Everyday music listening and affect regulation: the role of MP3 players.

PubMed

Skånland, Marie Strand

2013-08-07

The use of digital portable music devices such as MP3 players has rapidly increased during the last decade, and the sheer availability of music offered by such players raises questions about their impact on listeners' mental and physical health and well-being. This article explores MP3 player use as an everyday tactic for affect regulation, here understood as an individual's efforts to maintain or change the intensity or duration of a given affect. The ability to understand and regulate affects has significant health implications, and among the tactics relevant to such regulation, engagement with music has proven to be particularly successful. The material presented in this article is based on a qualitative interview study focused on MP3 player use as a medium for musical self-care. Because MP3 users can listen to whatever they want, whenever they want, and target their music in the interests of managing and regulating moods and emotions, the MP3 player represents a valuable and convenient technology of affect regulation.

[Hearing the impact of MP3 on a survey of middle school students].

PubMed

Xu, Zhan; Li, Zonghua; Chen, Yang; He, Ya; Chunyu, Xiujie; Wang, Fangyuan; Zhang, Pengzhi; Gao, Lei; Qiu, Shuping; Liu, Shunli; Qiao, Li; Qiu, Jianhua

2011-02-01

To understand the usage of MP3 and effects on hearing of middle school students in Xi'an, and discuss controlling strategies. Stratified random cluster sampling method was used in the 1567 middle school students in Xi'an through questionnaire survey, ear examination and hearing examination, data were analysed by the SPSS13.0 statistical software. 1) The rate of holding MP3 in the middle school students was 85.2%. Average daily use time was (1.41 +/- 1.11) h. 2) The noise group of pure tone hearing threshold was significantly higher compared with the control group (P<0.01), and increased the detection rate of hearing loss with the increasing use of MP3. 3) The detection rate of symptoms increased with the increasing use of MP3. The usage of MP3 can harm hearing in middle school students, which can result in neurasthenic syndrome.

A ROSE-based OpenMP 3.0 Research Compiler Supporting Multiple Runtime Libraries

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

Liao, C; Quinlan, D; Panas, T

2010-01-25

OpenMP is a popular and evolving programming model for shared-memory platforms. It relies on compilers for optimal performance and to target modern hardware architectures. A variety of extensible and robust research compilers are key to OpenMP's sustainable success in the future. In this paper, we present our efforts to build an OpenMP 3.0 research compiler for C, C++, and Fortran; using the ROSE source-to-source compiler framework. Our goal is to support OpenMP research for ourselves and others. We have extended ROSE's internal representation to handle all of the OpenMP 3.0 constructs and facilitate their manipulation. Since OpenMP research is oftenmore » complicated by the tight coupling of the compiler translations and the runtime system, we present a set of rules to define a common OpenMP runtime library (XOMP) on top of multiple runtime libraries. These rules additionally define how to build a set of translations targeting XOMP. Our work demonstrates how to reuse OpenMP translations across different runtime libraries. This work simplifies OpenMP research by decoupling the problematic dependence between the compiler translations and the runtime libraries. We present an evaluation of our work by demonstrating an analysis tool for OpenMP correctness. We also show how XOMP can be defined using both GOMP and Omni and present comparative performance results against other OpenMP compilers.« less

Adolescents and MP3 players: too many risks, too few precautions.

PubMed

Vogel, Ineke; Verschuure, Hans; van der Ploeg, Catharina P B; Brug, Johannes; Raat, Hein

2009-06-01

The goal was to assess risky and protective listening behaviors of adolescent users of MP3 players and the association of these behaviors with demographic characteristics and frequency of use. In 2007, 1687 adolescents (12-19 years of age) in 68 classes in 15 Dutch secondary schools were invited to complete questionnaires about their music-listening behaviors. . Ninety percent of participants reported listening to music through earphones on MP3 players; 32.8% were frequent users, 48.0% used high volume settings, and only 6.8% always or nearly always used a noise-limiter. Frequent users were >4 times more likely to listen to high-volume music than were infrequent users, and adolescents in practical prevocational schools were more than twice as likely to listen to high-volume music as were those attending preuniversity education. When using MP3 players, adolescents are very likely to engage in risky listening behaviors and are unlikely to seek protection. Frequent MP3 player use is an indicator of other risky listening behaviors, such as listening at high volumes and failing to use noise-limiters.

The use of MP3 recorders to log data from equine hoof mounted accelerometers.

PubMed

Parsons, K J; Wilson, A M

2006-11-01

MP3 recorders are readily available, small, lightweight and low cost, providing the potential for logging analogue hoof mounted accelerometer signals for the characterisation of equine locomotion. These, however, require testing in practice. To test whether 1) multiple MP3 recorders can maintain synchronisation, giving the ability to synchronise independent recorders for the logging of multiple limbs simultaneously; and 2) features of a foot mounted accelerometer signal attributable to foot-on and foot-off can be accurately identified from horse foot mounted accelerometers logged directly into an MP3 recorder. Three experiments were performed: 1) Maintenance of synchronisation was assessed by counting the number of samples recorded by each of 4 MP3 recorders while mounted on a trotting horse and over 2 consecutive 30 min periods in 8 recorders on a bench. 2) Foot-on and foot-off times obtained from manual transcription of MP3 logged data and directly logged accelerometer signal were compared. 3) MP3/accelerometer acquisition units were used to log accelerometer signals from racehorses during extended training sessions. Mean absolute error of synchronisation between MP3 recorders was 10 samples per million (compared to mean number of samples, range 1-32 samples per million). Error accumulation showed a linear correlation with time. Features attributable to foot on and foot off were equally identifiable from the MP3 recorded signal over a range of equine gaits. Multiple MP3 recorders can be synchronised and used as a relatively cheap, robust, reliable and accurate logging system when combined with an accelerometer and external battery for the specific application of the measurement of stride timing variables across the range of equine gaits during field locomotion. Footfall timings can be used to identify intervals between the fore and hind contacts, the identification of diagonal advanced placement and to calculate stride timing variables (stance time, protraction

Implementation of MP3 player for music therapy on hypertension.

PubMed

Yu, J Y; Huang, D F; Li, Y; Zhang, Y T

2009-01-01

Hypertension is a common clinical disease and a major risk to human health. Many clinical findings indicate that certain types of music can reduce blood pressure (BP), and music therapy is considered as an important part of anti-hypertension treatment. We integrate our former related research achievement into the new MP3 player, which can also detect the current BP value with a cuffless measurement method. According to the current BP value, the MP3 player selects certain types of music for playing in order to alleviate the hypertension of patients.

Scaled MP3 non-covalent interaction energies agree closely with accurate CCSD(T) benchmark data.

PubMed

Pitonák, Michal; Neogrády, Pavel; Cerný, Jirí; Grimme, Stefan; Hobza, Pavel

2009-01-12

Scaled MP3 interaction energies calculated as a sum of MP2/CBS (complete basis set limit) interaction energies and scaled third-order energy contributions obtained in small or medium size basis sets agree very closely with the estimated CCSD(T)/CBS interaction energies for the 22 H-bonded, dispersion-controlled and mixed non-covalent complexes from the S22 data set. Performance of this so-called MP2.5 (third-order scaling factor of 0.5) method has also been tested for 33 nucleic acid base pairs and two stacked conformers of porphine dimer. In all the test cases, performance of the MP2.5 method was shown to be superior to the scaled spin-component MP2 based methods, e.g. SCS-MP2, SCSN-MP2 and SCS(MI)-MP2. In particular, a very balanced treatment of hydrogen-bonded compared to stacked complexes is achieved with MP2.5. The main advantage of the approach is that it employs only a single empirical parameter and is thus biased by two rigorously defined, asymptotically correct ab-initio methods, MP2 and MP3. The method is proposed as an accurate but computationally feasible alternative to CCSD(T) for the computation of the properties of various kinds of non-covalently bound systems.

MP3 - A Meteorology and Physical Properties Package for Titan Air-Sea Studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lorenz, R. D.; Stofan, E.; Lunine, J. I.; Zarnecki, J. C.; Harri, A.-M.; Karkoschka, E.; Newman, C. E.; Bierhaus, E. B.; Clark, B. C.; Yelland, M.; Leese, M. R.; Boldt, J.; Darlington, E.; Neish, C. D.; Sotzen, K.; Arvelo, J.; Rasbach, C.; Kretsch, W.; Strohbehn, K.; Grey, M.; Mann, J.; Zimmerman, H.; Reed, C.

2012-10-01

MP3 is a sensor suite for the proposed Titan Mare Explorer (TiME) Discovery mission to Ligeia Mare. MP3 will measure temperatures, and wind velocity, methane humidity, and pressure, as well as sea turbidity, dielectric properties, and depth via sonar.

Light Weight MP3 Watermarking Method for Mobile Terminals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takagi, Koichi; Sakazawa, Shigeyuki; Takishima, Yasuhiro

This paper proposes a novel MP3 watermarking method which is applicable to a mobile terminal with limited computational resources. Considering that in most cases the embedded information is copyright information or metadata, which should be extracted before playing back audio contents, the watermark detection process should be executed at high speed. However, when conventional methods are used with a mobile terminal, it takes a considerable amount of time to detect a digital watermark. This paper focuses on scalefactor manipulation to enable high speed watermark embedding/detection for MP3 audio and also proposes the manipulation method which minimizes audio quality degradation adaptively. Evaluation tests showed that the proposed method is capable of embedding 3 bits/frame information without degrading audio quality and detecting it at very high speed. Finally, this paper describes application examples for authentication with a digital signature.

Penetrating adolescents' mental models of mp3 with ZMET.

PubMed

Ling, I-Ling; Yang, Chun-Ming; Liu, Yi-Fen; Tsai, Yu-Hsuan

2009-01-01

This article demonstrates the application of the Zaltman metaphor-elicitation technique (ZMET) to help adolescent consumers delve into their unconscious thoughts and provide them with insights into the use of mp3. An analysis of interview transcripts and images revealed that the ZMET process provides a description of how the knowledge structures of adolescent consumers are subdivided and grouped around important themes that frame and motivate their involvement with a product. The findings reveal that there are 33 themes of consumer knowledge structure toward mp3. Furthermore, among these themes, there are four major concepts: size/form, convenience, relaxation, comfort, and appearance. The respondents' minds include not only rational components but emotional ingredients. Notably, the results also show that music can be an effective metaphor in the application of the ZMET method.

Assessment of G3(MP2)//B3 theory including a pseudopotential for molecules containing first-, second-, and third-row representative elements

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

Rocha, Carlos Murilo Romero; Morgon, Nelson Henrique; Custodio, Rogério, E-mail: roger@iqm.unicamp.br

2013-11-14

G3(MP2)//B3 theory was modified to incorporate compact effective potential (CEP) pseudopotentials, providing a theoretical alternative referred to as G3(MP2)//B3-CEP for calculations involving first-, second-, and third-row representative elements. The G3/05 test set was used as a standard to evaluate the accuracy of the calculated properties. G3(MP2)//B3-CEP theory was applied to the study of 247 standard enthalpies of formation, 104 ionization energies, 63 electron affinities, 10 proton affinities, and 22 atomization energies, comprising 446 experimental energies. The mean absolute deviations compared with the experimental data for all thermochemical results presented an accuracy of 1.4 kcal mol{sup −1} for G3(MP2)//B3 and 1.6more » kcal mol{sup −1} for G3(MP2)//B3-CEP. Approximately 75% and 70% of the calculated properties are found with accuracy between ±2 kcal mol{sup −1} for G3(MP2)//B3 and G3(MP2)//B3-CEP, respectively. Considering a confidence interval of 95%, the results may oscillate between ±4.2 kcal mol{sup −1} and ±4.6 kcal mol{sup −1}, respectively. The overall statistical behavior indicates that the calculations using pseudopotential present similar behavior with the all-electron theory. Of equal importance to the accuracy is the CPU time, which was reduced by between 10% and 40%.« less

MP3 players and hearing loss: adolescents' perceptions of loud music and hearing conservation.

PubMed

Vogel, Ineke; Brug, Johannes; Hosli, Esther J; van der Ploeg, Catharina P B; Raat, Hein

2008-03-01

To explore adolescents' behaviors and opinions about exposure to loud music from MP3 players. We conducted a qualitative analysis of focus-group discussions with adolescents aged 12 to 18 years from 2 large secondary schools (1 urban and 1 rural) for pre-vocational and pre-university education. The semi-structured question route was theoretically framed within the protection motivation theory. Most adolescents-especially male students and students from pre-vocational schools-indicated that they often played their MP3 players at maximum volume. Although they appeared to be generally aware of the risks of exposure to loud music, they expressed low personal vulnerability to music-induced hearing loss. Most adolescents said that they would not accept any interference with their music-exposure habits. Interventions should target students from pre-vocational schools and should focus on increasing adolescents' knowledge of the risks of loud music and how to protect themselves. Besides hearing education for adolescents and technical modifications of MP3 players, volume-level regulations for MP3 players may be warranted.

The application of pentaprism scanning technology on the manufacturing of M3MP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qi, Erhui; Hu, Haixiang; Hu, Haifei; Cole, Glen; Luo, Xiao; Ford, Virginia; Zhang, Xuejun

2016-10-01

The PSS (pentaprism scanning system) has advantages of simple structure, needless of reference flat, be able of on-site testing, etc, it plays an important role in large flat reflective mirror's manufacturing, especially the high accuracy testing of low order aberrations. The PSS system measures directly the slope information of the tested flat surface. Aimed at the unique requirement of M3MP, which is the prototype mirror of the tertiary mirror in TMT (Thirty Meter Telescope) project, this paper analyzed the slope distribution of low order aberrations, power and astigmatism, which is very important in the manufacturing process of M3MP. Then the sample route lines of PSS are reorganized and new data process algorism is implemented. All this work is done to improve PSS's measure sensitivity of power and astigmatism, for guiding the manufacturing process of M3MP.

Strategies for the prevention of MP3-induced hearing loss among adolescents: expert opinions from a Delphi study.

PubMed

Vogel, Ineke; Brug, Johannes; van der Ploeg, Catharina P B; Raat, Hein

2009-05-01

To identify parties involved in the prevention of MP3-induced hearing loss among adolescents and potentially effective prevention strategies and interventions. Thirty experts in fields such as scientific research, medical practice, community health professions, education, youth work, music entertainment, and enforcement authorities participated in a qualitative, electronic, 3-round, Web-based Delphi study. Multiple parties involved in the prevention of MP3-induced hearing loss among adolescents were identified; the most relevant are the adolescents themselves, their parents, manufacturers of MP3 players and earphones, and the authorities. The experts did not expect that adolescents in general would perform the necessary protective behaviors to prevent MP3-induced hearing loss. Two environmental health protection measures were identified as both relevant and feasible to be implemented (ie, authorities encourage manufacturers to produce safer products, and public health campaigns will be held to improve knowledge of the risks of high-volume music, possible protective measures, and consequences of hearing loss). Authorities, the music industry in general, and especially manufacturers of MP3 players and earphones should recognize their responsibility and create a safer MP3-listening environment by taking measures to protect today's youth from the dangers of listening to high-volume music on MP3 players.

Assessment of Growth Using Mandibular Canine Calcification Stages and Its Correlation with Modified MP3 Stages.

PubMed

Nayak, Reshma; Nayak, Us Krishna; Hegde, Gautam

2010-01-01

Orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning for growing children must involve growth prediction, especially in the treatment of skeletal problems. Studies have shown that a strong association exists between skeletal maturity and dental calcification stages. The present study was therefore taken up to provide a simple and practical method for assessing skeletal maturity using a dental periapical film and standard dental X-ray machine, to compare the developmental stages of the mandibular canine with that of developmental stages of modified MP3 and to find out if any correlation exists, to determine if the developmental stages of the mandibular canine alone can be used as a reliable indicator for assessment of skeletal maturity. A total of 160 periapical radiographs (80 males and 80 females), of the mandibular right canine and the MP3 region was taken and assessed according to the Dermirjian's stages of dental calcification and the modified MP3 stages. The correlation between the developmental stages of MP3 and the mandibular right canine in male and female groups, is of high statistical significance (p = 0.001). The correlation coefficient between MP3 stages and developmental stages of mandibular canine and chronological age in male and females was found to be not significant. The correlation between the mandibular canine calcification stages and MP3 stages was found to be significant. The developmental stages of the mandibular canine could be used very reliably as a sole indicator for assessment of skeletal maturity.

The VLSI design of the sub-band filterbank in MP3 decoding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Jia-Xin; Luo, Li

2018-03-01

The sub-band filterbank is one of the most important modules which has the largest amount of calculation in MP3 decoding. In order to save CPU resources and integrate the sub-band filterbank part into MP3 IP core, the hardware circuit of the sub-band filterbank module is designed in this paper. A fast algorithm suit for hardware implementation is proposed and achieved on FPGA development board. The results show that the sub-band filterbank function is correct in the case of using very few registers and the amount of calculation and ROM resources are reduced greatly.

MP3 Players: Applications and Implications for the Use of Popular Technology in Secondary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stiler, Gary M.

2007-01-01

This article explores potential uses for MP3 players in secondary classrooms. It presents an overview of current applications and describes an exploratory study of classroom uses. Seven high school teachers and one teacher educator participated in a three-month project to examine MP3 technology as applied to high school instruction. Their ideas…

Assessment of Growth Using Mandibular Canine Calcification Stages and Its Correlation with Modified MP3 Stages

PubMed Central

Nayak, US Krishna; Hegde, Gautam

2010-01-01

Background and objectives Orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning for growing children must involve growth prediction, especially in the treatment of skeletal problems. Studies have shown that a strong association exists between skeletal maturity and dental calcification stages. The present study was therefore taken up to provide a simple and practical method for assessing skeletal maturity using a dental periapical film and standard dental X-ray machine, to compare the developmental stages of the mandibular canine with that of developmental stages of modified MP3 and to find out if any correlation exists, to determine if the developmental stages of the mandibular canine alone can be used as a reliable indicator for assessment of skeletal maturity. Methods A total of 160 periapical radiographs (80 males and 80 females), of the mandibular right canine and the MP3 region was taken and assessed according to the Dermirjian’s stages of dental calcification and the modified MP3 stages. Results The correlation between the developmental stages of MP3 and the mandibular right canine in male and female groups, is of high statistical significance (p = 0.001). The correlation coefficient between MP3 stages and developmental stages of mandibular canine and chronological age in male and females was found to be not significant. Conclusions The correlation between the mandibular canine calcification stages and MP3 stages was found to be significant. The developmental stages of the mandibular canine could be used very reliably as a sole indicator for assessment of skeletal maturity. PMID:27625553

Vitamin D Reduces Oxidative Stress-Induced Procaspase-3/ROCK1 Activation and MP Release by Placental Trophoblasts.

PubMed

Xu, Jie; Jia, Xiuyue; Gu, Yang; Lewis, David F; Gu, Xin; Wang, Yuping

2017-06-01

Increased microparticle (MP) shedding by placental trophoblasts contributes to maternal vascular inflammatory response and endothelial dysfunction in preeclampsia. Vitamin D has beneficial effects in pregnancy; however, its effect on trophoblast MP release has not been investigated. To investigate if vitamin D could protect trophoblasts from oxidative stress-induced MP release. Placental trophoblasts were isolated from uncomplicated and preeclamptic placentas. Effects of vitamin D on MP release induced by oxidative stress inducer CoCl2 were studied. Annexin V+ MPs were assessed by flow cytometry. Expression of caveolin-1, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), procaspase-3, cleaved caspase-3, and Rho-associated coiled-coil protein kinase 1 (ROCK1) in trophoblasts and trophoblast-derived MPs were determined by Western blot. Trophoblasts from preeclamptic pregnancies released significantly more MPs than cells from uncomplicated pregnancies (P < 0.01). CoCl2-induced increase in MP release was associated with upregulation of caveolin-1 and downregulation of eNOS expression in trophoblasts (P < 0.05), which could be attenuated by 1,25(OH)2D3. Moreover, 1,25(OH)2D3 could also inhibit CoCl2-induced procaspase-3 cleavage and ROCK1 activation in trophoblasts. Consistently, CoCl2-induced upregulation of procaspase-3, cleaved caspase-3, and ROCK1 expression in trophoblast-derived MPs were also reduced in cells treated with 1,25(OH)2D3. Placental trophoblasts from preeclamptic pregnancies released more MP than cells from uncomplicated pregnancies. Oxidative stress-induced increase in MP shedding is associated with upregulation of caveolin-1 and downregulation of eNOS expression in placental trophoblasts. Inhibition of caspase-3 cleavage and ROCK1 activation, together with upregulation of eNOS expression, could be the potential cellular/molecular mechanism(s) of vitamin D protective effects on placental trophoblasts. Copyright © 2017 Endocrine Society

Music-listening habits with MP3 player in a group of adolescents: a descriptive survey.

PubMed

Pellegrino, E; Lorini, C; Allodi, G; Buonamici, C; Garofalo, G; Bonaccorsi, G

2013-01-01

Listening to music through portable MP3 players has become a very popular mode among young people and adolescents. The aim of this study is to investigate the behaviors of adolescents engaged in listening to music with MP3 player and the attendance at clubs (pubs, discotheques) where music is played at high volume. Among the 1470 students attending a secondary school in Scandicci (FI) during the school year 2009/2010, 1278 (86.9%) were at school the day of the examination and 1276 completely filled in the questionnaire. Descriptive analysis and univariate and multivariate logistic regression were performed to calculate the degree of association (OR) among the sociodemographic characteristics, listening habits and some factors identified as risky or protective as regards the possibility of developing health disorders. MP3 player users are 88.2% of the sample. Among these, a high proportion engaged behaviours that increase the risk of presenting disorders, including the exposure to high-volume (27.4%). Furthermore, 44.6% use the MP3 while driving. From the regression analysis it emerges that MP3 users showed a sort of addiction: by increasing the time and the occasions of exposure to music, they increased the volume, used maximum or medium-high volume, did not take breaks and did not decrease the volume. The study points out the spread of risky behavior in music listening, so it is necessary to better inform especially the youngsters and achieve specific preventive interventions.

3. Detail view of Hedges Creek trestle at m.p. 37.8, ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

3. Detail view of Hedges Creek trestle at m.p. 37.8, view looking west - Oregon Electric Railroad, Hedges Creek Trestle, Garden Home to Wilsonville Segment, Milepost 37.8, Garden Home, Washington County, OR

Heart Rate Monitor for Portable MP3 Player.

PubMed

Kim, Jaywoo; Lee, Mi-Hee; Lee, Hyoung-Ki; Choi, Kiwan; Bang, Seokwon; Kim, Sangryong

2005-01-01

This paper presents a photoplethysmography sensor based on a heart rate monitor for a portable MP3 player. Two major design issues are addressed: one is to acquire the sensor signal with a proper amplitude despite a wide range of variation and the other is to handle the noise contaminated signal which is caused by a motion artifact. A benchmarking test with a professional medical photoplethysmography sensor shows that our device performs very well in calculating heart rate even though our photoplethysmography sensor module was designed to be cost effective.

A new system for assessment of growth using mandibular canine calcification stages and its correlation with modified MP3 stages.

PubMed

Hegde, Gautham; Hegde, Nanditha; Kumar, Anil; Keshavaraj

2014-07-01

Orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning for growing children must involve growth prediction, especially in the treatment of skeletal problems. Studies have shown that a strong association exists between skeletal maturity and dental calcification stages. The present study was therefore taken up to provide a simple and practical method for assessing skeletal maturity using a dental periapical film and standard dental X-ray machine, to compare the developmental stages of the mandibular canine with that of developmental stages of modified MP3 and to find out if any correlation exists, to determine if the developmental stages of the mandibular canine alone can be used as a reliable indicator for assessment of skeletal maturity. A total of 160 periapical radiographs, of the mandibular right canine and the MP3 region was taken and assessed according to the Dermirjian's stages of dental calcification and the modified MP3 stages. The correlation coefficient between MP3 stages and developmental stages of mandibular canine was found to be significant in both male and female groups. When the canine calcification stages were compared with the MP3 stages it was found that with the exception of the D stage of canine calcification the remaining stages showed a very high correlation with the modified MP3 stages. The correlation between the mandibular canine calcification stages, and the MP3 stages was found to be significant. The canine calcification could be used as a sole indicator for assessment of skeletal maturity.

Digital radiograph of the middle phalanx of the third finger (MP3) region as a tool for skeletal maturity assessment.

PubMed

Hegde, Deepa Y; Baliga, Sudhindra; Yeluri, Ramakrishna; Munshi, A K

2012-01-01

To evaluate the reliability of the digital radiograph of the middle phalanx of the third finger (MP3) in skeletal maturity assessment. Fifty children (24 girls and 26 boys) belonging to the circumpubertal age-group were selected for the study. Two radiographs - lateral cephalogram and digital radiograph of the MP3 region - were taken in each child. Age assessment was based on the changes in shape of the cervical vertebrae and the epiphysis of the middle phalanx of the third finger of the left hand. The radiographs were assessed by three examiners. The inter- and intraexaminer variability were determined by the Wilcoxon rank sign test and the Kruskal-Wallis test and were found to be nonsignificant. Examiner 3 showed the best intraexaminer agreement and was selected to evaluate the radiographs for the entire study. The correlation determined between the MP3 stages and cervical vertebrae maturity index (CVMI) stages, the peak-wise distribution of the MP3 stages, and the correlation between the MP3 stages and the chronological age were found to be highly significant. Digital radiograph of the MP3 region is definitely a simple, reliable, cost-effective, and time-saving technique for the assessment of skeletal maturity.

A new system for assessment of growth using mandibular canine calcification stages and its correlation with modified MP3 stages

PubMed Central

Hegde, Gautham; Hegde, Nanditha; Kumar, Anil; Keshavaraj

2014-01-01

Objective: Orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning for growing children must involve growth prediction, especially in the treatment of skeletal problems. Studies have shown that a strong association exists between skeletal maturity and dental calcification stages. The present study was therefore taken up to provide a simple and practical method for assessing skeletal maturity using a dental periapical film and standard dental X-ray machine, to compare the developmental stages of the mandibular canine with that of developmental stages of modified MP3 and to find out if any correlation exists, to determine if the developmental stages of the mandibular canine alone can be used as a reliable indicator for assessment of skeletal maturity. Materials and Methods: A total of 160 periapical radiographs, of the mandibular right canine and the MP3 region was taken and assessed according to the Dermirjian's stages of dental calcification and the modified MP3 stages. Results and Discussion: The correlation coefficient between MP3 stages and developmental stages of mandibular canine was found to be significant in both male and female groups. When the canine calcification stages were compared with the MP3 stages it was found that with the exception of the D stage of canine calcification the remaining stages showed a very high correlation with the modified MP3 stages. Conclusion: The correlation between the mandibular canine calcification stages, and the MP3 stages was found to be significant. The canine calcification could be used as a sole indicator for assessment of skeletal maturity. PMID:25210386

Approximate first-principles anharmonic calculations of polyatomic spectra using MP2 and B3LYP potentials: comparisons with experiment.

PubMed

Roy, Tapta Kanchan; Carrington, Tucker; Gerber, R Benny

2014-08-21

Anharmonic vibrational spectroscopy calculations using MP2 and B3LYP computed potential surfaces are carried out for a series of molecules, and frequencies and intensities are compared with those from experiment. The vibrational self-consistent field with second-order perturbation correction (VSCF-PT2) is used in computing the spectra. The test calculations have been performed for the molecules HNO3, C2H4, C2H4O, H2SO4, CH3COOH, glycine, and alanine. Both MP2 and B3LYP give results in good accord with experimental frequencies, though, on the whole, MP2 gives very slightly better agreement. A statistical analysis of deviations in frequencies from experiment is carried out that gives interesting insights. The most probable percentage deviation from experimental frequencies is about -2% (to the red of the experiment) for B3LYP and +2% (to the blue of the experiment) for MP2. There is a higher probability for relatively large percentage deviations when B3LYP is used. The calculated intensities are also found to be in good accord with experiment, but the percentage deviations are much larger than those for frequencies. The results show that both MP2 and B3LYP potentials, used in VSCF-PT2 calculations, account well for anharmonic effects in the spectroscopy of molecules of the types considered.

A study of the effectiveness of MP3 players to support family carers of people living with dementia at home.

PubMed

Lewis, Virginia; Bauer, Michael; Winbolt, Margaret; Chenco, Carol; Hanley, Francine

2015-03-01

Music can be therapeutic to people with dementia; however, little is known about its effect on the family carers. This project aimed to (1) assess the effects of MP3 player use by a person with dementia on caregivers' mental health and wellbeing, including their self-care and health-promoting behavior and (2) determine whether MP3 player use increases caregivers' self-reported capacity to cope with their role. A pre-post quantitative and qualitative design was used. Carers completed a survey prior to commencing and four weeks after using the player. The survey included validated measures to assess the level of stress and coping among carers. Carers also kept a diary of the way they used the MP3 player. Half of the carers were interviewed about their experiences at the end of the study. Of 59 people who started using the MP3 player, 51 carers completed the four-week study period and surveys. Use of the MP3 player significantly decreased psychological distress, significantly improved the mental health and wellbeing of carers, significantly increased caregiver self-efficacy to manage symptoms of dementia, and was reported to provide valued respite from the high level of vigilance required for caring for a person with dementia. An MP3 player loaded with music can be a low cost and relatively simple and effective additional strategy to support families caring for people with dementia in the community.

Large-scale FMO-MP3 calculations on the surface proteins of influenza virus, hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mochizuki, Yuji; Yamashita, Katsumi; Fukuzawa, Kaori; Takematsu, Kazutomo; Watanabe, Hirofumi; Taguchi, Naoki; Okiyama, Yoshio; Tsuboi, Misako; Nakano, Tatsuya; Tanaka, Shigenori

2010-06-01

Two proteins on the influenza virus surface have been well known. One is hemagglutinin (HA) associated with the infection to cells. The fragment molecular orbital (FMO) calculations were performed on a complex consisting of HA trimer and two Fab-fragments at the third-order Møller-Plesset perturbation (MP3) level. The numbers of residues and 6-31G basis functions were 2351 and 201276, and thus a massively parallel-vector computer was utilized to accelerate the processing. This FMO-MP3 job was completed in 5.8 h with 1024 processors. Another protein is neuraminidase (NA) involved in the escape from infected cells. The FMO-MP3 calculation was also applied to analyze the interactions between oseltamivir and surrounding residues in pharmacophore.

A comparison between cervical vertebrae and modified MP3 stages for the assessment of skeletal maturity.

PubMed

Prasad, Mandava; Ganji, Venkata Suresh Kumar; George, Suja Ani; Talapaneni, Ashok Kumar; Shetty, Sharath Kumar

2013-01-01

Evaluation of skeletal maturity in human individuals is an important aspect in orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics because, growth guidance and fundamental structural changes are essential for treatment of skeletal discrepancies in all the three planes. Among various growth assessment methods, cervical vertebra maturation stages and hand wrist have been correlated with the individual growth changes during puberty. The purpose of this study is to determine correlation of the CVM index with the modified median phalanx index (MP3) as described by Rajagopal and Kansal. 200 subjects (100 males and 100 females) of Nellore, Indian origin boys aged between 10 to 19 years and girls of 8 to 16 years were selected for the study. The subjects are selected randomly from patients visiting the Departments of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, Pediatric dentistry and Oral medicine and Radiology at Narayana Dental College and Hospital. Nellore. Radiographs of left hand MP3 and lateral cephalogram were taken. Cohen's kappa statistic was used to assess the agreement between the two measurements based on categorical variables. There was a good concordance between 6 stages of CVMI (Hassel and Farman) and the 6 stages of MP3 (Rajagopal and Kansal). Physiological maturity was earlier in females than in males when compared to the individuals of opposite sex of same chronological age. Chronological age was not a valid predictor of assessing the skeletal maturity because of significant variations in the distribution of CVMI and MP3 stages with respect to individual chronological age distribution.

Optimization of a GCaMP calcium indicator for neural activity imaging

PubMed Central

Akerboom, Jasper; Chen, Tsai-Wen; Wardill, Trevor J.; Tian, Lin; Marvin, Jonathan S.; Mutlu, Sevinç; Calderón, Nicole Carreras; Esposti, Federico; Borghuis, Bart G.; Sun, Xiaonan Richard; Gordus, Andrew; Orger, Michael B.; Portugues, Ruben; Engert, Florian; Macklin, John J.; Filosa, Alessandro; Aggarwal, Aman; Kerr, Rex; Takagi, Ryousuke; Kracun, Sebastian; Shigetomi, Eiji; Khakh, Baljit S.; Baier, Herwig; Lagnado, Leon; Wang, Samuel S.-H.; Bargmann, Cornelia I.; Kimmel, Bruce E.; Jayaraman, Vivek; Svoboda, Karel; Kim, Douglas S.; Schreiter, Eric R.; Looger, Loren L.

2012-01-01

Genetically encoded calcium indicators (GECIs) are powerful tools for systems neuroscience. Recent efforts in protein engineering have significantly increased the performance of GECIs. The state-of-the art single-wavelength GECI, GCaMP3, has been deployed in a number of model organisms and can reliably detect three or more action potentials (APs) in short bursts in several systems in vivo. Through protein structure determination, targeted mutagenesis, high-throughput screening, and a battery of in vitro assays, we have increased the dynamic range of GCaMP3 by several-fold, creating a family of “GCaMP5” sensors. We tested GCaMP5s in several systems: cultured neurons and astrocytes, mouse retina, and in vivo in Caenorhabditis chemosensory neurons, Drosophila larval neuromuscular junction and adult antennal lobe, zebrafish retina and tectum, and mouse visual cortex. Signal-to-noise ratio was improved by at least 2–3-fold. In the visual cortex, two GCaMP5 variants detected twice as many visual stimulus-responsive cells as GCaMP3. By combining in vivo imaging with electrophysiology we show that GCaMP5 fluorescence provides a more reliable measure of neuronal activity than its predecessor GCaMP3. GCaMP5 allows more sensitive detection of neural activity in vivo and may find widespread applications for cellular imaging in general. PMID:23035093

Optimization of a GCaMP calcium indicator for neural activity imaging.

PubMed

Akerboom, Jasper; Chen, Tsai-Wen; Wardill, Trevor J; Tian, Lin; Marvin, Jonathan S; Mutlu, Sevinç; Calderón, Nicole Carreras; Esposti, Federico; Borghuis, Bart G; Sun, Xiaonan Richard; Gordus, Andrew; Orger, Michael B; Portugues, Ruben; Engert, Florian; Macklin, John J; Filosa, Alessandro; Aggarwal, Aman; Kerr, Rex A; Takagi, Ryousuke; Kracun, Sebastian; Shigetomi, Eiji; Khakh, Baljit S; Baier, Herwig; Lagnado, Leon; Wang, Samuel S-H; Bargmann, Cornelia I; Kimmel, Bruce E; Jayaraman, Vivek; Svoboda, Karel; Kim, Douglas S; Schreiter, Eric R; Looger, Loren L

2012-10-03

Genetically encoded calcium indicators (GECIs) are powerful tools for systems neuroscience. Recent efforts in protein engineering have significantly increased the performance of GECIs. The state-of-the art single-wavelength GECI, GCaMP3, has been deployed in a number of model organisms and can reliably detect three or more action potentials in short bursts in several systems in vivo. Through protein structure determination, targeted mutagenesis, high-throughput screening, and a battery of in vitro assays, we have increased the dynamic range of GCaMP3 by severalfold, creating a family of "GCaMP5" sensors. We tested GCaMP5s in several systems: cultured neurons and astrocytes, mouse retina, and in vivo in Caenorhabditis chemosensory neurons, Drosophila larval neuromuscular junction and adult antennal lobe, zebrafish retina and tectum, and mouse visual cortex. Signal-to-noise ratio was improved by at least 2- to 3-fold. In the visual cortex, two GCaMP5 variants detected twice as many visual stimulus-responsive cells as GCaMP3. By combining in vivo imaging with electrophysiology we show that GCaMP5 fluorescence provides a more reliable measure of neuronal activity than its predecessor GCaMP3. GCaMP5 allows more sensitive detection of neural activity in vivo and may find widespread applications for cellular imaging in general.

Paleomagnetic secular variation at the Azores during the last 3 ka

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

di Chiara, Anita; Speranza, Fabio; Porreca, Massimiliano

2012-07-01

We report on 33 new paleomagnetic directions obtained from 16 lava flows emplaced in the last 3 ka on São Miguel, the largest island of the Azores. The data provide 27 well-dated directions from historical or 14C dated flows which, together with 6 directions previously gathered from the same flows by Johnson et al. (1998), yield the first paleomagnetic directional record of the last 3 ka from the Atlantic Ocean. Within-flow directions are consistent, suggesting that inclination swings from 60° to 25° and declination changes between -10° to 20° reflect variations in the geomagnetic field over the last 3 ka. To a first approximation, the declination record is consistent with predictions from CALS3k.4 and gufm1 global field models. Conversely, inclination values are lower than model predictions at two different ages: 1) four sites from the 1652 AD flow yield I = 48° instead of I = 63° predicted by gufm1; 2) data from several flows nicely mimic the inclination minimum of 800-1400 AD, but inclination values are lower by ˜10° than CALS3k.4 model predictions. By interpolating a cubic spline fit on declination / inclination versus age data, we tentatively infer the directional evolution of the geomagnetic field at the Azores from 1000 BC to 1600 AD. The obtained curve shows three tracks in virtual overlap during the 1000-800 BC, 800-500 BC, and 400-700 AD time spans.

A comparison between cervical vertebrae and modified MP3 stages for the assessment of skeletal maturity

PubMed Central

Prasad, Mandava; Ganji, Venkata Suresh Kumar; George, Suja Ani; Talapaneni, Ashok Kumar; Shetty, Sharath Kumar

2013-01-01

Objective: Evaluation of skeletal maturity in human individuals is an important aspect in orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics because, growth guidance and fundamental structural changes are essential for treatment of skeletal discrepancies in all the three planes. Among various growth assessment methods, cervical vertebra maturation stages and hand wrist have been correlated with the individual growth changes during puberty. The purpose of this study is to determine correlation of the CVM index with the modified median phalanx index (MP3) as described by Rajagopal and Kansal. Materials and Methods: 200 subjects (100 males and 100 females) of Nellore, Indian origin boys aged between 10 to 19 years and girls of 8 to 16 years were selected for the study. The subjects are selected randomly from patients visiting the Departments of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, Pediatric dentistry and Oral medicine and Radiology at Narayana Dental College and Hospital. Nellore. Radiographs of left hand MP3 and lateral cephalogram were taken. Results: Cohen's kappa statistic was used to assess the agreement between the two measurements based on categorical variables. Conclusions: There was a good concordance between 6 stages of CVMI (Hassel and Farman) and the 6 stages of MP3 (Rajagopal and Kansal). Physiological maturity was earlier in females than in males when compared to the individuals of opposite sex of same chronological age. Chronological age was not a valid predictor of assessing the skeletal maturity because of significant variations in the distribution of CVMI and MP3 stages with respect to individual chronological age distribution. PMID:23633839

Driving error and anxiety related to iPod mp3 player use in a simulated driving experience.

PubMed

Harvey, Ashley R; Carden, Randy L

2009-08-01

Driver distraction due to cellular phone usage has repeatedly been shown to increase the risk of vehicular accidents; however, the literature regarding the use of other personal electronic devices while driving is relatively sparse. It was hypothesized that the usage of an mp3 player would result in an increase in not only driving error while operating a driving simulator, but driver anxiety scores as well. It was also hypothesized that anxiety scores would be positively related to driving errors when using an mp3 player. 32 participants drove through a set course in a driving simulator twice, once with and once without an iPod mp3 player, with the order counterbalanced. Number of driving errors per course, such as leaving the road, impacts with stationary objects, loss of vehicular control, etc., and anxiety were significantly higher when an iPod was in use. Anxiety scores were unrelated to number of driving errors.

MythBusters, Musicians, and MP3 Players: A Middle School Sound Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Putney, Ann

2011-01-01

Create your own speakers for an MP3 player while exploring the science of sound. Review of science notebooks, students' intriguing cabinet designs, and listening to students talk with a musician about the physics of an instrument show that complex concepts are being absorbed and extended with each new iteration. Science that matters to students…

Pre-eruptive conditions of dacitic magma erupted during the 21.7 ka Plinian event at Nevado de Toluca volcano, Central Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arce, J. L.; Gardner, J. E.; Macías, J. L.

2013-01-01

The Nevado de Toluca volcano in Central Mexico has been active over the last ca. 42 ka, during which tens of km3 of pyroclastic material were erupted and two important Plinian-type eruptions occurred at ca. 21.7 ka (Lower Toluca Pumice: LTP) and ca. 10.5 ka (Upper Toluca Pumice: UTP). Samples from both the LTP and UTP contain plagioclase, amphibole, iron-titanium oxides, and minor anhedral biotite, set in a vesicular, rhyolitic, glassy matrix. In addition, UTP dacites contain orthopyroxene. Analysis of melt inclusions in plagioclase phenocrysts yields H2O contents of 2-3.5 wt.% for LTP and 1.3-3.6 wt.% for UTP samples. Ilmenite-ulvospinel geothermometry yields an average temperature of ~ 868 °C for the LTP magma (hotter than the UTP magma, ~ 842 °C; Arce et al., 2006), whereas amphibole-plagioclase geothermometry yields a temperature of 825-859 °C for the LTP magma. Water-saturated experiments using LTP dacite suggest that: (i) amphibole is stable above 100 MPa and below 900 °C; (ii) plagioclase crystallizes below 250-100 MPa at temperatures of 850-900 °C; and (iii) pyroxene is stable only below pressures of 200-100 MPa and temperatures of 825-900 °C. Comparison of natural and experimental data suggests that the LTP dacitic magma was stored at 150-200 MPa (5.8-7.7 km below the volcano summit). No differences in pressure found between 21.7 ka and 10.5 ka suggest that these two magmas were stored at similar depths. Orthopyroxene produced in lower temperature LTP experiments is compositionally different to those found in UTP natural samples, suggesting that they originated in two different magma batches. Whole-rock chemistry, petrographic features, and mineral compositions suggest that magma mixing was responsible for the generation of the dacitic Plinian LTP eruption.

G3(MP2)-CEP theory and applications for compounds containing atoms from representative first, second and third row elements of the periodic table.

PubMed

Pereira, Douglas Henrique; Rocha, Carlos Murilo Romero; Morgon, Nelson Henrique; Custodio, Rogério

2015-08-01

The compact effective potential (CEP) pseudopotential was adapted to the G3(MP2) theory, herein referred to as G3(MP2)-CEP, and applied to the calculation of enthalpies of formation, ionization energies, atomization energies, and electron and proton affinities for 446 species containing elements of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd rows of the periodic table. A total mean absolute deviation of 1.67 kcal mol(-1) was achieved with G3(MP2)-CEP, compared with 1.47 kcal mol(-1) for G3(MP2). Electron affinities and enthalpies of formation are the properties exhibiting the lowest deviations with respect to the original G3(MP2) theory. The use of pseudopotentials and composite theories in the framework of the G3 theory is feasible and compatible with the all electron approach. Graphical Abstract Application of composite methods in high-level ab initio calculations.

MP3C - the Minor Planet Physical Properties Catalogue: a New VO Service For Multi-database Query

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanga, Paolo; Delbo, M.; Gerakis, J.

2013-10-01

In the last few years we witnessed a large growth in the number of asteroids for which we have physical properties. However, these data are dispersed in a multiplicity of catalogs. Extracting data and combining them for further analysis requires custom tools, a situation further complicated by the variety of data sources, some of them standardized (Planetary Data System) others not. With these problems in mind, we created a new Virtual Observatory service named “Minor Planet Physical Properties Catalogue” (abbreviated as MP3C - http://mp3c.oca.eu/). MP3C is not a new database, but rather a portal allowing the user to access selected properties of objects by easy SQL query, even from different sources. At present, such diverse data as orbital parameters, photometric and light curve parameters, sizes and albedos derived by IRAS, AKARI and WISE, SDSS colors, SMASS taxonomy, family membership, satellite data, stellar occultation results, are included. Other data sources will be added in the near future. The physical properties output of the MP3C can be tuned by the users by query criteria based upon ranges of values of the ingested quantities. The resulting list of object can be used for interactive plots through standard VO tools such as TOPCAT. Also, their ephemerids and visibilities from given sites can be computed. We are targeting full VO compliance for providing a new standardized service to the community.

Steganography on multiple MP3 files using spread spectrum and Shamir's secret sharing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoeseph, N. M.; Purnomo, F. A.; Riasti, B. K.; Safiie, M. A.; Hidayat, T. N.

2016-11-01

The purpose of steganography is how to hide data into another media. In order to increase security of data, steganography technique is often combined with cryptography. The weakness of this combination technique is the data was centralized. Therefore, a steganography technique is develop by using combination of spread spectrum and secret sharing technique. In steganography with secret sharing, shares of data is created and hidden in several medium. Medium used to concealed shares were MP3 files. Hiding technique used was Spread Spectrum. Secret sharing scheme used was Shamir's Secret Sharing. The result showed that steganography with spread spectrum combined with Shamir's Secret Share using MP3 files as medium produce a technique that could hid data into several cover. To extract and reconstruct the data hidden in stego object, it is needed the amount of stego object which more or equal to its threshold. Furthermore, stego objects were imperceptible and robust.

Cloning and expression of an alpha-1,3-glucanase gene from Bacillus circulans KA-304: the enzyme participates in protoplast formation of Schizophyllum commune.

PubMed

Yano, Shigekazu; Wakayama, Mamoru; Tachiki, Takashi

2006-07-01

A culture filtrate of Bacillus circulans KA-304 grown on a cell-wall preparation of Schizophyllum commune has an activity to form protoplasts from S. commune mycelia, and a combination of alpha-1,3-glucanase and chitinase I, which were isolated from the filtrate, brings about the protoplast-forming activity. The gene of alpha-1,3-glucanase was cloned from B. circulans KA-304. It consists of 3,879 nucleotides, which encodes 1,293 amino acids including a putative signal peptide (31 amino acid residues), and the molecular weight of alpha-1,3-glucanase without the putative signal peptide was calculated to be 132,184. The deduced amino acid sequence of alpha-1,3-glucanase of B. circulans KA-304 showed approximately 80% similarity to that of mutanase (alpha-1,3-glucanase) of Bacillus sp. RM1, but no significant similarity to those of fungal mutanases. The recombinant alpha-1,3-glucanase was expressed in Escherichia coli Rosetta-gami B (DE 3), and significant alpha-1,3-glucanase activity was detected in the cell-free extract of the organism treated with isopropyl-beta-D-thiogalactopyranoside. The recombinant alpha-1,3-glucanase showed protoplast-forming activity when the enzyme was combined with chitinase I.

Noah-MP-Crop: Introducing dynamic crop growth in the Noah-MP land surface model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xing; Chen, Fei; Barlage, Michael; Zhou, Guangsheng; Niyogi, Dev

2016-12-01

Croplands are important in land-atmosphere interactions and in the modification of local and regional weather and climate; however, they are poorly represented in the current version of the coupled Weather Research and Forecasting/Noah with multiparameterization (Noah-MP) land surface modeling system. This study introduced dynamic corn (Zea mays) and soybean (Glycine max) growth simulations and field management (e.g., planting date) into Noah-MP and evaluated the enhanced model (Noah-MP-Crop) at field scales using crop biomass data sets, surface heat fluxes, and soil moisture observations. Compared to the generic dynamic vegetation and prescribed-leaf area index (LAI)-driven methods in Noah-MP, the Noah-MP-Crop showed improved performance in simulating leaf area index (LAI) and crop biomass. This model is able to capture the seasonal and annual variability of LAI and to differentiate corn and soybean in peak values of LAI as well as the length of growing seasons. Improved simulations of crop phenology in Noah-MP-Crop led to better surface heat flux simulations, especially in the early period of growing season where current Noah-MP significantly overestimated LAI. The addition of crop yields as model outputs expand the application of Noah-MP-Crop to regional agriculture studies. There are limitations in the use of current growing degree days (GDD) criteria to predict growth stages, and it is necessary to develop a new method that combines GDD with other environmental factors, to more accurately define crop growth stages. The capability introduced in Noah-MP allows further crop-related studies and development.

Analysis of histological findings obtained combining US/mp-MRI fusion-guided biopsies with systematic US biopsies: mp-MRI role in prostate cancer detection and false negative.

PubMed

Faiella, Eliodoro; Santucci, Domiziana; Greco, Federico; Frauenfelder, Giulia; Giacobbe, Viola; Muto, Giovanni; Zobel, Bruno Beomonte; Grasso, Rosario Francesco

2018-02-01

To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of mp-MRI correlating US/mp-MRI fusion-guided biopsy with systematic random US-guided biopsy in prostate cancer diagnosis. 137 suspected prostatic abnormalities were identified on mp-MRI (1.5T) in 96 patients and classified according to PI-RADS score v2. All target lesions underwent US/mp-MRI fusion biopsy and prostatic sampling was completed by US-guided systematic random 12-core biopsies. Histological analysis and Gleason score were established for all the samples, both target lesions defined by mp-MRI, and random biopsies. PI-RADS score was correlated with the histological results, divided in three groups (benign tissue, atypia and carcinoma) and with Gleason groups, divided in four categories considering the new Grading system of the ISUP 2014, using t test. Multivariate analysis was used to correlate PI-RADS and Gleason categories to PSA level and abnormalities axial diameter. When the random core biopsies showed carcinoma (mp-MRI false-negatives), PSA value and lesions Gleason median value were compared with those of carcinomas identified by mp-MRI (true-positives), using t test. There was statistically significant difference between PI-RADS score in carcinoma, atypia and benign lesions groups (4.41, 3.61 and 3.24, respectively) and between PI-RADS score in Gleason < 7 group and Gleason > 7 group (4.14 and 4.79, respectively). mp-MRI performance was more accurate for lesions > 15 mm and in patients with PSA > 6 ng/ml. In systematic sampling, 130 (11.25%) mp-MRI false-negative were identified. There was no statistic difference in Gleason median value (7.0 vs 7.06) between this group and the mp-MRI true-positives, but a significant lower PSA median value was demonstrated (7.08 vs 7.53 ng/ml). mp-MRI remains the imaging modality of choice to identify PCa lesions. Integrating US-guided random sampling with US/mp-MRI fusion target lesions sampling, 3.49% of false-negative were identified.

Resource Letter MP-3: The Manhattan Project and Related Nuclear Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reed, B. Cameron

2016-10-01

This Resource Letter is a supplement to the earlier Resource Letters MP-1 and MP-2, and provides further sources on the Manhattan Project and related research. Books, review papers, journal articles, videos, and websites are cited for the following topics: general works, technical works, biographical and autobiographical works, foreign wartime nuclear programs and related allied intelligence, the use of the bombs against Hiroshima and Nagasaki, technical papers of historical interest, postwar policy and technical developments, and educational materials. Together, these three Resource Letters describe nearly 400 sources of information on the Manhattan Project.

Registration of Mp718 and Mp719 germplasm lines of maize

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Maize (Zea mays L.) germplasm lines Mp718 (Reg. No. GP-xxxx, PI 662045) and Mp719 (Reg. No. GP-xxxx, PI 662046) were developed and released by USDA-ARS in cooperation with the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, Mississippi State, Mississippi, as sources of resistance to aflat...

Assessment of skeletal age using MP3 and hand-wrist radiographs and its correlation with dental and chronological ages in children.

PubMed

Bala, M; Pathak, A; Jain, R L

2010-01-01

The purpose of the study was to assess skeletal age using MP3 and hand-wrist radiographs and to find the correlation amongst the skeletal, dental and chronological ages. One hundred and sixty North-Indian healthy children in the age group 8-14 years, comprising equal number of males and females were included in the study. The children were radiographed for middle phalanx of third finger (MP3) and hand-wrist of the right hand and intra oral periapical X-ray for right permanent maxillary canine. Skeletal age was assessed from MP3 and hand-wrist radiographs according to the standards of Greulich and Pyle. The dental age was assessed from IOPA radiographs of right permanent maxillary canine based on Nolla's calcification stages. Skeletal age from MP3 and hand-wrist radiographs shows high correlation in all the age groups for both sexes. Females were advanced in skeletal maturation than males. Skeletal age showed high correlation with dental age in 12-14 years age group. Chronological age showed inconsistent correlation with dental and skeletal ages.

The Mars Global Surveyor Ka-Band Link Experiment (MGS/KaBLE-II)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morabito, D.; Butman, S.; Shambayati, S.

1999-01-01

The Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) spacecraft, launched on November 7, 1996, carries an experimental space-to-ground telecommunications link at Ka-band (32 GHz) along with the primary X-band (8.4-GHz) downlink. The signals are simultaneously transmitted from a 1.5-m-diameter parabolic antenna on MGS and received by a beam-waveguide (BWG) research and development (R&D) 34-meter a ntenna located in NASA's Goldstone Deep Space Network (DSN) complex near Barstow, California. This Ka-band link experiment (KaBLE-II) allows the performances of the Ka-band and X-band signals to be compared under nearly identical conditions. The two signals have been regularly tracked during the past 2 years. This article presents carrier-signal-level data (P_c/N_o) for both X-band and Ka-band acquired over a wide range of station elevation angles, weather conditions, and solar elongation angles. The cruise phase of the mission covered the period from launch (November 7, 1996) to Mars orbit capture (September 12, 1997). Since September 12, 1997, MGS has been in orbit around Mars. The measurements confirm that Ka-band could increase data capacity by at least a factor of three (5 dB) as compared with X-band. During May 1998, the solar corona experiment, in which the effects of solar plasma on the X-band and Ka-band links were studied, was conducted. In addition, frequency and difference frequency (f_x - f_(Ka)/3.8), ranging, and telemetry data results are presented. MGS/KaBLE-II measured signal strengths (for 54 percent of the experiments conducted) that were in reasonable agreement with predicted values based on preflight knowledge, and frequency residuals that agreed between bands and whose statistics were consistent with expected noise sources. For passes in which measured signal strengths disagreed with predicted values, the problems were traced to known deficiencies, for example, equipment operating under certain conditions, such as a cold Ka-band solid-state power amplifier (SSPA

The AgMIP Coordinated Climate-Crop Modeling Project (C3MP): Methods and Protocols

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shukla, Sonali P.; Ruane, Alexander Clark

2014-01-01

Climate change is expected to alter a multitude of factors important to agricultural systems, including pests, diseases, weeds, extreme climate events, water resources, soil degradation, and socio-economic pressures. Changes to carbon dioxide concentration ([CO2]), temperature, and water (CTW) will be the primary drivers of change in crop growth and agricultural systems. Therefore, establishing the CTW-change sensitivity of crop yields is an urgent research need and warrants diverse methods of investigation. Crop models provide a biophysical, process-based tool to investigate crop responses across varying environmental conditions and farm management techniques, and have been applied in climate impact assessment by using a variety of methods (White et al., 2011, and references therein). However, there is a significant amount of divergence between various crop models' responses to CTW changes (Rotter et al., 2011). While the application of a site-based crop model is relatively simple, the coordination of such agricultural impact assessments on larger scales requires consistent and timely contributions from a large number of crop modelers, each time a new global climate model (GCM) scenario or downscaling technique is created. A coordinated, global effort to rapidly examine CTW sensitivity across multiple crops, crop models, and sites is needed to aid model development and enhance the assessment of climate impacts (Deser et al., 2012). To fulfill this need, the Coordinated Climate-Crop Modeling Project (C3MP) (Ruane et al., 2014) was initiated within the Agricultural Model Intercomparison and Improvement Project (AgMIP; Rosenzweig et al., 2013). The submitted results from C3MP Phase 1 (February 15, 2013-December 31, 2013) are currently being analyzed. This chapter serves to present and update the C3MP protocols, discuss the initial participation and general findings, comment on needed adjustments, and describe continued and future development. AgMIP aims to improve

Analytical gradients for tensor hyper-contracted MP2 and SOS-MP2 on graphical processing units

DOE PAGES

Song, Chenchen; Martinez, Todd J.

2017-08-29

Analytic energy gradients for tensor hyper-contraction (THC) are derived and implemented for second-order Møller-Plesset perturbation theory (MP2), with and without the scaled-opposite-spin (SOS)-MP2 approximation. By exploiting the THC factorization, the formal scaling of MP2 and SOS-MP2 gradient calculations with respect to system size is reduced to quartic and cubic, respectively. An efficient implementation has been developed that utilizes both graphics processing units and sparse tensor techniques exploiting spatial sparsity of the atomic orbitals. THC-MP2 has been applied to both geometry optimization and ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations. Furthermore, the resulting energy conservation in micro-canonical AIMD demonstrates that the implementationmore » provides accurate nuclear gradients with respect to the THC-MP2 potential energy surfaces.« less

Analytical gradients for tensor hyper-contracted MP2 and SOS-MP2 on graphical processing units

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Chenchen; Martínez, Todd J.

2017-10-01

Analytic energy gradients for tensor hyper-contraction (THC) are derived and implemented for second-order Møller-Plesset perturbation theory (MP2), with and without the scaled-opposite-spin (SOS)-MP2 approximation. By exploiting the THC factorization, the formal scaling of MP2 and SOS-MP2 gradient calculations with respect to system size is reduced to quartic and cubic, respectively. An efficient implementation has been developed that utilizes both graphics processing units and sparse tensor techniques exploiting spatial sparsity of the atomic orbitals. THC-MP2 has been applied to both geometry optimization and ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations. The resulting energy conservation in micro-canonical AIMD demonstrates that the implementation provides accurate nuclear gradients with respect to the THC-MP2 potential energy surfaces.

Analytical gradients for tensor hyper-contracted MP2 and SOS-MP2 on graphical processing units

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

Song, Chenchen; Martinez, Todd J.

Analytic energy gradients for tensor hyper-contraction (THC) are derived and implemented for second-order Møller-Plesset perturbation theory (MP2), with and without the scaled-opposite-spin (SOS)-MP2 approximation. By exploiting the THC factorization, the formal scaling of MP2 and SOS-MP2 gradient calculations with respect to system size is reduced to quartic and cubic, respectively. An efficient implementation has been developed that utilizes both graphics processing units and sparse tensor techniques exploiting spatial sparsity of the atomic orbitals. THC-MP2 has been applied to both geometry optimization and ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations. Furthermore, the resulting energy conservation in micro-canonical AIMD demonstrates that the implementationmore » provides accurate nuclear gradients with respect to the THC-MP2 potential energy surfaces.« less

2010 Coalition Battle Management Language Workshop (Atelier 2010 sur le langage de gestion du champ de bataille pour les operations en coalition)

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-02-01

Feb 2010 2010 Coalition Battle Management Language Workshop (Atelier 2010 sur le langage de gestion du champ de bataille pour les opérations en...RTO MEETING PROCEEDINGS MP-MSG-079 2010 Coalition Battle Management Language Workshop (Atelier 2010 sur le langage de gestion du champ de ...RTO-MP-MSG-079 ES - 3 Atelier 2010 sur le langage de gestion du champ de bataille pour les opérations en coalition (RTO-MP-MSG-079

Contrast-enhanced 3-dimensional SPACE versus MP-RAGE for the detection of brain metastases: considerations with a 32-channel head coil.

PubMed

Reichert, Miriam; Morelli, John N; Runge, Val M; Tao, Ai; von Ritschl, Ruediger; von Ritschl, Andreas; Padua, Abraham; Dix, James E; Marra, Michael J; Schoenberg, Stefan O; Attenberger, Ulrike I

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to compare the detection of brain metastases at 3 T using a 32-channel head coil with 2 different 3-dimensional (3D) contrast-enhanced sequences, a T1-weighted fast spin-echo-based (SPACE; sampling perfection with application-optimized contrasts using different flip angle evolutions) sequence and a conventional magnetization-prepared rapid gradient-echo (MP-RAGE) sequence. Seventeen patients with 161 brain metastases were examined prospectively using both SPACE and MP-RAGE sequences on a 3-T magnetic resonance system. Eight healthy volunteers were similarly examined for determination of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) values. Parameters were adjusted to equalize acquisition times between the sequences (3 minutes and 30 seconds). The order in which sequences were performed was randomized. Two blinded board-certified neuroradiologists evaluated the number of detectable metastatic lesions with each sequence relative to a criterion standard reading conducted at the Gamma Knife facility by a neuroradiologist with access to all clinical and imaging data. In the volunteer assessment with SPACE and MP-RAGE, SNR (10.3 ± 0.8 vs 7.7 ± 0.7) and contrast-to-noise ratio (0.8 ± 0.2 vs 0.5 ± 0.1) were statistically significantly greater with the SPACE sequence (P < 0.05). Overall, lesion detection was markedly improved with the SPACE sequence (99.1% of lesions for reader 1 and 96.3% of lesions for reader 2) compared with the MP-RAGE sequence (73.6% of lesions for reader 1 and 68.5% of lesions for reader 2; P < 0.01). A 3D T1-weighted fast spin echo sequence (SPACE) improves detection of metastatic lesions relative to 3D T1-weighted gradient-echo-based scan (MP-RAGE) imaging when implemented with a 32-channel head coil at identical scan acquisition times (3 minutes and 30 seconds).

Modification of otoacoustic emissions following ear-level exposure to MP3 player music.

PubMed

Bhagat, Shaum P; Davis, Anne M

2008-12-01

The purpose of this study was to examine if a pre-determined exposure level and duration of MP3 player music would result in significant changes in cochlear function when measured with audiometric and physiological methods. Distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs), synchronized spontaneous otoacoustic emissions (SSOAEs), and hearing thresholds were measured in 20 normal-hearing adults before and after a 30-minute MP3 player music exposure. DPOAEs were acquired with 65/45 dB SPL primary tones (f(2)=0.842-7.996 kHz) with a frequency resolution of 8 points/octave. A probe microphone system recorded ear-canal music levels and was used to equalize levels at approximately 85 dBC across individuals during the music presentation. Comparison of pre- and post-exposure measurements revealed no significant differences in hearing thresholds, but DPOAE levels in half-octave bands centered from 1.4-6.0 kHz were significantly reduced following the music exposure. Post-exposure shifts in SSOAE frequency and level were highly variable in individuals identified with SSOAEs. The results for the exposure conditions explored in this study indicate that changes in otoacoustic emissions may precede the development of music-induced hearing threshold shifts.

Alkylation of 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) with N-alkyl-N-alkoxycarbonylaminomethyl chlorides: S6-(N-alkyl-N-alkoxycarbonyl)aminomethyl-6-MP prodrug structure effect on the dermal delivery of 6-MP.

PubMed

Siver, K G; Sloan, K B

1990-01-01

The S6-(N-alkyl-N-alkoxycarbonyl)aminomethyl-6-MP (6-CARB-6-MP) prodrugs 5-20 were synthesized from the reaction of 6-MP with N-alkyl-N-alkyoxycarbonylaminomethyl chlorides (4) in dimethyl sulfoxide in overall yields of 5-62%, depending on the N-alkyl and the alkoxy groups involved. The derivatives were fully characterized by spectral and microanalyses. The assignment of the substitution pattern as S6-alkyl was based on comparisons of the UV, 1H NMR and 13C NMR spectra with model compounds. A S6, 9-bis-alkyl derivative was obtained from the reaction of 2 equivalents of 4 with 6-MP but the product was unstable and decomposed on standing to a 9-alkyl derivative. The 6-CARB-6-MP prodrugs reverted to 6-MP in water by an SN1-type mechanism involving unimolecular charge separation in the transition state of the rate determining step. There was no effect of dermal enzymes on the rate of hydrolysis. The solubilities in isopropyl myristate (IPM) for all of the 6-CARB-6-MP prodrugs were significantly greater than the solubility of 6-MP in IPM but only one prodrug (5) was apparently even as soluble as 6-MP in water. Selected 6-CARB-6-MP prodrugs were examined in diffusion cell experiments. Only the N-methyl-N-methoxycarbonyl derivative 5 gave a steady-state rate of delivery of 6-MP from IPM that was significantly greater than the steady-state rate of delivery of 6-MP from 6-MP in IPM. All the other derivatives gave steady-state rates of delivery of 6-MP from IPM that were either not significantly different, or were significantly lower than the rate obtained from 6-MP in IPM. In all cases, the effect of the 6-CARB-6-MP:IPM suspensions on the permeability of the skin, as determined by the second application flux of theophylline:propylene glycol, was of the same magnitude as the effect of IPM alone.

