathione redox potential in the mitochondrial intermembrane space is linked to the cytosol and impacts the Mia40 redox state

PubMed Central

Kojer, Kerstin; Bien, Melanie; Gangel, Heike; Morgan, Bruce; Dick, Tobias P; Riemer, Jan

2012-01-01

Glutathione is an important mediator and regulator of cellular redox processes. Detailed knowledge of local glutathione redox potential (EGSH) dynamics is critical to understand the network of redox processes and their influence on cellular function. Using dynamic oxidant recovery assays together with EGSH-specific fluorescent reporters, we investigate the glutathione pools of the cytosol, mitochondrial matrix and intermembrane space (IMS). We demonstrate that the glutathione pools of IMS and cytosol are dynamically interconnected via porins. In contrast, no appreciable communication was observed between the glutathione pools of the IMS and matrix. By modulating redox pathways in the cytosol and IMS, we find that the cytosolic glutathione reductase system is the major determinant of EGSH in the IMS, thus explaining a steady-state EGSH in the IMS which is similar to the cytosol. Moreover, we show that the local EGSH contributes to the partially reduced redox state of the IMS oxidoreductase Mia40 in vivo. Taken together, we provide a comprehensive mechanistic picture of the IMS redox milieu and define the redox influences on Mia40 in living cells. PMID:22705944

Growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in vivo segregates with host macrophage metabolism and ontogeny

PubMed Central

Tan, Shumin; Liu, Yancheng

2018-01-01

To understand how infection by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is modulated by host cell phenotype, we characterized those host phagocytes that controlled or supported bacterial growth during early infection, focusing on the ontologically distinct alveolar macrophage (AM) and interstitial macrophage (IM) lineages. Using fluorescent Mtb reporter strains, we found that bacilli in AM exhibited lower stress and higher bacterial replication than those in IM. Interestingly, depletion of AM reduced bacterial burden, whereas depletion of IM increased bacterial burden. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that IMs were glycolytically active, whereas AMs were committed to fatty acid oxidation. Intoxication of infected mice with the glycolytic inhibitor, 2-deoxyglucose, decreased the number of IMs yet increased the bacterial burden in the lung. Furthermore, in in vitro macrophage infections, 2-deoxyglucose treatment increased bacterial growth, whereas the fatty acid oxidation inhibitor etomoxir constrained bacterial growth. We hypothesize that different macrophage lineages respond divergently to Mtb infection, with IMs exhibiting nutritional restriction and controlling bacterial growth and AMs representing a more nutritionally permissive environment. PMID:29500179

Adaptive channel estimation for soft decision decoding over non-Gaussian optical channel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiang, Jing-song; Miao, Tao-tao; Huang, Sheng; Liu, Huan-lin

2016-10-01

An adaptive priori likelihood ratio (LLR) estimation method is proposed over non-Gaussian channel in the intensity modulation/direct detection (IM/DD) optical communication systems. Using the nonparametric histogram and the weighted least square linear fitting in the tail regions, the LLR is estimated and used for the soft decision decoding of the low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes. This method can adapt well to the three main kinds of intensity modulation/direct detection (IM/DD) optical channel, i.e., the chi-square channel, the Webb-Gaussian channel and the additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channel. The performance penalty of channel estimation is neglected.

Adaptively loaded SP-offset-QAM OFDM for IM/DD communication systems.

PubMed

Zhao, Jian; Chan, Chun-Kit

2017-09-04

In this paper, we propose adaptively loaded set-partitioned offset quadrature amplitude modulation (SP-offset-QAM) orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) for low-cost intensity-modulation direct-detection (IM/DD) communication systems. We compare this scheme with multi-band carrier-less amplitude phase modulation (CAP) and conventional OFDM, and demonstrate >40 Gbit/s transmission over 50-km single-mode fiber. It is shown that the use of SP-QAM formats, together with the adaptive loading algorithm specifically designed to this group of formats, results in significant performance improvement for all these three schemes. SP-offset-QAM OFDM exhibits greatly reduced complexity compared to SP-QAM based multi-band CAP, via parallelized implementation and minimized memory length for spectral shaping. On the other hand, this scheme shows better performance than SP-QAM based conventional OFDM at both back-to-back and after transmission. We also characterize the proposed scheme in terms of enhanced tolerance to fiber intra-channel nonlinearity and the potential to increase the communication security. The studies show that adaptive SP-offset-QAM OFDM is a promising IM/DD solution for medium- and long-reach optical access networks and data center connections.

A modular computational framework for automated peak extraction from ion mobility spectra

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background An ion mobility (IM) spectrometer coupled with a multi-capillary column (MCC) measures volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the air or in exhaled breath. This technique is utilized in several biotechnological and medical applications. Each peak in an MCC/IM measurement represents a certain compound, which may be known or unknown. For clustering and classification of measurements, the raw data matrix must be reduced to a set of peaks. Each peak is described by its coordinates (retention time in the MCC and reduced inverse ion mobility) and shape (signal intensity, further shape parameters). This fundamental step is referred to as peak extraction. It is the basis for identifying discriminating peaks, and hence putative biomarkers, between two classes of measurements, such as a healthy control group and a group of patients with a confirmed disease. Current state-of-the-art peak extraction methods require human interaction, such as hand-picking approximate peak locations, assisted by a visualization of the data matrix. In a high-throughput context, however, it is preferable to have robust methods for fully automated peak extraction. Results We introduce PEAX, a modular framework for automated peak extraction. The framework consists of several steps in a pipeline architecture. Each step performs a specific sub-task and can be instantiated by different methods implemented as modules. We provide open-source software for the framework and several modules for each step. Additionally, an interface that allows easy extension by a new module is provided. Combining the modules in all reasonable ways leads to a large number of peak extraction methods. We evaluate all combinations using intrinsic error measures and by comparing the resulting peak sets with an expert-picked one. Conclusions Our software PEAX is able to automatically extract peaks from MCC/IM measurements within a few seconds. The automatically obtained results keep up with the results provided by current state-of-the-art peak extraction methods. This opens a high-throughput context for the MCC/IM application field. Our software is available at http://www.rahmannlab.de/research/ims. PMID:24450533

A modular computational framework for automated peak extraction from ion mobility spectra.

PubMed

D'Addario, Marianna; Kopczynski, Dominik; Baumbach, Jörg Ingo; Rahmann, Sven

2014-01-22

An ion mobility (IM) spectrometer coupled with a multi-capillary column (MCC) measures volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the air or in exhaled breath. This technique is utilized in several biotechnological and medical applications. Each peak in an MCC/IM measurement represents a certain compound, which may be known or unknown. For clustering and classification of measurements, the raw data matrix must be reduced to a set of peaks. Each peak is described by its coordinates (retention time in the MCC and reduced inverse ion mobility) and shape (signal intensity, further shape parameters). This fundamental step is referred to as peak extraction. It is the basis for identifying discriminating peaks, and hence putative biomarkers, between two classes of measurements, such as a healthy control group and a group of patients with a confirmed disease. Current state-of-the-art peak extraction methods require human interaction, such as hand-picking approximate peak locations, assisted by a visualization of the data matrix. In a high-throughput context, however, it is preferable to have robust methods for fully automated peak extraction. We introduce PEAX, a modular framework for automated peak extraction. The framework consists of several steps in a pipeline architecture. Each step performs a specific sub-task and can be instantiated by different methods implemented as modules. We provide open-source software for the framework and several modules for each step. Additionally, an interface that allows easy extension by a new module is provided. Combining the modules in all reasonable ways leads to a large number of peak extraction methods. We evaluate all combinations using intrinsic error measures and by comparing the resulting peak sets with an expert-picked one. Our software PEAX is able to automatically extract peaks from MCC/IM measurements within a few seconds. The automatically obtained results keep up with the results provided by current state-of-the-art peak extraction methods. This opens a high-throughput context for the MCC/IM application field. Our software is available at http://www.rahmannlab.de/research/ims.

GrayStar: Web-based pedagogical stellar modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Short, C. Ian

2017-01-01

GrayStar is a web-based pedagogical stellar model. It approximates stellar atmospheric and spectral line modeling in JavaScript with visualization in HTML. It is suitable for a wide range of education and public outreach levels depending on which optional plots and print-outs are turned on. All plots and renderings are pure basic HTML and the plotting module contains original HTML procedures for automatically scaling and graduating x- and y-axes.

Habitable Moons and Planets Around Post-Main Sequence Stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lorenz, R.

2014-04-01

Habitability is ephemeral, and arises against the backdrop of stellar evolution. Atmospheric modulation of incoming and outgoing radiative fluxes can restrict or extend the insolation domain in which habitable conditions can persist, and feedbacks (notably, silicate weathering of CO2) may fortuitously adapt that modulation to counteract evolving luminosity. But eventually the star will win. What happens then depends on the histories of stellar luminosity, and of stellar mass loss. While the enhancement of luminosity may render the outer solar system habitable in a classic radiative/convective equilibrium sense, a scenario studied in most detail in connection with Saturn's moon Titan, the enhanced solar wind associated with the latter may strip atmospheres unprotected by magnetic fields. The question of post-main sequence habitability is therefore not a simple one.

Season of infectious mononucleosis and risk of multiple sclerosis at different latitudes; the EnvIMS Study.

PubMed

Lossius, Andreas; Riise, Trond; Pugliatti, Maura; Bjørnevik, Kjetil; Casetta, Ilaria; Drulovic, Jelena; Granieri, Enrico; Kampman, Margitta T; Landtblom, Anne-Marie; Lauer, Klaus; Magalhaes, Sandra; Myhr, Kjell-Morten; Pekmezovic, Tatjana; Wesnes, Kristin; Wolfson, Christina; Holmøy, Trygve

2014-05-01

Seasonal fluctuations in solar radiation and vitamin D levels could modulate the immune response against Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection and influence the subsequent risk of multiple sclerosis (MS). Altogether 1660 MS patients and 3050 controls from Norway and Italy participating in the multinational case-control study of Environmental Factors In Multiple Sclerosis (EnvIMS) reported season of past infectious mononucleosis (IM). IM was generally reported more frequently in Norway (p=0.002), but was associated with MS to a similar degree in Norway (odds ratio (OR) 2.12, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.64-2.73) and Italy (OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.17-2.52). For all participants, there was a higher reported frequency of IM during spring compared to fall (p<0.0005). Stratified by season of IM, the ORs for MS were 1.58 in spring (95% CI 1.08-2.31), 2.26 in summer (95% CI 1.46-3.51), 2.86 in fall (95% CI 1.69-4.85) and 2.30 in winter (95% CI 1.45-3.66). IM is associated with MS independently of season, and the association is not stronger for IM during spring, when vitamin D levels reach nadir. The distribution of IM may point towards a correlation with solar radiation or other factors with a similar latitudinal and seasonal variation.

Stellar Rotation: New Insight from CoRoT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Catala, C.; Goupil, M. J.; Michel, E.; Baglin, A.; de Medeiros, J. Renan; Gondoin, Ph.

2009-02-01

We present an overview of the new insight provided by the CoRoT satellite on stellar rotation. Thanks to its ultra-high precision, high duty cycle, long photometric monitoring of thousands of stars, CoRoT gives us a powerful tool to study stellar rotational modulation, and therefore to measure stellar rotational periods and to study active structures at the surface of stars. This paper presents preliminary results concerning this type of study. CoRoT will also provide us with an insight of internal stellar rotation via the measurement and exploitation of rotational splittings of oscillation modes. This approach to stellar rotation with CoRoT will require a careful analysis of the oscillation power spectra, which is in progress, but prospects for such measurements are presented.

Power-efficient method for IM-DD optical transmission of multiple OFDM signals.

PubMed

Effenberger, Frank; Liu, Xiang

2015-05-18

We propose a power-efficient method for transmitting multiple frequency-division multiplexed (FDM) orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) signals in intensity-modulation direct-detection (IM-DD) optical systems. This method is based on quadratic soft clipping in combination with odd-only channel mapping. We show, both analytically and experimentally, that the proposed approach is capable of improving the power efficiency by about 3 dB as compared to conventional FDM OFDM signals under practical bias conditions, making it a viable solution in applications such as optical fiber-wireless integrated systems where both IM-DD optical transmission and OFDM signaling are important.

Spectral amplitude code label switching system for IM, DQPSK and PDM-DQPSK with frequency swept coherent detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isaac, Aboagye Adjaye; Yongsheng, Cao; Fushen, Chen

2018-05-01

We present and compare the outcome of implicit and explicit labels using intensity modulation (IM), differential quadrature phase shift keying (DQPSK), and polarization division multiplexed (PDM-DQPSK). A payload bit rate of 1, 2, and 5 Gb/s is considered for IM implicit labels, while payloads of 40, 80, and 112 Gb/s are considered in DQPSK and PDM-DQPSK explicit labels by stimulating a 4-code 156-Mb/s SAC label. The generated label and payloads are observed by assessing the eye diagram, received optical power (ROP), and optical signal to noise ratio (OSNR).

Our Cosmic Connection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Donna L.

2005-01-01

To help students understand the connection that Earth and the solar system have with the cosmic cycles of stellar evolution, and to give students an appreciation of the beauty and elegance of celestial phenomena, the Chandra X-Ray Center (CXC) educational website contains a stellar evolution module that is available free to teachers. In this…

Expectation creates something out of nothing: The role of attention in iconic memory reconsidered.

PubMed

Aru, Jaan; Bachmann, Talis

2017-08-01

Conscious experience is modulated by attention and expectation, yet is believed to be independent of attention. The experiments on iconic memory (IM) are usually taken as support for this claim. However, a recent experiment demonstrated that when attention is diverted away from the IM letter display subjects fail to see the absence of IM letters. Here we contribute to the ongoing debate by overcoming experimental shortcomings of this previous experiment, by measuring subjective visibility and by testing the effect of the post-cue. We were able to replicate these earlier findings and extend them by demonstrating that subjects who do not realize the absence of letters perceive illusory letters. This result means that there is still phenomenal consciousness, even when attention is diverted. Expectation creates illusory content that overwrites valid IM content. Taken together these findings suggest that the present experimental paradigm is not appropriate to make claims about IM content. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Study of Imaging Interferometer Simulators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allen, Ronald J.

2002-01-01

Several new space science mission concepts under development at NASA-GSFC for astronomy are intended to carry out synthetic imaging using Michelson interferometers or direct (Fizeau) imaging with sparse apertures. Examples of these mission concepts include the Stellar Imager (SI), the Space Infrared Interferometric Telescope (SPIRIT), the Submillimeter Probe of the Evolution of Cosmic Structure (SPECS), and the Fourier-Kelvin Stellar Interferometer (FKSI). We have been developing computer-based simulators for these missions. These simulators are aimed at providing a quantitative evaluation of the imaging capabilities of the mission by modelling the performance on different realistic targets in terms of sensitivity, angular resolution, and dynamic range. Both Fizeau and Michelson modes of operation can be considered. Our work is based on adapting a computer simulator called imSIM, which was initially written for the Space Interferometer Mission in order to simulate the imaging mode of new missions such as those listed. In a recent GSFC-funded study we have successfully written a preliminary version of a simulator SISIM for the Stellar Imager and carried out some preliminary studies with it. In a separately funded study we have also been applying these methods to SPECS/SPIRIT.

PZEh-MO-8/Body Mass Measurement in Service Module

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-05-06

ISS019-E-014222 (6 May 2009) --- Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Koichi Wakata, Expedition 19/20 flight engineer, uses the IM mass measurement device to perform the PZEh-MO-8/Body Mass Measurement Russian biomedical routine assessments in the Zvezda Service Module of the International Space Station.

PZEh-MO-8/Body Mass Measurement in Service Module

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-05-06

ISS019-E-014216 (6 May 2009) --- Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Koichi Wakata, Expedition 19/20 flight engineer, uses the IM mass measurement device to perform the PZEh-MO-8/Body Mass Measurement Russian biomedical routine assessments in the Zvezda Service Module of the International Space Station.

Phase I clinical trial combining imatinib mesylate and IL-2 in refractory cancer patients

PubMed Central

Pautier, Patricia; Locher, Clara; Robert, Caroline; Deroussent, Alain; Flament, Caroline; Le Cesne, Axel; Rey, Annie; Bahleda, Ratislav; Ribrag, Vincent; Soria, Jean-Charles; Vassal, Gilles; Eggermont, Alexander; Zitvogel, Laurence; Chaput, Nathalie; Paci, Angelo

2013-01-01

Imatinib mesylate (IM) is a small molecule inhibitor of protein tyrosine kinases. In addition to its direct effect on malignant cells, it has been suggested IM may activate of natural killer (NK) cells, hence exerting immunomodulatory functions. In preclinical settings, improved antitumor responses have been observed when IM and interleukin-2 (IL-2), a cytokine that enhances NK cells functions, were combined. The goals of this study were to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of IL-2 combined with IM at a constant dose of 400 mg, the pharmacokinetics of IM and IL-2, as well as toxicity and clinical efficacy of this immunotherapeutic regimen in patients affected by advanced tumors. The treatment consisted in 50 mg/day cyclophosphamide from 21 d before the initiation of IM throughout the first IM cycle (from D-21 to D14), 400 mg/day IM for 14 d (D1 to D14) combined with escalating doses of IL-2 (3, 6, 9 and 12 MIU/day) from days 10 to 14. This treatment was administered at three week intervals to 17 patients. Common side effects of the combination were mild to moderate, including fever, chills, fatigue, nausea and hepatic enzyme elevation. IL-2 dose level II, 6 MIU/day, was determined as the MTD with the following dose-limiting toxicities: systemic capillary leak syndrome, fatigue and anorexia. Pharmacokinetic studies revealed that the area under the curve and the maximum concentration of IM and its main metabolite CGP74588 increased significantly when IM was concomitantly administered with IL-2. In contrast, IM did not modulate IL-2 pharmacokinetics. No objective responses were observed. The best response obtained was stable disease in 8/17 (median duration: 12 weeks). Finally, IL-2 augmented the impregnation of IM and its metabolite. The combination of IM (400 mg/day) and IL-2 (6 MIU/day) in tumors that express IM targets warrants further investigation. PMID:23525192

Mass Measurements of Proton-rich Nuclides at the Cooler Storage Ring at IMP

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

Zhang, Y. H.; Xu, H. S.; Wang, M.

2011-11-30

Recent results and progress of mass measurements of proton-rich nuclei using isochronous mass spectrometry (IMS) are reported. The nuclei under investigation were produced via fragmentation of relativistic energy heavy ions of {sup 78}Kr and {sup 58}Ni. After in-flight separation by the fragment separator RIBLL-2, the nuclei were injected and stored in the experimental storage ring CSRe, and their masses were determined from measurements of the revolution times. The impact of these measurements on the stellar nucleosynthesis in the rp-process is discussed.

Computer program design specifications for the Balloon-borne Ultraviolet Stellar Spectrometer (BUSS) science data decommutation program (BAPS48)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rodriguez, R. M.

1975-01-01

The Balloon-Borne Ultraviolet Stellar Spectrometer (BUSS) Science Data Docummutation Program (BAPS48) is a pulse code modulation docummutation program that will format the BUSS science data contained on a one inch PCM tracking tape into a seven track serial bit stream formatted digital tape.

Motor facilitation during observation of implied motion: Evidence for a role of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.

PubMed

Mineo, Ludovico; Fetterman, Alexander; Concerto, Carmen; Warren, Michael; Infortuna, Carmenrita; Freedberg, David; Chusid, Eileen; Aguglia, Eugenio; Battaglia, Fortunato

2018-06-01

The phenomenon of motor resonance (the increase in motor cortex excitability during observation of actions) has been previously described. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) studies have demonstrated a similar effect during perception of implied motion (IM). The left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) seems to be activated during action observation. Furthermore, the role of this brain area in motor resonance to IM is yet to be investigated. Fourteen healthy volunteers were enrolled into the study. We used transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to stimulate DLPFC aiming to investigate whether stimulation with different polarities would affect the amplitude of motor evoked potential collected during observation of images with and without IM. The results of our experiment indicated that Cathodal tDCS over the left DLPFC prevented motor resonance during observation of IM. On the contrary, anodal and sham tDCS did not significantly modulate motor resonance to IM. The current study expands the understanding of the neural circuits engaged during observation of IM. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that action understanding requires the interaction of large networks and that the left DLPFC plays a crucial role in generating motor resonance to IM. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Intensity-Modulated Continuous-Wave Lidar at 1.57 Micrometer for Atmospheric CO2 Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, Bing; Ismail, Syed; Browell, Edward; Meadows, Byron; Nehrir, Amin; Harrison, Wallace F.; Dobler, Jeremy; Obland, Michael

2014-01-01

Understanding the earth's carbon cycle is essential for diagnosing current and predicting future climates, which requires precise global measurements of atmospheric CO2 through space missions. The Active Sensing of CO2 Emissions over Nights, Days, and Seasons (ASCENDS) space mission will provide accurate global atmospheric CO2 measurements to meet carbon science requirements. The joint team of NASA Langley Research Center and ITT Exelis, Inc proposes to use the intensity-modulated, continuous-wave (IM-CW) lidar approach for the ASCENDS mission. Prototype instruments have been developed and used to demonstrate the power, signal-to-noise ratio, precision and accuracy, spectral purity, and stability of the measurement and the instrument needed for atmospheric CO2 observations from space. The ranging capability from laser platform to ground surfaces or intermediate backscatter layers is achieved by transmitted range-encoded IM laser signals. Based on the prototype instruments and current lidar technologies, space lidar systems and their CO2 column measurements are analyzed. These studies exhibit a great potential of using IM-CW lidar system for the active space CO2 mission ASCENDS.

Modular closed-loop control of diabetes.

PubMed

Patek, S D; Magni, L; Dassau, E; Karvetski, C; Toffanin, C; De Nicolao, G; Del Favero, S; Breton, M; Man, C Dalla; Renard, E; Zisser, H; Doyle, F J; Cobelli, C; Kovatchev, B P

2012-11-01

Modularity plays a key role in many engineering systems, allowing for plug-and-play integration of components, enhancing flexibility and adaptability, and facilitating standardization. In the control of diabetes, i.e., the so-called "artificial pancreas," modularity allows for the step-wise introduction of (and regulatory approval for) algorithmic components, starting with subsystems for assured patient safety and followed by higher layer components that serve to modify the patient's basal rate in real time. In this paper, we introduce a three-layer modular architecture for the control of diabetes, consisting in a sensor/pump interface module (IM), a continuous safety module (CSM), and a real-time control module (RTCM), which separates the functions of insulin recommendation (postmeal insulin for mitigating hyperglycemia) and safety (prevention of hypoglycemia). In addition, we provide details of instances of all three layers of the architecture: the APS© serving as the IM, the safety supervision module (SSM) serving as the CSM, and the range correction module (RCM) serving as the RTCM. We evaluate the performance of the integrated system via in silico preclinical trials, demonstrating 1) the ability of the SSM to reduce the incidence of hypoglycemia under nonideal operating conditions and 2) the ability of the RCM to reduce glycemic variability.

A teaching module about stellar structure and evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colantonio, Arturo; Galano, Silvia; Leccia, Silvio; Puddu, Emanuella; Testa, Italo

2017-01-01

In this paper, we present a teaching module about stellar structure, functioning and evolution. Drawing from literature in astronomy education, we designed the activities around three key ideas: spectral analysis, mechanical and thermal equilibrium, energy and nuclear reactions. The module is divided into four phases, in which the key ideas for describing stars' functioning and physical mechanisms are gradually introduced. The activities (20 hours) build on previously learned laws in mechanics, thermodynamics, and electromagnetism and help students combine them meaningfully in order to get a complete picture of processes that happens in stars. The module was piloted with two intact classes of secondary school students (N = 59 students, 17-18 years old), using a ten-question multiple-choice questionnaire as research instrument. Results support the effectiveness of the proposed activities. Implications for the teaching of advanced physics topics using stars as fruitful context are briefly discussed.

Comprehensive gene expression profiling following DNA vaccination of rainbow trout against infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus

USGS Publications Warehouse

Purcell, Maureen K.; Nichols, Krista M.; Winton, James R.; Kurath, Gael; Thorgaard, Gary H.; Wheeler, Paul; Hansen, John D.; Herwig, Russell P.; Park, Linda K.

2006-01-01

The DNA vaccine based on the glycoprotein gene of Infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus induces a non-specific anti-viral immune response and long-term specific immunity against IHNV. This study characterized gene expression responses associated with the early anti-viral response. Homozygous rainbow trout were injected intra-muscularly (I.M.) with vector DNA or the IHNV DNA vaccine. Gene expression in muscle tissue (I.M. site) was evaluated using a 16,008 feature salmon cDNA microarray. Eighty different genes were significantly modulated in the vector DNA group while 910 genes were modulated in the IHNV DNA vaccinate group relative to control group. Quantitative reverse-transcriptase PCR was used to examine expression of selected immune genes at the I.M. site and in other secondary tissues. In the localized response (I.M. site), the magnitudes of gene expression changes were much greater in the vaccinate group relative to the vector DNA group for the majority of genes analyzed. At secondary systemic sites (e.g. gill, kidney and spleen), type I IFN-related genes were up-regulated in only the IHNV DNA vaccinated group. The results presented here suggest that the IHNV DNA vaccine induces up-regulation of the type I IFN system across multiple tissues, which is the functional basis of early anti-viral immunity.

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.

A Multi-Wavelength Survey of Intermediate-Mass Star-Forming Regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lundquist, Michael J.; Kobulnicky, Henry A.; Kerton, Charles R.

2015-01-01

Current research into Galactic star formation has focused on either massive star-forming regions or nearby low-mass regions. We present results from a survey of Galactic intermediate-mass star-forming regions (IM SFRs). These regions were selected from IRAS colors that specify cool dust and large PAH contribution, suggesting that they produce stars up to but not exceeding about 8 solar masses. Using WISE data we have classified 984 candidate IM SFRs as star-like objects, galaxies, filamentary structures, or blobs/shells based on their mid-infrared morphologies. Focusing on the blobs/shells, we combined follow-up observations of deep near-infrared (NIR) imaging with optical and NIR spectroscopy to study the stellar content, confirming the intermediate-mass nature of these regions. We also gathered CO data from OSO and APEX to study the molecular content and dynamics of these regions. We compare these results to those of high-mass star formation in order to better understand their role in the star-formation paradigm.

The Coupled Physical Structure of Gas and Dust in the IM Lup Protoplanetary Disk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cleeves, L. Ilsedore; Öberg, Karin I.; Wilner, David J.; Huang, Jane; Loomis, Ryan A.; Andrews, Sean M.; Czekala, Ian

2016-12-01

The spatial distribution of gas and solids in protoplanetary disks determines the composition and formation efficiency of planetary systems. A number of disks show starkly different distributions for the gas and small grains compared to millimeter-centimeter-sized dust. We present new Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array observations of the dust continuum, CO, 13CO, and C18O in the IM Lup protoplanetary disk, one of the first systems where this dust-gas dichotomy was clearly seen. The 12CO is detected out to a radius of 970 au, while the millimeter continuum emission is truncated at just 313 au. Based upon these data, we have built a comprehensive physical and chemical model for the disk structure, which takes into account the complex, coupled nature of the gas and dust and the interplay between the local and external environment. We constrain the distributions of gas and dust, the gas temperatures, the CO abundances, the CO optical depths, and the incident external radiation field. We find that the reduction/removal of dust from the outer disk exposes this region to higher stellar and external radiation and decreases the rate of freeze-out, allowing CO to remain in the gas out to large radial distances. We estimate a gas-phase CO abundance of 5% of the interstellar medium value and a low external radiation field (G 0 ≲ 4). The latter is consistent with that expected from the local stellar population. We additionally find tentative evidence for ring-like continuum substructure, suggestions of isotope-selective photodissociation, and a diffuse gas halo.

Dose Estimating Application Software Modification: Additional Function of a Size-Specific Effective Dose Calculator and Auto Exposure Control.

PubMed

Kobayashi, Masanao; Asada, Yasuki; Matsubara, Kosuke; Suzuki, Shouichi; Matsunaga, Yuta; Haba, Tomonobu; Kawaguchi, Ai; Daioku, Tomihiko; Toyama, Hiroshi; Kato, Ryoichi

2017-05-01

Adequate dose management during computed tomography is important. In the present study, the dosimetric application software ImPACT was added to a functional calculator of the size-specific dose estimate and was part of the scan settings for the auto exposure control (AEC) technique. This study aimed to assess the practicality and accuracy of the modified ImPACT software for dose estimation. We compared the conversion factors identified by the software with the values reported by the American Association of Physicists in Medicine Task Group 204, and we noted similar results. Moreover, doses were calculated with the AEC technique and a fixed-tube current of 200 mA for the chest-pelvis region. The modified ImPACT software could estimate each organ dose, which was based on the modulated tube current. The ability to perform beneficial modifications indicates the flexibility of the ImPACT software. The ImPACT software can be further modified for estimation of other doses. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

DOSIMETRIC CONSEQUENCES OF USING CONTRAST-ENHANCED COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHIC IMAGES FOR INTENSITY-MODULATED STEREOTACTIC BODY RADIOTHERAPY PLANNING.

PubMed

Yoshikawa, Hiroto; Roback, Donald M; Larue, Susan M; Nolan, Michael W

2015-01-01

Potential benefits of planning radiation therapy on a contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan (ceCT) should be weighed against the possibility that this practice may be associated with an inadvertent risk of overdosing nearby normal tissues. This study investigated the influence of ceCT on intensity-modulated stereotactic body radiotherapy (IM-SBRT) planning. Dogs with head and neck, pelvic, or appendicular tumors were included in this retrospective cross-sectional study. All IM-SBRT plans were constructed on a pre- or ceCT. Contours for tumor and organs at risk (OAR) were manually constructed and copied onto both CT's; IM-SBRT plans were calculated on each CT in a manner that resulted in equal radiation fluence. The maximum and mean doses for OAR, and minimum, maximum, and mean doses for targets were compared. Data were collected from 40 dogs per anatomic site (head and neck, pelvis, and limbs). The average dose difference between minimum, maximum, and mean doses as calculated on pre- and ceCT plans for the gross tumor volume was less than 1% for all anatomic sites. Similarly, the differences between mean and maximum doses for OAR were less than 1%. The difference in dose distribution between plans made on CTs with and without contrast enhancement was tolerable at all treatment sites. Therefore, although caution would be recommended when planning IM-SBRT for tumors near "reservoirs" for contrast media (such as the heart and urinary bladder), findings supported the use of ceCT with this dose calculation algorithm for both target delineation and IM-SBRT treatment planning. © 2015 American College of Veterinary Radiology.

Correlation ion mobility spectroscopy

DOEpatents

Pfeifer, Kent B [Los Lunas, NM; Rohde, Steven B [Corrales, NM

2008-08-26

Correlation ion mobility spectrometry (CIMS) uses gating modulation and correlation signal processing to improve IMS instrument performance. Closely spaced ion peaks can be resolved by adding discriminating codes to the gate and matched filtering for the received ion current signal, thereby improving sensitivity and resolution of an ion mobility spectrometer. CIMS can be used to improve the signal-to-noise ratio even for transient chemical samples. CIMS is especially advantageous for small geometry IMS drift tubes that can otherwise have poor resolution due to their small size.

A Structural Weight Estimation Program (SWEEP) for Aircraft. Volume 2 - Program Integration and Data Management Module. Part 1: Program Integration

DTIC Science & Technology

1974-06-01

MWl.OMSI«S>.0*tHlT«l,«lll«i OIIOSIOH OWIItl.OVHfMl ,D«VIMl .OMIIWOI . OVNI IMI .OVUIl IOMl oiicisiiM toiiMi, anii in lOUIvaOMX IOIII.TCinilll...0VII7lll.lD«VIII.DV»«lll. I IIMIII.DV«>IIII.IO«NI|1.0Vlt7IM.IOWTlll.DVIII2IM NMWUMK llonil.DVOIMIll. IVHI11 . OVNI tl II c OU ««MlLDVlll.tUOIfl

Study of the Imaging Capabilities of SPIRIT/SPECS Concept Interferometers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allen, Ronald J.

2002-01-01

Several new space science mission concepts under development at NASA-GSFC for astronomy are intended to carry out synthetic imaging using Michelson interferometers or direct (Fizeau) imaging with sparse apertures. Examples of these mission concepts include the Stellar Imager (SI), the Space Infrared Interferometric Telescope (SPIRIT), the Submillimeter Probe of the Evolution of Cosmic Structure (SPECS), and the Fourier-Kelvin Stellar Interferometer (FKSI). We have been developing computer-based simulators for these missions. These simulators are aimed at providing a quantitative evaluation of the imaging capabilities of the mission by modeling the performance on different realistic targets in terms of sensitivity, angular resolution, and dynamic range. Both Fizeau and Michelson modes of operation can be considered. Our work is based on adapting a computer simulator called imSIM which was initially written for the Space Interferometer Mission in order to simulate the imaging mode of new missions such as those listed. This report covers the activities we have undertaken to provide a preliminary version of a simulator for the SPIRIT mission concept.

Modular Closed-Loop Control of Diabetes

PubMed Central

Magni, L.; Dassau, E.; Hughes-Karvetski, C.; Toffanin, C.; De Nicolao, G.; Del Favero, S.; Breton, M.; Man, C. Dalla; Renard, E.; Zisser, H.; Doyle, F. J.; Cobelli, C.; Kovatchev, B. P.

2015-01-01

Modularity plays a key role in many engineering systems, allowing for plug-and-play integration of components, enhancing flexibility and adaptability, and facilitating standardization. In the control of diabetes, i.e., the so-called “artificial pancreas,” modularity allows for the step-wise introduction of (and regulatory approval for) algorithmic components, starting with subsystems for assured patient safety and followed by higher layer components that serve to modify the patient’s basal rate in real time. In this paper, we introduce a three-layer modular architecture for the control of diabetes, consisting in a sensor/pump interface module (IM), a continuous safety module (CSM), and a real-time control module (RTCM), which separates the functions of insulin recommendation (postmeal insulin for mitigating hyperglycemia) and safety (prevention of hypoglycemia). In addition, we provide details of instances of all three layers of the architecture: the APS© serving as the IM, the safety supervision module (SSM) serving as the CSM, and the range correction module (RCM) serving as the RTCM. We evaluate the performance of the integrated system via in silico preclinical trials, demonstrating 1) the ability of the SSM to reduce the incidence of hypoglycemia under nonideal operating conditions and 2) the ability of the RCM to reduce glycemic variability. PMID:22481809

Intensity-Modulated Continuous-Wave Laser Absorption Spectrometer at 1.57 Micrometer for Atmospheric CO2 Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, Bing

2014-01-01

Understanding the earth's carbon cycle is essential for diagnosing current and predicting future climates, which requires precise global measurements of atmospheric CO2 through space missions. The Active Sensing of CO2 Emissions over Nights, Days, and Seasons (ASCENDS) space mission will provide accurate global atmospheric CO2 measurements to meet carbon science requirements. The joint team of NASA Langley Research Center and ITT Exelis, Inc. proposes to use the intensity-modulated, continuous-wave (IM-CW) laser absorption spectrometer (LAS) approach for the ASCENDS mission. Prototype LAS instruments have been developed and used to demonstrate the power, signal-to-noise ratio, precision and accuracy, spectral purity, and stability of the measurement and the instrument needed for atmospheric CO2 observations from space. The ranging capability from laser platform to ground surfaces or intermediate backscatter layers is achieved by transmitted range-encoded IM laser signals. Based on the prototype instruments and current lidar technologies, space LAS systems and their CO2 column measurements are analyzed. These studies exhibit a great potential of using IM-CW LAS system for the active space CO2 mission ASCENDS.

Study of the intensity noise and intensity modulation in a of hybrid soliton pulsed source

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

Dogru, Nuran; Oziazisi, M Sadetin

2005-10-31

The relative intensity noise (RIN) and small-signal intensity modulation (IM) of a hybrid soliton pulsed source (HSPS) with a linearly chirped Gaussian apodised fibre Bragg grating (FBG) are considered in the electric-field approximation. The HSPS is described by solving the dynamic coupled-mode equations. It is shown that consideration of the carrier density noise in the HSPS in addition to the spontaneous noise is necessary to analyse accurately noise in the mode-locked HSPS. It is also shown that the resonance peak spectral splitting (RPSS) of the IM near the frequency inverse to the round-trip time of light in the external cavitymore » can be eliminated by selecting an appropriate linear chirp rate in the Gaussian apodised FBG. (laser applications and other topics in quantum electronics)« less

Lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria attenuate the proinflammatory response in intestinal epithelial cells induced by Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium.

PubMed

Carey, Christine M; Kostrzynska, Magdalena

2013-01-01

Inflammation is a physiological response to infections and tissue injury; however, abnormal immune responses can give rise to chronic inflammation and contribute to disease progression. Various dietary components, including probiotic lactic acid bacteria and prebiotics, have the potential to modulate intestinal inflammatory responses. One factor in particular, the chemokine interleukin-8 (IL-8, CXCL-8), is one of the major mediators of the inflammatory response. The purpose of this study was to investigate modulation of the inflammatory host response induced by Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium DT104 in the presence of selected probiotics and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from human sources, dairy products, and farm animals. IL-8 gene expression and protein production in HT-29 cells were evaluated by real-time PCR and ELISA, respectively. Pre-incubation of HT-29 cells with Lactobacillus kefir IM002, Bifidobacterium adolescentis FRP 61, Bifidobacterium longum FRP 68 and FRP 69, Bifidobacterium breve FRP 334, and Leuconostoc mesenteroides IM080 significantly inhibited IL-8 secretion induced by Salmonella Typhimurium DT104. Co-culture of selected probiotics and Salmonella Typhimurium DT104 reduced IL-8 production, while potential probiotics and LAB had no effect on IL-8 secretion in HT-29 cells preincubated with Salmonella Typhimurium DT104 prior to adding probiotics. Lactobacillus kefir IM002 supernatant also significantly reduced IL-8 production. In conclusion, our study suggests that probiotic bifidobacteria and LAB modulate cytokine induction and possess anti-inflammatory properties; however, the effectiveness is strain dependent.

Optical metrology for Starlight Separated Spacecraft Stellar Interferometry Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dubovitsky, S.; Lay, O. P.; Peters, R. D.; Abramovici, A.; Asbury, C. G.; Kuhnert, A. C.; Mulder, J. L.

2002-01-01

We describe a high-precision inter-spacecraft metrology system designed for NASA 's StarLight mission, a space-based separated-spacecraft stellar interferometer. It consists of dual-target linear metrology, based on a heterodyne interferometer with carrier phase modulation, and angular metrology designed to sense the pointing of the laser beam and provides bearing information. The dual-target operation enables one metrology beam to sense displacement of two targets independently. We present the current design, breadboard implementation of the Metrology Subsystem in a stellar interferometer testbed and the present state of development of flight qualifiable subsystem components.

Multicasting based optical inverse multiplexing in elastic optical network.

PubMed

Guo, Bingli; Xu, Yingying; Zhu, Paikun; Zhong, Yucheng; Chen, Yuanxiang; Li, Juhao; Chen, Zhangyuan; He, Yongqi

2014-06-16

Optical multicasting based inverse multiplexing (IM) is introduced in spectrum allocation of elastic optical network to resolve the spectrum fragmentation problem, where superchannels could be split and fit into several discrete spectrum blocks in the intermediate node. We experimentally demonstrate it with a 1-to-7 optical superchannel multicasting module and selecting/coupling components. Also, simulation results show that, comparing with several emerging spectrum defragmentation solutions (e.g., spectrum conversion, split spectrum), IM could reduce blocking performance significantly but without adding too much system complexity as split spectrum. On the other hand, service fairness for traffic with different granularity of these schemes is investigated for the first time and it shows that IM performs better than spectrum conversion and almost as well as split spectrum, especially for smaller size traffic under light traffic intensity.

THE COUPLED PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF GAS AND DUST IN THE IM Lup PROTOPLANETARY DISK

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

Cleeves, L. Ilsedore; Öberg, Karin I.; Wilner, David J.

The spatial distribution of gas and solids in protoplanetary disks determines the composition and formation efficiency of planetary systems. A number of disks show starkly different distributions for the gas and small grains compared to millimeter–centimeter-sized dust. We present new Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array observations of the dust continuum, CO, {sup 13}CO, and C{sup 18}O in the IM Lup protoplanetary disk, one of the first systems where this dust–gas dichotomy was clearly seen. The {sup 12}CO is detected out to a radius of 970 au, while the millimeter continuum emission is truncated at just 313 au. Based upon these data,more » we have built a comprehensive physical and chemical model for the disk structure, which takes into account the complex, coupled nature of the gas and dust and the interplay between the local and external environment. We constrain the distributions of gas and dust, the gas temperatures, the CO abundances, the CO optical depths, and the incident external radiation field. We find that the reduction/removal of dust from the outer disk exposes this region to higher stellar and external radiation and decreases the rate of freeze-out, allowing CO to remain in the gas out to large radial distances. We estimate a gas-phase CO abundance of 5% of the interstellar medium value and a low external radiation field ( G {sub 0} ≲ 4). The latter is consistent with that expected from the local stellar population. We additionally find tentative evidence for ring-like continuum substructure, suggestions of isotope-selective photodissociation, and a diffuse gas halo.« less

The Infrared Medium-deep Survey. IV. The Low Eddington Ratio of A Faint Quasar at z ∼ 6: Not Every Supermassive Black Hole is Growing Fast in the Early Universe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Yongjung; Im, Myungshin; Jeon, Yiseul; Kim, Minjin; Hyun, Minhee; Kim, Dohyeong; Kim, Jae-Woo; Taak, Yoon Chan; Yoon, Yongmin; Choi, Changsu; Hong, Jueun; Jun, Hyunsung David; Karouzos, Marios; Kim, Duho; Kim, Ji Hoon; Lee, Seong-Kook; Pak, Soojong; Park, Won-Kee

2018-03-01

To date, most of the luminous quasars known at z ∼ 6 have been found to be in maximal accretion with the Eddington ratios, {λ }Edd}∼ 1, suggesting enhanced nuclear activities in the early universe. However, this may not be the whole picture of supermassive black hole (SMBH) growth, since previous studies have not reached faint quasars that are more likely to harbor SMBHs with low {λ }Edd}. To gain a better understanding of the accretion activities in quasars in the early universe, we obtained a deep near-infrared (NIR) spectrum of a quasar, IMS J220417.92+011144.8 (hereafter IMS J2204+0112), one of the faintest quasars that has been identified at z ∼ 6. From the redshifted C IV λ1549 emission line in the NIR spectrum, we find that IMS J2204+0112 harbors a SMBH with a solar mass of about a billion and {λ }Edd}∼ 0.1, but with a large uncertainty in both quantities (0.41 dex). IMS J2204+0112 has one of the lowest Eddington ratios among quasars at z ∼ 6, but a common value among quasars at z ∼ 2. Its low {λ }Edd} can be explained with two scenarios; the SMBH growth from a stellar-mass black hole through short-duration super-Eddington accretion events or from a massive black hole seed (∼ {10}5 {M}ȯ ) with Eddington-limited accretion. NIR spectra of more faint quasars are needed to better understand the accretion activities of SMBHs at z ∼ 6.

Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA): Convective Boundaries, Element Diffusion, and Massive Star Explosions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paxton, Bill; Schwab, Josiah; Bauer, Evan B.; Bildsten, Lars; Blinnikov, Sergei; Duffell, Paul; Farmer, R.; Goldberg, Jared A.; Marchant, Pablo; Sorokina, Elena; Thoul, Anne; Townsend, Richard H. D.; Timmes, F. X.

2018-02-01

We update the capabilities of the software instrument Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA) and enhance its ease of use and availability. Our new approach to locating convective boundaries is consistent with the physics of convection, and yields reliable values of the convective-core mass during both hydrogen- and helium-burning phases. Stars with M< 8 M⊙ become white dwarfs and cool to the point where the electrons are degenerate and the ions are strongly coupled, a realm now available to study with MESA due to improved treatments of element diffusion, latent heat release, and blending of equations of state. Studies of the final fates of massive stars are extended in MESA by our addition of an approximate Riemann solver that captures shocks and conserves energy to high accuracy during dynamic epochs. We also introduce a 1D capability for modeling the effects of Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities that, in combination with the coupling to a public version of the STELLA radiation transfer instrument, creates new avenues for exploring Type II supernova properties. These capabilities are exhibited with exploratory models of pair-instability supernovae, pulsational pair-instability supernovae, and the formation of stellar-mass black holes. The applicability of MESA is now widened by the capability to import multidimensional hydrodynamic models into MESA. We close by introducing software modules for handling floating point exceptions and stellar model optimization, as well as four new software tools - MESA-Web, MESA-Docker, pyMESA, and mesastar.org - to enhance MESA's education and research impact.

Runway Exit Designs for Capacity Improvement Demonstrations. Phase 1. Algorithm Development

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-06-01

Dynamic Module 39 Table 3.1 Aircraft Approach Category Classification (FAA, 1988). Category Landing Speed (1.3 Vst ,,,) A less than 91 Knots B From 91 to...inertia about the vertical axis, in Kg-m-m, a is the angular acceleration (rad/sec,) of the aircraft fuselage as it executes the turning maneuver, wb is the...breakdown of the angular acceleration yields for Eq. 3.13 the following, I/ (V R 2 / g"= m g wb Im/100 (1- Im100) (3.16) where, R represents the rate of

Characterization of applied fields for ion mobility separations in traveling wave based structures for lossless ion manipulations (SLIM)

DOE PAGES

Hamid, Ahmed M.; Prabhakaran, Aneesh; Garimella, Sandilya V. B.; ...

2018-03-26

Ion mobility (IM) is rapidly gaining attention for the separation and analysis of biomolecules due to the ability to distinguish the shapes of ions. However, conventional constant electric field drift tube IM separations have limited resolving power, constrained by practical limitations on the path length and maximum applied voltage. The implementation of traveling waves (TW) in IM removes the latter limitation, allowing higher resolution to be achieved using extended path lengths. Both of these can be readily obtained in Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations (SLIM), which are fabricated from arrays of electrodes patterned on two parallel surfaces where potentials aremore » applied to generate appropriate electric fields between the surfaces. Here we have investigated the relationship between the primary SLIM variables, such as electrode dimensions, inter-surface gap, and the applied TW voltages, that directly impact the fields experienced by ions. Ion trajectory simulations and theoretical calculations have been utilized to understand the dependence of SLIM geometry and effective electric fields on IM resolution. The variables explored impact both ion confinement and the observed IM resolution using SLIM modules.« less

Characterization of applied fields for ion mobility separations in traveling wave based structures for lossless ion manipulations (SLIM)

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

Hamid, Ahmed M.; Prabhakaran, Aneesh; Garimella, Sandilya V. B.

Ion mobility (IM) is rapidly gaining attention for the separation and analysis of biomolecules due to the ability to distinguish the shapes of ions. However, conventional constant electric field drift tube IM separations have limited resolving power, constrained by practical limitations on the path length and maximum applied voltage. The implementation of traveling waves (TW) in IM removes the latter limitation, allowing higher resolution to be achieved using extended path lengths. Both of these can be readily obtained in Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations (SLIM), which are fabricated from arrays of electrodes patterned on two parallel surfaces where potentials aremore » applied to generate appropriate electric fields between the surfaces. Here we have investigated the relationship between the primary SLIM variables, such as electrode dimensions, inter-surface gap, and the applied TW voltages, that directly impact the fields experienced by ions. Ion trajectory simulations and theoretical calculations have been utilized to understand the dependence of SLIM geometry and effective electric fields on IM resolution. The variables explored impact both ion confinement and the observed IM resolution using SLIM modules.« less

Cheetah: Starspot modeling code

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walkowicz, Lucianne; Thomas, Michael; Finkestein, Adam

2014-12-01

Cheetah models starspots in photometric data (lightcurves) by calculating the modulation of a light curve due to starspots. The main parameters of the program are the linear and quadratic limb darkening coefficients, stellar inclination, spot locations and sizes, and the intensity ratio of the spots to the stellar photosphere. Cheetah uses uniform spot contrast and the minimum number of spots needed to produce a good fit and ignores bright regions for the sake of simplicity.

The IUE Mega Campaign. Modulated Structure in the Wind of HD 64760 (B0.5 Ib)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prinja, Raman K.; Massa, Derck; Fullerton, Alexander W.

1995-01-01

We highlight systematic variability in the stellar wind of the early B type supergiant, HD 64760, whose UV line profiles were monitored for almost 16 days in 1995 January as part of the IUE 'MEGA Campaign.' The extensive coverage reveals a pattern of rapidly evolving discrete optical depth changes which typically migrate from approx. - 200 km/s to approx. -1500 km/s in less than 12 hr. These features coexist with more slowly evolving structures lasting several days. Time-series analysis of the Si(IV), Si(III), and N(V) profile variations presents a clear 1.2 day periodicity, which is a quarter of the estimated maximum rotation period of HD 64760. The line profile changes are consistent with an interpretation in terms of a set of corotating wind features which occult the stellar disk at least 3 times during the observing run. These data are combined with UV observations collected in 1993 March to argue in favor of rotationally modulated wind variations in HD 64760. The basic result of very regular, large-scale optical depth variations points to a 'clock' whose origin is on the stellar surface, rather than a mechanism that is entirely intrinsic to the stellar wind.

Analytical formulation of directly modulated OOFDM signals transmitted over an IM/DD dispersive link.

PubMed

Sánchez, C; Ortega, B; Wei, J L; Tang, J; Capmany, J

2013-03-25

We provide an analytical study on the propagation effects of a directly modulated OOFDM signal through a dispersive fiber and subsequent photo-detection. The analysis includes the effects of the laser operation point and the interplay between chromatic dispersion and laser chirp. The final expression allows to understand the physics behind the transmission of a multi-carrier signal in the presence of residual frequency modulation and the description of the induced intermodulation distortion gives us a detailed insight into the diferent intermodulation products which impair the recovered signal at the receiver-end side. Numerical comparisons between transmission simulations results and those provided by evaluating the expression obtained are carried out for different laser operation points. Results obtained by changing the fiber length, laser parameters and using single mode fiber with negative and positive dispersion are calculated in order to demonstrate the validity and versatility of the theory provided in this paper. Therefore, a novel analytical formulation is presented as a versatile tool for the description and study of IM/DD OOFDM systems with variable design parameters.

Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA): Planets, Oscillations, Rotation, and Massive Stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paxton, Bill; Cantiello, Matteo; Arras, Phil; Bildsten, Lars; Brown, Edward F.; Dotter, Aaron; Mankovich, Christopher; Montgomery, M. H.; Stello, Dennis; Timmes, F. X.; Townsend, Richard

2013-09-01

We substantially update the capabilities of the open source software package Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA), and its one-dimensional stellar evolution module, MESA star. Improvements in MESA star's ability to model the evolution of giant planets now extends its applicability down to masses as low as one-tenth that of Jupiter. The dramatic improvement in asteroseismology enabled by the space-based Kepler and CoRoT missions motivates our full coupling of the ADIPLS adiabatic pulsation code with MESA star. This also motivates a numerical recasting of the Ledoux criterion that is more easily implemented when many nuclei are present at non-negligible abundances. This impacts the way in which MESA star calculates semi-convective and thermohaline mixing. We exhibit the evolution of 3-8 M ⊙ stars through the end of core He burning, the onset of He thermal pulses, and arrival on the white dwarf cooling sequence. We implement diffusion of angular momentum and chemical abundances that enable calculations of rotating-star models, which we compare thoroughly with earlier work. We introduce a new treatment of radiation-dominated envelopes that allows the uninterrupted evolution of massive stars to core collapse. This enables the generation of new sets of supernovae, long gamma-ray burst, and pair-instability progenitor models. We substantially modify the way in which MESA star solves the fully coupled stellar structure and composition equations, and we show how this has improved the scaling of MESA's calculational speed on multi-core processors. Updates to the modules for equation of state, opacity, nuclear reaction rates, and atmospheric boundary conditions are also provided. We describe the MESA Software Development Kit that packages all the required components needed to form a unified, maintained, and well-validated build environment for MESA. We also highlight a few tools developed by the community for rapid visualization of MESA star results.

Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors Induce Down-Regulation of c-Kit by Targeting the ATP Pocket

PubMed Central

Descarpentries, Clotilde; Frisan, Emilie; Adam, Kevin; Verdier, Frederique; Floquet, Célia; Dubreuil, Patrice; Lacombe, Catherine; Fontenay, Michaela; Mayeux, Patrick; Kosmider, Olivier

2013-01-01

The stem cell factor receptor (SCF) c-Kit plays a pivotal role in regulating cell proliferation and survival in many cell types. In particular, c-Kit is required for early amplification of erythroid progenitors, while it must disappear from cell surface for the cell entering the final steps of maturation in an erythropoietin-dependent manner. We initially observed that imatinib (IM), an inhibitor targeting the tyrosine kinase activity of c-Kit concomitantly down-regulated the expression of c-Kit and accelerated the Epo-driven differentiation of erythroblasts in the absence of SCF. We investigated the mechanism by which IM or related masitinib (MA) induce c-Kit down-regulation in the human UT-7/Epo cell line. We found that the down-regulation of c-Kit in the presence of IM or MA was inhibited by a pre-incubation with methyl-β-cyclodextrin suggesting that c-Kit was internalized in the absence of ligand. By contrast to SCF, the internalization induced by TKI was independent of the E3 ubiquitin ligase c-Cbl. Furthermore, c-Kit was degraded through lysosomal, but not proteasomal pathway. In pulse-chase experiments, IM did not modulate c-Kit synthesis or maturation. Analysis of phosphotyrosine peptides in UT-7/Epo cells treated or not with IM show that IM did not modify overall tyrosine phosphorylation in these cells. Furthermore, we showed that a T670I mutation preventing the full access of IM to the ATP binding pocket, did not allow the internalization process in the presence of IM. Altogether these data show that TKI-induced internalization of c-Kit is linked to a modification of the integrity of ATP binding pocket. PMID:23637779

Hi! I'm Your FM Trainer!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Million, Helen

1992-01-01

Amusing cartoon pictures can personalize the young deaf child's relationship with his FM (frequency modulation) auditory trainer. The pictures can serve as reminders to turn the trainer on, to utilize it fully, and to care for it properly. (DB)

imDEV: a graphical user interface to R multivariate analysis tools in Microsoft Excel.

PubMed

Grapov, Dmitry; Newman, John W

2012-09-01

Interactive modules for Data Exploration and Visualization (imDEV) is a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet embedded application providing an integrated environment for the analysis of omics data through a user-friendly interface. Individual modules enables interactive and dynamic analyses of large data by interfacing R's multivariate statistics and highly customizable visualizations with the spreadsheet environment, aiding robust inferences and generating information-rich data visualizations. This tool provides access to multiple comparisons with false discovery correction, hierarchical clustering, principal and independent component analyses, partial least squares regression and discriminant analysis, through an intuitive interface for creating high-quality two- and a three-dimensional visualizations including scatter plot matrices, distribution plots, dendrograms, heat maps, biplots, trellis biplots and correlation networks. Freely available for download at http://sourceforge.net/projects/imdev/. Implemented in R and VBA and supported by Microsoft Excel (2003, 2007 and 2010).

Application of the Intervention Mapping protocol to develop Keys, a family child care home intervention to prevent early childhood obesity.

PubMed

Mann, Courtney M; Ward, Dianne S; Vaughn, Amber; Benjamin Neelon, Sara E; Long Vidal, Lenita J; Omar, Sakinah; Namenek Brouwer, Rebecca J; Østbye, Truls

2015-12-10

Many families rely on child care outside the home, making these settings important influences on child development. Nearly 1.5 million children in the U.S. spend time in family child care homes (FCCHs), where providers care for children in their own residences. There is some evidence that children in FCCHs are heavier than those cared for in centers. However, few interventions have targeted FCCHs for obesity prevention. This paper will describe the application of the Intervention Mapping (IM) framework to the development of a childhood obesity prevention intervention for FCCHs Following the IM protocol, six steps were completed in the planning and development of an intervention targeting FCCHs: needs assessment, formulation of change objectives matrices, selection of theory-based methods and strategies, creation of intervention components and materials, adoption and implementation planning, and evaluation planning Application of the IM process resulted in the creation of the Keys to Healthy Family Child Care Homes program (Keys), which includes three modules: Healthy You, Healthy Home, and Healthy Business. Delivery of each module includes a workshop, educational binder and tool-kit resources, and four coaching contacts. Social Cognitive Theory and Self-Determination Theory helped guide development of change objective matrices, selection of behavior change strategies, and identification of outcome measures. The Keys program is currently being evaluated through a cluster-randomized controlled trial The IM process, while time-consuming, enabled rigorous and systematic development of intervention components that are directly tied to behavior change theory and may increase the potential for behavior change within the FCCHs.

Characterization of Traveling Wave Ion Mobility Separations in Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations

DOE PAGES

Hamid, Ahmed M.; Ibrahim, Yehia M.; Garimella, Venkata BS; ...

2015-10-28

We report on the development and characterization of a new traveling wave-based Structure for Lossless Ion Manipulations (TW-SLIM) for ion mobility separations (IMS). The TW-SLIM module uses parallel arrays of rf electrodes on two closely spaced surfaces for ion confinement, where the rf electrodes are separated by arrays of short electrodes, and using these TWs can be created to drive ion motion. In this initial work, TWs are created by the dynamic application of dc potentials. The capabilities of the TW-SLIM module for efficient ion confinement, lossless ion transport, and ion mobility separations at different rf and TW parameters aremore » reported. The TW-SLIM module is shown to transmit a wide mass range of ions (m/z 200–2500) utilizing a confining rf waveform (~1 MHz and ~300 V p-p) and low TW amplitudes (<20 V). Additionally, the short TW-SLIM module achieved resolutions comparable to existing commercially available low pressure IMS platforms and an ion mobility peak capacity of ~32 for TW speeds of <210 m/s. TW-SLIM performance was characterized over a wide range of rf and TW parameters and demonstrated robust performance. In conclusion, the combined attributes of the flexible design and low voltage requirements for the TW-SLIM module provide a basis for devices capable of much higher resolution and more complex ion manipulations.« less

Characterization of Traveling Wave Ion Mobility Separations in Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations

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

Hamid, Ahmed M.; Ibrahim, Yehia M.; Garimella, Venkata BS

We report on the development and characterization of a new traveling wave-based Structure for Lossless Ion Manipulations (TW-SLIM) for ion mobility separations (IMS). The TW-SLIM module uses parallel arrays of rf electrodes on two closely spaced surfaces for ion confinement, where the rf electrodes are separated by arrays of short electrodes, and using these TWs can be created to drive ion motion. In this initial work, TWs are created by the dynamic application of dc potentials. The capabilities of the TW-SLIM module for efficient ion confinement, lossless ion transport, and ion mobility separations at different rf and TW parameters aremore » reported. The TW-SLIM module is shown to transmit a wide mass range of ions (m/z 200–2500) utilizing a confining rf waveform (~1 MHz and ~300 V p-p) and low TW amplitudes (<20 V). Additionally, the short TW-SLIM module achieved resolutions comparable to existing commercially available low pressure IMS platforms and an ion mobility peak capacity of ~32 for TW speeds of <210 m/s. TW-SLIM performance was characterized over a wide range of rf and TW parameters and demonstrated robust performance. In conclusion, the combined attributes of the flexible design and low voltage requirements for the TW-SLIM module provide a basis for devices capable of much higher resolution and more complex ion manipulations.« less

Achieving High Resolution Ion Mobility Separations Using Traveling Waves in Compact Multiturn Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations

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

Hamid, Ahmed M.; Garimella, Sandilya V. B.; Ibrahim, Yehia M.

We report on ion mobility separations (IMS) achievable using traveling waves in a Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations (TW-SLIM) module having a 44-cm path length and sixteen 90º turns. The performance of the TW-SLIM module was evaluated for ion transmission, and ion mobility separations with different RF, TW parameters and SLIM surface gaps in conjunction with mass spectrometry. In this work TWs were created by the transient and dynamic application of DC potentials. The TW-SLIM module demonstrated highly robust performance and the ion mobility resolution achieved even with sixteen close spaced turns was comparable to a similar straight path TW-SLIMmore » module. We found an ion mobility peak capacity of ~ 31 and peak generation rate of 780 s-1 for TW speeds of <210 m/s using the current multi-turn TW-SLIM module. The separations achieved for isomers of peptides and tetrasaccharides were found to be comparable to those from a ~ 0.9-m drift tube-based IMS-MS platform operated at the same pressure (4 torr). The combined attributes of flexible design, low voltage requirements and lossless ion transmission through multiple turns for the present TW-SLIM module provides a basis for SLIM devices capable of achieving much greater ion mobility resolutions via greatly extended ion path lengths and compact serpentine designs that do not significantly impact the instrumentation profile, a direction described in a companion manuscript.« less

The stellar wind as a key to the understanding of the spectral activity of IN Com

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozlova, O. V.; Alekseev, I. Yu.

2014-06-01

We present long-term spectral observations ( R = 20000) of IN Com in the region of the Hα, Hβ, and He I 5876 lines. One distinguishing characteristic of the stellar spectrum is the presence in the Hα line of an extended two-component emission with limits up to ±400 km/s. Emission parameters show the rotation modulation with the stellar rotation period and a significant variability on the long-term scale. Similar emissions are also observed in the Hβ and He I 5876 lines. Our results allow us to conclude that observational emission profiles are formed in an optically thin hot gas. This is a result of the presence of a circumstellar gas disk around IN Com. Its size does not exceed several stellar radii. The material for the disk is supported by the stellar wind from IN Com. The detected variability of Hα-emission parameters shows a clear connection with the photopolarimetric activity of the star. This fact allows us to associate the long-term spectral variability with cycles of stellar activity of IN Com.

A Multiphysics and Multiscale Software Environment for Modeling Astrophysical Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Portegies Zwart, Simon; McMillan, Steve; O'Nualláin, Breanndán; Heggie, Douglas; Lombardi, James; Hut, Piet; Banerjee, Sambaran; Belkus, Houria; Fragos, Tassos; Fregeau, John; Fuji, Michiko; Gaburov, Evghenii; Glebbeek, Evert; Groen, Derek; Harfst, Stefan; Izzard, Rob; Jurić, Mario; Justham, Stephen; Teuben, Peter; van Bever, Joris; Yaron, Ofer; Zemp, Marcel

We present MUSE, a software framework for tying together existing computational tools for different astrophysical domains into a single multiphysics, multiscale workload. MUSE facilitates the coupling of existing codes written in different languages by providing inter-language tools and by specifying an interface between each module and the framework that represents a balance between generality and computational efficiency. This approach allows scientists to use combinations of codes to solve highly-coupled problems without the need to write new codes for other domains or significantly alter their existing codes. MUSE currently incorporates the domains of stellar dynamics, stellar evolution and stellar hydrodynamics for a generalized stellar systems workload. MUSE has now reached a "Noah's Ark" milestone, with two available numerical solvers for each domain. MUSE can treat small stellar associations, galaxies and everything in between, including planetary systems, dense stellar clusters and galactic nuclei. Here we demonstrate an examples calculated with MUSE: the merger of two galaxies. In addition we demonstrate the working of MUSE on a distributed computer. The current MUSE code base is publicly available as open source at http://muse.li.

Optical ultra-wide-band pulse bipolar and shape modulation based on a symmetric PM-IM conversion architecture.

PubMed

Wang, Shiguang; Chen, Hongwei; Xin, Ming; Chen, Minghua; Xie, Shizhong

2009-10-15

A simple and feasible technique for ultra-wide-band (UWB) pulse bipolar modulation (PBM) and pulse shape modulation (PSM) in the optical domain is proposed and demonstrated. The PBM and PSM are performed using a symmetric phase modulation to intensity modulation conversion architecture, including a couple of phase modulators and an optical bandpass filter (OBPF). Two optical carriers, which are separately phase modulated by two appropriate electrical pulse patterns, are at the long- and short-wavelength linear slopes of the OBPF spectrum, respectively. The high-speed PBM and PSM without limit of chip length, polarity, and shape are implemented in simulation and are also verified by experiment. (c) 2009 Optical Society of America.

Updated aerosol module and its application to simulate secondary organic aerosols during IMPACT campaign May 2008

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Y. P.; Elbern, H.; Lu, K. D.; Friese, E.; Kiendler-Scharr, A.; Mentel, Th. F.; Wang, X. S.; Wahner, A.; Zhang, Y. H.

2013-03-01

The formation of Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) was simulated with the Secondary ORGanic Aerosol Model (SORGAM) by a classical gas-particle partitioning concept, using the two-product model approach, which is widely used in chemical transport models. In this study, we extensively updated SORGAM including three major modifications: firstly, we derived temperature dependence functions of the SOA yields for aromatics and biogenic VOCs, based on recent chamber studies within a sophisticated mathematic optimization framework; secondly, we implemented the SOA formation pathways from photo oxidation (OH initiated) of isoprene; thirdly, we implemented the SOA formation channel from NO3-initiated oxidation of reactive biogenic hydrocarbons (isoprene and monoterpenes). The temperature dependence functions of the SOA yields were validated against available chamber experiments. Moreover, the whole updated SORGAM module was validated against ambient SOA observations represented by the summed oxygenated organic aerosol (OOA) concentrations abstracted from Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (AMS) measurements at a rural site near Rotterdam, the Netherlands, performed during the IMPACT campaign in May 2008. In this case, we embedded both the original and the updated SORGAM module into the EURopean Air pollution and Dispersion-Inverse Model (EURAD-IM), which showed general good agreements with the observed meteorological parameters and several secondary products such as O3, sulfate and nitrate. With the updated SORGAM module, the EURAD-IM model also captured the observed SOA concentrations reasonably well especially those during nighttime. In contrast, the EURAD-IM model before update underestimated the observations by a factor of up to 5. The large improvements of the modeled SOA concentrations by updated SORGAM were attributed to the mentioned three modifications. Embedding the temperature dependence functions of the SOA yields, including the new pathways from isoprene photo oxidations, and switching on the SOA formation from NO3 initiated biogenic VOCs oxidations contributed to this enhancement by 10%, 22% and 47%, respectively. However, the EURAD-IM model with updated SORGAM still clearly underestimated the afternoon SOA observations up to a factor of two. More work such as to improve the simulated OH concentrations under high VOCs and low NOx concentrations, further including the SOA formation from semi-volatile organic compounds, the correct aging process of aerosols, oligomerization process and the influence on the biogenic SOA by the anthropogenic SOA, are still required to fill the gap.

Long-Term Spectral Variability of the Spotted Star IN Com

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alekseev, I. Yu.; Kozlova, O. V.; Gorda, S. Yu.; Avvakumova, E. A.; Kozhevnikova, A. V.

2017-06-01

We present long-term (2004-2016) spectral observations (R = 20000) of IN Com in the regions of Hα, Hβ and He I 5876 Å lines. The unique feature of the stellar spectrum is the presence of the extended two-component emission with limits up to ± 400 km s-1 in the Hα line. Emission parameters show the rotation modulation with the stellar rotation period and a significant variability on the long-term scale. Similar emission is also observed in Hβ and He I 5876 Å lines. Our results allow us to conclude that observational emission profiles are formed in optically thin hot gas. It is a result of presence of a circumstellar gas disk around IN Com. Its size is not exceed several stellar radii. The matter for the disk is supported by stellar wind. Detected variability of Hα emission parameters shows evident relation with UBVRI photometric activity of the star. This fact allowed us to link the long-term spectral variability with cycles of stellar activity of IN Com.

Cosmic Rays near Proxima Centauri b

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sadovski, A. M.; Struminsky, A. B.; Belov, A.

2018-05-01

The discovery of a terrestrial planet orbiting Proxima Centauri has led to a lot of papers discussing the possible conditions on this planet. Since the main factors determining space weather in the Solar System are the solar wind and cosmic rays (CRs), it seems important to understand what the parameters of the stellar wind, Galactic and stellar CRs near exoplanets are. Based on the available data, we present our estimates of the stellar wind velocity and density, the possible CR fluxes and fluences near Proxima b. We have found that there are virtually no Galactic CRs near the orbit of Proxima b up to particle energies 1 TeV due to their modulation by the stellar wind. Nevertheless, more powerful and frequent flares on Proxima Centauri than those on the Sun can accelerate particles to maximum energies 3150 αβ GeV ( α, β < 1). Therefore, the intensity of stellar CRs in the astrosphere may turn out to be comparable to the intensity of low-energy CRs in the heliosphere.

Combination of imatinib and clotrimazole enhances cell growth inhibition in T47D breast cancer cells.

PubMed

Motawi, Tarek M K; Sadik, Nermin A H; Fahim, Sally A; Shouman, Samia A

2015-05-25

Imatinib mesylate (IM), a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is used as targeted cancer therapy. However, mono-targeting by IM does not always achieve full tumor eradication and thus it is recommended to combine IM with other anticancer agents. Clotrimazole (CLT) is an antifungal azole derivative with promising anticancer effects due to inhibiting the activity of glycolytic enzymes. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of combining CLT with IM on breast cancer cell line in an attempt to establish effective new combination. T47D human breast cancer cell line was treated with different concentrations of IM and/or CLT for 48 h. IM-CLT interaction was determined by isobologram equation and combination index. Cell viability was confirmed by measuring LDH activity. As indicators of glycolysis inhibition, the expression of hexokinase-2 (HK-2) and 6-phosphofructo-1-kinase (PFK-1) plus the activity of intracellular lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and pyruvate kinase (PK) were determined. In addition, glucose consumption and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production were measured. Moreover, nitric oxide (NO), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and hypoxia inducible factor-α (HIF-α) were also determined as they are modulators for glycolysis. This study demonstrated that IM or CLT synergistically inhibited cell growth in T47D as shown by combination and dose reduction indices. The combination of 15 μM IM and 20 μM CLT significantly decreased glucose consumption, activity of both PK and intracellular LDH, while increased leaked LDH, VEGF and NO in the medium compared to each drug alone. Furthermore the combination decreased gene expression of HK-2, PFK-1 and ATP content compared to the control. In conclusion, the synergistic effect of CLT on IM cytotoxicity in T47D cell line maybe mediated through inhibition of glycolysis and increasing both NO and VEGF. Further studies are required to confirm the efficiency and safety of this combination. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterization of applied fields for ion mobility in traveling wave based structures for lossless ion manipulations (SLIM)

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

Hamid, Ahmed M.; Prabhakaran Nair Syamala Amma, Aneesh; Garimella, Venkata BS

2018-03-21

Ion mobility (IM) is rapidly gaining attention for the analysis of biomolecules due to the ability to distinguish the shapes of ions. However, conventional constant electric field drift tube IM has limited resolving power, constrained by practical limitations on the path length and maximum applied voltage. The implementation of traveling waves (TW) in IM removes the latter limitation, allowing higher resolution to be achieved using extended path lengths. These can be readily obtainable in structures for lossless ion manipulations (SLIM), which are fabricated from electric fields that are generated by appropriate potentials applied to arrays of electrodes patterned on twomore » parallel surfaces. In this work we have investigated the relationship between the various SLIM variables, such as electrode dimensions, inter-surface gap, and the TW applied voltages, that directly impact the fields experienced by ions. Ion simulation and theoretical calculations have been utilized to understand the dependence of SLIM geometry and effective electric field. The variables explored impact both ion confinement and the observed IM resolution in Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations (SLIM) modules.« less

Characterization of applied fields for ion mobility separations in traveling wave based structures for lossless ion manipulations (SLIM)

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

Hamid, Ahmed M.; Prabhakaran, Aneesh; Garimella, Sandilya V. B.

Ion mobility (IM) is rapidly gaining attention for the analysis of biomolecules due to the ability to distinguish the shapes of ions. However, conventional constant electric field drift tube IM has limited resolving power, constrained by practical limitations on the path length and maximum applied voltage. The implementation of traveling waves (TW) in IM removes the latter limitation, allowing higher resolution to be achieved using extended path lengths. These can be readily obtainable in structures for lossless ion manipulations (SLIM), which are fabricated from electric fields that are generated by appropriate potentials applied to arrays of electrodes patterned on twomore » parallel surfaces. In this work we have investigated the relationship between the various SLIM variables, such as electrode dimensions, inter-surface gap, and the TW applied voltages, that directly impact the fields experienced by ions. Ion simulation and theoretical calculations have been utilized to understand the dependence of SLIM geometry and effective electric field. The variables explored impact both ion confinement and the observed IM resolution in Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations (SLIM) modules.« less

Volterra equalization of complex modulation utilizing frequency chirp in directly modulated lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Shaohua; Yi, Xingwen; Zhang, Jing; Song, Yang; Zhu, Mingyue; Qiu, Kun

2018-02-01

We apply Volterra-based equalization for complex modulated optical signals utilizing the frequency chirp in DMLs. We experimentally demonstrate that the higher order Volterra filter is necessary in the higher speed transmissions. For further study, we isolate the adiabatic chirp by injection locking and realize the optical PM transmission. We make a comparison among IM, FM and PM with Volterra equalization, finding that PM and FM are more power insensitive and suitable for high speed, power limited fiber transmission. The performance can be further improved by exploiting the diversity gain.

Reiter conducts EVA tool config in Node 1 / Unity module

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-11-16

ISS014-E-08055 (16 Nov. 2006) --- European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Thomas Reiter, Expedition 14 flight engineer, takes inventory of hardware during an Information Management System (IMS) update in the Unity node of the International Space Station.

