The observed distribution of spectroscopic binaries from the Anglo-Australian Planet Search

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jenkins, J. S.; Díaz, M.; Jones, H. R. A.; Butler, R. P.; Tinney, C. G.; O'Toole, S. J.; Carter, B. D.; Wittenmyer, R. A.; Pinfield, D. J.

2015-10-01

We report the detection of sixteen binary systems from the Anglo-Australian Planet Search. Solutions to the radial velocity data indicate that the stars have companions orbiting with a wide range of masses, eccentricities and periods. Three of the systems potentially contain brown-dwarf companions while another two have eccentricities that place them in the extreme upper tail of the eccentricity distribution for binaries with periods less than 1000 d. For periods up to 12 years, the distribution of our stellar companion masses is fairly flat, mirroring that seen in other radial velocity surveys, and contrasts sharply with the current distribution of candidate planetary masses, which rises strongly below 10 MJ. When looking at a larger sample of binaries that have FGK star primaries as a function of the primary star metallicity, we find that the distribution maintains a binary fraction of ˜43 ± 4 per cent between -1.0 and +0.6 dex in metallicity. This is in stark contrast to the giant exoplanet distribution. This result is in good agreement with binary formation models that invoke fragmentation of a collapsing giant molecular cloud, suggesting that this is the dominant formation mechanism for close binaries and not fragmentation of the primary star's remnant protoplanetary disc.

The distribution and query systems of the RCSB Protein Data Bank

PubMed Central

Bourne, Philip E.; Addess, Kenneth J.; Bluhm, Wolfgang F.; Chen, Li; Deshpande, Nita; Feng, Zukang; Fleri, Ward; Green, Rachel; Merino-Ott, Jeffrey C.; Townsend-Merino, Wayne; Weissig, Helge; Westbrook, John; Berman, Helen M.

2004-01-01

The Protein Data Bank (PDB; http://www.pdb.org) is the primary source of information on the 3D structure of biological macromolecules. The PDB’s mandate is to disseminate this information in the most usable form and as widely as possible. The current query and distribution system is described and an alpha version of the future re-engineered system introduced. PMID:14681399

An Analysis of the Monetary Benefits and Costs of Higher Education in New Jersey in 1975-1976.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New Jersey State Commission on Financing Postsecondary Education, Trenton.

The equitability of current New Jersey State programs supporting higher education is the primary focus of this study. Taxpayer equity is defined as the distribution of higher education costs on the basis of ability to pay and commensurate with the distribution of higher education subsidies. The net effect of all state programs on each income group…

LANDSCAPE CHARACTERIZATION AND CHANGE DETECTION METHODS DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH (2005-2007)

EPA Science Inventory

The characterization of land-cover (LC) type, extent, and distribution represent important landscape characterization element required for monitoring ecosystem conditions and for primary data input to biogenic emission and atmospheric deposition models. Current spectral-based ch...

TU-H-CAMPUS-IeP1-05: A Framework for the Analytic Calculation of Patient-Specific Dose Distribution Due to CBCT Scan for IGRT

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

Youn, H; Jeon, H; Nam, J

Purpose: To investigate the feasibility of an analytic framework to estimate patients’ absorbed dose distribution owing to daily cone-beam CT scan for image-guided radiation treatment. Methods: To compute total absorbed dose distribution, we separated the framework into primary and scattered dose calculations. Using the source parameters such as voltage, current, and bowtie filtration, for the primary dose calculation, we simulated the forward projection from the source to each voxel of an imaging object including some inhomogeneous inserts. Then we calculated the primary absorbed dose at each voxel based on the absorption probability deduced from the HU values and Beer’s law.more » In sequence, all voxels constructing the phantom were regarded as secondary sources to radiate scattered photons for scattered dose calculation. Details of forward projection were identical to that of the previous step. The secondary source intensities were given by using scatter-to- primary ratios provided by NIST. In addition, we compared the analytically calculated dose distribution with their Monte Carlo simulation results. Results: The suggested framework for absorbed dose estimation successfully provided the primary and secondary dose distributions of the phantom. Moreover, our analytic dose calculations and Monte Carlo calculations were well agreed each other even near the inhomogeneous inserts. Conclusion: This work indicated that our framework can be an effective monitor to estimate a patient’s exposure owing to cone-beam CT scan for image-guided radiation treatment. Therefore, we expected that the patient’s over-exposure during IGRT might be prevented by our framework.« less

Extremely Nonthermal Monoenergetic Precipitation in the Auroral Acceleration Region: In Situ Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hatch, S.; Chaston, C. C.; Labelle, J. W.

2017-12-01

We report in situ measurements through the auroral acceleration region that reveal extremely nonthermal monoenergetic electron distributions. These auroral primaries are indicative of source populations in the plasma sheet well described as kappa distributions with κ ≲ 2. We show from observations and modeling how this large deviation from Maxwellian form may modify the acceleration potential required to drive current closure through the auroral ionosphere.

Comparative analysis of different secondary optical elements for aspheric primary lenses.

PubMed

Victoria, M; Domínguez, C; Antón, I; Sala, G

2009-04-13

The performance of different reflexive and refractive secondaries optimized for the same primary lens is studied by using ray-tracing simulation. Different solutions are approached according to materials and manufacturing processes currently available in the market, which can be potentially cost-effective for concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) modules. They are compared in terms of system optical efficiency and acceptance angle. In addition, irradiance distribution over the cell is also studied.

Public safety answering point readiness for wireless E-911 in New York State.

PubMed

Bailey, Bob W; Scott, Jay M; Brown, Lawrence H

2003-01-01

To determine the level of wireless enhanced 911 readiness among New York's primary public safety answering points. This descriptive study utilized a simple, single-page survey that was distributed in August 2001, with telephone follow-up concluding in January 2002. Surveys were distributed to directors of the primary public safety answering points in each of New York's 62 counties. Information was requested regarding current readiness for providing wireless enhanced 911 service, hardware and software needs for implementing the service, and the estimated costs for obtaining the necessary hardware and software. Two directors did not respond and could not be contacted by telephone; three declined participation; one did not operate an answering point; and seven provided incomplete responses, resulting in usable data from 49 (79%) of the state's public safety answering points. Only 27% of the responding public safety answering points were currently wireless enhanced 911 ready. Specific needs included obtaining or upgrading computer systems (16%), computer-aided dispatch systems (53%), mapping software (71%), telephone systems (27%), and local exchange carrier trunk lines (42%). The total estimated hardware and software costs for achieving wireless enhanced 911 readiness was between 16 million and 20 million dollars. New York's primary public safety answering points are not currently ready to provide wireless enhanced 911 service, and the cost for achieving readiness could be as high as 20 million dollars.

Dark Currents and Their Effect on the Primary Beam in an X-band Linac

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

Bane, K.L.F.; Dolgashev, V.A.; Raubenheimer, T.

2005-05-27

We numerically study properties of primary dark currents in an X-band accelerating structure. For the H60VG3 structure considered for the Next Linear Collider (NLC) we first perform a fairly complete (with some approximations) calculation of dark current trajectories. These results are used to study properties of the dark current leaving the structure. For example, at accelerating gradient of 65 MV/m, considering two very different assumptions about dark current emission around the irises, we find that the fraction of emitted current leaving the structure to be a consistent {approx} 1%. Considering that {approx} 1 mA outgoing dark current is seen inmore » measurement, this implies that {approx} 100 mA (or 10 pC per period) is emitted within the structure itself. Using the formalism of the Lienard-Wiechert potentials, we then perform a systematic calculation of the transverse kick of dark currents on a primary linac bunch. The result is {approx} 1 V kick per mA (or per 0.1 pC per period) dark current emitted from an iris. For an entire structure we estimate the total kick on a primary bunch to be {approx} 15 V. For the NLC linac this translates to a ratio of (final) vertical beam offset to beam size of about 0.2. However, with the assumptions that needed to be made--particularly the number of emitters and their distribution within a structure--the accuracy of this result may be limited to the order of magnitude.« less

The expected spins of gravitational wave sources with isolated field binary progenitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaldarriaga, Matias; Kushnir, Doron; Kollmeier, Juna A.

2018-01-01

We explore the consequences of dynamical evolution of field binaries composed of a primary black hole (BH) and a Wolf-Rayet (WR) star in the context of gravitational wave (GW) source progenitors. We argue, from general considerations, that the spin of the WR-descendent BH will be maximal in a significant number of cases due to dynamical effects. In other cases, the spin should reflect the natal spin of the primary BH which is currently theoretically unconstrained. We argue that the three currently published LIGO systems (GW150914, GW151226, LVT151012) suggest that this spin is small. The resultant effective spin distribution of gravitational wave sources should thus be bi-model if this classic GW progenitor channel is indeed dominant. While this is consistent with the LIGO detections thus far, it is in contrast to the three best-measured high-mass X-ray binary (HMXB) systems. A comparison of the spin distribution of HMXBs and GW sources should ultimately reveal whether or not these systems arise from similar astrophysical channels.

The Incredible Diversity of Fe-bearing Phases at Gusev Crater, Mars, According to the Mars Exploration Rover Moessbauer Spectrometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morris, R. V.; Klingelhoefer, G.; Schroeder, C.; Rodionov, D. S.; Ming, D. W.; Yen, A.

2006-01-01

The Mars Exploration Rover (MER) Spirit landed on the plains of Gusev Crater on 4 January 2004. One primary scientific objective for the mission is to characterize the mineralogical and elemental composition of surface materials, searching for evidence of water and clues for assessing past and current climates and their suitability for life [1]. The role of the Moessbauer (MB) spectrometer on Spirit is to provide quantitative information about the distribution of Fe among its oxidation and coordination states, identification of Fe-bearing phases, and relative distribution of Fe among those phases. The speciation and distribution of Fe in Martian rock and soil constrains the primary rock types, redox conditions under which primary minerals crystallized, the extent of alteration and weathering, the type of alteration and weathering products, and the processes and environmental conditions for alteration and weathering. In this abstract, we discuss the incredible diversity of Fe-bearing phases detected by Spirit s MB instrument during its first 540 sols of exploration at Gusev crater [2,3].

Some remarks about simulation of cosmic ray phenomena with use of nuclear interaction models based on the current SPS proton-antiproton data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wrotniak, J. A.; Yodh, G. B.

1985-01-01

The x-y controversy is studied by introducing models with as many features (except for x and y distributions) in common, as possible, to avoid an extrapolation problem, only primary energies of 500 TeV are considered. To prove the point, Monte Carlo simulations are performed of EAS generated by 500 TeV vertical primary protons. Four different nuclear interaction models were used. Two of them are described elsewhere. Two are: (1) Model M-Y00 - with inclusive x and y distributions behaving in a scaling way; and (2) Model M-F00 - at and below ISR energies (1 TeV in Lab) exactly equivalent to the above, then gradually changing to provide the distributions in rapidity at 155 TeV as given by SPS proton-antiproton. This was achieved by gradual decrease in the scale unit in x distributions of produced secondaries, as interaction energy increases. Other modifications to the M-Y00 model were made.

Progress toward developing trapping techniques for the emerald ash borer

Treesearch

Therese M. Poland; Deborah G. McCullough; Peter dr Groot; Gary Grant; Linda MacDonald; David L. Cappaert

2005-01-01

Since the 2002 discovery of emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), in southeastern Michigan and Windsor, Ontario, the distribution of this exotic insect has continued to expand. The primary infestation in Michigan currently includes 13 counties, with small isolated pockets in at least 13 other counties....

Distribution of binding sites for the plant lectin Ulex europaeus agglutinin I on primary sensory neurones in seven different mammalian species.

PubMed

Gerke, Michelle B; Plenderleith, Mark B

2002-01-01

There is an increasing body of evidence to suggest that different functional classes of neurones express characteristic cell-surface carbohydrates. Previous studies have shown that the plant lectin Ulex europaeus agglutinin-I (UEA) binds to a population of small to medium diameter primary sensory neurones in rabbits and humans. This suggests that a fucose-containing glycoconjugate may be expressed by nociceptive primary sensory neurones. In order to determine the extent to which this glycoconjugate is expressed by other species, in the current study, we have examined the distribution of UEA-binding sites on primary sensory neurones in seven different mammals. Binding sites for UEA were associated with the plasma membrane and cytoplasmic granules of small to medium dorsal root ganglion cells and their axon terminals in laminae I-III of the grey matter of the spinal cord, in the rabbit, cat and marmoset monkey. However, no binding was observed in either the dorsal root ganglia or spinal cord in the mouse, rat, guinea pig or flying fox. These results indicate an inter-species variation in the expression of cell-surface glycoconjugates on mammalian primary sensory neurones.

Current and Future Potential Risk of Establishment of Grapholita molesta (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in Washington State

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The oriental fruit moth, Grapholita molesta (Busck) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), is a primary pest of stone fruits in many countries, including the United States. The distribution of this pest is concentrated in areas receiving higher than lower rainfall. It prefers sites where stone fruits and apple...

Analysis of haptic information in the cerebral cortex

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Haptic sensing of objects acquires information about a number of properties. This review summarizes current understanding about how these properties are processed in the cerebral cortex of macaques and humans. Nonnoxious somatosensory inputs, after initial processing in primary somatosensory cortex, are partially segregated into different pathways. A ventrally directed pathway carries information about surface texture into parietal opercular cortex and thence to medial occipital cortex. A dorsally directed pathway transmits information regarding the location of features on objects to the intraparietal sulcus and frontal eye fields. Shape processing occurs mainly in the intraparietal sulcus and lateral occipital complex, while orientation processing is distributed across primary somatosensory cortex, the parietal operculum, the anterior intraparietal sulcus, and a parieto-occipital region. For each of these properties, the respective areas outside primary somatosensory cortex also process corresponding visual information and are thus multisensory. Consistent with the distributed neural processing of haptic object properties, tactile spatial acuity depends on interaction between bottom-up tactile inputs and top-down attentional signals in a distributed neural network. Future work should clarify the roles of the various brain regions and how they interact at the network level. PMID:27440247

Bounding species distribution models

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stohlgren, T.J.; Jarnevich, C.S.; Esaias, W.E.; Morisette, J.T.

2011-01-01

Species distribution models are increasing in popularity for mapping suitable habitat for species of management concern. Many investigators now recognize that extrapolations of these models with geographic information systems (GIS) might be sensitive to the environmental bounds of the data used in their development, yet there is no recommended best practice for "clamping" model extrapolations. We relied on two commonly used modeling approaches: classification and regression tree (CART) and maximum entropy (Maxent) models, and we tested a simple alteration of the model extrapolations, bounding extrapolations to the maximum and minimum values of primary environmental predictors, to provide a more realistic map of suitable habitat of hybridized Africanized honey bees in the southwestern United States. Findings suggest that multiple models of bounding, and the most conservative bounding of species distribution models, like those presented here, should probably replace the unbounded or loosely bounded techniques currently used. ?? 2011 Current Zoology.

Bounding Species Distribution Models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stohlgren, Thomas J.; Jarnevich, Cahterine S.; Morisette, Jeffrey T.; Esaias, Wayne E.

2011-01-01

Species distribution models are increasing in popularity for mapping suitable habitat for species of management concern. Many investigators now recognize that extrapolations of these models with geographic information systems (GIS) might be sensitive to the environmental bounds of the data used in their development, yet there is no recommended best practice for "clamping" model extrapolations. We relied on two commonly used modeling approaches: classification and regression tree (CART) and maximum entropy (Maxent) models, and we tested a simple alteration of the model extrapolations, bounding extrapolations to the maximum and minimum values of primary environmental predictors, to provide a more realistic map of suitable habitat of hybridized Africanized honey bees in the southwestern United States. Findings suggest that multiple models of bounding, and the most conservative bounding of species distribution models, like those presented here, should probably replace the unbounded or loosely bounded techniques currently used [Current Zoology 57 (5): 642-647, 2011].

Design of an image-distribution service from a clinical PACS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gehring, Dale G.; Persons, Kenneth R.; Rothman, Melvyn L.; Felmlee, Joel P.; Gerhart, D. J.; Hangiandreou, Nicholas J.; Reardon, Frank J.; Shirk, M.; Forbes, Glenn S.; Williamson, Byrn, Jr.

1994-05-01

A PACS system has been developed through a multi-phase collaboration between the Mayo Clinic and IBM/Rochester. The current system has been fully integrated into the clinical practice of the Radiology Department for the primary purpose of digital image archival, retrieval, and networked workstation review. Work currently in progress includes the design and implementation of a gateway device for providing digital image data to third-party workstations, laser printers, and other devices, for users both within and outside of the Radiology Department.

Formation mechanism of axial macrosegregation of primary phases induced by a static magnetic field during directional solidification

PubMed Central

Li, Xi; Fautrelle, Yves; Ren, Zhongming; Moreau, Rene

2017-01-01

Understanding the macrosegregation formed by applying magnetic fields is of high commercial importance. This work investigates how static magnetic fields control the solute and primary phase distributions in four directionally solidified alloys (i.e., Al-Cu, Al-Si, Al-Ni and Zn-Cu alloys). Experimental results demonstrate that significant axial macrosegregation of the solute and primary phases (i.e., Al2Cu, Si, Al3Ni and Zn5Cu phases) occurs at the initial solidification stage of the samples. This finding is accompanied by two interface transitions in the mushy zone: quasi planar → sloping → quasi planar. The amplitude of the macrosegregation of the primary phases under the magnetic field is related to the magnetic field intensity, temperature gradient and growth speed. The corresponding numerical simulations present a unidirectional thermoelectric (TE) magnetic convection pattern in the mushy zone as a consequence of the interaction between the magnetic field and TE current. Furthermore, a model is proposed to explain the peculiar macrosegregation phenomenon by considering the effect of the forced TE magnetic convection on the solute distribution. The present study not only offers a new approach to control the solute distribution by applying a static magnetic field but also facilitates the understanding of crystal growth in the solute that is controlled by the static magnetic field during directional solidification. PMID:28367991

Lateral and Time Distributions of Extensive Air Showers for CHICOS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jillings, C. J.; Wells, D.; Chan, K. C.; Hill, J.; Falkowski, B.; Sepikas, J.

2005-04-01

We report results of a series of detailed Monte-Carlo calculations to determine the density and arrival-time distribution of charged particles in extensive air showers. We have parameterized both distributions as a function of distance from the shower axis, energy of the primary cosmic-ray proton, and incident zenith angle. Muons and electrons are parameterized separately. These parameterizations can be easily used in maximum-likelihood reconstruction of air showers. Calculations were performed for primary energies between 10^18 and 10^21eV and zenith angles out to approximately 50^o. The calculations are appropriate for the California High School Cosmic Ray Observatory: a 400 km^2 array of scintillation detectors in Los Angeles county. The average elevation of the array is approximately 250 meters above sea level. Currently 64 of 90 sites are operational. The array will be completed this year. We thank the NSF, the CURE program at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the SURF program at Caltech, and the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Determination of the proton-to-helium ratio in cosmic rays at ultra-high energies from the tail of the Xmax distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yushkov, A.; Risse, M.; Werner, M.; Krieg, J.

2016-12-01

We present a method to determine the proton-to-helium ratio in cosmic rays at ultra-high energies. It makes use of the exponential slope, Λ, of the tail of the Xmax distribution measured by an air shower experiment. The method is quite robust with respect to uncertainties from modeling hadronic interactions and to systematic errors on Xmax and energy, and to the possible presence of primary nuclei heavier than helium. Obtaining the proton-to-helium ratio with air shower experiments would be a remarkable achievement. To quantify the applicability of a particular mass-sensitive variable for mass composition analysis despite hadronic uncertainties we introduce as a metric the 'analysis indicator' and find an improved performance of the Λ method compared to other variables currently used in the literature. The fraction of events in the tail of the Xmax distribution can provide additional information on the presence of nuclei heavier than helium in the primary beam.

Influence of forest structure on the abundance of snowshoe hares in western Wyoming

Treesearch

Nathan D. Berg; Eric M. Gese; John R. Squires; Lise M. Aubry

2012-01-01

Snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) are a primary prey species for Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) in western North America. Lynx management plans require knowledge of potential prey distribution and abundance in the western United States. Whether even-aged regenerating forests or multi-storied forests contain more snowshoe hares is currently unknown. During 2006-...

Biophysical influences on the spatial distribution of fire in the desert grassland region of the southwestern USA

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Context: Fire is an important driver of ecological processes in semiarid systems and serves a vital role in shrub-grass interactions. In desert grasslands of the Southwestern US, the loss of fire has been implicated as a primary cause of shrub encroachment. Where fires can currently be re-introduced...

ADMS State of the Industry and Gap Analysis

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

Agalgaonkar, Yashodhan P.; Marinovici, Maria C.; Vadari, Subramanian V.

2016-03-31

An Advanced distribution management system (ADMS) is a platform for optimized distribution system operational management. This platform comprises of distribution management system (DMS) applications, supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), outage management system (OMS), and distributed energy resource management system (DERMS). One of the primary objectives of this work is to study and analyze several ADMS component and auxiliary systems. All the important component and auxiliary systems, SCADA, GISs, DMSs, AMRs/AMIs, OMSs, and DERMS, are discussed in this report. Their current generation technologies are analyzed, and their integration (or evolution) with an ADMS technology is discussed. An ADMS technology statemore » of the art and gap analysis is also presented. There are two technical gaps observed. The integration challenge between the component operational systems is the single largest challenge for ADMS design and deployment. Another significant challenge noted is concerning essential ADMS applications, for instance, fault location, isolation, and service restoration (FLISR), volt-var optimization (VVO), etc. There are a relatively small number of ADMS application developers as ADMS software platform is not open source. There is another critical gap and while not being technical in nature (when compared the two above) is still important to consider. The data models currently residing in utility GIS systems are either incomplete or inaccurate or both. This data is essential for planning and operations because it is typically one of the primary sources from which power system model are created. To achieve the full potential of ADMS, the ability to execute acute Power Flow solution is an important pre-requisite. These critical gaps are hindering wider Utility adoption of an ADMS technology. The development of an open architecture platform can eliminate many of these barriers and also aid seamless integration of distribution Utility legacy systems with an ADMS.« less

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

El-Ghoroury, Hussein S.; Yeh, Milton; Chen, J. C., E-mail: jc.chen@ostendo.com

Specially designed intermediate carrier blocking layers (ICBLs) in multi-active regions of III-nitride LEDs were shown to be effective in controlling the carrier injection distribution across the active regions. In principle, the majority of carriers, both holes and electrons, can be guided into targeted quantum wells and recombine to generate light of specific wavelengths at controlled current-densities. Accordingly we proposed and demonstrated a novel monolithic InGaN-based LED to achieve three primary colors of light from one device at selected current densities. This LED structure, which has three different sets of quantum wells separated with ICBLs for three primary red-green-blue (RGB) colors,more » was grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). Results show that this LED can emit light ranging from 460 to 650 nm to cover the entire visible spectrum. The emission wavelength starts at 650 nm and then decreases to 460 nm or lower as the injection current increases. In addition to three primary colors, many other colors can be obtained by color mixing techniques. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of monolithic full-color LED grown by a simple growth technique without using re-growth process.« less

Accumulation and Fate of Microorganisms and Microspheres in Biofilms Formed in a Pilot-Scale Water Distribution System

PubMed Central

Långmark, Jonas; Storey, Michael V.; Ashbolt, Nicholas J.; Stenström, Thor-Axel

2005-01-01

The accumulation and fate of model microbial “pathogens” within a drinking-water distribution system was investigated in naturally grown biofilms formed in a novel pilot-scale water distribution system provided with chlorinated and UV-treated water. Biofilms were exposed to 1-μm hydrophilic and hydrophobic microspheres, Salmonella bacteriophages 28B, and Legionella pneumophila bacteria, and their fate was monitored over a 38-day period. The accumulation of model pathogens was generally independent of the biofilm cell density and was shown to be dependent on particle surface properties, where hydrophilic spheres accumulated to a larger extent than hydrophobic ones. A higher accumulation of culturable legionellae was measured in the chlorinated system compared to the UV-treated system with increasing residence time. The fate of spheres and fluorescence in situ hybridization-positive legionellae was similar and independent of the primary disinfectant applied and water residence time. The more rapid loss of culturable legionellae compared to the fluorescence in situ hybridization-positive legionellae was attributed to a loss in culturability rather than physical desorption. Loss of bacteriophage 28B plaque-forming ability together with erosion may have affected their fate within biofilms in the pilot-scale distribution system. The current study has demonstrated that desorption was one of the primary mechanisms affecting the loss of microspheres, legionellae, and bacteriophage from biofilms within a pilot-scale distribution system as well as disinfection and biological grazing. In general, two primary disinfection regimens (chlorination and UV treatment) were not shown to have a measurable impact on the accumulation and fate of model microbial pathogens within a water distribution system. PMID:15691920

Accumulation and fate of microorganisms and microspheres in biofilms formed in a pilot-scale water distribution system.

PubMed

Långmark, Jonas; Storey, Michael V; Ashbolt, Nicholas J; Stenström, Thor-Axel

2005-02-01

The accumulation and fate of model microbial "pathogens" within a drinking-water distribution system was investigated in naturally grown biofilms formed in a novel pilot-scale water distribution system provided with chlorinated and UV-treated water. Biofilms were exposed to 1-mum hydrophilic and hydrophobic microspheres, Salmonella bacteriophages 28B, and Legionella pneumophila bacteria, and their fate was monitored over a 38-day period. The accumulation of model pathogens was generally independent of the biofilm cell density and was shown to be dependent on particle surface properties, where hydrophilic spheres accumulated to a larger extent than hydrophobic ones. A higher accumulation of culturable legionellae was measured in the chlorinated system compared to the UV-treated system with increasing residence time. The fate of spheres and fluorescence in situ hybridization-positive legionellae was similar and independent of the primary disinfectant applied and water residence time. The more rapid loss of culturable legionellae compared to the fluorescence in situ hybridization-positive legionellae was attributed to a loss in culturability rather than physical desorption. Loss of bacteriophage 28B plaque-forming ability together with erosion may have affected their fate within biofilms in the pilot-scale distribution system. The current study has demonstrated that desorption was one of the primary mechanisms affecting the loss of microspheres, legionellae, and bacteriophage from biofilms within a pilot-scale distribution system as well as disinfection and biological grazing. In general, two primary disinfection regimens (chlorination and UV treatment) were not shown to have a measurable impact on the accumulation and fate of model microbial pathogens within a water distribution system.

The auroral current circuit and field-aligned currents observed by FAST

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elphic, R. C.; Bonnell, J. W.; Strangeway, R. J.; Kepko, L.; Ergun, R. E.; McFadden, J. P.; Carlson, C. W.; Peria, W.; Cattell, C. A.; Klumpar, D.; Shelley, E.; Peterson, W.; Moebius, E.; Kistler, L.; Pfaff, R.

FAST observes signatures of small-scale downward-going current at the edges of the inverted-V regions where the primary (auroral) electrons are found. In the winter pre-midnight auroral zone these downward currents are carried by upward flowing low- and medium-energy (up to several keV) electron beams. FAST instrumentation shows agreement between the current densities inferred from both the electron distributions and gradients in the magnetic field. FAST data taken near apogee (˜4000-km altitude) commonly show downward current magnetic field deflections consistent with the observed upward flux of ˜109 electrons cm-2 s-1, or current densities of several µA m-2. The electron, field-aligned current and electric field signatures indicate the downward currents may be associated with “black aurora” and auroral ionospheric cavities. The field-aligned voltage-current relationship in the downward current region is nonlinear.

Towards Mechanistic Understanding of Mercury Availability and Toxicity to Aquatic Primary Producers.

PubMed

Dranguet, Perrine; Flück, Rebecca; Regier, Nicole; Cosio, Claudia; Le Faucheur, Séverine; Slaveykova, Vera I

2014-11-01

The present article reviews current knowledge and recent progress on the bioavailability and toxicity of mercury to aquatic primary producers. Mercury is a ubiquitous toxic trace element of global concern. At the base of the food web, primary producers are central for mercury incorporation into the food web. Here, the emphasis is on key, but still poorly understood, processes governing the interactions between mercury species and phytoplankton, and macrophytes, two representatives of primary producers. Mass transfer to biota surface, adsorption to cell wall, internalization and release from cells, as well as underlying toxicity mechanisms of both inorganic mercury and methylmercury are discussed critically. In addition, the intracellular distribution and transformation processes, their importance for mercury toxicity, species-sensitivity differences and trophic transfer are presented. The mini-review is illustrated with examples of our own research.

A Systems Model for Ursodeoxycholic Acid Metabolism in Healthy and Patients With Primary Biliary Cirrhosis

PubMed Central

Dobbins, RL; O'Connor‐Semmes, RL; Young, MA

2016-01-01

A systems model was developed to describe the metabolism and disposition of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) and its conjugates in healthy subjects based on pharmacokinetic (PK) data from published studies in order to study the distribution of oral UDCA and potential interactions influencing therapeutic effects upon interruption of its enterohepatic recirculation. The base model was empirically adapted to patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) based on current understanding of disease pathophysiology and clinical measurements. Simulations were performed for patients with PBC under two competing hypotheses: one for inhibition of ileal absorption of both UDCA and conjugates and the other only of conjugates. The simulations predicted distinctly different bile acid distribution patterns in plasma and bile. The UDCA model adapted to patients with PBC provides a platform to investigate a complex therapeutic drug interaction among UDCA, UDCA conjugates, and inhibition of ileal bile acid transport in this rare disease population. PMID:27537780

DGs for Service Restoration to Critical Loads in a Secondary Network

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

Xu, Yin; Liu, Chen-Ching; Wang, Zhiwen

During a major outage in a secondary network distribution system, distributed generators (DGs) connected to the primary feeders as well as the secondary network can be used to serve critical loads. This paper proposed a resilience-oriented method to determine restoration strategies for secondary network distribution systems after a major disaster. Technical issues associated with the restoration process are analyzed, including the operation of network protectors, inrush currents caused by the energization of network transformers, synchronization of DGs to the network, and circulating currents among DGs. A look-ahead load restoration framework is proposed, incorporating technical issues associated with secondary networks, limitsmore » on DG capacity and generation resources, dynamic constraints, and operational limits. The entire outage duration is divided into a sequence of periods. Restoration strategies can be adjusted at the beginning of each period using the latest information. Finally, numerical simulation of the modified IEEE 342-node low voltage networked test system is performed to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method.« less

DGs for Service Restoration to Critical Loads in a Secondary Network

DOE PAGES

Xu, Yin; Liu, Chen-Ching; Wang, Zhiwen; ...

2017-08-25

During a major outage in a secondary network distribution system, distributed generators (DGs) connected to the primary feeders as well as the secondary network can be used to serve critical loads. This paper proposed a resilience-oriented method to determine restoration strategies for secondary network distribution systems after a major disaster. Technical issues associated with the restoration process are analyzed, including the operation of network protectors, inrush currents caused by the energization of network transformers, synchronization of DGs to the network, and circulating currents among DGs. A look-ahead load restoration framework is proposed, incorporating technical issues associated with secondary networks, limitsmore » on DG capacity and generation resources, dynamic constraints, and operational limits. The entire outage duration is divided into a sequence of periods. Restoration strategies can be adjusted at the beginning of each period using the latest information. Finally, numerical simulation of the modified IEEE 342-node low voltage networked test system is performed to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method.« less

On the avalanche generation of runaway electrons during tokamak disruptions

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

Martín-Solís, J. R., E-mail: solis@fis.uc3m.es; Loarte, A.; Lehnen, M.

2015-08-15

A simple zero dimensional model for a tokamak disruption is developed to evaluate the avalanche multiplication of a runaway primary seed during the current quench phase of a fast disruptive event. Analytical expressions for the plateau runaway current, the energy of the runaway beam, and the runaway energy distribution function are obtained allowing the identification of the parameters dominating the formation of the runaway current during disruptions. The effect of the electromagnetic coupling to the vessel and the penetration of the external magnetic energy during the disruption current quench as well as of the collisional dissipation of the runaway currentmore » at high densities are investigated. Current profile shape effects during the formation of the runaway beam are also addressed by means of an upgraded one-dimensional model.« less

Geoinformatics 2006--Abstracts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brady, Shailaja R.; Sinha, A. Krishna; Gundersen, Linda C.

2006-01-01

In order to facilitate the discovery, integration, and analysis of distributed data, geoscientists-in partnership with information technologists and computer scientists-have established the emerging science of geoinformatics. Geoinformatics 2006, an international conference that was attended by over 300 participants between May 10 and 12, 2006, represents the first nationally organized meeting whose primary goal was to provide a forum for the exchange of the most current research in geoinformatics.

Space weather. Ionospheric control of magnetotail reconnection.

PubMed

Lotko, William; Smith, Ryan H; Zhang, Binzheng; Ouellette, Jeremy E; Brambles, Oliver J; Lyon, John G

2014-07-11

Observed distributions of high-speed plasma flows at distances of 10 to 30 Earth radii (R(E)) in Earth's magnetotail neutral sheet are highly skewed toward the premidnight sector. The flows are a product of the magnetic reconnection process that converts magnetic energy stored in the magnetotail into plasma kinetic and thermal energy. We show, using global numerical simulations, that the electrodynamic interaction between Earth's magnetosphere and ionosphere produces an asymmetry consistent with observed distributions in nightside reconnection and plasmasheet flows and in accompanying ionospheric convection. The primary causal agent is the meridional gradient in the ionospheric Hall conductance which, through the Cowling effect, regulates the distribution of electrical currents flowing within and between the ionosphere and magnetotail. Copyright © 2014, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

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

Aeloiza, Eddy C.; Burgos, Rolando P.

A step-down AC/AC converter for use in an electric distribution system includes at least one chopper circuit for each one of a plurality of phases of the AC power, each chopper circuit including a four-quadrant switch coupled in series between primary and secondary sides of the chopper circuit and a current-bidirectional two-quadrant switch coupled between the secondary side of the chopper circuit and a common node. Each current-bidirectional two-quadrant switch is oriented in the same direction, with respect to the secondary side of the corresponding chopper circuit and the common node. The converter further includes a control circuit configured tomore » pulse-width-modulate control inputs of the switches, to convert a first multiphase AC voltage at the primary sides of the chopper circuits to a second multiphase AC voltage at the secondary sides of the chopper circuits, the second multiphase AC voltage being lower in voltage than the first multiphase AC voltage.« less

Plasma Interactions with Spacecraft. Volume 2, NASCAP-2K Scientific Documentation for Version 4.1

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-04-15

E expn E m2 e EF (2) Double Maxwellian                      2 2 221 1 11 E expn E m2 eE expn E...m2 e EF (3) Fontheim (electrons only) This distribution is used to model auroral electrons.      LUpower 2 gauss o gaussmax EEHEEHE EE ...to secondary electron current. ee emitted secondary current due to electron impact Y primary electron current  (16) A typical curve is shown in

Commentary: improving the supply and distribution of primary care physicians.

PubMed

Dorsey, E Ray; Nicholson, Sean; Frist, William H

2011-05-01

The current medical education system and reimbursement policies in the United States have contributed to a maldistribution of physicians by specialty and geography. The causes of this maldistribution include financial barriers that prevent the individuals who would be the most likely to serve in primary care and underserved areas from entering the profession, large taxpayer subsidies to teaching hospitals that provide incentives to act in ways that are not in the best interest of society, and reimbursement policies that discourage physicians from providing primary care. The authors propose that the maldistribution of physicians can be addressed successfully by reducing the financial barriers to becoming a primary care physician, aligning subsidies with societal interests, and providing financial incentives that target primary care. They suggest that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 takes steps in the right direction but that more financially prudent measures should be taken as politicians revisit health care reform with heightened financial scrutiny. Copyright © by the Association of American medical Colleges.

The role of sea surface circulation and hydrographic processes in anchovy spawning and larvae distribution in the Strait of Sicily (Central Mediterranean).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Falcini, Federico; Palatella, Luigi; Cuttitta, Angela; Bignami, Francesco; Patti, Bernardo; Santoleri, Rosalia; Fiorentino, Fabio

2014-05-01

The European Anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus, Linnaeus, 1758) is one of the most important resources of the Mediterranean Sea. Despite its abundance and relevance, the anchovy population off the Mediterranean coasts exhibits a patchy distribution. Moreover, its biology and the influence of environment on its variability is poorly known. We here use data from ichthyoplankton-surveys carried out during the peak spawning season in order to analyze abundance and age of anchovy larvae in the Strait of Sicily, with respect to sea surface dynamic and hydrographic parameter patterns. The Strait of Sicily dynamics is characterized by upwelling regions, fronts, vortices, and filaments, with a consequent complexity in the spatial distribution of oceanographic parameters and anchovy larvae. To investigate the role of mesoscale features and oceanographic environment on the latter, anchovy larvae observations were paired to remote sensing data (such as sea surface temperature, chlorophyll, primary production, surface wind speed as well as light attenuation, absorption, and particle backscattering coefficients) and Lagrangian and Eulerian numerical simulations results for ocean currents and larval transport. The subsequent analysis shows and quantifies how the Atlantic Ionian Stream (AIS, a meandering current of Atlantic origin) path and variability, as well as the upwelling-induced south Sicilian coastal current, have consequences for anchovy spawning and larvae distribution. These currents transport anchovy larvae towards the Sicilian coast's south-eastern tip, where larvae are then retained in a frontal structure. However, significant cross-shore transport events due to relatively cold filament-like baroclinic instabilities generated by wind-induced coastal upwelling were also observed. Finally, the larval age distribution qualitatively agrees well with this transport pattern.

Status of the Electroforming Shield Design (ESD) project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fletcher, R. E.

1977-01-01

The utilization of a digital computer to augment electrodeposition/electroforming processes in which nonconducting shielding controls local cathodic current distribution is reported. The primary underlying philosophy of the physics of electrodeposition was presented. The technical approach taken to analytically simulate electrolytic tank variables was also included. A FORTRAN computer program has been developed and implemented. The program utilized finite element techniques and electrostatic theory to simulate electropotential fields and ionic transport.

Potential Improvements to Remote Primary Productivity Estimation in the Southern California Current System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacox, M.; Edwards, C. A.; Kahru, M.; Rudnick, D. L.; Kudela, R. M.

2012-12-01

A 26-year record of depth integrated primary productivity (PP) in the Southern California Current System (SCCS) is analyzed with the goal of improving satellite net primary productivity (PP) estimates. The ratio of integrated primary productivity to surface chlorophyll correlates strongly to surface chlorophyll concentration (chl0). However, chl0 does not correlate to chlorophyll-specific productivity, and appears to be a proxy for vertical phytoplankton distribution rather than phytoplankton physiology. Modest improvements in PP model performance are achieved by tuning existing algorithms for the SCCS, particularly by empirical parameterization of photosynthetic efficiency in the Vertically Generalized Production Model. Much larger improvements are enabled by improving accuracy of subsurface chlorophyll and light profiles. In a simple vertically resolved production model, substitution of in situ surface data for remote sensing estimates offers only marginal improvements in model r2 and total log10 root mean squared difference, while inclusion of in situ chlorophyll and light profiles improves these metrics significantly. Autonomous underwater gliders, capable of measuring subsurface fluorescence on long-term, long-range deployments, significantly improve PP model fidelity in the SCCS. We suggest their use (and that of other autonomous profilers such as Argo floats) in conjunction with satellites as a way forward for improved PP estimation in coastal upwelling systems.

HZE reactions and data-base development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Townsend, Lawrence W.; Cucinotta, Francis A.; Wilson, John W.

1993-01-01

The primary cosmic rays are dispersed over a large range of linear energy transfer (LET) values and their distribution over LET is a determinant of biological response. This LET distribution is modified by radiation shielding thickness and shield material composition. The current uncertainties in nuclear cross sections will not allow the composition of the shield material to be distinguished in order to minimize biological risk. An overview of the development of quantum mechanical models of heavy ion reactions will be given and computational results compared with experiments. A second approach is the development of phenomenological models from semi-classical considerations. These models provide the current data base in high charge and energy (HZE) shielding studies. They will be compared with available experimental data. The background material for this lecture will be available as a review document of over 30 years of research at Langley but will include new results obtained over the last year.

Fast calculation of the sensitivity matrix in magnetic induction tomography by tetrahedral edge finite elements and the reciprocity theorem.

PubMed

Hollaus, K; Magele, C; Merwa, R; Scharfetter, H

2004-02-01

Magnetic induction tomography of biological tissue is used to reconstruct the changes in the complex conductivity distribution by measuring the perturbation of an alternating primary magnetic field. To facilitate the sensitivity analysis and the solution of the inverse problem a fast calculation of the sensitivity matrix, i.e. the Jacobian matrix, which maps the changes of the conductivity distribution onto the changes of the voltage induced in a receiver coil, is needed. The use of finite differences to determine the entries of the sensitivity matrix does not represent a feasible solution because of the high computational costs of the basic eddy current problem. Therefore, the reciprocity theorem was exploited. The basic eddy current problem was simulated by the finite element method using symmetric tetrahedral edge elements of second order. To test the method various simulations were carried out and discussed.

Geochemistry and magnetic sediment distribution at the western boundary upwelling system of southwest Atlantic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cruz, Anna P. S.; Barbosa, Catia F.; Ayres-Neto, Arthur; Munayco, Pablo; Scorzelli, Rosa B.; Amorim, Nívea Santos; Albuquerque, Ana L. S.; Seoane, José C. S.

2018-02-01

In order to investigate the chemical and magnetic characteristics of sediments of the western boundary upwelling system of Southwest Atlantic we analyzed magnetic susceptibility, grain size distribution, total organic carbon, heavy mineral abundance, Fe associated with Mössbauer spectra, and Fe and Mn of pore water to evaluate the deposition patterns of sediments. Four box-cores were collected along a cross-shelf transect. Brazil Current and coastal plume exert a primary control at the inner and outer shelf cores, which exhibited similar depositional patterns characterized by a high abundance of heavy minerals (mean 0.21% and 0.08%, respectively) and very fine sand, whereas middle shelf cores presented low abundances of heavy minerals (mean 0.03%) and medium silt. The inner shelf was dominated by sub-angular grains, while in middle and outer shelf cores well-rounded grains were found. The increasing Fe3+:Fe2+ ratio from the inner to the outer shelf reflects farther distance to the sediment source. The outer shelf presented well-rounded minerals, indicating abrasive processes as a result of transport by the Brazil Current from the source areas. In the middle shelf, cold-water intrusion of the South Atlantic Central Water contributes to the primary productivity, resulting in higher deposition of fine sediment and organic carbon accumulation. The high input of organic carbon and the decreased grain size are indicative of changes in the hydrodynamics and primary productivity fueled by the western boundary upwelling system, which promotes loss of magnetization due to the induction of diagenesis of iron oxide minerals.

Air core poloidal magnetic field system for a toroidal plasma producing device

DOEpatents

Marcus, Frederick B.

1978-01-01

A poloidal magnetics system for a plasma producing device of toroidal configuration is provided that reduces both the total volt-seconds requirement and the magnitude of the field change at the toroidal field coils. The system utilizes an air core transformer wound between the toroidal field (TF) coils and the major axis outside the TF coils. Electric current in the primary windings of this transformer is distributed and the magnetic flux returned by air core windings wrapped outside the toroidal field coils. A shield winding that is closely coupled to the plasma carries a current equal and opposite to the plasma current. This winding provides the shielding function and in addition serves in a fashion similar to a driven conducting shell to provide the equilibrium vertical field for the plasma. The shield winding is in series with a power supply and a decoupling coil located outside the TF coil at the primary winding locations. The present invention requires much less energy than the usual air core transformer and is capable of substantially shielding the toroidal field coils from poloidal field flux.

Patterns of primary productivity and biomass in a coastal upwelling region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Small, Lawrence F.; Menzies, David W.

1981-02-01

Average distributions of chlorophyll α during upwelling in areas of smooth bathymetry off Oregon have been computed from historical data. Chlorophyll concentrations in cross-shelf sections over the Oregon continental shelf (44°40'N) were similar to those in cross-shelf sections off northwest Africa during JOINT-1 studies but differed from those in similar sections over an adjacent narrow region of the Oregon shelf (44°55'N to 45°12'N). The fact that larger concentration differences can occur along short sections of one coastline than between upwelling regions half a world apart bears on the time and space scales of sampling and might have bearing on the support and distributions of other trophic levels. Relationships between the local winds and the broader-scale BAKUN (1975) upwelling indices were used to classify various phytoplankton biomass and primary productivity distributions according to whether they were in strong upwelling steady state, weak upwelling steady state, or one of two transition states. The upwelling steady state conforms to the 'upwelling event' scale (about 3 to 10 days) of WALSH, WHITLEDGE, KELLEY, HUNTSMAN and PILLSBURY (1977) and the transition state of approximately one-day duration might specify the critical scale for driving the upwelling off Oregon. Under strong steady-state upwelling in early summer a single band of high primary productivity and biomass develops in the surface layer parallel to the bottom contours, but under similar upwelling conditions in later summer a two-celled zonal circulation occurs and two parallel bands develop. Our strong upwelling distributions are discussed in light of current models of the Oregon upwelling system. Maintenance of biological properties through time in the upwelling bands is also discussed. Under weak steady-state upwelling the primary productivity and biomass bands are farther inshore or immediately against the coast. Productivity in the weak upwelling bands can be twice that of the strong upwelling bands and often 20 times that in surrounding water. Under transient conditions in which the local winds are favorable for strong upwelling but the slower-responding Bakun index indicates weak upwelling, chlorophyll distributions change within a day to resemble distributions during strong steady-state upwelling. Under transient conditions in which the local winds weaken dramatically but the Bakun index still indicates strong upwelling, chlorophyll concentrations are high and widely distributed throughout the upwelling region.

Modelling and characterization of primary settlers in view of whole plant and resource recovery modelling.

PubMed

Bachis, Giulia; Maruéjouls, Thibaud; Tik, Sovanna; Amerlinck, Youri; Melcer, Henryk; Nopens, Ingmar; Lessard, Paul; Vanrolleghem, Peter A

2015-01-01

Characterization and modelling of primary settlers have been neglected pretty much to date. However, whole plant and resource recovery modelling requires primary settler model development, as current models lack detail in describing the dynamics and the diversity of the removal process for different particulate fractions. This paper focuses on the improved modelling and experimental characterization of primary settlers. First, a new modelling concept based on particle settling velocity distribution is proposed which is then applied for the development of an improved primary settler model as well as for its characterization under addition of chemicals (chemically enhanced primary treatment, CEPT). This model is compared to two existing simple primary settler models (Otterpohl and Freund; Lessard and Beck), showing to be better than the first one and statistically comparable to the second one, but with easier calibration thanks to the ease with which wastewater characteristics can be translated into model parameters. Second, the changes in the activated sludge model (ASM)-based chemical oxygen demand fractionation between inlet and outlet induced by primary settling is investigated, showing that typical wastewater fractions are modified by primary treatment. As they clearly impact the downstream processes, both model improvements demonstrate the need for more detailed primary settler models in view of whole plant modelling.

The Roles of Technology in Primary HIV Prevention for Men Who Have Sex with Men.

PubMed

Sullivan, Patrick S; Jones, Jeb; Kishore, Nishant; Stephenson, Rob

2015-12-01

Men who have sex with men (MSM) are at disproportionate risk for HIV infection globally. The past 5 years have seen considerable advances in biomedical interventions to reduce the risk of HIV infection. To be impactful in reducing HIV incidence requires the rapid and expansive scale-up of prevention. One mechanism for achieving this is technology-based tools to improve knowledge, acceptability, and coverage of interventions and services. This review provides a summary of the current gap in coverage of primary prevention services, how technology-based interventions and services can address gaps in coverage, and the current trends in the development and availability of technology-based primary prevention tools for use by MSM. Results from agent-based models of HIV epidemics of MSM suggest that 40-50 % coverage of multiple primary HIV prevention interventions and services, including biomedical interventions like preexposure prophylaxis, will be needed to reduce HIV incidence among MSM. In the USA, current levels of coverage for all interventions, except HIV testing and condom distribution, fall well short of this target. Recent findings illustrate how technology-based HIV prevention tools can be used to provide certain kinds of services at much larger scale, with marginal incremental costs. A review of mobile apps for primary HIV prevention revealed that most are designed by nonacademic, nonpublic health developers, and only a small proportion of available mobile apps specifically address MSM populations. We are unlikely to reach the required scale of HIV prevention intervention coverage for MSM unless we can leverage technologies to bring key services to broad coverage for MSM. Despite an exciting pipeline of technology-based prevention tools, there are broader challenges with funding structures and sustainability that need to be addressed to realize the full potential of this emerging public health field.

Integrated quantum key distribution sender unit for daily-life implementations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mélen, Gwenaelle; Vogl, Tobias; Rau, Markus; Corrielli, Giacomo; Crespi, Andrea; Osellame, Roberto; Weinfurter, Harald

2016-03-01

Unlike currently implemented encryption schemes, Quantum Key Distribution provides a secure way of generating and distributing a key among two parties. Although a multitude of research platforms has been developed, the integration of QKD units within classical communication systems remains a tremendous challenge. The recently achieved maturity of integrated photonic technologies could be exploited to create miniature QKD add-ons that could extend the primary function of various existing systems such as mobile devices or optical stations. In this work we report on an integrated optics module enabling secure short-distance communication for, e.g., quantum access schemes. Using BB84-like protocols, Alice's mobile low-cost device can exchange secure key and information everywhere within a trusted node network. The new optics platform (35×20×8mm) compatible with current smartphone's technology generates NIR faint polarised laser pulses with 100MHz repetition rate. Fully automated beam tracking and live basis-alignment on Bob's side ensure user-friendly operation with a quantum link efficiency as high as 50% stable over a few seconds.

Modeling and mapping the current and future distribution of Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae under climate change in China.

PubMed

Wang, Rulin; Li, Qing; He, Shisong; Liu, Yuan; Wang, Mingtian; Jiang, Gan

2018-01-01

Bacterial canker of kiwifruit caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae (Psa) is a major threat to the kiwifruit industry throughout the world and accounts for substantial economic losses in China. The aim of the present study was to test and explore the possibility of using MaxEnt (maximum entropy models) to predict and analyze the future large-scale distribution of Psa in China. Based on the current environmental factors, three future climate scenarios, which were suggested by the fifth IPCC report, and the current distribution sites of Psa, MaxEnt combined with ArcGIS was applied to predict the potential suitable areas and the changing trend of Psa in China. The jackknife test and correlation analysis were used to choose dominant climatic factors. The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) drawn by MaxEnt was used to evaluate the accuracy of the simulation. The results showed that under current climatic conditions, the area from latitude 25° to 36°N and from longitude 101° to 122°E is the primary potential suitable area of Psa in China. The highly suitable area (with suitability between 66 and 100) was mainly concentrated in Northeast Sichuan, South Shaanxi, most of Chongqing, West Hubei and Southwest Gansu and occupied 4.94% of land in China. Under different future emission scenarios, both the areas and the centers of the suitable areas all showed differences compared with the current situation. Four climatic variables, i.e., maximum April temperature (19%), mean temperature of the coldest quarter (14%), precipitation in May (11.5%) and minimum temperature in October (10.8%), had the largest impact on the distribution of Psa. The MaxEnt model is potentially useful for forecasting the future adaptive distribution of Psa under climate change, and it provides important guidance for comprehensive management.

Temperature Diffusion Distribution of Electric Wire Deteriorated by Overcurrent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Chung-Seog; Kim, Hyang-Kon; Kim, Dong-Woo; Lee, Ki-Yeon

This study presents thermal diffusion distribution of the electric wires when overcurrent is supplied to copper wires. And then, this study intends to provide a basis of knowledge for analyzing the causes of electric accidents through hybrid technology. In the thermal image distribution analysis of the electric wire to which fusing current was supplied, it was found that less heat was accumulated in the thin wires because of easier heat dispersion, while more heat was accumulated in the thicker wires. The 3-dimensional thermal image analysis showed that heat distribution was concentrated at the center of the wire and the inclination of heat distribution was steep in the thicker wires. When 81A was supplied to 1.6mm copper wire for 500 seconds, the surface temperature of wire was maximum 46.68°C and minimum 30.87°C. It revealed the initial characteristics of insulation deterioration that generates white smoke without external deformation. In the analysis with stereoscopic microscope, the surface turned dark brown and rough with the increase of fusing current. Also, it was known that exfoliation occurred when wire melted down with 2 times the fusing current. With the increase of current, we found the number of primary arms of the dendrite structure to be increased and those of the secondary and tertiary arms to be decreased. Also, when the overcurrent reached twice the fusing current, it was found that columnar composition, observed in the cross sectional structure of molten wire, appeared and formed regular directivity. As described above, we could present the burning pattern and change in characteristics of insulation and conductor quantitatively. And we could not only minimize the analysis error by combining the information but also present the scientific basis in the analysis of causes of electric accidents, mediation of disputes on product liability concerning the electric products.

Photon sieve telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andersen, Geoff; Tullson, Drew

2006-06-01

In designing next-generation, ultra-large (>20m) apertures for space, many current concepts involve compactable, curved membrane reflectors. Here we present the idea of using a flat diffractive element that requires no out-of-plane deformation and so is much simpler to deploy. The primary is a photon sieve - a diffractive element consisting of a large number of precisely positioned holes distributed according to an underlying Fresnel Zone Plate (FZP) geometry. The advantage of the photon sieve over the FZP is that all the regions are connected, so the membrane substrate under simple tension can avoid buckling. Also, the hole distribution can be varied to generate any conic or apodization for specialized telescope requirements such as exo-solar planet detection. We have designed and tested numerous photon sieves as telescope primaries. Some of these have over 10 million holes in a 0.1 m diameter aperture and all of them give diffraction limited imaging. While photon sieves are diffractive elements and thus suffer from dispersion, we will present two successful solutions to this problem.

Life cycle assessment of overhead and underground primary power distribution.

PubMed

Bumby, Sarah; Druzhinina, Ekaterina; Feraldi, Rebe; Werthmann, Danae; Geyer, Roland; Sahl, Jack

2010-07-15

Electrical power can be distributed in overhead or underground systems, both of which generate a variety of environmental impacts at all stages of their life cycles. While there is considerable literature discussing the trade-offs between both systems in terms of aesthetics, safety, cost, and reliability, environmental assessments are relatively rare and limited to power cable production and end-of-life management. This paper assesses environmental impacts from overhead and underground medium voltage power distribution systems as they are currently built and managed by Southern California Edison (SCE). It uses process-based life cycle assessment (LCA) according to ISO 14044 (2006) and SCE-specific primary data to the extent possible. Potential environmental impacts have been calculated using a wide range of midpoint indicators, and robustness of the results has been investigated through sensitivity analysis of the most uncertain and potentially significant parameters. The studied underground system has higher environmental impacts in all indicators and for all parameter values, mostly due to its higher material intensity. For both systems and all indicators the majority of impact occurs during cable production. Promising strategies for impact reduction are thus cable failure rate reduction for overhead and cable lifetime extension for underground systems.

The influence of wave energy and sediment transport on seagrass distribution

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stevens, Andrew W.; Lacy, Jessica R.