SNPchiMp v.3: integrating and standardizing single nucleotide polymorphism data for livestock species.

PubMed

Nicolazzi, Ezequiel L; Caprera, Andrea; Nazzicari, Nelson; Cozzi, Paolo; Strozzi, Francesco; Lawley, Cindy; Pirani, Ali; Soans, Chandrasen; Brew, Fiona; Jorjani, Hossein; Evans, Gary; Simpson, Barry; Tosser-Klopp, Gwenola; Brauning, Rudiger; Williams, John L; Stella, Alessandra

2015-04-10

In recent years, the use of genomic information in livestock species for genetic improvement, association studies and many other fields has become routine. In order to accommodate different market requirements in terms of genotyping cost, manufacturers of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays, private companies and international consortia have developed a large number of arrays with different content and different SNP density. The number of currently available SNP arrays differs among species: ranging from one for goats to more than ten for cattle, and the number of arrays available is increasing rapidly. However, there is limited or no effort to standardize and integrate array- specific (e.g. SNP IDs, allele coding) and species-specific (i.e. past and current assemblies) SNP information. Here we present SNPchiMp v.3, a solution to these issues for the six major livestock species (cow, pig, horse, sheep, goat and chicken). Original data was collected directly from SNP array producers and specific international genome consortia, and stored in a MySQL database. The database was then linked to an open-access web tool and to public databases. SNPchiMp v.3 ensures fast access to the database (retrieving within/across SNP array data) and the possibility of annotating SNP array data in a user-friendly fashion. This platform allows easy integration and standardization, and it is aimed at both industry and research. It also enables users to easily link the information available from the array producer with data in public databases, without the need of additional bioinformatics tools or pipelines. In recognition of the open-access use of Ensembl resources, SNPchiMp v.3 was officially credited as an Ensembl E!mpowered tool. Availability at http://bioinformatics.tecnoparco.org/SNPchimp.

Comparision of ICP-OES and MP-AES in determing soil nutrients by Mechlich3 method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tonutare, Tonu; Penu, Priit; Krebstein, Kadri; Rodima, Ako; Kolli, Raimo; Shanskiy, Merrit

2014-05-01

Accurate, routine testing of nutrients in soil samples is critical to understanding soil potential fertility. There are different factors which must be taken into account selecting the best analytical technique for soil laboratory analysis. Several techniques can provide adequate detection range for same analytical subject. In similar cases the choise of technique will depend on factors such as sample throughput, required infrastructure, ease of use, used chemicals and need for gas supply and operating costs. Mehlich 3 extraction method is widely used for the determination of the plant available nutrient elements contents in agricultural soils. For determination of Ca, K, and Mg from soil extract depending of laboratory ICP and AAS techniques are used, also flame photometry for K in some laboratories. For the determination of extracted P is used ICP or Vis spectrometry. The excellent sensitivity and wide working range for all extracted elements make ICP a nearly ideal method, so long as the sample throughput is big enough to justify the initial capital outlay. Other advantage of ICP techniques is the multiplex character (simultaneous acquisition of all wavelengths). Depending on element the detection limits are in range 0.1 - 1000 μg/L. For smaller laboratories with low sample throughput requirements the use of AAS is more common. Flame AAS is a fast, relatively cheap and easy technique for analysis of elements. The disadvantages of the method is single element analysis and use of flammable gas, like C2H2 and oxidation gas N2O for some elements. Detection limits of elements for AAS lays from 1 to 1000 μg/L. MP-AES offers a unique alternative to both, AAS and ICP-OES techniques with its detection power, speed of analysis. MP-AES is quite new, simple and relatively inexpensive multielemental technique, which is use self-sustained atmospheric pressure microwave plasma (MP) using nitrogen gas generated by nitrogen generator. Therefore not needs for argon and

Deletion of uncharacterized domain from α-1,3-glucanase of Bacillus circulans KA-304 enhances heterologous enzyme production in Escherichia coli.

PubMed

Yano, Shigekazu; Suyotha, Wasana; Zanma, Sumika; Konno, Hiroyuki; Cherdvorapong, Vipavee; Wakayama, Mamoru

2018-05-08

α-1,3-Glucanase (Agl-KA) of Bacillus circulans KA-304 consists of an N-terminal discoidin domain (DS1), a carbohydrate binding module family 6 (CBM6), threonine and proline repeats (TP), a second discoidin domain (DS2), an uncharacterized conserved domain (UCD), and a C-terminal catalytic domain. Previously, we reported that DS1, CBM6, and DS2 have α-1,3-glucan-binding activity and contribute to α-1,3-glucan hydrolysis. In this study, UCD deletion mutant (AglΔUCD) was constructed, and its properties were compared with those of Agl-KA. α-1,3-Glucan hydrolyzing, α-1,3-glucan binding, and protoplast-forming activities of AglΔUCD were almost the same as those of Agl-KA. k cat /K m values of AgΔUCD and Agl-KA were 11.4 and 11.1 s -1 mg -1 mL, respectively. AglΔUCD and Agl-KA exhibited similar characteristics, such as optimal pH, pH stability, optimal temperature, and thermostability. These results suggest that UCD is not α-1,3-glucan-binding and flexible linker domain, and that deletion of UCD does not affect the affinity of N-terminal binding domains and the catalytic action of the C-terminal domain. Subsequently, heterologous UCenzyme productivity of AglΔD in Escherichia coli was compared with that of Agl-KA. The productivity of AglΔUCD was about 4-fold larger than that of Agl-KA after an 8-h induction at 30°C. In the case of induction at 20°C, the productivity of AglΔUCD was also larger than that of Agl-KA. These findings indicate that deletion of only UCD enhances the enzyme productivity in E. coli.

Evaluation of cochlear function in normal-hearing young adults exposed to MP3 player noise by analyzing transient evoked otoacoustic emissions and distortion products.

PubMed

Santaolalla Montoya, Francisco; Ibargüen, Agustín Martinez; Vences, Ana Rodriguez; del Rey, Ana Sanchez; Fernandez, Jose Maria Sanchez

2008-10-01

Exposure to recreational noise may cause injuries to the inner ear, and transient evoked (TEOAEs) and distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) may identify these cochlear alterations. The goal of this study was to evaluate TEOAEs and DPOAEs as a method to diagnose early cochlear alterations in young adults exposed to MP3 player noise. We performed a prospective study of the cochlear function in normal-hearing MP3 player users by analyzing TEOAE and DPOAE incidence, amplitude, and spectral content. We gathered a sample of 40 ears from patients between 19 and 29 years old (mean age 24.09 years, SD 3.9 years). We compared the results with those of a control group of 232 ears not exposed to MP3 noise from patients aged 18 to 32 years (mean age 23.35 years, SD 2.7 years). Fifty percent of ears were from females and 50% were from males. Subjects who had used MP3 players for most years and for more hours each week exhibited a reduction in TEOAE and DPOAE incidence and amplitudes and an increase in DPOAE thresholds. TEOAEs showed a statistically significant lower incidence and amplitudes for normal-hearing subjects using MP3 players at frequencies of 2000, 3000, and 4000 Hz. DPOAE incidence was lower at 700, 1000, 1500, and 2000 Hz; the amplitudes were lower at frequencies between 1500 and 6000 Hz; and the thresholds were higher for all frequency bands, statistically significant at frequencies from 1500 to 6000 Hz, p < .05. Cochlear impairment caused by MP3 player noise exposure may be detectable by analyzing TEOAEs and DPOAEs before the impairment becomes clinically apparent.

MP3 player listening habits of 17 to 23 year old university students.

PubMed

McNeill, Kylie; Keith, Stephen E; Feder, Katya; Konkle, Anne T M; Michaud, David S

2010-08-01

This study evaluated the potential risk to hearing associated with the use of portable digital audio players. Twenty-eight university students (12 males, 16 females; aged 17-23) completed a 49-item questionnaire assessing user listening habits and subjective measures of hearing health. Sound level measurements of participants' self-identified typical and 'worst case' volume levels were taken in different classrooms with background sound levels between 43 and 52 dBA. The median frequency and duration of use was 2 h per day, 6.5 days a week. The median sound levels and interquartile ranges (IQR) at typical and 'worst case' volume settings were 71 dBA (IQR=12) and 79 dBA (IQR=9), respectively. When typical sound levels were considered with self-reported duration of daily use, none of the participants surpassed Leq(8) 85 dBA. On the questionnaire, 19 students reported experiencing at least one symptom of possible noise-induced hearing loss. Significant differences in MP3 user listening patterns were found between respondents who had experienced tinnitus and those who had not. The findings add to a growing body of literature that collectively supports a need for further research investigating MP3 player user listening habits in order to assess their potential risk to hearing health.

Ionization potential and electron affinity for six common explosive compounds by DFT, MP2, and CBS-QB3

DOE PAGES

Cooper, Jason K.; Grant, Christian D.; Zhang, Jin Z.

2012-07-20

The vertical and adiabatic ionization potential (IP V and IP A) and vertical electron affinity (EA V) for six explosives (RDX, HMX, TNT, PETN, HMTD, and TATP) have been studied by ab initio computational methods. The IPV was calculated using MP2 and CBS-QB3 while the IP A was calculated with B3LYP, CAM-B3LYP, ω B97XD, B2PLYP, and MP2. RDX and TNT IP A’s were also reported using CBS -QB3. Excluding results by CBS-QB3, B3LYP and B2PLYPD provided superior and more consistent results for calculating the IP. The EA V were calculated using the same methods however B3LYP performed the worst inmore » this case with MP2 and B2PLYPD predicting values closest to those made by CBS-QB3, which was used a reference due to lacking experimental data. Basis set effects were evaluated using 6- 31+G(d,p), 6-311+G(d,p), and 6-311+(3df,2p) for both IP and EA. 6-31+G(d,p) gave satisfactory results for calculating both IP however 6-311+G(3df,2p) had improved results in calculating the EA. The four nitro containing compounds had exothermic reduction potentials while the peroxides were unfavorable. Additionally, it was seen that RDX, HMX, TATP and HMTD were unstable in their reduced forms. Results are aimed to assist detection and screening methods.« less

Analysis of B3LYP and MP2 conformational population distributions in trans-nicotine, acetylcholine, and ABT-594

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mora, M.; Castro, M. E.; Niño, A.; Melendez, F. J.; Muñoz-Caro, C.

This work presents an analysis of the equivalence of MP2 and DFT (B3LYP functional) conformational populations. As a test case, we select three cholinergic agents (trans-nicotine, acetylcholine, and the nicotinic analgesic ABT-594), where the minima on the conformational energy hypersurfaces expand a large range of energies (˜0-30 kJ mol-1). From energetic and structural data obtained in vacuo at the MP2 and B3LYP/cc-pVDZ levels, we build conformational partition functions, including the effect of the conformational kinetic energy and the rotovibrational coupling. Our results at a physiological temperature (37°C) show qualitative agreement in all cases. Quantitative agreement, however, is only found for trans-nicotine and ABT-594. In the first case, energy minima differ by <0.2 kJ mol-1. Therefore, the equivalence of structural results translates in the equivalence of the conformational distribution. For ABT-594, the minima are separated by as much as 8.0 kJ mol-1, and the conformational energy determines the conformational distribution. In this case, the slight relative variation of conformational energy, between B3LYP and MP2, does not affect the population, since the secondary minima are high in energy and very low in population.

Ka Band Objects: Observation and Monitoring (KaBOOM)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geldzahler, B.

2012-09-01

NASA has embarked on a path that will enable the implementation of a high power, high resolution X/Ka band radar system using widely spaced 12m antennas to better track and characterize near Earth objects and orbital debris. This radar system also has applications for cost effective space situational awareness. We shall demonstrate Ka band coherent uplink arraying with real-time atmospheric compensation using three 12m antennas at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). Our proposed radar system can complement and supplement the activities of the Space Fence. The proposed radar array has the advantages of filling the gap between dusk and dawn and offers the possibility of high range resolution (4 cm) and high spatial resolution (?10 cm at GEO) when used in a VLBI mode. KSC was chosen because [a] of reduced implementation costs, [b] there is a lot of water vapor in the air (not Ka band friendly), and [c] the test satellites have a low elevation adding more attenuation and turbulence to the demonstration. If Ka band coherent uplink arraying can be made to work at KSC, it will work anywhere. We expect to rebaseline X-band in 2013, and demonstrate Ka band uplink arraying in 2014.

Speeding up spin-component-scaled third-order pertubation theory with the chain of spheres approximation: the COSX-SCS-MP3 method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Izsák, Róbert; Neese, Frank

2013-07-01

The 'chain of spheres' approximation, developed earlier for the efficient evaluation of the self-consistent field exchange term, is introduced here into the evaluation of the external exchange term of higher order correlation methods. Its performance is studied in the specific case of the spin-component-scaled third-order Møller--Plesset perturbation (SCS-MP3) theory. The results indicate that the approximation performs excellently in terms of both computer time and achievable accuracy. Significant speedups over a conventional method are obtained for larger systems and basis sets. Owing to this development, SCS-MP3 calculations on molecules of the size of penicillin (42 atoms) with a polarised triple-zeta basis set can be performed in ∼3 hours using 16 cores of an Intel Xeon E7-8837 processor with a 2.67 GHz clock speed, which represents a speedup by a factor of 8-9 compared to the previously most efficient algorithm. Thus, the increased accuracy offered by SCS-MP3 can now be explored for at least medium-sized molecules.

Actions of 2-methylpiperidine (MP) and its interactions with (-)-nicotine (N) in the dog and rat

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

Sloan, J.W.; Martin, W.R.; Bostwick, M.

1986-03-01

(+/-)-MP is a highly specific drug for enhancing the binding of (+/-)-(/sup 3/H)N in the rat brain P/sub 2/ preparation. Competition studies employing (+/-)-(/sup 3/H)N as the labelled ligand show that this activity resides in the (+) isomer. Saturation studies employing (+/-)-(/sup 3/H)MP indicate that it binds to a very high affinity site which is presumed to be an up-regulatory site. Studies were conducted where (+/-)-MP was injected through an implanted cannula into the 4th ventricle of intact beagle-type dogs. (+/-)-MP, like low doses of (+)-N, another drug which has specificity in enhancing the binding of (+/-)-, and (-)- andmore » (+)-(/sup 3/H)N, produced EEG synchronization and miosis. (-)-N produced analgesia where as (+/-)-MP produced hyperalgesia. In the urethane-pentobarbital anethetized rats, the i.v. infusion of (+)-MP (600 ..mu..g/kg/min for 10 min), had no effect on heart rate, blood pressure or respiration. Pretreatment with (+)-MP delayed and decreased the bradycardia, vasodepression, and enhanced tidal volume produced by (-)-N infusion (60 ..mu..g/kg/min). These data show that the pharmacologic actions of MP are different from (-)-N and hexamethonium and that MP, which enhances the binding of (+/-)- and (-)-(/sup 3/H)N at the high affinity site, appears to exert opposite effects to and antagonistic effects against (-)-N.« less

Genetic Instability of Breast Cancer Cells Induced by Aberrant Expression of hMpS1

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-09-01

and function of the mitotic spindle is dependent on the MpS1 protein kinase. The components of mitotic spindle checkpoints were first identified in...yeast and their homologs of higher organisms were then identified and characterized. These include Bubl, Bub2, Bub3, Madl, Mad2, Mad3 and MpS1 . MpS 1...spindle checkpoint and centrosome duplication (1-6). Although several recent reports demonstrated that vertebrate MpS1 proteins regulate the spindle

Automatic Multilevel Parallelization Using OpenMP

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jin, Hao-Qiang; Jost, Gabriele; Yan, Jerry; Ayguade, Eduard; Gonzalez, Marc; Martorell, Xavier; Biegel, Bryan (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

In this paper we describe the extension of the CAPO (CAPtools (Computer Aided Parallelization Toolkit) OpenMP) parallelization support tool to support multilevel parallelism based on OpenMP directives. CAPO generates OpenMP directives with extensions supported by the NanosCompiler to allow for directive nesting and definition of thread groups. We report some results for several benchmark codes and one full application that have been parallelized using our system.

Assessment of mercaptopurine (6MP) metabolites and 6MP metabolic key-enzymes in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

PubMed

Wojtuszkiewicz, Anna; Barcelos, Ana; Dubbelman, Boas; De Abreu, Ronney; Brouwer, Connie; Bökkerink, Jos P; de Haas, Valerie; de Groot-Kruseman, Hester; Jansen, Gerrit; Kaspers, Gertjan L; Cloos, Jacqueline; Peters, G J

2014-01-01

Pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is treated with combination chemotherapy including mercaptopurine (6MP) as an important component. Upon its uptake, 6MP undergoes a complex metabolism involving many enzymes and active products. The prognostic value of all the factors engaged in this pathway still remains unclear. This study attempted to determine which components of 6MP metabolism in leukemic blasts and red blood cells are important for 6MP's sensitivity and toxicity. In addition, changes in the enzymatic activities and metabolite levels during the treatment were analyzed. In a cohort (N=236) of pediatric ALL patients enrolled in the Dutch ALL-9 protocol, we studied the enzymes inosine-5'-monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH), thiopurine S-methyltransferase (TPMT), hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyl transferase (HGPRT), and purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) as well as thioguanine nucleotides (TGN) and methylthioinosine nucleotides (meTINs). Activities of selected enzymes and levels of 6MP derivatives were measured at various time points during the course of therapy. The data obtained and the toxicity related parameters available for these patients were correlated with each other. We found several interesting relations, including high concentrations of two active forms of 6MP--TGN and meTIN--showing a trend toward association with better in vitro antileukemic effect of 6MP. High concentrations of TGN and elevated activity of HGPRT were found to be significantly associated with grade III/IV leucopenia. However, a lot of data of enzymatic activities and metabolite concentrations as well as clinical toxicity were missing, thereby limiting the number of assessed relations. Therefore, although a complex study of 6MP metabolism in ALL patients is feasible, it warrants more robust and strict data collection in order to be able to draw more reliable conclusions.

Assessment of the overlap metric in the context of RI-MP2 and atomic batched tensor decomposed MP2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmitz, Gunnar; Christiansen, Ove

2018-06-01

The resolution-of-the-identity approximation (RI) is a standard tool to accelerate the evaluation of two electron repulsion integrals. However introducing further approximations on top of for example RI-MP2, makes it important to check again the made choices. Usually the so called Coulomb metric is used. An alternative is the less accurate overlap metric, which has the benefit of a faster decay with distance. We encountered both choices in our atomic batched tensor decomposed MP2 (AB-MP2) and went with the Coulomb metric for the safe choice. In this work we re-investigate the choice of Coulomb and overlap metric for RI-MP2 and AB-MP2.

Prolonged, brain-wide expression of nuclear-localized GCaMP3 for functional circuit mapping

PubMed Central

Kim, Christina K.; Miri, Andrew; Leung, Louis C.; Berndt, Andre; Mourrain, Philippe; Tank, David W.; Burdine, Rebecca D.

2014-01-01

Larval zebrafish offer the potential for large-scale optical imaging of neural activity throughout the central nervous system; however, several barriers challenge their utility. First, ~panneuronal probe expression has to date only been demonstrated at early larval stages up to 7 days post-fertilization (dpf), precluding imaging at later time points when circuits are more mature. Second, nuclear exclusion of genetically-encoded calcium indicators (GECIs) limits the resolution of functional fluorescence signals collected during imaging. Here, we report the creation of transgenic zebrafish strains exhibiting robust, nuclearly targeted expression of GCaMP3 across the brain up to at least 14 dpf utilizing a previously described optimized Gal4-UAS system. We confirmed both nuclear targeting and functionality of the modified probe in vitro and measured its kinetics in response to action potentials (APs). We then demonstrated in vivo functionality of nuclear-localized GCaMP3 in transgenic zebrafish strains by identifying eye position-sensitive fluorescence fluctuations in caudal hindbrain neurons during spontaneous eye movements. Our methodological approach will facilitate studies of larval zebrafish circuitry by both improving resolution of functional Ca2+ signals and by allowing brain-wide expression of improved GECIs, or potentially any probe, further into development. PMID:25505384

Analysis of Factors Affecting Output Levels and Frequencies of MP3 Players.

PubMed

Kim, Jinsook

2013-09-01

Exposure to high levels of music that could lead to music induced hearing loss (MIHL) has been of recent interest especially for young adults, considering their excessive use of personal listening devices such as MP3 player. More attention should be drawn to MIHL for noting that early noise exposure leads to earlier onset of presbycusis. In search of appropriate and safe listening habits for young adults, this investigation was aimed to evaluate output levels and frequencies generated by the Samsung galaxy note MP3 player depending on two earphone types; ear-bud and over-the-ear earphones and three music genres; rock, hip-hop, ballade. A sound level meter was used to measure output level and frequency spectrum between 12.5 and 16000 Hz at all 1/3-octave bands. The following results can be summarized. 1) The earphone styles did not produce significant difference in output levels, but the music genres did. However, the results of music genres varied. 2) Neither earphone styles nor music genres produced significant difference in frequency response spectrum, except music genres at the volume settings we usually listen to. Additionally, volume levels should be lower than 50% for usual listening situation. Through this investigation, it was noted that the frequency range was substantial between 50 and 1000 Hz regardless of the styles of earphones and music genres, implying that we should be cautious of this frequency range when we listen to music. Researchers should give more attention to the effects of the mixture of output level and frequency spectrum, considering that the auditory system has frequency specificity from the periphery to the central to provide refined methods for protecting our ears from MIHL.

Analysis of Factors Affecting Output Levels and Frequencies of MP3 Players

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Exposure to high levels of music that could lead to music induced hearing loss (MIHL) has been of recent interest especially for young adults, considering their excessive use of personal listening devices such as MP3 player. More attention should be drawn to MIHL for noting that early noise exposure leads to earlier onset of presbycusis. In search of appropriate and safe listening habits for young adults, this investigation was aimed to evaluate output levels and frequencies generated by the Samsung galaxy note MP3 player depending on two earphone types; ear-bud and over-the-ear earphones and three music genres; rock, hip-hop, ballade. A sound level meter was used to measure output level and frequency spectrum between 12.5 and 16000 Hz at all 1/3-octave bands. The following results can be summarized. 1) The earphone styles did not produce significant difference in output levels, but the music genres did. However, the results of music genres varied. 2) Neither earphone styles nor music genres produced significant difference in frequency response spectrum, except music genres at the volume settings we usually listen to. Additionally, volume levels should be lower than 50% for usual listening situation. Through this investigation, it was noted that the frequency range was substantial between 50 and 1000 Hz regardless of the styles of earphones and music genres, implying that we should be cautious of this frequency range when we listen to music. Researchers should give more attention to the effects of the mixture of output level and frequency spectrum, considering that the auditory system has frequency specificity from the periphery to the central to provide refined methods for protecting our ears from MIHL. PMID:24653908

Optimization of parameter values for complex pulse sequences by simulated annealing: application to 3D MP-RAGE imaging of the brain.

PubMed

Epstein, F H; Mugler, J P; Brookeman, J R

1994-02-01

A number of pulse sequence techniques, including magnetization-prepared gradient echo (MP-GRE), segmented GRE, and hybrid RARE, employ a relatively large number of variable pulse sequence parameters and acquire the image data during a transient signal evolution. These sequences have recently been proposed and/or used for clinical applications in the brain, spine, liver, and coronary arteries. Thus, the need for a method of deriving optimal pulse sequence parameter values for this class of sequences now exists. Due to the complexity of these sequences, conventional optimization approaches, such as applying differential calculus to signal difference equations, are inadequate. We have developed a general framework for adapting the simulated annealing algorithm to pulse sequence parameter value optimization, and applied this framework to the specific case of optimizing the white matter-gray matter signal difference for a T1-weighted variable flip angle 3D MP-RAGE sequence. Using our algorithm, the values of 35 sequence parameters, including the magnetization-preparation RF pulse flip angle and delay time, 32 flip angles in the variable flip angle gradient-echo acquisition sequence, and the magnetization recovery time, were derived. Optimized 3D MP-RAGE achieved up to a 130% increase in white matter-gray matter signal difference compared with optimized 3D RF-spoiled FLASH with the same total acquisition time. The simulated annealing approach was effective at deriving optimal parameter values for a specific 3D MP-RAGE imaging objective, and may be useful for other imaging objectives and sequences in this general class.

Agricultural response functions to changes in carbon, temperature, and water based on the C3MP data set

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Snyder, A.; Ruane, A. C.; Phillips, M.; Calvin, K. V.; Clarke, L.

2017-12-01

Agricultural yields vary depending on temperature, precipitation/irrigation conditions, fertilizer application, and CO2 concentration. The Coordinated Climate-Crop Modeling Project (C3MP), conducted as a component of the Agricultural Model Intercomparison and Improvement Project (AgMIP), organized a sensitivity experiments across carbon-temperature-water (CTW) space across 1100 management conditions in 50+ countries, sampling 15 crop species and 20 crop models. Such coordinated sensitivity tests allow for the building of emulators of yield response to changes in CTW values, allowing rapid estimation of yield changes from the types of climate changes projected by the climate modeling community. The resulting emulator may be used to supply agricultural responses to climate change in any user-defined scenario, rather than the restriction to the RCPs in many past works. We present the resulting emulators built from the C3MP output data set for use in the Global Change Assessment Model (GCAM) integrated assessment model that allows for the co-evolution of socioeconomic development, greenhouse gas emissions, climate change, and agricultural sector ramifications. C3MP-based emulators may be of use in designing agricultural impact studies in other IAMs, and we place them in the context of past crop modeling efforts, including the Challinor et al. Meta-analysis, the AgMIP Wheat team results, the AgMIP Global Gridded Crop Model Intercomparison (GGCMI) fast-track modeling results, and the MACSUR impact response surface results.

OpenMP 4.5 Validation and Verification Suite

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

Pophale, Swaroop S; Bernholdt, David E; Hernandez, Oscar R

2017-12-15

OpenMP, a directive-based programming API, introduce directives for accelerator devices that programmers are starting to use more frequently in production codes. To make sure OpenMP directives work correctly across architectures, it is critical to have a mechanism that tests for an implementation's conformance to the OpenMP standard. This testing process can uncover ambiguities in the OpenMP specification, which helps compiler developers and users make a better use of the standard. We fill this gap through our validation and verification test suite that focuses on the offload directives available in OpenMP 4.5.

Stratigraphy and Melt Compositions of the 3.6 and 6.7 ka Plinian Eruptions of Hudson Volcano, Chile.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carey, S.; Scasso, R.; Kratzmann, D.; Naranjo, J.; Bande, A.

2005-12-01

Fallout deposits from two major Holocene eruptions of Hudson Volcano in southern Chile (3.6 ka and 6.7 ka BP, Naranjo and Stern, 1998) provide new evidence for multiple phases, including subplinian to plinian discharges and episodes of phreatomagmatic activity. Four phases have been identified for the 3.6 ka eruption. The melt was trachydacitic and did not exhibit any significant variation throughout the fall sequence. Phase one (P1) produced a commonly reverse graded, lapilli fall deposit. Phase two (P2) also produced a reverse graded, coarse lapilli fall layer. Phase three (P3) deposited a massive, poorly-sorted, silty-ash layer with pumice and minor accretionary lapilli. The final phase of the eruption (P4) laid down a commonly normal graded, coarse lapilli fall deposit. Phases P1, P2 and P4 represent fallout from high altitude plumes with minor intensity fluctuations, whereas P3 resulted from magma/water interactions and a lower eruption column. Isopach maps show a shift in the main dispersal axis for the 3.6 ka phreatomagmatic ashfall (P3), relative to the lapilli deposits. Phases 1, 2 and 4 trend generally to the east, whereas the axis for the P3 fallout trends northeast. This is likely caused by dispersal of material at different altitudes during the eruption and not a general change in the predominant wind direction. Three major phases (P1 to P3) were identified for the 6.7 ka eruption. The initial phase (P1) produced a commonly reverse graded, coarse lapilli fall deposit. The second phase (P2) produced a thick, distinctive accretionary lapilli-rich, silty-ash layer with accretionary lapilli diameters up to 2.3 cm at 35 kms from the volcano. The final phase (P3) laid down an often normal graded, coarse lapilli fall unit. The melt phase was also trachydacitic in composition and relatively uniform during the eruption, but less evolved than the magma erupted during the 3.6 ka event. The accretionary lapilli layer (P2) has been correlated with a widespread

MpSaci is a widespread gypsy-Ty3 retrotransposon highly represented by non-autonomous copies in the Moniliophthora perniciosa genome.

PubMed

Pereira, Jorge F; Araújo, Elza F; Brommonschenkel, Sérgio H; Queiroz, Casley B; Costa, Gustavo G L; Carazzolle, Marcelo F; Pereira, Gonçalo A G; Queiroz, Marisa V

2015-05-01

Transposons are an important source of genetic variation. The phytopathogen Moniliophthora perniciosa shows high level of variability but little is known about the role of class I elements in shaping its genome. In this work, we aimed the characterization of a new gypsy/Ty3 retrotransposon species, named MpSaci, in the M. perniciosa genome. These elements are largely variable in size, ranging from 4 to 15 kb, and harbor direct long terminal repeats (LTRs) with varying degrees of similarity. Approximately, all of the copies are non-autonomous as shifts in the reading frame and stop codons were detected. Only two elements (MpSaci6 and MpSaci9) code for GAG and POL proteins that possess functional domains. Conserved domains that are typically not found in retrotransposons were detected and could potentially impact the expression of neighbor genes. Solo LTRs and several LARDs (large retrotransposon derivative) were detected. Unusual elements containing small sequences with or without interruptions that are similar to gag or different pol domains and presenting LTRs with different levels of similarities were identified. Methylation was observed in MpSaci reverse transcriptase sequences. Distribution analysis indicates that MpSaci elements are present in high copy number in the genomes of C-, S- and L-biotypes of M. perniciosa. In addition, C-biotype isolates originating from the state of Bahia have fragments in common with isolates from the Amazon region and two hybridization profiles related to two chromosomal groups. RT-PCR analysis reveals that the gag gene is constitutively expressed and that the expression is increased at least three-fold with nutrient depravation even though no new insertion were observed. These findings point out that MpSaci collaborated and, even though is primarily represented by non-autonomous elements, still might contribute to the generation of genetic variability in the most important cacao pathogen in Brazil.

Optimization of White-Matter-Nulled Magnetization Prepared Rapid Gradient Echo (MP-RAGE) Imaging

PubMed Central

Saranathan, Manojkumar; Tourdias, Thomas; Bayram, Ersin; Ghanouni, Pejman; Rutt, Brian K.

2014-01-01

Purpose To optimize the white-matter-nulled (WMn) Magnetization Prepared Rapid Gradient Echo (MP-RAGE) sequence at 7T, with comparisons to 3T. Methods Optimal parameters for maximising SNR efficiency were derived. The effect of flip angle and TR on image blurring was modeled using simulations and validated in vivo. A novel 2D-centric radial fan beam (RFB) k-space segmentation scheme was used to shorten scan times and improve parallel imaging. Healthy subjects as well as patients with multiple sclerosis and tremor were scanned using the optimized protocols. Results Inversion repetition times (TS) of 4.5s and 6s were found to yield the highest SNR efficiency for WMn MP-RAGE at 3T and 7T, respectively. Blurring was more sensitive to flip in WMn than in CSFn MP-RAGE and relatively insensitive to TR for both regimes. The 2D RFB scheme had 19% and 47% higher thalamic SNR and SNR efficiency than the 1D centric scheme for WMn MP-RAGE. Compared to 3T, SNR and SNR efficiency were higher for the 7T WMn regime by 56% and 41% respectively. MS lesions in the cortex and thalamus as well as thalamic subnuclei in tremor patients were clearly delineated using WMn MP-RAGE. Conclusion Optimization and new view ordering enabled MP-RAGE imaging with 0.8–1 mm3 isotropic spatial resolution in scan times of 5 minutes with whole brain coverage. PMID:24889754

Experimental results of 40-kA Nb[sub 3]Al cable-in-conduit conductor for fusion machines

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

Takahashi, Y.; Sugimoto, M.; Isono, T.

1994-07-01

A 40-kA Nb[sub 3]Al cable-in-conduit conductor has been developed for the toroidal field coils of fusion reactors, because Nb[sub 3]Al has excellent mechanical performance. This conductor consists of 405 copper-stabilized multifilamentary strands inserted into a CuNi case circular conduit. The Nb[sub 3]Al strands are fabricated by the Jelly-roll process with a diameter of 1.22 mm. This conductor could be operated up to a current of 46 kA at an external field of 11.2 T. Accordingly, Nb[sub 3]Al promises to soon become a useful superconductor for large-scale high-field applications, such as fusion machines.

The Mars Observer Ka-band link experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rebold, T. A.; Kwok, A.; Wood, G. E.; Butman, S.

1994-01-01

The Ka-Band Link Experiment was the first demonstration of a deep-space communications link in the 32- to 35-GHz band (Ka-band). It was carried out using the Mars Observer spacecraft while the spacecraft was in the cruise phase of its mission and using a 34-meter beam-waveguide research and development antenna at the Goldstone complex of the DSN. The DSN has been investigating the performance benefits of a shift from X-band (8.4 GHz) to Ka-band (32 GHz) for deep-space communications. The fourfold increase in frequency is expected to offer a factor of 3 to 10 improvement (5 to 10 dB) in signal strength for a given spacecraft transmitter power and antenna size. Until recently, the expected benefits were based on performance studies, with an eye to implementing such a link, but theory was transformed to reality when a 33.7-GHz Ka-band signal was received from the spacecraft by DSS 13. This article describes the design and implementation of the Ka-Band Link Experiment from the spacecraft to the DSS-13 system, as well as results from the Ka-band telemetry demonstration, ranging demonstration, and long-term tracking experiment. Finally, a preliminary analysis of comparative X- and Ka-band tracking results is included. These results show a 4- to 7-dB advantage for Ka-band using the system at DSS 13, assuming such obstacles as antenna pointing loss and power conversion loss are overcome.

P2MP MPLS-Based Hierarchical Service Management System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumaki, Kenji; Nakagawa, Ikuo; Nagami, Kenichi; Ogishi, Tomohiko; Ano, Shigehiro

This paper proposes a point-to-multipoint (P2MP) Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) based hierarchical service management system. Traditionally, general management systems deployed in some service providers control MPLS Label Switched Paths (LSPs) (e.g., RSVP-TE and LDP) and services (e.g., L2VPN, L3VPN and IP) separately. In order for dedicated management systems for MPLS LSPs and services to cooperate with each other automatically, a hierarchical service management system has been proposed with the main focus on point-to-point (P2P) TE LSPs in MPLS path management. In the case where P2MP TE LSPs and services are deployed in MPLS networks, the dedicated management systems for P2MP TE LSPs and services must work together automatically. Therefore, this paper proposes a new algorithm that uses a correlation between P2MP TE LSPs and multicast VPN services based on a P2MP MPLS-based hierarchical service management architecture. Also, the capacity and performance of the proposed algorithm are evaluated by simulations, which are actually based on certain real MPLS production networks, and are compared to that of the algorithm for P2P TE LSPs. Results show this system is very scalable within real MPLS production networks. This system, with the automatic correlation, appears to be deployable in real MPLS production networks.

The reliability of dental x-ray film in assessment of MP3 stages of the pubertal growth spurt.

PubMed

Abdel-Kader, H M

1998-10-01

The main object of this clinical study is to provide a simple and practical method to assess the pubertal growth spurt stages of a subject by recording MP3 stages with the dental periapical radiograph and the standard dental x-ray machine.

Why does MP2 work?

PubMed

Fink, Reinhold F

2016-11-14

We show analytically and numerically that the performance of second order Møller-Plesset (MP) perturbation theory (PT), coupled-cluster (CC) theory, and other perturbation theory approaches can be rationalized by analyzing the wavefunctions of these methods. While rather large deviations for the individual contributions of configurations to the electron correlation energy are found for MP wavefunctions, they profit from an advantageous and robust error cancellation: The absolute contribution to the correlation energy is generally underestimated for the critical excitations with small energy denominators and all other doubly excited configurations where the two excited electrons are coupled to a singlet. This is balanced by an overestimation of the contribution of triplet-coupled double excitations to the correlation energy. The even better performance of spin-component-scaled-MP2 theory is explained by a similar error compensation effect. The wavefunction analysis for the lowest singlet states of H 2 O, CH 2 , CO, and Cu + shows the predicted trends for MP methods, rapid but biased convergence of CC theory as well as the substantial potential of linearized CC, or retaining the excitation-degree (RE)-PT.

New cochlear implant research coding strategy based on the MP3(000™) strategy to reintroduce the virtual channel effect.

PubMed

Neben, Nicole; Lenarz, Thomas; Schuessler, Mark; Harpel, Theo; Buechner, Andreas

2013-05-01

Results for speech recognition in noise tests when using a new research coding strategy designed to introduce the virtual channel effect provided no advantage over MP3(000™). Although statistically significant smaller just noticeable differences (JNDs) were obtained, the findings for pitch ranking proved to have little clinical impact. The aim of this study was to explore whether modifications to MP3000 by including sequential virtual channel stimulation would lead to further improvements in hearing, particularly for speech recognition in background noise and in competing-talker conditions, and to compare results for pitch perception and melody recognition, as well as informally collect subjective impressions on strategy preference. Nine experienced cochlear implant subjects were recruited for the prospective study. Two variants of the experimental strategy were compared to MP3000. The study design was a single-blinded ABCCBA cross-over trial paradigm with 3 weeks of take-home experience for each user condition. Comparing results of pitch-ranking, a significantly reduced JND was identified. No significant effect of coding strategy on speech understanding in noise or competing-talker materials was found. Melody recognition skills were the same under all user conditions.

The historical Coffin-Lowry syndrome family revisited: identification of two novel mutations of RPS6KA3 in three male patients.

PubMed

Nishimoto, Hiromi Koso; Ha, Kyungsoo; Jones, Julie R; Dwivedi, Alka; Cho, Hyun-Min; Layman, Lawrence C; Kim, Hyung-Goo

2014-09-01

Coffin-Lowry syndrome (CLS) is a rare X-linked dominant disorder characterized by intellectual disability, craniofacial abnormalities, short stature, tapering fingers, hypotonia, and skeletal malformations. CLS is caused by mutations in the Ribosomal Protein S6 Kinase, 90 kDa, Polypeptide 3 (RPS6KA3) gene located at Xp22.12, which encodes Ribosomal S6 Kinase 2 (RSK2). Here we analyzed RPS6KA3 in three unrelated CLS patients including one from the historical Coffin-Lowry syndrome family and found two novel mutations. To date, over 140 mutations in RPS6KA3 have been reported. However, the etiology of the very first familial case, which was described in 1971 by Lowry with detailed phenotype and coined the term CLS, has remained unknown. More than 40 years after the report, we succeeded in identifying deposited fibroblast cells from one patient of this historic family and found a novel heterozygous 216 bp in-frame deletion, encompassing exons 15 and 16 of RPS6KA3. Drop episodes in CLS patients were reported to be associated with truncating mutations deleting the C-terminal kinase domain (KD), and only one missense mutation and one single basepair duplication involving the C-terminal KD of RSK2 in the patients with drop episode have been reported thus far. Here we report the first in-frame deletion in C-terminal KD of RPS6KA3 in a CLS patient with drop episodes. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Scrolling and driving: how an MP3 player and its aftermarket controller affect driving performance and visual behavior.

PubMed

Lee, John D; Roberts, Shannon C; Hoffman, Joshua D; Angell, Linda S

2012-04-01

The aim of this study was to assess how scrolling through playlists on an MP3 player or its aftermarket controller affects driving performance and to examine how drivers adapt device use to driving demands. Drivers use increasingly complex infotainment devices that can undermine driving performance. The goal activation hypothesis suggests that drivers might fail to compensate for these demands, particularly with long tasks and large search set sizes. A total of 50 participants searched for songs in playlists of varying lengths using either an MP3 player or an aftermarket controller while negotiating road segments with traffic and construction in a medium-fidelity driving simulator. Searching through long playlists (580 songs) resulted in poor driving performance and required more long glances (longer than 2 s) to the device compared with other playlist lengths. The aftermarket controller also led to more long glances compared with the MP3 player. Drivers did not adequately adapt their behavior to roadway demand, as evident in their degraded driving performance. No significant performance differences were found between short playlists, the radio-tuning task, and the no-task condition. Selecting songs from long playlists undermined driving performance, and drivers did not sufficiently adapt their use of the device to the roadway demands, consistent with the goal activation hypothesis. The aftermarket controller degraded rather than enhanced performance. Infotainment systems should support drivers in managing distraction. Aftermarket controllers can have the unintended effect of making devices carried into the car less compatible with driving.These results can motivate development of new interfaces as alternatives to scrolling lists.

Progressive glacial retreat in the Southern Altiplano (Uturuncu volcano, 22°S) between 65 and 14 ka constrained by cosmogenic 3He dating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blard, Pierre-Henri; Lave, Jérôme; Farley, Kenneth A.; Ramirez, Victor; Jimenez, Nestor; Martin, Léo C. P.; Charreau, Julien; Tibari, Bouchaïb; Fornari, Michel

2014-07-01

This work presents the first reconstruction of late Pleistocene glacier fluctuations on Uturuncu volcano, in the Southern Tropical Andes. Cosmogenic 3He dating of glacial landforms provides constraints on ancient glacier position between 65 and 14 ka. Despite important scatter in the exposure ages on the oldest moraines, probably resulting from pre-exposure, these 3He data constrain the timing of the moraine deposits and subsequent glacier recessions: the Uturuncu glacier may have reached its maximum extent much before the global LGM, maybe as early as 65 ka, with an equilibrium line altitude (ELA) at 5280 m. Then, the glacier remained close to its maximum position, with a main stillstand identified around 40 ka, and another one between 35 and 17 ka, followed by a limited recession at 17 ka. Then, another glacial stillstand is identified upstream during the late glacial period, probably between 16 and 14 ka, with an ELA standing at 5350 m. This stillstand is synchronous with the paleolake Tauca highstand. This result indicates that this regionally wet and cold episode, during the Heinrich 1 event, also impacted the Southern Altiplano. The ELA rose above 5450 m after 14 ka, synchronously with the Bolling-Allerod.

The Impact of Peer Support and mp3 Messaging on Adherence to Inhaled Corticosteroids in Minority Adolescents with Asthma: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Mosnaim, Giselle; Li, Hong; Martin, Molly; Richardson, DeJuran; Belice, Paula Jo; Avery, Elizabeth; Ryan, Norman; Bender, Bruce; Powell, Lynda

2013-01-01

Background Poor adherence to inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) is a critical risk factor contributing to asthma morbidity among low-income minority adolescents. Objective This trial tested whether peer support group meetings and peer asthma messages delivered via mp3 players improved adherence to ICS. Methods Low-income African American and/or Hispanic adolescents, ages 11–16, with persistent asthma, and poor (≤ 48%) adherence to prescription ICS during the 3-week run-in were randomized to intervention or attention control groups (ATG) for the 10-week treatment. During treatment, the intervention arm participated in weekly coping peer group support sessions and received mp3 peer-recorded asthma messages promoting adherence. The ATG participated in weekly meetings with a research assistant and received an equivalent number of mp3 doctor-recorded asthma messages. Adherence was measured using self-report and the DoserCT, (Meditrac, Inc.), an electronic dose counter. The primary outcome was the difference in adherence at 10 weeks between the two arms. Results Thirty-four subjects were randomized to each arm. At 10 weeks, no statistical difference in objectively measured adherence could be detected between the two arms adjusting for baseline adherence (P = 0.929). Adherence declined in both groups over the course of the active treatment period. Participants’ in both study arms self-reported adherence was significantly higher than their objectively measured adherence at week 10 (P < 0.0001). Conclusion Improving medication adherence in longitudinal studies is challenging. Peer support and mp3-delivered peer asthma messages may not be of sufficient dose to improve outcomes. PMID:24565620

Impact of microbial efficiency to predict MP supply when estimating protein requirements of growing beef cattle from performance.

PubMed

Watson, A K; Klopfenstein, T J; Erickson, G E; MacDonald, J C; Wilkerson, V A

2017-07-01

Data from 16 trials were compiled to calculate microbial CP (MCP) production and MP requirements of growing cattle on high-forage diets. All cattle were individually fed diets with 28% to 72% corn cobs in addition to either alfalfa, corn silage, or sorghum silage at 18% to 60% of the diet (DM basis). The remainder of the diet consisted of protein supplement. Source of protein within the supplement varied and included urea, blood meal, corn gluten meal, dry distillers grains, feather meal, meat and bone meal, poultry by-product meal, soybean meal, and wet distillers grains. All trials included a urea-only treatment. Intake of all cattle within an experiment was held constant, as a percentage of BW, established by the urea-supplemented group. In each trial the base diet (forage and urea supplement) was MP deficient. Treatments consisted of increasing amounts of test protein replacing the urea supplement. As protein in the diet increased, ADG plateaued. Among experiments, ADG ranged from 0.11 to 0.73 kg. Three methods of calculating microbial efficiency were used to determine MP supply. Gain was then regressed against calculated MP supply to determine MP requirement for maintenance and gain. Method 1 (based on a constant 13% microbial efficiency as used by the beef NRC model) predicted an MP maintenance requirement of 3.8 g/kg BW and 385 g MP/kg gain. Method 2 calculated microbial efficiency using low-quality forage diets and predicted MP requirements of 3.2 g/kg BW for maintenance and 448 g/kg for gain. Method 3 (based on an equation predicting MCP yield from TDN intake, proposed by the Beef Cattle Nutrient Requirements Model [BCNRM]) predicted MP requirements of 3.1 g/kg BW for maintenance and 342 g/kg for gain. The factorial method of calculating MP maintenance requirements accounts for scurf, endogenous urinary, and metabolic fecal protein losses and averaged 4.2 g/kg BW. Cattle performance data demonstrate formulating diets to meet the beef NRC model recommended

The impact of peer support and mp3 messaging on adherence to inhaled corticosteroids in minority adolescents with asthma: a randomized, controlled trial.

PubMed

Mosnaim, Giselle; Li, Hong; Martin, Molly; Richardson, DeJuran; Belice, Paula Jo; Avery, Elizabeth; Ryan, Norman; Bender, Bruce; Powell, Lynda

2013-01-01

Poor adherence to inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) is a critical risk factor contributing to asthma morbidity among low-income minority adolescents. This trial tested whether peer support group meetings and peer asthma messages delivered via mp3 players improved adherence to ICS. Low-income African American and/or Hispanic adolescents, ages 11-16 years old, with persistent asthma, and poor (≤ 48%) adherence to prescription ICS during the 3-week run-in were randomized to intervention or attention control groups (ATG) for the 10-week treatment. During treatment, the intervention arm subjects participated in weekly coping peer group support sessions and received mp3 peer-recorded asthma messages that promoted adherence. The ATG participated in weekly meetings with a research assistant and received an equivalent number of mp3 physician-recorded asthma messages. Adherence was measured by using self-report and the Doser CT, an electronic dose counter. The primary outcome was the difference in adherence at 10 weeks between the 2 arms. Thirty-four subjects were randomized to each arm. At 10 weeks, no statistical difference in objectively measured adherence could be detected between the 2 arms when adjusting for baseline adherence (P = .929). Adherence declined in both groups over the course of the active treatment period. In both study arms, self-reported adherence by participants was significantly higher than their objectively measured adherence at week 10 (P < .0001). Improving medication adherence in longitudinal studies is challenging. Peer support and mp3-delivered peer asthma messages may not be of sufficient dose to improve outcomes. Copyright © 2013 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Characterizing Task-Based OpenMP Programs

PubMed Central

Muddukrishna, Ananya; Jonsson, Peter A.; Brorsson, Mats

2015-01-01

Programmers struggle to understand performance of task-based OpenMP programs since profiling tools only report thread-based performance. Performance tuning also requires task-based performance in order to balance per-task memory hierarchy utilization against exposed task parallelism. We provide a cost-effective method to extract detailed task-based performance information from OpenMP programs. We demonstrate the utility of our method by quickly diagnosing performance problems and characterizing exposed task parallelism and per-task instruction profiles of benchmarks in the widely-used Barcelona OpenMP Tasks Suite. Programmers can tune performance faster and understand performance tradeoffs more effectively than existing tools by using our method to characterize task-based performance. PMID:25860023

The potential of digital dental radiography in recording the adductor sesamoid and the MP3 stages.

PubMed

Abdel-Kader, H M

1999-12-01

The current study was undertaken to evaluate the reliability of using a recent advance in clinical radiographic technique, digital dental radiography, in recording two growth indicators: the adductor sesamoid and MP3 stages. With an exposure time five times less than that used in the conventional approach, this method shows greatest flexibility in providing a high quality digitized radiographic images of the two growth indicators under investigation. Refereed Paper

An Ultra-High Field Study of Cerebellar Pathology in Early Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis Using MP2RAGE.

PubMed

Fartaria, Mário João; OʼBrien, Kieran; Şorega, Alexandra; Bonnier, Guillaume; Roche, Alexis; Falkovskiy, Pavel; Krueger, Gunnar; Kober, Tobias; Bach Cuadra, Meritxell; Granziera, Cristina

2017-05-01

The aim of this study was to study focal cerebellar pathology in early stages of multiple sclerosis (MS) using ultra-high-field magnetization-prepared 2 inversion-contrast rapid gradient-echo (7T MP2RAGE). Twenty early-stage relapsing-remitting MS patients underwent an MP2RAGE acquisition at 7 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (images acquired at 2 different resolutions: 0.58 × 0.58 × 0.58 mm, 7T_0.58, and 0.75 × 0.75 × 0.90 mm, 7T_0.75) and 3 T MRI (1.0 × 1.0 × 1.2 mm, 3T_1.0). Total cerebellar lesion load and volume and mean cerebellar lesion volume were compared across images using a Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Mean T1 relaxation times in lesions and normal-appearing tissue as well as contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) measurements were also compared using a Wilcoxon signed-rank test. A multivariate analysis was applied to assess the contribution of MRI metrics to clinical performance in MS patients. Both 7T_0.58 and 7T_0.75 MP2RAGE showed significantly higher lesion load compared with 3T_1.0 MP2RAGE (P < 0.001). Plaques that were judged as leukocortical in 7T_0.75 and 3T_1.0 MP2RAGEs were instead identified as WM lesions in 7T_0.58 MP2RAGE. Cortical lesion CNR was significantly higher in MP2RAGEs at 7 T than at 3 T. Total lesion load as well as total and mean lesion volume obtained at both 7 T and 3 T MP2RAGE significantly predicted attention (P < 0.05, adjusted R = 0.5), verbal fluency (P < 0.01, adjusted R = 0.6), and motor performance (P = 0.01, adjusted R = 0.7). This study demonstrates the value of 7 T MP2RAGE to study the cerebellum in early MS patients. 7T_0.58 MP2RAGE provides a more accurate anatomical description of white and gray matter pathology compared with 7T_0.75 and 3T_1.0 MP2RAGE, likely due to the improved spatial resolution, lower partial volume effects, and higher CNR.

Y-MP floating point and Cholesky factorization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carter, Russell

1991-01-01

The floating point arithmetics implemented in the Cray 2 and Cray Y-MP computer systems are nearly identical, but large scale computations performed on the two systems have exhibited significant differences in accuracy. The difference in accuracy is analyzed for Cholesky factorization algorithm, and it is found that the source of the difference is the subtract magnitude operation of the Cray Y-MP. The results from numerical experiments for a range of problem sizes are presented, and an efficient method for improving the accuracy of the factorization obtained on the Y-MP is presented.

Ku/Ka band observations over polar ice sheets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thibaut, Pierre; Lasne, Yannick; Guillot, Amandine; Picot, Nicolas; Rémy, Frédérique

2015-04-01

For the first time, comparisons between Ku and Ka altimeter measurements are possible thanks to the new AltiKa instrument embarked onboard the Saral mission launched on February 25, 2013. This comparison is of particular interest when dealing with ice sheet observations because both frequencies have different penetration characteristics. We propose in this paper to revisit the estimation of the ice sheet topography (and other related parameters) with altimeter systems and to present illustrations of the differences observed in Ku and Ka bands using AltiKa, Envisat/RA-2 but also Cryosat-2 measurements. Working on AltiKa waveforms in the frame of the PEACHI project has allowed us to better understand the impact of the penetration depth on the echo shape, to improve the estimation algorithm and to compare its output with historical results obtained on Envisat and ERS missions. In particular, analyses at cross-overs of the Cryosat-2 and Saral data will be presented. Sentinel-3 mission should be launch during 2015. Operating in Ku band and in delay/doppler mode, it will be crucial to account for penetration effects in order to accurately derive the ice sheet heights and trends. The results of the work presented here, will benefit to the Sentinel-3 mission.

Identification of Candida Species Using MP65 Gene and Evaluation of the Candida albicans MP65 Gene Expression in BALB/C Mice.

PubMed

Bineshian, Farahnaz; Yadegari, Mohammad Hossien; Sharifi, Zohre; Akbari Eidgahi, Mohammadreza; Nasr, Reza

2015-05-01

). All species isolated by culture methods (100% positivity) were evaluated with PCR using species-specific primers to identify Candida species. Relative expression of Mp65 genes increased significantly after C. albicans injection into the mice (P < 0.05). The results of the current study showed that the PCR method is reproducible for rapid identification of Candida species with specific primers. Mp65 gene expression of C. albicans after injection into the mice was 2.3 folds higher than before injection, with this difference being significant. These results indicated that increase of Mp65 gene expression might be an early stage of infection; however definitive conclusions require further studies.

Theoretical Calculation of Jet Fuel Thermochemistry. 1; Tetrahydrodicylopentadiene (JP10) Thermochemistry Using the CBS-QB3 and G3(MP2)//B3LYP Methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zehe, Michael J.; Jaffe, Richard L.

2010-01-01

High-level ab initio calculations have been performed on the exo and endo isomers of gas-phase tetrahydrodicyclopentadiene (THDCPD), a principal component of the jet fuel JP10, using the Gaussian Gx and Gx(MPx) composite methods, as well as the CBS-QB3 method, and using a variety of isodesmic and homodesmotic reaction schemes. The impetus for this work is to help resolve large discrepancies existing between literature measurements of the formation enthalpy Delta (sub f)H deg (298) for exo-THDCPD. We find that use of the isodesmic bond separation reaction C10H16 + 14CH4 yields 12C2H6 yields results for the exo isomer (JP10) in between the two experimentally accepted values, for the composite methods G3(MP2), G3(MP2)//B3LYP, and CBS-QB3. Application of this same isodesmic bond separation scheme to gas-phase adamantane yields a value for Delta (sub f)H deg (298) within 5 kJ/mol of experiment. Isodesmic bond separation calculations for the endo isomer give a heat of formation in excellent agreement with the experimental measurement. Combining our calculated values for the gas-phase heat of formation with recent measurements of the heat of vaporization yields recommended values for Delta (sub f)H deg (298)liq of -126.4 and -114.7 kJ/mol for the exo and endo isomers, respectively.

Automatic Multilevel Parallelization Using OpenMP

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jin, Hao-Qiang; Jost, Gabriele; Yan, Jerry; Ayguade, Eduard; Gonzalez, Marc; Martorell, Xavier; Biegel, Bryan (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

In this paper we describe the extension of the CAPO parallelization support tool to support multilevel parallelism based on OpenMP directives. CAPO generates OpenMP directives with extensions supported by the NanosCompiler to allow for directive nesting and definition of thread groups. We report first results for several benchmark codes and one full application that have been parallelized using our system.

Toward Enhancing OpenMP's Work-Sharing Directives

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

Chapman, B M; Huang, L; Jin, H

2006-05-17

OpenMP provides a portable programming interface for shared memory parallel computers (SMPs). Although this interface has proven successful for small SMPs, it requires greater flexibility in light of the steadily growing size of individual SMPs and the recent advent of multithreaded chips. In this paper, we describe two application development experiences that exposed these expressivity problems in the current OpenMP specification. We then propose mechanisms to overcome these limitations, including thread subteams and thread topologies. Thus, we identify language features that improve OpenMP application performance on emerging and large-scale platforms while preserving ease of programming.

Last Deglaciation Events (16.1-11.4 cal-Ka) Recorded in a Speleothem from DeSoto Caverns, Alabama, U.S.A.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lambert, W. J.; Aharon, P.; Hellstrom, J.

2007-12-01

Whereas the rapid climate swings that occurred during the last deglaciation have been well documented in the Greenland ice cores, their cause/s continue to be a subject of heated debate. Clearly, more geographically dispersed records are required in order to provide better insight into the history of deglaciation, and by extension into the cause/s of the abrupt climate shifts. Particularly scarce are continental deglaciation records from the southeast North America whose atmospheric conditions were controlled by the retreating Laurentide Ice Sheet to the north and the Gulf of Mexico warm waters to the south. In order to remedy the absence of deglaciation records in the Southeast USA in general, and the Gulf Coast in particular, we have initiated a study of a 55-cm long stalagmite (DSSG-2) from the DeSoto Caverns in Childersburg, Alabama (33° 18'N, 86° 17'W). Seven radiocarbon AMS and eighteen U/Th TIMS dates reveal that the continuously layered stalagmite covers the time interval 31 to 11.4 cal-Ka at growth rates varying from 61 μm/decade at the start of deglaciation and up to 2700 μm/decade close to its termination. The combination of unusually high growth rates, pristine aragonite mineralogy and tight sampling (n=602) afforded generation of high fidelity δ13C and δ18O records from about 16.1 to 11.4 cal-Ka whose high resolution is comparable with the contemporaneous Greenland ice core records. The stalagmite δ18O record shows excellent agreement in relative amplitude shifts and timing of abrupt and brief cold reversals (Oldest Dryas, Older Dryas, Inter-Allerød Cold Period) that punctuated the overall trend of deglaciation warming (Bølling/Allerød period). The succeeding Younger Dryas is depicted in the stalagmite by rapid positive shifts in δ18O and δ13C of 1.3‰ and 2.3‰ (V-PDB) relative to the baseline mean value and its start and termination (12.7-11.8 Ka) are concordant within error with the dates reported from GISP2 ice core (12.82-11.60 Ka

Monte Carlo MP2 on Many Graphical Processing Units.

PubMed

Doran, Alexander E; Hirata, So

2016-10-11

In the Monte Carlo second-order many-body perturbation (MC-MP2) method, the long sum-of-product matrix expression of the MP2 energy, whose literal evaluation may be poorly scalable, is recast into a single high-dimensional integral of functions of electron pair coordinates, which is evaluated by the scalable method of Monte Carlo integration. The sampling efficiency is further accelerated by the redundant-walker algorithm, which allows a maximal reuse of electron pairs. Here, a multitude of graphical processing units (GPUs) offers a uniquely ideal platform to expose multilevel parallelism: fine-grain data-parallelism for the redundant-walker algorithm in which millions of threads compute and share orbital amplitudes on each GPU; coarse-grain instruction-parallelism for near-independent Monte Carlo integrations on many GPUs with few and infrequent interprocessor communications. While the efficiency boost by the redundant-walker algorithm on central processing units (CPUs) grows linearly with the number of electron pairs and tends to saturate when the latter exceeds the number of orbitals, on a GPU it grows quadratically before it increases linearly and then eventually saturates at a much larger number of pairs. This is because the orbital constructions are nearly perfectly parallelized on a GPU and thus completed in a near-constant time regardless of the number of pairs. In consequence, an MC-MP2/cc-pVDZ calculation of a benzene dimer is 2700 times faster on 256 GPUs (using 2048 electron pairs) than on two CPUs, each with 8 cores (which can use only up to 256 pairs effectively). We also numerically determine that the cost to achieve a given relative statistical uncertainty in an MC-MP2 energy increases as O(n 3 ) or better with system size n, which may be compared with the O(n 5 ) scaling of the conventional implementation of deterministic MP2. We thus establish the scalability of MC-MP2 with both system and computer sizes.

32 CFR 637.19 - Overseas MP desk.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 32 National Defense 4 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Overseas MP desk. 637.19 Section 637.19 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY (CONTINUED) LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS MILITARY POLICE INVESTIGATION Investigations § 637.19 Overseas MP desk. The recording of telephone...

A ˜50 ka record of monsoonal variability in the Darjeeling foothill region, eastern Himalayas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, Ruby; Bera, Subir; Sarkar, Anindya; Paruya, Dipak Kumar; Yao, Yi-Feng; Li, Cheng-Sen

2015-04-01

Pollen, phytoliths and δ 13C signatures of soil organic matter from two fluvial sedimentary sequences of the Darjeeling foothill region, eastern Himalayas are used to portray palaeoclimatic oscillations and their impact on regional plant communities over the last ˜50 ka. Quantitative palaeoclimate estimation using coexistence approach on pollen data and other proxies indicate significant oscillations in precipitation during the late part of MIS 3 (46.4-25.9 ka), early and middle part of MIS 2 (25.9-15.6 ka), and 5.4 to 3.5 ka. Middle to late MIS 3 (ca 46.4-31 ka.) was characterized by a comparatively low monsoonal activity and slightly higher temperature than that during ca 31 ka onwards. Simultaneous expansion of deciduous trees and chloridoid grasses also imply a drier and warmer phase. Between 31 and 22.3 ka (late MIS 3 to mid-MIS 2), higher precipitation and a slightly cooler temperature led to an increase in evergreen elements over deciduous taxa and wet-loving panicoid grasses over dry-loving chloridoid grasses than earlier. After ca 22.3 ka, shrinking of forest cover, expansion of C4 chloridoid grasses, Asteraceae and Cheno-ams in the vegetation with lowering of temperature and precipitation characterized the onset of the LGM which continued till 18.3 ka. End of the LGM is manifested by a restoration in the forest cover and in the temperature and precipitation regime. Later, during 5.4 to 4.3 ka, a strong monsoonal activity supported a dense moist evergreen forest cover that subsequently declined during 4.3 to 3.5 ka. A further increase in deciduous elements and non-arboreals might be a consequence of reduced precipitation and higher temperature during this phase. A comparison between monsoonal rainfall, MAT and palaeoatmospheric CO2 with floral dynamics since last ˜50 ka indicates that these fluctuations in plant succession were mainly driven by monsoonal variations.

Agricultural Science and Technology Teachers' Perceptions of iPod and Mp3 Technology Integration into Curricular and Cocurricular Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphrey, Theresa Pesl; Miller, Kimberly A.; Roberts, T. Grady

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to describe agricultural science and technology teachers' reaction to iPod and mp3 technology use and potential use in both curricular and cocurricular activities. A total of 112 unique respondents provided written responses to open-ended questions. Study findings reveal that agricultural science and technology…

Ka-band study: 1988

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Layland, J. W.; Horttor, R. L.; Clauss, R. C.; Wilcher, J. H.; Wallace, R. J.; Mudgway, D. J.

1989-01-01

The Ka-band study team was chartered in late 1987 to bring together all the planning elements for establishing 32 GHz (Ka-band) as the primary downlink frequency for deep-space operation, and to provide a stable baseline from which to pursue that development. This article summarizes the results of that study at its conclusion in mid-1988, and corresponds to material presented to NASA's Office of Space Operations on July 14, 1988. For a variety of reasons, Ka-band is the right next major step in deep-space communications. It offers improved radio metric accuracy through reduced plasma sensitivity and increased bandwidth. Because of these improvements, it offers the opportunity to reduce costs in the flight radio system or in the DSN by allocating part of the overall benefits of Ka-band to this cost reduction. A mission scenario is being planned that can drive at least two and possibly all three of the DSN subnets to provide a Ka-band downlink capability by the turn of the century. The implementation scenario devised by the study team is believed to be feasible within reasonable resource expectations, and capable of providing the needed upgrade as a natural follow-on to the technology development which is already underway.