Recurring sets of recurring starspot occultations on exoplanet host Qatar-2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Močnik, T.; Southworth, J.; Hellier, C.

2017-10-01

We announce the detection of recurring sets of recurring starspot occultation events in the short-cadence K2 light curve of Qatar-2, a K dwarf star transited every 1.34 d by a hot Jupiter. In total, we detect 34 individual starspot occultation events, caused by five different starspots, occulted in up to five consecutive transits or after a full stellar rotation. The longest recurring set of recurring starspot occultations spans over three stellar rotations, setting a lower limit for the longest starspot lifetime of 58 d. Starspot analysis provided a robust stellar rotational period measurement of 18.0 ± 0.2 d and indicates that the system is aligned, having a sky-projected obliquity of 0° ± 8°. A pronounced rotational modulation in the light curve has a period of 18.2 ± 1.6 d, in agreement with the rotational period derived from the starspot occultations. We tentatively detect an ellipsoidal modulation in the phase curve, with a semi-amplitude of 18 ppm, but cannot exclude the possibility that this is the result of red noise or imperfect removal of the rotational modulation. We detect no transit-timing and transit-duration variations with upper limits of 15 s and 1 min, respectively. We also reject any additional transiting planets with transit depths above 280 ppm in the orbital period region 0.5-30 d.

Optimal field-splitting algorithm in intensity-modulated radiotherapy: Evaluations using head-and-neck and female pelvic IMRT cases

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

Dou, Xin; Kim, Yusung, E-mail: yusung-kim@uiowa.edu; Bayouth, John E.

2013-04-01

To develop an optimal field-splitting algorithm of minimal complexity and verify the algorithm using head-and-neck (H and N) and female pelvic intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) cases. An optimal field-splitting algorithm was developed in which a large intensity map (IM) was split into multiple sub-IMs (≥2). The algorithm reduced the total complexity by minimizing the monitor units (MU) delivered and segment number of each sub-IM. The algorithm was verified through comparison studies with the algorithm as used in a commercial treatment planning system. Seven IMRT, H and N, and female pelvic cancer cases (54 IMs) were analyzed by MU, segment numbers, andmore » dose distributions. The optimal field-splitting algorithm was found to reduce both total MU and the total number of segments. We found on average a 7.9 ± 11.8% and 9.6 ± 18.2% reduction in MU and segment numbers for H and N IMRT cases with an 11.9 ± 17.4% and 11.1 ± 13.7% reduction for female pelvic cases. The overall percent (absolute) reduction in the numbers of MU and segments were found to be on average −9.7 ± 14.6% (−15 ± 25 MU) and −10.3 ± 16.3% (−3 ± 5), respectively. In addition, all dose distributions from the optimal field-splitting method showed improved dose distributions. The optimal field-splitting algorithm shows considerable improvements in both total MU and total segment number. The algorithm is expected to be beneficial for the radiotherapy treatment of large-field IMRT.« less

Stellar activity masquerading as planets in the habitable zone of the M dwarf Gliese 581

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robertson, Paul; Mahadevan, Suvrath; Endl, Michael; Roy, Arpita

2014-07-01

The M dwarf star Gliese 581 is believed to host four planets, including one (GJ 581d) near the habitable zone that could possibly support liquid water on its surface if it is a rocky planet. The detection of another habitable-zone planet—GJ 581g—is disputed, as its significance depends on the eccentricity assumed for d. Analyzing stellar activity using the Hα line, we measure a stellar rotation period of 130 ± 2 days and a correlation for Hα modulation with radial velocity. Correcting for activity greatly diminishes the signal of GJ 581d (to 1.5 standard deviations) while significantly boosting the signals of the other known super-Earth planets. GJ 581d does not exist, but is an artifact of stellar activity which, when incompletely corrected, causes the false detection of planet g.

Exoplanet detection. Stellar activity masquerading as planets in the habitable zone of the M dwarf Gliese 581.

PubMed

Robertson, Paul; Mahadevan, Suvrath; Endl, Michael; Roy, Arpita

2014-07-25

The M dwarf star Gliese 581 is believed to host four planets, including one (GJ 581d) near the habitable zone that could possibly support liquid water on its surface if it is a rocky planet. The detection of another habitable-zone planet--GJ 581g--is disputed, as its significance depends on the eccentricity assumed for d. Analyzing stellar activity using the Hα line, we measure a stellar rotation period of 130 ± 2 days and a correlation for Hα modulation with radial velocity. Correcting for activity greatly diminishes the signal of GJ 581d (to 1.5 standard deviations) while significantly boosting the signals of the other known super-Earth planets. GJ 581d does not exist, but is an artifact of stellar activity which, when incompletely corrected, causes the false detection of planet g. Copyright © 2014, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Achievable Strength-Based Signal Detection in Quantity-Constrained PAM OOK Concentration-Encoded Molecular Communication.

PubMed

Mahfuz, Mohammad Upal

2016-10-01

In this paper, the expressions of achievable strength-based detection probabilities of concentration-encoded molecular communication (CEMC) system have been derived based on finite pulsewidth (FP) pulse-amplitude modulated (PAM) on-off keying (OOK) modulation scheme and strength threshold. An FP-PAM system is characterized by its duty cycle α that indicates the fraction of the entire symbol duration the transmitter remains on and transmits the signal. Results show that the detection performance of an FP-PAM OOK CEMC system significantly depends on the statistical distribution parameters of diffusion-based propagation noise and intersymbol interference (ISI). Analytical detection performance of an FP-PAM OOK CEMC system under ISI scenario has been explained and compared based on receiver operating characteristics (ROC) for impulse (i.e., spike)-modulated (IM) and FP-PAM CEMC schemes. It is shown that the effects of diffusion noise and ISI on ROC can be explained separately based on their communication range-dependent statistics. With full duty cycle, an FP-PAM scheme provides significantly worse performance than an IM scheme. The paper also analyzes the performance of the system when duty cycle, transmission data rate, and quantity of molecules vary.

Dosimetric planning study for the prevention of anal complications after post-operative whole pelvic radiotherapy in cervical cancer patients with hemorrhoids

PubMed Central

Baek, J G; Kim, E C; Kim, S K

2015-01-01

Objective: Radiation-induced anal toxicity can be induced by low radiation doses in patients with haemorrhoids. The object of this study was to determine the dosimetric benefits of different whole pelvic radiotherapy (WPRT) techniques in terms of dose delivered to the anal canal in post-operative patients with cervical cancer. Methods: The planning CT images of 10 patients with cervical cancer undergoing postoperative radiotherapy were used for comparison of three different plans. All patients had been treated using the conventional box technique WPRT (CV-WPRT), and we tried low-margin-modified WPRT (LM-WPRT), three-dimensional conformal techniques WPRT (CF-WPRT) and intensity-modulated WPRT (IM-WPRT) planning for dosimetric comparison of the anal canal, retrospectively. Results: Mean anal canal doses of the IM-WPRT were significantly lower (p < 0.05) than those of CV-WPRT, LM-WPRT and CF-WPRT, and V10, V20, V30 and V40 to the anal canal were also significantly lower for IM-WPRT (p < 0.05). The proportion of planning target volumes (PTVs) that received ≥98% of the prescribed dose for all plans was >99%, and the proportion that received ≥108% of the prescribed dose for IM-WPRT was <2%. Volumes of bladders and rectums that received ≥30 or ≥40 Gy were significantly lower for IM-WPRT than for three of the four-field WPRT plans (p = 0.000). Conclusion: IM-WPRT can significantly reduce radiation dose delivered to the anal canal and does not compromise PTV coverage. In patients with haemorrhoids, IM-WPRT may be of value for the prevention of anal complications. Advances in knowledge: Although tolerance of the anal canal tends to be ignored in patients undergoing post-operative WPRT, patients with haemorrhoids may suffer complications at low radiation doses. The present study shows IM-WPRT can be meaningful in these patients. PMID:26395671

Dosimetric planning study for the prevention of anal complications after post-operative whole pelvic radiotherapy in cervical cancer patients with hemorrhoids.

PubMed

Baek, J G; Kim, E C; Kim, S K; Jang, H

2015-01-01

Radiation-induced anal toxicity can be induced by low radiation doses in patients with haemorrhoids. The object of this study was to determine the dosimetric benefits of different whole pelvic radiotherapy (WPRT) techniques in terms of dose delivered to the anal canal in post-operative patients with cervical cancer. The planning CT images of 10 patients with cervical cancer undergoing postoperative radiotherapy were used for comparison of three different plans. All patients had been treated using the conventional box technique WPRT (CV-WPRT), and we tried low-margin-modified WPRT (LM-WPRT), three-dimensional conformal techniques WPRT (CF-WPRT) and intensity-modulated WPRT (IM-WPRT) planning for dosimetric comparison of the anal canal, retrospectively. Mean anal canal doses of the IM-WPRT were significantly lower (p < 0.05) than those of CV-WPRT, LM-WPRT and CF-WPRT, and V10, V20, V30 and V40 to the anal canal were also significantly lower for IM-WPRT (p < 0.05). The proportion of planning target volumes (PTVs) that received ≥98% of the prescribed dose for all plans was >99%, and the proportion that received ≥108% of the prescribed dose for IM-WPRT was <2%. Volumes of bladders and rectums that received ≥30 or ≥40 Gy were significantly lower for IM-WPRT than for three of the four-field WPRT plans (p = 0.000). IM-WPRT can significantly reduce radiation dose delivered to the anal canal and does not compromise PTV coverage. In patients with haemorrhoids, IM-WPRT may be of value for the prevention of anal complications. Although tolerance of the anal canal tends to be ignored in patients undergoing post-operative WPRT, patients with haemorrhoids may suffer complications at low radiation doses. The present study shows IM-WPRT can be meaningful in these patients.

Noguchi uses BMMD in SM

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-05-26

ISS023-E-052104 (26 May 2010) --- Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Soichi Noguchi, Expedition 23 flight engineer, uses the IM mass measurement device to perform the PZEh-MO-8/Body Mass Measurement Russian biomedical routine assessments in the Zvezda Service Module of the International Space Station.

imDEV: a graphical user interface to R multivariate analysis tools in Microsoft Excel

PubMed Central

Grapov, Dmitry; Newman, John W.

2012-01-01

Summary: Interactive modules for Data Exploration and Visualization (imDEV) is a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet embedded application providing an integrated environment for the analysis of omics data through a user-friendly interface. Individual modules enables interactive and dynamic analyses of large data by interfacing R's multivariate statistics and highly customizable visualizations with the spreadsheet environment, aiding robust inferences and generating information-rich data visualizations. This tool provides access to multiple comparisons with false discovery correction, hierarchical clustering, principal and independent component analyses, partial least squares regression and discriminant analysis, through an intuitive interface for creating high-quality two- and a three-dimensional visualizations including scatter plot matrices, distribution plots, dendrograms, heat maps, biplots, trellis biplots and correlation networks. Availability and implementation: Freely available for download at http://sourceforge.net/projects/imdev/. Implemented in R and VBA and supported by Microsoft Excel (2003, 2007 and 2010). Contact: John.Newman@ars.usda.gov Supplementary Information: Installation instructions, tutorials and users manual are available at http://sourceforge.net/projects/imdev/. PMID:22815358

Electronic polarization-division demultiplexing based on digital signal processing in intensity-modulation direct-detection optical communication systems.

PubMed

Kikuchi, Kazuro

2014-01-27

We propose a novel configuration of optical receivers for intensity-modulation direct-detection (IM · DD) systems, which can cope with dual-polarization (DP) optical signals electrically. Using a Stokes analyzer and a newly-developed digital signal-processing (DSP) algorithm, we can achieve polarization tracking and demultiplexing in the digital domain after direct detection. Simulation results show that the power penalty stemming from digital polarization manipulations is negligibly small.

Multiband phase-modulated radio over IsOWC link with balanced coherent homodyne detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zong, Kang; Zhu, Jiang

2017-11-01

In this paper, we present a multiband phase-modulated radio over intersatellite optical wireless communication (IsOWC) link with balanced coherent homodyne detection. The proposed system can provide high linearity for transparent transport of multiband radio frequency (RF) signals and better receiver sensitivity than intensity modulated with direct detection (IM/DD) system. The exact analytical expression of signal to noise and distortion ratio (SNDR) is derived considering the third-order intermodulation product and amplifier spontaneous emission (ASE) noise. Numerical results of SNDR with various number of subchannels and modulation index are given. Results indicate that the optimal modulation index exists to maximize the SNDR. With the same system parameters, the value of the optimal modulation index will decrease with the increase of number of subchannels.

The polarimeters for HARPS and X-shooter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Snik, F.; Harpspol Team; X-Shooter-Pol Team

2013-01-01

Spectropolarimetry enables observations of stellar magnetic fields and circumstellar asymmetries, e.g. in disks and supernova explosions. To furnish better diagnostics of such stellar physics, we designed and commissioned a polarimetric unit at the successful HARPS spectrograph at ESO's 3.6-m telescope at La Silla. We present the design and performance of HARPSpol, and show some first science results. The most striking achievement of HARPSpol is its capability to measure stellar magnetic fields as small as 0.1 G. Finally, we give a sneak preview of the polarimeter we are currently designing for X-shooter at the VLT. It contains a novel type of polarimetric modulator that is able to efficiently measure all the Stokes parameters over the huge wavelength range of 300-2500 nm.

Inferring probabilistic stellar rotation periods using Gaussian processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Angus, Ruth; Morton, Timothy; Aigrain, Suzanne; Foreman-Mackey, Daniel; Rajpaul, Vinesh

2018-02-01

Variability in the light curves of spotted, rotating stars is often non-sinusoidal and quasi-periodic - spots move on the stellar surface and have finite lifetimes, causing stellar flux variations to slowly shift in phase. A strictly periodic sinusoid therefore cannot accurately model a rotationally modulated stellar light curve. Physical models of stellar surfaces have many drawbacks preventing effective inference, such as highly degenerate or high-dimensional parameter spaces. In this work, we test an appropriate effective model: a Gaussian Process with a quasi-periodic covariance kernel function. This highly flexible model allows sampling of the posterior probability density function of the periodic parameter, marginalizing over the other kernel hyperparameters using a Markov Chain Monte Carlo approach. To test the effectiveness of this method, we infer rotation periods from 333 simulated stellar light curves, demonstrating that the Gaussian process method produces periods that are more accurate than both a sine-fitting periodogram and an autocorrelation function method. We also demonstrate that it works well on real data, by inferring rotation periods for 275 Kepler stars with previously measured periods. We provide a table of rotation periods for these and many more, altogether 1102 Kepler objects of interest, and their posterior probability density function samples. Because this method delivers posterior probability density functions, it will enable hierarchical studies involving stellar rotation, particularly those involving population modelling, such as inferring stellar ages, obliquities in exoplanet systems, or characterizing star-planet interactions. The code used to implement this method is available online.

Electrocardiogram‐gated coronary CT angiography dose estimates using ImPACT

PubMed Central

Asada, Yasuki; Matsubara, Kosuke; Suzuki, Shouichi; Koshida, Kichiro; Matsunaga, Yuta; Haba, Tomonobu; Kawaguchi, Ai; Toyama, Hiroshi; Kato, Ryoichi

2016-01-01

The primary study objective was to assess radiation doses using a modified form of the Imaging Performance Assessment of Computed Tomography (CT) scanner (ImPACT) patient dosimetry for cardiac applications on an Aquilion ONE ViSION Edition scanner, including the Ca score, target computed tomography angiography (CTA), prospective CTA, continuous CTA/cardiac function analysis (CFA), and CTA/CFA modulation. Accordingly, we clarified the CT dose index (CTDI) to determine the relationship between heart rate (HR) and X‐ray exposure. As a secondary objective, we compared radiation doses using modified ImPACT, a whole‐body dosimetry phantom study, and the k‐factor method to verify the validity of the dose results obtained with modified ImPACT. The effective dose determined for the reference person (4.66 mSv at 60 beats per minute (bpm) and 33.43 mSv at 90 bpm) were approximately 10% less than those determined for the phantom study (5.28 mSv and 36.68 mSv). The effective doses according to the k‐factor (0.014 mSv·mGy−1·cm−1; 2.57 mSv and 17.10 mSv) were significantly lower than those obtained with the other two methods. In the present study, we have shown that ImPACT, when modified for cardiac applications, can assess both absorbed and effective doses. The results of our dose comparison indicate that modified ImPACT dose assessment is a promising and practical method for evaluating coronary CTA. PACS number(s): 87.57.Q‐, 87.59.Dj, 87.57.uq PMID:27455500

Epstein-Barr virus BZLF1 gene promoter variants in pediatric patients with acute infectious mononucleosis: its comparison with pediatric lymphomas.

PubMed

Lorenzetti, Mario Alejandro; Gutiérrez, Marina Inés; Altcheh, Jaime; Moscatelli, Guillermo; Moroni, Samanta; Chabay, Paola Andrea; Preciado, María Victoria

2009-11-01

Epstein-Barr virus genotypes can be distinguished by polymorphic variations in the genes encoding EBNA2, 3A, 3B, and 3C. The immediate early gene BZLF1 plays a key role in modulating the switch from latency to lytic replication and therefore enabling viral propagation. The aim of this study was to investigate and compare BZLF1 promoter sequence (Zp) variation in pediatric infectious mononucleosis (IM) and in pediatric EBV positive lymphoma biopsies. Zp was sequenced from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and throat swabs from 10 patients with IM at the time of diagnosis (D0) and during convalescence; and from 13 lymphoma biopsies. Zp - P and Zp - V3 variants were found in eight and one IM patients, as well as in five and six tumor biopsies, respectively. A correlation between viral genotype and Zp variant was found significant for Zp - V3 and EBV2 (P = 0.0002). One IM patient harbored two concomitant Zp variants. Regardless of anatomical compartment or stage of disease all IM patients displayed the same Zp variant along the course of the study. No new infections or adaptative selection of different variants was evidenced. A new Zp variant (Zp - V3 + 49) was described in two Hodgkin lymphomas, but not in IM. This is the first study to describe Zp variants compartmentalization in children with acute EBV infection and convalescence in a developing country; and comparing them with Zp variants in pediatric lymphomas from the same geographic area.

Epigenetic Mechanisms of Integrative Medicine

PubMed Central

Kanherkar, Riya R.; Stair, Susan E.; Bhatia-Dey, Naina; Mills, Paul J.; Chopra, Deepak

2017-01-01

Since time immemorial humans have utilized natural products and therapies for their healing properties. Even now, in the age of genomics and on the cusp of regenerative medicine, the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) approaches represents a popular branch of health care. Furthermore, there is a trend towards a unified medical philosophy referred to as Integrative Medicine (IM) that represents the convergence of CAM and conventional medicine. The IM model not only considers the holistic perspective of the physiological components of the individual, but also includes psychological and mind-body aspects. Justification for and validation of such a whole-systems approach is in part dependent upon identification of the functional pathways governing healing, and new data is revealing relationships between therapies and biochemical effects that have long defied explanation. We review this data and propose a unifying theme: IM's ability to affect healing is due at least in part to epigenetic mechanisms. This hypothesis is based on a mounting body of evidence that demonstrates a correlation between the physical and mental effects of IM and modulation of gene expression and epigenetic state. Emphasis on mapping, deciphering, and optimizing these effects will facilitate therapeutic delivery and create further benefits. PMID:28316635

Examining postconcussion symptoms of dizziness and imbalance on neurocognitive performance in collegiate football players.

PubMed

Honaker, Julie A; Lester, Houston F; Patterson, Jessie N; Jones, Sherri M

2014-07-01

This study examined the effects of symptom reports of dizziness and imbalance on cognitive function in concussed collegiate football players. Retrospective, descriptive. University athletic medicine facility. Twenty-seven collegiate football players were included in the final analysis: 16 with symptoms of dizziness/imbalance resulting from concussion and 11 without dizziness/imbalance resulting from concussion. Participants completed the Immediate Postconcussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) at baseline, at 1 to 2 days postconcussion and 5 to 7 days postconcussion. The ImPACT neurocognitive assessment consists of 6 modules, yielding 4 composite scores: verbal memory, visual memory, visual-motor processing speed, and reaction time. In addition, it includes a postconcussion symptom scale total score. Results revealed that participants with reports of dizziness and imbalance had significantly lower scores on the ImPACT composite scores; however, these individuals also had an overall higher symptom inventory. When accounting for the additional postconcussion symptoms, time was the only significant effect. Dizziness and imbalance are common symptoms postconcussion; however, these symptoms did not predict performance on acute ImPACT scores. Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms causing postconcussion symptoms, including symptoms of dizziness and imbalance, and influence on outcomes postconcussion.

MagAl: A new tool to analyse galaxies photometric data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schoenell, W.; Benítez, N.; Cid Fernandes, R.

2014-10-01

On galaxy spectra, one can find mainly two features: emission lines, which tell us about the ionised gas content, and the continuum plus absorption lines, which tell us about the stellar content. They thus allow us to derive gas-phase abundances, the main radiation sources, chemical enrichment and star formation histories. Braad-band photometry, on the other hand, is much more limited and hinders our ability to recover a galaxy's physical properties to such a degree of detail. However, with the recent development of redshift surveys using the technology of ultra-narrow filters (≍ 100 Å), such as ALHAMBRA, J-PAS and DES, it will be invaluable to be able to retrieve information on physical properties of galaxies from photometric data. Motivated by this data avalanche (which goes up to the petabyte scale), we decided to build our own SED-fitting code: Magnitudes Analyser (MagAl), which has three modules. 1) A template library generation module: generates empirical and theoretical template libraries. 2) Bayesian fitting module: calculates probability distribution functions (PDFs) for given observed and library template data. This is similar to the method to measure photometric redshifts by Benitez (2000). 3) A result-analyser module: streamlines data analysis from the large output PDFs files. A fourth module to manage 3D data is being developed and a few preliminary tests are also shown. To investigate the reliability of results obtained by MagAl, we have created a mock galaxy sample for the ALHAMBRA survey filter system (http://alhambrasurvey.com) and tried to recover their physical properties. We show that for our sample of simulated galaxies we can measure stellar ages, metallicities and extinctions with a precision of less than 0.3 dex. Also, we apply the code to the ALHAMBRA survey catalog and show that we can measure stellar masses with an accuracy of 0.2 dex when comparing to previous results like COSMOS masses measured by Bundy et al. (2006).

Parallel momentum input by tangential neutral beam injections in stellarator and heliotron plasmas

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

Nishimura, S., E-mail: nishimura.shin@lhd.nifs.ac.jp; Nakamura, Y.; Nishioka, K.

The configuration dependence of parallel momentum inputs to target plasma particle species by tangentially injected neutral beams is investigated in non-axisymmetric stellarator/heliotron model magnetic fields by assuming the existence of magnetic flux-surfaces. In parallel friction integrals of the full Rosenbluth-MacDonald-Judd collision operator in thermal particles' kinetic equations, numerically obtained eigenfunctions are used for excluding trapped fast ions that cannot contribute to the friction integrals. It is found that the momentum inputs to thermal ions strongly depend on magnetic field strength modulations on the flux-surfaces, while the input to electrons is insensitive to the modulation. In future plasma flow studies requiringmore » flow calculations of all particle species in more general non-symmetric toroidal configurations, the eigenfunction method investigated here will be useful.« less

REVIEWS OF TOPICAL PROBLEMS: Coronal magnetic loops

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaitsev, Valerii V.; Stepanov, Alexander V.

2008-11-01

The goal of this review is to outline some new ideas in the physics of coronal magnetic loops, the fundamental structural elements of the atmospheres of the Sun and flaring stars, which are involved in phenomena such as stellar coronal heating, flare energy release, charged particle acceleration, and the modulation of optical, radio, and X-ray emissions. The Alfvén-Carlqvist view of a coronal loop as an equivalent electric circuit allows a good physical understanding of loop processes. Describing coronal loops as MHD-resonators explains various ways in which flaring emissions from the Sun and stars are modulated, whereas modeling them by magnetic mirror traps allows one to describe the dynamics and emission of high-energy particles. Based on these approaches, loop plasma and fast particle parameters are obtained and models for flare energy release and stellar corona heating are developed.

Status and future of MUSE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harfst, S.; Portegies Zwart, S.; McMillan, S.

2008-12-01

We present MUSE, a software framework for combining existing computational tools from different astrophysical domains into a single multi-physics, multi-scale application. MUSE facilitates the coupling of existing codes written in different languages by providing inter-language tools and by specifying an interface between each module and the framework that represents a balance between generality and computational efficiency. This approach allows scientists to use combinations of codes to solve highly-coupled problems without the need to write new codes for other domains or significantly alter their existing codes. MUSE currently incorporates the domains of stellar dynamics, stellar evolution and stellar hydrodynamics for studying generalized stellar systems. We have now reached a ``Noah's Ark'' milestone, with (at least) two available numerical solvers for each domain. MUSE can treat multi-scale and multi-physics systems in which the time- and size-scales are well separated, like simulating the evolution of planetary systems, small stellar associations, dense stellar clusters, galaxies and galactic nuclei. In this paper we describe two examples calculated using MUSE: the merger of two galaxies and an N-body simulation with live stellar evolution. In addition, we demonstrate an implementation of MUSE on a distributed computer which may also include special-purpose hardware, such as GRAPEs or GPUs, to accelerate computations. The current MUSE code base is publicly available as open source at http://muse.li.

View of FE Stott using the BMMD in the SM

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-10-12

ISS021-E-014503 (12 Oct. 2009) --- NASA astronaut Nicole Stott, Expedition 21 flight engineer, uses the IM mass measurement device to perform the PZEh-MO-8/Body Mass Measurement Russian biomedical routine assessments in the Zvezda Service Module of the International Space Station.

PZEh-MO-8/Body Mass Measurement

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-06-30

ISS020-E-015853 (30 June 2009) --- Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Koichi Wakata, Expedition 20 flight engineer, uses the IM mass measurement device to perform the PZEh-MO-8/Body Mass Measurement Russian biomedical routine assessments in the Zvezda Service Module of the International Space Station.

RUBIDIUM ABUNDANCES IN THE GLOBULAR CLUSTERS NGC 6752, NGC 1904, AND NGC 104 (47 Tuc)

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

D'Orazi, Valentina; Lugaro, Maria; Campbell, Simon W.

2013-10-10

Large star-to-star variations of the abundances of proton-capture elements, such as Na and O, in globular clusters (GCs) are interpreted as the effect of internal pollution resulting from the presence of multiple stellar populations. To better constrain this scenario, we investigate the abundance distribution of the heavy element rubidium (Rb) in NGC 6752, NGC 1904, and NGC 104 (47 Tuc). Combining the results from our sample with those in the literature, we found that Rb exhibits no star-to-star variations, regardless of cluster metallicity, with the possible intriguing, although very uncertain, exception of the metal-rich bulge cluster NGC 6388. If nomore » star-to-star variations can be confirmed for all GCs, this finding implies that the stellar source of the proton-capture element variations must not have produced significant amounts of Rb. This element is observed to be enhanced at extremely high levels in intermediate-mass asymptotic giant branch (IM-AGB) stars in the Magellanic Clouds (i.e., at a metallicity similar to 47 Tuc and NGC 6388). This fact may present a challenge to this popular candidate polluter, unless the mass range of the observed IM-AGB stars does not participate in the formation of the second-generation stars in GCs. A number of possible solutions are available to resolve this conundrum, including the fact that the Magellanic Cloud observations are very uncertain and may need to be revised. The fast rotating massive stars scenario would not face this potential problem as the slow mechanical winds of these stars during their main-sequence phase do not carry any Rb enhancements; however, these candidates face even bigger issues such as the production of Li and the close overlap with core-collapse supernova timescales. Observations of Sr, Rb, and Zr in metal-rich clusters such as NGC 6388 and NGC 6441 are sorely needed to clarify the situation.« less

A Comparison of Potential IM-CW Lidar Modulation Techniques for ASCENDS CO2 Column Measurements From Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Campbell, Joel F.; Lin, Bing; Nehrir, Amin R.; Harrison, F. Wallace; Obland, Michael D.; Ismail, Syed

2014-01-01

Global atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) measurements through the Active Sensing of CO2 Emissions over Nights, Days, and Seasons (ASCENDS) Decadal Survey recommended space mission are critical for improving our understanding of CO2 sources and sinks. IM-CW (Intensity Modulated Continuous Wave) lidar techniques are investigated as a means of facilitating CO2 measurements from space to meet the ASCENDS science requirements. In previous laboratory and flight experiments we have successfully used linear swept frequency modulation to discriminate surface lidar returns from intermediate aerosol and cloud contamination. Furthermore, high accuracy and precision ranging to the surface as well as to the top of intermediate clouds, which is a requirement for the inversion of the CO2 column-mixing ratio from the instrument optical depth measurements, has been demonstrated with the linear swept frequency modulation technique. We are concurrently investigating advanced techniques to help improve the auto-correlation properties of the transmitted waveform implemented through physical hardware to make cloud rejection more robust in special restricted scenarios. Several different carrier based modulation techniques are compared including orthogonal linear swept, orthogonal non-linear swept, and Binary Phase Shift Keying (BPSK). Techniques are investigated that reduce or eliminate sidelobes. These techniques have excellent auto-correlation properties while possessing a finite bandwidth (by way of a new cyclic digital filter), which will reduce bias error in the presence of multiple scatterers. Our analyses show that the studied modulation techniques can increase the accuracy of CO2 column measurements from space. A comparison of various properties such as signal to noise ratio (SNR) and time-bandwidth product are discussed.

Cyclic GMP signaling in cardiomyocytes modulates fatty acid trafficking and prevents triglyceride accumulation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

While the balance between carbohydrates and fatty acids for energy production appears to be crucial for cardiac homeostasis, much remains to be learned about the molecular mechanisms underlying this relationship. Given the reported benefits of cGMP signaling on the myocardium, we investigated the im...

Wavelength-modulation-spectroscopy for real-time, in situ NO detection in combustion gases with a 5.2 μm quantum-cascade laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chao, X.; Jeffries, J. B.; Hanson, R. K.

2012-03-01

A mid-infrared absorption strategy with calibration-free wavelength-modulation-spectroscopy (WMS) has been developed and demonstrated for real-time, in situ detection of nitric oxide in particulate-laden combustion-exhaust gases up to temperatures of 700 K. An external-cavity quantum-cascade laser (ECQCL) near 5.2 μm accessed the fundamental absorption band of NO, and a wavelength-scanned, 1 f-normalized WMS with second-harmonic detection (WMS-2 f/1 f) strategy was developed. Due to the external-cavity laser architecture, large nonlinear intensity modulation (IM) was observed when the wavelength was modulated by injection-current modulation, and the IM indices were also found to be strongly wavelength-dependent as the center wavelength was scanned with piezoelectric tuning of the cavity. A quantitative model of the 1 f-normalized WMS-2 f signal was developed and validated under laboratory conditions. A sensor was subsequently designed, built and demonstrated for real-time, in situ measurements of NO across a 3 m path in the particulate-laden exhaust of a pulverized-coal-fired power plant boiler. The 1 f-normalized WMS-2 f method proved to have better noise immunity for non-absorption transmission, than wavelength-scanned direct absorption. A 0.3 ppm-m detection limit was estimated using the R15.5 transition near 1927 cm-1 with 1 s averaging. Mid-infrared QCL-based NO absorption with 1 f-normalized WMS-2 f detection shows excellent promise for practical sensing in the combustion exhaust.

Polarization-interleave-multiplexed discrete multi-tone modulation with direct detection utilizing MIMO equalization.

PubMed

Zhou, Xian; Zhong, Kangping; Gao, Yuliang; Sui, Qi; Dong, Zhenghua; Yuan, Jinhui; Wang, Liang; Long, Keping; Lau, Alan Pak Tao; Lu, Chao

2015-04-06

Discrete multi-tone (DMT) modulation is an attractive modulation format for short-reach applications to achieve the best use of available channel bandwidth and signal noise ratio (SNR). In order to realize polarization-multiplexed DMT modulation with direct detection, we derive an analytical transmission model for dual polarizations with intensity modulation and direct diction (IM-DD) in this paper. Based on the model, we propose a novel polarization-interleave-multiplexed DMT modulation with direct diction (PIM-DMT-DD) transmission system, where the polarization de-multiplexing can be achieved by using a simple multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) equalizer and the transmission performance is optimized over two distinct received polarization states to eliminate the singularity issue of MIMO demultiplexing algorithms. The feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed PIM-DMT-DD system are investigated via theoretical analyses and simulation studies.

Simplified demultiplexing scheme for two PDM-IM/DD systems utilizing a single Stokes analyzer over 25-km SMF.

PubMed

Pan, Yan; Yan, Lianshan; Yi, Anlin; Jiang, Lin; Pan, Wei; Luo, Bin; Zou, Xihua

2017-10-15

We propose a four-linear state of polarization multiplexed intensity modulation and direct detection (IM/DD) scheme based on two orthogonal polarization division multiplexing (PDM) on-off keying systems. We also experimentally demonstrate a simple demultiplexing algorithm for this scheme by utilizing only a single Stokes analyzer. At the rate of 4×10  Gbit/s, the experimental results show that the power penalty of the proposed scheme is about 1.5 dB, compared to the single PDM-IM/DD for back-to-back (B2B) transmission. Compared to B2B, just about 1.7 dB power penalty is required after 25 km Corning LEAF optical fiber transmission. Meanwhile, the performance of the polarization tracking is evaluated, and the results show that the BER fluctuation is less than 0.5 dB with a polarization scrambling rate up to 708.75 deg/s.

Modeling of Millimeter-Wave Modulation Characteristics of Semiconductor Lasers under Strong Optical Feedback

PubMed Central

Bakry, Ahmed

2014-01-01

This paper presents modeling and simulation on the characteristics of semiconductor laser modulated within a strong optical feedback (OFB-)induced photon-photon resonance over a passband of millimeter (mm) frequencies. Continuous wave (CW) operation of the laser under strong OFB is required to achieve the photon-photon resonance in the mm-wave band. The simulated time-domain characteristics of modulation include the waveforms of the intensity and frequency chirp as well as the associated distortions of the modulated mm-wave signal. The frequency domain characteristics include the intensity modulation (IM) and frequency modulation (FM) responses in addition to the associated relative intensity noise (RIN). The signal characteristics under modulations with both single and two mm-frequencies are considered. The harmonic distortion and the third order intermodulation distortion (IMD3) are examined and the spurious free dynamic range (SFDR) is calculated. PMID:25383381

Radiation-induced immunogenic modulation of tumor enhances antigen processing and calreticulin exposure, resulting in enhanced T-cell killing

PubMed Central

Gameiro, Sofia R.; Jammed, Momodou L.; Wattenberg, Max M.; Tsang, Kwong Y.; Ferrone, Soldano; Hodge, James W.

2014-01-01

Radiation therapy (RT) is used for local tumor control through direct killing of tumor cells. Radiation-induced cell death can trigger tumor antigen-specific immune responses, but these are often noncurative. Radiation has been demonstrated to induce immunogenic modulation (IM) in various tumor types by altering the biology of surviving cells to render them more susceptible to T cell-mediated killing. Little is known about the mechanism(s) underlying IM elicited by sub-lethal radiation dosing. We have examined the molecular and immunogenic consequences of radiation exposure in breast, lung, and prostate human carcinoma cells. Radiation induced secretion of ATP and HMGB1 in both dying and surviving tumor cells. In vitro and in vivo tumor irradiation induced significant upregulation of multiple components of the antigen-processing machinery and calreticulin cell-surface expression. Augmented CTL lysis specific for several tumor-associated antigens was largely dictated by the presence of calreticulin on the surface of tumor cells and constituted an adaptive response to endoplasmic reticulum stress, mediated by activation of the unfolded protein response. This study provides evidence that radiation induces a continuum of immunogenic alterations in tumor biology, from immunogenic modulation to immunogenic cell death. We also expand the concept of immunogenic modulation, where surviving tumor cells recovering from radiation-induced endoplasmic reticulum stress become more sensitive to CTL killing. These observations offer a rationale for the combined use of radiation with immunotherapy, including for patients failing RT alone. PMID:24480782

Mesa Isochrones and Stellar Tracks (MIST). I. Solar-scaled Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Jieun; Dotter, Aaron; Conroy, Charlie; Cantiello, Matteo; Paxton, Bill; Johnson, Benjamin D.

2016-06-01

This is the first of a series of papers presenting the Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA) Isochrones and Stellar Tracks (MIST) project, a new comprehensive set of stellar evolutionary tracks and isochrones computed using MESA, a state-of-the-art open-source 1D stellar evolution package. In this work, we present models with solar-scaled abundance ratios covering a wide range of ages (5≤slant {log}({Age}) [{year}]≤slant 10.3), masses (0.1≤slant M/{M}⊙ ≤slant 300), and metallicities (-2.0≤slant [{{Z}}/{{H}}]≤slant 0.5). The models are self-consistently and continuously evolved from the pre-main sequence (PMS) to the end of hydrogen burning, the white dwarf cooling sequence, or the end of carbon burning, depending on the initial mass. We also provide a grid of models evolved from the PMS to the end of core helium burning for -4.0≤slant [{{Z}}/{{H}}]\\lt -2.0. We showcase extensive comparisons with observational constraints as well as with some of the most widely used existing models in the literature. The evolutionary tracks and isochrones can be downloaded from the project website at http://waps.cfa.harvard.edu/MIST/.

AirNow Information Management System - Global Earth Observation System of Systems Data Processor for Real-Time Air Quality Data Products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haderman, M.; Dye, T. S.; White, J. E.; Dickerson, P.; Pasch, A. N.; Miller, D. S.; Chan, A. C.

2012-12-01

Built upon the success of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) AirNow program (www.AirNow.gov), the AirNow-International (AirNow-I) system contains an enhanced suite of software programs that process and quality control real-time air quality and environmental data and distribute customized maps, files, and data feeds. The goals of the AirNow-I program are similar to those of the successful U.S. program and include fostering the exchange of environmental data; making advances in air quality knowledge and applications; and building a community of people, organizations, and decision makers in environmental management. In 2010, Shanghai became the first city in China to run this state-of-the-art air quality data management and notification system. AirNow-I consists of a suite of modules (software programs and schedulers) centered on a database. One such module is the Information Management System (IMS), which can automatically produce maps and other data products through the use of GIS software to provide the most current air quality information to the public. Developed with Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) interoperability in mind, IMS is based on non-proprietary standards, with preference to formal international standards. The system depends on data and information providers accepting and implementing a set of interoperability arrangements, including technical specifications for collecting, processing, storing, and disseminating shared data, metadata, and products. In particular, the specifications include standards for service-oriented architecture and web-based interfaces, such as a web mapping service (WMS), web coverage service (WCS), web feature service (WFS), sensor web services, and Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds. IMS is flexible, open, redundant, and modular. It also allows the merging of data grids to create complex grids that show comprehensive air quality conditions. For example, the AirNow Satellite Data Processor (ASDP) was recently developed to merge PM2.5 estimates from National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) satellite data and AirNow observational data, creating more precise maps and gridded data products for under-monitored areas. The ASDP can easily incorporate other data feeds, including fire and smoke locations, to build enhanced real-time air quality data products. In this presentation, we provide an overview of the features and functions of IMS, an explanation of how data moves through IMS, the rationale of the system architecture, and highlights of the ASDP as an example of the modularity and scalability of IMS.

Trans-generational Effects of Early Life Stress: The Role of Maternal Behavior

PubMed Central

Schmauss, Claudia; Lee-McDermott, Zoe; Medina, Liorimar Ramos

2014-01-01

Using a rodent paradigm of early life stress, infant maternal separation (IMS), we examined whether IMS-triggered behavioral and epigenetic phenotypes of the stress-susceptible mouse strain Balb/c are propagated across generations. These phenotypes include impaired emotional behavior and deficits in executive cognitive functions in adulthood, and they are associated with increased acetylation of histone H4K12 protein (acH4K12) in the forebrain neocortex. These behavioral and epigenetic phenotypes are transmitted to the first progeny of IMS Balb/c mothers, but not fathers, and cross-fostering experiments revealed that this transmission is triggered by maternal behavior and modulated by the genetic background of the pups. In the continued absence of the original stressor, this transmission fades in later progenies. An adolescent treatment that lowers the levels of acH4K12 in IMS Balb/c mice augments their emotional abnormality but abolishes their cognitive deficits. Conversely, a treatment that further elevates the levels of acH4K12 improved the emotional phenotype but had no effects on the cognitive deficits. Moreover, treatments that prevent the emergence of either emotional or cognitive deficits in the mother also prevent the establishment of such deficits in her offspring, indicating that trans-generational effects of early life stress can be prevented. PMID:24786242

A poly(glycerol sebacate) based photo/thermo dual curable biodegradable and biocompatible polymer for biomedical applications.

PubMed

Wang, Min; Lei, Dong; Liu, Zenghe; Chen, Shuo; Sun, Lijie; Lv, Ziying; Huang, Peng; Jiang, Zhongxing; You, Zhengwei

2017-10-01

Due to its biomimetic mechanical properties to soft tissues, excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability, poly (glycerol sebacate) (PGS) has emerged as a representative bioelastomer and been widely used in biomedical engineering. However, the typical curing of PGS needs high temperature (>120 °C), high vacuum (>1 Torr), and long duration (>12 h), which limit its further applications. Accordingly, we designed, synthesized and characterized a photo/thermo dual curable polymer based on PGS. Treatment of PGS with 2-isocyanatoethyl methacrylate without additional reagents readily produced a methacrylated PGS (PGS-IM). Photo-curing of PGS-IM for 10 min at room temperature using salt leaching method efficiently produced porous scaffolds with a thickness up to 1 mm. PGS-IM was adapt to thermo-curing as well. The combination of photo and thermo curing provided a further way to modulate the properties of resultant porous scaffolds. Interestingly, photo-cured scaffolds exhibited hierarchical porous structures carrying extensive micropores with a diameter from several to hundreds micrometers. All the scaffolds showed good elasticity and biodegradability. In addition, PGS-IM exhibited good compatibility with L929 fibroblast cells. We expect this new PGS based biomaterial will have a wide range of biomedical applications.

Interactions between ingredients in IMX-101: Reactive Chemical Processes Control Insensitive Munitions Properties

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

Maharrey, Sean P.; Wiese-Smith, Deneille; Highley, Aaron M.

2014-03-01

Simultaneous Thermogravimetric Modulated Beam Mass Spectrometry (STMBMS) measurements have been conducted on a new Insensitive Munitions (IM) formulation. IMX-101 is the first explosive to be fully IM qualified under new NATO STANAG guidelines for fielded munitions. The formulation uses dinitroanisole (DNAN) as a new melt cast material to replace TNT, and shows excellent IM performance when formulated with other energetic ingredients. The scope of this work is to explain this superior IM performance by investigating the reactive processes occurring in the material when subjected to a well-controlled thermal environment. The dominant reactive processes observed were a series of complex chemicalmore » interactions between the three main ingredients (DNAN, NQ, and NTO) that occurs well below the onset of the normal decomposition process of any of the individual ingredients. This process shifts the thermal response of the formulations to a much lower temperature, where the kinetically controlled reaction processes are much slower. This low temperature shift has the effect of allowing the reactions to consume the reactive solids (NQ, NTO) well before the reaction rates increase and reach thermal runaway, resulting in a relatively benign response to the external stimuli. The main findings on the interaction processes are presented.« less

1 λ × 1.44 Tb/s free-space IM-DD transmission employing OAM multiplexing and PDM.

PubMed

Zhu, Yixiao; Zou, Kaiheng; Zheng, Zhennan; Zhang, Fan

2016-02-22

We report the experimental demonstration of single wavelength terabit free-space intensity modulation direct detection (IM-DD) system employing both orbital angular momentum (OAM) multiplexing and polarization division multiplexing (PDM). In our experiment, 12 OAM modes with two orthogonal polarization states are used to generate 24 channels for transmission. Each channel carries 30 Gbaud Nyquist PAM-4 signal. Therefore an aggregate gross capacity record of 1.44 Tb/s (12 × 2 × 30 × 2 Gb/s) is acheived with a modulation efficiency of 48 bits/symbol. After 0.8m free-space transmission, the bit error rates (BERs) of all the channels are below the 20% hard-decision forward error correction (HD-FEC) threshold of 1.5 × 10(-2). After applying the decision directed recursive least square (DD-RLS) based filter and post filter, the BERs of two polarizations can be reduced from 5.3 × 10(-3) and 7.3 × 10(-3) to 2.2 × 10(-3) and 3.4 × 10(-3), respectively.

Diversity-optimal power loading for intensity modulated MIMO optical wireless communications.

PubMed

Zhang, Yan-Yu; Yu, Hong-Yi; Zhang, Jian-Kang; Zhu, Yi-Jun

2016-04-18

In this paper, we consider the design of space code for an intensity modulated direct detection multi-input-multi-output optical wireless communication (IM/DD MIMO-OWC) system, in which channel coefficients are independent and non-identically log-normal distributed, with variances and means known at the transmitter and channel state information available at the receiver. Utilizing the existing space code design criterion for IM/DD MIMO-OWC with a maximum likelihood (ML) detector, we design a diversity-optimal space code (DOSC) that maximizes both large-scale diversity and small-scale diversity gains and prove that the spatial repetition code (RC) with a diversity-optimized power allocation is diversity-optimal among all the high dimensional nonnegative space code schemes under a commonly used optical power constraint. In addition, we show that one of significant advantages of the DOSC is to allow low-complexity ML detection. Simulation results indicate that in high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) regimes, our proposed DOSC significantly outperforms RC, which is the best space code currently available for such system.

AME - Asteroseismology Made Easy. Estimating stellar properties by using scaled models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lundkvist, Mia; Kjeldsen, Hans; Silva Aguirre, Victor

2014-06-01

Context. Stellar properties and, in particular stellar radii of exoplanet host stars, are essential for measuring the properties of exoplanets, therefore it is becoming increasingly important to be able to supply reliable stellar radii fast. Grid-modelling is an obvious choice for this, but that only offers a low degree of transparency to non-specialists. Aims: Here we present a new, easy, fast, and transparent method of obtaining stellar properties for stars exhibiting solar-like oscillations. The method, called Asteroseismology Made Easy (AME), can determine stellar masses, mean densities, radii, and surface gravities, as well as estimate ages. We present AME as a visual and powerful tool that could be useful, in particular, in light of the large number of exoplanets being found. Methods: AME consists of a set of figures from which the stellar parameters can be deduced. These figures are made from a grid of stellar evolutionary models that cover masses ranging from 0.7 M⊙ to 1.6 M⊙ in steps of 0.1 M⊙ and metallicities in the interval -0.3 dex ≤ [Fe/H] ≤ +0.3 dex in increments of 0.1 dex. The stellar evolutionary models are computed using the Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA) code with simple input physics. Results: We have compared the results from AME with results for three groups of stars: stars with radii determined from interferometry (and measured parallaxes), stars with radii determined from measurements of their parallaxes (and calculated angular diameters), and stars with results based on modelling their individual oscillation frequencies. We find that a comparison of the radii from interferometry to those from AME yields a weighted mean of the fractional differences of just 2%. This is also the level of deviation that we find when we compare the parallax-based radii to the radii determined from AME. Conclusions: The comparison between independently determined stellar parameters and those found using AME show that our method can provide reliable stellar masses, radii, and ages, with median uncertainties in the order of 4%, 2%, and 25%, respectively. http://sac.au.dk/scientific-data/ame

Rotational modulation of hydrogen Lyman alpha flux from 44ii Bootis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vilhu, O.; Neff, J. E.; Rahunen, T.

1988-01-01

Observations with IUE that cover the entire 6.4 hr orbital cycle of the late-type contact binary 44i Bootis are presented. Intrinsic stellar hydrogen Lyman alpha emission flux was determined from low-resolution IUE spectra, compensating for geocoronal emission and for interstellar absorption. The variation of the stellar Lyman alpha emission flux correlates well with the variation of the C II and C IV emission fluxes, and shows orbital modulation in phase with the visual light curve. The ratio of Lyman alpha to CII flux (15 to 20) is similar to that observed in solar active regions. Hydrogen Lyman alpha emission is thus one of the most important cooling channels in the outer atmosphere of 44i Boo. A high-resolution spectrum of the Lyman alpha line was obtained between orbital phases 0.0 and 0.6. The integrated flux in the observed high-resolution Lyman alpha profile is consistent with the fluxes determined using low-resolution spectra, and the composite profile indicates that both components of this binary have equally active chromospheres and transition regions. The uncertainty in the interstellar hydrogen column density cannot mimic the observed variation in the integrated Lyman alpha flux, because the stellar line is very much broader than the interstellar absorption.

Rotational modulation of hydrogen Lyman alpha flux from 44i Bootis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vilhu, O.; Neff, J. E.; Rahunen, T.

1989-01-01

Observations with IUE that cover the entire 6.4 hr orbital cycle of the late-type contact binary 44i Bootis are presented. Intrinsic stellar hydrogen Lyman alpha emission flux was determined from low-resolution IUE spectra, compensating for geocoronal emission and for interstellar absorption. The variation of the stellar Lyman alpha emission flux correlates well with the variation of the CII and CIV emission fluxes, and shows orbital modulation in phase with the visual light curve. The ratio of Lyman alpha to CII flux (15 to 20) is similar to that observed in solar active regions. Hydrogen Lyman alpha emission is thus one of the most important cooling channels in the outer atmosphere of 44i Boo. A high-resolution spectrum of the Lyman alpha line was obtained between orbital phases 0.0 and 0.6. The integrated flux in the observed high-resolution Lyman alpha profile is consistent with the fluxes determined using low-resolution spectra, and the composite profile indicates that both components of this binary have equally active chromospheres and transition regions. The uncertainty in the interstellar hydrogen column density cannot mimic the observed variation in the integrated Lyman alpha flux, because the stellar line is very much broader than the interstellar absorption.

TWO-DIMENSIONAL MAPPING OF YOUNG STARS IN THE INNER 180 pc OF NGC 1068: CORRELATION WITH MOLECULAR GAS RING AND STELLAR KINEMATICS

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

Storchi-Bergmann, Thaisa; Riffel, Rogerio; Vale, Tiberio Borges

We report the first two-dimensional mapping of the stellar population and non-stellar continua within the inner 180 pc (radius) of NGC 1068 at a spatial resolution of 8 pc, using integral field spectroscopy in the near-infrared. We have applied the technique of spectral synthesis to data obtained with the instrument NIFS and the adaptive optics module ALTAIR at the Gemini North Telescope. Two episodes of recent star formation are found to dominate the stellar population contribution: the first occurred 300 Myr ago, extending over most of the nuclear region; the second occurred just 30 Myr ago, in a ring-like structuremore » at Almost-Equal-To 100 pc from the nucleus, where it is coincident with an expanding ring of H{sub 2} emission. Inside the ring, where a decrease in the stellar velocity dispersion is observed, the stellar population is dominated by the 300 Myr age component. In the inner 35 pc, the oldest age component (age {>=} 2 Gyr) dominates the mass, while the flux is dominated by blackbody components with temperatures in the range 700 K {<=} T {<=} 800 K which we attribute to the dusty torus. We also find some contribution from blackbody and power-law components beyond the nucleus which we attribute to dust emission and scattered light.« less

Stellar models with calibrated convection and temperature stratification from 3D hydrodynamics simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mosumgaard, Jakob Rørsted; Ball, Warrick H.; Aguirre, Víctor Silva; Weiss, Achim; Christensen-Dalsgaard, Jørgen

2018-06-01

Stellar evolution codes play a major role in present-day astrophysics, yet they share common simplifications related to the outer layers of stars. We seek to improve on this by the use of results from realistic and highly detailed 3D hydrodynamics simulations of stellar convection. We implement a temperature stratification extracted directly from the 3D simulations into two stellar evolution codes to replace the simplified atmosphere normally used. Our implementation also contains a non-constant mixing-length parameter, which varies as a function of the stellar surface gravity and temperature - also derived from the 3D simulations. We give a detailed account of our fully consistent implementation and compare to earlier works, and also provide a freely available MESA-module. The evolution of low-mass stars with different masses is investigated, and we present for the first time an asteroseismic analysis of a standard solar model utilising calibrated convection and temperature stratification from 3D simulations. We show that the inclusion of 3D results have an almost insignificant impact on the evolution and structure of stellar models - the largest effect are changes in effective temperature of order 30 K seen in the pre-main sequence and in the red-giant branch. However, this work provides the first step for producing self-consistent evolutionary calculations using fully incorporated 3D atmospheres from on-the-fly interpolation in grids of simulations.

A multiphysics and multiscale software environment for modeling astrophysical systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Portegies Zwart, Simon; McMillan, Steve; Harfst, Stefan; Groen, Derek; Fujii, Michiko; Nualláin, Breanndán Ó.; Glebbeek, Evert; Heggie, Douglas; Lombardi, James; Hut, Piet; Angelou, Vangelis; Banerjee, Sambaran; Belkus, Houria; Fragos, Tassos; Fregeau, John; Gaburov, Evghenii; Izzard, Rob; Jurić, Mario; Justham, Stephen; Sottoriva, Andrea; Teuben, Peter; van Bever, Joris; Yaron, Ofer; Zemp, Marcel

2009-05-01

We present MUSE, a software framework for combining existing computational tools for different astrophysical domains into a single multiphysics, multiscale application. MUSE facilitates the coupling of existing codes written in different languages by providing inter-language tools and by specifying an interface between each module and the framework that represents a balance between generality and computational efficiency. This approach allows scientists to use combinations of codes to solve highly coupled problems without the need to write new codes for other domains or significantly alter their existing codes. MUSE currently incorporates the domains of stellar dynamics, stellar evolution and stellar hydrodynamics for studying generalized stellar systems. We have now reached a "Noah's Ark" milestone, with (at least) two available numerical solvers for each domain. MUSE can treat multiscale and multiphysics systems in which the time- and size-scales are well separated, like simulating the evolution of planetary systems, small stellar associations, dense stellar clusters, galaxies and galactic nuclei. In this paper we describe three examples calculated using MUSE: the merger of two galaxies, the merger of two evolving stars, and a hybrid N-body simulation. In addition, we demonstrate an implementation of MUSE on a distributed computer which may also include special-purpose hardware, such as GRAPEs or GPUs, to accelerate computations. The current MUSE code base is publicly available as open source at http://muse.li.

The Value of Change: Surprises and Insights in Stellar Evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bildsten, Lars

2018-01-01

Astronomers with large-format cameras regularly scan the sky many times per night to detect what's changing, and telescopes in space such as Kepler and, soon, TESS obtain very accurate brightness measurements of nearly a million stars over time periods of years. These capabilities, in conjunction with theoretical and computational efforts, have yielded surprises and remarkable new insights into the internal properties of stars and how they end their lives. I will show how asteroseismology reveals the properties of the deep interiors of red giants, and highlight how astrophysical transients may be revealing unusual thermonuclear outcomes from exploding white dwarfs and the births of highly magnetic neutron stars. All the while, stellar science has been accelerated by the availability of open source tools, such as Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA), and the nearly immediate availability of observational results.

OFDM and PAM comparison using a high baudrate low resolution IM/DD interface for 400G Ethernet access.

PubMed

André, Nuno Sequeira; Louchet, Hadrien; Filsinger, Volker; Hansen, Erik; Richter, André

2016-05-30

We compare OFDM and PAM for 400G Ethernet based on a 3-bit high baudrate IM/DD interface at 1550nm. We demonstrate 27Gb/s and 32Gb/s transmission over 10km SSMF using OFDM and PAM respectively. We show that capacity can be improved through adaptation/equalization to achieve 42Gb/s and 64Gb/s for OFDM and PAM respectively. Experimental results are used to create realistic simulations to extrapolate the performance of both modulation formats under varied conditions. For the considered interface we found that PAM has the best performance, OFDM is impaired by quantization noise. When the resolution limitation is relaxed, OFDM shows better performance.

EXor OUTBURSTS FROM DISK AMPLIFICATION OF STELLAR MAGNETIC CYCLES

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

Armitage, Philip J., E-mail: pja@jilau1.colorado.edu

EXor outbursts—moderate-amplitude disk accretion events observed in Class I and Class II protostellar sources—have timescales and amplitudes that are consistent with the viscous accumulation and release of gas in the inner disk near the dead zone boundary. We suggest that outbursts are indirectly triggered by stellar dynamo cycles, via poloidal magnetic flux that diffuses radially outward through the disk. Interior to the dead zone the strength of the net field modulates the efficiency of angular momentum transport by the magnetorotational instability. In the dead zone changes in the polarity of the net field may lead to stronger outbursts because ofmore » the dominant role of the Hall effect in this region of the disk. At the level of simple estimates we show that changes to kG-strength stellar fields could stimulate disk outbursts on 0.1 au scales, though this optimistic conclusion depends upon the uncertain efficiency of net flux transport through the inner disk. The model predicts a close association between observational tracers of stellar magnetic activity and EXor events.« less

Novel toggle-rate based energy-efficient scheme for heavy load real-time IM-DD OFDM-PON with ONU LLID identification in time-domain using amplitude decision.

PubMed

Qin, Youxiang; Zhang, Junjie

2017-07-10

A novel low complexity and energy-efficient scheme by controlling the toggle-rate of ONU with time-domain amplitude identification is proposed for a heavy load downlink in an intensity-modulation and direct-detection orthogonal frequency division multiplexing passive optical network (IM-DD OFDM-PON). In a conventional OFDM-PON downlink, all ONUs have to perform demodulation for all the OFDM frames in a broadcast way no matter whether the frames are targeted to or not, which causes a huge energy waste. However, in our scheme, the optical network unit (ONU) logical link identifications (LLIDs) are inserted into each downlink OFDM frame in time-domain at the optical line terminal (OLT) side. At the ONU side, the LLID is obtained with a low complexity and high precision amplitude identification method. The ONU sets the toggle-rate of demodulation module to zero when the frames are not targeted to, which avoids unnecessary digital signal processing (DSP) energy consumption. Compared with the sleep-mode methods consisting of clock recovery and synchronization, toggle-rate shows its advantage in fast changing, which is more suitable for the heavy load scenarios. Moreover, for the first time to our knowledge, the characteristics of the proposed scheme are investigated in a real-time IM-DD OFDM system, which performs well at the received optical power as low as -21dBm. The experimental results show that 25.1% energy consumption can be saved in the receiver compared to the conventional configurations.

Contribution of near-threshold currents to intrinsic oscillatory activity in rat medial entorhinal cortex layer II stellate cells

PubMed Central

Boehlen, Anne; Henneberger, Christian; Erchova, Irina

2013-01-01

The temporal lobe is well known for its oscillatory activity associated with exploration, navigation, and learning. Intrinsic membrane potential oscillations (MPOs) and resonance of stellate cells (SCs) in layer II of the entorhinal cortex are thought to contribute to network oscillations and thereby to the encoding of spatial information. Generation of both MPOs and resonance relies on the expression of specific voltage-dependent ion currents such as the hyperpolarization-activated cation current (IH), the persistent sodium current (INaP), and the noninactivating muscarine-modulated potassium current (IM). However, the differential contributions of these currents remain a matter of debate. We therefore examined how they modify neuronal excitability near threshold and generation of near-threshold MPOs and resonance in vitro. We found that resonance mainly relied on IH and was reduced by IH blockers and modulated by cAMP and an IM enhancer but that neither of the currents exhibited full control over MPOs in these cells. As previously reported, IH controlled a theta-frequency component of MPOs such that blockade of IH resulted in fewer regular oscillations that retained low-frequency components and high peak amplitude. However, pharmacological inhibition and augmentation of IM also affected MPO frequencies and amplitudes. In contrast to other cell types, inhibition of INaP did not result in suppression of MPOs but only in a moderation of their properties. We reproduced the experimentally observed effects in a single-compartment stochastic model of SCs, providing further insight into the interactions between different ionic conductances. PMID:23076110

A Hybrid Constant and Oscillatory Field Ion Mobility Analyzer in Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations

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

Prabhakaran Nair Syamala Amma, Aneesh; Hamid, Ahme

2018-02-28

Ion mobility (IM) spectrometry is becoming an important approach for analyzing molecular ions in the gas phase with applications that span a multitude of scientific areas. There are a variety of IM-based approaches that utilize either constant or oscillatory electric fields. Here, we explore the combination of constant and oscillatory fields applied in a single device to affect the separation and filtering of ions based on their mobilities. The mobility analyzer allows confining and manipulating ions utilizing a combination of radio frequency (RF), direct current (DC) fields, and traveling waves (TW) in a structures for lossless ion manipulations (SLIM) module.more » In this work, we have investigated theoretically and experimentally the concept for continuous filtering of ions based on their mobilities where ions are mobility separated and selected by a combination of TW and constant fields providing opposing forces on the ions. The SLIM module was composed of two surfaces with mirror-image arrays of electrodes and had two regions where the different TW and opposing DC fields could be applied. By appropriately choosing the DC gradient and TW parameters for the two sections, it is possible to transmit ions of a selected mobility while filtering out others. The filtering capabilities are determined by the applied DC gradient and the TW parameters, such as frequency, amplitude and the TW sequence (i.e., the duty cycle of the traveling wave). The effect of different parameters on the sensitivity and the IM resolution of the device have been investigated.« less

A Hybrid Constant and Oscillatory Field Ion Mobility Analyzer Using Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations

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

Prabhakaran, Aneesh; Hamid, Ahmed M.; Garimella, Sandilya V. B.

Ion mobility (IM) spectrometry is becoming an important approach for analyzing molecular ions in the gas phase with applications that span a multitude of scientific areas. There are a variety of IM-based approaches that utilize either constant or oscillatory electric fields. Here, we explore the combination of constant and oscillatory fields applied in a single device to affect the separation and filtering of ions based on their mobilities. The mobility analyzer allows confining and manipulating ions utilizing a combination of radio frequency (RF), direct current (DC) fields, and traveling waves (TW) in a structures for lossless ion manipulations (SLIM) module.more » In this work, we have investigated theoretically and experimentally the concept for continuous filtering of ions based on their mobilities where ions are mobility separated and selected by a combination of TW and constant fields providing opposing forces on the ions. The SLIM module was composed of two surfaces with mirror-image arrays of electrodes and had two regions where the different TW and opposing DC fields could be applied. By appropriately choosing the DC gradient and TW parameters for the two sections, it is possible to transmit ions of a selected mobility while filtering out others. The filtering capabilities are determined by the applied DC gradient and the TW parameters, such as frequency, amplitude and the TW sequence (i.e., the duty cycle of the traveling wave). The effect of different parameters on the sensitivity and the IM resolution of the device have been investigated.« less

In ovo vaccines based on recombinant NetB toxin and Montanide IMS adjuvants induced protective immunity against Necrotic Enteritis in chickens

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The current study was conducted to investigate the effects of in ovo injection of recombinant clostridium NetB toxin plus Eimeria profilin proteins in combination with Montanide adjuvants in modulating immune system in chickens infected for experimental necrotic enteritis (NE) disease. Broiler eggs ...

Contextual Modulation of Reading Rate for Direct versus Indirect Speech Quotations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yao, Bo; Scheepers, Christoph

2011-01-01

In human communication, direct speech (e.g., "Mary said: "I'm hungry"") is perceived to be more vivid than indirect speech (e.g., "Mary said [that] she was hungry"). However, the processing consequences of this distinction are largely unclear. In two experiments, participants were asked to either orally (Experiment 1) or silently (Experiment 2,…

In ovo vaccines based on recombinant NetB toxin and Montanide IMS adjuvants induced protective immunity against Necrotic Enteritis in chickens

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The current study was conducted to investigate the effects of in ovo injection of recombinant clostridium NetB toxin plus Eimeria profilin proteins in combination with Montanide adjuvants in modulating immune system in chickens infected for experimental necrotic enteritis (NE) disease. Broiler eggs...

Time-scales of stellar rotational variability and starspot diagnostics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arkhypov, Oleksiy V.; Khodachenko, Maxim L.; Lammer, Helmut; Güdel, Manuel; Lüftinger, Teresa; Johnstone, Colin P.

2018-01-01

The difference in stability of starspot distribution on the global and hemispherical scales is studied in the rotational spot variability of 1998 main-sequence stars observed by Kepler mission. It is found that the largest patterns are much more stable than smaller ones for cool, slow rotators, whereas the difference is less pronounced for hotter stars and/or faster rotators. This distinction is interpreted in terms of two mechanisms: (1) the diffusive decay of long-living spots in activity complexes of stars with saturated magnetic dynamos, and (2) the spot emergence, which is modulated by gigantic turbulent flows in convection zones of stars with a weaker magnetism. This opens a way for investigation of stellar deep convection, which is yet inaccessible for asteroseismology. Moreover, a subdiffusion in stellar photospheres was revealed from observations for the first time. A diagnostic diagram was proposed that allows differentiation and selection of stars for more detailed studies of these phenomena.

Multiband DSB-SC modulated radio over IsOWC link with coherent homodyne detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, Zong; Zhu, Jiang

2018-02-01

In this paper, we present a multiband double sideband-suppressed carrier (DSB-SC) modulated radio over intersatellite optical wireless communication (IsOWC) link with coherent homodyne detection. The proposed system can provide the transparent transport of multiband radio frequency (RF) signals with higher linearity and better receiver sensitivity than the intensity modulated with direct detection (IM/DD) scheme. The full system model and the exactly analytical expression of signal to noise and distortion ratio (SNDR) are derived considering the third-order intermodulation product and amplifier spontaneous emission (ASE) noise. The finite extinction ratio (ER) of Mach-Zehnder Modulator (MZM) and the saturation property of erbium doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) are also considered. Numerical results of SNDR with various numbers of subchannels and ERs are given. Results indicate that the optimal modulation index exists to maximize the SNDR and the power of local oscillator (LO) carrier should be within an appropriate range.

Opening a new window on the southern stars for less money: PAIX the first Antarctica polar mission photometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chadid, Merieme; Vernin, Jean; Abe, Lyu; Agabi, Karim; Jumper, George; Preston, George W.; Sneden, Chris; Liu, Liyong; Yao, Yongqiang; Wang, H.-S.; Aristidi, Éric; Rivet, J.-P.; Carbillet, Marcel; Giordano, Ch.; Bondoux, E.; Moggio, L.; Trinquet, H.

2016-08-01

In this invited paper, we implement a new way to study the stellar oscillations, pulsations and their evolutionary properties with long uninterrupted and continuous precision observations over 150 days from the ground, and without the regular interruptions imposed by the earth rotation. PAIX-First Robotic Antarctica Polar Mission- gives a new insight to cope with unresolved stellar enigma and stellar oscillation challenges and offers a great opportunity to benefit from an access to the best astronomical site on Earth -DomeC-. The project is made of low cost commercial components, and achieves astrophysical measurement time-series of stellar physics fields, challenging photometry from space that shows large gaps in terms of flexibility during the observing runs, the choice of targets, the repair of failures and the inexorable high costs. PAIX has yet more advantages than space missions in observing in UBV RI bands and then collecting unprecedented simultaneous multicolor light curves of several targets. We give a brief history of the Astronomy in Antarctica and describe the first polar robotized mission PAIX and the outcome of stellar physics from the heart of Antarctica during several polar nights. We briefly discuss our first results and perspectives on the pulsating stars and its evolution from Antarctica, especially the connection between temporal hydrodynamic phenomena and cyclic modulations. Finally, we highlight the impact of PAIX on the stellar physics study and the remaining challenges to successfully accomplish the Universe explorations under extreme conditions.

Reduced incidence of interstitial pneumonitis after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation using a modified technique of total body irradiation.

PubMed

Chiang, Yun; Tsai, Cheng-Hong; Kuo, Sung-Hsin; Liu, Chieh-Yu; Yao, Ming; Li, Chi-Cheng; Huang, Shang-Yi; Ko, Bor-Sheng; Lin, Chien-Ting; Hou, Hsin-An; Chou, Wen-Chien; Liu, Jia-Hau; Lin, Chien-Chin; Wu, Shang-Ju; Hsu, Szu-Chun; Chen, Yao-Chang; Lin, Kai-Hsin; Lin, Dong-Tsamn; Chou, Hsien-Tang; Lu, Meng-Yu; Yang, Yung-Li; Chang, Hsiu-Hao; Liu, Ming-Chih; Liao, Xiu-Wen; Wu, Jian-Kuen; Chou, Sheng-Chieh; Cheng, Chieh-Lung; Chen, Chien-Yuan; Tsay, Woei; Tien, Hwei-Fang; Tang, Jih-Luh; Chen, Yu-Hsuan

2016-11-10

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is a curative-intent treatment for patients with high-risk hematologic diseases. However, interstitial pneumonitis (IP) and other toxicities remain major concerns after total body irradiation (TBI). We have proposed using linear accelerators with rice-bag compensators for intensity modulation (IM-TBI), as an alternative to the traditional cobalt-60 teletherapy with lung-shielding technique (Co-TBI). Patients who received a TBI-based myeloablative conditioning regimen between 1995 and 2014 were recruited consecutively. Before March 2007, TBI was delivered using Co-TBI (n = 181); afterward, TBI was administered using IM-TBI (n = 126). Forty-four patients developed IP; of these cases, 19 were idiopathic. The IP-related mortality rate was 50% in the total IP cohort and 63% in the idiopathic subgroup. The 1-year cumulative incidences of IP and idiopathic IP were 16.5% and 7.4%, respectively; both rates were significantly higher in the Co-TBI group than in the IM-TBI group. Multivariate analysis revealed that Co-TBI was an independent prognostic factor for both total and idiopathic IP. In the acute myeloid leukemia subgroup, patients with different TBI techniques had similar outcomes for both overall and relapse-free survival. In conclusion, IM-TBI is an easy and effective TBI technique that could substantially reduce the complication rate of IP without compromising treatment efficacy.

Altered short-term synaptic plasticity and reduced muscle strength in mice with impaired regulation of presynaptic CaV2.1 Ca2+ channels

PubMed Central

Nanou, Evanthia; Yan, Jin; Whitehead, Nicholas P.; Kim, Min Jeong; Froehner, Stanley C.; Scheuer, Todd; Catterall, William A.

2016-01-01

Facilitation and inactivation of P/Q-type calcium (Ca2+) currents through the regulation of voltage-gated Ca2+ (CaV) 2.1 channels by Ca2+ sensor (CaS) proteins contributes to the facilitation and rapid depression of synaptic transmission in cultured neurons that transiently express CaV2.1 channels. To examine the modulation of endogenous CaV2.1 channels by CaS proteins in native synapses, we introduced a mutation (IM-AA) into the CaS protein-binding site in the C-terminal domain of CaV2.1 channels in mice, and tested synaptic facilitation and depression in neuromuscular junction synapses that use exclusively CaV2.1 channels for Ca2+ entry that triggers synaptic transmission. Even though basal synaptic transmission was unaltered in the neuromuscular synapses in IM-AA mice, we found reduced short-term facilitation in response to paired stimuli at short interstimulus intervals in IM-AA synapses. In response to trains of action potentials, we found increased facilitation at lower frequencies (10–30 Hz) in IM-AA synapses accompanied by slowed synaptic depression, whereas synaptic facilitation was reduced at high stimulus frequencies (50–100 Hz) that would induce strong muscle contraction. As a consequence of altered regulation of CaV2.1 channels, the hindlimb tibialis anterior muscle in IM-AA mice exhibited reduced peak force in response to 50 Hz stimulation and increased muscle fatigue. The IM-AA mice also had impaired motor control, exercise capacity, and grip strength. Taken together, our results indicate that regulation of CaV2.1 channels by CaS proteins is essential for normal synaptic plasticity at the neuromuscular junction and for muscle strength, endurance, and motor coordination in mice in vivo. PMID:26755585

The quest for blue supergiants : The evolution of the progenitor of SN 1987A

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Menon, Athira; Heger, Alexander

2015-08-01

SN 1987A is historically one of the most remarkable supernova explosions to be seen from Earth. Due to the proximity of its location in the LMC, it remains the most well-studied object outside the solar system. It was also the only supernova whose progenitor was observed prior to its explosion.SN 1987A however, was a unique and enigmatic core collapse supernova. It was the first Type II supernova to have been observed to have exploded while its progenitor was a blue supergiant (BSG). Until then Type II supernovae were expected to originate from explosions of red supergiants (RSGs). A spectacular triple-ring nebula structure, rich in helium and nitrogen, was observed around the remnant, indicating a recent RSG phase before becoming a BSG. Even today it is not entirely understood what the evolutionary history may have been to cause a BSG to explode. The most commonly accepted hypothesis for its origin is the merger of a massive binary star system.An evolutionary scenario for such a binary system, was proposed by Podsiadlowski (1992) (P92). Through SPH simulations of the merger and the stellar evolution of the post-merger remnant, Ivanova & Podsiadlowski (2002) and (2003) (I&M) could successfully obtain the RSG to BSG transition of the progenitor.The aim of the present work is to produce the evolutionary history of the progenitor of SN 1987A and its explosion. We construct our models based on the results of P92 and I&M. Here, the secondary (less massive) star is accreted on the primary, while being simultaneously mixed in its envelope over a period of 100 years. The merged star is evolved until the onset of core collapse. For this work we use the 1-dimensional, implicit, hydrodynamical stellar evolution code, KEPLER. A large parameter space is explored, consisting of primary (16-20 Ms) and secondary masses (5-8 Ms), mixing boundaries, and accreting timescales. Those models whose end states match the observed properties of the progenitor of SN 1987A are exploded. The nuclear yields and light curve of the explosion are then compared with the observed data of SN 1987A.