2012-01-01

A coupled hydrodynamic and sediment transport model (Delft3D) was used to simulate the water levels, waves, and currents associated with a seagrass (Zostera marina) landscape along a 4-km stretch of coast in Puget Sound, WA, USA. A hydroacoustic survey of seagrass percent cover and nearshore bathymetry was conducted, and sediment grain size was sampled at 53 locations. Wave energy is a primary factor controlling seagrass distribution at the site, accounting for 73% of the variability in seagrass minimum depth and 86% of the variability in percent cover along the shallow, sandy portions of the coast. A combination of numerical simulations and a conceptual model of the effect of sea-level rise on the cross-shore distribution of seagrass indicates that the area of seagrass habitat may initially increase and that wave dynamics are an important factor to consider in predicting the effect of sea-level rise on seagrass distributions in wave-exposed areas.

A data distribution strategy for the 1990s (files are not enough)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tankenson, Mike; Wright, Steven

1993-01-01

Virtually all of the data distribution strategies being contemplated for the EOSDIS era revolve around the use of files. Most, if not all, mass storage technologies are based around the file model. However, files may be the wrong primary abstraction for supporting scientific users in the 1990s and beyond. Other abstractions more closely matching the respective scientific discipline of the end user may be more appropriate. JPL has built a unique multimission data distribution system based on a strategy of telemetry stream emulation to match the responsibilities of spacecraft team and ground data system operators supporting our nations suite of planetary probes. The current system, operational since 1989 and the launch of the Magellan spacecraft, is supporting over 200 users at 15 remote sites. This stream-oriented data distribution model can provide important lessons learned to builders of future data systems.

Distribution of TTX-sensitive voltage-gated sodium channels in primary sensory endings of mammalian muscle spindles.

PubMed

Carrasco, Dario I; Vincent, Jacob A; Cope, Timothy C

2017-04-01

Knowledge of the molecular mechanisms underlying signaling of mechanical stimuli by muscle spindles remains incomplete. In particular, the ionic conductances that sustain tonic firing during static muscle stretch are unknown. We hypothesized that tonic firing by spindle afferents depends on sodium persistent inward current (INaP) and tested for the necessary presence of the appropriate voltage-gated sodium (NaV) channels in primary sensory endings. The NaV 1.6 isoform was selected for both its capacity to produce INaP and for its presence in other mechanosensors that fire tonically. The present study shows that NaV 1.6 immunoreactivity (IR) is concentrated in heminodes, presumably where tonic firing is generated, and we were surprised to find NaV 1.6 IR strongly expressed also in the sensory terminals, where mechanotransduction occurs. This spatial pattern of NaV 1.6 IR distribution was consistent for three mammalian species (rat, cat, and mouse), as was tonic firing by primary spindle afferents. These findings meet some of the conditions needed to establish participation of INaP in tonic firing by primary sensory endings. The study was extended to two additional NaV isoforms, selected for their sensitivity to TTX, excluding TTX-resistant NaV channels, which alone are insufficient to support firing by primary spindle endings. Positive immunoreactivity was found for NaV 1.1 , predominantly in sensory terminals together with NaV 1.6 and for NaV 1.7 , mainly in preterminal axons. Differential distribution in primary sensory endings suggests specialized roles for these three NaV isoforms in the process of mechanosensory signaling by muscle spindles. NEW & NOTEWORTHY The molecular mechanisms underlying mechanosensory signaling responsible for proprioceptive functions are not completely elucidated. This study provides the first evidence that voltage-gated sodium channels (NaVs) are expressed in the spindle primary sensory ending, where NaVs are found at every site involved in transduction or encoding of muscle stretch. We propose that NaVs contribute to multiple steps in sensory signaling by muscle spindles as it does in other types of slowly adapting sensory neurons. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

Assessment of Rip-Current Hazards Using Alongshore Topographic Anisotropy at Bondi Beach, Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartman, K.; Trimble, S. M.; Bishop, M. P.; Houser, C.

2016-12-01

Rip currents are a relatively high-velocity flow of water away from the beach common in coastal environments. As beach morphology adapts to sediment fluxes and wave climate, it is essential to be able to assess rip-current hazard conditions. Furthermore, it is essential to be able to characterize the scale-dependent bathymetric morphology that governs the extent and magnitude of a rip current. Consequently, our primary objective is to assess the alongshore distribution of topographic anisotropy, in order to identify rip-current hazard locations. Specifically, we utilized multi-band satellite imagery to generate a bathymetric digital elevation model (DEM) for Bondi Beach Australia, and collected field data to support our analysis. Scale-dependent spatial analysis of the DEM was conducted to assess the directional dependence of topographic relief, the magnitude of topographic anisotropy, and the degree of anisotropic symmetry. We displayed anisotropy parameters as images and false-color composites to visualize morphological conditions associated with rip channels. Our preliminary results indicate that rip channels generally have a higher anisotropy index and orthogonal orientation compared to dissipative or reflective beach anisotropy and orientation. Scale-dependent variations in anisotropy can be used to assess the spatial extent of rip currents. Furthermore, well-defined rip channels exhibit positive symmetry, while variations in the distribution of symmetry reflect sediment-flux variations alongshore. These results clearly reveal that a well-developed rip channel can be identified and assessed using topographic anisotropy, as scale-dependent anisotropy patterns are unique when compared to the surrounding bathymetry and terrain. In this way, it is possible to evaluate the alongshore distribution of rip currents. Alongshore topographic anisotropy data will be extremely important as input into hazard assessment studies and the development of hazard decision support systems.

An Asymptotic and Stochastic Theory for the Effects of Surface Gravity Waves on Currents and Infragravity Waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McWilliams, J. C.; Lane, E.; Melville, K.; Restrepo, J.; Sullivan, P.

2004-12-01

Oceanic surface gravity waves are approximately irrotational, weakly nonlinear, and conservative, and they have a much shorter time scale than oceanic currents and longer waves (e.g., infragravity waves) --- except where the primary surface waves break. This provides a framework for an asymptotic theory, based on separation of time (and space) scales, of wave-averaged effects associated with the conservative primary wave dynamics combined with a stochastic representation of the momentum transfer and induced mixing associated with non-conservative wave breaking. Such a theory requires only modest information about the primary wave field from measurements or operational model forecasts and thus avoids the enormous burden of calculating the waves on their intrinsically small space and time scales. For the conservative effects, the result is a vortex force associated with the primary wave's Stokes drift; a wave-averaged Bernoulli head and sea-level set-up; and an incremental material advection by the Stokes drift. This can be compared to the "radiation stress" formalism of Longuet-Higgins, Stewart, and Hasselmann; it is shown to be a preferable representation since the radiation stress is trivial at its apparent leading order. For the non-conservative breaking effects, a population of stochastic impulses is added to the current and infragravity momentum equations with distribution functions taken from measurements. In offshore wind-wave equilibria, these impulses replace the conventional surface wind stress and cause significant differences in the surface boundary layer currents and entrainment rate, particularly when acting in combination with the conservative vortex force. In the surf zone, where breaking associated with shoaling removes nearly all of the primary wave momentum and energy, the stochastic forcing plays an analogous role as the widely used nearshore radiation stress parameterizations. This talk describes the theoretical framework and presents some preliminary solutions using it. McWilliams, J.C., J.M. Restrepo, & E.M. Lane, 2004: An asymptotic theory for the interaction of waves and currents in coastal waters. J. Fluid Mech. 511, 135-178. Sullivan, P.P., J.C. McWilliams, & W.K. Melville, 2004: The oceanic boundary layer driven by wave breaking with stochastic variability. J. Fluid Mech. 507, 143-174.

Information Power Grid: Distributed High-Performance Computing and Large-Scale Data Management for Science and Engineering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnston, William E.; Gannon, Dennis; Nitzberg, Bill; Feiereisen, William (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

The term "Grid" refers to distributed, high performance computing and data handling infrastructure that incorporates geographically and organizationally dispersed, heterogeneous resources that are persistent and supported. The vision for NASN's Information Power Grid - a computing and data Grid - is that it will provide significant new capabilities to scientists and engineers by facilitating routine construction of information based problem solving environments / frameworks that will knit together widely distributed computing, data, instrument, and human resources into just-in-time systems that can address complex and large-scale computing and data analysis problems. IPG development and deployment is addressing requirements obtained by analyzing a number of different application areas, in particular from the NASA Aero-Space Technology Enterprise. This analysis has focussed primarily on two types of users: The scientist / design engineer whose primary interest is problem solving (e.g., determining wing aerodynamic characteristics in many different operating environments), and whose primary interface to IPG will be through various sorts of problem solving frameworks. The second type of user if the tool designer: The computational scientists who convert physics and mathematics into code that can simulate the physical world. These are the two primary users of IPG, and they have rather different requirements. This paper describes the current state of IPG (the operational testbed), the set of capabilities being put into place for the operational prototype IPG, as well as some of the longer term R&D tasks.

New developments in EPID-based 3D dosimetry in The Netherlands Cancer Institute

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mijnheer, B.; Rozendaal, R.; Olaciregui-Ruiz, I.; González, P.; van Oers, R.; Mans, A.

2017-05-01

EPID-based offline 3D in vivo dosimetry is performed routinely in The Netherlands Cancer Institute for almost all RT treatments. The 3D dose distribution is reconstructed using the EPID primary dose in combination with a back-projection algorithm and compared with the planned dose distribution. Recently the method was adapted for real-time dose verification, performing 3D dose verification in less than 300 ms, which is faster than the current portal frame acquisition rate. In this way a possibility is created for halting the linac in case of large delivery errors. Furthermore, a new method for pre-treatment QA was developed in which the EPID primary dose behind a phantom or patient is predicted using the CT data of that phantom or patient in combination with in-air EPID measurements. This virtual EPID primary transit dose is then used to reconstruct the 3D dose distribution within the phantom or patient geometry using the same dose engine as applied offline. In order to assess the relevance of our clinically applied alert criteria, we investigated the sensitivity of our EPID-based 3D dose verification system to detect delivery errors in VMAT treatments. This was done through simulation by modifying patient treatment plans, as well as experimentally by performing EPID measurements during the irradiation of an Alderson phantom, both after deliberately introducing errors during VMAT delivery. In this presentation these new developments will be elucidated.

Finding binaries from phase modulation of pulsating stars with Kepler: V. Orbital parameters, with eccentricity and mass-ratio distributions of 341 new binaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murphy, Simon J.; Moe, Maxwell; Kurtz, Donald W.; Bedding, Timothy R.; Shibahashi, Hiromoto; Boffin, Henri M. J.

2018-03-01

The orbital parameters of binaries at intermediate periods (102-103 d) are difficult to measure with conventional methods and are very incomplete. We have undertaken a new survey, applying our pulsation timing method to Kepler light curves of 2224 main-sequence A/F stars and found 341 non-eclipsing binaries. We calculate the orbital parameters for 317 PB1 systems (single-pulsator binaries) and 24 PB2s (double-pulsators), tripling the number of intermediate-mass binaries with full orbital solutions. The method reaches down to small mass ratios q ≈ 0.02 and yields a highly homogeneous sample. We parametrize the mass-ratio distribution using both inversion and Markov-Chain Monte Carlo forward-modelling techniques, and find it to be skewed towards low-mass companions, peaking at q ≈ 0.2. While solar-type primaries exhibit a brown dwarf desert across short and intermediate periods, we find a small but statistically significant (2.6σ) population of extreme-mass-ratio companions (q < 0.1) to our intermediate-mass primaries. Across periods of 100-1500 d and at q > 0.1, we measure the binary fraction of current A/F primaries to be 15.4 per cent ± 1.4 per cent, though we find that a large fraction of the companions (21 per cent ± 6 per cent) are white dwarfs in post-mass-transfer systems with primaries that are now blue stragglers, some of which are the progenitors of Type Ia supernovae, barium stars, symbiotics, and related phenomena. Excluding these white dwarfs, we determine the binary fraction of original A/F primaries to be 13.9 per cent ± 2.1 per cent over the same parameter space. Combining our measurements with those in the literature, we find the binary fraction across these periods is a constant 5 per cent for primaries M1 < 0.8 M⊙, but then increases linearly with log M1, demonstrating that natal discs around more massive protostars M1 ≳ 1 M⊙ become increasingly more prone to fragmentation. Finally, we find the eccentricity distribution of the main-sequence pairs to be much less eccentric than the thermal distribution.

Primary Dendrite Array Morphology: Observations from Ground-based and Space Station Processed Samples

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tewari, Surendra; Rajamure, Ravi; Grugel, Richard; Erdmann, Robert; Poirier, David

2012-01-01

Influence of natural convection on primary dendrite array morphology during directional solidification is being investigated under a collaborative European Space Agency-NASA joint research program, "Microstructure Formation in Castings of Technical Alloys under Diffusive and Magnetically Controlled Convective Conditions (MICAST)". Two Aluminum-7 wt pct Silicon alloy samples, MICAST6 and MICAST7, were directionally solidified in microgravity on the International Space Station. Terrestrially grown dendritic monocrystal cylindrical samples were remelted and directionally solidified at 18 K/cm (MICAST6) and 28 K/cm (MICAST7). Directional solidification involved a growth speed step increase (MICAST6-from 5 to 50 micron/s) and a speed decrease (MICAST7-from 20 to 10 micron/s). Distribution and morphology of primary dendrites is currently being characterized in these samples, and also in samples solidified on earth under nominally similar thermal gradients and growth speeds. Primary dendrite spacing and trunk diameter measurements from this investigation will be presented.

Primary Dendrite Array: Observations from Ground-Based and Space Station Processed Samples

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tewari, Surendra N.; Grugel, Richard N.; Erdman, Robert G.; Poirier, David R.

2012-01-01

Influence of natural convection on primary dendrite array morphology during directional solidification is being investigated under a collaborative European Space Agency-NASA joint research program, Microstructure Formation in Castings of Technical Alloys under Diffusive and Magnetically Controlled Convective Conditions (MICAST). Two Aluminum-7 wt pct Silicon alloy samples, MICAST6 and MICAST7, were directionally solidified in microgravity on the International Space Station. Terrestrially grown dendritic monocrystal cylindrical samples were remelted and directionally solidified at 18 K per centimeter (MICAST6) and 28 K per centimeter (MICAST7). Directional solidification involved a growth speed step increase (MICAST6-from 5 to 50 millimeters per second) and a speed decrease (MICAST7-from 20 to 10 millimeters per second). Distribution and morphology of primary dendrites is currently being characterized in these samples, and also in samples solidified on earth under nominally similar thermal gradients and growth speeds. Primary dendrite spacing and trunk diameter measurements from this investigation will be presented.

Possibility of Ionospheric Cause of FACs and Convection Field in the Magnetosphere-Ionosphere System: The Harang Reversal, Premidnight Upward-FAC, and the Ionospheric Hall Polarization Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakamizo, A.; Yoshikawa, A.

2016-12-01

Whereas it is generally thought that Birkeland Currents (FACs) are generated in the magnetosphere and that the ionospheric convection reflects the magnetospheric convection, we present a possibility that the ionosphere drives FACs and the convection field in the M-I system. We apply this idea to the Harang Reversal (HR) for demonstration. By using an ionospheric potential solver we calculate the electrostatic field for given distributions of FACs and conductance. The result shows that a conspicuous structure resembling HR is generated even for a symmetric distribution of the R1-type FACs and that the Hall polarization field is produced at the equatorward boundary of the auroral region as the primary currents diverge/converge at the conductance gradient there, which causes the potential deformation (HR). Conventionally HR has been considered to be of the magnetospheric origin, and a ring current model actually produces the corresponding structure in the magnetosphere [e.g., Erickson et al., 1991]. Observationally the divE equivalent to HR is consistent with the premidnight upward-FAC seen in Iijima and Potemra's diagram. A recent theoretical study [Ohtani et al., 2016] proposes that HR is a required structure for the interchange stability of the magnetotail in the presence of the R1 and R2-FAC systems including a premidnight upward-FAC. Returning to our result, the important point is that HR is reproduced at the conductance edge by the ionospheric polarization field, for which the primary field originates from the R1-FACs distributed far from that region. We also suggest: (i) In a more realistic finite ΣA, the total ionospheric polarization is partly released by a FAC, which may be a part of the premidnight upward-FAC. (ii) However, existing simulation models do not allow this type of current closure, and accordingly they may enhance the HR structure in the magnetosphere. This discussion should hold generally and would promote the global M-I coupling studies to the next step.

Characteristics of clinical trial websites: information distribution between ClinicalTrials.gov and 13 primary registries in the WHO registry network.

PubMed

Ogino, Daisuke; Takahashi, Kunihiko; Sato, Hajime

2014-11-05

It is well known that information about clinical trials is not easily accessible by the public. In Japan, clinical trial information can be accessed by the general public through online registries; however, many people find these registries difficult to use. To improve current clinical trial registries, we propose that combining them with clinical information phrased in lay terms would be beneficial to other interested professionals such as journalists and clinicians, as well as the general public. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the current pattern of distribution of clinical trial information from the primary World Health Organization (WHO) registries. Based on the results of this assessment, we then aimed to build and evaluate a prototype of the Japan Primary Registries Network (JPRN) portal that would be easily accessible to patients and the public, while still remaining useful for professionals. We assessed a total of 14 primary clinical trial registries listed on the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform between January and February 2013. Website content was accessed and checked against a series of items that looked at usability, communication, design and accessibility of the sites. We excluded registries that were not active or were not on the approved WHO registry list at the time of our assessment. We also examined only the English versions of the websites as native-language registries may offer more functionality or different content than the English version of the same website. All registries examined had a function allowing users to search the registry data and that displayed the related information from the search, including the clinical trial registration data. However, few websites were found to be user-friendly, and there was little integration with social media. We confirmed that there are few websites providing useful clinical trial information to patients and their families. However, information gleaned from some of the more advanced online registries could be used to improve the content and functionality of the JPRN portal.

Electromotive force analysis of current transformer during lightning surge inflow using Fourier series expansion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Youngsun

2017-05-01

The most common structure used for current transformers (CTs) consists of secondary windings around a ferromagnetic core past the primary current being measured. A CT used as a surge protection device (SPD) may experience large inrushes of current, like surges. However, when a large current flows into the primary winding, measuring the magnitude of the current is difficult because the ferromagnetic core becomes magnetically saturated. Several approaches to reduce the saturation effect are described in the literature. A Rogowski coil is representative of several devices that measure large currents. It is an electrical device that measures alternating current (AC) or high-frequency current. However, such devices are very expensive in application. In addition, the volume of a CT must be increased to measure sufficiently large currents, but for installation spaces that are too small, other methods must be used. To solve this problem, it is necessary to analyze the magnetic field and electromotive force (EMF) characteristics when designing a CT. Thus, we proposed an analysis method for the CT under an inrush current using the time-domain finite element method (TDFEM). The input source current of a surge waveform is expanded by a Fourier series to obtain an instantaneous value. An FEM model of the device is derived in a two-dimensional system and coupled with EMF circuits. The time-derivative term in the differential equation is solved in each time step by the finite difference method. It is concluded that the proposed algorithm is useful for analyzing CT characteristics, including the field distribution. Consequently, the proposed algorithm yields a reference for obtaining the effects of design parameters and magnetic materials for special shapes and sizes before the CT is designed and manufactured.

Monte Carlo simulations of electron lateral distributions in the core region of 10(13) - 10(16) eV air showers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ash, A. G.

1985-01-01

This paper contains details of computer models of shower development which have been used to investigate the experimental data on shower cores observed in the Leeds 35 sq m and Sacramento Peak (New Mexico) 20 sq m arrays of current limited spark (discharge) chambers. The simulations include predictions for primaries ranging from protons to iron nuclei (with heavy nuclei treated using both superposition and fragmentation models).

Distribution of essential medicines to primary care institutions in Hubei of China: effects of centralized procurement arrangements.

PubMed

Yang, Lianping; Huang, Cunrui; Liu, Chaojie

2017-11-14

Poor distribution of essential medicines to primary care institutions has attracted criticism since China adopted provincial centralized regional tendering and procurement systems. This study evaluated the impact of new procurement arrangements that limit the number of distributors at the county level in Hubei province, China. Procurement ordering and distribution data were collected from four counties that pioneered a new distribution arrangement (commencing September 2012) compared with six counties that continued the existing arrangement over the period from August 2011 to September 2013. The new arrangement allowed primary care institutions and/or suppliers to select a local distributor from a limited panel (from 3 to 5) of government nominated distributors. Difference-in-differences analyses were performed to assess the impact of the new arrangements on delivery and receipt of essential medicines. Overall, the new distribution arrangement has not improved distribution of essential medicines to primary care institutions. On the contrary, we found a 7.78-19.85 percentage point (p < 0.01) decrease in distribution rates to rural primary care institutions. Similar results were demonstrated using the indicator of received rates, with a 7.89-19.65 percentage point (p < 0.01) decrease. Simply limiting the number of distributors does not offer a solution to the poor performance of delivery of essential medicines for primary care institutions, especially those located in rural areas. Procurement arrangements need to consider the special characteristics of rural facilities. In a county, there are more rural primary care institutions than urban ones. On average, rural primary care institutions demand more and are more geographically dispersed compared to their urban counterparts, which may impose increased distribution costs.

Vertical and Tidal Variability of the Floc Size Distribution in a Partially Mixed, Low Turbidity, Anthropogenically Altered Geum River Estuary, Korea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, G. H.; Figueroa, S. M.; Shin, H. J.

2016-12-01

After the construction of the Geum River Estuary dam in 1994, current velocities and water turbidity decreased while the rate of mud deposition doubled, causing the water to become increasingly shallower. To better understand the sediment transport processes in the estuary, profiles of current speed, salinity, and the in-situ floc size distribution were measured during the wet season over three spring tidal cycles in the inner estuary. Although the primary particle size distribution (PPSD) was bimodal clay and coarse silt, the in-situ floc size distribution was observed to be unimodal during conditions promoting flocculation, with a mode (400 um) almost an order of magnitude larger than the coarse silt mode of the PPSD. Sediment resuspension and deflocculation were observed throughout the water column during flood while rapid flocculation and settling were observed in the surface water during calmer slack tides. During ebb, a halocline developed due to tidal straining which trapped macroflocs and created a mid-depth maximum in median floc size. These observations imply periodic stratification is important for floc dynamics even during spring tides and suggests that asymmetry in flocculation during the short term (tidal cycle) could be an important factor in the long term sediment deposition in Geum River Estuary.

Primary repair of colon injuries: clinical study of nonselective approach.

PubMed

Lazovic, Ranko G; Barisic, Goran I; Krivokapic, Zoran V

2010-12-02

This study was designed to determine the role of primary repair and to investigate the possibility of expanding indications for primary repair of colon injuries using nonselective approach. Two groups of patients were analyzed. Retrospective (RS) group included 30 patients managed by primary repair or two stage surgical procedure according to criteria published by Stone (S/F) and Flint (Fl). In this group 18 patients were managed by primary repair. Prospective (PR) group included 33 patients with primary repair as a first choice procedure. In this group, primary repair was performed in 30 cases. Groups were comparable regarding age, sex, and indexes of trauma severity. Time between injury and surgery was shorter in PR group, (1.3 vs. 3.1 hours). Stab wounds were more frequent in PR group (9:2), and iatrogenic lesions in RS group (6:2). Associated injuries were similar, as well as segmental distribution of colon injuries. S/F criteria and Flint grading were similar.In RS group 15 primary repairs were successful, while in two cases relaparotomy and colostomy was performed due to anastomotic leakage. One patient died. In PR group, 25 primary repairs were successful, with 2 immediate and 3 postoperative (7-10 days) deaths, with no evidence of anastomotic leakage. Results of this study justify more liberal use of primary repair in early management of colon injuries. Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN94682396.

What Can We Learn From Historical Trends and Distributions of Malaria? Historical Case Studies From the US, Italy, and Sri Lanka

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matthews, E.

2008-12-01

Malaria is currently prevalent in many countries and has been for centuries. Primary controllers of the distribution and incidence of malaria in the past have been economic, social, military, political etc. with a modest contribution from local climate variations. Studies of potential impacts of climate change on the epidemiology of diseases such as malaria have focused on the impact of changing environmental conditions on vector physiology but little attention has been paid to factors that explain historical variations in spatial and temporal distributions of the disease. This talk reports results of three historical case studies from the US, Italy and Sri Lanka that bring together a breadth of information from varied sources in order to illustrate the value of including such information in studies of disease-climate connections.

Use of the 'Hall technique' for management of carious primary molars among Scottish general dental practitioners.

PubMed

Dean, A A; Bark, J E; Sherriff, A; Macpherson, L M D; Cairns, A

2011-06-01

To assess the current awareness, usage and opinion of the Hall technique as a restorative option for primary molars in Scottish general dental practice; and to identify preferences for methods of further training, if desired, for those not currently using the technique. A postal questionnaire was sent to a random sample of Scottish general dental practitioners (GDPs) (n= 1207). Half of all GDPs within each health board were mailed. All analyses have been carried out in Minitab (version 15). The study is primarily descriptive and uses frequency distributions and cross-tabulations. Percentages are reported with p5% confidence intervals. Characteristics of the whole sample were reported. However when reporting the use of the Hall technique, only those GDP's reporting to treat children, at least sometimes are considered. Following two mail-shots, the overall response rate was 59% (715/1207). Eighty-six percent (616/715) of respondents were aware of the Hall technique as a method of restoring primary molars and 48 % (n=318) were currently using the Hall technique. Of those GDPs who never used the Hall technique (51% of total respondents; n=340), 46% (n=157) indicated they were either 'very interested' or 'interested' in adopting the Hall technique into their clinical practice. The preferred source for further training was via a section 63 continuing professional development (CPD) course, incorporating a practical element. Of those GDPs in Scotland who responded to the questionnaire, an unexpectedly high number were already using the Hall technique in their practice, and among those not currently using it, there is a demand for training.

The effects of return current and target charging in short pulse high intensity laser interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beg, Farhat

2003-10-01

Since the introduction of the technique of chirped pulse amplification (CPA), peak laser intensities have increased dramatically. It is now possible to perform laser-plasma interaction experiments at intensities approaching 1021 Wcm-2. The electrons in the field of such lasers are highly relativistic (gamma 31) and the temperature of the hot electron distribution produced in a plasma at such extreme intensities can exceed 10 MeV. Since the resulting beam current exceeds the Alfvén limit, a neutralizing return current of cold plasma electrons moving in the opposite direction is produced. Another source of return current is that due to the escape of very energetic electrons from the target, which then creates a large electrostatic potential due to charge separation. These return currents can cause significant ohmic heating. We present results from experiments performed at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory using the VULCAN laser facility (I> 5 x1019 Wcm-2). Single wire targets were used and in some shots a secondary wire or foil was placed near the target. Three main observations were made: (i) generation of a Z-pinch in the wire due to the return current, (ii) optical transition radiation at 2w and (iii) proton emission from both the primary wire target and the secondary wire or foil. The Z-pinch was observed to be m=0 unstable. The current was estimated to be about 0.8 MA using simple energy balance considerations. Intense second harmonic emission due to coherent optical transition radiation from both the primary target and secondary objects was observed and is likely due to electron bunches accelerated by the ponderomotive jxB force of the laser. The proton emission from the secondary wire or foil was likely due to field emission of electrons from the these objects in response to the large potential produced from charging of the primary target. Results of simulations to model these interactions will also be presented.

THE MOLECULAR PATHOLOGY OF MELANOMA: AN INTEGRATED TAXONOMY OF MELANOCYTIC NEOPLASIA

PubMed Central

Bastian, Boris C.

2016-01-01

Melanomas are comprised of multiple biologically distinct categories, which differ in cell of origin, age of onset, clinical and histologic presentation, pattern of metastasis, ethnic distribution, causative role of UV radiation, predisposing germ line alterations, mutational processes, and patterns of somatic mutations. Neoplasms are initiated by gain of function mutations in one of several primary oncogenes, typically leading to benign melanocytic nevi with characteristic histologic features. The progression of nevi is restrained by multiple tumor suppressive mechanisms. Secondary genetic alterations override these barriers and promote intermediate or overtly malignant tumors along distinct progression trajectories. The current knowledge about pathogenesis, clinical, histological and genetic features of primary melanocytic neoplasms is reviewed and integrated into a taxonomic framework. PMID:24460190

The Challenges of Distributing Leadership in Irish Post-Primary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Donovan, Margaret

2015-01-01

This study explores the challenges and opportunities in relation to developing distributed leadership practice in Irish post-primary schools. It considers school leadership within the context of contemporary distributed leadership theory. Associated concepts such as distributed cognition and activity theory are used to frame the study. The study…

Ecological importance of the Southern Boundary of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tynan, Cynthia T.

1998-04-01

The Southern Ocean surrounds the Antarctic continent and supports one of the most productive marine ecosystems. Migratory and endemic species of whales, seals and birds benefit from the high biomass of their principal prey, krill (Euphausia superba) and cephalopods, in this area. Most species of baleen whales and male sperm whales in the Southern Hemisphere migrate between low-latitude breeding grounds in winter and highly productive Antarctic feeding grounds in summer. Here I show the importance of the southernmost reaches of the strongest ocean current, the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC), to a complex and predictable food web of the Southern Ocean. The circumpolar distributions of blue, fin and humpback whales from spring to midsummer trace the non-uniform high-latitude penetration of shoaled, nutrient-rich Upper Circumpolar Deep Water, which is carried eastward by the ACC. The poleward extent of this water mass delineates the Southern Boundary of the ACC and corresponds not only to the circumpolar distributions of baleen whales, but also to distributions of krill and to regions of high, seasonally averaged, phytoplankton biomass. Sperm whales, which feed on cephalopods, also congregate in highest densities near the Southern Boundary. The association of primary production, Krill, and whales with the Southern Boundary, suggests that it provides predictably productive foraging for many species, and is of critical importance to the function of the Southern Ocean ecosystem.

A morphological and electrophysiological study on the postnatal development of oligodendrocyte precursor cells in the rat brain.

PubMed

Chen, Peng-hui; Cai, Wen-qin; Wang, Li-yan; Deng, Qi-yue

2008-12-03

A widespread population of cells in CNS is identified by specific expression of the NG2 chondroitin sulphate proteoglycan and named as oligodendrocyte precursor cell (OPC). OPCs may possess stem cell-like characteristics, including multipotentiality in vitro and in vivo. It was proposed that OPCs in the CNS parenchyma comprise a unique population of glia, distinct from oligodendrocytes and astrocytes. This study confirmed that NG2 immunoreactive OPCs were continuously distributed in cerebral cortex and hippocampus during different postnatal developmental stages. These cells rapidly increased in number over the postnatal 7 days and migrate extensively to populate with abundant processes both in developing cortex and hippocampus. The morphology of OPCs exhibited extremely complex changes with the distribution of long distance primary process gradually increased from neonatal to adult CNS. Immunohistochemical studies showed that OPCs exhibited the morphological properties that can be distinguished from astrocytes. The electrophysiological properties showed that OPCs expressed a small amount of inward Na(+) currents which was distinguished from Na(+) currents in neurons owing to their lower Na-to-K conductance ratio and higher command voltage step depolarized maximum Na(+) current amplitude. These observations suggest that OPCs can be identified as the third type of macroglia because of their distribution in the CNS, the morphological development in process diversity and the electrophysiological difference from astrocyte.

HFE gene in primary and secondary hepatic iron overload

PubMed Central

Sebastiani, Giada; Walker, Ann P

2007-01-01

Distinct from hereditary haemochromatosis, hepatic iron overload is a common finding in several chronic liver diseases. Many studies have investigated the prevalence, distribution and possible contributory role of excess hepatic iron in non-haemochromatotic chronic liver diseases. Indeed, some authors have proposed iron removal in liver diseases other than hereditary haemochromatosis. However, the pathogenesis of secondary iron overload remains unclear. The High Fe (HFE) gene has been implicated, but the reported data are controversial. In this article, we summarise current concepts regarding the cellular role of the HFE protein in iron homeostasis. We review the current status of the literature regarding the prevalence, hepatic distribution and possible therapeutic implications of iron overload in chronic hepatitis C, hepatitis B, alcoholic and non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases and porphyria cutanea tarda. We discuss the evidence regarding the role of HFE gene mutations in these liver diseases. Finally, we summarize the common and specific features of iron overload in liver diseases other than haemochromatosis. PMID:17729389

Medicare and Medicaid Physician Payment Incentives

PubMed Central

Burney, Ira L.; Schieber, George J.; Blaxall, Martha O.; Gabel, Jon R.

1979-01-01

The incentives in the Medicare and Medicaid physician payment systems and their effects on six interrelated aspects of health care costs and beneficiary access to care were analyzed. Research results and data presented indicate that Medicare and Medicaid physician payment incentives are inconsistent with current public policy goals of (1) containing inflation in fees and expenditures, (2) encouraging physician participation in public programs, (3) improving the geographic and specialty distributions of physicians, (4) encouraging primary care instead of surgery, and also outpatient rather than inpatient treatment. PMID:10309053

Feasibility Study of a 400 Hz, 4160 Volt 3-Phase Electrical Power Distribution System

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-02-25

accordance with HIL-E-917. 8. The primary insulation shall be adequate to withstand a high potential test of 60 Hz voltage windings to winding and to ground... withstand a short circuit current of 500 percent for 10 seconds without exceeding the voltage rating of any capacitors. They shall operate within...shaft. separation is required to withstand high voltages . The limited contact movement results in a very small contactor size be- cause it permits the use

Documentation for the machine readable version of the Yale Catalogue of the Positions and Proper Motions of Stars between Declinations -60 deg and -70 deg (Fallon 1983)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roman, N. G.; Warren, W. H., Jr.

1984-01-01

The machine-readable, character-coded version of the catalog, as it is currently being distributed from the Astronomical Data Center(ADC), is described. The format and data provided in the magnetic tape version differ somewhat from those of the published catalog, which was also produced from a tape prepared at the ADC. The primary catalog data are positions and proper motions (equinox 1950.0) for 14597 stars.

Phase I (Year 1) Summary of Research--Establishing the Relationship between Fracture-Related Dolomite and Primary Rock Fabric on the Distribution of Reservoirs in the Michigan Basin

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

G. Michael Grammer

2005-11-09

This topical report covers the first 12 months of the subject 3-year grant, evaluating the relationship between fracture-related dolomite and dolomite constrained by primary rock fabric in the 3 most prolific reservoir intervals in the Michigan Basin (Ordovician Trenton-Black River Formations; Silurian Niagara Group; and the Devonian Dundee Formation). Phase I tasks, including Developing a Reservoir Catalog for selected dolomite reservoirs in the Michigan Basin, Characterization of Dolomite Reservoirs in Representative Fields and Technology Transfer have all been initiated and progress is consistent with our original scheduling. The development of a reservoir catalog for the 3 subject formations in themore » Michigan Basin has been a primary focus of our efforts during Phase I. As part of this effort, we currently have scanned some 13,000 wireline logs, and compiled in excess of 940 key references and 275 reprints that cover reservoir aspects of the 3 intervals in the Michigan Basin. A summary evaluation of the data in these publications is currently ongoing, with the Silurian Niagara Group being handled as a first priority. In addition, full production and reservoir parameter data bases obtained from available data sources have been developed for the 3 intervals in Excel and Microsoft Access data bases. We currently have an excess of 25 million cells of data for wells in the Basin. All Task 2 objectives are on time and on target for Phase I per our original proposal. Our mapping efforts to date, which have focused in large part on the Devonian Dundee Formation, have important implications for both new exploration plays and improved enhanced recovery methods in the Dundee ''play'' in Michigan--i.e. the interpreted fracture-related dolomitization control on the distribution of hydrocarbon reservoirs. In an exploration context, high-resolution structure mapping using quality-controlled well data should provide leads to convergence zones of fault/fracture trends that are not necessarily related to structural elevation. Further work in Phase II will be focused on delineating the relative contribution to fracture-only dolomitization to that which occurs in conjunction with primary facies and/or sequence stratigraphic framework.« less

Effects of life-history requirements on the distribution of a threatened reptile.

PubMed

Thompson, Denise M; Ligon, Day B; Patton, Jason C; Papeş, Monica

2017-04-01

Survival and reproduction are the two primary life-history traits essential for species' persistence; however, the environmental conditions that support each of these traits may not be the same. Despite this, reproductive requirements are seldom considered when estimating species' potential distributions. We sought to examine potentially limiting environmental factors influencing the distribution of an oviparous reptile of conservation concern with respect to the species' survival and reproduction and to assess the implications of the species' predicted climatic constraints on current conservation practices. We used ecological niche modeling to predict the probability of environmental suitability for the alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys temminckii). We built an annual climate model to examine survival and a nesting climate model to examine reproduction. We combined incubation temperature requirements, products of modeled soil temperature data, and our estimated distributions to determine whether embryonic development constrained the northern distribution of the species. Low annual precipitation constrained the western distribution of alligator snapping turtles, whereas the northern distribution was constrained by thermal requirements during embryonic development. Only a portion of the geographic range predicted to have a high probability of suitability for alligator snapping turtle survival was estimated to be capable of supporting successful embryonic development. Historic occurrence records suggest adult alligator snapping turtles can survive in regions with colder climes than those associated with consistent and successful production of offspring. Estimated egg-incubation requirements indicated that current reintroductions at the northern edge of the species' range are within reproductively viable environmental conditions. Our results highlight the importance of considering survival and reproduction when estimating species' ecological niches, implicating conservation plans, and benefits of incorporating physiological data when evaluating species' distributions. © 2016 Society for Conservation Biology.

The proton and helium anomalies in the light of the Myriad model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salati, Pierre; Génolini, Yoann; Serpico, Pasquale; Taillet, Richard

2017-03-01

A hardening of the proton and helium fluxes is observed above a few hundreds of GeV/nuc. The distribution of local sources of primary cosmic rays has been suggested as a potential solution to this puzzling behavior. Some authors even claim that a single source is responsible for the observed anomalies. But how probable these explanations are? To answer that question, our current description of cosmic ray Galactic propagation needs to be replaced by the Myriad model. In the former approach, sources of protons and helium nuclei are treated as a jelly continuously spread over space and time. A more accurate description is provided by the Myriad model where sources are considered as point-like events. This leads to a probabilistic derivation of the fluxes of primary species, and opens the possibility that larger-than-average values may be observed at the Earth. For a long time though, a major obstacle has been the infinite variance associated to the probability distribution function which the fluxes follow. Several suggestions have been made to cure this problem but none is entirely satisfactory. We go a step further here and solve the infinite variance problem of the Myriad model by making use of the generalized central limit theorem. We find that primary fluxes are distributed according to a stable law with heavy tail, well-known to financial analysts. The probability that the proton and helium anomalies are sourced by local SNR can then be calculated. The p-values associated to the CREAM measurements turn out to be small, unless somewhat unrealistic propagation parameters are assumed.

A Systems Model for Ursodeoxycholic Acid Metabolism in Healthy and Patients With Primary Biliary Cirrhosis.

PubMed

Zuo, P; Dobbins, R L; O'Connor-Semmes, R L; Young, M A

2016-08-01

A systems model was developed to describe the metabolism and disposition of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) and its conjugates in healthy subjects based on pharmacokinetic (PK) data from published studies in order to study the distribution of oral UDCA and potential interactions influencing therapeutic effects upon interruption of its enterohepatic recirculation. The base model was empirically adapted to patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) based on current understanding of disease pathophysiology and clinical measurements. Simulations were performed for patients with PBC under two competing hypotheses: one for inhibition of ileal absorption of both UDCA and conjugates and the other only of conjugates. The simulations predicted distinctly different bile acid distribution patterns in plasma and bile. The UDCA model adapted to patients with PBC provides a platform to investigate a complex therapeutic drug interaction among UDCA, UDCA conjugates, and inhibition of ileal bile acid transport in this rare disease population. © 2016 The Authors CPT: Pharmacometrics & Systems Pharmacology published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics.

Current practice of preconception care by primary caregivers in the Netherlands.

PubMed

van Voorst, Sabine; Plasschaert, Sophie; de Jong-Potjer, Lieke; Steegers, Eric; Denktaş, Semiha

2016-06-01

Over the past decade the value of preconception care (PCC) consultations has been acknowledged. Investments have been made to promote delivery and uptake of PCC consultations in the Dutch primary care setting. We assessed current activities, perceptions and prerequisites for delivery of PCC in primary care. A questionnaire was compiled and distributed by mail or e-mail among 1682 general practitioners (GPs) and 746 midwives in the Netherlands between 2013 and 2014. The questionnaire was completed by 449 GPs and 250 midwives. While GPs and midwives were frequently asked about preconception risks, explicit requests by patients for a PCC consultation were less frequent. Although caregivers gave information on preconception risk factors, only a minority recommended PCC in the form of a dedicated consultation. Such consultations occurred infrequently. Risk factor assessment varied between GPs and midwives. Respondents' perceptions of PCC consultations, however, were generally positive. A small proportion believed that PCC medicalised pregnancy, and recognised barriers in actively raising the topic of patients' pregnancy wishes. More training, staff, promotion of PCC and adequate reimbursement were prerequisites for future delivery. GPs differed in their opinion of whether they or midwives were primarily responsible for PCC consultations. Midwives, however, saw themselves as responsible for providing PCC consultations. Primary care is underserving prospective parents with regards to PCC consultations. Targets to increase delivery of systematic PCC are: (1) promotion during routine care; (2) increased use of tools; (3) increased collaboration among primary caregivers; (4) reduction of caregivers' negative perceptions; and (5) tailoring PCC consultations to suit women's preferences.

Reclosing operation characteristics of the flux-coupling type SFCL in a single-line-to ground fault

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, B. I.; Cho, Y. S.; Choi, H. S.; Ha, K. H.; Choi, S. G.; Chul, D. C.; Sung, T. H.

2011-11-01

The recloser that is used in distribution systems is a relay system that behaves sequentially to protect power systems from transient and continuous faults. This reclosing operation of the recloser can improve the reliability and stability of the power supply. For cooperation with this recloser, the superconducting fault current limiter (SFCL) must properly perform the reclosing operation. This paper analyzed the reclosing operation characteristics of the three-phase flux-coupling type SFCL in the event of a ground fault. The fault current limiting characteristics according to the changing number of turns of the primary and secondary coils were examined. As the number of turns of the first coil increased, the first maximum fault current decreased. Furthermore, the voltage of the quenched superconducting element also decreased. This means that the power burden of the superconducting element decreases based on the increasing number of turns of the primary coil. The fault current limiting characteristic of the SFCL according to the reclosing time limited the fault current within a 0.5 cycles (8 ms), which is shorter than the closing time of the recloser. In other words, the superconducting element returned to the superconducting state before the second fault and normally performed the fault current limiting operation. If the SFCL did not recover before the recloser reclosing time, the normal current that was flowing in the transmission line after the recovery of the SFCL from the fault would have been limited and would have caused losses. Therefore, the fast recovery time of a SFCL is critical to its cooperation with the protection system.

Spatially explicit feedbacks between seagrass meadow structure, sediment and light: Habitat suitability for seagrass growth

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carr, Joel; D'Odorico, Paul; McGlathery, Karen; Wiberg, Patricia L.

2016-01-01

In shallow coastal bays where nutrient loading and riverine inputs are low, turbidity, and the consequent light environment are controlled by resuspension of bed sediments due to wind-waves and tidal currents. High sediment resuspension and low light environments can limit benthic primary productivity; however, both currents and waves are affected by the presence of benthic plants such as seagrass. This feedback between the presence of benthic primary producers such as seagrass and the consequent light environment has been predicted to induce bistable dynamics locally. However, these vegetated areas influence a larger area than they footprint, including a barren adjacent downstream area which exhibits reduced shear stresses. Here we explore through modeling how the patchy structure of seagrass meadows on a landscape may affect sediment resuspension and the consequent light environment due to the presence of this sheltered region. Heterogeneous vegetation covers comprising a mosaic of randomly distributed patches were generated to investigate the effect of patch modified hydrodynamics. Actual cover of vegetation on the landscape was used to facilitate comparisons across landscape realizations. Hourly wave and current shear stresses on the landscape along with suspended sediment concentration and light attenuation characteristics were then calculated and spatially averaged to examine how actual cover and mean water depth affect the bulk sediment and light environment. The results indicate that an effective cover, which incorporates the sheltering area, has important controls on the distributions of shear stress, suspended sediment, light environment, and consequent seagrass habitat suitability. Interestingly, an optimal habitat occurs within a depth range where, if actual cover is reduced past some threshold, the bulk light environment would no longer favor seagrass growth.

MODIS land data at the EROS data center DAAC

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jenkerson, Calli B.; Reed, B.C.

2001-01-01

The US Geological Survey's (USGS) Earth Resources Observation Systems (EROS) Data Center (EDC) in Sioux Falls, SD, USA, is the primary national archive for land processes data and one of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Distributed Active Archive Centers (DAAC) for the Earth Observing System (EOS). One of EDC's functions as a DAAC is the archival and distribution of Moderate Resolution Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Land Data collected from the Earth Observing System (EOS) satellite Terra. More than 500,000 publicly available MODIS land data granules totaling 25 Terabytes (Tb) are currently stored in the EDC archive. This collection is managed, archived, and distributed by EOS Data and Information System (EOSDIS) Core System (ECS) at EDC. EDC User Services support the use of MODIS Land data, which include land surface reflectance/albedo, temperature/emissivity, vegetation characteristics, and land cover, by responding to user inquiries, constructing user information sites on the EDC web page, and presenting MODIS materials worldwide.

A snapshot of the organization and provision of primary care in Turkey

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background This WHO study aimed to support Turkey in its efforts to strengthen the primary care (PC) system by implementing the WHO Primary Care Evaluation Tool (PCET). This article provides an overview of the organization and provision of primary care in Turkey. Methods The WHO Primary Care Evaluation Tool was implemented in two provinces (Bolu and Eskişehir) in Turkey in 2007/08. The Tool consists of three parts: a national questionnaire concerning the organisation and financing of primary care; a questionnaire for family doctors; and a questionnaire for patients who visit a family health centre. Results Primary care has just recently become an official health policy priority with the introduction of a family medicine scheme. Although the supply of family doctors (FDs) has improved, they are geographically uneven distributed, and nationwide shortages of primary care staff remain. Coordination of care could be improved and quality control mechanisms were lacking. However, patients were very satisfied with the treatment by FDs. Conclusions The study provides an overview of the current state of PC in Turkey for two provinces with newly introduced family medicine, by using a structured approach to evaluate the essential functions of PC, including governance, financing, resource generation, as well as the characteristics of a "good" service delivery system (as being accessible, comprehensive, coordinated and continuous). PMID:21542904

EEG-distributed inverse solutions for a spherical head model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riera, J. J.; Fuentes, M. E.; Valdés, P. A.; Ohárriz, Y.

1998-08-01

The theoretical study of the minimum norm solution to the MEG inverse problem has been carried out in previous papers for the particular case of spherical symmetry. However, a similar study for the EEG is remarkably more difficult due to the very complicated nature of the expression relating the voltage differences on the scalp to the primary current density (PCD) even for this simple symmetry. This paper introduces the use of the electric lead field (ELF) on the dyadic formalism in the spherical coordinate system to overcome such a drawback using an expansion of the ELF in terms of longitudinal and orthogonal vector fields. This approach allows us to represent EEG Fourier coefficients on a 2-sphere in terms of a current multipole expansion. The choice of a suitable basis for the Hilbert space of the PCDs on the brain region allows the current multipole moments to be related by spatial transfer functions to the PCD spectral coefficients. Properties of the most used distributed inverse solutions are explored on the basis of these results. Also, a part of the ELF null space is completely characterized and those spherical components of the PCD which are possible silent candidates are discussed.

7 CFR 1717.851 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... distribution system means any system of community infrastructure whose primary function is the distribution of... communication system means any system of community infrastructure whose primary function is the provision of... primary function is the supplying of water and/or the collection and treatment of waste water and whose...

7 CFR 1717.851 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... distribution system means any system of community infrastructure whose primary function is the distribution of... communication system means any system of community infrastructure whose primary function is the provision of... primary function is the supplying of water and/or the collection and treatment of waste water and whose...

7 CFR 1717.851 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... distribution system means any system of community infrastructure whose primary function is the distribution of... communication system means any system of community infrastructure whose primary function is the provision of... primary function is the supplying of water and/or the collection and treatment of waste water and whose...

7 CFR 1717.851 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... distribution system means any system of community infrastructure whose primary function is the distribution of... communication system means any system of community infrastructure whose primary function is the provision of... primary function is the supplying of water and/or the collection and treatment of waste water and whose...

7 CFR 1717.851 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... distribution system means any system of community infrastructure whose primary function is the distribution of... communication system means any system of community infrastructure whose primary function is the provision of... primary function is the supplying of water and/or the collection and treatment of waste water and whose...

Current Knowledge of Leishmania Vectors in Mexico: How Geographic Distributions of Species Relate to Transmission Areas

PubMed Central

González, Camila; Rebollar-Téllez, Eduardo A.; Ibáñez-Bernal, Sergio; Becker-Fauser, Ingeborg; Martínez-Meyer, Enrique; Peterson, A. Townsend; Sánchez-Cordero, Víctor

2011-01-01

Leishmaniases are a group of vector-borne diseases with different clinical manifestations caused by parasites transmitted by sand fly vectors. In Mexico, the sand fly Lutzomyia olmeca olmeca is the only vector proven to transmit the parasite Leishmania mexicana to humans, which causes leishmaniasis. Other vector species with potential medical importance have been obtained, but their geographic distributions and relation to transmission areas have never been assessed. We modeled the ecological niches of nine sand fly species and projected niches to estimate potential distributions by using known occurrences, environmental coverages, and the algorithms GARP and Maxent. All vector species were distributed in areas with known recurrent transmission, except for Lu. diabolica, which appeared to be related only to areas of occasional transmission in northern Mexico. The distribution of Lu. o. olmeca does not overlap with all reported cutaneous leishmaniasis cases, suggesting that Lu. cruciata and Lu. shannoni are likely also involved as primary vectors in those areas. Our study provides useful information of potential risk areas of leishmaniasis transmission in Mexico. PMID:22049037

Preliminary investigation on the effects of primary airflow to coal particle distribution in coal-fired boilers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noor, N. A. W. Mohd; Hassan, H.; Hashim, M. F.; Hasini, H.; Munisamy, K. M.

2017-04-01

This paper presents an investigation on the effects of primary airflow to coal fineness in coal-fired boilers. In coal fired power plant, coal is pulverized in a pulverizer, and it is then transferred to boiler for combustion. Coal need to be ground to its desired size to obtain maximum combustion efficiency. Coarse coal particle size may lead to many performance problems such as formation of clinker. In this study, the effects of primary airflow to coal particles size and coal flow distribution were investigated by using isokinetic coal sampling and computational fluid dynamic (CFD) modelling. Four different primary airflows were tested and the effects to resulting coal fineness were recorded. Results show that the optimum coal fineness distribution is obtained at design primary airflow. Any reduction or increase of air flow rate results in undesirable coal fineness distribution.

The interplay of homing and dispersal in green turtles: a focus on the southwestern atlantic.

PubMed

Naro-Maciel, Eugenia; Bondioli, Ana Cristina Vigliar; Martin, Meredith; de Pádua Almeida, Antônio; Baptistotte, Cecília; Bellini, Claudio; Marcovaldi, Maria Ângela; Santos, Armando José Barsante; Amato, George

2012-01-01

Current understanding of spatial ecology is insufficient in many threatened marine species, failing to provide a solid basis for conservation and management. To address this issue for globally endangered green turtles, we investigated their population distribution by sequencing a mitochondrial control region segment from the Rocas Atoll courtship area (n = 30 males) and four feeding grounds (FGs) in Brazil (n = 397), and compared our findings to published data (n (nesting) = 1205; n (feeding) = 1587). At Rocas Atoll, the first Atlantic courtship area sequenced to date, we found males were differentiated from local juveniles but not from nesting females. In combination with tag data, this indicates possible male philopatry. The most common haplotypes detected at the study sites were CMA-08 and CMA-05, and significant temporal variation was not revealed. Although feeding grounds were differentiated overall, intra-regional structure was less pronounced. Ascension was the primary natal source of the study FGs, with Surinam and Trindade as secondary sources. The study clarified the primary connectivity between Trindade and Brazil. Possible linkages to African populations were considered, but there was insufficient resolution to conclusively determine this connection. The distribution of FG haplotype lineages was nonrandom and indicative of regional clustering. The study investigated impacts of population size, geographic distance, ocean currents, and juvenile natal homing on connectivity, addressed calls for increased genetic sampling in the southwestern Atlantic, and provided data important for conservation of globally endangered green turtles.

Understanding the management of early-stage chronic kidney disease in primary care: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Blakeman, Tom; Protheroe, Joanne; Chew-Graham, Carolyn; Rogers, Anne; Kennedy, Anne

2012-04-01

Primary care is recognised to have an important role in the delivery of care for people with chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, there is evidence that CKD management is currently suboptimal, with a range of practitioner concerns about its management. To explore processes underpinning the implementation of CKD management in primary care. Qualitative study in general practices participating in a chronic kidney disease collaborative undertaken as part of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (CLAHRC) for Greater Manchester. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with GPs and practice nurses (n = 21). Normalisation Process Theory provided a framework for generation and analysis of the data. A predominant theme was anxiety about the disclosure of early-stage CKD with patients. The tensions experienced related to identifying and discussing CKD in older people and patients with stage 3A, embedding early-stage CKD within vascular care, and the distribution of work within the practice team. Participants provided accounts of work undertaken to resolve the difficulties encountered, with efforts having tended to focus on reassuring patients. Analysis also highlighted how anxiety surrounding disclosure influenced, and was shaped by, the organisation of care for people with CKD and associated long-term conditions. Offering reassurance alone may be of limited benefit, and current management of early-stage CKD in primary care may miss opportunities to address susceptibility to kidney injury, improve self-management of vascular conditions, and improve the management of multimorbidity.

TU-D-209-02: A Backscatter Point Spread Function for Entrance Skin Dose Determination

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

Vijayan, S; Xiong, Z; Shankar, A

Purpose: To determine the distribution of backscattered radiation to the skin resulting from a non-uniform distribution of primary radiation through convolution with a backscatter point spread function (PSF). Methods: A backscatter PSF is determined using Monte Carlo simulation of a 1 mm primary beam incident on a 30 × 30 cm × 20 cm thick PMMA phantom using EGSnrc software. A primary profile is similarly obtained without the phantom and the difference from the total provides the backscatter profile. This scatter PSF characterizes the backscatter spread for a “point” primary interaction and can be convolved with the entrance primary dosemore » distribution to obtain the total entrance skin dose. The backscatter PSF was integrated into the skin dose tracking system (DTS), a graphical utility for displaying the color-coded skin dose distribution on a 3D graphic of the patient during interventional fluoroscopic procedures. The backscatter convolution method was validated for the non-uniform beam resulting from the use of an ROI attenuator. The ROI attenuator is a copper sheet with about 20% primary transmission (0.7 mm thick) containing a circular aperture; this attenuator is placed in the beam to reduce dose in the periphery while maintaining full dose in the region of interest. The DTS calculated primary plus backscatter distribution is compared to that measured with GafChromic film and that calculated using EGSnrc Monte-Carlo software. Results: The PSF convolution method used in the DTS software was able to account for the spread of backscatter from the ROI region to the region under the attenuator. The skin dose distribution determined using DTS with the ROI attenuator was in good agreement with the distributions measured with Gafchromic film and determined by Monte Carlo simulation Conclusion: The PSF convolution technique provides an accurate alternative for entrance skin dose determination with non-uniform primary x-ray beams. Partial support from NIH Grant R01-EB002873 and Toshiba Medical Systems Corp.« less

Microstructural Effects on SCC Initiation PWR Primary Water Cold-Worked Alloy 600

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

Zhai, Ziqing; Toloczko, Mychailo B.; Bruemmer, Stephen M.