The Ka'bah: House of God

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Social Education, 1978

1978-01-01

Describes the major Moslem edifice (the Ka'bah) in the holy city of Mecca and explains the importance of the Ka'bah in Muslim religious belief. Cultural and religious practices related to the Ka'bah are described. (Author/DB)

iPedagogy: Using Multimedia Learning Theory to iDentify Best Practices for MP3 Player Use in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Downs, Edward; Boyson, Aaron R.; Alley, Hannah; Bloom, Nikki R.

2011-01-01

Some institutions of higher learning have invested considerable resources to diffuse iPods and MP3 devices though little is known about learning outcomes tied to their use. Dual-coding and multimedia learning theories guided the development of a typical college lecture so that it could be presented in a combination of audio and visual forms across…

The MP (Materialization Pattern) Model for Representing Math Educational Standards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Namyoun; Song, Il-Yeol; An, Yuan

Representing natural languages with UML has been an important research issue for various reasons. Little work has been done for modeling imperative mood sentences which are the sentence structure of math educational standard statements. In this paper, we propose the MP (Materialization Pattern) model that captures the semantics of English sentences used in math educational standards. The MP model is based on the Reed-Kellogg sentence diagrams and creates MP schemas with the UML notation. The MP model explicitly represents the semantics of the sentences by extracting math concepts and the cognitive process of math concepts from math educational standard statements, and simplifies modeling. This MP model is also developed to be used for aligning math educational standard statements via schema matching.

Mars Global Surveyor Ka-Band Frequency Data Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morabito, D.; Butman, S.; Shambayati, S.

2000-01-01

The Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) spacecraft, launched on November 7, 1996, carries an experimental space-to-ground telecommunications link at Ka-band (32 GHz) along with the primary X-band (8.4 GHz) downlink. The signals are simultaneously transmitted from a 1.5-in diameter parabolic high gain antenna (HGA) on MGS and received by a beam-waveguide (BWG) R&D 34-meter antenna located in NASA's Goldstone Deep Space Network (DSN) complex near Barstow, California. The projected 5-dB link advantage of Ka-band relative to X-band was confirmed in previous reports using measurements of MGS signal strength data acquired during the first two years of the link experiment from December 1996 to December 1998. Analysis of X-band and Ka-band frequency data and difference frequency (fx-fka)/3.8 data will be presented here. On board the spacecraft, a low-power sample of the X-band downlink from the transponder is upconverted to 32 GHz, the Ka-band frequency, amplified to I-W using a Solid State Power Amplifier, and radiated from the dual X/Ka HGA. The X-band signal is amplified by one of two 25 W TWTAs. An upconverter first downconverts the 8.42 GHz X-band signal to 8 GHz and then multiplies using a X4 multiplier producing the 32 GHz Ka-band frequency. The frequency source selection is performed by an RF switch which can be commanded to select a VCO (Voltage Controlled Oscillator) or USO (Ultra-Stable Oscillator) reference. The Ka-band frequency can be either coherent with the X-band downlink reference or a hybrid combination of the USO and VCO derived frequencies. The data in this study were chosen such that the Ka-band signal is purely coherent with the X-band signal, that is the downconverter is driven by the same frequency source as the X-band downlink). The ground station used to acquire the data is DSS-13, a 34-meter BWG antenna which incorporates a series of mirrors inside beam waveguide tubes which guide the energy to a subterranean pedestal room, providing a stable environment

Fungal lectin MpL enables entry of protein drugs into cancer cells and their subcellular targeting.

PubMed

Å Urga, Simon; Nanut, Milica Perišić; Kos, Janko; Sabotič, Jerica

2017-04-18

Lectins have been recognized as promising carrier molecules for targeted drug delivery. They specifically bind carbohydrate moieties on cell membranes and trigger cell internalization. Fungal lectin MpL (Macrolepiota procera lectin) does not provoke cancer cell cytotoxicity but is able to bind aminopeptidase N (CD13) and integrin α3β1, two glycoproteins that are overexpressed on the membrane of tumor cells. Upon binding, MpL is endocytosed in a clathrin-dependent manner and accumulates initially in the Golgi apparatus and, finally, in the lysosomes. For effective binding and internalization a functional binding site on the α-repeat is needed. To test the potential of MpL as a carrier for delivering protein drugs to cancer cells we constructed fusion proteins consisting of MpL and the cysteine peptidase inhibitors cystatin C and clitocypin. The fused proteins followed the same endocytic route as the unlinked MpL. Peptidase inhibitor-MpL fusions impaired both the intracellular degradation of extracellular matrix and the invasiveness of cancer cells. MpL is thus shown in vitro to be a lectin that can enable protein drugs to enter cancer cells, enhance their internalization and sort them to lysosomes and the Golgi apparatus.

Immunomodulation of Parkinson's disease using Mucuna pruriens (Mp).

PubMed

Rai, Sachchida Nand; Birla, Hareram; Zahra, Walia; Singh, Saumitra Sen; Singh, Surya Pratap

2017-11-01

Immune control is associated with nigrostriatal neuroprotection for Parkinson's disease (PD); though its direct cause and effect relationships have not yet been realized and modulating the immune system for therapeutic gain has been openly discussed. While the pathobiology of PD remains in study, neuroinflammation is thought to speed nigrostriatal degeneration. The neuroinflammatory cascade associated with PD begins with aggregation of misfolded or post-translationally modified α-synuclein (α-syn). Such aggregation results in neuronal cell death and the presence of chronically activated glia (microglia and astroglia), leading to the production of proinflammatory cytokines like tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), IL-6, and enzymes such as nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). These changes in the glial phenotype can affect the central nervous system (CNS) microenvironment by producing a pro-inflammatory milieu that speeds PD pathogenesis. Mucuna pruriens (Mp) is the most popular drug in Ayurveda, the Indian system of medicine. Several reports have suggested that it possesses analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-neoplastic, anti-epileptic and anti-microbial activities. Mp contain L-DOPA and ursolic acid which has an anti-inflammatory property. There are very few literatures which show the immunomodulatory activity of Mp in PD, several researchers have tried to work on the immunomodulatory activity of Mp in some other diseases. The results of several studies show that Mp modulate the immune components like TNF-α, IL-6, IFN-λ, IL-1β, iNOS and IL-2 in the CNS. It also modulates the activity of the transcription factor NF-kB which plays an important role in the progression of the PD. Thus, by altering these cytokines or transcription factors, Mp protects or prevents the progression of PD. Thus in this review we try to explore the immunomodulatory activity of Mp in PD. Copyright © 2017

Deep-Space Ka-Band Flight Experience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morabito, D. D.

2017-11-01

Lower frequency bands have become more congested in allocated bandwidth as there is increased competition between flight projects and other entities. Going to higher frequency bands offers significantly more bandwidth, allowing for the use of much higher data rates. However, Ka-band is more susceptible to weather effects than lower frequency bands currently used for most standard downlink telemetry operations. Future or prospective flight projects considering deep-space Ka-band (32-GHz) telemetry data links have expressed an interest in understanding past flight experience with received Ka-band downlink performance. Especially important to these flight projects is gaining a better understanding of weather effects from the experience of current or past missions that operated Ka-band radio systems. We will discuss the historical flight experience of several Ka-band missions starting from Mars Observer in 1993 up to present-day deep-space missions such as Kepler. The study of historical Ka-band flight experience allows one to recommend margin policy for future missions. Of particular interest, we will review previously reported-on flight experience with the Cassini spacecraft Ka-band radio system that has been used for radio science investigations as well as engineering studies from 2004 to 2015, when Cassini was in orbit around the planet Saturn. In this article, we will focus primarily on the Kepler spacecraft Ka-band link, which has been used for operational telemetry downlink from an Earth trailing orbit where the spacecraft resides. We analyzed the received Ka-band signal level data in order to characterize link performance over a wide range of weather conditions and as a function of elevation angle. Based on this analysis of Kepler and Cassini flight data, we found that a 4-dB margin with respect to adverse conditions ensures that we achieve at least a 95 percent data return.

Fungal lectin MpL enables entry of protein drugs into cancer cells and their subcellular targeting

PubMed Central

Kos, Janko; Sabotič, Jerica

2017-01-01

Lectins have been recognized as promising carrier molecules for targeted drug delivery. They specifically bind carbohydrate moieties on cell membranes and trigger cell internalization. Fungal lectin MpL (Macrolepiota procera lectin) does not provoke cancer cell cytotoxicity but is able to bind aminopeptidase N (CD13) and integrin α3β1, two glycoproteins that are overexpressed on the membrane of tumor cells. Upon binding, MpL is endocytosed in a clathrin-dependent manner and accumulates initially in the Golgi apparatus and, finally, in the lysosomes. For effective binding and internalization a functional binding site on the α-repeat is needed. To test the potential of MpL as a carrier for delivering protein drugs to cancer cells we constructed fusion proteins consisting of MpL and the cysteine peptidase inhibitors cystatin C and clitocypin. The fused proteins followed the same endocytic route as the unlinked MpL. Peptidase inhibitor-MpL fusions impaired both the intracellular degradation of extracellular matrix and the invasiveness of cancer cells. MpL is thus shown in vitro to be a lectin that can enable protein drugs to enter cancer cells, enhance their internalization and sort them to lysosomes and the Golgi apparatus. PMID:28460472

Trichomonas vaginalis metalloproteinase TvMP50 is a monomeric Aminopeptidase P-like enzyme.

PubMed

Arreola, Rodrigo; Villalpando, José Luis; Puente-Rivera, Jonathan; Morales-Montor, Jorge; Rudiño-Piñera, Enrique; Alvarez-Sánchez, María Elizbeth

2018-06-23

Previously, metalloproteinase was isolated and identified from Trichomonas vaginalis, belonging to the aminopeptidase P-like metalloproteinase subfamily A/B, family M24 of clan MG, named TvMP50. The native and recombinant TvMP50 showed proteolytic activity, determined by gelatin zymogram, and a 50 kDa band, suggesting that TvMP50 is a monomeric active enzyme. This was an unexpected finding since other Xaa-Pro aminopeptidases/prolidases are active as a biological unit formed by dimers/tetramers. In this study, the evolutionary history of TvMP50 and the preliminary crystal structure of the recombinant enzyme determined at 3.4 Å resolution is reported. TvMP50 was shown to be a type of putative, eukaryotic, monomeric aminopeptidase P, and the crystallographic coordinates showed a monomer on a "pseudo-homodimer" array on the asymmetric unit that resembles the quaternary structure of the M24B dimeric family and suggests a homodimeric aminopeptidase P-like enzyme as a likely ancestor. Interestingly, TvMP50 had a modified N-terminal region compared with other Xaa-Pro aminopeptidases/prolidases with three-dimensional structures; however, the formation of the standard dimer is structurally unstable in aqueous solution, and a comparably reduced number of hydrogen bridges and lack of saline bridges were found between subunits A/B, which could explain why TvMP50 portrays monomeric functionality. Additionally, we found that the Parabasalia group contains two protein lineages with a "pita bread" fold; the ancestral monomeric group 1 was probably derived from an ancestral dimeric aminopeptidase P-type enzyme, and group 2 has a probable dimeric kind of ancestral eukaryotic prolidase lineage. The implications of such hypotheses are also presented.

Ka-band monopulse antenna-pointing systems analysis and simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lo, V. Y.

1996-01-01

NASA 's Deep Space Network (DSN) has been using both 70-m and 34-m reflector antennas to communicate with spacecraft at S-band (2.3 GHz) and X-band (8.45 GHz). To improve the quality of telecommunication and to meet future mission requirements, JPL has been developing 34-m Ka-band (32-GHz) beam waveguide antennas. Presently, antenna pointing operates in either the open-loop mode with blind pointing using navigation predicts or the closed-loop mode with conical scan (conscan). Pointing accuracy under normal conscan operating conditions is in the neighborhood of 5 mdeg. This is acceptable at S- and X-bands, but not enough at Ka-band. Due to the narrow beamwidth at Ka-band, it is important to improve pointing accuracy significantly (approximately 2 mdeg). Monopulse antenna tracking is one scheme being developed to meet the stringent pointing-accuracy requirement at Ka-band. Other advantages of monopulse tracking include low sensitivity to signal amplitude fluctuations as well as single-pulse processing for acquisition and tracking. This article presents system modeling, signal processing, simulation, and implementation of Ka-band monopulse tracking feed for antennas in NASA/DSN ground stations.

Spin-component-scaled Møller-Plesset (SCS-MP) perturbation theory: a generalization of the MP approach with improved properties.

PubMed

Fink, Reinhold F

2010-11-07

A rigorous perturbation theory is proposed, which has the same second order energy as the spin-component-scaled Møller-Plesset second order (SCS-MP2) method of Grimme [J. Chem. Phys. 118, 9095 (2003)]. This upgrades SCS-MP2 to a systematically improvable, true wave-function-based method. The perturbation theory is defined by an unperturbed Hamiltonian, Ĥ(0), that contains the ordinary Fock operator and spin operators Ŝ(2) that act either on the occupied or the virtual orbital spaces. Two choices for Ĥ(0) are discussed and the importance of a spin-pure Ĥ((0)) is underlined. Like the SCS-MP2 approach, the theory contains two parameters (c(os) and c(ss)) that scale the opposite-spin and the same-spin contributions to the second order perturbation energy. It is shown that these parameters can be determined from theoretical considerations by a Feenberg scaling approach or a fit of the wave functions from the perturbation theory to the exact one from a full configuration interaction calculation. The parameters c(os)=1.15 and c(ss)=0.75 are found to be optimal for a reasonable test set of molecules. The meaning of these parameters and the consequences following from a well defined improved MP method are discussed.

A wave-bending structure at Ka-band using 3D-printed metamaterial

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Junqiang; Liang, Min; Xin, Hao

2018-03-01

Three-dimensional printing technologies enable metamaterials of complex structures with arbitrary inhomogeneity. In this work, a 90° wave-bending structure at the Ka-band (26.5-40 GHz) based on 3D-printed metamaterials is designed, fabricated, and measured. The wave-bending effect is realized through a spatial distribution of varied effective dielectric constants. Based on the effective medium theory, different effective dielectric constants are accomplished by special, 3D-printable unit cells, which allow different ratios of dielectric to air at the unit cell level. In contrast to traditional, metallic-structure-included metamaterial designs, the reported wave-bending structure here is all dielectric and implemented by the polymer-jetting technique, which features rapid, low-cost, and convenient prototyping. Both simulation and experiment results demonstrate the effectiveness of the wave-bending structure.

Evaluation of the performance of MP4-based procedures for a wide range of thermochemical and kinetic properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Li-Juan; Wan, Wenchao; Karton, Amir

2016-11-01

We evaluate the performance of standard and modified MPn procedures for a wide set of thermochemical and kinetic properties, including atomization energies, structural isomerization energies, conformational energies, and reaction barrier heights. The reference data are obtained at the CCSD(T)/CBS level by means of the Wn thermochemical protocols. We find that none of the MPn-based procedures show acceptable performance for the challenging W4-11 and BH76 databases. For the other thermochemical/kinetic databases, the MP2.5 and MP3.5 procedures provide the most attractive accuracy-to-computational cost ratios. The MP2.5 procedure results in a weighted-total-root-mean-square deviation (WTRMSD) of 3.4 kJ/mol, whilst the computationally more expensive MP3.5 procedure results in a WTRMSD of 1.9 kJ/mol (the same WTRMSD obtained for the CCSD(T) method in conjunction with a triple-zeta basis set). We also assess the performance of the computationally economical CCSD(T)/CBS(MP2) method, which provides the best overall performance for all the considered databases, including W4-11 and BH76.

Research on sub-surface damage and its stress deformation in the process of large aperture and high diameter-to-thickness ratio TMT M3MP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Hai-xiang; Qi, Erhui; Cole, Glen; Hu, Hai-fei; Luo, Xiao; Zhang, Xue-jun

2016-10-01

Large flat mirrors play important roles in large aperture telescopes. However, they also introduce unpredictable problems. The surface errors created during manufacturing, testing, and supporting are all combined during measurement, thus making understanding difficult for diagnosis and treatment. Examining a high diameter-to-thickness ratio flat mirror, TMT M3MP, and its unexpected deformation during processing, we proposed a strain model of subsurface damage to explain the observed phenomenon. We designed a set of experiment, and checked the validity of our diagnosis. On that basis, we theoretical predicted the trend of this strain and its scale effect on Zerodur®, and checked the validity on another piece experimentally. This work guided the grinding-polishing process of M3MP, and will be used as reference for M3M processing as well.

The effects of listening environment and earphone style on preferred listening levels of normal hearing adults using an MP3 player.

PubMed

Hodgetts, William E; Rieger, Jana M; Szarko, Ryan A

2007-06-01

The main objective of this study was to determine the influence of listening environment and earphone style on the preferred-listening levels (PLLs) measured in users' ear canals with a commercially-available MP3 player. It was hypothesized that listeners would prefer higher levels with earbud headphones as opposed to over-the-ear headphones, and that the effects would depend on the environment in which the user was listening. A secondary objective was to use the measured PLLs to determine the permissible listening duration to reach 100% daily noise dose. There were two independent variables in this study. The first, headphone style, had three levels: earbud, over-the-ear, and over-the-ear with noise reduction (the same headphones with a noise reduction circuit). The second, environment, also had 3 levels: quiet, street noise and multi-talker babble. The dependent variable was ear canal A-weighted sound pressure level. A 3 x 3 within-subjects repeated-measures ANOVA was used to analyze the data. Thirty-eight normal hearing adults were recruited from the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Alberta. Each subject listened to the same song and adjusted the level until it "sounded best" to them in each of the 9 conditions. Significant main effects were found for both the headphone style and environment factors. On average, listeners had higher preferred listening levels with the earbud headphones, than with the over-the-ear headphones. When the noise reduction circuit was used with the over-the-ear headphones, the average PLL was even lower. On average, listeners had higher PLLs in street noise than in multi-talker babble and both of these were higher than the PLL for the quiet condition. The interaction between headphone style and environment was also significant. Details of individual contrasts are explored. Overall, PLLs were quite conservative, which would theoretically allow for extended permissible listening durations. Finally, we investigated

Attenuation and protective efficacy of Rift Valley fever phlebovirus rMP12-GM50 strain.

PubMed

Ly, Hoai J; Nishiyama, Shoko; Lokugamage, Nandadeva; Smith, Jennifer K; Zhang, Lihong; Perez, David; Juelich, Terry L; Freiberg, Alexander N; Ikegami, Tetsuro

2017-12-04

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a mosquito-borne zoonotic disease endemic to Africa and the Arabian Peninsula that affects sheep, cattle, goats, camels, and humans. Effective vaccination of susceptible ruminants is important for the prevention of RVF outbreaks. Live-attenuated RVF vaccines are in general highly immunogenic in ruminants, whereas residual virulence might be a concern for vulnerable populations. It is also important for live-attenuated strains to encode unique genetic markers for the differentiation from wild-type RVFV strains. In this study, we aimed to strengthen the attenuation profile of the MP-12 vaccine strain via the introduction of 584 silent mutations. To minimize the impact on protective efficacy, codon usage and codon pair bias were not de-optimized. The resulting rMP12-GM50 strain showed 100% protective efficacy with a single intramuscular dose, raising a 1:853 mean titer of plaque reduction neutralization test. Moreover, outbred mice infected with one of three pathogenic reassortant ZH501 strains, which encoded rMP12-GM50 L-, M-, or S-segments, showed 90%, 50%, or 30% survival, respectively. These results indicate that attenuation of the rMP12-GM50 strain is significantly attenuated via the L-, M-, and S-segments. Recombinant RVFV vaccine strains encoding similar silent mutations will be also useful for the surveillance of reassortant strains derived from vaccine strains in endemic countries. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

49 CFR 212.213 - Motive power and equipment (MP&E) inspector.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Motive power and equipment (MP&E) inspector. 212... Inspection Personnel § 212.213 Motive power and equipment (MP&E) inspector. (a) The MP&E inspector is... Appliance Standards (49 CFR part 231), and Power Brake Standards (49 CFR part 232), to make reports of those...

Support of Multidimensional Parallelism in the OpenMP Programming Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jin, Hao-Qiang; Jost, Gabriele

2003-01-01

OpenMP is the current standard for shared-memory programming. While providing ease of parallel programming, the OpenMP programming model also has limitations which often effect the scalability of applications. Examples for these limitations are work distribution and point-to-point synchronization among threads. We propose extensions to the OpenMP programming model which allow the user to easily distribute the work in multiple dimensions and synchronize the workflow among the threads. The proposed extensions include four new constructs and the associated runtime library. They do not require changes to the source code and can be implemented based on the existing OpenMP standard. We illustrate the concept in a prototype translator and test with benchmark codes and a cloud modeling code.

MP-29, a clonal interspecific hybrid rootstock for peach

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

MP-29 rootstock has been jointly released for grower trial by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (Byron, GA) and Florida Agricultural Experiment Station. MP-29 is suggested for trial as a rootstock for peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch) varieties on Armillaria root rot ...

Fade Mitigation Techniques at Ka-Band

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dissanayake, Asoka (Editor)

1996-01-01

Rain fading is the dominant propagation impairment affecting Ka-band satellite links and rain fade mitigation is a key element in the design of Ka-band satellite networks. Some of the common fade mitigation techniques include: power control, diversity, adaptive coding, and resource sharing. The Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) provides an excellent opportunity to develop and test Ka-band rain impairment amelioration techniques. Up-link power control and diversity are discussed in this paper.

pKa predictions for proteins, RNAs, and DNAs with the Gaussian dielectric function using DelPhi pKa.

PubMed

Wang, Lin; Li, Lin; Alexov, Emil

2015-12-01

We developed a Poisson-Boltzmann based approach to calculate the pKa values of protein ionizable residues (Glu, Asp, His, Lys and Arg), nucleotides of RNA and single stranded DNA. Two novel features were utilized: the dielectric properties of the macromolecules and water phase were modeled via the smooth Gaussian-based dielectric function in DelPhi and the corresponding electrostatic energies were calculated without defining the molecular surface. We tested the algorithm by calculating pKa values for more than 300 residues from 32 proteins from the PPD dataset and achieved an overall RMSD of 0.77. Particularly, the RMSD of 0.55 was achieved for surface residues, while the RMSD of 1.1 for buried residues. The approach was also found capable of capturing the large pKa shifts of various single point mutations in staphylococcal nuclease (SNase) from pKa-cooperative dataset, resulting in an overall RMSD of 1.6 for this set of pKa's. Investigations showed that predictions for most of buried mutant residues of SNase could be improved by using higher dielectric constant values. Furthermore, an option to generate different hydrogen positions also improves pKa predictions for buried carboxyl residues. Finally, the pKa calculations on two RNAs demonstrated the capability of this approach for other types of biomolecules. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Characterization of Rift Valley Fever Virus MP-12 Strain Encoding NSs of Punta Toro Virus or Sandfly Fever Sicilian Virus

PubMed Central

Lihoradova, Olga A.; Indran, Sabarish V.; Kalveram, Birte; Lokugamage, Nandadeva; Head, Jennifer A.; Gong, Bin; Tigabu, Bersabeh; Juelich, Terry L.; Freiberg, Alexander N.; Ikegami, Tetsuro

2013-01-01

Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV; genus Phlebovirus, family Bunyaviridae) is a mosquito-borne zoonotic pathogen which can cause hemorrhagic fever, neurological disorders or blindness in humans, and a high rate of abortion in ruminants. MP-12 strain, a live-attenuated candidate vaccine, is attenuated in the M- and L-segments, but the S-segment retains the virulent phenotype. MP-12 was manufactured as an Investigational New Drug vaccine by using MRC-5 cells and encodes a functional NSs gene, the major virulence factor of RVFV which 1) induces a shutoff of the host transcription, 2) inhibits interferon (IFN)-β promoter activation, and 3) promotes the degradation of dsRNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR). MP-12 lacks a marker for differentiation of infected from vaccinated animals (DIVA). Although MP-12 lacking NSs works for DIVA, it does not replicate efficiently in type-I IFN-competent MRC-5 cells, while the use of type-I IFN-incompetent cells may negatively affect its genetic stability. To generate modified MP-12 vaccine candidates encoding a DIVA marker, while still replicating efficiently in MRC-5 cells, we generated recombinant MP-12 encoding Punta Toro virus Adames strain NSs (rMP12-PTNSs) or Sandfly fever Sicilian virus NSs (rMP12-SFSNSs) in place of MP-12 NSs. We have demonstrated that those recombinant MP-12 viruses inhibit IFN-β mRNA synthesis, yet do not promote the degradation of PKR. The rMP12-PTNSs, but not rMP12-SFSNSs, replicated more efficiently than recombinant MP-12 lacking NSs in MRC-5 cells. Mice vaccinated with rMP12-PTNSs or rMP12-SFSNSs induced neutralizing antibodies at a level equivalent to those vaccinated with MP-12, and were efficiently protected from wild-type RVFV challenge. The rMP12-PTNSs and rMP12-SFSNSs did not induce antibodies cross-reactive to anti-RVFV NSs antibody and are therefore applicable to DIVA. Thus, rMP12-PTNSs is highly efficacious, replicates efficiently in MRC-5 cells, and encodes a DIVA marker, all of which are

Characterization of Rift Valley fever virus MP-12 strain encoding NSs of Punta Toro virus or sandfly fever Sicilian virus.

PubMed

Lihoradova, Olga A; Indran, Sabarish V; Kalveram, Birte; Lokugamage, Nandadeva; Head, Jennifer A; Gong, Bin; Tigabu, Bersabeh; Juelich, Terry L; Freiberg, Alexander N; Ikegami, Tetsuro

2013-01-01

Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV; genus Phlebovirus, family Bunyaviridae) is a mosquito-borne zoonotic pathogen which can cause hemorrhagic fever, neurological disorders or blindness in humans, and a high rate of abortion in ruminants. MP-12 strain, a live-attenuated candidate vaccine, is attenuated in the M- and L-segments, but the S-segment retains the virulent phenotype. MP-12 was manufactured as an Investigational New Drug vaccine by using MRC-5 cells and encodes a functional NSs gene, the major virulence factor of RVFV which 1) induces a shutoff of the host transcription, 2) inhibits interferon (IFN)-β promoter activation, and 3) promotes the degradation of dsRNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR). MP-12 lacks a marker for differentiation of infected from vaccinated animals (DIVA). Although MP-12 lacking NSs works for DIVA, it does not replicate efficiently in type-I IFN-competent MRC-5 cells, while the use of type-I IFN-incompetent cells may negatively affect its genetic stability. To generate modified MP-12 vaccine candidates encoding a DIVA marker, while still replicating efficiently in MRC-5 cells, we generated recombinant MP-12 encoding Punta Toro virus Adames strain NSs (rMP12-PTNSs) or Sandfly fever Sicilian virus NSs (rMP12-SFSNSs) in place of MP-12 NSs. We have demonstrated that those recombinant MP-12 viruses inhibit IFN-β mRNA synthesis, yet do not promote the degradation of PKR. The rMP12-PTNSs, but not rMP12-SFSNSs, replicated more efficiently than recombinant MP-12 lacking NSs in MRC-5 cells. Mice vaccinated with rMP12-PTNSs or rMP12-SFSNSs induced neutralizing antibodies at a level equivalent to those vaccinated with MP-12, and were efficiently protected from wild-type RVFV challenge. The rMP12-PTNSs and rMP12-SFSNSs did not induce antibodies cross-reactive to anti-RVFV NSs antibody and are therefore applicable to DIVA. Thus, rMP12-PTNSs is highly efficacious, replicates efficiently in MRC-5 cells, and encodes a DIVA marker, all of which are

User's Guide for TOUGH2-MP - A Massively Parallel Version of the TOUGH2 Code

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

Earth Sciences Division; Zhang, Keni; Zhang, Keni

TOUGH2-MP is a massively parallel (MP) version of the TOUGH2 code, designed for computationally efficient parallel simulation of isothermal and nonisothermal flows of multicomponent, multiphase fluids in one, two, and three-dimensional porous and fractured media. In recent years, computational requirements have become increasingly intensive in large or highly nonlinear problems for applications in areas such as radioactive waste disposal, CO2 geological sequestration, environmental assessment and remediation, reservoir engineering, and groundwater hydrology. The primary objective of developing the parallel-simulation capability is to significantly improve the computational performance of the TOUGH2 family of codes. The particular goal for the parallel simulator ismore » to achieve orders-of-magnitude improvement in computational time for models with ever-increasing complexity. TOUGH2-MP is designed to perform parallel simulation on multi-CPU computational platforms. An earlier version of TOUGH2-MP (V1.0) was based on the TOUGH2 Version 1.4 with EOS3, EOS9, and T2R3D modules, a software previously qualified for applications in the Yucca Mountain project, and was designed for execution on CRAY T3E and IBM SP supercomputers. The current version of TOUGH2-MP (V2.0) includes all fluid property modules of the standard version TOUGH2 V2.0. It provides computationally efficient capabilities using supercomputers, Linux clusters, or multi-core PCs, and also offers many user-friendly features. The parallel simulator inherits all process capabilities from V2.0 together with additional capabilities for handling fractured media from V1.4. This report provides a quick starting guide on how to set up and run the TOUGH2-MP program for users with a basic knowledge of running the (standard) version TOUGH2 code, The report also gives a brief technical description of the code, including a discussion of parallel methodology, code structure, as well as mathematical and numerical

Embrittlement phenomenon of Ag core MP35N cable as lead conductor in medical device.

PubMed

Wang, Ling; Li, Bernie; Zhang, Haitao

2013-02-01

Ag core MP35N (Ag/MP35N) wire has been used in lead electric conductor wires in the medical device industry for many years. Recently it was noticed that the combination of silver and MP35N restricts its wire drawing process. The annealing temperature in Ag/MP35N has to be lower than the melting temperature of pure Ag (960 °C), which cannot fully anneal MP35N. The lower annealing temperature results in a highly cold worked MP35N, which significantly reduces Ag/MP35N ductility. The embrittlement phenomenon of Ag/MP35N cable was observed in tension and bending deformation. The effect of the embrittlement on the wire flex fatigue life was evaluated using a newly developed flex fatigue testing method. The Ag/MP35N cable fatigue results was analyzed with a Coffin-Manson approach and compared to the MP35N cable fatigue results. The root causes of the Ag/Mp35N embrittlement phenomenon are discussed. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of Cry8Ka5-binding proteins from Anthonomus grandis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) midgut.

PubMed

Nakasu, Erich Y T; Firmino, Alexandre A P; Dias, Simoni C; Rocha, Thales L; Ramos, Hudson B; Oliveira, Gustavo R; Lucena, Wagner; Carlini, Célia R; Grossi-de-Sá, Maria Fátima

2010-07-01

Biotech crops expressing Bacillus thuringiensis Cry toxins present a valuable approach for insect control. Cry8Ka5, which is highly toxic to the cotton boll weevil (Anthonomus grandis), was used as a model to study toxin-ligand interactions. Three Cry-binding proteins were detected after toxin overlay assays. Following de novo sequencing, a heat-shock cognate protein and a V-ATPase were identified, whilst a approximately 120 kDa protein remained unknown. Additional Cry8Ka5-binding proteins were visualized by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis ligand blots. (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Orbital-optimized MP2.5 and its analytic gradients: Approaching CCSD(T) quality for noncovalent interactions

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

Bozkaya, Uğur, E-mail: ugur.bozkaya@atauni.edu.tr; Center for Computational Molecular Science and Technology, School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and School of Computational Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332; Sherrill, C. David

2014-11-28

Orbital-optimized MP2.5 [or simply “optimized MP2.5,” OMP2.5, for short] and its analytic energy gradients are presented. The cost of the presented method is as much as that of coupled-cluster singles and doubles (CCSD) [O(N{sup 6}) scaling] for energy computations. However, for analytic gradient computations the OMP2.5 method is only half as expensive as CCSD because there is no need to solve λ{sub 2}-amplitude equations for OMP2.5. The performance of the OMP2.5 method is compared with that of the standard second-order Møller–Plesset perturbation theory (MP2), MP2.5, CCSD, and coupled-cluster singles and doubles with perturbative triples (CCSD(T)) methods for equilibrium geometries, hydrogenmore » transfer reactions between radicals, and noncovalent interactions. For bond lengths of both closed and open-shell molecules, the OMP2.5 method improves upon MP2.5 and CCSD by 38%–43% and 31%–28%, respectively, with Dunning's cc-pCVQZ basis set. For complete basis set (CBS) predictions of hydrogen transfer reaction energies, the OMP2.5 method exhibits a substantially better performance than MP2.5, providing a mean absolute error of 1.1 kcal mol{sup −1}, which is more than 10 times lower than that of MP2.5 (11.8 kcal mol{sup −1}), and comparing to MP2 (14.6 kcal mol{sup −1}) there is a more than 12-fold reduction in errors. For noncovalent interaction energies (at CBS limits), the OMP2.5 method maintains the very good performance of MP2.5 for closed-shell systems, and for open-shell systems it significantly outperforms MP2.5 and CCSD, and approaches CCSD(T) quality. The MP2.5 errors decrease by a factor of 5 when the optimized orbitals are used for open-shell noncovalent interactions, and comparing to CCSD there is a more than 3-fold reduction in errors. Overall, the present application results indicate that the OMP2.5 method is very promising for open-shell noncovalent interactions and other chemical systems with difficult electronic structures.« less

Publications - MP 141 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys

Science.gov Websites

DGGS MP 141 Publication Details Title: Quaternary faults and folds in Alaska: A digital database Combellick, R.A., 2012, Quaternary faults and folds in Alaska: A digital database, in Koehler, R.D Quaternary faults, scale 1:3,700,000 (63.0 M) Digital Geospatial Data Digital Geospatial Data Quaternary

TvMP50 is an Immunogenic Metalloproteinase during Male Trichomoniasis*

PubMed Central

Quintas-Granados, Laura Itzel; Villalpando, José Luis; Vázquez-Carrillo, Laura Isabel; Arroyo, Rossana; Mendoza-Hernández, Guillermo; Álvarez-Sánchez, María Elizbeth

2013-01-01

Trichomonas vaginalis, a human urogenital tract parasite, is capable of surviving in the male microenvironment, despite of the presence of Zn2+. Concentrations > 1.6 mm of Zn2+ have a trichomonacidal effect; however, in the presence of ≤1.6 mm Zn2+, several trichomonad proteins are up- or down-regulated. Herein, we analyzed the proteome of a T. vaginalis male isolate (HGMN01) grown in the presence of Zn2+ and found 32 protein spots that were immunorecognized by male trichomoniasis patient serum. Using mass spectrometry (MS), the proteins were identified and compared with 23 spots that were immunorecognized in the proteome of a female isolate using the same serum. Interestingly, we found a 50-kDa metallopeptidase (TvMP50). Unexpectedly, this proteinase was immunodetected by the serum of male trichomoniasis patients but not by the female patient serum or sera from healthy men and women. We analyzed the T. vaginalis genome and localized the mp50 gene in locus TVAG_403460. Using an RT-PCR assay, we amplified a 1320-bp mp50 mRNA transcript that was expressed in the presence of Zn2+ in the HGMN01 and CNCD147 T. vaginalis isolates. According to a Western blot assay, native TvMP50 was differentially expressed in the presence of Zn2+. The TvMP50 proteolytic activity increased in the presence of Zn2+ in both isolates and was inhibited by EDTA but not by ptosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone (TLCK), E64, leupeptin, or phenylmethane sulfonyl fluoride. Furthermore, the recombinant TvMP50 had proteolytic activity that was inhibited by EDTA. These data suggested that TvMP50 is immunogenic during male trichomoniasis, and Zn2+ induces its expression. PMID:23579185

Validation Studies for CHRISTINE-CC Using a Ka-Band Coupled-Cavity TWT

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-04-01

Cavity TWT for 29-31 GHz Figure 3: Output power vs. input power at f=30.0 Communications Systems," I Ith Ka and Broadband GHz for the VTA-6430A1 Ka...Coupled-Cavity TWT DISTRIBUTION: Approved for public release, distribution unlimited This paper is part of the following report: TITLE: 2006 IEEE...Studies for CHRISTINE-CC Using a Ka-Band Coupled-Cavity TWT * D. Chernin, D. Dialetis, T. M. Antonsen, Jr.t, Science Applications International Corp McLean

Performance Analysis of the NAS Y-MP Workload

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bergeron, Robert J.; Kutler, Paul (Technical Monitor)

1997-01-01

This paper describes the performance characteristics of the computational workloads on the NAS Cray Y-MP machines, a Y-MP 832 and later a Y-MP 8128. Hardware measurements indicated that the Y-MP workload performance matured over time, ultimately sustaining an average throughput of 0.8 GFLOPS and a vector operation fraction of 87%. The measurements also revealed an operation rate exceeding 1 per clock period, a well-balanced architecture featuring a strong utilization of vector functional units, and an efficient memory organization. Introduction of the larger memory 8128 increased throughput by allowing a more efficient utilization of CPUs. Throughput also depended on the metering of the batch queues; low-idle Saturday workloads required a buffer of small jobs to prevent memory starvation of the CPU. UNICOS required about 7% of total CPU time to service the 832 workloads; this overhead decreased to 5% for the 8128 workloads. While most of the system time went to service I/O requests, efficient scheduling prevented excessive idle due to I/O wait. System measurements disclosed no obvious bottlenecks in the response of the machine and UNICOS to the workloads. In most cases, Cray-provided software tools were- quite sufficient for measuring the performance of both the machine and operating, system.

Capacity-optimized mp2 audio watermarking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steinebach, Martin; Dittmann, Jana

2003-06-01

Today a number of audio watermarking algorithms have been proposed, some of them at a quality making them suitable for commercial applications. The focus of most of these algorithms is copyright protection. Therefore, transparency and robustness are the most discussed and optimised parameters. But other applications for audio watermarking can also be identified stressing other parameters like complexity or payload. In our paper, we introduce a new mp2 audio watermarking algorithm optimised for high payload. Our algorithm uses the scale factors of an mp2 file for watermark embedding. They are grouped and masked based on a pseudo-random pattern generated from a secret key. In each group, we embed one bit. Depending on the bit to embed, we change the scale factors by adding 1 where necessary until it includes either more even or uneven scale factors. An uneven group has a 1 embedded, an even group a 0. The same rule is later applied to detect the watermark. The group size can be increased or decreased for transparency/payload trade-off. We embed 160 bits or more in an mp2 file per second without reducing perceived quality. As an application example, we introduce a prototypic Karaoke system displaying song lyrics embedded as a watermark.

Accelerating MP2C dispersion corrections for dimers and molecular crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Yuanhang; Shao, Yihan; Beran, Gregory J. O.

2013-06-01

The MP2C dispersion correction of Pitonak and Hesselmann [J. Chem. Theory Comput. 6, 168 (2010)], 10.1021/ct9005882 substantially improves the performance of second-order Møller-Plesset perturbation theory for non-covalent interactions, albeit with non-trivial computational cost. Here, the MP2C correction is computed in a monomer-centered basis instead of a dimer-centered one. When applied to a single dimer MP2 calculation, this change accelerates the MP2C dispersion correction several-fold while introducing only trivial new errors. More significantly, in the context of fragment-based molecular crystal studies, combination of the new monomer basis algorithm and the periodic symmetry of the crystal reduces the cost of computing the dispersion correction by two orders of magnitude. This speed-up reduces the MP2C dispersion correction calculation from a significant computational expense to a negligible one in crystals like aspirin or oxalyl dihydrazide, without compromising accuracy.

Surprising performance for vibrational frequencies of the distinguishable clusters with singles and doubles (DCSD) and MP2.5 approximations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kesharwani, Manoj K.; Sylvetsky, Nitai; Martin, Jan M. L.

2017-11-01

We show that the DCSD (distinguishable clusters with all singles and doubles) correlation method permits the calculation of vibrational spectra at near-CCSD(T) quality but at no more than CCSD cost, and with comparatively inexpensive analytical gradients. For systems dominated by a single reference configuration, even MP2.5 is a viable alternative, at MP3 cost. MP2.5 performance for vibrational frequencies is comparable to double hybrids such as DSD-PBEP86-D3BJ, but without resorting to empirical parameters. DCSD is also quite suitable for computing zero-point vibrational energies in computational thermochemistry.

MP Resulting in Autophagic Cell Death of Microglia through Zinc Changes against Spinal Cord Injury

PubMed Central

Li, Dingding; Wang, Guannan; Han, Donghe; Bi, Jing; Li, Chenyuan; Wang, Hongyu; Liu, Zhiyuan; Gao, Wei; Gao, Kai; Yao, Tianchen; Wan, Zhanghui; Li, Haihong; Mei, Xifan

2016-01-01

Methylprednisolone pulse therapy (MPPT), as a public recognized therapy of spinal cord injury (SCI), is doubted recently, and the exact mechanism of MP on SCI is unclear. This study sought to investigate the exact effect of MP on SCI. We examined the effect of MP in a model of SCI in vivo and an LPS induced model in vitro. We found that administration of MP produced an increase in the Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan scores and motor neurons counts of injured rats. Besides the number of activated microglia was apparently reduced by MP in vivo, and Beclin-1 dependent autophagic cell death of microglia was induced by MP in LPS induced model. At the same time, MP increases cellular zinc concentration and level of ZIP8, and TPEN could revert effect of MP on autophagic cell death of microglia. Finally, we have found that MP could inhibit NF-κβ in LPS induced model. These results show that the MP could result in autophagic cell death of microglia, which mainly depends on increasing cellular labile zinc, and may be associated with inhibition of NF-κβ, and that MP can produce neuroprotective effect in SCI. PMID:27057544

Palaeoenvironmental Transitions Between 22 ka and 8 ka in Monsoonally Influenced Namibia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eitel, Bernhard; Blümel, Wolf Dieter; Hüser, Klaus

The paper presents a preliminary reconstruction of the development of different palaeoenvironments between the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM; c. 22 - 18 ka) and the Holocene Altithermal (HA; c. 8 ka - 4 ka) in Namibia. The synopsis is based on 36 optical datations of dune sands and fine-grained, silty deposits (OSL and TL). Most of the data were published by different research groups during the last decade. The synoptic view of all available optical age determinations is necessary because palaeoclimatic interpretations for southwestern Africa are not possible using results based only on local studies and on partly unreliable datations (e. g. 14C ages of calcretes). The compilation of all available datations and a synoptical interpretation such as the one presented here, show that gradual transitions and not abrupt changes from arid to more humid conditions occurred. These transitions did not affect all regions of Namibia at the same time and intensity. Differentiations in time and space are necessary for arriving a consistent model of the palaeoenvironmental transitions between LGM and HA.

Purification and biochemical characterization of a novel ecto-apyrase, MP67, from Mimosa pudica.

PubMed

Okuhata, Riku; Takishima, Takeshi; Nishimura, Naoaki; Ueda, Shogo; Tsuchiya, Takahide; Kanzawa, Nobuyuki

2011-09-01

We have previously reported the presence of an apyrase in Mimosa pudica. However, only limited information is available for this enzyme. Thus, in this study, the apyrase was purified to homogeneity. The purified enzyme had a molecular mass of around 67 kD and was able to hydrolyze both nucleotide triphosphate and nucleotide diphosphate as substrates. The ratio of ATP to ADP hydrolysis velocity of the purified protein was 0.01 in the presence of calcium ion, showing extremely high substrate specificity toward ADP. Thus, we designated this novel apyrase as MP67. A cDNA clone of MP67 was obtained using primers designed from the amino acid sequence of trypsin-digested fragments of the protein. In addition, rapid amplification of cDNA ends-polymerase chain reaction was performed to clone a conventional apyrase (MpAPY2). Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequences showed that MP67 is similar to ecto-apyrases; however, it was distinct from conventional apyrase based on phylogenetic classification. MP67 and MpAPY2 were expressed in Escherichia coli, and the recombinant proteins were purified. The recombinant MP67 showed high substrate specificity toward ADP rather than ATP. A polyclonal antibody raised against the recombinant MP67 was used to examine the tissue distribution and localization of native MP67 in the plant. The results showed that MP67 was ubiquitously distributed in various tissues, most abundantly in leaves, and was localized to plasma membranes. Thus, MP67 is a novel ecto-apyrase with extremely high substrate specificity for ADP.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: ChaMP X-ray point source catalog (Kim+, 2007)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, M.; Kim, D.-W.; Wilkes, B. J.; Green, P. J.; Kim, E.; Anderson, C. S.; Barkhouse, W. A.; Evans, N. R.; Ivezic, Z.; Karovska, M.; Kashyap, V. L.; Lee, M. G.; Maksym, P.; Mossman, A. E.; Silverman, J. D.; Tananbaum, H. D.

2009-01-01

We present the Chandra Multiwavelength Project (ChaMP) X-ray point source catalog with ~6800 X-ray sources detected in 149 Chandra observations covering ~10deg2. The full ChaMP catalog sample is 7 times larger than the initial published ChaMP catalog. The exposure time of the fields in our sample ranges from 0.9 to 124ks, corresponding to a deepest X-ray flux limit of f0.5-8.0=9x10-16ergs/cm2/s. The ChaMP X-ray data have been uniformly reduced and analyzed with ChaMP-specific pipelines and then carefully validated by visual inspection. The ChaMP catalog includes X-ray photometric data in eight different energy bands as well as X-ray spectral hardness ratios and colors. To best utilize the ChaMP catalog, we also present the source reliability, detection probability, and positional uncertainty. (10 data files).

Operational experience on the MP-200 series commercial wind turbine generators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rose, M. B.

1982-01-01

The MP-200 wind turbine generator is described. The mechanical system, microprocessor controller, and display devices, are described. Also discussed are modifications to the prototype, operational experience, and MP-600 systems development.

A new parallel algorithm of MP2 energy calculations.

PubMed

Ishimura, Kazuya; Pulay, Peter; Nagase, Shigeru

2006-03-01

A new parallel algorithm has been developed for second-order Møller-Plesset perturbation theory (MP2) energy calculations. Its main projected applications are for large molecules, for instance, for the calculation of dispersion interaction. Tests on a moderate number of processors (2-16) show that the program has high CPU and parallel efficiency. Timings are presented for two relatively large molecules, taxol (C(47)H(51)NO(14)) and luciferin (C(11)H(8)N(2)O(3)S(2)), the former with the 6-31G* and 6-311G** basis sets (1,032 and 1,484 basis functions, 164 correlated orbitals), and the latter with the aug-cc-pVDZ and aug-cc-pVTZ basis sets (530 and 1,198 basis functions, 46 correlated orbitals). An MP2 energy calculation on C(130)H(10) (1,970 basis functions, 265 correlated orbitals) completed in less than 2 h on 128 processors.

What Multilevel Parallel Programs do when you are not Watching: A Performance Analysis Case Study Comparing MPI/OpenMP, MLP, and Nested OpenMP

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jost, Gabriele; Labarta, Jesus; Gimenez, Judit

2004-01-01

With the current trend in parallel computer architectures towards clusters of shared memory symmetric multi-processors, parallel programming techniques have evolved that support parallelism beyond a single level. When comparing the performance of applications based on different programming paradigms, it is important to differentiate between the influence of the programming model itself and other factors, such as implementation specific behavior of the operating system (OS) or architectural issues. Rewriting-a large scientific application in order to employ a new programming paradigms is usually a time consuming and error prone task. Before embarking on such an endeavor it is important to determine that there is really a gain that would not be possible with the current implementation. A detailed performance analysis is crucial to clarify these issues. The multilevel programming paradigms considered in this study are hybrid MPI/OpenMP, MLP, and nested OpenMP. The hybrid MPI/OpenMP approach is based on using MPI [7] for the coarse grained parallelization and OpenMP [9] for fine grained loop level parallelism. The MPI programming paradigm assumes a private address space for each process. Data is transferred by explicitly exchanging messages via calls to the MPI library. This model was originally designed for distributed memory architectures but is also suitable for shared memory systems. The second paradigm under consideration is MLP which was developed by Taft. The approach is similar to MPi/OpenMP, using a mix of coarse grain process level parallelization and loop level OpenMP parallelization. As it is the case with MPI, a private address space is assumed for each process. The MLP approach was developed for ccNUMA architectures and explicitly takes advantage of the availability of shared memory. A shared memory arena which is accessible by all processes is required. Communication is done by reading from and writing to the shared memory.

Geological Evidences for a Large Tsunami Generated by the 7.3 ka Kikai Caldera Eruption, Southern Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamada, M.; Fujino, S.; Satake, K.

2017-12-01

The 7.3 ka eruption of Kikai volcano, southern Kyushu, Japan, is one of the largest caldera-forming eruption in the world. Given that a huge caldera was formed in shallow sea area during the eruption, a tsunami must have been generated by a sea-level change associated. Pyroclastic flow and tsunami deposits by the eruption have been studied around the caldera, but they are not enough to evaluate the tsunami size. The goal of this study is to unravel sizes of tsunami and triggering caldera collapse by numerical simulations based on a widely-distributed tsunami deposit associated with the eruption. In this presentation, we will provide an initial data on distribution of the 7.3 ka tsunami deposit contained in sediment cores taken at three coastal lowlands in Wakayama, Tokushima, and Oita prefectures (560 km, 520 km, and 310 km north-east from the caldera, respectively). A volcanic ash from the eruption (Kikai Akahoya tephra: K-Ah) is evident in organic-rich muddy sedimentary sequence in all sediment cores. Up to 6-cm-thick sand layer, characterized by a grading structure and sharp bed boundary with lower mud, is observed immediately beneath the K-Ah tephra in all study sites. These sedimentary characteristics and broad distribution indicate that the sand layer was most likely deposited by a tsunami which can propagate to a wide area, but not by a local storm surge. Furthermore, the stratigraphic relationship implies that the study sites must have been inundated by the tsunami prior to the ash fall. A sand layer is also evident within the K-Ah tephra layer, suggesting that the sand layer was probably formed by a subsequent tsunami wave during the ash fall. These geological evidences for the 7.3 ka tsunami inundation will contribute to a better understanding of the caldera collapse and the resultant tsunami, but also of the tsunami generating system in the eruptive process.

Paleomagnetic record for the past 80 ka from the Mahanadi basin, Bay of Bengal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Usapkar, A.; Dewangan, P.; Mazumdar, A.; Krishna, K. S.; Ramprasad, T.; Badesab, F. K.; Patil, M.; Gaikwad, V. V.

2018-01-01

High resolution paleomagnetic investigations were performed on a 50.08 m long sediment core (MD161/20) from Mahanadi basin, Bay of Bengal. Core yielded reliable paleomagnetic results for top 20 m below seafloor (mbsf) which spans about 80 ka. Based on the analysis of rock magnetic data, the core is subdivided into five distinct Zones: Zone 1 and Zone 2 cover top 20 mbsf and do not show any abrupt change in magnetic mineralogy, concentration and grain size. Zones 3 and 5 show significant reduction in χLF, χARM and SIRM due to dissolution of magnetic minerals. Zone 4 shows moderate values of χLF and SIRM. The low value of χARM suggests that magnetic signal is mostly carried by magnetic grains in PSD/MD state. The paleomagnetic data for the top 20 mbsf show four prominent geomagnetic excursions at ∼9 mbsf, ∼13.5 to 15 mbsf, ∼16.3 mbsf and ∼18 to 18.2 mbsf. The age-depth relationship is established using stratigraphic correlation between well-dated sedimentary core NGHP-01-19B and the core MD161/20. The ages of the observed excursions correspond to ∼18 to 20 ka, ∼42 to 49 ka, ∼54 to 57 ka and ∼69 to 70 ka. The excursions at ∼42 to 49 ka, ∼54 to 57 ka, and ∼67 to 70 ka is similar to the known excursions the Laschamp and the split Norwegian-Greenland Sea events (NGS-I and NGS-II). The excursion at 18-20 ka is not observed globally and may be related to lithological/sedimentological changes occurring during last glacial maxima (LGM). The virtual geomagnetic path (VGP) of Laschamp excursion traces clockwise loop. All excursions identified in present study fall in the periods of relatively low paleointensity.

Assessment of Orbital-Optimized MP2.5 for Thermochemistry and Kinetics: Dramatic Failures of Standard Perturbation Theory Approaches for Aromatic Bond Dissociation Energies and Barrier Heights of Radical Reactions.

PubMed

Soydaş, Emine; Bozkaya, Uğur

2015-04-14

An assessment of orbital-optimized MP2.5 (OMP2.5) [ Bozkaya, U.; Sherrill, C. D. J. Chem. Phys. 2014, 141, 204105 ] for thermochemistry and kinetics is presented. The OMP2.5 method is applied to closed- and open-shell reaction energies, barrier heights, and aromatic bond dissociation energies. The performance of OMP2.5 is compared with that of the MP2, OMP2, MP2.5, MP3, OMP3, CCSD, and CCSD(T) methods. For most of the test sets, the OMP2.5 method performs better than MP2.5 and CCSD, and provides accurate results. For barrier heights of radical reactions and aromatic bond dissociation energies OMP2.5-MP2.5, OMP2-MP2, and OMP3-MP3 differences become obvious. Especially, for aromatic bond dissociation energies, standard perturbation theory (MP) approaches dramatically fail, providing mean absolute errors (MAEs) of 22.5 (MP2), 17.7 (MP2.5), and 12.8 (MP3) kcal mol(-1), while the MAE values of the orbital-optimized counterparts are 2.7, 2.4, and 2.4 kcal mol(-1), respectively. Hence, there are 5-8-folds reductions in errors when optimized orbitals are employed. Our results demonstrate that standard MP approaches dramatically fail when the reference wave function suffers from the spin-contamination problem. On the other hand, the OMP2.5 method can reduce spin-contamination in the unrestricted Hartree-Fock (UHF) initial guess orbitals. For overall evaluation, we conclude that the OMP2.5 method is very helpful not only for challenging open-shell systems and transition-states but also for closed-shell molecules. Hence, one may prefer OMP2.5 over MP2.5 and CCSD as an O(N(6)) method, where N is the number of basis functions, for thermochemistry and kinetics. The cost of the OMP2.5 method is comparable with that of CCSD for energy computations. However, for analytic gradient computations, the OMP2.5 method is only half as expensive as CCSD.

[What illegal substances are used by sportsmen? a study in Midi-Pyrénées Doping Preventing Medical Centre (AMPD-MP)].

PubMed

Senard-Ojero, Ana; Durrieu, Geneviève; Depiesse, Frédéric; Schmitt, Laurent; Riviere, Daniel; Montastruc, Jean-Louis

2010-01-01

Doping Preventing Medical Centres (Antennes Médicales de Prévention du Dopage) were established in France in 2000 in order to help sportsmen using illegal substances. These services are also information centres on illegal substances (drugs or others) used in sport. The aim of the study was to analyze the characteristics of sportsmen outpatient clinics in Antenne Médicale de Prevention du Dopage Midi-Pyrénées (AMPD-MP). We present the results of outpatient clinics in AMPD-MP from 2002 to 2008. A descriptive analysis of demographic data, substances used and sports practised were performed. During this 7 year-period, 35 outpatient clinics were performed [32 men, 3 women, mean age: 28 years (extreme values: 18-47; 10 patients ≥ 30 years)]. They were mainly involved in national (16), international (8) or regional (7) competitions. The main sports involved were rugby (9) followed by cycling (5), athletics (3) and body-building (3). The most frequently used illegal substances were cannabis (15) followed by glucocorticoïds (9), androgens (4), indirect sympathomimetics amphetaminics (4), beta 2 adrenergic agonists (2) and NSAIDs (2). Two veterinary substances (clenbuterol, boldone-veterinaire) were also found in body-builders. This study shows a clear under use of Doping Preventing Medical Centres by sportsmen and practitioners. It also indicates a relative high age for sportsmen referred to the centre. The main sports involved were rugby and cycling. Cannabis and glucocorticoïds were the drugs more often involved in doping behaviours.

Pollen-climate relationships in time (9 ka, 6 ka, 0 ka) and space (upland vs. lowland) in eastern continental Asia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Fang; Cao, Xianyong; Dallmeyer, Anne; Zhao, Yan; Ni, Jian; Herzschuh, Ulrike

2017-01-01

Temporal and spatial stability of the vegetation-climate relationship is a basic ecological assumption for pollen-based quantitative inferences of past climate change and for predicting future vegetation. We explore this assumption for the Holocene in eastern continental Asia (China, Mongolia). Boosted regression trees (BRT) between fossil pollen taxa percentages (Abies, Artemisia, Betula, Chenopodiaceae, Cyperaceae, Ephedra, Picea, Pinus, Poaceae and Quercus) and climate model outputs of mean annual precipitation (Pann) and mean temperature of the warmest month (Mtwa) for 9 and 6 ka (ka = thousand years before present) were set up and results compared to those obtained from relating modern pollen to modern climate. Overall, our results reveal only slight temporal differences in the pollen-climate relationships. Our analyses suggest that the importance of Pann compared with Mtwa for taxa distribution is higher today than it was at 6 ka and 9 ka. In particular, the relevance of Pann for Picea and Pinus increases and has become the main determinant. This change in the climate-tree pollen relationship parallels a widespread tree pollen decrease in north-central China and the eastern Tibetan Plateau. We assume that this is at least partly related to vegetation-climate disequilibrium originating from human impact. Increased atmospheric CO2 concentration may have permitted the expansion of moisture-loving herb taxa (Cyperaceae and Poaceae) during the late Holocene into arid/semi-arid areas. We furthermore find that the pollen-climate relationship between north-central China and the eastern Tibetan Plateau is generally similar, but that regional differences are larger than temporal differences. In summary, vegetation-climate relationships in China are generally stable in space and time, and pollen-based climate reconstructions can be applied to the Holocene. Regional differences imply the calibration-set should be restricted spatially.

A 62 ka record from the WAIS Divide ice core with annual resolution to 30 ka (so far)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fudge, T. J.; Taylor, K.; McGwire, K.; Brook, E.; Sowers, T.; Steig, E.; White, J.; Vaughn, B.; Bay, R.; McConnell, J.; Waddington, E.; Conway, H.; Clow, G.; Cuffey, K.; Cole-Dai, J.; Ferris, D.; Severinghaus, J.

2012-04-01

Drilling of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) Divide ice core has been completed to a depth of 3400 m, about 60 meters above the bed. We present an annually resolved time scale for the most recent 30ka (to 2800 m) based on electrical conductivity measurements, called "timescale WDC06A-5". Below 2800 m the ice is dated by matching isotopes, methane, and/or dust records to other ice cores. Optical borehole logging provides stratigraphic ties to other cores for the bottom-most 75 m that was drilled in December 2011, and indicates the bottom-most ice has an age of 62 ka. The relatively young ice at depth is likely the result of basal melting. The inferred annual layer thickness of the deep ice is >1 cm, suggesting that annual layer counting throughout the entire core may be possible with continuous flow analysis of the ice core chemistry; however, the annual signal in the electrical measurements fades at about 30 ka. We compare the WDC06A-5 timescale through the glacial-interglacial transition with the Greenland GICC05 and GISP2 timescales via rapid variations in methane. We calculate a preliminary delta-age with: 1) accumulation rate inferred from the annual layer thicknesses and thinning functions computed with a 1-D ice flow model, and 2) surface temperature inferred from the low resolution d18O record and a preliminary borehole temperature profile. The WDC06A-5 timescale agrees with the GICC05 and GISP2 timescales to within decades at the 8.2k event and the ACR termination (Younger Dryas/Preboreal transition, 11.7 ka). This is within the delta-age and correlation uncertainties. At the rapid methane drop at ~12.8 ka, the WDC06A-5 timescale is ~150 years older than GICC05 and ~90 older than GISP2; while at ~14.8 ka, the timescales once again agree within the delta-age and correlation uncertainties. The cause of the age discrepancy at 12.8 ka is unclear. We also compare the WDC06A-5 timescale at Dansgaard-Oeschger events 3 and 4 (~27.5 and 29 ka) to the

X/Ka Celestial Frame Improvements: Vision to Reality

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jacobs, C. S.; Bagri, D. S.; Britcliffe, M. J.; Clark, J. E.; Franco, M. M.; Garcia-Miro, C.; Goodhart, C. E.; Horiuchi, S.; Lowe, S. T.; Moll, V. E.;

Evaluation of lamb and calf responses to Rift Valley fever MP-12 vaccination.

PubMed

Wilson, William C; Bawa, Bhupinder; Drolet, Barbara S; Lehiy, Chris; Faburay, Bonto; Jasperson, Dane C; Reister, Lindsey; Gaudreault, Natasha N; Carlson, Jolene; Ma, Wenjun; Morozov, Igor; McVey, D Scott; Richt, Jürgen A

2014-08-06

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is an important viral disease of animals and humans in Africa and the Middle East that is transmitted by mosquitoes. The disease is of concern to international agricultural and public health communities. The RVFV MP-12 strain has been the most safety tested attenuated vaccine strain; thus it is being considered as a potential vaccine for the US national veterinary stockpile. This study was designed to establish safety protocols for large animal research with virulent RVF viruses, establish a target host immune response baseline using RVF MP-12 strain, and independently evaluate this strain as a potential US emergency response vaccine. Ten, approximately four month-old lambs and calves were vaccinated with RVF MP-12 strain; two additional animals per species provided negative control specimens. The animals were monitored for clinical and immune response, fever, and viremia. Two animals per species were sacrificed on 2, 3, 4, 10 and 28 days post infection and full necropsies were performed for histopathological examination. No clinical or febrile responses were observed in this study. The onset and titer of the immune response is discussed. There was no significant histopathology in the lambs; however, 6 out of 10 vaccinated calves had multifocal, random areas of hepatocellular degeneration and necrosis. RVF MP12 antigen was detected in these areas of necrosis by immunohistochemistry in one calf. This study provides independent and baseline information on the RVF MP-12 attenuated vaccination in vaccine relevant age target species and indicates the importance of performing safety testing on vaccine relevant aged target animals. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Coupling of Noah-MP and the High Resolution CI-WATER ADHydro Hydrological Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moreno, H. A.; Goncalves Pureza, L.; Ogden, F. L.; Steinke, R. C.

2014-12-01

ADHydro is a physics-based, high-resolution, distributed hydrological model suitable for simulating large watersheds in a massively parallel computing environment. It simulates important processes such as: rainfall and infiltration, snowfall and snowmelt in complex terrain, vegetation and evapotranspiration, soil heat flux and freezing, overland flow, channel flow, groundwater flow and water management. For the vegetation and evapotranspiration processes, ADHydro uses the validated community land surface model (LSM) Noah-MP. Noah-MP uses multiple options for key land-surface hydrology and was developed to facilitate climate predictions with physically based ensembles. This presentation discusses the lessons learned in coupling Noah-MP to ADHydro. Noah-MP is delivered with a main driver program and not as a library with a clear interface to be called from other codes. This required some investigation to determine the correct functions to call and the appropriate parameter values. ADHydro runs Noah-MP as a point process on each mesh element and provides initialization and forcing data for each element. Modeling data are acquired from various sources including the Soil Survey Geographic Database (SSURGO), the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model, and internal ADHydro simulation states. Despite these challenges in coupling Noah-MP to ADHydro, the use of Noah-MP provides the benefits of a supported community code.

Importance of the Electron Correlation and Dispersion Corrections in Calculations Involving Enamines, Hemiaminals, and Aminals. Comparison of B3LYP, M06-2X, MP2, and CCSD Results with Experimental Data.