Core collapse supernovae from blue supergiant progenitors : The evolutionary history of SN 1987A

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Menon, Athira

2015-08-01

SN 1987A is historically one of the most remarkable supernova explosions to be seen from Earth. Due to the proximity of its location in the LMC, it remains the most well-studied object outside the solar system. It was also the only supernova whose progenitor was observed prior to its explosion.SN 1987A however, was a unique and enigmatic core collapse supernova. It was the first Type II supernova to have been observed to have exploded while its progenitor was a blue supergiant (BSG). Until then Type II supernovae were expected to originate from explosions of red supergiants (RSGs). A spectacular triple-ring nebula structure, rich in helium and nitrogen, was observed around the remnant, indicating a recent RSG phase before becoming a BSG. Even today it is not entirely understood what the evolutionary history may have been to cause a BSG to explode. The most commonly accepted hypothesis for its origin is the merger of a massive binary star system.An evolutionary scenario for such a binary system, was proposed by Podsiadlowski (1992) (P92). Through SPH simulations of the merger and the stellar evolution of the post-merger remnant, Ivanova & Podsiadlowski (2002) and (2003) (I&M) could successfully obtain the RSG to BSG transition of the progenitor.The aim of the present work is to produce the evolutionary history of the progenitor of SN 1987A and its explosion. We construct our models based on the results of P92 and I&M. Here, the secondary (less massive) star is accreted on the primary, while being simultaneously mixed in its envelope over a period of 100 years. The merged star is evolved until the onset of core collapse. For this work we use the 1-dimensional, implicit, hydrodynamical stellar evolution code, KEPLER. A large parameter space is explored, consisting of primary (16-20 Ms) and secondary masses (5-8 Ms), mixing boundaries, and accreting timescales. Those models whose end states match the observed properties of the progenitor of SN 1987A are exploded. The nuclear yields and light curve of the explosion are then compared with the observed data of SN 1987A.

"I'm Just a Linguist--All I Can Do Is Teach or Translate". Broadening Language Graduates' Horizons through Employer Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leggott, Dawn

2017-01-01

Employers in the UK recognise that a lack of language skills can limit their company's international growth. Many students on language degrees, however, feel unprepared for working in a business environment. The final year "Working with Languages" module on Leeds Beckett University's language degrees aims to help the students to expand…

Delta 181 Sensor Module Command Center.

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-09-01

CIIkC ilsh ~~’,r~l~ ladJhc dl loli l-l e k I w M1,M 71o’ fl.k IhcJ ci~ll I 1001 tI’lIdI -C & ’ 1 ok~lto li ",1,(IM 11,1i’ ’’ ’ ,PPt 1 E ) PH’Y H.1 s i

In ovo vaccination with recombinant NetB plus profiling proteins in combination with Montanide IMS adjuvants induced protective immunity against Necrotic enteritis in broiler chickens

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The current study was conducted to investigate the effects of in ovo injection of recombinant clostridium NetB toxin plus Eimeria profilin proteins in combination with Montanide adjuvants in modulating the immune system in chickens infected for experimental necrotic enteritis (NE) disease. Broiler ...

Modulation of protein function by exogenous ligands in protein cavities: CO binding to a myoglobin cavity mutant containing unnatural proximal ligands.

PubMed

Decatur, S M; DePillis, G D; Boxer, S G

1996-04-02

A variety of heterocyclic ligands can be exchanged into the proximal cavity of sperm whale myoglobin mutant H93G, providing a simple method for introduction of the equivalent of unnatural amino acid side chains into a functionally critical location in this protein. These modified proteins bind CO on the distal side. 1H NMR data on H93G(Im)CO, where Im is imidazole, demonstrate that the structure of the distal heme pocket in H93G(Im)CO is very similar to that of wild type; thus, the effects of the proximal ligand's properties on CO binding can be studied with minimal perturbation of distal pocket structure. The exogenous proximal ligands used in this study include imidazole (Im), 4-methylimidazole (4-MeIm), 4-bromoimidazole (4-BrIm), N-methylimidazole (N-MeIm), pyridine (Pyr), and 3-fluoropyridine (3-FPyr). Substitution of the proximal ligand is found to produce substantial changes in the CO on and off rates, the equilibrium binding constant, and the vibrational stretch frequency of CO. Many of the changes are as large as those reported for distal pocket mutants prepared by site-directed mutagenesis. The ability to systematically vary the nature of the proximal ligand is exploited to test the effects of particular properties of the proximal ligand on CO binding. For example, 4-MeIm and 4-BrIm are similar in size and shape but differ significantly in pKa. The same relationship is true for Pyr and 3-FPyr. By comparison of the IR spectra and CO recombination kinetics of these complexes, the effects of proximal ligand pKa on the CO binding are assessed. Likewise, N-MeIm and 4-MeIm are similar in size and pKa but differ in their ability to hydrogen bond to amino acid residues in the proximal cavity. Comparisons of IR spectra and CO binding kinetics in these complexes reveal that proximal ligand conformation and hydrogen bonding affect the kinetics of CO binding. The mechanism of proximal ligand exchange between solution and the proximal cavity in CO complexes was investigated by obtaining the 19F NMR spectrum of H93G(3-FPyr)CO, whose 19F signal can be observed without interference from resonances of the protein. The proximal ligand is found to exchange within a few seconds by saturation transfer. This exchange rate is about 2 orders of magniture faster than what is observed for the isoelectronic metcyano complex [Decatur, S. M., & Boxer, S. G. (1995) Biochemistry 34, 2122-2129]; in both the ferrous CO and ferric cyano complexes, the proximal ligand exchange rate is independent of ligand concentration. These results suggest that the rate-limiting step in proximal ligand exchange is breakage of the iron-ligand bond, followed by rapid diffusion of the ligand through the protein to bulk solution.

Skylab-3 Mission Onboard Photograph - Astronaut Bean working on Experiment S019

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

This Skylab-3 mission onboard photograph shows Astronaut Alan Bean operating the Ultraviolet (UV) Stellar Astronomy experiment (S019) in the Skylab Airlock Module. The S019, a camera with a prism for UV star photography, studied the UV spectra of early-type stars and galaxies.

Simulating 3D Stellar Winds and Diffuse X-ray Emissions from Gases in Non-equilibrium Ionization State

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Long, Min; Sun, Wei; Niu, Shu; Zhou, Xin; Ji, Li

2017-08-01

We investigate the physical properties of stellar winds launched in super stellar clusters (SSCs). Chandra observations have detected the presence of diffuse X-ray emission caused by hot gas from such winds in SSCs, and provide the best probe for understanding interactions between the stellar winds and the complex nursery regions. However, the details of the origin of cluster winds, the mass and energy ejection, the formation of diffuse X-ray emission, the fraction of winds contribution to the distribution of diffuse X-ray emission still remain unclear. We developed a multiphysics hydrodynamic model including self-gravity, head conduction and performed 3D simulations with an unprecedented grid resolution due to adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) capability in a case study of NGC 3603, as a supplement to the analysis of the archived 500 ks Chandra observations. The synthetic emission will be computed by assuming the gas in a non-equilibrium ionization (NEI) state indicated by Chandra observation, not coronal ionization equilibrium (CIE) that most works assumed, by using a customized NEI calculation module based on AtomDB. The results will be compared to the Chandra observations.

Modelling Quasi-Periodic Pulsations in Solar and Stellar Flares

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McLaughlin, J. A.; Nakariakov, V. M.; Dominique, M.; Jelínek, P.; Takasao, S.

2018-02-01

Solar flare emission is detected in all EM bands and variations in flux density of solar energetic particles. Often the EM radiation generated in solar and stellar flares shows a pronounced oscillatory pattern, with characteristic periods ranging from a fraction of a second to several minutes. These oscillations are referred to as quasi-periodic pulsations (QPPs), to emphasise that they often contain apparent amplitude and period modulation. We review the current understanding of quasi-periodic pulsations in solar and stellar flares. In particular, we focus on the possible physical mechanisms, with an emphasis on the underlying physics that generates the resultant range of periodicities. These physical mechanisms include MHD oscillations, self-oscillatory mechanisms, oscillatory reconnection/reconnection reversal, wave-driven reconnection, two loop coalescence, MHD flow over-stability, the equivalent LCR-contour mechanism, and thermal-dynamical cycles. We also provide a histogram of all QPP events published in the literature at this time. The occurrence of QPPs puts additional constraints on the interpretation and understanding of the fundamental processes operating in flares, e.g. magnetic energy liberation and particle acceleration. Therefore, a full understanding of QPPs is essential in order to work towards an integrated model of solar and stellar flares.

Overview of diagnostic performance and results for the first operation phase in Wendelstein 7-X (invited).

PubMed

Krychowiak, M; Adnan, A; Alonso, A; Andreeva, T; Baldzuhn, J; Barbui, T; Beurskens, M; Biel, W; Biedermann, C; Blackwell, B D; Bosch, H S; Bozhenkov, S; Brakel, R; Bräuer, T; Brotas de Carvalho, B; Burhenn, R; Buttenschön, B; Cappa, A; Cseh, G; Czarnecka, A; Dinklage, A; Drews, P; Dzikowicka, A; Effenberg, F; Endler, M; Erckmann, V; Estrada, T; Ford, O; Fornal, T; Frerichs, H; Fuchert, G; Geiger, J; Grulke, O; Harris, J H; Hartfuß, H J; Hartmann, D; Hathiramani, D; Hirsch, M; Höfel, U; Jabłoński, S; Jakubowski, M W; Kaczmarczyk, J; Klinger, T; Klose, S; Knauer, J; Kocsis, G; König, R; Kornejew, P; Krämer-Flecken, A; Krawczyk, N; Kremeyer, T; Książek, I; Kubkowska, M; Langenberg, A; Laqua, H P; Laux, M; Lazerson, S; Liang, Y; Liu, S C; Lorenz, A; Marchuk, A O; Marsen, S; Moncada, V; Naujoks, D; Neilson, H; Neubauer, O; Neuner, U; Niemann, H; Oosterbeek, J W; Otte, M; Pablant, N; Pasch, E; Sunn Pedersen, T; Pisano, F; Rahbarnia, K; Ryć, L; Schmitz, O; Schmuck, S; Schneider, W; Schröder, T; Schuhmacher, H; Schweer, B; Standley, B; Stange, T; Stephey, L; Svensson, J; Szabolics, T; Szepesi, T; Thomsen, H; Travere, J-M; Trimino Mora, H; Tsuchiya, H; Weir, G M; Wenzel, U; Werner, A; Wiegel, B; Windisch, T; Wolf, R; Wurden, G A; Zhang, D; Zimbal, A; Zoletnik, S

2016-11-01

Wendelstein 7-X, a superconducting optimized stellarator built in Greifswald/Germany, started its first plasmas with the last closed flux surface (LCFS) defined by 5 uncooled graphite limiters in December 2015. At the end of the 10 weeks long experimental campaign (OP1.1) more than 20 independent diagnostic systems were in operation, allowing detailed studies of many interesting plasma phenomena. For example, fast neutral gas manometers supported by video cameras (including one fast-frame camera with frame rates of tens of kHz) as well as visible cameras with different interference filters, with field of views covering all ten half-modules of the stellarator, discovered a MARFE-like radiation zone on the inboard side of machine module 4. This structure is presumably triggered by an inadvertent plasma-wall interaction in module 4 resulting in a high impurity influx that terminates some discharges by radiation cooling. The main plasma parameters achieved in OP1.1 exceeded predicted values in discharges of a length reaching 6 s. Although OP1.1 is characterized by short pulses, many of the diagnostics are already designed for quasi-steady state operation of 30 min discharges heated at 10 MW of ECRH. An overview of diagnostic performance for OP1.1 is given, including some highlights from the physics campaigns.

On the Red Giant Branch: Ambiguity in the Surface Boundary Condition Leads to ≈100 K Uncertainty in Model Effective Temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Jieun; Dotter, Aaron; Conroy, Charlie; Ting, Yuan-Sen

2018-06-01

The effective temperature (T eff) distribution of stellar evolution models along the red giant branch (RGB) is sensitive to a number of parameters including the overall metallicity, elemental abundance patterns, the efficiency of convection, and the treatment of the surface boundary condition (BC). Recently there has been interest in using observational estimates of the RGB T eff to place constraints on the mixing length parameter, α MLT, and possible variation with metallicity. Here we use 1D Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA) stellar evolution models to explore the sensitivity of the RGB T eff to the treatment of the surface BC. We find that different surface BCs can lead to ±100 K metallicity-dependent offsets on the RGB relative to one another in spite of the fact that all models can reproduce the properties of the Sun. Moreover, for a given atmosphere T–τ relation, we find that the RGB T eff is also sensitive to the optical depth at which the surface BC is applied in the stellar model. Nearly all models adopt the photosphere as the location of the surface BC, but this choice is somewhat arbitrary. We compare our models to stellar parameters derived from the APOGEE-Kepler sample of first ascent red giants and find that systematic uncertainties in the models due to treatment of the surface BC place a limit of ≈100 K below which it is not possible to make firm conclusions regarding the fidelity of the current generation of stellar models.

Development of a self-management program for employees with complaints of the arm, neck, and/or shoulder: an intervention mapping approach.

PubMed

Hutting, Nathan; Detaille, Sarah I; Engels, Josephine A; Heerkens, Yvonne F; Staal, J Bart; Nijhuis-van der Sanden, Maria Wg

2015-01-01

To develop a self-management program with an additional eHealth module, using the six steps of the intervention mapping (IM) protocol, to help employees with complaints of the arm, neck, and/or shoulder (CANS) cope with their problems. In Step 1 of the IM protocol, a needs assessment was performed consisting of a review of the Dutch multidisciplinary guidelines on CANS, and of focus group sessions with employees with CANS (n=15) and with relevant experts (n=17). After the needs assessment, the objectives of the intervention and the determinants of self-management at work were formulated (Step 2). Furthermore, theory-based intervention methods and practical strategies were selected (Step 3), and an intervention program (including the eHealth module) was developed (Step 4). Finally, plans for implementation and evaluation of the program were developed (Steps 5 and 6). Step 1 of the IM protocol revealed that employees with CANS should be stimulated to search for information about the cause of their complaints, about how to deal with their complaints, and in which manner they can influence their complaints themselves. In Step 2, the overall goal of the intervention was defined as "self-management behavior at work" with the aim to alleviate the perceived disability of the participants. Step 3 described how the intervention methods were translated into practical strategies, and goal setting was introduced as an important method for increasing self-efficacy. The product of Step 4 was the final program plan, consisting of 6-weekly group sessions of 2.5 hours each and an eHealth module. In Step 5, a recruitment plan and course materials were developed, a steering committee was set up, trainers were recruited, and the final program was tested. In Step 6, an evaluation plan was developed, which consists of a randomized controlled trial with a 12-month follow-up period and a qualitative evaluation (interviews) with some of the participants. This study resulted in a theory- and practice-based self-management program, based on behavioral change theories, guideline-related evidence, and practice-based knowledge that fits the needs of employees with CANS.

Electronic Structure of I-M8Ga16Sn30 (M = Ba, Sr, Yb) by First-Principles Calculation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jin-song; Liu, Hong-xia; Deng, Shuping; Li, De-cong; Shen, Lan-xian; Cheng, Feng; Deng, Shu-kang

2017-05-01

Sn-based clathrates possess excellent thermoelectric properties ascribed to their higher Seebeck coefficient and lower thermal conductivity. Guest atoms significantly modulate the thermoelectric properties of Sn-based calculates because of their diverse atomic radius and interactions with framework atoms. Thus, we explored the electronic structure of I-M8Ga16Sn30 (M = Ba, Sr, Yb) by first-principles calculation. Results revealed significant differences between Yb8Ga16Sn30 and M8Ga16Sn30 (M = Ba, Sr,). In particular, the Yb-filled compound substitution possesses lowest formation energy and the off-center distance of the Yb atom is the largest compared with the other structures. I-M8Ga16Sn30 (M = Ba, Sr, Yb) is an indirect band gap semiconductor, and the enhanced hybridization effect between the guest and framework atoms' orbits exists because the Yb f orbit results in a decrease in band gap. Ba- and Sr-filled clathrates have similar valence bands but slightly different conduction bands; however, Yb8Ga16Sn30 possess the spiculate density of states near the Fermi level that reveals excellent thermoelectric properties.

STS-43 MS Lucid works with BIMDA-02 cell syringes on OV-104's middeck

NASA Image and Video Library

1991-08-11

STS043-03-001 (2-11 Aug 1991) --- Astronaut Shannon W. Lucid, STS-43 mission specialist, is pictured with a sample from the Bio-serve Instrumentation Technology Associates Materials Dispersion Apparatus (BIMDA). BIMDA is designed to obtain data on scientific methods and commercial potential for growing large high quality protein crystals in microgravity. The experimental focus is on both synthetic and natural biological processes that provide the foundation of the assembly of large structures from macromolecules. In addition, cell processes and membrane (cell and artificial) processes are being evaluated. BIMDA experiments are stored and operated on the middeck in a refrigerator/incubator module (R/IM). During this flight, the R/IM maintains a constant internal temperature of 20 degrees Celsius. This experiment also flew on NASA?s STS-37 mission.

Design and performance investigation of LDPC-coded upstream transmission systems in IM/DD OFDM-PONs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gong, Xiaoxue; Guo, Lei; Wu, Jingjing; Ning, Zhaolong

2016-12-01

In Intensity-Modulation Direct-Detection (IM/DD) Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing Passive Optical Networks (OFDM-PONs), aside from Subcarrier-to-Subcarrier Intermixing Interferences (SSII) induced by square-law detection, the same laser frequency for data sending from Optical Network Units (ONUs) results in ONU-to-ONU Beating Interferences (OOBI) at the receiver. To mitigate those interferences, we design a Low-Density Parity Check (LDPC)-coded and spectrum-efficient upstream transmission system. A theoretical channel model is also derived, in order to analyze the detrimental factors influencing system performances. Simulation results demonstrate that the receiver sensitivity is improved 3.4 dB and 2.5 dB under QPSK and 8QAM, respectively, after 100 km Standard Single-Mode Fiber (SSMF) transmission. Furthermore, the spectrum efficiency can be improved by about 50%.

Average BER analysis of SCM-based free-space optical systems by considering the effect of IM3 with OSSB signals under turbulence channels.

PubMed

Lim, Wansu; Cho, Tae-Sik; Yun, Changho; Kim, Kiseon

2009-11-09

In this paper, we derive the average bit error rate (BER) of subcarrier multiplexing (SCM)-based free space optics (FSO) systems using a dual-drive Mach-Zehnder modulator (DD-MZM) for optical single-sideband (OSSB) signals under atmospheric turbulence channels. In particular, we consider the third-order intermodulation (IM3), a significant performance degradation factor, in the case of high input signal power systems. The derived average BER, as a function of the input signal power and the scintillation index, is employed to determine the optimum number of SCM users upon the designing FSO systems. For instance, when the user number doubles, the input signal power decreases by almost 2 dBm under the log-normal and exponential turbulence channels at a given average BER.

An improved scheme for Flip-OFDM based on Hartley transform in short-range IM/DD systems.

PubMed

Zhou, Ji; Qiao, Yaojun; Cai, Zhuo; Ji, Yuefeng

2014-08-25

In this paper, an improved Flip-OFDM scheme is proposed for IM/DD optical systems, where the modulation/demodulation processing takes advantage of the fast Hartley transform (FHT) algorithm. We realize the improved scheme in one symbol period while conventional Flip-OFDM scheme based on fast Fourier transform (FFT) in two consecutive symbol periods. So the complexity of many operations in improved scheme is half of that in conventional scheme, such as CP operation, polarity inversion and symbol delay. Compared to FFT with complex input constellation, the complexity of FHT with real input constellation is halved. The transmission experiment over 50-km SSMF has been realized to verify the feasibility of improved scheme. In conclusion, the improved scheme has the same BER performance with conventional scheme, but great superiority on complexity.

Amplitude Modulation of Pulsation Modes in Delta Scuti Stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bowman, Dominic M.

2017-10-01

The pulsations in δ Sct stars are excited by a heat engine driving mechanism caused by increased opacity in their surface layers, and have pulsation periods of order a few hours. Space based observations in the last decade have revealed a diverse range of pulsational behaviour in these stars, which is investigated using an ensemble of 983 δ Sct stars observed continuously for 4 yr by the Kepler Space Telescope. A statistical search for amplitude modulation of pulsation modes is carried out and it is shown that 61.3 per cent of the 983 δ Sct stars exhibit significant amplitude modulation in at least a single pulsation mode, and that this is uncorrelated with effective temperature and surface gravity. Hence, the majority of δ Sct stars exhibit amplitude modulation, with time-scales of years and longer demonstrated to be significant in these stars both observationally and theoretically. An archetypal example of amplitude modulation in a δ Sct star is KIC 7106205, which contains only a single pulsation mode that varies significantly in amplitude whilst all other pulsation modes stay constant in amplitude and phase throughout the 4-yr Kepler data set. Therefore, the visible pulsational energy budget in this star, and many others, is not conserved over 4 yr. Models of beating of close-frequency pulsation modes are used to identify δ Sct stars with frequencies that lie closer than 0.001 d^{-1}, which are barely resolved using 4 yr of Kepler observations, and maintain their independent identities over 4 yr. Mode coupling models are used to quantify the strength of coupling and distinguish between non-linearity in the form of combination frequencies and non-linearity in the form of resonant mode coupling for families of pulsation modes in several stars. The changes in stellar structure caused by stellar evolution are investigated for two high amplitude δ Sct (HADS) stars in the Kepler data set, revealing a positive quadratic change in phase for the fundamental and first overtone radial modes in KIC 5950759. The observed phase modulation of the radial modes in this star is two orders of magnitude larger than predicted by stellar evolutionary models, yet is consistent with the prediction of increasing periods of radial modes for stars on the main sequence. The statistical analysis of 983 δ Sct stars, including the results from the search for amplitude modulation, is a valuable resource for ongoing and future space missions such as K2, TESS and PLATO, because the high quality 4-yr Kepler data set will not be surpassed for some time. The observational studies of individual stars in this thesis provide strong evidence that non-linear processes are clearly at work in the majority of δ Sct stars, and provide valuable constraints for future asteroseismic modelling.

Airborne Laser CO2 Column Measurements: Evaluation of Precision and Accuracy Under a Wide Range of Surface and Atmospheric Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Browell, E. V.; Dobler, J. T.; Kooi, S. A.; Fenn, M. A.; Choi, Y.; Vay, S. A.; Harrison, F. W.; Moore, B.

2011-12-01

This paper discusses the latest flight test results of a multi-frequency intensity-modulated (IM) continuous-wave (CW) laser absorption spectrometer (LAS) that operates near 1.57 μm for remote CO2 column measurements. This IM-LAS system is under development for a future space-based mission to determine the global distribution of regional-scale CO2 sources and sinks, which is the objective of the NASA Active Sensing of CO2 Emissions during Nights, Days, and Seasons (ASCENDS) mission. A prototype of the ASCENDS system, called the Multi-frequency Fiber Laser Lidar (MFLL), has been flight tested in eleven airborne campaigns since May 2005. This paper compares the most recent results obtained during the 2010 and 2011 UC-12 and DC-8 flight tests, where MFLL remote CO2 column measurements were evaluated against airborne in situ CO2 profile measurements traceable to World Meteorological Organization standards. The major change to the MFLL system in 2011 was the implementation of several different IM modes, which could be quickly changed in flight, to directly compare the precision and accuracy of MFLL CO2 measurements in each mode. The different IM modes that were evaluated included "fixed" IM frequencies near 50, 200, and 500 kHz; frequencies changed in short time steps (Stepped); continuously swept frequencies (Swept); and a pseudo noise (PN) code. The Stepped, Swept, and PN modes were generated to evaluate the ability of these IM modes to desensitize MFLL CO2 column measurements to intervening optically thin aerosols/clouds. MFLL was flown on the NASA Langley UC-12 aircraft in May 2011 to evaluate the newly implemented IM modes and their impact on CO2 measurement precision and accuracy, and to determine which IM mode provided the greatest thin cloud rejection (TCR) for the CO2 column measurements. Within the current hardware limitations of the MFLL system, the "fixed" 50 kHz results produced similar SNR values to those found previously. The SNR decreased as expected with increasing IM frequency with the SNR(500 kHz) equal to 31% of SNR(50 kHz). The absolute accuracy of the 50 kHz CO2 measurement showed a previously observed altitude-dependent trend that was greatly reduced at 200 kHz. Laboratory experiments have duplicated this effect which results mainly from IM frequency cross talk between LAS wavelengths in the erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) and which is reduced when operating at higher IM frequencies. Performance of the Stepped, Swept, and PN modes were evaluated in close time proximity to each other, and these results will be discussed in this paper. A second series of ASCENDS flight tests were conducted on the NASA DC-8 from 25 July to 12 August 2011 over similar local land and ocean targets as in 2010 and with additional long-range flights planned over the corn fields of Iowa, forests in northern Wisconsin, and ice fields of southeastern Alaska. MFLL CO2 measurement results from this field campaign will also be presented.

Ultraviolet spectroscopy of symbiotic nova V1016 Cyg with IUE and HST

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanad, M. R.

2017-04-01

We present International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) & Hubble Space Telescope Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (HST STIS) observations of the symbiotic nova V1016 Cyg through the period 1978 - 2000. Four spectra at different times revealing the changes in line fluxes are presented. The outflow velocity of the emitting region was calculated to be 900-2000 km s-1 (FWHM). The reddening of V1016 Cyg was determined from 2200 Å absorption feature to be E (B-V) = 0.36 ± 0.02. We calculated the fluxes of CIV 1550 Å & CIII] 1909 Å emission lines produced in a stellar wind from the hot white dwarf. We determined the average wind mass loss rate to be ˜2.3 × 10-6 M⊙, the average temperature of the emitting region to be ˜1.3 × 105 K, and an average ultraviolet luminosity to be ˜2 × 1035 erg s-1. The results show that there are modulations of line fluxes with time. We attributed these spectral modulations to the changes of density and temperature in the emitting region as a result of the variable stellar wind.

Sex steroid modulation of cortisol secretion in sheep.

PubMed

van Lier, E; Carriquiry, M; Meikle, A

2014-06-01

There is strong evidence that the gonads modulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. To investigate these sex differences at the adrenal glands of sheep we compared the cortisol response to ACTH (experiment 1) and measured the relative expression of oestrogen receptor alpha (ERS1), androgen receptor (AR), melanocortin 2 receptor (MC2R) and steroid acute regulatory protein (STAR) mRNA in adrenal glands (experiment 2) of gonadectomised rams and ewes either with or without sex steroid replacement. In experiment 1 six castrated adult rams and four ovariectomised adult ewes were used in two ACTH trials. On each trial blood samples were taken every 15 min for 4 h through an indwelling jugular catheter and each animal received 0.5 mg of an ACTH analogue i.v., immediately after the sample at 1 h from the beginning of the trial. Four days after the first trial the males received 100 mg of Testosterone Cyclopentilpropionate (TC) i.m. and the females received 2.5 mg of Oestradiol Benzoate (EB) i.m. At 72 h after TC or EB administration the second trial was performed. In experiment 2 the adrenal glands were obtained from gonadectomised adult rams (n=8) and adult ewes (n=8). Four rams received 100 mg of TC i.m. and four females received 0.5 mg of EB i.m. Blood samples were taken at 0, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h relative to steroid replacement and the animals were thereafter slaughtered. Cortisol, testosterone and 17β-oestradiol were determined by radioimmunoanalysis. The transcripts of ERS1, AR, MC2R and STAR were determined by real-time reverse transcription PCR in adrenal tissue. Cortisol secretion was higher in female sheep than in male sheep, and higher in EB-treated than non-treated ewes. No difference in cortisol secretion was observed between TC-treated and non-treated rams. Gonadectomised rams treated with TC presented greater AR mRNA and MC2R mRNA expression than males without the steroid replacement. Gonadectomised ewes treated with EB tended to present lower AR mRNA than the ones without steroid replacement. Gonadectomised rams with TC also had greater AR mRNA, ERS1 mRNA and MC2R mRNA expression than ewes treated with EB. The relative amount of STAR transcript was not different among the different groups. The results confirm sex differences in ACTH-induced cortisol secretion in sheep, as well as in the expression of the receptor proteins for both 17β-oestradiol and testosterone in the sheep adrenal gland. However, the underlying mechanisms for sex steroid modulation remain unresolved.

Activity cycles in members of young loose stellar associations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Distefano, E.; Lanzafame, A. C.; Lanza, A. F.; Messina, S.; Spada, F.

2017-10-01

Context. Magnetic cycles analogous to the solar cycle have been detected in tens of solar-like stars by analyzing long-term time series of different magnetic activity indexes. The relationship between the cycle properties and global stellar parameters is not fully understood yet. One reason for this is the lack of long-term time series for stars covering a wide range of stellar parameters. Aims: We searched for activity cycles in a sample of 90 young solar-like stars with ages between 4 and 95 Myr with the aim to investigate the properties of activity cycles in this age range. Methods: We measured the length Pcyc of a given cycle by analyzing the long-term time series of three different activity indexes: the period of rotational modulation, the amplitude of the rotational modulation and the median magnitude in the V band. For each star, we also computed the global magnetic activity index ⟨ IQR ⟩ that is proportional to the amplitude of the rotational modulation and can be regarded as a proxy of the mean level of the surface magnetic activity. Results: We detected activity cycles in 67 stars. Secondary cycles were also detected in 32 stars of the sample. The lack of correlation between Pcyc and Prot and the position of our targets in the Pcyc/Prot-Ro-1 diagram suggest that these stars belong to the so-called transitional branch and that the dynamo acting in these stars is different from the solar dynamo and from that acting in the older Mt. Wilson stars. This statement is also supported by the analysis of the butterfly diagrams whose patterns are very different from those seen in the solar case. We computed the Spearman correlation coefficient rS between Pcyc, ⟨ IQR ⟩ and various stellar parameters. We found that Pcyc in our sample is uncorrelated with all the investigated parameters. The ⟨ IQR ⟩ index is positively correlated with the convective turnover timescale, the magnetic diffusivity timescale τdiff, and the dynamo number DN, whereas it is anti-correlated with the effective temperature Teff, the photometric shear ΔΩphot and the radius RC at which the convective zone is located. We investigated how Pcyc and ⟨ IQR ⟩ evolve with the stellar age. We found that Pcyc is about constant and that ⟨ IQR ⟩ decreases with the stellare age in the range 4-95 Myr. Finally we investigated the magnetic activity of the star AB Dor A by merging All Sky Automatic Survey (ASAS) time series with previous long-term photometric data. We estimated the length of the AB Dor A primary cycle as Pcyc = 16.78 ± 2 yr and we also found shorter secondary cycles with lengths of 400 d, 190 d, and 90 d, respectively. Tables 2 and 3 and Time series are only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (http://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/606/A58

Distinguishing the albedo of exoplanets from stellar activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Serrano, L. M.; Barros, S. C. C.; Oshagh, M.; Santos, N. C.; Faria, J. P.; Demangeon, O.; Sousa, S. G.; Lendl, M.

2018-03-01

Context. Light curves show the flux variation from the target star and its orbiting planets as a function of time. In addition to the transit features created by the planets, the flux also includes the reflected light component of each planet, which depends on the planetary albedo. This signal is typically referred to as phase curve and could be easily identified if there were no additional noise. As well as instrumental noise, stellar activity, such as spots, can create a modulation in the data, which may be very difficult to distinguish from the planetary signal. Aims: We analyze the limitations imposed by the stellar activity on the detection of the planetary albedo, considering the limitations imposed by the predicted level of instrumental noise and the short duration of the obervations planned in the context of the CHEOPS mission. Methods: As initial condition, we have assumed that each star is characterized by just one orbiting planet. We built mock light curves that included a realistic stellar activity pattern, the reflected light component of the planet and an instrumental noise level, which we have chosen to be at the same level as predicted for CHEOPS. We then fit these light curves to try to recover the reflected light component, assuming the activity patterns can be modeled with a Gaussian process. Results: We estimate that at least one full stellar rotation is necessary to obtain a reliable detection of the planetary albedo. This result is independent of the level of noise, but it depends on the limitation of the Gaussian process to describe the stellar activity when the light curve time-span is shorter than the stellar rotation. As an additional result, we found that with a 6.5 magnitude star and the noise level of CHEOPS, it is possible to detect the planetary albedo up to a lower limit of Rp = 0.03 R*. Finally, in presence of typical CHEOPS gaps in the simulations, we confirm that it is still possible to obtain a reliable albedo.

First results of the multi-purpose real-time processing video camera system on the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator and implications for future devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zoletnik, S.; Biedermann, C.; Cseh, G.; Kocsis, G.; König, R.; Szabolics, T.; Szepesi, T.; Wendelstein 7-X Team

2018-01-01

A special video camera has been developed for the 10-camera overview video system of the Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X) stellarator considering multiple application needs and limitations resulting from this complex long-pulse superconducting stellarator experiment. The event detection intelligent camera (EDICAM) uses a special 1.3 Mpixel CMOS sensor with non-destructive read capability which enables fast monitoring of smaller Regions of Interest (ROIs) even during long exposures. The camera can perform simple data evaluation algorithms (minimum/maximum, mean comparison to levels) on the ROI data which can dynamically change the readout process and generate output signals. Multiple EDICAM cameras were operated in the first campaign of W7-X and capabilities were explored in the real environment. Data prove that the camera can be used for taking long exposure (10-100 ms) overview images of the plasma while sub-ms monitoring and even multi-camera correlated edge plasma turbulence measurements of smaller areas can be done in parallel. These latter revealed that filamentary turbulence structures extend between neighboring modules of the stellarator. Considerations emerging for future upgrades of this system and similar setups on future long-pulse fusion experiments such as ITER are discussed.

300 Gb/s IM/DD based SDM-WDM-PON with laserless ONUs.

PubMed

Bao, Fangdi; Morioka, Toshio; Oxenløwe, Leif K; Hu, Hao

2018-04-02

A low-cost, high-speed SDM-WDM-PON architecture is proposed by using a multi-core fiber (MCF) and intensity modulation/directly detection (IM/DD). One of the MCF cores is used for sending laser sources from optical line terminal (OLT) to optical network unit (ONU), thus facilitating laserless and colorless ONUs, and providing ease of network management and maintenance. In addition, the wavelengths of the ONUs are controlled on the OLT side, which also enables flexible optical networks. Thanks to the low inter-core crosstalk of a MCF, downstream (DS) and upstream (US) signals are transmitted independently in different cores of the MCF, not only increasing the aggregated capacity but also avoiding the Rayleigh backscattering noise. Finally, a proof-of-principle experiment is performed by using a 7-core fiber, achieving 300 /120 Gb/s aggregated capacity for DS and US (3 × cores, 4 × wavelengths, 25/10 Gb/s per wavelength), respectively.

A multiwavelength campaign of active stars with intermediate rotation rates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dempsey, Robert C.; Neff, James E.; ONeal, Douglas; Olah, Katalin

1995-01-01

Near-to-simultaneous ultraviolet and visual spectroscopy of two moderate nu(sin i) RS CVn systems, V815 Herculis (nu(sin i) = 27 km s(exp -1)) and LM Pegasi (nu(sin i) = 24 km s(exp -1)), are presented along with contemporaneous UBV (RI)(sub c) - band photometry. These data were used to probe inhomogeneities in the chromospheres and photospheres, and the possible relationship between them. Both systems show evidence for rotationally modulated chromospheric emission, generally varying in antiphase to the photospheric brightness. A weak flare was observed at Mg II for V815 Her. In the case of IM Peg, we use photometry and spectra to estimate temperatures, sizes, and locations of photospheric spots. Further constraints on the spot temperature is provided by TiO observations. For IM Peg, the anticorrelation between chromospheric emission and brightness is discussed in the context of a possible solar-like spot cycle.

Building of communication system for nuclear accident emergency disposal based on IP multimedia subsystem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Kang; Gao, Guiqing; Qin, Yuanli; He, Xiangyong

2018-05-01

The nuclear accident emergency disposal must be supported by an efficient, real-time modularization and standardization communication system. Based on the analysis of communication system for nuclear accident emergency disposal which included many functions such as the internal and external communication, multiply access supporting and command center. Some difficult problems of the communication system were discussed such as variety access device type, complex composition, high mobility, set up quickly, multiply business support, and so on. Taking full advantages of the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), a nuclear accident emergency communication system was build based on the IMS. It was studied and implemented that some key unit and module functions of communication system were included the system framework implementation, satellite access, short-wave access, load/vehicle-mounted communication units. The application tests showed that the system could provide effective communication support for the nuclear accident emergency disposal, which was of great practical value.

Overview of diagnostic performance and results for the first operation phase in Wendelstein 7-X (invited)

DOE PAGES

Krychowiak, M.

2016-10-27

Wendelstein 7-X, a superconducting optimized stellarator built in Greifswald/Germany, started its first plasmas with the last closed flux surface (LCFS) defined by 5 uncooled graphite limiters in December 2015. At the end of the 10 weeks long experimental campaign (OP1.1) more than 20 independent diagnostic systems were in operation, allowing detailed studies of many interesting plasma phenomena. For example, fast neutral gas manometers supported by video cameras (including one fast-frame camera with frame rates of tens of kHz) as well as visible cameras with different interference filters, with field of views covering all ten half-modules of the stellarator, discovered amore » MARFE-like radiation zone on the inboard side of machine module 4. This structure is presumably triggered by an inadvertent plasma-wall interaction in module 4 resulting in a high impurity influx that terminates some discharges by radiation cooling. The main plasma parameters achieved in OP1.1 exceeded predicted values in discharges of a length reaching 6 s. Although OP1.1 is characterized by short pulses, many of the diagnostics are already designed for quasi-steady state operation of 30 min discharges heated at 10 MW of ECRH. Finally, an overview of diagnostic performance for OP1.1 is given, including some highlights from the physics campaigns.« less

Overview of diagnostic performance and results for the first operation phase in Wendelstein 7-X (invited)

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

Krychowiak, M.

Wendelstein 7-X, a superconducting optimized stellarator built in Greifswald/Germany, started its first plasmas with the last closed flux surface (LCFS) defined by 5 uncooled graphite limiters in December 2015. At the end of the 10 weeks long experimental campaign (OP1.1) more than 20 independent diagnostic systems were in operation, allowing detailed studies of many interesting plasma phenomena. For example, fast neutral gas manometers supported by video cameras (including one fast-frame camera with frame rates of tens of kHz) as well as visible cameras with different interference filters, with field of views covering all ten half-modules of the stellarator, discovered amore » MARFE-like radiation zone on the inboard side of machine module 4. This structure is presumably triggered by an inadvertent plasma-wall interaction in module 4 resulting in a high impurity influx that terminates some discharges by radiation cooling. The main plasma parameters achieved in OP1.1 exceeded predicted values in discharges of a length reaching 6 s. Although OP1.1 is characterized by short pulses, many of the diagnostics are already designed for quasi-steady state operation of 30 min discharges heated at 10 MW of ECRH. Finally, an overview of diagnostic performance for OP1.1 is given, including some highlights from the physics campaigns.« less

Some aspects of cool main sequence star ages derived from stellar rotation (gyrochronology)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnes, S. A.; Spada, F.; Weingrill, J.

2016-09-01

Rotation periods for cool stars can be measured with good precision by monitoring starspot light modulation. Observations have shown that the rotation periods of dwarf stars of roughly solar metallicity have such systematic dependencies on stellar age and mass that they can be used to derive reliable ages, a procedure called gyrochronology. We review the method and show illustrative cases, including recent ground- and space-based data. The age uncertainties approach 10 % in the best cases, making them a valuable complement to, and constraint on, asteroseismic or other ages. Edited, updated, and refereed version of a presentation at the WE-Heraeus-Seminar in Bad Honnef, Germany: Reconstructing the Milky Way's History: Spectroscopic Surveys, Asteroseismology and Chemodynamical Models

Starspots and active regions on IN Com: UBVRI photometry and linear polarization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alekseev, I. Yu.; Kozlova, O. V.

2014-06-01

The activity of the variable star IN Com is considered using the latest multicolor UBVRI photometry and linear polarimetric observations carried out during a decade. The photometric variability of the star is fully described using the zonal spottedness model developed at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory (CrAO). Spotted regions cover up to 22% of the total stellar surface, with the difference in temperatures between the quiet photosphere and the spot umbra being 600 K. The spots are located at middle and low latitudes (40°-55°). The intrinsic broad-band linear polarization of IN Com and its rotational modulation in the U band due to local magnetic fields at the most spotted (active) stellar longitudes were detected for the first time.

Directivity of the radio emission from the K1 dwarf star AB Doradus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lim, Jeremy; White, Stephen M.; Nelson, Graam J.; Benz, Arnold O.

1994-01-01

We present measurements of the spectrum and polarization of the flaring radio emission from the K1 dwarf star AB Doradus, together with previously reported single frequency measurements (with no polarization information) on 3 other days. On all 4 days spanning a 6 month period, the emission was strong and, when folded with the stellar rotation period, showed similar time variations with two prominant peaks at phase 0.35 and 0.75. These peaks coincide in longitude with two large starspots identified from the stellar optical light curve and have half-powe widths as small as 0.1 rotations and no larger than 0.2 rotations. The modulated emission shows no measurable circular polarization, and its two peaks have different turnover frequencies.

The Immature Fiber Mutant Phenotype of Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) Is Linked to a 22-bp Frame-Shift Deletion in a Mitochondria Targeted Pentatricopeptide Repeat Gene.

PubMed

Thyssen, Gregory N; Fang, David D; Zeng, Linghe; Song, Xianliang; Delhom, Christopher D; Condon, Tracy L; Li, Ping; Kim, Hee Jin

2016-06-01

Cotton seed trichomes are the most important source of natural fibers globally. The major fiber thickness properties influence the price of the raw material, and the quality of the finished product. The recessive immature fiber (im) gene reduces the degree of fiber cell wall thickening by a process that was previously shown to involve mitochondrial function in allotetraploid Gossypium hirsutum Here, we present the fine genetic mapping of the im locus, gene expression analysis of annotated proteins near the locus, and association analysis of the linked markers. Mapping-by-sequencing identified a 22-bp deletion in a pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) gene that is completely linked to the immature fiber phenotype in 2837 F2 plants, and is absent from all 163 cultivated varieties tested, although other closely linked marker polymorphisms are prevalent in the diversity panel. This frame-shift mutation results in a transcript with two long open reading frames: one containing the N-terminal transit peptide that targets mitochondria, the other containing only the RNA-binding PPR domains, suggesting that a functional PPR protein cannot be targeted to mitochondria in the im mutant. Taken together, these results suggest that PPR gene Gh_A03G0489 is involved in the cotton fiber wall thickening process, and is a promising candidate gene at the im locus. Our findings expand our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that modulate cotton fiber fineness and maturity, and may facilitate the development of cotton varieties with superior fiber attributes. Copyright © 2016 Thyssen et al.

Adhesion strength between thermoplastics and its polyurethane coating made by using the technology combination of injection molding and reaction injection molding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bloß, P.; Böhme, A.; Müller, J.; Krajewsky, P.; Michaelis, J.

2014-05-01

A complete equipment for injection molding (IM) of a thermoplastic (TP) carrier and reaction injection molding (RIM) of polyurethane (PUR) coatings including IM and RIM machines, a color module for PUR, and a robot was built up. A modularly composed sliding split mold was constructed and manufactured allowing different parts including thicker (2 mm thickness) soft touch and thin (0.4 mm) lacquer PUR coatings. As TP PC/ABS and PA6 GF15 compounds were used, and aromatic and aliphatic PUR systems as well. From the parts made by IM+RIM, test specimens for peel force measurements were cut. These investigations were performed prior and after ageing under climatic conditions @ 50 % RH and temperature changes between -30 °C and 90 °C. By varying IM processing parameters, we have found that mold and TP temperatures are particularly important for the adhesion strength between TP and PUR. The waiting time between the end of TP cooling and PUR injection has a minor influence on its mean value. However, to short waiting times may result in inhomogeneous adhesion. It was surprising that surface defects of the TP carrier leads also to inhomogeneous adhesion. We have observed that ageing may cause an increase and decrease of adhesions strength depending on the TP+PUR system used. We have found that the results are valid only for the actual TP and PUR combination. A generalization seems to be inappropriate, hence, the actual combination should be investigated to prevent unwanted surprises when the coated TP part is in its application.

Skeletal adaptation to intramedullary pressure-induced interstitial fluid flow is enhanced in mice subjected to targeted osteocyte ablation.

PubMed

Kwon, Ronald Y; Meays, Diana R; Meilan, Alexander S; Jones, Jeremiah; Miramontes, Rosa; Kardos, Natalie; Yeh, Jiunn-Chern; Frangos, John A

2012-01-01

Interstitial fluid flow (IFF) is a potent regulatory signal in bone. During mechanical loading, IFF is generated through two distinct mechanisms that result in spatially distinct flow profiles: poroelastic interactions within the lacunar-canalicular system, and intramedullary pressurization. While the former generates IFF primarily within the lacunar-canalicular network, the latter generates significant flow at the endosteal surface as well as within the tissue. This gives rise to the intriguing possibility that loading-induced IFF may differentially activate osteocytes or surface-residing cells depending on the generating mechanism, and that sensation of IFF generated via intramedullary pressurization may be mediated by a non-osteocytic bone cell population. To begin to explore this possibility, we used the Dmp1-HBEGF inducible osteocyte ablation mouse model and a microfluidic system for modulating intramedullary pressure (ImP) to assess whether structural adaptation to ImP-driven IFF is altered by partial osteocyte depletion. Canalicular convective velocities during pressurization were estimated through the use of fluorescence recovery after photobleaching and computational modeling. Following osteocyte ablation, transgenic mice exhibited severe losses in bone structure and altered responses to hindlimb suspension in a compartment-specific manner. In pressure-loaded limbs, transgenic mice displayed similar or significantly enhanced structural adaptation to Imp-driven IFF, particularly in the trabecular compartment, despite up to ∼50% of trabecular lacunae being uninhabited following ablation. Interestingly, regression analysis revealed relative gains in bone structure in pressure-loaded limbs were correlated with reductions in bone structure in unpressurized control limbs, suggesting that adaptation to ImP-driven IFF was potentiated by increases in osteoclastic activity and/or reductions in osteoblastic activity incurred independently of pressure loading. Collectively, these studies indicate that structural adaptation to ImP-driven IFF can proceed unimpeded following a significant depletion in osteocytes, consistent with the potential existence of a non-osteocytic bone cell population that senses ImP-driven IFF independently and potentially parallel to osteocytic sensation of poroelasticity-derived IFF.

Coexpression network analysis of the genes regulated by two types of resistance responses to powdery mildew in wheat

PubMed Central

Zhang, Juncheng; Zheng, Hongyuan; Li, Yiwen; Li, Hongjie; Liu, Xin; Qin, Huanju; Dong, Lingli; Wang, Daowen

2016-01-01

Powdery mildew disease caused by Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici (Bgt) inflicts severe economic losses in wheat crops. A systematic understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in wheat resistance to Bgt is essential for effectively controlling the disease. Here, using the diploid wheat Triticum urartu as a host, the genes regulated by immune (IM) and hypersensitive reaction (HR) resistance responses to Bgt were investigated through transcriptome sequencing. Four gene coexpression networks (GCNs) were developed using transcriptomic data generated for 20 T. urartu accessions showing IM, HR or susceptible responses. The powdery mildew resistance regulated (PMRR) genes whose expression was significantly correlated with Bgt resistance were identified, and they tended to be hubs and enriched in six major modules. A wide occurrence of negative regulation of PMRR genes was observed. Three new candidate immune receptor genes (TRIUR3_13045, TRIUR3_01037 and TRIUR3_06195) positively associated with Bgt resistance were discovered. Finally, the involvement of TRIUR3_01037 in Bgt resistance was tentatively verified through cosegregation analysis in a F2 population and functional expression assay in Bgt susceptible leaf cells. This research provides insights into the global network properties of PMRR genes. Potential molecular differences between IM and HR resistance responses to Bgt are discussed. PMID:27033636

New Advanced Technologies in Stem Cell Therapy

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-01

directions for this project include investigating modulation of the IKK/NF-kB pathway as a means to rejuvenate the phenotype of aged muscle stem and...Reference 1. Conboy IM, Conboy MJ, Wagers AJ, Girma ER, Weissman IL, Rando TA. Rejuvenation of aged progenitor cells by exposure to a young...the influence that age plays on the regeneration capacity of the cells. Study Design: We will investigate the effects of cell survival, proliferation

Symmetry of the Matrix Model of Anisotropic Media with Orthogonal Eigenmodes and its Application for the Developing of Remote Sensing Polarimetric Measurement Systems in Visible

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-10-01

c m m m m c m m im im c m m ...im im c m m m m c m m im im c im m m im c m im im m c im im m m = + + + = + + − = + − + = + − − = + + − = + + − = − + + = − + + + (67...4 1 1, , 4 4 1 1, , 4 4 1 1, . 4 4 c m m im im c

Extended capability of the integrated transport analysis suite, TASK3D-a, for LHD experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yokoyama, M.; Seki, R.; Suzuki, C.; Sato, M.; Emoto, M.; Murakami, S.; Osakabe, M.; Tsujimura, T. Ii.; Yoshimura, Y.; Ido, T.; Ogawa, K.; Satake, S.; Suzuki, Y.; Goto, T.; Ida, K.; Pablant, N.; Gates, D.; Warmer, F.; Vincenzi, P.; Simulation Reactor Research Project, Numerical; LHD Experiment Group

2017-12-01

The integrated transport analysis suite, TASK3D-a (Analysis), has been developed to be capable for routine whole-discharge analyses of plasmas confined in three-dimensional (3D) magnetic configurations such as the LHD. The routine dynamic energy balance analysis for NBI-heated plasmas was made possible in the first version released in September 2012. The suite has been further extended through implementing additional modules for neoclassical transport and ECH deposition for 3D configurations. A module has also been added for creating systematic data for the International Stellarator-Heliotron Confinement and Profile Database. Improvement of neutral beam injection modules for multiple-ion species plasmas and loose coupling with a large-simulation code are also highlights of recent developments.

LYMAN - The far ultraviolet explorer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moos, Warren; Osantowski, John F.

1989-01-01

The LYMAN FUSE mission concept for far ultraviolet astronomy is presented. The wavelength window from 100 to 1200 A provides access to a wide range of important scientific problems in cosmology, galactic structure, stellar evolution, and planetary magnetospheres, which cannot be studied in any other way. The LYMAN FUSE Phase A study is examining in detail mission operations, instrumentation technology, the construction of the instrument module, and the interfaces between the Instrument Module and the Explorer Platform Mission. Most of the mission observing time will be allotted through a competitive Guest Observer program analogous to that in operation for the IUE.

The Radius and Entropy of a Magnetized, Rotating, Fully Convective Star: Analysis with Depth-dependent Mixing Length Theories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ireland, Lewis G.; Browning, Matthew K.

2018-04-01

Some low-mass stars appear to have larger radii than predicted by standard 1D structure models; prior work has suggested that inefficient convective heat transport, due to rotation and/or magnetism, may ultimately be responsible. We examine this issue using 1D stellar models constructed using Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA). First, we consider standard models that do not explicitly include rotational/magnetic effects, with convective inhibition modeled by decreasing a depth-independent mixing length theory (MLT) parameter α MLT. We provide formulae linking changes in α MLT to changes in the interior specific entropy, and hence to the stellar radius. Next, we modify the MLT formulation in MESA to mimic explicitly the influence of rotation and magnetism, using formulations suggested by Stevenson and MacDonald & Mullan, respectively. We find rapid rotation in these models has a negligible impact on stellar structure, primarily because a star’s adiabat, and hence its radius, is predominantly affected by layers near the surface; convection is rapid and largely uninfluenced by rotation there. Magnetic fields, if they influenced convective transport in the manner described by MacDonald & Mullan, could lead to more noticeable radius inflation. Finally, we show that these non-standard effects on stellar structure can be fabricated using a depth-dependent α MLT: a non-magnetic, non-rotating model can be produced that is virtually indistinguishable from one that explicitly parameterizes rotation and/or magnetism using the two formulations above. We provide formulae linking the radially variable α MLT to these putative MLT reformulations.

UVMag: Space UV and visible spectropolarimetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pertenais, Martin; Neiner, Coralie; Parès, Laurent P.; Petit, Pascal; Snik, Frans; van Harten, Gerard

2014-07-01

UVMag is a project of a space mission equipped with a high-resolution spectropolarimeter working in the UV and visible range. This M-size mission will be proposed to ESA at its M4 call. The main goal of UVMag is to measure the magnetic fields, winds and environment of all types of stars to reach a better understanding of stellar formation and evolution and of the impact of stellar environment on the surrounding planets. The groundbreaking combination of UV and visible spectropolarimetric observations will allow the scientists to study the stellar surface and its environment simultaneously. The instrumental challenge for this mission is to design a high-resolution space spectropolarimeter measuring the full- Stokes vector of the observed star in a huge spectral domain from 117 nm to 870 nm. This spectral range is the main difficulty because of the dispersion of the optical elements and of birefringence issues in the FUV. As the instrument will be launched into space, the polarimetric module has to be robust and therefore use if possible only static elements. This article presents the different design possibilities for the polarimeter at this point of the project.

Development of a self-management program for employees with complaints of the arm, neck, and/or shoulder: an intervention mapping approach

PubMed Central

Hutting, Nathan; Detaille, Sarah I; Engels, Josephine A; Heerkens, Yvonne F; Staal, J Bart; Nijhuis-van der Sanden, Maria WG

2015-01-01

Purpose To develop a self-management program with an additional eHealth module, using the six steps of the intervention mapping (IM) protocol, to help employees with complaints of the arm, neck, and/or shoulder (CANS) cope with their problems. Methods In Step 1 of the IM protocol, a needs assessment was performed consisting of a review of the Dutch multidisciplinary guidelines on CANS, and of focus group sessions with employees with CANS (n=15) and with relevant experts (n=17). After the needs assessment, the objectives of the intervention and the determinants of self-management at work were formulated (Step 2). Furthermore, theory-based intervention methods and practical strategies were selected (Step 3), and an intervention program (including the eHealth module) was developed (Step 4). Finally, plans for implementation and evaluation of the program were developed (Steps 5 and 6). Results Step 1 of the IM protocol revealed that employees with CANS should be stimulated to search for information about the cause of their complaints, about how to deal with their complaints, and in which manner they can influence their complaints themselves. In Step 2, the overall goal of the intervention was defined as “self-management behavior at work” with the aim to alleviate the perceived disability of the participants. Step 3 described how the intervention methods were translated into practical strategies, and goal setting was introduced as an important method for increasing self-efficacy. The product of Step 4 was the final program plan, consisting of 6-weekly group sessions of 2.5 hours each and an eHealth module. In Step 5, a recruitment plan and course materials were developed, a steering committee was set up, trainers were recruited, and the final program was tested. In Step 6, an evaluation plan was developed, which consists of a randomized controlled trial with a 12-month follow-up period and a qualitative evaluation (interviews) with some of the participants. Conclusion This study resulted in a theory- and practice-based self-management program, based on behavioral change theories, guideline-related evidence, and practice-based knowledge that fits the needs of employees with CANS. PMID:26170689

VizieR Online Data Catalog: GalIMF version 1.0.0 (Yan+, 2017)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Z.; Jerabkova, T.; Kroupa, P.

2017-08-01

GalIMF stands for the Galaxy-wide Initial Mass Function. It is a Python 3 module that allows users to compute galaxy-wide initial stellar mass functions based on locally derived empirical constraints following the IGIMF theory. See the GalIMF homepage https://sites.google.com/view/galimf/home for more information. (1 data file).

Associating Long-term Gamma-ray Variability with the Superorbital Period of LS I + 61 Deg. 303

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ackermann, M.; Ajello, M.; Ballet, J.; Barbiellini, G.; Bastieri, D.; Bellazzini, R.; Bonamente, E.; Brandt, T. J.; Bregeon, J.; Brigida, M.;

Nonlinear impairment compensation for DFT-S OFDM signal transmission with directly modulated laser and direct detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gou, Pengqi; Wang, Kaihui; Qin, Chaoyi; Yu, Jianjun

2017-03-01

We experimentally demonstrate a 16-ary quadrature amplitude modulation (16QAM) DFT-spread optical orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) transmission system utilizing a cost-effective directly modulated laser (DML) and direct detection. For 20-Gbaud 16QAM-OFDM signal, with the aid of nonlinear equalization (NLE) algorithm, we respectively provide 6.2-dB and 5.2-dB receiver sensitivity improvement under the hard-decision forward-error-correction (HD-FEC) threshold of 3.8×10-3 for the back-to-back (BTB) case and after transmission over 10-km standard single mode fiber (SSMF) case, related to only adopt post-equalization scheme. To our knowledge, this is the first time to use dynamic nonlinear equalizer (NLE) based on the summation of the square of the difference between samples in one IM/DD OFDM system with DML to mitigate nonlinear distortion.

Performance evaluation and optimization of multiband phase-modulated radio over IsOWC link with balanced coherent homodyne detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zong, Kang; Zhu, Jiang

2018-04-01

In this paper, we present a multiband phase-modulated (PM) radio over intersatellite optical wireless communication (IsOWC) link with balanced coherent homodyne detection. The proposed system can provide the transparent transport of multiband radio frequency (RF) signals with higher linearity and better receiver sensitivity than intensity modulated with direct detection (IM/DD) system. The expressions of RF gain, noise figure (NF) and third-order spurious-free dynamic range (SFDR) are derived considering the third-order intermodulation product and amplifier spontaneous emission (ASE) noise. The optimal power of local oscillator (LO) optical signal is also derived theoretically. Numerical results for RF gain, NF and third-order SFDR are given for demonstration. Results indicate that the gain of the optical preamplifier and the power of LO optical signal should be optimized to obtain the satisfactory performance.

I'm no longer torn after choice: how explicit choices implicitly shape preferences of odors.

PubMed

Coppin, Géraldine; Delplanque, Sylvain; Cayeux, Isabelle; Porcherot, Christelle; Sander, David

2010-04-01

Several studies have shown that preferences can be strongly modulated by cognitive processes such as decision making and choices. However, it is still unclear whether choices can influence preferences of sensory stimuli implicitly. This question was addressed here by asking participants to evaluate odors, to choose their preferred odors within pairs, to reevaluate the odors, and to perform an unexpected memory test. Results revealed, for the first time in the study of olfaction, the existence of postchoice preference changes, in the sense of an overvaluation of chosen odors and a devaluation of rejected ones, even when choices were forgotten. These results suggest that chemosensory preferences can be modulated by explicit choices and that such modulation might rely on implicit mechanisms. This finding rules out any explanation of postchoice preference changes in terms of experimental demand and strongly challenges the classical cognitive-dissonance-reduction account of such preference changes.

Muscarinic Cholinergic Modulation of Long-Lasting Synaptic Plasticity in the Rat Dentate Gyrus

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-12-14

ability to block GABAB-mediated responses, which are PTx-sensitive. The effects of the GABAg receptor agonist baclofen on evoked responses were analyzed...both in slices previously exposed to 10/iM muscarine (n=4), and nonexposed slices (n=2). The disinhibitory effects of baclofen usually seen in...20 min washout of muscarine always preceeded the baclofen exposure, to allow for washout of muscarine. There were no differences in the responses to

(PCG) Protein Crystal Growth HIV Reverse Transcriptase

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

HIV Reverse Transcriptase crystals grown during the USML-1 (STS-50) mission using Commercial Refrigerator/Incubator Module (CR/IM) at 4 degrees C and the Vapor Diffusion Apparatus (VDA). Reverse transcriptase is an enzyme responsible for copying the nucleic acid genome of the AIDS virus from RNA to DNA. Studies indicated that the space-grown crystals were larger and better ordered (beyond 4 angstroms) than were comparable Earth-grown crystals. Principal Investigators were Charles Bugg and Larry DeLucas.

Cosmic-Ray Propagation in Turbulent Spiral Magnetic Fields Associated with Young Stellar Objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fatuzzo, Marco; Adams, Fred C.

2018-04-01

External cosmic rays impinging upon circumstellar disks associated with young stellar objects provide an important source of ionization, and, as such, play an important role in disk evolution and planet formation. However, these incoming cosmic rays are affected by a variety of physical processes internal to stellar/disk systems, including modulation by turbulent magnetic fields. Globally, these fields naturally provide both a funneling effect, where cosmic rays from larger volumes are focused into the disk region, and a magnetic mirroring effect, where cosmic rays are repelled due to the increasing field strength. This paper considers cosmic-ray propagation in the presence of a turbulent spiral magnetic field, analogous to that produced by the solar wind. The interaction of this wind with the interstellar medium defines a transition radius, analogous to the heliopause, which provides the outer boundary to this problem. We construct a new coordinate system where one coordinate follows the spiral magnetic field lines and consider magnetic perturbations to the field in the perpendicular directions. The presence of magnetic turbulence replaces the mirroring points with a distribution of values and moves the mean location outward. Our results thus help quantify the degree to which cosmic-ray fluxes are reduced in circumstellar disks by the presence of magnetic field structures that are shaped by stellar winds. The new coordinate system constructed herein should also be useful in other astronomical applications.

Technology Advancements for Active Remote Sensing of Carbon Dioxide from Space using the ASCENDS CarbonHawk Experiment Simulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Obland, M. D.; Nehrir, A. R.; Liu, Z.; Chen, S.; Campbell, J. F.; Lin, B.; Kooi, S. A.; Fan, T. F.; Choi, Y.; Plant, J.; Yang, M. M.; Browell, E. V.; Harrison, F. W.; Meadows, B.; Dobler, J. T.; Zaccheo, T. S.

2015-12-01

This work describes advances in critical lidar technologies and techniques developed as part of the ASCENDS CarbonHawk Experiment Simulator (ACES) system for measuring atmospheric column carbon dioxide (CO2) mixing ratios in support of the NASA Active Sensing of CO2 Emissions over Nights, Days, and Seasons (ASCENDS) mission. The ACES design demonstrates advancements in: (1) enhanced power-aperture product through the use and operation of multiple co-aligned laser transmitters and a multi-aperture telescope design; (2) high-efficiency, high-power Erbium-Doped Fiber Amplifiers (EDFAs); (3) high-bandwidth, low-noise HgCdTe detector and transimpedence amplifier (TIA) subsystem capable of long-duration operation; and (4) advanced algorithms for cloud and aerosol discrimination. The ACES instrument, an Intensity-Modulated Continuous-Wave (IM-CW) lidar, was designed for high-altitude aircraft operations and can be directly applied to space instrumentation to meet the ASCENDS mission requirements. Specifically, the lidar simultaneously transmits three IM-CW laser beams from the high power EDFAs operating near 1571 nm. The outgoing laser beams are aligned to the field of view of three fiber-coupled 17.8-cm diameter telescopes, and the backscattered light collected by the same three telescopes is sent to the detector/TIA subsystem, which has a bandwidth of 4.9 MHz and operates service-free with a tactical Dewar and cryocooler. The electronic bandwidth is only slightly higher than 1 MHz, effectively limiting the noise level. Two key laser modulation approaches are being tested to significantly mitigate the effects of thin clouds on the retrieved CO2 column amounts. This work provides an over view of these technologies, the modulation approaches, and results from recent test flights.

Technology Advancements for Active Remote Sensing of Carbon Dioxide From Space using the ASCENDS CarbonHawk Experiment Simulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Obland, M. D.; Liu, Z.; Campbell, J. F.; Lin, B.; Kooi, S. A.; Carrion, W.; Hicks, J.; Fan, T. F.; Nehrir, A. R.; Browell, E. V.; Meadows, B.; Davis, K. J.

2016-12-01

This work describes advances in critical lidar technologies and techniques developed as part of the ASCENDS CarbonHawk Experiment Simulator (ACES) system for measuring atmospheric column carbon dioxide (CO2) mixing ratios in support of the NASA Active Sensing of CO2 Emissions over Nights, Days, and Seasons (ASCENDS) mission. The ACES design demonstrates advancements in: (1) enhanced power-aperture product through the use and operation of multiple co-aligned laser transmitters and a multi-aperture telescope design; (2) high-efficiency, high-power Erbium-Doped Fiber Amplifiers (EDFAs); (3) high-bandwidth, low-noise HgCdTe detector and transimpedence amplifier (TIA) subsystem capable of long-duration operation; and (4) advanced algorithms for cloud and aerosol discrimination. The ACES instrument, an Intensity-Modulated Continuous-Wave (IM-CW) lidar, was designed for high-altitude aircraft operations and can be directly applied to space instrumentation to meet the ASCENDS mission requirements. Specifically, the lidar simultaneously transmits three IM-CW laser beams from the high power EDFAs operating near 1571 nm. The outgoing laser beams are aligned to the field of view of three fiber-coupled 17.8-cm diameter telescopes, and the backscattered light collected by the same three telescopes is sent to the detector/TIA subsystem, which has a bandwidth of 4.9 MHz and operates service-free with a tactical Dewar and cryocooler. The electronic bandwidth is only slightly higher than 1 MHz, effectively limiting the noise level. Two key laser modulation approaches are being tested to significantly mitigate the effects of thin clouds on the retrieved CO2 column amounts. This work provides an over view of these technologies, the modulation approaches, and results from recent test flights during the Atmospheric Carbon and Transport - America (ACT-America) Earth Venture Suborbital flight campaign.

Correlation of mass spectrometry identified bacterial biomarkers from a fielded pyrolysis-gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry biodetector with the microbiological gram stain classification scheme.

PubMed

Snyder, A Peter; Dworzanski, Jacek P; Tripathi, Ashish; Maswadeh, Waleed M; Wick, Charles H

2004-11-01

A pyrolysis-gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (Py-GC-IMS) briefcase system has been shown to detect and classify deliberately released bioaerosols in outdoor field scenarios. The bioaerosols included Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, MS-2 coliphage virus, and ovalbumin protein species. However, the origin and structural identities of the pyrolysate peaks in the GC-IMS data space, their microbiological information content, and taxonomic importance with respect to biodetection have not been determined. The present work interrogates the identities of the peaks by inserting a time-of-flight mass spectrometry system in parallel with the IMS detector through a Tee connection in the GC module. Biological substances producing ion mobility peaks from the pyrolysis of microorganisms were identified by their GC retention time, matching of their electron ionization mass spectra with authentic standards, and the National Institutes for Standards and Technology mass spectral database. Strong signals from 2-pyridinecarboxamide were identified in Bacillus samples including Bacillus anthracis, and its origin was traced to the cell wall peptidoglycan macromolecule. 3-Hydroxymyristic acid is a component of lipopolysaccharides in the cell walls of Gram-negative organisms. The Gram-negative Escherichia coli organism showed significant amounts of 3-hydroxymyristic acid derivatives and degradation products in Py-GC-MS analyses. Some of the fatty acid derivatives were observed in very low abundance in the ion mobility spectra, and the higher boiling lipid species were absent. Evidence is presented that the Py-GC-ambient temperature and pressure-IMS system generates and detects bacterial biochemical information that can serve as components of a biological classification scheme directly correlated to the Gram stain reaction in microorganism taxonomy.

Serpentine Ultralong Path with Extended Routing (SUPER) High Resolution Traveling Wave Ion Mobility-MS using Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations

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

Deng, Liulin; Webb, Ian K.; Garimella, Sandilya V. B.

Ion mobility (IM) separations have a broad range of analytical applications, but insufficient resolution limits many applications. Here we report on traveling wave (TW) ion mobility (IM) separations in a Serpentine Ultra-long Path with Extended Routing (SUPER) Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations (SLIM) module in conjunction with mass spectrometry (MS). The extended routing utilized multiple passes was facilitated by the introduction of a lossless ion switch at the end of the ion path that either directed ions to the MS detector or to another pass through the serpentine separation region, providing theoretically unlimited TWIM path lengths. Ions were confined inmore » the SLIM by rf fields in conjunction with a DC guard bias, enabling essentially lossless TW transmission over greatly extended paths (e.g., ~1094 meters over 81 passes through the 13.5 m serpentine path). In this multi-pass SUPER TWIM provided resolution approximately proportional to the square root of the number of passes (or path length). More than 30-fold higher IM resolution for Agilent tuning mix m/z 622 and 922 ions (~340 vs. ~10) was achieved for 40 passes compared to commercially available drift tube IM and other TWIM-based platforms. An initial evaluation of the isomeric sugars Lacto-N-hexaose and Lacto-N-neohexaose showed the isomeric structures to be baseline resolved, and a new conformational feature for Lacto-N-neohexaose was revealed after 9 passes. The new SLIM SUPER high resolution TWIM platform has broad utility in conjunction with MS and is expected to enable a broad range of previously challenging or intractable separations.« less

THE DEPENDENCE OF STELLAR MASS AND ANGULAR MOMENTUM LOSSES ON LATITUDE AND THE INTERACTION OF ACTIVE REGION AND DIPOLAR MAGNETIC FIELDS

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

Garraffo, Cecilia; Drake, Jeremy J.; Cohen, Ofer

Rotation evolution of late-type stars is dominated by magnetic braking and the underlying factors that control this angular momentum loss are important for the study of stellar spin-down. In this work, we study angular momentum loss as a function of two different aspects of magnetic activity using a calibrated Alfvén wave-driven magnetohydrodynamic wind model: the strengths of magnetic spots and their distribution in latitude. By driving the model using solar and modified solar surface magnetograms, we show that the topology of the field arising from the net interaction of both small-scale and large-scale field is important for spin-down rates andmore » that angular momentum loss is not a simple function of large scale magnetic field strength. We find that changing the latitude of magnetic spots can modify mass and angular momentum loss rates by a factor of two. The general effect that causes these differences is the closing down of large-scale open field at mid- and high-latitudes by the addition of the small-scale field. These effects might give rise to modulation of mass and angular momentum loss through stellar cycles, and present a problem for ab initio attempts to predict stellar spin-down based on wind models. For all the magnetogram cases considered here, from dipoles to various spotted distributions, we find that angular momentum loss is dominated by the mass loss at mid-latitudes. The spin-down torque applied by magnetized winds therefore acts at specific latitudes and is not evenly distributed over the stellar surface, though this aspect is unlikely to be important for understanding spin-down and surface flows on stars.« less

M-dwarf stellar winds: the effects of realistic magnetic geometry on rotational evolution and planets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vidotto, A. A.; Jardine, M.; Morin, J.; Donati, J. F.; Opher, M.; Gombosi, T. I.

2014-02-01

We perform three-dimensional numerical simulations of stellar winds of early-M-dwarf stars. Our simulations incorporate observationally reconstructed large-scale surface magnetic maps, suggesting that the complexity of the magnetic field can play an important role in the angular momentum evolution of the star, possibly explaining the large distribution of periods in field dM stars, as reported in recent works. In spite of the diversity of the magnetic field topologies among the stars in our sample, we find that stellar wind flowing near the (rotational) equatorial plane carries most of the stellar angular momentum, but there is no preferred colatitude contributing to mass-loss, as the mass flux is maximum at different colatitudes for different stars. We find that more non-axisymmetric magnetic fields result in more asymmetric mass fluxes and wind total pressures ptot (defined as the sum of thermal, magnetic and ram pressures). Because planetary magnetospheric sizes are set by pressure equilibrium between the planet's magnetic field and ptot, variations of up to a factor of 3 in ptot (as found in the case of a planet orbiting at several stellar radii away from the star) lead to variations in magnetospheric radii of about 20 per cent along the planetary orbital path. In analogy to the flux of cosmic rays that impact the Earth, which is inversely modulated with the non-axisymmetric component of the total open solar magnetic flux, we conclude that planets orbiting M-dwarf stars like DT Vir, DS Leo and GJ 182, which have significant non-axisymmetric field components, should be the more efficiently shielded from galactic cosmic rays, even if the planets lack a protective thick atmosphere/large magnetosphere of their own.

Mobility-Selected Ion Trapping and Enrichment Using Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations

DOE PAGES

Chen, Tsung-Chi; Ibrahim, Yehia M.; Webb, Ian K.; ...

2016-01-11

The integration of ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) with mass spectrometry (MS) and the ability to trap ions in IMS-MS measurements is of great importance for performing reactions, accumulating ions, and increasing analytical measurement sensitivity. The development of Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations (SLIM) offers the potential for ion manipulations in a more reliable and cost-effective manner, while opening opportunities for much more complex sequences of manipulations. Here, we demonstrate an ion separation and trapping module and a method based upon SLIM that consists of a linear mobility ion drift region, a switch/tee and a trapping region that allows the isolationmore » and accumulation of mobility-separated species. The operation and optimization of the SLIM switch/tee and trap are described and demonstrated for the enrichment of the low abundance ions. Lastly, we observed a linear increase in ion intensity with the number of trapping/accumulation events using the SLIM trap, illustrating its potential for enhancing the sensitivity of low abundance or targeted species.« less

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

Chen, Tsung-Chi; Ibrahim, Yehia M.; Webb, Ian K.