SCC initiation behavior of one mill annealed alloy 600 plate heat was investigated in simulated PWR primary water under constant load at yield stress with in-situ direct current potential drop (DCPD) monitoring for crack initiation. Twelve specimens were tested at similar cold work levels among which three showed much shorter SCC initiation times (<400 hrs) than the others (>1200 hrs). Post-test examinations revealed that these three specimens all feature an inhomogeneous microstructure where the primary crack always nucleated along the boundary of large elongated grains protruding normally into the gauge. In contrast, such microstructure was either not observed or didmore » not extend deep enough into the gauge in the other specimens exhibiting ~3-6X longer initiation times. In order to better understand the role of this microstructural inhomogeneity in SCC initiation, high-resolution microscopy was performed to compare carbide morphology and strain distribution between the long grains and normal grains, and their potential effects on SCC initiation are discussed in this paper.« less

Decentralized DC Microgrid Monitoring and Optimization via Primary Control Perturbations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Angjelichinoski, Marko; Scaglione, Anna; Popovski, Petar; Stefanovic, Cedomir

2018-06-01

We treat the emerging power systems with direct current (DC) MicroGrids, characterized with high penetration of power electronic converters. We rely on the power electronics to propose a decentralized solution for autonomous learning of and adaptation to the operating conditions of the DC Mirogrids; the goal is to eliminate the need to rely on an external communication system for such purpose. The solution works within the primary droop control loops and uses only local bus voltage measurements. Each controller is able to estimate (i) the generation capacities of power sources, (ii) the load demands, and (iii) the conductances of the distribution lines. To define a well-conditioned estimation problem, we employ decentralized strategy where the primary droop controllers temporarily switch between operating points in a coordinated manner, following amplitude-modulated training sequences. We study the use of the estimator in a decentralized solution of the Optimal Economic Dispatch problem. The evaluations confirm the usefulness of the proposed solution for autonomous MicroGrid operation.

Optical observations of Magnetosphere-Ionosphere coupling: Inter-hemispheric electron reflections within pulsating aurora

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samara, M.; Michell, R.; Khazanov, G. V.; Grubbs, G. A., II

2017-12-01

Magnetosphere-Ionosphere coupling is exhibited in reflected primary and secondary electrons which constitute the second step in the formation of the total precipitating electron distribution. While they have largely been missing from the current theoretical studies of particle precipitation, ground based observations point to the existence of a reflected electron population. We present evidence that pulsating aurora is caused by electrons bouncing back and forth between the two hemispheres. This means that these electrons are responsible for some of the total light in the aurora, a possibility that has largely been ignored in theoretical models. Pulsating auroral events imaged optically at high time resolution present direct observational evidence in agreement with the inter-hemispheric electron bouncing predicted by the SuperThermal Electron Trans-port (STET) model. Immediately following each of the `pulsation-on' times are equally spaced, and subsequently fainter pulsations, which can be explained by the primary precipitating electrons reflecting upwards from the ionosphere, traveling to the opposite hemisphere, and reflecting upwards again. The high time-resolution of these data, combined with the short duration of the `pulsation-on' time ( 1 s) and the relatively long spacing between pulsations ( 6 to 9 s) made it possible to observe the faint optical pulses caused by the reflected electrons coming from the opposite hemisphere. These results are significant and have broad implications because they highlight that the formation of the auroral electron distributions within regions of diffuse and pulsating aurora contain contributions from reflected primary and secondary electrons. These processes can ultimately lead to larger fluxes than expected when considering only the primary injection of magnetospheric electrons.

Transformer current sensor for superconducting magnetic coils

DOEpatents

Shen, Stewart S.; Wilson, C. Thomas

1988-01-01

A transformer current sensor having primary turns carrying a primary current for a superconducting coil and secondary turns only partially arranged within the primary turns. The secondary turns include an active winding disposed within the primary turns and a dummy winding which is not disposed in the primary turns and so does not experience a magnetic field due to a flow of current in the primary turns. The active and dummy windings are wound in opposite directions or connected in series-bucking relationship, and are exposed to the same ambient magnetic field. Voltages which might otherwise develop in the active and dummy windings due to ambient magnetic fields thus cancel out. The resultant voltage is purely indicative of the rate of change of current flowing in the primary turns.

Distributed and Collaborative Software Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghezzi, Giacomo; Gall, Harald C.

Throughout the years software engineers have come up with a myriad of specialized tools and techniques that focus on a certain type of software analysissoftware analysis such as source code analysis, co-change analysis or bug prediction. However, easy and straight forward synergies between these analyses and tools rarely exist because of their stand-alone nature, their platform dependence, their different input and output formats and the variety of data to analyze. As a consequence, distributed and collaborative software analysiscollaborative software analysis scenarios and in particular interoperability are severely limited. We describe a distributed and collaborative software analysis platform that allows for a seamless interoperability of software analysis tools across platform, geographical and organizational boundaries. We realize software analysis tools as services that can be accessed and composed over the Internet. These distributed analysis services shall be widely accessible in our incrementally augmented Software Analysis Broker software analysis broker where organizations and tool providers can register and share their tools. To allow (semi-) automatic use and composition of these tools, they are classified and mapped into a software analysis taxonomy and adhere to specific meta-models and ontologiesontologies for their category of analysis.

Reducing drug related deaths: a pre-implementation assessment of knowledge,barriers and enablers for naloxone distribution through general practice

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The Scottish Naloxone Programme aims to reduce Scotland’s high number of drug-related deaths (DRDs) caused by opiate overdose. It is currently implemented through specialist drug services but General Practitioners (GPs) are likely to have contact with drug using patients and their families and are therefore in an ideal position to direct them to naloxone schemes, or provide it themselves. This research gathered baseline data on GP’s knowledge of and willingness to be involved in DRD prevention, including naloxone administration, prior to the implementation of primary care based delivery. Methods Mixed methods were used comprising a quantitative, postal survey and qualitative telephone interviews. A questionnaire was sent to 500 GPs across Scotland. An initial mailing was followed by a reminder. A shortened questionnaire containing seven key questions was posted as a final reminder. Telephone interviews were conducted with 17 GPs covering a range of demographic characteristics and drug user experience. Results A response rate of 55% (240/439) was achieved. There was some awareness of the naloxone programme but little involvement (3.3%), 9% currently provided routine overdose prevention, there was little involvement in displaying overdose prevention information (<20%). Knowledge of DRD risk was mixed. There was tentative willingness to be involved in naloxone prescribing with half of respondents willing to provide this to drug users or friends/family. However half were uncertain GP based naloxone provision was essential to reduce DRDs. Factors enabling naloxone distribution were: evidence of effectiveness, appropriate training, and adding to the local formulary. Interviewees had limited awareness of what naloxone distribution in primary care may involve and considered naloxone supply as a specialist service rather than a core GP role. Wider attitudinal barriers to involvement with this group were expressed. Conclusions There was poor awareness of the Scottish National Naloxone Programme in participants. Results indicated GPs did not currently feel sufficiently skilled or knowledgeable to be involved in naloxone provision. Appropriate training was identified as a key requirement. PMID:24428947

Time-Resolved Tandem Faraday Cup Development for High Energy TNSA Particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Padalino, S.; Simone, A.; Turner, E.; Ginnane, M. K.; Glisic, M.; Kousar, B.; Smith, A.; Sangster, C.; Regan, S.

2015-11-01

MTW and OMEGA EP Lasers at LLE utilize ultra-intense laser light to produce high-energy ion pulses through Target Normal Sheath Acceleration (TNSA). A Time Resolved Tandem Faraday Cup (TRTF) was designed and built to collect and differentiate protons from heavy ions (HI) produced during TNSA. The TRTF includes a replaceable thickness absorber capable of stopping a range of user-selectable HI emitted from TNSA plasma. HI stop within the primary cup, while less massive particles continue through and deposit their remaining charge in the secondary cup, releasing secondary electrons in the process. The time-resolved beam current generated in each cup will be measured on a fast storage scope in multiple channels. A charge-exchange foil at the TRTF entrance modifies the charge state distribution of HI to a known distribution. Using this distribution and the time of flight of the HI, the total HI current can be determined. Initial tests of the TRTF have been made using a proton beam produced by SUNY Geneseo's 1.7 MV Pelletron accelerator. A substantial reduction in secondary electron production, from 70% of the proton beam current at 2MeV down to 0.7%, was achieved by installing a pair of dipole magnet deflectors which successfully returned the electrons to the cups in the TRTF. Ultimately the TRTF will be used to normalize a variety of nuclear physics cross sections and stopping power measurements. Based in part upon work supported by a DOE NNSA Award#DE-NA0001944.

Geomorphological control of gold distribution and gold particle evolution in glacial and fluvioglacial placers of the Ancocala-Ananea basin - Southeastern Andes of Peru

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hérail, Gérard; Fornari, Michel; Rouhier, Michel

1989-10-01

Gold placers are formed as a result of surficial processes but glacial and fluvioglacial systems are generally considered to be unfavourable for placer genesis. Nevertheless, some important glacial and fluvioglacial placers have been discovered and are currently being exploited in the Andes of Peru and Bolivia. In the Plio-Pleistocene Ananea-Ancocala basin (4300-4900 m above sea-level), the gold content of the various formations indicates that only glacial and fluvioglacial sediments related to the Ancocala and Chaquiminas Glaciations (middle and upper Pleistocene) contain gold in any notable quantity. Local concentrations of economic interest occur only where a glacier has cut through a primary mineralized zone. Glacial erosion of dispersed primary mineralizations does not produce high-content placers of the kind found in fluviatile environments. Gold distribution in tills is more irregular than in fluviatile sediments and no marked enrichment at bedrock occurs. The transition from a glacial to a fluvioglacial environment is characterized by an increase in gold content due to a relative concentration of the biggest gold flakes and by the appearance of a gold distribution pattern similar to that found in a fluviatile environment. During their transport by glacial and fluvioglacial processes, gold particles acquire specific features; the size and morphology of a gold flake population are determined by the sedimentological and geomorphological environment in which the flakes are carried.

Distribution of drifting seaweeds in eastern East China Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Komatsu, Teruhisa; Tatsukawa, Kenichi; Filippi, Jean B.; Sagawa, Tatsuyuki; Matsunaga, Daisuke; Mikami, Atsuko; Ishida, Kenichi; Ajisaka, Tetsuro; Tanaka, Katsuhiko; Aoki, Masakazu; Wang, Wei-Ding; Liu, Hui-Fei; Zhang, Shou-Du; Zhou, Min-Dong; Sugimoto, Takashige

2007-09-01

In offshore waters with relatively low primary production, drifting seaweeds composed of Sargassum species form an identical ecosystem such as an oasis in desert. Commercially important pelagic fishes such as jack mackerel ( Trachurus japonicus) and yellow tail ( Seriola quinqueradiata) spawn in East China Sea pass their juvenile period accompanying drifting seaweeds. Therefore drifting seaweeds are very important not only in offshore ecosystem but also fishery resources. However the distribution of drifting seaweeds in East China Sea has scarcely known. Then we conducted two research cruises of R/V Hakuho-Maru in May 2002 and in March 2004. During the cruises, drifting seaweeds were visually observed from the bridge and sampled with a towing net. The observation revealed that the drifting seaweeds were distributed along the front between the Kuroshio Current and coastal waters and mainly composed of one seaweed species, Sargassum horneri (Turner) C. Agardh from spring to early summer. There are no reports on geographical distribution of this species in the coasts south of southern Kyushu Island in Japan. Kuroshio Current flows northeastward there. Buoys with GPS attached to drifting seaweeds released off Zhejiang Province, China, in March 2005 to track their transport. Their positions monitored by ORBCOM satellite showed that they were transported to the area in East China Sea, where the drifting seaweeds were observed during the cruises, in 2 months. These facts suggest that S. horneri detached from Chinese coast in March or months earlier than March could be transported to fringe area of continental shelf and waters influenced by Kuroshio Current from March to May. Therefore the Sargassum forests, especially S. horneri, along the Chinese coast play a very important role in the ecosystem of the East China Sea as a source of drifting seaweeds.

Use of the "NYC Condom" among people who use drugs.

PubMed

Des Jarlais, Don C; McKnight, Courtney; Arasteh, Kamyar; Feelemyer, Jonathan; Perlman, David; Hagan, Holly; Cooper, Hannah L F

2014-06-01

We assessed awareness and use of the "NYC Condom" among persons who use heroin and cocaine in New York City. The NYC Condom distribution program is the largest free condom distribution program in the USA, with over 30 million condoms distributed per year. It includes a condom social marketing program for a specific brand, the NYC Condom with its own packaging and advertising. People who use heroin and cocaine are at relatively high risk for HIV infection and are an important target population for the program. In order to assess awareness of the NYC Condom, structured interviews and blood testing for HIV, HSV-2, and sexually transmitted infections (STI) were conducted among entrants to the Beth Israel Medical Center drug detoxification and methadone treatment programs. Participants were asked about drug use, sexual risk behaviors, and awareness and use of the NYC Condom. Univariate and multivariable regression analyses were conducted to examine the associations between use of NYC Condoms and consistent condom use with primary and casual sexual partners. A total of 970 subjects were recruited between February 2011 and December 2012. Subjects were primarily African-American and Hispanic, with a mean age of 43. Fifty-five percent of subjects reported being sexually active with primary sexual partners, and 25 % reported being sexually active with a casual partner for the 6 months prior to the interview. Sixty-five percent of subjects had heard of the NYC Condom, 48 % of those who had heard of the condom had used it, and 58 % of those who had ever used it were currently using it (in the previous 6 months). In multivariable regression analyses, current use of NYC Condoms was strongly associated with consistent condom use with primary sexual partners (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 3.99, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.85-8.58) and consistent condom use with casual sexual partners (AOR = 4.48, 95 % CI 1.49-13.42). In terms of market share, 38 % of subjects consistently using condoms with primary partners were using the NYC Condom, and 47 % of those consistently using condoms with casual partners were using the NYC Condom. The NYC Condom is an important tool for reducing sexual transmission of HIV and STI among persons who use drugs in the city. Given the strong relationship between using the NYC Condom and consistent condom use, further efforts to promote the NYC Condom brand would be easily justified.

Prescribe to Prevent: Overdose Prevention and Naloxone Rescue Kits for Prescribers and Pharmacists

PubMed Central

Lim, Jamie K.; Bratberg, Jeffrey P.; Davis, Corey S.; Green, Traci C.; Walley, Alexander Y.

2016-01-01

In March of 2015, the United States Department of Health and Human Services identified 3 priority areas to reduce opioid use disorders and overdose, which are as follows: opioid-prescribing practices; expanded use and distribution of naloxone; and expansion of medication-assisted treatment. In this narrative review of overdose prevention and the role of prescribers and pharmacists in distributing naloxone, we address these priority areas and present a clinical scenario within the review involving a pharmacist, a patient with chronic pain and anxiety, and a primary care physician. We also discuss current laws related to naloxone prescribing and dispensing. This review was adapted from the Prescribe to Prevent online continuing medical education module created for prescribers and pharmacists (http://www.opioidprescribing.com/naloxone_module_1-landing). PMID:27261669

Geostability of Didymos, the target of the AIDA mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yun; Richardson, Derek C.; Barnouin, Olivier; Maurel, Clara; Michel, Patrick; Schwartz, Stephen R.; Ballouz, Ronald; Benner, Lance A. M.; Naidu, Shantanu P.

2016-10-01

As the target of the proposed Asteroid Impact & Deflection Assessment (AIDA) mission [1, 2], the near-Earth binary asteroid 65803 Didymos represents a special class of binary asteroid, those whose primaries are at risk of rotational disruption [3]. To support the AIDA mission and gain a better understanding of these binary systems, we investigate the structural stability and dynamic behavior of the Didymos primary and the orbital stability of the secondary using a Soft-Sphere Discrete Element Method (SSDEM) [4]. The primary and the secondary are modeled as granular assemblies. In the first step of this study, the primary is artificially spun up to the current spin period of 2.26 h using a quasi-static spin-up procedure without considering the secondary [5]. The effects of arrangement and size distribution of constituent particles, bulk density, spin-up path, interparticle friction, and cohesion strength on the dynamic behavior of self-gravitating aggregates are numerically explored. The results show that the strength and stability of a spinning self-gravitating aggregate depend strongly on its internal configuration and material parameters, while its failure mode and mechanism are affected by its internal configuration and the cohesion strength. When cohesion is not included, the Didymos primary rubble-pile model can maintain its shape at the current observed spin rate within the uncertainty of the observed bulk density (< 2.7 g/cc) using material parameters with friction angle of ~30°, which most cohesionless sands can sustain. In the second step, the effect of the secondary on the stability of the primary is studied. The secondary can stably orbit the primary without including cohesion. The results show that the presence of the secondary will slightly reduce the stability of the primary. Our study provides some constraints on the possible physical properties of the Didymos primary.References: [1] Michel et al. 2016, ASR 57, 2529; [2] Cheng et al. 2016, P&SS 127, 27; [3] Olivier et al. 2015, DPS 47; [4] Schwartz et al. 2012, Granul. Matter 14, 363; [5] Zhang et al. 2016, in preparation.

Test results management and distributed cognition in electronic health record-enabled primary care.

PubMed

Smith, Michael W; Hughes, Ashley M; Brown, Charnetta; Russo And, Elise; Giardina, Traber D; Mehta, Praveen; Singh, Hardeep

2018-06-01

Managing abnormal test results in primary care involves coordination across various settings. This study identifies how primary care teams manage test results in a large, computerized healthcare system in order to inform health information technology requirements for test results management and other distributed healthcare services. At five US Veterans Health Administration facilities, we interviewed 37 primary care team members, including 16 primary care providers, 12 registered nurses, and 9 licensed practical nurses. We performed content analysis using a distributed cognition approach, identifying patterns of information transmission across people and artifacts (e.g. electronic health records). Results illustrate challenges (e.g. information overload) as well as strategies used to overcome challenges. Various communication paths were used. Some team members served as intermediaries, processing information before relaying it. Artifacts were used as memory aids. Health information technology should address the risks of distributed work by supporting awareness of team and task status for reliable management of results.

Improved Root Normal Size Distributions for Liquid Atomization

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-11-01

Jackson, Primary Breakup of Round Aerated- Liquid Jets in Supersonic Crossflows, Atomization and Sprays, 16(6), 657-672, 2006 H. C. Simmons, The...Breakup in Liquid - Gas Mixing Layers, Atomization and Sprays, 1, 421-440, 1991 P.-K. Wu, L.-K. Tseng, and G. M. Faeth, Primary Breakup in Gas / Liquid ...Improved Root Normal Size Distributions for Liquid Atomization Distribution Statement A. Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited

First Results From the Alcator C-Mod Lower Hybrid Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parker, Ronald; Bernabei, Stefano; Grimes, Montgomery; Hosea, Joel; Johnson, David; Wilson, Randy

2005-10-01

A lower hybrid system operating at 4.6 GHz and capable of 3 MW source power has been installed on Alcator C-Mod. The grill facing the plasma consists of 4 rows of 24 waveguides. Electronic control of the amplitude and phase of the 12 klystrons supplying the RF power enables the launcher's n|| spectrum to be dynamically controlled over a wide range with a time response of 1 ms. Since the deposition of current depends on n|| as well as the temperature profile, the spatial distribution of the driven current can be varied with the same time response. Detection of fast electron Bremsstrahlung is the primary means of monitoring the driven current profile. Initial measurements at the 100 kW power level show that reflection coefficients as low as 7% are obtained at optimal phasing and density at the grill mouth. Comparison of these results with modeling predictions will be presented in a companion paper.

Local noise in a diffusive conductor

PubMed Central

Tikhonov, E. S.; Shovkun, D. V.; Ercolani, D.; Rossella, F.; Rocci, M.; Sorba, L.; Roddaro, S.; Khrapai, V. S.

2016-01-01

The control and measurement of local non-equilibrium configurations is of utmost importance in applications on energy harvesting, thermoelectrics and heat management in nano-electronics. This challenging task can be achieved with the help of various local probes, prominent examples including superconducting or quantum dot based tunnel junctions, classical and quantum resistors, and Raman thermography. Beyond time-averaged properties, valuable information can also be gained from spontaneous fluctuations of current (noise). From these perspective, however, a fundamental constraint is set by current conservation, which makes noise a characteristic of the whole conductor, rather than some part of it. Here we demonstrate how to remove this obstacle and pick up a local noise temperature of a current biased diffusive conductor with the help of a miniature noise probe. This approach is virtually noninvasive for the electronic energy distributions and extends primary local measurements towards strongly non-equilibrium regimes. PMID:27466216

Local noise in a diffusive conductor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tikhonov, E. S.; Shovkun, D. V.; Ercolani, D.; Rossella, F.; Rocci, M.; Sorba, L.; Roddaro, S.; Khrapai, V. S.

2016-07-01

The control and measurement of local non-equilibrium configurations is of utmost importance in applications on energy harvesting, thermoelectrics and heat management in nano-electronics. This challenging task can be achieved with the help of various local probes, prominent examples including superconducting or quantum dot based tunnel junctions, classical and quantum resistors, and Raman thermography. Beyond time-averaged properties, valuable information can also be gained from spontaneous fluctuations of current (noise). From these perspective, however, a fundamental constraint is set by current conservation, which makes noise a characteristic of the whole conductor, rather than some part of it. Here we demonstrate how to remove this obstacle and pick up a local noise temperature of a current biased diffusive conductor with the help of a miniature noise probe. This approach is virtually noninvasive for the electronic energy distributions and extends primary local measurements towards strongly non-equilibrium regimes.

Consideration of some fundamental erosion processes encountered in hypervelocity electromagnetic propulsion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buckingham, A. C.; Hawke, R. S.

1982-09-01

Experimental and theoretical research was conducted jointly at the Livermore and Los Alamos National laboratories on dc electromagnetic railgun Lorentz accelerators. Pellets weighing a few grams to tens of grams were launched at velocities up to better than 11 km/s. The research is addressed to attaining repeated launches of samples at hypervelocity in target impact experiments. In these experiments, shock-induced pressure in the tens of megabars range are obtained for high pressure equations of state research. Primary energy sources of the order of several hundred kJ to a MJ and induction currents of the order of 1 or more MA are necessary for these launches. Erosion and deformation of the conductor rails and the accelerated sample material are continuing problems. The beating, stress, and erosion resulting from simultaneous imposition of rail induction current, dense plasma (armature) interaction, current distribution, magnetic field stresses and projectile/rail contact friction are examined.

A thermal/nonthermal approach to solar flares

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Benka, Stephen G.

1991-01-01

An approach for modeling solar flare high-energy emissions is developed in which both thermal and nonthermal particles coexist and contribute to the radiation. The thermal/nonthermal distribution function is interpreted physically by postulating the existence of DC sheets in the flare region. The currents then provide both primary plasma heating through Joule dissipation, and runaway electron acceleration. The physics of runaway acceleration is discussed. Several methods are presented for obtaining approximations to the thermal/nonthermal distribution function, both within the current sheets and outside of them. Theoretical hard x ray spectra are calculated, allowing for thermal bremsstrahlung from the heated plasma electrons impinging on the chromosphere. A simple model for hard x ray images of two-ribbon flares is presented. Theoretical microwave gyrosynchrotron spectra are calculated and analyzed, uncovering important new effects caused by the interplay of thermal and nonthermal particles. The theoretical spectra are compared with observed high resolution spectra of solar flares, and excellent agreement is found, in both hard x rays and microwaves. The future detailed application of this approach to solar flares is discussed, as are possible refinements to this theory.

Nucleus Characterization of Main-Belt Comet P/Garradd

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hsieh, Henry H.; Kaluna, Heather; Meech, Karen J.

2012-02-01

We seek SOAR time to physically characterize the nucleus of main- belt comet (MBC) P/2008 R1 (Garradd). Our primary objectives include determination of P/Garradd's rotation period, shape, and colors. MBCs are mysterious objects that exhibit cometary activity yet are dynamically indistinguishable from main-belt asteroids. Studying these apparently icy objects so close to the Sun is important for understanding the distribution of volatile material in our solar system as well as the origin of Earth's water. Five MBCs are currently known: only two have well-characterized nuclei, while the others have only been partially characterized. With so little known about this population, it is crucial to obtain the best possible physical characterizations for as many of the few currently known MBCs as possible. This information will aid us in developing a global understanding of the population's characteristics, such as the level of diversity as well as any commonalities. This will then help answer larger scientific questions such as how abundant MBCs may be and what they can tell us about the past and present distribution of ice in the inner solar system.

Predicting potential ranges of primary malaria vectors and malaria in northern South America based on projected changes in climate, land cover and human population.

PubMed

Alimi, Temitope O; Fuller, Douglas O; Qualls, Whitney A; Herrera, Socrates V; Arevalo-Herrera, Myriam; Quinones, Martha L; Lacerda, Marcus V G; Beier, John C

2015-08-20

Changes in land use and land cover (LULC) as well as climate are likely to affect the geographic distribution of malaria vectors and parasites in the coming decades. At present, malaria transmission is concentrated mainly in the Amazon basin where extensive agriculture, mining, and logging activities have resulted in changes to local and regional hydrology, massive loss of forest cover, and increased contact between malaria vectors and hosts. Employing presence-only records, bioclimatic, topographic, hydrologic, LULC and human population data, we modeled the distribution of malaria and two of its dominant vectors, Anopheles darlingi, and Anopheles nuneztovari s.l. in northern South America using the species distribution modeling platform Maxent. Results from our land change modeling indicate that about 70,000 km(2) of forest land would be lost by 2050 and 78,000 km(2) by 2070 compared to 2010. The Maxent model predicted zones of relatively high habitat suitability for malaria and the vectors mainly within the Amazon and along coastlines. While areas with malaria are expected to decrease in line with current downward trends, both vectors are predicted to experience range expansions in the future. Elevation, annual precipitation and temperature were influential in all models both current and future. Human population mostly affected An. darlingi distribution while LULC changes influenced An. nuneztovari s.l. distribution. As the region tackles the challenge of malaria elimination, investigations such as this could be useful for planning and management purposes and aid in predicting and addressing potential impediments to elimination.

Pharmaceutical compounding or pharmaceutical manufacturing? A regulatory perspective.

PubMed

Timko, Robert J; Crooker, Philip E M

2014-01-01

At one time, nearly all prescriptions were compounded preparations. There is an ongoing demand for compounded prescription medications because manufacturers cannot fulfill the needs of all individual patients. Compounding pharmacies are a long standing yet less frequently discussed element in the complex matrix of prescription drug manufacturing, distribution, and patient use. The drug shortage situation for many necessary and life-saving drug products is a complicating factor that has led to the numerous quality issues that currently plague large-scale compounding pharmacies. The states are the primary regulator of pharmacies, including community drug stores, large chains, and specialty pharmacies. Pharmacies making and distributing drugs in a way that is outside the bounds of traditional pharmacy compounding are of great concern to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The U.S. Congress has recently passed the Drug Quality and Security Act. This legislation establishes a clear boundary between traditional compounders and compounding manufacturers. It clarifies a national, uniform set of rules for compounding manufacturers while preserving the states' primary role in traditional pharmacy regulation. It clarifies the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's authority over the compounding of human drugs while requiring the Agency to engage and coordinate with states to ensure the safety of compounded drugs.

Distribution of ferromanganese nodules in the Pacific Ocean.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Piper, D.Z.; Swint-Iki, T.R.; McCoy, F.W.

1987-01-01

The occurrence and distribution of deep-ocean ferromanganese nodules are related to the lithology of pelagic surface-sediment, sediment accumulation rates, sea-floor bathymetry, and benthic circulation. Nodules often occur in association with both biosiliceous and pelagic clay, and less often with calcareous sediment. Factors which influence the rather complex patterns of sediment lithology and accumulation rates include the supply of material to the sea-floor and secondary processes in the deep ocean which alter or redistribute that supply. The supply is largely controlled by: 1) proximity to a source of alumino-silicate material and 2) primary biological productivity in the photic zone of the ocean. Primary productivity controls the 'rain' to the sea-floor of biogenic detritus, which consists mostly of siliceous and calcareous tests of planktonic organisms but also contains smaller proportions of phosphatic material and organic matter. The high accumulation rate (5 mm/1000 yr) of sediment along the equator is a direct result of high productivity in this region of the Pacific. Secondary processes include the dissolution of particulate organic matter at depth in the ocean, notably CaCO3, and the redistribution of sedimentary particles by deep-ocean currents. -J.M.H.

Interfacial distribution of mucus under forced expiration in a double bifurcation model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rajendran, Rahul; Banerjee, Arindam

2017-11-01

Mucus is removed from the lung airways by the rhythmic beating of cilia and the mucus interaction with the turbulent core airflow generated during a cough or forced expiration. The quantity and quality of mucus are adversely altered, impairing mucociliary clearance under chronic pulmonary conditions. Existing studies on airflow induced mucus clearance have established a functional relationship between the airflow rate, mucus properties, flow bias, breathing frequency and clearance; however, the impact of airway branching, gravity, and characterization of primary and secondary flows have not been studied. The focus of the current investigation is the detailed understanding of air-mucus two-phase flow mechanism under steady expiratory airflow in a double bifurcation model. The effect of different airflow rates and mucus viscosities on the flow morphology, mucus layer thickness, mucus clearance and pressure drop across the model will be discussed. The impact of in-plane and out-of-plane configurations of the bifurcation model on the primary and secondary flow structures as well as the mucus distribution will be addressed. In addition, a detailed comparison of the flow structures in the mucus-lined airways, and its corresponding dry wall (no mucus lining) case will be presented.

Development of a thermal and structural model for a NASTRAN finite-element analysis of a hypersonic wing test structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lameris, J.

1984-01-01

The development of a thermal and structural model for a hypersonic wing test structure using the NASTRAN finite-element method as its primary analytical tool is described. A detailed analysis was defined to obtain the temperature and thermal stress distribution in the whole wing as well as the five upper and lower root panels. During the development of the models, it was found that the thermal application of NASTRAN and the VIEW program, used for the generation of the radiation exchange coefficients, were definicent. Although for most of these deficiencies solutions could be found, the existence of one particular deficiency in the current thermal model prevented the final computation of the temperature distributions. A SPAR analysis of a single bay of the wing, using data converted from the original NASTRAN model, indicates that local temperature-time distributions can be obtained with good agreement with the test data. The conversion of the NASTRAN thermal model into a SPAR model is recommended to meet the immediate goal of obtaining an accurate thermal stress distribution.

BINARY FORMATION MECHANISMS: CONSTRAINTS FROM THE COMPANION MASS RATIO DISTRIBUTION

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

Reggiani, Maddalena M.; Meyer, Michael R., E-mail: reggiani@phys.ethz.ch

2011-09-01

We present a statistical comparison of the mass ratio distribution of companions, as observed in different multiplicity surveys, to the most recent estimate of the single-object mass function. The main goal of our analysis is to test whether or not the observed companion mass ratio distribution (CMRD) as a function of primary star mass and star formation environment is consistent with having been drawn from the field star initial mass function (IMF). We consider samples of companions for M dwarfs, solar-type stars, and intermediate-mass stars, both in the field as well as clusters or associations, and compare them with populationsmore » of binaries generated by random pairing from the assumed IMF for a fixed primary mass. With regard to the field we can reject the hypothesis that the CMRD was drawn from the IMF for different primary mass ranges: the observed CMRDs show a larger number of equal-mass systems than predicted by the IMF. This is in agreement with fragmentation theories of binary formation. For the open clusters {alpha} Persei and the Pleiades we also reject the IMF random-pairing hypothesis. Concerning young star-forming regions, currently we can rule out a connection between the CMRD and the field IMF in Taurus but not in Chamaeleon I. Larger and different samples are needed to better constrain the result as a function of the environment. We also consider other companion mass functions and we compare them with observations. Moreover the CMRD both in the field and clusters or associations appears to be independent of separation in the range covered by the observations. Combining therefore the CMRDs of M (1-2400 AU) and G (28-1590 AU) primaries in the field and intermediate-mass primary binaries in Sco OB2 (29-1612 AU) for mass ratios, q = M{sub 2}/M{sub 1}, from 0.2 to 1, we find that the best chi-square fit follows a power law dN/dq{proportional_to}q {sup {beta}}, with {beta} = -0.50 {+-} 0.29, consistent with previous results. Finally, we note that the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test gives a {approx}1% probability of the observed CMRD in the Pleiades and Taurus being consistent with that observed for solar-type primaries in the field over comparable primary mass range. This highlights the value of using CMRDs to understand which star formation events contribute most to the field.« less

Fiberglass distribution poles: A case study

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

Miller, M.F.; Hosford, G.S.; Boozer, J.F. III

1995-01-01

This paper addresses the design considerations and manufacturing techniques along with mechanical test results of fiberglass reinforced composite (FRC) primary distribution poles. With it`s light weight, and virtually no maintenance it offers a viable alternative for use in remote and inaccessible locations. This paper also discusses a case study where seventy five FRC primary distribution poles have been installed on a distribution system in a remote area accessible only by foot and helicopter.

Biogeographical role of the Kuroshio Current in the amphibious mudskipper Periophthalmus modestus indicated by mitochondrial DNA data.

PubMed

He, Lijun; Mukai, Takahiko; Hou Chu, Ka; Ma, Qiang; Zhang, Jing

2015-10-28

Quaternary climatic cycles have influenced marine organisms' spatial distribution and population dynamics. This study aimed to elucidate the evolutionary influences of contemporary and glacial physical barriers on the population structure, demography and colonization history of the mudskipper (Periophthalmus modestus) based on a mitochondrial gene segment (ND5) from 131 individual fish sampled in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. The current Kuroshio Current and the glacial exposure of the Taiwan Strait appeared to have restricted migration among the South China Sea, coastal East China and Japan. However, genetic homogeneity (Nm>1) also suggested contemporary larval transportation by sea circulation between the East China Sea and the South China Sea or historical dispersal along the glacial exposed shoreline among China, Japan and the Ryukyu Islands. Evolutionary signals of the strengthened East Asian Summer Monsoon in the mid-Pleistocene and regional difference in intertidal primary productions were indicated by a late-Pleistocene population expansion of P. modestus with a higher effective population size in the South China Sea than in the East China Sea. Furthermore, a potential colonization origin from the South China Sea was consistently inferred by different clues, including the populations' coalescence times, the ancestral haplotype distribution, the number of private haplotypes and species/genetic diversity.

Biogeographical role of the Kuroshio Current in the amphibious mudskipper Periophthalmus modestus indicated by mitochondrial DNA data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Lijun; Mukai, Takahiko; Hou Chu, Ka; Ma, Qiang; Zhang, Jing

2015-10-01

Quaternary climatic cycles have influenced marine organisms’ spatial distribution and population dynamics. This study aimed to elucidate the evolutionary influences of contemporary and glacial physical barriers on the population structure, demography and colonization history of the mudskipper (Periophthalmus modestus) based on a mitochondrial gene segment (ND5) from 131 individual fish sampled in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. The current Kuroshio Current and the glacial exposure of the Taiwan Strait appeared to have restricted migration among the South China Sea, coastal East China and Japan. However, genetic homogeneity (Nm>1) also suggested contemporary larval transportation by sea circulation between the East China Sea and the South China Sea or historical dispersal along the glacial exposed shoreline among China, Japan and the Ryukyu Islands. Evolutionary signals of the strengthened East Asian Summer Monsoon in the mid-Pleistocene and regional difference in intertidal primary productions were indicated by a late-Pleistocene population expansion of P. modestus with a higher effective population size in the South China Sea than in the East China Sea. Furthermore, a potential colonization origin from the South China Sea was consistently inferred by different clues, including the populations’ coalescence times, the ancestral haplotype distribution, the number of private haplotypes and species/genetic diversity.

Biogeographical role of the Kuroshio Current in the amphibious mudskipper Periophthalmus modestus indicated by mitochondrial DNA data

PubMed Central

He, Lijun; Mukai, Takahiko; Hou Chu, Ka; Ma, Qiang; Zhang, Jing

2015-01-01

Quaternary climatic cycles have influenced marine organisms’ spatial distribution and population dynamics. This study aimed to elucidate the evolutionary influences of contemporary and glacial physical barriers on the population structure, demography and colonization history of the mudskipper (Periophthalmus modestus) based on a mitochondrial gene segment (ND5) from 131 individual fish sampled in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. The current Kuroshio Current and the glacial exposure of the Taiwan Strait appeared to have restricted migration among the South China Sea, coastal East China and Japan. However, genetic homogeneity (Nm>1) also suggested contemporary larval transportation by sea circulation between the East China Sea and the South China Sea or historical dispersal along the glacial exposed shoreline among China, Japan and the Ryukyu Islands. Evolutionary signals of the strengthened East Asian Summer Monsoon in the mid-Pleistocene and regional difference in intertidal primary productions were indicated by a late-Pleistocene population expansion of P. modestus with a higher effective population size in the South China Sea than in the East China Sea. Furthermore, a potential colonization origin from the South China Sea was consistently inferred by different clues, including the populations’ coalescence times, the ancestral haplotype distribution, the number of private haplotypes and species/genetic diversity. PMID:26508474

Global Health and Primary Care: Increasing Burden of Chronic Diseases and Need for Integrated Training

PubMed Central

Truglio, Joseph; Graziano, Michelle; Vedanthan, Rajesh; Hahn, Sigrid; Rios, Carlos; Hendel-Paterson, Brett; Ripp, Jonathan

2015-01-01

Noncommunicable diseases, including cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease, diabetes, cancer, and mental illness, are the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. These diseases are chronic and often mediated predominantly by social determinants of health. Currently there exists a global-health workforce crisis and a subsequent disparity in the distribution of providers able to manage chronic noncommunicable diseases. Clinical competency in global health and primary care could provide practitioners with the knowledge and skills needed to address the global rise of noncommunicable diseases through an emphasis on these social determinants. The past decade has seen substantial growth in the number and quality of US global-health and primary-care training programs, in both undergraduate and graduate medical education. Despite their overlapping competencies, these 2 complementary fields are most often presented as distinct disciplines. Furthermore, many global-health training programs suffer from a lack of a formalized curriculum. At present, there are only a few examples of well-integrated US global-health and primary-care training programs. We call for universal acceptance of global health as a core component of medical education and greater integration of global-health and primary-care training programs in order to improve the quality of each and increase a global workforce prepared to manage noncommunicable diseases and their social mediators. PMID:22786735

Can an employer-based health insurance system be just?

PubMed

Jecker, N S

1993-01-01

It is America's distinctive practice to tie private health insurance to employment, and recent proposals have tried to retain this link through mandating that all employers provide health insurance to their employees. My primary approach to these issues is neither economic, nor historical, nor political but ethical. After a brief historical overview, I outline a general approach to evaluating the ethical significance of linking the distributions of distinct goods. I examine whether an unjust distribution of jobs spoils justice in the distribution of health insurance, taking as a central example gender inequities in employment and exploring their impact on job-based health insurance. Second, I explore the possibility that justly awarding jobs guarantees justice in employment-sponsored insurance. However, linking the distributions of different goods remains problematic, because such links inevitably undermine equality by enabling the same individuals to enjoy advantages in many different distributive areas. Finally, I examine recent proposals to reform America's health care system by requiring all employers to provide health insurance to their employees. I argue that such proposals lend themselves to the same ethical problems that the current system does and urge greater attention to alternative reform options.

Understanding the management of early-stage chronic kidney disease in primary care: a qualitative study

PubMed Central

Blakeman, Tom; Protheroe, Joanne; Chew-Graham, Carolyn; Rogers, Anne; Kennedy, Anne

2012-01-01

Background Primary care is recognised to have an important role in the delivery of care for people with chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, there is evidence that CKD management is currently suboptimal, with a range of practitioner concerns about its management. Aim To explore processes underpinning the implementation of CKD management in primary care. Design and setting Qualitative study in general practices participating in a chronic kidney disease collaborative undertaken as part of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (CLAHRC) for Greater Manchester. Method Semi-structured interviews were conducted with GPs and practice nurses (n = 21). Normalisation Process Theory provided a framework for generation and analysis of the data. Results A predominant theme was anxiety about the disclosure of early-stage CKD with patients. The tensions experienced related to identifying and discussing CKD in older people and patients with stage 3A, embedding early-stage CKD within vascular care, and the distribution of work within the practice team. Participants provided accounts of work undertaken to resolve the difficulties encountered, with efforts having tended to focus on reassuring patients. Analysis also highlighted how anxiety surrounding disclosure influenced, and was shaped by, the organisation of care for people with CKD and associated long-term conditions. Conclusion Offering reassurance alone may be of limited benefit, and current management of early-stage CKD in primary care may miss opportunities to address susceptibility to kidney injury, improve self-management of vascular conditions, and improve the management of multimorbidity. PMID:22520910

A Quantitative Study of the Relationship between Distributed Leadership and Organizational Citizenship Behavior: Perceptions of Turkish Primary School Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kilinç, Ali Çagatay

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between primary school teachers' perceptions on distributed leadership and organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs). A total of 258 teachers employed in 14 primary schools located in Kastamonu, Turkey participated in this study. Data of the study was collected through "Distributed…

Status and conservation of interior Redband Trout in the western United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Muhlfeld, Clint C.; Albeke, Shannon E.; Gunckel, Stephanie L; Writer, Benjamin J; Shepard, Bradley B.; May, Bruce E

2015-01-01

In this article we describe the current status and conservation of interior (potamodromous) Redband Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss sspp. throughout its range in the western United States using extant data and expert opinion provided by fish managers. Redband Trout historically occupied 60,295 km of stream habitat and 152 natural lakes. Currently, Redband Trout occupy 25,417 km of stream habitat (42% of their historical range) and 124 lakes or reservoirs. Nonhybridized populations are assumed to occupy 11,695 km (46%) of currently occupied streams; however, fish from only 4,473 km (18%) have been genetically tested. Approximately 47% of the streams occupied by Redband Trout occur on private land, 45% on government lands, and 8% in protected areas. A total of 210 Redband Trout populations, occupying 15,252 km of stream habitat (60% of the current distribution) and 95,158 ha of lake habitat (52%), are being managed as “conservation populations.” Most conservation populations have been designated as weakly to strongly connected metapopulations (125; 60%) and occupy much more stream length (14,112 km; 93%) than isolated conservation populations (1,141 km; 7%). The primary threats to Redband Trout include invasive species, habitat degradation and fragmentation, and climate change. Although the historical distribution of interior Redband Trout has declined dramatically, we conclude that the species is not currently at imminent risk of extinction because it is still widely distributed with many populations isolated by physical barriers and active conservation efforts are occurring for many populations. However, the hybridization status of many populations has not been well quantified, and introgression may be more prevalent than documented here. We recommend (1) collecting additional genetic data and estimating distribution and abundance by means of a more rigorous spatial sampling design to reduce uncertainties, (2) collecting additional information to assess and predict the impacts of climate on populations, and (3) continuing to use this database to evaluate the status of Redband Trout and inform conservation efforts through time.

Monitoring and remediation of on-farm and off-farm ground current measured as step potential on a Wisconsin dairy farm: A case study.

PubMed

Stetzer, Dave; Leavitt, Adam M; Goeke, Charles L; Havas, Magda

2016-01-01

Ground current commonly referred to as "stray voltage" has been an issue on dairy farms since electricity was first brought to rural America. Equipment that generates high-frequency voltage transients on electrical wires combined with a multigrounded (electrical distribution) system and inadequate neutral returns all contribute to ground current. Despite decades of problems, we are no closer to resolving this issue, in part, due to three misconceptions that are addressed in this study. Misconception 1. The current standard of 1 V at cow contact is adequate to protect dairy cows; Misconception 2. Frequencies higher than 60 Hz do not need to be considered; and Misconception 3. All sources of ground current originate on the farm that has a ground current problem. This case study of a Wisconsin dairy farm documents, 1. how to establish permanent monitoring of ground current (step potential) on a dairy farm; 2. how to determine and remediate both on-farm and off-farm sources contributing to step potential; 3. which step-potential metrics relate to cow comfort and milk production; and 4. how these metrics relate to established standards. On-farm sources include lighting, variable speed frequency drives on motors, radio frequency identification system and off-farm sources are due to a poor primary neutral return on the utility side of the distribution system. A step-potential threshold of 1 V root mean square (RMS) at 60 Hz is inadequate to protect dairy cows as decreases of a few mV peak-peak at higher frequencies increases milk production, reduces milking time and improves cow comfort.

Isolation and purification of Gallid herpesvirus 2 strains currently distributed in Japan.

PubMed

Machida, Yuka; Murata, Shiro; Matsuyama-Kato, Ayumi; Isezaki, Masayoshi; Taneno, Akira; Sakai, Eishi; Konnai, Satoru; Ohashi, Kazuhiko

2017-01-20

Gallid herpesvirus 2 (GaHV-2) causes malignant lymphomas in chickens (Marek's disease, MD). Although MD is controlled through vaccination efforts, field isolates of GaHV-2 have increased in virulence worldwide and even cause MD in vaccinated chickens. GaHV-2 strains are classified into four categories (mild, virulent, very virulent and very virulent +) based on the virulence exhibited in experimental infection in unvaccinated or MD-vaccinated susceptible chickens. Although MD cases are sporadically reported in Japan, the recent field strains of GaHV-2 in Japan have not been characterized. During isolation of recent field strains by using primary chicken kidney cell cultures, a method classically used for GaHV-2 isolation, vaccine strains were simultaneously isolated. Therefore, it is necessary to separate vaccine strains to characterize the virulence and pathogenicity of the GaHV-2 strains currently distributed in Japan. In this study, we prepared cell suspensions from the spleens of MD-symptomatic chickens, inoculated day-old-chicks and isolated GaHV-2 strains by primary chicken kidney cell cultures at 2-3 weeks post inoculation. The isolated strains were passaged several times on chicken embryo fibroblast cells, and PCR analysis revealed that the isolated strains were not contaminated with vaccine strains. Moreover, the contaminant vaccine strains were completely removed by the purification of plaques observed in chicken kidney cells. These procedures are necessary to isolate GaHV-2 field strains from vaccine strains in order to carry out future studies to characterize these strains and glean insights into GaHV-2 virulence and pathogenicity.

Primary Care, Self-rated Health, and Reductions in Social Disparities in Health

PubMed Central

Shi, Leiyu; Starfield, Barbara; Politzer, Robert; Regan, Jerri

2002-01-01

Objective To examine the extent to which good primary-care experience attenuates the adverse association of income inequality with self-reported health. Data Sources Data for the study were drawn from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation sponsored 1996–1997 Community Tracking Study (CTS) Household Survey and state indicators of income inequality and primary care. Study Design Cross-sectional, mixed-level analysis on individuals with a primary-care physician as their usual source of care. The analyses were weighted to represent the civilian noninstitutionalized population of the continental United States. Data Collection/Extraction Methods Principal component factor analysis was used to explore the structure of the primary-care indicators and examine their construct validity. Income inequality for the state in which the community is located was measured by the Gini coefficient, calculated using income distribution data from the 1996 current population survey. Stratified analyses compared proportion of individuals reporting bad health and feeling depressed with those with good and bad primary-care experiences for each of the four income-inequality strata. A set of logistic regressions were performed to examine the relation between primary-care experience, income inequality, and self-rated health. Principal Findings Good primary-care experience, in particular enhanced accessibility and continuity, was associated with better self-reported health both generally and mentally. Good primary-care experience was able to reduce the adverse association of income inequality with general health although not with mental health, and was especially beneficial in areas with highest income inequality. Socioeconomic status attenuated, but did not eliminate, the effect of primary-care experience on health. In conclusion, good primary-care experience is associated not only with improved self-rated overall and mental health but also with reductions in disparities between more- and less-disadvantaged communities in ratings of overall health. PMID:12132594

Potential new production in two upwelling regions of the western Arabian Sea: Estimation and comparison

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liao, Xiaomei; Zhan, Haigang; Du, Yan

2016-07-01

Using satellite-derived and in situ data, the wind-driven potential new production (nitrate supply) for the 300 km wide coastal band in two upwelling regions of the western Arabian Sea (AS) during the southwest monsoon is estimated. The upward nitrate flux to the euphotic zone is generally based on the physical processes of coastal transport (Ekman transport and geostrophic transport) and offshore Ekman pumping. The coastal geostrophic current in the western AS influences the upwelling intensity and latitudinal distributions of nitrate supply. The Oman and Somalia upwelling regions have similar level of potential new production (nitrate supply) during the summer monsoon, while the satellite estimates of primary production off Oman are 2 times greater than those off Somalia. The much higher potential f-ratio in the Somalia upwelling region indicates that the primary production could be limited by availability of other macronutrients (e.g., silicate). The correlation analysis of the primary production and the aerosol optical thickness shows that the Oman upwelling region displays a stronger coupling between the atmospheric deposition and the phytoplankton abundance. The high summertime dust levels in the atmosphere are suggested to contribute to the high primary production in the Oman upwelling region.

How, what, and why of sleep apnea. Perspectives for primary care physicians.

PubMed

Chung, Sharon A; Jairam, Shani; Hussain, Mohamed R G; Shapiro, Colin M

2002-06-01

To review the need for primary care physicians to screen for patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Literature was reviewed via MEDLINE from 1993 to 2000, inclusive, using the search term "sleep apnea" combined with "epidemiology," "outcome," and "diagnosis and treatment." Citations in this review favour more recent, well controlled and randomized studies, but findings of pilot studies are included where other research is unavailable. Obstructive sleep apnea is a disorder with serious medical, socioeconomic, and psychological morbidity, yet most patients with OSA remain undetected. Primary care physicians have a vital role in screening for these patients because diagnosis can be made only through overnight (polysomnographic) studies at sleep clinics. Physicians should consider symptoms of excessive or loud snoring, complaints of daytime sleepiness or fatigue, complaints of unrefreshing sleep, and an excess of weight or body fat distribution in the neck or upper chest area as possible indications of untreated OSA. Current research findings indicate that treating OSA patients substantially lowers morbidity and mortality rates and reduces health care costs. Primary care physicians need more information about screening for patients with OSA to ensure proper diagnosis and treatment of those with the condition.

The ATLAS PanDA Pilot in Operation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nilsson, P.; Caballero, J.; De, K.; Maeno, T.; Stradling, A.; Wenaus, T.; ATLAS Collaboration

2011-12-01

The Production and Distributed Analysis system (PanDA) [1-2] was designed to meet ATLAS [3] requirements for a data-driven workload management system capable of operating at LHC data processing scale. Submitted jobs are executed on worker nodes by pilot jobs sent to the grid sites by pilot factories. This paper provides an overview of the PanDA pilot [4] system and presents major features added in light of recent operational experience, including multi-job processing, advanced job recovery for jobs with output storage failures, gLExec [5-6] based identity switching from the generic pilot to the actual user, and other security measures. The PanDA system serves all ATLAS distributed processing and is the primary system for distributed analysis; it is currently used at over 100 sites worldwide. We analyze the performance of the pilot system in processing real LHC data on the OSG [7], EGI [8] and Nordugrid [9-10] infrastructures used by ATLAS, and describe plans for its evolution.

Adenosine A₂A receptors inhibit delayed rectifier potassium currents and cell differentiation in primary purified oligodendrocyte cultures.

PubMed

Coppi, Elisabetta; Cellai, Lucrezia; Maraula, Giovanna; Pugliese, Anna Maria; Pedata, Felicita

2013-10-01

Oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) are a population of cycling cells which persist in the adult central nervous system (CNS) where, under opportune stimuli, they differentiate into mature myelinating oligodendrocytes. Adenosine A(2A) receptors are Gs-coupled P1 purinergic receptors which are widely distributed throughout the CNS. It has been demonstrated that OPCs express A(2A) receptors, but their functional role in these cells remains elusive. Oligodendrocytes express distinct voltage-gated ion channels depending on their maturation. Here, by electrophysiological recordings coupled with immunocytochemical labeling, we studied the effects of adenosine A(2A) receptors on membrane currents and differentiation of purified primary OPCs isolated from the rat cortex. We found that the selective A(2A) agonist, CGS21680, inhibits sustained, delayed rectifier, K(+) currents (I(K)) without modifying transient (I(A)) conductances. The effect was observed in all cells tested, independently from time in culture. CGS21680 inhibition of I(K) current was concentration-dependent (10-200 nM) and blocked in the presence of the selective A(2A) antagonist SCH58261 (100 nM). It is known that I(K) currents play an important role during OPC development since their block decreases cell proliferation and differentiation. In light of these data, our further aim was to investigate whether A(2A) receptors modulate these processes. CGS21680, applied at 100 nM in the culture medium of oligodendrocyte cultures, inhibits OPC differentiation (an effect prevented by SCH58261) without affecting cell proliferation. Data demonstrate that cultured OPCs express functional A(2A) receptors whose activation negatively modulate I(K) currents. We propose that, by this mechanism, A(2A) adenosine receptors inhibit OPC differentiation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thermal-Error Regime in High-Accuracy Gigahertz Single-Electron Pumping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, R.; Rossi, A.; Giblin, S. P.; Fletcher, J. D.; Hudson, F. E.; Möttönen, M.; Kataoka, M.; Dzurak, A. S.

2017-10-01

Single-electron pumps based on semiconductor quantum dots are promising candidates for the emerging quantum standard of electrical current. They can transfer discrete charges with part-per-million (ppm) precision in nanosecond time scales. Here, we employ a metal-oxide-semiconductor silicon quantum dot to experimentally demonstrate high-accuracy gigahertz single-electron pumping in the regime where the number of electrons trapped in the dot is determined by the thermal distribution in the reservoir leads. In a measurement with traceability to primary voltage and resistance standards, the averaged pump current over the quantized plateau, driven by a 1-GHz sinusoidal wave in the absence of a magnetic field, is equal to the ideal value of e f within a measurement uncertainty as low as 0.27 ppm.