PubMed

Castro-Alvarez, Alejandro; Carneros, Héctor; Sánchez, Dani; Vilarrasa, Jaume

2015-12-18

While B3LYP, M06-2X, and MP2 calculations predict the ΔG° values for exchange equilibria between enamines and ketones with similar acceptable accuracy, the M06-2X/6-311+G(d,p) and MP2/6-311+G(d,p) methods are required for enamine formation reactions (for example, for enamine 5a, arising from 3-methylbutanal and pyrrolidine). Stronger disagreement was observed when calculated energies of hemiaminals (N,O-acetals) and aminals (N,N-acetals) were compared with experimental equilibrium constants, which are reported here for the first time. Although it is known that the B3LYP method does not provide a good description of the London dispersion forces, while M06-2X and MP2 may overestimate them, it is shown here how large the gaps are and that at least single-point calculations at the CCSD(T)/6-31+G(d) level should be used for these reaction intermediates; CCSD(T)/6-31+G(d) and CCSD(T)/6-311+G(d,p) calculations afford ΔG° values in some cases quite close to MP2/6-311+G(d,p) while in others closer to M06-2X/6-311+G(d,p). The effect of solvents is similarly predicted by the SMD, CPCM, and IEFPCM approaches (with energy differences below 1 kcal/mol).

Phosphatidylserine lipids and membrane order precisely regulate the activity of Polybia-MP1 peptide.

PubMed

Alvares, Dayane S; Ruggiero Neto, João; Ambroggio, Ernesto E

2017-06-01

Polybia-MP1 (IDWKKLLDAAKQIL-NH 2 ) is a lytic peptide from the Brazilian wasp venom with known anti-cancer properties. Previous evidence indicates that phosphatidylserine (PS) lipids are relevant for the lytic activity of MP1. In agreement with this requirement, phosphatidylserine lipids are translocated to the outer leaflet of cells, and are available for MP1 binding, depending on the presence of liquid-ordered domains. Here, we investigated the effect of PS on MP1 activity when this lipid is reconstituted in membranes of giant or large liposomes with different lipid-phase states. By monitoring the membrane and soluble luminal content of giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs), using fluorescence confocal microscopy, we were able to determine that MP1 has a pore-forming activity at the membrane level. Liquid-ordered domains, which were phase-separated within the membrane of GUVs, influenced the pore-forming activity of MP1. Experiments evaluating the membrane-binding and lytic activity of MP1 on large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs), with the same lipid composition as GUVs, demonstrated that there was synergy between liquid-ordered domains and PS, which enhanced both activities. Based on our findings, we propose that the physicochemical properties of cancer cell membranes, which possess a much higher concentration of PS than normal cells, renders them susceptible to MP1 binding and lytic pore formation. These results can be correlated with MP1's potent and selective anti-cancer activity and pave the way for future research to develop cancer therapies that harness and exploit the properties of MP1. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Why can't I manage my digital images like MP3s? The evolution and intent of multimedia metadata

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goodrum, Abby; Howison, James

2005-01-01

This paper considers the deceptively simple question: Why can't digital images be managed in the simple and effective manner in which digital music files are managed? We make the case that the answer is different treatments of metadata in different domains with different goals. A central difference between the two formats stems from the fact that digital music metadata lookup services are collaborative and automate the movement from a digital file to the appropriate metadata, while image metadata services do not. To understand why this difference exists we examine the divergent evolution of metadata standards for digital music and digital images and observed that the processes differ in interesting ways according to their intent. Specifically music metadata was developed primarily for personal file management and community resource sharing, while the focus of image metadata has largely been on information retrieval. We argue that lessons from MP3 metadata can assist individuals facing their growing personal image management challenges. Our focus therefore is not on metadata for cultural heritage institutions or the publishing industry, it is limited to the personal libraries growing on our hard-drives. This bottom-up approach to file management combined with p2p distribution radically altered the music landscape. Might such an approach have a similar impact on image publishing? This paper outlines plans for improving the personal management of digital images-doing image metadata and file management the MP3 way-and considers the likelihood of success.

Why can't I manage my digital images like MP3s? The evolution and intent of multimedia metadata

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goodrum, Abby; Howison, James

2004-12-01

This paper considers the deceptively simple question: Why can"t digital images be managed in the simple and effective manner in which digital music files are managed? We make the case that the answer is different treatments of metadata in different domains with different goals. A central difference between the two formats stems from the fact that digital music metadata lookup services are collaborative and automate the movement from a digital file to the appropriate metadata, while image metadata services do not. To understand why this difference exists we examine the divergent evolution of metadata standards for digital music and digital images and observed that the processes differ in interesting ways according to their intent. Specifically music metadata was developed primarily for personal file management and community resource sharing, while the focus of image metadata has largely been on information retrieval. We argue that lessons from MP3 metadata can assist individuals facing their growing personal image management challenges. Our focus therefore is not on metadata for cultural heritage institutions or the publishing industry, it is limited to the personal libraries growing on our hard-drives. This bottom-up approach to file management combined with p2p distribution radically altered the music landscape. Might such an approach have a similar impact on image publishing? This paper outlines plans for improving the personal management of digital images-doing image metadata and file management the MP3 way-and considers the likelihood of success.

Early Experiences Writing Performance Portable OpenMP 4 Codes

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

Joubert, Wayne; Hernandez, Oscar R

In this paper, we evaluate the recently available directives in OpenMP 4 to parallelize a computational kernel using both the traditional shared memory approach and the newer accelerator targeting capabilities. In addition, we explore various transformations that attempt to increase application performance portability, and examine the expressiveness and performance implications of using these approaches. For example, we want to understand if the target map directives in OpenMP 4 improve data locality when mapped to a shared memory system, as opposed to the traditional first touch policy approach in traditional OpenMP. To that end, we use recent Cray and Intel compilersmore » to measure the performance variations of a simple application kernel when executed on the OLCF s Titan supercomputer with NVIDIA GPUs and the Beacon system with Intel Xeon Phi accelerators attached. To better understand these trade-offs, we compare our results from traditional OpenMP shared memory implementations to the newer accelerator programming model when it is used to target both the CPU and an attached heterogeneous device. We believe the results and lessons learned as presented in this paper will be useful to the larger user community by providing guidelines that can assist programmers in the development of performance portable code.« less

A Ka-Band Celestial Reference Frame with Applications to Deep Space Navigation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jacobs, Christopher S.; Clark, J. Eric; Garcia-Miro, Cristina; Horiuchi, Shinji; Sotuela, Ioana

2011-01-01

The Ka-band radio spectrum is now being used for a wide variety of applications. This paper highlights the use of Ka-band as a frequency for precise deep space navigation based on a set of reference beacons provided by extragalactic quasars which emit broadband noise at Ka-band. This quasar-based celestial reference frame is constructed using X/Ka-band (8.4/32 GHz) from fifty-five 24-hour sessions with the Deep Space Network antennas in California, Australia, and Spain. We report on observations which have detected 464 sources covering the full 24 hours of Right Ascension and declinations down to -45 deg. Comparison of this X/Ka-band frame to the international standard S/X-band (2.3/8.4 GHz) ICRF2 shows wRMS agreement of approximately 200 micro-arcsec in alpha cos(delta) and approximately 300 micro-arcsec in delta. There is evidence for systematic errors at the 100 micro-arcsec level. Known errors include limited SNR, lack of instrumental phase calibration, tropospheric refraction mis-modeling, and limited southern geometry. The motivation for extending the celestial reference frame to frequencies above 8 GHz is to access more compact source morphology for improved frame stability and to support spacecraft navigation for Ka-band based NASA missions.

An efficient parallel algorithm for the calculation of unrestricted canonical MP2 energies.

PubMed

Baker, Jon; Wolinski, Krzysztof

2011-11-30

We present details of our efficient implementation of full accuracy unrestricted open-shell second-order canonical Møller-Plesset (MP2) energies, both serial and parallel. The algorithm is based on our previous restricted closed-shell MP2 code using the Saebo-Almlöf direct integral transformation. Depending on system details, UMP2 energies take from less than 1.5 to about 3.0 times as long as a closed-shell RMP2 energy on a similar system using the same algorithm. Several examples are given including timings for some large stable radicals with 90+ atoms and over 3600 basis functions. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

LPJ-GUESS Simulated North America Vegetation for 21-0 ka Using the TraCE-21ka Climate Simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shafer, S. L.; Bartlein, P. J.

2016-12-01

Transient climate simulations that span multiple millennia (e.g., TraCE-21ka) have become more common as computing power has increased, allowing climate models to complete long simulations in relatively short periods of time (i.e., months). These climate simulations provide information on the potential rate, variability, and spatial expression of past climate changes. They also can be used as input data for other environmental models to simulate transient changes for different components of paleoenvironmental systems, such as vegetation. Long, transient paleovegetation simulations can provide information on a range of ecological processes, describe the spatial and temporal patterns of changes in species distributions, and identify the potential locations of past species refugia. Paleovegetation simulations also can be used to fill in spatial and temporal gaps in observed paleovegetation data (e.g., pollen records from lake sediments) and to test hypotheses of past vegetation change. We used the TraCE-21ka transient climate simulation for 21-0 ka from CCSM3, a coupled atmosphere-ocean general circulation model. The TraCE-21ka simulated temperature, precipitation, and cloud data were regridded onto a 10-minute grid of North America. These regridded climate data, along with soil data and atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations, were used as input to LPJ-GUESS, a general ecosystem model, to simulate North America vegetation from 21-0 ka. LPJ-GUESS simulates many of the processes controlling the distribution of vegetation (e.g., competition), although some important processes (e.g., dispersal) are not simulated. We evaluate the LPJ-GUESS-simulated vegetation (in the form of plant functional types and biomes) for key time periods and compare the simulated vegetation with observed paleovegetation data, such as data archived in the Neotoma Paleoecology Database. In general, vegetation simulated by LPJ-GUESS reproduces the major North America vegetation patterns (e

Contribution of X/Ka VLBI to Multi-Wavelength Celestial Frame Studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jacobs, C. S.; Clark, J. E.; Garcia-Miro, C.; Horiuchi, S.; Sotuela, I.

2011-01-01

This paper is an update of Sotuela et al. (2011) which improves their simulated Gaia frame tie precision by approximately 10% by adding three additional VLBI observing sessions. Astrometry at X/Ka-band (8.4/32 GHz) using NASAs Deep Space Network has detected 466 quasars with accuracies of 200-300 micro-arc seconds. A program is underway to reduce errors by a factor of 2-3. From our sample, 245 sources have optical magnitudes V less than 20 and should also be detectable by Gaia. A covariance study using existing X/Ka data and simulated Gaia uncertainties for the 345 objects yields a frame tie precision of 10-15 micro-arc seconds (1 - sigma). The characterization of wavelength dependent systematic from extended source morphology and core shift should benefit greatly from adding X/Ka-band measurements to S/X-band (2.3/8.4 GHz) measurements thus helping to constrain astrophysical models of the wavelength dependence of positions.

Protonation/deprotonation process of Emodin in aqueous solution and pKa determination: UV/Visible spectrophotometric titration and quantum/molecular mechanics calculations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

da Cunha, Antonio R.; Duarte, Evandro L.; Lamy, M. Teresa; Coutinho, Kaline

2014-08-01

We combined theoretical and experimental studies to elucidate the important deprotonation process of Emodin in water. We used the UV/Visible spectrophotometric titration curves to obtain its pKa values, pKa1 = 8.0 ± 0.1 and pKa2 = 10.9 ± 0.2. Additionally, we obtained the pKa values of Emodin in the water-methanol mixture (1:3v/v). We give a new interpretation of the experimental data, obtaining apparent pKa1 = 6.2 ± 0.1, pKa2 = 8.3 ± 0.1 and pKa3 > 12.7. Performing quantum mechanics calculations for all possible deprotonation sites and tautomeric isomers of Emodin in vacuum and in water, we identified the sites of the first and second deprotonation. We calculated the standard deprotonation free energy of Emodin in water and the pKa1, using an explicit model of the solvent, with Free Energy Perturbation theory in Monte Carlo simulations obtaining, ΔGaq = 12.1 ± 1.4 kcal/mol and pKa1 = 8.7 ± 0.9. With the polarizable continuum model for the solvent, we obtained ΔGaq = 11.6 ± 1.0 kcal/mol and pKa1 = 8.3 ± 0.7. Both solvent models gave theoretical results in very good agreement with the experimental values.

Crystal Structure of MpPR-1i, a SCP/TAPS protein from Moniliophthora perniciosa, the fungus that causes Witches’ Broom Disease of Cacao

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

Baroni, Renata M.; Luo, Zhipu; Darwiche, Rabih

The pathogenic fungi Moniliophthora perniciosa causes Witches’ Broom Disease (WBD) of cacao. The structure of MpPR-1i, a protein expressed by M. perniciosa when it infects cacao, are presented. This is the first reported de novo structure determined by single-wavelength anomalous dispersion phasing upon soaking with selenourea. Each monomer has flexible loop regions linking the core alpha-beta-alpha sandwich topology that comprise ~50% of the structure, making it difficult to generate an accurate homology model of the protein. MpPR-1i is monomeric in solution but is packed as a high ~70% solvent content, crystallographic heptamer. The greatest conformational flexibility between monomers is foundmore » in loops exposed to the solvent channel that connect the two longest strands. MpPR-1i lacks the conserved CAP tetrad and is incapable of binding divalent cations. MpPR-1i has the ability to bind lipids, which may have roles in its infection of cacao. These lipids likely bind in the palmitate binding cavity as observed in tablysin-15, since MpPR-1i binds palmitate with comparable affinity as tablysin-15. Further studies are required to clarify the possible roles and underlying mechanisms of neutral lipid binding, as well as their effects on the pathogenesis of M. perniciosa so as to develop new interventions for WBD.« less

Tough2{_}MP: A parallel version of TOUGH2

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

Zhang, Keni; Wu, Yu-Shu; Ding, Chris

2003-04-09

TOUGH2{_}MP is a massively parallel version of TOUGH2. It was developed for running on distributed-memory parallel computers to simulate large simulation problems that may not be solved by the standard, single-CPU TOUGH2 code. The new code implements an efficient massively parallel scheme, while preserving the full capacity and flexibility of the original TOUGH2 code. The new software uses the METIS software package for grid partitioning and AZTEC software package for linear-equation solving. The standard message-passing interface is adopted for communication among processors. Numerical performance of the current version code has been tested on CRAY-T3E and IBM RS/6000 SP platforms. Inmore » addition, the parallel code has been successfully applied to real field problems of multi-million-cell simulations for three-dimensional multiphase and multicomponent fluid and heat flow, as well as solute transport. In this paper, we will review the development of the TOUGH2{_}MP, and discuss the basic features, modules, and their applications.« less

Advances in Ka-Band Communication System for CubeSats and SmallSats

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kegege, Obadiah; Wong, Yen F.; Altunc, Serhat

2016-01-01

A study was performed that evaluated the feasibility of Ka-band communication system to provide CubeSat/SmallSat high rate science data downlink with ground antennas ranging from the small portable 1.2m/2.4m to apertures 5.4M, 7.3M, 11M, and 18M, for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to Lunar CubeSat missions. This study included link analysis to determine the data rate requirement, based on the current TRL of Ka-band flight hardware and ground support infrastructure. Recent advances in Ka-band transceivers and antennas, options of portable ground stations, and various coverage distances were included in the analysis. The link/coverage analysis results show that Cubesat/Smallsat missions communication requirements including frequencies and data rates can be met by utilizing Near Earth Network (NEN) Ka-band support with 2 W and high gain (>6 dBi) antennas.

Rift Valley fever virus MP-12 vaccine encoding Toscana virus NSs retains neuroinvasiveness in mice.

PubMed

Indran, Sabarish V; Lihoradova, Olga A; Phoenix, Inaia; Lokugamage, Nandadeva; Kalveram, Birte; Head, Jennifer A; Tigabu, Bersabeh; Smith, Jennifer K; Zhang, Lihong; Juelich, Terry L; Gong, Bin; Freiberg, Alexander N; Ikegami, Tetsuro

2013-07-01

Rift Valley fever is a mosquito-borne zoonotic disease endemic to sub-Saharan Africa. Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV; genus Phlebovirus, family Bunyaviridae) causes high rates of abortion and fetal malformation in pregnant ruminants, and haemorrhagic fever, neurological disorders or blindness in humans. The MP-12 strain is a highly efficacious and safe live-attenuated vaccine candidate for both humans and ruminants. However, MP-12 lacks a marker to differentiate infected from vaccinated animals. In this study, we originally aimed to characterize the efficacy of a recombinant RVFV MP-12 strain encoding Toscana virus (TOSV) NSs gene in place of MP-12 NSs (rMP12-TOSNSs). TOSV NSs promotes the degradation of dsRNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR) and inhibits interferon-β gene up-regulation without suppressing host general transcription. Unexpectedly, rMP12-TOSNSs increased death in vaccinated outbred mice and inbred BALB/c or C57BL/6 mice. Immunohistochemistry showed diffusely positive viral antigens in the thalamus, hypothalamus and brainstem, including the medulla. No viral antigens were detected in spleen or liver, which is similar to the antigen distribution of moribund mice infected with MP-12. These results suggest that rMP12-TOSNSs retains neuroinvasiveness in mice. Our findings demonstrate that rMP12-TOSNSs causes neuroinvasion without any hepatic disease and will be useful for studying the neuroinvasion mechanism of RVFV and TOSV.

Rift Valley fever virus MP-12 vaccine encoding Toscana virus NSs retains neuroinvasiveness in mice

PubMed Central

Indran, Sabarish V.; Lihoradova, Olga A.; Phoenix, Inaia; Lokugamage, Nandadeva; Kalveram, Birte; Head, Jennifer A.; Tigabu, Bersabeh; Smith, Jennifer K.; Zhang, Lihong; Juelich, Terry L.; Gong, Bin; Freiberg, Alexander N.

2013-01-01

Rift Valley fever is a mosquito-borne zoonotic disease endemic to sub-Saharan Africa. Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV; genus Phlebovirus, family Bunyaviridae) causes high rates of abortion and fetal malformation in pregnant ruminants, and haemorrhagic fever, neurological disorders or blindness in humans. The MP-12 strain is a highly efficacious and safe live-attenuated vaccine candidate for both humans and ruminants. However, MP-12 lacks a marker to differentiate infected from vaccinated animals. In this study, we originally aimed to characterize the efficacy of a recombinant RVFV MP-12 strain encoding Toscana virus (TOSV) NSs gene in place of MP-12 NSs (rMP12-TOSNSs). TOSV NSs promotes the degradation of dsRNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR) and inhibits interferon-β gene up-regulation without suppressing host general transcription. Unexpectedly, rMP12-TOSNSs increased death in vaccinated outbred mice and inbred BALB/c or C57BL/6 mice. Immunohistochemistry showed diffusely positive viral antigens in the thalamus, hypothalamus and brainstem, including the medulla. No viral antigens were detected in spleen or liver, which is similar to the antigen distribution of moribund mice infected with MP-12. These results suggest that rMP12-TOSNSs retains neuroinvasiveness in mice. Our findings demonstrate that rMP12-TOSNSs causes neuroinvasion without any hepatic disease and will be useful for studying the neuroinvasion mechanism of RVFV and TOSV. PMID:23515022

Mechanism of action of a novel recombinant peptide, MP1102, against Clostridium perfringens type C.

PubMed

Zong, Lifen; Teng, Da; Wang, Xiumin; Mao, Ruoyu; Yang, Na; Hao, Ya; Wang, Jianhua

2016-06-01

This work is the first to report the antibacterial characteristics and antibacterial mechanisms of MP1102, which is a variant of NZ2114, against pathogenic Clostridium perfringens. MP1102 exhibited strong antimicrobial activity against C. perfringens strains CVCC 61, CVCC 1163, and CVCC 2032 at a low minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 0.91 μM. MP1102 showed anti-C. perfringens activity over a wide pH range of 2.0 and 10.0, high thermal stability from 20 to 80 °C, and remarkable resistance to pepsin. The fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) indicated an additive or synergic effect between MP1102 and bacitracin zinc, nisin, vancomycin, virginiamycin, aureomycin, and ampicillin against C. perfringens (FICI = 0.3125-1.0). To further elucidate the antibacterial mechanism of MP1102, its effect on the C. perfringens CVCC 61 cell membrane and intracellular DNA was studied. Flow cytometry and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicated that MP1102 treatment resulted in the release of cellular contents by damaging the membrane. A DNA gel retardation and circular dichroism analysis demonstrated that MP1102 interacted with DNA and intercalated into the DNA base pairs. A cell cycle assay demonstrated that MP1102 affected cellular functions, such as DNA synthesis. These results suggested that MP1102 exhibited potential as a new antimicrobial agent against C. perfringens infections.

Pharmacokinetics and Safety of MP-376 (Levofloxacin Inhalation Solution) in Cystic Fibrosis Subjects▿

PubMed Central

Geller, David E.; Flume, Patrick A.; Griffith, David C.; Morgan, Elizabeth; White, Dan; Loutit, Jeffery S.; Dudley, Michael N.

2011-01-01

The pharmacokinetics and tolerability of nebulized MP-376 (levofloxacin inhalation solution [Aeroquin]) were determined in cystic fibrosis (CF) subjects. Ten CF subjects received single 180-mg doses of two formulations of MP-376, followed by a multiple-dose phase of 240 mg once daily for 7 days. Serum and expectorated-sputum samples were assayed for levofloxacin content. Safety was evaluated following the single- and multiple-dose study phases. Nebulized MP-376 produced high concentrations of levofloxacin in sputum. The mean maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) ranged between 2,563 and 2,932 mg/liter for 180-mg doses of the 50- and 100-mg/ml formulations, respectively. After 7 days of dosing, the mean Cmax for the 240-mg dose was 4,691 mg/liter. The mean serum levofloxacin Cmax ranged between 0.95 and 1.28 for the 180-mg doses and was 1.71 for the 240-mg dose. MP-376 was well tolerated. Nebulized MP-376 produces high sputum and low serum levofloxacin concentrations. The pharmacokinetics, safety, and tolerability were similar for the two formulations. MP-376 240 mg (100 mg/ml) is being advanced into late-stage clinical development. PMID:21444699

Communication: Exact analytical derivatives for the domain-based local pair natural orbital MP2 method (DLPNO-MP2)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pinski, Peter; Neese, Frank

2018-01-01

Electron correlation methods based on pair natural orbitals (PNOs) have gained an increasing degree of interest in recent years, as they permit energy calculations to be performed on systems containing up to many hundred atoms, while maintaining chemical accuracy for reaction energies. We present an approach for taking exact analytical first derivatives of the energy contributions in the simplest method of the family of Domain-based Local Pair Natural Orbital (DLPNO) methods, closed-shell DLPNO-MP2. The Lagrangian function contains constraints to account for the relaxation of PNOs. RI-MP2 reference geometries are reproduced accurately, as exemplified for four systems with a substantial degree of nonbonding interactions. By the example of electric field gradients, we demonstrate that omitting PNO-specific constraints can lead to dramatic errors for orbital-relaxed properties.

Density Functional Theory Calculation of pKa's of Thiols in Aqueous Solution Using Explicit Water Molecules and the Polarizable Continuum Model.

PubMed

Thapa, Bishnu; Schlegel, H Bernhard

2016-07-21

The pKa's of substituted thiols are important for understanding their properties and reactivities in applications in chemistry, biochemistry, and material chemistry. For a collection of 175 different density functionals and the SMD implicit solvation model, the average errors in the calculated pKa's of methanethiol and ethanethiol are almost 10 pKa units higher than for imidazole. A test set of 45 substituted thiols with pKa's ranging from 4 to 12 has been used to assess the performance of 8 functionals with 3 different basis sets. As expected, the basis set needs to include polarization functions on the hydrogens and diffuse functions on the heavy atoms. Solvent cavity scaling was ineffective in correcting the errors in the calculated pKa's. Inclusion of an explicit water molecule that is hydrogen bonded with the H of the thiol group (in neutral) or S(-) (in thiolates) lowers error by an average of 3.5 pKa units. With one explicit water and the SMD solvation model, pKa's calculated with the M06-2X, PBEPBE, BP86, and LC-BLYP functionals are found to deviate from the experimental values by about 1.5-2.0 pKa units whereas pKa's with the B3LYP, ωB97XD and PBEVWN5 functionals are still in error by more than 3 pKa units. The inclusion of three explicit water molecules lowers the calculated pKa further by about 4.5 pKa units. With the B3LYP and ωB97XD functionals, the calculated pKa's are within one unit of the experimental values whereas most other functionals used in this study underestimate the pKa's. This study shows that the ωB97XD functional with the 6-31+G(d,p) and 6-311++G(d,p) basis sets, and the SMD solvation model with three explicit water molecules hydrogen bonded to the sulfur produces the best result for the test set (average error -0.11 ± 0.50 and +0.15 ± 0.58, respectively). The B3LYP functional also performs well (average error -1.11 ± 0.82 and -0.78 ± 0.79, respectively).

Test-Retest Reproducibility of the Microperimeter MP3 With Fundus Image Tracking in Healthy Subjects and Patients With Macular Disease.

PubMed

Palkovits, Stefan; Hirnschall, Nino; Georgiev, Stefan; Leisser, Christoph; Findl, Oliver

2018-02-01

To evaluate the test-retest reproducibility of a novel microperimeter with fundus image tracking (MP3, Nidek Co, Japan) in healthy subjects and patients with macular disease. Ten healthy subjects and 20 patients suffering from range of macular diseases were included. After training measurements, two additional microperimetry measurements were scheduled. Test-retest reproducibility was assessed for mean retinal sensitivity, pointwise sensitivity, and deep scotoma size using the coefficient of repeatability and Bland-Altman diagrams. In addition, in a subgroup of patients microperimetry was compared with conventional perimetry. Average differences in mean retinal sensitivity between the two study measurements were 0.26 ± 1.7 dB (median 0 dB; interquartile range [IQR] -1 to 1) for the healthy and 0.36 ± 2.5 dB (median 0 dB; IQR -1 to 2) for the macular patient group. Coefficients of repeatability for mean retinal sensitivity and pointwise retinal sensitivity were 1.2 and 3.3 dB for the healthy subjects and 1.6 and 5.0 dB for the macular disease patients, respectively. Absolute agreement in deep scotoma size between both study days was found in 79.9% of the test loci. The microperimeter MP3 shows an adequate test-retest reproducibility for mean retinal sensitivity, pointwise retinal sensitivity, and deep scotoma size in healthy subjects and patients suffering from macular disease. Furthermore, reproducibility of microperimetry is higher than conventional perimetry. Reproducibility is an important measure for each diagnostic device. Especially in a clinical setting high reproducibility set the basis to achieve reliable results using the specific device. Therefore, assessment of the reproducibility is of eminent importance to interpret the findings of future studies.

U.S. EPA, Pesticide Product Label, ECCO MP-2006, 08/13/1976

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

2011-04-14

, , ~- - ECCO MP-4110 , ' • • " rrd:'H:'Jl.~! ... " '. i / " \\ .. f ( '\\ , r , I i I " l • , \\ , I 1 , i i /; I ' ( I ,. ! \\ , t , , I 'I't .\\ ECCO MP-200 EPA REG :: 6009·7 (FUNGICIDE) ...

A 20-ka reconstruction of a Sahelo-Sudanian paleoenvironment using multi-method dating on pedogenic carbonate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diaz, Nathalie; Dietrich, Fabienne; King, Georgina E.; Valla, Pierre G.; Sebag, David; Herman, Frédéric; Verrecchia, Eric P.

2016-04-01

Soils can be precious environmental archives as they are open systems resulting from external persistent disturbance, or forcing (Jenny, 1941). Pedogenic carbonate nodules associated with clay-rich soils have been investigated in the Far North region of Cameroon in non-carbonate watersheds (Chad Basin). Nodule bearing soils have mima-like mound morphologies, within stream networks. Such settings raise questions on the processes leading to carbonate precipitation as well as landscape genesis. The mima-like mounds have been identified as degraded Vertisols, resulting from differential erosion induced by a former gilgai micro-relief (Diaz et al., 2016). Non-degraded Vertisols occur in waterlogged areas, located downstream from mima-like mound locations (Braband and Gavaud, 1985). Therefore during a former wetter period Vertisols may have been extended to the mima-like mound areas, followed by a shift toward drier conditions and erosion (Diaz et al., 2016). Consequently, mima-like mounds and associated carbonate nodules are inherited from climatic changes during the Late Pleistocene-Holocene period. The aim of this study is to validate the scenario above using the carbonate nodules collected in a mima-like mound as time archives. Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating of K-feldspars trapped within the nodules is used to assess the deposition time of the soil parent material, composing the mima-like mounds. The carbonate and organic nodule parts have been radiocarbon dated with the aim of assessing the carbonate precipitation age and the age range of soil formation, respectively. Results show that the soil parent material was deposited between 18 ka and 12 ka BP and that the nodules precipitated between 7 ka and 5 ka BP. These results suggest that the deposition occurred during the arid climatic period of the Bossoumian (20 ka to 15 ka BP; Hervieu, 1970) and during the first drier part of the African Humid Period (14.8 ka to 11.5 ka BP; deMenocal et al., 2000

Attaching IBM-compatible 3380 disks to Cray X-MP

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

Engert, D.E.; Midlock, J.L.

1989-01-01

A method of attaching IBM-compatible 3380 disks directly to a Cray X-MP via the XIOP with a BMC is described. The IBM 3380 disks appear to the UNICOS operating system as DD-29 disks with UNICOS file systems. IBM 3380 disks provide cheap, reliable large capacity disk storage. Combined with a small number of high-speed Cray disks, the IBM disks provide for the bulk of the storage for small files and infrequently used files. Cray Research designed the BMC and its supporting software in the XIOP to allow IBM tapes and other devices to be attached to the X-MP. No hardwaremore » changes were necessary, and we added less than 2000 lines of code to the XIOP to accomplish this project. This system has been in operation for over eight months. Future enhancements such as the use of a cache controller and attachment to a Y-MP are also described. 1 tab.« less

New insights on water level variability for Lake Turkana for the past 15 ka and at 150 ka from relict beaches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Forman, S. L.; Wright, D.

2015-12-01

Relict beaches adjacent to Lake Turkana provide a record of water level variability for the Late Quaternary. This study focused on deciphering the geomorphology, sedimentology, stratigraphy and 14C chronology of strand plain sequences in the Kalokol and Lothagam areas. Nine >30 m oscillations in water level were documented between ca. 15 and 4 ka. The earliest oscillation between ca. 14.5 and 13 ka is not well constrained with water level to at least 70 m above the present surface and subsequently fell to at least 50 m. Lake level increased to ~ 90 m between ca. 11.2 and 10.4 ka, post Younger Dryas cooling. Water level fell by >30 m by 10.2 ka, with another potential rise at ca. 8.5 ka to >70 m above current level. Lake level regressed by > 40 m at 8.2 ka coincident with cooling in the equatorial Eastern Atlantic Ocean. Two major >70 m lake level oscillations centered at 6.6 and 5.2 ka may reflect enhanced convection with warmer sea surface temperatures in the Western Indian Ocean. The end of the African Humid Period occurred from ca. 8.0 to 4.5 ka and was characterized by variable lake level (± > 40 m), rather than one monotonic fall in water level. This lake level variability reflects a complex response to variations in the extent and intensity of the East and West African Monsoons near geographic and topographic limits within the catchment of Lake Turkana. Also, for this closed lake basin excess and deficits in water input are amplified with a cascading lake effect in the East Rift Valley and through the Chew Bahir Basin. The final regression from a high stand of > 90 m began at. 5.2 ka and water level was below 20 m by 4.5 ka; and for the remainder of the Holocene. This sustained low stand is associated with weakening of the West African Monsoon, a shift of the mean position of Congo Air Boundary west of the Lake Turkana catchment and with meter-scale variability in lake level linked to Walker circulation across the Indian Ocean. A surprising observation is

Running ATLAS workloads within massively parallel distributed applications using Athena Multi-Process framework (AthenaMP)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calafiura, Paolo; Leggett, Charles; Seuster, Rolf; Tsulaia, Vakhtang; Van Gemmeren, Peter

2015-12-01

AthenaMP is a multi-process version of the ATLAS reconstruction, simulation and data analysis framework Athena. By leveraging Linux fork and copy-on-write mechanisms, it allows for sharing of memory pages between event processors running on the same compute node with little to no change in the application code. Originally targeted to optimize the memory footprint of reconstruction jobs, AthenaMP has demonstrated that it can reduce the memory usage of certain configurations of ATLAS production jobs by a factor of 2. AthenaMP has also evolved to become the parallel event-processing core of the recently developed ATLAS infrastructure for fine-grained event processing (Event Service) which allows the running of AthenaMP inside massively parallel distributed applications on hundreds of compute nodes simultaneously. We present the architecture of AthenaMP, various strategies implemented by AthenaMP for scheduling workload to worker processes (for example: Shared Event Queue and Shared Distributor of Event Tokens) and the usage of AthenaMP in the diversity of ATLAS event processing workloads on various computing resources: Grid, opportunistic resources and HPC.

MP-AzeFlu provides rapid and effective allergic rhinitis control: results of a non-interventional study in Romania.

PubMed

Agache, I; Doros, I C; Leru, P M; Bucur, I; Poenaru, M; Sarafoleanu, C

2018-03-01

Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) and the European Union (EU) recommend a shift to guide allergic rhinitis (AR) treatment decisions from symptom severity to disease control, using a simple visual analogue scale (VAS). Using this VAS we assessed, in a real-life study in Romania, the effectiveness of MP-AzeFlu nasal spray. In this multi-centre, prospective, non-interventional study, 253 patients (over 11 years old) with moderate-to-severe AR were prescribed MP-AzeFlu and assessed their symptoms on a VAS (0 (not at all bothersome) to 100 mm (very bothersome)) on Days 0, 1, 3, 7 and 14. The proportion of patients who achieved a defined VAS score cut-off for well-controlled (38 mm) AR were also calculated. Patients perception of disease control was assessed on Day 3. MP-AzeFlu use was associated with a mean (standard deviation) VAS score reduction from 78.4 (15.1) mm at baseline to 14.7 (15.1) mm on the last day. Effectiveness was consistent irrespective of disease severity, phenotype or patient age. 83.4% of patients achieved the smaller than 39 mm well-controlled VAS score cut-off by last day and 95.2% considered their symptoms to be well- or partly controlled at Day 3. MP-AzeFlu provided rapid, effective and sustained AR symptom control in a real-life setting in Romania, irrespective of severity, phenotype or patient age, aligning with ARIA and EU recommendations and supporting the position of MP-AzeFlu as the drug of choice for the treatment of moderate-to-severe AR.

Cooperativity effect involving drug-DNA/RNA intermolecular interaction: A B3LYP-D3 and MP2 theoretical investigation on ketoprofen⋯cytosine⋯H2O system.

PubMed

Zhen, Jun-Ping; Wei, Xiao-Chun; Shi, Wen-Jing; Huang, Zhu-Yuan; Jin, Bo; Zhou, Yu-Kun

2017-11-14

In order to examine the origin of the drug action and design new DNA/RNA-targeted drugs, the cooperativity effect involving drug-DNA/RNA intermolecular interaction in ketoprofen⋯cytosine⋯H 2 O ternary system were investigated by the B3LYP, B3LYP-D3, and MP2 methods with the 6-311++G(2d,p) basis set. The thermodynamic cooperativity was also evaluated at 310.15 K. The N-H⋯O, O-H⋯O, O-H⋯N, C-H⋯N, and C-H⋯O H bonds coexist in ternary complexes. The intermolecular interactions obtained by B3LYP-D3 are close to those calculated by MP2. The steric effects and van der Waals interactions have little influence on the cooperativity effects. The anti-cooperativity effect in ket⋯cyt⋯H 2 O is far more notable than the cooperativity effect, and the stability of the cyclic structure with anti-cooperativity effect is higher than that of the linear structure with cooperativity effect, as is confirmed by the AIM (atoms in molecules) and RDG (reduced density gradient) analysis. Thus, it can be inferred that, in the presence of H 2 O, the anti-cooperativity effect plays a dominant role in the drug-DNA/RNA interaction, and the nature of the hydration in the binding of drugs to DNA/RNA bases is the H-bonding anti-cooperativity effect. Furthermore, the drug always links simultaneously with DNA/RNA base and H 2 O, and only in this way can the biological activity of drugs play a role. In most cases, the enthalpy change is the major factor driving the cooperativity, as is different from most of biomacromolecule complexes.

Why is MP2-Water "Cooler" and "Denser" than DFT-Water?

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

Willow, Soohaeng Y.; Zeng, Xiao Cheng; Xantheas, Sotiris S.

To maintain water in the liquid phase at the correct (1 g/cm3) density during first-principles simulations, density-functional theory (DFT) with a dispersionless generalized-gradient-approximation (GGA) functional requires a much higher temperature and pressure than the ambient conditions. Conversely, ab initio second-order many-body perturbation (MP2) calculations of liquid water performed by Del Ben et al. [J. Chem. Phys. Lett. 4, 3753 (2013); J. Chem. Phys. 143, 054506 (2015)] and by us [Willow et al., Sci. Rep. 5, 14358 (2015)] required a lower temperature and a negative pressure than DFT to keep water liquid. Here, we present a unifying explanation of these trendsmore » derived from classical water simulations using a polarizable force field with different sets of parameters. We show that the calculated temperature and pressure of the liquid phase are strongly correlated with the polarizability of water and the dispersion interaction, respectively. In DFT/GGA, the polarizability and thus the induced dipole moments and the hydrogen-bond strength are all overestimated. This hinders the rotational motion of molecules and requires a higher temperature for water to be liquid. In MP2 and DFT/GGA, the dispersion interaction is stronger and weaker (or lacking), respectively. This explains why liquid water contracts uniformly and becomes too dense in MP2, whereas the opposite is the case for dispersionless DFT/GGA.« less

Magnetic Mineral diagenesis in changing water environments in the Black Sea since ˜41.6 ka

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Jiabo; Nowaczyk, Norbert; Frank, Ute; Arz, Helge

2017-04-01

Magnetic mineral diagenesis plays a key role in the global iron cycle. To understand the authigenic magnetic mineral formation by diagenesis is also fundamentally important for the interpretation of environmental magnetic as well as paleomagnetic signals. Core MSM33-55-1, recovered from the SW Black Sea, was subjected to rock-magnetic and SEM studies. The results demonstrate that four different magnetic mineral assemblages associated to specific water conditions can be observed. Between ˜41.6 ka and ˜19 ka, magnetite and greigite are alternatively in dominance in the sediment. Due to low organic matter input during the late MIS 3 and the last glacial maximum (LGM), oxygenated bottom water in the Black Sea was favourable for preserving detrital magnetite. Greigite in this interval have irregular shapes and assemble in spots, which were formed in a micro environment with limited sulfate availability. Between ˜19 ka and ˜16.5 ka, black layers were deposited as a result of organic matter accumulation induced by productivity blooming and riverine discharge soaring after the LGM. Hence less oxygenated bottom water conditions developed, and more fine grained greigite was formed. After melt-water pulse (MWP) events (˜16.5 ka), both primary productivity and the sea level were continuously rising until ˜8.3 ka, leading to the depletion of oxygen in bottom water. In addition to greigite, pyrite was also formed and gradually in dominance as approaching the Holocene. The influx of salt water masses from the Mediterranean Sea after ˜8.3 ka contributed to the establishment of the anoxic Black Sea, which resulted in the formation of ubiquitous frambiods of pyrite. Additionally, bacterial magnetic minerals are likely present in the sediment younger than ˜8.3 ka as indicated by rock magnetic results. In this paper, four different magnetic mineral assemblages, reflecting gradual changes from an oxic to an anoix Black Sea, were identified, yielding insights into the relation

Diatom-based inference of Asian monsoon precipitation from a volcanic lake in southwest China for the last 18.5 ka

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yanling; Chen, Xu; Xiao, Xiayun; Zhang, Hucai; Xue, Bin; Shen, Ji; Zhang, Enlou

2018-02-01

Diatom in the volcanic lake provides proxy evidence for pH changes that are characterized by variations in the percentage of acidophilous diatom species. The information regarding the hydrology of the lake, derived from a previous publication and survey of one year on the lake, indicate that pH is low during the wet season and higher during the dry season. Therefore, variations in lake water pH may be considered as a proxy record for past changes in precipitation. In the sediment, high/low relative abundance of acidophilous diatom species indicates high/low precipitation. The diatom record of the past 18.5 ka BP shows that precipitation decrease during the periods 17.0-15.0, 13.3-11.3, and 0.7-0.3 ka BP corresponding to the Heinrich Event 1 (H1), the Younger Dryas cold event (YD), and the Little Ice Age (LA). A marked precipitation increase between 15.0 and 14.5 ka BP occurred at the end of H1 and before the Bølling-Allerød (BA), which indicates a strong pre-Bølling wetting. The start of the Holocene is recorded at 11.3 ka BP. The climate was the wettest between 11.3 and 7.5 ka BP., then the wetter between 7.5 and 3.4 ka BP. Between 3.4 and 0.7 ka BP, the precipitation decrease in general, but in the period from 1.3 to 0.8 ka BP the precipitation was higher corresponding to the Medieval Warm Period (MWP). Our results support the hypothes that the Indian Summer Monsoon (ISM) was strongest during the Early Holocene.

Communication: A reduced scaling J-engine based reformulation of SOS-MP2 using graphics processing units

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

Maurer, S. A.; Kussmann, J.; Ochsenfeld, C., E-mail: Christian.Ochsenfeld@cup.uni-muenchen.de

2014-08-07

We present a low-prefactor, cubically scaling scaled-opposite-spin second-order Møller-Plesset perturbation theory (SOS-MP2) method which is highly suitable for massively parallel architectures like graphics processing units (GPU). The scaling is reduced from O(N{sup 5}) to O(N{sup 3}) by a reformulation of the MP2-expression in the atomic orbital basis via Laplace transformation and the resolution-of-the-identity (RI) approximation of the integrals in combination with efficient sparse algebra for the 3-center integral transformation. In contrast to previous works that employ GPUs for post Hartree-Fock calculations, we do not simply employ GPU-based linear algebra libraries to accelerate the conventional algorithm. Instead, our reformulation allows tomore » replace the rate-determining contraction step with a modified J-engine algorithm, that has been proven to be highly efficient on GPUs. Thus, our SOS-MP2 scheme enables us to treat large molecular systems in an accurate and efficient manner on a single GPU-server.« less

An introduction to the Micrel Micropump MP Daily portable syringe driver.

PubMed

Groves, Karen E

2003-11-01

In this article the author describes the Micrel Micropump MP Daily (MP Daily) portable syringe driver. This follows the author's experience of a 4-month pilot of the device by an inpatient palliative care unit. Portable syringe drivers are commonly used to deliver continuous subcutaneous infusions in palliative care situations. Those in current use are not without problems and serious adverse events have occasionally been reported, mainly resulting from confusion between models. The MP Daily syringe driver addresses some of these issues while remaining small, lightweight and inexpensive, with a long battery life and fitting into the pocket of a shirt of pyjama jacket. Improvements over current models include an on/off button, the absence of facilities to set a zero rate or change the rate once the syringe driver is running, and the absence of a boost button. In addition, there are improved alarms, a message display system and a configuration menu. Although confusion remains a problem, and the ideal has not yet been reached, the MP Daily goes some considerable way towards reducing risks and opportunities for human error.

Microvibrations in a 20 M Long Ka-Band SAR Interferometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodriques, G.; Ludwig, M.; Santiago-Prowald, J.

2014-06-01

Interferometric SAR operating at Ka-band has the potential for offering high-resolution 3D images of the surface of the Earth taken from a single-platform.The stability of the mechanical baseline of such an instrument has been considered as a key critical area for the feasibility of the concept.This paper is devoted to the analysis of the micro- vibrations in a 20-m long Ka-band SAR interferometer arising during typical attitude changing manoeuvers and the mechanical noise transmitted from reaction wheels. It is preliminarily concluded that the expected microvibration levels are within the requirements of the instrument.

Arginine: Its pKa value revisited

PubMed Central

Fitch, Carolyn A; Platzer, Gerald; Okon, Mark; Garcia-Moreno E, Bertrand; McIntosh, Lawrence P

2015-01-01

Using complementary approaches of potentiometry and NMR spectroscopy, we have determined that the equilibrium acid dissociation constant (pKa value) of the arginine guanidinium group is 13.8 ± 0.1. This is substantially higher than that of ∼12 often used in structure-based electrostatics calculations and cited in biochemistry textbooks. The revised intrinsic pKa value helps explains why arginine side chains in proteins are always predominantly charged, even at pH values as great as 10. The high pKa value also reinforces the observation that arginine side chains are invariably protonated under physiological conditions of near neutral pH. This occurs even when the guanidinium moiety is buried in a hydrophobic micro-environment, such as that inside a protein or a lipid membrane, thought to be incompatible with the presence of a charged group. PMID:25808204

Test–Retest Reproducibility of the Microperimeter MP3 With Fundus Image Tracking in Healthy Subjects and Patients With Macular Disease

PubMed Central

Palkovits, Stefan; Hirnschall, Nino; Georgiev, Stefan; Leisser, Christoph

2018-01-01

Purpose To evaluate the test–retest reproducibility of a novel microperimeter with fundus image tracking (MP3, Nidek Co, Japan) in healthy subjects and patients with macular disease. Methods Ten healthy subjects and 20 patients suffering from range of macular diseases were included. After training measurements, two additional microperimetry measurements were scheduled. Test–retest reproducibility was assessed for mean retinal sensitivity, pointwise sensitivity, and deep scotoma size using the coefficient of repeatability and Bland-Altman diagrams. In addition, in a subgroup of patients microperimetry was compared with conventional perimetry. Results Average differences in mean retinal sensitivity between the two study measurements were 0.26 ± 1.7 dB (median 0 dB; interquartile range [IQR] −1 to 1) for the healthy and 0.36 ± 2.5 dB (median 0 dB; IQR −1 to 2) for the macular patient group. Coefficients of repeatability for mean retinal sensitivity and pointwise retinal sensitivity were 1.2 and 3.3 dB for the healthy subjects and 1.6 and 5.0 dB for the macular disease patients, respectively. Absolute agreement in deep scotoma size between both study days was found in 79.9% of the test loci. Conclusion The microperimeter MP3 shows an adequate test–retest reproducibility for mean retinal sensitivity, pointwise retinal sensitivity, and deep scotoma size in healthy subjects and patients suffering from macular disease. Furthermore, reproducibility of microperimetry is higher than conventional perimetry. Translational Relevance Reproducibility is an important measure for each diagnostic device. Especially in a clinical setting high reproducibility set the basis to achieve reliable results using the specific device. Therefore, assessment of the reproducibility is of eminent importance to interpret the findings of future studies. PMID:29430338

Genetic stability of Rift Valley fever virus MP-12 vaccine during serial passages in culture cells.

PubMed

Lokugamage, Nandadeva; Ikegami, Tetsuro

2017-01-01

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a mosquito-borne zoonotic disease endemic to Africa which affects both ruminants and humans. RVF causes serious damage to the livestock industry and is also a threat to public health. The Rift Valley fever virus has a segmented negative-stranded RNA genome consisting of Large (L)-, Medium (M)-, and Small (S)-segments. The live-attenuated MP-12 vaccine is immunogenic in livestock and humans, and is conditionally licensed for veterinary use in the U.S. The MP-12 strain encodes 23 mutations (nine amino acid substitutions) and is attenuated through a combination of mutations in the L-, M-, and S-segments. Among them, the M-U795C, M-A3564G, and L-G3104A mutations contribute to viral attenuation through the L- and M-segments. The M-U795C, M-A3564G, L-U533C, and L-G3750A mutations are also independently responsible for temperature-sensitive (ts) phenotype. We hypothesized that a serial passage of the MP-12 vaccine in culture cells causes reversions of the MP-12 genome. The MP-12 vaccine and recombinant rMP12-ΔNSs16/198 were serially passaged 25 times. Droplet digital PCR analysis revealed that the reversion occurred at L-G3750A during passages of MP-12 in Vero or MRC-5 cells. The reversion also occurred at M-A3564G and L-U533C of rMP12-ΔNSs16/198 in Vero cells. Reversion mutations were not found in MP-12 or the variant, rMP12-TOSNSs, in the brains of mice with encephalitis. This study characterized genetic stability of the MP-12 vaccine and the potential risk of reversion mutation at the L-G3750A ts mutation after excessive viral passages in culture cells.

NASA's K/Ka-Band Broadband Aeronautical Terminal for Duplex Satellite Video Communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Densmore, A.; Agan, M.

1994-01-01

JPL has recently begun the development of a Broadband Aeronautical Terminal (BAT) for duplex video satellite communications on commercial or business class aircraft. The BAT is designed for use with NASA's K/Ka-band Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS). The BAT system will provide the systems and technology groundwork for an eventual commercial K/Ka-band aeronautical satellite communication system. With industry/government partnerships, three main goals will be addressed by the BAT task: 1) develop, characterize and demonstrate the performance of an ACTS based high data rate aeronautical communications system; 2) assess the performance of current video compression algorithms in an aeronautical satellite communication link; and 3) characterize the propagation effects of the K/Ka-band channel for aeronautical communications.

Concentrating Solar Power Projects - KaXu Solar One | Concentrating Solar

Science.gov Websites

Power | NREL KaXu Solar One This page provides information on KaXu Solar One, a concentrating . Status Date: April 14, 2015 Project Overview Project Name: KaXu Solar One Country: South Africa Location

Atomic orbital-based SOS-MP2 with tensor hypercontraction. II. Local tensor hypercontraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Chenchen; Martínez, Todd J.

2017-01-01

In the first paper of the series [Paper I, C. Song and T. J. Martinez, J. Chem. Phys. 144, 174111 (2016)], we showed how tensor-hypercontracted (THC) SOS-MP2 could be accelerated by exploiting sparsity in the atomic orbitals and using graphical processing units (GPUs). This reduced the formal scaling of the SOS-MP2 energy calculation to cubic with respect to system size. The computational bottleneck then becomes the THC metric matrix inversion, which scales cubically with a large prefactor. In this work, the local THC approximation is proposed to reduce the computational cost of inverting the THC metric matrix to linear scaling with respect to molecular size. By doing so, we have removed the primary bottleneck to THC-SOS-MP2 calculations on large molecules with O(1000) atoms. The errors introduced by the local THC approximation are less than 0.6 kcal/mol for molecules with up to 200 atoms and 3300 basis functions. Together with the graphical processing unit techniques and locality-exploiting approaches introduced in previous work, the scaled opposite spin MP2 (SOS-MP2) calculations exhibit O(N2.5) scaling in practice up to 10 000 basis functions. The new algorithms make it feasible to carry out SOS-MP2 calculations on small proteins like ubiquitin (1231 atoms/10 294 atomic basis functions) on a single node in less than a day.

Genes encoding a callose synthase and phytochrome A are adjacent to a MAP3Ka-like gene in Beta vulgaris USH20

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

MAP3Ka encodes a key conserved protein kinase responsible for orchestrating a rapid cascade of cellular events ultimately leading to localized cell death. Hypersensitive response, as it is termed, enables genetically-resistant plants to limit microbial invasion under the right environmental conditio...

Relationship between Numerous Mast Cells and Early Follicular Development in Neonatal MRL/MpJ Mouse Ovaries

PubMed Central

Nakamura, Teppei; Otsuka, Saori; Ichii, Osamu; Sakata, Yuko; Nagasaki, Ken-Ichi; Hashimoto, Yoshiharu; Kon, Yasuhiro

2013-01-01

In the neonatal mouse ovary, clusters of oocytes called nests break into smaller cysts and subsequently form individual follicles. During this period, we found numerous mast cells in the ovary of MRL/MpJ mice and investigated their appearance and morphology with follicular development. The ovarian mast cells, which were already present at postnatal day 0, tended to localize adjacent to the surface epithelium. Among 11 different mouse strains, MRL/MpJ mice possessed the greatest number of ovarian mast cells. Ovarian mast cells were also found in DBA/1, BALB/c, NZW, and DBA/2 mice but rarely in C57BL/6, NZB, AKR, C3H/He, CBA, and ICR mice. The ovarian mast cells expressed connective tissue mast cell markers, although mast cells around the surface epithelium also expressed a mucosal mast cell marker in MRL/MpJ mice. Some ovarian mast cells migrated into the oocyte nests and directly contacted the compressed and degenerated oocytes. In MRL/MpJ mice, the number of oocytes in the nest was significantly lower than in the other strains, and the number of oocytes showed a positive correlation with the number of ovarian mast cells. The gene expression of a mast cell marker also correlated with the expression of an oocyte nest marker, suggesting a link between the appearance of ovarian ? 4mast cells and early follicular development. Furthermore, the expression of follicle developmental markers was significantly higher in MRL/MpJ mice than in C57BL/6 mice. These results indicate that the appearance of ovarian mast cells is a unique phenotype of neonatal MRL/MpJ mice, and that ovarian mast cells participate in early follicular development, especially nest breakdown. PMID:24124609

NASA SCaN Overview and Ka-Band Actvities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stegeman, James D.; Midon, Marco Mario; Davarian, Faramaz; Geldzahler, Barry

2014-01-01

The Ka- and Broadband Communications Conference is an international forum attended by worldwide experts in the area of Ka-Band Propagation and satellite communications. Since its inception, NASA has taken the initiative of organizing and leading technical sections on RF Propagation and satellite communications, solidifying its worldwide leadership in the aforementioned areas. Consequently, participation in this conference through the contributions described below will maintain NASA leadership in Ka- and above RF Propagation as it relates to enhancing current and future satellite communication systems supporting space exploration.

Improving Cry8Ka toxin activity towards the cotton boll weevil (Anthonomus grandis).

PubMed

Oliveira, Gustavo R; Silva, Maria C M; Lucena, Wagner A; Nakasu, Erich Y T; Firmino, Alexandre A P; Beneventi, Magda A; Souza, Djair S L; Gomes, José E; de Souza, José D A; Rigden, Daniel J; Ramos, Hudson B; Soccol, Carlos R; Grossi-de-Sa, Maria F

2011-09-09

The cotton boll weevil (Anthonomus grandis) is a serious insect-pest in the Americas, particularly in Brazil. The use of chemical or biological insect control is not effective against the cotton boll weevil because of its endophytic life style. Therefore, the use of biotechnological tools to produce insect-resistant transgenic plants represents an important strategy to reduce the damage to cotton plants caused by the boll weevil. The present study focuses on the identification of novel molecules that show improved toxicity against the cotton boll weevil. In vitro directed molecular evolution through DNA shuffling and phage display screening was applied to enhance the insecticidal activity of variants of the Cry8Ka1 protein of Bacillus thuringiensis. Bioassays carried out with A. grandis larvae revealed that the LC50 of the screened mutant Cry8Ka5 toxin was 3.15-fold higher than the wild-type Cry8Ka1 toxin. Homology modelling of Cry8Ka1 and the Cry8Ka5 mutant suggested that both proteins retained the typical three-domain Cry family structure. The mutated residues were located mostly in loops and appeared unlikely to interfere with molecular stability. The improved toxicity of the Cry8Ka5 mutant obtained in this study will allow the generation of a transgenic cotton event with improved potential to control A. grandis.

Improving Cry8Ka toxin activity towards the cotton boll weevil (Anthonomus grandis)

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The cotton boll weevil (Anthonomus grandis) is a serious insect-pest in the Americas, particularly in Brazil. The use of chemical or biological insect control is not effective against the cotton boll weevil because of its endophytic life style. Therefore, the use of biotechnological tools to produce insect-resistant transgenic plants represents an important strategy to reduce the damage to cotton plants caused by the boll weevil. The present study focuses on the identification of novel molecules that show improved toxicity against the cotton boll weevil. In vitro directed molecular evolution through DNA shuffling and phage display screening was applied to enhance the insecticidal activity of variants of the Cry8Ka1 protein of Bacillus thuringiensis. Results Bioassays carried out with A. grandis larvae revealed that the LC50 of the screened mutant Cry8Ka5 toxin was 3.15-fold higher than the wild-type Cry8Ka1 toxin. Homology modelling of Cry8Ka1 and the Cry8Ka5 mutant suggested that both proteins retained the typical three-domain Cry family structure. The mutated residues were located mostly in loops and appeared unlikely to interfere with molecular stability. Conclusions The improved toxicity of the Cry8Ka5 mutant obtained in this study will allow the generation of a transgenic cotton event with improved potential to control A. grandis. PMID:21906288

Multi-Step Ka/Ka Dichroic Plate with Rounded Corners for NASA's 34m Beam Waveguide Antenna

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Veruttipong, Watt; Khayatian, Behrouz; Hoppe, Daniel; Long, Ezra

2013-01-01

A multi-step Ka/Ka dichroic plate Frequency Selective Surface (FSS structure) is designed, manufactured and tested for use in NASA's Deep Space Network (DSN) 34m Beam Waveguide (BWG) antennas. The proposed design allows ease of manufacturing and ability to handle the increased transmit power (reflected off the FSS) of the DSN BWG antennas from 20kW to 100 kW. The dichroic is designed using HFSS and results agree well with measured data considering the manufacturing tolerances that could be achieved on the dichroic.

Low levels of microplastics (MP) in wild mussels indicate that MP ingestion by humans is minimal compared to exposure via household fibres fallout during a meal.

PubMed

Catarino, Ana I; Macchia, Valeria; Sanderson, William G; Thompson, Richard C; Henry, Theodore B

2018-06-01

Microplastics (MPs) are the most numerous debris reported in marine environments and assessment of the amounts of MPs that accumulate in wild organisms is necessary for risk assessment. Our objective was to assess MP contamination in mussels collected around the coast of Scotland (UK) to identify characteristics of MPs and to evaluate risk of human exposure to MPs via ingestion of mussels. We deployed caged mussels (Mytilus edulis) in an urbanised estuary (Edinburgh, UK) to assess seasonal changes in plastic pollution, and collected mussels (Mytilus spp and subtidal Modiolus modiolus) from eight sampling stations around Scotland to enumerate MP types at different locations. We determined the potential exposure of humans to household dust fibres during a meal to compare with amounts of MPs present in edible mussels. The mean number of MPs in M. modiolus was 0.086 ± 0.031 (SE, n = 6)/g ww (3.5 ± 1.29 (SE) per mussel). In Mytilus spp, the mean number of MPs/g ww was 3.0 ± 0.9 (SE, n = 36) (3.2 ± 0.52 (SE) per mussel), but weight dependent. The visual accuracy of plastic fibres identification was estimated to be between 48 and 50%, using Nile Red staining and FT-IR methodologies, respectively, halving the observed amounts of MPs in wild mussels. We observed an allometric relationship between the number of MPs and the mussels wet weight. Our predictions of MPs ingestion by humans via consumption of mussels is 123 MP particles/y/capita in the UK and can go up to 4620 particles/y/capita in countries with a higher shellfish consumption. By comparison, the risk of plastic ingestion via mussel consumption is minimal when compared to fibre exposure during a meal via dust fallout in a household (13,731-68,415 particles/Y/capita). Crown Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Flux Pinning Enhancement in YBa2Cu3O7-x Films for Coated Conductor Applications (Postprint)

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-01

YBa2Cu3O7–x Films for Coated Conductor Applications Maiorov , B. , Civale , L. , Lin , Y. , Hawley , M.E. , Maley , M.P. , and Peterson , D.E...L. , Maiorov , B. , Hawley , M.E. , Maley , M.P. , and Peterson , D.E. ( 2004 ) Nat. Mater. , 3 , 439 . 30 Kang , S. , Goyal...1864 . 47 Civale , L. , Maiorov , B. , Serquis , A. , Willis , J.O. , Coulter , J.Y. , Wang , H. , Jia , Q.X. , Arendt , P.N

Cache coherency without line exclusivity in MP systems having store-in caches

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

Pomerene, J.H.; Puzak, T.R.; Rechtschaffen, R.N.

1983-11-01

By modifying the function of the storage control unit, a multiprocessor (MP) system having store-in caches is enabled to operate with the same versatility as an MP system having store-through caches, thereby eliminating the requirement for line exclusivity and greatly reducing the occurrence of cross-interrogates.

Detection of prostate cancer index lesions with multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mp-MRI) using whole-mount histological sections as the reference standard.

PubMed

Russo, Filippo; Regge, Daniele; Armando, Enrico; Giannini, Valentina; Vignati, Anna; Mazzetti, Simone; Manfredi, Matteo; Bollito, Enrico; Correale, Loredana; Porpiglia, Francesco

2016-07-01

To evaluate the sensitivity of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mp-MRI) for detecting prostate cancer foci, including the largest (index) lesions. In all, 115 patients with biopsy confirmed prostate cancer underwent mp-MRI before radical prostatectomy. A single expert radiologist recorded all prostate cancer foci including the index lesion 'blinded' to the pathologist's biopsy report. Stained whole-mount histological sections were used as the reference standard. All lesions were contoured by an experienced uropathologist who assessed their volume and pathological Gleason score. All lesions with a volume of >0.5 mL and/or pathological Gleason score of >6 were defined as clinically significant prostate cancer. Multivariate analysis was used to ascertain the characteristics of lesions identified by MRI. In all, 104 of 115 index lesions were correctly diagnosed by mp-MRI (sensitivity 90.4%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 83.5-95.1%), including 98/105 clinically significant index lesions (93.3%; 95% CI 86.8-97.3%), among which three of three lesions had a volume of <0.5 mL and Gleason score of >6. Overall, mp-MRI detected 131/206 lesions including 13 of 68 'insignificant' prostate cancers. The multivariate logistic regression modelling showed that pathological Gleason score (odds ratio [OR] 11.7, 95% CI 2.3-59.8; P = 0.003) and lesion volume (OR 4.24, 95% CI 1.3-14.7; P = 0.022) were independently associated with the detection of index lesions at MRI. This study shows that mp-MRI has a high sensitivity for detecting clinically significant prostate cancer index lesions, while having disappointing results for the detection of small-volume, low Gleason score prostate cancer foci. Thus, mp-MRI could be used to stratify patients according to risk, allowing better treatment selection. © 2015 The Authors BJU International © 2015 BJU International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Development of 10 kA class Nb sub 3 Al superconducting cable by Jelly-role process

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

Ando, T.; Takahashi, Y.; Nishi, M.

This paper reports on a multifilamentary Cu/Nb{sub 3}Al composite strand developed, with a non-copper critical current density of more than 400 A/mm{sup 2} at 12 T, by Jelly-roll process. A 10 kA cable-in-conduit conductor was fabricated to demonstrate the applicability to fusion magnets. The cable had 324 strands, and a circular CuNi seamless pipe was used as the conduit. The strand diameter was 0.88 mm and the filament diameter was 28 {mu}m. The heat treatment was performed at 820{degrees} C for 2 hr.

PhyloGibbs-MP: Module Prediction and Discriminative Motif-Finding by Gibbs Sampling

PubMed Central

Siddharthan, Rahul

2008-01-01

PhyloGibbs, our recent Gibbs-sampling motif-finder, takes phylogeny into account in detecting binding sites for transcription factors in DNA and assigns posterior probabilities to its predictions obtained by sampling the entire configuration space. Here, in an extension called PhyloGibbs-MP, we widen the scope of the program, addressing two major problems in computational regulatory genomics. First, PhyloGibbs-MP can localise predictions to small, undetermined regions of a large input sequence, thus effectively predicting cis-regulatory modules (CRMs) ab initio while simultaneously predicting binding sites in those modules—tasks that are usually done by two separate programs. PhyloGibbs-MP's performance at such ab initio CRM prediction is comparable with or superior to dedicated module-prediction software that use prior knowledge of previously characterised transcription factors. Second, PhyloGibbs-MP can predict motifs that differentiate between two (or more) different groups of regulatory regions, that is, motifs that occur preferentially in one group over the others. While other “discriminative motif-finders” have been published in the literature, PhyloGibbs-MP's implementation has some unique features and flexibility. Benchmarks on synthetic and actual genomic data show that this algorithm is successful at enhancing predictions of differentiating sites and suppressing predictions of common sites and compares with or outperforms other discriminative motif-finders on actual genomic data. Additional enhancements include significant performance and speed improvements, the ability to use “informative priors” on known transcription factors, and the ability to output annotations in a format that can be visualised with the Generic Genome Browser. In stand-alone motif-finding, PhyloGibbs-MP remains competitive, outperforming PhyloGibbs-1.0 and other programs on benchmark data. PMID:18769735

The PDE10A inhibitor MP-10 and haloperidol produce distinct gene expression profiles in the striatum and influence cataleptic behavior in rodents.