The integration of ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) with mass spectrometry (MS) and the ability to trap ions in IMS-MS measurements is of great importance for performing reactions, accumulating ions, and increasing analytical measurement sensitivity. The development of Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations (SLIM) offers the potential for ion manipulations in a more reliable and cost-effective manner, while opening opportunities for much more complex sequences of manipulations. Here, we demonstrate an ion separation and trapping module and a method based upon SLIM that consists of a linear mobility ion drift region, a switch/tee and a trapping region that allows the isolationmore » and accumulation of mobility-separated species. The operation and optimization of the SLIM switch/tee and trap are described and demonstrated for the enrichment of the low abundance ions. Lastly, we observed a linear increase in ion intensity with the number of trapping/accumulation events using the SLIM trap, illustrating its potential for enhancing the sensitivity of low abundance or targeted species.« less

Investigation of sliding DNA clamp dynamics by single-molecule fluorescence, mass spectrometry and structure-based modeling

PubMed Central

Gadkari, Varun V; Harvey, Sophie R; Raper, Austin T; Chu, Wen-Ting; Wang, Jin; Wysocki, Vicki H; Suo, Zucai

2018-01-01

Abstract Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) is a trimeric ring-shaped clamp protein that encircles DNA and interacts with many proteins involved in DNA replication and repair. Despite extensive structural work to characterize the monomeric, dimeric, and trimeric forms of PCNA alone and in complex with interacting proteins, no structure of PCNA in a ring-open conformation has been published. Here, we use a multidisciplinary approach, including single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (smFRET), native ion mobility-mass spectrometry (IM-MS), and structure-based computational modeling, to explore the conformational dynamics of a model PCNA from Sulfolobus solfataricus (Sso), an archaeon. We found that Sso PCNA samples ring-open and ring-closed conformations even in the absence of its clamp loader complex, replication factor C, and transition to the ring-open conformation is modulated by the ionic strength of the solution. The IM-MS results corroborate the smFRET findings suggesting that PCNA dynamics are maintained in the gas phase and further establishing IM-MS as a reliable strategy to investigate macromolecular motions. Our molecular dynamic simulations agree with the experimental data and reveal that ring-open PCNA often adopts an out-of-plane left-hand geometry. Collectively, these results implore future studies to define the roles of PCNA dynamics in DNA loading and other PCNA-mediated interactions. PMID:29529283

Microfluidic enhancement of intramedullary pressure increases interstitial fluid flow and inhibits bone loss in hindlimb suspended mice.

PubMed

Kwon, Ronald Y; Meays, Diana R; Tang, W Joyce; Frangos, John A

2010-08-01

Interstitial fluid flow (IFF) has been widely hypothesized to mediate skeletal adaptation to mechanical loading. Although a large body of in vitro evidence has demonstrated that fluid flow stimulates osteogenic and antiresorptive responses in bone cells, there is much less in vivo evidence that IFF mediates loading-induced skeletal adaptation. This is due in large part to the challenges associated with decoupling IFF from matrix strain. In this study we describe a novel microfluidic system for generating dynamic intramedullary pressure (ImP) and IFF within the femurs of alert mice. By quantifying fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) within individual lacunae, we show that microfluidic generation of dynamic ImP significantly increases IFF within the lacunocanalicular system. In addition, we demonstrate that dynamic pressure loading of the intramedullary compartment for 3 minutes per day significantly eliminates losses in trabecular and cortical bone mineral density in hindlimb suspended mice, enhances trabecular and cortical structural integrity, and increases endosteal bone formation rate. Unlike previously developed modalities for enhancing IFF in vivo, this is the first model that allows direct and dynamic modulation of ImP and skeletal IFF within mice. Given the large number of genetic tools for manipulating the mouse genome, this model is expected to serve as a powerful investigative tool in elucidating the role of IFF in skeletal adaptation to mechanical loading and molecular mechanisms mediating this process.

Neutron Radiation Effects in Fiber Optics.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-06-05

due to naturevs effects , the photophone as a device was doomed. However the principles of voice transmission by modulated ]iqht beams were not. From...AD-A091 661 NAVAL ACADEMY ANNAPOLIS NO F/S 20/6 NEUTRON RADIATION EFFECTS IN FIBER OPTICS.(U) N.N 80 M J MARSHFIELD NCLASSIFIED USNA-TSPR-107 MLE...34’I//E/////EE I ffffffffffffff /l-"lll/"."lmIii//2 //0 A TRIDENT SCHOLAR * PROJECT REPORT NO. 1im "NEUTRON RADIATION EFFECTS IN FIBE OPTICS UNITED

USAWC (United States Army War College) Military Studies Program. Training, Motivation and Intrinsic Task Value. Essential Elements of Excellence (Readiness).

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-06-04

which this process is tied to and coordinated with the benefits individuals derive from continued employment with the organization. Whether the program...education benefits and job skills useful in civilian life following discharge as the primary Army attractions for category I and II enlistees.3 7 . Young...Goals/Standards (IM-31) - Film Setting. Shipping and receiving section of plant This module emphasizes the benefits of establishing which manufactures

Taxol and LPS Modulation of c-kit and nm23 Expression in Macrophages and Normal vs. Malignant Breast Cancer Cell Lines.

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-07-01

medium only, LPS (100 ng/ml), or paclitaxel (35 ^iM), concentrations found to induce maximal levels of mRNA in murine macrophages. Total RNA was...not detected in RNA derived from the DA-3 cells over an 8 h timecourse, even after 40 cycles of PCR amplification, without or with treatment...indicated times after stimulation with LPS or paclitaxel. Isolation of total cellular RNA . For in vitro experiments, culture supematants were removed

Skeletal Adaptation to Intramedullary Pressure-Induced Interstitial Fluid Flow Is Enhanced in Mice Subjected to Targeted Osteocyte Ablation

PubMed Central

Kwon, Ronald Y.; Meays, Diana R.; Meilan, Alexander S.; Jones, Jeremiah; Miramontes, Rosa; Kardos, Natalie; Yeh, Jiunn-Chern; Frangos, John A.

2012-01-01

Interstitial fluid flow (IFF) is a potent regulatory signal in bone. During mechanical loading, IFF is generated through two distinct mechanisms that result in spatially distinct flow profiles: poroelastic interactions within the lacunar-canalicular system, and intramedullary pressurization. While the former generates IFF primarily within the lacunar-canalicular network, the latter generates significant flow at the endosteal surface as well as within the tissue. This gives rise to the intriguing possibility that loading-induced IFF may differentially activate osteocytes or surface-residing cells depending on the generating mechanism, and that sensation of IFF generated via intramedullary pressurization may be mediated by a non-osteocytic bone cell population. To begin to explore this possibility, we used the Dmp1-HBEGF inducible osteocyte ablation mouse model and a microfluidic system for modulating intramedullary pressure (ImP) to assess whether structural adaptation to ImP-driven IFF is altered by partial osteocyte depletion. Canalicular convective velocities during pressurization were estimated through the use of fluorescence recovery after photobleaching and computational modeling. Following osteocyte ablation, transgenic mice exhibited severe losses in bone structure and altered responses to hindlimb suspension in a compartment-specific manner. In pressure-loaded limbs, transgenic mice displayed similar or significantly enhanced structural adaptation to Imp-driven IFF, particularly in the trabecular compartment, despite up to ∼50% of trabecular lacunae being uninhabited following ablation. Interestingly, regression analysis revealed relative gains in bone structure in pressure-loaded limbs were correlated with reductions in bone structure in unpressurized control limbs, suggesting that adaptation to ImP-driven IFF was potentiated by increases in osteoclastic activity and/or reductions in osteoblastic activity incurred independently of pressure loading. Collectively, these studies indicate that structural adaptation to ImP-driven IFF can proceed unimpeded following a significant depletion in osteocytes, consistent with the potential existence of a non-osteocytic bone cell population that senses ImP-driven IFF independently and potentially parallel to osteocytic sensation of poroelasticity-derived IFF. PMID:22413015

Synthesis and DNA binding properties of 1-(3-aminopropyl)-imidazole-containing triamide f-Im*PyIm: a novel diamino polyamide designed to target 5'-ACGCGT-3'.

PubMed

Satam, Vijay; Babu, Balaji; Porte, Alexander; Savagian, Mia; Lee, Megan; Smeltzer, Thomas; Liu, Yang; Ramos, Joseph; Wilson, W David; Lin, Shicai; Kiakos, Kostantinos; Hartley, John A; Lee, Moses

2012-09-15

A novel diamino/dicationic polyamide f-Im(*)PyIm (5) that contains an orthogonally positioned aminopropyl chain on an imidazole (Im(*)) moiety was designed to target 5'-ACGCGT-3'. The DNA binding properties of the diamino polyamide 5, determined by CD, ΔT(M), DNase I footprinting, SPR, and ITC studies, were compared with those of its monoamino/monocationic counterpart f-ImPyIm (1) and its diamino/dicationic isomer f-ImPy(*)Im (2), which has the aminopropyl group attached to the central pyrrole unit (Py(*)). The results gave evidence for the minor groove binding and selectivity of polyamide 5 for the cognate sequence 5'-ACGCGT-3', and with strong affinity (K(eq)=2.3×10(7) M(-1)). However, the binding affinities varied according to the order: f-ImPy(*)Im (2)>f-ImPyIm (1)≥f-Im(*)PyIm (5) confirming that the second amino group can improve affinity, but its position within the polyamide can affect affinity. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Variability of a Stellar Corona on a Time Scale of Days: Evidence for Abundance Fractionation in an Emerging Coronal Active Region

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nordon, R.; Behar, E.; Drake, S. A.

2013-01-01

Elemental abundance effects in active coronae have eluded our understanding for almost three decades, since the discovery of the first ionization potential (FIP) effect on the sun. The goal of this paper is to monitor the same coronal structures over a time interval of six days and resolve active regions on a stellar corona through rotational modulation. We report on four iso-phase X-ray spectroscopic observations of the RS CVn binary EI Eri with XMM-Newton, carried out approximately every two days, to match the rotation period of EI Eri. We present an analysis of the thermal and chemical structure of the EI Eri corona as it evolves over the six days. Although the corona is rather steady in its temperature distribution, the emission measure and FIP bias both vary and seem to be correlated. An active region, predating the beginning of the campaign, repeatedly enters into our view at the same phase as it rotates from beyond the stellar limb. As a result, the abundances tend slightly, but consistently, to increase for high FIP elements (an inverse FIP effect) with phase. We estimate the abundance increase of high FIP elements in the active region to be of about 75% over the coronal mean. This observed fractionation of elements in an active region on time scales of days provides circumstantial clues regarding the element enrichment mechanism of non-flaring stellar coronae.

A mass of less than 15 solar masses for the black hole in an ultraluminous X-ray source.

PubMed

Motch, C; Pakull, M W; Soria, R; Grisé, F; Pietrzyński, G

2014-10-09

Most ultraluminous X-ray sources have a typical set of properties not seen in Galactic stellar-mass black holes. They have luminosities of more than 3 × 10(39) ergs per second, unusually soft X-ray components (with a typical temperature of less than about 0.3 kiloelectronvolts) and a characteristic downturn in their spectra above about 5 kiloelectronvolts. Such puzzling properties have been interpreted either as evidence of intermediate-mass black holes or as emission from stellar-mass black holes accreting above their Eddington limit, analogous to some Galactic black holes at peak luminosity. Recently, a very soft X-ray spectrum was observed in a rare and transient stellar-mass black hole. Here we report that the X-ray source P13 in the galaxy NGC 7793 is in a binary system with a period of about 64 days and exhibits all three canonical properties of ultraluminous sources. By modelling the strong optical and ultraviolet modulations arising from X-ray heating of the B9Ia donor star, we constrain the black hole mass to be less than 15 solar masses. Our results demonstrate that in P13, soft thermal emission and spectral curvature are indeed signatures of supercritical accretion. By analogy, ultraluminous X-ray sources with similar X-ray spectra and luminosities of up to a few times 10(40) ergs per second can be explained by supercritical accretion onto massive stellar-mass black holes.

The evolution of the intergalactic medium and the origin of the galaxy luminosity function

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Valls-Gabaud, David; Blanchard, Alain; Mamon, Gary

1993-01-01

The coupling of the Press and Schechter prescription with the CDM scenario and the Hoyle-Rees-Ostriker cooling criterion leads to a galaxy formation scenario in which galaxies are overproduced by a large factor. Although star formation might be suppressed in the smaller halos, a large amount of energy per galactic mass is needed to account for the present number density of galaxies. The evolution of the intergalactic medium (IGM) provides a simple criterion to prevent galaxy formation without requiring feedback, since halos with small virial temperatures are not able to retain the infalling hot gas of the IGM. If the ionizing background has decreased since z is approximately 1 - 2, then this criterion explains the slope of the luminosity function at the faint end. In addition, this scenario predicts two populations of dwarf galaxies, well differentiated in age, gas content, stellar populations, and clustering properties, which can be identified with dE and dIm galaxies.

Observation of X-ray eclipses from LMC X-4

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, F.; Rappaport, S.; Epstein, A.

1978-01-01

Observations made with the Rotation Modulation Collimator system (RMC) have revealed that X-ray source X-4 in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC X-4) is most likely part of a binary system. An analysis of the star's coordinates is presented, with attention given to orbital period and flux intensity variations. Stellar mass and orbital inclination angle are estimated for both X-4 and its companion star.

Associating long-term γ-ray variability with the superorbital period of LS I +61°303

DOE PAGES

Ackermann, M.; Ajello, M.; Ballet, J.; ...

2013-08-07

Gamma-ray binaries are stellar systems for which the spectral energy distribution (discounting the thermal stellar emission) peaks at high energies. Detected from radio to TeV gamma rays, the γ-ray binary LS I +61°303 is highly variable across all frequencies. One aspect of this system's variability is the modulation of its emission with the timescale set by the ~26.4960 day orbital period. Here we show that, during the time of our observations, the γ-ray emission of LS I +61°303 also presents a sinusoidal variability consistent with the previously known superorbital period of 1667 days. This modulation is more prominently seen atmore » orbital phases around apastron, whereas it does not introduce a visible change close to periastron. It is also found in the appearance and disappearance of variability at the orbital period in the power spectrum of the data. This behavior could be explained by a quasi-cyclical evolution of the equatorial outflow of the Be companion star, whose features influence the conditions for generating gamma rays. Furthermore, these findings open the possibility to use γ-ray observations to study the outflows of massive stars in eccentric binary systems.« less

ASSOCIATING LONG-TERM {gamma}-RAY VARIABILITY WITH THE SUPERORBITAL PERIOD OF LS I +61 Degree-Sign 303

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

Ackermann, M.; Buehler, R.; Ajello, M.

2013-08-20

Gamma-ray binaries are stellar systems for which the spectral energy distribution (discounting the thermal stellar emission) peaks at high energies. Detected from radio to TeV gamma rays, the {gamma}-ray binary LS I +61 Degree-Sign 303 is highly variable across all frequencies. One aspect of this system's variability is the modulation of its emission with the timescale set by the {approx}26.4960 day orbital period. Here we show that, during the time of our observations, the {gamma}-ray emission of LS I +61 Degree-Sign 303 also presents a sinusoidal variability consistent with the previously known superorbital period of 1667 days. This modulation ismore » more prominently seen at orbital phases around apastron, whereas it does not introduce a visible change close to periastron. It is also found in the appearance and disappearance of variability at the orbital period in the power spectrum of the data. This behavior could be explained by a quasi-cyclical evolution of the equatorial outflow of the Be companion star, whose features influence the conditions for generating gamma rays. These findings open the possibility to use {gamma}-ray observations to study the outflows of massive stars in eccentric binary systems.« less

The NASA-UC-UH Eta-Earth program. IV. A low-mass planet orbiting an M dwarf 3.6 PC from Earth

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

Howard, Andrew W.; Marcy, Geoffrey W.; Isaacson, Howard

We report the discovery of a low-mass planet orbiting Gl 15 A based on radial velocities from the Eta-Earth Survey using HIRES at Keck Observatory. Gl 15 Ab is a planet with minimum mass Msin i = 5.35 ± 0.75 M {sub ⊕}, orbital period P = 11.4433 ± 0.0016 days, and an orbit that is consistent with circular. We characterize the host star using a variety of techniques. Photometric observations at Fairborn Observatory show no evidence for rotational modulation of spots at the orbital period to a limit of ∼0.1 mmag, thus supporting the existence of the planet. Wemore » detect a second RV signal with a period of 44 days that we attribute to rotational modulation of stellar surface features, as confirmed by optical photometry and the Ca II H and K activity indicator. Using infrared spectroscopy from Palomar-TripleSpec, we measure an M2 V spectral type and a sub-solar metallicity ([M/H] = –0.22, [Fe/H] = –0.32). We measure a stellar radius of 0.3863 ± 0.0021 R {sub ☉} based on interferometry from CHARA.« less

A comprehensive study of high-energy gamma-ray and radio emission from Cyg X-3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zdziarski, Andrzej A.; Malyshev, Denys; Dubus, Guillaume; Pooley, Guy G.; Johnson, Tyrel; Frankowski, Adam; de Marco, Barbara; Chernyakova, Maria; Rao, A. R.

2018-06-01

We study high-energy γ-rays observed from Cyg X-3 by the Fermi Large Area Telescope and the 15-GHz emission observed by the Ryle Telescope and the Arcminute Microkelvin Imager. We measure the γ-ray spectrum averaged over strong flares much more accurately than before, and find it well modelled by Compton scattering of stellar radiation by relativistic electrons with the power law index of ≃3.5 and a low-energy cutoff at the Lorentz factor of ˜103. We find a weaker spectrum in the soft spectral state, but only upper limits in the hard and intermediate states. We measure strong orbital modulation during the flaring state, well modelled by anisotropic Compton scattering of blackbody photons from the donor by jet relativistic electrons. We discover a weaker orbital modulation of the 15 GHz radio emission, which is well modelled by free-free absorption by the stellar wind. We then study cross-correlations between radio, γ-ray and X-ray emissions. We find the cross-correlation between the radio and γ-ray emissions peaks at a lag less than 1 d, while we detect a distinct radio lag of ˜50 d with respect to the soft X-rays in the soft spectral state.

Bit-rate transparent DPSK demodulation scheme based on injection locking FP-LD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Hanlin; Xiao, Shilin; Yi, Lilin; Zhou, Zhao; Yang, Pei; Shi, Jie

2013-05-01

We propose and demonstrate a bit-rate transparent differential phase shift-keying (DPSK) demodulation scheme based on injection locking multiple-quantum-well (MQW) strained InGaAsP FP-LD. By utilizing frequency deviation generated by phase modulation and unstable injection locking state with Fabry-Perot laser diode (FP-LD), DPSK to polarization shift-keying (PolSK) and PolSK to intensity modulation (IM) format conversions are realized. We analyze bit error rate (BER) performance of this demodulation scheme. Experimental results show that different longitude modes, bit rates and seeding power have influences on demodulation performance. We achieve error free DPSK signal demodulation under various bit rates of 10 Gbit/s, 5 Gbit/s, 2.5 Gbit/s and 1.25 Gbit/s with the same demodulation setting.

Muscarinic and nicotinic receptors synergistically modulate working memory and attention in humans.

PubMed

Ellis, Julia R; Ellis, Kathryn A; Bartholomeusz, Cali F; Harrison, Ben J; Wesnes, Keith A; Erskine, Fiona F; Vitetta, Luis; Nathan, Pradeep J

2006-04-01

Functional abnormalities in muscarinic and nicotinic receptors are associated with a number of disorders including Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia. While the contribution of muscarinic receptors in modulating cognition is well established in humans, the effects of nicotinic receptors and the interactions and possible synergistic effects between muscarinic and nicotinic receptors have not been well characterized in humans. The current study examined the effects of selective and simultaneous muscarinic and nicotinic receptor antagonism on a range of cognitive processes. The study was a double-blind, placebo-controlled, repeated measures design in which 12 healthy, young volunteers completed cognitive testing under four acute treatment conditions: placebo (P); mecamylamine (15 mg) (M); scopolamine (0.4 mg i.m.) (S); mecamylamine (15 mg)/scopolamine (0.4 mg i.m.) (MS). Muscarinic receptor antagonism with scopolamine resulted in deficits in working memory, declarative memory, sustained visual attention and psychomotor speed. Nicotinic antagonism with mecamylamine had no effect on any of the cognitive processes examined. Simultaneous antagonism of both muscarinic and nicotinic receptors with mecamylamine and scopolamine impaired all cognitive processes impaired by scopolamine and produced greater deficits than either muscarinic or nicotinic blockade alone, particularly on working memory, visual attention and psychomotor speed. These findings suggest that muscarinic and nicotinic receptors may interact functionally to have synergistic effects particularly on working memory and attention and suggests that therapeutic strategies targeting both receptor systems may be useful in improving selective cognitive processes in a number of disorders.

Recognition of T·G mismatched base pairs in DNA by stacked imidazole-containing polyamides: surface plasmon resonance and circular dichroism studies

PubMed Central

Lacy, Eilyn R.; Cox, Kari K.; Wilson, W. David; Lee, Moses

2002-01-01

An imidazole-containing polyamide trimer, f-ImImIm, where f is a formamido group, was recently found using NMR methods to recognize T·G mismatched base pairs. In order to characterize in detail the T·G recognition affinity and specificity of imidazole-containing polyamides, f-ImIm, f-ImImIm and f-PyImIm were synthesized. The kinetics and thermodynamics for the polyamides binding to Watson–Crick and mismatched (containing one or two T·G, A·G or G·G mismatched base pairs) hairpin oligonucleotides were determined by surface plasmon resonance and circular dichroism (CD) methods. f-ImImIm binds significantly more strongly to the T·G mismatch-containing oligonucleotides than to the sequences with other mismatched or with Watson–Crick base pairs. Compared with the Watson–Crick CCGG sequence, f-ImImIm associates more slowly with DNAs containing T·G mismatches in place of one or two C·G base pairs and, more importantly, the dissociation rate from the T·G oligonucleotides is very slow (small kd). These results clearly demonstrate the binding selectivity and enhanced affinity of side-by-side imidazole/imidazole pairings for T·G mismatches and show that the affinity and specificity increase arise from much lower kd values with the T·G mismatched duplexes. CD titration studies of f-ImImIm complexes with T·G mismatched sequences produce strong induced bands at ∼330 nm with clear isodichroic points, in support of a single minor groove complex. CD DNA bands suggest that the complexes remain in the B conformation. PMID:11937638

Roles of the distinct electronic structures of the {Fe(NO)(2)}(9) and {Fe(NO)(2)}(10) dinitrosyliron complexes in modulating nitrite binding modes and nitrite activation pathways.

PubMed

Tsai, Fu-Te; Chen, Pei-Lin; Liaw, Wen-Feng

2010-04-14

Nitrosylation of [PPN](2)[(ONO)(2)Fe(eta(2)-ONO)(2)] [1; PPN = bis(triphenylphosphoranylidene)ammonium] yields the nitrite-containing {Fe(NO)}(7) mononitrosyliron complex (MNIC) [PPN](2)[(NO)Fe(ONO)(3)(eta(2)-ONO)] (2). At 4 K, complex 2 exhibits an S = (3)/(2) axial EPR spectrum with principal g values of g( perpendicular) = 3.971 and g( parallel) = 2.000, suggestive of the {Fe(III)(NO(-))}(7) electronic structure. Addition of 1 equiv of PPh(3) to complex 2 triggers O-atom transfer of the chelating nitrito ligand under mild conditions to yield the {Fe(NO)(2)}(9) dinitrosyliron complex (DNIC) [PPN][(ONO)(2)Fe(NO)(2)] (3). These results demonstrate that both electronic structure [{Fe(III)(NO(-))}(7), S = (3)/(2)] and redox-active ligands ([RS](-) for [(RS)(3)Fe(NO)](-) and [NO(-)] for complex 2) are required for the transformation of {Fe(NO)}(7) MNICs into {Fe(NO)(2)}(9) DNICs. In comparison with the PPh(3)-triggered O-atom abstraction of the chelating nitrito ligand of the {Fe(NO)(2)}(9) DNIC [(1-MeIm)(2)(eta(2)-ONO)Fe(NO)(2)] (5; 1-MeIm = 1-methylimidazole) to generate the {Fe(NO)(2)}(10) DNIC [(1-MeIm)(PPh(3))Fe(NO)(2)] (6), glacial acetic acid protonation of the N-bound nitro ligand in the {Fe(NO)(2)}(10) DNIC [PPN][(eta(1)-NO(2))(PPh(3))Fe(NO)(2)] (7) produced the {Fe(NO)(2)}(9) DNIC [PPN][(OAc)(2)Fe(NO)(2)] (8), nitric oxide, and H(2)O. These results demonstrate that the distinct electronic structures of {Fe(NO)(2)}(9/10) motifs [{Fe(NO)(2)}(9) vs {Fe(NO)(2)}(10)] play crucial roles in modulating nitrite binding modes (O-bound chelating/monodentate nitrito for {Fe(NO)(2)}(9) DNICs vs N-bound nitro as a pi acceptor for {Fe(NO)(2)}(10) DNICs) and regulating nitrite activation pathways (O-atom abstraction by PPh(3) leading to the intermediate with a nitroxyl-coordinated ligand vs protonation accompanied by dehydration leading to the intermediate with a nitrosonium-coordinated ligand). That is, the redox shuttling between the {Fe(NO)(2)}(9) and {Fe(NO)(2)}(10) DNICs modulates the nitrite binding modes and then triggers nitrite activation to generate nitric oxide.

Ultraviolet, X-ray, and infrared observations of HDE 226868 equals Cygnus X-1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Treves, A.; Chiappetti, L.; Tanzi, E. G.; Tarenghi, M.; Gursky, H.; Dupree, A. K.; Hartmann, L. W.; Raymond, J.; Davis, R. J.; Black, J.

1980-01-01

During April, May, and July of 1978, HDE 226868, the optical counterpart of Cygnus X-1, was repeatedly observed in the ultraviolet with the IUE satellite. Some X-ray and infrared observations have been made during the same period. The general shape of the spectrum is that expected from a late O supergiant. Strong absorption features are apparent in the ultraviolet, some of which have been identified. The equivalent widths of the most prominent lines appear to be modulated with the orbital phase. This modulation is discussed in terms of the ionization contours calculated by Hatchett and McCray, for a binary X-ray source in the stellar wind of the companion.

Developmental Changes in Isometric Strength: Longitudinal Study in Adolescent Soccer Players.

PubMed

Duarte, Joao P; Valente-Dos-Santos, João; Coelho-E-Silva, Manuel J; Malina, R M; Deprez, Dieter; Philippaerts, Renaat; Lenoir, Matthieu; Vaeyens, Roel

2018-06-20

This study aimed to examine longitudinal changes in isometric strength of the knee extensors (ImKE) and knee flexors (ImKF) at 30° and 60°. The sample was composed of 67 players aged 11.0-13.9 years at baseline over five years. Stature, body mass, skinfolds, and isometric strength (ImKE30°, ImKF30°, ImKE60° and ImKF60°) were measured. Fat mass and fat-free mass (FFM) were derived from skinfolds. Skeletal age was obtained using TW2 RUS. Multilevel random effects regression analyses extracted developmental polynomial models. An annual increment on chronological age (CA) corresponded to 5.6 N (ImKE30°: ), 2.7 N (ImKF30°: ), 4.6 N (ImKE60°: ) and 1.5 N (ImKF60°). An increment of 1 kg in FFM predicted isometric strength as follows: 1.2 N (ImKE30°), 2.1 N (ImKF30°), 3.1 N (ImKE60°) and 2.0 N (ImKF60°). The following equations were obtained: ImKE30°=5.759×CA+1.163×FFM; ImKF30°=-19.369+2.691×CA+0.693×CA 2 +2.108×FFM; ImKE60°=4.553×CA+3.134×FFM; and, ImKF60°=-19.669+1.544×CA+2.033×FFM. Although skeletal maturity had a negligible effect on dependent variables, age and body size, based on FFM, were relevant longitudinal predictors. During adolescence, systematic assessment of knee extensors and knee flexors are strongly recommended to prevent impairment of knee muscle groups. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

An analytical-numerical approach for parameter determination of a five-parameter single-diode model of photovoltaic cells and modules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hejri, Mohammad; Mokhtari, Hossein; Azizian, Mohammad Reza; Söder, Lennart

2016-04-01

Parameter extraction of the five-parameter single-diode model of solar cells and modules from experimental data is a challenging problem. These parameters are evaluated from a set of nonlinear equations that cannot be solved analytically. On the other hand, a numerical solution of such equations needs a suitable initial guess to converge to a solution. This paper presents a new set of approximate analytical solutions for the parameters of a five-parameter single-diode model of photovoltaic (PV) cells and modules. The proposed solutions provide a good initial point which guarantees numerical analysis convergence. The proposed technique needs only a few data from the PV current-voltage characteristics, i.e. open circuit voltage Voc, short circuit current Isc and maximum power point current and voltage Im; Vm making it a fast and low cost parameter determination technique. The accuracy of the presented theoretical I-V curves is verified by experimental data.

Neutral pressure behavior for diverted discharges in the Wendelstein 7-AS Stellarator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCormick, K.; Grigull, P.; Burhenn, R.; Ehmler, H.; Feng, Y.; Giannone, L.; Haas, G.; Sardei, F.; NBI-, ECRH-; W7-AS Teams

2005-03-01

On the W7-AS stellarator, the subdivertor neutral pressure in an up-down divertor pair as well as at two points in the vicinity of a lower divertor module in the main chamber are measured. Results are presented for ι=5/9 island divertor discharges under conditions of normal confinement (NC) and the HDH-mode for: n˜0.1-4×1020 m-3, Pecrh = 0.5-1.5 MW, Pnbi = 2 MW, and H + and D + plasmas, with both normal- and reversed- Bt for H +. Subdivertor pressures are in the range 1-2 × 10 -3 mbar for HDH conditions. For plasma detachment at the target plates a strong up-down pressure asymmetry arises, with pup/ pdown ⩽ 5. The asymmetry reverses with reversed Bt. Main vessel pressures are a factor of 5-10 lower than the average subdivertor pressure for H +, with D + plasmas exhibiting still lower values.

The Kepler Science Data Processing Pipeline Source Code Road Map

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wohler, Bill; Jenkins, Jon M.; Twicken, Joseph D.; Bryson, Stephen T.; Clarke, Bruce Donald; Middour, Christopher K.; Quintana, Elisa Victoria; Sanderfer, Jesse Thomas; Uddin, Akm Kamal; Sabale, Anima;

Broadband ion mobility deconvolution for rapid analysis of complex mixtures.

PubMed

Pettit, Michael E; Brantley, Matthew R; Donnarumma, Fabrizio; Murray, Kermit K; Solouki, Touradj

2018-05-04

High resolving power ion mobility (IM) allows for accurate characterization of complex mixtures in high-throughput IM mass spectrometry (IM-MS) experiments. We previously demonstrated that pure component IM-MS data can be extracted from IM unresolved post-IM/collision-induced dissociation (CID) MS data using automated ion mobility deconvolution (AIMD) software [Matthew Brantley, Behrooz Zekavat, Brett Harper, Rachel Mason, and Touradj Solouki, J. Am. Soc. Mass Spectrom., 2014, 25, 1810-1819]. In our previous reports, we utilized a quadrupole ion filter for m/z-isolation of IM unresolved monoisotopic species prior to post-IM/CID MS. Here, we utilize a broadband IM-MS deconvolution strategy to remove the m/z-isolation requirement for successful deconvolution of IM unresolved peaks. Broadband data collection has throughput and multiplexing advantages; hence, elimination of the ion isolation step reduces experimental run times and thus expands the applicability of AIMD to high-throughput bottom-up proteomics. We demonstrate broadband IM-MS deconvolution of two separate and unrelated pairs of IM unresolved isomers (viz., a pair of isomeric hexapeptides and a pair of isomeric trisaccharides) in a simulated complex mixture. Moreover, we show that broadband IM-MS deconvolution improves high-throughput bottom-up characterization of a proteolytic digest of rat brain tissue. To our knowledge, this manuscript is the first to report successful deconvolution of pure component IM and MS data from an IM-assisted data-independent analysis (DIA) or HDMSE dataset.

Microfluidic Enhancement of Intramedullary Pressure Increases Interstitial Fluid Flow and Inhibits Bone Loss in Hindlimb Suspended Mice

PubMed Central

Kwon, Ronald Y; Meays, Diana R; Tang, W Joyce; Frangos, John A

2010-01-01

Interstitial fluid flow (IFF) has been widely hypothesized to mediate skeletal adaptation to mechanical loading. Although a large body of in vitro evidence has demonstrated that fluid flow stimulates osteogenic and antiresorptive responses in bone cells, there is much less in vivo evidence that IFF mediates loading-induced skeletal adaptation. This is due in large part to the challenges associated with decoupling IFF from matrix strain. In this study we describe a novel microfluidic system for generating dynamic intramedullary pressure (ImP) and IFF within the femurs of alert mice. By quantifying fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) within individual lacunae, we show that microfluidic generation of dynamic ImP significantly increases IFF within the lacunocanalicular system. In addition, we demonstrate that dynamic pressure loading of the intramedullary compartment for 3 minutes per day significantly eliminates losses in trabecular and cortical bone mineral density in hindlimb suspended mice, enhances trabecular and cortical structural integrity, and increases endosteal bone formation rate. Unlike previously developed modalities for enhancing IFF in vivo, this is the first model that allows direct and dynamic modulation of ImP and skeletal IFF within mice. Given the large number of genetic tools for manipulating the mouse genome, this model is expected to serve as a powerful investigative tool in elucidating the role of IFF in skeletal adaptation to mechanical loading and molecular mechanisms mediating this process. © 2010 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research. PMID:20200992

The Prevalence of Gastric Intestinal Metaplasia and Distribution of Helicobacter pylori Infection, Atrophy, Dysplasia, and Cancer in Its Subtypes.

PubMed

Olmez, Sehmus; Aslan, Mehmet; Erten, Remzi; Sayar, Suleyman; Bayram, Irfan

2015-01-01

Objectives. Gastric intestinal metaplasia (IM) is frequently encountered and is considered a precursor of gastric adenocarcinoma. In the Van region of Turkey, gastric adenocarcinoma incidence is high but the prevalence of gastric IM is not known. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is a main factor leading to atrophy, IM, and cancer development in the stomach. The aim of the current study was to investigate the prevalence of IM and its subtypes and the prevalence of H. pylori infection, atrophy, dysplasia, and cancer in gastric IM subtypes. Materials and Methods. This retrospective study was conducted on 560 IM among the 4050 consecutive patients who were undergoing esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) with biopsy between June 2010 and October 2014. Clinical records and endoscopic and histopathologic reports of patients with IM were analyzed. Results. The prevalence of gastric IM was 13.8%. The prevalence of incomplete IM was statistically significantly higher than complete IM. Type III IM was the most frequent subtype. Conclusions. Gastric IM is a common finding in patients undergoing EGD with biopsy in this region. High prevalence of incomplete type IM, especially type III, can be associated with the high prevalence of gastric cancer in our region.

A Structural Weight Estimation Program (SWEEP) for Aircraft. Volume VI - Wing and Empennage Module. Appendix E: Program Listings, Overlays (8,0), (14, 0), (15,0), (16,0), and (17,0)

DTIC Science & Technology

1974-06-01

TCUTII70 00 1» ■•I.11 TtMTIlM lltOil-»! • MILK .1󈨋 TtUTIlM ir ii - WISH i».IM.i;i nuiino IK l • H . 1 TWTltlt ITCOIKIll • OAlLKIll... rvf I161- nriiTi- nrm» tvrut» tvri»7i- Tvriaai nriTii tvriw nrisji- rvrivii- rvriHSi- rvrisei- . vro vro ttu »rsoi mi 001 I«p

Measurements of Atmospheric CO2 Column in Cloudy Weather Conditions using An IM-CW Lidar at 1.57 Micron

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, Bing; Obland, Michael; Harrison, F. Wallace; Nehrir, Amin; Browell, Edward; Campbell, Joel; Dobler, Jeremy; Meadows, Bryon; Fan, Tai-Fang; Kooi, Susan;

Instant messaging addiction among teenagers in China: shyness, alienation, and academic performance decrement.

PubMed

Huang, Hanyun; Leung, Louis

2009-12-01

This exploratory research proposes the concept of instant messaging (IM) addiction and examines (a) whether IM addiction exists among Chinese teenagers and, if so, who the addicts are, what their symptoms are, and to what extent they are addicted; (b) whether psychological variables such as shyness and alienation can predict IM use or addiction among teenagers; and (c) whether IM use or IM addiction can impair the academic performance of teenagers. Using Young's classic definition of Internet addiction, results of a stratified random sample of 330 teenagers in China in 2007 found 95.8% of participants use IM, and 9.8% of them can be classified as IM addicts. Factor analysis identified four major IM addiction symptoms among teenagers: preoccupation with IM, loss of relationships due to overuse, loss of control, and escape. Results also showed that shyness and alienation from family, peers, and school are significantly and positively associated with levels of IM addiction. As expected, both the level of IM use and level of IM addiction are significantly linked to teenagers' academic performance decrement.

Stereotactic radiotherapy for malignancies involving the trigeminal and facial nerves.

PubMed

Cuneo, K C; Zagar, T M; Brizel, D M; Yoo, D S; Hoang, J K; Chang, Z; Wang, Z; Yin, F F; Das, S K; Green, S; Ready, N; Bhatti, M T; Kaylie, D M; Becker, A; Sampson, J H; Kirkpatrick, J P

2012-06-01

Involvement of a cranial nerve caries a poor prognosis for many malignancies. Recurrent or residual disease in the trigeminal or facial nerve after primary therapy poses a challenge due to the location of the nerve in the skull base, the proximity to the brain, brainstem, cavernous sinus, and optic apparatus and the resulting complex geometry. Surgical resection caries a high risk of morbidity and is often not an option for these patients. Stereotactic radiosurgery and radiotherapy are potential treatment options for patients with cancer involving the trigeminal or facial nerve. These techniques can deliver high doses of radiation to complex volumes while sparing adjacent critical structures. In the current study, seven cases of cancer involving the trigeminal or facial nerve are presented. These patients had unresectable recurrent or residual disease after definitive local therapy. Each patient was treated with stereotactic radiation therapy using a linear accelerator based system. A multidisciplinary approach including neuroradiology and surgical oncology was used to delineate target volumes. Treatment was well tolerated with no acute grade 3 or higher toxicity. One patient who was reirradiated experienced cerebral radionecrosis with mild symptoms. Four of the seven patients treated had no evidence of disease after a median follow up of 12 months (range 2-24 months). A dosimetric analysis was performed to compare intensity modulated fractionated stereotactic radiation therapy (IM-FSRT) to a 3D conformal technique. The dose to 90% (D90) of the brainstem was lower with the IM-FSRT plan by a mean of 13.5 Gy. The D95 to the ipsilateral optic nerve was also reduced with IM-FSRT by 12.2 Gy and the D95 for the optic chiasm was lower with FSRT by 16.3 Gy. Treatment of malignancies involving a cranial nerve requires a multidisciplinary approach. Use of an IM-FSRT technique with a micro-multileaf collimator resulted in a lower dose to the brainstem, optic nerves and chiasm for each case examined.

Activators of potassium M currents have anticonvulsant actions in two rat models of encephalitis

PubMed Central

Solbrig, Marylou V.; Adrian, Russell; Wechsler, Steven L.; Koob, George F.

2010-01-01

Opioid systems in hippocampus regulate excitability and kappa opioids have a role in anticonvulsant protection, but their mechanisms of action are incompletely understood. We examined the ability of opioid and nonopioid agents with overlapping ionic mechanisms and actions similar to kappa opioid agonists, to block seizures in rat models of encephalitis due to Borna Disease virus and Herpes Simplex Virus Type-1. Naltrindole, a delta antagonist and thus a kappa opioid sparing agent, (10 mg/kg s.c.) blocked spontaneous and naloxone (opioid antagonist)-induced seizures in the models, but produced somatic signs similar to opioid withdrawal. Given that delta antagonists as well as kappa opioid agonists in hippocampus enhance potassium M currents (IM), we tested the effect of the IM augmenter flupirtine. Flupirtine (20 mg/kg i.p.) prevented seizures in Borna and herpes infected rats, without signs of withdrawal, hypotonia or sedation. The results support the efficacy of opioid and nonopioid drugs in modulating naloxone-induced seizures in critical illness due to viral encephalitis and by analogy, opioid withdrawal seizures. PMID:17126318

Latent component-based gear tooth fault detection filter using advanced parametric modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ettefagh, M. M.; Sadeghi, M. H.; Rezaee, M.; Chitsaz, S.

2009-10-01

In this paper, a new parametric model-based filter is proposed for gear tooth fault detection. The designing of the filter consists of identifying the most proper latent component (LC) of the undamaged gearbox signal by analyzing the instant modules (IMs) and instant frequencies (IFs) and then using the component with lowest IM as the proposed filter output for detecting fault of the gearbox. The filter parameters are estimated by using the LC theory in which an advanced parametric modeling method has been implemented. The proposed method is applied on the signals, extracted from simulated gearbox for detection of the simulated gear faults. In addition, the method is used for quality inspection of the produced Nissan-Junior vehicle gearbox by gear profile error detection in an industrial test bed. For evaluation purpose, the proposed method is compared with the previous parametric TAR/AR-based filters in which the parametric model residual is considered as the filter output and also Yule-Walker and Kalman filter are implemented for estimating the parameters. The results confirm the high performance of the new proposed fault detection method.

Design of a TW-SLIM Module for Dual Polarity Confinement, Transport, and Reactions

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

Garimella, Sandilya V. B.; Webb, Ian K.; Prabhakaran, Aneesh

2017-05-30

Here we describe instrumental approaches for performing dual polarity ion confinement, transport, ion mobility separations and reactions in Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations (SLIM). Previous means of ion confinement in SLIM based upon rf- generated pseudopotentials and dc fields for lateral confinement cannot trap ions of opposite polarity simultaneously. Here we explore alternative approaches to provide lateral confinement of both ion polarities. Traveling wave ion mobility (IM) separations experienced by both polarities in such SLIM cause ions of both polarities migrate in the same directions and exhibit similar separations. The ion motion (and relative motion of the two polarities) undermore » both surfing and IM separation conditions are discussed. Strategies to separate the two populations to minimize reactive losses during transport are presented. A theoretical treatment of the time scales over which two populations (injected into a dc field-free region of the dual polarity SLIM device) interact is considered, and SLIM designs for allowing ion/ion interactions and other manipulations with dual polarities at 4 torr are presented.« less

Zinc(II)-methimazole complexes: synthesis and reactivity.

PubMed

Isaia, Francesco; Aragoni, Maria Carla; Arca, Massimiliano; Bettoschi, Alexandre; Caltagirone, Claudia; Castellano, Carlo; Demartin, Francesco; Lippolis, Vito; Pivetta, Tiziana; Valletta, Elisa

2015-06-07

The tetrahedral S-coordinated complex [Zn(MeImHS)4](ClO4)2, synthesised from the reaction of [Zn(ClO4)2] with methimazole (1-methyl-3H-imidazole-2-thione, MeImHS), reacts with triethylamine to yield the homoleptic complex [Zn(MeImS)2] (MeImS = anion methimazole). ESI-MS and MAS (13)C-NMR experiments supported MeImS acting as a (N,S)-chelating ligand. The DFT-optimised structure of [Zn(MeImS)2] is also reported and the main bond lengths compared to those of related Zn-methimazole complexes. The complex [Zn(MeImS)2] reacts under mild conditions with methyl iodide and separates the novel complex [Zn(MeImSMe)2I2] (MeImSMe = S-methylmethimazole). X-ray diffraction analysis of the complex shows a ZnI2N2 core, with the methyl thioethers uncoordinated to zinc. Conversely, the reaction of [Zn(MeImS)2] with hydroiodic acid led to the formation of the complex [Zn(MeImHS)2I2] having a ZnI2S2 core with the neutral methimazole units S-coordinating the metal centre. The Zn-coordinated methimazole can markedly modify the coordination environment when changing from its thione to thionate form and vice versa. The study of the interaction of the drug methimazole with the complex [Zn(MeIm)4](2+) (MeIm = 1-methylimidazole) - as a model for Zn-enzymes containing a N4 donor set from histidine residues - shows that methimazole displaces only one of the coordinated MeIm molecules; the formation constant of the mixed complex [Zn(MeIm)3(MeImHS)](2+) was determined.

Performance Evaluation of High Speed Multicarrier System for Optical Wireless Communication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mathur, Harshita; Deepa, T.; Bartalwar, Sophiya

2018-04-01

Optical wireless communication (OWC) in the infrared and visible range is quite impressive solution, especially where radio communication face challenges. Visible light communication (VLC) uses visible light over a range of 400 and 800 THz and is a subdivision of OWC technologies. With an increasing demand for use of wireless communications, wireless access via Wi-Fi is facing many challenges especially in terms of capacity, availability, security and efficiency. VLC uses intensity modulation and direct detection (IM/DD) techniques and hence they require the signals to certainly be real valued positive sequences. These constraints pose limitation on digital modulation techniques. These limitations result in spectrum-efficiency or power-efficiency losses. In this paper, we investigate an amplitude shift keying (ASK) based orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) signal transmission scheme using LabVIEW for VLC technology.

Δim-lacunary statistical convergence of order α

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Altınok, Hıfsı; Et, Mikail; Işık, Mahmut

2018-01-01

The purpose of this work is to introduce the concepts of Δim-lacunary statistical convergence of order α and lacunary strongly (Δim,p )-convergence of order α. We establish some connections between lacunary strongly (Δim,p )-convergence of order α and Δim-lacunary statistical convergence of order α. It is shown that if a sequence is lacunary strongly (Δim,p )-summable of order α then it is Δim-lacunary statistically convergent of order α.

The pharmacological effects of the anesthetic alfaxalone after intramuscular administration to dogs.

PubMed

Tamura, Jun; Ishizuka, Tomohito; Fukui, Sho; Oyama, Norihiko; Kawase, Kodai; Miyoshi, Kenjiro; Sano, Tadashi; Pasloske, Kirby; Yamashita, Kazuto

2015-03-01

The pharmacological effects of the anesthetic alfaxalone were evaluated after intramuscular (IM) administration to 6 healthy beagle dogs. The dogs received three IM doses each of alfaxalone at increasing dose rates of 5 mg/kg (IM5), 7.5 mg/kg (IM7.5) and 10 mg/kg (IM10) every other day. Anesthetic effect was subjectively evaluated by using an ordinal scoring system to determine the degree of neuro-depression and the quality of anesthetic induction and recovery from anesthesia. Cardiorespiratory variables were measured using noninvasive methods. Alfaxalone administered IM produced dose-dependent neuro-depression and lateral recumbency (i.e., 36 ± 28 min, 87 ± 26 min and 115 ± 29 min after the IM5, IM7.5 and IM10 treatments, respectively). The endotracheal tube was tolerated in all dogs for 46 ± 20 and 58 ± 21 min after the IM7.5 and IM10 treatments, respectively. It was not possible to place endotracheal tubes in 5 of the 6 dogs after the IM5 treatment. Most cardiorespiratory variables remained within clinically acceptable ranges, but hypoxemia was observed by pulse oximetry for 5 to 10 min in 2 dogs receiving the IM10 treatment. Dose-dependent decreases in rectal temperature, respiratory rate and arterial blood pressure also occurred. The quality of recovery was considered satisfactory in all dogs receiving each treatment; all the dog exhibited transient muscular tremors and staggering gait. In conclusion, IM alfaxalone produced a dose-dependent anesthetic effect with relatively mild cardiorespiratory depression in dogs. However, hypoxemia may occur at higher IM doses of alfaxalone.

The pharmacological effects of the anesthetic alfaxalone after intramuscular administration to dogs

PubMed Central

TAMURA, Jun; ISHIZUKA, Tomohito; FUKUI, Sho; OYAMA, Norihiko; KAWASE, Kodai; MIYOSHI, Kenjiro; SANO, Tadashi; PASLOSKE, Kirby; YAMASHITA, Kazuto

2014-01-01

The pharmacological effects of the anesthetic alfaxalone were evaluated after intramuscular (IM) administration to 6 healthy beagle dogs. The dogs received three IM doses each of alfaxalone at increasing dose rates of 5 mg/kg (IM5), 7.5 mg/kg (IM7.5) and 10 mg/kg (IM10) every other day. Anesthetic effect was subjectively evaluated by using an ordinal scoring system to determine the degree of neuro-depression and the quality of anesthetic induction and recovery from anesthesia. Cardiorespiratory variables were measured using noninvasive methods. Alfaxalone administered IM produced dose-dependent neuro-depression and lateral recumbency (i.e., 36 ± 28 min, 87 ± 26 min and 115 ± 29 min after the IM5, IM7.5 and IM10 treatments, respectively). The endotracheal tube was tolerated in all dogs for 46 ± 20 and 58 ± 21 min after the IM7.5 and IM10 treatments, respectively. It was not possible to place endotracheal tubes in 5 of the 6 dogs after the IM5 treatment. Most cardiorespiratory variables remained within clinically acceptable ranges, but hypoxemia was observed by pulse oximetry for 5 to 10 min in 2 dogs receiving the IM10 treatment. Dose-dependent decreases in rectal temperature, respiratory rate and arterial blood pressure also occurred. The quality of recovery was considered satisfactory in all dogs receiving each treatment; all the dog exhibited transient muscular tremors and staggering gait. In conclusion, IM alfaxalone produced a dose-dependent anesthetic effect with relatively mild cardiorespiratory depression in dogs. However, hypoxemia may occur at higher IM doses of alfaxalone. PMID:25428797

Recent advances in stellarator optimization

DOE PAGES

Gates, D. A.; Boozer, A. H.; Brown, T.; ...

2017-10-27

Computational optimization has revolutionized the field of stellarator design. To date, optimizations have focused primarily on optimization of neoclassical confinement and ideal MHD stability, although limited optimization of other parameters has also been performed. Here, we outline a select set of new concepts for stellarator optimization that, when taken as a group, present a significant step forward in the stellarator concept. One of the criticisms that has been leveled at existing methods of design is the complexity of the resultant field coils. Recently, a new coil optimization code—COILOPT++, which uses a spline instead of a Fourier representation of the coils,—wasmore » written and included in the STELLOPT suite of codes. The advantage of this method is that it allows the addition of real space constraints on the locations of the coils. The code has been tested by generating coil designs for optimized quasi-axisymmetric stellarator plasma configurations of different aspect ratios. As an initial exercise, a constraint that the windings be vertical was placed on large major radius half of the non-planar coils. Further constraints were also imposed that guaranteed that sector blanket modules could be removed from between the coils, enabling a sector maintenance scheme. Results of this exercise will be presented. New ideas on methods for the optimization of turbulent transport have garnered much attention since these methods have led to design concepts that are calculated to have reduced turbulent heat loss. We have explored possibilities for generating an experimental database to test whether the reduction in transport that is predicted is consistent with experimental observations. Thus, a series of equilibria that can be made in the now latent QUASAR experiment have been identified that will test the predicted transport scalings. Fast particle confinement studies aimed at developing a generalized optimization algorithm are also discussed. A new algorithm developed for the design of the scraper element on W7-X is presented along with ideas for automating the optimization approach.« less

Recent advances in stellarator optimization

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

Gates, D. A.; Boozer, A. H.; Brown, T.

Computational optimization has revolutionized the field of stellarator design. To date, optimizations have focused primarily on optimization of neoclassical confinement and ideal MHD stability, although limited optimization of other parameters has also been performed. Here, we outline a select set of new concepts for stellarator optimization that, when taken as a group, present a significant step forward in the stellarator concept. One of the criticisms that has been leveled at existing methods of design is the complexity of the resultant field coils. Recently, a new coil optimization code—COILOPT++, which uses a spline instead of a Fourier representation of the coils,—wasmore » written and included in the STELLOPT suite of codes. The advantage of this method is that it allows the addition of real space constraints on the locations of the coils. The code has been tested by generating coil designs for optimized quasi-axisymmetric stellarator plasma configurations of different aspect ratios. As an initial exercise, a constraint that the windings be vertical was placed on large major radius half of the non-planar coils. Further constraints were also imposed that guaranteed that sector blanket modules could be removed from between the coils, enabling a sector maintenance scheme. Results of this exercise will be presented. New ideas on methods for the optimization of turbulent transport have garnered much attention since these methods have led to design concepts that are calculated to have reduced turbulent heat loss. We have explored possibilities for generating an experimental database to test whether the reduction in transport that is predicted is consistent with experimental observations. Thus, a series of equilibria that can be made in the now latent QUASAR experiment have been identified that will test the predicted transport scalings. Fast particle confinement studies aimed at developing a generalized optimization algorithm are also discussed. A new algorithm developed for the design of the scraper element on W7-X is presented along with ideas for automating the optimization approach.« less

CRISPR/Cas9-mediated reversibly immortalized mouse bone marrow stromal stem cells (BMSCs) retain multipotent features of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs).

PubMed

Hu, Xue; Li, Li; Yu, Xinyi; Zhang, Ruyi; Yan, Shujuan; Zeng, Zongyue; Shu, Yi; Zhao, Chen; Wu, Xingye; Lei, Jiayan; Li, Yasha; Zhang, Wenwen; Yang, Chao; Wu, Ke; Wu, Ying; An, Liping; Huang, Shifeng; Ji, Xiaojuan; Gong, Cheng; Yuan, Chengfu; Zhang, Linghuan; Liu, Wei; Huang, Bo; Feng, Yixiao; Zhang, Bo; Haydon, Rex C; Luu, Hue H; Reid, Russell R; Lee, Michael J; Wolf, Jennifer Moriatis; Yu, Zebo; He, Tong-Chuan

2017-12-19

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent non-hematopoietic progenitor cells that can undergo self-renewal and differentiate into multi-lineages. Bone marrow stromal stem cells (BMSCs) represent one of the most commonly-used MSCs. In order to overcome the technical challenge of maintaining primary BMSCs in long-term culture, here we seek to establish reversibly immortalized mouse BMSCs (imBMSCs). By exploiting CRISPR/Cas9-based homology-directed-repair (HDR) mechanism, we target SV40T to mouse Rosa26 locus and efficiently immortalize mouse BMSCs (i.e., imBMSCs). We also immortalize BMSCs with retroviral vector SSR #41 and establish imBMSC41 as a control line. Both imBMSCs and imBMSC41 exhibit long-term proliferative capability although imBMSC41 cells have a higher proliferation rate. SV40T mRNA expression is 130% higher in imBMSC41 than that in imBMSCs. However, FLP expression leads to 86% reduction of SV40T expression in imBMSCs, compared with 63% in imBMSC41 cells. Quantitative genomic PCR analysis indicates that the average copy number of SV40T and hygromycin is 1.05 for imBMSCs and 2.07 for imBMSC41, respectively. Moreover, FLP expression removes 92% of SV40T in imBMSCs at the genome DNA level, compared with 58% of that in imBMSC41 cells, indicating CRISPR/Cas9 HDR-mediated immortalization of BMSCs can be more effectively reversed than that of retrovirus-mediated random integrations. Nonetheless, both imBMSCs and imBMSC41 lines express MSC markers and are highly responsive to BMP9-induced osteogenic, chondrogenic and adipogenic differentiation in vitro and in vivo . Thus, the engineered imBMSCs can be used as a promising alternative source of primary MSCs for basic and translational research in the fields of MSC biology and regenerative medicine.

CRISPR/Cas9-mediated reversibly immortalized mouse bone marrow stromal stem cells (BMSCs) retain multipotent features of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)

PubMed Central

Hu, Xue; Li, Li; Yu, Xinyi; Zhang, Ruyi; Yan, Shujuan; Zeng, Zongyue; Shu, Yi; Zhao, Chen; Wu, Xingye; Lei, Jiayan; Li, Yasha; Zhang, Wenwen; Yang, Chao; Wu, Ke; Wu, Ying; An, Liping; Huang, Shifeng; Ji, Xiaojuan; Gong, Cheng; Yuan, Chengfu; Zhang, Linghuan; Liu, Wei; Huang, Bo; Feng, Yixiao; Zhang, Bo; Haydon, Rex C.; Luu, Hue H.; Reid, Russell R.; Lee, Michael J.; Wolf, Jennifer Moriatis; Yu, Zebo; He, Tong-Chuan

2017-01-01

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent non-hematopoietic progenitor cells that can undergo self-renewal and differentiate into multi-lineages. Bone marrow stromal stem cells (BMSCs) represent one of the most commonly-used MSCs. In order to overcome the technical challenge of maintaining primary BMSCs in long-term culture, here we seek to establish reversibly immortalized mouse BMSCs (imBMSCs). By exploiting CRISPR/Cas9-based homology-directed-repair (HDR) mechanism, we target SV40T to mouse Rosa26 locus and efficiently immortalize mouse BMSCs (i.e., imBMSCs). We also immortalize BMSCs with retroviral vector SSR #41 and establish imBMSC41 as a control line. Both imBMSCs and imBMSC41 exhibit long-term proliferative capability although imBMSC41 cells have a higher proliferation rate. SV40T mRNA expression is 130% higher in imBMSC41 than that in imBMSCs. However, FLP expression leads to 86% reduction of SV40T expression in imBMSCs, compared with 63% in imBMSC41 cells. Quantitative genomic PCR analysis indicates that the average copy number of SV40T and hygromycin is 1.05 for imBMSCs and 2.07 for imBMSC41, respectively. Moreover, FLP expression removes 92% of SV40T in imBMSCs at the genome DNA level, compared with 58% of that in imBMSC41 cells, indicating CRISPR/Cas9 HDR-mediated immortalization of BMSCs can be more effectively reversed than that of retrovirus-mediated random integrations. Nonetheless, both imBMSCs and imBMSC41 lines express MSC markers and are highly responsive to BMP9-induced osteogenic, chondrogenic and adipogenic differentiation in vitro and in vivo. Thus, the engineered imBMSCs can be used as a promising alternative source of primary MSCs for basic and translational research in the fields of MSC biology and regenerative medicine. PMID:29340096

Moving Toward Quantifying Reliability - The Next Step in a Rapidly Maturing PV Industry: Preprint

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

Kurtz, Sarah; Sample, Tony; Wohlgemuth, John

2015-12-07

Some may say that PV modules are moving toward being a simple commodity, but most major PV customers ask: 'How can I minimize chances of a module recall?' Or, 'How can I quantify the added value of a 'premium' module?' Or, 'How can I assess the value of an old PV system that I'm thinking of purchasing?' These are all questions that PVQAT (the International PV Quality Assurance Task Force) and partner organizations are working to answer. Defining standard methods for ensuring minimal acceptable quality of PV modules, differentiating modules that provide added value in the toughest of environments, andmore » creating a process (e.g. through IECRE [1]) that can follow a PV system from design through installation and operation are tough tasks, but having standard approaches for these will increase confidence, reduce costs, and be a critical foundation of a mature PV industry. This paper summarizes current needs for new tests, some challenges for defining those tests, and some of the key efforts toward development of international standards, emphasizing that meaningful quantification of reliability (as in defining a service life prediction) must be done in the context of a specific product with design parameters defined through a quality management system.« less

Molecular recognition of DNA base pairs by the formamido/pyrrole and formamido/imidazole pairings in stacked polyamides.

PubMed

Buchmueller, Karen L; Staples, Andrew M; Uthe, Peter B; Howard, Cameron M; Pacheco, Kimberly A O; Cox, Kari K; Henry, James A; Bailey, Suzanna L; Horick, Sarah M; Nguyen, Binh; Wilson, W David; Lee, Moses

2005-01-01

Polyamides containing an N-terminal formamido (f) group bind to the minor groove of DNA as staggered, antiparallel dimers in a sequence-specific manner. The formamido group increases the affinity and binding site size, and it promotes the molecules to stack in a staggered fashion thereby pairing itself with either a pyrrole (Py) or an imidazole (Im). There has not been a systematic study on the DNA recognition properties of the f/Py and f/Im terminal pairings. These pairings were analyzed here in the context of f-ImPyPy, f-ImPyIm, f-PyPyPy and f-PyPyIm, which contain the central pairing modes, -ImPy- and -PyPy-. The specificity of these triamides towards symmetrical recognition sites allowed for the f/Py and f/Im terminal pairings to be directly compared by SPR, CD and DeltaT (M) experiments. The f/Py pairing, when placed next to the -ImPy- or -PyPy- central pairings, prefers A/T and T/A base pairs to G/C base pairs, suggesting that f/Py has similar DNA recognition specificity to Py/Py. With -ImPy- central pairings, f/Im prefers C/G base pairs (>10 times) to the other Watson-Crick base pairs; therefore, f/Im behaves like the Py/Im pair. However, the f/Im pairing is not selective for the C/G base pair when placed next to the -PyPy- central pairings.

KIC 6048106: an Algol-type eclipsing system with long-term magnetic activity and hybrid pulsations - I. Binary modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samadi Ghadim, A.; Lampens, P.; Jassur, M.

2018-03-01

The A-F-type stars and pulsators (δ Scuti-γ Dor) are in a critical regime where they experience a transition from radiative to convective transport of energy in their envelopes. Such stars can pulsate in both gravity and acoustic modes. Hence, the knowledge of their fundamental parameters along with their observed pulsation characteristics can help in improving the stellar models. When residing in a binary system, these pulsators provide more accurate and less model-dependent stellar parameters than in the case of their single counterparts. We present a light-curve model for the eclipsing system KIC 6048106 based on the Kepler photometry and the code PHOEBE. We aim to obtain accurate physical parameters and tough constraints for the stellar modelling of this intermediate-mass hybrid pulsator. We performed a separate modelling of three light-curve segments which show a distinct behaviour due to a difference in activity. We also analysed the Kepler Eclipse Time Variations (ETVs). KIC 6048106 is an Algol-type binary with F5-K5 components, a near-circular orbit and a 1.56-d period undergoing variations of the order of Δ P/P˜eq 3.60× 10^{-7} in 287 ± 7 d. The primary component is a main-sequence star with M1 = 1.55 ± 0.11 M⊙, R1 = 1.57 ± 0.12 R⊙. The secondary is a much cooler subgiant with M2 = 0.33 ± 0.07 M⊙, R2 = 1.77 ± 0.16 R⊙. Many small near-polar spots are active on its surface. The second quadrature phase shows a brightness modulation on a time-scale 290 ± 7 d, in good agreement with the ETV modulation. This study reveals a stable binary configuration along with clear evidence of a long-term activity of the secondary star.

Oscillation Mode Variability in Evolved Compact Pulsators from Kepler Photometry. I. The Hot B Subdwarf Star KIC 3527751

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zong, Weikai; Charpinet, Stéphane; Fu, Jian-Ning; Vauclair, Gérard; Niu, Jia-Shu; Su, Jie

2018-02-01

We present the first results of an ensemble and systematic survey of oscillation mode variability in pulsating hot B subdwarf (sdB) and white dwarf stars observed with the original Kepler mission. The satellite provides uninterrupted high-quality photometric data with a time baseline that can reach up to 4 yr collected on pulsating stars. This is a unique opportunity to characterize long-term behaviors of oscillation modes. A mode modulation in amplitude and frequency can be independently inferred by its fine structure in the Fourier spectrum, from the sLSP, or with prewhitening methods applied to various parts of the light curve. We apply all these techniques to the sdB star KIC 3527751, a long-period-dominated hybrid pulsator. We find that all the detected modes with sufficiently large amplitudes to be thoroughly studied show amplitude and/or frequency variations. Components of three identified quintuplets around 92, 114, and 253 μHz show signatures that can be linked to nonlinear interactions according to the resonant mode coupling theory. This interpretation is further supported by the fact that many oscillation modes are found to have amplitudes and frequencies showing correlated or anticorrelated variations, a behavior that can be linked to the amplitude equation formalism, where nonlinear frequency corrections are determined by their amplitude variations. Our results suggest that oscillation modes varying with diverse patterns are a very common phenomenon in pulsating sdB stars. Close structures around main frequencies therefore need to be carefully interpreted in light of this finding to secure a robust identification of real eigenfrequencies, which is crucial for seismic modeling. The various modulation patterns uncovered should encourage further developments in the field of nonlinear stellar oscillation theory. It also raises a warning to any long-term project aiming at measuring the rate of period change of pulsations caused by stellar evolution, or at discovering stellar (planetary) companions around pulsating stars using timing methods, as both require very stable pulsation modes.

First Detection of the Hatchett-McCray Effect in the High-Mass X-ray Binary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sonneborn, G.; Iping, R. C.; Kaper, L.; Hammerschiag-Hensberge, G.; Hutchings, J. B.

2004-01-01

The orbital modulation of stellar wind UV resonance line profiles as a result of ionization of the wind by the X-ray source has been observed in the high-mass X-ray binary 4U1700-37/HD 153919 for the first time. Far-UV observations (905-1180 Angstrom, resolution 0.05 Angstroms) were made at the four quadrature points of the binary orbit with the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) in 2003 April and August. The O6.5 laf primary eclipses the X-ray source (neutron star or black hole) with a 3.41-day period. Orbital modulation of the UV resonance lines, resulting from X-ray photoionization of the dense stellar wind, the so-called Hatchett-McCray (HM) effect, was predicted for 4U1700-37/HD153919 (Hatchett 8 McCray 1977, ApJ, 211, 522) but was not seen in N V 1240, Si IV 1400, or C IV 1550 in IUE and HST spectra. The FUSE spectra show that the P V 1118-1128 and S IV 1063-1073 P-Cygni lines appear to vary as expected for the HM effect, weakest at phase 0.5 (X-ray source conjunction) and strongest at phase 0.0 (X-ray source eclipse). The phase modulation of the O VI 1032-1037 lines, however, is opposite to P V and S IV, implying that O VI may be a byproduct of the wind's ionization by the X-ray source. Such variations were not observed in N V, Si IV, and C IV because of their high optical depth. Due to their lower cosmic abundance, the P V and S IV wind lines are unsaturated, making them excellent tracers of the ionization conditions in the O star's wind.

Removal of anthracene and phenanthrene by filamentous fungi capable of cortexolone 11-hydroxylation.

PubMed

Lisowska, K; Długoński, J

1999-01-01

Nine fungal strains showing ability of cortexolone hydroxylation to epicortisol and/or cortisol were screened in this work for anthracene and phenanthrene elimination (250 mg/l). All of the strains (Cylindrocladium simplex IM 2358, C. simplex IM 2358/650, Monosporium olivaceum IM 484, Curvularia lunata IM 2901, C. lunata IM 2901/366, C. tuberculata IM 4417, Cunninghamella elegans IM 1785, C. elegans IM 1785/21Gp, C. elegans IM 1785/10Gi) significantly removed anthracene and phenanthrene. During incubation with anthracene formation of intermediate products was observed. The amount of the main intermediate product, identified as 9, 10-anthraquinone, was not greater than 22.2% of the anthracene introduced to the fungal cultures. C. elegans IM 1785/21Gp was the best degrader of both anthracene and phenanthrene, removing 81.6 and 99.4% of these compounds after 7 days, respectively. Phenanthrene removal by C. elegans IM 1785/21Gp was preceded by PAHs accumulation in mycelium and growth inhibition. Elimination of phenanthrene started after one day of incubation and was related to the fungus growth.

Chronic Plantarflexor Stretching During Ankle Immobilization Helps Preserve Calf Girth, Plantarflexion Peak Torque, and Ankle Dorsiflexion Motion.

PubMed

Wilson, Samantha; Christensen, Bryan; Gange, Kara; Todden, Christopher; Hatterman-Valenti, Harlene; Albrecht, Jay M

2017-09-27

Chronic plantarflexor (PF) stretching during ankle immobilization helps preserve calf girth, plantarflexion peak torque, and ankle dorsiflexion (DF) motion. Immobilization can lead to decreases in muscle peak torque, muscle size, and joint ROM. Recurrent static stretching during a period of immobilization may reduce the extent of these losses. To investigate the effects of chronic static stretching on PF peak torque, calf girth, and DF range of motion (ROM) after two weeks of ankle immobilization. Randomized controlled clinical trial. Athletic training facility. Thirty-six healthy college-aged (19.81±2.48) females. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of three groups: control group, immobilized group (IM), and immobilized plus stretching group (IM+S). Each group participated in a familiarization period, a pre-test, and, two weeks later, a post-test. The IM group and IM+S group wore the Aircast FP Walker for two weeks on the left leg. During this time, the IM+S group participated in a stretching program, which consisted of two 10-minute stretching procedures each day for the 14 days. One-way ANOVA was used to determine differences in the change of ankle girth, PF peak torque, and DF ROM between groups with an α level of < 0.05. A significant difference was noted between groups in girth (F 2,31 =5.64, P=0.009), DF ROM (F 2,31 =26.13, P<0.0001), and PF peak torque (F 2,31 =7.74, P=0.002). Post-hoc testing also showed a significance difference between change in calf girth of the control group compared to the IM group (P=0.007) and a significant difference in change of peak torque in the IM+S group and the IM group (P=0.001). Also, a significant difference was shown in DF ROM between the control group and IM+S group (P=0.006), the control group and the IM group (P<0.0001), and the IM+S group and the IM group (P<0.0001). Chronic static stretching during two weeks of immobilization may decrease the loss of calf girth, ankle PF peak torque, and ankle DF ROM.

The K2-dwarf V471 TAU: a Stellar Version of Solar Variability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Skumanich, A.; Young, A.

1984-01-01

Simultaneous observations of the rotational modulation with a 1/2 day period of chromospheric H alpha emission and of broadband irradiance for the K2-dwarf in V471 Tau are presented. The observations cover eight rotation periods but do not cover the full surface of the dwarf because of timing constraints. Preliminary results show a phase relation between enhanced chromospheric emission and continuum darkening similar to that observed on the Sun. A comparison with chromospheric Mg II resonance emission modulation observed about 2 1/4 years earlier by Guinan and Sion shows that the same active longitude is involved. This is either coincidental due to lucky phasing or it signifies a stable longitude that has persisted for hundreds of rotations.

Simulating X-ray bursts with a radiation hydrodynamics code

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seong, Gwangeon; Kwak, Kyujin

2018-04-01

Previous simulations of X-ray bursts (XRBs), for example, those performed by MESA (Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics) could not address the dynamical effects of strong radiation, which are important to explain the photospheric radius expansion (PRE) phenomena seen in many XRBs. In order to study the effects of strong radiation, we propose to use SNEC (the SuperNova Explosion Code), a 1D Lagrangian open source code that is designed to solve hydrodynamics and equilibrium-diffusion radiation transport together. Because SNEC is able to control modules of radiation-hydrodynamics for properly mapped inputs, radiation-dominant pressure occurring in PRE XRBs can be handled. Here we present simulation models for PRE XRBs by applying SNEC together with MESA.

The BIMDA shuttle flight mission: a low cost microgravity payload.

PubMed

Holemans, J; Cassanto, J M; Moller, T W; Cassanto, V A; Rose, A; Luttges, M; Morrison, D; Todd, P; Stewart, R; Korszun, R Z; Deardorff, G

1991-01-01

This paper presents the design, operation and experiment protocol of the Bioserve sponsored flights of the ITA Materials Dispersion Apparatus Payload (BIMDA) flown on the Space Shuttle on STS-37. The BIMDA payload represents a joint effort between ITA (Instrumentation Technology Associates, Inc.) and Bioserve Space Technologies, a NASA Center for the Commercial Development of Space, to investigate the methods and commercial potential of biomedical and fluid science applications in the microgravity environment of space. The BIMDA payload, flown in a Refrigerator/Incubator Module (R/IM) in the Orbiter middeck, consists of three different devices designed to mix fluids in space; four Materials Dispersion Apparatus (MDA) Minilabs developed by ITA, six Cell Syringes, and six Bioprocessing Modules both developed by NASA JSC and Bioserve. The BIMDA design and operation reflect user needs for late access prior to launch (<24 h) and early access after landing (<2 h). The environment for the payload is temperature controlled by the R/IM. The astronaut crew operates the payload and documents its operation. The temperature of the payload is recorded automatically during flight. The flight of the BIMDA payload is the first of two development flights of the MDA on the Space Shuttle. Future commercial flights of ITA's Materials Dispersion Apparatus on the Shuttle will be sponsored by NASA's Office of Commercial Programs and will take place over the next three years. Experiments for the BIMDA payload include research into the following areas: protein crystal growth, thin film membrane casting, collagen formation, fibrin clot formation, seed germination, enzymatic catalysis, zeolite crystallization, studies of mixing effects of lymphocyte functions, and solute diffusion and transport.

Determination of ion mobility collision cross sections for unresolved isomeric mixtures using tandem mass spectrometry and chemometric deconvolution.