A review of the evidence for the effectiveness of primary prevention interventions for Hepatitis C among injecting drug users

PubMed Central

Wright, Nat MJ; Tompkins, Charlotte NE

2006-01-01

Background Hepatitis C (HCV) prevalence is most common amongst injecting drug users where up to 98% of the population can be infected despite a low prevalence of HIV. This review considers the evidence for the effectiveness of primary prevention interventions to reduce incidence or prevalence of hepatitis C. Methods Systematic review of the major electronic medical databases: Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL and the Cochrane Library (Evidence Based Health). Either intervention or observational studies were included if they described an intervention targeting injecting drug using populations with the outcome to reduce either the prevalence or incidence of hepatitis C infection. Results 18 papers were included in the final review from 1007 abstracts. Needle exchange programmes reduce the prevalence of HCV though prevalence remains high. Similarly the effectiveness of methadone maintenance treatment is only marginally effective at reducing HCV incidence. There is limited evidence evaluating either the effectiveness of behavioural interventions, bleach disinfectants, or drug consumption rooms. Conclusion Primary prevention interventions have led to a reduction in HIV incidence, have been less effective at reducing HCV incidence. Global prevalence of HCV remains disturbingly high in injecting drug users. A robust response to the global health problem of HCV will require provision of new interventions. Behavioural interventions; distribution of bleach disinfectant; other injecting paraphernalia alongside sterile needle distribution; and evaluation of drug consumption rooms merit further expansion internationally and research activity to contribute to the emerging evidence base. Whilst the prevalence of HCV remains high, nevertheless many current interventions aimed at primary HCV prevention have been shown to be cost-effective due to their significant positive impact upon prevalence of HIV. PMID:16956393

An assessment of net primary productivity estimates using coupled physical-biogeochemical/earth system models in the Arctic Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Y. J.; Matrai, P.; Friedrichs, M. A.; Saba, V. S.

2016-02-01

Net primary production (NPP) is the major source of energy for the Arctic Ocean (AO) ecosystem, as in most ecosystems. Reproducing current patterns of NPP is essential to understand the physical and biogeochemical controls in the present and the future AO. The Primary Productivity Algorithm Round Robin (PPARR) activity provides a framework to evaluate the skill and sensitivity of NPP as estimated by coupled global/regional climate models and earth system models in the AO. Here we compare results generated from 18 global/regional climate models and three earth system models with observations from a unique pan-Arctic data set (1959-2011) that includes in situ NPP (N=928 stations) and nitrate (N=678 stations). Models results showed a distribution similar to the in situ data distribution, except for the high values of integrated NPP data. Model skill of integrated NPP exhibited little difference as a function of sea ice condition (ice-free vs. ice-covered) and depth (shallow vs. deep), but performance of models varied significantly as a function of seasons. For example, simulated integrated NPP was underestimated in the beginning of the production season (April-June) compared to mid-summer (July and August) and had the highest variability in late summer and early fall (September-October). While models typically underestimated mean NPP, nitrate concentrations were overestimated. Overall, models performed better in reproducing nitrate than NPP in terms of differences in variability. The model performance was similar at all depths within the top 100 m, both in NPP and nitrate. Continual feedback, modification and improvement of the participating models and the resulting increase in model skill are the primary goals of the PPARR-5 AO exercise.

Pain distribution in primary care patients with hip osteoarthritis.

PubMed

Poulsen, Erik; Overgaard, Søren; Vestergaard, Jacob T; Christensen, Henrik W; Hartvigsen, Jan

2016-12-01

Hip osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common diagnosis in primary care adult patients presenting with hip pain but pain location and pain distribution in primary care patients with hip OA have been reported inadequately. To describe pain location and pain distribution in primary care patients with clinical and radiographic confirmed hip OA. Primary care patients with unilateral clinical and radiographic hip OA living on the island of Funen, Denmark were recruited from primary care to participate in a randomized clinical trial. At baseline, patients recorded pain intensity using an 11-box numeric rating scale and the distribution of hip pain using a manikin displaying three separate views: front, back and lateral. Pain drawings were analysed using a template to determine the most frequent pain locations and distribution of pain. Pain drawings were completed by 109 patients of which 108 (99%) were valid. The mean age of patients was 65 (SD 9) years and 44% were females. The mean pain intensity was 5.4 (SD 2.0). A total of 77% had marked the greater trochanter area, 53% the groin area, 42% the anterior/lateral thigh area, 38% the buttock area, 17% the knee and 15% the lower leg area. No patients marked pain exclusively in the areas of the knee, posterior thigh or lower leg. The most common pain locations of patients with hip OA presenting to primary care are the greater trochanter, groin, thigh and buttock areas. No patients recorded pain exclusively in the knee or lower leg. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Environmental factors influencing the spatio-temporal distribution of Carybdea marsupialis (Lineo, 1978, Cubozoa) in South-Western Mediterranean coasts.

PubMed

Canepa, Antonio; Fuentes, Verónica; Bosch-Belmar, Mar; Acevedo, Melissa; Toledo-Guedes, Kilian; Ortiz, Antonio; Durá, Elia; Bordehore, César; Gili, Josep-Maria

2017-01-01

Jellyfish blooms cause important ecological and socio-economic problems. Among jellyfish, cubozoans are infamous for their painful, sometimes deadly, stings and are a major public concern in tropical to subtropical areas; however, there is little information about the possible causes of their outbreaks. After a bloom of the cubomedusa Carybdea marsupialis (Carybdeidae) along the coast of Denia (SW Mediterranean, Spain) in 2008 with negative consequences for local tourism, the necessity to understand the ecological restrictions on medusae abundance was evident. Here we use different models (GAM and zero-inflated models) to understand the environmental and human related factors influencing the abundance and distribution of C. marsupialis along the coast of Denia. Selected variables differed among medusae size classes, showing different environmental restriction associated to the developmental stages of the species. Variables implicated with dispersion (e.g. wind and current) affected mostly small and medium size classes. Sea surface temperature, salinity and proxies of primary production (chl a, phosphates, nitrates) were related to the abundances of small and large size classes, highlighting the roles of springtime salinity changes and increased primary production that may promote and maintain high densities of this species. The increased primary (and secondary) production due to anthropogenic impact is implicated as the factor enabling high numbers of C. marsupialis to thrive. Recommendations for monitoring blooms of this species along the study area and applicable to Mediterranean Sea include focus effort in coastal waters where productivity have been enriched by anthropogenic activities.

Current practice and usual care of major cervical disorders in Korea

PubMed Central

Choi, A Ryeon; Shin, Joon-Shik; Lee, Jinho; Lee, Yoon Jae; Kim, Me-riong; Oh, Min-seok; Lee, Eun-Jung; Kim, Sungchul; Kim, Mia; Ha, In-Hyuk

2017-01-01

Abstract Neck pain is a highly common condition and is the 4th major cause of years lived with disability. Previous literature has focused on the effect of specific treatments, and observations of actual practice are lacking to date. This study examined Korean health insurance review and assessment service (HIRA) claims data to the aim of assessing prevalence and comparing current medical practice and costs of cervical disorders in Korea. Current practice trends were determined through assessment of prevalence, total expenses, per-patient expense, average days in care, average days of visits, sociodemographic characteristics, distribution of medical costs, and frequency of treatment types of high frequency cervical disorders (cervical sprain/strain, cervical intervertebral disc displacement [IDD], and cervicalgia). Although the number of cervical IDD patients was few, total expenses, per-patient expense, average days in care, and average days of visits were highest. The proportion of women was higher than men in all 3 groups with highest prevalence in the ≥50s middle-aged population for IDD compared to sprain/strain. Primary care settings were commonly used for ambulatory care, of which approximately 70% chose orthopedic specialist treatment. In analysis of medical expenditure distribution, costs of visit (consultation) (22%–34%) and physical therapy (14%–16%) were in the top 3 for all 3 disorders. Although heat and electrical therapies were the most frequently used physical therapies, traction use was high in the cervical IDD group. In nonnarcotics, aceclofenac and diclofenac were the most commonly used NSAIDs, and pethidine was their counterpart in narcotics. This study investigated practice trends and cost distribution of treatment regimens for major cervical disorders, providing current usage patterns to healthcare policy decision makers, and the detailed treatment reports are expected to be of use to clinicians and researchers in understanding current usual care. PMID:29145327

Current practice and usual care of major cervical disorders in Korea: A cross-sectional study of Korean health insurance review and assessment service national patient sample data.

PubMed

Choi, A Ryeon; Shin, Joon-Shik; Lee, Jinho; Lee, Yoon Jae; Kim, Me-Riong; Oh, Min-Seok; Lee, Eun-Jung; Kim, Sungchul; Kim, Mia; Ha, In-Hyuk

2017-11-01

Neck pain is a highly common condition and is the 4th major cause of years lived with disability. Previous literature has focused on the effect of specific treatments, and observations of actual practice are lacking to date. This study examined Korean health insurance review and assessment service (HIRA) claims data to the aim of assessing prevalence and comparing current medical practice and costs of cervical disorders in Korea.Current practice trends were determined through assessment of prevalence, total expenses, per-patient expense, average days in care, average days of visits, sociodemographic characteristics, distribution of medical costs, and frequency of treatment types of high frequency cervical disorders (cervical sprain/strain, cervical intervertebral disc displacement [IDD], and cervicalgia).Although the number of cervical IDD patients was few, total expenses, per-patient expense, average days in care, and average days of visits were highest. The proportion of women was higher than men in all 3 groups with highest prevalence in the ≥50s middle-aged population for IDD compared to sprain/strain. Primary care settings were commonly used for ambulatory care, of which approximately 70% chose orthopedic specialist treatment. In analysis of medical expenditure distribution, costs of visit (consultation) (22%-34%) and physical therapy (14%-16%) were in the top 3 for all 3 disorders. Although heat and electrical therapies were the most frequently used physical therapies, traction use was high in the cervical IDD group. In nonnarcotics, aceclofenac and diclofenac were the most commonly used NSAIDs, and pethidine was their counterpart in narcotics.This study investigated practice trends and cost distribution of treatment regimens for major cervical disorders, providing current usage patterns to healthcare policy decision makers, and the detailed treatment reports are expected to be of use to clinicians and researchers in understanding current usual care.

Entrainment and mixing in thrust augmenting ejectors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bernal, L.; Sarohia, V.

1983-01-01

An experimental investigation of two-dimensional thrust augmenting ejector flows has been conducted. Measurements of the shroud surface pressure distribution, mean velocity, turbulent intensities and Reynolds stresses were made in two shroud geometries at various primary nozzle pressure ratios. The effects of shroud geometry and primary nozzle pressure ratio on the shroud surface pressure distribution, mean flow field and turbulent field were determined. From these measurements the evolution of mixing within the shroud of the primary flow and entrained fluid was obtained. The relationship between the mean flow field, the turbulent field and the shroud surface pressure distribution is discussed.

Food for thought: edible gardens in New Zealand primary and secondary schools.

PubMed

Collins, C; Richards, R; Reeder, A I; Gray, A R

2015-04-01

School gardens are a potentially important health promotion tool, allowing the growth and consumption of fruit and vegetables to be embedded within the students' educational experience. This study aimed to investigate the implementation of edible gardens in New Zealand (NZ) primary and secondary schools. A questionnaire mailed to principals from a randomly selected sample of 764 NZ schools included questions on whether or not the school had a garden and, if so, what produce was grown; how long the garden had been in place; how harvested crops were distributed; and curriculum integration. Among 491 responding schools (64.3% response rate), 52.9% currently had an edible garden - with most gardens started in the previous two years. Vegetables, herbs and tree fruit were commonly grown. Gardens were integrated into curriculum subjects, cooking lessons, recipes and messages promoting increased fruit and vegetable consumption. Edible gardens were common within NZ schools, though often relatively new, and were used for teaching in a variety of curriculum areas. SO WHAT?: Given the current popularity of school gardens, there are opportunities to deliver health promotion messages regarding consumption of fruit and vegetables, and for these to be reinforced by real life experience growing and preparing healthy food.

Factors Contributing to the Current Academic Performance of Both Private Primary Schools and Public Primary Schools: A Case of Kitale Municipality, Kenya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Catherine, Ochenje

2015-01-01

There have been current controversial discussions concerning the performance of private primary schools versus public primary schools in the Kenya Certificate of Primary Examination (K.C.P.E.). Lately, the private primary schools appear to be performing better than public primary schools. For example; in the 2003 K.C.P.E. results, more than 31% of…

Sensitivity to microstimulation of somatosensory cortex distributed over multiple electrodes.

PubMed

Kim, Sungshin; Callier, Thierri; Tabot, Gregg A; Tenore, Francesco V; Bensmaia, Sliman J

2015-01-01

Meaningful and repeatable tactile sensations can be evoked by electrically stimulating primary somatosensory cortex. Intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) may thus be a viable approach to restore the sense of touch in individuals who have lost it, for example tetraplegic patients. One of the potential limitations of this approach, however, is that high levels of current can damage the neuronal tissue if the resulting current densities are too high. The limited range of safe ICMS amplitudes thus limits the dynamic range of ICMS-evoked sensations. One way to get around this limitation would be to distribute the ICMS over multiple electrodes in the hopes of intensifying the resulting percept without increasing the current density experienced by the neuronal tissue. Here, we test whether stimulating through multiple electrodes is a viable solution to increase the dynamic range of ICMS-elicited sensations without increasing the peak current density. To this end, we compare the ability of non-human primates to detect ICMS delivered through one vs. multiple electrodes. We also compare their ability to discriminate pulse trains differing in amplitude when these are delivered through one or more electrodes. We find that increasing the number of electrodes through which ICMS is delivered only has a marginal effect on detectability or discriminability despite the fact that 2-4 times more current is delivered overall. Furthermore, the impact of multielectrode stimulation (or lack thereof) is found whether pulses are delivered synchronously or asynchronously, whether the leading phase of the pulses is cathodic or anodic, and regardless of the spatial configuration of the electrode groups.

150 {mu}A 18F{sup -} target and beam port upgrade for the IBA 18/9 cyclotron

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

Stokely, M. H.; Peeples, J. L.; Poorman, M. C.

2012-12-19

A high power ({approx}3 kW) target platform has been developed for the IBA 18/9 cyclotron. New designs for the airlock, collimator and target subsystems have been fabricated and deployed. The primary project goal is reliable commercial production of 18F{sup -} at 150 {mu}A or greater, while secondary goals include improving serviceability and extending service intervals relative to OEM systems. Reliable operation in a production environment has been observed at beam currents up to 140 {mu}A. Challenges include ion source lifetime and localized peaking in the beam intensity distribution.

Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Atopic Dermatitis 2016.

PubMed

Saeki, Hidehisa; Nakahara, Takeshi; Tanaka, Akio; Kabashima, Kenji; Sugaya, Makoto; Murota, Hiroyuki; Ebihara, Tamotsu; Kataoka, Yoko; Aihara, Michiko; Etoh, Takafumi; Katoh, Norito

2016-10-01

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a disease characterized by relapsing eczema with pruritus as a primary lesion. Most patients have an atopic predisposition. The definitive diagnosis of AD requires the presence of all three features: (i) pruritus; (ii) typical morphology and distribution of the eczema; and (iii) chronic and chronically relapsing course. The current strategies to treat AD in Japan from the perspective of evidence-based medicine consist of three primary measures: (i) the use of topical corticosteroids and tacrolimus ointment as the main treatment for the inflammation; (ii) topical application of emollients to treat the cutaneous barrier dysfunction; and (iii) avoidance of apparent exacerbating factors, psychological counseling and advice about daily life. The guidelines present recommendations to review clinical research articles, evaluate the balance between the advantages and disadvantages of medical activities, and optimize medical activity-related patient outcomes with respect to several important points requiring decision-making in clinical practice. © 2016 Japanese Dermatological Association.

Plasma parameters in a multidipole plasma system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruscanu, D.; Anita, V.; Popa, G.

Plasma potential and electron number densities and electron temperatures under bi-Maxwellian approximation for electron distribution function of the multidipole argon plasma source system were measured for a gas pressure ranging between 10-4 and 10-3 mbar and an anode-cathode voltage ranging between 40 and 120 V but a constant discharge current intensity. The first group, as ultimate or cold electrons and main electron plasma population, results by trapping of the slow electrons produced by ionisation process due to primary-neutral collisions. The trapping process is produced by potential well due to positive plasma potential with respect to the anode so that electron temperature of the ultimate electrons does not depend on both the gas pressure and discharge voltage. The second group, as secondary or hot electrons, results as degrading process of the primaries and their number density increases while their temperature decreases with the increase of both the gas pressure and discharge voltage.

A simple primary amide for the selective recovery of gold from secondary resources

DOE PAGES

Doidge, Euan D.; Carson, Innis; Tasker, Peter A.; ...

2016-08-24

Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) such as mobile phones contains a plethora of metals of which gold is by far the most valuable. Herein a simple primary amide is described that achieves the selective separation of gold from a mixture of metals typically found in mobile phones by extraction into toluene from an aqueous HCl solution; unlike current processes, reverse phase transfer is achieved simply using water. Phase transfer occurs by dynamic assembly of protonated and neutral amides with [AuCl 4]– ions through hydrogen bonding in the organic phase, as shown by EXAFS, mass spectrometry measurements, and computational calculations,more » and supported by distribution coefficient analysis. In conclusion, the fundamental chemical understanding gained herein should be integral to the development of metal-recovery processes, in particular through the use of dynamic assembly processes to build complexity from simplicity.« less

Evaluation of local electric fields generated by transcranial direct current stimulation with an extracephalic reference electrode based on realistic 3D body modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Im, Chang-Hwan; Park, Ji-Hye; Shim, Miseon; Chang, Won Hyuk; Kim, Yun-Hee

2012-04-01

In this study, local electric field distributions generated by transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) with an extracephalic reference electrode were evaluated to address extracephalic tDCS safety issues. To this aim, we generated a numerical model of an adult male human upper body and applied the 3D finite element method to electric current conduction analysis. In our simulations, the active electrode was placed over the left primary motor cortex (M1) and the reference electrode was placed at six different locations: over the right temporal lobe, on the right supraorbital region, on the right deltoid, on the left deltoid, under the chin, and on the right buccinator muscle. The maximum current density and electric field intensity values in the brainstem generated by the extracephalic reference electrodes were comparable to, or even less than, those generated by the cephalic reference electrodes. These results suggest that extracephalic reference electrodes do not lead to unwanted modulation of the brainstem cardio-respiratory and autonomic centers, as indicated by recent experimental studies. The volume energy density was concentrated at the neck area by the use of deltoid reference electrodes, but was still smaller than that around the active electrode locations. In addition, the distributions of elicited cortical electric fields demonstrated that the use of extracephalic reference electrodes might allow for the robust prediction of cortical modulations with little dependence on the reference electrode locations.

The IRIS Data Management Center: An international "network of networks", providing open, automated access to geographically distributed sensors of geophysical and environmental data.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benson, R. B.; Ahern, T. K.; Trabant, C.

2006-12-01

The IRIS Data Management System has long supported international collaboration for seismology by both deploying a global network of seismometers and creating and maintaining an open and accessible archive in Seattle, WA, known as the Data Management Center (DMC). With sensors distributed on a global scale spanning more than 30 years of digital data, the DMC provides a rich repository of observations across broad time and space domains. Primary seismological data types include strong motion and broadband seismometers, conventional and superconducting gravimeters, tilt and creep meters, GPS measurements, along with other similar sensors that record accurate and calibrated ground motion. What may not be as well understood is the volume of environmental data that accompanies typical seismological data these days. This poster will review the types of time-series data that are currently being collected, how they are collected, and made freely available for download at the IRIS DMC. Environmental sensor data that is often co-located with geophysical data sensors include temperature, barometric pressure, wind direction and speed, humidity, insolation, rain gauge, and sometimes hydrological data like water current, level, temperature and depth. As the primary archival institution of the International Federation of Digital Seismograph Networks (FDSN), the IRIS DMC collects approximately 13,600 channels of real-time data from 69 different networks, from close to 1600 individual stations, currently averaging 10Tb per year in total. A major contribution to the IRIS archive currently is the EarthScope project data, a ten-year science undertaking that is collecting data from a high-resolution, multi-variate sensor network. Data types include magnetotelluric, high-sample rate seismics from a borehole drilled into the San Andreas fault (SAFOD) and various types of strain data from the Plate Boundary Observatory (PBO). In addition to the DMC, data centers located in other countries are networked seamlessly, and are providing access for researchers to these data from national networks around the world utilizing the IRIS developed Data Handling Interface (DHI) system. This poster will highlight some of the DHI enabled clients that allow geophysical information to be directly transferred to the clients. This ability allows one to construct a virtual network of data centers providing the illusion of a single virtual observatory. Furthermore, some of the features that will be shown include direct connections to MATLAB and the ability to access globally distributed sensor data in real time. We encourage discussion and participation from network operators who would like to leverage existing technology, as well as enabling collaboration.

[MRI findings and pathological features of occult breast cancer].

PubMed

Zhang, J J; Yang, X T; Du, X S; Zhang, J X; Hou, L N; Niu, J L

2018-01-23

Objective: To investigate the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings and clinicopathological features of primary lesions in patients with occult breast cancer (OBC). Methods: The imaging reports from the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System in 2013 were retrospectively analyzed to investigate the morphology and the time signal intensity curve (TIC) of breast lesions in patients with OBC. The clinical and pathological characteristics of these patients were also included. Results: A total of 34 patients were enrolled. Among these patients, 24 patients underwent modified radical mastectomy and 18 of them had primary breast carcinoma in pathological sections. MRI detected 17 cases of primary lesions, including six masse lesions with a diameter of 0.6-1.2 cm (average 0.9 cm), and 11 non-mass lesions with four linear distributions, three segmental distributions, three focal distributions, and one regions distribution. Five patients had TIC typeⅠprimary lesions, ten had TIC type Ⅱ primary lesions, and two had TIC type Ⅲ primary lesions. Among all 34 cases, 23 of them had complete results of immunohistochemistry: 11 estrogen receptor (ER) positive lesions (47.8%), tenprogesterone receptor (PR) positive lesions (43.5%), seven human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2) positive lesions (30.4%), and 20high expression(>14%) of Ki-67 (87.0%). The proportion of type luminal A was 4.3%, type luminal B was 43.5%, triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) was 30.4%, and HER-2 over expression accounted for 21.7%. Conclusions: The primary lesions of OBC usually manifested as small mass lesions, or focal, linear or segmental distribution of non-mass lesions. The positive rate of ER and PR was low, but the positive rate of HER-2 and the proliferation index of Ki-67 was high. Type luminal B is the most common molecular subtype.

Satellite Galaxies in the Illustris-1 Simulation: Poor Tracers of the Underlying Mass Distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brainerd, Tereasa G.

2018-06-01

The 3-d spatial distribution of luminous satellite galaxies in the z=0 snapshot of the Illustris-1 simulation is compared to the 3-d spatial distribution of the mass surrounding the primary galaxies about which the satellites orbit. The primary-satellite sample is selected in such a way that it matches the selection criteria used in a previous study of luminous satellite galaxies in the Millennium Run simulation. A key difference between the two simulations is that luminous galaxies in the Millennium Run are the result of a semi-analytic galaxy formation model, while in Illustris-1 the luminous galaxies are the result of numerical hydrodynamics, star formation and feedback models. The sample consists of 1,025 primary galaxies with absolute magnitudes Mr < -20.5, and there are a total of 4,546 satellites with absolute magnitudes Mr < -14.5 within the virial radii of the primary galaxies. The mass distribution surrounding the primary galaxies is well fitted by an NFW profile with a concentration parameter c = 11.9. Contrary to a previous study using satellite galaxies in the Millennium Run, the number density profile of the full satellite sample from Illustris-1 is not at all well-fitted by an NFW profile. In the case of the faintest satellites (Mr > -17), the satellite number density profile is well-fitted by an NFW profile, but the concentration parameter is exceptionally low (c = 1.8) compared to the concentration parameter of the mass surrounding the primary galaxies. The conclusion from this work is that luminous satellite galaxies in Illustris-1 are poor tracers of the mass distribution surrounding their primary galaxies.

Protecting resources for primary health care under fiscal federalism: options for resource allocation.

PubMed

Okorafor, Okore A; Thomas, Stephen

2007-11-01

The introduction of fiscal federalism or decentralization of functions to lower levels of government is a reform not done primarily with health sector concerns. A major concern for the health sector is that devolution of expenditure responsibilities to sub-national levels of government can adversely affect the equitable distribution of financial resources across local jurisdictions. Since the adoption of fiscal federalism in South Africa, progress towards achieving a more equitable distribution of public sector health resources (financial) has slowed down considerably. This study attempts to identify appropriate resource allocation mechanisms under the current South African fiscal federal system that could be employed to promote equity in primary health care (PHC) allocations across provinces and districts. The study uses data from interviews with government officials involved in the budgeting and resource allocation process for PHC, literature on fiscal federalism and literature on international experience to inform analysis and recommendations. The results from the study identify historical incremental budgeting, weak managerial capacity at lower levels of government, poor accounting of PHC expenditure, and lack of protection for PHC funds as constraints to the realization of a more equitable distribution of PHC allocations. Based on interview data, no one resource allocation mechanism received unanimous support from stakeholders. However, the study highlights the particularly high level of autonomy enjoyed by provincial governments with regards to decision making for allocations to health and PHC services as the major constraint to achieving a more equitable distribution of PHC resources. The national government needs to have more involvement in decision making for resource allocation to PHC services if significant progress towards equity is to be achieved.

Analysis of current distribution in a large superconductor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamajima, Takataro; Alamgir, A. K. M.; Harada, Naoyuki; Tsuda, Makoto; Ono, Michitaka; Takano, Hirohisa

An imbalanced current distribution which is often observed in cable-in-conduit (CIC) superconductors composed of multistaged, triplet type sub-cables, can deteriorate the performance of the coils. It is, hence very important to analyze the current distribution in a superconductor and find out methods to realize a homogeneous current distribution in the conductor. We apply magnetic flux conservation in a loop contoured by electric center lines of filaments in two arbitrary strands located on adjacent layers in a coaxial multilayer superconductor, and thereby analyze the current distribution in the conductor. A generalized formula governing the current distribution can be described as explicit functions of the superconductor construction parameters, such as twist pitch, twist direction and radius of individual layer. We numerically analyze a homogeneous current distribution as a function of the twist pitches of layers, using the fundamental formula. Moreover, it is demonstrated that we can control current distribution in the coaxial superconductor.

Effect of vacuum arc cathode spot distribution on breaking capacity of the arc-extinguishing chamber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, Can; Yuan, Zhao; He, Junjia

2017-10-01

A DC circuit breaker performs a key function in breaking an intermediate-frequency (IF) current since breaking a pure IF current is equivalent to breaking a very small DC with a reverse IF current. In this study, it is found that cathode spots show a ring-shaped distribution at 2000 Hz. An arc with an uneven distribution of cathode spots has been simulated. The simulation results show that the distribution of cathode spots significantly affect the microparameter distribution of arc plasma. The current distribution on the anode side differs from that on the cathode side under the total radial electric field. Specifically, the anode current distribution is both uneven and concentrated. The applied axial magnetic field, which cannot reduce the concentrated anode current distribution effectively, might increase the concentration of the anode current. Finally, the uneven distribution of cathode spots reduces the breaking capacity of the arc-extinguishing chamber.

A simulation study on few parameters of Cherenkov photons in extensive air showers of different primaries incident at various zenith angles over a high altitude observation level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, G. S.; Hazarika, P.; Goswami, U. D.

2018-07-01

We have studied the distribution patterns of lateral density, arrival time and angular position of Cherenkov photons generated in Extensive Air Showers (EASs) initiated by γ-ray, proton and iron primaries incident with various energies and at various zenith angles. This study is the extension of our earlier work [1] to cover a wide energy range of ground based γ-ray astronomy with a wide range of zenith angles (≤40°) of primary particles, as well as the extension to study the angular distribution patterns of Cherenkov photons in EASs. This type of study is important for distinguishing the γ-ray initiated showers from the hadronic showers in the ground based γ-ray astronomy, where Atmospheric Cherenkov Technique (ACT) is being used. Importantly, such study gives an insight on the nature of γ-ray and hadronic showers in general. In this work, the CORSIKA 6.990 simulation code is used for generation of EASs. Similarly to the case of Ref. [1], this study also revealed that, the lateral density and arrival time distributions of Cherenkov photons vary almost in accordance with the functions: ρch(r) =ρ0e-βr and tch(r) =t0eΓ/rλ respectively by taking different values of the parameters of functions for the type, energy and zenith angle of the primary particle. The distribution of Cherenkov photon's angular positions with respect to shower axis shows distinctive features depending on the primary type, its energy and the zenith angle. As a whole this distribution pattern for the iron primary is noticeably different from those for γ-ray and proton primaries. The value of the angular position at which the maximum number of Cherenkov photons are concentrated, increases with increase in energy of vertically incident primary, but for inclined primary it lies within a small value (≤1°) for almost all energies and primary types. No significant difference in the results obtained by using the high energy hadronic interaction models, viz., QGSJETII and EPOS has been observed.

[Distribution features of chlorophyll a and primary productivity in high frequency area of red tide in East China Sea during spring].

PubMed

Zhou, Weihua; Huo, Wenyi; Yuan, Xiangcheng; Yin, Kedong

2003-07-01

The distributions of chlorophyll a and primary productivity were determined during April to May 2002 in the East China Sea. The results showed that the average concentration of chlorophyll a was 1.086 mg.m-3 at surface layer, and that nano- and pico-phytoplankton (< 20 microns) dominated the phytoplankton biomass in this sea region during Spring (up to 64% of total chlorophyll a content). Ultra-phytoplankton (< 5 microns) consisted 27% of total phytoplankton biomass. Nutrients and feeding pressure of zooplankton affected the distribution of chlorophyll a and its size-fractionation. The average primary productivity was 10.091 mg.m-3.h-1, while that of red tide tracking stations R-03, RL-01 and RG-01 was 399.984 mg.m-3.h-1. Light and nutrients were the main factors affecting the distributions of chlorophyll a and primary productivity. The station DC-11 had a high concentration of phytoplankton biomass. The surface layer concentration of chlorophyll a and primary productivity were up to 9,082 mg.m-3 and 128,79 mg.m-3.h-1, respectively, but the color of the seawater was normal.

Distributional Orientation and Health Outcomes in OECD Countries.

PubMed

Safaei, Jalil

2015-01-01

This study uses data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries over the 2008-2010 period to construct indicators of "pro-primary" and "pro-secondary" distributions. The former is concerned with the original distribution of income through the market, whereas the latter is concerned with the redistribution efforts of the government. The study ranks these countries along these dimensions to create a distributional orientation map for such countries. It finds that the Scandinavian countries occupy the top rankings in terms of equity in pro-primary distribution, followed by countries with a Bismarckian welfare state regime. The Scandinavian countries also rank very high on equity in pro-secondary distribution, along with some of the top-ranking Bismarckian countries. More significantly, the study finds that the countries' health outcomes are associated more strongly with the pro-primary distributional stance than with the pro-secondary distributional stance. A key policy implication is that to achieve better and more equitable health, it is more effective to design a level playing field for market participants in the first place, than to try to mend inequities after the fact through remedial social policy. © The Author(s) 2015.

Special Test Methods for Batteries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gross, S.

1984-01-01

Various methods are described for measuring heat generation in primary and secondary batteries as well as the specific heat of batteries and cell thermal conductance. Problems associated with determining heat generation in large batteries are examined. Special attention is given to monitoring temperature gradients in nickel cadmium cells, the use of auxiliary electrodes for conducting tests on battery charge control, evaluating the linear sweep of current from charge to discharge, and determining zero current voltage. The fast transient behavior of batteries in the microsecond range, and the electrical conductance of nickel sinters in the thickness direction are also considered. Mechanical problems experienced in the vibration of Ni-Cd batteries and tests to simulate cyclic fatigue of the steel table connecting the plates to the comb are considered. Methods of defining the distribution of forces when cells are compressed during battery packaging are also explored.

Special test methods for batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gross, S.

1984-09-01

Various methods are described for measuring heat generation in primary and secondary batteries as well as the specific heat of batteries and cell thermal conductance. Problems associated with determining heat generation in large batteries are examined. Special attention is given to monitoring temperature gradients in nickel cadmium cells, the use of auxiliary electrodes for conducting tests on battery charge control, evaluating the linear sweep of current from charge to discharge, and determining zero current voltage. The fast transient behavior of batteries in the microsecond range, and the electrical conductance of nickel sinters in the thickness direction are also considered. Mechanical problems experienced in the vibration of Ni-Cd batteries and tests to simulate cyclic fatigue of the steel table connecting the plates to the comb are considered. Methods of defining the distribution of forces when cells are compressed during battery packaging are also explored.

Pi-Sat: A Low Cost Small Satellite and Distributed Spacecraft Mission System Test Platform

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cudmore, Alan

2015-01-01

Current technology and budget trends indicate a shift in satellite architectures from large, expensive single satellite missions, to small, low cost distributed spacecraft missions. At the center of this shift is the SmallSatCubesat architecture. The primary goal of the Pi-Sat project is to create a low cost, and easy to use Distributed Spacecraft Mission (DSM) test bed to facilitate the research and development of next-generation DSM technologies and concepts. This test bed also serves as a realistic software development platform for Small Satellite and Cubesat architectures. The Pi-Sat is based on the popular $35 Raspberry Pi single board computer featuring a 700Mhz ARM processor, 512MB of RAM, a flash memory card, and a wealth of IO options. The Raspberry Pi runs the Linux operating system and can easily run Code 582s Core Flight System flight software architecture. The low cost and high availability of the Raspberry Pi make it an ideal platform for a Distributed Spacecraft Mission and Cubesat software development. The Pi-Sat models currently include a Pi-Sat 1U Cube, a Pi-Sat Wireless Node, and a Pi-Sat Cubesat processor card.The Pi-Sat project takes advantage of many popular trends in the Maker community including low cost electronics, 3d printing, and rapid prototyping in order to provide a realistic platform for flight software testing, training, and technology development. The Pi-Sat has also provided fantastic hands on training opportunities for NASA summer interns and Pathways students.

Particle Simulations of the Guard Electrode Effects on the Photoelectron Distribution Around an Electric Field Sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miyake, Y.; Usui, H.; Kojima, H.

2010-12-01

In tenuous space plasma environment, photoelectrons emitted due to solar illumination produce a high-density photoelectron cloud localized in the vicinity of a spacecraft body and an electric field sensor. The photoelectron current emitted from the sensor has also received considerable attention because it becomes a primary factor in determining floating potentials of the sunlit spacecraft and sensor bodies. Considering the fact that asymmetric photoelectron distribution between sunlit and sunless sides of the spacecraft occasionally causes a spurious sunward electric field, we require quantitative evaluation of the photoelectron distribution around the spacecraft and its influence on electric field measurements by means of a numerical approach. In the current study, we applied the Particle-in-Cell plasma simulation to the analysis of the photoelectron environment around spacecraft. By using the PIC modeling, we can self-consistently consider the plasma kinetics. This enables us to simulate the formation of the photoelectron cloud as well as the spacecraft and sensor charging in a self-consistent manner. We report the progress of an analysis on photoelectron environment around MEFISTO, which is an electric field instrument for the BepiColombo/MMO spacecraft to Mercury’s magnetosphere. The photoelectron guard electrode is a key technology for ensuring an optimum photoelectron environment. We show some simulation results on the guard electrode effects on surrounding photoelectrons and discuss a guard operation condition for producing the optimum photoelectron environment. We also deal with another important issue, that is, how the guard electrode can mitigate an undesirable influence of an asymmetric photoelectron distribution on electric field measurements.

A comparison of the currency of secondary information sources in the biochemical literature. II. MEDLINE online and on CD-ROM.

PubMed

Grainger, F; Lyon, E

1992-12-01

The currency of selected versions of the MEDLINE database on CD-ROM and in online format was studied. The arrival of issues from 72 monthly journals and nine weekly titles during a 3-month period was monitored and their appearance in the various MEDLINE formats were recorded. Availability data for MEDLINE published by the National Library of Medicine were used as a baseline and subsequent distribution delays for the different MEDLINE formats were calculated. The study suggests a delay of approximately 2 weeks for indexing and mounting the MEDLINE file on to host computers for online access. A delay of 6-8 weeks was calculated for the MEDLINE data to be encoded on to compact disk, shipped and posted to the library customer. The currency of the MEDLINE database formats was compared with a weekly current-awareness service, CURRENT CONTENTS ON DISKETTE LIFE SCIENCES (CCOD). The majority of papers were indexed and distributed in CCOD within 10 weeks of publication date. Most papers appeared within 15 weeks in the online MEDLINE format and within 20 weeks in CD-ROM MEDLINE. The primary journal arrived at the library site within 5 weeks in most cases.

PIGD: a database for intronless genes in the Poaceae.

PubMed

Yan, Hanwei; Jiang, Cuiping; Li, Xiaoyu; Sheng, Lei; Dong, Qing; Peng, Xiaojian; Li, Qian; Zhao, Yang; Jiang, Haiyang; Cheng, Beijiu

2014-10-01

Intronless genes are a feature of prokaryotes; however, they are widespread and unequally distributed among eukaryotes and represent an important resource to study the evolution of gene architecture. Although many databases on exons and introns exist, there is currently no cohesive database that collects intronless genes in plants into a single database. In this study, we present the Poaceae Intronless Genes Database (PIGD), a user-friendly web interface to explore information on intronless genes from different plants. Five Poaceae species, Sorghum bicolor, Zea mays, Setaria italica, Panicum virgatum and Brachypodium distachyon, are included in the current release of PIGD. Gene annotations and sequence data were collected and integrated from different databases. The primary focus of this study was to provide gene descriptions and gene product records. In addition, functional annotations, subcellular localization prediction and taxonomic distribution are reported. PIGD allows users to readily browse, search and download data. BLAST and comparative analyses are also provided through this online database, which is available at http://pigd.ahau.edu.cn/. PIGD provides a solid platform for the collection, integration and analysis of intronless genes in the Poaceae. As such, this database will be useful for subsequent bio-computational analysis in comparative genomics and evolutionary studies.

Evolution of a Family Nurse Practitioner Program to Improve Primary Care Distribution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andrus, Len Hughes; Fenley, Mary D.

1976-01-01

Describes a Family Nurse Practitioner Program that has effectively improved the distribution of primary health care manpower in rural areas. Program characteristics include selection of personnel from areas of need, decentralization of clinical and didactic training sites, competency-based portable curriculum, and circuit-riding institutionally…

Electrical study of DSA shrink process and CD rectification effect at sub-60nm using EUV test vehicle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chi, Cheng; Liu, Chi-Chun; Meli, Luciana; Guo, Jing; Parnell, Doni; Mignot, Yann; Schmidt, Kristin; Sanchez, Martha; Farrell, Richard; Singh, Lovejeet; Furukawa, Tsuyoshi; Lai, Kafai; Xu, Yongan; Sanders, Daniel; Hetzer, David; Metz, Andrew; Burns, Sean; Felix, Nelson; Arnold, John; Corliss, Daniel

2017-03-01

In this study, the integrity and the benefits of the DSA shrink process were verified through a via-chain test structure, which was fabricated by either DSA or baseline litho/etch process for via layer formation while metal layer processes remain the same. The nearest distance between the vias in this test structure is below 60nm, therefore, the following process components were included: 1) lamella-forming BCP for forming self-aligned via (SAV), 2) EUV printed guiding pattern, and 3) PS-philic sidewall. The local CDU (LCDU) of minor axis was improved by 30% after DSA shrink process. We compared two DSA Via shrink processes and a DSA_Control process, in which guiding patterns (GP) were directly transferred to the bottom OPL without DSA shrink. The DSA_Control apparently resulted in larger CD, thus, showed much higher open current and shorted the dense via chains. The non-optimized DSA shrink process showed much broader current distribution than the improved DSA shrink process, which we attributed to distortion and dislocation of the vias and ineffective SAV. Furthermore, preliminary defectivity study of our latest DSA process showed that the primary defect mode is likely to be etch-related. The challenges, strategies applied to improve local CD uniformity and electrical current distribution, and potential adjustments were also discussed.

Distribution of breeding Arizona Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum ammolegus) in the southwestern United States: Past, present, and future

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ruth, Janet M.

2008-01-01

The Arizona Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum ammolegus) breeds in desert grasslands of southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico in the US, and in adjacent parts of northern Sonora and Chihuahua, Mexico. Roads that were surveyed in 1982 and 1987 in Arizona and New Mexico were relocated and roadside survey protocols were repeated in 2004 and 2005 to identify changes in distribution or abundance of the subspecies during the subsequent 17 yr. The Sonoita and San Rafael valleys in Arizona and the Animas Valley in New Mexico remain as primary population centers, supporting the highest mean numbers of singing males per stop, as well as the largest populations of Arizona Grasshopper Sparrows in the US. Mean number of singing males per stop was highest in the San Rafael Valley. Mean number of singing males per survey stop showed an increasing pattern from 1982–1987 and a subsequent decline to the present (2004–2005). Present bird densities are intermediate in value between 1982 and 1987 values. Small populations remain in the Altar, San Pedro, Sulphur Springs, and San Bernardino valleys in Arizona. The valleys evaluated in this and historical surveys represent the areas in which almost all Arizona Grasshopper Sparrows breed in the US; if any additional areas exist, they support peripheral, small, or remnant populations. Although historic, current, and future land use, and current and future threats differ among valleys, the primary factors posing threats to the future of Arizona Grasshopper Sparrow populations appear to be loss and/or degradation of habitat due to exurban development, overgrazing, and the effects of long-term drought.

In Vitro Toxicity of Silver Nanoparticles in Human Lung Epithelial Cells

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-01

software from the particle distributions measured and the polydispersity index (PdI) given is a measure of the size ranges present in the solution...Transmission Electron Microscopy Figure 22 shows the TEM primary particles size and distribution determined from measurement of over 100 particles from...nm uncoated. (B) Ag 80 nm uncoated. (C) Ag 10 nm coated. (D) Ag 80 nm coated Table 4 shows the TEM primary particles size and distribution

Occurrence of contaminant accumulation in lead pipe scales from domestic drinking-water distribution systems.

PubMed

Schock, Michael R; Hyland, Robert N; Welch, Meghan M

2008-06-15

Previously, contaminants, such as AI, As, and Ra, have been shown to accumulate in drinking-water distribution system solids. Accumulated contaminants could be periodically released back into the water supply causing elevated levels at consumers taps, going undetected by most current regulatory monitoring practices and consequently constituting a hidden risk. The objective of this study was to determine the occurrence of over 40 major scale constituents, regulated metals, and other potential metallic inorganic contaminants in drinking-water distribution system Pb (lead) or Pb-lined service lines. The primary method of analysis was inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy, following complete decomposition of scale material. Contaminants and scale constituents were categorized by their average concentrations, and many metals of potential health concern were found to occur at levels sufficient to result in elevated levels at the consumer's taps if they were to be mobilized. The data indicate distinctly nonconservative behavior for many inorganic contaminants in drinking-water distribution systems. This finding suggests an imminent need for further research into the transport and fate of contaminants throughout drinking-water distribution system pipes, as well as a re-evaluation of monitoring protocols in order to more accurately determine the scope and levels of potential consumer exposure.

Finding buried metallic pipes using a non-destructive approach based on 3D time-domain induced polarization data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shao, Zhenlu; Revil, André; Mao, Deqiang; Wang, Deming

2018-04-01

The location of buried utility pipes is often unknown. We use the time-domain induced polarization method to non-intrusively localize metallic pipes. A new approach, based on injecting a primary electrical current between a pair of electrodes and measuring the time-lapse voltage response on a set of potential electrodes after shutting down this primary current is used. The secondary voltage is measured on all the electrodes with respect to a single electrode used as a reference for the electrical potential, in a way similar to a self-potential time lapse survey. This secondary voltage is due to the formation of a secondary current density in the ground associated with the polarization of the metallic pipes. An algorithm is designed to localize the metallic object using the secondary voltage distribution by performing a tomography of the secondary source current density associated with the polarization of the pipes. This algorithm is first benchmarked on a synthetic case. Then, two laboratory sandbox experiments are performed with buried metallic pipes located in a sandbox filled with some clean sand. In Experiment #1, we use a horizontal copper pipe while in Experiment #2 we use an inclined stainless steel pipe. The result shows that the method is effective in localizing these two pipes. At the opposite, electrical resistivity tomography is not effective in localizing the pipes because they may appear resistive at low frequencies. This is due to the polarization of the metallic pipes which blocks the charge carriers at its external boundaries.

NACA0012 benchmark model experimental flutter results with unsteady pressure distributions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rivera, Jose A., Jr.; Dansberry, Bryan E.; Bennett, Robert M.; Durham, Michael H.; Silva, Walter A.

1992-01-01

The Structural Dynamics Division at NASA Langley Research Center has started a wind tunnel activity referred to as the Benchmark Models Program. The primary objective of this program is to acquire measured dynamic instability and corresponding pressure data that will be useful for developing and evaluating aeroelastic type computational fluid dynamics codes currently in use or under development. The program is a multi-year activity that will involve testing of several different models to investigate various aeroelastic phenomena. This paper describes results obtained from a second wind tunnel test of the first model in the Benchmark Models Program. This first model consisted of a rigid semispan wing having a rectangular planform and a NACA 0012 airfoil shape which was mounted on a flexible two degree of freedom mount system. Experimental flutter boundaries and corresponding unsteady pressure distribution data acquired over two model chords located at the 60 and 95 percent span stations are presented.

The NASA Lightning Nitrogen Oxides Model (LNOM): Application to Air Quality Modeling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koshak, William; Peterson, Harold; Khan, Maudood; Biazar, Arastoo; Wang, Lihua

2011-01-01

Recent improvements to the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Lightning Nitrogen Oxides Model (LNOM) and its application to the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) modeling system are discussed. The LNOM analyzes Lightning Mapping Array (LMA) and National Lightning Detection Network(TradeMark)(NLDN) data to estimate the raw (i.e., unmixed and otherwise environmentally unmodified) vertical profile of lightning NO(x) (= NO + NO2). The latest LNOM estimates of lightning channel length distributions, lightning 1-m segment altitude distributions, and the vertical profile of lightning NO(x) are presented. The primary improvement to the LNOM is the inclusion of non-return stroke lightning NOx production due to: (1) hot core stepped and dart leaders, (2) stepped leader corona sheath, K-changes, continuing currents, and M-components. The impact of including LNOM-estimates of lightning NO(x) for an August 2006 run of CMAQ is discussed.

Pharmacist provision of primary health care: a modified Delphi validation of pharmacists' competencies.

PubMed

Kennie-Kaulbach, Natalie; Farrell, Barbara; Ward, Natalie; Johnston, Sharon; Gubbels, Ashley; Eguale, Tewodros; Dolovich, Lisa; Jorgenson, Derek; Waite, Nancy; Winslade, Nancy

2012-03-28

Pharmacists have expanded their roles and responsibilities as a result of primary health care reform. There is currently no consensus on the core competencies for pharmacists working in these evolving practices. The aim of this study was to develop and validate competencies for pharmacists' effective performance in these roles, and in so doing, document the perceived contribution of pharmacists providing collaborative primary health care services. Using a modified Delphi process including assessing perception of the frequency and criticality of performing tasks, we validated competencies important to primary health care pharmacists practising across Canada. Ten key informants contributed to competency drafting; thirty-three expert pharmacists replied to a second round survey. The final primary health care pharmacist competencies consisted of 34 elements and 153 sub-elements organized in seven CanMeds-based domains. Highest importance rankings were allocated to the domains of care provider and professional, followed by communicator and collaborator, with the lower importance rankings relatively equally distributed across the manager, advocate and scholar domains. Expert pharmacists working in primary health care estimated their most important responsibilities to be related to direct patient care. Competencies that underlie and are required for successful fulfillment of these patient care responsibilities, such as those related to communication, collaboration and professionalism were also highly ranked. These ranked competencies can be used to help pharmacists understand their potential roles in these evolving practices, to help other health care professionals learn about pharmacists' contributions to primary health care, to establish standards and performance indicators, and to prioritize supports and education to maximize effectiveness in this role.

Pharmacist provision of primary health care: a modified Delphi validation of pharmacists' competencies

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Pharmacists have expanded their roles and responsibilities as a result of primary health care reform. There is currently no consensus on the core competencies for pharmacists working in these evolving practices. The aim of this study was to develop and validate competencies for pharmacists' effective performance in these roles, and in so doing, document the perceived contribution of pharmacists providing collaborative primary health care services. Methods Using a modified Delphi process including assessing perception of the frequency and criticality of performing tasks, we validated competencies important to primary health care pharmacists practising across Canada. Results Ten key informants contributed to competency drafting; thirty-three expert pharmacists replied to a second round survey. The final primary health care pharmacist competencies consisted of 34 elements and 153 sub-elements organized in seven CanMeds-based domains. Highest importance rankings were allocated to the domains of care provider and professional, followed by communicator and collaborator, with the lower importance rankings relatively equally distributed across the manager, advocate and scholar domains. Conclusions Expert pharmacists working in primary health care estimated their most important responsibilities to be related to direct patient care. Competencies that underlie and are required for successful fulfillment of these patient care responsibilities, such as those related to communication, collaboration and professionalism were also highly ranked. These ranked competencies can be used to help pharmacists understand their potential roles in these evolving practices, to help other health care professionals learn about pharmacists' contributions to primary health care, to establish standards and performance indicators, and to prioritize supports and education to maximize effectiveness in this role. PMID:22455482

Iraqi primary care system in Kurdistan region: providers' perspectives on problems and opportunities for improvement.

PubMed

Shabila, Nazar P; Al-Tawil, Namir G; Al-Hadithi, Tariq S; Sondorp, Egbert; Vaughan, Kelsey

2012-09-27

As part of a comprehensive study on the primary health care system in Iraq, we sought to explore primary care providers' perspectives about the main problems influencing the provision of primary care services and opportunities to improve the system. A qualitative study based on four focus groups involving 40 primary care providers from 12 primary health care centres was conducted in Erbil governorate in the Iraqi Kurdistan region between July and October 2010. A topic guide was used to lead discussions and covered questions on positive aspects of and current problems with the primary care system in addition to the priority needs for its improvement. The discussions were fully transcribed and the qualitative data was analyzed by content analysis, followed by a thematic analysis. Problems facing the primary care system included inappropriate health service delivery (irrational use of health services, irrational treatment, poor referral system, poor infrastructure and poor hygiene), health workforce challenges (high number of specialists, uneven distribution of the health workforce, rapid turnover, lack of training and educational opportunities and discrepancies in the salary system), shortage in resources (shortage and low quality of medical supplies and shortage in financing), poor information technology and poor leadership/governance. The greatest emphasis was placed on poor organization of health services delivery, particularly the irrational use of health services and the related overcrowding and overload on primary care providers and health facilities. Suggestions for improving the system included application of a family medicine approach and ensuring effective planning and monitoring. This study has provided a comprehensive understanding of the factors that negatively affect the primary care system in Iraq's Kurdistan region from the perspective of primary care providers. From their experience, primary care providers have a role in informing the community and policy makers about the main problems affecting this system, though improvements to the health care system must be taken up at the national level and involve other key stakeholders.

Distribution, persistence and interchange of Epstein-Barr virus strains among PBMC, plasma and saliva of primary infection subjects.

PubMed

Kwok, Hin; Chan, Koon Wing; Chan, Kwok Hung; Chiang, Alan Kwok Shing

2015-01-01

Our study aimed at investigating the distribution, persistence and interchange of viral strains among peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), plasma and saliva of primary Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection subjects. Twelve infectious mononucleosis (IM) patients and eight asymptomatic individuals (AS) with primary EBV infection were followed longitudinally at several time points for one year from the time of diagnosis, when blood and saliva samples were collected and separated into PBMC, plasma and saliva, representing circulating B cell, plasma and epithelial cell compartments, respectively. To survey the viral strains, genotyping assays for the natural polymorphisms in two latent EBV genes, EBNA2 and LMP1, were performed and consisted of real-time PCR on EBNA2 to distinguish type 1 and 2 viruses, fluorescent-based 30-bp typing assay on LMP1 to distinguish deletion and wild type LMP1, and fluorescent-based heteroduplex tracking assays on both EBNA2 and LMP1 to distinguish defined polymorphic variants. No discernible differences were observed between IM patients and AS. Multiple viral strains were acquired early at the start of infection. Stable persistence of dominant EBV strains in the same tissue compartment was observed throughout the longitudinal samples. LMP1-defined strains, China 1, China 2 and Mediterranean+, were the most common strains observed. EBNA2-defined groups 1 and 3e predominated the PBMC and saliva compartments. Concordance of EBNA2 and LMP1 strains between PBMC and saliva suggested ready interchange of viruses between circulating B cell and epithelial cell pools, whilst discordance of viral strains observed between plasma and PBMC/saliva indicated presence of viral pools in other undetermined tissue compartments. Taken together, the results indicated that the distribution, persistence and interchange of viral strains among the tissue compartments are more complex than those proposed by the current model of EBV life cycle.

Distribution, Persistence and Interchange of Epstein-Barr Virus Strains among PBMC, Plasma and Saliva of Primary Infection Subjects

PubMed Central

Kwok, Hin; Chan, Koon Wing; Chan, Kwok Hung; Chiang, Alan Kwok Shing

2015-01-01

Our study aimed at investigating the distribution, persistence and interchange of viral strains among peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), plasma and saliva of primary Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection subjects. Twelve infectious mononucleosis (IM) patients and eight asymptomatic individuals (AS) with primary EBV infection were followed longitudinally at several time points for one year from the time of diagnosis, when blood and saliva samples were collected and separated into PBMC, plasma and saliva, representing circulating B cell, plasma and epithelial cell compartments, respectively. To survey the viral strains, genotyping assays for the natural polymorphisms in two latent EBV genes, EBNA2 and LMP1, were performed and consisted of real-time PCR on EBNA2 to distinguish type 1 and 2 viruses, fluorescent-based 30-bp typing assay on LMP1 to distinguish deletion and wild type LMP1, and fluorescent-based heteroduplex tracking assays on both EBNA2 and LMP1 to distinguish defined polymorphic variants. No discernible differences were observed between IM patients and AS. Multiple viral strains were acquired early at the start of infection. Stable persistence of dominant EBV strains in the same tissue compartment was observed throughout the longitudinal samples. LMP1-defined strains, China 1, China 2 and Mediterranean+, were the most common strains observed. EBNA2-defined groups 1 and 3e predominated the PBMC and saliva compartments. Concordance of EBNA2 and LMP1 strains between PBMC and saliva suggested ready interchange of viruses between circulating B cell and epithelial cell pools, whilst discordance of viral strains observed between plasma and PBMC/saliva indicated presence of viral pools in other undetermined tissue compartments. Taken together, the results indicated that the distribution, persistence and interchange of viral strains among the tissue compartments are more complex than those proposed by the current model of EBV life cycle. PMID:25807555

Secondary brain injuries in thalamus and hippocampus after focal ischemia caused by mild, transient extradural compression of the somatosensori cortex in the rat.