PubMed

Gentzel, Renee C; Toolan, Dawn; Roberts, Rhonda; Koser, Amy Jo; Kandebo, Monika; Hershey, James; Renger, John J; Uslaner, Jason; Smith, Sean M

2015-12-01

Phosphodiesterase 10A (PDE10A) has garnered attention as a potential therapeutic target for schizophrenia due to its prominent striatal expression and ability to modulate striatal signaling. The present study used the selective PDE10A inhibitor MP-10 and the dopamine D2 antagonist haloperidol to compare effects of PDE10A inhibition and dopamine D2 blockade on striatopallidal (D2) and striatonigral (D1) pathway activation. Our studies confirmed that administration of MP-10 significantly elevates expression of the immediate early genes (IEG) c-fos, egr-1, and arc in rat striatum. Furthermore, we demonstrated that MP-10 induced egr-1 expression was distributed evenly between enkephalin-containing D2-neurons and substance P-containing D1-neurons. In contrast, haloperidol (3 mg/kg) selectively activated egr-1 expression in enkephalin neurons. Co-administration of MP-10 and haloperidol (0.5 mg/kg) increased IEG expression to a greater extent than either compound alone. Similarly, in a rat catalepsy assay, administration of haloperidol (0.5 mg/kg) or MP-10 (3-30 mg/kg) did not produce cataleptic behavior when dosed alone, but co-administration of haloperidol with MP-10 (3 and 10 mg/kg) induced cataleptic behaviors. Interestingly, co-administration of haloperidol with a high dose of MP-10 (30 mg/kg) failed to produce cataleptic behavior. These findings are important for understanding the neural circuits involved in catalepsy and suggest that the behavioral effects produced by PDE10A inhibitors may be influenced by concomitant medication and the level of PDE10A inhibition achieved by the dose of the inhibitor. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Benchmarking and Evaluating Unified Memory for OpenMP GPU Offloading

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

Mishra, Alok; Li, Lingda; Kong, Martin

Here, the latest OpenMP standard offers automatic device offloading capabilities which facilitate GPU programming. Despite this, there remain many challenges. One of these is the unified memory feature introduced in recent GPUs. GPUs in current and future HPC systems have enhanced support for unified memory space. In such systems, CPU and GPU can access each other's memory transparently, that is, the data movement is managed automatically by the underlying system software and hardware. Memory over subscription is also possible in these systems. However, there is a significant lack of knowledge about how this mechanism will perform, and how programmers shouldmore » use it. We have modified several benchmarks codes, in the Rodinia benchmark suite, to study the behavior of OpenMP accelerator extensions and have used them to explore the impact of unified memory in an OpenMP context. We moreover modified the open source LLVM compiler to allow OpenMP programs to exploit unified memory. The results of our evaluation reveal that, while the performance of unified memory is comparable with that of normal GPU offloading for benchmarks with little data reuse, it suffers from significant overhead when GPU memory is over subcribed for benchmarks with large amount of data reuse. Based on these results, we provide several guidelines for programmers to achieve better performance with unified memory.« less

Susceptibility to 6-MP toxicity conferred by a NUDT15 variant in Japanese children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

PubMed

Tanaka, Yoichi; Kato, Motohiro; Hasegawa, Daisuke; Urayama, Kevin Y; Nakadate, Hisaya; Kondoh, Kensuke; Nakamura, Kozue; Koh, Katsuyoshi; Komiyama, Takako; Manabe, Atsushi

2015-10-01

Genotyping of TPMT prior to 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) administration in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) patients has been integrated into clinical practice in some populations of European ancestry. However, the comparable rates of 6-MP myelotoxicity, but rarity of TPMT variants, in Asians suggest that major determinants have yet to be discovered in this population. We genotyped 92 Japanese paediatric ALL patients for NUDT15 rs116855232, a 6-MP toxicity-related locus discovered in Asians. Logistic regression and survival analysis were used to evaluate its association with leucopenia, hepatotoxicity, 6-MP dose reduction, therapy interruption and event-free survival. The allele frequency of rs116855232 was 0·16, and leucopenia was more common in carriers of the T allele (odds ratio, 7·20; 95% confidence interval, 2·49-20·80; P = 2·7 × 10(-4) ). As leucopenia results in 6-MP dose reduction, we observed average doses during maintenance therapy of 40·7, 29·3 and 8·8 mg/m(2) for patients with CC, CT and TT genotypes, respectively (P < 0·001). Hepatotoxicity was observed only in CC genotype patients. Event-free survival did not significantly differ by NUDT15 genotype. rs116855232 is an important determinant of 6-MP myelotoxicity in Japanese children with ALL and may represent the most robust toxicity-related locus in Asians to date. Considerations for clinical application may be warranted. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Carbon-Temperature-Water Change Analysis for Peanut Production Under Climate Change: A Prototype for the AgMIP Coordinated Climate-Crop Modeling Project (C3MP)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ruane, Alex C.; McDermid, Sonali; Rosenzweig, Cynthia; Baigorria, Guillermo A.; Jones, James W.; Romero, Consuelo C.; Cecil, L. DeWayne

2014-01-01

Climate change is projected to push the limits of cropping systems and has the potential to disrupt the agricultural sector from local to global scales. This article introduces the Coordinated Climate-Crop Modeling Project (C3MP), an initiative of the Agricultural Model Intercomparison and Improvement Project (AgMIP) to engage a global network of crop modelers to explore the impacts of climate change via an investigation of crop responses to changes in carbon dioxide concentration ([CO2]), temperature, and water. As a demonstration of the C3MP protocols and enabled analyses, we apply the Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) CROPGRO-Peanut crop model for Henry County, Alabama, to evaluate responses to the range of plausible [CO2], temperature changes, and precipitation changes projected by climate models out to the end of the 21st century. These sensitivity tests are used to derive crop model emulators that estimate changes in mean yield and the coefficient of variation for seasonal yields across a broad range of climate conditions, reproducing mean yields from sensitivity test simulations with deviations of ca. 2% for rain-fed conditions. We apply these statistical emulators to investigate how peanuts respond to projections from various global climate models, time periods, and emissions scenarios, finding a robust projection of modest (<10%) median yield losses in the middle of the 21st century accelerating to more severe (>20%) losses and larger uncertainty at the end of the century under the more severe representative concentration pathway (RCP8.5). This projection is not substantially altered by the selection of the AgMERRA global gridded climate dataset rather than the local historical observations, differences between the Third and Fifth Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP3 and CMIP5), or the use of the delta method of climate impacts analysis rather than the C3MP impacts response surface and emulator approach.

Atomic orbital-based SOS-MP2 with tensor hypercontraction. II. Local tensor hypercontraction.

PubMed

Song, Chenchen; Martínez, Todd J

2017-01-21

In the first paper of the series [Paper I, C. Song and T. J. Martinez, J. Chem. Phys. 144, 174111 (2016)], we showed how tensor-hypercontracted (THC) SOS-MP2 could be accelerated by exploiting sparsity in the atomic orbitals and using graphical processing units (GPUs). This reduced the formal scaling of the SOS-MP2 energy calculation to cubic with respect to system size. The computational bottleneck then becomes the THC metric matrix inversion, which scales cubically with a large prefactor. In this work, the local THC approximation is proposed to reduce the computational cost of inverting the THC metric matrix to linear scaling with respect to molecular size. By doing so, we have removed the primary bottleneck to THC-SOS-MP2 calculations on large molecules with O(1000) atoms. The errors introduced by the local THC approximation are less than 0.6 kcal/mol for molecules with up to 200 atoms and 3300 basis functions. Together with the graphical processing unit techniques and locality-exploiting approaches introduced in previous work, the scaled opposite spin MP2 (SOS-MP2) calculations exhibit O(N 2.5 ) scaling in practice up to 10 000 basis functions. The new algorithms make it feasible to carry out SOS-MP2 calculations on small proteins like ubiquitin (1231 atoms/10 294 atomic basis functions) on a single node in less than a day.

Reverberation Mapping of the Kepler target KA1858+48

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pei, Liuyi; Barth, A. J.; Malkan, M. A.; Cenko, S. B.; Clubb, K. I.; Filippenko, A. V.; Gates, E. L.; Horst, J.; Joner, M. D.; Leonard, D. C.; Sand, D. J.

2013-01-01

KA1858+48 is a Seyfert 1 galaxy at redshift 0.078 and is among the brightest active galaxies being monitored by the Kepler mission. We have carried out a reverberation mapping program designed to measure the broad-line region size and estimate the mass of the black hole in KA1858+48. We obtained spectroscopic data using the Kast Spectrograph at the Lick 3 m telescope during dark runs from late winter through fall of 2012, by requesting an observation on each night that the Kast Spectrograph was mounted on the telescope. We also obtained V-band images from the Nickel 1 m telescope at Lick Observatory, the 0.9 m telescope at Brigham Young University West Mountain Observatory, the Faulkes Telescope North at the Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope, the KAIT telescope at Lick Observatory, and the 1 m telescope at Mt. Laguna Observatory. The H-beta light curve shows a lag time of approximately 12 days with respect to the V-band continuum flux variations. We will present the continuum and emission-line light curves, cross-correlation lag measurements, and a preliminary estimate of the black hole mass in KA1858+48.

Lake-level stratigraphy and geochronology revisited at Lago (Lake) Cardiel, Argentina, and changes in the Southern Hemispheric Westerlies over the last 25 ka

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quade, J.; Kaplan, M. R.

2017-12-01

Paleoshorelines around Lago (Lake) Cardiel in southern Argentina (S48.9°, W71.3°; ∼275 m) record substantial changes in lake area over the past 25 ka. Our results combined with previous research show that during the last glacial maximum (or LGM, 23-21 ka), the lake stood at near modern levels, but had nearly dried up by ∼13 ka. Between 11.3 and 10.1 ka the lake reached its highest point (+54-58 m) and greatest extent in at least the last 40 ka. Lake levels dropped thereafter and experienced two lower-lake periods: 8.5-7.5 ka and 5-3.3 ka; and two higher-lake periods: 7.4-6 and ∼5.2 ka. In the last 3.5 ka, the lake has remained generally near or slightly above its present level. The depth and surface area of Lago Cardiel are controlled mainly by precipitation onto the lake and surrounding catchment, air and water temperature, and wind-speed related to local strength of the Southern Hemispheric Westerlies (SHW). Our lake-level reconstruction combined with evidence from other studies suggest that on average the core of the SHW was located well to the north (<45°S) of the Cardiel basin during the deep lake phase associated with the LGM, and was well to the south (>55°S?) during the hydrologic maximum of Cardiel in the early Holocene. The lower phases of the lake at 20.0-11.5, 8.5-7.5, and 5.0-3.3 ka generally correspond to cold conditions in other records, when we infer that the SHW were strongly focused around the latitudes of Cardiel at 49°S.

Experiences using OpenMP based on Computer Directed Software DSM on a PC Cluster

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hess, Matthias; Jost, Gabriele; Mueller, Matthias; Ruehle, Roland

2003-01-01

In this work we report on our experiences running OpenMP programs on a commodity cluster of PCs running a software distributed shared memory (DSM) system. We describe our test environment and report on the performance of a subset of the NAS Parallel Benchmarks that have been automaticaly parallelized for OpenMP. We compare the performance of the OpenMP implementations with that of their message passing counterparts and discuss performance differences.

Sediment record of environmental change at Lake Lop Nur (Xinjiang, NW China) from 13.0 to 5.6 cal ka BP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jingzhong; Jia, Hongjuan

2017-09-01

Lake Lop Nur is located in the eastern part of the Tarim Basin in Xinjiang, northwestern China. A 220-cm-long sediment core was collected from the center of the ear-shaped depression forming the basin and dated with AMS14C. Grain size, total organic matter (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), and TOC/TN (C/N) analyses were used to reconstruct climatic conditions from 13.0 to 5.6 cal ka BP. The results showed five main climatic stages. Zone I (13.0-11.3 cal ka BP) was a wet-dry environment, whereas Zone II (11.3-8.9 cal ka BP) consisted of a primarily wet environment. Zone III (8.9-7.7 cal ka BP) was subdivided into Zone IIIa (8.9-8.2 cal ka BP) that indicated lake constriction and dry climate, and Zone IIIb (8.2-7.7 cal ka BP) in which the proxies indicated wet conditions. In Zone IV (7.7-6.6 cal ka BP), the climate presented a bit wet conditions. In Zone V (6.6-5.6 cal ka BP), abundant glauberite is present in the sediment and silt dominates the lithology; these results indicate the lake shrank and the overall climate was dry. Abrupt environmental events were also identified, including six dry events at 11.0, 10.5, 9.3, 8.6, 8.2, and 7.6 cal ka BP and one flood event from 7.8 to 7.7 cal ka BP in the Early-Middle Holocene.

MEMS, Ka-Band Single-Pole Double-Throw (SPDT) Switch for Switched Line Phase Shifters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scardelletti, Maximilian C.; Ponchak, George E.; Varaljay, Nicholas C.

2002-01-01

Ka-band MEMS doubly anchored cantilever beam capacitive shunt devices are used to demonstrate a MEMS SPDT switch fabricated on high resistivity silicon (HRS) utilizing finite ground coplanar waveguide (FGC) transmission lines. The SPDT switch has an insertion loss (IL), return loss (RL), and isolation of 0.3dB, 40dB, and 30 dB, respectively at Ka-band.

Do cell phones, iPods/MP3 players, siblings and friends matter? Predictors of child body mass in a U.S. Southern Border City Middle School.

PubMed

Ynalvez, Marcus Antonius; Ynalvez, Ruby; Torregosa, Marivic; Palacios, Horacio; Kilburn, John

2012-01-01

This study examines the association of children's (i) micro-social environment, specifically siblings [kin-friends] and friends from school and neighborhood [non-kin-friends], and (ii) ownership of information and communication technologies (ICT), specifically cell phones and iPod/MP3 players, with body mass index percentile (BMIp). Fifty-five randomly selected 6th graders with a mean age of 12 years, stratified by gender (23 boys and 32 girls), from a Texas middle school located in a city along the U.S. southern border. The linear regression of BMIp on number of siblings and of non-kin-friends, and ownership of cell phone and of iPod/MP3 player was examined using two models: M1 was based on the manual selection of predictors from a pool of potential predictors. M2 was derived from the predictors specified in M1 using backward elimination technique. Because sample size was small, the significance of regression coefficients was evaluated using robust standard errors to calculate t-values. Data for predictors were obtained through a survey. Height and weight were obtained through actual anthropometric measurements. BMIp was calculated using the on-line BMI calculator of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Findings reveal that children's social environment and ICT ownership predict BMIp; specifically, number of siblings (M2: β = -0.34, p-value < .001), and ownership of iPod/MP3 players (M2: β = 0.33, p-value < .001). These results underscore the importance of family in configuring, and of new personal technical devices (that encourage solitary, and oftentimes sedentary, activities) in predicting child body mass. © 2012 Asian Oceanian Association for the Study of Obesity . Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Communication: A reduced scaling J-engine based reformulation of SOS-MP2 using graphics processing units.

PubMed

Maurer, S A; Kussmann, J; Ochsenfeld, C

2014-08-07

We present a low-prefactor, cubically scaling scaled-opposite-spin second-order Møller-Plesset perturbation theory (SOS-MP2) method which is highly suitable for massively parallel architectures like graphics processing units (GPU). The scaling is reduced from O(N⁵) to O(N³) by a reformulation of the MP2-expression in the atomic orbital basis via Laplace transformation and the resolution-of-the-identity (RI) approximation of the integrals in combination with efficient sparse algebra for the 3-center integral transformation. In contrast to previous works that employ GPUs for post Hartree-Fock calculations, we do not simply employ GPU-based linear algebra libraries to accelerate the conventional algorithm. Instead, our reformulation allows to replace the rate-determining contraction step with a modified J-engine algorithm, that has been proven to be highly efficient on GPUs. Thus, our SOS-MP2 scheme enables us to treat large molecular systems in an accurate and efficient manner on a single GPU-server.

Genetic variation in RPS6KA1, RPS6KA2, RPS6KB1, RPS6KB2, and PDK1 and risk of colon or rectal cancer

PubMed Central

Slattery, Martha L.; Lundgreen, Abbie; Herrick, Jennifer S.; Wolff, Roger K.

2010-01-01

RPS6KA1, RPS6KA2, RPS6KB1, RPS6KB2, and PDK1 are involved in several pathways central to the carcinogenic process, including regulation of cell growth, insulin, and inflammation. We evaluated genetic variation in their candidate genes to obtain a better understanding of their association with colon and rectal cancer. We used data from two population-based case-control studies of colon (n=1574 cases, 1940 controls) and rectal (n=791 cases, 999 controls) cancer. We observed genetic variation in RPS6KA1, RPS6KA2, and PRS6KB2 were associated with risk of developing colon cancer while only genetic variation in RPS6KA2 was associated with altering risk of rectal cancer. These genes also interacted significantly with other genes operating in similar mechanisms, including Akt1, FRAP1, NFκB1, and PIK3CA. Assessment of tumor markers indicated that these genes and this pathway may importantly contributed to CIMP+ tumors and tumors with KRAS2 mutations. Our findings implicate these candidate genes in the etiology of colon and rectal cancer and provide information on how these genes operate with other genes in the pathway. Our data further suggest that this pathway may lead to CIMP+ and KRAS2-mutated tumors. PMID:21035469

Geochemistry and mineralogy of the older (> 40 ka) ignimbrites in the Campanian Plain, southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belkin, Harvey E.; Raia, Federica; Rolandi, Giuseppe; Jackson, John C.; de Vivo, Benedetto

2010-05-01

The Campanian Plain in southern Italy has been volcanically active during the last 600 ka. The largest and best known eruption at 39 ka formed the Campanian Ignimbrite (CI), which has the largest volume (~310 km3) and the greatest areal extent. However, significant, but scattered deposits of older ignimbrites underlie the CI and document a long history of trachytic eruptions. We examined the geochemistry and mineralogy of 11 older ignimbrite strata by optical petrography, electron microprobe, scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, and various whole-rock geochemical techniques. Strata at Durazzano (116.1 ka), Moschiano (184.7 ka), Seiano Valley A (245.9 ka), Seiano Valley B (289.6 ka), Taurano 7 (205.6 and 210.4 ka), Taurano 9 (183.8 ka), and Taurano 14 (157.4 ka) have been previously dated by the 40Ar/39Ar technique (Rolandi et al., 2003, Min. & Pet., 79) on hand-picked sanidine. The older ignimbrites are trachytic, but are highly altered with LOI from 8 to 17 wt%. Whole-rock compositions reflect variable element mobility during weathering; TiO2, Al2O3, Fe-oxide, and CaO tend to be enriched relative to average CI composition, whereas Na2O and K2O are depleted. X-ray diffraction identified major chabazite, kaolinite, and illite-smectite alteration products in some samples. The phenocryst mineralogy in all of the strata is typical for trachyte magma and consists of plagioclase (~An80 to ~An40), potassium feldspar (~Or50 to ~Or80), biotite (TiO2 = ~4.6 wt%, BaO = ~0.70 wt%, F = ~0.65 wt%), diopside (~Ca47Mg48Fe5 to ~Ca48Mg34Fe18), titanomagnetite, and uncommon Ca-amphibole. Relatively immobile trace elements Zr, Hf, Nb, and Th display similar abundance, linear trends, and ratios as those measured in the Campanian Ignimbrite: Th/Hf = ~4, Zr/Hf = ~50, and Zr/Nb = ~6. The similarity of trace element systematics and phenocryst mineralogy among the Campanian Ignimbrite and the older ignimbrites suggests that the magmagenesis processes and parental source have

ACTS Ka-Band Earth Stations: Technology, Performance, and Lessons Learned

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reinhart, Richard C.; Struharik, Steven J.; Diamond, John J.; Stewart, David

2000-01-01

The Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) Project invested heavily in prototype Ka-band satellite ground terminals to conduct an experiments program with ACTS. The ACTS experiments program proposed to validate Ka-band satellite and ground-station technology, demonstrate future telecommunication services, demonstrate commercial viability and market acceptability of these new services, evaluate system networking and processing technology, and characterize Ka-band propagation effects, including development of techniques to mitigate signal fading. This paper will present a summary of the fixed ground terminals developed by the NASA Glenn Research Center and its industry partners, emphasizing the technology and performance of the terminals and the lessons learned throughout their 6-year operation, including the inclined orbit phase-of-operations. The fixed ground stations used for experiments by government, academic, and commercial entities used reflector-based offset-fed antenna systems with antennas ranging in size from 0.35 to 3.4 in. in diameter. Gateway earth stations included two systems referred to as the NASA Ground Station (NGS) and the Link Evaluation Terminal (LET).

Experiences Using OpenMP Based on Compiler Directed Software DSM on a PC Cluster

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hess, Matthias; Jost, Gabriele; Mueller, Matthias; Ruehle, Roland; Biegel, Bryan (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

In this work we report on our experiences running OpenMP (message passing) programs on a commodity cluster of PCs (personal computers) running a software distributed shared memory (DSM) system. We describe our test environment and report on the performance of a subset of the NAS (NASA Advanced Supercomputing) Parallel Benchmarks that have been automatically parallelized for OpenMP. We compare the performance of the OpenMP implementations with that of their message passing counterparts and discuss performance differences.

Molecular Paleoclimate Reconstructions over the Last 9 ka from a Peat Sequence in South China

PubMed Central

Wang, Xinxin; Huang, Xianyu; Sachse, Dirk; Ding, Weihua; Xue, Jiantao

2016-01-01

To achieve a better understanding of Holocene climate change in the monsoon regions of China, we investigated the molecular distributions and carbon and hydrogen isotope compositions (δ13C and δD values) of long-chain n-alkanes in a peat core from the Shiwangutian (SWGT) peatland, south China over the last 9 ka. By comparisons with other climate records, we found that the δ13C values of the long-chain n-alkanes can be a proxy for humidity, while the δD values of the long-chain n-alkanes primarily recorded the moisture source δD signal during 9–1.8 ka BP and responded to the dry climate during 1.8–0.3 ka BP. Together with the average chain length (ACL) and the carbon preference index (CPI) data, the climate evolution over last 9 ka in the SWGT peatland can be divided into three stages. During the first stage (9–5 ka BP), the δ13C values were depleted and CPI and Paq values were low, while ACL values were high. They reveal a period of warm and wet climate, which is regarded as the Holocene optimum. The second stage (5–1.8 ka BP) witnessed a shift to relatively cool and dry climate, as indicated by the more positive δ13C values and lower ACL values. During the third stage (1.8–0.3 ka BP), the δ13C, δD, CPI and Paq values showed marked increase and ACL values varied greatly, implying an abrupt change to cold and dry conditions. This climate pattern corresponds to the broad decline in Asian monsoon intensity through the latter part of the Holocene. Our results do not support a later Holocene optimum in south China as suggested by previous studies. PMID:27505008

Progress in the prediction of pKa values in proteins

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

Alexov, Emil; Mehler, Ernest L.; Baker, Nathan A.

2011-12-15

The pKa-cooperative aims to provide a forum for experimental and theoretical researchers interested in protein pKa values and protein electrostatics in general. The first round of the pKa -cooperative, which challenged computational labs to carry out blind predictions against pKas experimentally determined in the laboratory of Bertrand Garcia-Moreno, was completed and results discussed at the Telluride meeting (July 6-10, 2009). This paper serves as an introduction to the reports submitted by the blind prediction participants that will be published in a special issue of PROTEINS: Structure, Function and Bioinformatics. Here we briefly outline existing approaches for pKa calculations, emphasizing methodsmore » that were used by the participants in calculating the blind pKa values in the first round of the cooperative. We then point out some of the difficulties encountered by the participating groups in making their blind predictions, and finally try to provide some insights for future developments aimed at improving the accuracy of pKa calculations.« less

A performance comparison of the Cray-2 and the Cray X-MP

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schmickley, Ronald; Bailey, David H.

1986-01-01

A suite of thirteen large Fortran benchmark codes were run on Cray-2 and Cray X-MP supercomputers. These codes were a mix of compute-intensive scientific application programs (mostly Computational Fluid Dynamics) and some special vectorized computation exercise programs. For the general class of programs tested on the Cray-2, most of which were not specially tuned for speed, the floating point operation rates varied under a variety of system load configurations from 40 percent up to 125 percent of X-MP performance rates. It is concluded that the Cray-2, in the original system configuration studied (without memory pseudo-banking) will run untuned Fortran code, on average, about 70 percent of X-MP speeds.

Risk Assessment of Mineral Groundwater Near Rogaška Slatina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trcek, Branka; Leis, Albrecht

2017-10-01

Groundwater resources of mineral and thermo-mineral water are invaluable for planning a sustainable spatial and economic development of the Rogaška Slatina area, which requires a protection of this natural heritage. Numerous previous investigations of Rogaška groundwaters were subjects to balneology and to demands for larger exploitation quantities, that is why information are missing that are essential for definition of the Rogaška fractured aquifer system with mineral and thermo-mineral water and for its protection. The isotopic investigations of groundwaters stored in the Rogaška Slatina fractured aquifer system were performed aiming at answering open questions on the groundwater recharge and dynamics, on connections between different types of aquifers and on solute transport. Environmental isotopes 2H, 18O, 3H, 13C of dissolved inorganic carbon and 14C were analysed in mineral, thermo-mineral and spring waters. Results indicated the source and mechanism of groundwater recharge, its renewability, a transit time distribution, hydraulic interrelationships, the groundwater origin and its evolution due to effects of water-rock interaction. The mean residence time estimates of mineral and thermo- mineral water in the aquifer are between 3400 and 14000 years. On the other hand, the mixing processes between younger and older waters or mineral and spring waters are reflected as well as waters that infiltrated predominantly after the 1960s. These suggest the vulnerability of the research systems to man-made impacts. The presented results coupled with available information on a physical hydrogeology and water chemistry asses the optimal balance between the environmental protection and economic use of mineral water resources in the study area. They are essential for the protection strategy development of mineral and thermo-mineral water in the Rogaška Slatina area bringing together the state administration and local authorities and stakeholders.

Rift Valley Fever Virus MP-12 Vaccine Is Fully Attenuated by a Combination of Partial Attenuations in the S, M, and L Segments

PubMed Central

Hill, Terence E.; Smith, Jennifer K.; Zhang, Lihong; Juelich, Terry L.; Gong, Bin; Slack, Olga A. L.; Ly, Hoai J.; Lokugamage, Nandadeva; Freiberg, Alexander N.

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a mosquito-borne zoonotic disease endemic to Africa and characterized by a high rate of abortion in ruminants and hemorrhagic fever, encephalitis, or blindness in humans. RVF is caused by Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV; family Bunyaviridae, genus Phlebovirus), which has a tripartite negative-stranded RNA genome (consisting of the S, M, and L segments). Further spread of RVF into countries where the disease is not endemic may affect the economy and public health, and vaccination is an effective approach to prevent the spread of RVFV. A live-attenuated MP-12 vaccine is one of the best-characterized RVF vaccines for safety and efficacy and is currently conditionally licensed for use for veterinary purposes in the United States. Meanwhile, as of 2015, no other RVF vaccine has been conditionally or fully licensed for use in the United States. The MP-12 strain is derived from wild-type pathogenic strain ZH548, and its genome encodes 23 mutations in the three genome segments. However, the mechanism of MP-12 attenuation remains unknown. We characterized the attenuation of wild-type pathogenic strain ZH501 carrying a mutation(s) of the MP-12 S, M, or L segment in a mouse model. Our results indicated that MP-12 is attenuated by the mutations in the S, M, and L segments, while the mutations in the M and L segments confer stronger attenuation than those in the S segment. We identified a combination of 3 amino acid changes, Y259H (Gn), R1182G (Gc), and R1029K (L), that was sufficient to attenuate ZH501. However, strain MP-12 with reversion mutations at those 3 sites was still highly attenuated. Our results indicate that MP-12 attenuation is supported by a combination of multiple partial attenuation mutations and a single reversion mutation is less likely to cause a reversion to virulence of the MP-12 vaccine. IMPORTANCE Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a mosquito-transmitted viral disease that is endemic to Africa and that has the potential to

Rift Valley Fever Virus MP-12 Vaccine Is Fully Attenuated by a Combination of Partial Attenuations in the S, M, and L Segments.

PubMed

Ikegami, Tetsuro; Hill, Terence E; Smith, Jennifer K; Zhang, Lihong; Juelich, Terry L; Gong, Bin; Slack, Olga A L; Ly, Hoai J; Lokugamage, Nandadeva; Freiberg, Alexander N

2015-07-01

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a mosquito-borne zoonotic disease endemic to Africa and characterized by a high rate of abortion in ruminants and hemorrhagic fever, encephalitis, or blindness in humans. RVF is caused by Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV; family Bunyaviridae, genus Phlebovirus), which has a tripartite negative-stranded RNA genome (consisting of the S, M, and L segments). Further spread of RVF into countries where the disease is not endemic may affect the economy and public health, and vaccination is an effective approach to prevent the spread of RVFV. A live-attenuated MP-12 vaccine is one of the best-characterized RVF vaccines for safety and efficacy and is currently conditionally licensed for use for veterinary purposes in the United States. Meanwhile, as of 2015, no other RVF vaccine has been conditionally or fully licensed for use in the United States. The MP-12 strain is derived from wild-type pathogenic strain ZH548, and its genome encodes 23 mutations in the three genome segments. However, the mechanism of MP-12 attenuation remains unknown. We characterized the attenuation of wild-type pathogenic strain ZH501 carrying a mutation(s) of the MP-12 S, M, or L segment in a mouse model. Our results indicated that MP-12 is attenuated by the mutations in the S, M, and L segments, while the mutations in the M and L segments confer stronger attenuation than those in the S segment. We identified a combination of 3 amino acid changes, Y259H (Gn), R1182G (Gc), and R1029K (L), that was sufficient to attenuate ZH501. However, strain MP-12 with reversion mutations at those 3 sites was still highly attenuated. Our results indicate that MP-12 attenuation is supported by a combination of multiple partial attenuation mutations and a single reversion mutation is less likely to cause a reversion to virulence of the MP-12 vaccine. Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a mosquito-transmitted viral disease that is endemic to Africa and that has the potential to spread into other

Deviations from idealised geometries part 3: approximately tetrahedral molecules of form MX 2Y 2 studied by SCF and MP2 calculations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palmer, Michael H.

1997-03-01

The relatively minor deviations from true tetrahedral geometry for molecules of type MX 2Y 2 where M is tetravalent, and X, Y are either H, Me or halogen are discussed, in the light of ab initio calculations of equilibrium geometry with a large (triple zeta valence + polarisation) basis, at both the SCF and MP2 levels. The results are compared with known experimental structural and dipole moment data; in most cases a very close correlation with experiment is found, with slight improvements in the MP2 data. The study is coupled with a localised orbital study of relevance to Bent's Rule.

The Potential for a Ka-band (32 GHz) Worldwide VLBI Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacobs, C. S.; Bach, U.; Colomer, F.; Garcá-Miró, C.; Gómez-González, J.; Gulyaev, S.; Horiuchi, S.; Ichikawa, R.; Kraus, A.; Kronschnabl, G.; López-Fernández, J. A.; Lovell, J.; Majid, W.; T; Natusch; Neidhardt, A.; Phillips, C.; Porcas, R.; Romero-Wolf, A.; Saldana, L.; Schreiber, U.; Sotuela, I.; Takeuchi, H.; Trinh, J.; Tzioumis, A.; de Vincente, P.; Zharov, V.

2012-12-01

Ka-band (32 GHz, 9 mm) Very Long Baseline Interferometric (VLBI) networking has now begun and has tremendous potential for expansion over the next few years. Ka-band VLBI astrometry from NASA's Deep Space Network has already developed a catalog of 470 observable sources with highly accurate positions. Now, several antennas worldwide are planning or are considering adding Ka-band VLBI capability. Thus, there is now an opportunity to create a worldwide Ka-band network with potential for high resolution imaging and astrometry. With baselines approaching a Giga-lambda, a Ka-band network would be able to probe source structure at the nano-radian (200 as) level (100X better than Hubble) and thus gain insight into the astrophysics of the most compact regions of emission in active galactic nuclei. We discuss the advantages of Ka-band, show the known sources and candidates, simulate projected baseline (uv) coverage, and discuss potential radio frequency feeds. The combination of these elements demonstrates the feasibility of a worldwide Ka network within the next few years.

The Potential for a Ka-band (32 GHz) Worldwide VLBI Network

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jacobs, C. S.; Bach, U.; Colomer, F.; Garcia-Miro, C.; Gomez-Gonzalez, J.; Gulyaev, S.; Horiuchi, S.; Ichikawa, R.; Kraus, A.; Kronschnabl, G.;

Purification and Biochemical Characterization of a Novel Ecto-Apyrase, MP67, from Mimosa pudica1[C][W][OA

PubMed Central

Okuhata, Riku; Takishima, Takeshi; Nishimura, Naoaki; Ueda, Shogo; Tsuchiya, Takahide; Kanzawa, Nobuyuki

2011-01-01

We have previously reported the presence of an apyrase in Mimosa pudica. However, only limited information is available for this enzyme. Thus, in this study, the apyrase was purified to homogeneity. The purified enzyme had a molecular mass of around 67 kD and was able to hydrolyze both nucleotide triphosphate and nucleotide diphosphate as substrates. The ratio of ATP to ADP hydrolysis velocity of the purified protein was 0.01 in the presence of calcium ion, showing extremely high substrate specificity toward ADP. Thus, we designated this novel apyrase as MP67. A cDNA clone of MP67 was obtained using primers designed from the amino acid sequence of trypsin-digested fragments of the protein. In addition, rapid amplification of cDNA ends-polymerase chain reaction was performed to clone a conventional apyrase (MpAPY2). Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequences showed that MP67 is similar to ecto-apyrases; however, it was distinct from conventional apyrase based on phylogenetic classification. MP67 and MpAPY2 were expressed in Escherichia coli, and the recombinant proteins were purified. The recombinant MP67 showed high substrate specificity toward ADP rather than ATP. A polyclonal antibody raised against the recombinant MP67 was used to examine the tissue distribution and localization of native MP67 in the plant. The results showed that MP67 was ubiquitously distributed in various tissues, most abundantly in leaves, and was localized to plasma membranes. Thus, MP67 is a novel ecto-apyrase with extremely high substrate specificity for ADP. PMID:21788364

Employing Nested OpenMP for the Parallelization of Multi-Zone Computational Fluid Dynamics Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ayguade, Eduard; Gonzalez, Marc; Martorell, Xavier; Jost, Gabriele

2004-01-01

In this paper we describe the parallelization of the multi-zone code versions of the NAS Parallel Benchmarks employing multi-level OpenMP parallelism. For our study we use the NanosCompiler, which supports nesting of OpenMP directives and provides clauses to control the grouping of threads, load balancing, and synchronization. We report the benchmark results, compare the timings with those of different hybrid parallelization paradigms and discuss OpenMP implementation issues which effect the performance of multi-level parallel applications.

ACTS Ka-Band Earth Stations: Technology, Performance, and Lessons Learned

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reinhart, Richard C.; Struharik, Steven J.; Diamond, John J.; Stewart, David

2000-01-01

The Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) Project invested heavily in prototype Ka-band satellite ground terminals to conduct an experiments program with the ACTS satellite. The ACTS experiment's program proposed to validate Ka-band satellite and ground station technology. demonstrate future telecommunication services. demonstrate commercial viability and market acceptability of these new services, evaluate system networking and processing technology, and characterize Ka-band propagation effects, including development of techniques to mitigate signal fading. This paper will present a summary of the fixed ground terminals developed by the NASA Glenn Research Center and its industry partners, emphasizing the technology and performance of the terminals (Part 1) and the lessons learned throughout their six year operation including the inclined orbit phase of operations (Full Report). An overview of the Ka-band technology and components developed for the ACTS ground stations is presented. Next. the performance of the ground station technology and its evolution during the ACTS campaign are discussed to illustrate the technical tradeoffs made during the program and highlight technical advances by industry to support the ACTS experiments program and terminal operations. Finally. lessons learned during development and operation of the user terminals are discussed for consideration of commercial adoption into future Ka-band systems. The fixed ground stations used for experiments by government, academic, and commercial entities used reflector based offset-fed antenna systems ranging in size from 0.35m to 3.4m antenna diameter. Gateway earth stations included two systems, referred to as the NASA Ground Station (NGS) and the Link Evaluation Terminal (LET). The NGS provides tracking, telemetry, and control (TT&C) and Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) network control functions. The LET supports technology verification and high data rate experiments. The ground

A Low Affinity GCaMP3 Variant (GCaMPer) for Imaging the Endoplasmic Reticulum Calcium Store.

PubMed

Henderson, Mark J; Baldwin, Heather A; Werley, Christopher A; Boccardo, Stefano; Whitaker, Leslie R; Yan, Xiaokang; Holt, Graham T; Schreiter, Eric R; Looger, Loren L; Cohen, Adam E; Kim, Douglas S; Harvey, Brandon K

2015-01-01

Endoplasmic reticulum calcium homeostasis is critical for cellular functions and is disrupted in diverse pathologies including neurodegeneration and cardiovascular disease. Owing to the high concentration of calcium within the ER, studying this subcellular compartment requires tools that are optimized for these conditions. To develop a single-fluorophore genetically encoded calcium indicator for this organelle, we targeted a low affinity variant of GCaMP3 to the ER lumen (GCaMPer (10.19)). A set of viral vectors was constructed to express GCaMPer in human neuroblastoma cells, rat primary cortical neurons, and human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes. We observed dynamic changes in GCaMPer (10.19) fluorescence in response to pharmacologic manipulations of the ER calcium store. Additionally, periodic calcium efflux from the ER was observed during spontaneous beating of cardiomyocytes. GCaMPer (10.19) has utility in imaging ER calcium in living cells and providing insight into luminal calcium dynamics under physiologic and pathologic states.

The pKa Cooperative: A Collaborative Effort to Advance Structure-Based Calculations of pKa values and Electrostatic Effects in Proteins

PubMed Central

Nielsen, Jens E.; Gunner, M. R.; Bertrand García-Moreno, E.

2012-01-01

The pKa Cooperative http://www.pkacoop.org was organized to advance development of accurate and useful computational methods for structure-based calculation of pKa values and electrostatic energy in proteins. The Cooperative brings together laboratories with expertise and interest in theoretical, computational and experimental studies of protein electrostatics. To improve structure-based energy calculations it is necessary to better understand the physical character and molecular determinants of electrostatic effects. The Cooperative thus intends to foment experimental research into fundamental aspects of proteins that depend on electrostatic interactions. It will maintain a depository for experimental data useful for critical assessment of methods for structure-based electrostatics calculations. To help guide the development of computational methods the Cooperative will organize blind prediction exercises. As a first step, computational laboratories were invited to reproduce an unpublished set of experimental pKa values of acidic and basic residues introduced in the interior of staphylococcal nuclease by site-directed mutagenesis. The pKa values of these groups are unique and challenging to simulate owing to the large magnitude of their shifts relative to normal pKa values in water. Many computational methods were tested in this 1st Blind Prediction Challenge and critical assessment exercise. A workshop was organized in the Telluride Science Research Center to assess objectively the performance of many computational methods tested on this one extensive dataset. This volume of PROTEINS: Structure, Function, and Bioinformatics introduces the pKa Cooperative, presents reports submitted by participants in the blind prediction challenge, and highlights some of the problems in structure-based calculations identified during this exercise. PMID:22002877

Relative paleointensity (RPI) in the latest Pleistocene (10-45 ka) and implications for the "mystery interval" in atmospheric radiocarbon production at 17 ka.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Channell, J. E. T.; Hodell, D. A.

2017-12-01

Relative paleointensity (RPI) proxies have been used to improve the resolution of Quaternary stratigraphies, and have been matched to oxygen isotope stratigraphies over the last 2 Myrs. The archeomagnetic archive has been important for the Holocene RPI record, and the older Quaternary record has come largely from ODP/IODP and MD (Marion Dufresne - Calypso) marine cores. Beyond the range of archeomagnetic data, published RPI stacks have poor consistency in the 10-30 ka (latest Pleistocene) interval, possibly due to poor quality of ODP/IODP and MD cores in the upper few meters of the sedimentary sections. We report RPI data from a suite of conventional piston cores and Kasten cores from the SW Iberian margin collected during cruise JC089 of the RSS James Cook in August 2013. The age models were acquired by correlation of Ca/Ti XRF core-scanning data to L* reflectance from the Cariaco Basin that is tied to the Greenland ice-core chronology. Mean sedimentation rates are in the 10-20 cm/kyr range. The Holocene RPI record from these marine cores can be broadly correlated to the archeomagnetic RPI compilations. The preceding RPI data are characterized by a short-lived minimum at 13-15 ka, a high in RPI at 17-20 ka, preceded by a discontinuous RPI decrease to 40 ka at the time of the well-documented Laschamp geomagnetic excursion. A stack of 12 RPI records from the SW Iberian margin for the 0-45 ka interval are compared with 11 records from elsewhere, including marine and lake records from the Pacific and South Atlantic realms, chosen on the basis of mean sedimentation rates (>20 cm/kyr) and superior age models. The resulting stacks are very different to previously published RPI stacks, particularly for the 10-30 ka interval, and imply a global (dipole-field) high at 17-20 ka that has implications for the 190 ‰ drop in atmospheric 14C during the so-called "mystery interval" (17.5-14.5 ka).

Assessing and mitigating uncertainties in the Noah-MP land-model simulations over the Tibet Plateau region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, G.; Chen, F.; Gan, Y.

2017-12-01

Assessing and mitigating uncertainties in the Noah-MP land-model simulations over the Tibet Plateau region Guo Zhang1, Fei Chen1,2, Yanjun Gan11State Key Laboratory of Severe Weather, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, Beijing, China 2National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado, USA Uncertainties in the Noah with multiparameterization (Noah-MP) land surface model were assessed through physics ensemble simulations for four sparsely-vegetated sites located in the Tibetan Plateau region. Those simulations were evaluated using observations at the four sites during the third Tibetan Plateau Experiment (TIPEX III).The impacts of uncertainties in precipitation data used as forcing conditions, parameterizations of sub-processes such as soil organic matter and rhizosphere on physics-ensemble simulations are identified using two different methods: the natural selection and Tukey's test. This study attempts to answer the following questions: 1) what is the relative contribution of precipitation-forcing uncertainty to the overall uncertainty range of Noah-MP simulations at those sites as compared to that at a more moisture and densely vegetated site; 2) what are the most sensitive physical parameterization for those sites; 3) can we identify the parameterizations that need to be improved? The investigation was conducted by evaluating simulated seasonal evolution of soil temperature, soilmoisture, surface heat fluxes through a number of Noah-MP ensemble simulations.

Comparative pharmacokinetics of (S)-MP3950, a novel 5-HT4 receptor agonist, in normal and atropine-induced gastrointestinal motility disorders rats.

PubMed

Wang, Binjie; Sun, Xiaoyang; Wang, Shixiao; Guo, Ping; Li, Shujuan; Zhang, Meiyu; Zhao, Longshan; Chen, Xiaohui

2018-08-01

1. (S)-MP3950 is the (S)-enantiomer of active metabolite of mosapride, which exhibits higher 5-HT 4 receptor agonistic effect than mosapride. It shows promise to become a novel drug candidate for the treatment of gastrointestinal motility disorders (GMDs). However, the pharmacokinetic behavior of (S)-MP3950 in the pathological state of GMDs remains unclear. Herein, we investigated the comparative pharmacokinetics of (S)-MP3950 in normal and GMDs rats. 2. The comparative pharmacokinetics of (S)-MP3950 in normal and atropine-induced GMD rats were studied by ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). The validated UPLC-MS/MS method was successfully applied to investigate the pharmacokinetic profiles of (S)-MP3950 in normal and atropine-induced GMDs rats. Results showed that comparing to normal rats, C max reduced by 73.8%, AUC 0-t decreased by 57.6% and AUC 0-∞ declined by 56.8% in model rats. Additionally, the elimination half-life (t 1/2 ) and T max were prolonged slightly. 3. The pharmacokinetic results demonstrated that the atropine-induced GMDs reduced the absorption of (S)-MP3950. The pharmacokinetics research in the pathological state might provide more useful information for further study of novel gastric motility candidates.

Inland aeolian deposits of the Iberian Peninsula: Sand dunes and clay dunes of the Duero Basin and the Manchega Plain. Palaeoclimatic considerations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bernat Rebollal, M.; Pérez-González, A.

2008-12-01

stages can be established, the latter well marked in the DB through soil A horizon development. Thus, the main sand dune formation in the DB and the eastern regions of the MP occurred between 13.5 and 7 ka BP, during the cold and arid Younger Dryas episode and the Early Holocene. The clay dunes of the MP accumulated mainly from 29 to 19 ka BP that corresponds with Heinrich events HE-3 and HE-2 and the Last Glacial Maximum. However, clay dunes were also formed between 13.5 and 7 ka BP. In both locations, there have been reactivations of some sand deposits in the recent Holocene, with maximum activity around 5-2 ka BP and 0.5-0.2 ka BP. On the other hand, three marked stages of stabilisation of the DB aeolian system have been established with 14C-AMS, around 10.2, 6.2 and 1.2 ka BP. Finally, the main winds contributing to dune construction were also responsible for the deflation processes with the formation of erosional depressions.

Early Deglaciation of Drangajökull, Vestfirðir, Iceland: Smaller than Present by 9.2 ka

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harning, D.; Geirsdottir, A.; Miller, G. H.; Zalzal, K.

2016-12-01

The Holocene histories of Iceland's largest ice caps suggest rapid early Holocene deglaciation and disappearance by 9 ka, other than possible small remnants of Vatnajökull. The least documented is Drangajökull, Vestfirðir, NW Iceland, where our team has been working since 2010. A recent study claims Drangajökull behaved differently than the other Iceland ice caps, deglaciating much later, and persisting through the Holocene Thermal Maximum (HTM). We test this postulate through a suite of sediment cores from threshold lakes both proximal and distal to the ice cap's contemporary margin. Distal lakes document rapid early Holocene deglaciation across the southern highland plateau, with the northern margin of the ice cap reaching a size comparable to Drangajökull's contemporary limit by 10.3 ka. A proximal lake to the north records a transient readvance at 9.6 ka, likely in association with meltwater pulses from the disintegrating Laurentide Ice Sheet (LIS). Two other southeastern proximal lakes, whose catchments extend well beneath the modern ice cap, demonstrate that Drangajökull was already smaller than present before 9.2 ka. Supporting evidence for local early Holocene warmth is derived from biological summer temperature proxies in a lake record, with age control (tephra/14C) demonstrating continuous sediment accumulation from 10.3 ka to present. Peak warmth (HTM) inferred from elevated algal productivity occurred between 8.9 and 7.2 ka. The record of terrestrial warmth closely aligns with regional SST and precipitation records that together with lake sediment characteristics provide firm evidence that Drangajökull responded similarly to Iceland's other large ice caps. Drangajökull was smaller than its contemporary margin before 9.2 ka, and likely disappeared entirely during the warmer and drier summers between 9 and 7 ka, reforming in the Late Holocene.

History of Larix decidua Mill. (European larch) since 130 ka

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wagner, Stefanie; Litt, Thomas; Sánchez-Goñi, Maria-Fernanda; Petit, Rémy J.

2015-09-01

Retrospective studies focussing on forest dynamics using fossil and genetic data can provide important keys to prepare forests for the future. In this study we analyse the impact of past climate and anthropogenic changes on Larix decidua Mill. (European larch) populations based on a new range-wide fossil compilation encompassing the last 130 ka and on recently produced genetic data (nuclear, mitochondrial). Results demonstrate that during the last 130 ka L. decidua persisted close to its current distribution range and colonized vast areas outside this range during the first two early Weichselian interstadials (c. 87-109 ka and c. 83-78 ka), reaching a distributional maxima in the north-central European lowlands. Some fossil sites point to notably rapid responses to some abrupt climate events (Dansgaard-Oeschger cycles and Heinrich Events). Combined fossil and genetic data identify at least six MIS 2 refuges and postglacial recolonization pathways. The establishment of extant L. decidua forests dates back to the first two millennia of the Holocene (c. 11.5-9.5 ka) and the onset of anthropogenic impact was inferred since the late Neolithic (c. 6 ka), with major changes occurring since the Bronze Age (c. 4 ka). During the last 300 years human-induced translocations resulted in recent admixture of populations originating from separate refuges. Altogether, the results of this study provide valuable clues for developing sustainable conservation and management strategies targeting ancient genetic lineages and for studying evolutionary issues.

Benchmarking Hydrogen and Carbon NMR Chemical Shifts at HF, DFT, and MP2 Levels.

PubMed

Flaig, Denis; Maurer, Marina; Hanni, Matti; Braunger, Katharina; Kick, Leonhard; Thubauville, Matthias; Ochsenfeld, Christian

2014-02-11

An extensive study of error distributions for calculating hydrogen and carbon NMR chemical shifts at Hartree-Fock (HF), density functional theory (DFT), and Møller-Plesset second-order perturbation theory (MP2) levels is presented. Our investigation employs accurate CCSD(T)/cc-pVQZ calculations for providing reference data for 48 hydrogen and 40 carbon nuclei within an extended set of chemical compounds covering a broad range of the NMR scale with high relevance to chemical applications, especially in organic chemistry. Besides the approximations of HF, a variety of DFT functionals, and conventional MP2, we also present results with respect to a spin component-scaled MP2 (GIAO-SCS-MP2) approach. For each method, the accuracy is analyzed in detail for various basis sets, allowing identification of efficient combinations of method and basis set approximations.

Detection of prostate cancer with multiparametric MRI (mpMRI): effect of dedicated reader education on accuracy and confidence of index and anterior cancer diagnosis

PubMed Central

Garcia-Reyes, Kirema; Passoni, Niccolò M.; Palmeri, Mark L.; Kauffman, Christopher R.; Choudhury, Kingshuk Roy; Polascik, Thomas J.; Gupta, Rajan T.

2015-01-01

Purpose To evaluate the impact of dedicated reader education on accuracy/confidence of peripheral zone index cancer and anterior prostate cancer (PCa) diagnosis with mpMRI; secondary aim was to assess the ability of readers to differentiate low-grade cancer (Gleason 6 or below) from high-grade cancer (Gleason 7+). Materials and methods Five blinded radiology fellows evaluated 31 total prostate mpMRIs in this IRB-approved, HIPAA-compliant, retrospective study for index lesion detection, confidence in lesion diagnosis (1–5 scale), and Gleason grade (Gleason 6 or lower vs. Gleason 7+). Following a dedicated education program, readers reinterpreted cases after a memory extinction period, blinded to initial reads. Reference standard was established combining whole mount histopathology with mpMRI findings by a board-certified radiologist with 5 years of prostate mpMRI experience. Results Index cancer detection: pre-education accuracy 74.2%; post-education accuracy 87.7% (p = 0.003). Confidence in index lesion diagnosis: pre-education 4.22 ± 1.04; post-education 3.75 ± 1.41 (p = 0.0004). Anterior PCa detection: pre-education accuracy 54.3%; post-education accuracy 94.3% (p = 0.001). Confidence in anterior PCa diagnosis: pre-education 3.22 ± 1.54; post-education 4.29 ± 0.83 (p = 0.0003). Gleason score accuracy: pre-education 54.8%; post-education 73.5% (p = 0.0005). Conclusions A dedicated reader education program on PCa detection with mpMRI was associated with a statistically significant increase in diagnostic accuracy of index cancer and anterior cancer detection as well as Gleason grade identification as compared to pre-education values. This was also associated with a significant increase in reader diagnostic confidence. This suggests that substantial interobserver variability in mpMRI interpretation can potentially be reduced with a focus on education and that this can occur over a fellowship training year. PMID:25034558

The Celestial Reference Frame at X/Ka-band (8.4/32 GHz)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jacobs, C. S.; Clark, J. E.; Heflin, M. B.; Skjerve, L. J.; Sovers, O. J.; Garcia-Miro, C.; Moll, V. E.; Horiuchi, S.

2011-01-01

A celestial reference frame at X/Ka-band (8.4/32 GHz) has been constructed using fifty-one 24-hour sessions with the Deep Space Network. We report on observations which have detected 436 sources covering the full 24 hours of right ascension and declinations down to -45 deg. Comparison of this X/Ka-band frame to the S/X-band (2.3/8.4 GHz) ICRF2 shows wRMS agreement of 200 micro-arcsec in a cos delta and 290 micro-arcsec in delta. There is evidence for zonal errors at the 100 micro-arcsec level. Known errors include limited SNR, lack of phase calibration, troposphere mismodelling, and limited southern geometry. The motivations for extending the ICRF to frequencies above 8 GHz are to access more compact source morphology for improved frame stability, to provide calibrators for phase referencing, and to support spacecraft navigation at Ka-band.

Mouse model for the Rift Valley fever virus MP12 strain infection.

PubMed

Lang, Yuekun; Henningson, Jamie; Jasperson, Dane; Li, Yonghai; Lee, Jinhwa; Ma, Jingjiao; Li, Yuhao; Cao, Nan; Liu, Haixia; Wilson, William; Richt, Juergen; Ruder, Mark; McVey, Scott; Ma, Wenjun

2016-11-15

Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV), a Category A pathogen and select agent, is the causative agent of Rift Valley fever. To date, no fully licensed vaccine is available in the U.S. for human or animal use and effective antiviral drugs have not been identified. The RVFV MP12 strain is conditionally licensed for use for veterinary purposes in the U.S. which was excluded from the select agent rule of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The MP12 vaccine strain is commonly used in BSL-2 laboratories that is generally not virulent in mice. To establish a small animal model that can be used in a BSL-2 facility for antiviral drug development, we investigated susceptibility of six mouse strains (129S6/SvEv, STAT-1 KO, 129S1/SvlmJ, C57BL/6J, NZW/LacJ, BALB/c) to the MP12 virus infection via an intranasal inoculation route. Severe weight loss, obvious clinical and neurologic signs, and 50% mortality was observed in the STAT-1 KO mice, whereas the other 5 mouse strains did not display obvious and/or severe disease. Virus replication and histopathological lesions were detected in brain and liver of MP12-infected STAT-1 KO mice that developed the acute-onset hepatitis and delayed-onset encephalitis. In conclusion, the STAT-1 KO mouse strain is susceptible to MP12 virus infection, indicating that it can be used to investigate RVFV antivirals in a BSL-2 environment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Noah-MP-Crop: Enhancing cropland representation in the community land surface modeling system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, X.; Chen, F.; Barlage, M. J.; Zhou, G.; Niyogi, D.

2015-12-01

Croplands are important in land-atmosphere interactions and in modifying local and regional weather and climate. Despite their importance, croplands are poorly represented in the current version of the coupled Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF)/ Noah land-surface modeling system, resulting in significant surface temperature and humidity biases across agriculture- dominated regions of the United States. This study aims to improve the WRF weather forecasting and regional climate simulations during the crop growing season by enhancing the representation of cropland in the Noah-MP land model. We introduced dynamic crop growth parameterization into Noah-MP and evaluated the enhanced model (Noah-MP-Crop) at both the field and regional scales with multiple crop biomass datasets, surface fluxes and soil moisture/temperature observations. We also integrated a detailed cropland cover map into WRF, enabling the model to simulate corn and soybean field across the U.S. Great Plains. Results show marked improvement in the Noah-MP-Crop performance in simulating leaf area index (LAI), crop biomass, soil temperature, and surface fluxes. Enhanced cropland representation is not only crucial for improving weather forecasting but can also help assess potential impacts of weather variability on regional hydrometeorology and crop yields. In addition to its applications to WRF, Noah-MP-Crop can be applied in high-spatial-resolution regional crop yield modeling and drought assessments

Bone response to collagenized xenografts of porcine origin (mp3(®) ) and a bovine bone mineral grafting (4BONE(™) XBM) grafts in tibia defects: experimental study in rabbits.

PubMed

Calvo-Guirado, José Luis; Aguilar-Salvatierra, Antonio; Ramírez-Fernández, Maria P; Maté Sánchez de Val, José E; Delgado-Ruiz, Rafael Arcesio; Gómez-Moreno, Gerardo

2016-08-01

This study aimed to carry out the evaluation of bone response of new bone formation to two different xenografts (bovine and porcine) biomaterials inserted in rabbit tibiae. The study used a total of 20 male New Zealand albino rabbits. They received a total of 40 grafts in the proximal metaphyseal areas of both tibiae. Two biomaterials were evaluated: 20 porcine xenografts, as a bone granulate (OsteoBiol(®) MP3(®) ; Tecnoss srl, Giaveno, Italy), were placed in the proximal metaphyseal area of the right tibia, 20 anorganic bovine bone mineral grafting (4BONE(™) XBM, MIS Implants Inc., BARLEV, Israel) were placed in the left tibia. Following graft insertion, the animals were sacrificed in two groups of 10 animals, after 1 and 4 months, respectively. For each group, biomaterials were analyzed: newly formed bone, residual graft materials and the connective tissue. Histomorphometric, EDX analysis and element mapping were performed at 1 and 4 months after graft insertion. At 4 months after treatment, the bone defects displayed radiological images that showed complete repair of osseous defects. Histomorphometric evaluation showed that for the porcine xenograft, the study averages for newly formed bone represented 84.23 ± 2.9%, while bovine matrix was 79.34 ± 2.1%. For residual graft material, the porcine biomaterial had 11.23 ± 1.7% and the bovine graft 31.56 ± 2.3%. Finally, the connective tissue for MP3 was 10.33 ± 1.8%, while for the 4BONE(™) XBM we obtained 14.34 ± 2.9%. Element analysis revealed higher percentages of Ca (54 ± 9%) and P (35 ± 6%) in the group B than group A and control group (P < 0.05). Defects of a critical size in a rabbit tibia model can be sealed using a bovine porous biphasic calcium phosphate and MP3 material; this supports new bone formation, creates a bridge between borders, and facilitates bone ingrowth in both biomaterials. Furthermore, this study observed partial dissolution of the mineral phase of four

Geomagnetic field excursion recorded 17 ka at Tianchi Volcano, China: New 40Ar/39Ar age and significance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singer, Brad S.; Jicha, Brian R.; He, Huaiyu; Zhu, Rixiang

2014-04-01

New 40Ar/39Ar dating of a comenditic lava atop Tianchi Volcano, China, indicates eruption at 17.1 ± 0.9 ka. The flow interior records a pair of transitional virtual geomagnetic poles and a low paleointensity of ~25 μT. Thus, it records a geomagnetic field excursion that is younger than the 41 ka Laschamp or 32 ka Auckland excursions. Implications are: (1) following a repose of several tens of kyr, Tianchi Volcano became highly active immediately following termination of the last glaciation maximum. The flare-up of silicic eruptions may reflect rapid deglaciation of the edifice. (2) A 17 ka age for the Tianchi excursion provides the first direct radioisotopic evidence that excursional behavior, which is imprecisely dated and less well documented magnetically at several other sites, is a global feature of geodynamo behavior. (3) During the Brunhes chron, 13 well-dated excursions cluster into two periods, including seven between 17 and 212 ka, and six between about 530 and 730 ka.

Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Ka-band (32 GHz) Demonstration: Cruise Phase Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shambayati, Shervin; Morabito, David; Border, James S.; Davarian, Faramaz; Lee, Dennis; Mendoza, Ricardo; Britcliffe, Michael; Weinreb, Sander

2006-01-01

The X-band (8.41 GHz) frequency currently used for deep space telecommunications is too narrow (50 MHz) to support future high rate missions. Because of this NASA has decided to transition to Ka-band (32 GHz) frequencies. As weather effects cause much larger fluctuations on Ka-band than on X-band, the traditional method of using a few dBs of margin to cover these fluctuations is wasteful of power for Ka-band; therefore, a different operations concept is needed for Ka-band links. As part of the development of the operations concept for Ka-band, NASA has implemented a fully functioning Ka-band communications suite on its Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO). This suite will be used during the primary science phase to develop and refine the Ka-band operations concept for deep space missions. In order to test the functional readiness of the spacecraft and the Deep Space Network's (DSN) readiness to support the demonstration activities a series of passes over DSN 34-m Beam Waveguide (BWG) antennas were scheduled during the cruise phase of the mission. MRO was launched on August 12, 2005 from Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA and went into Mars Orbit on March 10, 2006. A total of ten telemetry demonstration and one high gain antenna (HGA) calibration passes were allocated to the Ka-band demonstration. Furthermore, a number of "shadow" passes were also scheduled where, during a regular MRO track over a Ka-band capable antenna, Ka-band was identically configured as the X-band and tracked by the station. In addition, nine Ka-band delta differential one way ranging ((delta)DOR) passes were scheduled. During these passes, the spacecraft and the ground system were put through their respective paces. Among the highlights of these was setting a single day record for data return from a deep space spacecraft (133 Gbits) achieved during one 10-hour pass; achieving the highest data rate ever from a planetary mission (6 Mbps) and successfully demonstrating Ka-band DDOR

Implementing Dynamic Root Optimization in Noah-MP for Simulating Phreatophytic Root Water Uptake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Ping; Niu, Guo-Yue; Fang, Yuan-Hao; Wu, Run-Jian; Yu, Jing-Jie; Yuan, Guo-Fu; Pozdniakov, Sergey P.; Scott, Russell L.

2018-03-01

Widely distributed in arid and semiarid regions, phreatophytic roots extend into the saturated zone and extract water directly from groundwater. In this paper, we implemented a vegetation optimality model of root dynamics (VOM-ROOT) in the Noah land surface model with multiparameterization options (Noah-MP LSM) to model the extraction of groundwater through phreatophytic roots at a riparian site with a hyperarid climate (with precipitation of 35 mm/yr) in northwestern China. VOM-ROOT numerically describes the natural optimization of the root profile in response to changes in subsurface water conditions. The coupled Noah-MP/VOM-ROOT model substantially improves the simulation of surface energy and water fluxes, particularly during the growing season, compared to the prescribed static root profile in the default Noah-MP. In the coupled model, more roots are required to grow into the saturated zone to meet transpiration demand when the groundwater level declines over the growing season. The modeling results indicate that at the study site, the modeled annual transpiration is 472 mm, accounting for 92.3% of the total evapotranspiration. Direct root water uptake from the capillary fringe and groundwater, which is supplied by lateral groundwater flow, accounts for approximately 84% of the total transpiration. This study demonstrates the importance of implementing a dynamic root scheme in a land surface model for adequately simulating phreatophytic root water uptake and the associated latent heat flux.

68Ga-PSMA PET/CT vs. mpMRI for locoregional prostate cancer staging: correlation with final histopathology.

PubMed

Berger, I; Annabattula, C; Lewis, J; Shetty, D V; Kam, J; Maclean, F; Arianayagam, M; Canagasingham, B; Ferguson, R; Khadra, M; Ko, R; Winter, M; Loh, H; Varol, C

2018-06-01

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) positron emission tomography (PET) can be used to locate lesions based on PSMA avidity, however guidelines on its use are limited by its infancy. We aimed to compare multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) and PSMA PET/CT to prostatectomy histopathology. We conducted a chart review from February 2015 to January 2017 of 50 male patients staged for prostate cancer using PSMA PET/CT and mpMRI who then underwent radical prostatectomy. Pre-operative PSMA PET/CT and mpMRI were paired with corresponding histopathology. Correlations, sensitivity, and specificity were used for comparisons. A total of 81 lesions were confirmed by histopathology. Fifty index lesions were detected by histopathology, all of which were detected by PSMA PET/CT (100% detection), and 47 by mpMRI (94% detection). Thirty-one histologically confirmed secondary lesions were detected, 29 of which were detected by PSMA PET/CT (93.5% detection), and 16 by mpMRI (51.6% detection). PSMA had better sensitivity for index lesion localization than mpMRI (81.1 vs. 64.8%). Specificity was similar for PSMA PET/CT and mpMRI (84.6 vs. 82.7%). SUV max of index lesions ranged from 2.9 to 39.6 (M = 9.27 ± 6.41). Index lesion SUV max was positively correlated with PSA (rho = 0.48, p < 0.001) and ISUP grade (rho = 0.51, p < 0.001). PSMA-PET/CT provided superior detection of prostate cancer lesions with better sensitivity than mpMRI. PSMA-PET/CT can be used to enhance locoregional mpMRI to provide improved detection and characterization of lesions.