PubMed

Harper, Brett; Neumann, Elizabeth K; Stow, Sarah M; May, Jody C; McLean, John A; Solouki, Touradj

2016-10-05

Ion mobility (IM) is an important analytical technique for determining ion collision cross section (CCS) values in the gas-phase and gaining insight into molecular structures and conformations. However, limited instrument resolving powers for IM may restrict adequate characterization of conformationally similar ions, such as structural isomers, and reduce the accuracy of IM-based CCS calculations. Recently, we introduced an automated technique for extracting "pure" IM and collision-induced dissociation (CID) mass spectra of IM overlapping species using chemometric deconvolution of post-IM/CID mass spectrometry (MS) data [J. Am. Soc. Mass Spectrom., 2014, 25, 1810-1819]. Here we extend those capabilities to demonstrate how extracted IM profiles can be used to calculate accurate CCS values of peptide isomer ions which are not fully resolved by IM. We show that CCS values obtained from deconvoluted IM spectra match with CCS values measured from the individually analyzed corresponding peptides on uniform field IM instrumentation. We introduce an approach that utilizes experimentally determined IM arrival time (AT) "shift factors" to compensate for ion acceleration variations during post-IM/CID and significantly improve the accuracy of the calculated CCS values. Also, we discuss details of this IM deconvolution approach and compare empirical CCS values from traveling wave (TW)IM-MS and drift tube (DT)IM-MS with theoretically calculated CCS values using the projected superposition approximation (PSA). For example, experimentally measured deconvoluted TWIM-MS mean CCS values for doubly-protonated RYGGFM, RMFGYG, MFRYGG, and FRMYGG peptide isomers were 288.8 Å(2), 295.1 Å(2), 296.8 Å(2), and 300.1 Å(2); all four of these CCS values were within 1.5% of independently measured DTIM-MS values. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Issues Management Process Course # 38401

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

Binion, Ula Marie

The purpose of this training it to advise Issues Management Coordinators (IMCs) on the revised Contractor Assurance System (CAS) Issues Management (IM) process. Terminal Objectives: Understand the Laboratory’s IM process; Understand your role in the Laboratory’s IM process. Learning Objectives: Describe the IM process within the context of the CAS; Describe the importance of implementing an institutional IM process at LANL; Describe the process flow for the Laboratory’s IM process; Apply the definition of an issue; Use available resources to determine initial screening risk levels for issues; Describe the required major process steps for each risk level; Describe the personnelmore » responsibilities for IM process implementation; Access available resources to support IM process implementation.« less

Energetic basis for selective recognition of T*G mismatched base pairs in DNA by imidazole-rich polyamides.

PubMed

Lacy, Eilyn R; Nguyen, Binh; Le, Minh; Cox, Kari K; OHare, Caroline; Hartley, John A; Lee, Moses; Wilson, W David

2004-01-01

To complement available structure and binding results and to develop a detailed understanding of the basis for selective molecular recognition of T.G mismatches in DNA by imidazole containing polyamides, a full thermodynamic profile for formation of the T.G-polyamide complex has been determined. The amide-linked heterocycles f-ImImIm and f-PyImIm (where f is formamido group, Im is imidazole and Py is pyrrole) were studied by using biosensor-surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) with a T.G mismatch containing DNA hairpin duplex and a similar DNA with only Watson-Crick base pairs. Large negative binding enthalpies for all of the polyamide-DNA complexes indicate that the interactions are enthalpically driven. SPR results show slower complex formation and stronger binding of f-ImImIm to the T.G than to the match site. The thermodynamic analysis indicates that the enhanced binding to the T.G site is the result of better entropic contributions. Negative heat capacity changes for the complex are correlated with calculated solvent accessible surface area changes and indicate hydrophobic contributions to complex formation. DNase I footprinting analysis in a long DNA sequence provided supporting evidence that f-ImImIm binds selectively to T.G mismatch sites.

Energetic basis for selective recognition of T·G mismatched base pairs in DNA by imidazole-rich polyamides

PubMed Central

Lacy, Eilyn R.; Nguyen, Binh; Le, Minh; Cox, Kari K.; O'Hare, Caroline; Hartley, John A.; Lee, Moses; Wilson, W. David

2004-01-01

To complement available structure and binding results and to develop a detailed understanding of the basis for selective molecular recognition of T·G mismatches in DNA by imidazole containing polyamides, a full thermodynamic profile for formation of the T·G–polyamide complex has been determined. The amide-linked heterocycles f-ImImIm and f-PyImIm (where f is formamido group, Im is imidazole and Py is pyrrole) were studied by using biosensor-surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) with a T·G mismatch containing DNA hairpin duplex and a similar DNA with only Watson–Crick base pairs. Large negative binding enthalpies for all of the polyamide–DNA complexes indicate that the interactions are enthalpically driven. SPR results show slower complex formation and stronger binding of f-ImImIm to the T·G than to the match site. The thermodynamic analysis indicates that the enhanced binding to the T·G site is the result of better entropic contributions. Negative heat capacity changes for the complex are correlated with calculated solvent accessible surface area changes and indicate hydrophobic contributions to complex formation. DNase I footprinting analysis in a long DNA sequence provided supporting evidence that f-ImImIm binds selectively to T·G mismatch sites. PMID:15064359

Molecular recognition of DNA base pairs by the formamido/pyrrole and formamido/imidazole pairings in stacked polyamides

PubMed Central

Buchmueller, Karen L.; Staples, Andrew M.; Uthe, Peter B.; Howard, Cameron M.; Pacheco, Kimberly A. O.; Cox, Kari K.; Henry, James A.; Bailey, Suzanna L.; Horick, Sarah M.; Nguyen, Binh; Wilson, W. David; Lee, Moses

2005-01-01

Polyamides containing an N-terminal formamido (f) group bind to the minor groove of DNA as staggered, antiparallel dimers in a sequence-specific manner. The formamido group increases the affinity and binding site size, and it promotes the molecules to stack in a staggered fashion thereby pairing itself with either a pyrrole (Py) or an imidazole (Im). There has not been a systematic study on the DNA recognition properties of the f/Py and f/Im terminal pairings. These pairings were analyzed here in the context of f-ImPyPy, f-ImPyIm, f-PyPyPy and f-PyPyIm, which contain the central pairing modes, –ImPy– and –PyPy–. The specificity of these triamides towards symmetrical recognition sites allowed for the f/Py and f/Im terminal pairings to be directly compared by SPR, CD and ΔTM experiments. The f/Py pairing, when placed next to the –ImPy– or –PyPy– central pairings, prefers A/T and T/A base pairs to G/C base pairs, suggesting that f/Py has similar DNA recognition specificity to Py/Py. With –ImPy– central pairings, f/Im prefers C/G base pairs (>10 times) to the other Watson–Crick base pairs; therefore, f/Im behaves like the Py/Im pair. However, the f/Im pairing is not selective for the C/G base pair when placed next to the –PyPy– central pairings. PMID:15703305

Imagery Rescripting: The Impact of Conceptual and Perceptual Changes on Aversive Autobiographical Memories

PubMed Central

Slofstra, Christien; Nauta, Maaike H.; Holmes, Emily A.; Bockting, Claudi L. H.

2016-01-01

Background Imagery rescripting (ImRs) is a process by which aversive autobiographical memories are rendered less unpleasant or emotional. ImRs is thought only to be effective if a change in the meaning-relevant (semantic) content of the mental image is produced, according to a cognitive hypothesis of ImRs. We propose an additional hypothesis: that ImRs can also be effective by the manipulation of perceptual features of the memory, without explicitly targeting meaning-relevant content. Methods In two experiments using a within-subjects design (both N = 48, community samples), both Conceptual-ImRs—focusing on changing meaning-relevant content—and Perceptual-ImRs—focusing on changing perceptual features—were compared to Recall-only of aversive autobiographical image-based memories. An active control condition, Recall + Attentional Breathing (Recall+AB) was added in the first experiment. In the second experiment, a Positive-ImRs condition was added—changing the aversive image into a positive image that was unrelated to the aversive autobiographical memory. Effects on the aversive memory’s unpleasantness, vividness and emotionality were investigated. Results In Experiment 1, compared to Recall-only, both Conceptual-ImRs and Perceptual-ImRs led to greater decreases in unpleasantness, and Perceptual-ImRs led to greater decreases in emotionality of memories. In Experiment 2, the effects on unpleasantness were not replicated, and both Conceptual-ImRs and Perceptual-ImRs led to greater decreases in emotionality, compared to Recall-only, as did Positive-ImRs. There were no effects on vividness, and the ImRs conditions did not differ significantly from Recall+AB. Conclusions Results suggest that, in addition to traditional forms of ImRs, targeting the meaning-relevant content of an image during ImRs, relatively simple techniques focusing on perceptual aspects or positive imagery might also yield benefits. Findings require replication and extension to clinical samples. PMID:27486966

23 CFR 500.111 - IMS.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 23 Highways 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false IMS. 500.111 Section 500.111 Highways FEDERAL HIGHWAY... SYSTEMS Management Systems § 500.111 IMS. An effective IMS for intermodal facilities and systems provides... the various land-based transportation facilities and systems. An IMS should include, at a minimum: (a...

Using gas chromatography with ion mobility spectrometry to resolve explosive compounds in the presence of interferents.

PubMed

Cook, Greg W; LaPuma, Peter T; Hook, Gary L; Eckenrode, Brian A

2010-11-01

Ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) is a valued field detection technology because of its speed and high sensitivity, but IMS cannot easily resolve analytes of interest within mixtures. Coupling gas chromatography (GC) to IMS adds a separation capability to resolve complex matrices. A GC-IONSCAN® operated in IMS and GC⁄ IMS modes was evaluated with combinations of five explosives and four interferents. In 100 explosive/interferent combinations, IMS yielded 21 false positives while GC⁄ IMS substantially reduced the occurrence of false positives to one. In addition, the results indicate that through redesign or modification of the preconcentrator there would be significant advantages to using GC⁄ IMS, such as enhancement of the linear dynamic range (LDR) in some situations. By balancing sensitivity with LDR, GC⁄ IMS could prove to be a very advantageous tool when addressing real world complex mixture situations.

Dissociation between Conceptual and Perceptual Implicit Memory: Evidence from Patients with Frontal and Occipital Lobe Lesions

PubMed Central

Gong, Liang; Wang, JiHua; Yang, XuDong; Feng, Lei; Li, Xiu; Gu, Cui; Wang, MeiHong; Hu, JiaYun; Cheng, Huaidong

2016-01-01

The latest neuroimaging studies about implicit memory (IM) have revealed that different IM types may be processed by different parts of the brain. However, studies have rarely examined what subtypes of IM processes are affected in patients with various brain injuries. Twenty patients with frontal lobe injury, 25 patients with occipital lobe injury, and 29 healthy controls (HC) were recruited for the study. Two subtypes of IM were investigated by using structurally parallel perceptual (picture identification task) and conceptual (category exemplar generation task) IM tests in the three groups, as well as explicit memory (EM) tests. The results indicated that the priming of conceptual IM and EM tasks in patients with frontal lobe injury was poorer than that observed in HC, while perceptual IM was identical between the two groups. By contrast, the priming of perceptual IM in patients with occipital lobe injury was poorer than that in HC, whereas the priming of conceptual IM and EM was similar to that in HC. This double dissociation between perceptual and conceptual IM across the brain areas implies that occipital lobes may participate in perceptual IM, while frontal lobes may be involved in processing conceptual memory. PMID:26793093

Associations Between United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) and Internal Medicine In-Training Examination (IM-ITE) Scores

PubMed Central

Zeger, Scott L.; Kolars, Joseph C.

2008-01-01

Background Little is known about the associations of previous standardized examination scores with scores on subsequent standardized examinations used to assess medical knowledge in internal medicine residencies. Objective To examine associations of previous standardized test scores on subsequent standardized test scores. Design Retrospective cohort study. Participants One hundred ninety-five internal medicine residents. Methods Bivariate associations of United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Steps and Internal Medicine In-Training Examination (IM-ITE) scores were determined. Random effects analysis adjusting for repeated administrations of the IM-ITE and other variables known or hypothesized to affect IM-ITE score allowed for discrimination of associations of individual USMLE Step scores on IM-ITE scores. Results In bivariate associations, USMLE scores explained 17% to 27% of the variance in IME-ITE scores, and previous IM-ITE scores explained 66% of the variance in subsequent IM-ITE scores. Regression coefficients (95% CI) for adjusted associations of each USMLE Step with IM-ITE scores were USMLE-1 0.19 (0.12, 0.27), USMLE-2 0.23 (0.17, 0.30), and USMLE-3 0.19 (0.09, 0.29). Conclusions No single USMLE Step is more strongly associated with IM-ITE scores than the others. Because previous IM-ITE scores are strongly associated with subsequent IM-ITE scores, appropriate modeling, such as random effects methods, should be used to account for previous IM-ITE administrations in studies for which IM-ITE score is an outcome. PMID:18612735

Associations between United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) and Internal Medicine In-Training Examination (IM-ITE) scores.

PubMed

McDonald, Furman S; Zeger, Scott L; Kolars, Joseph C

2008-07-01

Little is known about the associations of previous standardized examination scores with scores on subsequent standardized examinations used to assess medical knowledge in internal medicine residencies. To examine associations of previous standardized test scores on subsequent standardized test scores. Retrospective cohort study. One hundred ninety-five internal medicine residents. Bivariate associations of United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Steps and Internal Medicine In-Training Examination (IM-ITE) scores were determined. Random effects analysis adjusting for repeated administrations of the IM-ITE and other variables known or hypothesized to affect IM-ITE score allowed for discrimination of associations of individual USMLE Step scores on IM-ITE scores. In bivariate associations, USMLE scores explained 17% to 27% of the variance in IME-ITE scores, and previous IM-ITE scores explained 66% of the variance in subsequent IM-ITE scores. Regression coefficients (95% CI) for adjusted associations of each USMLE Step with IM-ITE scores were USMLE-1 0.19 (0.12, 0.27), USMLE-2 0.23 (0.17, 0.30), and USMLE-3 0.19 (0.09, 0.29). No single USMLE Step is more strongly associated with IM-ITE scores than the others. Because previous IM-ITE scores are strongly associated with subsequent IM-ITE scores, appropriate modeling, such as random effects methods, should be used to account for previous IM-ITE administrations in studies for which IM-ITE score is an outcome.

Lymphoscintigraphy Can Select Breast Cancer Patients for Internal Mammary Chain Radiotherapy

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

Hindie, Elif, E-mail: elif.hindie@sls.aphp.fr; Department of Nuclear Medicine, CHU de Bordeaux, University of Bordeaux-Segalen, Bordeaux; Groheux, David

2012-07-15

Purpose: Given the risk of undesired toxicity, prophylactic internal mammary (IM) chain irradiation should be offered only to patients at high risk of occult involvement. Lymphoscintigraphy for axillary sentinel node biopsy might help in selecting these patients. Methods and Materials: We reviewed published studies with the following selection criteria: {>=}300 breast cancer patients referred for axilla sentinel node biopsy; scintigraphy performed after peritumoral or intratumoral tracer injection; IM biopsy in the case of IM drainage; and axilla staged routinely independent of IM status. Results: Six prospective studies, for a total of 3,876 patients, fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Parasternal drainage wasmore » present in 792 patients (20.4%). IM biopsy was performed in 644 patients and was positive in 111 (17.2%). Of the positive IM biopsies, 40% were associated with tumors in the lateral breast quadrants. A major difference in the IM positivity rate was found according to the axilla sentinel node status. In patients with negative axilla, the IM biopsy was positive in 7.8% of cases. In patients with positive axilla, however, the IM biopsy was positive in 41% (p < .00001). Because biopsy of multiple IM hot nodes is difficult, the true risk could be even greater, probably close to 50%. Conclusions: Patients with IM drainage on lymphoscintigraphy and a positive axilla sentinel node have a high risk of occult IM involvement. These women should be considered for IM radiotherapy.« less

Uv-Optical Spectra and Imagery of the Bubble Nebula NGC 7635

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walter, Donald

1997-07-01

We propose to acquire UV-optical STIS spectra and WFPC2 imagery of the wind-blown Bubble Nebula NGC 7635. This object is significant to our understanding of galactic chemical evolution, star formation {possibly triggered by radiative implosion}, the mass-loss history of precursors to supernovae, the effect of wind-driven shocks on the ISM and the process of ionization and photoevaporation of high density knots {possibly HH objects} in the presence of an intense stellar wind and radiation field. The ener getic environment of NGC 7635 is more extreme and its features have evolved on a different time scale than in more quiescent objects studied with HST {e.g. Orion and M16}. HST is essential to our study in order to achieve high spatial resolution and ac cess to the UV region of the spectrum. The nebula's nearly spherical shell is the result of a recent { < 10^6 years} stellar mass-loss event and is the best young, clearly observed bubble available for study. We will exam in e the ionization front at the r im of the bubble, the extent to which it is shock-driven and the scale of the photoevaporative flow off the face of the molecular cloud. We will resolve high density knots down to a size of 2.1 x 10^15 cm {140 au}, searching for protostellar objects. STIS U V spectra will allow us to calculate the first accurate C/H abundance in the Perseus arm and test for the presence of a galactic abundance gradient. Finally, with our HST data we will compare our observational results with our radiative shock-model predi ctions.

Native Contact Density and Nonnative Hydrophobic Effects in the Folding of Bacterial Immunity Proteins

PubMed Central

Chen, Tao; Chan, Hue Sun

2015-01-01

The bacterial colicin-immunity proteins Im7 and Im9 fold by different mechanisms. Experimentally, at pH 7.0 and 10°C, Im7 folds in a three-state manner via an intermediate but Im9 folding is two-state-like. Accordingly, Im7 exhibits a chevron rollover, whereas the chevron arm for Im9 folding is linear. Here we address the biophysical basis of their different behaviors by using native-centric models with and without additional transferrable, sequence-dependent energies. The Im7 chevron rollover is not captured by either a pure native-centric model or a model augmented by nonnative hydrophobic interactions with a uniform strength irrespective of residue type. By contrast, a more realistic nonnative interaction scheme that accounts for the difference in hydrophobicity among residues leads simultaneously to a chevron rollover for Im7 and an essentially linear folding chevron arm for Im9. Hydrophobic residues identified by published experiments to be involved in nonnative interactions during Im7 folding are found to participate in the strongest nonnative contacts in this model. Thus our observations support the experimental perspective that the Im7 folding intermediate is largely underpinned by nonnative interactions involving large hydrophobics. Our simulation suggests further that nonnative effects in Im7 are facilitated by a lower local native contact density relative to that of Im9. In a one-dimensional diffusion picture of Im7 folding with a coordinate- and stability-dependent diffusion coefficient, a significant chevron rollover is consistent with a diffusion coefficient that depends strongly on native stability at the conformational position of the folding intermediate. PMID:26016652

Analyzing the influence of gastric intestinal metaplasia on gastric ulcer healing in Helicobacter pylori-infected patients without atrophic gastritis.

PubMed

Chen, Li-Wei; Chang, Liang-Che; Hua, Chung-Ching; Hsieh, Bor-Jen; Chen, Shuo-Wei; Chien, Rong-Nan

2017-01-03

Gastric epithelial hyper-proliferation was reported in patients with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-infected gastric mucosa with intestinal metaplasia (IM) changes. In patients with gastric ulcer (GU) and IM, the GU may have a different healing rate in comparison to patients without IM. This study aimed to compare the difference in GU healing between H. pylori-infected patients with IM and those without IM. We retrospectively analyzed patients at the Keelung Chung Gung Memorial Hospital during the period from March 2005 to January 2011. The inclusion criteria were: 1) endoscopic findings of GU and biopsy histological examination plus rapid urease test indicating H. pylori infection; 2) gastric IM adjacent to a GU but with no atrophic gastritis changes; 3) patients receiving H. pylori eradication triple therapy and 8 weeks of maintenance therapy with a proton pump inhibitor; and 4) patients receiving follow-up endoscopy within the 3 rd and the 4 th months after treatment. In total, 327 patients with GU and H. pylori infection (136 with IM and 191 without IM) were included. Patients with IM had a higher GU healing rate than those without IM (91.9% vs. 84.3%, P = 0.040). Multivariate logistical regression analysis revealed that failure of H. pylori eradication (Odds = 4.013, 95% CI: 1.840-8.951, P < 0.001) and gastric IM (Odds = 0.369, 95% CI: 0.168-0.812, P = 0.013) were the predictors of non-healing GU following treatment. Patient with gastric IM change may have a higher GU healing rate than those without gastric IM. However, successful H. pylori eradication is a more important factor for GU healing than gastric IM.

Extending the language of DNA molecular recognition by polyamides: unexpected influence of imidazole and pyrrole arrangement on binding affinity and specificity.

PubMed

Buchmueller, Karen L; Staples, Andrew M; Howard, Cameron M; Horick, Sarah M; Uthe, Peter B; Le, N Minh; Cox, Kari K; Nguyen, Binh; Pacheco, Kimberly A O; Wilson, W David; Lee, Moses

2005-01-19

Pyrrole (Py) and imidazole (Im) polyamides can be designed to target specific DNA sequences. The effect that the pyrrole and imidazole arrangement, plus DNA sequence, have on sequence specificity and binding affinity has been investigated using DNA melting (DeltaT(M)), circular dichroism (CD), and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) studies. SPR results obtained from a complete set of triheterocyclic polyamides show a dramatic difference in the affinity of f-ImPyIm for its cognate DNA (K(eq) = 1.9 x 10(8) M(-1)) and f-PyPyIm for its cognate DNA (K(eq) = 5.9 x 10(5) M(-1)), which could not have been anticipated prior to characterization of these compounds. Moreover, f-ImPyIm has a 10-fold greater affinity for CGCG than distamycin A has for its cognate, AATT. To understand this difference, the triamide dimers are divided into two structural groupings: central and terminal pairings. The four possible central pairings show decreasing selectivity and affinity for their respective cognate sequences: -ImPy > -PyPy- > -PyIm- approximately -ImIm-. These results extend the language of current design motifs for polyamide sequence recognition to include the use of "words" for recognizing two adjacent base pairs, rather than "letters" for binding to single base pairs. Thus, polyamides designed to target Watson-Crick base pairs should utilize the strength of -ImPy- and -PyPy- central pairings. The f/Im and f/Py terminal groups yielded no advantage for their respective C/G or T/A base pairs. The exception is with the -ImPy- central pairing, for which f/Im has a 10-fold greater affinity for C/G than f/Py has for T/A.

Security for IP Multimedia Services in the 3GPP Third Generation Mobile System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horn, G.; Kroselberg, D.; Muller, K.

2003-01-01

Presents an overview of the security architecture of the IP multimedia core network subsystem (IMS) of the third generation mobile system, known in Europe as UMTS. Discusses IMS security requirements; IMS security architecture; authentication between IMS user and home network; integrity and confidentiality for IMS signalling; and future aspects of…

Sensitivity analyses of a colloid-facilitated contaminant transport model for unsaturated heterogeneous soil conditions.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Périard, Yann; José Gumiere, Silvio; Rousseau, Alain N.; Caron, Jean

2013-04-01

Certain contaminants may travel faster through soils when they are sorbed to subsurface colloidal particles. Indeed, subsurface colloids may act as carriers of some contaminants accelerating their translocation through the soil into the water table. This phenomenon is known as colloid-facilitated contaminant transport. It plays a significant role in contaminant transport in soils and has been recognized as a source of groundwater contamination. From a mechanistic point of view, the attachment/detachment of the colloidal particles from the soil matrix or from the air-water interface and the straining process may modify the hydraulic properties of the porous media. Šimůnek et al. (2006) developed a model that can simulate the colloid-facilitated contaminant transport in variably saturated porous media. The model is based on the solution of a modified advection-dispersion equation that accounts for several processes, namely: straining, exclusion and attachement/detachement kinetics of colloids through the soil matrix. The solutions of these governing, partial differential equations are obtained using a standard Galerkin-type, linear finite element scheme, implemented in the HYDRUS-2D/3D software (Šimůnek et al., 2012). Modeling colloid transport through the soil and the interaction of colloids with the soil matrix and other contaminants is complex and requires the characterization of many model parameters. In practice, it is very difficult to assess actual transport parameter values, so they are often calibrated. However, before calibration, one needs to know which parameters have the greatest impact on output variables. This kind of information can be obtained through a sensitivity analysis of the model. The main objective of this work is to perform local and global sensitivity analyses of the colloid-facilitated contaminant transport module of HYDRUS. Sensitivity analysis was performed in two steps: (i) we applied a screening method based on Morris' elementary effects and the one-at-a-time approach (O.A.T); and (ii), we applied Sobol's global sensitivity analysis method which is based on variance decompositions. Results illustrate that ψm (maximum sorption rate of mobile colloids), kdmc (solute desorption rate from mobile colloids), and Ks (saturated hydraulic conductivity) are the most sensitive parameters with respect to the contaminant travel time. The analyses indicate that this new module is able to simulate the colloid-facilitated contaminant transport. However, validations under laboratory conditions are needed to confirm the occurrence of the colloid transport phenomenon and to understand model prediction under non-saturated soil conditions. Future work will involve monitoring of the colloidal transport phenomenon through soil column experiments. The anticipated outcome will provide valuable information on the understanding of the dominant mechanisms responsible for colloidal transports, colloid-facilitated contaminant transport and, also, the colloid detachment/deposition processes impacts on soil hydraulic properties. References: Šimůnek, J., C. He, L. Pang, & S. A. Bradford, Colloid-Facilitated Solute Transport in Variably Saturated Porous Media: Numerical Model and Experimental Verification, Vadose Zone Journal, 2006, 5, 1035-1047 Šimůnek, J., M. Šejna, & M. Th. van Genuchten, The C-Ride Module for HYDRUS (2D/3D) Simulating Two-Dimensional Colloid-Facilitated Solute Transport in Variably-Saturated Porous Media, Version 1.0, PC Progress, Prague, Czech Republic, 45 pp., 2012.

λ (Δim) -statistical convergence of order α

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colak, Rifat; Et, Mikail; Altin, Yavuz

2017-09-01

In this study, using the generalized difference operator Δim and a sequence λ = (λn) which is a non-decreasing sequence of positive numbers tending to ∞ such that λn+1 ≤ λn+1, λ1 = 1, we introduce the concepts of λ (Δim) -statistical convergence of order α (α ∈ (0, 1]) and strong λ (Δim) -Cesàro summablility of order α (α > 0). We establish some connections between λ (Δim) -statistical convergence of order α and strong λ (Δim) -Cesàro summablility of order α. It is shown that if a sequence is strongly λ (Δim) -Cesàro summable of order α, then it is λ (Δim) -statistically convergent of order β in case 0 < α ≤ β ≤ 1.

Infectious mononucleosis and hepatic function

PubMed Central

Zhang, Li; Zhou, Pingping; Meng, Zhaowei; Pang, Chongjie; Gong, Lu; Zhang, Qing; Jia, Qiyu; Song, Kun

2018-01-01

Abnormal hepatic function is common in infectious mononucleosis (IM). However, it remains unknown why increased transferase levels are more common than bilirubin abnormalities in IM. The current study aimed to investigate these associations in the Chinese population. A total of 95 patients with IM (47 males and 48 females) were enrolled in the current study, as well as 95 healthy controls. Patients were sorted by sex. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to determine cut-off values for IM diagnosis and prediction. Crude and adjusted odds ratios (OR) for IM were analyzed using binary logistic regression. It was determined that alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT) levels were significantly higher in patients with IM compared with controls; however, total bilirubin (TB) levels were significantly lower in patients with IM. ROCs demonstrated that, if ALT, AST and GGT concentrations were higher than, or if TB was lower than, cut-off values, they were predictive of IM. Binary logistic regression identified that the risk of IM in patients exhibiting high levels of transferases was significantly increased, particularly in males. Crude ORs in ALT quartile 4 were 21.667 and 10.111 for males and females, respectively and adjusted ORs were 38.054 and 9.882, respectively. A significant IM risk of IM was evident in patients with low bilirubin levels and females appeared to be particularly susceptible. For example, crude ORs in quartile 1 were 8.229 and 8.257 for males and females, respectively and adjusted ORs were 8.883 and 10.048, respectively. Therefore, the current study identified a positive association between transferase levels and IM and a negative association between TB and IM. Therefore, the results of the current study indicate that high transferases are suggestive of IM, particularly in males, whereas low TB is suggestive for IM, particularly in females. PMID:29456696

Technical and economic assessment of design efficiency of information and measuring systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yurov, V. M.; Eremin, E. N.; Baisagov, Ya Zh; Arkhipov, V. V.

2018-01-01

A thermodynamic approach to the analysis of information-measuring systems (IMS) is developed in the work. Expressions for efficiency of IMS are obtained. The connection between the amount of processor memory and the amount of incoming information and the accuracy of the IMS is obtained. It is shown that the probability of information loss in IMS decreases with the increase in the amount of information from the object. Using the analogy method, economic aspects of IMS design are considered. The innate ability of IMS and Moore’s law are considered. The proposed approach and the resulting formulas will be useful in the design of new IMS.

3D Immersive Visualization with Astrophysical Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kent, Brian R.

2017-01-01

We present the refinement of a new 3D immersion technique for astrophysical data visualization.Methodology to create 360 degree spherical panoramas is reviewed. The 3D software package Blender coupled with Python and the Google Spatial Media module are used together to create the final data products. Data can be viewed interactively with a mobile phone or tablet or in a web browser. The technique can apply to different kinds of astronomical data including 3D stellar and galaxy catalogs, images, and planetary maps.

A Structural Weight Estimation Program (SWEEP) for Aircraft. Volume 6 - Wing and Empennage Module. Appendix C: Program Flow Charts, Overlays (9.0) and (10,0)

DTIC Science & Technology

1974-06-01

NQUI II.CH Uj^f^i.»! orwi MI-../f;*« MA orrrtAi IOHAI niuipi imiAi mioi tu U/IN IK «»At IB MIDI win» t np roKnAi im fx.ir...rj0lll.f<CC9>l,(DCUI.II??)l. ICKi«. TDOUIfi I, IK . >’. TlKWi Si I. l!Ü>X. lOKJrs I). ( WAV .rtXO»». ((;XW.»;)(*>.U.(KlMi)(ClH.MOP|.rt)(a’M, lWM3i

Filterless frequency-octupling mm-wave generation by cascading Sagnac loop and DPMZM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Wu; Wen, Aijun; Gao, Yongsheng; Shang, Shuo; Zheng, Hanxiao; He, Hongye

2017-12-01

In this paper, a filterless photonic frequency-octupling scheme is presented. It is implemented by cascading a Sagnac loop with an intensity modulator (IM) in it and a dual-parallel Mach-Zehnder modulator (DPMZM) in series. The Sagnac loop is used to get the ±2nd-order sidebands of LO signal. The following DPMZM is utilized to obtain the ±4th-order sidebands. By photo-detecting the ±4th-order sidebands, mm-wave signal with the eightfold frequency of LO signal can be obtained. The scheme is verified by experiments, and a 32-GHz mm-wave signal is produced with the assistance of a 4-GHz LO signal. A 20-dB optical sideband suppression ratio (OSSR) and a 17-dB electrical spurious suppression ratio (ESSR) are realized, and no extra deterioration of phase noise is observed. Besides, the verification of the frequency tunability is implemented in the experiment.

Optical, UV, and X-ray evidence for a 7-yr stellar cycle in Proxima Centauri

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wargelin, B. J.; Saar, S. H.; Pojmański, G.; Drake, J. J.; Kashyap, V. L.

2017-01-01

Stars of stellar type later than about M3.5 are believed to be fully convective and therefore unable to support magnetic dynamos like the one that produces the 11-yr solar cycle. Because of their intrinsic faintness, very few late M stars have undergone long-term monitoring to test this prediction, which is critical to our understanding of magnetic field generation in such stars. Magnetic activity is also of interest as the driver of UV and X-ray radiation, as well as energetic particles and stellar winds, that affects the atmospheres of close-in planets that lie within habitable zones, such as the recently discovered Proxima b. We report here on several years of optical, UV, and X-ray observations of Proxima Centauri (GJ 551; dM5.5e): 15 yr of All Sky Automated Survey photometry in the V band (1085 nights) and 3 yr in the I band (196 nights), 4 yr of Swift X-Ray Telescope and UV/Optical Telescope observations (more than 120 exposures), and nine sets of X-ray observations from other X-ray missions (ASCA, XMM-Newton, and three Chandra instruments) spanning 22 yr. We confirm previous reports of an 83-d rotational period and find strong evidence for a 7-yr stellar cycle, along with indications of differential rotation at about the solar level. X-ray/UV intensity is anticorrelated with optical V-band brightness for both rotational and cyclical variations. From comparison with other stars observed to have X-ray cycles, we deduce a simple empirical relationship between X-ray cyclic modulation and Rossby number, and we also present Swift UV grism spectra covering 2300-6000 Å.

Results from an Interval Management (IM) Flight Test and Its Potential Benefit to Air Traffic Management Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baxley, Brian; Swieringa, Kurt; Berckefeldt, Rick; Boyle, Dan

2017-01-01

NASA's first Air Traffic Management Technology Demonstration (ATD-1) subproject successfully completed a 19-day flight test of an Interval Management (IM) avionics prototype. The prototype was built based on IM standards, integrated into two test aircraft, and then flown in real-world conditions to determine if the goals of improving aircraft efficiency and airport throughput during high-density arrival operations could be met. The ATD-1 concept of operation integrates advanced arrival scheduling, controller decision support tools, and the IM avionics to enable multiple time-based arrival streams into a high-density terminal airspace. IM contributes by calculating airspeeds that enable an aircraft to achieve a spacing interval behind the preceding aircraft. The IM avionics uses its data (route of flight, position, etc.) and Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) state data from the Target aircraft to calculate this airspeed. The flight test demonstrated that the IM avionics prototype met the spacing accuracy design goal for three of the four IM operation types tested. The primary issue requiring attention for future IM work is the high rate of IM speed commands and speed reversals. In total, during this flight test, the IM avionics prototype showed significant promise in contributing to the goals of improving aircraft efficiency and airport throughput.

CMOS integrated avalanche photodiodes and frequency-mixing optical sensor front end for portable NIR spectroscopy instruments.

PubMed

Yun, Ruida; Sthalekar, Chirag; Joyner, Valencia M

2011-01-01

This paper presents the design and measurement results of two avalanche photodiode structures (APDs) and a novel frequency-mixing transimpedance amplifier (TIA), which are key building blocks towards a monolithically integrated optical sensor front end for near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy applications. Two different APD structures are fabricated in an unmodified 0.18 \\im CMOS process, one with a shallow trench isolation (STI) guard ring and the other with a P-well guard ring. The APDs are characterized in linear mode. The STI bounded APD demonstrates better performance and exhibits 3.78 A/W responsivity at a wavelength of 690 nm and bias voltage of 10.55 V. The frequency-mixing TIA (FM-TIA) employs a T-feedback network incorporating gate-controlled transistors for resistance modulation, enabling the simultaneous down-conversion and amplification of the high frequency modulated photodiode (PD) current. The TIA achieves 92 dS Ω conversion gain with 0.5 V modulating voltage. The measured IIP(3) is 10.6/M. The amplifier together with the 50 Ω output buffer draws 23 mA from a1.8 V power supply.

Infectious Mononucleosis in Active Patients: Definitive Answers to Common Questions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Auwaerter, Paul G.

2002-01-01

Describes infectious mononucleosis (IM), examining viral transmission and infection, clinical features, diagnosis, and management. Focuses on answers to several commonly asked questions about IM in sport (e.g., when it is safe to resume sports after IM, how often fatigue or depression are related to earlier bouts of IM, and how often IM is…

An Intelligent Harmonic Synthesis Technique for Air-Gap Eccentricity Fault Diagnosis in Induction Motors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, De Z.; Wang, Wilson; Ismail, Fathy

2017-11-01

Induction motors (IMs) are commonly used in various industrial applications. To improve energy consumption efficiency, a reliable IM health condition monitoring system is very useful to detect IM fault at its earliest stage to prevent operation degradation, and malfunction of IMs. An intelligent harmonic synthesis technique is proposed in this work to conduct incipient air-gap eccentricity fault detection in IMs. The fault harmonic series are synthesized to enhance fault features. Fault related local spectra are processed to derive fault indicators for IM air-gap eccentricity diagnosis. The effectiveness of the proposed harmonic synthesis technique is examined experimentally by IMs with static air-gap eccentricity and dynamic air-gap eccentricity states under different load conditions. Test results show that the developed harmonic synthesis technique can extract fault features effectively for initial IM air-gap eccentricity fault detection.

The Prospective Relationships Among Intrinsic Motivation, Neurocognition, and Psychosocial Functioning in Schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Nakagami, Eri; Hoe, Maanse; Brekke, John S.

2010-01-01

To address significant gaps in our understanding about how neurocognition, intrinsic motivation (IM), and psychosocial functioning are interrelated in schizophrenia, this study investigated the following questions: Is IM stable or dynamic over time? Does neurocognition predict change in IM over time? What is the association between change in neurocognition, change in IM, and change in psychosocial functioning? Finally, what is the causal structure of the relationships among neurocognition, IM, and psychosocial functioning over time? One hundred and thirty individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were recruited from 4 community-based psychosocial rehabilitation programs in urban Los Angeles. Measures of neurocognition were taken at baseline and 12 months. Measures of IM, psychosocial functioning, and symptoms were taken at baseline, 6, and 12 months. Results of latent growth curve modeling analyses demonstrated that IM is dynamic over time. Baseline neurocognition was associated with the initial level of IM but did not predict the rate of change in motivation. However, baseline levels of IM predicted rates of subsequent improvement in neurocognition. Change in IM was strongly associated with change in psychosocial functioning, and change in neurocognition was associated with change in psychosocial functioning, but change in IM was not associated with change in neurocognition. Latent difference score analyses revealed that neurocognition caused changes in psychosocial functioning, and psychosocial functioning caused changes in IM. These findings improve our fundamental understanding of the relationships among these variables and contribute to intervention development for improving outcomes in schizophrenia. PMID:20462998

SCExAO: the most complete instrument to characterize exoplanets and stellar environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lozi, Julien; Guyon, Olivier; Jovanovic, Nemanja; Singh, Garima; Doughty, Danielle; Pathak, Prashant; Goebel, Sean; Kudo, Tomoyuki

2015-12-01

The Subaru Coronagraphic Extreme Adaptive Optics (SCExAO) instrument, currently under development for the Subaru Telescope, optimally combines state-of-the-art technologies to directly study exoplanets and stellar environments at the diffraction limit, both in visible and infrared light (0.6 to 2.4 um). The instrument already includes an ultra-fast visible pyramid wavefront sensor operating at 3.5 kHz, a 2k-actuator deformable mirror, a set of optimal coronagraphs that can work as close as 1 l/D, a low-order wavefront sensor, a high-speed speckle control, and two visible interferometric modules, VAMPIRES and FIRST. Stability of the wavefront correction has already been demonstrated on sky, and SCExAO is already producing scientific results. After the integration of the Integral Field Spectrograph (IFS) CHARIS and a Microwave Kinetic Inductance Detector (MKID) in 2016, SCExAO will be one of the most powerful and effective tools for characterizing exoplanets and disks.

Unravelling the role of the SW Sextantis stars in the evolution of cataclysmic variables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torres, Manuel; Steeghs, Danny; Gaensicke, Boris; Marsh, Tom; Rodriguez-Gil, Pablo; Schmidtobreick, Linda; Long, Knox; Schreiber, Matthias

2007-08-01

SW Sextantis stars are a relatively large group of cataclysmic variables (CVs) whose properties contradict all predictions made by the current CV evolution theories. Very little is known about the properties of their accreting white dwarfs and their donor stars, as the stellar components are usually outshone by an extremely bright accretion flow. Consequently, a proper assesment of their evolutionary state is illusionary. We are monitoring the brightness of a number of SW Sex stars and request here Gemini/GMOS-N ToO time to obtain orbital phase-resolved spectroscopy if one of them enters a low state, since this is the only opportunity for studying the stellar components individually. These data will be used to accurately measure the mass ratio of the system which, combined with the orbital inclination derived from modelling of either the disc eclipses in the high state or the ellipsoidal modulation in the low state, will eventually provide the first detailed system parameters for any SW Sex star.

Unravelling the role of the SW Sextantis stars in the evolution of cataclysmic variables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torres, Manuel

2007-02-01

SW Sextantis stars are a relatively large group of cataclysmic variables (CVs) whose properties contradict all predictions made by the current CV evolution theories. Very little is known about the properties of their accreting white dwarfs and their donor stars, as the stellar components are usually outshone by an extremely bright accretion flow. Consequently, a proper assesment of their evolutionary state is illusionary. We are monitoring the brightness of a number of SW Sex stars and request here Gemini/GMOS-N ToO time to obtain orbital phase-resolved spectroscopy if one of them enters a low state, since this is the only opportunity for studying the stellar components individually. These data will be used to accurately measure the mass ratio of the system which, combined with the orbital inclination derived from modelling of either the disc eclipses in the high state or the ellipsoidal modulation in the low state, will eventually provide the first detailed system parameters for any SW Sex star.

Pre-supernova models for massive stars produced with large nuclear reaction network by MESA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Byeongchan; Kwak, Kyujin

2018-04-01

Core-collapsed Supernova (CCSN) is one of violent phenomena in the universe. CCSN generates heavy elements and leaves a neutron star behind. It has been known that the physical properties of CCSN depend on those of pre-supernova such as mass, metallicities including distribution of elements, and the density and temperature profile which are obtained from the stellar evolution calculation. In particular, the production of heavy elements in CCSN is sensitive to the abundance profiles in the pre-supernova models. In this study, we evolve a massive main sequence star with 15Msun and solar metallicity to the pre-supernova stage by using two different networks, small and large. The large nuclear reaction network includes more than four times isotopes than the small network. Our calculations were done by MESA (Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics) which allowed us to use the large network containing about a hundred isotopes. We compare the results obtained with two networks.

Accreting CO material onto ONe white dwarfs towards accretion-induced collapse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Cheng-Yuan; Wang, Bo

2018-03-01

The final outcomes of accreting ONe white dwarfs (ONe WDs) have been studied for several decades, but there are still some issues that are not resolved. Recently, some studies suggested that the deflagration of oxygen would occur for accreting ONe WDs with Chandrasekhar masses. In this paper, we aim to investigate whether ONe WDs can experience accretion-induced collapse (AIC) or explosions when their masses approach the Chandrasekhar limit. Employing the stellar evolution code Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA), we simulate the long-term evolution of ONe WDs with accreting CO material. The ONe WDs undergo weak multicycle carbon flashes during the mass-accretion process, leading to mass increase of the WDs. We found that different initial WD masses and mass-accretion rates influence the evolution of central density and temperature. However, the central temperature cannot reach the explosive oxygen ignition temperature due to neutrino cooling. This work implies that the final outcome of accreting ONe WDs is electron-capture induced collapse rather than thermonuclear explosion.

Exploring the Carbon Simmering Phase: Reaction Rates, Mixing, and the Convective Urca Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwab, Josiah; Martínez-Rodríguez, Héctor; Piro, Anthony L.; Badenes, Carles

2017-12-01

The neutron excess at the time of explosion provides a powerful discriminant among models of Type Ia supernovae. Recent calculations of the carbon simmering phase in single degenerate progenitors have disagreed about the final neutron excess. We find that the treatment of mixing in convection zones likely contributes to the difference. We demonstrate that in Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics models, heating from exothermic weak reactions plays a significant role in raising the temperature of the white dwarf. This emphasizes the important role that the convective Urca process plays during simmering. We briefly summarize the shortcomings of current models during this phase. Ultimately, we do not pinpoint the difference between the results reported in the literature, but show that the results are consistent with different net energetics of the convective Urca process. This problem serves as an important motivation for the development of models of the convective Urca process suitable for incorporation into stellar evolution codes.

Normal-inverse bimodule operation Hadamard transform ion mobility spectrometry.

PubMed

Hong, Yan; Huang, Chaoqun; Liu, Sheng; Xia, Lei; Shen, Chengyin; Chu, Yannan

2018-10-31

In order to suppress or eliminate the spurious peaks and improve signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of Hadamard transform ion mobility spectrometry (HT-IMS), a normal-inverse bimodule operation Hadamard transform - ion mobility spectrometry (NIBOHT-IMS) technique was developed. In this novel technique, a normal and inverse pseudo random binary sequence (PRBS) was produced in sequential order by an ion gate controller and utilized to control the ion gate of IMS, and then the normal HT-IMS mobility spectrum and the inverse HT-IMS mobility spectrum were obtained. A NIBOHT-IMS mobility spectrum was gained by subtracting the inverse HT-IMS mobility spectrum from normal HT-IMS mobility spectrum. Experimental results demonstrate that the NIBOHT-IMS technique can significantly suppress or eliminate the spurious peaks, and enhance the SNR by measuring the reactant ions. Furthermore, the gas CHCl 3 and CH 2 Br 2 were measured for evaluating the capability of detecting real sample. The results show that the NIBOHT-IMS technique is able to eliminate the spurious peaks and improve the SNR notably not only for the detection of larger ion signals but also for the detection of small ion signals. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Review of Atrophic Gastritis and Intestinal Metaplasia as a Premalignant Lesion of Gastric Cancer

PubMed Central

Park, Yo Han; Kim, Nayoung

2015-01-01

Atrophic gastritis (AG) and intestinal metaplasia (IM) are the main precursor lesions of gastric cancer as the incidence of gastric cancer increases in the gastric mucosa involved with AG and IM. The prevalence of AG and IM vary depending on countries, even it represents diverse results in the same nation. Usually AG is antecedent of IM but the etiologies of AG and IM are not always the same. The sensitivity and specificity of diagnostic methods to detect AG and IM are different. Furthermore, the management strategy of AG and IM has not been established, yet. Helicobacter pylori infection has been proved as the most important cause of AG and IM. Thus the eradication of H. pylori is very important to prevent the progression to gastric cancer which is still placed in the high rank in morbidity and mortality among cancers. However, the reversibility of AG and IM by eradication of H. pylori which was assumed to be certain by meta-analysis is; however, controversial now. Therefore, the understanding and early diagnosis of AG and IM are very important, especially, in high incidence area of gastric cancer such as Republic of Korea. PMID:25853101

Chemometric Data Analysis for Deconvolution of Overlapped Ion Mobility Profiles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zekavat, Behrooz; Solouki, Touradj

2012-11-01

We present the details of a data analysis approach for deconvolution of the ion mobility (IM) overlapped or unresolved species. This approach takes advantage of the ion fragmentation variations as a function of the IM arrival time. The data analysis involves the use of an in-house developed data preprocessing platform for the conversion of the original post-IM/collision-induced dissociation mass spectrometry (post-IM/CID MS) data to a Matlab compatible format for chemometric analysis. We show that principle component analysis (PCA) can be used to examine the post-IM/CID MS profiles for the presence of mobility-overlapped species. Subsequently, using an interactive self-modeling mixture analysis technique, we show how to calculate the total IM spectrum (TIMS) and CID mass spectrum for each component of the IM overlapped mixtures. Moreover, we show that PCA and IM deconvolution techniques provide complementary results to evaluate the validity of the calculated TIMS profiles. We use two binary mixtures with overlapping IM profiles, including (1) a mixture of two non-isobaric peptides (neurotensin (RRPYIL) and a hexapeptide (WHWLQL)), and (2) an isobaric sugar isomer mixture of raffinose and maltotriose, to demonstrate the applicability of the IM deconvolution.

Reduced-intensity allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation combined with imatinib has comparable event-free survival and overall survival to long-term imatinib treatment in young patients with chronic myeloid leukemia.

PubMed

Zhao, Yanmin; Wang, Jiasheng; Luo, Yi; Shi, Jimin; Zheng, Weiyan; Tan, Yamin; Cai, Zhen; Huang, He

2017-08-01

The relative merits of reduced intensity hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (RIST) for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in the first chronic phase (CP) in imatinib era have not been evaluated. The study was designed to compare the outcomes of combination therapy of RIST plus imatinib (RIST + IM) vs. imatinib (IM) alone for young patients with early CP (ECP) and late CP (LCP). Of the patients, 130 were non-randomly assigned to treatment with IM alone (n = 88) or RIST + IM (n = 42). The 10-year overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) were comparable between RIST + IM and IM groups. LCP, high Sokal score, and no complete cytogenetic response at 3 months were adverse prognostic factors for survival, but only the time from diagnosis to IM was an independent predictor after multivariate analysis. For ECP, IM was similar to RIST + IM, with 10-year EFS rates of 77.2 vs. 81.6% (p = 0.876) and OS rates of 93.8 vs. 87.9% (p = 0.102), respectively. For LCP, both treatments resulted in similar survival, but more patients in the imatinib group experienced events (10-year EFS 40.8 vs. 66.7%, p = 0.047). The patients with higher EBMT risk scores had an inferior survival than those with lower scores (69.2 vs. 92.9%, p = 0.04). We concluded that RIST + IM was comparable to IM in terms of OS and EFS. However, RIST + IM was more affordable than IM alone in a 10-year scale. Thus, RIST + IM could be considered as an alternative treatment option, especially when the patients have low EBMT risk scores and demand a definite cure for CML.

E9-Im9 Colicin DNase−Immunity Protein Biomolecular Association in Water: A Multiple-Copy and Accelerated Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study

PubMed Central

2008-01-01

Protein−protein transient and dynamic interactions underlie all biological processes. The molecular dynamics (MD) of the E9 colicin DNase protein, its Im9 inhibitor protein, and their E9-Im9 recognition complex are investigated by combining multiple-copy (MC) MD and accelerated MD (aMD) explicit-solvent simulation approaches, after validation with crystalline-phase and solution experiments. Im9 shows higher flexibility than its E9 counterpart. Im9 displays a significant reduction of backbone flexibility and a remarkable increase in motional correlation upon E9 association. Im9 loops 23−31 and 54−64 open with respect to the E9-Im9 X-ray structure and show high conformational diversity. Upon association a large fraction (∼20 nm2) of E9 and Im9 protein surfaces become inaccessible to water. Numerous salt bridges transiently occurring throughout our six 50 ns long MC-MD simulations are not present in the X-ray model. Among these Im9 Glu31−E9 Arg96 and Im9 Glu41−Lys89 involve interface interactions. Through the use of 10 ns of Im9 aMD simulation, we reconcile the largest thermodynamic impact measured for Asp51Ala mutation with Im9 structure and dynamics. Lys57 acts as an essential molecular switch to shift Im9 surface loop towards an ideal configuration for E9 inhibition. This is achieved by switching Asp60−Lys57 and Asp62−Lys57 hydrogen bonds to Asp51−Lys57 salt bridge. E9-Im9 recognition involves shifts of conformational distributions, reorganization of intramolecular hydrogen bond patterns, and formation of new inter- and intramolecular interactions. The description of key transient biological interactions can be significantly enriched by the dynamic and atomic-level information provided by computer simulations. PMID:19053689

Distractions, distractions: does instant messaging affect college students' performance on a concurrent reading comprehension task?

PubMed

Fox, Annie Beth; Rosen, Jonathan; Crawford, Mary

2009-02-01

Instant messaging (IM) has become one of the most popular forms of computer-mediated communication (CMC) and is especially prevalent on college campuses. Previous research suggests that IM users often multitask while conversing online. To date, no one has yet examined the cognitive effect of concurrent IM use. Participants in the present study (N = 69) completed a reading comprehension task uninterrupted or while concurrently holding an IM conversation. Participants who IMed while performing the reading task took significantly longer to complete the task, indicating that concurrent IM use negatively affects efficiency. Concurrent IM use did not affect reading comprehension scores. Additional analyses revealed that the more time participants reported spending on IM, the lower their reading comprehension scores. Finally, we found that the more time participants reported spending on IM, the lower their self-reported GPA. Implications and future directions are discussed.

I'm a Map, I'm a Green Tree

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Daniel

2010-01-01

I'm talking about the ways we represent ourselves and our world. I've put some thoughts on the topic together here--a gathering that enacts new media creating and takes up conceptual layers like metaphors, models, and composing. The primary sources are videos from the Get a Mac campaign, aka I'm a Mac; I'm a PC ads. Posthuman concepts blending…

Trace concentrations of imazethapyr (IM) affect floral organs development and reproduction in Arabidopsis thaliana: IM-induced inhibition of key genes regulating anther and pollen biosynthesis.

PubMed

Qian, Haifeng; Li, Yali; Sun, Chongchong; Lavoie, Michel; Xie, Jun; Bai, Xiaocui; Fu, Zhengwei

2015-01-01

Understanding how herbicides affect plant reproduction and growth is critical to develop herbicide toxicity model and refine herbicide risk assessment. Although our knowledge of herbicides toxicity mechanisms at the physiological and molecular level in plant vegetative phase has increased substantially in the last decades, few studies have addressed the herbicide toxicity problematic on plant reproduction. Here, we determined the long-term (4-8 weeks) effect of a chiral herbicide, imazethapyr (IM), which has been increasingly used in plant crops, on floral organ development and reproduction in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. More specifically, we followed the effect of two IM enantiomers (R- and S-IM) on floral organ structure, seed production, pollen viability and the transcription of key genes involved in anther and pollen development. The results showed that IM strongly inhibited the transcripts of genes regulating A. thaliana tapetum development (DYT1: DYSFUNCTIONAL TAPETUM 1), tapetal differentiation and function (TDF1: TAPETAL DEVELOPMENT AND FUNCTION1), and pollen wall formation and developments (AMS: ABORTED MICROSPORES, MYB103: MYB DOMAIN PROTEIN 103, MS1: MALE STERILITY 1, MS2: MALE STERILITY 2). Since DYT1 positively regulates 33 genes involved in cell-wall modification (such as, TDF1, AMS, MYB103, MS1, MS2) that can catalyze the breakdown of polysaccharides to facilitate anther dehiscence, the consistent decrease in the transcription of these genes after IM exposure should hamper anther opening as observed under scanning electron microscopy. The toxicity of IM on anther opening further lead to a decrease in pollen production and pollen viability. Furthermore, long-term IM exposure increased the number of apurinic/apyrimidinic sites (AP sites) in the DNA of A. thaliana and also altered the DNA of A. thaliana offspring grown in IM-free soils. Toxicity of IM on floral organs development and reproduction was generally higher in the presence of the R-IM enantiomer than of the S-IM enantiomer. This study unraveled several IM toxicity targets and mechanisms at the molecular and structural level linked to the toxicity of IM trace concentrations on A. thaliana reproduction.

Hardware Verification of Laser Noise Cancellation and Gravitational Wave Extraction using Time-Delay Interferometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitryk, Shawn; Mueller, Guido

The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) is a space-based modified Michelson interfer-ometer designed to measure gravitational radiation in the frequency range from 30 uHz to 1 Hz. The interferometer measurement system (IMS) utilizes one-way laser phase measurements to cancel the laser phase noise, reconstruct the proof-mass motion, and extract the gravitational wave (GW) induced laser phase modulations in post-processing using a technique called time-delay interferometry (TDI). Unfortunately, there exist few hard-ware verification experiments of the IMS. The University of Florida LISA Interferometry Simulator (UFLIS) is designed to perform hardware-in-the-loop simulations of the LISA interferometry system, modeling the characteris-tics of the LISA mission as accurately as possible. This depends, first, on replicating the laser pre-stabilization by locking the laser phase to an ultra-stable Zerodur cavity length reference using the PDH locking method. Phase measurements of LISA-like photodetector beat-notes are taken using the UF-phasemeter (PM) which can measure the laser BN frequency to within an accuracy of 0.22 uHz. The inter-space craft (SC) laser links including the time-delay due to the 5 Gm light travel time along the LISA arms, the laser Doppler shifts due to differential SC motion, and the GW induced laser phase modulations are simulated electronically using the electronic phase delay (EPD) unit. The EPD unit replicates the laser field propagation between SC by measuring a photodetector beat-note frequency with the UF-phasemeter and storing the information in memory. After the requested delay time, the frequency information is added to a Doppler offset and a GW-like frequency modulation. The signal is then regenerated with the inter-SC laser phase affects applied. Utilizing these components, I will present the first complete TDI simulations performed using the UFLIS. The LISA model is presented along-side the simulation, comparing the generation and measurement of LISA-like signals. Phasemeter measurements are used in post-processing and combined in the linear combinations defined by TDI, thus, canceling the laser phase and phase-lock loop noise to extract the applied GW modulation buried under the noise. Nine order of magnitude common mode laser noise cancellation is achieved at a frequency of 1 mHz and the GW signal is clearly visible after the laser and PLL noise cancellation.

Once an Impression Manager, Always an Impression Manager? Antecedents of Honest and Deceptive Impression Management Use and Variability across Multiple Job Interviews

PubMed Central

Roulin, Nicolas; Bourdage, Joshua S.

2017-01-01

Research has examined the antecedents of applicants' use of impression management (IM) tactics in employment interviews. All existing empirical studies have measured IM in one particular interview. Yet, applicants generally interview multiple times for different positions, and thus have multiple opportunities to engage in IM, before they can secure a job. Similarly, recent theoretical advances in personnel selection and IM research have suggested that applicant behaviors should be considered as dynamic and adaptive in nature. In line with this perspective, the present study is the first to examine the role of individual differences in both applicants' use of IM tactics and the variability in IM use across multiple interviews. It also highlights which honest and deceptive IM tactics remain stable vs. vary in consecutive interviews with different interviewers and organizations. Results suggest that applicants high in Extraversion or core self-evaluations tend to engage in more honest self-promotion but do not adapt their IM approach across interviews. In contrast, applicants who possess more undesirable personality traits (i.e., low on Honesty-Humility and Conscientiousness, but high on Machiavellianism, Narcissism, Psychopathy, or Competitive Worldviews) tend to use more deceptive IM (and especially image creation tactics) and are also more likely to adapt their IM strategy across interviews. Because deceptive IM users can obtain better evaluations from interviewers and the personality profile of those users is often associated with undesirable workplace outcomes, this study provides additional evidence for the claim that deceptive IM (or faking) is a potential threat for organizations. PMID:28174546

Once an Impression Manager, Always an Impression Manager? Antecedents of Honest and Deceptive Impression Management Use and Variability across Multiple Job Interviews.

PubMed

Roulin, Nicolas; Bourdage, Joshua S

2017-01-01

Research has examined the antecedents of applicants' use of impression management (IM) tactics in employment interviews. All existing empirical studies have measured IM in one particular interview. Yet, applicants generally interview multiple times for different positions, and thus have multiple opportunities to engage in IM, before they can secure a job. Similarly, recent theoretical advances in personnel selection and IM research have suggested that applicant behaviors should be considered as dynamic and adaptive in nature. In line with this perspective, the present study is the first to examine the role of individual differences in both applicants' use of IM tactics and the variability in IM use across multiple interviews. It also highlights which honest and deceptive IM tactics remain stable vs. vary in consecutive interviews with different interviewers and organizations. Results suggest that applicants high in Extraversion or core self-evaluations tend to engage in more honest self-promotion but do not adapt their IM approach across interviews. In contrast, applicants who possess more undesirable personality traits (i.e., low on Honesty-Humility and Conscientiousness, but high on Machiavellianism, Narcissism, Psychopathy, or Competitive Worldviews) tend to use more deceptive IM (and especially image creation tactics) and are also more likely to adapt their IM strategy across interviews. Because deceptive IM users can obtain better evaluations from interviewers and the personality profile of those users is often associated with undesirable workplace outcomes, this study provides additional evidence for the claim that deceptive IM (or faking) is a potential threat for organizations.

Cone-Beam Computed Tomography Internal Motion Tracking Should Be Used to Validate 4-Dimensional Computed Tomography for Abdominal Radiation Therapy Patients

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

Rankine, Leith; Wan, Hanlin; Parikh, Parag

Purpose: To demonstrate that fiducial tracking during pretreatment Cone-Beam CT (CBCT) can accurately measure tumor motion and that this method should be used to validate 4-dimensional CT (4DCT) margins before each treatment fraction. Methods and Materials: For 31 patients with abdominal tumors and implanted fiducial markers, tumor motion was measured daily with CBCT and fluoroscopy for 202 treatment fractions. Fiducial tracking and maximum-likelihood algorithms extracted 3-dimensional fiducial trajectories from CBCT projections. The daily internal margin (IM) (ie, range of fiducial motion) was calculated for CBCT and fluoroscopy as the 5th-95th percentiles of displacement in each cardinal direction. The planning IMmore » from simulation 4DCT (IM{sub 4DCT}) was considered adequate when within ±1.2 mm (anterior–posterior, left–right) and ±3 mm (superior–inferior) of the daily measured IM. We validated CBCT fiducial tracking as an accurate predictive measure of intrafraction motion by comparing the daily measured IM{sub CBCT} with the daily IM measured by pretreatment fluoroscopy (IM{sub pre-fluoro}); these were compared with pre- and posttreatment fluoroscopy (IM{sub fluoro}) to identify those patients who could benefit from imaging during treatment. Results: Four-dimensional CT could not accurately predict intrafractional tumor motion for ≥80% of fractions in 94% (IM{sub CBCT}), 97% (IM{sub pre-fluoro}), and 100% (IM{sub fluoro}) of patients. The IM{sub CBCT} was significantly closer to IM{sub pre-fluoro} than IM{sub 4DCT} (P<.01). For patients with median treatment time t < 7.5 minutes, IM{sub CBCT} was in agreement with IM{sub fluoro} for 93% of fractions (superior–inferior), compared with 63% for the t > 7.5 minutes group, demonstrating the need for patient-specific intratreatment imaging. Conclusions: Tumor motion determined from 4DCT simulation does not accurately predict the daily motion observed on CBCT or fluoroscopy. Cone-beam CT could replace fluoroscopy for pretreatment verification of simulation IM{sub 4DCT}, reducing patient setup time and imaging dose. Patients with treatment time t > 7.5 minutes could benefit from the addition of intratreatment imaging.« less

Lipase-catalyzed synthesis of palmitanilide: Kinetic model and antimicrobial activity study.

PubMed

Liu, Kuan-Miao; Liu, Kuan-Ju

2016-01-01

Enzymatic syntheses of fatty acid anilides are important owing to their wide range of industrial applications in detergents, shampoo, cosmetics, and surfactant formulations. The amidation reaction of Mucor miehei lipase Lipozyme IM20 was investigated for direct amidation of triacylglycerol in organic solvents. The process parameters (reaction temperature, substrate molar ratio, enzyme amount) were optimized to achieve the highest yield of anilide. The maximum yield of palmitanilide (88.9%) was achieved after 24 h of reaction at 40 °C at an enzyme concentration of 1.4% (70 mg). Kinetics of lipase-catalyzed amidation of aniline with tripalmitin has been investigated. The reaction rate could be described in terms of the Michaelis-Menten equation with a Ping-Pong Bi-Bi mechanism and competitive inhibition by both the substrates. The kinetic constants were estimated by using non-linear regression method using enzyme kinetic modules. The enzyme operational stability study showed that Lipozyme IM20 retained 38.1% of the initial activity for the synthesis of palmitanilide (even after repeated use for 48 h). Palmitanilide, a fatty acid amide, exhibited potent antimicrobial activity toward Bacillus cereus. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Imagery Rescripting for Body Dysmorphic Disorder: A Multiple-Baseline Single-Case Experimental Design.

PubMed

Willson, Rob; Veale, David; Freeston, Mark

2016-03-01

Individuals with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) often experience negative distorted images of their appearance, and research suggests these may be linked to memories of adverse events such as bullying or teasing. This study evaluates imagery rescripting (ImR) as an intervention for BDD. In this article, we present a multiple-baseline single-case experimental design testing imagery rescripting as a brief, stand-alone intervention, with six individuals with BDD that related to aversive memories. The impact of the intervention was assessed by self-reported daily measures of symptom severity (preoccupation with appearance, appearance-related checking behaviors, appearance-related distress, and strength of belief that their main problem is their appearance) and standardized clinician ratings of BDD severity (Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale modified for BDD). Four out of six of the participants responded positively to the intervention, with clinically meaningful improvement in symptomatology. Overall response was rapid; improvements began within the first week post-ImR intervention. From a small sample it is cautiously concluded that imagery rescripting may show promise as a module in cognitive-behavioral therapy for BDD, and is worthy of further investigation. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

A novel four-dimensional analytical approach for analysis of complex samples.

PubMed

Stephan, Susanne; Jakob, Cornelia; Hippler, Jörg; Schmitz, Oliver J

2016-05-01

A two-dimensional LC (2D-LC) method, based on the work of Erni and Frei in 1978, was developed and coupled to an ion mobility-high-resolution mass spectrometer (IM-MS), which enabled the separation of complex samples in four dimensions (2D-LC, ion mobility spectrometry (IMS), and mass spectrometry (MS)). This approach works as a continuous multiheart-cutting LC system, using a long modulation time of 4 min, which allows the complete transfer of most of the first - dimension peaks to the second - dimension column without fractionation, in comparison to comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography. Hence, each compound delivers only one peak in the second dimension, which simplifies the data handling even when ion mobility spectrometry as a third and mass spectrometry as a fourth dimension are introduced. The analysis of a plant extract from Ginkgo biloba shows the separation power of this four-dimensional separation method with a calculated total peak capacity of more than 8700. Furthermore, the advantage of ion mobility for characterizing unknown compounds by their collision cross section (CCS) and accurate mass in a non-target approach is shown for different matrices like plant extracts and coffee. Graphical abstract Principle of the four-dimensional separation.

Optimising the operation of a MBR pilot plant by quantitative analysis of the membrane fouling mechanism.

PubMed

Jiang, T; Kennedy, M D; Guinzbourg, B F; Vanrolleghem, P A; Schippers, J C

2005-01-01

In order to optimize some operational conditions of MBR systems, a MBR pilot plant equipped with a submerged hollow fibre membrane module was employed in this study. The pilot MBR was fed with real municipal wastewater and the filtration flux, backwashing interval, aeration frequency and temperature were varied. A filtration flux below 25 I/m2h is generally recommended, at below this flux, the MBR operated at sub-critical flux conditions, the filter cake was minimized and membrane fouling was mainly attributed to the membrane pore blocking. Moreover, the membrane fouling, at below 25 I/m2h, was more reversible to backwashing; above this value, backwashing became less efficient to clean the membrane. Less frequent backwashing (e.g. 600 s filtration/45 s backwashing) decreased the amount of fouling irreversible to backwashing and its performance was superior to that of frequent backwashing (e.g. 200 s filtration/15 s backwashing). The MBR suffered more fouling at low temperature conditions (e.g. at 13-14 degrees C) than at high temperature conditions (e.g. at 17-18 degrees C). A conceptual model was built up and successfully interpreted this temperature effect.

The effects of combined repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and transcranial direct current stimulation on motor function in patients with stroke.

PubMed

Kwon, Tae Gun; Park, Eunhee; Kang, Chung; Chang, Won Hyuk; Kim, Yun-Hee

2016-11-22

Both transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), when provided to stroke patients in combination with motor training, enhance therapeutic efficacy and motor function. However, the majority of previous studies have only examined a single treatment modality. The authors investigated the modulating influence of combination dual-mode brain stimulation upon bihemispheric stimulation with motor training in stroke patients. Twenty stroke patients with hemiparesis underwent five randomly arranged sessions of diverse combinations of rTMS and tDCS. We applied cathodal or anodal tDCS over the contralesional primary motor cortex (cM1) and 10 Hz rTMS over the ipsilesional primary motor cortex (iM1) in a simultaneous or preconditioning method including sham stimulation. Immediately after dual-mode stimulation, sequential hand motor training was performed for 5 minutes. The total pulses of rTMS and the duration of tDCS and motor training were the same for all sessions. Cortical excitability and sequential motor performance were evaluated before and after each session. Motor function and corticomotor excitability following simultaneous stimulation via cathodal tDCS over the cM1 combined with 10 Hz rTMS over the iM1 were significantly increased after the intervention, with significantly greater motor improvement than seen with other treatment conditions (P < 0.05). For the combination of bihemispheric rTMS and tDCS, simultaneous stimulation of cathodal tDCS and 10 Hz rTMS results in better motor performance in stroke patients than other combination methods. This result seemed to be related to effective modulation of interhemispheric imbalance of cortical excitability by dual-mode stimulation.

78 FR 37571 - Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993-IMS Global...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-21

... Production Act of 1993--IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. Notice is hereby given that, on May 30, 2013... seq. (``the Act''), IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. (``IMS Global'') has [[Page 37572

Season of infectious mononucleosis as a risk factor for multiple sclerosis: A UK primary care case-control study.

PubMed

Downham, Christina; Visser, Elizabeth; Vickers, Mark; Counsell, Carl

2017-10-01

Infectious mononucleosis (IM) and vitamin D deficiency are both risk factors for multiple sclerosis (MS). We wished to establish if IM in the winter months when vitamin D levels are low may be a greater risk factor for MS than IM in the summer months. We identified all patients with MS diagnosed aged 16-60 in a large primary care database in the United Kingdom and matched each by age, sex, general practice and observation period with up to six controls. We identified a coded diagnosis of IM prior to the index date (date of diagnosis). Logistic regression was used to calculate the odds ratio for prior IM exposure in cases versus controls and for winter versus summer exposure in cases and controls with prior IM exposure. Based on 9247 cases and 55,033 matched controls (246 and 846 with prior IM respectively), IM was associated with the development of MS (OR 1.77, 95%CI 1.53-2.05) but there was no evidence that IM in the winter as opposed to summer was associated with developing MS (OR 1.09, 95%CI 0.72-1.66). We found no evidence that the season of IM influences the risk of subsequent MS. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Analysis of model Titan atmospheric components using ion mobility spectrometry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kojiro, D. R.; Cohen, M. J.; Wernlund, R. F.; Stimac, R. M.; Humphry, D. E.; Takeuchi, N.

1991-01-01

The Gas Chromatograph-Ion Mobility Spectrometer (GC-IMS) was proposed as an analytical technique for the analysis of Titan's atmosphere during the Cassini Mission. The IMS is an atmospheric pressure, chemical detector that produces an identifying spectrum of each chemical species measured. When the IMS is combined with a GC as a GC-IMS, the GC is used to separate the sample into its individual components, or perhaps small groups of components. The IMS is then used to detect, quantify, and identify each sample component. Conventional IMS detection and identification of sample components depends upon a source of energetic radiation, such as beta radiation, which ionizes the atmospheric pressure host gas. This primary ionization initiates a sequence of ion-molecule reactions leading to the formation of sufficiently energetic positive or negative ions, which in turn ionize most constituents in the sample. In conventional IMS, this reaction sequence is dominated by the water cluster ion. However, many of the light hydrocarbons expected in Titan's atmosphere cannot be analyzed by IMS using this mechanism at the concentrations expected. Research at NASA Ames and PCP Inc., has demonstrated IMS analysis of expected Titan atmospheric components, including saturated aliphatic hydrocarbons, using two alternate sample ionizations mechanisms. The sensitivity of the IMS to hydrocarbons such as propane and butane was increased by several orders of magnitude. Both ultra dry (waterless) IMS sample ionization and metastable ionization were successfully used to analyze a model Titan atmospheric gas mixture.

Advanced Interval Management (IM) Concepts of Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barmore, Bryan E.; Ahmad, Nash'at N.; Underwood, Matthew C.

2014-01-01

This document provides a high-level description of several advanced IM operations that NASA is considering for future research and development. It covers two versions of IM-CSPO and IM with Wake Mitigation. These are preliminary descriptions to support an initial benefits analysis

Prevalence of mabDAS-1 positivity in biopsy specimens from the esophagogastric junction.

PubMed

Rogge-Wolf, Claudia; Seldenrijk, Cornelis A; Das, Kiron M; Timmer, Robin; Breumelhof, Ronald; Smout, André J P M; Amenta, Peter S; Griffel, Louis H

2002-12-01

Intestinal metaplasia (IM) is a precursor for malignancies at the esophagogastric junction. A monoclonal antibody, mAbDAS-1, can probably identify cellular characteristics of IM before the appearance of goblet cells. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of mAbDAS-1 positivity in biopsies from the squamocolumnar junction (SCJ) and to correlate this positivity with the presence of IM and clinical findings. In 559 patients, reflux symptoms were scored, and the presence of reflux esophagitis and hiatus hernia was evaluated during endoscopy. Two biopsy specimens were obtained from the SCJ. In a subset of patients (n = 99), biopsies from the endoscopically defined cardiac region (2 cm distal to proximal margin of gastric folds) were available. Biopsy specimens were stained with hematoxylin and eosin, Alcian Blue, modified Giemsa, and mAbDAS-1. mAbDAS-1 positivity was observed in the SCJ biopsies of 201 of 486 (41.4%) patients without IM and in 64 of 73 (87.7%) patients with IM. Patients without IM but with antibody positivity showed similar histological characteristics as patients with IM at the SCJ. Biopsies of 123 of 559 patients (22%) revealed a columnar-cuboidal epithelium, which was found to be mAbDAS-1 positive in 64.2% (77 of 123). Tissue specimens from the cardiac region without IM stained positive in 14.2% (13 of 91), 12 of those also stained at the SCJ. In patients without IM, a high prevalence of mAbDAS-1 positivity was observed. Biopsies of these patients showed similar histological characteristics as patients with IM. Although not all patients exhibiting this reactivity may develop IM, mAbDAS-1 reactivity may help in the understanding of the histogenesis of IM at the SCJ.

Development of a plug-type IMS-MS instrument and its applications in resolving problems existing in in-situ detection of illicit drugs and explosives by IMS.

PubMed

Du, Zhenxia; Sun, Tangqiang; Zhao, Jianan; Wang, Di; Zhang, Zhongxia; Yu, Wenlian

2018-07-01

Ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) which acts as a rapid analysis technique is widely used in the field detection of illicit drugs and explosives. Due to limited separation abilities of the pint-sized IMS challenges and problems still exist regarding high false positive and false negative responses due to the interference of the matrix. In addition, the gas-phase ion chemistry and special phenomena in the IMS spectra, such one substance showing two peaks, were not identified unambiguously. In order to explain or resolve these questions, in this paper, an ion mobility spectrometry was coupled to a mass spectrometry (IMS-MS). A commercial IMS is embedded in a custom-built ion chamber shell was attached to the mass spectrometer. The faraday plate of IMS was fabricated with a hole for the ions to passing through to the mass spectrometer. The ion transmission efficiency of IMS-MS was optimized by optimizing the various parameters, especially the distance between the faraday plate and the cone of mass spectrum. This design keeps the integrity of the two original instruments and the mass spectrometry still works with multimode ionization source (i.e., IMS-MS, ESI-MS, APCI-MS modes). The illicit drugs and explosive samples were analyzed by the IMS-MS with 63 Ni source. The results showed that the IMS-MS is of high sensitivity. The ionization mechanism of the illicit drug and explosive samples with 63 Ni source were systematically studied. In addition, the interferent which interfered the detection of cocaine was identified as dibutyl phthalate (DBP) by this platform. The reason why the acetone solution of amphetamine showed two peaks was explained. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nrf2-Dependent and -Independent Effects of tert-Butylhydroquinone, CDDO-Im, and H2O2 in Human Jurkat T Cells as Determined by CRISPR/Cas9 Gene Editing.