PubMed

Holmberg, Per; Liljequist, Sture; Wägner, Anna

2009-02-01

The development and distribution of secondary brain lesions, subsequent to ischemic stroke, are of considerable clinical interest but so far only a limited number of studies have investigated the distribution and development of these secondary lesions in detail. In this study, we used an animal model of focal ischemia caused by extradural compression of the sensorimotor cortex. This paradigm of focal ischemia was shown to produce a consistent pattern of secondary lesions located distally from the primary lesion. Functionally the primary brain lesion produced a transient neurological deficit, which was evaluated by daily beam walking tests. Morphological changes were assessed in parallel after the ischemic event using Fluoro-Jade (FJ) staining as a marker of neuronal cell death. Secondary brain lesions were observed in the thalamus as well as in the hippocampus. The first sign of the slowly developing secondary brain lesions was present on day 3 with subsequent lesions being identified until day 16 after the primary ischemia. In addition to the identification of neuronal cell death by the FJ assays, immunostaining for parvalbumin (PA), a marker of GABAergic interneurons, revealed a loss of PA-staining in the pyramidal layer of CA1 on day 3, thus showing a similar time pattern for loss of PA-staining as for the loss of FJ stained cells. Based upon our present results, we suggest that the current animal model of focal ischemia represents a valuable tool for studies concerning the development of secondary remote brain lesions and their association to impaired motor and cognitive functions.

Environmental factors influencing the spatio-temporal distribution of Carybdea marsupialis (Lineo, 1978, Cubozoa) in South-Western Mediterranean coasts

PubMed Central

Fuentes, Verónica; Bosch-Belmar, Mar; Acevedo, Melissa; Toledo-Guedes, Kilian; Ortiz, Antonio; Durá, Elia; Bordehore, César; Gili, Josep-Maria

2017-01-01

Jellyfish blooms cause important ecological and socio-economic problems. Among jellyfish, cubozoans are infamous for their painful, sometimes deadly, stings and are a major public concern in tropical to subtropical areas; however, there is little information about the possible causes of their outbreaks. After a bloom of the cubomedusa Carybdea marsupialis (Carybdeidae) along the coast of Denia (SW Mediterranean, Spain) in 2008 with negative consequences for local tourism, the necessity to understand the ecological restrictions on medusae abundance was evident. Here we use different models (GAM and zero-inflated models) to understand the environmental and human related factors influencing the abundance and distribution of C. marsupialis along the coast of Denia. Selected variables differed among medusae size classes, showing different environmental restriction associated to the developmental stages of the species. Variables implicated with dispersion (e.g. wind and current) affected mostly small and medium size classes. Sea surface temperature, salinity and proxies of primary production (chl a, phosphates, nitrates) were related to the abundances of small and large size classes, highlighting the roles of springtime salinity changes and increased primary production that may promote and maintain high densities of this species. The increased primary (and secondary) production due to anthropogenic impact is implicated as the factor enabling high numbers of C. marsupialis to thrive. Recommendations for monitoring blooms of this species along the study area and applicable to Mediterranean Sea include focus effort in coastal waters where productivity have been enriched by anthropogenic activities. PMID:28746410

Technical Report for Water Circulation Pumping System for Trihalomethanes (THMs)

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

Bellah, W.

2015-06-08

The TSWWS was added as an active source of supply to the permit (No. 03-10-13P-003) in 2010, but has never been used due to the potential for formation of trihalomethanes (THMs) in the distribution system. THMs are formed as a by-product when chlorine is used to disinfect water for drinking. THMs are a group of chemicals generally referred to as disinfection by-products (DBPs). THMs result from the reaction of chlorine with organic matter that is present in the water. Some of the THMs are volatile and may easily vaporize into the air. This fact forms the basis of the designmore » of the system discussed in this technical report. In addition, the design is based on the results of a study that has shown success using aeration as a means to reduce TTHMs to within allowable concentration levels with turn-over times as long as ten days. The Primary Drinking Water Standards of Regulated Contaminants Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for TTHMs is 80 parts per billion (ppb). No other changes to the existing drinking water distribution system and chlorination operations are anticipated before switching to the TSWWS as the primary drinking water source. The two groundwater wells (Wells 20 and 18) which are currently the primary and backup water sources for the system would be maintained for use as backup supply. In the future, one of the wells may be removed from the system. A permit amendment would be filed at that time if this modification was deemed appropriate.« less

A method for calculating the dose to a multi-storey building due to radiation scattered from the roof of an adjacent radiotherapy facility.

PubMed

Zavgorodni, S F

2001-09-01

With modern urbanization trends, situations occur where a general-purpose multi-storey building would have to be constructed adjacent to a radiotherapy facility. In cases where the building would not be in the primary x-ray beam, "skyshine" radiation is normally accounted for. The radiation scattered from the roof side-wise towards the building can also be a major contributing factor. However, neither the NCRP reports nor recently published literature considered this. The current paper presents a simple formula to calculate the dose contribution from scattered radiation in such circumstances. This equation includes workload, roof thickness, field size, distance to the reference point and a normalized angular photon distribution function f(theta), where theta is the angle between central axis of the primary beam and photon direction. The latter was calculated by the Monte Carlo method (EGS4 code) for each treatment machine in our department. For angles theta exceeding approximately 20 degrees (i.e., outside the primary beam and its penumbra) the angular distribution function f(theta) was found to have little dependence on the shielding barrier thickness and the beam energy. An analytical approximation of this function has been obtained. Measurements have been performed to verify this calculation technique. An agreement within 40% was found between calculated and measured dose rates. The latter combined the scattered radiation and the dose from "skyshine" radiation. Some overestimation of the dose resulted from uncertainties in the radiotherapy building drawings and in evaluation of the "skyshine" contribution.

An Evaluation of Primary English Textbooks in Vietnam: A Sociolinguistic Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dang, Tu Cam Thi; Seals, Corinne

2018-01-01

This article delves into the issue of incorporating sociolinguistic aspects of language and culture into the current primary English textbooks in Vietnam. The authors first provide an overview of primary English teaching in the Vietnamese setting and then evaluate the current primary English textbooks in relation to the objectives of foreign…

Transformer current sensor for superconducting magnetic coils

DOEpatents

Shen, S.S.; Wilson, C.T.

1985-04-16

The present invention is a current transformer for operating currents larger than 2kA (two kiloamps) that is capable of detecting a millivolt level resistive voltage in the presence of a large inductive voltage. Specifically, the present invention includes substantially cylindrical primary turns arranged to carry a primary current and substantially cylindrical secondary turns arranged coaxially with and only partially within the primary turns, the secondary turns including an active winding and a dummy winding, the active and dummy windings being coaxial, longitudinally separated and arranged to mutually cancel voltages excited by commonly experienced magnetic fields, the active winding but not the dummy winding being arranged within the primary turns.

Primary Frequency Response with Aggregated DERs: Preprint

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

Guggilam, Swaroop S.; Dhople, Sairaj V.; Zhao, Changhong

2017-03-03

Power networks have to withstand a variety of disturbances that affect system frequency, and the problem is compounded with the increasing integration of intermittent renewable generation. Following a large-signal generation or load disturbance, system frequency is arrested leveraging primary frequency control provided by governor action in synchronous generators. In this work, we propose a framework for distributed energy resources (DERs) deployed in distribution networks to provide (supplemental) primary frequency response. Particularly, we demonstrate how power-frequency droop slopes for individual DERs can be designed so that the distribution feeder presents a guaranteed frequency-regulation characteristic at the feeder head. Furthermore, the droopmore » slopes are engineered such that injections of individual DERs conform to a well-defined fairness objective that does not penalize them for their location on the distribution feeder. Time-domain simulations for an illustrative network composed of a combined transmission network and distribution network with frequency-responsive DERs are provided to validate the approach.« less

The < ln A > study with the Muon tracking detector in the KASCADE-Grande experiment - comparison of hadronic interaction models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Łuczak, P.; Apel, W. D.; Arteaga-Velázquez, J. C.; Bekk, K.; Bertaina, M.; Blümer, J.; Bozdog, H.; Brancus, I. M.; Cantoni, E.; Chiavassa, A.; Cossavella, F.; Curcio, C.; Daumiller, K.; de Souza, V.; Di Pierro, F.; Doll, P.; Engel, R.; Engler, J.; Fuchs, B.; Fuhrmann, D.; Gils, H. J.; Glasstetter, R.; Grupen, C.; Haungs, A.; Heck, D.; Hörandel, J. R.; Huber, D.; Huege, T.; Kampert, K.-H.; Kang, D.; Klages, H. O.; Link, K.; Ludwig, M.; Mathes, H. J.; Mayer, H. J.; Melissas, M.; Milke, J.; Mitrica, B.; Morello, C.; Oehlschläger, J.; Ostapchenko, S.; Palmieri, N.; Petcu, M.; Pierog, T.; Rebel, H.; Roth, M.; Schieler, H.; Schoo, S.; Schröder, F. G.; Sima, O.; Toma, G.; Trinchero, G. C.; Ulrich, H.; Weindl, A.; Wochele, J.; Zabierowski, J.

2015-08-01

With the KASCADE-Grande Muon Tracking Detector it was possible to measure with high accuracy directions of EAS muons with energy above 0.8 GeV and up to 700 m distance from the shower centre. Reconstructed muon tracks allow investigation of muon pseudorapidity (η) distributions. These distributions are nearly identical to the pseudorapidity distributions of their parent mesons produced in hadronic interactions. Comparison of the η distributions from measured and simulated showers can be used to test the quality of the high energy hadronic interaction models. The pseudorapidity distributions reflect the longitudinal development of EAS and, as such, are sensitive to the mass of the cosmic ray primary particles. With various parameters of the η distribution, obtained from the Muon Tracking Detector data, it is possible to calculate the average logarithm of mass of the primary cosmic ray particles. The results of the < ln A > analysis in the primary energy range 1016 eV-1017 eV with the 1st quartile and the mean value of the distributions will be presented for the QGSJet-II-2, QGSJet-II-4, EPOS 1.99 and EPOS LHC models in combination with the FLUKA model.

Biomass distribution and productivity of Pinus edulis-Juniperus monosperma woodlands of north-central Arizona

Treesearch

Charles C. Grier; Katherine J. Elliott; Deborah G. McCullough

1992-01-01

Above-ground biomass distribution, leaf area, above-ground net primary productivity and foliage characteristics were determined for 90- and 350-year-old Pinus edulis-Juniperus monosperma ecosystems on the Colorado Plateau of northern Arizona. These ecosystems have low biomass, leaf area and primary productivity compared with forests in wetter...

Impact of physician distribution policies on primary care practices in rural Quebec.

PubMed

Da Silva, Roxane Borgès; Pineault, Raynald

2012-01-01

Accessibility and continuity of primary health care in rural Canada are inadequate, mainly because of a relative shortage of family physicians. To alleviate the uneven distribution of physicians in rural and urban regions, Quebec has implemented measures associated with 3 types of physician practices in rural areas. The objectives of our study were to describe the practices of these types of physicians in a rural area and to analyze the impact of physician distribution policies aimed at offsetting the lack of resources. Data were drawn from a medical administrative database and included information related to physicians' practices in the rural area of Beauce, Que., in 2007. The practices of permanently settled physicians in rural areas differ from those of physicians who substitute for short periods. Permanently settled physicians offer mostly primary care services, whereas physicians who temporarily substitute devote much of their time to hospital-based practice. Physician distribution policies implemented in Quebec to compensate for the lack of medical resources in rural areas have reduced the deficit in hospital care but not in primary care.

Patient Perception of Value in Bundled Payments for Total Joint Arthroplasty.

PubMed

Schwartz, Adam J; Fraser, James F; Shannon, Allison M; Jackson, Nikki T; Raghu, T S

2016-12-01

A central concern for providers in a bundled payment model is determining how the bundle is distributed. Prior studies have shown that current reimbursement rates are often not aligned with patients' values. While willingness-to-pay (WTP) surveys are perhaps useful in a fee-for-service arrangement to determine overall reimbursement, the percentage of payment distribution might be as or more important in a bundled payment model. All patients undergoing primary total joint arthroplasty by a single surgeon were offered participation in a preoperative WTP survey. At a minimum 3 months postoperatively, patients were mailed instructions for an online follow-up survey asking how they would allocate a hypothetical bonus payment. From January through December 2014, 45 patients agreed to participate in the preoperative WTP survey. Twenty patients who were minimum 3 months postoperative also completed the follow-up survey. Patients valued total knee and hip arthroplasty at $28,438 (95% confidence interval [CI]: $20,551-36,324) and $39,479 (95% CI: $27,848-$51,112), respectively. At 3 months postoperatively, patients distributed a hypothetical bonus payment 55.5% to the surgeon (95% CI: 47.8%-63.1%), 38% to the hospital (95% CI: 30.3%-45.7%), and 6.5% (95% CI: -1.2% to 14.2%) to the implant manufacturer (P < .001). The data suggest that total joint arthroplasty patients have vastly different perceptions of payment distributions than what actually exists. In contrast to the findings of this study, the true distribution of payments for an episode of care averages 65% to the hospital, 27% to the implant manufacturer, and 8% to the surgeon. While many drivers of payment distribution exist, this study suggests that patients would allocate a larger proportion of a bundled payment to surgeons than is currently disbursed. This finding may also provide a plausible explanation for patients' consistent overestimation of surgeon reimbursements. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Korean red ginseng extract enhances paclitaxel distribution to mammary tumors and its oral bioavailability by P-glycoprotein inhibition.

PubMed

Bae, Jin Kyung; Kim, You-Jin; Chae, Hee-Sung; Kim, Do Yeun; Choi, Han Seok; Chin, Young-Won; Choi, Young Hee

2017-05-01

1. Drug efflux by P-glycoprotein (P-gp) is a common resistance mechanism of breast cancer cells to paclitaxel, the primary chemotherapy in breast cancer. As a means of overcoming the drug resistance-mediated failure of paclitaxel chemotherapy, the potential of Korean red ginseng extract (KRG) as an adjuvant chemotherapy has been reported only in in vitro. Therefore, we assessed whether KRG alters P-gp mediated paclitaxel efflux, and therefore paclitaxel efficacy in in vitro and vivo models. 2. KRG inhibited P-gp protein expression and transcellular efflux of paclitaxel in MDCK-mdr1 cells, but KRG was not a substrate of P-gp ATPase. In female rats with mammary tumor, the combination of paclitaxel with KRG showed the greater reduction of tumor volumes, lower P-gp protein expression and higher paclitaxel distribution in tumors, and greater oral bioavailability of paclitaxel than paclitaxel alone. 3. From these results, KRG increased systemic circulation of oral paclitaxel and its distribution to tumors via P-gp inhibition in rats and under the current study conditions.

Stanford-USGS shrimp-RG ion microprobe: A new approach to determining the distribution of trace elements in coal

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kolker, A.; Wooden, J.L.; Persing, H.M.; Zielinski, R.A.

2000-01-01

The distribution of Cr and other trace metals of environmental interest in a range of widely used U.S. coals was investigated using the Stanford-USGS SHRIMP-RG ion microprobe . Using the oxygen ion source, concentrations of Cr (11 to 176 ppm), V (23 to 248 ppm), Mn (2 to 149 ppm), Ni (2 to 30 ppm), and 13 other elements were determined in illite/smectite, a group of clay minerals commonly present in coal. The results confirm previous indirect or semi-quantitative determinations indicating illite/smectite to be an important host of these metals. Calibration was achieved using doped aluminosilicate-glass synthetic standards and glasses prepared from USGS rock standards. Grains for analysis were identified optically, and confirmed by 1) precursory electron microprobe analysis and wavelength-dispersive compositional mapping, and 2) SHRIMP-RG major element data obtained concurrently with trace element results. Follow-up investigations will focus on the distribution of As and other elements that are more effectively ionized with the cesium primary beam currently being tested.

Generalized Drivers in the Mammalian Endangerment Process

PubMed Central

González-Suárez, Manuela; Revilla, Eloy

2014-01-01

An important challenge for conservation today is to understand the endangerment process and identify any generalized patterns in how threats occur and aggregate across taxa. Here we use a global database describing main current external threats in mammals to evaluate the prevalence of distinct threatening processes, primarily of anthropogenic origin, and to identify generalized drivers of extinction and their association with vulnerability status and intrinsic species' traits. We detect several primary threat combinations that are generally associated with distinct species. In particular, large and widely distributed mammals are affected by combinations of direct exploitation and threats associated with increasing landscape modification that go from logging to intense human land-use. Meanwhile, small, narrowly distributed species are affected by intensifying levels of landscape modification but are not directly exploited. In general more vulnerable species are affected by a greater number of threats, suggesting increased extinction risk is associated with the accumulation of external threats. Overall, our findings show that endangerment in mammals is strongly associated with increasing habitat loss and degradation caused by human land-use intensification. For large and widely distributed mammals there is the additional risk of being hunted. PMID:24587315

A Monte Carlo simulation code for calculating damage and particle transport in solids: The case for electron-bombarded solids for electron energies up to 900 MeV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Qiang; Shao, Lin

2017-03-01

Current popular Monte Carlo simulation codes for simulating electron bombardment in solids focus primarily on electron trajectories, instead of electron-induced displacements. Here we report a Monte Carol simulation code, DEEPER (damage creation and particle transport in matter), developed for calculating 3-D distributions of displacements produced by electrons of incident energies up to 900 MeV. Electron elastic scattering is calculated by using full-Mott cross sections for high accuracy, and primary-knock-on-atoms (PKAs)-induced damage cascades are modeled using ZBL potential. We compare and show large differences in 3-D distributions of displacements and electrons in electron-irradiated Fe. The distributions of total displacements are similar to that of PKAs at low electron energies. But they are substantially different for higher energy electrons due to the shifting of PKA energy spectra towards higher energies. The study is important to evaluate electron-induced radiation damage, for the applications using high flux electron beams to intentionally introduce defects and using an electron analysis beam for microstructural characterization of nuclear materials.

Fire, grazing history, lichen abundance, and winter distribution of caribou in Alaska's taiga

USGS Publications Warehouse

Collins, William B.; Dale, Bruce W.; Adams, Layne G.; McElwain, Darien E.; Joly, Kyle

2011-01-01

In the early 1990s the Nelchina Caribou (Rangifer tarandus) Herd (NCH) began a dramatic shift to its current winter range, migrating at least an additional 100 km beyond its historic range. We evaluated the impacts of fire and grazing history on lichen abundance and subsequent use and distribution by the NCH. Historic (prior to 1990) and current (2002) winter ranges of the NCH had similar vascular vegetation, lichen cover (P = 0.491), and fire histories (P = 0.535), but the former range had significantly less forage lichen biomass as a result of grazing by caribou. Biomass of forage lichens was twice as great overall (P = 0.031) and 4 times greater in caribou selected sites on the current range than in the historic range, greatly increasing availability to caribou. Caribou on the current range selected for stands with >20% lichen cover (P < 0.001), greater than 1,250 kg/ha (P < 0.001) forage lichen biomass and stands older than 80 yr postfire (P < 0.001). After fires, forage lichen cover and biomass seldom recovered sufficiently to attract caribou grazing until after ≥60 yr, and, as a group, primary forage lichen species did not reach maximum abundance until 180 yr postfire. Recovery following overgrazing can occur much more quickly because lichen cover, albeit mostly fragments, and organic substrates remain present. Our results provide benchmarks for wildlife managers assessing condition of caribou winter range and predicting effects of fires on lichen abundance and caribou distribution. Of our measurements of cover and biomass by species, densities and heights of trees, elevation, slope and aspect, only percentage cover by Cladonia amaurocraea, Cladina rangiferina, Flavocetraria cuculata, and lowbush cranberry (Vaccinium vitis‐idaea) were necessary for predicting caribou use of winter range.

Primary care in Switzerland gains strength.

PubMed

Djalali, Sima; Meier, Tatjana; Hasler, Susann; Rosemann, Thomas; Tandjung, Ryan

2015-06-01

Although there is widespread agreement on health- and cost-related benefits of strong primary care in health systems, little is known about the development of the primary care status over time in specific countries, especially in countries with a traditionally weak primary care sector such as Switzerland. The aim of our study was to assess the current strength of primary care in the Swiss health care system and to compare it with published results of earlier primary care assessments in Switzerland and other countries. A survey of experts and stakeholders with insights into the Swiss health care system was carried out between February and March 2014. The study was designed as mixed-modes survey with a self-administered questionnaire based on a set of 15 indicators for the assessment of primary care strength. Forty representatives of Swiss primary and secondary care, patient associations, funders, health care authority, policy makers and experts in health services research were addressed. Concordance between the indicators of a strong primary care system and the real situation in Swiss primary care was rated with 0-2 points (low-high concordance). A response rate of 62.5% was achieved. Participants rated concordance with five indicators as 0 (low), with seven indicators as 1 (medium) and with three indicators as 2 (high). In sum, Switzerland achieved 13 of 30 possible points. Low scores were assigned because of the following characteristics of Swiss primary care: inequitable local distribution of medical resources, relatively low earnings of primary care practitioners compared to specialists, low priority of primary care in medical education and training, lack of formal guidelines for information transfer between primary care practitioners and specialists and disregard of clinical routine data in the context of medical service planning. Compared to results of an earlier assessment in Switzerland, an improvement of seven indicators could be stated since 1995. As a result, Switzerland previously classified as a country with low primary care strength was reclassified as country with intermediate primary care strength compared to 14 other countries. Low scored characteristics represent possible targets of future health care reforms. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Uneven biofilm and current distribution in three-dimensional macroporous anodes of bio-electrochemical systems composed of graphite electrode arrays.

PubMed

Li, Jun; Hu, Linbin; Zhang, Liang; Ye, Ding-Ding; Zhu, Xun; Liao, Qiang

2017-03-01

A 3-D macroporous anode was constructed using different numbers of graphite rod arrays in fixed-volume bio-electrochemical systems (BESs), and the current and biofilm distribution were investigated by dividing the 3-D anode into several subunits. In the fixed-volume chamber, current production was not significantly improved after the electrode number increased to 36. In the case of 100 electrodes, a significant uneven current distribution was found in the macroporous anode. This was attributed to a differential pH distribution, which resulted from proton accumulation inside the macroporous anode. The pH distribution influenced the biofilm development and led to an uneven biofilm distribution. With respect to current generation, the uneven distribution of both the pH and biofilm contributed to the uneven current distribution. The center had a low pH, which led to less biofilm and a lower contribution to the total current, limiting the performance of the BESs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

26 CFR 1.651(a)-2 - Income required to be distributed currently.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... (CONTINUED) INCOME TAX (CONTINUED) INCOME TAXES Trusts Which Distribute Current Income Only § 1.651(a)-2 Income required to be distributed currently. (a) The determination of whether trust income is required to be distributed currently depends upon the terms of the trust instrument and the applicable local law...

Inequality in the distribution of health resources and health services in China: hospitals versus primary care institutions.

PubMed

Zhang, Tao; Xu, Yongjian; Ren, Jianping; Sun, Liqi; Liu, Chaojie

2017-03-03

Equity is one of the major goals of China's recent health system reform. This study aimed to evaluate the equality of the distribution of health resources and health services between hospitals and primary care institutions. Data of this study were drawn from the China Health Statistical Year Books. We calculated Gini coefficients based on population size and geographic size, respectively, for the indicators: number of institutions, number of health workers and number of beds; and the concentration index (CI) for the indicators: per capita outpatient visits and annual hospitalization rates. The Gini coefficients against population size ranged between 0.17 and 0.44 in the hospital sector, indicating a relatively good equality. The primary care sector showed a slightly higher level of Gini coefficients (around 0.45) in the number of health workers. However, inequality was evident in the geographic distribution of health resources. The Gini coefficients exceeded 0.7 in the geographic distribution of institutions, health workers and beds in both the hospital and the primary care sectors, indicating high levels of inequality. The CI values of hospital inpatient care and outpatient visits to primary care institutions were small (ranging from -0.02 to 0.02), indicating good wealth-related equality. The CI values of outpatient visits to hospitals ranged from 0.16 to 0.21, indicating a concentration of services towards the richer populations. By contrast, the CI values of inpatient care in primary care institutions ranged from -0.24 to -0.22, indicating a concentration of services towards the poorer populations. The eastern developed region also had a high internal inequality compared with the other less developed regions. Significant inequality in the geographic distribution of health resources is evident, despite a more equitable per capita distribution of resources. Richer people are more likely to use well-resourced hospitals for outpatient care. By contrast, poorer people are more likely to use poorly-resourced primary care institutions for inpatient care. There is a risk of the emergence of a two-tiered health care delivery system.

Publications of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 1992

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

JPL Bibliography 39-33 describes and indexes by primary author the externally distributed technical reporting, released during calendar year 1992, that resulted from scientific and engineering work performed or managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Three classes of publications are included: (1) JPL Publication (92-series) in which the information is complete for a specific accomplishment; (2) articles from the quarterly Telecommunications and Data Acquisition (TDA) Progress Report (42-series) (each collection of articles in this class of publication presents a periodic survey of current accomplishments by the Deep Space Network as well as other developments in Earth-based radio technology); and (3) articles published in the open literature.

Molecular Medicine: Synthesis and In Vivo Detection of Agents for use in Boron Neutron Capture Therapy. Final Report

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

Kabalka, G. W.

2005-06-28

The primary objective of the project was the development of in vivo methods for the detection and evaluation of tumors in humans. The project was focused on utilizing positron emission tomography (PET) to monitor the distribution and pharamacokinetics of a current boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) agent, p-boronophenylalanine (BPA) by labeling it with a fluorine-18, a positron emitting isotope. The PET data was then used to develop enhanced treatment planning protocols. The study also involved the synthesis of new tumor selective BNCTagents that could be labeled with radioactive nuclides for the in vivo detection of boron.

MCBS Highlights: Ownership and Average Premiums for Medicare Supplementary Insurance Policies

PubMed Central

Chulis, George S.; Eppig, Franklin J.; Poisal, John A.

1995-01-01

This article describes private supplementary health insurance holdings and average premiums paid by Medicare enrollees. Data were collected as part of the 1992 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS). Data show the number of persons with insurance and average premiums paid by type of insurance held—individually purchased policies, employer-sponsored policies, or both. Distributions are shown for a variety of demographic, socioeconomic, and health status variables. Primary findings include: Seventy-eight percent of Medicare beneficiaries have private supplementary insurance; 25 percent of those with private insurance hold more than one policy. The average premium paid for private insurance in 1992 was $914. PMID:10153473

Bistable intrinsic charge fluctuations of a dust grain subject to secondary electron emission in a plasma.

PubMed

Shotorban, B

2015-10-01

A master equation was formulated to study intrinsic charge fluctuations of a grain in a plasma as ions and primary electrons are attached to the grain through collisional collection, and secondary electrons are emitted from the grain. Two different plasmas with Maxwellian and non-Maxwellian distributions were considered. The fluctuations could be bistable in either plasma when the secondary electron emission is present, as two stable macrostates, associated with two stable roots of the charge net current, may exist. Metastablity of fluctuations, manifested by the passage of the grain charge between two macrostates, was shown to be possible.

Line-of-sight structure toward strong lensing galaxy clusters

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

Bayliss, Matthew B.; Johnson, Traci; Sharon, Keren

2014-03-01

We present an analysis of the line-of-sight structure toward a sample of 10 strong lensing cluster cores. Structure is traced by groups that are identified spectroscopically in the redshift range, 0.1 ≤ z ≤ 0.9, and we measure the projected angular and comoving separations between each group and the primary strong lensing clusters in each corresponding line of sight. From these data we measure the distribution of projected angular separations between the primary strong lensing clusters and uncorrelated large-scale structure as traced by groups. We then compare the observed distribution of angular separations for our strong lensing selected lines ofmore » sight against the distribution of groups that is predicted for clusters lying along random lines of sight. There is clear evidence for an excess of structure along the line of sight at small angular separations (θ ≤ 6') along the strong lensing selected lines of sight, indicating that uncorrelated structure is a significant systematic that contributes to producing galaxy clusters with large cross sections for strong lensing. The prevalence of line-of-sight structure is one of several biases in strong lensing clusters that can potentially be folded into cosmological measurements using galaxy cluster samples. These results also have implications for current and future studies—such as the Hubble Space Telescope Frontier Fields—that make use of massive galaxy cluster lenses as precision cosmological telescopes; it is essential that the contribution of line-of-sight structure be carefully accounted for in the strong lens modeling of the cluster lenses.« less

Pediatricians’ Self-Reported Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices about Child Passenger Safety

PubMed Central

Zonfrillo, Mark R.; Sauber-Schatz, Erin K.; Hoffman, Benjamin D.; Durbin, Dennis R.

2014-01-01

Objective To evaluate pediatricians’ self-reported knowledge, attitudes, and dissemination practices regarding the new American Academy of Pediatrics’ (AAP) child passenger safety (CPS) policy recommendations. Study design A cross-sectional survey was distributed to pediatric primary care physicians via AAP e-mail distribution lists. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to current AAP CPS recommendations and the revised policy statement were ascertained. Results There were 718 respondents from 3497 physicians with active e-mail addresses, resulting in a 20.5% response rate, of which 533 were eligible based on the initial survey question. All 6 CPS knowledge and scenario-based items were answered correctly by 52.9% of the sample; these respondents were identified as the “high knowledge” group. Pediatricians with high knowledge were more likely to be female (P < .001), to have completed a pediatrics residency (vs medicine-pediatrics) (P = .03), and have a child between 4 and 7 years of age (P = .001). CPS information was distributed more frequently at routine health visits for patients 0-2 years of age vs those 4-12 years of age. Those with high knowledge were less likely to report several specific barriers to dissemination of CPS information, more likely to allot adequate time and discuss CPS with parents, and had greater confidence for topics related to all CPS topics. Conclusions Although CPS knowledge is generally high among respondents, gaps in knowledge still exist. Knowledge is associated with attitudes, practices, barriers, and facilitators of CPS guideline dissemination. These results identify opportunities to increase knowledge and implement strategies to routinely disseminate CPS information in the primary care setting. PMID:25195160

Development of an integrated endoscopic device for multiplexed low coherence interferometry measurements of microbicide gel coating thickness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drake, Tyler K.; Robles, Francisco E.; DeSoto, Michael; Henderson, Marcus H.; Katz, David F.; Wax, Adam P.

2009-02-01

Microbicide gels are topical products that have recently been developed to combat sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS. The extent of gel coverage, thickness, and structure are crucial factors in gel effectiveness. It is necessary to be able to monitor gel distribution and behavior under various circumstances, such as coatis, and over an extended time scale in vivo. We have developed a multiplexed, Fourier-domain low coherence interferometry (LCI) system as a practical method of measuring microbicide gel distribution, with precision and accuracy comparable to currently used fluorometric techniques techniques. The multiplexed system achieved a broad scanning area without the need for a mechanical scanning device, typical of OCT systems, by utilizing six parallel channels with simultaneous data collection. We now propose an imaging module which will allow the integration of the multiplexed LCI system into the current fluorescence system in conjunction with an endoscope. The LCI imaging module will meet several key criteria in order to be compatible with the current system. The fluorescent system features a 4-mm diameter rigid endsoscope enclosed in a 27-mm diameter polycarbonate tube, with a water immersion tip. Therefore, the LCI module must be low-profile as well as water-resistant to fit inside the current design. It also must fulfill its primary function of delivering light from each of the six channels to the gel and collecting backscattered light. The performance of the imaging module will be characterized by scanning a calibration socket which contains grooves of known depths, and comparing these measurements to the fluorometric results.

Reverse current in solar flares

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knight, J. W.; Sturrock, P. A.

1977-01-01

We examine the proposal that impulsive X-ray bursts are produced by high-energy electrons streaming from the corona to the chromosphere. It is known that the currents associated with these streams are so high that either the streams do not exist or their current is neutralized by a reverse current. Analysis of a simple model in which the reverse current is stable indicates that the primary electron stream leads to the development of an electric field in the ambient corona which (a) decelerates the primary beam and (b) produces a neutralizing reverse current. It appears that, in some circumstances, this electric field could prevent the primary beam from reaching the chromosphere. In any case, the electric field acts as an energy exchange mechanism, extracting kinetic energy from the primary beam and using it to heat the ambient plasma. This heating is typically so rapid that it must be expected to have important dynamical consequences.

Physiological and modeling evidence for focal transcranial electrical brain stimulation in humans: A basis for high-definition tDCS

PubMed Central

Edwards, Dylan; Cortes, Mar; Datta, Abhishek; Minhas, Preet; Wassermann, Eric M.; Bikson, Marom

2015-01-01

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive, low-cost, well-tolerated technique producing lasting modulation of cortical excitability. Behavioral and therapeutic outcomes of tDCS are linked to the targeted brain regions, but there is little evidence that current reaches the brain as intended. We aimed to: (1) validate a computational model for estimating cortical electric fields in human transcranial stimulation, and (2) assess the magnitude and spread of cortical electric field with a novel High-Definition tDCS (HD-tDCS) scalp montage using a 4×1-Ring electrode configuration. In three healthy adults, Transcranial Electrical Stimulation (TES) over primary motor cortex (M1) was delivered using the 4×1 montage (4× cathode, surrounding a single central anode; montage radius ~3 cm) with sufficient intensity to elicit a discrete muscle twitch in the hand. The estimated current distribution in M1 was calculated using the individualized MRI-based model, and compared with the observed motor response across subjects. The response magnitude was quantified with stimulation over motor cortex as well as anterior and posterior to motor cortex. In each case the model data were consistent with the motor response across subjects. The estimated cortical electric fields with the 4×1 montage were compared (area, magnitude, direction) for TES and tDCS in each subject. We provide direct evidence in humans that TES with a 4×1-Ring configuration can activate motor cortex and that current does not substantially spread outside the stimulation area. Computational models predict that both TES and tDCS waveforms using the 4×1-Ring configuration generate electric fields in cortex with comparable gross current distribution, and preferentially directed normal (inward) currents. The agreement of modeling and experimental data for both current delivery and focality support the use of the HD-tDCS 4×1-Ring montage for cortically targeted neuromodulation. PMID:23370061

Auxiliary propulsion technology for advanced Earth-to-orbit vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schneider, Steven J.

1987-01-01

The payload which can be delivered to orbit by advanced Earth-to-Orbit vehicles is significantly increased by advanced subsystem technology. Any weight which can be saved by advanced subsystem design can be converted to payload at Main Engine Cut Off (MECO) given the same launch vehicle performance. The auxiliary propulsion subsystem and the impetus for the current hydrogen/oxygen technology program is examined. A review of the auxiliary propulsion requirements of advanced Earth-to-Orbit (ETO) vehicles and their proposed missions is given first. Then the performance benefits of hydrogen/oxygen auxiliary propulsion are illustrated using current shuttle data. The proposed auxiliary propulsion subsystem implementation includes liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen (LH2/LO2) primary Reaction Control System (RCS) engines and gaseous hydrogen/gaseous oxygen (GH2/GO2) vernier RCS engines. A distribution system for the liquid cryogens to the engines is outlined. The possibility of providing one dual-phase engine that can operate on either liquid or gaseous propellants is being explored, as well as the simultaneous firing of redundant primary RCS thrusters to provide Orbital Maneuvering System (OMS) level impulse. Scavenging of propellants from integral main engine tankage is proposed to utilize main engine tank residuals and to combine launch vehicle and subsystem reserves.

Teachers' Perception of Distributed Leadership in Hong Kong Primary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wan, Sally Wai-Yan; Law, Edmond Hau-Fai; Chan, Keith Ki

2018-01-01

The purpose of the study is to examine Hong Kong teachers' perceptions of distributed leadership. Data were collected from six primary schools with a total of 155 teachers responding to a self-developed survey. Descriptive, reliability, and MANOVA data analyses were done with the application of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS)…

Distribution of Primary School Enrollments in Eastern Africa. World Bank Staff Working Papers Number 511.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maas, Jacob van Lutsenburg; Criel, Geert

Distribution of primary school enrollments within and among 15 countries of the Eastern African region was examined by drawing exclusively on routine annual statistics and by emphasizing simple computer-generated indicators. In its first phase, the study made inter-country comparisons that indicated which countries and which areas in the region…

Reliability and sensitivity analysis of a system with multiple unreliable service stations and standby switching failures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ke, Jyh-Bin; Lee, Wen-Chiung; Wang, Kuo-Hsiung

2007-07-01

This paper presents the reliability and sensitivity analysis of a system with M primary units, W warm standby units, and R unreliable service stations where warm standby units switching to the primary state might fail. Failure times of primary and warm standby units are assumed to have exponential distributions, and service times of the failed units are exponentially distributed. In addition, breakdown times and repair times of the service stations also follow exponential distributions. Expressions for system reliability, RY(t), and mean time to system failure, MTTF are derived. Sensitivity analysis, relative sensitivity analysis of the system reliability and the mean time to failure, with respect to system parameters are also investigated.

Effect of Axially Staged Fuel Introduction on Performance of One-quarter Sector of Annular Turbojet Combustor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zettle, Eugene V; Mark, Herman

1953-01-01

The design principle of injecting liquid fuel at more than one axial station in an annual turbojet combustor was investigated. Fuel was injected into the combustor as much as 5 inches downstream of the primary fuel injectors. Many fuel-injection configurations were examined and the performance results are presented for 11 configurations that best demonstrate the trends in performance obtained. The performance investigations were made at a constant combustor-inlet pressure of 15 inches of mercury absolute and at air flows up to 70 percent higher than values typical of current design practice. At these higher air flows, staging the fuel introduction improved the combustion efficiency considerably over that obtained in the combustor when no fuel staging was employed. At air flows currently encountered in turbojet engines, fuel staging was of minor value. Radial temperature distribution seemed relatively unaffected by the location of fuel-injection stations.

Space and biotechnology: An industry profile

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnston, Richard S.; Norton, David J.; Tom, Baldwin H.

1988-01-01

The results of a study conducted by the Center for Space and Advanced Technology (CSAT) for NASA-JSC are presented. The objectives were to determine the interests and attitudes of the U.S. biotechnology industry toward space biotechnology and to prepare a concise review of the current activities of the biotechnology industry. In order to accomplish these objectives, two primary actions were taken. First, a questionnaire was designed, reviewed, and distributed to U.S. biotechnology companies. Second, reviews of the various biotechnology fields were prepared in several aspects of the industry. For each review, leading figures in the field were asked to prepare a brief review pointing out key trends and current industry technical problems. The result is a readable narrative of the biotechnology industry which will provide space scientists and engineers valuable clues as to where the space environment can be explored to advance the U.S. biotechnology industry.

Sparse matrix methods research using the CSM testbed software system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chu, Eleanor; George, J. Alan

1989-01-01

Research is described on sparse matrix techniques for the Computational Structural Mechanics (CSM) Testbed. The primary objective was to compare the performance of state-of-the-art techniques for solving sparse systems with those that are currently available in the CSM Testbed. Thus, one of the first tasks was to become familiar with the structure of the testbed, and to install some or all of the SPARSPAK package in the testbed. A suite of subroutines to extract from the data base the relevant structural and numerical information about the matrix equations was written, and all the demonstration problems distributed with the testbed were successfully solved. These codes were documented, and performance studies comparing the SPARSPAK technology to the methods currently in the testbed were completed. In addition, some preliminary studies were done comparing some recently developed out-of-core techniques with the performance of the testbed processor INV.

Development of a community cancer education program: the Forsyth County, NC cervical cancer prevention project.

PubMed

Michielutte, R; Dignan, M B; Wells, H B; Young, L D; Jackson, D S; Sharp, P C

1989-01-01

The authors outline the development and implementation of a public health education program for cervical cancer screening among black women in Forsyth County, NC. The educational program includes distributing electronic and printed information media messages, a program of direct education for women, and providing information on current issues in cervical screening to primary-care physicians. Program development was based on social marketing principles, the PRECEDE model, and the communication-behavior change (CBC) model. Since a true experimental design was not feasible, program evaluation is based on several complementary quasi-experimental designs. Analysis of baseline data indicate that the county where the intervention is taking place, and the control county, are similar with respect to both demographic characteristics and the current level of screening activity. Preliminary results indicate that the program has been successful in raising women's level of awareness of cervical cancer and cervical screening.

Simultaneous measurements of auroral particles and electric currents by a rocket-borne instrument system - Introductory remarks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, H. R.; Cloutier, P. A.

1975-01-01

A rocket-borne experiment package has been designed to obtain simultaneous in situ measurements of the pitch angle distributions and energy spectra of primary auroral particles, the flux of neutral hydrogen at auroral energies, the electric currents flowing in the vicinity of the auroral arc as determined from vector magnetic data, and the modulation of precipitating electrons in the frequency range 0.5-10 MHz. The experiment package was launched by a Nike-Tomahawk rocket from Poker Flat, Alaska, at 0722 UT on Feb. 25, 1972, over a bright auroral band. This paper is intended to serve as an introduction to the detailed discussion of results given in the companion papers. As such it includes a brief review of the general problem, a discussion of the rocket instrumentation, a delineation of the auroral and geomagnetic conditions at the time of launch, and comments on the overall payload performance.

SMART-1, Platform Design and Project Status

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sjoberg, F.

SMART-1 is the first of the Small Missions for Advanced Research and Technology (SMART), an element of ESA's Horizons 2000 plan for scientific projects. These missions aim at testing key technologies for future Cornerstone missions. The mission of SMART-1 is the flight demonstration of Electric Primary Propulsion for a scientifically relevant deep space trajectory. More specifically, SMART-1 will be launched into a geostationary transfer orbit and use a single ion thruster to achieve lunar orbit. include: -A modern avionics architecture with a clean-cut control hierarchy -Extensive Failure Detection, Isolation and Recovery (FDIR) capabilities following the control hierarchy of the -An advanced power control and distribution system -A newly developed gimbal mechanism for the orientation of the electric ion thruster The project is currently in the FM AIT phase scheduled for launch in late 2002. The paper will describe the SMART- 1 spacecraft platform design as well as the current project and spacecraft verification status.

Net current control device. Final report

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

Fugate, D.; Cooper, J.H.

1998-11-01

Net currents generally result in elevated magnetic fields because the alternate paths are distant from the circuit conductors. Investigations have shown that one of the primary sources of power frequency magnetic fields in residential buildings is currents that return to their source via paths other than the neutral conductors. As part of EPRI`s Magnetic Field Shielding Project, ferromagnetic devices, called net current control (NCC) devices, were developed and tested for use in reducing net currents on electric power cables and the resulting magnetic fields. Applied to a residential service drop, an NCC device reduces net current by forcing current offmore » local non-utility ground paths, and back onto the neutral conductor. Circuit models and basic design equations for the NCC concept were developed, and proof-of-principles tests were carried out on an actual residence with cooperation from the local utility. After proving the basic concepts, three prototype NCC devices were built and tested on a simulated neighborhood power system. Additional prototypes were built for testing by interested EPRI utility members. Results have shown that the NCC prototypes installed on residential service drops reduce net currents to milliampere levels with compromising the safety of the ground system. Although the focus was on application to residential service cables, the NCC concept is applicable to single-phase and three-phase distribution systems as well.« less

Combustor with two stage primary fuel assembly

DOEpatents

Sharifi, Mehran; Zolyomi, Wendel; Whidden, Graydon Lane

2000-01-01

A combustor for a gas turbine having first and second passages for pre-mixing primary fuel and air supplied to a primary combustion zone. The flow of fuel to the first and second pre-mixing passages is separately regulated using a single annular fuel distribution ring having first and second row of fuel discharge ports. The interior portion of the fuel distribution ring is divided by a baffle into first and second fuel distribution manifolds and is located upstream of the inlets to the two pre-mixing passages. The annular fuel distribution ring is supplied with fuel by an annular fuel supply manifold, the interior portion of which is divided by a baffle into first and second fuel supply manifolds. A first flow of fuel is regulated by a first control valve and directed to the first fuel supply manifold, from which the fuel is distributed to first fuel supply tubes that direct it to the first fuel distribution manifold. From the first fuel distribution manifold, the first flow of fuel is distributed to the first row of fuel discharge ports, which direct it into the first pre-mixing passage. A second flow of fuel is regulated by a second control valve and directed to the second fuel supply manifold, from which the fuel is distributed to second fuel supply tubes that direct it to the second fuel distribution manifold. From the second fuel distribution manifold, the second flow of fuel is distributed to the second row of fuel discharge ports, which direct it into the second pre-mixing passage.

Size distributions of secondary and primary aerosols in Asia: A 3-D modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, F.; Luo, G.; Wang, Z.

2009-12-01

Asian aerosols have received increasing attention because of their potential health and climate effects and the rapid increasing of Asian emissions associated with accelerating economic expansion. Aerosol particles appear in the atmosphere due to either in-situ nucleation (i.e, secondary particles) or direct emissions (i.e., primary particles), and their environmental impacts depend strongly on their concentrations, sizes, compositions, and mixing states. A size-resolved (sectional) particle microphysics model with a number of computationally efficient schemes has been incorporated into a global chemistry transport model (GEOS-Chem) to simulate the number size distributions of secondary and primary particles in the troposphere (Yu and Luo, Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., 9, 10597-10645, 2009). The growth of nucleated particles through the condensation of sulfuric acid vapor and equilibrium uptake of nitrate, ammonium, and secondary organic aerosol is explicitly simulated, along with the coating of primary particles (dust, black carbon, organic carbon, and sea salt) by volatile components via condensation and coagulation with secondary particles. Here we look into the spatiotemporal variations of the size distributions of secondary and primary aerosols in Asia. The annual mean number concentration of the accumulation mode particles (dry diameter > ~ 100 nm) in the lower troposphere over Asia (especially China) is very high and is dominated (~70-90%) by carbonaceous primary particles (with coated condensable species). Coagulation and condensation turn the primary particles into mixed particles and on average increase the dry sizes of primary particles by a factor of ~ 2-2.5. Despite of high condensation sink, sulfuric acid vapor concentration in many parts of Asian low troposphere is very high (annual mean values above 1E7/cm3) and significant new particle formation still occurs. Secondary particles generally dominate the particles small than 100 nm and the equilibrium uptake of nitrate, ammonium, and secondary organic aerosol contributes significantly to the growth of these particles. The vertical profiles of particle number size distributions at representative locations show significant spatial variations (both horizontally and vertically). Our simulations also indicate substantial seasonal variations of particle size distributions.

Primary phonological planning units in spoken word production are language-specific: Evidence from an ERP study.

PubMed

Wang, Jie; Wong, Andus Wing-Kuen; Wang, Suiping; Chen, Hsuan-Chih

2017-07-19

It is widely acknowledged in Germanic languages that segments are the primary planning units at the phonological encoding stage of spoken word production. Mixed results, however, have been found in Chinese, and it is still unclear what roles syllables and segments play in planning Chinese spoken word production. In the current study, participants were asked to first prepare and later produce disyllabic Mandarin words upon picture prompts and a response cue while electroencephalogram (EEG) signals were recorded. Each two consecutive pictures implicitly formed a pair of prime and target, whose names shared the same word-initial atonal syllable or the same word-initial segments, or were unrelated in the control conditions. Only syllable repetition induced significant effects on event-related brain potentials (ERPs) after target onset: a widely distributed positivity in the 200- to 400-ms interval and an anterior positivity in the 400- to 600-ms interval. We interpret these to reflect syllable-size representations at the phonological encoding and phonetic encoding stages. Our results provide the first electrophysiological evidence for the distinct role of syllables in producing Mandarin spoken words, supporting a language specificity hypothesis about the primary phonological units in spoken word production.

Martian cratering 11. Utilizing decameter scale crater populations to study Martian history

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartmann, W. K.; Daubar, I. J.

2017-03-01

New information has been obtained in recent years regarding formation rates and the production size-frequency distribution (PSFD) of decameter-scale primary Martian craters formed during recent orbiter missions. Here we compare the PSFD of the currently forming small primaries (P) with new data on the PSFD of the total small crater population that includes primaries and field secondaries (P + fS), which represents an average over longer time periods. The two data sets, if used in a combined manner, have extraordinary potential for clarifying not only the evolutionary history and resurfacing episodes of small Martian geological formations (as small as one or few km2) but also possible episodes of recent climatic change. In response to recent discussions of statistical methodologies, we point out that crater counts do not produce idealized statistics, and that inherent uncertainties limit improvements that can be made by more sophisticated statistical analyses. We propose three mutually supportive procedures for interpreting crater counts of small craters in this context. Applications of these procedures support suggestions that topographic features in upper meters of mid-latitude ice-rich areas date only from the last few periods of extreme Martian obliquity, and associated predicted climate excursions.

Primary health care in the Czech Republic: brief history and current issues

PubMed Central

Holcik, Jan; Koupilova, Ilona

2000-01-01

Abstract The objective of this paper is to describe the recent history, current situation and perspectives for further development of the integrated system of primary care in the Czech Republic. The role of primary care in the whole health care system is discussed and new initiatives aimed at strengthening and integrating primary care are outlined. Changes brought about by the recent reform processes are generally seen as favourable, however, a lack of integration of health services under the current system is causing various kinds of problems. A new strategy for development of primary care in the Czech Republic encourages integration of care and defines primary care as co-ordinated and complex care provided at the level of the first contact of an individual with the health care system. PMID:16902697

The behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) syndrome in psychiatry

PubMed Central

Lanata, Serggio C; Miller, Bruce L

2016-01-01

The primary goal of this article is to critically discuss the syndromic overlap that exists between early behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD)—the most common clinical syndrome associated with frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD)—and several primary psychiatric disorders. We begin by summarising the current state of knowledge regarding FTLD, including the recent discovery of FTLD-causative genetic mutations. Clinicopathological correlations in FTLD are subsequently discussed, while emphasising that clinical syndromes of FTD are dictated by the distribution of FTLD pathology in the brain. We then review a large number of cases with suspected and confirmed bvFTD that had previously been diagnosed with a primary psychiatric disorder. The clinical and neuroscientific implications of this overlap are discussed, focusing on the importance of early diagnosis for clinical and therapeutic reasons. We propose that largely due to the paucity of biomarkers for primary psychiatric disorders, and the limited use of FTLD-related biomarkers by psychiatrists at present, it is very difficult to separate patients with early bvFTD from those with primary psychiatric disorders based on clinical grounds. Furthermore, specific limitations of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) 5 criteria for bvFTD may inadvertently discourage recognition of bvFTD in mental health settings. Clinically, more research is needed to develop tools that allow early differentiation of bvFTD from primary psychiatric disease, as bvFTD therapies will likely be most effective in the earliest stages of disease. From a neuroscience perspective, we argue that bvFTD provides an excellent paradigm for investigating the neural basis of psychiatric disorders. PMID:26216940

A 9-year comparison of practice profiles of candidates for primary and recertification examinations of the American Board of Plastic Surgery relative to economic indicators.

PubMed

Gosain, Arun K; Haller, Harold S; Lee, Michelle; Cullison, Terry M; Noone, R Barrett

2013-03-01

This study compared the practice profiles of plastic surgeons applying for recertification/maintenance of certification with those applying for primary certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery between 2003 and 2011. American Board of Plastic Surgery case logs from both recertification and primary certification candidates from 2003 to 2011 were examined. Deidentified data included operative year, Current Procedural Terminology codes, and the candidate's designation of the case relative to (1) cosmetic or reconstructive and (2) the Maintenance of Certification in Plastic Surgery module (i.e., comprehensive, cosmetic, craniomaxillofacial, and hand). Department of Commerce unemployment data from 2003 to 2011 served as an economic indicator for the period studied. A negative trend in the median number of cases per candidate was observed for both groups for cosmetic, reconstructive, and total number of cases, corresponding to a rise in unemployment. With every 1 percent increase in the unemployment rate, recertification candidates demonstrated a greater loss of cosmetic cases relative to primary candidates and an accelerated decline in reconstructive cases starting in 2007. Distribution of the four Maintenance of Certification modules demonstrated a negative trend for cosmetic and comprehensive cases in both groups. Hand and craniofacial consistently constituted approximately 20 percent of cases for primary and 14 percent of cases for recertification candidates. There was a shift away from hand cases toward craniofacial cases in both groups. Both primary and recertification candidates reported a decline in overall caseload from 2003 to 2011. Negative economic trends have a greater impact on the practice profile of recertification candidates.

Skin dose mapping for non-uniform x-ray fields using a backscatter point spread function

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vijayan, Sarath; Xiong, Zhenyu; Shankar, Alok; Rudin, Stephen; Bednarek, Daniel R.

2017-03-01

Beam shaping devices like ROI attenuators and compensation filters modulate the intensity distribution of the xray beam incident on the patient. This results in a spatial variation of skin dose due to the variation of primary radiation and also a variation in backscattered radiation from the patient. To determine the backscatter component, backscatter point spread functions (PSF) are generated using EGS Monte-Carlo software. For this study, PSF's were determined by simulating a 1 mm beam incident on the lateral surface of an anthropomorphic head phantom and a 20 cm thick PMMA block phantom. The backscatter PSF's for the head phantom and PMMA phantom are curve fit with a Lorentzian function after being normalized to the primary dose intensity (PSFn). PSFn is convolved with the primary dose distribution to generate the scatter dose distribution, which is added to the primary to obtain the total dose distribution. The backscatter convolution technique is incorporated in the dose tracking system (DTS), which tracks skin dose during fluoroscopic procedures and provides a color map of the dose distribution on a 3D patient graphic model. A convolution technique is developed for the backscatter dose determination for the nonuniformly spaced graphic-model surface vertices. A Gafchromic film validation was performed for shaped x-ray beams generated with an ROI attenuator and with two compensation filters inserted into the field. The total dose distribution calculated by the backscatter convolution technique closely agreed with that measured with the film.

West meets East: How do rainforest beetles become circum-Pacific? Evolutionary origin of Callipogon relictus and allied species (Cerambycidae: Prioninae) in the New and Old Worlds.

PubMed

Kim, Sangil; de Medeiros, Bruno A S; Byun, Bong-Kyu; Lee, Seunghwan; Kang, Jung-Hoon; Lee, Bongwoo; Farrell, Brian D

2018-08-01

The longhorn beetle genus Callipogon Audinet-Serville represents a small group of large wood-boring beetles whose distribution pattern exhibits a unique trans-Pacific disjunction between the East Asian temperate rainforest and the tropical rainforest of the Neotropics. To understand the biogeographic history underlying this circum-Pacific disjunct distribution, we reconstructed a molecular phylogeny of the subfamily Prioninae with extensive sampling of Callipogon using multilocus sequence data of 99 prionine and four parandrine samples (ingroups), together with two distant outgroup species. Our sampling of Callipogon includes 18 of the 24 currently accepted species, with complete representation of all species in our focal subgenera. Our phylogenetic analyses confirmed the purported affinity between the Palearctic Callipogon relictus and its Neotropical congeners. Furthermore, based on molecular dating under the fossilized birth-death (FBD) model with comprehensive fossil records and probabilistic ancestral range reconstructions, we estimated the crown group Callipogon to have originated in the Paleocene circa 60 million years ago (Ma) across the Neotropics and Eastern Palearctics. The divergence between the Palearctic C. relictus and its Neotropical congeners is explained as the result of a vicariance event following the demise of boreotropical forest across Beringia at the Eocene-Oligocene boundary. As C. relictus represents the unique relictual species that evidentiates the lineage's expansive ancient distribution, we evaluated its conservation importance through species distribution modelling. Though we estimated a range expansion for C. relictus by 2050, we emphasize a careful implementation of conservation programs towards the protection of primary forest across its current habitats, as the species remains highly vulnerable to habitat disturbance. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Distinct cellular distributions of Kv4 pore-forming and auxiliary subunits in rat dorsal root ganglion neurons.