Azathioprine and 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) suppress the human mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) by different mechanisms.

PubMed Central

Al-Safi, S A; Maddocks, J L

1984-01-01

6-MP inhibitory effects on the MLR were reversed by AIC (46%), adenine (32%), hypoxanthine (89%), adenosine (86%) and inosine (93%). AIC, adenine, hypoxanthine and inosine had no effect on azathioprine inhibition of the MLR. Adenosine at 10 microM caused 29% reversal and had no effect at 100-400 microM on azathioprine inhibition of the MLR. Reversal of 6-MP suppression of the MLR was decreased with the delay of adenosine addition. Guanine, xanthine and guanosine caused no reversal of 6-MP or azathioprine inhibitory effects on the MLR. These results show that azathioprine and 6-MP suppress the MLR by different mechanisms. PMID:6232936

Effective Vectorization with OpenMP 4.5

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

Huber, Joseph N.; Hernandez, Oscar R.; Lopez, Matthew Graham

This paper describes how the Single Instruction Multiple Data (SIMD) model and its extensions in OpenMP work, and how these are implemented in different compilers. Modern processors are highly parallel computational machines which often include multiple processors capable of executing several instructions in parallel. Understanding SIMD and executing instructions in parallel allows the processor to achieve higher performance without increasing the power required to run it. SIMD instructions can significantly reduce the runtime of code by executing a single operation on large groups of data. The SIMD model is so integral to the processor s potential performance that, if SIMDmore » is not utilized, less than half of the processor is ever actually used. Unfortunately, using SIMD instructions is a challenge in higher level languages because most programming languages do not have a way to describe them. Most compilers are capable of vectorizing code by using the SIMD instructions, but there are many code features important for SIMD vectorization that the compiler cannot determine at compile time. OpenMP attempts to solve this by extending the C++/C and Fortran programming languages with compiler directives that express SIMD parallelism. OpenMP is used to pass hints to the compiler about the code to be executed in SIMD. This is a key resource for making optimized code, but it does not change whether or not the code can use SIMD operations. However, in many cases critical functions are limited by a poor understanding of how SIMD instructions are actually implemented, as SIMD can be implemented through vector instructions or simultaneous multi-threading (SMT). We have found that it is often the case that code cannot be vectorized, or is vectorized poorly, because the programmer does not have sufficient knowledge of how SIMD instructions work.« less

The OpenMP Implementation of NAS Parallel Benchmarks and its Performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jin, Hao-Qiang; Frumkin, Michael; Yan, Jerry

1999-01-01

As the new ccNUMA architecture became popular in recent years, parallel programming with compiler directives on these machines has evolved to accommodate new needs. In this study, we examine the effectiveness of OpenMP directives for parallelizing the NAS Parallel Benchmarks. Implementation details will be discussed and performance will be compared with the MPI implementation. We have demonstrated that OpenMP can achieve very good results for parallelization on a shared memory system, but effective use of memory and cache is very important.

A GLOBAL VIEW OF VELOCITY FLUCTUATIONS IN THE CORONA BELOW 1.3 R {sub ⊙} WITH CoMP

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

Morton, R. J.; Tomczyk, S.; Pinto, R. F., E-mail: richard.morton@northumbria.ac.uk

The Coronal Multi-channel Polarimeter (CoMP) has previously demonstrated the presence of Doppler velocity fluctuations in the solar corona. The observed fluctuations are thought to be transverse waves, i.e., highly incompressible motions whose restoring force is dominated by the magnetic tension, some of which demonstrate clear periodicity. We aim to exploit CoMP’s ability to provide high cadence observations of the off-limb corona to investigate the properties of velocity fluctuations in a range of coronal features, providing insight into how (whether) the properties of the waves are influenced by the varying magnetic topology in active regions, quiet Sun and open field regions.more » An analysis of Doppler velocity time-series of the solar corona from the 10747 Å Iron xiii line is performed, determining the velocity power spectrum and using it as a tool to probe wave behavior. Further, the average phase speed and density for each region are estimated and used to compute the spectra for energy density and energy flux. In addition, we assess the noise levels associated with the CoMP data, deriving analytic formulae for the uncertainty on Doppler velocity measurements and providing a comparison by estimating the noise from the data. It is found that the entire corona is replete with transverse wave behavior. The corresponding power spectra indicate that the observed velocity fluctuations are predominately generated by stochastic processes, with the spectral slope of the power varying between the different magnetic regions. Most strikingly, all power spectra reveal the presence of enhanced power occurring at ∼3 mHz, potentially implying that the excitation of coronal transverse waves by p -modes is a global phenomenon.« less

Clinical evaluation of cochlear implant sound coding taking into account conjectural masking functions, MP3000™.

PubMed

Buechner, Andreas; Beynon, Andy; Szyfter, Witold; Niemczyk, Kazimierz; Hoppe, Ulrich; Hey, Matthias; Brokx, Jan; Eyles, Julie; Van de Heyning, Paul; Paludetti, Gaetano; Zarowski, Andrzej; Quaranta, Nicola; Wesarg, Thomas; Festen, Joost; Olze, Heidi; Dhooge, Ingeborg; Müller-Deile, Joachim; Ramos, Angel; Roman, Stephane; Piron, Jean-Pierre; Cuda, Domenico; Burdo, Sandro; Grolman, Wilko; Vaillard, Samantha Roux; Huarte, Alicia; Frachet, Bruno; Morera, Constantine; Garcia-Ibáñez, Luis; Abels, Daniel; Walger, Martin; Müller-Mazotta, Jochen; Leone, Carlo Antonio; Meyer, Bernard; Dillier, Norbert; Steffens, Thomas; Gentine, André; Mazzoli, Manuela; Rypkema, Gerben; Killian, Matthijs; Smoorenburg, Guido

2011-11-01

Efficacy of the SPEAK and ACE coding strategies was compared with that of a new strategy, MP3000™, by 37 European implant centers including 221 subjects. The SPEAK and ACE strategies are based on selection of 8-10 spectral components with the highest levels, while MP3000 is based on the selection of only 4-6 components, with the highest levels relative to an estimate of the spread of masking. The pulse rate per component was fixed. No significant difference was found for the speech scores and for coding preference between the SPEAK/ACE and MP3000 strategies. Battery life was 24% longer for the MP3000 strategy. With MP3000 the best results were found for a selection of six components. In addition, the best results were found for a masking function with a low-frequency slope of 50 dB/Bark and a high-frequency slope of 37 dB/Bark (50/37) as compared to the other combinations examined of 40/30 and 20/15 dB/Bark. The best results found for the steepest slopes do not seem to agree with current estimates of the spread of masking in electrical stimulation. Future research might reveal if performance with respect to SPEAK/ACE can be enhanced by increasing the number of channels in MP3000 beyond 4-6 and it should shed more light on the optimum steepness of the slopes of the masking functions applied in MP3000.

Global calibration/validation of 2 years of SARAL/AltiKa data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scharroo, Remko; Lillibridge, John; Leuliette, Eric; Bonekamp, Hans

2015-04-01

The AltiKa altimeter flying onboard the French/Indian SARAL satellite provides the first opportunity to examine Ka-band measurements of sea surface height, significant wave height and ocean surface wind speed. In this presentation we provide the results from our global calibration/validation analysis of the AltiKa measurements, with an emphasis on near real-time applications of interest to both EUMETSAT and NOAA. Traditional along-track SSHA, and single as well as dual-satellite crossover assessments of the AltiKa performance are be provided. Unique aspects of the AltiKa mission such as improved along-track resolution, reduced ionospheric path delay corrections, mission-specific wind speed and sea state bias corrections, and sensitivity to liquid moisture and rain are also explored. In February 2014, a major update to the ground processing was introduced. "Patch-2" improved the way wind speed was derived from altimeter backscatter, as suggested by Lillibridge et al. (1). The backscatter attenuation is now derived from the radiometer measurements via neural network algorithms, which also determine the wet tropospheric correction. We emphasize these improvements in our analysis. After 2 years in flight, SARAL/AltiKa is already providing a significant contribution to the constellation of operational radar altimetry missions, demonstrating the large benefits of high-rate Ka-band altimetry. (1) Lillibridge, John, Remko Scharroo, Saleh Abdalla, Doug Vandemark, 2014: One- and Two-Dimensional Wind Speed Models for Ka-Band Altimetry. J. Atmos. Oceanic Technol., 31, 630-638. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/JTECH-D-13-00167.1

Cu2+ triggers reversible aggregation of a disordered His-rich dehydrin MpDhn12 from Musa paradisiaca.

PubMed

Mu, Peiqiang; Feng, Dongru; Su, Jianbin; Zhang, Yang; Dai, Jinran; Jin, Honglei; Liu, Bing; He, Yanming; Qi, Kangbiao; Wang, Hongbin; Wang, Jinfa

2011-11-01

Copper is an essential nutrient, but it is toxic in excess. Here, we cloned and characterized a His-rich low molecular weight dehydrin from Musa paradisiaca, MpDhn12. Analysis by circular dichroism (CD) spectra and a thermal stability assay showed that MpDhn12 is an intrinsically disordered protein, and immobilized-metal affinity chromatography (IMAC) analysis revealed that MpDhn12 can bind Cu(2+) both in vitro and in vivo. Interestingly, MpDhn12 aggregated under excess Cu(2+) conditions, and the aggregation was reversible and impaired by histidine modification with diethylpyrocarbonate (DEPC), while the disordered structure of another dehydrin ERD14 (as a control) was not changed. Furthermore, MpDhn12 could complement the copper-sensitive phenotype of yeast mutant Δsod1. These results together suggested that MpDhn12 may take part in buffering copper levels through chelation and formation of aggregates in excess Cu(2+) conditions. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first report that a dehydrin interchanged between disordered and aggregated state triggered by copper.

Risk analysis of inter-species reassortment through a Rift Valley fever phlebovirus MP-12 vaccine strain.

PubMed

Ly, Hoai J; Lokugamage, Nandadeva; Nishiyama, Shoko; Ikegami, Tetsuro

2017-01-01

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a mosquito-borne zoonotic disease endemic to Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. The causative agent, Rift Valley fever phlebovirus (RVFV), belongs to the genus Phlebovirus in the family Phenuiviridae and causes high rates of abortions in ruminants, and hemorrhagic fever, encephalitis, or blindness in humans. Viral maintenance by mosquito vectors has led to sporadic RVF outbreaks in ruminants and humans in endemic countries, and effective vaccination of animals and humans may minimize the impact of this disease. A live-attenuated MP-12 vaccine strain is one of the best characterized RVFV strains, and was conditionally approved as a veterinary vaccine in the U.S. Live-attenuated RVF vaccines including MP-12 strain may form reassortant strains with other bunyavirus species. This study thus aimed to characterize the occurrence of genetic reassortment between the MP-12 strain and bunyavirus species closely related to RVFV. The Arumowot virus (AMTV) and Gouleako goukovirus (GOLV), are transmitted by mosquitoes in Africa. The results of this study showed that GOLV does not form detectable reassortant strains with the MP-12 strain in co-infected C6/36 cells. The AMTV also did not form any reassortant strains with MP-12 strain in co-infected C6/36 cells, due to the incompatibility among N, L, and Gn/Gc proteins. A lack of reassortant formation could be due to a functional incompatibility of N and L proteins derived from heterologous species, and due to a lack of packaging via heterologous Gn/Gc proteins. The MP-12 strain did, however, randomly exchange L-, M-, and S-segments with a genetic variant strain, rMP12-GM50, in culture cells. The MP-12 strain is thus unlikely to form any reassortant strains with AMTV or GOLV in nature.

Computing pKa Values in Different Solvents by Electrostatic Transformation.

PubMed

Rossini, Emanuele; Netz, Roland R; Knapp, Ernst-Walter

2016-07-12

We introduce a method that requires only moderate computational effort to compute pKa values of small molecules in different solvents with an average accuracy of better than 0.7 pH units. With a known pKa value in one solvent, the electrostatic transform method computes the pKa value in any other solvent if the proton solvation energy is known in both considered solvents. To apply the electrostatic transform method to a molecule, the electrostatic solvation energies of the protonated and deprotonated molecular species are computed in the two considered solvents using a dielectric continuum to describe the solvent. This is demonstrated for 30 molecules belonging to 10 different molecular families by considering 77 measured pKa values in 4 different solvents: water, acetonitrile, dimethyl sulfoxide, and methanol. The electrostatic transform method can be applied to any other solvent if the proton solvation energy is known. It is exclusively based on physicochemical principles, not using any empirical fetch factors or explicit solvent molecules, to obtain agreement with measured pKa values and is therefore ready to be generalized to other solute molecules and solvents. From the computed pKa values, we obtained relative proton solvation energies, which agree very well with the proton solvation energies computed recently by ab initio methods, and used these energies in the present study.

Use of MP3 players to increase asthma knowledge in inner-city African-American adolescents.

PubMed

Mosnaim, Giselle S; Cohen, Marc S; Rhoads, Christopher H; Rittner, Sarah Stuart; Powell, Lynda H

2008-01-01

Low-income African-American adolescents suffer a disproportionate burden of asthma morbidity. To evaluate the ability of our intervention, the Adolescents' Disease Empowerment and Persistency Technology (ADEPT) for asthma, to increase asthma knowledge in our target population. This was a 14-week (2-week run-in and 12-week treatment) randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study in which 28 inner-city African-American adolescents with asthma, between 10 and 18 years of age, were randomized to receive (1) celebrity asthma messages (experimental group), or (2) general health messages (control group) between music tracks on an MP3 player. The asthma messages were recorded by famous athletes, musicians, and other celebrities popular among this group of teenagers. Asthma knowledge, assessed by the ZAP Asthma Knowledge instrament, was collected pre- and post-intervention. Mean improvement in ZAP score was significantly higher in the experimental group (8.1%, SD 7.2%) than the control group (0.4%, SD 7.2%) (p = 0.05). These findings suggest that this may be an innovative and promising new approach to improving asthma outcomes in this difficult-to-reach population.

Ovarian mast cells migrate toward ovary-fimbria connection in neonatal MRL/MpJ mice.

PubMed

Nakamura, Teppei; Chihara, Masataka; Ichii, Osamu; Otsuka-Kanazawa, Saori; Nagasaki, Ken-Ichi; Elewa, Yaser Hosny Ali; Tatsumi, Osamu; Kon, Yasuhiro

2018-01-01

MRL/MpJ mice have abundant ovarian mast cells (MCs) as compared with other strains at postnatal day 0 (P0); however, they sharply decrease after birth. These ovarian MCs, particularly beneath the ovarian surface epithelium (SE), which express mucosal MC (MMC) marker, might participate in early follicular development. This study investigated the changes in spatiotemporal distribution of MCs in the perinatal MRL/MpJ mouse ovaries. At P0 to P7, the MCs were densely localized to the ovary, especially their caudomedial region around the ovary-fimbria connection. The neonatal ovarian MCs showed intermediate characteristics of MMC and connective tissue MC (CTMC), and the latter phenotype became evident with aging. However, the expression ratio of the MMC to CTMC marker increased from P0 to P4 in the MRL/MpJ mouse ovary. Similarly, the ratio of MCs facing SE to total MC number increased with aging, although the number of ovarian MCs decreased, indicating the relative increase in MMC phenotypes in the early neonatal ovary. Neither proliferating nor apoptotic MCs were found in the MRL/MpJ mouse ovaries. The parenchymal cells surrounding MCs at ovary-fimbria connection showed similar molecular expression patterns (E-cadherin+/Foxl2-/Gata4+) as that of the ovarian surface epithelial cells. At P2, around the ovary-fimbria connection, c-kit- immature oocytes formed clusters called nests, and some MCs localized adjacent to c-kit- oocytes within the nests. These results indicated that in postnatal MRL/MpJ mice, ovarian MCs changed their distribution by migrating toward the parenchymal cells composing ovary-fimbria connection, which possessed similar characteristics to the ovarian surface epithelium. Thus, we elucidated the spatiotemporal alterations of the ovarian MCs in MRL/MpJ mice, and suggested their importance during the early follicular development by migrating toward the ovary-fimbria connection. MRL/MpJ mice would be useful to elucidate the relationship between neonatal

Ovarian mast cells migrate toward ovary-fimbria connection in neonatal MRL/MpJ mice

PubMed Central

Chihara, Masataka; Ichii, Osamu; Otsuka-Kanazawa, Saori; Nagasaki, Ken-ichi; Elewa, Yaser Hosny Ali; Tatsumi, Osamu; Kon, Yasuhiro

2018-01-01

MRL/MpJ mice have abundant ovarian mast cells (MCs) as compared with other strains at postnatal day 0 (P0); however, they sharply decrease after birth. These ovarian MCs, particularly beneath the ovarian surface epithelium (SE), which express mucosal MC (MMC) marker, might participate in early follicular development. This study investigated the changes in spatiotemporal distribution of MCs in the perinatal MRL/MpJ mouse ovaries. At P0 to P7, the MCs were densely localized to the ovary, especially their caudomedial region around the ovary-fimbria connection. The neonatal ovarian MCs showed intermediate characteristics of MMC and connective tissue MC (CTMC), and the latter phenotype became evident with aging. However, the expression ratio of the MMC to CTMC marker increased from P0 to P4 in the MRL/MpJ mouse ovary. Similarly, the ratio of MCs facing SE to total MC number increased with aging, although the number of ovarian MCs decreased, indicating the relative increase in MMC phenotypes in the early neonatal ovary. Neither proliferating nor apoptotic MCs were found in the MRL/MpJ mouse ovaries. The parenchymal cells surrounding MCs at ovary-fimbria connection showed similar molecular expression patterns (E-cadherin+/Foxl2-/Gata4+) as that of the ovarian surface epithelial cells. At P2, around the ovary-fimbria connection, c-kit- immature oocytes formed clusters called nests, and some MCs localized adjacent to c-kit- oocytes within the nests. These results indicated that in postnatal MRL/MpJ mice, ovarian MCs changed their distribution by migrating toward the parenchymal cells composing ovary-fimbria connection, which possessed similar characteristics to the ovarian surface epithelium. Thus, we elucidated the spatiotemporal alterations of the ovarian MCs in MRL/MpJ mice, and suggested their importance during the early follicular development by migrating toward the ovary-fimbria connection. MRL/MpJ mice would be useful to elucidate the relationship between neonatal

Using OpenMP vs. Threading Building Blocks for Medical Imaging on Multi-cores

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kegel, Philipp; Schellmann, Maraike; Gorlatch, Sergei

We compare two parallel programming approaches for multi-core systems: the well-known OpenMP and the recently introduced Threading Building Blocks (TBB) library by Intel®. The comparison is made using the parallelization of a real-world numerical algorithm for medical imaging. We develop several parallel implementations, and compare them w.r.t. programming effort, programming style and abstraction, and runtime performance. We show that TBB requires a considerable program re-design, whereas with OpenMP simple compiler directives are sufficient. While TBB appears to be less appropriate for parallelizing existing implementations, it fosters a good programming style and higher abstraction level for newly developed parallel programs. Our experimental measurements on a dual quad-core system demonstrate that OpenMP slightly outperforms TBB in our implementation.

Multitasking 3-D forward modeling using high-order finite difference methods on the Cray X-MP/416

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

Terki-Hassaine, O.; Leiss, E.L.

1988-01-01

The CRAY X-MP/416 was used to multitask 3-D forward modeling by the high-order finite difference method. Flowtrace analysis reveals that the most expensive operation in the unitasked program is a matrix vector multiplication. The in-core and out-of-core versions of a reentrant subroutine can perform any fraction of the matrix vector multiplication independently, a pattern compatible with multitasking. The matrix vector multiplication routine can be distributed over two to four processors. The rest of the program utilizes the microtasking feature that lets the system treat independent iterations of DO-loops as subtasks to be performed by any available processor. The availability ofmore » the Solid-State Storage Device (SSD) meant the I/O wait time was virtually zero. A performance study determined a theoretical speedup, taking into account the multitasking overhead. Multitasking programs utilizing both macrotasking and microtasking features obtained actual speedups that were approximately 80% of the ideal speedup.« less

Genomic Analysis of the Appearance of Ovarian Mast Cells in Neonatal MRL/MpJ Mice

PubMed Central

Nakamura, Teppei; Sakata, Yuko; Otsuka-Kanazawa, Saori; Ichii, Osamu; Chihara, Masataka; Nagasaki, Ken-ichi; Namiki, Yuka; Kon, Yasuhiro

2014-01-01

In MRL/MpJ mice, ovarian mast cells (OMCs) are more abundant than in other mouse strains, and tend to distribute beneath the ovarian surface epithelium at birth. This study investigated the factors regulating the appearance of neonatal OMCs in progeny of the cross between MRL/MpJ and C57BL/6N strains. F1 neonates had less than half the number of OMCs than MRL/MpJ. Interestingly, MRLB6F1 had more neonatal OMCs than B6MRLF1, although they were distributed over comparable areas. Furthermore, in MRL/MpJ fetuses for which parturition was delayed until embryonic day 21.5, the number of OMCs was significantly higher than in age-matched controls at postnatal day 2. These results suggest that the number of OMCs was influenced by the environmental factors during pregnancy. Quantitative trait locus analysis using N2 backcross progeny revealed two significant loci on chromosome 8: D8Mit343–D8Mit312 for the number of OMCs and D8Mit86–D8Mit89 for their distribution, designated as mast cell in the ovary of MRL/MpJ 1 (mcom1) and mcom2, respectively. Among MC migration-associated genes, ovarian expression of chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 17 at mcom1 locus was significantly higher in MRL/MpJ than in C57BL/6N, and positively correlated with the expression of OMC marker genes. These results indicate that the appearance of neonatal OMCs in MRL/MpJ is controlled by environmental factors and filial genetic factors, and that the abundance and distribution of OMCs are regulated by independent filial genetic elements. PMID:24956472

MpAMT1;2 from Marchantia polymorpha is a High-Affinity, Plasma Membrane Ammonium Transporter.

PubMed

Guo, Hanqing; Wang, Nu; McDonald, Tami R; Reinders, Anke; Ward, John M

2018-05-01

Plant ammonium transporters in the AMT/MEP/Rh (ammonium transporter/methylammonium and ammonium permease/Rhesus factor) superfamily have only been previously characterized in flowering plants (angiosperms). Plant AMT1s are electrogenic, while plant AMT2s are electroneutral, and MEP and Rh transporters in other organisms are electroneutral. We analyzed the transport function of MpAMT1;2 from the basal land plant Marchantia polymorpha, a liverwort. MpAMT1;2 was shown to localize to the plasma membrane in Marchantia gametophyte thallus by stable transformation using a C-terminal citrine fusion. MpAMT1;2 expression was studied using quantitative real-time PCR and shown to be higher when plants were N deficient and lower when plants were grown on media containing ammonium, nitrate or the amino acid glutamine. Expression in Xenopus oocytes and analysis by electrophysiology revealed that MpAMT1;2 is an electrogenic ammonium transporter with a very high affinity for ammonium (7 µM at pH 5.6 and a membrane potential of -137 mV). A conserved inhibitory phosphorylation site identified in angiosperm AMT1s is also present in all AMT1s in Marchantia. Here we show that a phosphomimetic mutation T475D in MpAMT1;2 completely inhibits ammonium transport activity. The results indicate that MpAMT1;2 may be important for ammonium uptake into cells in the Marchantia thallus.

Paleoclimate in continental northwestern Europe during the Eemian and early Weichselian (125-97 ka): insights from a Belgian speleothem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vansteenberge, Stef; Verheyden, Sophie; Cheng, Hai; Edwards, R. Lawrence; Keppens, Eddy; Claeys, Philippe

2016-07-01

The last interglacial serves as an excellent time interval for studying climate dynamics during past warm periods. Speleothems have been successfully used for reconstructing the paleoclimate of last interglacial continental Europe. However, all previously investigated speleothems are restricted to southern Europe or the Alps, leaving large parts of northwestern Europe undocumented. To better understand regional climate changes over the past, a larger spatial coverage of European last interglacial continental records is essential, and speleothems, because of their ability to obtain excellent chronologies, can provide a major contribution. Here, we present new, high-resolution data from a stalagmite (Han-9) obtained from the Han-sur-Lesse Cave in Belgium. Han-9 formed between 125.3 and ˜ 97 ka, with interruptions of growth occurring at 117.3-112.9 and 106.6-103.6 ka. The speleothem was investigated for its growth, morphology and stable isotope (δ13C and δ18O) composition. The speleothem started growing relatively late within the last interglacial, at 125.3 ka, as other European continental archives suggest that Eemian optimum conditions were already present during that time. It appears that the initiation of Han-9 growth is caused by an increase in moisture availability, linked to wetter conditions around 125.3 ka. The δ13C and δ18O proxies indicate a period of relatively stable conditions after 125.3 ka; however, at 120 ka the speleothem δ18O registered the first signs of regionally changing climate conditions, being a modification of ocean source δ18O linked to an increase in ice volume towards the Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5e-5d transition. At 117.5 ka, drastic vegetation changes are recorded by Han-9 δ13C immediately followed by a cessation of speleothem growth at 117.3 ka, suggesting a transition to significantly dryer conditions. The Han-9 record covering the early Weichselian displays larger amplitudes in both isotope proxies and changes in stalagmite

Post-exposure vaccination with MP-12 lacking NSs protects mice against lethal Rift Valley fever virus challenge.

PubMed

Gowen, Brian B; Bailey, Kevin W; Scharton, Dionna; Vest, Zachery; Westover, Jonna B; Skirpstunas, Ramona; Ikegami, Tetsuro

2013-05-01

Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) causes severe disease in humans and livestock. There are currently no approved antivirals or vaccines for the treatment or prevention of RVF disease in humans. A major virulence factor of RVFV is the NSs protein, which inhibits host transcription including the interferon (IFN)-β gene and promotes the degradation of dsRNA-dependent protein kinase, PKR. We analyzed the efficacy of the live-attenuated MP-12 vaccine strain and MP-12 variants that lack the NSs protein as post-exposure vaccinations. Although parental MP-12 failed to elicit a protective effect in mice challenged with wild-type (wt) RVFV by the intranasal route, significant protection was demonstrated by vaccination with MP-12 strains lacking NSs when they were administered at 20-30 min post-exposure. Viremia and virus replication in liver, spleen and brain were also inhibited by post-exposure vaccination with MP-12 lacking NSs. The protective effect was mostly lost when vaccination was delayed 6 or 24 h after intranasal RVFV challenge. When mice were challenged subcutaneously, efficacy of MP-12 lacking NSs was diminished, most likely due to more rapid dissemination of wt RVFV. Our findings suggest that post-exposure vaccination with MP-12 lacking NSs may be developed as a novel post-exposure treatment to prevent RVF. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Onboard Interferometric SAR Processor for the Ka-Band Radar Interferometer (KaRIn)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Esteban-Fernandez, Daniel; Rodriquez, Ernesto; Peral, Eva; Clark, Duane I.; Wu, Xiaoqing

2011-01-01

An interferometric synthetic aperture radar (SAR) onboard processor concept and algorithm has been developed for the Ka-band radar interferometer (KaRIn) instrument on the Surface and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission. This is a mission- critical subsystem that will perform interferometric SAR processing and multi-look averaging over the oceans to decrease the data rate by three orders of magnitude, and therefore enable the downlink of the radar data to the ground. The onboard processor performs demodulation, range compression, coregistration, and re-sampling, and forms nine azimuth squinted beams. For each of them, an interferogram is generated, including common-band spectral filtering to improve correlation, followed by averaging to the final 1 1-km ground resolution pixel. The onboard processor has been prototyped on a custom FPGA-based cPCI board, which will be part of the radar s digital subsystem. The level of complexity of this technology, dictated by the implementation of interferometric SAR processing at high resolution, the extremely tight level of accuracy required, and its implementation on FPGAs are unprecedented at the time of this reporting for an onboard processor for flight applications.

Determination of the pKa of the N-terminal amino group of ubiquitin by NMR

PubMed Central

Oregioni, Alain; Stieglitz, Benjamin; Kelly, Geoffrey; Rittinger, Katrin; Frenkiel, Tom

2017-01-01

Ubiquitination regulates nearly every aspect of cellular life. It is catalysed by a cascade of three enzymes and results in the attachment of the C-terminal carboxylate of ubiquitin to a lysine side chain in the protein substrate. Chain extension occurs via addition of subsequent ubiquitin molecules to either one of the seven lysine residues of ubiquitin, or via its N-terminal α-amino group to build linear ubiquitin chains. The pKa of lysine side chains is around 10.5 and hence E3 ligases require a mechanism to deprotonate the amino group at physiological pH to produce an effective nucleophile. In contrast, the pKa of N-terminal α-amino groups of proteins can vary significantly, with reported values between 6.8 and 9.1, raising the possibility that linear chain synthesis may not require a general base. In this study we use NMR spectroscopy to determine the pKa for the N-terminal α-amino group of methionine1 of ubiquitin for the first time. We show that it is 9.14, one of the highest pKa values ever reported for this amino group, providing a rational for the observed need for a general base in the E3 ligase HOIP, which synthesizes linear ubiquitin chains. PMID:28252051

Potential forcings of summer temperature variability of the southeastern Tibetan Plateau in the past 12 ka

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Enlou; Chang, Jie; Sun, Weiwei; Cao, Yanmin; Langdon, Peter; Cheng, Jun

2018-06-01

Investigating potential forcing mechanisms of terrestrial summer temperature changes from the Asian summer monsoon influenced area is of importance to better understand the climate variability in these densely populated regions. The results of spectral and wavelet analyses of the published chironomid reconstructed mean July temperature data from Tiancai Lake on the SE Tibetan Plateau are presented. The evidence of solar forcing of the summer temperature variability from the site on centennial timescales where key solar periodicities (at 855 ± 40, 465 ± 40, 315 ± 40 and 165 ± 40 year) are revealed. By using a band-pass filter, coherent fluctuations were found in the strength of Asian summer monsoon, Northern Hemisphere high latitude climate and high elevation mid-latitude (26°N) terrestrial temperatures with solar sunspot cycles since about 7.6 ka. The two abrupt cooling events detected from the Tiancai Lake record, centered at ∼9.7 and 3.5 ka were examined respectively. Coupled with the paleoclimate modeling results, the early Holocene event (9.7 ka) is possibly linked to an ocean-atmospheric feedback mechanism whereas the latter event (3.5 ka) may be more directly related to external forcing.

Paleomagnetic Directions of 3-4ka Basaltic Volcanoes in the Aso Central Cone, Kyushu Japan: Contributions to the Paleosecular Variation and the Volcano-Stratigraphic Studies.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shibuya, H.; Mochizuki, N.; Miyabuchi, Y.

2017-12-01

In the central cone of Aso volcano, Kyushu Japan, there are 4 basaltic volcanic cones of 3-4 ka in age. The lava flows from those cones spread on the flank of the cones, and they were classified in the relation to each cone. The composition and lithology of those lavas are, however, often difficult to distinguish each other. Thus, we try the magnetostratigraphic study of those lava flows to confirm the classification. The samples were collected from 22 sites, one from a scoria cone and others are from lava, and measured their paleomagnetism. The magnetization of those samples is quite simple, as expected, and alternating field demagnetization well defines the primary component. The site mean directions aligns well on an arc, which defines the paleosecular variation of those ages, 3-4ka. The lava flows and a welded scoria classified as of two centers (Komezuka and Kamikomezuka) are well clustered and confirmed to a single or very closely erupted in time for each center. On the other hand, lava flows related to the other two centers (Ojo and Kijima) have multiple clusters in paleomagnetic directions, and their ages estimated from the paleosecular variation curve interfingers to the classification. It is also very interesting that there seems to be a stagnant point in secular variation just before 3ka, whose direction is similar to the known stagnant point in archeomagnetic secular variation at around 800CE. If there is tendency to stop the SV at the direction, it may be related to the core dynamo processes.

Studying NASA's Transition to Ka-Band Communications for Low Earth Orbit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chelmins, David; Reinhart, Richard; Mortensen, Dale; Welch, Bryan; Downey, Joseph; Evans, Mike

2014-01-01

As the S-band spectrum becomes crowded, future space missions will need to consider moving command and telemetry services to Ka-band. NASAs Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) Testbed provides a software-defined radio (SDR) platform that is capable of supporting investigation of this service transition. The testbed contains two S-band SDRs and one Ka-band SDR. Over the past year, SCaN Testbed has demonstrated Ka-band communications capabilities with NASAs Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) using both open- and closed-loop antenna tracking profiles. A number of technical areas need to be addressed for successful transition to Ka-band. The smaller antenna beamwidth at Ka-band increases the criticality of antenna pointing, necessitating closed loop tracking algorithms and new techniques for received power estimation. Additionally, the antenna pointing routines require enhanced knowledge of spacecraft position and attitude for initial acquisition, versus an S-band antenna. Ka-band provides a number of technical advantages for bulk data transfer. Unlike at S-band, a larger bandwidth may be available for space missions, allowing increased data rates. The potential for high rate data transfer can also be extended for direct-to-ground links through use of variable or adaptive coding and modulation. Specific examples of Ka-band research from SCaN Testbeds first year of operation will be cited, such as communications link performance with TDRSS, and the effects of truss flexure on antenna pointing.

Studying NASA's Transition to Ka-Band Communications for Low Earth Orbit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chelmins, David T.; Reinhart, Richard C.; Mortensen, Dale; Welch, Bryan; Downey, Joseph; Evans, Michael

2014-01-01

As the S-band spectrum becomes crowded, future space missions will need to consider moving command and telemetry services to Ka-band. NASA's Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) Testbed provides a software-defined radio (SDR) platform that is capable of supporting investigation of this service transition. The testbed contains two S-band SDRs and one Ka-band SDR. Over the past year, SCaN Testbed has demonstrated Ka-band communications capabilities with NASAs Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) using both open- and closed-loop antenna tracking profiles. A number of technical areas need to be addressed for successful transition to Ka-band. The smaller antenna beamwidth at Ka-band increases the criticality of antenna pointing, necessitating closed loop tracking algorithms and new techniques for received power estimation. Additionally, the antenna pointing routines require enhanced knowledge of spacecraft position and attitude for initial acquisition, versus an S-band antenna. Ka-band provides a number of technical advantages for bulk data transfer. Unlike at S-band, a larger bandwidth may be available for space missions, allowing increased data rates. The potential for high rate data transfer can also be extended for direct-to-ground links through use of variable or adaptive coding and modulation. Specific examples of Ka-band research from SCaN Testbeds first year of operation will be cited, such as communications link performance with TDRSS, and the effects of truss flexure on antenna pointing.

Gender-Specific Combination HIV Prevention for Youth in High-Burden Settings: The MP3 Youth Observational Pilot Study Protocol

PubMed Central

Agot, Kawango

2017-01-01

Background Nearly three decades into the epidemic, sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) remains the region most heavily affected by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), with nearly 70% of the 34 million people living with HIV globally residing in the region. In SSA, female and male youth (15 to 24 years) are at a disproportionately high risk of HIV infection compared to adults. As such, there is a need to target HIV prevention strategies to youth and to tailor them to a gender-specific context. This protocol describes the process for the multi-staged approach in the design of the MP3 Youth pilot study, a gender-specific, combination, HIV prevention intervention for youth in Kenya. Objective The objective of this multi-method protocol is to outline a rigorous and replicable methodology for a gender-specific combination HIV prevention pilot study for youth in high-burden settings, illustrating the triangulated methods undertaken to ensure that age, sex, and context are integral in the design of the intervention. Methods The mixed-methods, cross-sectional, longitudinal cohort pilot study protocol was developed by first conducting a systematic review of the literature, which shaped focus group discussions around prevention package and delivery options, and that also informed age- and sex- stratified mathematical modeling. The review, qualitative data, and mathematical modeling created a triangulated evidence base of interventions to be included in the pilot study protocol. To design the pilot study protocol, we convened an expert panel to select HIV prevention interventions effective for youth in SSA, which will be offered in a mobile health setting. The goal of the pilot study implementation and evaluation is to apply lessons learned to more effective HIV prevention evidence and programming. Results The combination HIV prevention package in this protocol includes (1) offering HIV testing and counseling for all youth; (2) voluntary medical circumcision and condoms for males; (3

Multifunctional triblock co-polymer mP3/4HB-b-PEG-b-lPEI for efficient intracellular siRNA delivery and gene silencing.

PubMed

Zhou, Li; Chen, Zhifei; Wang, Feifei; Yang, Xiuqun; Zhang, Biliang

2013-04-01

A non-viral siRNA carrier composed of mono-methoxy-poly (3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate)-block-polyethylene glycol-block-linear polyethyleneimine (mP3/4HB-b-PEG-b-lPEI) was synthesized using 1800 Da linear polyethyleneimine and evaluated for siRNA delivery. Our study demonstrated that siRNA could be efficiently combined with mP3/4HB-b-PEG-b-lPEI (mAG) co-polymer and was protected from nuclease degradation. The combined siRNA were released from the complexes easily under heparin competition. The particle size of the mAG/siRNA complexes was 158 nm, with a ζ-potential of around 28 mV. Atomic force microscopy images displayed spherical and homogeneously distributed complexes. The mAG block co-polymer displayed low cytotoxicity and efficient cellular uptake of Cy3-siRNA in A549 cells by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy. In vitro transfection efficiency of the block co-polymer was assessed using siRNA against luciferase in cultured A549-Luc, HeLa-Luc, HLF-Luc, A375-Luc and MCF-7-Luc cells. A higher transfection efficiency and lower cytotoxicity was obtained by mAG block co-polymer in five cell lines. Furthermore, a remarkable improvement in luciferase gene silencing efficiency of the mAG complex (up to 90-95%) over that of Lipofectamine™ 2000 (70-82%) was observed in HLF-Luc and A375-Luc cells. Additionally, a mAG/p65-siRNA complex also showed a better capability than Lipofectamine™ 2000/p65-siRNA complex to drastically reduce the p65 mRNA level down to 10-16% in HeLa, U251 and HUVEC cells at an N/P ratio of 70. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Determination of pKa values of alendronate sodium in aqueous solution by piecewise linear regression based on acid-base potentiometric titration.

PubMed

Ke, Jing; Dou, Hanfei; Zhang, Ximin; Uhagaze, Dushimabararezi Serge; Ding, Xiali; Dong, Yuming

2016-12-01

As a mono-sodium salt form of alendronic acid, alendronate sodium presents multi-level ionization for the dissociation of its four hydroxyl groups. The dissociation constants of alendronate sodium were determined in this work by studying the piecewise linear relationship between volume of titrant and pH value based on acid-base potentiometric titration reaction. The distribution curves of alendronate sodium were drawn according to the determined pKa values. There were 4 dissociation constants (pKa 1 =2.43, pKa 2 =7.55, pKa 3 =10.80, pKa 4 =11.99, respectively) of alendronate sodium, and 12 existing forms, of which 4 could be ignored, existing in different pH environments.

Rift Valley fever MP-12 vaccine Phase 2 clinical trial: Safety, immunogenicity, and genetic characterization of virus isolates.

PubMed

Pittman, Phillip R; Norris, Sarah L; Brown, Elizabeth S; Ranadive, Manmohan V; Schibly, Barbara A; Bettinger, George E; Lokugamage, Nandadeva; Korman, Lawrence; Morrill, John C; Peters, Clarence J

2016-01-20

An outbreak or deliberate release of Rift Valley fever (RVF) virus could have serious public health and socioeconomic consequences. A safe RVF vaccine capable of eliciting long-lasting immunity after a single injection is urgently needed. The live attenuated RVF MP-12 vaccine candidate has shown promise in Phase 1 clinical trials; no evidence of reversion to virulence has been identified in numerous animal studies. The objective of this Phase 2 clinical trial was to (a) further examine the safety and immunogenicity of RVF MP-12 in RVF virus-naïve humans and (b) characterize isolates of RVF MP-12 virus recovered from the blood of vaccinated subjects to evaluate the genetic stability of MP-12 attenuation. We found that RVF MP-12 was well tolerated, causing mostly mild reactions that resolved without sequelae. Of 19 subjects, 18 (95%) and 19 (100%) achieved, respectively, 80% and 50% plaque reduction neutralization titers (PRNT80 and PRNT50)≥1:20 by postvaccination day 28. All 18 PRNT80 responders maintained PRNT80 and PRNT50≥1:40 until at least postvaccination month 12. Viremia was undetectable in the plasma of any subject by direct plaque assay techniques. However, 5 of 19 vaccinees were positive for MP-12 isolates in plasma by blind passage of plasma on Vero cells. Vaccine virus was also recovered from buffy coat material from one of those vaccinees and from one additional vaccinee. Through RNA sequencing of MP-12 isolates, we found no reversions of amino acids to those of the parent virulent virus (strain ZH548). Five years after a single dose of RVF MP-12 vaccine, 8 of 9 vaccinees (89%) maintained a PRNT80≥1:20. These findings support the continued development of RVF MP-12 as a countermeasure against RVF virus in humans. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The Alleret Maar lacustrine sequence (French Massif Central): a 150 ka long early-middle Pleistocene continental paleoenvironmental record.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nomade, S.; Pastre, J.; Guillou, H.; Gauthier, A.; Scaillet, S.

2008-12-01

Lacustrine maar sequences of the French Massif Central are of great interest for paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental reconstructions of mid-latitudes Quaternary continental environments. In particular, the western Velay region yields exceptional sequences spanning the last 450 ka (Reille et al., J. Quat. Sci. 2000). However, older sequences remain largely unknown despite the presence of interbedded alkaline tephras allowing precise absolute radiochronological control of many lacustrine squences. The Alleret maar is a 1500 m wide phreatomagmatic crater that provides a long lacustrine sequence (41 m). The upper part of this sequence (AL2 core, 14.6 m) was studied between 2005 and 2006 (Pastre et al., C. R. Acad Sci, 2007). A 39Ar/40Ar date (557 ± 5ka) obtained from an interbedded tephra layer located at 7m as well as the associated pollen data attribute the beginning of this sequence to the MIS 15. Thanks to the AL3 core recovered in 2005 (40.6 m, CNRS Meudon) several new tephra layers were discovered in the bottom part of this lacustrine sequence. Three new 39Ar/40Ar ages (single crystal analyses) from trachytic tephra layers were obtained at the LSCE Argon Laboratory (France). These layers are located at -30.2, -36.2 and -39.2m. Ages obtained relative to the ACR-2 flux standard (1,201Ma, Kuiper et al., Science, 2008) range from 692 ± 6 ka (MSWD: 2.3, n=18) for the youngest (-30.2m) to 726 ± 9Ka Ka (MSWD: 2.2, n=12) for the lowest tephra located at -39.2m. These new dates indicate a relatively homogeneous deposition rate of 3.5cm/ka and that the last 10 meters cover the MIS 17-MIS18 period. According to these current radiochronological data the complete lacustrine sequence last more than 150ka. Ongoing sedimentary and pollen studies will allow to extend the paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic records of the French Massif Central towards the beginning of the early middle Pleistocene.

Predicting p Ka values from EEM atomic charges

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

The acid dissociation constant p Ka is a very important molecular property, and there is a strong interest in the development of reliable and fast methods for p Ka prediction. We have evaluated the p Ka prediction capabilities of QSPR models based on empirical atomic charges calculated by the Electronegativity Equalization Method (EEM). Specifically, we collected 18 EEM parameter sets created for 8 different quantum mechanical (QM) charge calculation schemes. Afterwards, we prepared a training set of 74 substituted phenols. Additionally, for each molecule we generated its dissociated form by removing the phenolic hydrogen. For all the molecules in the training set, we then calculated EEM charges using the 18 parameter sets, and the QM charges using the 8 above mentioned charge calculation schemes. For each type of QM and EEM charges, we created one QSPR model employing charges from the non-dissociated molecules (three descriptor QSPR models), and one QSPR model based on charges from both dissociated and non-dissociated molecules (QSPR models with five descriptors). Afterwards, we calculated the quality criteria and evaluated all the QSPR models obtained. We found that QSPR models employing the EEM charges proved as a good approach for the prediction of p Ka (63% of these models had R2 > 0.9, while the best had R2 = 0.924). As expected, QM QSPR models provided more accurate p Ka predictions than the EEM QSPR models but the differences were not significant. Furthermore, a big advantage of the EEM QSPR models is that their descriptors (i.e., EEM atomic charges) can be calculated markedly faster than the QM charge descriptors. Moreover, we found that the EEM QSPR models are not so strongly influenced by the selection of the charge calculation approach as the QM QSPR models. The robustness of the EEM QSPR models was subsequently confirmed by cross-validation. The applicability of EEM QSPR models for other chemical classes was illustrated by a case study focused on

p Ka determinations of xanthene derivates in aqueous solutions by multivariate analysis applied to UV-Vis spectrophotometric data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Batistela, Vagner Roberto; Pellosi, Diogo Silva; de Souza, Franciane Dutra; da Costa, Willian Ferreira; de Oliveira Santin, Silvana Maria; de Souza, Vagner Roberto; Caetano, Wilker; de Oliveira, Hueder Paulo Moisés; Scarminio, Ieda Spacino; Hioka, Noboru

2011-09-01

Xanthenes form to an important class of dyes which are widely used. Most of them present three acid-base groups: two phenolic sites and one carboxylic site. Therefore, the p Ka determination and the attribution of each group to the corresponding p Ka value is a very important feature. Attempts to obtain reliable p Ka through the potentiometry titration and the electronic absorption spectrophotometry using the first and second orders derivative failed. Due to the close p Ka values allied to strong UV-Vis spectral overlap, multivariate analysis, a powerful chemometric method, is applied in this work. The determination was performed for eosin Y, erythrosin B, and bengal rose B, and also for other synthesized derivatives such as 2-(3,6-dihydroxy-9-acridinyl) benzoic acid, 2,4,5,7-tetranitrofluorescein, eosin methyl ester, and erythrosin methyl ester in water. These last two compounds (esters) permitted to attribute the p Ka of the phenolic group, which is not easily recognizable for some investigated dyes. Besides the p Ka determination, the chemometry allowed for estimating the electronic spectrum of some prevalent protolytic species and the substituents effects evaluation.

Effect of nitrification inhibitors (DMPP and 3MP+TZ) on soil nitrous oxide emissions from a sub-tropical vegetable production system in Queensland, Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scheer, Clemens; Deuter, Peter; Firrell, Mary; Rowlings, David; Grace, Peter

2015-04-01

The use of nitrification inhibitors, in combination with ammonium based fertilisers, has been promoted recently as an effective method to reduce nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from fertilised agricultural fields, whilst increasing yield and nitrogen use efficiency. Vegetable cropping systems are often characterised by high inputs of nitrogen fertiliser and consequently elevated emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O) can be expected. However, to date only limited data is available on the use of nitrification inhibitors in sub-tropical vegetable systems. A field experiment investigated the effect of the nitrification inhibitors (DMPP & 3MP+TZ) on N2O emissions and yield from a typical vegetable production system in sub-tropical Australia. Soil N2O fluxes were monitored continuously over an entire year with a fully automated system. Measurements were taken from three subplots for each treatment within a randomized complete blocks design. There was a significant inhibition effect of DMPP and 3MP+TZ on N2O emissions and soil mineral N content directly following the application of the fertiliser over the vegetable cropping phase. However this mitigation was offset by elevated N2O emissions from the inhibitor treatments over the post-harvest fallow period. Cumulative annual N2O emissions amounted to 1.22 kg-N/ha, 1.16 kg-N/ha, 1.50 kg-N/ha and 0.86 kg-N/ha in the conventional fertiliser (CONV), the DMPP treatment, the 3MP+TZ treatment and the zero fertiliser (0N) respectively. Corresponding fertiliser induced emission factors (EFs) were low with only 0.09 - 0.20% of the total applied fertiliser lost as N2O. There was no significant effect of the nitrification inhibitors on yield compared to the CONV treatment for the three vegetable crops (green beans, broccoli, lettuce) grown over the experimental period. This study highlights that N2O emissions from such vegetable cropping system are primarily controlled by post-harvest emissions following the incorporation of vegetable crop

Constraining Seasonal and Vertical Distributions of Planktonic Foraminifera for Paleoclimate Reconstruction Since MIS3 at the Axial Seamount, Juan de Fuca Ridge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, S. L.; Ravelo, A. C.; Clague, D. A.

2015-12-01

The California Current is an upwelling region with dynamic interactions between circulation, biological productivity and ecology. A 77 cm piston push core was taken from the Juan de Fuca Ridge Axial Seamount using a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) (2213m, 45.55º N, 130.08º W), an active submarine volcano ~480 km off Oregon's coast. Five radiocarbon dates indicate that the sediment ranges from 42.6 ka at 77 cm to 17.6 ka at 15 cm, with an average sediment accumulation rate of 2.47 cm/ka from 77-15 cm, and an average rate of 0.85 cm/ka during the postglacial period (<17.6 ka). Multiple species of planktic foraminifera from the core representing subtropical, subartic, and arctic fauna have been used to constrain changes in vertical and seasonal temperature since Marine Isotope Stage 3 (MIS3). Measurements of δ18O of the upwelling species Globigerina bulloides, the thermocline dwelling species Neogloboquadrina dutertrei, and the warm mixed-layer species Orbulina universa are offset from each other, reflecting vertical and seasonal variation among the planktonic foraminifera. Of the three species, G. bulloides shows the least variation in δ18O, possibly indicating that marked changes in temperature are masking changes in the δ18O of seawater due to global ice volume changes. G. bulloides and O. universa δ18O values are similar in MIS 3 and diverge with time, indicating the development of strong seasonal succession of species, since the last glacial maximum. Bulk nitrogen isotopes and nitrogen flux provide additional constraints on upwelling strength and insight into local biological productivity and nutrient dynamics. Obtaining Mg/Ca data will clarify the δ 18O interpretation except deep in the core where metal-bearing authigenic precipitates affect Mg concentrations. These climatic proxies together provide insight into how global climate change and local seamount volcanism impacts regional productivity in the California Current.

Cholesky-decomposed density MP2 with density fitting: Accurate MP2 and double-hybrid DFT energies for large systems

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

Maurer, Simon A.; Clin, Lucien; Ochsenfeld, Christian, E-mail: christian.ochsenfeld@uni-muenchen.de

2014-06-14

Our recently developed QQR-type integral screening is introduced in our Cholesky-decomposed pseudo-densities Møller-Plesset perturbation theory of second order (CDD-MP2) method. We use the resolution-of-the-identity (RI) approximation in combination with efficient integral transformations employing sparse matrix multiplications. The RI-CDD-MP2 method shows an asymptotic cubic scaling behavior with system size and a small prefactor that results in an early crossover to conventional methods for both small and large basis sets. We also explore the use of local fitting approximations which allow to further reduce the scaling behavior for very large systems. The reliability of our method is demonstrated on test sets formore » interaction and reaction energies of medium sized systems and on a diverse selection from our own benchmark set for total energies of larger systems. Timings on DNA systems show that fast calculations for systems with more than 500 atoms are feasible using a single processor core. Parallelization extends the range of accessible system sizes on one computing node with multiple cores to more than 1000 atoms in a double-zeta basis and more than 500 atoms in a triple-zeta basis.« less

20. Zoo Substation. Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., PA. Sec. 1101, MP ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

20. Zoo Substation. Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., PA. Sec. 1101, MP 87.25. - Northeast Railroad Corridor, Amtrak route between Delaware-Pennsylvania & Pennsylvania-New Jersey state lines, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA

Mid-Brunhes magnetic excursions in marine isotope stages 9, 13, 14, and 15 (286, 495, 540, and 590 ka) at North Atlantic IODP Sites U1302/3, U1305, and U1306

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Channell, J. E. T.

2017-02-01

Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) Site U1302/3 (Orphan Knoll, off Newfoundland) recorded magnetic excursions in marine isotope stages (MIS) 9a (at 286 ka) and 13a (at 495 ka). Sites U1306 and U1305 (Eirik Drift, off SE Greenland) record excursions in MIS 14a/b (at 540 ka) and 15b/c (at 590 ka). In the excursion intervals, magnetic measurements of continuous "u-channel" samples from multiple holes within site are augmented by measurements of cubic (8 cm3) discrete samples. The excursions lie in relative paleointensity (RPI) minima at each site and in RPI reference stacks, and correspond to dated intervals of 10Be overproduction in other deep-sea sediment records. Although observed at multiple holes at each site, and from u-channel and discrete samples, the excursions are not observed at all three sites, and often at only one of the three sites. Sporadic recording of these magnetic excursions, and excursions in general, is attributed to a combination of filtering by the process of acquisition of detrital remanent magnetization (DRM), postdepositional overprint of weak excursion magnetizations, the millennial or even centennial duration of directional excursions, and nonuniform sedimentation rates at these timescales in North Atlantic sediment drifts.

Low energy isomers of (H{sub 2}O){sub 25} from a hierarchical method based on Monte Carlo temperature basin paving and molecular tailoring approaches benchmarked by MP2 calculations

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

Sahu, Nityananda; Gadre, Shridhar R., E-mail: gadre@iitk.ac.in, E-mail: sotiris.xantheas@pnnl.gov; Rakshit, Avijit

2014-10-28

We report new global minimum candidate structures for the (H{sub 2}O){sub 25} cluster that are lower in energy than the ones reported previously and correspond to hydrogen bonded networks with 42 hydrogen bonds and an interior, fully coordinated water molecule. These were obtained as a result of a hierarchical approach based on initial Monte Carlo Temperature Basin Paving sampling of the cluster's Potential Energy Surface with the Effective Fragment Potential, subsequent geometry optimization using the Molecular Tailoring Approach with the fragments treated at the second order Møller-Plesset (MP2) perturbation (MTA-MP2) and final refinement of the entire cluster at the MP2more » level of theory. The MTA-MP2 optimized cluster geometries, constructed from the fragments, were found to be within <0.5 kcal/mol from the minimum geometries obtained from the MP2 optimization of the entire (H{sub 2}O){sub 25} cluster. In addition, the grafting of the MTA-MP2 energies yields electronic energies that are within <0.3 kcal/mol from the MP2 energies of the entire cluster while preserving their energy rank order. Finally, the MTA-MP2 approach was found to reproduce the MP2 harmonic vibrational frequencies, constructed from the fragments, quite accurately when compared to the MP2 ones of the entire cluster in both the HOH bending and the OH stretching regions of the spectra.« less

Ka-Band, Multi-Gigabit-Per-Second Transceiver

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simons, Rainee N.; Wintucky, Edwin G.; Smith, Francis J.; Harris, Johnny M.; Landon, David G.; Haddadin, Osama S.; McIntire, William K.; Sun, June Y.

2011-01-01

A document discusses a multi-Gigabit-per-second, Ka-band transceiver with a software-defined modem (SDM) capable of digitally encoding/decoding data and compensating for linear and nonlinear distortions in the end-to-end system, including the traveling-wave tube amplifier (TWTA). This innovation can increase data rates of space-to-ground communication links, and has potential application to NASA s future spacebased Earth observation system. The SDM incorporates an extended version of the industry-standard DVB-S2, and LDPC rate 9/10 FEC codec. The SDM supports a suite of waveforms, including QPSK, 8-PSK, 16-APSK, 32- APSK, 64-APSK, and 128-QAM. The Ka-band and TWTA deliver an output power on the order of 200 W with efficiency greater than 60%, and a passband of at least 3 GHz. The modem and the TWTA together enable a data rate of 20 Gbps with a low bit error rate (BER). The payload data rates for spacecraft in NASA s integrated space communications network can be increased by an order of magnitude (>10 ) over current state-of-practice. This innovation enhances the data rate by using bandwidth-efficient modulation techniques, which transmit a higher number of bits per Hertz of bandwidth than the currently used quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK) waveforms.

Autoimmune abnormality affects ovulation and oocyte-pick-up in MRL/MpJ-Fas lpr/lpr mice.

PubMed

Hosotani, M; Ichii, O; Nakamura, T; Kanazawa, S O; Elewa, Y Hosny Ali; Kon, Y

2018-01-01

Ovulation and oocyte-pick-up are essential processes in fertilization. Herein, we found associations between autoimmune disease and the aforementioned processes in mice. At three and six months, along with the evaluation of autoimmune disease indices, the ovary, mesosalpinx, and oviducts were histologically examined in C57BL/6, MRL/MpJ, and MRL/MpJ-Fas lpr/lpr mice as healthy control, mild and severe models of autoimmune disease, respectively. In superovulated mice, the number of "oocyte cumulus complexes" found in the ampulla was macroscopically counted, and that of "ovulated oocytes" was histologically evaluated, as indicated by ruptured follicles or corpora hemorrhagica in ovaries. Finally, the oocyte-pick-up rate was calculated. In MRL/MpJ-Fas lpr/lpr mice, the oocyte-pick-up rate decreased with disease-related deterioration, unlike in other mouse strains. Further, more ovulated oocytes were found in MRL/MpJ mice than in C57BL/6 mice, and this number significantly decreased with aging in MRL/MpJ-Fas lpr/lpr mice. Numerous T-cells infiltrated into the infundibulum or a part of the mesosalpinx in aged MRL/MpJ-Fas lpr/lpr mice, and their infundibulum showed swelling and fewer ciliated epithelial cells compared to that of C57BL/6 mice. In conclusion, the progression of severe autoimmune disease affected the oocyte-pick-up process through histopathological changes in the infundibulum. These results provide important insights into female infertility associated with autoimmune disease.

OpenMP Parallelization and Optimization of Graph-Based Machine Learning Algorithms

DOE PAGES

Meng, Zhaoyi; Koniges, Alice; He, Yun Helen; ...

2016-09-21

In this paper, we investigate the OpenMP parallelization and optimization of two novel data classification algorithms. The new algorithms are based on graph and PDE solution techniques and provide significant accuracy and performance advantages over traditional data classification algorithms in serial mode. The methods leverage the Nystrom extension to calculate eigenvalue/eigenvectors of the graph Laplacian and this is a self-contained module that can be used in conjunction with other graph-Laplacian based methods such as spectral clustering. We use performance tools to collect the hotspots and memory access of the serial codes and use OpenMP as the parallelization language to parallelizemore » the most time-consuming parts. Where possible, we also use library routines. We then optimize the OpenMP implementations and detail the performance on traditional supercomputer nodes (in our case a Cray XC30), and test the optimization steps on emerging testbed systems based on Intel’s Knights Corner and Landing processors. We show both performance improvement and strong scaling behavior. Finally, a large number of optimization techniques and analyses are necessary before the algorithm reaches almost ideal scaling.« less

Growth of Nanoscale BaTiO3/SrTiO3 Superlattices by Molecular-Beam Epitaxy

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-05-01

also of interest for novel acous- tic phonon devices including mirrors, filters, and cavities for coherent acoustic phonon generation and control...phonon “laser”).4 The structure of these devices is de- termined by the acoustic phonon wavelength, which is typically in the range of a few nanometers...nanoscale [(BaTiO3)n /(SrTiO3)m]p superlattices with atomically abrupt interfaces that are vital for the perfor- mance of acoustic phonon devices as

MpTheory Java library: a multi-platform Java library for systems biology based on the Metabolic P theory.

PubMed

Marchetti, Luca; Manca, Vincenzo

2015-04-15

MpTheory Java library is an open-source project collecting a set of objects and algorithms for modeling observed dynamics by means of the Metabolic P (MP) theory, that is, a mathematical theory introduced in 2004 for modeling biological dynamics. By means of the library, it is possible to model biological systems both at continuous and at discrete time. Moreover, the library comprises a set of regression algorithms for inferring MP models starting from time series of observations. To enhance the modeling experience, beside a pure Java usage, the library can be directly used within the most popular computing environments, such as MATLAB, GNU Octave, Mathematica and R. The library is open-source and licensed under the GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL) Version 3.0. Source code, binaries and complete documentation are available at http://mptheory.scienze.univr.it. luca.marchetti@univr.it, marchetti@cosbi.eu Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Using reverse genetics to manipulate the NSs gene of the Rift Valley fever virus MP-12 strain to improve vaccine safety and efficacy.

PubMed

Kalveram, Birte; Lihoradova, Olga; Indran, Sabarish V; Ikegami, Tetsuro

2011-11-01

Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV), which causes hemorrhagic fever, neurological disorders or blindness in humans, and a high rate abortion and fetal malformation in ruminants, has been classified as a HHS/USDA overlap select agent and a risk group 3 pathogen. It belongs to the genus Phlebovirus in the family Bunyaviridae and is one of the most virulent members of this family. Several reverse genetics systems for the RVFV MP-12 vaccine strain as well as wild-type RVFV strains, including ZH548 and ZH501, have been developed since 2006. The MP-12 strain (which is a risk group 2 pathogen and a non-select agent) is highly attenuated by several mutations in its M- and L-segments, but still carries virulent S-segment RNA, which encodes a functional virulence factor, NSs. The rMP12-C13type (C13type) carrying 69% in-frame deletion of NSs ORF lacks all the known NSs functions, while it replicates as efficient as does MP-12 in VeroE6 cells lacking type-I IFN. NSs induces a shut-off of host transcription including interferon (IFN)-beta mRNA and promotes degradation of double-stranded RNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR) at the post-translational level. IFN-beta is transcriptionally upregulated by interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF-3), NF-kB and activator protein-1 (AP-1), and the binding of IFN-beta to IFN-alpha/beta receptor (IFNAR) stimulates the transcription of IFN-alpha genes or other interferon stimulated genes (ISGs), which induces host antiviral activities, whereas host transcription suppression including IFN-beta gene by NSs prevents the gene upregulations of those ISGs in response to viral replication although IRF-3, NF-kB and activator protein-1 (AP-1) can be activated by RVFV7. Thus, NSs is an excellent target to further attenuate MP-12, and to enhance host innate immune responses by abolishing the IFN-beta suppression function. Here, we describe a protocol for generating a recombinant MP-12 encoding mutated NSs, and provide an example of a screening method to identify

Multitasking and microtasking experience on the NA S Cray-2 and ACF Cray X-MP

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Raiszadeh, Farhad

1987-01-01

The fast Fourier transform (FFT) kernel of the NAS benchmark program has been utilized to experiment with the multitasking library on the Cray-2 and Cray X-MP/48, and microtasking directives on the Cray X-MP. Some performance figures are shown, and the state of multitasking software is described.

A quantitative history of precipitation and hydrologic variability for the last 45 ka: Lake Titicaca, Salar de Coipasa and Salar de Uyuni, Peru and Bolivia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nunnery, A.; Baker, P. A.; Coe, M. T.; Fritz, S. C.; Rigsby, C. A.