PubMed

Zagorski, Joseph W; Maser, Tyler P; Liby, Karen T; Rockwell, Cheryl E

2017-05-01

Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a stress-activated transcription factor activated by stimuli such as electrophilic compounds and other reactive xenobiotics. Previously, we have shown that the commonly used food additive and Nrf2 activator tert -butylhydroquinone (tBHQ) suppresses interleukin-2 (IL-2) production, CD25 expression, and NF κ B activity in human Jurkat T cells. The purpose of the current studies was to determine whether these effects were dependent upon Nrf2 by developing a human Nrf2-null T cell model using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 technology. The current studies show that suppression of CD25 expression by tBHQ is partially dependent on Nrf2, whereas inhibition of IL-2 secretion is largely Nrf2-independent. Interestingly, tBHQ inhibited NF κ B activation in an Nrf2-independent manner. This was an unexpected finding since Nrf2 inhibits NF κ B activation in other models. These results led us to investigate another more potent Nrf2 activator, the synthetic triterpenoid 1[2-cyano-3,12-dioxooleana-1,9(11)-dien-28-oyl]imidazole (CDDO-Im). Treatment of wild-type and Nrf2-null Jurkat T cells with CDDO-Im resulted in an Nrf2-dependent suppression of IL-2. Furthermore, susceptibility to reactive oxygen species was significantly enhanced in the Nrf2-null clones as determined by decreased mitochondrial membrane potential and cell viability. Importantly, this study is the first to describe the generation of a human Nrf2-null model, which is likely to have multiple applications in immunology and cancer biology. Collectively, this study demonstrates a role for Nrf2 in the effects of CDDO-Im on CD25 and IL-2 expression, whereas the effect of tBHQ on these parameters is complex and likely involves modulation of multiple stress-activated transcription factors, including NF κ B and Nrf2. Copyright © 2017 by The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.

Online Support Program for Parents of Children With a Chronic Kidney Disease Using Intervention Mapping: A Development and Evaluation Protocol

PubMed Central

van Gaal, Betsie GI; Knoll, Jacqueline L; Cornelissen, Elisabeth AM; Schoonhoven, Lisette; Kok, Gerjo

2016-01-01

Background The care for children with a chronic kidney disease (CKD) is complex. Parents of these children may experience high levels of stress in managing their child’s disease, potentially leading to negative effects on their child’s health outcomes. Although the experienced problems are well known, adequate (online) support for these parents is lacking. Objective The objective of the study is to describe the systematic development of an online support program for parents of children with CKD, and how this program will be evaluated. Methods Intervention Mapping (IM) was used for the development of the program. After conducting a needs assessment, defining program objectives, searching for theories, and selecting practical applications, the online program e-Powered Parents was developed. e-Powered Parents consist of three parts: (1) an informative part with information about CKD and treatments, (2) an interactive part where parents can communicate with other parents and health care professionals by chat, private messages, and a forum, and (3) a training platform consisting of four modules: Managing stress, Setting limits, Communication, and Coping with emotions. In a feasibility study, the potential effectiveness and effect size of e-Powered Parents will be evaluated using an explorative randomized controlled trial with parents of 120 families. The outcomes will be the child’s quality of life, parental stress and fatigue, self-efficacy in the communication with health care professionals, and family management. A process evaluation will provide insight in parents’ experiences, including their experienced level of support. Results Study results are expected to be published in the summer of 2016. Conclusions Although the development of e-Powered Parents using IM was time-consuming, IM has been a useful protocol. IM provided us with a systematic framework for structuring the development process. The participatory planning group was valuable as well; knowledge, experiences, and visions were shared, ensuring us that parents and health care professionals support the program. Trial Registration Dutch Trial Registration: NTR4808; www.trialregister.nl (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6cfAYHcYb) PMID:26764218

Online Support Program for Parents of Children With a Chronic Kidney Disease Using Intervention Mapping: A Development and Evaluation Protocol.

PubMed

Geense, Wytske W; van Gaal, Betsie Gi; Knoll, Jacqueline L; Cornelissen, Elisabeth Am; Schoonhoven, Lisette; Kok, Gerjo

2016-01-13

The care for children with a chronic kidney disease (CKD) is complex. Parents of these children may experience high levels of stress in managing their child's disease, potentially leading to negative effects on their child's health outcomes. Although the experienced problems are well known, adequate (online) support for these parents is lacking. The objective of the study is to describe the systematic development of an online support program for parents of children with CKD, and how this program will be evaluated. Intervention Mapping (IM) was used for the development of the program. After conducting a needs assessment, defining program objectives, searching for theories, and selecting practical applications, the online program e-Powered Parents was developed. e-Powered Parents consist of three parts: (1) an informative part with information about CKD and treatments, (2) an interactive part where parents can communicate with other parents and health care professionals by chat, private messages, and a forum, and (3) a training platform consisting of four modules: Managing stress, Setting limits, Communication, and Coping with emotions. In a feasibility study, the potential effectiveness and effect size of e-Powered Parents will be evaluated using an explorative randomized controlled trial with parents of 120 families. The outcomes will be the child's quality of life, parental stress and fatigue, self-efficacy in the communication with health care professionals, and family management. A process evaluation will provide insight in parents' experiences, including their experienced level of support. Study results are expected to be published in the summer of 2016. Although the development of e-Powered Parents using IM was time-consuming, IM has been a useful protocol. IM provided us with a systematic framework for structuring the development process. The participatory planning group was valuable as well; knowledge, experiences, and visions were shared, ensuring us that parents and health care professionals support the program. Dutch Trial Registration: NTR4808; www.trialregister.nl (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6cfAYHcYb).

Analyzing Electric Field Morphology Through Data-Model Comparisons of the GEM IM/S Assessment Challenge Events

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liemohn, Michael W.; Ridley, Aaron J.; Kozyra, Janet U.; Gallagher, Dennis L.; Thomsen, Michelle F.; Henderson, Michael G.; Denton, Michael H.; Brandt, Pontus C.; Goldstein, Jerry

2006-01-01

The storm-time inner magnetospheric electric field morphology and dynamics are assessed by comparing numerical modeling results of the plasmasphere and ring current with many in situ and remote sensing data sets. Two magnetic storms are analyzed, April 22,2001 and October 21-23,2001, which are the events selected for the Geospace Environment Modeling (GEM) Inner Magnetosphere/Storms (IM/S) Assessment Challenge (IMSAC). The IMSAC seeks to quantify the accuracy of inner magnetospheric models as well as synthesize our understanding of this region. For each storm, the ring current-atmosphere interaction model (RAM) and the dynamic global core plasma model (DGCPM) were run together with various settings for the large-scale convection electric field and the nightside ionospheric conductance. DGCPM plasmaspheric parameters were compared with IMAGE-EUV plasmapause extractions and LANL-MPA plume locations and velocities. RAM parameters were compared with Dst*, LANL-MPA fluxes and moments, IMAGE-MENA images, and IMAGE-HENA images. Both qualitative and quantitative comparisons were made to determine the electric field morphology that allows the model results to best fit the plasma data at various times during these events. The simulations with self-consistent electric fields were, in general, better than those with prescribed field choices. This indicates that the time-dependent modulation of the inner magnetospheric electric fields by the nightside ionosphere is quite significant for accurate determination of these fields (and their effects). It was determined that a shielded Volland-Stern field description driven by the 3-hour Kp index yields accurate results much of the time, but can be quite inconsistent. The modified Mcllwain field description clearly lagged in overall accuracy compared to the other fields, but matched some data sets (like Dst*) quite well. The rankings between the simulations varied depending on the storm and the individual data sets, indicating that each field description did well for some place, time, and energy range during the events, as well as doing less well in other places, times, and energies. Several unresolved issues regarding the storm-time inner magnetospheric electric field are discussed.

The Software Design for the Wide-Field Infrared Explorer Attitude Control System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, Mark O.; Barnes, Kenneth C.; Melhorn, Charles M.; Phillips, Tom

1998-01-01

The Wide-Field Infrared Explorer (WIRE), currently scheduled for launch in September 1998, is the fifth of five spacecraft in the NASA/Goddard Small Explorer (SMEX) series. This paper presents the design of WIRE's Attitude Control System flight software (ACS FSW). WIRE is a momentum-biased, three-axis stabilized stellar pointer which provides high-accuracy pointing and autonomous acquisition for eight to ten stellar targets per orbit. WIRE's short mission life and limited cryogen supply motivate requirements for Sun and Earth avoidance constraints which are designed to prevent catastrophic instrument damage and to minimize the heat load on the cryostat. The FSW implements autonomous fault detection and handling (FDH) to enforce these instrument constraints and to perform several other checks which insure the safety of the spacecraft. The ACS FSW implements modules for sensor data processing, attitude determination, attitude control, guide star acquisition, actuator command generation, command/telemetry processing, and FDH. These software components are integrated with a hierarchical control mode managing module that dictates which software components are currently active. The lowest mode in the hierarchy is the 'safest' one, in the sense that it utilizes a minimal complement of sensors and actuators to keep the spacecraft in a stable configuration (power and pointing constraints are maintained). As higher modes in the hierarchy are achieved, the various software functions are activated by the mode manager, and an increasing level of attitude control accuracy is provided. If FDH detects a constraint violation or other anomaly, it triggers a safing transition to a lower control mode. The WIRE ACS FSW satisfies all target acquisition and pointing accuracy requirements, enforces all pointing constraints, provides the ground with a simple means for reconfiguring the system via table load, and meets all the demands of its real-time embedded environment (16 MHz Intel 80386 processor with 80387 coprocessor running under the VRTX operating system). The mode manager organizes and controls all the software modules used to accomplish these goals, and in particular, the FDH module is tightly coupled with the mode manager.

Flight Crew Survey Responses from the Interval Management (IM) Avionics Phase 2 Flight Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baxley, Brian T.; Swieringa, Kurt A.; Wilson, Sara R.; Roper, Roy D.; Hubbs, Clay E.; Goess, Paul A.; Shay, Richard F.

2017-01-01

The Interval Management (IM) Avionics Phase 2 flight test used three aircraft over a nineteen day period to operationally evaluate a prototype IM avionics. Quantitative data were collected on aircraft state data and IM spacing algorithm performance, and qualitative data were collected through end-of-scenario and end-of-day flight crew surveys. The majority of the IM operations met the performance goals established for spacing accuracy at the Achieve-by Point and the Planned Termination Point, however there were operations that did not meet goals for a variety of reasons. While the positive spacing accuracy results demonstrate the prototype IM avionics can contribute to the overall air traffic goal, critical issues were also identified that need to be addressed to enhance IM performance. The first category was those issues that impacted the conduct and results of the flight test, but are not part of the IM concept or procedures. These included the design of arrival and approach procedures was not ideal to support speed as the primary control mechanism, the ground-side of the Air Traffic Management Technology Demonstration (ATD-1) integrated concept of operations was not part of the flight test, and the high workload to manually enter the information required to conduct an IM operation. The second category was issues associated with the IM spacing algorithm or flight crew procedures. These issues include the high frequency of IM speed changes and reversals (accelerations), a mismatch between the deceleration rate used by the spacing algorithm and the actual aircraft performance, and some spacing error calculations were sensitive to normal operational variations in aircraft airspeed or altitude which triggered additional IM speed changes. Once the issues in these two categories are addressed, the future IM avionics should have considerable promise supporting the goals of improving system throughput and aircraft efficiency.

Estimated protective effectiveness of intramuscular immune serum globulin post-exposure prophylaxis during a measles outbreak in British Columbia, Canada, 2014.

PubMed

Bigham, Mark; Murti, Michelle; Fung, Christina; Hemming, Felicity; Loadman, Susan; Stam, Robert; Van Buynder, Paul; Lem, Marcus

2017-05-09

Intramuscular Immune Serum Globulin (IM ISG) is recommended as post-measles exposure prophylaxis (PEP) when administered within 6days of initial exposure, with variable effectiveness in preventing measles disease. Effectiveness of IM ISG PEP in preventing clinical measles was assessed during a 2014 measles outbreak among a religious-affiliated community in British Columbia, Canada. Fifty-five self-reporting measles susceptible contacts were offered exclusively IM ISG PEP within an eligibility period best surmised to be within 6days of initial measles case exposure. Clinical outcome of IM ISG PEP recipients was determined by selective active surveillance and case self-reporting. IM ISG PEP failure was defined as onset of a measles-like rash 8-21days post-IM ISG PEP. Post-IM ISG PEP measles IgG antibody level was tested in 8 recipients. Factors associated with measles disease were analyzed. Seventeen of 55 IM ISG PEP recipients developed clinically consistent measles in the following 8-21days, corresponding to an estimated crude protective effectiveness of 69%. In school aged children 5-18years, among whom potential exposure intensity and immune status confounders were considered less likely, estimated IM ISG PEP protective effectiveness was 50%. Age <25years was significantly associated with breakthrough clinical measles in bivariate analysis (p=0.0217). Among 8 tested contacts of 17 considered IM ISG PEP failures, post-IM ISG PEP measles IgG antibody levels (mean 16.3days (range 16-17days) post-PEP) were all <150mIU/ml. The estimated crude IM ISG PEP protective effectiveness against measles disease within 8-21days post-ISG administration was 69%. Accuracy of this estimated protective effectiveness is vulnerable to assumptions and uncertainties in ascertaining exposure details and pre-exposure immune status. Increasing the Canadian recommended measles IM ISG PEP dose from 0.25 to 0.5ml/kg (up to 15ml maximum volume) may increase protective effectiveness. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Low uric acid level increases the risk of infectious mononucleosis and this effect is more pronounced in women

PubMed Central

Zhang, Li; Zhou, Pingping; Meng, Zhaowei; Gong, Lu; Pang, Chongjie; Li, Xue; Jia, Qiang; Tan, Jian; Liu, Na; Hu, Tianpeng; Zhang, Qing; Jia, Qiyu; Song, Kun

2017-01-01

Infectious mononucleosis (IM) due to Epstein-Barr virus infection is common. Uric acid (UA) is an important endogenous antioxidant. To the best of our knowledge, the association between UA and IM has not been comprehensively investigated to date. The aim of the present study was to investigate this association in Chinese patients. A total of 95 patients (47 men and 48 women) with IM were recruited, along with 95 healthy controls. Clinical data were classified by patient sex. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was adopted to determine the cut-off values of UA for IM diagnosis and prediction. Crude and adjusted odds ratios (ORs) of UA for IM were analyzed by binary logistic regression. The UA levels were significantly lower in IM patients compared with those in controls. In addition, UA levels in men were significantly higher compared with those in women. The ROC curve demonstrated good diagnostic and predictive values of UA for IM in both sexes. The UA cut-off values were 326.00 and 243.50 µmol/l for diagnosing IM in men and women, respectively, with a diagnostic accuracy of 76.596 and 80.208%, respectively. Binary logistic regression analysis revealed a significant risk of IM in the low UA quartiles in both sexes. Following adjustments, the ORs even increased. Women with low UA levels appeared to be more susceptible to IM. For example, the crude ORs in quartile 1 were 24.000 and 52.500 for men and women, respectively, and the respective adjusted ORs were 31.437 and 301.746 (all P<0.01). To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first to demonstrate the inverse association between UA and IM, suggesting a progressive decrease of antioxidant reserve in IM. Moreover, low UA was suggestive of IM, particularly in women. PMID:29285370

Folding and Hydrodynamics of a DNA i-Motif from the c-MYC Promoter Determined by Fluorescent Cytidine Analogs

PubMed Central

Reilly, Samantha M.; Lyons, Daniel F.; Wingate, Sara E.; Wright, Robert T.; Correia, John J.; Jameson, David M.; Wadkins, Randy M.

2014-01-01

The four-stranded i-motif (iM) conformation of cytosine-rich DNA has importance to a wide variety of biochemical systems that range from their use in nanomaterials to potential roles in oncogene regulation. The iM structure is formed at slightly acidic pH, where hemiprotonation of cytosine results in a stable C-C+ basepair. Here, we performed fundamental studies to examine iM formation from a C-rich strand from the promoter of the human c-MYC gene. We used a number of biophysical techniques to characterize both the hydrodynamic properties and folding kinetics of a folded iM. Our hydrodynamic studies using fluorescence anisotropy decay and analytical ultracentrifugation show that the iM structure has a compact size in solution and displays the rigidity of a double strand. By studying the rates of circular dichroism spectral changes and quenching of fluorescent cytidine analogs, we also established a mechanism for the folding of a random coil oligo into the iM. In the course of determining this folding pathway, we established that the fluorescent dC analogs tC° and PdC can be used to monitor individual residues of an iM structure and to determine the pKa of an iM. We established that the C-C+ hydrogen bonding of certain bases initiates the folding of the iM structure. We also showed that substitutions in the loop regions of iMs give a distinctly different kinetic signature during folding compared with bases that are intercalated. Our data reveal that the iM passes through a distinct intermediate form between the unfolded and folded forms. Taken together, our results lay the foundation for using fluorescent dC analogs to follow structural changes during iM formation. Our technique may also be useful for examining folding and structural changes in more complex iMs. PMID:25296324

Genetic findings in treatment-naïve and proton-beam-radiated iris melanomas.

PubMed

Krishna, Yamini; Kalirai, Helen; Thornton, Sophie; Damato, Bertil E; Heimann, Heinrich; Coupland, Sarah E

2016-07-01

Iris melanomas (IM) are rare and have a lower mortality than posterior uveal melanomas (UM). Our aims were to determine the prevalence of genetic changes associated with prognosis of posterior UM, in both treated and non-treated IM. Retrospective database review and molecular analysis of all patients diagnosed with IM at the Liverpool Ocular Oncology Centre (LOOC) between 1993 and 2015. Archival pathology specimens of confirmed IM cases were analysed for chromosomal alterations, using multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) or microsatellite analysis (MSA) depending on DNA yield, and BRAF mutation status. 5189 patients were diagnosed with intraocular melanoma at LOOC from 1993 to 2015. Of these, 303 (5.8%) patients were diagnosed with IM. Tissue samples were available for 26 IM cases. Twelve of these cases had biopsies taken post-proton beam radiotherapy (PBR). Histological subtyping showed 14 IM being spindle, 2 epithelioid and 10 were of mixed cell type. Twenty of the 26 IM cases (77%) analysed genetically were classified as either disomy 3 (n=16) or monosomy 3 (n=4). Chromosome 6p gain was detected in 4/18 (22%) IM, and polysomy 8q in 6%. BRAF mutations were not detected in any of the four IM cases examined. One patient with IM died from metastatic disease: this tumour was disomy 3 with 6p and 8q gains. All other patients were alive with no evidence of metastases at study closure. Chromosomal aberrations seen in posterior UM can also be demonstrated using MLPA or MSA in both treatment naïve and PBR-treated IM. Most IM display a low-metastatic risk chromosomal profile. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

A genetic basis for infectious mononucleosis: evidence from a family study of hospitalized cases in Denmark.

PubMed

Rostgaard, Klaus; Wohlfahrt, Jan; Hjalgrim, Henrik

2014-06-01

Circumstantial evidence from genome-wide association and family studies of various Epstein-Barr virus-associated diseases suggests a substantial genetic component in infectious mononucleosis (IM) etiology. However, familial aggregation of IM has scarcely been studied. We used data from the Danish Civil Registration System and the Danish National Hospital Discharge Register to study rate ratios of IM in a cohort of 2 823 583 Danish children born between 1971 and 2011. Specifically, we investigated the risk of IM in twins and in first-, second-, and third-degree relatives of patients with IM. In the analyses, IM was defined as a diagnosis of IM in a hospital contact. Effects of contagion between family members were dealt with by excluding follow-up time the first year after the occurrence of IM in a relative. A total of 16 870 cases of IM were observed during 40.4 million person-years of follow-up from 1977 to 2011. The rate ratios and the associated 95% confidence intervals were 9.3 (3.0-29) in same-sex twins, 3.0 (2.6-3.5) in siblings, 1.9 (1.6-2.2) in children, 1.4 (1.3-1.6) in second-degree relatives, and 1.0 (0.9-1.2) in third-degree relatives of IM patients. The rate ratios were very similar for IM in children (aged 0-6 years) and older children/adolescents (aged 7-19 years). We found evidence of familial aggregation of IM that warrants genome-wide association studies on IM disease etiology, especially to examine commonalities with causal pathways in other Epstein-Barr virus-related diseases. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Literature and best practices scan : Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance (I/M) Programs

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-06-01

The state of Wisconsin operates one of the nation's most effective inspection/maintenance (I/M) programs. In Wisconsin's I/M program, vehicles registered in the Milwaukee metropolitan area are subjected to a transient emission test using the IM240 te...

Properties of three graphite/toughened resin composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Donald L.; Dow, Marvin B.

1991-01-01

Results are presented from an experimental evaluation of IM7/977-2, IM7/F655, and T800/F3900. Data presented include ply-level (unidirectional laminate) strength and moduli, unnotched and notched (open hole) tension and compression properties of quasi-isotropic laminates, and compression-after-impact strengths. These data are compared with properties of other toughened (IM7/8551-7 and IM6/18081) and brittle (T300/5208) graphite-epoxy materials. The IM7/977-2, IM7/F655, and T800/F3900 materials are substantially stronger and more damage tolerant than widely used first generation composite materials such as T300/5208. The T800/F3900 outperforms IM7/977-2 and IM7/F655 materials in tolerance to projectile impacts. Compression-after-impact strengths were found to be dependent on impactor velocity for a given impact energy. The open hole compression properties of all three materials are degraded by the combination of heat and moisture.

Egocentric and Allocentric Localization During Induced Motion

PubMed Central

Post, Robert B.; Welch, Robert B.; Whitney, David

2009-01-01

This research examined motor measures of the apparent egocentric location and perceptual measures of the apparent allocentric location of a target that was being seen to undergo induced motion (IM). In Experiments 1 and 3, subjects fixated a stationary dot (IM target) while a rectangular surround stimulus (inducing stimulus) oscillated horizontally. The inducing stimulus motion caused the IM target to appear to move in the opposite direction. In Experiment 1, two dots (flashed targets) were flashed above and below the IM target when the surround had reached its leftmost or rightmost displacement from the subject’s midline. Subjects pointed open loop at either the apparent egocentric location of the IM target or at the bottom of the two flashed targets. On separate trials, subjects made judgments of the Vernier alignment of the IM target with the flashed targets at the endpoints of the surround’s oscillation. The pointing responses were displaced in the direction of the previously seen IM for the IM target and to a lesser degree for the bottom flashed target. However, the allocentric Vernier judgments demonstrated no perceptual displacement of the IM target relative to the flashed targets. Thus, IM results in a dissociation of egocentric location measures from allocentric location measures. In Experiment 2, pointing and Vernier measures were obtained with stationary horizontally displaced surrounds and there was no dissociation of egocentric location measures from allocentric location measures. These results indicate that the Roelofs effect did not produce the pattern of results in Experiment 1. In Experiment 3, pointing and Vernier measures were obtained when the surround was at the midpoint of an oscillation. In this case, egocentric pointing responses were displaced in the direction of surround motion (opposite IM) for the IM target and to a greater degree for the bottom flashed target. However, there was no apparent displacement of the IM target relative to the flashed targets in the allocentric Vernier judgments. Therefore, in Experiment 3 egocentric location measures were again dissociated from allocentric location measures. The results of this experiment also demonstrate that IM does not generate an allocentric displacement illusion analogous to the “flash-lag” effect. PMID:18751688

Narrative Changes Predict a Decrease in Symptoms in CBT for Depression: An Exploratory Study.

PubMed

Gonçalves, Miguel M; Silva, Joana Ribeiro; Mendes, Inês; Rosa, Catarina; Ribeiro, António P; Batista, João; Sousa, Inês; Fernandes, Carlos F

2017-07-01

Innovative moments (IMs) are new and more adjusted ways of thinking, acting, feeling and relating that emerge during psychotherapy. Previous research on IMs has provided sustainable evidence that IMs differentiate recovered from unchanged psychotherapy cases. However, studies with cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) are so far absent. The present study tests whether IMs can be reliably identified in CBT and examines if IMs and symptoms' improvement are associated. The following variables were assessed in each session from a sample of six cases of CBT for depression (a total of 111 sessions): (a) symptomatology outcomes (Outcome Questionnaire-OQ-10) and (b) IMs. Two hierarchical linear models were used: one to test whether IMs predicted a symptom decrease in the next session and a second one to test whether symptoms in one session predicted the emergence of IMs in the next session. Innovative moments were better predictors of symptom decrease than the reverse. A higher proportion of a specific type of IMs-reflection 2-in one session predicted a decrease in symptoms in the next session. Thus, when clients further elaborated this type of IM (in which clients describe positive contrasts or elaborate on changes processes), a reduction in symptoms was observed in the next session. A higher expression and elaboration of reflection 2 IMs appear to have a facilitative function in the reduction of depressive symptoms in this sample of CBT. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Elaborating innovative moments (IMs) that are new ways of thinking, feeling, behaving and relating, in the therapeutic dialogue, may facilitate change. IMs that are more predictive of amelioration of symptoms in CBT are the ones focused on contrasts between former problematic patterns and new adjusted ones; and the ones in which the clients elaborate on processes of change. Therapists may integrate these kinds of questions (centred on contrasts and centred on what allowed change from the client's perspective), in the usual CBT techniques. When elaborating these IMs successfully, therapists may expect an improvement in symptoms in the next session of psychotherapy. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Impression Management and Interview and Job Performance Ratings: A Meta-Analysis of Research Design with Tactics in Mind.

PubMed

Peck, Jessica A; Levashina, Julia

2017-01-01

Impression management (IM) is pervasive in interview and job performance settings. We meta-analytically examine IM by self- and other-focused tactics to establish base rates of tactic usage, to understand the impact of tactics on interview and job performance ratings, and to examine the moderating effects of research design. Our results suggest IM is used more frequently in the interview rather than job performance settings. Self-focused tactics are more effective in the interview rather than in job performance settings, and other-focused tactics are more effective in job performance settings rather than in the interview. We explore several research design moderators including research fidelity, rater, and participants. IM has a somewhat stronger impact on interview ratings in lab settings than field settings. IM also has a stronger impact on interview ratings when the target of IM is also the rater of performance than when the rater of performance is an observer. Finally, labor market participants use IM more frequently and more effectively than students in interview settings. Our research has implications for understanding how different IM tactics function in interview and job performance settings and the effects of research design on IM frequency and impact.

Analyzing Arabidopsis thaliana root proteome provides insights into the molecular bases of enantioselective imazethapyr toxicity

PubMed Central

Qian, Haifeng; Lu, Haiping; Ding, Haiyan; Lavoie, Michel; Li, Yali; Liu, Weiping; Fu, Zhengwei

2015-01-01

Imazethapyr (IM) is a widely used chiral herbicide that inhibits the synthesis of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs). IM is thought to exert its toxic effects on amino acid synthesis mainly through inhibition of acetolactate synthase activity, but little is known about the potential effects of IM on other key biochemical pathways. Here, we exposed the model plant Arabidospsis thaliana to trace S- and R-IM enantiomer concentrations and examined IM toxicity effects on the root proteome using iTRAQ. Conventional analyses of root carbohydrates, organic acids, and enzyme activities were also performed. We discovered several previously unknown key biochemical pathways targeted by IM in Arabidospsis. 1,322 and 987 proteins were differentially expressed in response to R- and S-IM treatments, respectively. Bioinformatics and physiological analyses suggested that IM reduced the BCAA tissue content not only by strongly suppressing BCAA synthesis but also by increasing BCAA catabolism. IM also affected sugar and starch metabolism, changed the composition of root cell walls, increased citrate production and exudation, and affected the microbial community structure of the rhizosphere. The present study shed new light on the multiple toxicity mechanisms of a selective herbicide on a model plant. PMID:26153126

Analyzing Arabidopsis thaliana root proteome provides insights into the molecular bases of enantioselective imazethapyr toxicity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qian, Haifeng; Lu, Haiping; Ding, Haiyan; Lavoie, Michel; Li, Yali; Liu, Weiping; Fu, Zhengwei

2015-07-01

Imazethapyr (IM) is a widely used chiral herbicide that inhibits the synthesis of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs). IM is thought to exert its toxic effects on amino acid synthesis mainly through inhibition of acetolactate synthase activity, but little is known about the potential effects of IM on other key biochemical pathways. Here, we exposed the model plant Arabidospsis thaliana to trace S- and R-IM enantiomer concentrations and examined IM toxicity effects on the root proteome using iTRAQ. Conventional analyses of root carbohydrates, organic acids, and enzyme activities were also performed. We discovered several previously unknown key biochemical pathways targeted by IM in Arabidospsis. 1,322 and 987 proteins were differentially expressed in response to R- and S-IM treatments, respectively. Bioinformatics and physiological analyses suggested that IM reduced the BCAA tissue content not only by strongly suppressing BCAA synthesis but also by increasing BCAA catabolism. IM also affected sugar and starch metabolism, changed the composition of root cell walls, increased citrate production and exudation, and affected the microbial community structure of the rhizosphere. The present study shed new light on the multiple toxicity mechanisms of a selective herbicide on a model plant.

Review on Ion Mobility Spectrometry. Part 1: Current Instrumentation

PubMed Central

Cumeras, R.; Figueras, E.; Davis, C.E.; Baumbach, J.I.; Gràcia, I.

2014-01-01

Ion Mobility Spectrometry (IMS) is a widely used and ‘well-known’ technique of ion separation in gaseous phase based on the differences of ion mobilities under an electric field. All IMS instruments operate with an electric field that provides space separation, but some IMS instruments also operate with a drift gas flow which provides also a temporal separation. In this review we will summarize the current IMS instrumentation. IMS techniques have received an increased interest as new instrumentation has become available to be coupled with mass spectrometry (MS). For each of the eight types of IMS instruments reviewed it is mentioned whether they can be hyphenated with MS and whether they are commercially available. Finally, out of the described devices, the six most-consolidated ones are compared. The current review article is followed by a companion review article which details the IMS hyphenated techniques (mainly gas chromatography and mass spectrometry) and the factors that make the data from an IMS device change as function of device parameters and sampling conditions. These reviews will provide the reader with an insightful view of the main characteristics and aspects of the IMS technique. PMID:25465076

Infectious mononucleosis in university students in the United kingdom: evaluation of the clinical features and consequences of the disease.

PubMed

Macsween, Karen F; Higgins, Craig D; McAulay, Karen A; Williams, Hilary; Harrison, Nadine; Swerdlow, Anthony J; Crawford, Dorothy H

2010-03-01

Infectious mononucleosis (IM) is common among university students. We undertook to analyze the clinical features and sequelae of the disease in a cohort of students at Edinburgh University. Consecutive IM case patients were recruited from 2000 through 2002 at the University Health Service after diagnosis of IM. IM resulted in marked reductions in student study time, physical exercise, and non-exercise-related social activities, and sustained increases in reported number of hours of sleep. The disease profile differed between the sexes, with significantly more females reporting fatigue, which was more likely to be prolonged (P = .003) and to lead to loss of study time (P = .013). Female case patients were more likely to discontinue their studies following IM (16% vs 0%; P = .056). Within the typically elevated lymphocyte counts in IM, we identified an elevated gammadelta T cell component that may contribute to the disease pathogenesis. IM results in substantial morbidity among university students, reported as more profound in females, and affecting academic studies, physical exercise, and social activities. Immunization to prevent IM and strategies to reduce post-IM disability would be beneficial in this population.

Carbonic anhydrase inhibition boosts the antitumor effects of Imatinib mesylate via potentiating the antiangiogenic and antimetastatic machineries

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

Abd-El Fattah, Amal A.

2017-02-01

Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors have emerged in the past few years as an interesting candidate for the development of novel unconventional strategies. Despite their effect in tumor regression via inhibition of tumor acidification, their potential role is not yet fully elucidated. Herein, we investigated whether acetazolamide (AZ) could modulate imatinib (IM) anticancer activity, both in breast cancer cells (T47D) and in isolated tumor specimens of Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC). The impact of this combination on angiogenesis was evidenced by decreasing PDGF-A expression and enhancing that of TSP-1. In the meantime, AZ significantly suppressed IM-induced attenuation of VEGF secretion in T47D cells,more » most probably due to NO inhibition. The combination also dramatically decreased the metastatic activity of T47D cells by mitigating the protein levels of MMP-2 and -9 and phosphorylation of p38 MAPK, while increasing the expression of TIMP-1 and -2. In addition, a strong proapoptotic effect was observed in T47D cells after combining AZ and IM in terms of increased caspase-9 and -3 activities. Interestingly, these results were confirmed by the reduction in the isolated tumor volume, MVD, Ki-67 and VEGF expression. Eventually, the study provides a new therapeutic strategy for treating cancer. - Highlights: • A novel combination of imatinib and a carbonic anhydrase was studied. • The impact was evaluated in T47D cells and EAC-bearing mice. • The interaction suppressed PDGF-A and VEGF while enhanced TSP-1. • MMPs and p38 MAPK phosphorylation were suppressed while TIMPs were enhanced. • The interaction triggered caspase-9 and -3 activation.« less

Hydrocortisone accelerates the decay of iconic memory traces: on the modulation of executive and stimulus-driven constituents of sensory information maintenance.

PubMed

Miller, Robert; Weckesser, Lisa J; Smolka, Michael N; Kirschbaum, Clemens; Plessow, Franziska

2015-03-01

A substantial amount of research documents the impact of glucocorticoids on higher-order cognitive functioning. By contrast, surprisingly little is known about the susceptibility of basic sensory processes to glucocorticoid exposure given that the glucocorticoid receptor density in the human visual cortex exceeds those observed in prefrontal and most hippocampal brain regions. As executive tasks also rely on these sensory processes, the present study investigates the impact of glucocorticoid exposure on different performance parameters characterizing the maintenance and transfer of sensory information from iconic memory (IM; the sensory buffer of the visual system) to working memory (WM). Using a crossover factorial design, we administered one out of three doses of hydrocortisone (0.06, 0.12, or 0.24mg/kg bodyweight) and a placebo to 18 healthy young men. Thereafter participants performed a partial report task, which was used to assess their individual ability to process sensory information. Blood samples were concurrently drawn to determine free and total cortisol concentrations. The compiled pharmacokinetic and psychophysical data demonstrates that free cortisol specifically accelerated the decay of sensory information (r=0.46) without significantly affecting the selective information transfer from IM to WM or the capacity limit of WM. Specifically, nonparametric regression revealed a sigmoid dose-response relationship between free cortisol levels during the testing period and the IM decay rates. Our findings highlight that glucocorticoid exposure may not only impact on the recruitment of top-down control for an active maintenance of sensory information, but alter their passive (stimulus-driven) maintenance thereby changing the availability of information prior to subsequent executive processing. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of feeding a Fusarium toxin-contaminated diet to infectious bursal disease virus-infected broilers on the protein turnover of the bursa of Fabricius and spleen.

PubMed

Dänicke, Sven; Pappritz, Julia; Goyarts, Tanja; Xu, Bu; Rautenschlein, Silke

2011-02-01

Two experiments were carried out to examine the effects of feeding an uncontaminated control diet (CON) or a Fusarium toxin-contaminated diet (FUS; 10.7 mg deoxynivalenol [DON]/kg diet) to growing broilers, which were either uninfected or infected with infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) beginning at 1 day post hatch. Broilers had been infected at three weeks post hatch with either a classical virulent infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV-IM, Exp. 1) or a very virulent IBDV (vvIBDV, Exp. 2) strain. The effects of the DON-contaminated diet in combination with the virus-infection on the bursa of Fabricius and spleen were determined at 3 and 6-7 days post infection. The transient development of the bursa oedema and the bursa atrophy was not significantly affected by the diet after infection with the different IBDV-strains. The histopathological lesions were more severe in IBDV-IM-infected birds at 6 days post infection when additionally exposed to the FUS diet as compared to the FUS-free feed. Most parameters of the bursa of Fabricius and spleen protein turnover (e.g. fractional protein synthesis rate, protein, DNA and RNA content and derived indices) were significantly and interactively influenced by infection and stage of infection. The vvIBDV-infected birds responded with a more pronounced depressing effect on the fractional protein synthesis rate after feeding the DON-containing FUS diet when compared to their IBDV-IM-infected counterparts, where the opposite effect was observed. It can be concluded that feeding a FUS diet to IBDV-infected broilers might modulate the virulence-dependent pathogenesis of an IBDV infection.

Impression management ("lie") scales are associated with interpersonally oriented self-control, not other-deception.

PubMed

Uziel, Liad

2014-06-01

This article explores the status of impression management (IM) scales ("lie scales," notably, BIDR-IM) as measures of response bias, offers theory-driven substantive meaning to them, and compares them with self-deception enhancement (SDE). Study 1 (N = 99) compared self-descriptions of actual self and ideal self given in a non-anonymous setting. High similarity indicates self-enhancement. Study 2 (70 dyads) analyzed self-other agreement about IM and SDE. Agreement indicates substantive basis to the scales' scores. Study 3 (N = 182) explored the centrality of self-control in the self-perception of individuals varying in IM and SDE. Study 4 (95 dyads) corroborated self-reports about self-control using informants' reports. In Study 1, IM was associated with relative humility, whereas SDE was associated with self-enhancement. In Study 2, strong self-other agreement was found only for IM, indicating that high IM (but not SDE) is grounded in real-life behavior. In Study 3, self-control was central in the self-perception of high IM and high SDE individuals. In Study 4, strong relations with self-control were corroborated by informants only for IM. IM scales measure substantive content associated with self-control aimed at social adaptation, whereas the SDE scale depicts individuals with a grandiose self-perception, who fail to impress knowledgeable others. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

System Performance of an Integrated Airborne Spacing Algorithm with Ground Automation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swieringa, Kurt A.; Wilson, Sara R.; Baxley, Brian T.

2016-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) first Air Traffic Management (ATM) Technology Demonstration (ATD-1) was created to facilitate the transition of mature ATM technologies from the laboratory to operational use. The technologies selected for demonstration are the Traffic Management Advisor with Terminal Metering (TMA-TM), which provides precise time-based scheduling in the Terminal airspace; Controller Managed Spacing (CMS), which provides controllers with decision support tools to enable precise schedule conformance; and Interval Management (IM), which consists of flight deck automation that enables aircraft to achieve or maintain precise spacing behind another aircraft. Recent simulations and IM algorithm development at NASA have focused on trajectory-based IM operations where aircraft equipped with IM avionics are expected to achieve a spacing goal, assigned by air traffic controllers, at the final approach fix. The recently published IM Minimum Operational Performance Standards describe five types of IM operations. This paper discusses the results and conclusions of a human-in-the-loop simulation that investigated three of those IM operations. The results presented in this paper focus on system performance and integration metrics. Overall, the IM operations conducted in this simulation integrated well with ground-based decisions support tools and certain types of IM operational were able to provide improved spacing precision at the final approach fix; however, some issues were identified that should be addressed prior to implementing IM procedures into real-world operations.

Daylight methyl-aminolevulinate photodynamic therapy versus ingenol mebutate for the treatment of actinic keratoses: an intraindividual comparative analysis.

PubMed

Genovese, Giovanni; Fai, Dario; Fai, Carlotta; Mavilia, Luciano; Mercuri, Santo R

2016-05-01

Daylight-photodynamic therapy (D-PDT) and ingenol mebutate (IM) are novel therapies directed to actinic keratoses (AK). The purpose of our study was to compare effectiveness, tolerability, cosmetic outcome and patient preference of D-PDT versus IM in the treatment of grade I and II AK. Twenty-seven patients with AK on the face or scalp were enrolled. Each patient received, in a 25 cm(2) target area, D-PDT on right side and IM on left side. Overall 323 AK were treated. Both target areas achieved complete response in 40.47% of the cases and average AK clearance rate was similar for D-PDT and IM (p=0.74). In D-PDT areas mean grade II AK clearance rate was lower compared with that of grade I AK (p=0.015). In IM areas grade I and II AK average clearance rates were similar (p=0.28). At week 1 and month 1, mean local skin responses (LSR) score were higher in areas treated with IM. IM areas showed more severe pain and cosmetic sequelae. D-PDT had similar effectiveness to IM, even if IM demonstrated higher grade II AK clearance rate. Tolerability profile was superior for D-PDT in terms of LSR and pain. D-PDT was more cosmetically acceptable. Patients preferred D-PDT to IM in most cases. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Strongly Acidic Auxin Indole-3-Methanesulfonic Acid

PubMed Central

Cohen, Jerry D.; Baldi, Bruce G.; Bialek, Krystyna

1985-01-01

A radiochemical synthesis is described for [14C]indole-3-methanesulfonic acid (IMS), a strongly acidic auxin analog. Techniques were developed for fractionation and purification of IMS using normal and reverse phase chromatography. In addition, the utility of both Fourier transform infrared spectrometry and fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry for analysis of IMS has been demonstrated. IMS was shown to be an active auxin, stimulating soybean hypocotyl elongation, bean first internode curvature, and ethylene production. IMS uptake by thin sections of soybean hypocotyl was essentially independent of solution pH and, when applied at a 100 micromolar concentration, IMS exhibited a basipetal polarity in its transport in both corn coleoptile and soybean hypocotyl sections. [14C]IMS should, therefore, be a useful compound to study fundamental processes related to the movement of auxins in plant tissues and organelles. PMID:16664007

IMATINIB 800MG DAILY INDUCES DEEPER MOLECULAR RESPONSES THAN IMATINIB 400MG DAILY: RESULTS OF SWOG S0325, AN INTERGROUP RANDOMIZED PHASE II TRIAL IN NEWLY DIAGNOSED CHRONIC PHASE CHRONIC MYELOID LEUKAEMIA

PubMed Central

Deininger, Michael W.; Kopecky, Kenneth J.; Radich, Jerald P.; Kamel-Reid, Suzanne; Stock, Wendy; Paietta, Elisabeth; Emanuel, Peter D.; Tallman, Martin; Wadleigh, Martha; Larson, Richard A.; Lipton, Jeffrey H.; Slovak, Marilyn L.; Appelbaum, Frederick R.; Druker, Brian J.

2014-01-01

The standard dose of imatinib for newly diagnosed patients with chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CP-CML) is 400mg daily (IM400), but the optimal dose is unknown. This randomized phase II study compared the rates of molecular, haematologic and cytogenetic response to IM400 vs. imatinib 400mg twice daily (IM800) in 153 adult patients with CP-CML. Dose adjustments for toxicity were flexible to maximize retention on study. Molecular response (MR) at 12 months was deeper in the IM800 arm (4-log reduction of BCR-ABL1 mRNA: 25% vs. 10% of patients, P=0.038; 3-log reduction: 53% vs. 35%, P=0.049). During the first 12 months BCR-ABL1 levels in the IM800 arm were an average 2.9-fold lower than in the IM400 arm (P=0.010). Complete haematologic response was similar, but complete cytogenetic response was higher with IM800 (85% vs. 67%, P=0.040). Grade 3–4 toxicities were more common for IM800 (58% vs. 31%, P=0.0007), and were most commonly haematologic. Few patients have relapsed, progressed or died, but progression-free (P=0.048) and relapse-free (P=0.031) survival were superior for IM800. In newly diagnosed CP-CML patients, IM800 induced deeper molecular responses than IM400, with a trend for improved progression-free and overall survival, but was associated with more severe toxicity. PMID:24383843

Safety and immunogenicity of a killed Leishmania (L.) amazonensis vaccine against cutaneous leishmaniasis in Colombia: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Vélez, I D; del Pilar Agudelo, S; Arbelaez, M P; Gilchrist, K; Robledo, S M; Puerta, J A; Zicker, F; Berman, J; Modabber, F

2000-01-01

The safety and immunogenicity of an intramuscular (i.m.) and intradermal (ID) formulation of autoclaved Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis vaccine was evaluated in 296 volunteers in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial in Colombia. There were 4 vaccination groups: i.m. vaccine, i.m. placebo, ID vaccine, and ID placebo. The ID formulations were mixed with BCG as adjuvant at the time of injection. For each group, 3 vaccinations were given with a 20-day interval between injections, and adverse events were monitored at 20 min, and at 2, 7 and 21 days after each injection. BCG-induced adverse reactions resulted in cancellation of the third vaccine administration in the ID groups. Antibody titres did not differ significantly between the groups. Montenegro skin-test conversion was achieved by 86.4% and 90% of the i.m. vaccine group and by 25% and 5% of the i.m. placebo group 80 days and 1 year after vaccination, respectively. A significant increase in mean Leishmania-antigen lymphocyte proliferation indexes was observed after i.m. vaccine immunization, but not after i.m. placebo immunization, 80 days and 1 year after vaccination. Significant levels of IFN gamma but not IL-10 were observed 1 year after vaccination in the i.m. vaccine group compared to the i.m. placebo group. The good safety profile and evidence of Th1 immune reactions due to i.m. vaccination in this phase-I/II study suggest that a population-based phase-III efficacy trial of the i.m. vaccine should be initiated.

12 CFR 404.26 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... and Former Ex-Im Bank Personnel and for Production of Ex-Im Bank Records § 404.26 Definitions. For... the production or release of Ex-Im Bank information or records, or requiring the testimony of Ex-Im...” under 44 U.S.C. 3301 and its implementing regulations. Testimony—written or oral statements, including...

Performance of dual inverter fed open end winding induction motor drive using carrier shift PWM techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Priya Darshini, B.; Ranjit, M.; Babu, V. Ramesh

2018-04-01

In this paper different Multicarrier PWM (MCPWM) techniques are proposed for dual inverter fed open end induction motor (IM) drive to achieve multilevel operation. To generate the switching pulses for the dual inverter sinusoidal modulating signal is compared with multi carrier signals. A common mode voltage (CMV) has been analyzed in the proposed open end winding induction motor drive. All the proposed techniques mitigate the CMV along with the harmonic distortion in the phase voltage. To authenticate the proposed work several simulation techniques have been carried out using MATLAB/SIMULINK and the corresponding results are presented and compared.

Application of a transverse phase-space measurement technique for high-brightness, H{sup {minus}} beams to the GTA H{sup {minus}} beam

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

Johnson, K.F.; Garcia, R.C.; Rusthoi, D.P.

1995-05-01

The Ground Test Accelerator (GTA) had the objective Of Producing a high-brightness, high-current H-beam. The major components were a 35 keV injector, a Radio Frequency Quadrupole (RFQ), an intertank matching section (IMS), and a drift tube linac (DTL), consisting of 10 modules. A technique for measuring the transverse phase-space of high-power density beams has been developed and tested. This diagnostic has been applied to the GTA H-beam. Experimental results are compared to the slit and collector technique for transverse phase-space measurements and to simulations.

Infectious mononucleosis presenting as spontaneous splenic rupture without other symptoms.

PubMed

Stockinger, Zsolt T

2003-09-01

Splenic rupture is an uncommon complication of infectious mononucleosis (IM), occurring in 0.1% to 0.5% of all patients. It remains the most common lethal complication of IM. Rupture of the spleen with no other symptoms of IM is almost unheard of. This is the report of a case of spontaneous splenic rupture requiring splenectomy in a patient with a positive heterophil antibody test and no other signs or symptoms of IM. The diagnosis and management of splenic rupture in IM are discussed.

Development of Exoplanet database "ExoKyoto" aiming for inter-comparison with different criteria of Habitable zones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamashiki, Yosuke; Notsu, Yuta; Sasaki, Takanori; Hosono, Natsuki; Kuroki, Ryusuke; Notsu, Shota; Murashima, Keiya; Takagi, Fuka; Doi, Takao

2017-05-01

An integrated database of confirmed exoplanets has been developed and launched as “ExoKyoto,” for the purpose of better comprehension of exoplanetary systems in different star systems. The HOSTSTAR module of the database includes not only host stars for confirmed exoplanets, but also hundreds of thousands of stars existing in the star database listed in (HYG database). Each hoststar can be referred to in the catalogue with its habitable zone calculated, based on the observed/estimated star parameters. For outreach and observation support purpose, ExoKyoto possesses Stellar Windows, developed by the Xlib & Ggd module, and interfaces with GoogleSky for easy comprehension of those celestial bodies on a stellar map. Target stars can be identified and listed by using this database, based on the target magnitude, transit frequency, and photon decrease ratio by its transit.If we interpolate deficient data using assumed functions about the exoplanets that were discovered until now, Sub-Neptune size (1.9-3.1R_Earth) are the most common (971); then Super Earth size (1.2-1.9 R_earth) have been allocated (681).Using the Solar Equivalent Astronomical Unit (SEAU), most of the exoplanets discovered are within a Venus equivalent orbit (3029), and 197 are located within the habitable zone (Venus to Mars equivalent orbit). If we classify them using Kopparapu et al.(2013), within Recent Venus equivalent orbit (3048), there are 130 located in the habitable zone (runaway greenhouse-maximum greenhouse). For example, Kepler-560b is defined as in the habitable zone by its SEAU, but not by Kopparapu et al. (2013). Furthermore, based on an exoplanet's solar revolution, radius, assumed mass (Larsen & Geoffrey, 2014), transit parameters , and main start information (location, class, spectral class, etc.); observation target selection is practical and possible.In addition to the previous habitable zone based on the normal radiation flux from the host star, we'll discuss stellar flares activities which may disturb planets located in the habitable zone through high energetic particles.*those numbers are in February 2017

Multi-channel retarding field analyzer for EAST

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

M, HENKEL; D, HÖSCHEN; Y, LIANG; Y, LI; S, C. LIU; D, NICOLAI; N, SANDRI; G, SATHEESWARAN; N, YAN; H, X. ZHANG; the EAST, team2

2018-05-01

A multi-channel retarding field analyzer (MC-RFA) including two RFA modules and two Langmuir probes to measure the ion and electron temperature profiles within the scrape-off layer was developed for investigations of the interplay between magnetic topology and plasma transport at the plasma boundary. The MC-RFA probe for the stellarator W7-X and first measurements at the tokamak EAST was designed. The probe head allows simultaneous multi-channel ion temperature as well as for electron temperature measurements. The usability for radial correlation measurements of the measured ion currents is also given.

Petersen diagram revolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smolec, Radoslaw; Dziembowski, Wojciech; Moskalik, Pawel; Netzel, Henryka; Prudil, Zdenek; Skarka, Marek; Soszynski, Igor

2017-09-01

Over the recent years, the Petersen diagram for classical pulsators, Cepheids and RR Lyr stars, populated with a few hundreds of new multiperiodic variables. We review our analyses of the OGLE data, which resulted in a significant extension of the known, and in the discovery of a few new and distinct forms of multiperiodic pulsation. The showcase includes not only radial mode pulsators, but also radial-non-radial pulsators and stars with significant modulation observed on top of the beat pulsation. First theoretical models explaining the new forms of stellar variability are briefly discussed.

An Analysis of Transiting Hot Jupiters Observed with K2: WASP-55b and WASP-75b

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clark, B. J. M.; Anderson, D. R.; Hellier, C.; Turner, O. D.; Močnik, T.

2018-03-01

We present our analysis of the K2 short-cadence data of two previously known hot Jupiter exoplanets: WASP-55b and WASP-75b. The high precision of the K2 light curves enabled us to search for transit timing and duration variations, rotational modulation, starspots, phase-curve variations and additional transiting planets. We identified stellar variability in the WASP-75 light curve which may be an indication of rotational modulation, with an estimated period of 11.2 ± 1.5 days. We combined this with the spectroscopically measured v\\sin ({i}* ) to calculate a possible line of sight projected inclination angle of {i}* =41^\\circ +/- 16^\\circ . We also perform a global analysis of K2 and previously published data to refine the system parameters.

Periodic Emission from the Gamma-ray Binary 1FGL J1018.6-5856

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Celic, O.; Corbet, R. H. D.; Donato, D.; Ferrara, E. C.; Gehrels, N.; Harding, A. K.; Hays, E.; McEnery, J. E.; Thompson, D. J.; Troja, E.

2012-01-01

Gamma-ray binaries are stellar systems containing a neutron star or black hole with gamma-ray emission produced by an interaction between the components. These systems are rare, even though binary evolution models predict dozens in our Galaxy. A search for gamma-ray binaries with the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) shows that IFGL JI018.6-5856 exhibits intensity and spectral modulation with a 16.6 day period. We identified a variable X-ray counterpart, which shows a sharp maximum coinciding with maximum gamma-ray emission, as well as an 06V f) star optical counterpart and a radio counterpart that is also apparently modulated on the orbital period. IFGL J1018.6-5856 is thus a gamma-ray binary, and its detection suggests the presence of other fainter binaries in the Galaxy.

Periodic emission from the gamma-ray binary 1FGL J1018.6-5856.

PubMed

Fermi LAT Collaboration; Ackermann, M; Ajello, M; Ballet, J; Barbiellini, G; Bastieri, D; Belfiore, A; Bellazzini, R; Berenji, B; Blandford, R D; Bloom, E D; Bonamente, E; Borgland, A W; Bregeon, J; Brigida, M; Bruel, P; Buehler, R; Buson, S; Caliandro, G A; Cameron, R A; Caraveo, P A; Cavazzuti, E; Cecchi, C; Çelik, Ö; Charles, E; Chaty, S; Chekhtman, A; Cheung, C C; Chiang, J; Ciprini, S; Claus, R; Cohen-Tanugi, J; Corbel, S; Corbet, R H D; Cutini, S; de Luca, A; den Hartog, P R; de Palma, F; Dermer, C D; Digel, S W; do Couto e Silva, E; Donato, D; Drell, P S; Drlica-Wagner, A; Dubois, R; Dubus, G; Favuzzi, C; Fegan, S J; Ferrara, E C; Focke, W B; Fortin, P; Fukazawa, Y; Funk, S; Fusco, P; Gargano, F; Gasparrini, D; Gehrels, N; Germani, S; Giglietto, N; Giordano, F; Giroletti, M; Glanzman, T; Godfrey, G; Grenier, I A; Grove, J E; Guiriec, S; Hadasch, D; Hanabata, Y; Harding, A K; Hayashida, M; Hays, E; Hill, A B; Hughes, R E; Jóhannesson, G; Johnson, A S; Johnson, T J; Kamae, T; Katagiri, H; Kataoka, J; Kerr, M; Knödlseder, J; Kuss, M; Lande, J; Longo, F; Loparco, F; Lovellette, M N; Lubrano, P; Mazziotta, M N; McEnery, J E; Michelson, P F; Mitthumsiri, W; Mizuno, T; Monte, C; Monzani, M E; Morselli, A; Moskalenko, I V; Murgia, S; Nakamori, T; Naumann-Godo, M; Norris, J P; Nuss, E; Ohno, M; Ohsugi, T; Okumura, A; Omodei, N; Orlando, E; Ozaki, M; Paneque, D; Parent, D; Pesce-Rollins, M; Pierbattista, M; Piron, F; Pivato, G; Porter, T A; Rainò, S; Rando, R; Razzano, M; Reimer, A; Reimer, O; Ritz, S; Romani, R W; Roth, M; Saz Parkinson, P M; Sgrò, C; Siskind, E J; Spandre, G; Spinelli, P; Suson, D J; Takahashi, H; Tanaka, T; Thayer, J G; Thayer, J B; Thompson, D J; Tibaldo, L; Tinivella, M; Torres, D F; Tosti, G; Troja, E; Uchiyama, Y; Usher, T L; Vandenbroucke, J; Vianello, G; Vitale, V; Waite, A P; Winer, B L; Wood, K S; Wood, M; Yang, Z; Zimmer, S; Coe, M J; Di Mille, F; Edwards, P G; Filipović, M D; Payne, J L; Stevens, J; Torres, M A P

2012-01-13

Gamma-ray binaries are stellar systems containing a neutron star or black hole, with gamma-ray emission produced by an interaction between the components. These systems are rare, even though binary evolution models predict dozens in our Galaxy. A search for gamma-ray binaries with the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) shows that 1FGL J1018.6-5856 exhibits intensity and spectral modulation with a 16.6-day period. We identified a variable x-ray counterpart, which shows a sharp maximum coinciding with maximum gamma-ray emission, as well as an O6V((f)) star optical counterpart and a radio counterpart that is also apparently modulated on the orbital period. 1FGL J1018.6-5856 is thus a gamma-ray binary, and its detection suggests the presence of other fainter binaries in the Galaxy.

Periodic Emission from the Gamma-Ray Binary 1FGL J1018.6-5856

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2012-01-01

Gamma-ray binaries are stellar systems containing a neutron star or black hole, with gamma-ray emission produced by an interaction between the components. These systems are rare, even though binary evolution models predict dozens in our Galaxy, A search for gamma-ray binaries with the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) shows that 1FGL ]1018.6-5856 exhibits intensity and spectral modulation with a 16.6 day period. We identified a variable x-ray counterpart, which shows a sharp maximum coinciding with maximum gamma-ray emission, as well as an O6V((f)) star optical counterpart and a radio counterpart that is also apparently modulated on the orbital period. 1FGL ]1018.6-5856 is thus a gamma-ray binary, and its detection suggests the presence of other fainter binaries in the Galaxy.

Dual-task performance with ideomotor-compatible tasks: is the central processing bottleneck intact, bypassed, or shifted in locus?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lien, Mei-Ching; McCann, Robert S.; Ruthruff, Eric; Proctor, Robert W.

2005-01-01

The present study examined whether the central bottleneck, assumed to be primarily responsible for the psychological refractory period (PRP) effect, is intact, bypassed, or shifted in locus with ideomotor (IM)-compatible tasks. In 4 experiments, factorial combinations of IM- and non-IM-compatible tasks were used for Task 1 and Task 2. All experiments showed substantial PRP effects, with a strong dependency between Task 1 and Task 2 response times. These findings, along with model-based simulations, indicate that the processing bottleneck was not bypassed, even with two IM-compatible tasks. Nevertheless, systematic changes in the PRP and correspondence effects across experiments suggest that IM compatibility shifted the locus of the bottleneck. The findings favor an engage-bottleneck-later hypothesis, whereby parallelism between tasks occurs deeper into the processing stream for IM- than for non-IM-compatible tasks, without the bottleneck being actually eliminated.

Rotational modulation of the chromospheric activity in the young solar-type star, X-1 Orionis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boesgaard, A. M.; Simon, T.

1982-01-01

The IUE satellite was used to observe one of the youngest G stars (GO V) for which Duncan (1981) derives an age of 6 x 10 to the 8th power years from the Li abundance. Rotational modulation was looked for in the emission flux in the chromospheric and transition region lines of this star. Variations in the Ca 11 K-lines profile were studied with the CHF telescope at Mauna Kea. Results show that the same modulation of the emission flux of Ca 11 due to stellar rotation is present in the transition region feature of C IV and probably of He II. For other UV lines the modulation is not apparent, due to a more complex surface distribution of the active areas or supergranulation network, or a shorter lifetime of the conditions which give rise to these features, or to the uncertainities in the measured line strengths. The Mg II emission flux is constant to within + or - 3.4% implying a rather uniform distribution of Mg II emission areas. The Ca II emission not only shows a measurable variation in intensity but also variations in detailed line profile shape when observed at high resolution.

Choosing the Right Free IM Providers and Clients for Your Library

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Izenstark, Amanda K.

2009-01-01

With virtual library services increasing, public services librarians may find themselves with questions such as: What instant messaging services (IM) are available? Which IM service would best suit my patrons' needs? Which IM service best suits my library's technology profile? This column describes the features and functionality of major instant…

78 FR 22297 - Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993-IMS Global...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-15

... DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Antitrust Division Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993--IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. Notice is hereby given that, on March 19, 2013... seq. (``the Act''), IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. (``IMS Global'') has filed written...

76 FR 34252 - Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993; IMS Global...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-13

... Production Act of 1993; IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. Notice is hereby given that, on May 9, 2011... seq. (``the Act''), IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. has filed written notifications... in this group research project remains open, and IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. intends to file...

75 FR 51114 - Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993-IMS Global...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-18

... Production Act of 1993--IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. Notice is hereby given that, on July 13, 2010... seq. (``the Act''), IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. has filed written notifications... research project. Membership in this group research project remains open, and IMS Global Learning...

76 FR 18797 - Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993-IMS Global...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-05

... Production Act of 1993--IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. Notice is hereby given that, on March 3, 2011... seq. (``the Act''), IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. has filed written notifications... research project. Membership in this group research project remains open, and IMS Global Learning...

77 FR 34069 - Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993-IMS Global...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-08

... Production Act of 1993--IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. Notice is hereby given that, on May 2, 2012... seq. (``the Act''), IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. has filed written notifications... remains open, and IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. intends to file additional written notifications...

77 FR 66635 - Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993; IMS Global...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-06

... DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Antitrust Division Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993; IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. Notice is hereby given that, on October 9, 2012... seq. (``the Act''), IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. (``IMS Global'') has filed written...

77 FR 54611 - Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993-IMS Global...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-05

... Production Act of 1993--IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. Notice is hereby given that, on July 16, 2012... seq. (``the Act''), IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. has filed written notifications.... Membership in this group research project remains open, and IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. intends to...

Spatial and spectral interpolation of ground-motion intensity measure observations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Worden, Charles; Thompson, Eric M.; Baker, Jack W.; Bradley, Brendon A.; Luco, Nicolas; Wilson, David

2018-01-01

Following a significant earthquake, ground‐motion observations are available for a limited set of locations and intensity measures (IMs). Typically, however, it is desirable to know the ground motions for additional IMs and at locations where observations are unavailable. Various interpolation methods are available, but because IMs or their logarithms are normally distributed, spatially correlated, and correlated with each other at a given location, it is possible to apply the conditional multivariate normal (MVN) distribution to the problem of estimating unobserved IMs. In this article, we review the MVN and its application to general estimation problems, and then apply the MVN to the specific problem of ground‐motion IM interpolation. In particular, we present (1) a formulation of the MVN for the simultaneous interpolation of IMs across space and IM type (most commonly, spectral response at different oscillator periods) and (2) the inclusion of uncertain observation data in the MVN formulation. These techniques, in combination with modern empirical ground‐motion models and correlation functions, provide a flexible framework for estimating a variety of IMs at arbitrary locations.

The role of ion optics modeling in the design and development of ion mobility spectrometers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Griffin, Matthew T.

2005-05-01

Detection of trace gases by ion mobility spectroscopy (IMS) has become common in recent years. In fact, IMS devices are the most commonly deployed military devices for the detection of classical chemical warfare agents (CWA). IMS devices are protecting the homeland by aiding first responders in the identification of toxic industrial chemicals (TICs) and providing explosive and narcotic screening systems. Spurred by the asymmetric threat posed by new threat agents and the ever expanding list of toxic chemicals, research in the development, improvement, and optimization of IMS systems has increased. Much of the research is focused on increasing the sensitivity and selectivity of IMS systems. Ion optics is a large area of study in the field of mass spectrometry, but has been mostly overlooked in the design and development of IMS systems. Ion optics provides insight into particle trajectories, duty cycle, and efficiency of these systems. This paper will outline the role that ion optics can have in the development of IMS systems and introduce the trade space for traditional IMS as well as differential mobility spectroscopy.

Identification of intramural metastasis in esophageal cancer using multiphoton microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Jian; Kang, Deyong; Zhuo, Shuangmu; Zhu, Xiaoqin; Lin, jiangbo; Chen, Jianxin

2017-02-01

Intramural metastasis (IM) of esophageal cancer is defined as metastasis from a primary lesion to the esophageal wall without intraepithelial cancer extension. Esophageal cancer with IM is more common and such cases indicate a poor prognosis. In esophageal surgery, if curative resection is possible, the complete removal of both primary tumor and associated IMs is required. Therefore, accurate diagnosis of IMs in esophageal cancer prior to surgery is of particular importance. Multiphoton microscopy (MPM) with subcellular resolution is well-suited for deep tissue imaging since many endogenous fluorophores of fresh biological tissues are excited through two-photon excited fluorescence (TPEF) and second harmonic generation (SHG). Here, a study to identify IM in fresh tissue section using MPM is reported. In this study, the morphological and spectral differences between IM and surrounding tissue are described. These results show that MPM has the ability to accurately identify IM in esophageal tissues. With improvement of the penetration depth of MPM and the development of multiphton microendoscope, MPM may be a promising imaging technique for preoperative diagnosis of IMs in esophageal cancer in the future.

α-Conotoxin dendrimers have enhanced potency and selectivity for homomeric nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.

PubMed

Wan, Jingjing; Huang, Johnny X; Vetter, Irina; Mobli, Mehdi; Lawson, Joshua; Tae, Han-Shen; Abraham, Nikita; Paul, Blessy; Cooper, Matthew A; Adams, David J; Lewis, Richard J; Alewood, Paul F

2015-03-11

Covalently attached peptide dendrimers can enhance binding affinity and functional activity. Homogenous di- and tetravalent dendrimers incorporating the α7-nicotinic receptor blocker α-conotoxin ImI (α-ImI) with polyethylene glycol spacers were designed and synthesized via a copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition of azide-modified α-ImI to an alkyne-modified polylysine dendron. NMR and CD structural analysis confirmed that each α-ImI moiety in the dendrimers had the same 3D structure as native α-ImI. The binding of the α-ImI dendrimers to binding protein Ac-AChBP was measured by surface plasmon resonance and revealed enhanced affinity. Quantitative electrophysiology showed that α-ImI dendrimers had ∼100-fold enhanced potency at hα7 nAChRs (IC50 = 4 nM) compared to native α-ImI (IC50 = 440 nM). In contrast, no significant potency enhancement was observed at heteromeric hα3β2 and hα9α10 nAChRs. These findings indicate that multimeric ligands can significantly enhance conotoxin potency and selectivity at homomeric nicotinic ion channels.

Technical status of the International Monitoring System for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grenard, P.

2009-04-01

The International Monitoring System (IMS) for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-ban-Treaty Organization is a global Network of stations for detecting and providing evidence of possible nuclear explosions. Upon completion, the IMS will consist of 321 monitoring facilities and 16 radionuclide laboratories distributed worldwide in locations designated by the Treaty. Many of these sites are located in areas that are remote and difficult to access, posing major engineering and logistical challenges. The IMS uses seismic, hydroacoustic and infrasound monitoring waveform technologies to detect signals released from an explosion or a naturally occurring event (e.g. earthquakes) in the underground, underwater and atmospheric environments. The radionuclide technology as an integral part of the IMS uses air samples to collect particular matter from the atmosphere. Samples are then analyzed for evidence of physical products created by a nuclear explosion and carried through the atmosphere. The certification process of the IMS stations assures their compliance with the IMS technical requirements. In 2008 significant progress was made towards the completion of the IMS Network. So far 75% of the IMS stations have been built and certified.

Import, maturation, and function of SOD1 and its copper chaperone CCS in the mitochondrial intermembrane space.

PubMed

Kawamata, Hibiki; Manfredi, Giovanni

2010-11-01

Cu, Zn, superoxide dismutase (SOD1) is a ubiquitous enzyme localized in multiple cellular compartments, including mitochondria, where it concentrates in the intermembrane space (IMS). Similar to other small IMS proteins, the import and retention of SOD1 in the IMS is linked to its folding and maturation, involving the formation of critical intra- and intermolecular disulfide bonds. Therefore, the cysteine residues of SOD1 play a fundamental role in its IMS localization. IMS import of SOD1 involves its copper chaperone, CCS, whose mitochondrial distribution is regulated by the Mia40/Erv1 disulfide relay system in a redox-dependent manner: CCS promotes SOD1 maturation and retention in the IMS. The function of SOD1 in the IMS is still unknown, but it is plausible that it serves to remove superoxide released from the mitochondrial respiratory chain. Mutations in SOD1 cause familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), whose pathologic features include mitochondrial bioenergetic dysfunction. Mutant SOD1 localization in the IMS is not dictated by oxygen concentration and the Mia40/Erv1 system, but is primarily dependent on aberrant protein folding and aggregation. Mutant SOD1 localization and aggregation in the IMS might cause the mitochondrial abnormalities observed in familial ALS and could play a significant role in disease pathogenesis.

Impression Management and Interview and Job Performance Ratings: A Meta-Analysis of Research Design with Tactics in Mind

PubMed Central

Peck, Jessica A.; Levashina, Julia

2017-01-01

Impression management (IM) is pervasive in interview and job performance settings. We meta-analytically examine IM by self- and other-focused tactics to establish base rates of tactic usage, to understand the impact of tactics on interview and job performance ratings, and to examine the moderating effects of research design. Our results suggest IM is used more frequently in the interview rather than job performance settings. Self-focused tactics are more effective in the interview rather than in job performance settings, and other-focused tactics are more effective in job performance settings rather than in the interview. We explore several research design moderators including research fidelity, rater, and participants. IM has a somewhat stronger impact on interview ratings in lab settings than field settings. IM also has a stronger impact on interview ratings when the target of IM is also the rater of performance than when the rater of performance is an observer. Finally, labor market participants use IM more frequently and more effectively than students in interview settings. Our research has implications for understanding how different IM tactics function in interview and job performance settings and the effects of research design on IM frequency and impact. PMID:28261135

Interobserver Variability and Accuracy of High-Definition Endoscopic Diagnosis for Gastric Intestinal Metaplasia among Experienced and Inexperienced Endoscopists

PubMed Central

Hyun, Yil Sik; Bae, Joong Ho; Park, Hye Sun; Eun, Chang Soo

2013-01-01

Accurate diagnosis of gastric intestinal metaplasia is important; however, conventional endoscopy is known to be an unreliable modality for diagnosing gastric intestinal metaplasia (IM). The aims of the study were to evaluate the interobserver variation in diagnosing IM by high-definition (HD) endoscopy and the diagnostic accuracy of this modality for IM among experienced and inexperienced endoscopists. Selected 50 cases, taken with HD endoscopy, were sent for a diagnostic inquiry of gastric IM through visual inspection to five experienced and five inexperienced endoscopists. The interobserver agreement between endoscopists was evaluated to verify the diagnostic reliability of HD endoscopy in diagnosing IM, and the diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were evaluated for validity of HD endoscopy in diagnosing IM. Interobserver agreement among the experienced endoscopists was "poor" (κ = 0.38) and it was also "poor" (κ = 0.33) among the inexperienced endoscopists. The diagnostic accuracy of the experienced endoscopists was superior to that of the inexperienced endoscopists (P = 0.003). Since diagnosis through visual inspection is unreliable in the diagnosis of IM, all suspicious areas for gastric IM should be considered to be biopsied. Furthermore, endoscopic experience and education are needed to raise the diagnostic accuracy of gastric IM. PMID:23678267

Ethnic Minorities' Impression Management in the Interview: Helping or Hindering?

PubMed

Derous, Eva

2017-01-01

Cross-cultural impression management (IM) has not been considered much, which is remarkable given the fast rate at which the labor market is becoming multicultural. This study investigated whether ethnic minorities and majorities differed in their preference for IM-tactics and how this affected ethnic minorities' interview outcomes. A preliminary study (focus groups/survey) showed that ethnic minorities (i.e., Arab/Moroccans) preferred 'entitlements' whereas majorities (i.e., Flemish/Belgians) preferred 'opinion conformity' as IM-tactics. An experimental follow-up study among 163 ethnic majority raters showed no main effect of IM-tactics on interview ratings. Ethnic minorities' use of IM-tactics only affected interview ratings if rater characteristics were considered. Specifically, interview ratings were higher when ethnic minorities used opinion conformity (i.e., majority-preferred IM-tactic) and lower when minorities used entitlements (i.e., minority-preferred IM-tactic) if recruiters were high in social dominance orientation, and when they felt more experienced/proficient with interviewing. IM-tactics are a human capital factor that might help applicants to increase their job chances on the labor market. It is concluded that ethnic minority applicants' preferences for certain IM-tactics might lead to bias even in structured interview settings, but that this depends on ethnic majority recruiters' interview experience and ingroup/outgroup attitudes. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Selfish evolution of cytonuclear hybrid incompatibility in Mimulus

PubMed Central

Finseth, Findley R.; Barr, Camille M.; Fishman, Lila

2016-01-01

Intraspecific coevolution between selfish elements and suppressors may promote interspecific hybrid incompatibility, but evidence of this process is rare. Here, we use genomic data to test alternative models for the evolution of cytonuclear hybrid male sterility in Mimulus. In hybrids between Iron Mountain (IM) Mimulus guttatus × Mimulus nasutus, two tightly linked M. guttatus alleles (Rf1/Rf2) each restore male fertility by suppressing a local mitochondrial male-sterility gene (IM-CMS). Unlike neutral models for the evolution of hybrid incompatibility loci, selfish evolution predicts that the Rf alleles experienced strong selection in the presence of IM-CMS. Using whole-genome sequences, we compared patterns of population-genetic variation in Rf at IM to a neighbouring population that lacks IM-CMS. Consistent with local selection in the presence of IM-CMS, the Rf region shows elevated FST, high local linkage disequilibrium and a distinct haplotype structure at IM, but not at Cone Peak (CP), suggesting a recent sweep in the presence of IM-CMS. In both populations, Rf2 exhibited lower polymorphism than other regions, but the low-diversity outliers were different between CP and IM. Our results confirm theoretical predictions of ubiquitous cytonuclear conflict in plants and provide a population-genetic mechanism for the evolution of a common form of hybrid incompatibility. PMID:27629037

Personality and workplace impression management: correlates and implications.