PubMed

Matsuyoshi, Hiroko; Takimoto, Koichi; Yunoki, Takakazu; Erickson, Vickie L; Tyagi, Pradeep; Hirao, Yoshihiko; Wanaka, Akio; Yoshimura, Naoki

2012-09-17

Dorsal root ganglia contain heterogeneous populations of primary afferent neurons that transmit various sensory stimuli. This functional diversity may be correlated with differential expression of voltage-gated K(+) (Kv) channels. Here, we examine cellular distributions of Kv4 pore-forming and ancillary subunits that are responsible for fast-inactivating A-type K(+) current. Expression pattern of Kv α-subunit, β-subunit and auxiliary subunit was investigated using immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization and RT-PCR technique. The two pore-forming subunits Kv4.1 and Kv4.3 show distinct cellular distributions: Kv4.3 is predominantly in small-sized C-fiber neurons, whereas Kv4.1 is seen in DRG neurons in various sizes. Furthermore, the two classes of Kv4 channel auxiliary subunits are also distributed in different-sized cells. KChIP3 is the only significantly expressed Ca(2+)-binding cytosolic ancillary subunit in DRGs and present in medium to large-sized neurons. The membrane-spanning auxiliary subunit DPP6 is seen in a large number of DRG neurons in various sizes, whereas DPP10 is restricted in small-sized neurons. Distinct combinations of Kv4 pore-forming and auxiliary subunits may constitute A-type channels in DRG neurons with different physiological roles. Kv4.1 subunit, in combination with KChIP3 and/or DPP6, form A-type K(+) channels in medium to large-sized A-fiber DRG neurons. In contrast, Kv4.3 and DPP10 may contribute to A-type K(+) current in non-peptidergic, C-fiber somatic afferent neurons. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Reverse Current in Solar Flares

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knight, J. W.; Sturrock, P. A.

1976-01-01

The theory that impulsive X ray bursts are produced by high energy electrons streaming from the corona to the chromosphere is investigated. Currents associated with these streams are so high that either the streams do not exist or their current is neutralized by a reverse current. Analysis of a simple model indicates that the primary electron stream leads to the development of an electric field in the ambient corona which decelerates the primary beam and produces a neutralizing reverse current. It appears that, in some circumstances, this electric field could prevent the primary beam from reaching the chromosphere. In any case, the electric field acts as an energy exchange mechanism, extracting kinetic energy from the primary beam and using it to heat the ambient plasma. This heating is typically so rapid that it must be expected to have important dynamical consequences.

Forecasting Workload for Defense Logistics Agency Distribution

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-12-01

Distribution workload ...........................18 Monthly DD Sales for the four primary supply chains ( Avn , Land, Maritime, Ind HW) plotted to...average AVN Aviation BSM Business Systems Modernization CIT consumable items transfer C&E Construction and Equipment C&T Clothing...992081.437 See Figure 2 below for the graphical output of the linear regression. Monthly DD Sales for the four primary supply chains ( Avn , Land

Relations between Value-Based Leadership and Distributed Leadership: A Casual Research on School Principles' Behaviors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baloglu, Nuri

2012-01-01

In this study, the relations between value-based leadership and distributed leadership behaviors of school principals were defined on the basis of the views of the primary school teachers. A casual research was designed for this. 225 primary school teachers were took part in study group determined the maximum variation sampling method. Data were…

Primary Productivity Regime and Nutrient Removal in the Danube Estuary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Humborg, C.

1997-11-01

The primary productivity regime, as well as the distribution of dissolved inorganic nutrients and particulate organic matter in the Danube estuary, were investigated during several cruises at different discharge regimes of the Danube River. The shallowness of the upper surface layer due to insignificant tidal mixing and strong stratification of the Danube estuary, as well as the high nutrient concentrations, are favourable for elevated primary production. The incident light levels at the bottom of the upper surface layer of the water column (0·5-3·0 m) were generally higher than 20% of the surface irradiance. Elevated chlorophyll (Chl) aconcentrations with maxima at mid salinities were found during each survey. Within the upper mixed layer estimated primary production of 0·2-4·4 g m-2day-1is very high compared with estuaries of other major world rivers. Mixing diagrams of dissolved inorganic nutrients reveal removal of significant quantities of nutrients during estuarine mixing. These observations were consistent with the distribution of particular organic matter, which was negatively correlated to the nutrient distribution during each survey. C:Chl aratios, as well as the elevated estimated production, indicate that biological transformation processes govern the nutrient distribution in this estuary.

The Italian primary school-size distribution and the city-size: a complex nexus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belmonte, Alessandro; di Clemente, Riccardo; Buldyrev, Sergey V.

2014-06-01

We characterize the statistical law according to which Italian primary school-size distributes. We find that the school-size can be approximated by a log-normal distribution, with a fat lower tail that collects a large number of very small schools. The upper tail of the school-size distribution decreases exponentially and the growth rates are distributed with a Laplace PDF. These distributions are similar to those observed for firms and are consistent with a Bose-Einstein preferential attachment process. The body of the distribution features a bimodal shape suggesting some source of heterogeneity in the school organization that we uncover by an in-depth analysis of the relation between schools-size and city-size. We propose a novel cluster methodology and a new spatial interaction approach among schools which outline the variety of policies implemented in Italy. Different regional policies are also discussed shedding lights on the relation between policy and geographical features.

Programmes for advance distribution of misoprostol to prevent post-partum haemorrhage: a rapid literature review of factors affecting implementation.

PubMed

Smith, Helen J; Colvin, Christopher J; Richards, Esther; Roberson, Jeffrey; Sharma, Geeta; Thapa, Kusum; Gülmezoglu, A Metin

2016-02-01

Recent efforts to prevent post-partum haemorrhage (PPH) in low-income countries have focused on providing women with access to oral misoprostol during home birth. The WHO recommends using lay health workers (LHWs) to administer misoprostol in settings where skilled birth attendants are not available. This review synthesizes current knowledge about the barriers and facilitators affecting implementation of advance community distribution of misoprostol to prevent PPH, where misoprostol may be self-administered or administered by an LHW.We searched for and summarized available empirical evidence, and collected primary data from programme stakeholders about their experiences of programme implementation.We present key outcomes and features of advanced distribution programmes that are in operation or have been piloted globally. We categorized factors influencing implementation into those that operate at the health system level, factors related to the community and policy context and those factors more closely connected to the end user.Debates around advance distribution have centred on the potential risks and benefits of making misoprostol available to pregnant women and community members during pregnancy for administration in the home. However, the risks of advance distribution appear manageable and the benefits of self-administration, especially for women who have little chance of expert care for PPH, are considerable. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Clinical grade adult stem cell banking

PubMed Central

Thirumala, Sreedhar; Goebel, W Scott

2009-01-01

There has been a great deal of scientific interest recently generated by the potential therapeutic applications of adult stem cells in human care but there are several challenges regarding quality and safety in clinical applications and a number of these challenges relate to the processing and banking of these cells ex-vivo. As the number of clinical trials and the variety of adult cells used in regenerative therapy increases, safety remains a primary concern. This has inspired many nations to formulate guidelines and standards for the quality of stem cell collection, processing, testing, banking, packaging and distribution. Clinically applicable cryopreservation and banking of adult stem cells offers unique opportunities to advance the potential uses and widespread implementation of these cells in clinical applications. Most current cryopreservation protocols include animal serum proteins and potentially toxic cryoprotectant additives (CPAs) that prevent direct use of these cells in human therapeutic applications. Long term cryopreservation of adult stem cells under good manufacturing conditions using animal product free solutions is critical to the widespread clinical implementation of ex-vivo adult stem cell therapies. Furthermore, to avoid any potential cryoprotectant related complications, reduced CPA concentrations and efficient post-thaw washing to remove CPA are also desirable. The present review focuses on the current strategies and important aspects of adult stem cell banking for clinical applications. These include current good manufacturing practices (cGMPs), animal protein free freezing solutions, cryoprotectants, freezing & thawing protocols, viability assays, packaging and distribution. The importance and benefits of banking clinical grade adult stem cells are also discussed. PMID:20046678

Snake species of the world: A taxonomic and geographic reference. v. 1

USGS Publications Warehouse

McDiarmid, R.W.; Campbell, J.A.; Toure, T.

1999-01-01

Given the absence of a current source on snake diversity and nomenclature and the expressed global need to understand better the diversity of our biota, we think that a catalogue of the world snake fauna complete with synonymies at the familial, generic, and specific levels is essential. We provide that here beginning with publication of the first volume. This compendium will facilitate comparative studies on the ecology, genetics, and behavior of snakes and, we hope, contribute to their conservation. At the very least, this work, when completed, will provide a readily available reference to the current taxonomic statuses and geographic distributions of snakes on a global scale. No comprehensive, up-to-date catalogue of snake species exists, and it is obvious that a detailed and inclusive treatment is long overdue. Snake Species of the World provides a comprehensive treatment of 31 families, 450 genera, and more than 2500 species of living snakes. The magnitude of the compilation requires publication in several volumes. This volume, the first of three, covers 682 species. A primary goal of this synthesis is to provide interested readers with a means for tracking scientific names that have been applied to a snake and determining the currently accepted name of that species. A secondary goal is to alert those interested in snakes as research subjects that in general many species are poorly known, that some have limited distributions, and that several are characterized by taxonomic problems.

Direct current transformer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Khanna, S. M.; Urban, E. W. (Inventor)

1979-01-01

A direct current transformer in which the primary consists of an elongated strip of superconductive material, across the ends of which is direct current potential is described. Parallel and closely spaced to the primary is positioned a transformer secondary consisting of a thin strip of magnetoresistive material.

Turkish Primary School Teachers' Perceptions of School Culture Regarding ICT Integration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tezci, Erdogan

2011-01-01

The current study aimed at identifying Turkish primary school teachers' perceptions of school culture regarding ICT integration in education. In addition, the current study was designed to investigate factors that might influence their perceptions. The participants were 1540 primary school teachers. The findings revealed that the teachers'…

Finite Control Set Model Predictive Control for Multiple Distributed Generators Microgrids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Babqi, Abdulrahman Jamal

This dissertation proposes two control strategies for AC microgrids that consist of multiple distributed generators (DGs). The control strategies are valid for both grid-connected and islanded modes of operation. In general, microgrid can operate as a stand-alone system (i.e., islanded mode) or while it is connected to the utility grid (i.e., grid connected mode). To enhance the performance of a micrgorid, a sophisticated control scheme should be employed. The control strategies of microgrids can be divided into primary and secondary controls. The primary control regulates the output active and reactive powers of each DG in grid-connected mode as well as the output voltage and frequency of each DG in islanded mode. The secondary control is responsible for regulating the microgrid voltage and frequency in the islanded mode. Moreover, it provides power sharing schemes among the DGs. In other words, the secondary control specifies the set points (i.e. reference values) for the primary controllers. In this dissertation, Finite Control Set Model Predictive Control (FCS-MPC) was proposed for controlling microgrids. FCS-MPC was used as the primary controller to regulate the output power of each DG (in the grid-connected mode) or the voltage of the point of DG coupling (in the islanded mode of operation). In the grid-connected mode, Direct Power Model Predictive Control (DPMPC) was implemented to manage the power flow between each DG and the utility grid. In the islanded mode, Voltage Model Predictive Control (VMPC), as the primary control, and droop control, as the secondary control, were employed to control the output voltage of each DG and system frequency. The controller was equipped with a supplementary current limiting technique in order to limit the output current of each DG in abnormal incidents. The control approach also enabled smooth transition between the two modes. The performance of the control strategy was investigated and verified using PSCAD/EMTDC software platform. This dissertation also proposes a control and power sharing strategy for small-scale microgrids in both grid-connected and islanded modes based on centralized FCS-MPC. In grid-connected mode, the controller was capable of managing the output power of each DG and enabling flexible power regulation between the microgrid and the utility grid. In islanded mode, the controller regulated the microgrid voltage and frequency, and provided a precise power sharing scheme among the DGs. In addition, the power sharing can be adjusted flexibly by changing the sharing ratio. The proposed control also enabled plug-and-play operation. Moreover, a smooth transition between the two modes of operation was achieved without any disturbance in the system. Case studies were carried out in order to validate the proposed control strategy with the PSCAD/EMTDA software package.

Developmental and Subcellular Organization of Single-Cell C₄ Photosynthesis in Bienertia sinuspersici Determined by Large-Scale Proteomics and cDNA Assembly from 454 DNA Sequencing.

PubMed

Offermann, Sascha; Friso, Giulia; Doroshenk, Kelly A; Sun, Qi; Sharpe, Richard M; Okita, Thomas W; Wimmer, Diana; Edwards, Gerald E; van Wijk, Klaas J

2015-05-01

Kranz C4 species strictly depend on separation of primary and secondary carbon fixation reactions in different cell types. In contrast, the single-cell C4 (SCC4) species Bienertia sinuspersici utilizes intracellular compartmentation including two physiologically and biochemically different chloroplast types; however, information on identity, localization, and induction of proteins required for this SCC4 system is currently very limited. In this study, we determined the distribution of photosynthesis-related proteins and the induction of the C4 system during development by label-free proteomics of subcellular fractions and leaves of different developmental stages. This was enabled by inferring a protein sequence database from 454 sequencing of Bienertia cDNAs. Large-scale proteome rearrangements were observed as C4 photosynthesis developed during leaf maturation. The proteomes of the two chloroplasts are different with differential accumulation of linear and cyclic electron transport components, primary and secondary carbon fixation reactions, and a triose-phosphate shuttle that is shared between the two chloroplast types. This differential protein distribution pattern suggests the presence of a mRNA or protein-sorting mechanism for nuclear-encoded, chloroplast-targeted proteins in SCC4 species. The combined information was used to provide a comprehensive model for NAD-ME type carbon fixation in SCC4 species.

Fractionation and current time trends of PCB congeners: evolvement of distributions 1950-2010 studied using a global atmosphere-ocean general circulation model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lammel, G.; Stemmler, I.

2012-05-01

PCBs are ubiquitous environmental pollutants expected to decline in abiotic environmental media in response to decreasing primary emissions since the 1970s. A coupled atmosphere-ocean general circulation model with embedded dynamic sub-models for atmospheric aerosols and the marine biogeochemistry and air-surface exchange processes with soils, vegetation and the cryosphere is used to study the transport and fate of four PCB congeners covering a range of 3-7 chlorine atoms. The change of the geographic distribution of the PCB mixture reflects the sources and sinks' evolvement over time. Globally, secondary emissions (re-volatilisation from surfaces) are on the long term increasingly gaining importance over primary emissions. They are most important for congeners of medium hydrophobicity (5-6 chlorine atoms). Their levels are predicted to decrease slowest. Congeners' fractionation is characterized both geographically and temporally. It causes enrichment of the lighter, less persistent congeners and more delayed decreasing levels in high latitudes in response to decreasing emissions. Delivery of contaminants to high latitudes is predicted to be more efficient than previously suggested. The results suggest furthermore that the effectiveness of emission control measures may significantly vary among substances: trends of decline in abiotic environmental media do not only vary with latitude (slow in high latitudes), but do also show longitudinal gradients

Individual differences in perceptual adaptability of foreign sound categories

PubMed Central

Schertz, Jessamyn; Cho, Taehong; Lotto, Andrew; Warner, Natasha

2015-01-01

Listeners possess a remarkable ability to adapt to acoustic variability in the realization of speech sound categories (e.g. different accents). The current work tests whether non-native listeners adapt their use of acoustic cues in phonetic categorization when they are confronted with changes in the distribution of cues in the input, as native listeners do, and examines to what extent these adaptation patterns are influenced by individual cue-weighting strategies. In line with previous work, native English listeners, who use VOT as a primary cue to the stop voicing contrast (e.g. ‘pa’ vs. ‘ba’), adjusted their use of f0 (a secondary cue to the contrast) when confronted with a noncanonical “accent” in which the two cues gave conflicting information about category membership. Native Korean listeners’ adaptation strategies, while variable, were predictable based on their initial cue weighting strategies. In particular, listeners who used f0 as the primary cue to category membership adjusted their use of VOT (their secondary cue) in response to the noncanonical accent, mirroring the native pattern of “downweighting” a secondary cue. Results suggest that non-native listeners show native-like sensitivity to distributional information in the input and use this information to adjust categorization, just as native listeners do, with the specific trajectory of category adaptation governed by initial cue-weighting strategies. PMID:26404530

Ion beam sputtering of Ag - Angular and energetic distributions of sputtered and scattered particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feder, René; Bundesmann, Carsten; Neumann, Horst; Rauschenbach, Bernd

2013-12-01

Ion beam sputter deposition (IBD) provides intrinsic features which influence the properties of the growing film, because ion properties and geometrical process conditions generate different energy and spatial distribution of the sputtered and scattered particles. A vacuum deposition chamber is set up to measure the energy and spatial distribution of secondary particles produced by ion beam sputtering of different target materials under variation of geometrical parameters (incidence angle of primary ions and emission angle of secondary particles) and of primary ion beam parameters (ion species and energies).

Distributed information system architecture for Primary Health Care.

PubMed

Grammatikou, M; Stamatelopoulos, F; Maglaris, B

2000-01-01

We present a distributed architectural framework for Primary Health Care (PHC) Centres. Distribution is handled through the introduction of the Roaming Electronic Health Care Record (R-EHCR) and the use of local caching and incremental update of a global index. The proposed architecture is designed to accommodate a specific PHC workflow model. Finally, we discuss a pilot implementation in progress, which is based on CORBA and web-based user interfaces. However, the conceptual architecture is generic and open to other middleware approaches like the DHE or HL7.

Multitarget transcranial direct current stimulation for freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Dagan, Moria; Herman, Talia; Harrison, Rachel; Zhou, Junhong; Giladi, Nir; Ruffini, Giulio; Manor, Brad; Hausdorff, Jeffrey M

2018-04-01

Recent findings suggest that transcranial direct current stimulation of the primary motor cortex may ameliorate freezing of gait. However, the effects of multitarget simultaneous stimulation of motor and cognitive networks are mostly unknown. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of multitarget transcranial direct current stimulation of the primary motor cortex and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex on freezing of gait and related outcomes. Twenty patients with Parkinson's disease and freezing of gait received 20 minutes of transcranial direct current stimulation on 3 separate visits. Transcranial direct current stimulation targeted the primary motor cortex and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex simultaneously, primary motor cortex only, or sham stimulation (order randomized and double-blinded assessments). Participants completed a freezing of gait-provoking test, the Timed Up and Go, and the Stroop test before and after each transcranial direct current stimulation session. Performance on the freezing of gait-provoking test (P = 0.010), Timed Up and Go (P = 0.006), and the Stroop test (P = 0.016) improved after simultaneous stimulation of the primary motor cortex and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, but not after primary motor cortex only or sham stimulation. Transcranial direct current stimulation designed to simultaneously target motor and cognitive regions apparently induces immediate aftereffects in the brain that translate into reduced freezing of gait and improvements in executive function and mobility. © 2018 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. © 2018 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Spatial distribution of aquatic marine fungi across the western Arctic and sub-arctic.

PubMed

Hassett, Brandon T; Ducluzeau, Anne-Lise L; Collins, Roy E; Gradinger, Rolf

2017-02-01

Fungi are important parasites of primary producers and nutrient cyclers in aquatic ecosystems. In the Pacific-Arctic domain, fungal parasitism is linked to light intensities and algal stress that can elevate disease incidence on algae and reduce diatom concentrations. Fungi are vastly understudied in the marine realm and knowledge of their function is constrained by the current understanding of fungal distribution and drivers on global scales. To investigate the spatial distribution of fungi in the western Arctic and sub-Arctic, we used high throughput methods to sequence 18S rRNA, cloned and sequenced 28S rRNA and microscopically counted chytrid-infected diatoms. We identified a broad distribution of fungal taxa predominated by Chytridiomycota and Dikarya. Phylogenetic analysis of our Chytridiomycota clones placed Arctic marine fungi sister to the order Lobulomycetales. This clade of fungi predominated in fungal communities under ice with low snowpack. Microscopic examination of fixed seawater and sea ice samples revealed chytrids parasitizing diatoms collected across the Arctic that notably infected 25% of a single diatom species in the Bering Sea. The Pezizomycotina comprised > 95% of eukaryotic sequence reads in Greenland, providing preliminary evidence for osmotrophs being a substitute for algae as the base of food webs. © 2016 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Distributions of vesicular glutamate transporters 1 and 2 in the visual system of tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri)1

PubMed Central

Balaram, P; Isaamullah, M; Petry, HM; Bickford, ME; Kaas, JH

2014-01-01

Vesicular glutamate transporter (VGLUT) proteins regulate the storage and release of glutamate from synapses of excitatory neurons. Two isoforms, VGLUT1 and VGLUT2, are found in most glutamatergic projections across the mammalian visual system, and appear to differentially identify subsets of excitatory projections between visual structures. To expand current knowledge on the distribution of VGLUT isoforms in highly visual mammals, we examined the mRNA and protein expression patterns of VGLUT1 and VGLUT2 in the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN), superior colliculus, pulvinar complex, and primary visual cortex (V1) in tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri), which are closely related to primates but classified as a separate order (Scandentia). We found that VGLUT1 was distributed in intrinsic and corticothalamic connections, whereas VGLUT2 was predominantly distributed in subcortical and thalamocortical connections. VGLUT1 and VGLUT2 were coexpressed in the LGN and in the pulvinar complex, as well as in restricted layers of V1, suggesting a greater heterogeneity in the range of efferent glutamatergic projections from these structures. These findings provide further evidence that VGLUT1 and VGLUT2 identify distinct populations of excitatory neurons in visual brain structures across mammals. Observed variations in individual projections may highlight the evolution of these connections through the mammalian lineage. PMID:25521420

Electrochemical energy storage device based on carbon dioxide as electroactive species

DOEpatents

Nemeth, Karoly; van Veenendaal, Michel Antonius; Srajer, George

2013-03-05

An electrochemical energy storage device comprising a primary positive electrode, a negative electrode, and one or more ionic conductors. The ionic conductors ionically connect the primary positive electrode with the negative electrode. The primary positive electrode comprises carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) and a means for electrochemically reducing the CO.sub.2. This means for electrochemically reducing the CO.sub.2 comprises a conductive primary current collector, contacting the CO.sub.2, whereby the CO.sub.2 is reduced upon the primary current collector during discharge. The primary current collector comprises a material to which CO.sub.2 and the ionic conductors are essentially non-corrosive. The electrochemical energy storage device uses CO.sub.2 as an electroactive species in that the CO.sub.2 is electrochemically reduced during discharge to enable the release of electrical energy from the device.

Onsite-effects of dual-hemisphere versus conventional single-hemisphere transcranial direct current stimulation: A functional MRI study.

PubMed

Kwon, Yong Hyun; Jang, Sung Ho

2012-08-25

We performed functional MRI examinations in six right-handed healthy subjects. During functional MRI scanning, transcranial direct current stimulation was delivered with the anode over the right primary sensorimotor cortex and the cathode over the left primary sensorimotor cortex using dual-hemispheric transcranial direct current stimulation. This was compared to a cathode over the left supraorbital area using conventional single-hemispheric transcranial direct current stimulation. Voxel counts and blood oxygenation level-dependent signal intensities in the right primary sensorimotor cortex regions were estimated and compared between the two transcranial direct current stimulation conditions. Our results showed that dual-hemispheric transcranial direct current stimulation induced greater cortical activities than single-hemispheric transcranial direct current stimulation. These findings suggest that dual-hemispheric transcranial direct current stimulation may provide more effective cortical stimulation than single-hemispheric transcranial direct current stimulation.

Onsite-effects of dual-hemisphere versus conventional single-hemisphere transcranial direct current stimulation

PubMed Central

Kwon, Yong Hyun; Jang, Sung Ho

2012-01-01

We performed functional MRI examinations in six right-handed healthy subjects. During functional MRI scanning, transcranial direct current stimulation was delivered with the anode over the right primary sensorimotor cortex and the cathode over the left primary sensorimotor cortex using dual-hemispheric transcranial direct current stimulation. This was compared to a cathode over the left supraorbital area using conventional single-hemispheric transcranial direct current stimulation. Voxel counts and blood oxygenation level-dependent signal intensities in the right primary sensorimotor cortex regions were estimated and compared between the two transcranial direct current stimulation conditions. Our results showed that dual-hemispheric transcranial direct current stimulation induced greater cortical activities than single-hemispheric transcranial direct current stimulation. These findings suggest that dual-hemispheric transcranial direct current stimulation may provide more effective cortical stimulation than single-hemispheric transcranial direct current stimulation. PMID:25624815

Particle based plasma simulation for an ion engine discharge chamber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahalingam, Sudhakar

Design of the next generation of ion engines can benefit from detailed computer simulations of the plasma in the discharge chamber. In this work a complete particle based approach has been taken to model the discharge chamber plasma. This is the first time that simplifying continuum assumptions on the particle motion have not been made in a discharge chamber model. Because of the long mean free paths of the particles in the discharge chamber continuum models are questionable. The PIC-MCC model developed in this work tracks following particles: neutrals, singly charged ions, doubly charged ions, secondary electrons, and primary electrons. The trajectories of these particles are determined using the Newton-Lorentz's equation of motion including the effects of magnetic and electric fields. Particle collisions are determined using an MCC statistical technique. A large number of collision processes and particle wall interactions are included in the model. The magnetic fields produced by the permanent magnets are determined using Maxwell's equations. The electric fields are determined using an approximate input electric field coupled with a dynamic determination of the electric fields caused by the charged particles. In this work inclusion of the dynamic electric field calculation is made possible by using an inflated plasma permittivity value in the Poisson solver. This allows dynamic electric field calculation with minimal computational requirements in terms of both computer memory and run time. In addition, a number of other numerical procedures such as parallel processing have been implemented to shorten the computational time. The primary results are those modeling the discharge chamber of NASA's NSTAR ion engine at its full operating power. Convergence of numerical results such as total number of particles inside the discharge chamber, average energy of the plasma particles, discharge current, beam current and beam efficiency are obtained. Steady state results for the particle number density distributions and particle loss rates to the walls are presented. Comparisons of numerical results with experimental measurements such as currents and the particle number density distributions are made. Results from a parametric study and from an alternative magnetic field design are also given.

The state of survivorship care in radiation oncology: Results from a nationally distributed survey.

PubMed

Frick, Melissa A; Rosenthal, Seth A; Vapiwala, Neha; Monzon, Brian T; Berman, Abigail T

2018-04-18

Survivorship care has become an increasingly critical component of oncologic care as well as a quality practice and reimbursement metric. To the authors' knowledge, the current climate of survivorship medicine in radiation oncology has not been investigated fully. An institutional review board-approved, Internet-based survey examining practices and preparedness in survivorship care was distributed to radiation oncology practices participating in the American College of Radiology Radiation Oncology Practice Accreditation program between November 2016 and January 2017. A total of 78 surveys were completed. Among these, 2 were nonphysicians, resulting in 76 evaluable responses. Radiation oncologists (ROs) frequently reported that they are the primary provider in the evaluation of late toxicities and the recurrence of primary cancer. Although approximately 68% of ROs frequently discuss plans for future care with survivors, few provide a written survivorship care plan to their patients (18%) or the patients' primary care providers (24%). Patient prognosis, disease site, and reimbursement factors often influence the provision of survivorship care. Although ROs report that several platforms offer training in survivorship medicine, the quality of these resources is variable and extensive instruction is rare. Fewer than one-half of ROs believe they are expertly trained in survivorship care. ROs play an active role within the multidisciplinary team in the cancer-related follow-up care of survivors. Investigation of barriers to the provision of survivorship care and optimization of service delivery should be pursued further. The development of high-quality, easily accessible educational programming is needed so that ROs can participate more effectively in the care of cancer survivors. Cancer 2018. © 2018 American Cancer Society. © 2018 American Cancer Society.

Progressivity of health care financing and incidence of service benefits in Ghana.

PubMed

Akazili, James; Garshong, Bertha; Aikins, Moses; Gyapong, John; McIntyre, Di

2012-03-01

The National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme was introduced in Ghana in 2004 as a pro-poor financing strategy aimed at removing financial barriers to health care and protecting all citizens from catastrophic health expenditures, which currently arise due to user fees and other direct payments. A comprehensive assessment of the financing and benefit incidence of health services in Ghana was undertaken. These analyses drew on secondary data from the Ghana Living Standards Survey (2005/2006) and from an additional household survey which collected data in 2008 in six districts covering the three main ecological zones of Ghana. Findings show that Ghana's health care financing system is progressive, driven largely by the progressivity of taxes. The national health insurance levy (which is part of VAT) is mildly progressive while NHI contributions by the informal sector are regressive. The distribution of total benefits from both public and private health services is pro-rich. However, public sector district-level hospital inpatient care is pro-poor and benefits of primary-level health care services are relatively evenly distributed. For Ghana to attain an equitable health system and fully achieve universal coverage, it must ensure that the poor, most of whom are not currently covered by the NHI, are financially protected, and it must address the many access barriers to health care.

A pitfall of piecewise-polytropic equation of state inference

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raaijmakers, Geert; Riley, Thomas E.; Watts, Anna L.

2018-05-01

The only messenger radiation in the Universe which one can use to statistically probe the Equation of State (EOS) of cold dense matter is that originating from the near-field vicinities of compact stars. Constraining gravitational masses and equatorial radii of rotating compact stars is a major goal for current and future telescope missions, with a primary purpose of constraining the EOS. From a Bayesian perspective it is necessary to carefully discuss prior definition; in this context a complicating issue is that in practice there exist pathologies in the general relativistic mapping between spaces of local (interior source matter) and global (exterior spacetime) parameters. In a companion paper, these issues were raised on a theoretical basis. In this study we reproduce a probability transformation procedure from the literature in order to map a joint posterior distribution of Schwarzschild gravitational masses and radii into a joint posterior distribution of EOS parameters. We demonstrate computationally that EOS parameter inferences are sensitive to the choice to define a prior on a joint space of these masses and radii, instead of on a joint space interior source matter parameters. We focus on the piecewise-polytropic EOS model, which is currently standard in the field of astrophysical dense matter study. We discuss the implications of this issue for the field.

Executing CLIPS expert systems in a distributed environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taylor, James; Myers, Leonard

1990-01-01

This paper describes a framework for running cooperating agents in a distributed environment to support the Intelligent Computer Aided Design System (ICADS), a project in progress at the CAD Research Unit of the Design Institute at the California Polytechnic State University. Currently, the systems aids an architectural designer in creating a floor plan that satisfies some general architectural constraints and project specific requirements. At the core of ICADS is the Blackboard Control System. Connected to the blackboard are any number of domain experts called Intelligent Design Tools (IDT). The Blackboard Control System monitors the evolving design as it is being drawn and helps resolve conflicts from the domain experts. The user serves as a partner in this system by manipulating the floor plan in the CAD system and validating recommendations made by the domain experts. The primary components of the Blackboard Control System are two expert systems executed by a modified CLIPS shell. The first is the Message Handler. The second is the Conflict Resolver. The Conflict Resolver synthesizes the suggestions made by the domain experts, which can be either CLIPS expert systems, or compiled C programs. In DEMO1, the current ICADS prototype, the CLIPS domain expert systems are Acoustics, Lighting, Structural, and Thermal; the compiled C domain experts are the CAD system and the User Interface.

Male acceptance of condoms in Japan.

PubMed

Uchida, Y

1981-01-01

Current surveys indicate that more than 70% of married couples in Japan use condoms as their primary contraceptive method. The popularity of condoms is due to the oral contraceptive (OC) pills not being recognized as safe forms of contraception and IUDs not being legalized by the government until 1974. The history of condom use in Japan goes back to 1872 when condoms of thin leather were imported into Japan from England and France. Manufacturing of condoms in Japan began in 1909, mainly as a method for venereal disease prevention. The condom and induced abortion are now the major methods of contraception. 60% of the distribution of condoms is through pharmacies and cosmetic stores; 50% of the buyers are women. Since 1955, teams of family planning workers have distributed condoms by selling on a door-to-door basis, especially to lower middle class couples. Between 1969-75, 75% of contraceptive users were using condoms. Currently there are 81% users. The rhythm method ranks second in popularity at 30% between 1969-75. OCs have gradually increased recently to 3% users, but side effects have deterred people from selecting them. The proportion of IUD users has remained at a consistently low level for the past several years. Japan accounts for 1/3 of the total world production of condoms.

Comparing mechanistic and empirical approaches to modeling the thermal niche of almond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parker, Lauren E.; Abatzoglou, John T.

2017-09-01

Delineating locations that are thermally viable for cultivating high-value crops can help to guide land use planning, agronomics, and water management. Three modeling approaches were used to identify the potential distribution and key thermal constraints on on almond cultivation across the southwestern United States (US), including two empirical species distribution models (SDMs)—one using commonly used bioclimatic variables (traditional SDM) and the other using more physiologically relevant climate variables (nontraditional SDM)—and a mechanistic model (MM) developed using published thermal limitations from field studies. While models showed comparable results over the majority of the domain, including over existing croplands with high almond density, the MM suggested the greatest potential for the geographic expansion of almond cultivation, with frost susceptibility and insufficient heat accumulation being the primary thermal constraints in the southwestern US. The traditional SDM over-predicted almond suitability in locations shown by the MM to be limited by frost, whereas the nontraditional SDM showed greater agreement with the MM in these locations, indicating that incorporating physiologically relevant variables in SDMs can improve predictions. Finally, opportunities for geographic expansion of almond cultivation under current climatic conditions in the region may be limited, suggesting that increasing production may rely on agronomical advances and densifying current almond plantations in existing locations.

Analytic calculation of radio emission from parametrized extensive air showers: A tool to extract shower parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scholten, O.; Trinh, T. N. G.; de Vries, K. D.; Hare, B. M.

2018-01-01

The radio intensity and polarization footprint of a cosmic-ray induced extensive air shower is determined by the time-dependent structure of the current distribution residing in the plasma cloud at the shower front. In turn, the time dependence of the integrated charge-current distribution in the plasma cloud, the longitudinal shower structure, is determined by interesting physics which one would like to extract, such as the location and multiplicity of the primary cosmic-ray collision or the values of electric fields in the atmosphere during thunderstorms. To extract the structure of a shower from its footprint requires solving a complicated inverse problem. For this purpose we have developed a code that semianalytically calculates the radio footprint of an extensive air shower given an arbitrary longitudinal structure. This code can be used in an optimization procedure to extract the optimal longitudinal shower structure given a radio footprint. On the basis of air-shower universality we propose a simple parametrization of the structure of the plasma cloud. This parametrization is based on the results of Monte Carlo shower simulations. Deriving the parametrization also teaches which aspects of the plasma cloud are important for understanding the features seen in the radio-emission footprint. The calculated radio footprints are compared with microscopic CoREAS simulations.

Primary to Post-Primary Transition for Students with Special Educational Needs from an Irish Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foley, Tom; Foley, Shane; Curtin, Alicia

2016-01-01

This paper explores primary to post-primary transitions for students with Special Educational Needs (SEN) within mainstream schooling in an Irish context. A questionnaire was distributed to a cohort of sixth class students (n = 58) from four different primary schools in advance of their transfer and results were then compared with a similar cohort…

Transition to family practice in Turkey.

PubMed

Güneş, Evrim Didem; Yaman, Hakan

2008-01-01

Turkey's primary health care (PHC) system was established in the beginning of the 1960s and provides preventive and curative basic medical services to the population. This article describes the experience of the Turkish health system, as it tries to adapt to the European health system. It describes the current organization of primary health care and the family medicine model that is in the process of implementation and discusses implications of the transition for family physicians and the challenges faced in meeting the needs for health care staff. In Turkey a trend toward urbanization is evident and more staff positions in rural PHC centers are vacant. Shortages of physicians and an ineffective distribution of doctors are seen as a major problem. Family medicine gained popularity at the beginning of the 1990s, as a specialty with a 3-year postgraduate training program. Medical practitioners who are graduates of a 6-year medical training program and are already working in the PHC system are offered retraining courses. Better working conditions and higher salaries may be important incentives for medical practitioners to sign a contract with the social security institution of Turkey. The lack of well-trained primary care staff is an ongoing challenge. Attempts to retrain medical practitioners to act as family physicians show promising results. Shortness of physician and health professionals and lack of time and resources in primary health care are problems to overcome during this process.

Spectral integration in primary auditory cortex attributable to temporally precise convergence of thalamocortical and intracortical input.

PubMed

Happel, Max F K; Jeschke, Marcus; Ohl, Frank W

2010-08-18

Primary sensory cortex integrates sensory information from afferent feedforward thalamocortical projection systems and convergent intracortical microcircuits. Both input systems have been demonstrated to provide different aspects of sensory information. Here we have used high-density recordings of laminar current source density (CSD) distributions in primary auditory cortex of Mongolian gerbils in combination with pharmacological silencing of cortical activity and analysis of the residual CSD, to dissociate the feedforward thalamocortical contribution and the intracortical contribution to spectral integration. We found a temporally highly precise integration of both types of inputs when the stimulation frequency was in close spectral neighborhood of the best frequency of the measurement site, in which the overlap between both inputs is maximal. Local intracortical connections provide both directly feedforward excitatory and modulatory input from adjacent cortical sites, which determine how concurrent afferent inputs are integrated. Through separate excitatory horizontal projections, terminating in cortical layers II/III, information about stimulus energy in greater spectral distance is provided even over long cortical distances. These projections effectively broaden spectral tuning width. Based on these data, we suggest a mechanism of spectral integration in primary auditory cortex that is based on temporally precise interactions of afferent thalamocortical inputs and different short- and long-range intracortical networks. The proposed conceptual framework allows integration of different and partly controversial anatomical and physiological models of spectral integration in the literature.

Structural and Contextual Dimensions of Iranian Primary Health Care System at Local Level

PubMed Central

Zanganeh Baygi, Mehdi; Seyedin, Hesam; Salehi, Masoud; Jafari Sirizi, Mehdi

2014-01-01

Background: In recent years, family physician plan was established as the main strategy of health system in Iran, while organizational structure of the primary health care system has remained the same as thirty years ago. Objectives: This study was performed to illustrate structural and contextual dimensions of organizational structure and relationship between them in Iranian primary health care system at local level. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted from January to June 2013, during which 121 questionnaires were distributed among senior and junior managers of city health centers at Medical Sciences universities in Iran. Validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by experts (CVI = 0.089 and CVR more than 0.85) and Cronbach α was utilized for reliability (α = 0.904). We used multistage sampling method in this study and analysis of the data was performed by SPSS software using different tests. Results: Local level of primary health care system in Iran had mechanical structure, but in contextual dimensions the results showed different types. There was a significant relationship between structural and contextual dimensions (r = 0.642, P value < 0.001). Goals and culture dimensions had strongest effects on structural dimensions. Conclusions: Because of the changes in goals and strategies of Iranian health system in recent years, it is urgently recommended to reform the current structure to increase efficiency and effectiveness of the system. PMID:25763257

Structural and contextual dimensions of Iranian primary health care system at local level.

PubMed

Zanganeh Baygi, Mehdi; Seyedin, Hesam; Salehi, Masoud; Jafari Sirizi, Mehdi

2015-01-01

In recent years, family physician plan was established as the main strategy of health system in Iran, while organizational structure of the primary health care system has remained the same as thirty years ago. This study was performed to illustrate structural and contextual dimensions of organizational structure and relationship between them in Iranian primary health care system at local level. A cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted from January to June 2013, during which 121 questionnaires were distributed among senior and junior managers of city health centers at Medical Sciences universities in Iran. Validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by experts (CVI = 0.089 and CVR more than 0.85) and Cronbach α was utilized for reliability (α = 0.904). We used multistage sampling method in this study and analysis of the data was performed by SPSS software using different tests. Local level of primary health care system in Iran had mechanical structure, but in contextual dimensions the results showed different types. There was a significant relationship between structural and contextual dimensions (r = 0.642, P value < 0.001). Goals and culture dimensions had strongest effects on structural dimensions. Because of the changes in goals and strategies of Iranian health system in recent years, it is urgently recommended to reform the current structure to increase efficiency and effectiveness of the system.

Primary types of Chinese longhorned woodboring beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: and Disteniidae) of the Smithsonian Institution

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The primary types of Chinese (mainland China, Taiwan, and Tibet) longhorned woodboring beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae, Disteniidae) of the Smithsonian Institution are catalogued and figured, current through 2012. Data on the original combination, current name, current tribal classification, and ...

Electroencephalography (EEG) forward modeling via H(div) finite element sources with focal interpolation.

PubMed

Pursiainen, S; Vorwerk, J; Wolters, C H

2016-12-21

The goal of this study is to develop focal, accurate and robust finite element method (FEM) based approaches which can predict the electric potential on the surface of the computational domain given its structure and internal primary source current distribution. While conducting an EEG evaluation, the placement of source currents to the geometrically complex grey matter compartment is a challenging but necessary task to avoid forward errors attributable to tissue conductivity jumps. Here, this task is approached via a mathematically rigorous formulation, in which the current field is modeled via divergence conforming H(div) basis functions. Both linear and quadratic functions are used while the potential field is discretized via the standard linear Lagrangian (nodal) basis. The resulting model includes dipolar sources which are interpolated into a random set of positions and orientations utilizing two alternative approaches: the position based optimization (PBO) and the mean position/orientation (MPO) method. These results demonstrate that the present dipolar approach can reach or even surpass, at least in some respects, the accuracy of two classical reference methods, the partial integration (PI) and St. Venant (SV) approach which utilize monopolar loads instead of dipolar currents.

The direct-current response of electrically conducting fractures excited by a grounded current source

DOE PAGES

Weiss, Chester J.; Aldridge, David F.; Knox, Hunter A.; ...

2016-05-01

Hydraulic fracture stimulation of low permeability reservoir rocks is an established and cross–cutting technology for enhancing hydrocarbon production in sedimentary formations and increasing heat exchange in crystalline geothermal systems. Whereas the primary measure of success is the ability to keep the newly generated fractures sufficiently open, long–term reservoir management requires a knowledge of the spatial extent, morphology, and distribution of the fractures — knowledge primarily informed by microseismic and ground deformation monitoring. To minimize the uncertainty associated with interpreting such data, we investigate through numerical simulation the usefulness of direct-current (DC) resistivity data for characterizing subsurface fractures with elevated electricalmore » conductivity by considering a geophysical experiment consisting of a grounded current source deployed in a steel cased borehole. In doing so, the casing efficiently energizes the fractures with steady current. Finite element simulations of this experiment for a horizontal well intersecting a small set of vertical fractures indicate that the fractures manifest electrically in (at least) two ways: (1) a local perturbation in electric potential proximal to the fracture set, with limited farfield expression and (2) an overall reduction in the electric potential along the borehole casing due to enhanced current flow through the fractures into the surrounding formation. The change in casing potential results in a measurable effect that can be observed far from fractures themselves. Under these conditions, our results suggest that farfield, timelapse measurements of DC potentials can be interpreted by simple, linear inversion for a Coulomb charge distribution along the borehole path, including a local charge perturbation due to the fractures. As a result, this approach offers an inexpensive method for detecting and monitoring the time-evolution of electrically conducting fractures while ultimately providing an estimate of their effective conductivity — the latter providing an important measure independent of seismic methods on fracture shape, size, and hydraulic connectivity.« less

The direct-current response of electrically conducting fractures excited by a grounded current source

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

Weiss, Chester J.; Aldridge, David F.; Knox, Hunter A.

Hydraulic fracture stimulation of low permeability reservoir rocks is an established and cross–cutting technology for enhancing hydrocarbon production in sedimentary formations and increasing heat exchange in crystalline geothermal systems. Whereas the primary measure of success is the ability to keep the newly generated fractures sufficiently open, long–term reservoir management requires a knowledge of the spatial extent, morphology, and distribution of the fractures — knowledge primarily informed by microseismic and ground deformation monitoring. To minimize the uncertainty associated with interpreting such data, we investigate through numerical simulation the usefulness of direct-current (DC) resistivity data for characterizing subsurface fractures with elevated electricalmore » conductivity by considering a geophysical experiment consisting of a grounded current source deployed in a steel cased borehole. In doing so, the casing efficiently energizes the fractures with steady current. Finite element simulations of this experiment for a horizontal well intersecting a small set of vertical fractures indicate that the fractures manifest electrically in (at least) two ways: (1) a local perturbation in electric potential proximal to the fracture set, with limited farfield expression and (2) an overall reduction in the electric potential along the borehole casing due to enhanced current flow through the fractures into the surrounding formation. The change in casing potential results in a measurable effect that can be observed far from fractures themselves. Under these conditions, our results suggest that farfield, timelapse measurements of DC potentials can be interpreted by simple, linear inversion for a Coulomb charge distribution along the borehole path, including a local charge perturbation due to the fractures. As a result, this approach offers an inexpensive method for detecting and monitoring the time-evolution of electrically conducting fractures while ultimately providing an estimate of their effective conductivity — the latter providing an important measure independent of seismic methods on fracture shape, size, and hydraulic connectivity.« less

The StratusLab cloud distribution: Use-cases and support for scientific applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Floros, E.

2012-04-01

The StratusLab project is integrating an open cloud software distribution that enables organizations to setup and provide their own private or public IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) computing clouds. StratusLab distribution capitalizes on popular infrastructure virtualization solutions like KVM, the OpenNebula virtual machine manager, Claudia service manager and SlipStream deployment platform, which are further enhanced and expanded with additional components developed within the project. The StratusLab distribution covers the core aspects of a cloud IaaS architecture, namely Computing (life-cycle management of virtual machines), Storage, Appliance management and Networking. The resulting software stack provides a packaged turn-key solution for deploying cloud computing services. The cloud computing infrastructures deployed using StratusLab can support a wide range of scientific and business use cases. Grid computing has been the primary use case pursued by the project and for this reason the initial priority has been the support for the deployment and operation of fully virtualized production-level grid sites; a goal that has already been achieved by operating such a site as part of EGI's (European Grid Initiative) pan-european grid infrastructure. In this area the project is currently working to provide non-trivial capabilities like elastic and autonomic management of grid site resources. Although grid computing has been the motivating paradigm, StratusLab's cloud distribution can support a wider range of use cases. Towards this direction, we have developed and currently provide support for setting up general purpose computing solutions like Hadoop, MPI and Torque clusters. For what concerns scientific applications the project is collaborating closely with the Bioinformatics community in order to prepare VM appliances and deploy optimized services for bioinformatics applications. In a similar manner additional scientific disciplines like Earth Science can take advantage of StratusLab cloud solutions. Interested users are welcomed to join StratusLab's user community by getting access to the reference cloud services deployed by the project and offered to the public.

Observation of arrival times of EAS with energies or = 6 x 10 (14) eV

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sun, L.

1985-01-01

The Earth's atmosphere is continually being bombarded by primary cosmic ray particles which are generally believed to be high-energy nuclei. The fact that the majority of cosmic ray primaries are charged particles and that space is permeated with random magnetic fields, means that the particles do not travel in straight lines. The arrival time distribution of EAS may also transfer some information about the primary particles. Actually, if the particles come to our Earth in a completely random process, the arrival time distribution of pairs of successive particles should fit an exponential law. The work reported here was arried out at Sydney University from May 1982 to January 1983. All the data are used to plot the arrival-time distribution of the events, that is, the distribution of time-separation between consecutive events on a 1 minute bin size. During this period more than 2300 showers were recorded. The results are discussed and compared with that of some other experiments.

To predict the niche, model colonization and extinction

Treesearch

Charles B. Yackulic; James D. Nichols; Janice Reid; Ricky Der

2015-01-01

Ecologists frequently try to predict the future geographic distributions of species. Most studies assume that the current distribution of a species reflects its environmental requirements (i.e., the species’ niche). However, the current distributions of many species are unlikely to be at equilibrium with the current distribution of environmental conditions, both...

Contribution for Iron Vapor and Radiation Distribution Affected by Current Frequency of Pulsed Arc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimokura, Takuya; Mori, Yusuke; Iwao, Toru; Yumoto, Motoshige

Pulsed GTA welding has been used for improvement of stability, weld speed, and heat input control. However, the temperature and radiation power of the pulsed arc have not been elucidated. Furthermore, arc contamination by metal vapor changes the arc characteristics, e.g. by increasing radiation power. In this case, the metal vapor in pulsed GTA welding changes the distribution of temperature and radiation power as a function of time. This paper presents the relation between metal vapor and radiation power at different pulse frequencies. We calculate the Fe vapor distribution of the pulsed current. Results show that the Fe vapor is transported at fast arc velocity during the peak current period. During the base current period, the Fe vapor concentration is low and distribution is diffuse. The transition of Fe vapor distribution does not follow the pulsed current; the radiation power density distribution differs for high frequencies and low frequencies. In addition, the Fe vapor and radiation distribution are affected by the pulsed arc current frequency.

Current Backpack Weight Status for Primary Schoolchildren in Colima, Mexico

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olmedo-Buenrostro, Bertha Alicia; Delgado-Enciso, Iván; Sánchez-Ramírez, Carmen Alicia; Cruz, Sergio Adrián Montero; Vásquez, Clemente; Mora-Brambila, Ana Bertha; Rodríguez-Sánchez, Iram P.; Martínez-Fierro, Margarita L.

2016-01-01

The purpose of the study was to identify the current status of backpack weight in primary schoolchildren in Colima, Mexico, in relation to gender, school grade level, and body mass index. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 240 randomly selected children from 20 primary schools. The participating children's parents signed statements of…

The Multiple Altimeter Beam Experimental Lidar (MABEL), an Airborne Simulator for the ICESat-2 Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McGill, Matthew; Markus, Thorsten; Scott, V. Stanley; Neumann, Thomas

2012-01-01

The Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) mission is currently under development by NASA. The primary mission of ICESat-2 will be to measure elevation changes of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets, document changes in sea ice thickness distribution, and derive important information about the current state of the global ice coverage. To make this important measurement, NASA is implementing a new type of satellite-based surface altimetry based on sensing of laser pulses transmitted to, and reflected from, the surface. Because the ICESat-2 measurement approach is different from that used for previous altimeter missions, a high-fidelity aircraft instrument, the Multiple Altimeter Beam Experimental Lidar (MABEL), was developed to demonstrate the measurement concept and provide verification of the ICESat-2 methodology. The MABEL instrument will serve as a prototype for the ICESat-2 mission and also provides a science tool for studies of land surface topography. This paper outlines the science objectives for the ICESat-2 mission, the current measurement concept for ICESat-2, and the instrument concept and preliminary data from MABEL.

Temporal variation in bed configuration and one-dimensional bottom roughness at the mid-shelf STRESS site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wheatcroft, Robert A.

1994-08-01

Time-lapse stereophotographs were taken over a 90-day period from mid-November 1990 to late-February 1991 at a 90-m silt-bottom site on the central California shelf as part of the STRESS (Sediment Transport Events on Shelves and Slopes) project. Five distinct bed configurations were observed, in order of decreasing abundance, these are: (1) bioturbated bed; (2) smoothed bed; (3) current-rippled bed; (4) scour-pitted bed; and (5) wave-rippled bed. Concurrent measurements of the flow field implicate along-shelf currents, rather than waves, as the primary agent forming the physical bed configurations. The presence of a wave-induced cross-shelf gradient in near-bottom suspended sediment during storm events and the redistribution of this sediment by upwelling or downwelling currents is postulated to control the appearance of depositional current-ripples (northwest poleward flow, downwelling) and erosional scour-pits (southeast equatorward flow, upwelling). All physical bed forms are destroyed by bioturbation processes in periods of hours to days. Analytical photogrammetric techniques were used to extract high-resolution sea floor height data from the stereophotographs. Results indicate maximal relief over a 0.25-m 2 area at this site never exceeded 5 cm. Root-mean-square (rms) height varied by a factor of 3 (3.2-9.2 mm) and is a weak function of bed configuration. Current ripples have the largest rms-height, smoothed and scour-pitted beds the smallest. Rms-heights of bioturbated beds are variable and appear to depend on the previously produced physical bed configuration. Changes in rms-height can be abrupt with factor of 2 changes observed over a 12-h period. Horizontal descriptors of roughness such as peak spacing or peak width cannot separate bed configurations. Results from surface slope distributions are broadly coherent with the rms-height data, in that surfaces with large rms-heights have broad slope distributions and vice versa. Slope distribution data also indicate that all bed configurations except the current-rippled bed are isotropic. These preliminary data suggest that time series information is needed to adequately resolve both the micro-scale roughness of the sea floor on continental shelves and the presence of short lived, but potentially flow-diagnostic bed configurations.

The Effect of modeled recharge distribution on simulated groundwater availability and capture

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tillman, Fred D.; Pool, Donald R.; Leake, Stanley A.

2015-01-01

Simulating groundwater flow in basin-fill aquifers of the semiarid southwestern United States commonly requires decisions about how to distribute aquifer recharge. Precipitation can recharge basin-fill aquifers by direct infiltration and transport through faults and fractures in the high-elevation areas, by flowing overland through high-elevation areas to infiltrate at basin-fill margins along mountain fronts, by flowing overland to infiltrate along ephemeral channels that often traverse basins in the area, or by some combination of these processes. The importance of accurately simulating recharge distributions is a current topic of discussion among hydrologists and water managers in the region, but no comparative study has been performed to analyze the effects of different recharge distributions on groundwater simulations. This study investigates the importance of the distribution of aquifer recharge in simulating regional groundwater flow in basin-fill aquifers by calibrating a groundwater-flow model to four different recharge distributions, all with the same total amount of recharge. Similarities are seen in results from steady-state models for optimized hydraulic conductivity values, fit of simulated to observed hydraulic heads, and composite scaled sensitivities of conductivity parameter zones. Transient simulations with hypothetical storage properties and pumping rates produce similar capture rates and storage change results, but differences are noted in the rate of drawdown at some well locations owing to the differences in optimized hydraulic conductivity. Depending on whether the purpose of the groundwater model is to simulate changes in groundwater levels or changes in storage and capture, the distribution of aquifer recharge may or may not be of primary importance.

Estimating the ratios of the stationary distribution values for Markov chains modeling evolutionary algorithms.