2011-12-01

Precipitation on the Bolivian/Peruvian Altiplano is dominantly controlled by the South American summer Monsoon (SASM). Over long timescales moisture transport to the Altiplano by the SASM fluctuates in intensity due to precessional insolation forcing as well as teleconnections to millennial scale abrupt temperature shifts in the North Atlantic. These long-term changes in moisture transport have been observed in multiple paleoclimate and paleo-lake level records as advances and retreats of large lakes in the terminal basin (the Salar de Uyuni). Several previous studies using energy/water balance models have been applied to paleoclimate records in attempts to provide quantitative constraints on past precipitation and temperature (P and T). For example, Blodgett et al. concluded that high paleolake stands, first dated at ca. 16,000 cal. yr BP, required P 20% higher and T 5°C colder than modern. We expand on this work conducting two experiments. The first uses a latitudinal paleohydrologic profile to reconstruct hydrological history. The second uses a terrestrial hydrology model (THMB) to "predict" lake level given changes in P and T. The profile is constructed using records from Lake Titicaca (LT), Salar de Coipasa (SC) and Salar de Uyuni (SU). LT carbonate and diatom records indicate a deep, overflowing lake for much of the last 100 ka with a distinct dry, closed-basin phase in the early to mid Holocene. A continuous sediment core from SC indicates lake level fluctuations between deep and shallow phases for the last 45 ka. A natural gamma radiation log from SU, where large paleolakes alternated with shallow salt pans characteristic of drier and/or warmer periods, shows alternation between wet and dry phases through time. These three records give evidence to the complex nature of Altiplano hydrology, most notably the ability to sustain lakes in the SC basin while exhibiting dry conditions in SU. For the second experiment, THMB, which estimates water balance and

Pre-Flight Testing and Performance of a Ka-Band Software Defined Radio

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Downey, Joseph A.; Reinhart, Richard C.; Kacpura, Thomas

2012-01-01

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has developed a space-qualified, reprogrammable, Ka-band Software Defined Radio (SDR) to be utilized as part of an on-orbit, reconfigurable testbed. The testbed will operate on the truss of the International Space Station beginning in late 2012. Three unique SDRs comprise the testbed, and each radio is compliant to the Space Telecommunications Radio System (STRS) Architecture Standard. The testbed provides NASA, industry, other Government agencies, and academic partners the opportunity to develop communications, navigation, and networking applications in the laboratory and space environment, while at the same time advancing SDR technology, reducing risk, and enabling future mission capability. Designed and built by Harris Corporation, the Ka-band SDR is NASA's first space-qualified Ka-band SDR transceiver. The Harris SDR will also mark the first NASA user of the Ka-band capabilities of the Tracking Data and Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) for on-orbit operations. This paper describes the testbed's Ka-band System, including the SDR, travelling wave tube amplifier (TWTA), and antenna system. The reconfigurable aspects of the system enabled by SDR technology are discussed and the Ka-band system performance is presented as measured during extensive pre-flight testing.

MP2, DFT-D, and PCM study of the HMB-TCNE complex: Thermodynamics, electric properties, and solvent effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kysel, Ondrej; Budzák, Scaronimon; Medveď, Miroslav; Mach, Pavel

Geometry, thermodynamic, and electric properties of the pi-EDA complex between hexamethylbenzene (HMB) and tetracyanoethylene (TCNE) are investigated at the MP2/6-31G* and, partly, DFT-D/6-31G* levels. Solvent effects on the properties are evaluated using the PCM model. Fully optimized HMB-TCNE geometry in gas phase is a stacking complex with an interplanar distance 2.87 × 10-10 m and the corresponding BSSE corrected interaction energy is -51.3 kJ mol-1. As expected, the interplanar distance is much shorter in comparison with HF and DFT results. However the crystal structures of both (HMB)2-TCNE and HMB-TCNE complexes have interplanar distances somewhat larger (3.18 and 3.28 × 10-10 m, respectively) than our MP2 gas phase value. Our estimate of the distance in CCl4 on the basis of PCM solvent effect study is also larger (3.06-3.16 × 10-10 m). The calculated enthalpy, entropy, Gibbs energy, and equilibrium constant of HMB-TCNE complex formation in gas phase are: DeltaH0 = -61.59 kJ mol-1, DeltaSc0 = -143 J mol-1 K-1, DeltaG0 = -18.97 kJ mol-1, and K = 2,100 dm3 mol-1. Experimental data, however, measured in CCl4 are significantly lower: DeltaH0 = -34 kJ mol-1, DeltaSc0 = -70.4 J mol-1 K-1, DeltaG0 = -13.01 kJ mol-1, and K = 190 dm3 mol-1. The differences are caused by solvation effects which stabilize more the isolated components than the complex. The total solvent destabilization of Gibbs energy of the complex relatively to that of components is equal to 5.9 kJ mol-1 which is very close to our PCM value 6.5 kJ mol-1. MP2/6-31G* dipole moment and polarizabilities are in reasonable agreement with experiment (3.56 D versus 2.8 D for dipole moment). The difference here is due to solvent effect which enlarges interplanar distance and thus decreases dipole moment value. The MP2/6-31G* study supplemented by DFT-D parameterization for enthalpy calculation, and by the PCM approach to include solvent effect seems to be proper tools to elucidate the properties of pi

A Novel Ku-Band/Ka-Band and Ka-Band/E-Band Multimode Waveguide Couplers for Power Measurement of Traveling-Wave Tube Amplifier Harmonic Frequencies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wintucky, Edwin G.; Simons, Rainee N.

2015-01-01

This paper presents the design, fabrication and test results for a novel waveguide multimode directional coupler (MDC). The coupler, fabricated from two dissimilar frequency band waveguides, is capable of isolating power at the second harmonic frequency from the fundamental power at the output port of a traveling-wave tube (TWT) amplifier. Test results from proof-of-concept demonstrations are presented for a Ku-band/Ka-band MDC and a Ka-band/E-band MDC. In addition to power measurements at harmonic frequencies, a potential application of the MDC is in the design of a satellite borne beacon source for atmospheric propagation studies at millimeter-wave (mm-wave) frequencies (Ka-band and E-band).

Publications - MP 146 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys

Science.gov Websites

Geologic Data Index (AGDI) Volcanology Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) Mineral Resources Alaska's Mineral MAPTEACH Tsunami Inundation Mapping Energy Resources Gas Hydrates STATEMAP Program information Geologic Facebook DGGS News Natural Resources Geological & Geophysical Surveys Publications MP 146 main content

Publications - MP 159 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys

Science.gov Websites

Geologic Data Index (AGDI) Volcanology Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) Mineral Resources Alaska's Mineral MAPTEACH Tsunami Inundation Mapping Energy Resources Gas Hydrates STATEMAP Program information Geologic Facebook DGGS News Natural Resources Geological & Geophysical Surveys Publications MP 159 main content

The rise and fall of Lake Bonneville between 45 and 10.5 ka

USGS Publications Warehouse

Benson, L.V.; Lund, S.P.; Smoot, J.P.; Rhode, D.E.; Spencer, R.J.; Verosub, K.L.; Louderback, L.A.; Johnson, C.A.; Rye, R.O.; Negrini, R.M.

2011-01-01

A sediment core taken from the western edge of the Bonneville Basin has provided high-resolution proxy records of relative lake-size change for the period 45.1-10.5 calendar ka (hereafter ka). Age control was provided by a paleomagnetic secular variation (PSV)-based age model for Blue Lake core BL04-4. Continuous records of ??18O and total inorganic carbon (TIC) generally match an earlier lake-level envelope based on outcrops and geomorphic features, but with differences in the timing of some hydrologic events/states. The Stansbury Oscillation was found to consist of two oscillations centered on 25 and 24 ka. Lake Bonneville appears to have reached its geomorphic highstand and began spilling at 18.5 ka. The fall from the highstand to the Provo level occurred at 17.0 ka and the lake intermittently overflowed at the Provo level until 15.2 ka, at which time the lake fell again, bottoming out at ~14.7 ka. The lake also fell briefly below the Provo level at ~15.9 ka. Carbonate and ??18O data indicate that between 14.7 and 13.1 ka the lake slowly rose to the Gilbert shoreline and remained at about that elevation until 11.6 ka, when it fell again. Chemical and sedimentological data indicate that a marsh formed in the Blue Lake area at 10.5 ka.Relatively dry periods in the BL04-4 records are associated with Heinrich events H1-H4, suggesting that either the warming that closely followed a Heinrich event increased the evaporation rate in the Bonneville Basin and (or) that the core of the polar jet stream (PJS) shifted north of the Bonneville Basin in response to massive losses of ice from the Laurentide Ice Sheet (LIS) during the Heinrich event. The second Stansbury Oscillation occurred during Heinrich event H2, and the Gilbert wet event occurred during the Younger Dryas cold interval. Several relatively wet events in BL04-4 occur during Dansgaard-Oeschger (DO) warm events.The growth of the Bear River glacier between 32 and 17 ka paralleled changes in the values of proxy

Design of a Ka-Band Propagation Terminal for Atmospheric Measurements in Polar Regions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Houts, Jacquelynne R.; Nessel, James A.; Zemba, Michael J.

2016-01-01

This paper describes the design and performance of a Ka-Band beacon receiver developed at NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) that will be installed alongside an existing Ka-Band Radiometer [2] located at the east end of the Svalbard Near Earth Network (NEN) complex. The goal of this experiment is to characterize rain fade attenuation to improve the performance of existing statistical rain attenuation models. The ground terminal developed by NASA GRC utilizes an FFT-based frequency estimation [3] receiver capable of characterizing total path attenuation effects due to gaseous absorption, clouds, rain, and scintillation by directly measuring the propagated signal from the satellite Thor 7.

MP3 - A Meteorology and Physical Properties Package to explore Air:Sea interaction on Titan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lorenz, R. D.

2012-04-01

The exchange of mass, heat and momentum at the air:sea interface are profound influences on our environment. Titan presents us with an opportunity to study these processes in a novel physical context. The MP3 instrument, under development for the proposed Discovery mission TiME (Titan Mare Explorer) is an integrated suite of small, simple sensors that combines the a traditional meteorology package with liquid physical properties and depth-sounding. In TiME's 6-Titan-day (96-day) nominal mission, MP3 will have an extended measurement opportunity in one of the most evocative environments in the solar system. The mission and instrument benefit from APL's expertise and experience in marine as well as space systems. The topside meteorology sensors (METH, WIND, PRES, TEMP) will yield the first long-duration in-situ data to constrain Global Circulation Models. The sea sensors (TEMP, TURB, DIEL, SOSO) allow high cadence bulk composition measurements to detect heterogeneities as the TiME capsule drifts across Ligeia, while a depth sounder (SONR) will measure the bottom profile. The combination of these sensors (and vehicle dynamics, ACCL) will characterize air:sea exchange. In addition to surface data, a measurement subset (ACCL, PRES, METH, TEMP) is made during descent to characterize the structure of the polar troposphere and marine boundary layer. A single electronics box inside the vehicle performs supervising and data handling functions and is connected to the sensors on the exterior via a wire and fiber optic harness. ACCL: MEMS accelerometers and angular rate sensors measure the vehicle motion during descent and on the surface, to recover wave amplitude and period and to correct wind measurements for vehicle motion. TEMP: Precision sensors are installed at several locations above and below the 'waterline' to measure air and sea temperatures. Installation of topside sensors at several locations ensures that at least one is on the upwind side of the vehicle. PRES: The

6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) entrapped stealth liposomes for improvement of leukemic treatment without hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity.

PubMed

Umrethia, Manish; Ghosh, Pradip Kumar; Majithya, Rita; Murthy, R S R

2007-03-01

6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) is a purine analogue used in childhood leukemia. Because of the oral bioavailability of 6-MP is low and highly variable, the aim of this study was to develop a new parenteral formulation that can prolong the biological half-life of the drug, improve its therapeutic efficacy, and its associated reduce side effects. Conventional and stealth 6-MP liposomes were prepared by a thin film hydration technique followed by a high-pressure homogenization process and characterized for percent entrapment efficiency (%EE), particle size, and stability in human plasma. Pharmacokinetic, tissue distribution, and biochemical analysis were performed after intravenous (IV) administration of all formulations of 6-MP on rats. The conventional liposomes were found less stable than stealth liposomes in human plasma at 37 degrees C. Stealth liposomes exhibited high peak plasma concentration (C(max)), and long circulating capacity in blood and biological half-life. The uptake of stealth liposomes by the liver and spleen and accumulation in the kidney were significantly less than that of conventional liposomes and the free drug. Serum urea, creatinine, GOT (Glutamic Oxaloacetic Transaminase), and GPT (Glutamic Pyruvic Transaminase) increased significantly in rats given an IV injection of conventional liposomes and the free drug, but not in those administered with the same dose of stealth liposomes. Stealth liposomes may help to increase therapeutic efficacy of 6-MP and to reduce total amount of dose as well as frequency of the dose. It also may reduce the possibility of the risk of toxicity to the liver and kidney generally associated with free 6-MP.

Performance of a Ka-band transponder breadboard for deep-space applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mysoor, N. R.; Lane, J. P.; Kayalar, S.; Kermode, A. W.

1995-01-01

This article summarizes the design concepts applied in the development of and advanced Ka-band (34.4 GHz/32 GHz) transponder breadboard for the next generation of space communications systems applications. The selected architecture upgrades the X-band (7.2 GHz/8.4 GHz) deep-space transponder (DST) to provide Da-band up/Ka- and X-band down capability. The Ka-band transponder breadboard incorporates several state-of-the-art components, including sampling mixers, a Ka-band dielectric resonator oscillator, and microwave monolithic integrated circuits (MMICs). The MMICs that were tested in the breadboard include upconverters, downconverters, automatic gain control circuits, mixers, phase modulators, and amplifiers. The measured receiver dynamic range, tracking range, acquisition rate, static phase error, and phase jitter characteristics of the Ka-band breadboard interfaced to the advanced engineering model X-band DST are in good agreement with the expected performance. The results show a receiver tracking threshold of -149 dBm with a dynamic range of 80 dB and a downlink phase jitter of 7 deg rms. The analytical results of phase noise and Allan standard deviation are in good agreement with the experimental results.

Timing of wet episodes in Atacama Desert over the last 15 ka. The Groundwater Discharge Deposits (GWD) from Domeyko Range at 25°S.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sáez, Alberto; Godfrey, Linda V.; Herrera, Christian; Chong, Guillermo; Pueyo, Juan J.

2016-08-01

A chronologically robust reconstruction of timing and dynamics of millennial time scale wet episodes encompassing the entire Atacama Desert during the last 15 ka has been constructed. To accomplish this, a new composite paleoclimatic record from Groundwater Discharge Deposits (GWD) in the Sierra de Varas (Domeyko Range, southern Atacama in Chile at 25°S) has been compiled and compared with other published paleohydrologic records from the Atacama region. In Sierra de Varas (SV), three millennial timescale wet climate phases have been characterized: around 14.5 ka cal BP, 12.2-9.8 ka cal BP, and 4.7 ka cal BP to the present day. These wet phases are interpreted from intervals of GWD facies formed during periods when the springs were active. GWD facies include: (1) black organic peat, rooted mudstones and sandstones formed in local wetland environments, and (2) gypsum-carbonate rich layers formed by interstitial growth. GWD intervals alternate with gravelly alluvial material deposited during arid phases. A trend towards less humid conditions during the Late Holocene wet episode characterizes GWD sedimentary series in Sierra the Varas, suggesting the onset of a dry episode over the last few centuries. Around 0.7 ka BP a very short wet episode is recorded in the central part of the desert suggesting this was the time of maximum humidity for the entire late Holocene wet period. A brief arid phase occurred between 1.5 and 2.0 ka BP indicated by the absence of GWD in the Domeyko Range. The paleoclimatic reconstruction encompassing the entire Atacama region shows that both the intensity and occurrence of wetter conditions were governed mainly by the distance to the source of moisture, and secondarily by the elevation of the sites. In the northern Atacama (16-20°S), four wet phases fed by N-NE summer monsoon precipitations have been proposed: Tauca phase (18-14 ka cal BP) and Coipasa phase (13-10 ka cal BP) during the Late Glacial, followed by Early Holocene and Late

Comparison of AltiKa and CryoSat-2 Elevation and Elevation Rates over the Amundsen Sea Sector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Otosaka, I.; Shepherd, A.; Hogg, A.

2017-12-01

Altimeters have been successfully used for more than two decades to observe changes in the ice sheet surface and to estimate the contribution of ice sheets to sea level rise. The Satellite for Argos and AltiKa (SARAL) was launched in February 2013 as a joint mission between the French space agency (CNES) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). While the altimeters previously launched into space are operating at Ku-band (13.6 GHz), the altimeter on board SARAL, AltiKa, is the first instrument to operate at Ka-band (36.8 GHz). The higher frequency of AltiKa is expected to lead to reduced penetration of the radar signal into the snowpack, compared to Ku-band. A comparison of ice sheet elevation measurements recorded at the two frequencies may therefore provide useful information on surface and its scattering properties. In this study, we compare elevation and elevation rates recorded by AltiKa and CryoSat-2 between March 2013 and April 2017 over the Amundsen Sea Sector (ASS), one of the most rapidly changing sectors of West Antarctica. Elevation and elevation rates are computed within 5 km grid cells using a plane fit method, taking into account the contributions of topography and fluctuations in elevation and backscatter. The drifting orbit and imaging modes of CryoSat-2 result in 78,7 % sampling of the study area, whereas AltiKa samples 39,7 % due to its sparser orbit pattern and due to loss of signal in steeply sloping coastal margins. Over the study period, the root mean square difference between elevation and elevation change recorded at Ka-band and Ku-band were 40.3 m and 0.54 m/yr, respectively. While the broad spatial pattern of elevation change is well resolved by both satellites, data gaps along the Getz coastline may be partly responsible for the lower elevation change rate observed at Ka-band. We also compared CryoSat-2 and AltiKa to coincident airborne data from NASA's Operation IceBridge (OIB). The mean difference of elevation rate between

Atomic orbital-based SOS-MP2 with tensor hypercontraction. I. GPU-based tensor construction and exploiting sparsity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Chenchen; Martínez, Todd J.

2016-05-01

We present a tensor hypercontracted (THC) scaled opposite spin second order Møller-Plesset perturbation theory (SOS-MP2) method. By using THC, we reduce the formal scaling of SOS-MP2 with respect to molecular size from quartic to cubic. We achieve further efficiency by exploiting sparsity in the atomic orbitals and using graphical processing units (GPUs) to accelerate integral construction and matrix multiplication. The practical scaling of GPU-accelerated atomic orbital-based THC-SOS-MP2 calculations is found to be N2.6 for reference data sets of water clusters and alanine polypeptides containing up to 1600 basis functions. The errors in correlation energy with respect to density-fitting-SOS-MP2 are less than 0.5 kcal/mol for all systems tested (up to 162 atoms).

Atomic orbital-based SOS-MP2 with tensor hypercontraction. I. GPU-based tensor construction and exploiting sparsity.

PubMed

Song, Chenchen; Martínez, Todd J

2016-05-07

We present a tensor hypercontracted (THC) scaled opposite spin second order Møller-Plesset perturbation theory (SOS-MP2) method. By using THC, we reduce the formal scaling of SOS-MP2 with respect to molecular size from quartic to cubic. We achieve further efficiency by exploiting sparsity in the atomic orbitals and using graphical processing units (GPUs) to accelerate integral construction and matrix multiplication. The practical scaling of GPU-accelerated atomic orbital-based THC-SOS-MP2 calculations is found to be N(2.6) for reference data sets of water clusters and alanine polypeptides containing up to 1600 basis functions. The errors in correlation energy with respect to density-fitting-SOS-MP2 are less than 0.5 kcal/mol for all systems tested (up to 162 atoms).

The developmental stages of the middle phalanx of the third finger (MP3): a sole indicator in assessing the skeletal maturity?

PubMed

Madhu, S; Hegde, Amitha M; Munshi, A K

2003-01-01

Assessment of skeletal maturity is an integral part of interceptive diagnosis and treatment planning. The present day methods of skeletal maturity assessment like the hand-wrist radiographs or cervical vertebrae radiographs are expensive, require elaborate equipment and accounts for high radiation exposure, especially for growing children. The present study was thus undertaken to provide a simple and practical method of skeletal maturity assessment using the developmental stages of the middle phalanx of the third finger (MP3) as seen on an IOPA film taken using a standard dental x-ray machine. The results of the study showed that this simple method was highly reliable and could be used as an alternative method to assess the skeletal maturity of growing children.

Simultaneous GCaMP6-based fiber photometry and fMRI in rats.

PubMed

Liang, Zhifeng; Ma, Yuncong; Watson, Glenn D R; Zhang, Nanyin

2017-09-01

Understanding the relationship between neural and vascular signals is essential for interpretation of functional MRI (fMRI) results with respect to underlying neuronal activity. Simultaneously measuring neural activity using electrophysiology with fMRI has been highly valuable in elucidating the neural basis of the blood oxygenation-level dependent (BOLD) signal. However, this approach is also technically challenging due to the electromagnetic interference that is observed in electrophysiological recordings during MRI scanning. Recording optical correlates of neural activity, such as calcium signals, avoids this issue, and has opened a new avenue to simultaneously acquire neural and BOLD signals. The present study is the first to demonstrate the feasibility of simultaneously and repeatedly acquiring calcium and BOLD signals in animals using a genetically encoded calcium indicator, GCaMP6. This approach was validated with a visual stimulation experiment, during which robust increases of both calcium and BOLD signals in the superior colliculus were observed. In addition, repeated measurement in the same animal demonstrated reproducible calcium and BOLD responses to the same stimuli. Taken together, simultaneous GCaMP6-based fiber photometry and fMRI recording presents a novel, artifact-free approach to simultaneously measuring neural and fMRI signals. Furthermore, given the cell-type specificity of GCaMP6, this approach has the potential to mechanistically dissect the contributions of individual neuron populations to BOLD signal, and ultimately reveal its underlying neural mechanisms. The current study established the method for simultaneous GCaMP6-based fiber photometry and fMRI in rats. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

New natural products identified by combined genomics-metabolomics profiling of marine Streptomyces sp. MP131-18.

PubMed

Paulus, Constanze; Rebets, Yuriy; Tokovenko, Bogdan; Nadmid, Suvd; Terekhova, Larisa P; Myronovskyi, Maksym; Zotchev, Sergey B; Rückert, Christian; Braig, Simone; Zahler, Stefan; Kalinowski, Jörn; Luzhetskyy, Andriy

2017-02-10

Marine actinobacteria are drawing more and more attention as a promising source of new natural products. Here we report isolation, genome sequencing and metabolic profiling of new strain Streptomyces sp. MP131-18 isolated from marine sediment sample collected in the Trondheim Fjord, Norway. The 16S rRNA and multilocus phylogenetic analysis showed that MP131-18 belongs to the genus Streptomyces. The genome of MP131-18 isolate was sequenced, and 36 gene clusters involved in the biosynthesis of 18 different types of secondary metabolites were predicted using antiSMASH analysis. The combined genomics-metabolics profiling of the strain led to the identification of several new biologically active compounds. As a result, the family of bisindole pyrroles spiroindimicins was extended with two new members, spiroindimicins E and F. Furthermore, prediction of the biosynthetic pathway for unusual α-pyrone lagunapyrone isolated from MP131-18 resulted in foresight and identification of two new compounds of this family - lagunapyrones D and E. The diversity of identified and predicted compounds from Streptomyces sp. MP131-18 demonstrates that marine-derived actinomycetes are not only a promising source of new natural products, but also represent a valuable pool of genes for combinatorial biosynthesis of secondary metabolites.

New natural products identified by combined genomics-metabolomics profiling of marine Streptomyces sp. MP131-18

PubMed Central

Paulus, Constanze; Rebets, Yuriy; Tokovenko, Bogdan; Nadmid, Suvd; Terekhova, Larisa P.; Myronovskyi, Maksym; Zotchev, Sergey B.; Rückert, Christian; Braig, Simone; Zahler, Stefan; Kalinowski, Jörn; Luzhetskyy, Andriy

2017-01-01

Marine actinobacteria are drawing more and more attention as a promising source of new natural products. Here we report isolation, genome sequencing and metabolic profiling of new strain Streptomyces sp. MP131-18 isolated from marine sediment sample collected in the Trondheim Fjord, Norway. The 16S rRNA and multilocus phylogenetic analysis showed that MP131-18 belongs to the genus Streptomyces. The genome of MP131-18 isolate was sequenced, and 36 gene clusters involved in the biosynthesis of 18 different types of secondary metabolites were predicted using antiSMASH analysis. The combined genomics-metabolics profiling of the strain led to the identification of several new biologically active compounds. As a result, the family of bisindole pyrroles spiroindimicins was extended with two new members, spiroindimicins E and F. Furthermore, prediction of the biosynthetic pathway for unusual α-pyrone lagunapyrone isolated from MP131-18 resulted in foresight and identification of two new compounds of this family – lagunapyrones D and E. The diversity of identified and predicted compounds from Streptomyces sp. MP131-18 demonstrates that marine-derived actinomycetes are not only a promising source of new natural products, but also represent a valuable pool of genes for combinatorial biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. PMID:28186197

Multitasking domain decomposition fast Poisson solvers on the Cray Y-MP

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chan, Tony F.; Fatoohi, Rod A.

1990-01-01

The results of multitasking implementation of a domain decomposition fast Poisson solver on eight processors of the Cray Y-MP are presented. The object of this research is to study the performance of domain decomposition methods on a Cray supercomputer and to analyze the performance of different multitasking techniques using highly parallel algorithms. Two implementations of multitasking are considered: macrotasking (parallelism at the subroutine level) and microtasking (parallelism at the do-loop level). A conventional FFT-based fast Poisson solver is also multitasked. The results of different implementations are compared and analyzed. A speedup of over 7.4 on the Cray Y-MP running in a dedicated environment is achieved for all cases.

Standard Observing Bands: Is Now the Time to Replace S/X with X/Ka?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jacobs, C. S.; Lanyi, G. E.; Naudet, C. J.

2004-01-01

In this paper we will argue that the VLBI community should be developing a road map to transition from S/X to simultaneous X and Ka-band (32 GHz) observations. There are both negative and positive reasons for planning such a transition. On the negative side, we will outline concerns that S-band observations may be headed toward obsolescence. On the positive side, we will refer to evidence that X/Ka has potential for providing a more stable reference frame than S/X. We will propose timetables for a transition to X/Ka observing starting from the current status of X/Ka and plans that are now taking shape. First X/Ka fringes were obtained in 2001 with the Deep Space Network. Future plans will be discussed including a proposed X/Ka-band upgrade to the VLBA. Lastly, we will consider the need for a period of overlap between S/X and X/Ka so that the long and rich history of astrometric and geodetic VLBI is not compromised.

Millennial-scale variability to 735 ka: High-resolution climate records from Santa Barbara Basin, CA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, Sarah M.; Hill, Tessa M.; Kennett, James P.; Behl, Richard J.; Nicholson, Craig

2013-06-01

Determining the ultimate cause and effect of millennial-scale climate variability remains an outstanding problem in paleoceanography, partly due to the lack of high-resolution records predating the last glaciation. Recent cores from Santa Barbara Basin provide 2500-5700 year "windows" of climate with 10-50 year resolution. Ages for three cores, determined by seismic stratigraphic correlation, oxygen isotope stratigraphy, and biostratigraphy, date to 293 ka (MIS 8), 450 ka (MIS 12), and 735 ka (MIS 18). These records sample the Late Pleistocene, during which the 100 kyr cycle strengthened and the magnitude of glacial-interglacial cyclicity increased. Thus, these records provide a test of the dependence of millennial-scale behavior on variations in glacial-interglacial cyclicity. The stable isotopic (δ18O) composition of planktonic foraminifera shows millennial-scale variability in all three intervals, with similar characteristics (duration, cyclicity) to those previously documented during MIS 3 at this site. Stadial G. bulloides δ18O values are 2.75-1.75‰ (average 2.25‰) and interstadial values are 1.75-0.5‰ (average 1‰), with rapid (decadal-scale) interstadial and stadial initiations of 1-2‰, as in MIS 3. Interstadials lasted 250-1600 years and occurred every 650-1900 years. Stadial paleotemperatures were 3.5-9.5°C and interstadial paleotemperatures were 7.5-13°C. Upwelling, evidenced by planktonic foraminiferal assemblages and δ13C, increased during interstadials, similar to MIS 3; high productivity during some stadials was reminiscent of the Last Glacial Maximum. This study builds upon previous records in showing that millennial-scale shifts were an inherent feature of Northern Hemisphere glacial climates since 735 ka, and they remained remarkably constant in the details of their amplitude, cyclicity, and temperature variability.

6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) induces p53-mediated apoptosis of neural progenitor cells in the developing fetal rodent brain.

PubMed

Kanemitsu, H; Yamauchi, H; Komatsu, M; Yamamoto, S; Okazaki, S; Uchida, K; Nakayama, H

2009-01-01

6-mercaptopurine (6-MP), a DNA-damaging agent, induces apoptosis of neural progenitor cells, and causes malformation in the fetal brain. The aim of the present study is to clarify the molecular pathway of 6-MP-induced apoptosis of neural progenitor cells in the fetal telencephalon of rats and mice. p53 protein is activated by DNA damage and induces apoptosis through either the intrinsic pathway involving the mitochondria or the extrinsic pathway triggered by death receptors. In this study, the expression of puma and cleaved caspase-9 proteins, which are specific intrinsic pathway factors, increased in the rat telencephalon after 6-MP treatment. 6-MP-induced apoptosis of neural progenitor cells was completely absent in p53-deficient mice. On the other hand, the expression of Fas protein, an extrinsic pathway factor, did not change throughout the experimental period in the rat telencephalon treated with 6-MP. The number of apoptotic neural progenitor cells was similar among Fas-mutated lpr/lpr and wild-type mice, suggesting that the Fas pathway does not play a significant role in 6-MP-induced apoptosis of neural progenitor cells. These results may suggest that the p53-mediated intrinsic pathway is essential for 6-MP-induced apoptosis of neural progenitor cells in the developing telencephalon of rats and mice.

A dual-cavity ruby maser for the Ka-band link experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shell, J.; Quinn, R. B.

1994-01-01

A 33.68-GHz dual-cavity ruby maser was built to support the Ka-Band Link Experiment (KABLE) conducted with the Mars Observer spacecraft. It has 25 dB of net gain and a 3-dB bandwidth of 85 MHz. Its noise temperature in reference to the cooled feedhorn aperture is 5 K.

Publications - MP 126 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys

Science.gov Websites

DGGS MP 126 Publication Details Title: 400 MHz ground-penetrating radar, Itkillik River, North Slope , Itkillik River, North Slope, Alaska: Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Miscellaneous , North Slope, Alaska, scale 1:100 (8.6 M) Keywords Fluvial; Ground-Penetrating Radar; Itkillik River

Publications - MP 8 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys

Science.gov Websites

MAPTEACH Tsunami Inundation Mapping Energy Resources Gas Hydrates STATEMAP Program information Geologic DGGS MP 8 Publication Details Title: Geothermal resources of Alaska Authors: Motyka, R.J., Moorman, M.A , S.A., 1983, Geothermal resources of Alaska: Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys

RaMP: A Comprehensive Relational Database of Metabolomics Pathways for Pathway Enrichment Analysis of Genes and Metabolites

PubMed Central

Zhang, Bofei; Hu, Senyang; Baskin, Elizabeth; Patt, Andrew; Siddiqui, Jalal K.

2018-01-01

The value of metabolomics in translational research is undeniable, and metabolomics data are increasingly generated in large cohorts. The functional interpretation of disease-associated metabolites though is difficult, and the biological mechanisms that underlie cell type or disease-specific metabolomics profiles are oftentimes unknown. To help fully exploit metabolomics data and to aid in its interpretation, analysis of metabolomics data with other complementary omics data, including transcriptomics, is helpful. To facilitate such analyses at a pathway level, we have developed RaMP (Relational database of Metabolomics Pathways), which combines biological pathways from the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), Reactome, WikiPathways, and the Human Metabolome DataBase (HMDB). To the best of our knowledge, an off-the-shelf, public database that maps genes and metabolites to biochemical/disease pathways and can readily be integrated into other existing software is currently lacking. For consistent and comprehensive analysis, RaMP enables batch and complex queries (e.g., list all metabolites involved in glycolysis and lung cancer), can readily be integrated into pathway analysis tools, and supports pathway overrepresentation analysis given a list of genes and/or metabolites of interest. For usability, we have developed a RaMP R package (https://github.com/Mathelab/RaMP-DB), including a user-friendly RShiny web application, that supports basic simple and batch queries, pathway overrepresentation analysis given a list of genes or metabolites of interest, and network visualization of gene-metabolite relationships. The package also includes the raw database file (mysql dump), thereby providing a stand-alone downloadable framework for public use and integration with other tools. In addition, the Python code needed to recreate the database on another system is also publicly available (https://github.com/Mathelab/RaMP-BackEnd). Updates for databases in RaMP will be

RaMP: A Comprehensive Relational Database of Metabolomics Pathways for Pathway Enrichment Analysis of Genes and Metabolites.

PubMed

Zhang, Bofei; Hu, Senyang; Baskin, Elizabeth; Patt, Andrew; Siddiqui, Jalal K; Mathé, Ewy A

2018-02-22

The value of metabolomics in translational research is undeniable, and metabolomics data are increasingly generated in large cohorts. The functional interpretation of disease-associated metabolites though is difficult, and the biological mechanisms that underlie cell type or disease-specific metabolomics profiles are oftentimes unknown. To help fully exploit metabolomics data and to aid in its interpretation, analysis of metabolomics data with other complementary omics data, including transcriptomics, is helpful. To facilitate such analyses at a pathway level, we have developed RaMP (Relational database of Metabolomics Pathways), which combines biological pathways from the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), Reactome, WikiPathways, and the Human Metabolome DataBase (HMDB). To the best of our knowledge, an off-the-shelf, public database that maps genes and metabolites to biochemical/disease pathways and can readily be integrated into other existing software is currently lacking. For consistent and comprehensive analysis, RaMP enables batch and complex queries (e.g., list all metabolites involved in glycolysis and lung cancer), can readily be integrated into pathway analysis tools, and supports pathway overrepresentation analysis given a list of genes and/or metabolites of interest. For usability, we have developed a RaMP R package (https://github.com/Mathelab/RaMP-DB), including a user-friendly RShiny web application, that supports basic simple and batch queries, pathway overrepresentation analysis given a list of genes or metabolites of interest, and network visualization of gene-metabolite relationships. The package also includes the raw database file (mysql dump), thereby providing a stand-alone downloadable framework for public use and integration with other tools. In addition, the Python code needed to recreate the database on another system is also publicly available (https://github.com/Mathelab/RaMP-BackEnd). Updates for databases in RaMP will be

Abrupt hydroclimate disruption across the Australian arid zone 50 ka coincident with human colonization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, G. H.; Fogel, M. L.; Magee, J. W.; Gagan, M. K.

2016-12-01

Although many studies focus on how climate change impacted ancient societies, in Australia a growing body of evidence indicates that activities of the earliest human colonizers in turn altered the Australian climate. We utilize the stable isotopes of carbon and oxygen preserved in near-continuous 100 ka time series of avian eggshell from five regions across the Australian arid zone to reconstruct ecosystem status (d13C) and effective moisture (d18O). Training sets of sub-modern samples provide the basis for the reconstructions. Together, d13C and d18O provide independent estimates of ecosystem status and climate over the past 100 ka from the same dated sample, reducing correlation uncertainties between proxies. Changes in eggshell d13C document a dramatic reduction of palatable summer-wet C4 grasses in all regions between 50 and 45 ka, that has persisted through to modern times. Continuous 100 ka records of effective moisture derived from eggshell d18O show moist conditions from 100 to 60 ka, with variable drying after 60 ka, but the strong shift toward greatest aridity is coincident with the onset of the last glacial maximum 30 ka ago, 15 ka after the observed ecosystem restructuring. Combining the d13C and d18O time-series shows that an abrupt and permanent restructuring of the moisture/ecosystem balance occurred between 50 and 45 ka. Additional studies show that most large monsoon-fed inland arid-zone lakes carried permanent water at least intermittently between 120 and 50 ka, but never experienced permanent deep-water status after 45 ka, despite a wide range of global climate states, including the early Holocene when most other monsoon systems were reinvigorated. The lack of exceptional climate shifts either locally or globally between 60 and 40 ka eliminates climate as the cause of the ecosystem restructuring and persistent lake desiccation. Collectively these data suggest the wave of human colonization across Australia in altered land surface characteristics

A 130 ka reconstruction of rainfall on the Bolivian Altiplano

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Placzek, C. J.; Quade, J.; Patchett, P. J.

2013-02-01

New efforts to link climate reconstructions from shoreline deposits and sediment cores yield an improved and more detailed lake history from the Bolivian Altiplano. On the Southern Altiplano, 10 lake oscillations have been identified from this new unified chronology, each coincident with North Atlantic cold events such as Heinrich Events H5, H2, H1, and the Younger Dryas. By coupling this new lake history to a hydrologic budget model we are able to evaluate precipitation variability on the Southern Bolivian Altiplano over the last 130 ka. These modeling efforts underscore the relative aridity of the Altiplano during the rare and small lake cycles occurring between 80 and 20 ka, when colder temperatures combined with little or no change in rainfall produced smaller paleolakes. Relative aridity between 80 and 20 ka contrasts with the immense Tauca lake cycle (18.1-14.1 ka), which was six times larger than modern Lake Titicaca and coincided with Heinrich Event 1. This improved paleolake record from the Southern Altiplano reveals a strong link between central Andean climate and Atlantic sea-surface temperature gradients during the late Pleistocene, even though today rainfall variability is driven mostly by Pacific sea-surface temperature anomalies associated with El Niño/Southern Oscillation. However, not all Heinrich Events appear to result in lake expansions, most conspicuously during the global cold interval between 80 and 20 ka when the Altiplano and Amazon Basin were relatively arid.

Atomic orbital-based SOS-MP2 with tensor hypercontraction. I. GPU-based tensor construction and exploiting sparsity

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

Song, Chenchen; Martínez, Todd J.; SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California 94025

We present a tensor hypercontracted (THC) scaled opposite spin second order Møller-Plesset perturbation theory (SOS-MP2) method. By using THC, we reduce the formal scaling of SOS-MP2 with respect to molecular size from quartic to cubic. We achieve further efficiency by exploiting sparsity in the atomic orbitals and using graphical processing units (GPUs) to accelerate integral construction and matrix multiplication. The practical scaling of GPU-accelerated atomic orbital-based THC-SOS-MP2 calculations is found to be N{sup 2.6} for reference data sets of water clusters and alanine polypeptides containing up to 1600 basis functions. The errors in correlation energy with respect to density-fitting-SOS-MP2 aremore » less than 0.5 kcal/mol for all systems tested (up to 162 atoms).« less

Rapid Genome Analyses of Emergent Human Adenovirus 14a Causing 2006-7 Febrile Respiratory Illness (FRI) Outbreaks in the US via High Throughput Next-Generation Pyrosequencing Technique

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-12-01

David Metzgar2), Kevin L. Russell2), Adriana Kajon3), Kuei-Hsiang Lin4) and Julia A. Lynch1). Division of Viral Diseases, Walter Reed Army...Puc BP, Ronan MT, Roth GT, Sarkis GJ, Simons JF, Simpson JW, Srinivasan M, Tartaro KR, Tomasz A, Vogt KA , Volkmer GA, Wang SH, Weiner MP, Yu P

A ~25 ka Indian Ocean monsoon variability record from the Andaman Sea

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rashid, H.; Flower, B.P.; Poore, R.Z.; Quinn, T.M.

2007-01-01

Recent paleoclimatic work on terrestrial and marine deposits from Asia and the Indian Ocean has indicated abrupt changes in the strength of the Asian monsoon during the last deglaciation. Comparison of marine paleoclimate records that track salinity changes from Asian rivers can help evaluate the coherence of the Indian Ocean monsoon (IOM) with the larger Asian monsoon. Here we present paired Mg/Ca and δ18O data on the planktic foraminifer Globigerinoides ruber (white) from Andaman Sea core RC12-344 that provide records of sea-surface temperature (SST) and δ18O of seawater (δ18Osw) over the past 25,000 years (ka) before present (BP). Age control is based on nine accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) dates on mixed planktic foraminifera. Mg/Ca-SST data indicate that SST was ∼3 °C cooler during the last glacial maximum (LGM) than the late Holocene. Andaman Sea δ18Osw exhibited higher than present values during the Lateglacial interval ca 19–15 ka BP and briefly during the Younger Dryas ca 12 ka BP. Lower than present δ18Osw values during the BØlling/AllerØd ca 14.5–12.6 ka BP and during the early Holocene ca 10.8–5.5 ka BP are interpreted to indicate lower salinity, reflect some combination of decreased evaporation–precipitation (E–P) over the Andaman Sea and increased Irrawaddy River outflow. Our results are consistent with the suggestion that IOM intensity was stronger than present during the BØlling/AllerØd and early Holocene, and weaker during the late glaciation, Younger Dryas, and the late Holocene. These findings support the hypothesis that rapid climate change during the last deglaciation and Holocene included substantial hydrologic changes in the IOM system that were coherent with the larger Asian monsoon.

Sediment focusing creates 100-ka cycles in interplanetary dust accumulation on the Ontong Java Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Higgins, Sean M.; Anderson, Robert F.; Marcantonio, Franco; Schlosser, Peter; Stute, Martin

2002-10-01

The accumulation of extraterrestrial 3He, a tracer for interplanetary dust particles (IDPs), in sediments from the Ontong Java Plateau (OJP; western equatorial Pacific Ocean) has been shown previously to exhibit a regular cyclicity during the late Pleistocene, with a period of ∼100 ka. Those results have been interpreted to reflect periodic variability in the global accretion of IDPs that, in turn, has been linked to changes in the inclination of Earth's orbit with respect to the invariable plane of the solar system. Here we show that the accumulation in OJP sediments of authigenic 230Th, produced by radioactive decay of 234U in seawater, exhibits a 100-ka cyclicity similar in phase and amplitude to that evident in the 3He record. We interpret the similar patterns of 230Th and 3He accumulation to reflect a common origin within the ocean-climate system. Comparing spatial and temporal patterns of sediment accumulation against regional patterns of biological productivity and against the well-established pattern of CaCO3 dissolution in the deep Pacific Ocean leads to the further conclusion that a common 100-ka cycle in accumulation of biogenic, authigenic and extraterrestrial constituents in OJP sediments reflects the influence of climate-related changes in sediment focusing, rather than changes in the rate of production or supply of sedimentary constituents.

Gender-Specific Combination HIV Prevention for Youth in High-Burden Settings: The MP3 Youth Observational Pilot Study Protocol.

PubMed

Buttolph, Jasmine; Inwani, Irene; Agot, Kawango; Cleland, Charles M; Cherutich, Peter; Kiarie, James N; Osoti, Alfred; Celum, Connie L; Baeten, Jared M; Nduati, Ruth; Kinuthia, John; Hallett, Timothy B; Alsallaq, Ramzi; Kurth, Ann E

2017-03-08

Nearly three decades into the epidemic, sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) remains the region most heavily affected by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), with nearly 70% of the 34 million people living with HIV globally residing in the region. In SSA, female and male youth (15 to 24 years) are at a disproportionately high risk of HIV infection compared to adults. As such, there is a need to target HIV prevention strategies to youth and to tailor them to a gender-specific context. This protocol describes the process for the multi-staged approach in the design of the MP3 Youth pilot study, a gender-specific, combination, HIV prevention intervention for youth in Kenya. The objective of this multi-method protocol is to outline a rigorous and replicable methodology for a gender-specific combination HIV prevention pilot study for youth in high-burden settings, illustrating the triangulated methods undertaken to ensure that age, sex, and context are integral in the design of the intervention. The mixed-methods, cross-sectional, longitudinal cohort pilot study protocol was developed by first conducting a systematic review of the literature, which shaped focus group discussions around prevention package and delivery options, and that also informed age- and sex- stratified mathematical modeling. The review, qualitative data, and mathematical modeling created a triangulated evidence base of interventions to be included in the pilot study protocol. To design the pilot study protocol, we convened an expert panel to select HIV prevention interventions effective for youth in SSA, which will be offered in a mobile health setting. The goal of the pilot study implementation and evaluation is to apply lessons learned to more effective HIV prevention evidence and programming. The combination HIV prevention package in this protocol includes (1) offering HIV testing and counseling for all youth; (2) voluntary medical circumcision and condoms for males; (3) pre-exposure prophylaxis (Pr

Early MIMD experience on the CRAY X-MP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rhoades, Clifford E.; Stevens, K. G.

1985-07-01

This paper describes some early experience with converting four physics simulation programs to the CRAY X-MP, a current Multiple Instruction, Multiple Data (MIMD) computer consisting of two processors each with an architecture similar to that of the CRAY-1. As a multi-processor, the CRAY X-MP together with the high speed Solid-state Storage Device (SSD) in an ideal machine upon which to study MIMD algorithms for solving the equations of mathematical physics because it is fast enough to run real problems. The computer programs used in this study are all FORTRAN versions of original production codes. They range in sophistication from a one-dimensional numerical simulation of collisionless plasma to a two-dimensional hydrodynamics code with heat flow to a couple of three-dimensional fluid dynamics codes with varying degrees of viscous modeling. Early research with a dual processor configuration has shown speed-ups ranging from 1.55 to 1.98. It has been observed that a few simple extensions to FORTRAN allow a typical programmer to achieve a remarkable level of efficiency. These extensions involve the concept of memory local to a concurrent subprogram and memory common to all concurrent subprograms.

Dichroic Filter for Separating W-Band and Ka-Band

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Epp, Larry W.; Durden, Stephen L.; Jamnejad, Vahraz; Long, Ezra M.; Sosnowski, John B.; Higuera, Raymond J.; Chen, Jacqueline C.

2012-01-01

The proposed Aerosol/Cloud/Ecosystems (ACEs) mission development would advance cloud profiling radar from that used in CloudSat by adding a 35-GHz (Ka-band) channel to the 94-GHz (W-band) channel used in CloudSat. In order to illuminate a single antenna, and use CloudSat-like quasi-optical transmission lines, a spatial diplexer is needed to add the Ka-band channel. A dichroic filter separates Ka-band from W-band by employing advances in electrical discharge machining (EDM) and mode-matching analysis techniques developed and validated for designing dichroics for the Deep Space Network (DSN), to develop a preliminary design that both met the requirements of frequency separation and mechanical strength. First, a mechanical prototype was built using an approximately 102-micron-diameter EDM process, and tolerances of the hole dimensions, wall thickness, radius, and dichroic filter thickness measured. The prototype validated the manufacturing needed to design a dichroic filter for a higher-frequency usage than previously used in the DSN. The initial design was based on a Ka-band design, but thicker walls are required for mechanical rigidity than one obtains by simply scaling the Ka-band dichroic filter. The resulting trade of hole dimensions for mechanical rigidity (wall thickness) required electrical redesign of the hole dimensions. Updates to existing codes in the linear solver decreased the analysis time using mode-matching, enabling the electrical design to be realized quickly. This work is applicable to missions and instruments that seek to extend W-band cloud profiling measurements to other frequencies. By demonstrating a dichroic filter that passes W-band, but reflects a lower frequency, this opens up the development of instruments that both compare to and enhance CloudSat.

KaBOB: ontology-based semantic integration of biomedical databases.

PubMed

Livingston, Kevin M; Bada, Michael; Baumgartner, William A; Hunter, Lawrence E

2015-04-23

The ability to query many independent biological databases using a common ontology-based semantic model would facilitate deeper integration and more effective utilization of these diverse and rapidly growing resources. Despite ongoing work moving toward shared data formats and linked identifiers, significant problems persist in semantic data integration in order to establish shared identity and shared meaning across heterogeneous biomedical data sources. We present five processes for semantic data integration that, when applied collectively, solve seven key problems. These processes include making explicit the differences between biomedical concepts and database records, aggregating sets of identifiers denoting the same biomedical concepts across data sources, and using declaratively represented forward-chaining rules to take information that is variably represented in source databases and integrating it into a consistent biomedical representation. We demonstrate these processes and solutions by presenting KaBOB (the Knowledge Base Of Biomedicine), a knowledge base of semantically integrated data from 18 prominent biomedical databases using common representations grounded in Open Biomedical Ontologies. An instance of KaBOB with data about humans and seven major model organisms can be built using on the order of 500 million RDF triples. All source code for building KaBOB is available under an open-source license. KaBOB is an integrated knowledge base of biomedical data representationally based in prominent, actively maintained Open Biomedical Ontologies, thus enabling queries of the underlying data in terms of biomedical concepts (e.g., genes and gene products, interactions and processes) rather than features of source-specific data schemas or file formats. KaBOB resolves many of the issues that routinely plague biomedical researchers intending to work with data from multiple data sources and provides a platform for ongoing data integration and development and for

Mental practice with interactive 3D visual aids enhances surgical performance.

PubMed

Yiasemidou, Marina; Glassman, Daniel; Mushtaq, Faisal; Athanasiou, Christos; Williams, Mark-Mon; Jayne, David; Miskovic, Danilo

2017-10-01

Evidence suggests that Mental Practice (MP) could be used to finesse surgical skills. However, MP is cognitively demanding and may be dependent on the ability of individuals to produce mental images. In this study, we hypothesised that the provision of interactive 3D visual aids during MP could facilitate surgical skill performance. 20 surgical trainees were case-matched to one of three different preparation methods prior to performing a simulated Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy (LC). Two intervention groups underwent a 25-minute MP session; one with interactive 3D visual aids depicting the relevant surgical anatomy (3D-MP group, n = 5) and one without (MP-Only, n = 5). A control group (n = 10) watched a didactic video of a real LC. Scores relating to technical performance and safety were recorded by a surgical simulator. The Control group took longer to complete the procedure relative to the 3D&MP condition (p = .002). The number of movements was also statistically different across groups (p = .001), with the 3D&MP group making fewer movements relative to controls (p = .001). Likewise, the control group moved further in comparison to the 3D&MP condition and the MP-Only condition (p = .004). No reliable differences were observed for safety metrics. These data provide evidence for the potential value of MP in improving performance. Furthermore, they suggest that 3D interactive visual aids during MP could potentially enhance performance, beyond the benefits of MP alone. These findings pave the way for future RCTs on surgical preparation and performance.

THC-MP: High performance numerical simulation of reactive transport and multiphase flow in porous media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Xiaohui; Li, Weishan; Tian, Hailong; Li, Hongliang; Xu, Haixiao; Xu, Tianfu

2015-07-01

The numerical simulation of multiphase flow and reactive transport in the porous media on complex subsurface problem is a computationally intensive application. To meet the increasingly computational requirements, this paper presents a parallel computing method and architecture. Derived from TOUGHREACT that is a well-established code for simulating subsurface multi-phase flow and reactive transport problems, we developed a high performance computing THC-MP based on massive parallel computer, which extends greatly on the computational capability for the original code. The domain decomposition method was applied to the coupled numerical computing procedure in the THC-MP. We designed the distributed data structure, implemented the data initialization and exchange between the computing nodes and the core solving module using the hybrid parallel iterative and direct solver. Numerical accuracy of the THC-MP was verified through a CO2 injection-induced reactive transport problem by comparing the results obtained from the parallel computing and sequential computing (original code). Execution efficiency and code scalability were examined through field scale carbon sequestration applications on the multicore cluster. The results demonstrate successfully the enhanced performance using the THC-MP on parallel computing facilities.

Improved analysis of SP and CoSaMP under total perturbations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Haifeng

2016-12-01

Practically, in the underdetermined model y= A x, where x is a K sparse vector (i.e., it has no more than K nonzero entries), both y and A could be totally perturbed. A more relaxed condition means less number of measurements are needed to ensure the sparse recovery from theoretical aspect. In this paper, based on restricted isometry property (RIP), for subspace pursuit (SP) and compressed sampling matching pursuit (CoSaMP), two relaxed sufficient conditions are presented under total perturbations to guarantee that the sparse vector x is recovered. Taking random matrix as measurement matrix, we also discuss the advantage of our condition. Numerical experiments validate that SP and CoSaMP can provide oracle-order recovery performance.

Weak acid-concentration Atot and dissociation constant Ka of plasma proteins in racehorses.

PubMed

Stampfli, H R; Misiaszek, S; Lumsden, J H; Carlson, G P; Heigenhauser, G J

1999-07-01

The plasma proteins are a significant contributor to the total weak acid concentration as a net anionic charge. Due to potential species difference, species-specific values must be confirmed for the weak acid anionic concentrations of proteins (Atot) and the effective dissociation constant for plasma weak acids (Ka). We studied the net anion load Atot of equine plasma protein in 10 clinically healthy mature Standardbred horses. A multi-step titration procedure, using a tonometer covering a titration range of PCO2 from 25 to 145 mmHg at 37 degrees C, was applied on the plasma of these 10 horses. Blood gases (pH, PCO2) and electrolytes required to calculate the strong ion difference ([SID] = [(Na(+) + K(+) + Ca(2+) + Mg(2+))-(Cl(-) + Lac(-) + PO4(2-))]) were simultaneously measured over a physiological pH range from 6.90-7.55. A nonlinear regression iteration to determine Atot and Ka was performed using polygonal regression curve fitting applied to the electrical neutrality equation of the physico-chemical system. The average anion-load Atot for plasma protein of 10 Standardbred horses was 14.89 +/- 0.8 mEq/l plasma and Ka was 2.11 +/- 0.50 x 10(-7) Eq/l (pKa = 6.67). The derived conversion factor (iterated Atot concentration/average plasma protein concentration) for calculation of Atot in plasma is 0.21 mEq/g protein (protein-unit: g/l). This value compares closely with the 0.24 mEq/g protein determined by titration of Van Slyke et al. (1928) and 0.22 mEq/g protein recently published by Constable (1997) for horse plasma. The Ka value compares closely with the value experimentally determined by Constable in 1997 (2.22 x 10(7) Eq/l). Linear regression of a set of experimental data from 5 Thoroughbred horses on a treadmill exercise test, showed excellent correlation with the regression lines not different from identity for the calculated and measured variables pH, HCO3 and SID. Knowledge of Atot and Ka for the horse is useful especially in exercise studies and in

Satellite Ka-band propagation measurements in Florida

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Helmken, Henry; Henning, Rudolf

1995-01-01

Commercial growth of interactive, high data rate communication systems is expected to focus on the use of the Ka-band (20/30 GHz) radio spectrum. The ability to form narrow spot beams and the attendant small diameter antennas are attractive features to designers of mobile aeronautical and ground based satellite communication systems. However, Ka-band is strongly affected by weather, particularly rain, and hence systems designs may require a significant link margin for reliable operations. Perhaps the most stressing area in North America, weatherwise, is the Florida sub-tropical climatic region. As part of the NASA Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) propagation measurements program, beacon and radiometer data have been recorded since December 1993 at the University of South Florida (USF), Tampa, Florida.

Sporo-pollen assemblage and paleoclimate events in shelf area of the southern Yellow Sea since 15 ka B. P.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meng, Guanglan; Han, Yousong; Wang, Shaoqing; Wang, Zhenyan

2004-03-01

Based on the authors’ 1986 to 1994 sporo-pollen assemblage analysis in the southern Yellow Sea area, data from 3 main cores were studied in combination with14C, palaeomagnetic and thermoluminescence data. The evolution of the paleoclimate environments in the southern Yellow Sea since 15ka B. P. was revealed that, in deglaciation of the last glacial period, the climate of late glaciation transformed into that of postglaciation, accompanied by a series of violent climate fluctuations. These evolution events happened in a global climate background and related to the geographic changes in eastern China. We distinguished three short-term cooling events and two warming events. Among them, the sporo-pollen assemblage of subzone A1 showed some cold climate features indicating that a cooling event occurred at about 15-14ka. B. P. in early deglaciation. This subzone corresponds to the Oldest Dryas. In subzone A3, many drought-enduring herbal pollens and some few pollens of cold-resistant Picea, Abies, etc. were found, which indicated that a cooling event, with cold and arid climate, occurred at about 12-11ka. B. P. in late deglaciation. This subzone corresponds to the Younger Dryas. The sporo-pollen assemblage of zone B showed warm and arid climate features in postglaciation. Although the assemblage of subzone B2 indicated a cold and arid climate environment, the development of flora in subzone B2 climate was less cold than that in A3. Subzone B2 indicated a cooling event which occurred at about 9ka B. P. in early olocene. Subzone A2, with some distinct differences from subzone A1 and A3, indicated a warming event which occurred at 14-13ka. B.P. and should correspond to a warming fluctuation. The sporo-pollen assemblage of zone C showed features of warn-moist flora and climate, and indicated a warming event which universally occurred along the coast of eastern China at 8-3 ka B. P. in middle Holocene, and its duration was longer than that of any climate events mentioned

UV/vis, 1H, and 13C NMR spectroscopic studies to determine mangiferin p Ka values

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gómez-Zaleta, Berenice; Ramírez-Silva, María Teresa; Gutiérrez, Atilano; González-Vergara, Enrique; Güizado-Rodríguez, Marisol; Rojas-Hernández, Alberto

2006-07-01

The acid constants of mangiferin (a natural xanthonoid) in aqueous solution were determined through an UV/vis spectroscopic study employing the SQUAD program as a computational tool. A NMR study complements the p Ka values assignment and evidences a H-bridge presence on 1-C. The chemical model used was consistent with the experimental data obtained. The p Ka values determined with this procedure were as follows: H 4(MGF) = H 3(MGF) - + H +, pK(6-H) = 6.52 ± 0.06; H 3(MGF) - = H 2(MGF) 2- + H +, pK(3-H) = 7.97 ± 0.06; H 2(MGF) 2- = H(MGF) 3- + H +, pK(7-H) = 9.44 ± 0.04; H(MGF) 3- = (MGF) 4- + H +, pK(1-H) = 12.10 ± 0.01; where it has been considered mangiferin C 19H 18O 11 as H 4(MGF). Mangiferin UV/vis spectral behavior, stability study in aqueous solution as well as NMR spectroscopy studies: one-dimensional 1H, 13C, 2D correlated 1H/ 13C performed by (g)-HSQC and (g)-HMBC methods; are also presented. p Ka values determination of H 4(MGF) in aqueous solution is a necessary contribution to subsequent pharmacokinetic study, and a step towards the understanding of its biological effects.

Drastic lake level changes of Lake Van (eastern Turkey) during the past ca. 600 ka: climatic, volcanic and tectonic control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cukur, D.; Krastel, S.; Schmincke, H.; Sumita, M.; Tomonaga, Y.; Damci, E.

2013-12-01

Lake Van is the largest soda lake in the world with a present surface of 3,574 km2 and a maximum water depth of 450 m. Sedimentary deposits in the lake preserve one of the most complete record of continental climate in the Middle East since the Middle Pleistocene. We studied these deposits to characterize the evolution of the lake level and its possible relationships with changes in climate, volcanic, and regional tectonics since the formation of the lake ca. 600 ka ago. Changes in lake level were determined based on high-resolution seismic reflection profiles showing erosional surfaces, changes in stratal geometries such as downward shifts in coastal onlap, and recognition of distinctive stratigraphic features such as prograding delta clinoforms. Our results show that Lake Van has undergone drastic changes in surface elevation by as much as 600 meters over the past ca. 600 ka. Five major lowstands occurred at ca. ~600 ka, ca. 365-340 ka, ca 290-230 ka; ca. 150-130 ka; and ca. 30-14 ka. During a first period (A) (ca. 600-ca 230 ka) lake levels changed drastically by hundreds of m but at longer time intervals between low and high stands. Changes occurred more frequently but mostly by a few tens of m during the past ca. 230 ka years where we can distinguish a first period (B1) of stepwise transgressions between ca. 230 and 150 ka followed by a short regression between ca. 150 and 130 ka. Lake level rose stepwise again during period B2 lasting until ca 30 ka. During the past 30 ka a regression and a final transgression each lasted ca. 15 ka years. The major lowstand periods in Lake Van occurred during glacial periods, arguing for a climatic control of these lake-level fluctuations (i.e., significantly reduced precipitation leading to lake level low stands). Although climate forcing may have been the dominant cause for the drastic lake level changes of Lake Van, volcanic and tectonic forcing factors are also invoked. For example, the number of distinct tephra layers

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Photometry/spectroscopic measurements for KA1858+4850 (Pei+, 2014)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pei, L.; Barth, A. J.; Aldering, G. S.; Briley, M. M.; Carroll, C. J.; Carson, D. J.; Cenko, S. B.; Clubb, K. I.; Cohen, D. P.; Cucchiara, A.; Desjardins, T. D.; Edelson, R.; Fang, J. J.; Fedrow, J. M.; Filippenko, A. V.; Fox, O. D.; Furniss, A.; Gates, E. L.; Gregg, M.; Gustafson, S.; Horst, J. C.; Joner, M. D.; Kelly, P. L.; Lacy, M.; Laney, C. D.; Leonard, D. C.; Li, W.; Malkan, M. A.; Margon, B.; Neeleman, M.; Nguyen, M. L.; Prochaska, J. X.; Ross, N. R.; Sand, D. J.; Searcy, K. J.; Shivvers, I. S.; Silverman, J. M.; Smith, G. H.; Suzuki, N.; Smith, K. L.; Tytler, D.; Werk, J. K.; Worseck, G.

2017-05-01

We employed the Lick Observatory 3 m Shane telescope with the Kast Spectrograph and five other ground-based telescopes to spectroscopically and photometrically monitor KA1858+4850 from 2012 February to November. Reverberation mapping requires a continuum light curve with high sampling cadence and S/N. To achieve this, we obtained V-band images from ground-based telescopes and used aperture photometry to construct a light curve for KA1858+4850 that has nearly nightly sampling for a span of 290 days. For several reasons, we chose to use the V-band light curve rather than the Kepler light curve for reverberation measurements. (2 data files).

Polysaccharide Nanoparticles for Efficient siRNA Targeting in Cancer Cells by Supramolecular pKa Shift

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Ying-Ming; Yang, Yang; Zhang, Yu-Hui; Liu, Yu

2016-07-01

Biomacromolecular pKa shifting is considered as one of the most ubiquitous processes in biochemical events, e.g., the enzyme-catalyzed reaction and protein conformational stabilization. In this paper, we report on the construction of biocompatible polysaccharide nanoparticle with targeting ability and lower toxicity by supramolecular pKa shift strategy. This was realized through a ternary assembly constructed by the dual host‒guest interactions of an adamantane-bis(diamine) conjugate (ADA) with cucurbit[6]uril (CB[6]) and a polysaccharide. The potential application of such biocompatible nanostructure was further implemented by the selective transportation of small interfering RNA (siRNA) in a controlled manner. It is demonstrated that the strong encapsulation of the ADA’s diammonium tail by CB[6] not only reduced the cytotoxicity of the nano-scaled vehicle but also dramatically enhanced cation density through an obvious positive macrocycle-induced pKa shift, which eventually facilitated the subsequent siRNA binding. With a targeted polysaccharide shell containing a cyclodextrin‒hyaluronic acid conjugate, macrocycle-incorporated siRNA polyplexes were specifically delivered into malignant human prostate PC-3 cells. The supramolecular polysaccharide nanoparticles, the formation of which was enabled and promoted by the complexation-assisted pKa shift, may be used as a versatile tool for controlled capture and release of biofunctional substrates.

A Ka-band (32 GHz) beacon link experiment (KABLE) with Mars Observer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Riley, A. L.; Hansen, D. M.; Mileant, A.; Hartop, R. W.

1987-01-01

A proposal for a Ka-Band (32 GHz) Link Experiment (KABLE) with the Mars Observer mission was submitted to NASA. The experiment will rely on the fourth harmonic of the spacecraft X-band transmitter to generate a 33.6 GHz signal. The experiment will rely also on the Deep Space Network (DSN) receiving station equipped to simultaneously receive X- and Ka-band signals. The experiment will accurately measure the spacecraft-to-Earth telecommunication link performance at Ka-band and X-band (8.4 GHz).

MP-4 Contributes to Snake Venom Neutralization by Mucuna pruriens Seeds through an Indirect Antibody-mediated Mechanism*

PubMed Central

Kumar, Ashish; Gupta, Chitra; Salunke, Dinakar M.