PubMed

Bourdage, Joshua S; Wiltshire, Jocelyn; Lee, Kibeom

2015-03-01

In the present study, we investigated the role of personality in understanding impression management (IM) behaviors. We hypothesized that the HEXACO model of personality could provide an intricate understanding of the dispositional bases of IM behaviors, as well as coworkers' ability to accurately perceive the IM of those they work with. Using 2 samples (N = 176 and N = 366), we found that the common core underlying 5 IM behaviors possesses a strong negative relationship with the personality trait of Honesty-Humility, such that individuals low in this trait were more likely to report using all IM behaviors. Furthermore, we found that the unique variance associated with specific IM behaviors can be understood using other traits included in the HEXACO personality model, including Emotionality, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness. In a subset of the data (N = 100), we examined self-coworker convergence in IM and personality. We found that while coworkers are adequate at judging traditional personality traits, the self-coworker convergence for all 5 IM behaviors, as well as the personality trait of Honesty-Humility, were not significant. This adds to a growing body of evidence that coworkers may not be good at accurately perceiving IM or Honesty-Humility in the workplace. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved.

Selfish evolution of cytonuclear hybrid incompatibility in Mimulus.

PubMed

Case, Andrea L; Finseth, Findley R; Barr, Camille M; Fishman, Lila

2016-09-14

Intraspecific coevolution between selfish elements and suppressors may promote interspecific hybrid incompatibility, but evidence of this process is rare. Here, we use genomic data to test alternative models for the evolution of cytonuclear hybrid male sterility in Mimulus In hybrids between Iron Mountain (IM) Mimulus guttatus × Mimulus nasutus, two tightly linked M. guttatus alleles (Rf1/Rf2) each restore male fertility by suppressing a local mitochondrial male-sterility gene (IM-CMS). Unlike neutral models for the evolution of hybrid incompatibility loci, selfish evolution predicts that the Rf alleles experienced strong selection in the presence of IM-CMS. Using whole-genome sequences, we compared patterns of population-genetic variation in Rf at IM to a neighbouring population that lacks IM-CMS. Consistent with local selection in the presence of IM-CMS, the Rf region shows elevated FST, high local linkage disequilibrium and a distinct haplotype structure at IM, but not at Cone Peak (CP), suggesting a recent sweep in the presence of IM-CMS. In both populations, Rf2 exhibited lower polymorphism than other regions, but the low-diversity outliers were different between CP and IM. Our results confirm theoretical predictions of ubiquitous cytonuclear conflict in plants and provide a population-genetic mechanism for the evolution of a common form of hybrid incompatibility. © 2016 The Author(s).

Interobserver variability and accuracy of high-definition endoscopic diagnosis for gastric intestinal metaplasia among experienced and inexperienced endoscopists.

PubMed

Hyun, Yil Sik; Han, Dong Soo; Bae, Joong Ho; Park, Hye Sun; Eun, Chang Soo

2013-05-01

Accurate diagnosis of gastric intestinal metaplasia is important; however, conventional endoscopy is known to be an unreliable modality for diagnosing gastric intestinal metaplasia (IM). The aims of the study were to evaluate the interobserver variation in diagnosing IM by high-definition (HD) endoscopy and the diagnostic accuracy of this modality for IM among experienced and inexperienced endoscopists. Selected 50 cases, taken with HD endoscopy, were sent for a diagnostic inquiry of gastric IM through visual inspection to five experienced and five inexperienced endoscopists. The interobserver agreement between endoscopists was evaluated to verify the diagnostic reliability of HD endoscopy in diagnosing IM, and the diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were evaluated for validity of HD endoscopy in diagnosing IM. Interobserver agreement among the experienced endoscopists was "poor" (κ = 0.38) and it was also "poor" (κ = 0.33) among the inexperienced endoscopists. The diagnostic accuracy of the experienced endoscopists was superior to that of the inexperienced endoscopists (P = 0.003). Since diagnosis through visual inspection is unreliable in the diagnosis of IM, all suspicious areas for gastric IM should be considered to be biopsied. Furthermore, endoscopic experience and education are needed to raise the diagnostic accuracy of gastric IM.

Crystal Structure and Properties of Imidazo-Pyridine Ionic Liquids.

PubMed

Farren-Dai, Marco; Cameron, Stanley; Johnson, Michel B; Ghandi, Khashayar

2018-07-05

Computational studies were performed on novel protic ionic liquids imidazolium-[1,2-a]-pyridine trifluoroacetate [ImPr][TFA] synthesized by the reaction of imidazo-[1,2a]-pyridine (ImPr) with trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), and on fused salt imidazolium-[1,2-a]-pyridine maleamic carbonate [ImPr][Mal] synthesized by reaction of ImPr with maleamic acid (Mal). Synthesis was performed as one-pot reactions, which applies green chemistry tenets. Both these compounds begin to decompose at 180°C. Our computational studies suggest another thermal reaction channel, in which [ImPr][Mal] can also thermally polymerizes to polyacrylamide which then cyclizes. This is thermal product remains stable up to 700 degrees, consistent with our thermogravimetric studies. [ImPr][TFA] exhibited good conductivity and ideal ionic behavior, as evaluated by a Walden plot. X-ray crystallography of [ImPr][TFA] revealed a tightly packed system for the crystals as a result of strong ionic interaction, pi-stacking, and fluorine-CH interactions. Both synthesized compounds exhibited some CO 2 absorptivity, with [ImPr][Mal] outperforming [ImPr][TFA] in this regard. The quantum chemistry based computational methods can shed light on many properties of these ionic liquids, but they are challenged in fully describing their ionic nature. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effect of Different Dosages of ST36 Indirect Moxibustion on the Skin Temperature of the Lower Legs and Feet.

PubMed

Kuge, Hiroshi; Mori, Hidetoshi; Morisawa, Tateyuki; Hanyu, Kazuyo; Miyazaki, Junji; Watanabe, Mayumi; Tanaka, Tim Hideaki

2018-06-15

Background: Indirect moxibustion (IM) has been previously performed between the spinous process while recording skin temperature of the trunk. However, moxibustion is often applied not only to acupuncture points on the back, but also to points located on the limbs. Thus, there is a need to investigate skin temperature (ST) responses following IM applied to the limbs. Methods: In Experiment 1 (Exp 1), subjects were randomly assigned to three groups: the left IM stimulation, right IM stimulation and control groups. In Experiment 2 (Exp 2), the subjects underwent two experimental sessions consisting of a single stimulation of IM or triple stimulations of IM. The IM stimulation was administered to the ST36 acupuncture point. A thermograph was used to obtain the ST on the lower limbs. Results: In Exp 1, the ST of the lower limbs increased in the stimulation groups whereas there was no increase in the non-stimulation group. In Exp 2, no significant response occurred between the single and triple stimulation of IM groups for all observed sites except for the left ankle ST. Conclusions: Lower limb ST increased following IM application to the ST36 point. No difference was observed between the dosage of the stimulation and ST responses.

Is there a difference between the effects of single and triple indirect moxibustion stimulations on skin temperature changes of the posterior trunk surface?

PubMed

Mori, Hidetoshi; Kuge, Hiroshi; Tanaka, Tim Hideaki; Taniwaki, Eiichi; Ohsawa, Hideo

2011-06-01

To determine whether any difference exists in responses to indirect moxibustion (IM) relative to thermal stimulation duration. In experiment 1, 9 subjects attended two experimental sessions consisting of single stimulation with IM or triple stimulation with IM, using a crossover design. A K-type thermocouple temperature probe was fixed on the skin surface at the GV14 acupuncture point. IM stimulation was administered to the top of the probe in order to measure the temperature curve. In addition, each subject evaluated his or her subjective feeling of heat on a visual analogue scale after each stimulation. Experiment 2 was conducted on 42 participants, divided into three groups according to the envelope allocation method: single stimulation with IM (n=20), triple stimulation with IM (n=11) and a control group (n=11). A thermograph was used to obtain the skin temperature on the posterior trunk of the participant. To analyse skin temperature, four arbitrary frames (the scapular, interscapular, lumbar and vertebral regions) were made on the posterior trunk. In experiment 1, no significant difference in maximum temperature was found in IM and subjective feeling of heat intensity between single and triple stimulation with IM. In experiment 2, increases in skin temperature occurred on the posterior trunk, but no differences in skin temperature occurred between the groups receiving single and triple stimulation with IM. No difference exists in the skin temperature response to moxibustion between the single and triple stimulation with IM.

Intramuscular olanzapine versus intramuscular aripiprazole for the treatment of agitation in patients with schizophrenia: A pragmatic double-blind randomized trial.

PubMed

Kittipeerachon, Mantana; Chaichan, Warawat

2016-10-01

To evaluate and compare the effectiveness and adverse effects of intramuscular (IM) olanzapine and IM aripiprazole for the treatment of agitated patients with schizophrenia in clinical practice. A 24-hour randomized double-blind study carried out at a psychiatric hospital in Thailand enrolled adult patients (18-65years old) with schizophrenia experiencing agitation. Patients received one dose of IM olanzapine or IM aripiprazole followed by routine oral psychotropic medications. Efficacy was primarily measured using the Excited Component of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS-EC). A total of 80 patients with a PANSS-EC score range of 22-35 entered the study, of whom 13% had a medical comorbidity and 40% a history of active substance abuse. The 40 patients receiving IM olanzapine showed greater improvement than the 40 patients receiving IM aripiprazole in PANSS-EC scores at 2h after the injection (p=0.002) but not at 24h. The two treatments were well tolerated. Patients receiving IM olanzapine experienced greater somnolence than those receiving IM aripiprazole. There were no clinically relevant changes in vital signs in either group. The results indicate that IM olanzapine and aripiprazole are similarly effective and well tolerated in the real-world treatment of agitation associated with schizophrenia over the first 24h. However, in the early hours, IM olanzapine may produce more sedation and reductions in agitation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Family Medicine Residency Program Directors Attitudes and Knowledge of Family Medicine CAM Competencies

PubMed Central

Gardiner, Paula; Filippelli, Amanda C.; Lebensohn, Patricia; Bonakdar, Robert

2013-01-01

Context Little is known about the incorporation of integrative medicine (IM) and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) into family medicine residency programs. Objective The Society for Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM) approved a set of CAM/IM competencies for family medicine residencies. We hope to evaluate with an online survey tool, whether residency programs are implementing such competencies into their curriculum. We also hope to assess the knowledge and attitudes of Residency Directors (RDs) on the CAM/IM competencies. Design A survey was distributed by the CAFM (Council of Academic Family Medicine) Educational Research Alliance to RDs via email. The survey was distributed to 431 RDs. Of those who received it, 212 responded for a response rate of 49.1%. Questions assessed the knowledge and attitudes of CAM/IM competencies and incorporation of CAM/IM into residency curriculum. Results Forty-five percent of RDs were aware of the competencies. In term of RD attitudes, 58% reported that CAM/IM is an important component of residents' curriculum yet, 60% report not having specific learning objectives for CAM/IM in their residency curriculum. Among all programs, barriers to CAM/IM implementation included: time in residents' schedules (77%); faculty training (75%); access to CAM experts (43%); lack of reimbursement (43%), and financial resources (29%). Conclusions While many RDs are aware of the STFM CAM/IM competencies and acknowledge their role in residence education, there are many barriers preventing residencies to implementing the STFM CAM/IM competencies. PMID:24021471

Family medicine residency program directors attitudes and knowledge of family medicine CAM competencies.

PubMed

Gardiner, Paula; Filippelli, Amanda C; Lebensohn, Patricia; Bonakdar, Robert

2013-01-01

Little is known about the incorporation of integrative medicine (IM) and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) into family medicine residency programs. The Society for Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM) approved a set of CAM/IM competencies for family medicine residencies. We hope to evaluate whether residency programs are implementing such competencies into their curriculum using an online survey tool. We also hope to assess the knowledge and attitudes of Residency Directors (RDs) on the CAM/IM competencies. A survey was distributed by the Council of Academic Family Medicine (CAFM) Educational Research Alliance to RDs via e-mail. The survey was distributed to 431 RDs. Of those who received it, 212 responded, giving a response rate of 49.1%. Questions assessed the knowledge and attitudes of CAM/IM competencies and incorporation of CAM/IM into the residency curriculum. Forty-five percent of RDs were aware of the competencies. In terms of RD attitudes, 58% reported that CAM/IM is an important component of residents' curriculum; yet, 60% report not having specific learning objectives for CAM/IM in their residency curriculum. Among all programs, barriers to CAM/IM implementation included time in residents' schedules (77%); faculty training (75%); access to CAM experts (43%); lack of reimbursement (43%); and financial resources (29%). While many RDs are aware of the STFM CAM/IM competencies and acknowledge their role in residence education, there are many barriers that prevent residencies from implementing the STFM CAM/IM competencies. © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

CDDO-Im protects from acetaminophen hepatotoxicity through induction of Nrf2-dependent genes

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

Reisman, Scott A.; Buckley, David B.; Tanaka, Yuji

CDDO-Im is a synthetic triterpenoid recently shown to induce cytoprotective genes through the Nrf2-Keap1 pathway, an important mechanism for the induction of cytoprotective genes in response to oxidative stress. Upon oxidative or electrophilic insult, the transcription factor Nrf2 translocates to the nucleus, heterodimerizes with small Maf proteins, and binds to antioxidant response elements (AREs) in the upstream promoter regions of various cytoprotective genes. To further elucidate the hepatoprotective effects of CDDO-Im, wild-type and Nrf2-null mice were pretreated with CDDO-Im (1 mg/kg, i.p.) or vehicle (DMSO), and then administered acetaminophen (500 mg/kg, i.p.). Pretreatment of wild-type mice with CDDO-Im reduced livermore » injury caused by acetaminophen. In contrast, hepatoprotection by CDDO-Im was not observed in Nrf2-null mice. CDDO-Im increased Nrf2 protein expression and Nrf2-ARE binding in wild-type, but not Nrf2-null mice. Furthermore, CDDO-Im increased the mRNA expression of the Nrf2 target genes NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase-1 (Nqo1); glutamate-cysteine ligase, catalytic subunit (Gclc); and heme-oxygenase-1 (Ho-1), in both a dose- and time-dependent manner. Conversely, CDDO-Im did not induce Nqo1, Gclc, and Ho-1 mRNA expression in Nrf2-null mice. Collectively, the present study shows that CDDO-Im pretreatment induces Nrf2-dependent cytoprotective genes and protects the liver from acetaminophen-induced hepatic injury.« less

Irsogladine maleate regulates gap junctional intercellular communication-dependent epithelial barrier in human nasal epithelial cells.

PubMed

Miyata, Ryo; Nomura, Kazuaki; Kakuki, Takuya; Takano, Ken-Ichi; Kohno, Takayuki; Konno, Takumi; Sawada, Norimasa; Himi, Tetsuo; Kojima, Takashi

2015-04-01

The airway epithelium of the human nasal mucosa acts as the first physical barrier that protects against inhaled substances and pathogens. Irsogladine maleate (IM) is an enhancer of gastric mucosal protective factors via upregulation of gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC). GJIC is thought to participate in the formation of functional tight junctions. However, the effects of IM on GJIC and the epithelial barrier in human nasal epithelial cells (HNECs) remain unknown. To investigate the effects of IM on GJIC and the tight junctional barrier in HNECs, primary cultures of HNECs transfected with human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT-HNECs) were treated with IM and the GJIC inhibitors oleamide and 18β-GA. Some cells were pretreated with IM before treatment with TLR3 ligand poly(I:C) to examine whether IM prevented the changes via TLR3-mediated signal pathways. In hTERT-HNECs, GJIC blockers reduced the expression of tight junction molecules claudin-1, -4, -7, occludin, tricellulin, and JAM-A. IM induced GJIC activity and enhanced the expression of claudin-1, -4, and JAM-A at the protein and mRNA levels with an increase of barrier function. GJIC blockers prevented the increase of the tight junction proteins induced by IM. Furthermore, IM prevented the reduction of JAM-A but not induction of IL-8 and TNF-α induced by poly(I:C). In conclusion, IM can maintain the GJIC-dependent tight junctional barrier via regulation of GJIC in upper airway nasal epithelium. Therefore, it is possible that IM may be useful as a nasal spray to prevent the disruption of the epithelial barrier by viral infections and exposure to allergens in human nasal mucosa.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Following Infectious Mononucleosis in Adolescents: A Prospective Cohort Study

PubMed Central

Katz, Ben Z.; Shiraishi, Yukiko; Mears, Cynthia J.; Binns, Helen J.; Taylor, Renee

2008-01-01

Background Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a complex and controversial condition responsible for marked functional impairment. Infectious mononucleosis (IM) may be a predisposing factor for CFS. Among adults after IM, 9-12% may have symptomatic fatigue 6 months later. Rates of CFS in the general adolescent population are low (0.2%). Objective To prospectively characterize the course and outcome of CFS in adolescents during a 2 year period following IM. Design/Methods 301 adolescents (12-18 years) with IM were identified and screened for non-recovery 6 months following IM using a telephone screening interview. Non-recovered adolescents underwent a medical evaluation, and had follow-up screening at 12 and 24 months following IM. Following blind review, final diagnoses of CFS were made at 6, 12 and 24 months using established pediatric criteria. Results 6, 12 and 24 months following IM, 13%, 7% and 4%, respectively, of adolescents met criteria for CFS. Most individuals recovered with time; only 2 adolescents with CFS at 24 months seemed to have recovered or had an explanation for CFS at 12 months but then were reclassified as CFS at 24 months. All 13 adolescents with CFS 24 months following IM were female and on average reported greater fatigue severity at 12 months. Reported use of steroid therapy during the acute phase of IM did not increase the risk of developing CFS. Conclusions IM thus may be a risk factor for CFS in adolescents. Female gender and greater fatigue severity, but not reported steroid use during the acute illness, were associated with the development of CFS in adolescents. Further research is needed to determine other predictors of persistent fatigue following IM. PMID:19564299

Clinical and biochemical characteristics of polycystic ovary syndrome in Korean women.

PubMed

Chae, Soo Jin; Kim, Jin Ju; Choi, Young Min; Hwang, Kyu Ri; Jee, Byung Chul; Ku, Seung Yup; Suh, Chang Suk; Kim, Seok Hyun; Kim, Jung Gu; Moon, Shin Yong

2008-08-01

We investigated the differences in anthropometrical, hormonal and insulin resistance parameters according to the subtype of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in Korean women. We recruited 166 women with PCOS and retrospectively recruited 277 controls. PCOS was diagnosed by irregular menstruation (IM), polycystic ovary (PCO) and hyperandrogenism (HA). Subjects were divided into four subgroups: the IM/HA/PCO group (n = 87, 52.4%), the IM/PCO group (n = 52, 31.3%), the IM/HA group (n = 23, 13.9%) and the HA/PCO group (n = 4, 2.4%). Clinical and biochemical variables were compared among the PCOS subgroups. The IM/HA/PCO and IM/HA groups showed higher body mass index (P < 0.001) and waist-to-hip ratio (P < 0.001) than the IM/PCO group. The IM/HA group had higher triglyceride levels than the other groups (P < 0.001). Higher fasting insulin (P < 0.001) and postprandial 2 h insulin (P < 0.01) were noted in the IM/HA/PCO group and the IM/HA group, compared with the IM/PCO group. Women with PCOS showed lower sex hormone-binding globulin (P < 0.001) and higher systolic blood pressure (BP) (P = 0.004), diastolic BP (P = 0.001), fasting insulin (P < 0.001), postprandial 2 h insulin (P < 0.001), homeostatic model for insulin resistance (P < 0.001) and clinical and biochemical parameters of metabolic syndrome (P < 0.05) compared with subjects without PCOS. Women with PCOS without HA are common in Korea and are less likely to have metabolic dysfunction, insulin resistance and elevated BP. PCOS without HA may be a mild phenotype of PCOS. Therefore, women with PCOS in Korea could have a reduced likelihood of having metabolic syndrome compared with women of other ethnicities.

Imatinib 800 mg daily induces deeper molecular responses than imatinib 400 mg daily: results of SWOG S0325, an intergroup randomized PHASE II trial in newly diagnosed chronic phase chronic myeloid leukaemia.

PubMed

Deininger, Michael W; Kopecky, Kenneth J; Radich, Jerald P; Kamel-Reid, Suzanne; Stock, Wendy; Paietta, Elisabeth; Emanuel, Peter D; Tallman, Martin; Wadleigh, Martha; Larson, Richard A; Lipton, Jeffrey H; Slovak, Marilyn L; Appelbaum, Frederick R; Druker, Brian J

2014-01-01

The standard dose of imatinib for newly diagnosed patients with chronic phase chronic myeloid leukaemia (CP-CML) is 400 mg daily (IM400), but the optimal dose is unknown. This randomized phase II study compared the rates of molecular, haematological and cytogenetic response to IM400 vs. imatinib 400 mg twice daily (IM800) in 153 adult patients with CP-CML. Dose adjustments for toxicity were flexible to maximize retention on study. Molecular response (MR) at 12 months was deeper in the IM800 arm (4-log reduction of BCR-ABL1 mRNA: 25% vs. 10% of patients, P = 0·038; 3-log reduction: 53% vs. 35%, P = 0·049). During the first 12 months BCR-ABL1 levels in the IM800 arm were an average 2·9-fold lower than in the IM400 arm (P = 0·010). Complete haematological response was similar, but complete cytogenetic response was higher with IM800 (85% vs. 67%, P = 0·040). Grade 3-4 toxicities were more common for IM800 (58% vs. 31%, P = 0·0007), and were most commonly haematological. Few patients have relapsed, progressed or died, but both progression-free (P = 0·048) and relapse-free (P = 0·031) survival were superior for IM800. In newly diagnosed CP-CML patients, IM800 induced deeper MRs than IM400, with a trend for improved progression-free and overall survival, but was associated with more severe toxicity. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Spectrum of Intermediate Syndrome Following Acute Organophosphate Poisoning: A Prospective Cohort Study from Sri Lanka

PubMed Central

Jayawardane, Pradeepa; Dawson, Andrew H; Weerasinghe, Vajira; Karalliedde, Lakshman; Buckley, Nicholas A; Senanayake, Nimal

2008-01-01

Background Intermediate syndrome (IMS) is a major cause of death from respiratory failure following acute organophosphate poisoning. The objective of this study was to determine repetitive nerve stimulation (RNS) predictors of IMS that would assist in patient management and clinical research. Methods and Findings Seventy-eight consenting symptomatic patients with organophosphate poisoning were assessed prospectively with daily physical examination and RNS. RNS was done on the right and left median and ulnar nerves at 1, 3, 10, 15, 20, and 30 Hz. The study was conducted as a prospective observational cohort study in the Central Province, Sri Lanka. IMS was diagnosed in ten out of 78 patients using a priori clinical diagnostic criteria, and five of them developed respiratory failure. All ten patients showed progressive RNS changes correlating with the severity of IMS. A decrement-increment was observed at intermediate and high frequencies preceding the onset of clinical signs of IMS. As the patient developed clinical signs of IMS, decrement-increment was progressively noted at low and intermediate frequencies and a combination of decrement-increment and repetitive fade or severe decrement was noted at high frequencies. Severe decrement preceded respiratory failure in four patients. Thirty patients developed forme fruste IMS with less severe weakness not progressing to respiratory failure whose RNS was characterized by decrement-increment or a combination of decrement-increment and repetitive fade but never severe decrements. Conclusions Characteristic changes in RNS, preceding the development of IMS, help to identify a subgroup of patients at high risk of developing respiratory failure. The forme fruste IMS with the characteristic early changes on RNS indicates that IMS is a spectrum disorder. RNS changes are objective and precede the diagnosis and complications of IMS. Thus they may be useful in clinical management and research. PMID:18630983

Cost-effectiveness of an influenza vaccination program offering intramuscular and intradermal vaccines versus intramuscular vaccine alone for elderly.

PubMed

Leung, Man-Kit; You, Joyce H S

2016-05-11

Intradermal (ID) injection is an alternative route for influenza vaccine administration in elderly with potential improvement of vaccine coverage. This study aimed to investigate the cost-effectiveness of an influenza vaccination program offering ID vaccine to elderly who had declined intramuscular (IM) vaccine from the perspective of Hong Kong public healthcare provider. A decision analytic model was used to simulate outcomes of two programs: IM vaccine alone (IM program), and IM or ID vaccine (IM/ID program) in a hypothetic cohort of elderly aged 65 years. Outcome measures included influenza-related direct medical cost, infection rate, mortality rate, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) loss, and incremental cost per QALY saved (ICER). Model inputs were derived from literature. Sensitivity analyses evaluated the impact of uncertainty of model variables. In base-case analysis, the IM/ID program was more costly (USD52.82 versus USD47.59 per individual to whom vaccine was offered) with lower influenza infection rate (8.71% versus 9.65%), mortality rate (0.021% versus 0.024%) and QALYs loss (0.00336 versus 0.00372) than the IM program. ICER of IM/ID program was USD14,528 per QALY saved. One-way sensitivity analysis found ICER of IM/ID program to exceed willingness-to-pay threshold (USD39,933) when probability of influenza infection in unvaccinated elderly decreased from 10.6% to 5.4%. In 10,000 Monte Carlo simulations of elderly populations of Hong Kong, the IM/ID program was the preferred option in 94.7% of time. An influenza vaccination program offering ID vaccine to elderly who had declined IM vaccine appears to be a highly cost-effective option. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of an Internet-based monitoring system for influenza-like illness in Sweden.

PubMed

Rehn, Moa; Carnahan, AnnaSara; Merk, Hanna; Kühlmann-Berenzon, Sharon; Galanis, Ilias; Linde, Annika; Nyrén, Olof

2014-01-01

To complement traditional influenza surveillance with data on disease occurrence not only among care-seeking individuals, the Swedish Institute for Communicable Disease Control (SMI) has tested an Internet-based monitoring system (IMS) with self-recruited volunteers submitting weekly on-line reports about their health in the preceding week, upon weekly reminders. We evaluated IMS acceptability and to which extent participants represented the Swedish population. We also studied the agreement of data on influenza-like illness (ILI) occurrence from IMS with data from a previously evaluated population-based system (PBS) with an actively recruited random sample of the population who spontaneously report disease onsets in real-time via telephone/Internet, and with traditional general practitioner based sentinel and virological influenza surveillance, in the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 influenza seasons. We assessed acceptability by calculating the participation proportion in an invited IMS-sample and the weekly reporting proportion of enrolled self-recruited IMS participants. We compared distributions of socio-demographic indicators of self-recruited IMS participants to the general Swedish population using chi-square tests. Finally, we assessed the agreement of weekly incidence proportions (%) of ILI in IMS and PBS with cross-correlation analyses. Among 2,511 invited persons, 166 (6.6%) agreed to participate in the IMS. In each season, 2,552 and 2,486 self-recruited persons participated in the IMS respectively. The weekly reporting proportion among self-recruited participants decreased from 87% to 23% (2011-2012) and 82% to 45% (2012-2013). Women, highly educated, and middle-aged persons were overrepresented among self-recruited IMS participants (p<0.01). IMS (invited and self-recruited) and PBS weekly incidence proportions correlated strongest when no lags were applied (r = 0.71 and r = 0.69, p<0.05). This evaluation revealed socio-demographic misrepresentation and limited compliance among the self-recruited IMS participants. Yet, IMS offered a reasonable representation of the temporal ILI pattern in the community overall during the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 influenza seasons and could be a simple tool for collecting community-based ILI data.

Heterobimetallic thiocyanato-bridged coordination polymers based on [Hg(SCN){sub 4}]{sup 2-}: Synthesis, crystal structure, magnetic properties and ESR studies

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

Jian Fangfang; Xiao Hailian; Liu Faqian

2006-12-15

Three new M/Hg bimetallic thiocyanato-bridged coordination polymers; [Hg(SCN){sub 4}Ni(Im){sub 3}] {sub {infinity}} 1, [Hg(SCN){sub 4}Mn(Im){sub 2}] {sub {infinity}} 2, and [Hg(SCN){sub 4}Cu(Me-Im){sub 2} Hg(SCN){sub 4}Cu(Me-Im){sub 4}] {sub {infinity}} 3, (Im=imidazole, Me-Im=N-methyl-imidazole), have been synthesized and characterized by means of elemental analysis, ESR, and single-crystal X-ray. X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that these three complexes all form 3D network structure, and their structures all contain a thiocyanato-bridged Hg...Hg chain (M=Mn, Ni, Cu) in which the metal and mercury centers exhibit different coordination environments. In complex 1, the [Hg(SCN){sub 4}]{sup 2-} anion connects three [Ni(Im){sub 3}]{sup 2+} using three SCN ligands giving risemore » to a 3D structure, and in complex 2, four SCN ligands bridge [Hg(SCN){sub 4}]{sup 2-} and [Mn(Im){sub 2}]{sup 2+} to form a 3D structure. The structure of 3 contains two copper atoms with distinct coordination environment; one is coordinated by four N-methyl-imidazole ligands and two axially elongated SCN groups, and another by four SCN groups (two elongated) and two N-methyl-imidazole ligands. The magnetic property of complex 1 has been investigated. The spin state structure in hetermetallic NiHgNi systems of complex 1 is irregular. The ESR spectra results of complex 3 demonstrate Cu{sup 2+} ion lie on octahedral environment. -- Graphical abstract: Three new M/Hg bimetallic thiocyanato-bridged coordination polymers; [Hg(SCN){sub 4}Ni(Im){sub 3}] {sub {infinity}} 1, [Hg(SCN){sub 4}Mn(Im){sub 2}] {sub {infinity}} 2, and [Hg(SCN){sub 4}Cu(Me-Im){sub 2} Hg(SCN){sub 4}Cu(Me-Im){sub 4}] {sub {infinity}} 3, (Im=imidazole, Me-Im=N-methyl-imidazole), have been synthesized and characterized by single-crystal X-ray. All coordination polymers possess 3-D structures, and consist of organic base neutral ligands (imidazole and N-methyl-imidazole) and SCN{sup -1} anions. Their structural difference is maicaused by the role of the organic base and metal ions. The complex 1 shows the irregular spin state structure.« less

Data for Users of Handheld Ion Mobility Spectrometers

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

Keith A. Daum; Sandra L. Fox

Chemical detection technology end-user surveys conducted by Idaho National Laboratory (INL) in 2005 and 2007 indicated that first responders believed manufacturers’ claims for instruments sometimes were not supported in field applications, and instruments sometimes did not meet their actual needs. Based on these findings, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) asked INL to conduct a similar survey for handheld ion mobility spectrometers (IMS), which are used by a broad community of first responders as well as for other applications. To better access this broad community, the INL used the Center for Technology Commercialization, Inc. (CTC), Public Safety Technology Center (PSTC)more » to set up an online framework to gather information from users of handheld IMS units. This framework (Survey Monkey) was then used to perform an online Internet survey, augmented by e-mail prompts, to get information from first responders and personnel from various agencies about their direct experience with handheld IMS units. Overall, 478 individuals responded to the survey. Of these, 174 respondents actually owned a handheld IMS. Performance and satisfaction data from these 174 respondents are captured in this report. The survey identified the following observations: • The most common IMS unit used by respondents was the Advanced Portable Detector (APD 2000), followed by ChemRae, Sabre 4000, Sabre 2000, Draeger Multi IMS, Chemical Agent Monitor-2, Chemical Agent Monitor, Vapor Tracer, and Vapor Tracer 2. • The primary owners were HazMat teams (20%), fire services (14%), local police (12%), and sheriffs’ departments (9%). • IMS units are seldom used as part of an integrated system for detecting and identifying chemicals but instead are used independently. • Respondents are generally confused about the capabilities of their IMS unit. This is probably a result of lack of training. • Respondents who had no training or fewer than 8 hours were not satisfied with the overall operation of the handheld IMS unit. • IMS units were used for detecting a range of analytes. The most common use was for detection of hazardous chemicals, followed by detection of explosives, illicit drugs, chemical warfare, nerve agents, and radiation. One IMS unit had dual capability as a radiation detector. • Respondents who did not own an IMS listed prohibitive cost of equipment as the main factor for not having one. • Respondents who were highly satisfied with the overall operation of the handheld IMS obtained the IMS through a direct purchase. In comparison, the respondents who were not satisfied had obtained the handheld IMS through a DHS grant.« less

The pattern of trabecular bone microarchitecture in the distal femur of typically developing children and its effect on processing of magnetic resonance images.

PubMed

Modlesky, Christopher M; Whitney, Daniel G; Carter, Patrick T; Allerton, Brianne M; Kirby, Joshua T; Miller, Freeman

2014-03-01

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is used to assess trabecular bone microarchitecture in humans; however, image processing can be labor intensive and time consuming. One aim of this study was to determine the pattern of trabecular bone microarchitecture in the distal femur of typically developing children. A second aim was to determine the proportion and location of magnetic resonance images that need to be processed to yield representative estimates of trabecular bone microarchitecture. Twenty-six high resolution magnetic resonance images were collected immediately above the growth plate in the distal femur of 6-12year-old typically developing children (n=40). Measures of trabecular bone microarchitecture [i.e., apparent trabecular bone volume to total volume (appBV/TV), trabecular number (appTb.N), trabecular thickness (appTb.Th) and trabecular separation (appTb.Sp)] in the lateral aspect of the distal femur were determined using the twenty most central images (20IM). The average values for appBV/TV, appTb.N, appTb.Th and appTb.Sp from 20IM were compared to the average values from 10 images (10IM), 5 images (5IM) and 3 images (3IM) equally dispersed throughout the total image set and one image (1IM) from the center of the total image set using linear regression analysis. The resulting mathematical models were cross-validated using the leave-one-out technique. Distance from the growth plate was strongly and inversely related to appBV/TV (r(2)=0.68, p<0.001) and appTb.N (r(2)=0.92, p<0.001) and was strongly and positively related to appTb.Sp (r(2)=0.86, p<0.001). The relationship between distance from the growth plate and appTb.Th was not linear (r(2)=0.06, p=0.28), but instead it was quadratic and statistically significant (r(2)=0.54, p<0.001). Trabecular bone microarchitecture estimates from 10IM, 5IM, 3IM and 1IM were not different from estimates from 20IM (p>0.05). However, there was a progressive decrease in the strength of the relationships as a smaller proportion of images were used to predict estimates from 20IM (r(2)=0.98 to 0.99 using 10IM, 0.94 to 0.96 using 5IM, 0.87 to 0.90 using 3IM and 0.66 to 0.72 using 1IM; all p<0.001). Using the resulting mathematical models and the leave-one-out cross-validation analysis, measures of trabecular bone microarchitecture estimated from the 10IM and 5IM partial image sets agreed extremely well with estimates from 20IM. The findings indicate that partial magnetic resonance image sets can be used to provide reasonable estimates of trabecular bone microarchitecture status in the distal femur of typically developing children. However, because the relative amount of trabecular bone in the distal femur decreases with distance from the growth plate due to a decrease in trabecular number, careful positioning of the region of interest and sampling from throughout the region of interest is necessary. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Getting to know the nearest stars: Intermittent radio bursts from Ross 614

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winterhalter, Daniel; Knapp, Mary; Bastian, Tim

2017-04-01

Radio observations have been used as a search tool for exoplanets since before the confirmed discovery of the first extrasolar planet. To date, there have been no definitive detections of exoplanets in the radio regime. We are engaged in an ongoing blind radio survey of the nearest star systems for exoplanetary radio emission. The goal of this survey is to obtain meaningful upper limits on radio emission from (or modulated by) sub-stellar companions of the nearest stars. Nearby stars are strongly preferred because they suffer the least from the dilution of potential radio signals by distance. Targets are selected by distance and observability (both LOFAR and VLA) only. Other properties of target stars, such as stellar type, are not considered to avoid biasing the search. Five survey targets, Procyon, GJ 1111, GJ 725, Ross 614, and UGPSJ072227.51, have been observed with the VLA telescope L- and S-band receivers. P-band observations are ongoing. Of particular interest are, at this time, our observation of the Ross 614 System. Ross 614 is an M-dwarf binary system at a distance of about 13 Ly, with an orbital period of 16.6 years. The binary companions are classified as flare stars because strong radio emission has been detected from the location of the system in previous work. Analyses are in progress to determine if the intermittent burst are similar to solar-type burst, and/or if there is any evidence for emissions from sub-stellar companions.

A Learning Design Ontology Based on the IMS Specification

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amorim, Ricardo R.; Lama, Manuel; Sanchez, Eduardo; Riera, Adolfo; Vila, Xose A.

2006-01-01

In this paper, we present an ontology to represent the semantics of the IMS Learning Design (IMS LD) specification, a meta-language used to describe the main elements of the learning design process. The motivation of this work relies on the expressiveness limitations found on the current XML-Schema implementation of the IMS LD conceptual model. To…

Instant Messaging in On-Site and Online Classes in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jeong, Wooseob

2007-01-01

In the past, instant messaging (IM) was considered "a teen thing" rather than a serious tool for education. As teenagers who rely on IM as a communication tool arrive on college campuses, however, IM usage will become more prevalent in higher education. IM has generated increasing awareness of its value for educational purposes despite its slow…

(Im)migrant Voices: An Ethnographic Inquiry into Contemporary (Im)migrant Issues Faced by (Im)migrant University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cantu, Elizabeth A.

2016-01-01

This dissertation examines contemporary issues that 18 (im)migrant university students faced during a time of highly militarized U.S.-Mexico border relations while living in Arizona during the time of this dissertation research. Utilizing critical race theory and public sphere theory as theoretical frameworks, the project addresses several related…

Interactive Visualization of Parking Orbits Around the Moon: An X3D Application for a NASA Lunar Mission Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murphy, Douglas G.; Qu, Min; Salas, Andrea O.

2006-01-01

The NASA Integrated Modeling and Simulation (IM&S) project aims to develop a collaborative engineering system to include distributed analysis, integrated tools, and web-enabled graphics. Engineers on the IM&S team were tasked with applying IM&S capabilities to an orbital mechanics analysis for a lunar mission study. An interactive lunar globe was created to show 7 landing sites, contour lines depicting the energy required to reach a given site, and the optimal lunar orbit orientation to meet the mission constraints. Activation of the lunar globe rotation shows the change of the angle between the landing site latitude and the orbit plane. A heads-up-display was used to embed straightforward interface elements.

Highly selective and sensitive trimethylamine gas sensor based on cobalt imidazolate framework material.

PubMed

Chen, Er-Xia; Fu, Hong-Ru; Lin, Rui; Tan, Yan-Xi; Zhang, Jian

2014-12-24

A cobalt imidazolate (im) framework material [Co(im)2]n was employed to use as a trimethylamine (TMA) gas sensor and the [Co(im)2]n sensor can be easily fabricated by using Ag-Pd interdigitated electrodes. Gas sensing measurement indicated that the [Co(im)2]n sensor shows excellent selectivity, high gas response and a low detection limit level of 2 ppm to TMA at 75 °C. The good selectivity and high response to TMA of the sensor based on [Co(im)2]n may be attributed to the weak interaction between the TMA molecules and the [Co(im)2]n framework. That may provide an ideal candidate for detecting freshness of fish and seafood.

Star Formation Properties of Irregular Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hunter, D. A.; Elmegreen, B. G.

2003-12-01

What regulates star formation in gas-rich dwarf galaxies on global and local scales? To address this question, we have conducted a survey of a large sample of reasonably normal, relatively nearby, non-interacting galaxies without spiral arms. The sample includes 94 Im galaxies, 26 Blue Compact Dwarfs, and 20 Sm systems. The data consist of UBV and Hα images for the entire sample, and JHK images, HI maps, CO observations, and HII region spectrophotometry for a sub-sample. The Hα , UBV, and JHK image sets act as probes of star formation on three different times scales: Hα images trace the most recent star formation (≤10 Myrs) through the ionization of natal clouds by the short-lived massive stars; UBV, while a more complicated clue, integrates over the past Gyr; and JHK integrates over the lifetime of the galaxy where even in Im galaxies global JHK colors are characteristic of old stellar populations. These data are being used to determine the nature and distribution of the star formation activity, to characterize the interstellar medium out of which the clouds and stars are forming, and to develop models that describe the important processes that drive star formation in these tiny systems. Here we present the Hα data: integrated star formation rates, azimuthally-averaged Hα surface brightnesses, and extents of star formation, and explore the relationship of the star formation properties to other integrated parameters of the galaxies. One TI CCD used in this work was provided to Lowell by the National Science Foundation and another was on loan from the U. S. Naval Observatory in Flagstaff. The Hα filters were purchased with funds provided by a Small Research Grant from the American Astronomical Society, National Science Foundation grant AST-9022046, and grant 960355 from JPL. Funding for carrying out this work was provided by the Lowell Research Fund and by the National Science Foundation through grants AST-0204922 to DAH and AST-0205097 to BGE.

A two-stage extraction procedure for insensitive munition (IM) explosive compounds in soils.

PubMed

Felt, Deborah; Gurtowski, Luke; Nestler, Catherine C; Johnson, Jared; Larson, Steven

2016-12-01

The Department of Defense (DoD) is developing a new category of insensitive munitions (IMs) that are more resistant to detonation or promulgation from external stimuli than traditional munition formulations. The new explosive constituent compounds are 2,4-dinitroanisole (DNAN), nitroguanidine (NQ), and nitrotriazolone (NTO). The production and use of IM formulations may result in interaction of IM component compounds with soil. The chemical properties of these IM compounds present unique challenges for extraction from environmental matrices such as soil. A two-stage extraction procedure was developed and tested using several soil types amended with known concentrations of IM compounds. This procedure incorporates both an acidified phase and an organic phase to account for the chemical properties of the IM compounds. The method detection limits (MDLs) for all IM compounds in all soil types were <5 mg/kg and met non-regulatory risk-based Regional Screening Level (RSL) criteria for soil proposed by the U.S. Army Public Health Center. At defined environmentally relevant concentrations, the average recovery of each IM compound in each soil type was consistent and greater than 85%. The two-stage extraction method decreased the influence of soil composition on IM compound recovery. UV analysis of NTO established an isosbestic point based on varied pH at a detection wavelength of 341 nm. The two-stage soil extraction method is equally effective for traditional munition compounds, a potentially important point when examining soils exposed to both traditional and insensitive munitions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Gastric intestinal metaplasia is associated with gastric dysplasia but is inversely correlated with esophageal dysplasia

PubMed Central

Gomez, Justin M; Patrie, James T; Bleibel, Wissam; Frye, Jeanetta W; Sauer, Bryan G; Shami, Vanessa M; Stelow, Edward B; Moskaluk, Christopher A; Wang, Andrew Y

2017-01-01

AIM To determine which clinical factors might be associated with gastric intestinal metaplasia (IM) in a North American population. METHODS Pathology and endoscopy databases at an academic medical center were reviewed to identify patients with and without gastric IM on biopsies for a retrospective cohort study. Patient demographics, insurance status, and other clinical factors were reviewed. RESULTS Four hundred and sixty-eight patients with gastric IM (mean age: 61.0 years ± 14.4 years, 55.5% female) and 171 without gastric IM (mean age: 48.8 years ± 20.8 years, 55.0% female) were compared. The endoscopic appearance of atrophic gastritis correlated with finding gastric IM on histopathology (OR = 2.05, P = 0.051). Gastric IM was associated with histologic findings of chronic gastritis (OR = 2.56, P < 0.001), gastric ulcer (OR = 6.97, P = 0.015), gastric dysplasia (OR = 6.11, P = 0.038), and gastric cancer (OR = 6.53, P = 0.027). Histologic findings of Barrett’s esophagus (OR = 0.28, P = 0.003) and esophageal dysplasia (OR = 0.11, P = 0.014) were inversely associated with gastric IM. Tobacco use (OR = 1.73, P = 0.005) was associated with gastric IM. CONCLUSION Patients who smoke or have the endoscopic finding of atrophic gastritis are more likely to have gastric IM and should have screening gastric biopsies during esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). Patients with gastric IM are at increased risk for having gastric dysplasia and cancer, and surveillance EGD with gastric biopsies in these patients might be reasonable. PMID:28250898

A 15-year review of the Stanford Internal Medicine Residency Program: predictors of resident satisfaction and dissatisfaction.

PubMed

Kahn, James S; Witteles, Ronald M; Mahaffey, Kenneth W; Desai, Sumbul A; Ozdalga, Errol; Heidenreich, Paul A

2017-01-01

Satisfaction with training and with educational experiences represents important internal medicine (IM) programmatic goals. Graduates from IM residency programs are uniquely poised to provide insights into their educational and training experiences and to assess whether these experiences were satisfactory and relevant to their current employment. We surveyed former IM residents from the training program held during the years 2000-2015 at the Department of Medicine, Stanford University. The first part of the survey reviewed the IM residency program and the second part sought identifying data regarding gender, race, ethnicity, work, relationships, and financial matters. The primary outcome was satisfaction with the residency experience. Of the 405 individuals who completed the Stanford IM residency program in the study period, we identified 384 (95%) former residents with a known email address. Two hundred and one (52%) former residents responded to the first part and 185 (48%) answered both the parts of the survey. The mean age of the respondents was 36.9 years; 44% were female and the mean time from IM residency was 6.1 (±4.3) years. Fifty-eight percent reported extreme satisfaction with their IM residency experience. Predictors associated with being less than extremely satisfied included insufficient outpatient experience, insufficient international experience, insufficient clinical research experience, and insufficient time spent with family and peers. The residents expressed an overall high satisfaction rate with their IM training. The survey results provided insights for improving satisfaction with IM residency training that includes diversifying and broadening IM training experiences.

A 15-year review of the Stanford Internal Medicine Residency Program: predictors of resident satisfaction and dissatisfaction

PubMed Central

Kahn, James S; Witteles, Ronald M; Mahaffey, Kenneth W; Desai, Sumbul A; Ozdalga, Errol; Heidenreich, Paul A

2017-01-01

Introduction Satisfaction with training and with educational experiences represents important internal medicine (IM) programmatic goals. Graduates from IM residency programs are uniquely poised to provide insights into their educational and training experiences and to assess whether these experiences were satisfactory and relevant to their current employment. Methods We surveyed former IM residents from the training program held during the years 2000–2015 at the Department of Medicine, Stanford University. The first part of the survey reviewed the IM residency program and the second part sought identifying data regarding gender, race, ethnicity, work, relationships, and financial matters. The primary outcome was satisfaction with the residency experience. Results Of the 405 individuals who completed the Stanford IM residency program in the study period, we identified 384 (95%) former residents with a known email address. Two hundred and one (52%) former residents responded to the first part and 185 (48%) answered both the parts of the survey. The mean age of the respondents was 36.9 years; 44% were female and the mean time from IM residency was 6.1 (±4.3) years. Fifty-eight percent reported extreme satisfaction with their IM residency experience. Predictors associated with being less than extremely satisfied included insufficient outpatient experience, insufficient international experience, insufficient clinical research experience, and insufficient time spent with family and peers. Conclusion The residents expressed an overall high satisfaction rate with their IM training. The survey results provided insights for improving satisfaction with IM residency training that includes diversifying and broadening IM training experiences. PMID:28814910

Time correlation between mononucleosis and initial symptoms of MS

PubMed Central

Endriz, John; Ho, Peggy P.

2017-01-01

Objective: To determine the average age of MS onset vs the age at which Epstein-Barr infection has previously occurred and stratify this analysis by sex and the blood level of Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1) antibody. Methods: Using infectious mononucleosis (IM) as a temporal marker in data from the Swedish epidemiologic investigation of MS, 259 adult IM/MS cases were identified and then augmented to account for “missing” childhood data so that the average age of MS onset could be determined for cases binned by age of IM (as stratified by sex and EBNA1 titer level). Results: Mean age of IM vs mean age of MS reveals a positive time correlation for all IM ages (from ∼5 to ∼30 years), with IM-to-MS delay decreasing with increased age. When bifurcated by sex or EBNA1 blood titer levels, males and high-titer subpopulations show even stronger positive time correlation, while females and low-titer populations show negative time correlation in early childhood (long IM/MS delay). The correlation becomes positive in females beyond puberty. Conclusions: IM/MS time correlation implies causality if IM is time random. Alternative confounding models seem implausible, in light of constraints imposed by time-invariant delay observed here. Childhood infection with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in females and/or those genetically prone to low EBNA1 blood titers will develop MS slowly. Males and/or high EBNA1-prone develop MS more rapidly following IM infection at all ages. For all, postpubescent EBV infection is critical for the initiation and rapid development of MS. PMID:28271078

Crystal Structure of the 25 kDa Subunit of Human Cleavage Factor I{m}

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

Coseno,M.; Martin, G.; Berger, C.

Cleavage factor Im is an essential component of the pre-messenger RNA 3'-end processing machinery in higher eukaryotes, participating in both the polyadenylation and cleavage steps. Cleavage factor Im is an oligomer composed of a small 25 kDa subunit (CF Im25) and a variable larger subunit of either 59, 68 or 72 kDa. The small subunit also interacts with RNA, poly(A) polymerase, and the nuclear poly(A)-binding protein. These protein-protein interactions are thought to be facilitated by the Nudix domain of CF Im25, a hydrolase motif with a characteristic {alpha}/{beta}/{alpha} fold and a conserved catalytic sequence or Nudix box. We present heremore » the crystal structures of human CF Im25 in its free and diadenosine tetraphosphate (Ap4A) bound forms at 1.85 and 1.80 Angstroms, respectively. CF Im25 crystallizes as a dimer and presents the classical Nudix fold. Results from crystallographic and biochemical experiments suggest that CF Im25 makes use of its Nudix fold to bind but not hydrolyze ATP and Ap4A. The complex and apo protein structures provide insight into the active oligomeric state of CF Im and suggest a possible role of nucleotide binding in either the polyadenylation and/or cleavage steps of pre-messenger RNA 3'-end processing.« less

Crystal structure of the 25 kDa subunit of human cleavage factor Im

PubMed Central

Coseno, Molly; Martin, Georges; Berger, Christopher; Gilmartin, Gregory; Keller, Walter; Doublié, Sylvie

2008-01-01

Cleavage factor Im is an essential component of the pre-messenger RNA 3′-end processing machinery in higher eukaryotes, participating in both the polyadenylation and cleavage steps. Cleavage factor Im is an oligomer composed of a small 25 kDa subunit (CF Im25) and a variable larger subunit of either 59, 68 or 72 kDa. The small subunit also interacts with RNA, poly(A) polymerase, and the nuclear poly(A)-binding protein. These protein–protein interactions are thought to be facilitated by the Nudix domain of CF Im25, a hydrolase motif with a characteristic α/β/α fold and a conserved catalytic sequence or Nudix box. We present here the crystal structures of human CF Im25 in its free and diadenosine tetraphosphate (Ap4A) bound forms at 1.85 and 1.80 Å, respectively. CF Im25 crystallizes as a dimer and presents the classical Nudix fold. Results from crystallographic and biochemical experiments suggest that CF Im25 makes use of its Nudix fold to bind but not hydrolyze ATP and Ap4A. The complex and apo protein structures provide insight into the active oligomeric state of CF Im and suggest a possible role of nucleotide binding in either the polyadenylation and/or cleavage steps of pre-messenger RNA 3′-end processing. PMID:18445629

Tissue oxygen partial pressure in the tibialis anterior muscle in patients with claudication before, during and after a two-stage treadmill stress test.

PubMed

Jung, F; Krüger, A; Pindur, G; Sternitzky, R; Franke, R P; Gori, T

2014-01-01

The role of the microcirculation in the pathophysiology and symptoms of peripheral arterial obliterative disease (PAOD) has been progressively emphasized during the past decades. Under resting conditions, already, the tissue oxygen partial pressure in the m. tibialis anterior (pO2im) is reduced to about 50% compared to healthy subjects. In the framework of this study the pO2im of patients with PAOD stage II according to Fontaine (n=16) in the m. tibialis anterior was measured under resting conditions and during walking on a treadmill in comparison to healthy subjects (n=10). Under resting conditions the pO2im only marginally differed between PAOD patients and healthy subjects. But during exercise the pO2im dropped significantly more severely in PAOD patients and a return to baseline values could only be reached when the treadmill was stopped and the patients stood still. The pO2im minima correlated clearly with the clinical symptom of calf pain. The data revealed that the pO2im values were lower in PAOD patients and dropped significantly faster during walking compared to the pO2im values in healthy subjects. The pO2im decrease correlated with the calf pain occurring when the pO2im values approached or fell below 10 mmHg.

Ethnic Minorities’ Impression Management in the Interview: Helping or Hindering?

PubMed Central

Derous, Eva

2017-01-01

Cross-cultural impression management (IM) has not been considered much, which is remarkable given the fast rate at which the labor market is becoming multicultural. This study investigated whether ethnic minorities and majorities differed in their preference for IM-tactics and how this affected ethnic minorities’ interview outcomes. A preliminary study (focus groups/survey) showed that ethnic minorities (i.e., Arab/Moroccans) preferred ‘entitlements’ whereas majorities (i.e., Flemish/Belgians) preferred ‘opinion conformity’ as IM-tactics. An experimental follow-up study among 163 ethnic majority raters showed no main effect of IM-tactics on interview ratings. Ethnic minorities’ use of IM-tactics only affected interview ratings if rater characteristics were considered. Specifically, interview ratings were higher when ethnic minorities used opinion conformity (i.e., majority-preferred IM-tactic) and lower when minorities used entitlements (i.e., minority-preferred IM-tactic) if recruiters were high in social dominance orientation, and when they felt more experienced/proficient with interviewing. IM-tactics are a human capital factor that might help applicants to increase their job chances on the labor market. It is concluded that ethnic minority applicants’ preferences for certain IM-tactics might lead to bias even in structured interview settings, but that this depends on ethnic majority recruiters’ interview experience and ingroup/outgroup attitudes. Implications for research and practice are discussed. PMID:28203211

Tonsillectomy and infectious mononucleosis.

PubMed

Sumaya, C V; Downey, K; Ullis, K C

1978-01-01

Tonsillar tissue may be the primary site of infection with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), the etiologic agent of classical infectious mononucleosis (IM). Therefore, a retrospective study of the association between tonsillectomy and IM was performed in a college student population. In the first part of the study, tonsillectomy rates were compared between 164 IM-positive students and 164 student controls who attended UCLA in 1972-1975. Although it was determined that the development of IM during college years was statistically less commin in tonsillectomized students, the difference was not inordinately large and probably had no significant biologic meaning. The authors speculate that the difference was due to the greater likelihood, and greater yield, in considering the diagnosis of IM in young adults with enlarged, inflamed tonsils. In support of this is the fact that IM-positive students who had received a prior tonsillectomy usually had the surgical procedure performed at a younger age than the control group. Conceivably, tonsillar ablation in the very young is more liable to result in incomplete removal and eventual regrowth of this tissue. Indeed, six IM-positive students who had received a tonsillectomy at six years of age or less were found to have exudate in tonsillar fossae or pillars during their IM episode. In the second part of the study, clinical and laboratory measures were found to be similar between a larger group of IM-positive students with or without a history of prior tonsillectomy.

TWO STARS TWO WAYS: CONFIRMING A MICROLENSING BINARY LENS SOLUTION WITH A SPECTROSCOPIC MEASUREMENT OF THE ORBIT

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

Yee, Jennifer C.; Johnson, John Asher; Eastman, Jason

Light curves of microlensing events involving stellar binaries and planetary systems can provide information about the orbital elements of the system due to orbital modulations of the caustic structure. Accurately measuring the orbit in either the stellar or planetary case requires detailed modeling of subtle deviations in the light curve. At the same time, the natural, Cartesian parameterization of a microlensing binary is partially degenerate with the microlens parallax. Hence, it is desirable to perform independent tests of the predictions of microlens orbit models using radial velocity (RV) time series of the lens binary system. To this end, we presentmore » 3.5 years of RV monitoring of the binary lens system OGLE-2009-BLG-020 L, for which Skowron et al. constrained all internal parameters of the 200–700 day orbit. Our RV measurements reveal an orbit that is consistent with the predictions of the microlens light curve analysis, thereby providing the first confirmation of orbital elements inferred from microlensing events.« less

A Possible Mechanism for Driving Oscillations in Hot Giant Planets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dederick, Ethan; Jackiewicz, Jason

2017-03-01

The κ-mechanism has been successful in explaining the origin of observed oscillations of many types of “classical” pulsating variable stars. Here we examine quantitatively if that same process is prominent enough to excite the potential global oscillations within Jupiter, whose energy flux is powered by gravitational collapse rather than nuclear fusion. Additionally, we examine whether external radiative forcing, I.e., starlight, could be a driver for global oscillations in hot Jupiters orbiting various main-sequence stars at defined orbital semimajor axes. Using planetary models generated by the Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics and nonadiabatic oscillation calculations, we confirm that Jovian oscillations cannot be driven via the κ-mechanism. However, we do show that, in hot Jupiters, oscillations can likely be excited via the suppression of radiative cooling due to external radiation given a large enough stellar flux and the absence of a significant oscillatory damping zone within the planet. This trend does not seem to be dependent on the planetary mass. In future observations, we can thus expect that such planets may be pulsating, thereby giving greater insight into the internal structure of these bodies.

Kepler Science Operations Center Architecture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Middour, Christopher; Klaus, Todd; Jenkins, Jon; Pletcher, David; Cote, Miles; Chandrasekaran, Hema; Wohler, Bill; Girouard, Forrest; Gunter, Jay P.; Uddin, Kamal;

An ultra-relativistic outflow from a neutron star accreting gas from a companion.

PubMed

Fender, Rob; Wu, Kinwah; Johnston, Helen; Tzioumis, Tasso; Jonker, Peter; Spencer, Ralph; Van Der Klis, Michiel

2004-01-15

Collimated relativistic outflows-also known as jets-are amongst the most energetic phenomena in the Universe. They are associated with supermassive black holes in distant active galactic nuclei, accreting stellar-mass black holes and neutron stars in binary systems and are believed to be responsible for gamma-ray bursts. The physics of these jets, however, remains something of a mystery in that their bulk velocities, compositions and energetics remain poorly determined. Here we report the discovery of an ultra-relativistic outflow from a neutron star accreting gas within a binary stellar system. The velocity of the outflow is comparable to the fastest-moving flows observed from active galactic nuclei, and its strength is modulated by the rate of accretion of material onto the neutron star. Shocks are energized further downstream in the flow, which are themselves moving at mildly relativistic bulk velocities and are the sites of the observed synchrotron emission from the jet. We conclude that the generation of highly relativistic outflows does not require properties that are unique to black holes, such as an event horizon.

Super-resolution technique for CW lidar using Fourier transform reordering and Richardson-Lucy deconvolution.

PubMed

Campbell, Joel F; Lin, Bing; Nehrir, Amin R; Harrison, F Wallace; Obland, Michael D

2014-12-15

An interpolation method is described for range measurements of high precision altimetry with repeating intensity modulated continuous wave (IM-CW) lidar waveforms using binary phase shift keying (BPSK), where the range profile is determined by means of a cross-correlation between the digital form of the transmitted signal and the digitized return signal collected by the lidar receiver. This method uses reordering of the array elements in the frequency domain to convert a repeating synthetic pulse signal to single highly interpolated pulse. This is then enhanced further using Richardson-Lucy deconvolution to greatly enhance the resolution of the pulse. We show the sampling resolution and pulse width can be enhanced by about two orders of magnitude using the signal processing algorithms presented, thus breaking the fundamental resolution limit for BPSK modulation of a particular bandwidth and bit rate. We demonstrate the usefulness of this technique for determining cloud and tree canopy thicknesses far beyond this fundamental limit in a lidar not designed for this purpose.

Optical filter requirements in an EML-based single-sideband PAM4 intensity-modulation and direct-detection transmission system.

PubMed

Chen, Hsing-Yu; Kaneda, Noriaki; Lee, Jeffrey; Chen, Jyehong; Chen, Young-Kai

2017-03-20

The feasibility of a single sideband (SSB) PAM4 intensity-modulation and direct-detection (IM/DD) transmission based on a CMOS ADC and DAC is experimentally demonstrated in this work. To cost effectively build a >50 Gb/s system as well as to extend the transmission distance, a low cost EML and a passive optical filter are utilized to generate the SSB signal. However, the EML-induced chirp and dispersion-induced power fading limit the requirements of the SSB filter. To separate the effect of signal-signal beating interference, filters with different roll-off factors are employed to demonstrate the performance tolerance at different transmission distance. Moreover, a high resolution spectrum analysis is proposed to depict the system limitation. Experimental results show that a minimum roll-off factor of 7 dB/10GHz is required to achieve a 51.84Gb/s 40-km transmission with only linear feed-forward equalization.

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

Webb, Ian K.; Garimella, Sandilya V. B.; Tolmachev, Aleksey V.

A Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations (SLIM) module that allows ion mobility separations and the switching of ions between alternative drift paths is described. The SLIM switch component has a “Tee” configuration and allows switching of ions between a linear path and a 90-degree bend. By controlling switching times, ions can be deflected to an alternative channel as a function of their mobilities. In the initial evaluation the switch is used in a static mode and shown compatible with high performance ion mobility separations at 4 torr. In the “dynamic mode” we show that mobility-selected ions can be switched intomore » the alternative channel, and that various ion species can be independently selected based on their mobilities for time-of-flight mass spectrometer (TOF MS) IMS detection and mass analysis. Ultimately, this development also provides the basis for e.g. the selection of specific mobilities for storage and accumulation, and key modules for the assembly of SLIM devices enabling much more complex sequences of ion manipulations.« less

Analysis of different sub-carrier allocation of M-ary QAM-OFDM downlink in RoF system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shao, Yu-feng; Chen, Luo; Wang, An-rong; Zhao, Yun-jie; Long, Ying; Ji, Xing-ping

2018-01-01

In this paper, the performance of a 60 GHz radio over fiber (RoF) system with 4/16/64 quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) downstream signals is studied. Delivery of 10 Gbit/s M-ary QAM (MQAM) OFDM signals through the 20-km-long single-mode fiber (SMF) is complicated in terms of intensity modulation and direct detection (IM/DD). Using self-homodyne method, the beating of two independent light waves generating the millimeter-wave at the photodetector can be down-converted to baseband in the electrical domain. Meanwhile, three kinds of sub-carrier arrangement schemes are compared and discussed, and the simulation results show that lower peak-to-average power ratio ( PAPR) can be obtained adopting the adjacent scheme. At bit error rate ( BER) of 10-3, the receiver sensitivity using 4QAM-OFDM sub-carrier signal is almost enhanced by 4 dB and 9 dB compared with those of 16QAM-OFDM signal and 64QAM-OFDM signal.

Open source clustering software.

PubMed

de Hoon, M J L; Imoto, S; Nolan, J; Miyano, S

2004-06-12

We have implemented k-means clustering, hierarchical clustering and self-organizing maps in a single multipurpose open-source library of C routines, callable from other C and C++ programs. Using this library, we have created an improved version of Michael Eisen's well-known Cluster program for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux/Unix. In addition, we generated a Python and a Perl interface to the C Clustering Library, thereby combining the flexibility of a scripting language with the speed of C. The C Clustering Library and the corresponding Python C extension module Pycluster were released under the Python License, while the Perl module Algorithm::Cluster was released under the Artistic License. The GUI code Cluster 3.0 for Windows, Macintosh and Linux/Unix, as well as the corresponding command-line program, were released under the same license as the original Cluster code. The complete source code is available at http://bonsai.ims.u-tokyo.ac.jp/mdehoon/software/cluster. Alternatively, Algorithm::Cluster can be downloaded from CPAN, while Pycluster is also available as part of the Biopython distribution.

Die physikalischen Umweltwissenschaften und das Militär Zur Erforschung Grönlands im Kalten Krieg

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heymann, Matthias

Die modernen Umweltwissenschaften stehen heute im Mittelpunkt von Forschungsförderung und öffentlicher Aufmerksamkeit. Im Zuge des seit den 1970er Jahren erwachten Interesses am globalen Wandel der Umwelt und den damit verknüpften Problemen, ist ihre Bedeutung rasch gestiegen. Viele Wurzeln der modernen Umweltwissenschaften liegen jedoch im Kalten Krieg.

40 CFR 52.2348 - National Highway Systems Designation Act Motor Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance (I/M) Programs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 4 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false National Highway Systems Designation Act Motor Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance (I/M) Programs. 52.2348 Section 52.2348 Protection of... and Maintenance (I/M) Programs. (a) On March 15, 1996 the Governor of Utah submitted a revised I/M...

40 CFR 52.2348 - National Highway Systems Designation Act Motor Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance (I/M) Programs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 4 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false National Highway Systems Designation Act Motor Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance (I/M) Programs. 52.2348 Section 52.2348 Protection of... and Maintenance (I/M) Programs. (a) On March 15, 1996 the Governor of Utah submitted a revised I/M...

Flexible Authoring and Delivery of Online Courses Using IMS Learning Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hermans, Henry; Janssen, José; Koper, Rob

2016-01-01

Since the publication of the IMS Learning Design (IMS LD) specification in 2003, many initiatives have been undertaken to build authoring tools that are simple enough to be used by non-technical instructors and teachers. IMS LD's technical complexity is believed to be a major burden for the adoption of the specification. We have developed a new…

Infectious mononucleosis-like syndrome probably attributable to Coxsackie A virus infection.

PubMed

Cunha, Burke A; Mickail, Nardeen; Petelin, Andrew P

2012-01-01

Infectious mononucleosis (IM) is a clinical syndrome most often attributable to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Characteristic clinical features of EBV IM include bilateral upper lid edema, exudative or nonexudative pharyngitis, bilateral posterior cervical adenopathy, and splenomegaly ± maculopapular rash. Laboratory features of EBV IM include atypical lymphocytes and elevated levels of serum transaminases. Leukopenia and thrombocytopenia are not uncommon. The syndrome of IM may also be attributable to other infectious diseases, eg, cytomegalovirus (CMV), human herpes virus-6 (HHV-6), or Toxoplasma gondii. Less commonly, viral hepatitis, leptospirosis, brucellosis, or parvovirus B(19) may present as an IM-like infection. To the best of our knowledge, only 2 cases of IM-like infections attributable to Coxsackie B viruses (B(3) and B(4)) have been reported. We present the first reported case of an IM-like syndrome with sore throat, fatigue, atypical lymphocytes, and elevated levels of serum transaminases likely due to Coxsackie A in an immunocompetent adult. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Perceived control and intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation for oral self-care: a full factorial experimental test of theory-based persuasive messages.

PubMed

Staunton, Liam; Gellert, Paul; Knittle, Keegan; Sniehotta, Falko F

2015-04-01

Correlational evidence suggests that perceived control (PC) and intrinsic motivation (IM), key constructs in social cognitive and self-determination theories, may interact to reinforce behavior change. This proof-of-principle study examines the independent and synergistic effects of interventions to increase PC and IM upon dental flossing frequency. University students (n = 185) were randomized in a 2 × 2 full factorial design to receive two computer-based interventions: one to either increase or decrease PC and another to increase either IM or extrinsic motivation. These constructs were measured immediately post-intervention; flossing behavior was measured 1 week later. The interventions to increase PC and PC/IM had main and interaction effects on flossing, respectively. The PC/IM interaction effect was mediated by increases in PC and IM. Combining interventions to increase PC and IM seems to be a promising avenue of research, which has implications for both theory and intervention development.

Comparison of Different Ion Mobility Setups Using Poly (Ethylene Oxide) PEO Polymers: Drift Tube, TIMS, and T-Wave

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haler, Jean R. N.; Massonnet, Philippe; Chirot, Fabien; Kune, Christopher; Comby-Zerbino, Clothilde; Jordens, Jan; Honing, Maarten; Mengerink, Ynze; Far, Johann; Dugourd, Philippe; De Pauw, Edwin

2018-01-01

Over the years, polymer analyses using ion mobility-mass spectrometry (IM-MS) measurements have been performed on different ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) setups. In order to be able to compare literature data taken on different IM(-MS) instruments, ion heating and ion temperature evaluations have already been explored. Nevertheless, extrapolations to other analytes are difficult and thus straightforward same-sample instrument comparisons seem to be the only reliable way to make sure that the different IM(-MS) setups do not greatly change the gas-phase behavior. We used a large range of degrees of polymerization (DP) of poly(ethylene oxide) PEO homopolymers to measure IMS drift times on three different IM-MS setups: a homemade drift tube (DT), a trapped (TIMS), and a traveling wave (T-Wave) IMS setup. The drift time evolutions were followed for increasing polymer DPs (masses) and charge states, and they are found to be comparable and reproducible on the three instruments. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

MODULES FOR EXPERIMENTS IN STELLAR ASTROPHYSICS (MESA): BINARIES, PULSATIONS, AND EXPLOSIONS

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

Paxton, Bill; Bildsten, Lars; Cantiello, Matteo

We substantially update the capabilities of the open-source software instrument Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA). MESA can now simultaneously evolve an interacting pair of differentially rotating stars undergoing transfer and loss of mass and angular momentum, greatly enhancing the prior ability to model binary evolution. New MESA capabilities in fully coupled calculation of nuclear networks with hundreds of isotopes now allow MESA to accurately simulate the advanced burning stages needed to construct supernova progenitor models. Implicit hydrodynamics with shocks can now be treated with MESA, enabling modeling of the entire massive star lifecycle, from pre-main-sequence evolution to themore » onset of core collapse and nucleosynthesis from the resulting explosion. Coupling of the GYRE non-adiabatic pulsation instrument with MESA allows for new explorations of the instability strips for massive stars while also accelerating the astrophysical use of asteroseismology data. We improve the treatment of mass accretion, giving more accurate and robust near-surface profiles. A new MESA capability to calculate weak reaction rates “on-the-fly” from input nuclear data allows better simulation of accretion induced collapse of massive white dwarfs and the fate of some massive stars. We discuss the ongoing challenge of chemical diffusion in the strongly coupled plasma regime, and exhibit improvements in MESA that now allow for the simulation of radiative levitation of heavy elements in hot stars. We close by noting that the MESA software infrastructure provides bit-for-bit consistency for all results across all the supported platforms, a profound enabling capability for accelerating MESA's development.« less

The Astrophysics of Visible-light Orbital Phase Curves in the Space Age

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shporer, Avi

2017-07-01

The field of visible-light continuous time series photometry is now at its golden age, manifested by the continuum of past (CoRoT, Kepler), present (K2), and future (TESS, PLATO) space-based surveys delivering high precision data with a long baseline for a large number of stars. The availability of the high-quality data has enabled astrophysical studies not possible before, including, for example, detailed asteroseismic investigations and the study of the exoplanet census including small planets. This has also allowed to study the minute photometric variability following the orbital motion in stellar binaries and star-planet systems which is the subject of this review. We focus on systems with a main sequence primary and a low-mass secondary, from a small star to a massive planet. The orbital modulations are induced by a combination of gravitational and atmospheric processes, including the beaming effect, tidal ellipsoidal distortion, reflected light, and thermal emission. Therefore, the phase curve shape contains information about the companion’s mass and atmospheric characteristics, making phase curves a useful astrophysical tool. For example, phase curves can be used to detect and measure the mass of short-period low-mass companions orbiting hot fast-rotating stars out of reach of other detection methods. Another interesting application of phase curves is using the orbital phase modulations to look for non-transiting systems, which comprise the majority of stellar binary and star-planet systems. We discuss the science done with phase curves, the first results obtained so far, and the current difficulties and open questions related to this young and evolving subfield.

Modelling the RV jitter of early-M dwarfs using tomographic imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hébrard, É. M.; Donati, J.-F.; Delfosse, X.; Morin, J.; Moutou, C.; Boisse, I.

2016-09-01

In this paper, we show how tomographic imaging (Zeeman-Doppler imaging, ZDI) can be used to characterize stellar activity and magnetic field topologies, ultimately allowing us to filter out the radial velocity (RV) activity jitter of M dwarf moderate rotators. This work is based on spectropolarimetric observations of a sample of five weakly active early-M dwarfs (GJ 205, GJ 358, GJ 410, GJ 479, GJ 846) with HARPS-Pol and NARVAL. These stars have v sin I and RV jitters in the range 1-2 km s-1 and 2.7-10.0 m s-1 rms, respectively. Using a modified version of ZDI applied to sets of phase-resolved least-squares deconvolved profiles of unpolarized spectral lines, we are able to characterize the distribution of active regions at the stellar surfaces. We find that dark spots cover less than 2 per cent of the total surface of the stars of our sample. Our technique is efficient at modelling the rotationally modulated component of the activity jitter, and succeeds at decreasing the amplitude of this component by typical factors of 2-3 and up to 6 in optimal cases. From the rotationally modulated time series of circularly polarized spectra and with ZDI, we also reconstruct the large-scale magnetic field topology. These fields suggest that bistability of dynamo processes observed in active M dwarfs may also be at work for moderately active M dwarfs. Comparing spot distributions with field topologies suggest that dark spots causing activity jitter concentrate at the magnetic pole and/or equator, to be confirmed with future data on a larger sample.