PubMed

Mitavskiy, Boris; Cannings, Chris

2009-01-01

The evolutionary algorithm stochastic process is well-known to be Markovian. These have been under investigation in much of the theoretical evolutionary computing research. When the mutation rate is positive, the Markov chain modeling of an evolutionary algorithm is irreducible and, therefore, has a unique stationary distribution. Rather little is known about the stationary distribution. In fact, the only quantitative facts established so far tell us that the stationary distributions of Markov chains modeling evolutionary algorithms concentrate on uniform populations (i.e., those populations consisting of a repeated copy of the same individual). At the same time, knowing the stationary distribution may provide some information about the expected time it takes for the algorithm to reach a certain solution, assessment of the biases due to recombination and selection, and is of importance in population genetics to assess what is called a "genetic load" (see the introduction for more details). In the recent joint works of the first author, some bounds have been established on the rates at which the stationary distribution concentrates on the uniform populations. The primary tool used in these papers is the "quotient construction" method. It turns out that the quotient construction method can be exploited to derive much more informative bounds on ratios of the stationary distribution values of various subsets of the state space. In fact, some of the bounds obtained in the current work are expressed in terms of the parameters involved in all the three main stages of an evolutionary algorithm: namely, selection, recombination, and mutation.

Substorm Birkeland currents and Cowling channels in the ionosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujii, R.

2016-12-01

Field-aligned current (FAC) connects electromagnetically the ionosphere with the magnetosphere and plays important roles on dynamics and energetics in the magnetosphere and the ionosphere. In particular, connections between FACs in the ionosphere give important information on various current sources in the magnetosphere and the linkage between them, although the connection between FACs in the ionosphere does not straightforwardly give that in the magnetosphere. FACs in the ionosphere are closed to each other through ionospheric currents determined with the electric field and the Hall and Pedersen conductivities. The electric field and the conductivities are not independently distributed, but rather they are harmonized with each other spatially and temporarily in a physically consistent manner to give a certain FAC. In particular, the divergence of the Hall current due to the inhomogeneity of the Hall conductivity either flows in/out to the magnetosphere as a secondary FAC or accumulates excess charges that produce a secondary electric field. This electric field drives a current circuit connecting the Hall current with the Pedersen current; a Cowling channel current circuit. The FAC (the electric field) we observe is the sum of the primary and secondary FACs (electric fields). The talk will present characteristics of FACs and associated electric field and auroras during substorms, and the ionospheric current closures between the FACs. A statistical study has shown that the majority of region 1 currents are connected to their adjacent region 2 or region 0 currents, indicating the Pedersen current closure rather than the Hall current closure is dominant. On the other hand, the Pedersen currents associated with surge and substorm-related auroras often are connected to the Hall currents, forming a Cowling channel current circuit within the ionosphere.

Image compression evaluation for digital cinema: the case of Star Wars: Episode II

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schnuelle, David L.

2003-05-01

A program of evaluation of compression algorithms proposed for use in a digital cinema application is described and the results presented in general form. The work was intended to aid in the selection of a compression system to be used for the digital cinema release of Star Wars: Episode II, in May 2002. An additional goal was to provide feedback to the algorithm proponents on what parameters and performance levels the feature film industry is looking for in digital cinema compression. The primary conclusion of the test program is that any of the current digital cinema compression proponents will work for digital cinema distribution to today's theaters.

Publications of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory 1983

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1984-01-01

The Jet propulsion Laboratory (JPL) bibliography describes and indexes by primary author the externally distributed technical reporting, released during calendar year 1983, that resulted from scientific and engineering work performed, or managed, by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Three classes of publications are included. JPL Publication (81-,82-,83-series, etc.), in which the information is complete for a specific accomplishment, articles published in the open literature, and articles from the quarterly telecommunications and Data Acquisition (TDA) Progress Report (42-series) are included. Each collection of articles in this class of publication presents a periodic survey of current accomplishments by the Deep Space Network as well as other developments in Earth-based radio technology.

Investigation of mixed ion fields in the forward direction for 220.5 MeV/u helium ion beams: comparison between water and PMMA targets.

PubMed

Aricò, G; Gehrke, T; Jakubek, J; Gallas, R; Berke, S; Jäkel, O; Mairani, A; Ferrari, A; Martišíková, M

2017-10-03

Currently there is a rising interest in helium ion beams for radiotherapy. For benchmarking of the physical beam models used in treatment planning, there is a need for experimental data on the composition and spatial distribution of mixed ion fields. Of particular interest are the attenuation of the primary helium ion fluence and the build-up of secondary hydrogen ions due to nuclear interactions. The aim of this work was to provide such data with an enhanced precision. Moreover, the validity and limits of the mixed ion field equivalence between water and PMMA targets were investigated. Experiments with a 220.5 MeV/u helium ion pencil beam were performed at the Heidelberg Ion-Beam Therapy Center in Germany. The compact detection system used for ion tracking and identification was solely based on Timepix position-sensitive semiconductor detectors. In comparison to standard techniques, this system is two orders of magnitude smaller, and provides higher precision and flexibility. The numbers of outgoing helium and hydrogen ions per primary helium ion as well as the lateral particle distributions were quantitatively investigated in the forward direction behind water and PMMA targets with 5.2-18 cm water equivalent thickness (WET). Comparing water and PMMA targets with the same WET, we found that significant differences in the amount of outgoing helium and hydrogen ions and in the lateral particle distributions arise for target thicknesses above 10 cm WET. The experimental results concerning hydrogen ions emerging from the targets were reproduced reasonably well by Monte Carlo simulations using the FLUKA code. Concerning the amount of outgoing helium ions, significant differences of 3-15% were found between experiments and simulations. We conclude that if PMMA is used in place of water in dosimetry, differences in the dose distributions could arise close to the edges of the field, in particular for deep seated targets.

Binary asteroid orbit evolution due to primary shape deformation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hirabayashi, Masatoshi; Jacobson, Seth A.; Davis, Alex

2017-10-01

About a sixth of all small asteroid systems are binary [Margot et al., Science, 2002]. Many binary asteroids consist of an elongated synchronous secondary body orbiting a fast-rotating spheroidal primary body with ridges on its equator. The primary in such systems has experienced a long-term spin-up due to the YORP effect [Vokrouhlick'y et al., Asteroid IV, 2015]. This spin-up process can make the primary reach its spin barrier inducing shape deformation processes that ease the structural condition for failure inside the primary [e.g., Holsapple, Icarus, 2010]. Earlier works have shown that structural heterogeneities in the primary such as the shape and density distribution induce asymmetric deformation [Sánchez and Scheeres, Icarus, 2016]. Here, we investigate how asymmetric shape deformation in the primary affects the mutual motion of a binary system. We use a dynamics model for an irregularly shaped binary system that accounts for possible deformation of the primary [Hirabayashi et al., LPSC, 2017]. In this model, we consider asymmetric deformation that occurs based on structural failure in the primary and thus it modifies the location of the center of mass of the system. Using 1999 KW4 as an example, we study a hypothetical case in which the primary is initially identical to the current shape [Ostro et al., Science, 2006] with an aspect ratio (AR) of 0.83 and then suddenly changes its shape to an AR of 0.76. The results show that the asymmetric deformation process and the shift of the center of mass excite the eccentricity of the mutual orbit. Considering that the original mutual orbit has an eccentricity of 0.0004, after the primary shape change the eccentricity reaches values up to 0.15. Also, since the gravity field is modified after deformation, the secondary’s spin is desynchronized from the mutual orbit. Since synchronicity is a requirement for the binary YORP (BYORP) effect, which modifies the semi-major axis of binary asteroids, a primary shape change temporarily pauses the BYORP effect, in effect lengthening the effective BYORP timescale.

Size-velocity distribution of large ejecta fragments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vickery, A. M.

1986-01-01

The characteristics of three primary extraterrestrial craters and the associated craters were examined to generate a size-velocity distribution for large ejecta fragments. The lunar craters Copernicus and Aristillus and the Martian crater Dv on Olympus Mons were used. Attention was focused on the radial distances between the primary and secondary crater centers and the diameters of the secondaries. The primary craters selected are all relatively young, which avoided contamination of the data from secondaries from other primaries. Attempts were made to account for the speed of the hypervelocity impacts and the elemental compositions of the impactors. An apparent velocity cutoff of about 1 km/sec was observed for the secondaries, which implies that no meteoroid impacts can accelerate ejecta to escape velocities from the moon or Mars.

Development of the Next-Generation Caustic-Side Solvent Extraction (NG-CSSX) Process for Cesium Removal from High-Level Tank Waste

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

Moyer, Bruce A; Bonnesen, Peter V; Delmau, Laetitia Helene

2011-01-01

This paper describes the chemical performance of the Next-Generation Caustic-Side Solvent Extraction (NG-CSSX) process in its current state of development for removal of cesium from the alkaline high-level tank wastes at the Savannah River Site (SRS) in the US Department of Energy (USDOE) complex. Overall, motivation for seeking a major enhancement in performance for the currently deployed CSSX process stems from needs for accelerating the cleanup schedule and reducing the cost of salt-waste disposition. The primary target of the NG-CSSX development campaign in the past year has been to formulate a solvent system and to design a corresponding flowsheet thatmore » boosts the performance of the SRS Modular CSSX Unit (MCU) from a current minimum decontamination factor of 12 to 40,000. The chemical approach entails use of a more soluble calixarene-crown ether, called MaxCalix, allowing the attainment of much higher cesium distribution ratios (DCs) on extraction. Concurrently decreasing the Cs-7SB modifier concentration is anticipated to promote better hydraulics. A new stripping chemistry has been devised using a vitrification-friendly aqueous boric acid strip solution and a guanidine suppressor in the solvent, resulting in sharply decreased DCs on stripping. Results are reported herein on solvent phase behavior and batch Cs distribution for waste simulants and real waste together with a preliminary flowsheet applicable for implementation in the MCU. The new solvent will enable MCU to process a much wider range of salt feeds and thereby extend its service lifetime beyond its design life of three years. Other potential benefits of NG-CSSX include increased throughput of the SRS Salt Waste Processing Facility (SWPF), currently under construction, and an alternative modular near-tank application at Hanford.« less

Primary Prevention of Sexual Violence in Aotearoa New Zealand.

PubMed

Dickson, Sandra; Willis, Gwenda M

2017-03-01

The extensive and sometimes profoundly damaging effects of sexual violence and large numbers of victims necessitate dedicated attention to primary prevention efforts. Few studies have examined the scope of current prevention activities or their fit with empirical research into effective prevention strategies. The current article presents findings from a survey of primary prevention activities in non-Māori and bicultural communities within Aotearoa New Zealand. Forty-four respondents representing 42 agencies responded to a comprehensive survey that canvased types of sexual violence primary prevention activities undertaken, sexual violence primary prevention programs, and barriers and supports to sexual violence prevention work. Consistent with findings from previous international surveys, the focus of primary prevention work in New Zealand was on sexual violence education and increasing awareness. Findings are discussed in the context of the sexual violence prevention literature and what works in prevention more broadly to help identify promising initiatives as well as gaps in current practices. Recommendations for advancing sexual violence primary prevention research are also provided.

Fatigue reduction during aggregated and distributed sequential stimulation.

PubMed

Bergquist, Austin J; Babbar, Vishvek; Ali, Saima; Popovic, Milos R; Masani, Kei

2017-08-01

Transcutaneous neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) can generate muscle contractions for rehabilitation and exercise. However, NMES-evoked contractions are limited by fatigue when they are delivered "conventionally" (CONV) using a single active electrode. Researchers have developed "sequential" (SEQ) stimulation, involving rotation of pulses between multiple "aggregated" (AGGR-SEQ) or "distributed" (DISTR-SEQ) active electrodes, to reduce fatigue (torque-decline) by reducing motor unit discharge rates. The primary objective was to compare fatigue-related outcomes, "potentiation," "variability," and "efficiency" between CONV, AGGR-SEQ, and DISTR-SEQ stimulation of knee extensors in healthy participants. Torque and current were recorded during testing with fatiguing trains using each NMES type under isometric and isokinetic (180°/s) conditions. Compared with CONV stimulation, SEQ techniques reduced fatigue-related outcomes, increased potentiation, did not affect variability, and reduced efficiency. SEQ techniques hold promise for reducing fatigue during NMES-based rehabilitation and exercise; however, optimization is required to improve efficiency. Muscle Nerve 56: 271-281, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Combined climate- and prey-mediated range expansion of Humboldt squid (Dosidicus gigas), a large marine predator in the California Current System.

PubMed

Stewart, Julia S; Hazen, Elliott L; Bograd, Steven J; Byrnes, Jarrett E K; Foley, David G; Gilly, William F; Robison, Bruce H; Field, John C

2014-06-01

Climate-driven range shifts are ongoing in pelagic marine environments, and ecosystems must respond to combined effects of altered species distributions and environmental drivers. Hypoxic oxygen minimum zones (OMZs) in midwater environments are shoaling globally; this can affect distributions of species both geographically and vertically along with predator-prey dynamics. Humboldt (jumbo) squid (Dosidicus gigas) are highly migratory predators adapted to hypoxic conditions that may be deleterious to their competitors and predators. Consequently, OMZ shoaling may preferentially facilitate foraging opportunities for Humboldt squid. With two separate modeling approaches using unique, long-term data based on in situ observations of predator, prey, and environmental variables, our analyses suggest that Humboldt squid are indirectly affected by OMZ shoaling through effects on a primary food source, myctophid fishes. Our results suggest that this indirect linkage between hypoxia and foraging is an important driver of the ongoing range expansion of Humboldt squid in the northeastern Pacific Ocean. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Hydraulic and hydrological aspects of an evapotranspiration-constructed wetland combined system for household greywater treatment.

PubMed

Filho, Fernando Jorge C Magalhães; Sobrinho, Teodorico Alves; Steffen, Jorge L; Arias, Carlos A; Paulo, Paula L

2018-05-12

Constructed wetlands systems demand preliminary and primary treatment to remove solids present in greywater (GW) to avoid or reduce clogging processes. The current paper aims to assess hydraulic and hydrological behavior in an improved constructed wetland system, which has a built-in anaerobic digestion chamber (AnC), GW is distributed to the evapotranspiration and treatment tank (CEvaT), combined with a subsurface horizontal flow constructed wetland (SSHF-CW). The results show that both the plants present in the units and the AnC improve hydraulic and volumetric efficiency, decrease short-circuiting and improve mixing conditions in the system. Moreover, the hydraulic conductivity measured on-site indicates that the presence of plants in the system and the flow distribution pattern provided by the AnC might reduce clogging in the SSHF-CW. It is observed that rainfall enables salt elimination, thus increasing evapotranspiration (ET), which promotes effluent reduction and enables the system to have zero discharge when reuse is unfeasible.

CMS distributed data analysis with CRAB3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mascheroni, M.; Balcas, J.; Belforte, S.; Bockelman, B. P.; Hernandez, J. M.; Ciangottini, D.; Konstantinov, P. B.; Silva, J. M. D.; Ali, M. A. B. M.; Melo, A. M.; Riahi, H.; Tanasijczuk, A. J.; Yusli, M. N. B.; Wolf, M.; Woodard, A. E.; Vaandering, E.

2015-12-01

The CMS Remote Analysis Builder (CRAB) is a distributed workflow management tool which facilitates analysis tasks by isolating users from the technical details of the Grid infrastructure. Throughout LHC Run 1, CRAB has been successfully employed by an average of 350 distinct users each week executing about 200,000 jobs per day. CRAB has been significantly upgraded in order to face the new challenges posed by LHC Run 2. Components of the new system include 1) a lightweight client, 2) a central primary server which communicates with the clients through a REST interface, 3) secondary servers which manage user analysis tasks and submit jobs to the CMS resource provisioning system, and 4) a central service to asynchronously move user data from temporary storage in the execution site to the desired storage location. The new system improves the robustness, scalability and sustainability of the service. Here we provide an overview of the new system, operation, and user support, report on its current status, and identify lessons learned from the commissioning phase and production roll-out.

Trend in distribution of primary health care professionals in Jiangsu province of eastern China.

PubMed

Xu, Kang; Zhang, Kaijin; Wang, Dan; Zhou, Ling

2014-11-28

Since the late 1990 s, the Chinese government has carried out several reforms on the primary health care, which is greatly improved but still left much to be desired, especially for the health workforces. The aim of this study was to analyze the number of health workforces and the trends in distribution of health workforces in Jiangsu province of eastern China from 2008 to 2012. The time trends in number and distribution of health professionals were compared in study period. Lorenz curves were plotted and Gini coefficient, Atkinson index and Theil index were calculated for inequalities in the distribution of health workforces to population and area. The number of health workforces increased every year and the inequality in the distribution of health workforces showed a decline trend from 2008 to 2012. After 2009, these trends changed more rapidly. There was the disproportionality between physicians and nurses. The values of three inequality indicators based on area were larger than those based on population. The health reform in 2009 might play an important role in increasing the number of health workforces and improving the distribution of health workforces in primary health care facilities. The disproportionality between physicians and nurses was related to the shortage of number of nurses.

Central nervous system.

PubMed

Adamson, D Cory; Rasheed, B Ahmed K; McLendon, Roger E; Bigner, Darell D

2010-01-01

Several different types of tumors, benign and malignant, have been identified in the central nervous system (CNS). The prognoses for these tumors are related to several factors, such as the age of the patient and the location and histology of the tumor. In adults, about half of all CNS tumors are malignant, whereas in pediatric patients, more than 75% are malignant. For most benign CNS tumors that require treatment, neurosurgeons can offer curative resections or at least provide significant relief from mass effect. Unfortunately, we still lack effective treatments for most primary and secondary malignant CNS tumors. However, the past decade has witnessed an explosion in the understanding of the early molecular events in malignant primary CNS tumors, and for the first time in history, oncologists are seeing that a plethora of new therapies targeting these molecular events are being tested in clinical trials. There is hope on the horizon for the fight against these deadly tumors. The distribution of CNS tumors by location has remained constant for numerous years. The majority of primary CNS tumors arise in the major cortical lobes. Twenty nine percent of primary CNS tumors arise from the dural meninges that encase the CNS structures. The vast majority of these are meningiomas, of which over 90% are benign. About 10% of primary CNS tumors are found in the sella turcica region, where the pituitary gland resides. Other much less common sites of primary CNS tumors include the pineal region, ventricular system, cerebellum, brain stem, cranial nerves, and spinal cord. The distribution of CNS tumors by histology has seen a slight increase in more malignant tumors over the past decade, possibly due to increased neuroimaging practices or environmental exposures. Arising from glial cells, gliomas represent over 36% of all primary CNS tumors and consist of astrocytomas, oligodendrogliomas, ependymomas, mixed gliomas, and neuroepithelial tumors. The benign meningiomas make up 32% of primary CNS tumors, followed by nerve sheath tumors and pituitary tumors. Primary CNS lymphomas, embryonal tumors, and craniopharyngiomas are uncommon. The most common gliomas are astrocytomas, and these tumors are typically classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as Grades I through IV. Grade IV, the most malignant grade of astrocytoma, includes glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most common malignant primary CNS glioma in adults, which represents 51% of all CNS gliomas. GBM is unfortunately the most challenging to effectively treat and has the worst patient survival. This chapter is therefore primarily devoted to the current understanding of this topic. Here we describe the molecular and cellular events associated with malignant glioma initiation and progression. We also review the importance of glioma stem cell biology and tumor immunology in early gliomagenesis. In addition, we present a brief description of the most common malignant primary CNS glioma in pediatric patients - medulloblastoma, as well as familial cancer syndromes that include gliomas as part of the syndrome.

Defective ciliogenesis in thyroid hürthle cell tumors is associated with increased autophagy

PubMed Central

Lee, Junguee; Yi, Shinae; Kang, Yea Eun; Chang, Joon Young; Kim, Jung Tae; Sul, Hae Joung; Kim, Jong Ok; Kim, Jin Man; Kim, Joon; Porcelli, Anna Maria; Kim, Koon Soon; Shong, Minho

2016-01-01

Primary cilia are found in the apical membrane of thyrocytes, where they may play a role in the maintenance of follicular homeostasis. In this study, we examined the distribution of primary cilia in the human thyroid cancer to address the involvement of abnormal ciliogenesis in different thyroid cancers. We examined 92 human thyroid tissues, including nodular hyperplasia, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, follicular tumor, Hürthle cell tumor, and papillary carcinoma to observe the distribution of primary cilia. The distribution and length of primary cilia facing the follicular lumen were uniform across variable-sized follicles in the normal thyroid gland. However, most Hürthle cells found in benign and malignant thyroid diseases were devoid of primary cilia. Conventional variant of papillary carcinoma (PTC) displayed longer primary cilia than those of healthy tissue, whereas both the frequency and length of primary cilia were decreased in oncocytic variant of PTC. In addition, ciliogenesis was markedly defective in primary Hürthle cell tumors, including Hürthle cell adenomas and carcinomas, which showed higher level of autophagosome biogenesis. Remarkably, inhibition of autophagosome formation by Atg5 silencing or treatment with pharmacological inhibitors of autophagosome formation restored ciliogenesis in the Hürthle cell carcinoma cell line XTC.UC1 which exhibits a high basal autophagic flux. Moreover, the inhibition of autophagy promoted the accumulation of two factors critical for ciliogenesis, IFT88 and ARL13B. These results suggest that abnormal ciliogenesis, a common feature of Hürthle cells in diseased thyroid glands, is associated with increased basal autophagy. PMID:27816963

Drivers of Cape Verde archipelagic endemism in keyhole limpets.

PubMed

Cunha, Regina L; Assis, Jorge M; Madeira, Celine; Seabra, Rui; Lima, Fernando P; Lopes, Evandro P; Williams, Suzanne T; Castilho, Rita

2017-02-02

Oceanic archipelagos are the ideal setting for investigating processes that shape species assemblages. Focusing on keyhole limpets, genera Fissurella and Diodora from Cape Verde Islands, we used an integrative approach combining molecular phylogenetics with ocean transport simulations to infer species distribution patterns and analyse connectivity. Dispersal simulations, using pelagic larval duration and ocean currents as proxies, showed a reduced level of connectivity despite short distances between some of the islands. It is suggested that dispersal and persistence driven by patterns of oceanic circulation favouring self-recruitment played a primary role in explaining contemporary species distributions. Mitochondrial and nuclear data revealed the existence of eight Cape Verde endemic lineages, seven within Fissurella, distributed across the archipelago, and one within Diodora restricted to Boavista. The estimated origins for endemic Fissurella and Diodora were 10.2 and 6.7 MY, respectively. Between 9.5 and 4.5 MY, an intense period of volcanism in Boavista might have affected Diodora, preventing its diversification. Having originated earlier, Fissurella might have had more opportunities to disperse to other islands and speciate before those events. Bayesian analyses showed increased diversification rates in Fissurella possibly promoted by low sea levels during Plio-Pleistocene, which further explain differences in species richness between both genera.

Wear behavioral study of as cast and 7 hr homogenized Al25Mg2Si2Cu4Ni alloy at constant load

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harlapur, M. D.; Sondur, D. G.; Akkimardi, V. G.; Mallapur, D. G.

2018-04-01

In the current study, the wear behavior of as cast and 7 hr homogenized Al25Mg2Si2Cu4Ni alloy has been investigated. Microstructure, SEM and EDS results confirm the presence of different intermetallic and their effects on wear properties of Al25Mg2Si2Cu4Ni alloy in as cast as well as aged condition. Alloying main elements like Si, Cu, Mg and Ni partly dissolve in the primary α-Al matrix and to some amount present in the form of intermetallic phases. SEM structure of as cast alloy shows blocks of Mg2Si which is at random distributed in the aluminium matrix. Precipitates of Al2Cu in the form of Chinese script are also observed. Also `Q' phase (Al-Si-Cu-Mg) be distributed uniformly into the aluminium matrix. Few coarsened platelets of Ni are seen. In case of 7 hr homogenized samples blocks of Mg2Si get rounded at the corners, Platelets of Ni get fragmented and distributed uniformly in the aluminium matrix. Results show improved volumetric wear resistance and reduced coefficient of friction after homogenizing heat treatment.

Trigger Happy: The Troubling Trend of Primary School Closures in Glasgow City Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koch, Joshua F.

2010-01-01

This paper examines the continuing trend of school closures in Glasgow, Scotland. Particular attention will be paid to Stonedyke Primary School, which Glasgow City Council was proposing to close at the time of this research. Current statistical data and research is used to better examine the current crisis Stonedyke Primary faces. Furthermore,…

Primary Geography Education in China: Past, Current and Future

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xuan, Xiaowei; Duan, Yushan; Sun, Yue

2015-01-01

In China, geography education in primary schools (grades 1 to 6) has not been emphasized, although some scholars have done research in this area. In order to deepen the understanding of primary geography education in China, this paper examines its history, current situation, and future trends. The authors used the method of document analysis and…

The implications of the feminization of the primary care physician workforce on service supply: a systematic review.

PubMed

Hedden, Lindsay; Barer, Morris L; Cardiff, Karen; McGrail, Kimberlyn M; Law, Michael R; Bourgeault, Ivy L

2014-06-04

There is a widespread perception that the increasing proportion of female physicians in most developed countries is contributing to a primary care service shortage because females work less and provide less patient care compared with their male counterparts. There has, however, been no comprehensive investigation of the effects of primary care physician (PCP) workforce feminization on service supply. We undertook a systematic review to examine the current evidence that quantifies the effect of feminization on time spent working, intensity and scope of work, and practice characteristics. We searched Medline, Embase, and Web of Science from 1991 to 2013 using variations of the terms 'primary care', 'women', 'manpower', and 'supply and distribution'; screened the abstracts of all articles; and entered those meeting our inclusion criteria into a data abstraction tool. Original research comparing male to female PCPs on measures of years of practice, time spent working, intensity of work, scope of work, or practice characteristics was included. We screened 1,271 unique abstracts and selected 74 studies for full-text review. Of these, 34 met the inclusion criteria. Years of practice, hours of work, intensity of work, scope of work, and practice characteristics featured in 12%, 53%, 42%, 50%, and 21% of studies respectively. Female PCPs self-report fewer hours of work than male PCPs, have fewer patient encounters, and deliver fewer services, but spend longer with their patients during a contact and deal with more separate presenting problems in one visit. They write fewer prescriptions but refer to diagnostic services and specialist physicians more often. The studies included in this review suggest that the feminization of the workforce is likely to have a small negative impact on the availability of primary health care services, and that the drivers of observed differences between male and female PCPs are complex and nuanced. The true scale of the impact of these findings on future effective physician supply is difficult to determine with currently available evidence, given that few studies looked at trends over time, and results from those that did are inconsistent. Additional research examining gender differences in practice patterns and scope of work is warranted.

The effect of spaceflight on the gravity-sensing auxin gradient of roots: GFP reporter gene microscopy on orbit

PubMed Central

Ferl, Robert J; Paul, Anna-Lisa

2016-01-01

Our primary aim was to determine whether gravity has a direct role in establishing the auxin-mediated gravity-sensing system in primary roots. Major plant architectures have long been thought to be guided by gravity, including the directional growth of the primary root via auxin gradients that are then disturbed when roots deviate from the vertical as a gravity sensor. However, experiments on the International Space Station (ISS) now allow physical clarity with regard to any assumptions regarding the role of gravity in establishing fundamental root auxin distributions. We examined the spaceflight green fluorescent protein (GFP)-reporter gene expression in roots of transgenic lines of Arabidopsis thaliana: pDR5r::GFP, pTAA1::TAA1–GFP, pSCR::SCR–GFP to monitor auxin and pARR5::GFP to monitor cytokinin. Plants on the ISS were imaged live with the Light Microscopy Module (LMM), and compared with control plants imaged on the ground. Preserved spaceflight and ground control plants were examined post flight with confocal microscopy. Plants on orbit, growing in the absence of any physical reference to the terrestrial gravity vector, displayed typically “vertical” distribution of auxin in the primary root. This confirms that the establishment of the auxin-gradient system, the primary guide for gravity signaling in the root, is gravity independent. The cytokinin distribution in the root tip differs between spaceflight and the ground controls, suggesting spaceflight-induced features of root growth may be cytokinin related. The distribution of auxin in the gravity-sensing portion of the root is not dependent on gravity. Spaceflight appears benign to auxin and its role in the development of the primary root tip, whereas spaceflight may influence cytokinin-associated processes. PMID:28725721

Career plans of primary care midwives in the Netherlands and their intentions to leave the current job.

PubMed

Warmelink, J Catja; Wiegers, Therese A; de Cock, T Paul; Spelten, Evelien R; Hutton, Eileen K

2015-05-10

In labour market policy and planning, it is important to understand the motivations of people to continue in their current job or to seek other employment. Over the last decade, besides the increasingly medical approach to pregnancy and childbirth and decreasing home births, there were additional dramatic changes and pressures on primary care midwives and midwifery care. Therefore, it is important to re-evaluate the career plans of primary care midwives and their intentions to leave their current job. All 108 primary care midwives of 20 selected midwifery care practices in the Netherlands were invited to fill out a written questionnaire with questions regarding career plans and intentions to leave. Bivariate analyses were carried out to compare career plans and work-related and personal characteristics and attitudes towards work among the group of midwives who indicated that they intended to leave their current job (ITL group) and those who indicated they had no intention to leave (NITL group). Significant predictors of ITL were included in the multiple binary logistic regression with 'intention to leave' as the dependent variable. In 2010, 32.7% of the 98 participating primary care midwives surveyed had considered an intention to leave their current type of job in the past year. Fewer ITL midwives wanted to be a self-employed practitioner with the full range of primary care tasks and work full-time. Significant predictors of the primary care midwives' intention to leave included a lower overall score on the job satisfaction scale (OR = 0.18; 95% CI = 0.06-0.58; p = 0.004) and being between 30 and 45 years old (OR = 2.69; 95% CI = 1.04-7.0; p = 0.041). Our study shows that, despite significant changes in the reproductive, maternal and newborn health service delivery that impact on independent midwifery practice, the majority of primary care midwives intended to stay in primary care. The absence of job satisfaction, and being in the age group between 30 and 45 years old, is associated with primary care midwives' intention to leave their current job. Ongoing monitoring will be important in the future.

Understanding the implementation of evidence-based care: a structural network approach.

PubMed

Parchman, Michael L; Scoglio, Caterina M; Schumm, Phillip

2011-02-24

Recent study of complex networks has yielded many new insights into phenomenon such as social networks, the internet, and sexually transmitted infections. The purpose of this analysis is to examine the properties of a network created by the 'co-care' of patients within one region of the Veterans Health Affairs. Data were obtained for all outpatient visits from 1 October 2006 to 30 September 2008 within one large Veterans Integrated Service Network. Types of physician within each clinic were nodes connected by shared patients, with a weighted link representing the number of shared patients between each connected pair. Network metrics calculated included edge weights, node degree, node strength, node coreness, and node betweenness. Log-log plots were used to examine the distribution of these metrics. Sizes of k-core networks were also computed under multiple conditions of node removal. There were 4,310,465 encounters by 266,710 shared patients between 722 provider types (nodes) across 41 stations or clinics resulting in 34,390 edges. The number of other nodes to which primary care provider nodes have a connection (172.7) is 42% greater than that of general surgeons and two and one-half times as high as cardiology. The log-log plot of the edge weight distribution appears to be linear in nature, revealing a 'scale-free' characteristic of the network, while the distributions of node degree and node strength are less so. The analysis of the k-core network sizes under increasing removal of primary care nodes shows that about 10 most connected primary care nodes play a critical role in keeping the k-core networks connected, because their removal disintegrates the highest k-core network. Delivery of healthcare in a large healthcare system such as that of the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) can be represented as a complex network. This network consists of highly connected provider nodes that serve as 'hubs' within the network, and demonstrates some 'scale-free' properties. By using currently available tools to explore its topology, we can explore how the underlying connectivity of such a system affects the behavior of providers, and perhaps leverage that understanding to improve quality and outcomes of care.

Establishment of the central radiation dose registration system for decontamination work involving radioactive fallout emitted by the Fukushima Daiichi APP accident.

PubMed

Yasui, Shojiro

2016-10-01

With respect to radiation protection for decontamination efforts involving radioactive fallout emitted by the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Atomic Power Plant, new regulations were established and obligated employers to monitor, record, and store of workers' dose records, and to check their past dose records at the time of employment. However, cumulative doses may not be properly maintained if a worker declares incorrect values for past doses. In response, with facilitation from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, primary contractors of decontamination works decided to establish a central dose registration system. There are four major issues in the design of the system to be resolved, included the following: primary contractors (a) do not have a legal responsibility to perform dose control for subcontractors, (b) do not have the right to control decontamination sites, (c) often organize joint ventures, and (d) correspond to a wide range of ambient dose rates. To resolve the issues, requirements of the system included the following: (a) centralize the operation of radiation passbooks, which records past doses and the results of medical examinations to each worker; (b) develop a database system that could register all dose data and accept inquiry from primary contractors; (c) establish a permanent data storage system for transferred records; and (d) provide graded type of services that are appropriate to the risk of radiation exposure. The system started its operation in December 2013 and provided dose distributions in April and July 2015. The average yearly dose in 2014 was 0.7 mSv, which increased by 0.2 mSv from 0.5 mSv in 2012 and 2013. However, no cumulative dose from 2012-2014 exceeded 20 mSv, which was far below than the dose limits (100 mSv/5 years and 50 mSv/year). Although current dose distributions of decontamination workers were within appropriate levels, careful monitoring of dose distribution is necessary for preserving the proper implementation of radiation protection prescribed in the regulations.

The Italian primary school-size distribution and the city-size: a complex nexus

PubMed Central

Belmonte, Alessandro; Di Clemente, Riccardo; Buldyrev, Sergey V.

2014-01-01

We characterize the statistical law according to which Italian primary school-size distributes. We find that the school-size can be approximated by a log-normal distribution, with a fat lower tail that collects a large number of very small schools. The upper tail of the school-size distribution decreases exponentially and the growth rates are distributed with a Laplace PDF. These distributions are similar to those observed for firms and are consistent with a Bose-Einstein preferential attachment process. The body of the distribution features a bimodal shape suggesting some source of heterogeneity in the school organization that we uncover by an in-depth analysis of the relation between schools-size and city-size. We propose a novel cluster methodology and a new spatial interaction approach among schools which outline the variety of policies implemented in Italy. Different regional policies are also discussed shedding lights on the relation between policy and geographical features. PMID:24954714

Comparison between the analysis of the loudness dependency of the auditory N1/P2 component with LORETA and dipole source analysis in the prediction of treatment response to the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor citalopram in major depression.

PubMed

Mulert, C; Juckel, G; Augustin, H; Hegerl, U

2002-10-01

The loudness dependency of the auditory evoked potentials (LDAEP) is used as an indicator of the central serotonergic system and predicts clinical response to serotonin agonists. So far, LDAEP has been typically investigated with dipole source analysis, because with this method the primary and secondary auditory cortex (with a high versus low serotonergic innervation) can be separated at least in parts. We have developed a new analysis procedure that uses an MRI probabilistic map of the primary auditory cortex in Talairach space and analyzed the current density in this region of interest with low resolution electromagnetic tomography (LORETA). LORETA is a tomographic localization method that calculates the current density distribution in Talairach space. In a group of patients with major depression (n=15), this new method can predict the response to an selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (citalopram) at least to the same degree than the traditional dipole source analysis method (P=0.019 vs. P=0.028). The correlation of the improvement in the Hamilton Scale is significant with the LORETA-LDAEP-values (0.56; P=0.031) but not with the dipole source analysis LDAEP-values (0.43; P=0.11). The new tomographic LDAEP analysis is a promising tool in the analysis of the central serotonergic system.

Zimbabwe's success story in education and health: will it weather economic structural adjustment?

PubMed

Tumwine, J K

1992-12-01

The beginning of the 1980s saw the birth of Zimbabwe as a result of a protracted liberation war. It coincided with global interest in primary health care, the concept of universal primary school education and, unfortunately, moves towards economic stabilization and structural adjustment programmes. Economic structural adjustment was adopted by several sub Saharan African countries with dire consequences for the poor and vulnerable. Zimbabwe's commitment to social justice and to equitable distribution of resources demonstrated a practical move away from the culture of rhetoric so characteristic of many governments and non-governmental organisations and agencies. This commitment has been translated into impressive improvements in health and education. Current evidence shows that education has had a positive impact on health and related areas like contraceptive use, child mortality and the nutrition status of children. Conversely nutrition and health conditions among school children are important determinants of educational outcomes. Hitherto Zimbabwe's economy has been sufficiently strong to avoid excessive dependence on the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and other foreign financial institutions. Unfortunately, however, the current economic recession together with economic structural adjustment programmes are beginning to have a negative impact on health and education. Will true synergism between health and education weather these structural problems? It seems that the people and government of Zimbabwe have the capacity and resolve to weather such a storm.

Project CONVERGE: Initial Results From the Mapping of Surface Currents in Palmer Deep

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Statscewich, H.; Kohut, J. T.; Winsor, P.; Oliver, M. J.; Bernard, K. S.; Cimino, M. A.; Fraser, W.

2016-02-01

The Palmer Deep submarine canyon on the Western Antarctic Peninsula provides a conduit for upwelling of relatively warm, nutrient rich waters which enhance local primary production and support a food web productive enough to sustain a large top predator biomass. In an analysis of ten years of satellite-tagged penguins, Oliver et al. (2013) showed that circulation features associated with tidal flows may be a key driver of nearshore predator distributions. During diurnal tides, the penguins feed close to their breeding colonies and during semi-diurnal tides, the penguins make foraging trips to the more distant regions of Palmer Deep. It is hypothesized that convergent features act to concentrate primary producers and aggregate schools of krill that influence the behavior of predator species. The initial results from a six month deployment of a High Frequency Radar network in Palmer Deep are presented in an attempt to characterize and quantify convergent features. During a three month period from January through March 2015, we conducted in situ sampling consisting of multiple underwater glider deployments, small boat acoustic surveys of Antarctic krill, and penguin ARGOS-linked satellite telemetry and time-depth recorders (TDRs). The combination of real-time surface current maps with adaptive in situ sampling introduces High Frequency Radar to the Antarctic in a way that allows us to rigorously and efficiently test the influence of local tidal processes on top predator foraging ecology.

Complete Calibration of the Color-Redshift Relation (C3R2): A Critical Foundation for Weak Lensing Cosmology with Euclid and WFIRST

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masters, Daniel C.; Stern, Daniel; Cohen, Judy; Capak, Peter

2018-01-01

A primary objective of both WFIRST and Euclid is to provide a 3D map of the distribution of matter across a significant fraction of the universe from the weak lensing shear field. Doing so will require accurate redshifts to the billions of galaxies that comprise the weak lensing samples of these surveys; achieving the required accuracy is a “tall pole” challenge for both missions. Here we present the ongoing Complete Calibration of the Color-Redshift Relation (C3R2) survey, designed specifically to calibrate the empirical galaxy color-redshift relation to Euclid depth. C3R2 is an ambitious Keck spectroscopy program, with a survey design based on a machine learning technique that allows us to optimally select the most important galaxies to sample the full range of galaxy colors. C3R2 is a multi-center program with time from all the primary Keck partners (Caltech, UC, Hawaii, and NASA), with a total of 34.5 Keck nights allocated to this project. Data Release 1, including 1283 high-confidence spectroscopic redshifts, is published as Masters, Stern, Cohen, Capak, et al. (2017), and we are currently completing Data Release 2, which will include >2000 additional high-confidence spectroscopic redshifts (Masters et al., in prep.). We will discuss current results and prospects for the survey going forward.

HIV primary care by the infectious disease physician in the United States - extending the continuum of care.

PubMed

Lakshmi, Seetha; Beekmann, Susan E; Polgreen, Philip M; Rodriguez, Allan; Alcaide, Maria L

2018-05-01

Models of care for people living with HIV (PLWH) have varied over time due to long term survival, development of HIV-associated non-AIDS conditions, and HIV specific primary care guidelines that differ from those of the general population. The objectives of this study are to assess how often infectious disease (ID) physicians provide primary care for PLWH, assess their practice patterns and barriers in the provision of primary care. We used a 6-item survey electronically distributed to ID physician members of Emerging Infections Network (EIN). Of the 1248 active EIN members, 644 (52%) responded to the survey. Among the 644 respondents, 431 (67%) treated PLWH. Of these 431 responders, 326 (75%) acted as their primary care physicians. Responders who reported always/mostly performing a screening assessment as recommended per guidelines were: (1) Screening specific to HIV (tuberculosis 95%, genital chlamydia/gonorrhoea 77%, hepatitis C 67%, extra genital chlamydia/gonorrhoea 47%, baseline anal PAP smear for women 36% and men 34%); (2) Primary care related screening (fasting lipids 95%, colonoscopy 95%, mammogram 90%, cervical PAP smears 88%, depression 57%, osteoporosis in postmenopausal women 55% and men >50 yrs 33%). Respondents who worked in university hospitals, had <5 years of ID experience, and those who cared for more PLWH were most likely to provide primary care to all or most of their patients. Common barriers reported include: refusal by patient (72%), non-adherence to HIV medications (43%), other health priorities (44%), time constraints during clinic visit (43%) and financial/insurance limitations (40%). Most ID physicians act as primary care providers for their HIV infected patients especially if they are recent ID graduates and work in university hospitals. Current screening rates are suboptimal. Interventions to increase screening practices and to decrease barriers are urgently needed to address the needs of the aging HIV population in the United States.

[Coding in general practice-Will the ICD-11 be a step forward?

PubMed

Kühlein, Thomas; Virtanen, Martti; Claus, Christoph; Popert, Uwe; van Boven, Kees

2018-07-01

Primary care physicians in Germany don't benefit from coding diagnoses-they are coding for the needs of others. For coding, they mostly are using either the thesaurus of the German Institute of Medical Documentation and Information (DIMDI) or self-made cheat-sheets. Coding quality is low but seems to be sufficient for the main use case of the resulting data, which is the morbidity adjusted risk compensation scheme that distributes financial resources between the many German health insurance companies.Neither the International Classification of Diseases and Health Related Problems (ICD-10) nor the German thesaurus as an interface terminology are adequate for coding in primary care. The ICD-11 itself will not recognizably be a step forward from the perspective of primary care. At least the browser database format will be advantageous. An implementation into the 182 different electronic health records (EHR) on the German market would probably standardize the coding process and make code finding easier. This method of coding would still be more cumbersome than the current coding with self-made cheat-sheets.The first steps towards a useful official cheat-sheet for primary care have been taken, awaiting implementation and evaluation. The International Classification of Primary Care (ICPC-2) already provides an adequate classification standard for primary care that can also be used in combination with ICD-10. A new version of ICPC (ICPC-3) is under development. As the ICPC-2 has already been integrated into the foundation layer of ICD-11 it might easily become the future standard for coding in primary care. Improving communication between the different EHR would make taking over codes from other healthcare providers possible. Another opportunity to improve the coding quality might be creating use cases for the resulting data for the primary care physicians themselves.

Atlas of optimal coil orientation and position for TMS: A computational study.

PubMed

Gomez-Tames, Jose; Hamasaka, Atsushi; Laakso, Ilkka; Hirata, Akimasa; Ugawa, Yoshikazu

2018-04-17

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) activates target brain structures in a non-invasive manner. The optimal orientation of the TMS coil for the motor cortex is well known and can be estimated using motor evoked potentials. However, there are no easily measurable responses for activation of other cortical areas and the optimal orientation for these areas is currently unknown. This study investigated the electric field strength, optimal coil orientation, and relative locations to optimally stimulate the target cortex based on computed electric field distributions. A total of 518,616 stimulation scenarios were studied using realistic head models (2401 coil locations × 12 coil angles × 18 head models). Inter-subject registration methods were used to generate an atlas of optimized TMS coil orientations on locations on the standard brain. We found that the maximum electric field strength is greater in primary somatosensory cortex and primary motor cortex than in other cortical areas. Additionally, a universal optimal coil orientation applicable to most subjects is more feasible at the primary somatosensory cortex and primary motor cortex. We confirmed that optimal coil angle follows the anatomical shape of the hand motor area to realize personalized optimization of TMS. Finally, on average, the optimal coil positions for TMS on the scalp deviated 5.5 mm from the scalp points with minimum cortex-scalp distance. This deviation was minimal at the premotor cortex and primary motor cortex. Personalized optimal coil orientation is preferable for obtaining the most effective stimulation. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Political economy of decentralising HIV and AIDS treatment services to primary healthcare facilities in three Nigerian states.

PubMed

Mbachu, Chinyere; Onwujekwe, Obinna; Ezumah, Nkoli; Ajayi, Olayinka; Sanwo, Olusola; Uzochukwu, Benjamin

2016-09-01

Decentralisation is defined as the dispersion, distribution or transfer of resources, functions and decision-making power from a central authority to regional and local authorities. It is usually accompanied by assignment of accountability and responsibility for results. Fundamental to understanding decentralisation is learning what motivates central governments to give up power and resources to local governments, and the practical significance of this on their positions regarding decentralisation. This study examined key political and institutional influences on role-players' capacity to support decentralisation of HIV and AIDS treatment services to primary healthcare facilities, and implications for sustainability. In-depth interviews were conducted with 55 purposively selected key informants, drawn from three Nigerian states that were at different stages of decentralising HIV and AIDS treatment services to primary care facilities. Key informants represented different categories of role-players involved in HIV and AIDS control programmes. Thematic framework analysis of data was done. Support for decentralisation of HIV and AIDS treatment services to primary healthcare facilities was substantial among different categories of actors. Political factors such as the local and global agenda for health, political tenure and party affiliations, and institutional factors such as consolidation of decision-making power and improvements in career trajectories, influenced role-players support for decentralisation of HIV and AIDS treatment services. It is feasible and acceptable to decentralise HIV and AIDS treatment services to primary healthcare facilities, to help improve coverage. However, role-players' support largely depends on how well the reform aligns with political structures and current institutional practices.

Child and adolescent psychiatry: which knowledge and skills do primary care physicians need to have? A survey in general practitioners and paediatricians.

PubMed

Lempp, Thomas; Heinzel-Gutenbrunner, Monika; Bachmann, Christian

2016-04-01

Primary care physicians (PCPs) play a key role in the initial assessment and management of children and adolescents with mental health problems. However, it is unclear whether current medical education curricula sufficiently equip PCPs for this task. The aim of this study was to investigate, which child and adolescent psychiatry (CAP)-related skills and knowledge PCPs say they require in their daily practice. A questionnaire was generated, employing a modified two-step Delphi approach. Besides socio-demographic items, the questionnaire contained 17 CAP-related knowledge items and 13 CAP-related skills items, which had to be rated by importance in daily practice. The questionnaire was distributed to 348 office-based paediatricians and 500 general practitioners (GPs) in Germany. The overall return rate was 51.3% (435/848). Regarding CAP-related knowledge, both paediatricians and GPs rated somatoform disorders and obesity as highly important for daily practice. Moreover, paediatricians also deemed regulatory disorders during infancy (e.g. crying, sleep disorders) as important, while GPs assessed knowledge on paediatric depression as relevant. For paediatricians and GPs, the most relevant CAP-related skills were communicating with children and adolescents and their parents. Additionally, paediatricians rated differentiating between non-pathologic and clinically relevant behaviour problems very relevant, while GPs considered basic psychotherapeutic skills essential. The CAP-related knowledge and skills perceived relevant for doctors in primary care differ from the majority of current medical school CAP curricula, which cover mainly typical, epitomic CAP disorders and are predominantly knowledge-oriented. Therefore, medical education in CAP should be amended to reflect the needs of PCPs to improve healthcare for children and adolescents with mental health problems.

The Search for Efficiency in Arboreal Ray Tracing Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Leeuwen, M.; Disney, M.; Chen, J. M.; Gomez-Dans, J.; Kelbe, D.; van Aardt, J. A.; Lewis, P.

2016-12-01

Forest structure significantly impacts a range of abiotic conditions, including humidity and the radiation regime, all of which affect the rate of net and gross primary productivity. Current forest productivity models typically consider abstract media to represent the transfer of radiation within the canopy. Examples include the representation forest structure via a layered canopy model, where leaf area and inclination angles are stratified with canopy depth, or as turbid media where leaves are randomly distributed within space or within confined geometric solids such as blocks, spheres or cones. While these abstract models are known to produce accurate estimates of primary productivity at the stand level, their limited geometric resolution restricts applicability at fine spatial scales, such as the cell, leaf or shoot levels, thereby not addressing the full potential of assimilation of data from laboratory and field measurements with that of remote sensing technology. Recent research efforts have explored the use of laser scanning to capture detailed tree morphology at millimeter accuracy. These data can subsequently be used to combine ray tracing with primary productivity models, providing an ability to explore trade-offs among different morphological traits or assimilate data from spatial scales, spanning the leaf- to the stand level. Ray tracing has a major advantage of allowing the most accurate structural description of the canopy, and can directly exploit new 3D structural measurements, e.g., from laser scanning. However, the biggest limitation of ray tracing models is their high computational cost, which currently limits their use for large-scale applications. In this talk, we explore ways to more efficiently exploit ray tracing simulations and capture this information in a readily computable form for future evaluation, thus potentially enabling large-scale first-principles forest growth modelling applications.

Distribution and etiology of chronic respiratory diseases in primary healthcare departments in Cape Verde.

PubMed

Carreiro-Martins, P; Rosado-Pinto, J; do Céu Teixeira, M; Neuparth, N; Silva, O; Papoila, A L; Khaltaev, N; Bousquet, J; Annesi-Maesano, I

2015-10-01

Data on chronic respiratory diseases (CRD) are scarce or unavailable in most African countries. We aimed to determine the prevalence of CRD and associated risk factors in Cape Verde, at the primary healthcare level. In the frame of the Global Alliance Against Chronic Respiratory Diseases, a cross-sectional study was carried out in October 2006 in 3256 outpatients (2142 women) (median age of 30 years) seeking care at primary healthcare departments, through a standardized interview questionnaire during two weeks. The prevalence of emphysema, tuberculosis, chronic bronchitis, rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma were 0.7%, 2%, 4.5%, 12.3% and 6.2%, respectively. Current smoking was associated with emphysema (OR: 3.36; 95% CI: 0.97-11.40) and tuberculosis (OR: 2.14; 95% CI: 1.07-4.30), ever exposed to a dusty workplace with chronic bronchitis (OR: 2.20; CI 95%: 1.50-3.21) and rhinoconjunctivitis (OR: 1.56; CI 95%: 1.23-1.98) and cooking or heating using an open fire with asthma (OR: 1.59; CI 95%: 1.16-2.19). The estimates of attributable risks percent indicated that, in the sample, a noticeable part of CRD could be attributed to active smoking, exposure to dust and biomass. Results varied according to gender, particularly regarding current smoking which was more important for men. Tobacco smoking, exposure to dust at work and using an open fire were important risk factors for CRD. Our results suggest that if actions were taken in order to reduce the aforementioned exposures, an important CRD decrease could be achieved. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Healthcare Provider Views on Transitioning From Task Shifting to Advanced Practice Nursing in Tanzania.

PubMed

Mboineki, Joanes Faustine; Zhang, Weihong

The Tanzanian health sector suffers from shortages of healthcare workers as well as uneven distribution of healthcare workers in urban and rural areas. Task shifting-delegation of tasks from professionals to other healthcare team members with less training, such as medical attendants-is practiced, compromising quality of care. Advanced practice nursing is underutilized. The purpose of this study was to explore the views of nurses and physicians on current responses to shortages of healthcare workers and the potential for utilization of advanced practice nurses. A descriptive, qualitative design was used. Purposeful sampling was used to select 20 participants. An in-depth interview guide was used to obtain information. Interviews were conducted in Swahili or English. Content analysis was used to identify themes. Shortage of human resources in rural primary healthcare facilities was identified as a major rationale for implementation of the advanced practice nurse practitioner role because the current health providers in rural health facilities are less trained and doctors are not ready to work in these settings. Opposition from physicians is expected during the course of implementing the nurse practitioner role. Professional bodies and government should reach consensus before the implementation of this role in such a way that they should agree on scope and standards of practice of nurse practitioners in Tanzania. Shortage of human resources for health is greater in rural primary healthcare facilities. Task shifting in Tanzania is neither effective nor legally recognized. Transition to advanced practice nursing roles-particularly the nurse practitioner role-can facilitate provision of optimal care. Nurse practitioners should be prepared to work in rural primary healthcare facilities.

Impact of uniform electrode current distribution on ETF. [Engineering Test Facility MHD generator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bents, D. J.

1982-01-01

A basic reason for the complexity and sheer volume of electrode consolidation hardware in the MHD ETF Powertrain system is the channel electrode current distribution, which is non-uniform. If the channel design is altered to provide uniform electrode current distribution, the amount of hardware required decreases considerably, but at the possible expense of degraded channel performance. This paper explains the design impacts on the ETF electrode consolidation network associated with uniform channel electrode current distribution, and presents the alternate consolidation designs which occur. They are compared to the baseline (non-uniform current) design with respect to performance, and hardware requirements. A rational basis is presented for comparing the requirements for the different designs and the savings that result from uniform current distribution. Performance and cost impacts upon the combined cycle plant are discussed.

LIQUID AND GASEOUS FUEL DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

EPA Science Inventory

The report describes the national liquid and gaseous fuel distribution system. he study leading to the report was performed as part of an effort to better understand emissions of volatile organic compounds from the fuel distribution system. he primary, secondary, and tertiary seg...

Isoprenoid biosynthesis in eukaryotic phototrophs: A spotlight on algae

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

Lohr M.; Schwender J.; Polle, J. E. W.

Isoprenoids are one of the largest groups of natural compounds and have a variety of important functions in the primary metabolism of land plants and algae. In recent years, our understanding of the numerous facets of isoprenoid metabolism in land plants has been rapidly increasing, while knowledge on the metabolic network of isoprenoids in algae still lags behind. Here, current views on the biochemistry and genetics of the core isoprenoid metabolism in land plants and in the major algal phyla are compared and some of the most pressing open questions are highlighted. Based on the different evolutionary histories of themore » various groups of eukaryotic phototrophs, we discuss the distribution and regulation of the mevalonate (MVA) and the methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathways in land plants and algae and the potential consequences of the loss of the MVA pathway in groups such as the green algae. For the prenyltransferases, serving as gatekeepers to the various branches of terpenoid biosynthesis in land plants and algae, we explore the minimal inventory necessary for the formation of primary isoprenoids and present a preliminary analysis of their occurrence and phylogeny in algae with primary and secondary plastids. The review concludes with some perspectives on genetic engineering of the isoprenoid metabolism in algae.« less

Measurement of cerebral blood flow rate and its relationship with brain function using optical coherence tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Jian; Wang, Yi; Zhao, Yuqian; Dou, Shidan; Ma, Yushu; Ma, Zhenhe

2016-03-01

Activity of brain neurons will lead to changes in local blood flow rate (BFR). Thus, it is important to measure the local BFR of cerebral cortex on research of neuron activity in vivo, such as rehabilitation evaluation after stroke, etc. Currently, laser Doppler flowmetry is commonly used for blood flow measurement, however, relatively low resolution limits its application. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a powerful noninvasive 3D imaging modality with high temporal and spatial resolutions. Furthermore, OCT can provide flow distribution image by calculating Doppler frequency shift which makes it possible for blood flow rate measurement. In this paper, we applied OCT to measure the blood flow rate of the primary motor cortex in rats. The animal was immobilized and anesthetized with isoflurane, an incision was made along the sagittal suture, and bone was exposed. A skull window was opened on the primary motor cortex. Then, blood flow rate changes in the primary motor cortex were monitored by our homemade spectral domain OCT with a stimulation of the passive movement of the front legs. Finally, we established the relationship between blood flow rate and the test design. The aim is to demonstrate the potential of OCT in the evaluation of cerebral cortex function.