2016-01-01

Mortality due to snakebite is a serious public health problem, and available therapeutics are known to induce debilitating side effects. Traditional medicine suggests that seeds of Mucuna pruriens can provide protection against the effects of snakebite. Our aim is to identify the protein(s) that may be important for snake venom neutralization and elucidate its mechanism of action. To this end, we have identified and purified a protein from M. pruriens, which we have named MP-4. The full-length polypeptide sequence of MP-4 was obtained through N-terminal sequencing of peptide fragments. Sequence analysis suggested that the protein may belong to the Kunitz-type protease inhibitor family and therefore may potentially neutralize the proteases present in snake venom. Using various structural and biochemical tools coupled with in vivo assays, we are able to show that MP-4 does not afford direct protection against snake venom because it is actually a poor inhibitor of serine proteases. Further experiments showed that antibodies generated against MP-4 cross-react with the whole venom and provide protection to mice against Echis carinatus snake venom. This study shows that the MP-4 contributes significantly to the snake venom neutralization activity of M. pruriens seeds through an indirect antibody-mediated mechanism. PMID:26987900

Test of 60 kA coated conductor cable prototypes for fusion magnets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uglietti, D.; Bykovsky, N.; Sedlak, K.; Stepanov, B.; Wesche, R.; Bruzzone, P.

2015-12-01

Coated conductors could be promising materials for the fabrication of the large magnet systems of future fusion devices. Two prototype conductors (flat cables in steel conduits), each about 2 m long, were manufactured using coated conductor tapes (4 mm wide) from Super Power and SuperOx, with a total tape length of 1.6 km. Each flat cable is assembled from 20 strands, each strand consisting of a stack of 16 tapes surrounded by two half circular copper profiles, twisted and soldered. The tapes were measured at 12 T and 4.2 K and the results of the measurements were used for the assessment of the conductor electromagnetic properties at low temperature and high field. The two conductors were assembled together in a sample that was tested in the European Dipole (EDIPO) facility. The current sharing temperatures of the two conductors were measured at background fields from 8 T up to 12 T and for currents from 30 kA up to 70 kA: the measured values are within a few percent of the values expected from the measurements on tapes (short samples). After electromagnetic cycling, T cs at 12 T and 50 kA decreased from about 12 K to 11 K (about 10%), corresponding to less than 3% of I c.

Report on the Acceptance Test of the CRI Y-MP 8128, 10 February - 12 March 1990

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carter, Russell; Kutler, Paul (Technical Monitor)

1998-01-01

The NAS Numerical Aerodynamic Simulation Facility's HSP 2 computer system, a CRI Y-MP 832 SN #1002, underwent a major hardware upgrade in February of 1990. The 32 MWord, 6.3 ns mainframe component of the system was replaced with a 128 MWord, 6.0 ns CRI Y-MP 8128 mainframe, SN #1030. A 30 day Acceptance Test of the computer system was performed by the NAS RND HSP group from 08:00 February 10, 1990 to 08:00 March 12, 1990. Overall responsibility for the RND HSP Acceptance Test was assumed by Duane Carbon. The terms of the contract required that the SN #1030 achieve an effectiveness level of greater than or equal to ninety (90) percent for 30 consecutive days within a 60 day time frame. After the first thirty days, the effectiveness level of SN #1030 was 94.4 percent, hence the acceptance test was passed.

Extrapolating MP2 and CCSD explicitly correlated correlation energies to the complete basis set limit with first and second row correlation consistent basis sets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hill, J. Grant; Peterson, Kirk A.; Knizia, Gerald; Werner, Hans-Joachim

2009-11-01

of the 3C(D) Ansatz is preferred for MP2-F12 CBS extrapolations. Optimal values of the geminal Slater exponent are presented for the diagonal, fixed amplitude Ansatz in MP2-F12 calculations, and these are also recommended for CCSD-F12b calculations.

Simultaneous Quantitative MRI Mapping of T1, T2* and Magnetic Susceptibility with Multi-Echo MP2RAGE

PubMed Central

Kober, Tobias; Möller, Harald E.; Schäfer, Andreas

2017-01-01

The knowledge of relaxation times is essential for understanding the biophysical mechanisms underlying contrast in magnetic resonance imaging. Quantitative experiments, while offering major advantages in terms of reproducibility, may benefit from simultaneous acquisitions. In this work, we demonstrate the possibility of simultaneously recording relaxation-time and susceptibility maps with a prototype Multi-Echo (ME) Magnetization-Prepared 2 RApid Gradient Echoes (MP2RAGE) sequence. T1 maps can be obtained using the MP2RAGE sequence, which is relatively insensitive to inhomogeneities of the radio-frequency transmit field, B1+. As an extension, multiple gradient echoes can be acquired in each of the MP2RAGE readout blocks, which permits the calculation of T2* and susceptibility maps. We used computer simulations to explore the effects of the parameters on the precision and accuracy of the mapping. In vivo parameter maps up to 0.6 mm nominal resolution were acquired at 7 T in 19 healthy volunteers. Voxel-by-voxel correlations and the test-retest reproducibility were used to assess the reliability of the results. When using optimized paramenters, T1 maps obtained with ME-MP2RAGE and standard MP2RAGE showed excellent agreement for the whole range of values found in brain tissues. Simultaneously obtained T2* and susceptibility maps were of comparable quality as Fast Low-Angle SHot (FLASH) results. The acquisition times were more favorable for the ME-MP2RAGE (≈ 19 min) sequence as opposed to the sum of MP2RAGE (≈ 12 min) and FLASH (≈ 10 min) acquisitions. Without relevant sacrifice in accuracy, precision or flexibility, the multi-echo version may yield advantages in terms of reduced acquisition time and intrinsic co-registration, provided that an appropriate optimization of the acquisition parameters is performed. PMID:28081157

Publications - MP 156 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys

Science.gov Websites

Skip to content State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska Visiting Alaska /29446 Publication Products Report Report Information mp156.pdf (126.0 K) Digital Geospatial Data Digital State of Alaska © 2010 Webmaster State of Alaska myAlaska My Government Resident Business in Alaska

6-Mercaptopurine (6-MP) induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of neural progenitor cells in the developing fetal rat brain.

PubMed

Kanemitsu, H; Yamauchi, H; Komatsu, M; Yamamoto, S; Okazaki, S; Uchida, K; Nakayama, H

2009-01-01

6-Mercaptopurine (6-MP), an analogue of hypoxanthine, is used in the therapy of acute lymphoblastic leukemia and causes fetal neurotoxicity. To clarify the mechanisms of 6-MP-induced fetal neurotoxicity leading to the cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of neural progenitor cells, pregnant rats were treated with 50 mg/kg 6-MP on embryonic day (E) 13, and the fetal telencephalons were examined at 12 to 72 h (h) after treatment. Flow-cytometric analysis confirmed an accumulation of cells at G2/M, S, and sub-G1 (apoptotic cells) phases from 24 to 72 h. The number of phosphorylated histone H3-positive cells (mitotic cells) decreased from 36 to 72 h, and the phosphorylated (active) form of p53 protein, which is a mediator of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, increased from 24 to 48 h. An executor of p53-mediated cell cycle arrest, p21, showed intense overexpression at both the mRNA and protein levels from 24 to 72 h. Cdc25A protein, which is needed for the progression of S phase, decreased at 36 and 48 h. In addition, phosphorylated cdc2 protein, which is an inactive form of cdc2 necessary for G2/M progression, increased from 24 to 48 h. These results suggest that 6-MP induced G2/M arrest, delayed S-phase progression, and finally induced apoptosis of neural progenitor cells mediated by p53 in the fetal rat telencephalon.

Imaging Neural Activity Using Thy1-GCaMP Transgenic mice

PubMed Central

Chen, Qian; Cichon, Joseph; Wang, Wenting; Qiu, Li; Lee, Seok-Jin R.; Campbell, Nolan R.; DeStefino, Nicholas; Goard, Michael J.; Fu, Zhanyan; Yasuda, Ryohei; Looger, Loren L.; Arenkiel, Benjamin R.; Gan, Wen-Biao; Feng, Guoping

2014-01-01

Summary The ability to chronically monitor neuronal activity in the living brain is essential for understanding the organization and function of the nervous system. The genetically encoded green fluorescent protein based calcium sensor GCaMP provides a powerful tool for detecting calcium transients in neuronal somata, processes, and synapses that are triggered by neuronal activities. Here we report the generation and characterization of transgenic mice that express improved GCaMPs in various neuronal subpopulations under the control of the Thy1 promoter. In vitro and in vivo studies show that calcium transients induced by spontaneous and stimulus-evoked neuronal activities can be readily detected at the level of individual cells and synapses in acute brain slices, as well as chronically in awake behaving animals. These GCaMP transgenic mice allow investigation of activity patterns in defined neuronal populations in the living brain, and will greatly facilitate dissecting complex structural and functional relationships of neural networks. PMID:23083733

Ferroelectric switch for a high-power Ka-band active pulse compressor

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

Hirshfield, Jay L.

2013-12-18

Results are presented for design of a high-power microwave switch for operation at 34.3 GHz, intended for use in an active RF pulse compressor. The active element in the switch is a ring of ferroelectric material, whose dielectric constant can be rapidly changed by application of a high-voltage pulse. As envisioned, two of these switches would be built into a pair of delay lines, as in SLED-II at SLAC, so as to allow 30-MW μs-length Ka-band pulses to be compressed in time by a factor-of-9 and multiplied in amplitude to generate 200 MW peak power pulses. Such high-power pulses couldmore » be used for testing and evaluation of high-gradient mm-wave accelerator structures, for example. Evaluation of the switch design was carried out with an X-band (11.43 GHz) prototype, built to incorporate all the features required for the Ka-band version.« less

Ka-band MMIC subarray technology program (Ka-Mist)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pottenger, Warren

1995-01-01

The broad objective of this program was to demonstrate a proof of concept insertion of Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit (MMIC) device technology into an innovative (tile architecture) active phased array antenna application supporting advanced EHF communication systems. Ka-band MMIC arrays have long been considered as having high potential for increasing the capability of space, aircraft, and land mobile communication systems in terms of scan performance, data rate, link margin, and flexibility while offering a significant reduction in size, weight, and power consumption. Insertion of MMIC technology into antenna systems, particularly at millimeter wave frequencies using low power and low noise amplifiers in close proximity to the radiating elements, offers a significant improvement in the array transmit efficiency, receive system noise figure, and overall array reliability. Application of active array technology also leads to the use of advanced beamforming techniques that can improve beam agility, diversity, and adaptivity to complex signal environments.

MP-4 Contributes to Snake Venom Neutralization by Mucuna pruriens Seeds through an Indirect Antibody-mediated Mechanism.

PubMed

Kumar, Ashish; Gupta, Chitra; Nair, Deepak T; Salunke, Dinakar M

2016-05-20

Mortality due to snakebite is a serious public health problem, and available therapeutics are known to induce debilitating side effects. Traditional medicine suggests that seeds of Mucuna pruriens can provide protection against the effects of snakebite. Our aim is to identify the protein(s) that may be important for snake venom neutralization and elucidate its mechanism of action. To this end, we have identified and purified a protein from M. pruriens, which we have named MP-4. The full-length polypeptide sequence of MP-4 was obtained through N-terminal sequencing of peptide fragments. Sequence analysis suggested that the protein may belong to the Kunitz-type protease inhibitor family and therefore may potentially neutralize the proteases present in snake venom. Using various structural and biochemical tools coupled with in vivo assays, we are able to show that MP-4 does not afford direct protection against snake venom because it is actually a poor inhibitor of serine proteases. Further experiments showed that antibodies generated against MP-4 cross-react with the whole venom and provide protection to mice against Echis carinatus snake venom. This study shows that the MP-4 contributes significantly to the snake venom neutralization activity of M. pruriens seeds through an indirect antibody-mediated mechanism. © 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Petrology and geochronology of lavas from Ka'ula Volcano: Implications for rejuvenated volcanism of the Hawaiian mantle plume

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia, Michael O.; Weis, Dominique; Jicha, Brian R.; Ito, Garrett; Hanano, Diane

2016-07-01

Marine surveying and submersible sampling of Ka'ula Volcano, located 100 km off the axis of the Hawaiian chain, revealed widespread areas of young volcanism. New 40Ar/39Ar and geochemical analyses of the olivine-phyric submarine and subaerial volcanic rocks show that Ka'ula is shrouded with 1.9-0.5 Ma alkalic basalts. The ages and chemistry of these rocks overlap with rejuvenated lavas on nearby, northern Hawaiian Island shields (Ni'ihau, Kaua'i and South Kaua'i Swell). Collectively, these rejuvenated lavas cover a vast area (∼7000 km2), much more extensive than any other area of rejuvenated volcanism worldwide. Ka'ula rejuvenated lavas range widely in alkalinity and incompatible element abundances (e.g., up to 10× P2O5 at a given MgO value) and ratios indicating variable degrees of melting of a heterogeneous source. Heavy REE elements in Ka'ula lavas are pinned at a mantle normalized Yb value of 10 ± 1, reflecting the presence of garnet in the source. Trace element ratios indicate the source also contained phlogopite and an Fe-Ti oxide. The new Ka'ula ages show that rejuvenated volcanism was nearly coeval from ∼0.3 to 0.6 Ma along a 450 km segment of the Hawaiian Islands (from West Maui to north of Ka'ula). The ages and volumes for rejuvenated volcanism are inconsistent with all but one geodynamic melting model proposed to date. This model advocates a significant contribution of pyroxenite to rejuvenated magmas. Analyses of olivine phenocryst compositions suggest a major (33-69%) pyroxenite component in Ka'ula rejuvenated lavas, which correlates positively with radiogenic Pb isotope ratios for Ka'ula. This correlation is also observed in lavas from nearby South Kaua'i lavas, as was reported for Atlantic oceanic islands. The presence of pyroxenite in the source may have extended the duration and volume of Hawaiian rejuvenated volcanism.

Maltose neopentyl glycol-3 (MNG-3) analogues for membrane protein study.

PubMed

Cho, Kyung Ho; Husri, Mohd; Amin, Anowarul; Gotfryd, Kamil; Lee, Ho Jin; Go, Juyeon; Kim, Jin Woong; Loland, Claus J; Guan, Lan; Byrne, Bernadette; Chae, Pil Seok

2015-05-07

Detergents are typically used to both extract membrane proteins (MPs) from the lipid bilayers and maintain them in solution. However, MPs encapsulated in detergent micelles are often prone to denaturation and aggregation. Thus, the development of novel agents with enhanced stabilization characteristics is necessary to advance MP research. Maltose neopentyl glycol-3 (MNG-3) has contributed to >10 crystal structures including G-protein coupled receptors. Here, we prepared MNG-3 analogues and characterised their properties using selected MPs. Most MNGs were superior to a conventional detergent, n-dodecyl-β-D-maltopyranoside (DDM), in terms of membrane protein stabilization efficacy. Interestingly, optimal stabilization was achieved with different MNG-3 analogues depending on the target MP. The origin for such detergent specificity could be explained by a novel concept: compatibility between detergent hydrophobicity and MP tendency to denature and aggregate. This set of MNGs represents viable alternatives to currently available detergents for handling MPs, and can be also used as tools to estimate MP sensitivity to denaturation and aggregation.

Sea-level records at ~80 ka from tectonically stable platforms: Florida and Bermuda

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ludwig, K. R.; Muhs, D.R.; Simmons, K.R.; Halley, R.B.; Shinn, E.A.

1996-01-01

Studies from technically active coasts on New Guinea and Barbados have suggested that sea level at ???80 ka was significantly lower than present, whereas data from the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of North America indicate an ???80 ka sea level close to that of the present. We determined ages of corals from a shallow submerged reef off the Florida Keys and an emergent marine deposit on Bermuda. Both localities are on tectonically stable platforms distant from plate boundaries. Uranium-series ages show that corals at both localities grew during the ???80 ka sea-level highstand, and geologic data show that sea level at that time was no lower than 7-9 m below present (Florida) and may have been 1-2 m above present (Bermuda). The ice-volume discrepancy of the 80 ka sea-level estimates is greater than the volume of the Greenland or West Antarctic ice sheets. Comparison of our ages with high-latitude insolation values indicates that the sea-level stand near the present at ???80 ka could have been orbitally forced.

Effect of methylation on the side-chain pKa value of arginine.

PubMed

Evich, Marina; Stroeva, Ekaterina; Zheng, Yujun George; Germann, Markus W

2016-02-01

Arginine methylation is important in biological systems. Recent studies link the deregulation of protein arginine methyltransferases with certain cancers. To assess the impact of methylation on interaction with other biomolecules, the pKa values of methylated arginine variants were determined using NMR data. The pKa values of monomethylated, symmetrically dimethylated, and asymmetrically dimethylated arginine are similar to the unmodified arginine (14.2 ± 0.4). Although the pKa value has not been significantly affected by methylation, consequences of methylation include changes in charge distribution and steric effects, suggesting alternative mechanisms for recognition. © 2015 The Protein Society.

A Reinvestigation of the Dimer of para-Benzoquinone with Pyrimidine with MP2, CCSD(T) and DFT using Functionals including those Designed to Describe Dispersion

PubMed Central

Marianski, Mateusz; Oliva, Antoni

2012-01-01

We reevaluate the interaction of pyridine and p-benzoquinone using functionals designed to treat dispersion. We compare the relative energies of four different structures: stacked, T-shaped (identified for the first time) and two planar H-bonded geometries using these functionals (B97-D, ωB97x-D, M05, M05-2X, M06, M06L, M06-2X), other functionals (PBE1PBE, B3LYP, X3LYP), MP2 and CCSD(T) using basis sets as large as cc-pVTZ. The functionals designed to treat dispersion behave erratically as the predictions of the most stable structure vary considerably. MP2 predicts the experimentally observed structure (H-bonded) to be the least stable, while single point CCSD(T) at the MP2 optimized geometry correctly predicts the observed structure to be most stable. We have confirmed the assignment of the experimental structure using new calculations of the vibrational frequency shifts previously used to identify the structure. The MP2/cc-pVTZ vibrational calculations are in excellent agreement with the observations. All methods used to calculate the energies provide vibrational shifts that agree with the observed structure even though most do not predict this structure to be most stable. The implications for evaluating possible π-stacking in biologically important systems are discussed. PMID:22765283

A reinvestigation of the dimer of para-benzoquinone and pyrimidine with MP2, CCSD(T), and DFT using functionals including those designed to describe dispersion.

PubMed

Marianski, Mateusz; Oliva, Antoni; Dannenberg, J J

2012-08-02

We reevaluate the interaction of pyridine and p-benzoquinone using functionals designed to treat dispersion. We compare the relative energies of four different structures: stacked, T-shaped (identified for the first time), and two planar H-bonded geometries using these functionals (B97-D, ωB97x-D, M05, M05-2X, M06, M06L, and M06-2X), other functionals (PBE1PBE, B3LYP, X3LYP), MP2, and CCSD(T) using basis sets as large as cc-pVTZ. The functionals designed to treat dispersion behave erratically as the predictions of the most stable structure vary considerably. MP2 predicts the experimentally observed structure (H-bonded) to be the least stable, while single-point CCSD(T) at the MP2 optimized geometry correctly predicts the observed structure to be the most stable. We have confirmed the assignment of the experimental structure using new calculations of the vibrational frequency shifts previously used to identify the structure. The MP2/cc-pVTZ vibrational calculations are in excellent agreement with the observations. All methods used to calculate the energies provide vibrational shifts that agree with the observed structure even though most do not predict this structure to be most stable. The implications for evaluating possible π-stacking in biologically important systems are discussed.

EUReKA! A Conceptual Model of Emotion Understanding

PubMed Central

Castro, Vanessa L.; Cheng, Yanhua; Halberstadt, Amy G.; Grühn, Daniel

2015-01-01

The field of emotion understanding is replete with measures, yet lacks an integrated conceptual organizing structure. To identify and organize skills associated with the recognition and knowledge of emotions, and to highlight the focus of emotion understanding as localized in the self, in specific others, and in generalized others, we introduce the conceptual framework of Emotion Understanding in Recognition and Knowledge Abilities (EUReKA). We then categorize fifty-six existing methods of emotion understanding within this framework to highlight current gaps and future opportunities in assessing emotion understanding across the lifespan. We hope the EUReKA model provides a systematic and integrated framework for conceptualizing and measuring emotion understanding for future research. PMID:27594904

High-Efficiency Ka-Band Waveguide Two-Way Asymmetric Power Combiner

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wintucky, E. G.; Simons, R. N.; Freeman, J. C.; Chevalier, C. T.

2011-01-01

NASA is planning a number of Space Exploration, Earth Observation and Space Science missions where Ka-band solid-state power amplifiers (SSPAs) could have a role. Monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) based SSPAs with output powers on the order of 10 W at Ka-band frequencies would be adequate to satisfy the data transmission rate requirements at the distances involved. MMICs are a type of integrated circuit fabricated on a GaAs wafer, which operates at micro wave frequencies and performs the function of signal amplification. The highest power Ka-band (31.8 to 32.3 GHz) SSPA to have flown in space had an output power of 2.6 W with an overall efficiency of 14.3 percent. This SSPA was built around discrete GaAs pHEMT (high electron mobility transistor) devices and flew aboard the Deep Space One spacecraft. State-of-the-art GaAs pHEMT-based MMIC power amplifiers (PAs) can deliver RF power at Ka-band frequencies anywhere from 3 W with a power added efficiency (PAE) of 32 percent to 6 W with a PAE of 26 percent. However, to achieve power levels higher than 6 W, the output of several MMIC PAs would need to be combined using a high-efficiency power combiner. Conventional binary waveguide power combiners, based on short-slot and magic-T circuits, require MMIC PAs with identical amplitude and phase characteristics for high combining efficiency. However, due to manufacturing process variations, the output powers of the MMIC PAs tend to be unequal, and hence the need to develop unequal power combiners. A two-way asymmetric magic-T based power combiner for MMIC power amplifiers, which can take in unequal inputs, has been successfully designed, fabricated, and characterized over NASA s Deep Space Network (DSN) frequency range of 31.8 to 32.3 GHz. The figure is a transparent view of the a sym - metric combiner that shows the 4-port configuration and the internal structure. The rod, post, and iris are positioned by design to achieve the desired asymmetric power ratio

The L, M, and S Segments of Rift Valley Fever Virus MP-12 Vaccine Independently Contribute to a Temperature-Sensitive Phenotype

PubMed Central

Nishiyama, Shoko; Lokugamage, Nandadeva

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Rift Valley fever (RVF) is endemic to Africa, and the mosquito-borne disease is characterized by “abortion storms” in ruminants and by hemorrhagic fever, encephalitis, and blindness in humans. Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV; family Bunyaviridae, genus Phlebovirus) has a tripartite negative-stranded RNA genome (L, M, and S segments). A live-attenuated vaccine for RVF, the MP-12 vaccine, is conditionally licensed for veterinary use in the United States. MP-12 is fully attenuated by the combination of the partially attenuated L, M, and S segments. Temperature sensitivity (ts) limits viral replication at a restrictive temperature and may be involved with viral attenuation. In this study, we aimed to characterize the ts mutations for MP-12. The MP-12 vaccine showed restricted replication at 38°C and replication shutoff (100-fold or greater reduction in virus titer compared to that at 37°C) at 39°C in Vero and MRC-5 cells. Using rZH501 reassortants with either the MP-12 L, M, or S segment, we found that all three segments encode a temperature-sensitive phenotype. However, the ts phenotype of the S segment was weaker than that of the M or L segment. We identified Gn-Y259H, Gc-R1182G, L-V172A, and L-M1244I as major ts mutations for MP-12. The ts mutations in the L segment decreased viral RNA synthesis, while those in the M segment delayed progeny production from infected cells. We also found that a lack of NSs and/or 78kD/NSm protein expression minimally affected the ts phenotype. Our study revealed that MP-12 is a unique vaccine carrying ts mutations in the L, M, and S segments. IMPORTANCE Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a mosquito-borne viral disease endemic to Africa, characterized by high rates of abortion in ruminants and severe diseases in humans. Vaccination is important to prevent the spread of disease, and a live-attenuated MP-12 vaccine is currently the only vaccine with a conditional license in the United States. This study determined the temperature

The L, M, and S Segments of Rift Valley Fever Virus MP-12 Vaccine Independently Contribute to a Temperature-Sensitive Phenotype.

PubMed

Nishiyama, Shoko; Lokugamage, Nandadeva; Ikegami, Tetsuro

2016-01-27

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is endemic to Africa, and the mosquito-borne disease is characterized by "abortion storms" in ruminants and by hemorrhagic fever, encephalitis, and blindness in humans. Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV; family Bunyaviridae, genus Phlebovirus) has a tripartite negative-stranded RNA genome (L, M, and S segments). A live-attenuated vaccine for RVF, the MP-12 vaccine, is conditionally licensed for veterinary use in the United States. MP-12 is fully attenuated by the combination of the partially attenuated L, M, and S segments. Temperature sensitivity (ts) limits viral replication at a restrictive temperature and may be involved with viral attenuation. In this study, we aimed to characterize the ts mutations for MP-12. The MP-12 vaccine showed restricted replication at 38°C and replication shutoff (100-fold or greater reduction in virus titer compared to that at 37°C) at 39°C in Vero and MRC-5 cells. Using rZH501 reassortants with either the MP-12 L, M, or S segment, we found that all three segments encode a temperature-sensitive phenotype. However, the ts phenotype of the S segment was weaker than that of the M or L segment. We identified Gn-Y259H, Gc-R1182G, L-V172A, and L-M1244I as major ts mutations for MP-12. The ts mutations in the L segment decreased viral RNA synthesis, while those in the M segment delayed progeny production from infected cells. We also found that a lack of NSs and/or 78kD/NSm protein expression minimally affected the ts phenotype. Our study revealed that MP-12 is a unique vaccine carrying ts mutations in the L, M, and S segments. Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a mosquito-borne viral disease endemic to Africa, characterized by high rates of abortion in ruminants and severe diseases in humans. Vaccination is important to prevent the spread of disease, and a live-attenuated MP-12 vaccine is currently the only vaccine with a conditional license in the United States. This study determined the temperature sensitivity (ts) of MP-12

Multiple Nonconformities in Ice-Walled Lake Successions Indicate Periods with Cold Summers (24.4 - 22.5 ka, 21.1 - 19.2 ka, 18.5 - 18.1 ka) during the Last Deglaciation in Northeastern Illinois, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Curry, B. B.

2014-12-01

Unprecedented age control on many last glacial stratigraphic units and morainal ice-margin positions are interpreted from AMS radiocarbon ages of tundra plant macrofossils archived in low-relief ice-walled lake plain (IWLP) deposits the Lake Michigan Lobe (south-central Laurentide Ice Sheet). IWLPs are periglacial features that formed on morainal dead-ice permafrost. Lacustrine sediment, and the fossils contained therein, had physical and temporal proximity to the glacier which formed the underlying moraine. In modern ice-walled lakes, as the lake's ice cover begins to melt, moats form which allows access of sloughing tundra-mantled active layer sediment (soil) into the lakes. Multiple AMS ages from two sites with proglacial sediment buried by glacial max LIS diamicton, and IWLPs reveal evidence of episodic plant growth and sedimentation including ca. 24.0 to 24.4 ka (post Shelby Phase), 22.5 to 21.1 ka (post Livingston Phase), 18.1 to 17.4 ka (post Woodstock Phase). Although presently based on negative evidence, the associated nonconformities (listed in title) indicate periods when cold conditions did not promote development of the estival moat. Although the evidence does not preclude tundra growth during the cold summers, there was little landscape modification due to limited thawing of the active layer. At approximately the onset of the 19.2-18.5 "warm" period, at least two large deglacial discharge events flooded the Fox and Kankakee tributary valleys of the Illinois River. The latter, known as the Kankakee Torrent, occurred at 19.05 - 18.85 ka (σ1 range) at the Oswego channel complex. The temporal coincidence of the torrents and sedimentation in ice-walled lakes suggests that the post-Livingston Phase nonconformity (21.1 - 19.2 ka) was a period of lessened meltwater discharge through subglacial conduits (tunnel valleys) as the frozen toe promoted formation of subglacial lakes, buildup of pore-water pressures, and the release of subglacial water as "torrents

40Ar/39Ar ages for deep (˜3.3 km) samples from the Hawaii Scientific Drilling Project, Mauna Kea volcano, Hawaii

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jourdan, Fred; Sharp, Warren D.; Renne, Paul R.

2012-05-01

The Hawaii Scientific Drilling Project recovered core from a 3.5 km deep hole from the flank of Mauna Kea volcano, providing a long, essentially continuous record of the volcano's physical and petrologic development that has been used to infer the chemical and physical characteristics of the Hawaiian mantle plume. Determining a precise accumulation rate via 40Ar/39Ar dating of the shield-stage tholeiites, which constitute 95-98% of the volcano's volume is challenging. We applied40Ar/39Ar dating using laser- and furnace-heating in two laboratories (Berkeley and Curtin) to samples of two lava flows from deep in the core (˜3.3 km). All determinations yield concordant isochron ages, ranging from 612 ± 159 to 871 ± 302 ka (2σ; with P ≥ 0.90). The combined data yield an age of 681 ± 120 ka (P = 0.77) for pillow lavas near the bottom of the core. This new age, when regressed with 40Ar/39Ar isochron ages previously obtained for tholeiites higher in the core, defines a constant accumulation rate of 8.4 ± 2.6 m/ka that can be used to interpolate the ages of the tholeiites in the HSDP core with a mean uncertainty of about ±83 ka. For example at ˜3300 mbsl, the age of 664 ± 83 ka estimated from the regression diverges at the 95% confidence level from the age of 550 ka obtained from the numerical model of DePaolo and Stolper (1996). The new data have implications for the timescale of the growth of Hawaiian volcanoes, the paleomagnetic record in the core, and the dynamics of the Hawaiian mantle plume.

Experiments for Ka-band mobile applications: The ACTS mobile terminal

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Estabrook, Polly; Dessouky, Khaled; Jedrey, Thomas

1990-01-01

To explore the potential of Ka-band to support mobile satellite services, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has initiated the design and development of a Ka-band land-mobile terminal to be used with the Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS). The planned experimental setup with ACTS is described. Brief functional descriptions of the mobile and fixed terminals are provided. The inputs required from the propagation community to support the design activities and the planned experiments are also discussed.

Validation of SARAL/AltiKa data in the Amazon basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santos da Silva, Joecila; Calmant, Stephane; Medeiros Moreira, Daniel; Oliveira, Robson; Conchy, Taina; Gennero, Marie-Claude; Seyler, Frederique

2015-04-01

SARAL/AltiKa is a link between past missions (since it flies on the ERS-ENVISAT orbit with Ku band nadir altimeters in LRM) and future missions such as SWOT's Ka band interferometry swaths. In the present study, we compare the capability of its altimeter AltiKa to that of previous missions working in the Ku band such as ENVISAT and Jason-2 in retrieving water levels over the Amazon basin. Same as for the aforementioned preceding missions, the best results were obtained with the ICE-1 retracking algorithm. We qualitatively analyze the impact of rainfalls in the loss of measurements. Since making long -multi mission- time series is of major importance either for hydro-climatic studies or for basin management, we also present an estimate of the altimeter bias in order that the SARAL series of water level can be appended to those of these previous missions.

Development of Methods for the Determination of pKa Values

PubMed Central

Reijenga, Jetse; van Hoof, Arno; van Loon, Antonie; Teunissen, Bram

2013-01-01

The acid dissociation constant (pKa) is among the most frequently used physicochemical parameters, and its determination is of interest to a wide range of research fields. We present a brief introduction on the conceptual development of pKa as a physical parameter and its relationship to the concept of the pH of a solution. This is followed by a general summary of the historical development and current state of the techniques of pKa determination and an attempt to develop insight into future developments. Fourteen methods of determining the acid dissociation constant are placed in context and are critically evaluated to make a fair comparison and to determine their applications in modern chemistry. Additionally, we have studied these techniques in light of present trends in science and technology and attempt to determine how these trends might affect future developments in the field. PMID:23997574

Denudational slope processes on weathered basalt in northern California: 130 ka history of soil development, periods of slope stability and colluviation, and climate change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McDonald, Eric; Harrison, Bruce; Baldwin, John; Page, William; Rood, Dylan

2017-04-01

The geomorphic history of hillslope evolution is controlled by multiple types of denudational processes. Detailed analysis of hillslope soil-stratigraphy provides a means to identify the timing of periods of slope stability and non-stability, evidence of the types of denudational processes, and possible links to climatic drivers. Moreover, the degree of soil formation and the presence of buried or truncated soils provide evidence of the relative age of alternating periods of colluviation and stability. We use evaluation of soil stratigraphy, for a small forested hillslope (<500 m of slope length) located in the Cascades of northern California, to elucidate both the timing and processes controlling 130 ka of hillslope evolution. The soils and slope colluvium are derived from highly weathered basalt. Stratigraphic interpretation is reinforced with soil profile development index (PDI) derived age estimates, tephrochronology, luminescence ages on colluvium, and He3 nuclide exposure dates. Soils formed along hilltop ridges are well developed and reflect deep (>2-3 m) in-situ weathering of the basalt bedrock. PDI age estimates and He3 exposure dates indicate that these hilltop soils had been in place for 100-130 ka, implying a long period of relative surface stability. At about 40-30 ka, soil stratigraphy indicates the onset of 3 distinct cycles of denudation of the hilltop and slopes. Evidence for changes in stability and onset of soil erosion is the presence of several buried soils formed in colluvium downslope of the hilltop. These buried soils have formed in sediment derived from erosion of the hilltop soils (i.e. soil parent material of previously weathered soil matrix and basalt cobbles). The oldest buried soil indicates that slope stability was re-established between 32-23 ka, with stability and soil formation lasting to about 10 ka. Soil-stratigraphy indicates that two additional intervals of downslope transport of sediment between 6-10 ka, and 2-5 ka. Soil

Comparing the OpenMP, MPI, and Hybrid Programming Paradigm on an SMP Cluster

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jost, Gabriele; Jin, Hao-Qiang; anMey, Dieter; Hatay, Ferhat F.

2003-01-01

Clusters of SMP (Symmetric Multi-Processors) nodes provide support for a wide range of parallel programming paradigms. The shared address space within each node is suitable for OpenMP parallelization. Message passing can be employed within and across the nodes of a cluster. Multiple levels of parallelism can be achieved by combining message passing and OpenMP parallelization. Which programming paradigm is the best will depend on the nature of the given problem, the hardware components of the cluster, the network, and the available software. In this study we compare the performance of different implementations of the same CFD benchmark application, using the same numerical algorithm but employing different programming paradigms.

Theoretical prediction of pKa in methanol: testing SM8 and SMD models for carboxylic acids, phenols, and amines.

PubMed

Miguel, Elizabeth L M; Silva, Poliana L; Pliego, Josefredo R

2014-05-29

Methanol is a widely used solvent for chemical reactions and has solvation properties similar to those of water. However, the performance of continuum solvation models in this solvent has not been tested yet. In this report, we have investigated the performance of the SM8 and SMD models for pKa prediction of 26 carboxylic acids, 24 phenols, and 23 amines in methanol. The gas phase contribution was included at the X3LYP/TZVPP+diff//X3LYP/DZV+P(d) level. Using the proton exchange reaction with acetic acid, phenol, and ammonia as reference species leads to RMS error in the range of 1.4 to 3.6 pKa units. This finding suggests that the performance of the continuum models for methanol is similar to that found for aqueous solvent. Application of simple empirical correction through a linear equation leads to accurate pKa prediction, with uncertainty less than 0.8 units with the SM8 method. Testing with the less expensive PBE1PBE/6-311+G** method results in a slight improvement in the results.

The Celestial Reference Frame at X/Ka-band (8.4/32 GHz)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jacobs, C. S.; Clark, J. E.; Heflin, M. B.; Skjerve, L. J.; Sovers, O. J.; Garcia-Miro, C.; Moll, V. E.; Horiuchi, S.

2010-01-01

A celestial reference frame at X/Kaband (8.4/32 GHz) has been constructed using fiftyone 24-hour sessions with the Deep Space Network. We report on observations which have detected 436 sources covering the full 24 hours of right ascension and declinations down to -45 deg. Comparison of this X/Ka-band frame to the S/X-band (2.3/8.4 GHz) ICRF2 shows wRMS agreement of 200 micro-arcsec ( mu as) in alpha cos delta and 290 mu as in delta. There is evidence for zonal errors at the 100 mu as level. Known errors include limited SNR, lack of phase calibration, troposphere mismodelling, and limited southern geometry. The motivations for extending the ICRF to frequencies above 8 GHz are to access more compact source morphology for improved frame stability, to provide calibrators for phase referencing, and to support spacecraft navigation at Ka-band.

Impact of the hard-coded parameters on the hydrologic fluxes of the land surface model Noah-MP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cuntz, Matthias; Mai, Juliane; Samaniego, Luis; Clark, Martyn; Wulfmeyer, Volker; Attinger, Sabine; Thober, Stephan

2016-04-01

Land surface models incorporate a large number of processes, described by physical, chemical and empirical equations. The process descriptions contain a number of parameters that can be soil or plant type dependent and are typically read from tabulated input files. Land surface models may have, however, process descriptions that contain fixed, hard-coded numbers in the computer code, which are not identified as model parameters. Here we searched for hard-coded parameters in the computer code of the land surface model Noah with multiple process options (Noah-MP) to assess the importance of the fixed values on restricting the model's agility during parameter estimation. We found 139 hard-coded values in all Noah-MP process options, which are mostly spatially constant values. This is in addition to the 71 standard parameters of Noah-MP, which mostly get distributed spatially by given vegetation and soil input maps. We performed a Sobol' global sensitivity analysis of Noah-MP to variations of the standard and hard-coded parameters for a specific set of process options. 42 standard parameters and 75 hard-coded parameters were active with the chosen process options. The sensitivities of the hydrologic output fluxes latent heat and total runoff as well as their component fluxes were evaluated. These sensitivities were evaluated at twelve catchments of the Eastern United States with very different hydro-meteorological regimes. Noah-MP's hydrologic output fluxes are sensitive to two thirds of its standard parameters. The most sensitive parameter is, however, a hard-coded value in the formulation of soil surface resistance for evaporation, which proved to be oversensitive in other land surface models as well. Surface runoff is sensitive to almost all hard-coded parameters of the snow processes and the meteorological inputs. These parameter sensitivities diminish in total runoff. Assessing these parameters in model calibration would require detailed snow observations or the

pKa values in proteins determined by electrostatics applied to molecular dynamics trajectories.

PubMed

Meyer, Tim; Knapp, Ernst-Walter

2015-06-09

For a benchmark set of 194 measured pKa values in 13 proteins, electrostatic energy computations are performed in which pKa values are computed by solving the Poisson-Boltzmann equation. In contrast to the previous approach of Karlsberg(+) (KB(+)) that essentially used protein crystal structures with variations in their side chain conformations, the present approach (KB2(+)MD) uses protein conformations from four molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of 10 ns each. These MD simulations are performed with different specific but fixed protonation patterns, selected to sample the conformational space for the different protonation patterns faithfully. The root-mean-square deviation between computed and measured pKa values (pKa RMSD) is shown to be reduced from 1.17 pH units using KB(+) to 0.96 pH units using KB2(+)MD. The pKa RMSD can be further reduced to 0.79 pH units, if each conformation is energy-minimized with a dielectric constant of εmin = 4 prior to calculating the electrostatic energy. The electrostatic energy expressions upon which the computations are based have been reformulated such that they do not involve terms that mix protein and solvent environment contributions and no thermodynamic cycle is needed. As a consequence, conformations of the titratable residues can be treated independently in the protein and solvent environments. In addition, the energy terms used here avoid the so-called intrinsic pKa and can therefore be interpreted without reference to arbitrary protonation states and conformations.

A 600-ka Arctic sea-ice record from Mendeleev Ridge based on ostracodes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cronin, Thomas M.; Polyak, L.V.; Reed, D.; Kandiano, E. S.; Marzen, R. E.; Council, E. A.

2013-01-01

Arctic paleoceanography and sea-ice history were reconstructed from epipelagic and benthic ostracodes from a sediment core (HLY0503-06JPC, 800 m water depth) located on the Mendeleev Ridge, Western Arctic Ocean. The calcareous microfaunal record (ostracodes and foraminifers) covers several glacial/interglacial cycles back to estimated Marine Isotope Stage 13 (MIS 13, ∼500 ka) with an average sedimentation rate of ∼0.5 cm/ka for most of the stratigraphy (MIS 5–13). Results based on ostracode assemblages and an unusual planktic foraminiferal assemblage in MIS 11 dominated by a temperate-water species Turborotalita egelida show that extreme interglacial warmth, high surface ocean productivity, and possibly open ocean convection characterized MIS 11 and MIS 13 (∼400 and 500 ka, respectively). A major shift in western Arctic Ocean environments toward perennial sea ice occurred after MIS 11 based on the distribution of an ice-dwelling ostracode Acetabulastoma arcticum. Spectral analyses of the ostracode assemblages indicate sea ice and mid-depth ocean circulation in western Arctic Ocean varied primarily at precessional (∼22 ka) and obliquity (∼40 ka) frequencies.

Test results of 12/18 kA ReBCO coated conductor current leads

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kovalev, I. A.; Surin, M. I.; Naumov, A. V.; Novikov, M. S.; Novikov, S. I.; Ilin, A. A.; Polyakov, A. V.; Scherbakov, V. I.; Shutova, D. I.

2017-07-01

A pair of hybrid current leads (brass + stacked & soldered ReBCO tapes) rated for 12 kA in steady state and for up to 18 kA at pulsed over current conditions was designed, developed and tested at NRC ;Kurchatov Institute; (NRC ;KI;). During the experiment at LN2 temperature, the current leads (CLs) were successfully charged with 18 kA at 100 A/s ramp rate. To date, as far as we know, this is the highest current capacity achieved for 2G HTS current leads. The feasibility of ;stack-and-soldering technique; for 10 kA+ class coated conductor CLs for accelerators and fusion was demonstrated. This paper gives an overview of the leads design and presents the preliminary test results. Detailed studies of magnetic properties and current sharing process for the stacked and staggered HTS joints are also reported.

Quartic scaling MP2 for solids: A highly parallelized algorithm in the plane wave basis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schäfer, Tobias; Ramberger, Benjamin; Kresse, Georg

2017-03-01

We present a low-complexity algorithm to calculate the correlation energy of periodic systems in second-order Møller-Plesset (MP2) perturbation theory. In contrast to previous approximation-free MP2 codes, our implementation possesses a quartic scaling, O ( N 4 ) , with respect to the system size N and offers an almost ideal parallelization efficiency. The general issue that the correlation energy converges slowly with the number of basis functions is eased by an internal basis set extrapolation. The key concept to reduce the scaling is to eliminate all summations over virtual orbitals which can be elegantly achieved in the Laplace transformed MP2 formulation using plane wave basis sets and fast Fourier transforms. Analogously, this approach could allow us to calculate second order screened exchange as well as particle-hole ladder diagrams with a similar low complexity. Hence, the presented method can be considered as a step towards systematically improved correlation energies.

100-kA vacuum current breaker of a modular design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivanov, V. P.; Vozdvijenskii, V. A.; Jagnov, V. A.; Solodovnikov, S. G.; Mazulin, A. V.; Ryjkov, V. M.

1994-05-01

Direct current breaker of a modular design is developed for the strong field tokamak power supply system. The power supply system comprises four 800 MW alternative current generators with 4 GJ flywheels, thyristor rectifiers providing inductive stores pumping by a current up to 100 kA for 1 - 4 sec. To form current pulses of various shapes in the tokamak windings current breakers are used with either pneumatic or explosive drive, at a current switching synchronously of not worse than 100 mks. Current breakers of these types require that the current conducting elements be replaced after each shot. For recent years vacuum arc quenching chambers with an axial magnetic field are successfully employed as repetitive performance current breakers, basically for currents up to 40 kA. In the report some results of researches of a vacuum switch modular are presented which we used as prototype switch for currents of the order of 100 kA.

1. General view of Hedges Creek trestle at m.p. 37.8, ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

1. General view of Hedges Creek trestle at m.p. 37.8, view looking southeast. - Oregon Electric Railroad, Hedges Creek Trestle, Garden Home to Wilsonville Segment, Milepost 37.8, Garden Home, Washington County, OR

NASA's Evolution to Ka-Band Space Communications for Near-Earth Spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McCarthy, Kevin; Stocklin, Frank; Geldzahler, Barry; Friedman, Daniel; Celeste, Peter

2010-01-01

This slide presentation reviews the exploration of NASA using a Ka-band system for spacecraft communications in Near-Earth orbits. The reasons for changing to Ka-band are the higher data rates, and the current (X-band spectrum) is becoming crowded. This will require some modification to the current ground station antennas systems. The results of a Request for Information (RFI) are discussed, and the recommended solution is reviewed.

OpenMP performance for benchmark 2D shallow water equations using LBM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sabri, Khairul; Rabbani, Hasbi; Gunawan, Putu Harry

2018-03-01

Shallow water equations or commonly referred as Saint-Venant equations are used to model fluid phenomena. These equations can be solved numerically using several methods, like Lattice Boltzmann method (LBM), SIMPLE-like Method, Finite Difference Method, Godunov-type Method, and Finite Volume Method. In this paper, the shallow water equation will be approximated using LBM or known as LABSWE and will be simulated in performance of parallel programming using OpenMP. To evaluate the performance between 2 and 4 threads parallel algorithm, ten various number of grids Lx and Ly are elaborated. The results show that using OpenMP platform, the computational time for solving LABSWE can be decreased. For instance using grid sizes 1000 × 500, the speedup of 2 and 4 threads is observed 93.54 s and 333.243 s respectively.

An efficient parallel algorithm for the calculation of canonical MP2 energies.

PubMed

Baker, Jon; Pulay, Peter

2002-09-01

We present the parallel version of a previous serial algorithm for the efficient calculation of canonical MP2 energies (Pulay, P.; Saebo, S.; Wolinski, K. Chem Phys Lett 2001, 344, 543). It is based on the Saebo-Almlöf direct-integral transformation, coupled with an efficient prescreening of the AO integrals. The parallel algorithm avoids synchronization delays by spawning a second set of slaves during the bin-sort prior to the second half-transformation. Results are presented for systems with up to 2000 basis functions. MP2 energies for molecules with 400-500 basis functions can be routinely calculated to microhartree accuracy on a small number of processors (6-8) in a matter of minutes with modern PC-based parallel computers. Copyright 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem 23: 1150-1156, 2002

Maltose Neopentyl Glycol-3 (MNG-3) Analogues for Membrane Protein Study

PubMed Central

Cho, Kyung Ho; Husri, Mohd; Amin, Anowarul; Gotfryd, Kamil; Lee, Ho Jin; Go, Juyeon; Kim, Jin Woong; Loland, Claus J.; Guan, Lan; Byrne, Bernadette

2015-01-01

Detergents are typically used to both extract membrane proteins (MPs) from the lipid bilayer and maintain them in solution. However, MPs encapsulated in detergent micelles are often prone to denaturation and aggregation. Thus, development of novel agents with enhanced stabilization characteristics is necessary to advance MP research. Maltose neopentyl glycol-3 (MNG-3) has contributed to >10 crystal structures including G-protein coupled receptors. Here we prepared MNG-3 analogues and characterised their properties using selected MPs. Most MNGs behaved superior to a conventional detergent, n–dodecyl–β–D–maltopyranoside (DDM), in terms of membrane protein stabilization efficacy. Interestingly, optimal stabilization was achieved with different MNG-3 analogues depending on the target MP. The origin for such detergent specificity could be explained by a novel concept: compatibility between detergent hydrophobicity and MP tendency to denature and aggregate. This set of MNGs represents viable alternatives to currently available detergents for handling MPs, and can be also used as tools to estimate MP sensitivity to denaturation and aggregation. PMID:25813698

Biomarker reconstruction of phytoplankton productivity and community structure changes in the mud area southwest off Cheju Island during the past 9 ka

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Z. C.; Xiao, X.; Yuan, Z. N.; Wang, F.; Xing, L.; Li, L.; Zhao, M.

2017-12-01

High-resolution biomarker records from the mud area southwest off Cheju Island in the East China Sea reveal the variabilities of the phytoplankton productivity and community structure during the past 9 ka. This area has undergone dramatic environmental changes during the last glacial cycle, as eustatic sea-level fluctuations resulting in major migration of the coastline. We use the brassicasterol, dinosterol and alkenones records in three sediment cores (B3-1: 31.62°N, 125.75°E; F10: 31.75°N, 126.11°E; F11: 31.88°N, 126.35°E) to reconstruct diatom community, dinoflagellate community and haptophyte community, respectively. The low content of alkenones and relative high contents of brassicasterol and dinosterol of the three sediment cores indicated that diatoms and dinoflagellates were the main marine productivity during the Holocene. The phytoplankton productivity was generally low during the early-Holocene (9-5 ka BP) because of the low input of nutrient. The phytoplankton productivity increased during the mid-Holocene (5-3 ka BP) in response to the upwelling which complemented the nutrient to the upper layer. High content of alkenones in F11 during this period caused by the establishment of the modern circulation pattern around 5-6 ka BP because the intrusion of the Yellow Sea Warm Current (YSWC) brought the high-temperature and high-salinity waters to the core site which provide the suitable living conditions for the haptophytes growth in the east of the mud area. In contrast, the decreased trend of alkenones in F11 around 4 ka BP revealed a weakened YSWC. During the late-Holocene (3-1 ka BP), the phytoplankton productivity showed increasing trend in three sediment cores. The inverse relationships of SST and brassicasterol/dinosterol between B3-1 and F11 indicated the migration of the cold center in this area during this time interval. The hydrology change resulted in a spatial difference in the mud area during the late Holocene.

Rain Fade Compensation Alternatives for Ka Band Communication Satellites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Acosta, Roberto J.

1997-01-01

Future satellite communications systems operating in Ka-band frequency band are subject to degradation produced by the troposphere which is much more severe than those found at lower frequency bands. These impairments include signal absorption by rain, clouds and gases, and amplitude scintillation's arising from refractive index irregularities. For example, rain attenuation at 20 GHz is almost three times that at 11 GHz. Although some of these impairments can be overcome by oversizing the ground station antennas and high power amplifiers, the current trend is using small (less than 20 inches apertures), low-cost ground stations (less than $1000) that can be easily deployed at user premises. As a consequence, most Ka-band systems are expected to employ different forms of fade mitigation that can be implemented relatively easily and at modest cost. The rain fade mitigation approaches are defined by three types of Ka-band communications systems - a low service rate (less than 1.5 Mb/s), a moderate service rate (1.5 to 6 Mb/s) system and a high service rate (greater than 43 Mb/s) system. The ACTS VSAT network, which includes an adaptive rain fade technique, is an example of a moderate service rate.

Genetic visualization with an improved GCaMP calcium indicator reveals spatiotemporal activation of the spinal motor neurons in zebrafish

PubMed Central

Muto, Akira; Ohkura, Masamichi; Kotani, Tomoya; Higashijima, Shin-ichi; Nakai, Junichi; Kawakami, Koichi

2011-01-01

Animal behaviors are generated by well-coordinated activation of neural circuits. In zebrafish, embryos start to show spontaneous muscle contractions at 17 to 19 h postfertilization. To visualize how motor circuits in the spinal cord are activated during this behavior, we developed GCaMP-HS (GCaMP-hyper sensitive), an improved version of the genetically encoded calcium indicator GCaMP, and created transgenic zebrafish carrying the GCaMP-HS gene downstream of the Gal4-recognition sequence, UAS (upstream activation sequence). Then we performed a gene-trap screen and identified the SAIGFF213A transgenic fish that expressed Gal4FF, a modified version of Gal4, in a subset of spinal neurons including the caudal primary (CaP) motor neurons. We conducted calcium imaging using the SAIGFF213A; UAS:GCaMP-HS double transgenic embryos during the spontaneous contractions. We demonstrated periodic and synchronized activation of a set of ipsilateral motor neurons located on the right and left trunk in accordance with actual muscle movements. The synchronized activation of contralateral motor neurons occurred alternately with a regular interval. Furthermore, a detailed analysis revealed rostral-to-caudal propagation of activation of the ipsilateral motor neuron, which is similar to but much slower than the rostrocaudal delay observed during swimming in later stages. Our study thus demonstrated coordinated activities of the motor neurons during the first behavior in a vertebrate. We propose the GCaMP technology combined with the Gal4FF-UAS system is a powerful tool to study functional neural circuits in zebrafish. PMID:21383146

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray characterization of the genetically encoded fluorescent calcium indicator protein GCaMP2

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

Rodríguez Guilbe, María M.; Protein Research and Development Center, University of Puerto Rico; Alfaro Malavé, Elisa C.

The genetically encoded fluorescent calcium-indicator protein GCaMP2 was crystallized in the calcium-saturated form. X-ray diffraction data were collected to 2.0 Å resolution and the structure was solved by molecular replacement. Fluorescent proteins and their engineered variants have played an important role in the study of biology. The genetically encoded calcium-indicator protein GCaMP2 comprises a circularly permuted fluorescent protein coupled to the calcium-binding protein calmodulin and a calmodulin target peptide, M13, derived from the intracellular calmodulin target myosin light-chain kinase and has been used to image calcium transients in vivo. To aid rational efforts to engineer improved variants of GCaMP2, thismore » protein was crystallized in the calcium-saturated form. X-ray diffraction data were collected to 2.0 Å resolution. The crystals belong to space group C2, with unit-cell parameters a = 126.1, b = 47.1, c = 68.8 Å, β = 100.5° and one GCaMP2 molecule in the asymmetric unit. The structure was phased by molecular replacement and refinement is currently under way.« less

Solvation effects on alanine dipeptide: A MP2/cc-pVTZ//MP2/6-31G** study of (Phi, Psi) energy maps and conformers in the gas phase, ether, and water.

PubMed

Wang, Zhi-Xiang; Duan, Yong

2004-11-15

The effects of solvation on the conformations and energies of alanine dipeptide (AD) have been studied by ab initio calculations up to MP2/cc-pVTZ//MP2/6-31G**, utilizing the polarizable continuum model (PCM) to mimic solvation effects. The energy surfaces in the gas phase, ether, and water bear similar topological features carved by the steric hindrance, but the details differ significantly due to the solvent effects. The gas-phase energy map is qualitatively consistent with the Ramachandran plot showing seven energy minima. With respect to the gas-phase map, the significant changes of the aqueous map include (1) the expanded low-energy regions, (2) the emergence of an energy barrier between C5-beta and alpha(R)-beta(2) regions, (3) a clearly pronounced alpha(R) minimum, a new beta-conformer, and the disappearance of the gas-phase global minimum, and (4) the shift of the dominant region in LEII from the gas-phase C7(ax) region to the alpha(L) region. These changes bring the map in water to be much closer to the Ramachandran plot than the gas-phase map. The solvent effects on the geometries include the elongation of the exposed N-H and C=O bonds, the shortening of the buried HN--CO peptide bonds, and the enhanced planarity of the peptide bonds. The energy surface in ether has features similar to those both in the gas phase and in water. The free energy order computed in the gas phase and in ether is in good agreement with experimental studies that concluded that C5 and C7(eq) are the dominant species in both the gas phase and nonpolar solvents. The free energy order in water is consistent with the experimental observation that the dominant C7(eq) in the nonpolar solvent was largely replaced by P(II)-like (i.e., beta) and alpha(R) in the strong polar solvents. Based on calculations on AD + 4H(2)O and other AD-water clusters, we suggest that explicit water-AD interactions may distort C5 and beta (or alpha(R) and beta) to an intermediate conformation. Our analysis

A New Blind Pointing Model Improves Large Reflector Antennas Precision Pointing at Ka-Band (32 GHz)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rochblatt, David J.

2009-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)-Deep Space Network (DSN) subnet of 34-m Beam Waveguide (BWG) Antennas was recently upgraded with Ka-Band (32-GHz) frequency feeds for space research and communication. For normal telemetry tracking a Ka-Band monopulse system is used, which typically yields 1.6-mdeg mean radial error (MRE) pointing accuracy on the 34-m diameter antennas. However, for the monopulse to be able to acquire and lock, for special radio science applications where monopulse cannot be used, or as a back-up for the monopulse, high-precision open-loop blind pointing is required. This paper describes a new 4th order pointing model and calibration technique, which was developed and applied to the DSN 34-m BWG antennas yielding 1.8 to 3.0-mdeg MRE pointing accuracy and amplitude stability of 0.2 dB, at Ka-Band, and successfully used for the CASSINI spacecraft occultation experiment at Saturn and Titan. In addition, the new 4th order pointing model was used during a telemetry experiment at Ka-Band (32 GHz) utilizing the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) spacecraft while at a distance of 0.225 astronomical units (AU) from Earth and communicating with a DSN 34-m BWG antenna at a record high rate of 6-megabits per second (Mb/s).

Marine04 Marine radiocarbon age calibration, 26 ? 0 ka BP

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

Hughen, K; Baille, M; Bard, E

2004-11-01

New radiocarbon calibration curves, IntCal04 and Marine04, have been constructed and internationally ratified to replace the terrestrial and marine components of IntCal98. The new calibration datasets extend an additional 2000 years, from 0-26 ka cal BP (Before Present, 0 cal BP = AD 1950), and provide much higher resolution, greater precision and more detailed structure than IntCal98. For the Marine04 curve, dendrochronologically dated tree-ring samples, converted with a box-diffusion model to marine mixed-layer ages, cover the period from 0-10.5 ka cal BP. Beyond 10.5 ka cal BP, high-resolution marine data become available from foraminifera in varved sediments and U/Th-dated corals.more » The marine records are corrected with site-specific {sup 14}C reservoir age information to provide a single global marine mixed-layer calibration from 10.5-26.0 ka cal BP. A substantial enhancement relative to IntCal98 is the introduction of a random walk model, which takes into account the uncertainty in both the calendar age and the radiocarbon age to calculate the underlying calibration curve. The marine datasets and calibration curve for marine samples from the surface mixed layer (Marine04) are discussed here. The tree-ring datasets, sources of uncertainty, and regional offsets are presented in detail in a companion paper by Reimer et al.« less

Rift Valley Fever vaccines: An overview of the safety and efficacy of the live-attenuated MP-12 vaccine candidate

PubMed Central

Ikegami, Tetsuro

2017-01-01

Introduction Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a mosquito-borne zoonotic viral disease endemic to Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. High rates of abortion among infected ruminants and hemorrhagic fever in infected humans are major public health concerns. Commercially available veterinary RVF vaccines are important for preventing the spread of the Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) in endemic countries; however, RVFV outbreaks continue to occur frequently in endemic countries in the 21st century. In the U.S., the live-attenuated MP-12 vaccine has been developed for both animal and human vaccination. This vaccine strain is well attenuated, and a single dose induces neutralizing antibodies in both ruminants and humans. Areas covered This review describes scientific evidences of MP-12 vaccine efficacy and safety, as well as MP-12 variants recently developed by reverse genetics, in comparison with other RVF vaccines. Expert commentary The containment of active RVF outbreaks and long-term protection from RVF exposure to infected mosquitoes are important goals for RVF vaccination. MP-12 vaccine will allow immediate vaccination of susceptible animals in case of an unexpected RVF outbreak in the U.S., whereas MP-12 vaccine may be also useful for the RVF control in endemic regions. PMID:28425834

Rift Valley fever vaccines: an overview of the safety and efficacy of the live-attenuated MP-12 vaccine candidate.

PubMed

Ikegami, Tetsuro

2017-06-01

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a mosquito-borne zoonotic viral disease endemic to Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. High rates of abortion among infected ruminants and hemorrhagic fever in infected humans are major public health concerns. Commercially available veterinary RVF vaccines are important for preventing the spread of the Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) in endemic countries; however, RVFV outbreaks continue to occur frequently in endemic countries in the 21st century. In the U.S., the live-attenuated MP-12 vaccine has been developed for both animal and human vaccination. This vaccine strain is well attenuated, and a single dose induces neutralizing antibodies in both ruminants and humans. Areas covered: This review describes scientific evidences of MP-12 vaccine efficacy and safety, as well as MP-12 variants recently developed by reverse genetics, in comparison with other RVF vaccines. Expert commentary: The containment of active RVF outbreaks and long-term protection from RVF exposure to infected mosquitoes are important goals for RVF vaccination. MP-12 vaccine will allow immediate vaccination of susceptible animals in case of an unexpected RVF outbreak in the U.S., whereas MP-12 vaccine may be also useful for the RVF control in endemic regions.

Correlation of the turbo-MP RIA with ImmunoCAP FEIA for determination of food allergen-specific immunoglobulin E.

PubMed

Kontis, Kris J; Valcour, Andre; Patel, Ashok; Chen, Andy; Wang, Jan; Chow, Julia; Nayak, Narayan

2006-01-01

It has been reported that in vitro measurement of food-specific IgE can be used to accurately predict food allergy and reduce the risk associated with double-blinded placebo-controlled food challenges (DBPCFC). Our objective was to assess the performance characteristics of the Hycor Turbo-MP quantitative radioimmunoassay for food-specific IgE and to determine this method's comparability to another assay, the Pharmacia ImmunoCAP fluorescence enzyme immunoassay (FEIA). The dynamic range of the Turbo-MP assay is 0.05 to 100 IU/ml, compared to 0.35 to 100 IU/ml for the FEIA. Performance characteristics of the Turbo-MP assay (ie, reproducibility of the calibration curve, within-run precision, total precision, parallelism, and linearity) were determined using samples from the Hycor serum bank. The precision (CV) of IgE calibrator replicates was <10%. The total precision (CV) of the Turbo-MP assay ranged from 8.8% to 18.4% for specific IgE concentrations between 0.28 to 31.4 IU/ml. Testing of serial dilutions of sera with IgE specificities for egg white, cow's milk, codfish, wheat, peanut, and soybean showed that the assay is linear over the entire dynamic range. Serial dilution data (slopes of 1.01 to 1.10) showed parallelism to serial dilutions of the IgE calibrator (slope of 0.96). The Turbo-MP and FEIA methods were both used for quantitative assays of food-specific IgE in 457 serum samples obtained from a clinical reference laboratory. Comparison of specific IgE results by the Turbo-MP and FEIA methods for 6 major food allergens exhibited a slope of 0.99 (0.92 to 1.03) with a correlation coefficient of 0.81.

The Geology of the Ka'u Desert, Hawaii as a Mars Analog

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Craddock, R. A.; Irwin, R. P.; Williams, R.; Swanson, D.; Howard, A. D.; Quantin, C.; Kuzmin, R.; Zimbelman, J. R.

2005-12-01

because (1) similar to valley networks, the development of channels and gullies in the Ka'u Desert has been interrupted by resurfacing events, (2) associated fluvial deposits have been heavily modified by eolian processes, and (3) the alluvial fans on the Hilina Pali have unusually large source areas.

Crystal structures of the ionic conductors Bi{sub 46}M{sub 8}O{sub 89} (M=P, V) related to the fluorite-type structure

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

Darriet, J.; Launay, J.C.; Zuniga, F.J.

2005-06-15

The crystal structures of the two oxides Bi{sub 46}M{sub 8}O{sub 89} (M=P, V) have been solved from single crystals X-ray data at room temperature. Bi{sub 46}P{sub 8}O{sub 89} crystallizes in the monoclinic symmetry (space group C2/m) with the cell parameters a=19.6073(4)A, b=11.4181(4)A, c=21.1119(4)A and {beta}=112.14(3){sup o}. The symmetry of Bi{sub 46}V{sub 8}O{sub 89} is also monoclinic but the space group is P2{sub 1}/c with the unit-cell parameters: a=20.0100(4)A, b=11.6445(4)A, c=20.4136(4)A and {beta}=107.27(3){sup o}. Both structures derive from an oxygen deficient fluorite-type structure where the Bi and M cations (M=P, V) are ordered in the framework. The structures are characterised bymore » isolated MO{sub 4} tetrahedra (M=P, V) which contradicts the previous results. The difference between the two structures is only due to a different order of the M atoms (M=P, V) in the fluorite-type superstructure. It will be shown that some oxygen sites are partially occupied in both structures which can explain the ion conduction properties of these phases. A structural building principle will be proposed that can explain the large domain of solid solution related to the fluorite-type observed in both systems.« less

Design and Validation of High Date Rate Ka-Band Software Defined Radio for Small Satellite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)