MALDI Imaging Mass Spectrometry—A Mini Review of Methods and Recent Developments

PubMed Central

Eriksson, Cecilia; Masaki, Noritaka; Yao, Ikuko; Hayasaka, Takahiro; Setou, Mitsutoshi

2013-01-01

As the only imaging method available, Imaging Mass Spectrometry (IMS) can determine both the identity and the distribution of hundreds of molecules on tissue sections, all in one single run. IMS is becoming an established research technology, and due to recent technical and methodological improvements the interest in this technology is increasing steadily and within a wide range of scientific fields. Of the different IMS methods available, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) IMS is the most commonly employed. The course at IMSC 2012 in Kyoto covered the fundamental principles and techniques of MALDI-IMS, assuming no previous experience in IMS. This mini review summarizes the content of the one-day course and describes some of the most recent work performed within this research field. PMID:24349941

Cancer incidence following infectious mononucleosis.

PubMed

Carter, C D; Brown, T M; Herbert, J T; Heath, C W

1977-01-01

By means of a mailed questionnaire, the investigators examined the incidence of cancer among 2282 former college students in whom heterophile-positive infectious mononucleosis (IM) was diagnosed between 1949 and 1969 at five U.S. universities. Cancer incidence among these IM cases was compared both with national incidence rates and with an age and sex-matched group of 2779 non-IM students. No significant increase in cancer incidence was found. Three cases of Hodgkin's disease (HD) had occurred in the IM group (1.3 cases expected) and one case in the control group. All three post-IM cases of HD were in males. Intervals between diagnoses of IM and HD were three, four, and seven years, respectively. Only two other cases of lymphoma or leukemia were observed, and both were in the control group.

BOOK REVIEW: Stellarator and Heliotron Devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, John L.

1999-02-01

Stellarators and tokamaks are the most advanced devices that have been developed for magnetic fusion applications. The two approaches have much in common; tokamaks have received the most attention because their axisymmetry justifies the use of simpler models and provides a more forgiving geometry. However, recent advances in treating more complicated three dimensional systems have made it possible to design stellarators that are not susceptible to disruptions and do not need plasma current control. This has excited interest recently. The two largest new magnetic experiments in the world are the LHD device, which commenced operation in Toki, Japan, in 1998 and W7-X, which should become operational in Greifswald, Germany, in 2004. Other recently commissioned stellarators, including H-1 in Canberra, Australia, TJ-II in Madrid, Spain, and IMS in Madison, Wisconsin, have joined these in rejuvenating the stellarator programme. Thus, it is most appropriate that the author has made the lecture material that he presents to his students in the Graduate School of Energy Science at Kyoto University available to everyone. Stellarator and Heliotron Devices provides an excellent treatment of stellarator theory. It is aimed at graduate students who have a good understanding of classical mechanics and mathematical techniques. It contains good descriptions and derivations of essentially every aspect of fusion theory. The author provides an excellent qualitative introduction to each subject, pointing out the strengths and weaknesses of the models that are being used and describing our present understanding. He judiciously uses simple models which illustrate the similarities and differences between stellarators and tokamaks. To some extent the treatment is uneven, rigorous derivations starting with basic principles being given in some cases and relations and equations taken from the original papers being used as a starting point in others. This technique provides an excellent training ground for students without detracting from the usefulness of the book for knowledgeable fusion physicists. After a short, somewhat historical, introduction, Chapter 2 contains a good treatment of the basic properties of a toroidal magnetic configuration (the concepts of magnetic surfaces, rotational transform, shear and magnetic wells), averaging techniques which can often be used to simplify the calculations, helically invariant configurations, magnetic islands and line tracing techniques. Derivations and discussions of the basic tools of plasma theory, including the Vlasov equation, magnetohydrodynamic equations and their reduced form for low-β, large aspect ratio systems, properties of MHD waves, the drift kinetic equation and transport equations, are given in Chapter 3. Chapter 4 contains a good treatment of MHD equilibria, including a derivation of the three dimensional Grad-Shafranov equation, a discussion of the calculation of equilibria with a planar magnetic axis with both averaged equations and a variational approach, a comparison of the results of the two techniques, a formulation for stellarators with a helical magnetic axis and a good discussion of the Pfirsch-Schlüter current. The treatment of MHD instabilities in Chapter 5 is also excellent. It starts with a good derivation and discussion of the energy principle, gives a detailed treatment of ballooning modes where the wavelengths of the perturbation perpendicular to the field are short while those along B are long and derives the Mercier criterion from the ballooning mode equation. I personally prefer to obtain this criterion by making the low mode number assumption that dξ/dΨ>>dξ/dθ approx dξ/dζ, since non-ideal effects such as finite gyration radius corrections may provide less stabilization to these modes. A careful treatment of the resistive interchange mode is followed by a discussion of the role of localized stability criteria in the analysis of experiment and design studies, a study of Pfirsch-Schlüter current driven magnetic islands and the interpretation of sawtooth instabilities in Heliotron E. The treatment of particle orbits in Chapter 6 includes a derivation of drift equations, a discussion of the characteristics of trapped particle confinement in a heliotron and one of the Monte Carlo method for studying transport phenomena. A good treatment of neoclassical transport in a stellarator, with emphasis on the relation between parallel viscosity driven fluxes and bootstrap current, is given in Chapter 7. This is the best treatment I have found, outside of the original references, but it is still demanding. In addition, a radial electric field is introduced into the energy transport equations. The treatment of heating and confinement of heliotron plasmas in Chapter 8 is a good combination of providing results from experiments on the Heliotron E and DR heliotrons and the ATF and CHS stellarators and showing how theoretical interpretation is formulated. The discussions of ray tracing and energy absorption for both ECRH and ICRF heating techniques, as well as a treatment of neutral beam injection, are very clear. Measurements of bootstrap current and plasma rotation, as well as the density limits associated with pellet injection, are discussed. The chapter ends with a discussion of what may be the author's favourite topic, pressure gradient driven turbulence, in which he describes mixing length and scale invariance techniques. Finally, a discussion of the characteristics of a steady state fusion reactor, including a treatment of the containment, slowing down and energy transfer of the alpha particles, one of the toroidal Alfvén modes driven by these particles and some physics of divertors are given in Chapter 9. A reviewer is usually expected to find some faults. I had no problem in finding one as soon as I received the book: indeed, I did not like its title. I have always maintained that Lyman Spitzer defined a stellarator as any toroidal device in which the rotational transform is generated by coils outside the plasma, either through imposition of a helical magnetic axis as in a figure-8 stellarator or a heliac, or through the generation of helical magnetic fields, as in a classical stellarator, a torsatron or a quasi-helical stellarator such as W7-X. The author notes that the heliotron (as it was invented by Uo in Japan) is the same as the torsatron (first proposed by Gourdon and his colleagues in Europe) in his introduction, but cannot bring himself to ignore Uo's desire to maintain a distinction between stellarators and heliotrons. Enough typographical errors are present to make one have to be careful before relying on the book for specific formulas. Nevertheless, it will prove to be a useful reference. I have always respected the author for the quality of students he produces. He provides a list of some of them in the preface, which justifies this opinion. These students are a good demonstration of the usefulness of this book.

Family ties of WR to LBV nebulae yielding clues for stellar evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weis, K.

Luminous Blue Variables (LBVs) are stars is a transitional phase massive stars may enter while evolving from main-sequence to Wolf-Rayet stars. The to LBVs intrinsic photometric variability is based on the modulation of the stellar spectrum. Within a few years the spectrum shifts from OB to AF type and back. During their cool phase LBVs are close to the Humphreys-Davidson (equivalent to Eddington/Omega-Gamma) limit. LBVs have a rather high mass loss rate, with stellar winds that are fast in the hot and slower in the cool phase of an LBV. These alternating wind velocities lead to the formation of LBV nebulae by wind-wind interactions. A nebula can also be formed in a spontaneous giant eruption in which larger amounts of mass are ejected. LBV nebulae are generally small (< 5 pc) mainly gaseous circumstellar nebulae, with a rather large fraction of LBV nebulae being bipolar. After the LBV phase the star will turn into a Wolf-Rayet star, but note that not all WR stars need to have passed the LBV phase. Some follow from the RSG and the most massive directly from the MS phase. In general WRs have a large mass loss and really fast stellar winds. The WR wind may interact with winds of earlier phases (MS, RSG) to form WR nebulae. As for WR with LBV progenitors the scenario might be different, here no older wind is present but an LBV nebula! The nature of WR nebulae are therefore manifold and in particular the connection (or family ties) of WR to LBV nebulae is important to understand the transition between these two phases, the evolution of massive stars, their winds, wind-wind and wind-nebula interactions. Looking at the similarities and differences of LBV and WR nebula, figuring what is a genuine LBV and WR nebula are the basic question addressed in the analysis presented here.

The optimally sampled galaxy-wide stellar initial mass function. Observational tests and the publicly available GalIMF code

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Zhiqiang; Jerabkova, Tereza; Kroupa, Pavel

2017-11-01

Here we present a full description of the integrated galaxy-wide initial mass function (IGIMF) theory in terms of the optimal sampling and compare it with available observations. Optimal sampling is the method we use to discretize the IMF deterministically into stellar masses. Evidence indicates that nature may be closer to deterministic sampling as observations suggest a smaller scatter of various relevant observables than random sampling would give, which may result from a high level of self-regulation during the star formation process. We document the variation of IGIMFs under various assumptions. The results of the IGIMF theory are consistent with the empirical relation between the total mass of a star cluster and the mass of its most massive star, and the empirical relation between the star formation rate (SFR) of a galaxy and the mass of its most massive cluster. Particularly, we note a natural agreement with the empirical relation between the IMF power-law index and the SFR of a galaxy. The IGIMF also results in a relation between the SFR of a galaxy and the mass of its most massive star such that, if there were no binaries, galaxies with SFR < 10-4M⊙/yr should host no Type II supernova events. In addition, a specific list of initial stellar masses can be useful in numerical simulations of stellar systems. For the first time, we show optimally sampled galaxy-wide IMFs (OSGIMF) that mimic the IGIMF with an additional serrated feature. Finally, a Python module, GalIMF, is provided allowing the calculation of the IGIMF and OSGIMF dependent on the galaxy-wide SFR and metallicity. A copy of the python code model is available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (http://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/607/A126

Sarcoplasmic reticulum buffering of myoplasmic calcium in bovine coronary artery smooth muscle.

PubMed Central

Sturek, M; Kunda, K; Hu, Q

1992-01-01

1. We tested the hypothesis that the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) buffers (attenuates) the increase in averaged myoplasmic free [Ca2+] (Ca(im)) resulting from Ca2+ influx. 2. Fura-2 measurements of Ca(im) were obtained in single smooth muscle cells freshly dispersed from bovine coronary artery. 3. Caffeine (5 x 10(-3) M) elicited a transient increase in Ca(im) and depleted the SR Ca2+ store. In the continued presence of caffeine or 10(-5) M-ryanodine SR buffering of Ca(im) was inhibited. Subsequent exposure to high extracellular [K+] (greater than 30 mM, equimolar Na+ removal) elicited a 2-fold more rapid and 2-fold greater peak increase in Ca(im) than high K+ elicited when SR buffering of Ca(im) was normal. The augmented increase in Ca(im) was inhibited 35% by 10(-5) M-diltiazem, 65% by 2 x 10(-4) M-LaCl3, and 87% in Ca(2+)-free external solution. 4. When Ca(im) buffering capacity was increased by partially depleting the SR with a transient (1 min) exposure to caffeine, subsequent exposure to 80 nM-K+ solution increased Ca(im) almost 2-fold more slowly than 80 mM-K+ before depletion of Ca2+ from the SR. However, the influxing Ca2+ was sequestered by the SR and refilled it, as evident by the subsequent caffeine-induced Ca(im) transient being identical to the first. Increasing extracellular [K+] (thus, increasing depolarization and Na+ removal) caused proportional increases in Ca(im) and the subsequent caffeine-induced Ca(im) transients were proportionally larger, indicating a graded filling of the SR by Ca2+ influx. 5. Diltiazem (10(-5) M) inhibited the refilling of the SR achieved by 80 mM-K+, by 26%. Refilling was inhibited 76% by 80 mM-K+, Ca(2+)-free solution, indicating the fraction of refilling dependent on influx of Ca2+ through voltage-gated Ca2+ channels, leak channels, and other influx pathways. Mild depolarization with 35 mM-K+ (no Na+ removal) often caused no increase in Ca(im), but influx through voltage-gated Ca2+ channels occurred because the SR Ca2+ store was refilled. Also, 10(-5) M-diltiazem or 10(-6) M-TA3090 inhibited the refilling to levels attributable only to leak influx of Ca2+. 6. All data support our hypothesis that the SR significantly attenuates the amount of Ca2+ influx that accumulates to increase Ca(im).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS) PMID:1403813

Impact of Dispersion Slope on SPM Degradation in WDM Systems With High Channel Count

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luí; S, Ruben S.; Cartaxo, Adolfo V. T.

2005-11-01

Dispersion management design in wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) intensity modulation-direct detection (IM-DD) systems is often difficult due to the complex relation between the dispersion-management parameters (inline and total residual dispersion) and nonlinear impairments, such as cross-phase modulation (XPM). In this paper, we investigate the dependence of the XPM degradation on the dispersion-management parameters of a two-channel system. Afterwards, the XPM degradation on systems with high channel count (161 channels) is analytically evaluated, and the observed behaviors are explained using the results obtained with a two-channel system. In the absence of dispersion-slope compensation (DSC), significant differences in the XPM degradation of different channels in the same system are shown. Such differences result mainly from the strong dependence of the phase-modulation-to-intensity-modulation conversion of the XPM on the dispersion-management parameters of each channel. Due to this dependence, numerical results show that, unlike systems without dispersion compensation (DC), the XPM degradation may increase steadily with the channel count, and the worst-case channel may not be the center channel of the transmitted band. DSC allows a remarkable equalization of the XPM degradation along the transmitted band, facilitating dispersion-management planning. However, variations of the dispersion parameter and excessive residual dispersion that is not compensated may still induce a tilt of the XPM degradation along the transmitted band.

Building Adaptive Game-Based Learning Resources: The Integration of IMS Learning Design and

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burgos, Daniel; Moreno-Ger, Pablo; Sierra, Jose Luis; Fernandez-Manjon, Baltasar; Specht, Marcus; Koper, Rob

2008-01-01

IMS Learning Design (IMS-LD) is a specification to create units of learning (UoLs), which express a certain pedagogical model or strategy (e.g., adaptive learning with games). However, the authoring process of a UoL remains difficult because of the lack of high-level authoring tools for IMS-LD, even more so when the focus is on specific topics,…

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

LaFreniere, Lorraine M.

The CCC/USDA is currently implementing a KDHE-approved interim measure (IM) to address the contamination identified on its former property. This source control IM consists of large-diameter boreholes coupled with soil vapor extraction (SVE) and air sparging (AS). The CCC/USDA completed installation of the IM in May 2009. Assessment of the performance and effectiveness of the IM is being reported separately. Pro-Ag is conducting its own site investigation (KDHE 2011c).

Inductive System Monitors Tasks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2008-01-01

The Inductive Monitoring System (IMS) software developed at Ames Research Center uses artificial intelligence and data mining techniques to build system-monitoring knowledge bases from archived or simulated sensor data. This information is then used to detect unusual or anomalous behavior that may indicate an impending system failure. Currently helping analyze data from systems that help fly and maintain the space shuttle and the International Space Station (ISS), the IMS has also been employed by data classes are then used to build a monitoring knowledge base. In real time, IMS performs monitoring functions: determining and displaying the degree of deviation from nominal performance. IMS trend analyses can detect conditions that may indicate a failure or required system maintenance. The development of IMS was motivated by the difficulty of producing detailed diagnostic models of some system components due to complexity or unavailability of design information. Successful applications have ranged from real-time monitoring of aircraft engine and control systems to anomaly detection in space shuttle and ISS data. IMS was used on shuttle missions STS-121, STS-115, and STS-116 to search the Wing Leading Edge Impact Detection System (WLEIDS) data for signs of possible damaging impacts during launch. It independently verified findings of the WLEIDS Mission Evaluation Room (MER) analysts and indicated additional points of interest that were subsequently investigated by the MER team. In support of the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate, IMS is being deployed as an anomaly detection tool on ISS mission control consoles in the Johnson Space Center Mission Operations Directorate. IMS has been trained to detect faults in the ISS Control Moment Gyroscope (CMG) systems. In laboratory tests, it has already detected several minor anomalies in real-time CMG data. When tested on archived data, IMS was able to detect precursors of the CMG1 failure nearly 15 hours in advance of the actual failure event. In the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, IMS successfully performed real-time engine health analysis. IMS was able to detect simulated failures and actual engine anomalies in an F/A-18 aircraft during the course of 25 test flights. IMS is also being used in colla

Inversion of H/V in layered media from seismic ambient noise based on the diffuse field theory and on improved calculation of Green functions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sánchez-Sesma, Francisco J.; Piña, José; García-Jerez, Antonio; Luzón, Francisco; Perton, Mathieu

2014-05-01

The microtremor H/V spectral ratio (MHVSR) is widely used to assess the dominant frequency of soil sites. Measurements are relatively simple as only one station is needed. It has been recently proposed a theoretical basis linking ambient noise vibrations with diffuse field theory. In this theory the directional energy density computed as the average spectral density of motion at a point, is proportional to the imaginary part of Green function at the observation point. Appropriate normalization is crucial to make the experimental spectral ratios closer to the theoretical counterpart. According to this theory the square of H/V is twice the ratio ImG11 / ImG33, where ImG11 and ImG33 are the imaginary part of Green functions at the load point for horizontal and vertical components, respectively. In order to efficiently compute the imaginary part of Green's functions in a layered medium we start from an integral on the complex k plane and, using Harkrider's nomenclature, separate formulae for body-, Rayleigh-, and Love-wave components to the spectral densities are obtained. Then the poles allow for integration using the Cauchy residue theorem plus some contributions from branch integrals. It is possible to isolate pseudo reflections from ImG11 and thus constrain the inversion of soil profile. We assess ImG11 removing the influence of illumination spectrum using the H/V spectral ratio and an estimate of ImG33 (from an a priori model) by means of ImG11=0.5(H/V )2*ImG33. It has been found that ImG33 is less sensitive to details of stratigraphy. In fact, the Poisson ratio of the uppermost layer controls the slope in high frequency. With the obtained model ImG33 can be updated and the estimate of ImG11 will be improved. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. This research has been partially supported by DGAPA-UNAM under Project IN104712, by the MINECO research project CGL2010-16250, Spain, by the EU with FEDER, and the AXA Research Fund.

Sensitivity and specificity of the online version of ImPACT in high school and collegiate athletes.

PubMed

Schatz, Philip; Sandel, Natalie

2013-02-01

The utility of postconcussion neurocognitive testing versus symptom data has been debated. The sensitivity of the desktop version of the Immediate Post-concussion assessment and cognitive testing (ImPACT) tool has been documented, but psychometric properties of the recently released online version of ImPACT have yet to be fully established. To document the sensitivity of the online ImPACT version in samples of (1) symptomatic concussed (high school and collegiate) athletes, and (2) asymptomatic concussed (high school and collegiate) athletes suspected of hiding their concussions. Cohort study; level of evidence, 3. A total of 81 athletes observed to sustain a concussion by a certified athletic trainer or team physician, a finding that was confirmed with reported postconcussion symptoms, completed the ImPACT test within 3 days of injury. Data were compared with an independent sample of 81 athletes who completed preseason baseline cognitive assessments using ImPACT and who were matched (with concussed athletes) on the basis of sex, age, sport, concussion history, and absence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and learning disability. An independent group of 37 athletes who were also observed to sustain a concussion completed ImPACT within 3 days of injury. These athletes reported no postconcussion symptoms but were noted for suspected invalid response patterns on ImPACT (impulse control index >30 and verbal memory index <69%). The subscale data from the assessments (excluding those contributing to the aforementioned indices) were compared with a matched sample of 37 athletes who completed preseason baseline cognitive assessments in ImPACT (using the same criteria described above). Data from the ImPACT online version yielded 91.4% sensitivity and 69.1% specificity. For asymptomatic athletes suspected of hiding their concussion, data from ImPACT yielded 94.6% sensitivity and 97.3% specificity. The online version of the ImPACT tool is a valid measure of neurocognitive performance at the acute stages of concussion, with high levels of sensitivity and specificity, even when athletes appear to be denying postconcussion symptoms.

Potential Cost-Effectiveness of an Influenza Vaccination Program Offering Microneedle Patch for Vaccine Delivery in Children.

PubMed

Wong, Carlos; Jiang, Minghuan; You, Joyce H S

2016-01-01

The influenza vaccine coverage rate of children is low in Hong Kong. Microneedle patches (MNPs) is a technology under development for painless delivery of vaccines. This study aimed to examine the potential clinical outcomes and direct medical costs of an influenza program offering MNP vaccine to children who have declined intramuscular (IM) vaccine in Hong Kong. A decision model was designed to compare potential outcomes between IM vaccine program and a program offering MNP vaccine to those declined IM vaccine (IM/MNP program) in a hypothetical cohort of children over one-year time horizon. The model outcomes included direct medical cost, influenza infection rate, mortality rate, and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) loss. Model inputs were retrieved from published literature. Sensitivity analyses were performed to examine the robustness of model results. In base-case analysis, IM/MNP program was more costly per child (USD19.13 versus USD13.69; USD1 = HKD7.8) with lower influenza infection rate (98.9 versus 124.8 per 1,000 children), hospitalization rate (0.83 versus 1.05 per 1,000 children) and influenza-related mortality rate (0.00042 versus 0.00052 per 1,000 children) when compared to IM program. The incremental cost per QALY saved (ICER) of IM/MNP program versus IM program was 27,200 USD/QALY. Using gross domestic product (GDP) per capita of Hong Kong (USD40,594) as threshold of willingness-to-pay (WTP) per QALY, one-way sensitivity analysis found ICER of IM/MNP to exceed WTP when duration of illness in outpatient setting was <5.7 days or cost per MNP vaccine was >1.39-time of IM vaccine cost. In 10,000 Monte Carlo simulations, IM/MNP program was the preferred option in 57.28% and 91.68% of the time, using 1x and 3x GDP per capita as WTP threshold, respectively. Acceptance of IM/MNP program as the preferred program was subject to the WTP threshold, duration of illness in outpatient settings, and cost of MNP vaccine.

A spectro-interferometric view of l Carinae's modulated pulsations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, Richard I.; Mérand, Antoine; Kervella, Pierre; Breitfelder, Joanne; Eyer, Laurent; Gallenne, Alexandre

Classical Cepheids are radially pulsating stars that enable important tests of stellar evolution and play a crucial role in the calibration of the local Hubble constant. l Carinae is a particularly well-known distance calibrator, being the closest long-period (P ~ 35.5 d) Cepheid and subtending the largest angular diameter. We have carried out an unprecedented observing program to investigate whether recently discovered cycle-to-cycle changes (modulations) of l Carinae's radial velocity (RV) variability are mirrored by its variability in angular size. To this end, we have secured a fully contemporaneous dataset of high-precision RVs and high-precision angular diameters. Here we provide a concise summary of our project and report preliminary results. We confirm the modulated nature of the RV variability and find tentative evidence of cycle-to-cycle differences in l Car's maximal angular diameter. Our analysis is exploring the limits of state-of-the-art instrumentation and reveals additional complexity in the pulsations of Cepheids. If confirmed, our result suggests a previously unknown pulsation cycle dependence of projection factors required for determining Cepheid distances via the Baade-Wesselink technique.

Detection And Identification Of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Electronic Nose

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Covington, J. A.; Ouaret, N.; Gardner, J. W.; Nwokolo, C.; Bardhan, K. D.; Arasaradnam, R. P.

2011-11-01

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an inflammation of the lining of the human bowel and a major health issue in Europe. IBD carries with it significant morbidity from toxic treatment, surgery and a risk of developing bowel cancer. Thus there is a need for early identification of the disease using non-invasive tests. Present diagnostic techniques are based around invasive tests (i.e. endoscopy) and laboratory culture; the latter is limited as only 50% of the gut bacteria can be identified. Here we explore the use of an e-nose as a tool to detect and identify two IBDs (i.e. Crohn's disease (CD) & Ulcerative Colitis (UC)) based on headspace analysis from urine samples. We believe that the gut bacterial flora is altered by disease (due to fermentation) that in-turn modulates the gas composition within urine samples. 24 samples (9 CD, 6 UC, 9 controls) were analysed with an in-house e-nose and an Owlstone IMS instrument. Data analysis was performed using linear discriminant analysis (LDA and principal components analysis (PCA). Using the e-nose, LDA separates both disease groups and control, whilst PCA shows a small overlap of classes. The IMS data are more complex but shows some disease/control separation. We are presently collecting further samples for a larger study using more advanced data processing methods.

Periodic reference tracking control approach for smart material actuators with complex hysteretic characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Zhiyong; Hao, Lina; Song, Bo; Yang, Ruiguo; Cao, Ruimin; Cheng, Yu

2016-10-01

Micro/nano positioning technologies have been attractive for decades for their various applications in both industrial and scientific fields. The actuators employed in these technologies are typically smart material actuators, which possess inherent hysteresis that may cause systems behave unexpectedly. Periodic reference tracking capability is fundamental for apparatuses such as scanning probe microscope, which employs smart material actuators to generate periodic scanning motion. However, traditional controller such as PID method cannot guarantee accurate fast periodic scanning motion. To tackle this problem and to conduct practical implementation in digital devices, this paper proposes a novel control method named discrete extended unparallel Prandtl-Ishlinskii model based internal model (d-EUPI-IM) control approach. To tackle modeling uncertainties, the robust d-EUPI-IM control approach is investigated, and the associated sufficient stabilizing conditions are derived. The advantages of the proposed controller are: it is designed and represented in discrete form, thus practical for digital devices implementation; the extended unparallel Prandtl-Ishlinskii model can precisely represent forward/inverse complex hysteretic characteristics, thus can reduce modeling uncertainties and benefits controllers design; in addition, the internal model principle based control module can be utilized as a natural oscillator for tackling periodic references tracking problem. The proposed controller was verified through comparative experiments on a piezoelectric actuator platform, and convincing results have been achieved.

Referrals to integrative medicine in a tertiary hospital: findings from electronic health record data and qualitative interviews.

PubMed

Griffin, Kristen H; Nate, Kent C; Rivard, Rachael L; Christianson, Jon B; Dusek, Jeffery A

2016-07-25

To examine patterns of, and decision-making processes, informing referrals for inpatient access to integrative medicine (IM) services at a large, acute care hospital. Retrospective electronic health record review and structured qualitative interviews. A 630-bed tertiary care hospital with an IM service available to inpatients. IM referrals of all inpatients aged ≥18 years between July 2012 and December 2014 were identified using the hospital's electronic health record. Fifteen physicians, 15 nurses and 7 administrators were interviewed to better understand roles and perspectives in referring patients for IM services. In the study hospital, primary sources of referrals for IM services were the orthopaedic and neuroscience/spine service lines. While the largest absolute number of IM referrals was made for patients with lengths of stay of 3 days or fewer, a disproportionate number of total IM referrals was made for patients with long lengths of stay (≥10 days), compared with a smaller percentage of patients in the hospital with lengths of stay ≥10 days. Physicians and nurses were more likely to refer patients who displayed strong symptoms (eg, pain and anxiety) and/or did not respond to conventional therapies. IM referrals were predominantly nurse-initiated. A built-in delay in the time from referral initiation to service delivery discouraged referrals of some patients. Conventional providers refer patients for IM services when these services are available in a tertiary hospital. Referral patterns are influenced by patient characteristics, operational features and provider perspectives. Nurses play a key role in the referral process. Overcoming cultural and knowledge differences between conventional and IM providers is likely to be a continuing challenge to providing IM in inpatient settings. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

C5a aggravates dysfunction of the articular cartilage and synovial fluid in rats with knee joint immobilization.

PubMed

Lu, Wei; Wang, Lin; Yao, Jing; Wo, Chunxin; Chen, Yu

2018-06-22

Degenerative alterations in articular cartilage are involved in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis. The present study aimed to evaluate the role of complement component 5a (C5a) in osteoarthritic alterations in the articular cartilage and synovialis via a joint immobilization (IM) rat model. Rats were assigned to three groups: Control, IM and IM+anti‑C5a antibody (IM+anti‑C5a) groups. A terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling assay and hematoxylin and eosin staining were used to evaluate the morphological alterations in the articular cartilage and synovialis. Reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‑qPCR) analysis, immunohistochemical analysis and western blotting were used to evaluate C5a expression in the articular cartilage and synovialis. An ELISA was used to evaluate C5a‑induced alterations in interleukin (IL)‑1β, IL‑17A and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‑α levels in the serum and joint fluid. The results demonstrated that knee joint immobilization induced destruction of knee joint synovial fluid and cartilage in the IM and IM+anti‑C5a antibody groups. Immobilization significantly increased the expression levels of C5a in serum and joint fluid in the IM group. Immunohistochemistry, western blotting and RT‑qPCR analysis illustrated markedly increased expression of C5a in the IM group. Immobilization markedly increased the IL‑1β, IL‑17A and TNF‑α expression levels in the serum and joint fluid in the IM group. Anti‑C5a was able to decrease immobilization‑induced alterations in morphology and cytokines compared with the IM group. The expression of C5a was increased in synoviocytes and joint cartilage in the IM model. Pro‑inflammatory cytokines, including TNF‑α and IL‑1β were released in the activated synoviocytes via the induction of C5a, suggesting that C5a serves an important role in joint inflammatory processes.

A Synthetic Triterpenoid CDDO-Im Inhibits Tumorsphere Formation by Regulating Stem Cell Signaling Pathways in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

PubMed Central

Wahler, Joseph; Liby, Karen T.; Sporn, Michael B.; Suh, Nanjoo

2014-01-01

Triple-negative breast cancer is associated with poor prognosis because of a high rate of tumor recurrence and metastasis. Previous studies demonstrated that the synthetic triterpenoid, CDDO-Imidazolide (CDDO-Im) induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in triple-negative breast cancer. Since a small subpopulation of cancer stem cells has been suggested to be responsible for drug resistance and metastasis of tumors, our present study determined whether the effects of CDDO-Im in triple-negative breast cancer are due to the inhibition of a cancer stem cell subpopulation. CDDO-Im treatment markedly induced cell cycle arrest at G2/M-phase and apoptosis in the triple-negative breast cancer cell lines, SUM159 and MDA-MB-231. Because SUM159 cells were more sensitive to CDDO-Im than MDA-MB-231 cells, the effects of CDDO-Im on the cancer stem cell subpopulation were further investigated in SUM159 cells. SUM159 cells formed tumorspheres in culture, and the cancer stem cell subpopulation, CD24−/EpCAM+ cells, was markedly enriched in SUM159 tumorspheres. The CD24−/EpCAM+ cells in SUM159 tumorspheres were significantly inhibited by CDDO-Im treatment. CDDO-Im also significantly decreased sphere forming efficiency and tumorsphere size in both primary and secondary sphere cultures. PCR array of stem cell signaling genes showed that expression levels of many key molecules in the stem cell signaling pathways, such as Notch, TGF-β/Smad, Hedgehog and Wnt, were significantly down-regulated by CDDO-Im in SUM159 tumorspheres. Protein levels of Notch receptors (c-Notch1, Notch1 and Notch3), TGF-β/Smad (pSmad2/3) and Hedgehog downstream effectors (GLI1) also were markedly reduced by CDDO-Im. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that the synthetic triterpenoid, CDDO-Im, is a potent anti-cancer agent against triple-negative breast cancer cells by targeting the cancer stem cell subpopulation. PMID:25229616

Mass spectrometric imaging of metabolites in kidney tissues from rats treated with furosemide.

PubMed

Jung, Jin Woo; Lee, Mi Suk; Choi, Hyo-Jung; Jung, Sunhee; Lee, Yu-Jung; Hwang, Geum-Sook; Kwon, Tae-Hwan

2016-06-01

In the kidney, metabolic processes are different among the cortex (COR), outer medulla (OM), and inner medulla (IM). Using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) and imaging mass spectrometry (IMS), we examined the change of metabolites in the COR, OM, and IM of the rat kidney after furosemide treatment compared with vehicle-treated controls. Osmotic minipumps were implanted in male Sprague-Dawley rats to deliver 12 mg·day(-1)·rat(-1) of furosemide. Vehicle-treated (n = 14) and furosemide-treated (furosemide rats, n = 15) rats in metabolic cages received a fixed amount of rat chow (15 g·220 g body wt(-1)·day(-1) for each rat) with free access to water intake for 6 days. At day 6, higher urine output (32 ± 4 vs. 9 ± 1 ml/day) and lower urine osmolality (546 ± 44 vs. 1,677 ± 104 mosmol/kgH2O) were observed in furosemide rats. Extracts of COR, OM, and IM were analyzed by ultraperformance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry, where multivariate analysis revealed significant differences between the two groups. Several metabolites, including acetylcarnitine, betaine, carnitine, choline, and glycerophosphorylcholine (GPC), were significantly changed. The changes of metabolites were further identified by MALDI-TOF/TOF and IMS. Their spatial distribution and relative quantitation in the kidneys were analyzed by IMS. Carnitine compounds were increased in COR and IM, whereas carnitine and acetylcarnitine were decreased in OM. Choline compounds were increased in COR and OM but decreased in IM from furosemide rats. Betaine and GPC were decreased in OM and IM. Taken together, MALDI-TOF/TOF and IMS successfully provide the spatial distribution and relative quantitation of metabolites in the kidney. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

Sciatic nerve injury from intramuscular injection: a persistent and global problem.

PubMed

Mishra, P; Stringer, M D

2010-10-01

An intramuscular (i.m.) injection into the buttock risks damaging the sciatic nerve. Safe injection practices need to be understood by doctors and nurses alike. The aims of this study were to determine if sciatic nerve injury because of i.m. injection is a continuing problem and to establish the availability of published guidelines on i.m. injection techniques. Intramuscular injection related sciatic nerve injury claims to the New Zealand Accident Compensation Corporation between July 2005 and September 2008 were reviewed. Nursing organisations were surveyed to enquire about guidelines on i.m. injection. I.m. injection related sciatic nerve injuries in the medical and medicolegal literature (1989-2009) were systematically reviewed. There were eight claims for sciatic nerve injection injury made to the ACC during the 3-year study period; all were in young adults. Only one of the nursing organisations contacted had published guidelines on i.m. injection technique, and these related specifically to immunisation. Seventeen reports of patients with sciatic nerve injury from i.m. injection were identified comprising a total of 1506 patients, at least 80% of which were children. Nine court decisions finding in favour of the plaintiff were identified, all from the North American legal system. A broad range of drugs were implicated in the offending i.m. injections. Sciatic nerve injury from an i.m. injection in the upper outer quadrant of the buttock is an avoidable but persistent global problem, affecting patients in both wealthy and poorer healthcare systems. The consequences of this injury are potentially devastating. Safer alternative sites for i.m. injection exist. These should be promoted more widely by medical and nursing organisations. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Add-on anticholinergic therapy for residual nocturia in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms receiving α1-blocker treatment: a multi-centre, prospective, randomised study.

PubMed

Yokoyama, Osamu; Tsujimura, Akira; Akino, Hironobu; Segawa, Naoki; Tamada, Satoshi; Oguchi, Naoki; Kitagawa, Yasuhide; Tsuji, Hidenori; Watanabe, Akihiko; Inamoto, Teruo; Shimizu, Nobutaka; Fujiuchi, Yasuyoshi; Katsuoka, Yoji; Azuma, Haruhito; Matsuda, Tadashi; Namiki, Mikio; Uemura, Hirotsugu; Okuyama, Akihiko; Nonomura, Norio; Fuse, Hideki; Nakatani, Tatsuya

2015-05-01

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of imidafenacin (IM), a novel short half-life anticholinergic, as add-on therapy for male LUTS with nocturia and nocturnal polyuria. This multicenter, prospective, randomized, open-labelled study was conducted and involved men who had frequency, urgency, and nocturia despite receiving a stable dose of α1-blocker for ≥1 month. Subjects were randomised to control (α1-blocker alone), IM twice/day (α1-blocker +0.1 mg imidafenacin twice daily), or IM nightly (α1-blocker plus 0.1 mg imidafenacin nightly) group; the treatment period was 8 weeks. Primary endpoints included improvements in night-time frequency and Nocturia Quality of Life Questionnaire (N-QOL) scores. Secondary endpoints included changes from the baseline in frequency volume chart variables, and post-void residual volume. Compared with the controls, IM twice/day and IM nightly patients had a significantly lower night-time frequency (changes from baseline: 0.1 ± 0.8 in control, -0.6 ± 0.9 in IM twice/day, and -0.4 ± 1.0 in IM nightly, p = 0.5227, 0.0006 and 0.0143, respectively). The hours of undisturbed sleep and N-QOL score were significantly improved in IM twice/day group, though not IM nightly group. Nocturnal urine volume was significantly reduced in IM nightly group, although total urine volume remained unchanged. A short half-life anticholinergic is suggested to be safe and effective as an add-on therapy for residual nocturia in patients with male LUTS receiving α1-blocker treatment. Anticholinergic administration nightly could reduce the nocturnal urine volume.

Global DNA Methylation Changes in Nile Tilapia Gonads during High Temperature-Induced Masculinization

PubMed Central

Wang, Hui; Li, Ning

2016-01-01

In some fish species, high or low temperature can switch the sex determination mechanisms and induce fish sex reversal when the gonads are undifferentiated. During this high or low temperature-induced sex reversal, the expressions of many genes are altered. However, genome-wide DNA methylation changes in fish gonads after high or low temperature treatment are unclear. Herein, we compared the global DNA methylation changes in the gonads from control females (CF), control males (CM), high temperature-treated females (TF), and high temperature-induced males (IM) from the F8 family of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) using methylated DNA immunoprecipitation sequencing. The DNA methylation level in CF was higher than that in CM for various chromosomes. Both females and males showed an increase in methylation levels on various chromosomes after high-temperature induction. We identified 64,438 (CF/CM), 63,437 (TF/IM), 98,675 (TF/CF), 235,270 (IM/CM) and 119,958 (IM/CF) differentially methylated regions (DMRs) in Nile tilapia gonads, representing approximately 0.70% (CF/CM), 0.69% (TF/IM), 1.07% (TF/CF), 2.56% (IM/CM), and 1.30% (IM/CF)of the length of the genome. A total of 89 and 65 genes that exhibited DMRs in their gene bodies and promoters were mapped to the Nile tilapia genome. Furthermore, more than half of the genes with DMRs in the gene body in CF/CM were also included in the IM/CM, TF/CF, TF/IM, and IM/CF groups. Additionally, many important pathways, including neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, extracellular matrix-receptor interaction, and biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids were identified. This study provided an important foundation to investigate the molecular mechanism of high temperature-induced sex reversal in fish species. PMID:27486872

Disclose or not? Effect of impression management tactics on hireability of persons with epilepsy.

PubMed

Sung, Connie; Lin, Chien-Chun; Connor, Annemarie; Chan, Fong

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of assertive impression management (IM) tactics, such as personal storytelling and self-promotion, on job interview outcomes of people with epilepsy. Specifically, the effect of IM on interviewers' subjective impressions and evaluation of hireability of job candidates with epilepsy were examined. Ninety-nine master's level graduate students majoring in business or human resources were randomly assigned to three experimental conditions to view one of three 15-min video clips of a job applicant interviewing for a technical computer sales position. The three experimental conditions were (1) job applicant who did not disclose any disability, (2) job applicant with epilepsy who did not use IM tactics, and (3) job applicant with epilepsy who used IM tactics. After watching the job interview video portraying the experimental conditions, participants were asked to rate the job applicant in terms of general impression and hireability for the described position. The use of IM was found to have a significant effect on job interview outcomes (p < 0.01). Post hoc comparisons indicated that the average rating of business/human resources students on both general impression and hireability for the job applicant with epilepsy and IM condition were significantly higher than for the job applicant with epilepsy who did not use IM condition. Furthermore, mediation analysis revealed that general impression is a mediator for the relationship between IM and interview outcomes. This study demonstrates that IM has a significant and positive effect on job interview outcomes for persons with epilepsy. IM can be used as a powerful strategy for empowering people with epilepsy to combat disability stigma, and offset negative perceptions of employers about the potential of this population to be productive workers. Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 International League Against Epilepsy.

Suppression of graft-versus-host disease and retention of graft-versus-tumour reaction by murine genetically engineered dendritic cells following bone marrow transplantation.

PubMed

Huang, Yihong; Feng, Saran; Xu, Yujie; Chen, Wanru; Wang, Shuhua; Li, Depeng; Li, Zhenyu; Lu, Qunxian; Pan, Xiuying; Xu, Kailin

2015-05-01

The effect of infusion of lentiviral vector‑mediated, genetically engineered dendritic cells (DCs) following allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (allo‑BMT) on graft‑versus‑host disease (GVHD) and graft‑versus‑leukemia (GVL) was investigated in a mouse model. Lentivirus‑mediated expression of soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (sTNFR1) converted immature DCs (imDCs) from BABL/c mice into engineered DCs in vitro. An EL4 leukemia allo‑BMT model of BABL/c to C57BL/6 mice was established. Engineered DCs with donor bone marrow cells and splenocytes were subsequently transplanted into myeloablatively irradiated recipients. The average survival duration in the sTNFR1‑ and pXZ9‑imDC groups was significantly prolonged compared with that of the allo‑BMT group (P<0.05). Mild histological changes in GVHD or leukemia were observed in the recipients in the sTNFR1‑imDC group and clinical GVHD scores in this group were significantly decreased compared with those of the transplantation and pXZ9‑imDC groups. Serum interferon‑γ levels were decreased in the pXZ9‑imDC and sTNFR1‑imDC groups compared with those in the allo‑BMT group (P<0.05), with the reduction being more significant in the sTNFR1‑imDC group (P<0.05). Serum interleukin‑4 expression levels were decreased in the allo‑BMT group, but gradually increased in the pXZ9‑imDC and sTNFR1‑imDC groups (P<0.05). Co‑injection of donor genetically‑engineered imDCs was able to efficiently protect recipient mice from lethal GVHD while preserving GVL effects during allo‑BMT.

Development of a high-value care subscore on the internal medicine in-training examination.

PubMed

Ryskina, Kira L; Korenstein, Deborah; Weissman, Arlene; Masters, Philip; Alguire, Patrick; Smith, Cynthia D

2014-11-18

Although high-value care (HVC) that balances benefits of tests or treatments against potential harms and costs has been a recently emphasized competency for internal medicine (IM) residents, few tools to assess residents' knowledge of HVC are available. To describe the development and initial results of an HVC subscore of the Internal Medicine In-Training Examination (IM-ITE). The HVC concepts were introduced to IM-ITE authors during question development. Three physicians independently reviewed each examination question for selection in the HVC subscore according to 6 HVC principles. The final subscore was determined by consensus. Data from the IM-ITE administered in October 2012 were analyzed at the program level. U.S. IM residency programs. 362 U.S. IM residency programs with IM-ITE data for at least 10 residents. Program-level performance on the HVC subscore was compared with performance on the overall IM-ITE, the Dartmouth Atlas hospital care intensity (HCI) index of the program's primary training hospital, and residents' attitudes about HVC assessed with a voluntary survey. The HVC subscore comprised 38 questions, including 21 (55%) on managing conservatively when appropriate and 14 (37%) on identifying low-value care. Of the 362 U.S. IM programs in the sample, 41% were in a different quartile when ranked based on the HVC subscore compared with overall IM-ITE performance. Rankings by HVC subscore and HCI index were modestly inversely associated, with 30% of programs ranked in the same quartile based on both measures. Knowledge of HVC assessed from examination vignettes may not reflect practice of HVC. Although the HVC subscore has face validity and can contribute to evaluation of residents' HVC knowledge, additional tools are needed to accurately measure residents' proficiency in HVC. None.

Mental health care for irregular migrants in Europe: Barriers and how they are overcome

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Irregular migrants (IMs) are exposed to a wide range of risk factors for developing mental health problems. However, little is known about whether and how they receive mental health care across European countries. The aims of this study were (1) to identify barriers to mental health care for IMs, and (2) to explore ways by which these barriers are overcome in practice. Methods Data from semi-structured interviews with 25 experts in the field of mental health care for IMs in the capital cities of 14 European countries were analysed using thematic analysis. Results Experts reported a range of barriers to mental health care for IMs. These include the absence of legal entitlements to health care in some countries or a lack of awareness of such entitlements, administrative obstacles, a shortage of culturally sensitive care, the complexity of the social needs of IMs, and their fear of being reported and deported. These barriers can be partly overcome by networks of committed professionals and supportive services. NGOs have become important initial points of contact for IMs, providing mental health care themselves or referring IMs to other suitable services. However, these services are often confronted with the ethical dilemma of either acting according to the legislation and institutional rules or providing care for humanitarian reasons, which involves the risk of acting illegally and providing care without authorisation. Conclusions Even in countries where access to health care is legally possible for IMs, various other barriers remain. Some of these are common to all migrants, whilst others are specific for IMs. Attempts at improving mental health care for IMs should consider barriers beyond legal entitlement, including communicating information about entitlement to mental health care professionals and patients, providing culturally sensitive care and ensuring sufficient resources. PMID:22607386

Effect of compound glycyrrhizin injection on liver function and cellular immunity of children with infectious mononucleosis complicated liver impairment.

PubMed

Cao, Zong-xin; Zhao, Zhong-fang; Zhao, Xiu-fen

2006-12-01

To investigate the effects of Compound Glycyrrhizin Injection (CGI) on liver function and cellular immunity of children with infectious mononucleosis complicated liver impairment (IM-LI) and to explore its clinical therapeutic effect. Forty-two patients with IM-LI were randomly assigned, according to the randomizing number table, to two groups, 20 in the control group and 22 in the treated group. All the patients were treated with conventional treatment, but to those in the treated group, CGI was given additionally once a day, at the dosage of 10 ml for children aged below 2 years, 20 ml for 2-4 years old, 30 ml for 5-7 years old and 40 ml for 8- 12 years old, in 100-200 ml of 5% glucose solution by intravenous dripping. The treatment lasted for 2 weeks. T lymphocyte subsets and serum levels of alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and total bilirubin (TBil) were detected before and after treatment. Besides, a normal control group consisting of 20 healthy children was also set up. Baseline of the percentage of CD3 + , CD8 + lymphocyte and serum levels of ALT, AST, TBiL in the children with IM-LI were markedly higher, while the percentage of CD4 + lymphocyte and the CD4 + /CD8 + ratio was markedly lower in IM-LI children as compared with the corresponding indices in the healthy children ( P<0.01). These indices were improved after treatment in both groups of patients, but the improvement in the treated group was better than that in the control group (P<0.01). Cellular immunity dysfunction often occurs in patients with IM-LI, and CGI treatment can not only obviously promote the recovery of liver function, but also regulate the immune function in organism.

Experiment S-213 selenocentric geodetic reference system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Doyle, F. J.; Elassal, A. A.; Lucas, J. R.

1976-01-01

Development and implementation of a photogrammetric system was undertaken to provide accurate selenodetic positions and topographic mapping of all areas overflown by orbital spacecraft. The system was installed in the scientific instrument module (SIM) bay of the Apollo command service module (CSM). In theory, this system provided everything a photogrammetrist could want: the position of each exposure station would be obtained from Earth-based tracking; the orientation of each photograph could be computed from the synchronized stellar exposure and the lock-angles determined by preflight calibration; and the scale of each stereomodel would be obtained directly from the altimeter data. Operationally, the data acquisition was adequate, but less than optimum. Systematic errors are believed to be the result of the primitive orbit determination procedures in use at the time of the Apollo 15 mission, inadequate models of the lunar gravity field, and spacecraft oscillations induced by uncoupled thrusting and various activities of the astronauts.

Periodic Emission from the Gamma-Ray Binary 1FGL J1018.6-5856

DOE PAGES

Ackermann, M.

2012-01-12

Gamma-ray binaries are stellar systems containing a neutron star or black hole with gamma-ray emission produced by an interaction between the components. These systems are rare, even though binary evolution models predict dozens in our Galaxy. A search for gamma-ray binaries with the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) shows that 1FGL J1018.6-5856 exhibits intensity and spectral modulation with a 16.6 day period. We identified a variable X-ray counterpart, which shows a sharp maximum coinciding with maximum gamma-ray emission, as well as an O6V((f)) star optical counterpart and a radio counterpart that is also apparently modulated on the orbital period. 1FGLmore » J1018.6-5856 is thus a gamma-ray binary, and its detection suggests the presence of other fainter binaries in the Galaxy.« less

Surface Enrichment in Equimolar Mixtures of Non-Functionalized and Functionalized Imidazolium-Based Ionic Liquids.

PubMed

Heller, Bettina S J; Kolbeck, Claudia; Niedermaier, Inga; Dommer, Sabine; Schatz, Jürgen; Hunt, Patricia; Maier, Florian; Steinrück, Hans-Peter

2018-04-12

For equimolar mixtures of ionic liquids with imidazolium-based cations of very different electronic structure, we observe very pronounced surface enrichment effects by angle-resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). For a mixture with the same anion, that is, 1-methyl-3-octylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate+1,3-di(methoxy)imidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([C 8 C 1 Im][PF 6 ]+[(MeO) 2 Im][PF 6 ]), we find a strong enrichment of the octyl chain-containing [C 8 C 1 Im] + cation and a corresponding depletion of the [(MeO) 2 Im] + cation in the topmost layer. For a mixture with different cations and anions, that is, [C 8 C 1 Im][Tf 2 N]+[(MeO) 2 Im][PF 6 ], we find both surface enrichment of the [C 8 C 1 Im] + cation and the [Tf 2 N] - (bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide) anion, while [(MeO) 2 Im] + and [PF 6 ] - are depleted from the surface. We propose that the observed behavior in these mixtures is due to a lowering of the surface tension by the enriched components. Interestingly, we observe pronounced differences in the chemical shifts of the imidazolium ring signals of the [(MeO) 2 Im] + cations as compared to the non-functionalized cations. Calculations of the electronic structure and the intramolecular partial charge distribution of the cations contribute to interpreting these shifts for the two different cations. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

C-F activation of fluorinated arenes using NHC-stabilized nickel(0) complexes: selectivity and mechanistic investigations.

PubMed

Schaub, Thomas; Fischer, Peter; Steffen, Andreas; Braun, Thomas; Radius, Udo; Mix, Andreas

2008-07-23

The reaction of [Ni2((i)Pr2Im)4(COD)] 1a or [Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(eta(2)-C2H4)] 1b with different fluorinated arenes is reported. These reactions occur with a high chemo- and regioselectivity. In the case of polyfluorinated aromatics of the type C6F5X such as hexafluorobenzene (X = F) octafluorotoluene (X = CF3), trimethyl(pentafluorophenyl)silane (X = SiMe3), or decafluorobiphenyl (X = C6F5) the C-F activation regioselectively takes place at the C-F bond in the para position to the X group to afford the complexes trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(C6F5)]2, trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(4-(CF3)C6F4)] 3, trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(4-(C6F5)C6F4)] 4, and trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(4-(SiMe3)C6F4)] 5. Complex 5 was structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction. The reaction of 1a with partially fluorinated aromatic substrates C6H(x)F(y) leads to the products of a C-F activation trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(2-C6FH4)] 7, trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(3,5-C6F2H3)] 8, trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(2,3-C6F2H3)] 9a and trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(2,6-C6F2H3)] 9b, trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(2,5-C6F2H3)] 10, and trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(2,3,5,6-C6F4H)] 11. The reaction of 1a with octafluoronaphthalene yields exclusively trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(1,3,4,5,6,7,8-C10F7)] 6a, the product of an insertion into the C-F bond in the 2-position, whereas for the reaction of 1b with octafluoronaphthalene the two isomers trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(1,3,4,5,6,7,8-C10F7)] 6a and trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(2,3,4,5,6,7,8-C10F7)] 6b are formed in a ratio of 11:1. The reaction of 1a or of 1b with pentafluoropyridine at low temperatures affords trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(4-C5NF4)] 12a as the sole product, whereas the reaction of 1b performed at room temperature leads to the generation of trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(4-C5NF4)] 12a and trans-[Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(F)(2-C5NF4)] 12b in a ratio of approximately 1:2. The detection of intermediates as well as kinetic studies gives some insight into the mechanistic details for the activation of an aromatic carbon-fluorine bond at the {Ni((i)Pr2Im)2} complex fragment. The intermediates of the reaction of 1b with hexafluorobenzene and octafluoronaphthalene, [Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(eta(2)-C6F6)] 13 and [Ni((i)Pr2Im)2(eta(2)-C10F8)] 14, have been detected in solution. They convert into the C-F activation products. Complex 14 was structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction. The rates for the loss of 14 at different temperatures for the C-F activation of the coordinated naphthalene are first order and the estimated activation enthalpy Delta H(double dagger) for this process was determined to be Delta H(double dagger) = 116 +/- 8 kJ mol(-1) (Delta S(double dagger) = 37 +/- 25 J K(-1) mol(-1)). Furthermore, density functional theory calculations on the reaction of 1a with hexafluorobenzene, octafluoronaphthalene, octafluorotoluene, 1,2,4-trifluorobenzene, and 1,2,3-trifluorobenzene are presented.

The super-orbital modulation of supergiant high-mass X-ray binaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bozzo, E.; Oskinova, L.; Lobel, A.; Hamann, W.-R.

2017-10-01

The long-term X-ray light curves of classical supergiant X-ray binaries and supergiant fast X-ray transients show relatively similar super-orbital modulations, which are still lacking a sound interpretation. We propose that these modulations are related to the presence of corotating interaction regions (CIRs) known to thread the winds of OB supergiants. To test this hypothesis, we couple the outcomes of three-dimensional (3D) hydrodynamic models for the formation of CIRs in stellar winds with a simplified recipe for the accretion onto a neutron star. The results show that the synthetic X-ray light curves are indeed modulated by the presence of the CIRs. The exact period and amplitude of these modulations depend on a number of parameters governing the hydrodynamic wind models and on the binary orbital configuration. To compare our model predictions with the observations, we apply the 3D wind structure previously shown to well explain the appearance of discrete absorption components in the UV time series of a prototypical B0.5I-type supergiant. Using the orbital parameters of IGRJ 16493-4348, which has the same B0.5I donor spectral type, the period and modulations in the simulated X-ray light curve are similar to the observed ones, thus providing support to our scenario. We propose that the presence of CIRs in donor star winds should be considered in future theoretical and simulation efforts of wind-fed X-ray binaries.

HLA class I polymorphisms are associated with development of infectious mononucleosis upon primary EBV infection

PubMed Central

McAulay, Karen A.; Higgins, Craig D.; Macsween, Karen F.; Lake, Annette; Jarrett, Ruth F.; Robertson, Faye L.; Williams, Hilary; Crawford, Dorothy H.

2007-01-01

Infectious mononucleosis (IM) is an immunopathological disease caused by EBV that occurs in young adults and is a risk factor for Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). An association between EBV-positive HL and genetic markers in the HLA class I locus has been identified, indicating that genetic differences in the HLA class I locus may alter disease phenotypes associated with EBV infection. To further determine whether HLA class I alleles may affect development of EBV-associated diseases, we analyzed 2 microsatellite markers and 2 SNPs located near the HLA class I locus in patients with acute IM and in asymptomatic EBV-seropositive and -seronegative individuals. Alleles of both microsatellite markers were significantly associated with development of IM. Specific alleles of the 2 SNPs were also significantly more frequent in patients with IM than in EBV-seronegative individuals. IM patients possessing the associated microsatellite allele had fewer lymphocytes and increased neutrophils relative to IM patients lacking the allele. These patients also displayed higher EBV titers and milder IM symptoms. The results of this study indicate that HLA class I polymorphisms may predispose patients to development of IM upon primary EBV infection, suggesting that genetic variation in T cell responses can influence the nature of primary EBV infection and the level of viral persistence. PMID:17909631

Is Myomectomy Prior to Assisted Reproductive Technology Cost Effective in Women with Intramural Fibroids?

PubMed

Ojo-Carons, Mary; Mumford, Sunni L; Armstrong, Alicia Y; DeCherney, Alan H; Devine, Kate

2016-01-01

To evaluate the cost effectiveness of surgery to remove intramural (IM) fibroids prior to assisted reproductive technology (ART). The decision tree mathematical model along with sensitivity analysis was performed to analyze cost effectiveness of: (1) myomectomy followed by ART or (2) ART with IM myoma(s) in situ. At the median ongoing pregnancy (OP) rate (OPR) reported in the literature for a fresh, autologous ART cycle with IM fibroids in situ vs. post-IM myomectomy, average cost per OP was $72,355 vs. 66,075, indicating a cost savings with myomectomy. Sensitivity analysis over the range of reported OPRs demonstrated that pre-ART IM myomectomy was always cost effective when OPR among women with in situ myomas was <15.4%. However, for OPRs ≥15.4%, pre-ART IM myomectomy was only cost effective if it increased OPR by at least 9.6%. At the high end of OPRs reported for patients with IM myomas in situ (31.4%), a 19.5% improvement in OPR was needed to justify IM myomectomy from a cost perspective. Myomectomy should be used sparingly in cases where the goal of surgery is to achieve improvement in the outcomes of ART. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Calibrating a novel multi-sensor physical activity measurement system.

PubMed

John, D; Liu, S; Sasaki, J E; Howe, C A; Staudenmayer, J; Gao, R X; Freedson, P S

2011-09-01

Advancing the field of physical activity (PA) monitoring requires the development of innovative multi-sensor measurement systems that are feasible in the free-living environment. The use of novel analytical techniques to combine and process these multiple sensor signals is equally important. This paper describes a novel multi-sensor 'integrated PA measurement system' (IMS), the lab-based methodology used to calibrate the IMS, techniques used to predict multiple variables from the sensor signals, and proposes design changes to improve the feasibility of deploying the IMS in the free-living environment. The IMS consists of hip and wrist acceleration sensors, two piezoelectric respiration sensors on the torso, and an ultraviolet radiation sensor to obtain contextual information (indoors versus outdoors) of PA. During lab-based calibration of the IMS, data were collected on participants performing a PA routine consisting of seven different ambulatory and free-living activities while wearing a portable metabolic unit (criterion measure) and the IMS. Data analyses on the first 50 adult participants are presented. These analyses were used to determine if the IMS can be used to predict the variables of interest. Finally, physical modifications for the IMS that could enhance the feasibility of free-living use are proposed and refinement of the prediction techniques is discussed.

HLA class I polymorphisms are associated with development of infectious mononucleosis upon primary EBV infection.

PubMed

McAulay, Karen A; Higgins, Craig D; Macsween, Karen F; Lake, Annette; Jarrett, Ruth F; Robertson, Faye L; Williams, Hilary; Crawford, Dorothy H

2007-10-01

Infectious mononucleosis (IM) is an immunopathological disease caused by EBV that occurs in young adults and is a risk factor for Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). An association between EBV-positive HL and genetic markers in the HLA class I locus has been identified, indicating that genetic differences in the HLA class I locus may alter disease phenotypes associated with EBV infection. To further determine whether HLA class I alleles may affect development of EBV-associated diseases, we analyzed 2 microsatellite markers and 2 SNPs located near the HLA class I locus in patients with acute IM and in asymptomatic EBV-seropositive and -seronegative individuals. Alleles of both microsatellite markers were significantly associated with development of IM. Specific alleles of the 2 SNPs were also significantly more frequent in patients with IM than in EBV-seronegative individuals. IM patients possessing the associated microsatellite allele had fewer lymphocytes and increased neutrophils relative to IM patients lacking the allele. These patients also displayed higher EBV titers and milder IM symptoms. The results of this study indicate that HLA class I polymorphisms may predispose patients to development of IM upon primary EBV infection, suggesting that genetic variation in T cell responses can influence the nature of primary EBV infection and the level of viral persistence.

Ion Mobility Spectrometry (IMS) and Mass Spectrometry

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

Shvartsburg, Alexandre A.

2010-04-20

In a media of finite viscosity, the Coulomb force of external electric field moves ions with some terminal speed. This dynamics is controlled by “mobility” - a property of the interaction potential between ions and media molecules. This fact has been used to separate and characterize gas-phase ions in various modes of ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) developed since 1970. Commercial IMS devices were introduced in 1980-s for field detection of volatile traces such as explosives and chemical warfare agents. Coupling to soft-ionization sources, mass spectrometry (MS), and chromatographic methods in 1990-s had allowed IMS to handle complex samples, enabling newmore » applications in biological and environmental analyses, nanoscience, and other areas. Since 2003, the introduction of commercial systems by major instrument vendors started bringing the IMS/MS capability to broad user community. The other major development of last decade has been the differential IMS or “field asymmetric waveform IMS” (FAIMS) that employs asymmetric time-dependent electric field to sort ions not by mobility itself, but by the difference between its values in strong and weak electric fields. Coupling of FAIMS to conventional IMS and stacking of conventional IMS stages have enabled two-dimensional separations that dramatically expand the power of ion mobility methods.« less

Instrumentation and data analysis design for evaluating mechanic performance in decentralized I/M programs

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

Ashby, H.A.; Carlson, T.R.; Husson, L.

1986-01-01

Significant reductions in motor vehicle emissions are possible through the implementation of inspection and maintenance (I/M) programs. However, the potential benefits of I/M are obviously not achieved when specific inspection requirements are ignored or improperly performed. In addition, I/M benefits may be substantially reduced when improper repair procedures are used on vehicles which fail the test. In order for the ''theoretical'' benefits of I/M to be achieved, certain program design and enforcement procedures are necessary. The use of instrumentation and data analysis methods capable of identifying individuals who are improperly performing inspections and repairs is critical.

The Organization of the Suprachiasmatic Circadian Pacemaker of the Rat and Its Regulation by Neurotransmitters and Modulators

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-02-02

This clock, located in the brain’s suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), can be removed in a slice of hypothalamus, main- tained in a. lite support system...slice of hypothalamus, main- 10> tamned in a lite support system for up to 3 days and studied directly. Using this approach, W.. progress in the 3 112...Wmtz .I’’’f’: A.. wklfIfif cm N.. ffttf:T _ ’I.. ’Af.f-:\\f’:f/. IL & Vrf -:fKE It (IMS31 tff’fa/ifft ’if1\\ lhi/ll ff10 1’’ ) imfii/f’/ftfif/f f/f/ill/i!i

Thermal antinociception after dexmedetomidine administration in cats: a comparison between intramuscular and oral transmucosal administration.

PubMed

Slingsby, Louisa S; Taylor, Polly M; Monroe, Taylor

2009-10-01

Dexmedetomidine 40microg/kg was administered either intramuscularly (IM) or oral transmucosally (OTM) to 12 cats in a randomised cross-over study. Thermal nociceptive thresholds and visual analogue scale (VAS) sedation scores were obtained before and at regular intervals up to 24h after test drug administration. The summary measures of overall mean threshold, overall mean VAS sedation plus onset, offset and duration of analgesia were investigated using a univariate general linear model. There were no significant differences between treatment groups. Data are presented as mean+/-standard deviation: delta T mean increase over time (IM 6 degrees C+/-3 degrees C, OTM 6 degrees C+/-2 degrees C); overall mean VAS (IM 43+/-9 OTM 39+/-1); onset (IM 35+/-32 and OTM 30+/-40min); offset (IM 96+/-56 and OTM 138+/-135min); duration (IM 61+/-47 OTM 99+/-124min). Dexmedetomidine is well absorbed through the oral mucosa in cats since OTM and IM administration of dexmedetomidine 40microg/kg produced similar overall sedative and antinociceptive effects.

Hand2 inhibits kidney specification while promoting vein formation within the posterior mesoderm

PubMed Central

Perens, Elliot A; Garavito-Aguilar, Zayra V; Guio-Vega, Gina P; Peña, Karen T; Schindler, Yocheved L; Yelon, Deborah

2016-01-01

Proper organogenesis depends upon defining the precise dimensions of organ progenitor territories. Kidney progenitors originate within the intermediate mesoderm (IM), but the pathways that set the boundaries of the IM are poorly understood. Here, we show that the bHLH transcription factor Hand2 limits the size of the embryonic kidney by restricting IM dimensions. The IM is expanded in zebrafish hand2 mutants and is diminished when hand2 is overexpressed. Within the posterior mesoderm, hand2 is expressed laterally adjacent to the IM. Venous progenitors arise between these two territories, and hand2 promotes venous development while inhibiting IM formation at this interface. Furthermore, hand2 and the co-expressed zinc-finger transcription factor osr1 have functionally antagonistic influences on kidney development. Together, our data suggest that hand2 functions in opposition to osr1 to balance the formation of kidney and vein progenitors by regulating cell fate decisions at the lateral boundary of the IM. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.19941.001 PMID:27805568

An Investigation of Interval Management Displays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swieringa, Kurt A.; Wilson, Sara R.; Shay, Rick

2015-01-01

NASA's first Air Traffic Management (ATM) Technology Demonstration (ATD-1) was created to transition the most mature ATM technologies from the laboratory to the National Airspace System. One selected technology is Interval Management (IM), which uses onboard aircraft automation to compute speeds that help the flight crew achieve and maintain precise spacing behind a preceding aircraft. Since ATD-1 focuses on a near-term environment, the ATD-1 flight demonstration prototype requires radio voice communication to issue an IM clearance. Retrofit IM displays will enable pilots to both enter information into the IM avionics and monitor IM operation. These displays could consist of an interface to enter data from an IM clearance and also an auxiliary display that presents critical information in the primary field-of-view. A human-in-the-loop experiment was conducted to examine usability and acceptability of retrofit IM displays, which flight crews found acceptable. Results also indicate the need for salient alerting when new speeds are generated and the desire to have a primary field of view display available that can display text and graphic trend indicators.

Trying to detect gas-phase ions? Understanding Ion Mobility Spectrometry

PubMed Central

Cumeras, R.; Figueras, E.; Davis, C.E.; Baumbach, J.I.; Gràcia, I.

2014-01-01

Ion Mobility Spectrometry (IMS) is a widely used and ‘well-known’ technique of ion separation in gaseous phase based on the differences of ion mobilities under an electric field. This technique has received increased interest over the last several decades as evidenced by the pace and advances of new IMS devices available. In this review we explore the hyphenated techniques that are used with IMS, especially mass spectrometry as identification approach and multi-capillary column as pre-separation approach. Also, we will pay special attention to the key figures of merit of the ion mobility spectrum and how data is treated, and the influences of the experimental parameters in both a conventional drift time IMS (DTIMS) and a miniaturized IMS also known as high Field Asymmetric IMS (FAIMS) in the planar configuration. The current review article is preceded by a companion review article which details the current instrumentation and to the sections that configures both a conventional DTIMS and FAIMS devices. Those reviews will give the reader an insightful view of the main characteristics and aspects of the IMS technique. PMID:25465248

Coinfection by multiple strains of Epstein-Barr virus in infectious mononucleosis in immunocompetent patients.

PubMed

Plaza, Guillermo; Santón, Almundena; Bellas, Carment

2003-05-01

A molecular study of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-induced infectious mononucleosis (IM) was performed. The presence of a 30-bp deletion on the latent membrane protein-1 (LMP-1) oncogene from EBV in Caucasian IM patients was evaluated. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were obtained from 27 IM patients and 18 adenoids, 28 tonsils and 16 EBV-related reactive lymphadenitis specimens were used as controls. DNA isolation, EBV polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and LMP-1 oncogene PCR analysis were performed. The 30-bp deletion on LMP-1 was identified in 29.6% of IM patients, but was always seen in conjunction with full-length LMP-1. Although the LMP-1-deleted strain seemed to be more prevalent in IM (29.6%) and EBV-related reactive lymphadenitis (37.5%,) than in adenoid (0%) or tonsil specimens (21.4%), these differences were not significant (p > 0.05; chi2). Thus, a 30-bp deletion on LMP-1 was present in almost a third of Caucasian IM patients. The finding of coinfections in IM patients confirms that primary infection by more than one EBV strain is possible.

The ATLAS3D project - XXVII. Cold gas and the colours and ages of early-type galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Young, Lisa M.; Scott, Nicholas; Serra, Paolo; Alatalo, Katherine; Bayet, Estelle; Blitz, Leo; Bois, Maxime; Bournaud, Frédéric; Bureau, Martin; Crocker, Alison F.; Cappellari, Michele; Davies, Roger L.; Davis, Timothy A.; de Zeeuw, P. T.; Duc, Pierre-Alain; Emsellem, Eric; Khochfar, Sadegh; Krajnović, Davor; Kuntschner, Harald; McDermid, Richard M.; Morganti, Raffaella; Naab, Thorsten; Oosterloo, Tom; Sarzi, Marc; Weijmans, Anne-Marie

2014-11-01

We present a study of the cold gas contents of the ATLAS3D early-type galaxies, in the context of their optical colours, near-ultraviolet colours and Hβ absorption line strengths. Early-type (elliptical and lenticular) galaxies are not as gas poor as previously thought, and at least 40 per cent of local early-type galaxies are now known to contain molecular and/or atomic gas. This cold gas offers the opportunity to study recent galaxy evolution through the processes of cold gas acquisition, consumption (star formation) and removal. Molecular and atomic gas detection rates range from 10 to 34 per cent in red sequence early-type galaxies, depending on how the red sequence is defined, and from 50 to 70 per cent in blue early-type galaxies. Notably, massive red sequence early-type galaxies (stellar masses >5 × 1010 M⊙, derived from dynamical models) are found to have H I masses up to M(H I)/M* ˜ 0.06 and H2 masses up to M(H2)/M* ˜ 0.01. Some 20 per cent of all massive early-type galaxies may have retained atomic and/or molecular gas through their transition to the red sequence. However, kinematic and metallicity signatures of external gas accretion (either from satellite galaxies or the intergalactic medium) are also common, particularly at stellar masses ≤5 × 1010 M⊙, where such signatures are found in ˜50 per cent of H2-rich early-type galaxies. Our data are thus consistent with a scenario in which fast rotator early-type galaxies are quenched former spiral galaxies which have undergone some bulge growth processes, and in addition, some of them also experience cold gas accretion which can initiate a period of modest star formation activity. We discuss implications for the interpretation of colour-magnitude diagrams.

A graphite crystal polarimeter for stellar X-ray astronomy.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weisskopf, M. C.; Berthelsdorf, R.; Epstein, G.; Linke, R.; Mitchell, D.; Novick, R.; Wolff, R. S.

1972-01-01

The first crystal X-ray polarimeter to be used for X-ray astronomy is described. Polarization is measured by modulation of the X rays diffracted at an average 45 deg glancing angle from large, curved graphite crystal panels as these rotate about an axis parallel to the incident X-ray flux. Arrangement of the crystal panels, the design of the detector, and the signal-processing circuitry were optimized to minimize systematic effects produced by off-axis pointing of the rocket and cosmic ray induced events. The in-flight performance of the instrument in relation to the observed background signal is discussed.

Finding binaries from phase modulation of pulsating stars with Kepler

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shibahashi, Hiromoto; Murphy, Simon; Bedding, Tim

2017-09-01

Binary orbital motion causes a periodic variation in the path length travelled by light emitted from a star towards us. Hence, if the star is pulsating, the observed phase of the pulsation varies over the orbit. Conversely, once we have observed such phase variation, we can extract information about the binary orbit from photometry alone. Continuous and precise space-based photometry has made it possible to measure these light travel time effects on the pulsating stars in binary systems. This opens up a new way of finding unseen brown dwarfs, planets, or massive compact stellar remnants: neutron stars and black holes.

Predictive factors for the occurrence of idiopathic menorrhagia: evidence for a hereditary trait.

PubMed

Kuzmina, Natalia; Palmblad, Jan; Mints, Miriam

2011-01-01

The aim of the present study was to assess predictive factors for occurrence of idiopathic menorrhagia (IM), a disease characterized by abnormal endometrial blood vessel morphology. It was hypothesized that IM exhibits familial clustering (suggesting inheritance) and is associated with other vascular abnormalities, primarily cutaneous hemangiomas. Women with IM (n=152) and healthy, regularly menstruating (n=56) women answered a questionnaire concerning menstrual pattern, susceptibility to bleeding and family history of abnormal gynecological bleeding. Factor analysis with principal component extraction was used to separate predictive factors that may be associated with IM. A total of 35 different items were analyzed. A strong association was found between IM and a family history of heavy menstrual bleeding (r=0.68), but not with cutaneous vascular abnormalities. Our results revealed that a family history of heavy menstrual bleeding may have the highest predictive value for the diagnosis of IM, indicating a hereditary trait.

IMS R and D program at Canada customs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pilon, Pierre; Mungham, Tony; Ng, Lay-Keow; Lawrence, Andre

1995-01-01

Over the last few years, Revenue Canada, in collaboration with Barringer Instruments Limited, has been involved in the development of a field-usable ion mobility spectrometer (IMS) for the detection of drugs of abuse. This work has culminated in the manufacturing and commercialization by Barringer of the Ionscan 350 instruments, now in use by various law enforcement agencies worldwide. Although IMS exhibits a very strong and distinctive response toward some nitrogen containing drugs, e.g., cocaine, like all separation techniques it has inherent limitations, namely moderate resolution and low chemical signal to noise ratio which may affect the reliability of IMS-based drug detectors. A program is in place at the Laboratory and Scientific Services Directorate (LSSD) to investigate the applicability of various digital signal processing (DSP) techniques to IMS output signals. The application of neural network techniques to overlapping IMS peaks is presented.