A valuable approach to the use of electronic medical data in primary care research: Panning for gold.

PubMed

Barnett, Stephen; Henderson, Joan; Hodgkins, Adam; Harrison, Christopher; Ghosh, Abhijeet; Dijkmans-Hadley, Bridget; Britt, Helena; Bonney, Andrew

2017-05-01

Electronic medical data (EMD) from electronic health records of general practice computer systems have enormous research potential, yet many variables are unreliable. The aim of this study was to compare selected data variables from general practice EMD with a reliable, representative national dataset (Bettering the Evaluation and Care of Health (BEACH)) in order to validate their use for primary care research. EMD variables were compared with encounter data from the nationally representative BEACH program using χ 2 tests and robust 95% confidence intervals to test their validity (measure what they reportedly measure). The variables focused on for this study were patient age, sex, smoking status and medications prescribed at the visit. The EMD sample from six general practices in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia, yielded data on 196,515 patient encounters. Details of 90,553 encounters were recorded in the 2013 BEACH dataset from 924 general practitioners. No significant differences in patient age ( p = 0.36) or sex ( p = 0.39) were found. EMD had a lower rate of current smokers and higher average scripts per visit, but similar prescribing distribution patterns. Validating EMD variables offers avenues for improving primary care delivery and measuring outcomes of care to inform clinical practice and health policy.

Diagnostic accuracy of high-risk HPV genotyping in women with high-grade cervical lesions: evidence for improving the cervical cancer screening strategy in China.

PubMed

Xu, Huihui; Lin, Aifen; Shao, Xiujuan; Shi, Weiwu; Zhang, Yang; Yan, Weihua

2016-12-13

Currently, clinical data for primary HPV screening alone are lacking in China. Here, we evaluate cervical cancer screening with primary HPV genotyping, as well as possible future screening strategy. Overall, high-risk HPV (hrHPV) prevalence was 18.2% among hospital-based population in Taizhou area. For cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2 or worse (CIN2+), the sensitivity of primary hrHPV genotyping strategy and current cervical cancer screening strategy were 93.5%, and 71.1%, respectively; whereas the specificity was 17.5%, and 62.4%, respectively. Current cervical screening strategy had slightly higher positive predictive values (28.4%) for CIN2+ than hrHPV genotyping strategy (21.9%), whereas primary hrHPV genotyping strategy demonstrated higher negative predictive values (94.7%) than current cervical screening strategy (91.1%). Compared to HPV35/39/45/51/56/59/66/68 genotypes, the odds ratios (OR) for CIN2+ in HPV16/18/31/33/52/58 infection women were 3.2 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.3-4.1). Primary hrHPV genotyping strategy provides a better predictive value than HPV16/18 genotyping alone in guiding the clinical management of the current cervical cancer screening. HPV testing without adjunctive cytology may be sufficiently sensitive for primary cervical cancer screening.

Crack problem in superconducting cylinder with exponential distribution of critical-current density

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Yufeng; Xu, Chi; Shi, Liang

2018-04-01

The general problem of a center crack in a long cylindrical superconductor with inhomogeneous critical-current distribution is studied based on the extended Bean model for zero-field cooling (ZFC) and field cooling (FC) magnetization processes, in which the inhomogeneous parameter η is introduced for characterizing the critical-current density distribution in inhomogeneous superconductor. The effect of the inhomogeneous parameter η on both the magnetic field distribution and the variations of the normalized stress intensity factors is also obtained based on the plane strain approach and J-integral theory. The numerical results indicate that the exponential distribution of critical-current density will lead a larger trapped field inside the inhomogeneous superconductor and cause the center of the cylinder to fracture more easily. In addition, it is worth pointing out that the nonlinear field distribution is unique to the Bean model by comparing the curve shapes of the magnetization loop with homogeneous and inhomogeneous critical-current distribution.

Electron-positron pair production by ultrarelativistic electrons in a soft photon field

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mastichiadis, A.; Marscher, A. P.; Brecher, K.

1986-01-01

The fully differential cross section for photon-electron pair production is integrated numerically over phase space. Results are obtained for the astrophysically interesting case in which the interaction between an ultrarelativistic electron and a soft photon results in electron-positron pair production. The positron spectrum is a function of the energies of both the photon and the electron, as well as the angle of interaction. It is found that the energy at which the positron distribution peaks is inversely proportional to the photon energy and independent of the electron energy. The positron spectrum is integrated once more over initial electron energies for a power-law energy distribution of primary electrons. The same procedure is repeated for the recoil particle; it is shown that the peak of the recoil energy distribution depends linearly on the energy of the primary electron. Finally, semianalytical expressions are obtained for the energy losses of the primary electrons.

Current and historical concentrations of poly and perfluorinated compounds in sediments of the northern Great Lakes - Superior, Huron, and Michigan.

PubMed

Codling, Garry; Hosseini, Soheil; Corcoran, Margaret B; Bonina, Solidea; Lin, Tian; Li, An; Sturchio, Neil C; Rockne, Karl J; Ji, Kyunghee; Peng, Hui; Giesy, John P

2018-05-01

Current and historical concentrations of 22 poly- and perfluorinated compounds (PFASs) in sediment collected from Lake Superior and northern Lake Michigan in 2011 and Lake Huron in 2012 are reported. The sampling was performed in two ways, Ponar grabs of surface sediments for current spatial distribution across the lake and dated cores for multi-decadal temporal trends. Mean concentrations of the sum of PFASs (∑PFASs) were 1.5, 4.6 and 3.1 ng g -1 dry mas (dm) in surface sediments for Lakes Superior, Michigan and Huron, respectively. Of the five Laurentian Lakes, the watersheds of Superior and Huron are the less densely populated by humans, and concentrations observed were typically less and from more diffuse sources, due to lesser urbanization and industrialization. However, some regions of greater concentrations were observed and might indicate more local, point sources. In core samples concentrations ranged from 7 that include perfluoro-n-octane sulfonate (PFOS) bind more strongly to sediment, which resulted in more accurate analyses of temporal trends. Shorter-chain PFASs, such as perfluoro-n-butanoic acid which is the primary replacement for C8 PFASs that have been phased out, are more soluble and were identified in some core layers at depths corresponding to pre-production periods. Thus, analyses of temporal trends of these more soluble compounds in cores of sediments were less accurate. Total elemental fluorine (TF) and extractable organic fluorine (EOF) indicated that identified PFASs were not a significant fraction of fluorine containing compounds in sediment (<0.01% in EOF). Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cathode power distribution system and method of using the same for power distribution

DOEpatents

Williamson, Mark A; Wiedmeyer, Stanley G; Koehl, Eugene R; Bailey, James L; Willit, James L; Barnes, Laurel A; Blaskovitz, Robert J

2014-11-11

Embodiments include a cathode power distribution system and/or method of using the same for power distribution. The cathode power distribution system includes a plurality of cathode assemblies. Each cathode assembly of the plurality of cathode assemblies includes a plurality of cathode rods. The system also includes a plurality of bus bars configured to distribute current to each of the plurality of cathode assemblies. The plurality of bus bars include a first bus bar configured to distribute the current to first ends of the plurality of cathode assemblies and a second bus bar configured to distribute the current to second ends of the plurality of cathode assemblies.

Arrival time distributions of electrons in air showers with primary energies above 10 (18)eV observed at 900m above sea level

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kakimoto, F.; Tsuchimoto, I.; Enoki, T.; Suga, K.; Nishi, K.

1985-01-01

Detection of air showers with primary energies above 10 to the 19th power eV with sufficient statistics is extremely important in an astrophysical aspect related to the Greisen cut off and the origin of such high energy cosmic rays. Recently, a method is proposed to observe such giant air showers by measuring the arrival time distributions of air-shower particles at large core distances with a mini array. Experiments to measure the arrival time distributions of muons were started in 1981 and those of electrons in early 1983 in the Akeno air-shower array (930 gcm cm squared atmospheric depth, 900m above sea level). During the time of observation, the detection area of the Akeno array was expanded from 1 sq km to sq km in 1982 and to 20 sq km in 1984. Now the arrival time distribution of electrons and muons can be measured for showers with primary energies above 1019eV at large core distances.

Comparison of Measured Leakage Current Distributions with Calculated Damage Energy Distributions in HgCdTe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marshall, C. J.; Ladbury, R.; Marshall, P. W.; Reed, R. A.; Howe, C.; Weller, B.; Mendenhall, M.; Waczynski, A.; Jordan, T. M.; Fodness, B.

2006-01-01

This paper presents a combined Monte Carlo and analytic approach to the calculation of the pixel-to-pixel distribution of proton-induced damage in a HgCdTe sensor array and compares the results to measured dark current distributions after damage by 63 MeV protons. The moments of the Coulombic, nuclear elastic and nuclear inelastic damage distribution were extracted from Monte Carlo simulations and combined to form a damage distribution using the analytic techniques first described in [I]. The calculations show that the high energy recoils from the nuclear inelastic reactions (calculated using the Monte Car10 code MCNPX [2]) produce a pronounced skewing of the damage energy distribution. The nuclear elastic component (also calculated using the MCNPX) has a negligible effect on the shape of the damage distribution. The Coulombic contribution was calculated using MRED [3,4], a Geant4 [4,5] application. The comparison with the dark current distribution strongly suggests that mechanisms which are not linearly correlated with nonionizing damage produced according to collision kinematics are responsible for the observed dark current increases. This has important implications for the process of predicting the on-orbit dark current response of the HgCdTe sensor array.

Preparing nursing students for enhanced roles in primary care: The current state of prelicensure and RN-to-BSN education.

PubMed

Wojnar, Danuta M; Whelan, Ellen Marie

With the current emphasis on including registered nurses (RNs) on the primary care teams, it is essential that nursing programs prepare students for employment in these settings. This study explored the current state of prelicensure and RN-to-Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) online education regarding the implementation of primary care content in the curricula. A sample of 1,409 schools and/or colleges from across the United States was invited to participate in an online survey. About 529 surveys were returned for an overall response rate of 37.5%. Summative content analysis was used to analyze survey data. Although most respondents have implemented some primary care content, some found it challenging and others have demurred from incorporating primary care content altogether. Nursing leaders and faculty in academia must collaborate with clinical partners to design and expand didactic and clinical learning experiences that emphasize primary care content in the prelicensure and RN-to-BSN education. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Current density and catalyst-coated membrane resistance distribution of hydro-formed metallic bipolar plate fuel cell short stack with 250 cm2 active area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haase, S.; Moser, M.; Hirschfeld, J. A.; Jozwiak, K.

2016-01-01

An automotive fuel cell with an active area of 250 cm2 is investigated in a 4-cell short stack with a current and temperature distribution device next to the bipolar plate with 560 current and 140 temperature segments. The electrical conductivities of the bipolar plate and gas diffusion layer assembly are determined ex-situ with this current scan shunt module. The applied fuel cell consists of bipolar plates constructed of 75-μm-thick, welded stainless-steel foils and a graphitic coating. The electrical conductivities of the bipolar plate and gas diffusion layer assembly are determined ex-situ with this module with a 6% deviation in in-plane conductivity. The current density distribution is evaluated up to 2.4 A cm-2. The entire cell's investigated volumetric power density is 4.7 kW l-1, and its gravimetric power density is 4.3 kW kg-1 at an average cell voltage of 0.5 V. The current density distribution is determined without influencing the operating cell. In addition, the current density distribution in the catalyst-coated membrane and its effective resistivity distribution with a finite volume discretisation of Ohm's law are evaluated. The deviation between the current density distributions in the catalyst-coated membrane and the bipolar plate is determined.

THE LIQUID AND GASEOUS FUEL DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

EPA Science Inventory

The report describes the national liquid and gaseous fuel distribution system. he study leading to the report was performed as part of an effort to better understand emissions of volatile organic compounds from the fuel distribution system. he primary, secondary, and tertiary seg...

The Thai-Australian Health Alliance: developing health management capacity and sustainability for primary health care services.

PubMed

Briggs, D S; Tejativaddhana, P; Cruickshank, M; Fraser, J; Campbell, S

2010-11-01

There have been recent calls for a renewed worldwide focus on primary health care. The Thai-Australian Health Alliance addresses this call by developing health care management capability in primary health care professionals in rural Thailand. This paper describes the history and current activities of the Thai-Australian Health Alliance and its approaches to developing health care management capacity for primary care services through international collaborations in research, education and training over a sustained time period. The Alliance's approach is described herein as a distributed network of practices with access to shared knowledge through collaboration. Its research and education approaches involve action research, multi-methods projects, and evaluative studies in the context of workshops and field studies. WHO principles underpin this approach, with countries sharing practical experiences and outcomes, encouraging leadership and management resource networks, creating clearing houses/knowledge centres, and harmonising and aligning partners with their country's health systems. Various evaluations of the Alliance's activities have demonstrated that a capacity building approach that aligns researchers, educators and health practitioners in comparative and reflective activities can be effective in transferring knowledge and skills among a collaboration's partners. Project participants, including primary health care practitioners, health policy makers and academics embraced the need to acquire management skills to sustain primary care units. Participants believe that the approaches described herein were crucial to developing the management skills needed of health care professionals for rural and remote primary health care. The implementation of this initiative was challenged by pre-existing low opinions of the importance of the management role in health care, but with time the Alliance's activities highlighted for all the importance of health care management. Acceptance of its activities and goals are evidenced by the establishment of a Centre of Leadership Expertise in Health Management and the endorsement of the Phitsanulok Declaration by more than 470 primary health care practitioners, academics and policy makers. Problems with the primary health care delivery system in rural Thailand continue, but the Alliance has successfully implemented a cross cultural strategic collaboration through a continuity of activities to augment practice management capacities in primary care practices.

Estimating the residency expansion required to avoid projected primary care physician shortages by 2035.

PubMed

Petterson, Stephen M; Liaw, Winston R; Tran, Carol; Bazemore, Andrew W

2015-03-01

The purpose of this study was to calculate the projected primary care physician shortage, determine the amount and composition of residency growth needed, and estimate the impact of retirement age and panel size changes. We used the 2010 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey to calculate utilization of ambulatory primary care services and the US Census Bureau to project demographic changes. To determine the baseline number of primary care physicians and the number retiring at 66 years, we used the 2014 American Medical Association Masterfile. Using specialty board and American Osteopathic Association figures, we estimated the annual production of primary care residents. To calculate shortages, we subtracted the accumulated primary care physician production from the accumulated number of primary care physicians needed for each year from 2015 to 2035. More than 44,000 primary care physicians will be needed by 2035. Current primary care production rates will be unable to meet demand, resulting in a shortage in excess of 33,000 primary care physicians. Given current production, an additional 1,700 primary care residency slots will be necessary by 2035. A 10% reduction in the ratio of population per primary care physician would require more than 3,000 additional slots by 2035, whereas changing the expected retirement age from 66 years to 64 years would require more than 2,400 additional slots. To eliminate projected shortages in 2035, primary care residency production must increase by 21% compared with current production. Delivery models that shift toward smaller ratios of population to primary care physicians may substantially increase the shortage. © 2015 Annals of Family Medicine, Inc.

Improved Controller Design of Grid Friendly™ Appliances for Primary Frequency Response

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

Lian, Jianming; Sun, Yannan; Marinovici, Laurentiu D.

2015-09-01

The Grid Friendlymore » $$^\\textrm{TM}$$ Appliance~(GFA) controller, developed at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, can autonomously switch off the appliances by detecting the under-frequency events. In this paper, the impacts of curtailing frequency threshold on the performance of frequency responsive GFAs are carefully analyzed first. The current method of selecting curtailing frequency thresholds for GFAs is found to be insufficient to guarantee the desired performance especially when the frequency deviation is shallow. In addition, the power reduction of online GFAs could be so excessive that it can even impact the system response negatively. As a remedy to the deficiency of the current controller design, a different way of selecting curtailing frequency thresholds is proposed to ensure the effectiveness of GFAs in frequency protection. Moreover, it is also proposed to introduce a supervisor at each distribution feeder to monitor the curtailing frequency thresholds of online GFAs and take corrective actions if necessary.« less

Active space debris charging for contactless electrostatic disposal maneuvers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schaub, Hanspeter; Sternovsky, Zoltán

2014-01-01

The remote charging of a passive object using an electron beam enables touchless re-orbiting of large space debris from geosynchronous orbit (GEO) using electrostatic forces. The advantage of this method is that it can operate with a separation distance of multiple craft radii, thus reducing the risk of collision. The charging of the tug-debris system to high potentials is achieved by active charge transfer using a directed electron beam. Optimal potential distributions using isolated- and coupled-sphere models are discussed. A simple charging model takes into account the primary electron beam current, ultra-violet radiation induced photoelectron emission, collection of plasma particles, secondary electron emission and the recapture of emitted particles. The results show that through active charging in a GEO space environment high potentials can be both achieved and maintained with about a 75% transfer efficiency. Further, the maximum electrostatic tractor force is shown to be insensitive to beam current levels. This latter later result is important when considering debris with unknown properties.

Do Daphnia use metalimnetic organic matter in a north temperate lake? An analysis of vertical migration

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brosseau, Chase Julian; Cline, Timothy J.; Cole, Jonathan J.; Hodgson, James R.; Pace, Michael L.; Weidel, Brian C.

2012-01-01

Diel vertical migration of zooplankton is influenced by a variety of factors including predation, food, and temperature. Research has recently shifted from a focus on factors influencing migration to how migration affects nutrient cycling and habitat coupling. Here we evaluate the potential for Daphnia migrations to incorporate metalimnetic productivity in a well-studied northern Wisconsin lake. We use prior studies conducted between 1985 and 1990 and current diel migration data (2008) to compare day and night Daphnia vertical distributions with the depth of the metalimnion (between the thermocline and 1% light depth). Daphnia migrate from a daytime mean residence depth of between about 1.7 and 2.5 m to a nighttime mean residence depth of between 0 and 2.0 m. These migrations are consistent between the prior period and current measurements. Daytime residence depths of Daphnia are rarely deep enough to reach the metalimnion; hence, metalimnetic primary production is unlikely to be an important resource for Daphnia in this system.

A proposal for the annotation of recurrent colorectal cancer: the 'Sheffield classification'.

PubMed

Majeed, A W; Shorthouse, A J; Blakeborough, A; Bird, N C

2011-11-01

Current classification systems of large bowel cancer only refer to metastatic disease as M0, M1 or Mx. Recurrent colorectal cancer primarily occurs in the liver, lungs, nodes or peritoneum. The management of each of these sites of recurrence has made significant advances and each is a subspecialty in its own right. The aim of this paper was to devise a classification system which accurately describes the site and extent of metastatic spread. An amendment of the current system is proposed in which liver, lung and peritoneal metastases are annotated by 'Liv 0,1', 'Pul 0,1' and 'Per 0,1' in describing the primary presentation. These are then subclassified, taking into account the chronology, size, number and geographical distribution of metastatic disease or logoregional recurrence and its K-Ras status. This discussion document proposes a classification system which is logical and simple to use. We plan to validate it prospectively. © 2011 The Authors. Colorectal Disease © 2011 The Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland.

Flame Stability in a Trapped-Vortex Spray-Combustor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chakka, P.; Mancilla, P. C.; Acharya, S.

1999-11-01

Flame stabilization mechanisms in a Trapped-Vortex (TV) cavity is investigated experimentally and computationally in the current research. The TV-cavity is placed coaxially in the combustor and the flame is maintained through injection of liquid fuel spray and air from the inside face of the afterbody. This concept was introduced by Roquemore and company of Wright-Patterson AFB for gaseous fuel injection into the cavity and is extended for liquid fuel sprays in the current research. The flame holding capability of the TV-cavity is studied for different equivalence ratios of the secondary injection and overall Lean Blow-Out (LBO) limits are presented for different primary and secondary flow rates. The interaction and mixing of the main flow with the secondary vortex flow is investigated through the Laser Doppler Velocimetry measurements taken through a quartz window near the cavity. Also, temperature distribution through IR measurements and pressure fluctuations inside the chamber are presented for complete performance analysis of the TV cavity combustor.

Method of determining interwell oil field fluid saturation distribution

DOEpatents

Donaldson, Erle C.; Sutterfield, F. Dexter

1981-01-01

A method of determining the oil and brine saturation distribution in an oil field by taking electrical current and potential measurements among a plurality of open-hole wells geometrically distributed throughout the oil field. Poisson's equation is utilized to develop fluid saturation distributions from the electrical current and potential measurement. Both signal generating equipment and chemical means are used to develop current flow among the several open-hole wells.

The implementation and use of Ada on distributed systems with high reliability requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knight, J. C.

1984-01-01

The use and implementation of Ada in distributed environments in which reliability is the primary concern is investigated. Emphasis is placed on the possibility that a distributed system may be programmed entirely in ADA so that the individual tasks of the system are unconcerned with which processors they are executing on, and that failures may occur in the software or underlying hardware. The primary activities are: (1) Continued development and testing of our fault-tolerant Ada testbed; (2) consideration of desirable language changes to allow Ada to provide useful semantics for failure; (3) analysis of the inadequacies of existing software fault tolerance strategies.

Investigations of primary and secondary impact structures on the moon and laboratory experiments to study the ejecta of secondary particles. Ph.D. Thesis - Ruprecht Karl Univ.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koenig, B.

1977-01-01

Young lunar impact structures were investigated by using lunar orbiter, Apollo Metric and panorama photographs. Measurements on particularly homogeneous areas low in secondary craters made possible an expansion of primary crater distribution to small diameters. This is now sure for a range between 20m or = D or = 20km and this indicates that the size and velocity distribution of the impacting bodies in the last 3 billion years has been constant. A numerical approximation in the form of a 7th degree polynomial was obtained for the distribution.

The distribution of Enceladus water-group neutrals in Saturn’s Magnetosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Howard T.; Richardson, John D.

2017-10-01

Saturn’s magnetosphere is unique in that the plumes from the small icy moon, Enceladus, serve at the primary source for heavy particles in Saturn’s magnetosphere. The resulting co-orbiting neutral particles interact with ions, electrons, photons and other neutral particles to generate separate H2O, OH and O tori. Characterization of these toroidal distributions is essential for understanding Saturn magnetospheric sources, composition and dynamics. Unfortunately, limited direct observations of these features are available so modeling is required. A significant modeling challenge involves ensuring that either the plasma and neutral particle populations are not simply input conditions but can provide feedback to each population (i.e. are self-consistent). Jurac and Richardson (2005) executed such a self-consistent model however this research was performed prior to the return of Cassini data. In a similar fashion, we have coupled a 3-D neutral particle model (Smith et al. 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010) with a plasma transport model (Richardson 1998; Richardson & Jurac 2004) to develop a self-consistent model which is constrained by all available Cassini observations and current findings on Saturn’s magnetosphere and the Enceladus plume source resulting in much more accurate neutral particle distributions. Here a new self-consistent model of the distribution of the Enceladus-generated neutral tori that is validated by all available observations. We also discuss the implications for source rate and variability.

Modeling the present and future geographic distribution of the Lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum (Ixodida: Ixodidae), in the continental United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Springer, Yuri P.; Jarnevich, Catherine S.; Barnett, David T.; Monaghan, Andrew J.; Eisen, Rebecca J.

2015-01-01

The Lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum L.) is the primary vector for pathogens of significant public health importance in North America, yet relatively little is known about its current and potential future distribution. Building on a published summary of tick collection records, we used an ensemble modeling approach to predict the present-day and future distribution of climatically suitable habitat for establishment of the Lone star tick within the continental United States. Of the nine climatic predictor variables included in our five present-day models, average vapor pressure in July was by far the most important determinant of suitable habitat. The present-day ensemble model predicted an essentially contiguous distribution of suitable habitat extending to the Atlantic coast east of the 100th western meridian and south of the 40th northern parallel, but excluding a high elevation region associated with the Appalachian Mountains. Future ensemble predictions for 2061–2080 forecasted a stable western range limit, northward expansion of suitable habitat into the Upper Midwest and western Pennsylvania, and range contraction along portions of the Gulf coast and the lower Mississippi river valley. These findings are informative for raising awareness of A. americanum-transmitted pathogens in areas where the Lone Star tick has recently or may become established.

A Process for Comparing Dynamics of Distributed Space Systems Simulations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cures, Edwin Z.; Jackson, Albert A.; Morris, Jeffery C.

2009-01-01

The paper describes a process that was developed for comparing the primary orbital dynamics behavior between space systems distributed simulations. This process is used to characterize and understand the fundamental fidelities and compatibilities of the modeling of orbital dynamics between spacecraft simulations. This is required for high-latency distributed simulations such as NASA s Integrated Mission Simulation and must be understood when reporting results from simulation executions. This paper presents 10 principal comparison tests along with their rationale and examples of the results. The Integrated Mission Simulation (IMSim) (formerly know as the Distributed Space Exploration Simulation (DSES)) is a NASA research and development project focusing on the technologies and processes that are related to the collaborative simulation of complex space systems involved in the exploration of our solar system. Currently, the NASA centers that are actively participating in the IMSim project are the Ames Research Center, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), the Johnson Space Center (JSC), the Kennedy Space Center, the Langley Research Center and the Marshall Space Flight Center. In concept, each center participating in IMSim has its own set of simulation models and environment(s). These simulation tools are used to build the various simulation products that are used for scientific investigation, engineering analysis, system design, training, planning, operations and more. Working individually, these production simulations provide important data to various NASA projects.

Distributions of vesicular glutamate transporters 1 and 2 in the visual system of tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri).

PubMed

Balaram, P; Isaamullah, M; Petry, H M; Bickford, M E; Kaas, J H

2015-08-15

Vesicular glutamate transporter (VGLUT) proteins regulate the storage and release of glutamate from synapses of excitatory neurons. Two isoforms, VGLUT1 and VGLUT2, are found in most glutamatergic projections across the mammalian visual system, and appear to differentially identify subsets of excitatory projections between visual structures. To expand current knowledge on the distribution of VGLUT isoforms in highly visual mammals, we examined the mRNA and protein expression patterns of VGLUT1 and VGLUT2 in the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN), superior colliculus, pulvinar complex, and primary visual cortex (V1) in tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri), which are closely related to primates but classified as a separate order (Scandentia). We found that VGLUT1 was distributed in intrinsic and corticothalamic connections, whereas VGLUT2 was predominantly distributed in subcortical and thalamocortical connections. VGLUT1 and VGLUT2 were coexpressed in the LGN and in the pulvinar complex, as well as in restricted layers of V1, suggesting a greater heterogeneity in the range of efferent glutamatergic projections from these structures. These findings provide further evidence that VGLUT1 and VGLUT2 identify distinct populations of excitatory neurons in visual brain structures across mammals. Observed variations in individual projections may highlight the evolution of these connections through the mammalian lineage. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The ethics of health service delivery: a challenge to public health leadership.

PubMed

DeLuca, D M

1989-01-01

The ethical distribution of health care is a central issue now that AIDS has started to be a drain on health care resources. If the worst predictions are true, the next half century will be capitalized by a great stress of the health care delivery system in the Pacific. The critical challenges that face the current leadership are: sustaining commitment to all levels of administration to reduce social and health inequities; making sound decisions on policies, priorities and goals that are based on valid information; strengthen health infrastructure, based on the principle of primary health care, including appropriate distribution of staffing, skills, technology and resources. The goals of the Pacific Health Promotion and Development center must not focus exclusively on AIDs. Hepatitis B control measures, hypertension and diabetes, primary care in remote areas, and rehabilitation initiatives must be kept in place. Humanitarian interests for AIDs patients must be balanced with the pragmatic reality of saving children's hearing, or extending useful lives. The attributes of respect, accountability, leadership, judgement, fairness, integrity and honesty controlled by principles of social justice must be part of the administrative decision making process. The 2 major issues facing public health professional are: (1) the financial considerations involved with increasingly expensive technology, services and research, contrasted against the need to prioritize their use and development; (2) pragmatic and ideological needs must be balanced to maximize preventative and curative services and make them available to those who can benefit from them.

Distributed Fading Memory for Stimulus Properties in the Primary Visual Cortex

PubMed Central

Singer, Wolf; Maass, Wolfgang

2009-01-01

It is currently not known how distributed neuronal responses in early visual areas carry stimulus-related information. We made multielectrode recordings from cat primary visual cortex and applied methods from machine learning in order to analyze the temporal evolution of stimulus-related information in the spiking activity of large ensembles of around 100 neurons. We used sequences of up to three different visual stimuli (letters of the alphabet) presented for 100 ms and with intervals of 100 ms or larger. Most of the information about visual stimuli extractable by sophisticated methods of machine learning, i.e., support vector machines with nonlinear kernel functions, was also extractable by simple linear classification such as can be achieved by individual neurons. New stimuli did not erase information about previous stimuli. The responses to the most recent stimulus contained about equal amounts of information about both this and the preceding stimulus. This information was encoded both in the discharge rates (response amplitudes) of the ensemble of neurons and, when using short time constants for integration (e.g., 20 ms), in the precise timing of individual spikes (≤∼20 ms), and persisted for several 100 ms beyond the offset of stimuli. The results indicate that the network from which we recorded is endowed with fading memory and is capable of performing online computations utilizing information about temporally sequential stimuli. This result challenges models assuming frame-by-frame analyses of sequential inputs. PMID:20027205

Fractionation and current time trends of PCB congeners: evolvement of distributions 1950-2010 studied using a global atmosphere-ocean general circulation model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lammel, G.; Stemmler, I.

2012-08-01

PCBs are ubiquitous environmental pollutants expected to decline in abiotic environmental media in response to decreasing primary emissions since the 1970s. A coupled atmosphere-ocean general circulation model with embedded dynamic sub-models for atmospheric aerosols and the marine biogeochemistry and air-surface exchange processes with soils, vegetation and the cryosphere is used to study the transport and fate of four PCB congeners covering a range of 3-7 chlorine atoms. The change of the geographic distribution of the PCB mixture reflects the sources and sinks' evolvement over time. Globally, secondary emissions (re-volatilisation from surfaces) are on the long term increasingly gaining importance over primary emissions. Secondary emissions are most important for the congeners with 5-6 chlorine atoms. Correspondingly, the levels of these congeners are predicted to decrease slowest. Changes in congener mixture composition (fractionation) are characterized both geographically and temporally. In high latitudes enrichment of the lighter, less persistent congeners and more delayed decreasing levels in response to decreasing emissions are found. The delivery of the contaminants to high latitudes is predicted to be more efficient than previously suggested. The results suggest furthermore that the effectiveness of emission control measures may significantly vary among substances. The trends of decline of organic contaminant levels in the abiotic environmental media do not only vary with latitude (slow in high latitudes), but do also show longitudinal gradients.

Distribution, pharmacokinetics and primary metabolism model of tramadol in zebrafish.

PubMed

Zhuo, Huiqin; Jin, Hongwei; Peng, Huifang; Huang, Heqing

2016-12-01

The current study aimed to develop a rapid, robust and adequately sensitive method for simultaneous determination of the concentration of tramadol and its active metabolites in zebrafish. The pharmacokinetic and elimination pattern of tramadol and its major phase I metabolites following oral or intramuscular administration in zebrafish tissues was achieved using electrospray ionization‑quadrupole‑time of flight/mass spectrometry (ESI‑Q‑TOF/MS) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC‑MS). Following administration, the metabolisms were detected in the brain, eyes, muscle and gill tissues within 1 h. Two tramadol metabolites, O‑ and N‑desmethyltramadol, were detected in brain tissue, with N‑desmethyltramadol detected at a higher level. Following GC‑MS detection the curve indicated an initial rapid phase, corresponding to the detection of the tramadol within 1 min, and reached peak value in the brain at 5 min. Faster drug clearance was detected in low‑dose groups, and concentration had dropped around the to initial level (1.11 µg) at 20 min, but was detectable for up to 3 h. However, it took 80 min to fall back to the initial value (1.73 µg) in the high‑dose groups, and tramadol was detectable for up to 4 h. This study developed and validated a simple and high throughput analytical procedure to determine the distribution and pharmacokinetic profiles of tramadol, and its primary metabolites in tissues of zebrafish.

Is the future already here? The impact of climate change on the distribution of the eastern coral snake (Micrurus fulvius).

PubMed

Archis, Jennifer N; Akcali, Christopher; Stuart, Bryan L; Kikuchi, David; Chunco, Amanda J

2018-01-01

Anthropogenic climate change is a significant global driver of species distribution change. Although many species have undergone range expansion at their poleward limits, data on several taxonomic groups are still lacking. A common method for studying range shifts is using species distribution models to evaluate current, and predict future, distributions. Notably, many sources of 'current' climate data used in species distribution modeling use the years 1950-2000 to calculate climatic averages. However, this does not account for recent (post 2000) climate change. This study examines the influence of climate change on the eastern coral snake ( Micrurus fulvius ). Specifically, we: (1) identified the current range and suitable environment of M. fulvius in the Southeastern United States, (2) investigated the potential impacts of climate change on the distribution of M. fulvius , and (3) evaluated the utility of future models in predicting recent (2001-2015) records. We used the species distribution modeling program Maxent and compared both current (1950-2000) and future (2050) climate conditions. Future climate models showed a shift in the distribution of suitable habitat across a significant portion of the range; however, results also suggest that much of the Southeastern United States will be outside the range of current conditions, suggesting that there may be no-analog environments in the future. Most strikingly, future models were more effective than the current models at predicting recent records, suggesting that range shifts may already be occurring. These results have implications for both M. fulvius and its Batesian mimics. More broadly, we recommend future Maxent studies consider using future climate data along with current data to better estimate the current distribution.

The effect of modeled recharge distribution on simulated groundwater availability and capture.

PubMed

Tillman, F D; Pool, D R; Leake, S A

2015-01-01

Simulating groundwater flow in basin-fill aquifers of the semiarid southwestern United States commonly requires decisions about how to distribute aquifer recharge. Precipitation can recharge basin-fill aquifers by direct infiltration and transport through faults and fractures in the high-elevation areas, by flowing overland through high-elevation areas to infiltrate at basin-fill margins along mountain fronts, by flowing overland to infiltrate along ephemeral channels that often traverse basins in the area, or by some combination of these processes. The importance of accurately simulating recharge distributions is a current topic of discussion among hydrologists and water managers in the region, but no comparative study has been performed to analyze the effects of different recharge distributions on groundwater simulations. This study investigates the importance of the distribution of aquifer recharge in simulating regional groundwater flow in basin-fill aquifers by calibrating a groundwater-flow model to four different recharge distributions, all with the same total amount of recharge. Similarities are seen in results from steady-state models for optimized hydraulic conductivity values, fit of simulated to observed hydraulic heads, and composite scaled sensitivities of conductivity parameter zones. Transient simulations with hypothetical storage properties and pumping rates produce similar capture rates and storage change results, but differences are noted in the rate of drawdown at some well locations owing to the differences in optimized hydraulic conductivity. Depending on whether the purpose of the groundwater model is to simulate changes in groundwater levels or changes in storage and capture, the distribution of aquifer recharge may or may not be of primary importance. Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Green sturgeon distribution in the Pacific Ocean estimated from modeled oceanographic features and migration behavior.

PubMed

Huff, David D; Lindley, Steven T; Wells, Brian K; Chai, Fei

2012-01-01

The green sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris), which is found in the eastern Pacific Ocean from Baja California to the Bering Sea, tends to be highly migratory, moving long distances among estuaries, spawning rivers, and distant coastal regions. Factors that determine the oceanic distribution of green sturgeon are unclear, but broad-scale physical conditions interacting with migration behavior may play an important role. We estimated the distribution of green sturgeon by modeling species-environment relationships using oceanographic and migration behavior covariates with maximum entropy modeling (MaxEnt) of species geographic distributions. The primary concentration of green sturgeon was estimated from approximately 41-51.5° N latitude in the coastal waters of Washington, Oregon, and Vancouver Island and in the vicinity of San Francisco and Monterey Bays from 36-37° N latitude. Unsuitably cold water temperatures in the far north and energetic efficiencies associated with prevailing water currents may provide the best explanation for the range-wide marine distribution of green sturgeon. Independent trawl records, fisheries observer records, and tagging studies corroborated our findings. However, our model also delineated patchily distributed habitat south of Monterey Bay, though there are few records of green sturgeon from this region. Green sturgeon are likely influenced by countervailing pressures governing their dispersal. They are behaviorally directed to revisit natal freshwater spawning rivers and persistent overwintering grounds in coastal marine habitats, yet they are likely physiologically bounded by abiotic and biotic environmental features. Impacts of human activities on green sturgeon or their habitat in coastal waters, such as bottom-disturbing trawl fisheries, may be minimized through marine spatial planning that makes use of high-quality species distribution information.

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

Dall-Anese, Emiliano; Zhao, Changhong; Guggilam, Swaroop

Power networks have to withstand a variety of disturbances that affect system frequency, and the problem is compounded with the increasing integration of intermittent renewable generation. Following a large-signal generation or load disturbance, system frequency is arrested leveraging primary frequency control provided by governor action in synchronous generators. In this work, we propose a framework for distributed energy resources (DERs) deployed in distribution networks to provide (supplemental) primary frequency response. Particularly, we demonstrate how power-frequency droop slopes for individual DERs can be designed so that the distribution feeder presents a guaranteed frequency-regulation characteristic at the feeder head. Furthermore, the droopmore » slopes are engineered such that injections of individual DERs conform to a well-defined fairness objective that does not penalize them for their location on the distribution feeder. Time-domain simulations for an illustrative network composed of a combined transmission network and distribution network with frequency-responsive DERs are provided to validate the approach.« less

Enhanced distributed energy resource system

DOEpatents

Atcitty, Stanley [Albuquerque, NM; Clark, Nancy H [Corrales, NM; Boyes, John D [Albuquerque, NM; Ranade, Satishkumar J [Las Cruces, NM

2007-07-03

A power transmission system including a direct current power source electrically connected to a conversion device for converting direct current into alternating current, a conversion device connected to a power distribution system through a junction, an energy storage device capable of producing direct current connected to a converter, where the converter, such as an insulated gate bipolar transistor, converts direct current from an energy storage device into alternating current and supplies the current to the junction and subsequently to the power distribution system. A microprocessor controller, connected to a sampling and feedback module and the converter, determines when the current load is higher than a set threshold value, requiring triggering of the converter to supply supplemental current to the power transmission system.

The diversity of ice algal communities on the Greenland Ice Sheet as revealed by oligotyping

PubMed Central

Lutz, Stefanie; McCutcheon, Jenine; McQuaid, James B.; Benning, Liane G.

2018-01-01

The Arctic is being disproportionally affected by climate change compared with other geographic locations, and is currently experiencing unprecedented melt rates. The Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) can be regarded as the largest supraglacial ecosystem on Earth, and ice algae are the dominant primary producers on bare ice surfaces throughout the course of a melt season. Ice-algal-derived pigments cause a darkening of the ice surface, which in turn decreases albedo and increases melt rates. The important role of ice algae in changing melt rates has only recently been recognized, and we currently know little about their community compositions and functions. Here, we present the first analysis of ice algal communities across a 100 km transect on the GrIS by high-throughput sequencing and subsequent oligotyping of the most abundant taxa. Our data reveal an extremely low algal diversity with Ancylonema nordenskiöldii and a Mesotaenium species being by far the dominant taxa at all sites. We employed an oligotyping approach and revealed a hidden diversity not detectable by conventional clustering of operational taxonomic units and taxonomic classification. Oligotypes of the dominant taxa exhibit a site-specific distribution, which may be linked to differences in temperatures and subsequently the extent of the melting. Our results help to better understand the distribution patterns of ice algal communities that play a crucial role in the GrIS ecosystem. PMID:29547098

Pathogenicity of avian malaria in experimentally-infected Hawaii Amakihi

USGS Publications Warehouse

Atkinson, Carter T.; Dusek, Robert J.; Woods, K.L.; Iko, W.M.

2000-01-01

The introduction of avian malaria (Plasmodium relictum) and mosquitoes (Culex quinquefasciatus) to the Hawaiian Islands (USA) is believed to have played a major role in the decline and extinction of native Hawaiian honeycreepers (Drepanidinae). This introduced disease is thought to be one of the primary factors limiting recovery of honeycreepers at elevations below 1,200 m where native forest habitats are still relatively intact. One of the few remaining species of honeycreepers with a wide elevational distribution is the Hawaii Amakihi (Hernignathus virens). We measured morbidity and mortality in experimentally-infected Hawaii Amakihi that were captured in a high elevation, xeric habitat that is above the current range of the mosquito vector. Mortality among amakihi exposed to a single infective mosquito bite was 65% (13/20). All infected birds had significant declines in food consumption and a corresponding loss in body weight over the 60 day course of the experiment. Gross and microscopic lesions in birds that succumbed to malaria included enlargement and discoloration of the spleen and liver and parasitemias as high as 50% of circulating erythrocytes. Mortality in experimentally-infected amakihi was similar to that observed in Apapane (Himnatione sanguinea) and lower than that observed in Iiwi (Vestiaria coccinea) infected under similar conditions with the same parasite isolate. We conclude that the current elevational and geographic distribution of Hawaiian honeycreepers is determined by relative susceptibility to avian malaria.

Measuring nanoparticles size distribution in food and consumer products: a review.

PubMed

Calzolai, L; Gilliland, D; Rossi, F

2012-08-01

Nanoparticles are already used in several consumer products including food, food packaging and cosmetics, and their detection and measurement in food represent a particularly difficult challenge. In order to fill the void in the official definition of what constitutes a nanomaterial, the European Commission published in October 2011 its recommendation on the definition of 'nanomaterial'. This will have an impact in many different areas of legislation, such as the European Cosmetic Products Regulation, where the current definitions of nanomaterial will come under discussion regarding how they should be adapted in light of this new definition. This new definition calls for the measurement of the number-based particle size distribution in the 1-100 nm size range of all the primary particles present in the sample independently of whether they are in a free, unbound state or as part of an aggregate/agglomerate. This definition does present great technical challenges for those who must develop valid and compatible measuring methods. This review will give an overview of the current state of the art, focusing particularly on the suitability of the most used techniques for the size measurement of nanoparticles when addressing this new definition of nanomaterials. The problems to be overcome in measuring nanoparticles in food and consumer products will be illustrated with some practical examples. Finally, a possible way forward (based on the combination of different measuring techniques) for solving this challenging analytical problem is illustrated.

Differential responses of carbon and water vapor fluxes to climate among evergreen needleleaf forests in the USA

DOE PAGES

Wagle, Pradeep; Xiao, Xiangming; Kolb, Thomas E.; ...

2016-05-31

Here, understanding the differences in carbon and water vapor fluxes of spatially distributed evergreen needleleaf forests (ENFs) is crucial for accurately estimating regional or global carbon and water budgets and when predicting the responses of ENFs to current and future climate. We compared the fluxes of ten AmeriFlux ENF sites to investigate cross-site variability in net ecosystem exchange of carbon (NEE), gross primary production (GPP), and evapotranspiration (ET). We used wavelet cross-correlation analysis to examine responses of NEE and ET to common climatic drivers over multiple timescales and also determined optimum values of air temperature (T a) and vapor pressuremore » deficit (VPD) for NEE and ET.« less

Differential responses of carbon and water vapor fluxes to climate among evergreen needleleaf forests in the USA

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

Wagle, Pradeep; Xiao, Xiangming; Kolb, Thomas E.

Here, understanding the differences in carbon and water vapor fluxes of spatially distributed evergreen needleleaf forests (ENFs) is crucial for accurately estimating regional or global carbon and water budgets and when predicting the responses of ENFs to current and future climate. We compared the fluxes of ten AmeriFlux ENF sites to investigate cross-site variability in net ecosystem exchange of carbon (NEE), gross primary production (GPP), and evapotranspiration (ET). We used wavelet cross-correlation analysis to examine responses of NEE and ET to common climatic drivers over multiple timescales and also determined optimum values of air temperature (T a) and vapor pressuremore » deficit (VPD) for NEE and ET.« less

Nanodisperse transition metal electrodes (NTME) for electrochemical cells

DOEpatents

Striebel, Kathryn A.; Wen, Shi-Jie

2000-01-01

Disclosed are transition metal electrodes for electrochemical cells using gel-state and solid-state polymers. The electrodes are suitable for use in primary and secondary cells. The electrodes (either negative electrode or positive electrode) are characterized by uniform dispersion of the transition metal at the nanoscale in the polymer. The transition metal moiety is structurally amorphous, so no capacity fade should occur due to lattice expansion/contraction mechanisms. The small grain size, amorphous structure and homogeneous distribution provide improved charge/discharge cycling performance, and a higher initial discharge rate capability. The cells can be cycled at high current densities, limited only by the electrolyte conductivity. A method of making the electrodes (positive and negative), and their usage in electrochemical cells are disclosed.

Changing corporate practices to reduce cancer disparities.

PubMed

Freudenberg, Nicholas; Galea, Sandro; Fahs, Marianne

2008-02-01

While reducing racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in cancer mortality has been identified as a national goal, current policies are unlikely to achieve it. In order to advance the development of policies for the primary prevention of cancer and cancer disparities, we propose that the practices of the tobacco, alcohol, and food industries be considered as modifiable social determinants of health. We review evidence that the practices of these industries in product design, marketing, retail distribution, and pricing contribute to cancer risk behavior, incidence, and disparities, then examine public health strategies designed to reduce health-damaging practices of these industries and encourage healthier alternatives. We conclude with recommendations for research, practice, and policy that could contribute to the development of less carcinogenic corporate practices.

Projected distributions and diversity of flightless ground beetles within the Australian Wet Tropics and their environmental correlates.

PubMed

Staunton, Kyran M; Robson, Simon K A; Burwell, Chris J; Reside, April E; Williams, Stephen E

2014-01-01

With the impending threat of climate change, greater understanding of patterns of species distributions and richness and the environmental factors driving them are required for effective conservation efforts. Species distribution models enable us to not only estimate geographic extents of species and subsequent patterns of species richness, but also generate hypotheses regarding environmental factors determining these spatial patterns. Projected changes in climate can then be used to predict future patterns of species distributions and richness. We created distribution models for most of the flightless ground beetles (Carabidae) within the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area of Australia, a major component of regionally endemic invertebrates. Forty-three species were modelled and the environmental correlates of these distributions and resultant patterns of species richness were examined. Flightless ground beetles generally inhabit upland areas characterised by stable, cool and wet environmental conditions. These distribution and richness patterns are best explained using the time-stability hypothesis as this group's primary habitat, upland rainforest, is considered to be the most stable regional habitat. Projected changes in distributions indicate that as upward shifts in distributions occur, species currently confined to lower and drier mountain ranges will be more vulnerable to climate change impacts than those restricted to the highest and wettest mountains. Distribution models under projected future climate change suggest that there will be reductions in range size, population size and species richness under all emission scenarios. Eighty-eight per cent of species modelled are predicted to decline in population size by over 80%, for the most severe emission scenario by the year 2080. These results suggest that flightless ground beetles are among the most vulnerable taxa to climate change impacts so far investigated in the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. These findings have dramatic implications for all other flightless insect taxa and the future biodiversity of this region.

Projected Distributions and Diversity of Flightless Ground Beetles within the Australian Wet Tropics and Their Environmental Correlates

PubMed Central

Staunton, Kyran M.; Robson, Simon K. A.; Burwell, Chris J.; Reside, April E.; Williams, Stephen E.

2014-01-01

With the impending threat of climate change, greater understanding of patterns of species distributions and richness and the environmental factors driving them are required for effective conservation efforts. Species distribution models enable us to not only estimate geographic extents of species and subsequent patterns of species richness, but also generate hypotheses regarding environmental factors determining these spatial patterns. Projected changes in climate can then be used to predict future patterns of species distributions and richness. We created distribution models for most of the flightless ground beetles (Carabidae) within the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area of Australia, a major component of regionally endemic invertebrates. Forty-three species were modelled and the environmental correlates of these distributions and resultant patterns of species richness were examined. Flightless ground beetles generally inhabit upland areas characterised by stable, cool and wet environmental conditions. These distribution and richness patterns are best explained using the time-stability hypothesis as this group’s primary habitat, upland rainforest, is considered to be the most stable regional habitat. Projected changes in distributions indicate that as upward shifts in distributions occur, species currently confined to lower and drier mountain ranges will be more vulnerable to climate change impacts than those restricted to the highest and wettest mountains. Distribution models under projected future climate change suggest that there will be reductions in range size, population size and species richness under all emission scenarios. Eighty-eight per cent of species modelled are predicted to decline in population size by over 80%, for the most severe emission scenario by the year 2080. These results suggest that flightless ground beetles are among the most vulnerable taxa to climate change impacts so far investigated in the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. These findings have dramatic implications for all other flightless insect taxa and the future biodiversity of this region. PMID:24586362

Are Binary Separations related to their System Mass?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sterzik, M. F.; Durisen, R. H.

2004-08-01

We compile most recent multiplicity fractions and binary separation distributions for different primary masses, including very low-mass and brown dwarf primaries, and compare them with dynamical decay models of small-N clusters. The model predictions are based on detailed numerical calculations of the internal cluster dynamics, as well as on Monte-Carlo methods. Both observations and models reflect the same trends: (1) The multiplicity fraction is an increasing function of the primary mass. (2) The mean binary separations are increasing with the system mass in the sense that very low-mass binaries have average separations around ≈ 4AU, while the binary separation distribution for solar-type primaries peaks at ≈ 40AU. M-type binary systems apparently preferentially populate intermediate separations. Similar specific energy at the time of cluster formation for all cluster masses can possibly explain this trend.

Particle distributions in approximately 10(13) - 10(16) eV air shower cores at mountain altitude and comparison with Monte Carlo simulations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ash, A. G.

1985-01-01

Photographs of 521 shower cores in an array of current-limited spark (discharge) chambers at Sacramento Peak (2900m above sea level, 730 g /sq cm.), New Mexico, U.S.A., have been analyzed and the results compared with similar data from Leeds (80m above sea level, 1020 g sq cm.). It was found that the central density differential spectrum is consistent with a power law index of -2 up to approx. 1500/sq m where it steepens, and that shower cores become flatter on average with increasing size. Scaling model predictions for proton primaries with a approx E sup -2.71 energy spectrum account well for the altitude dependence of the data at lower densities. However, deviations at higher densities indicate a change in hadron interaction characteristics between approx few x 10 to the 14th power and 10 to the 15th power eV primary energy causing particles close to the shower axis to be spread further out.

Transcriptogenomics identification and characterization of RNA editing sites in human primary monocytes using high-depth next generation sequencing data.

PubMed

Leong, Wai-Mun; Ripen, Adiratna Mat; Mirsafian, Hoda; Mohamad, Saharuddin Bin; Merican, Amir Feisal

2018-06-07

High-depth next generation sequencing data provide valuable insights into the number and distribution of RNA editing events. Here, we report the RNA editing events at cellular level of human primary monocyte using high-depth whole genomic and transcriptomic sequencing data. We identified over a ten thousand putative RNA editing sites and 69% of the sites were A-to-I editing sites. The sites enriched in repetitive sequences and intronic regions. High-depth sequencing datasets revealed that 90% of the canonical sites were edited at lower frequencies (<0.7). Single and multiple human monocytes and brain tissues samples were analyzed through genome sequence independent approach. The later approach was observed to identify more editing sites. Monocytes was observed to contain more C-to-U editing sites compared to brain tissues. Our results establish comparable pipeline that can address current limitations as well as demonstrate the potential for highly sensitive detection of RNA editing events in single cell type. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Inspecting Friction Stir Welding using Electromagnetic Probes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kinchen, David G.

2004-01-01

A report describes the use of advanced electromagnetic probes to measure the dimensions, the spatial distribution of electrical conductivity, and related other properties of friction stir welds (FSWs) between parts made of the same or different aluminum alloy(s). The probes are of the type described in in another Tech Brief. To recapitulate: A probe of this type is essentially an eddy-current probe that includes a primary (driver) winding that meanders and multiple secondary (sensing) windings that meander along the primary winding. Electrical conductivity is commonly used as a measure of heat treatment and tempering of aluminum alloys, but prior to the development of these probes, the inadequate sensitivity and limited accuracy of electrical-conductivity probes precluded such use on FSWs between different aluminum alloys, and the resolution of those probes was inadequate for measurement of FSW dimensions with positions and metallurgical properties. In contrast, the present probes afford adequate accuracy and spatial resolution for the purposes of measuring the dimensions of FSW welds and correlating spatially varying electrical conductivities with metallurgical properties, including surface defects.

Improving the therapeutic ratio of craniospinal irradiation in medulloblastoma

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

Maor, M.H.; Fields, R.S.; Hogstrom, K.R.

1985-04-01

Radiation therapy delivered to the entire cerebrospinal axis is indicated for a number of pediatric brain tumors, especially medulloblastoma. Improved radiotherapy techniques have changed the near fatal prognosis for children with medulloblastoma to a 50%, 5-year survival. Nevertheless, the treatment results in substantial acute toxicity, and many survivors have serious sequelae. Refinements in radiotherapy technique, however, can improve the therapeutic ratio of the treatment by lowering its side effects. In the last year children who required craniospinal irradiation at M.D. Anderson Hospital were treated with 6 MV photons to the brain and primary tumor and with 15-17 MeV electrons tomore » the spinal canal. The elective dose to the whole brain was 30 Gy in 17 fractions and 30 Gy in 20 fractions to the spine. The primary tumor received an additional 20-25 Gy. An electron-beam dose distribution was drawn on a computerized tomography (CT) reconstructed sagittal plane. The treatment was well tolerated in the first five patients. It is projected that the current technique will cause fewer late effects and improve the tolerance to chemotherapy.« less

Restrictions to Pharmacy Ownership and Vertical Integration in Estonia-Perception of Different Stakeholders.

PubMed

Gross, Marit; Volmer, Daisy

2016-04-19

From 2020, the ownership of community pharmacies in Estonia will be limited to the pharmacy profession, and the vertical integration of wholesale companies and community pharmacies will not be allowed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the perception of different stakeholders in primary healthcare toward the new regulations of the community pharmacy sector in Estonia. A qualitative electronic survey was distributed to the main stakeholders in primary healthcare and higher education institutions providing pharmacy education ( n = 40) in May 2015. For data analysis, the systematic text condensation method was used. The study participants described two opposing positions regarding the development of community pharmacies in the future. Reform supporters emphasized increased professional independence and more healthcare-oriented operation of community pharmacies. Reform opponents argued against these ideas as community pharmacists do not have sufficient practical experience and finances to ensure sustainable development of the community pharmacy sector in Estonia. Based on the current perception of all respondents, the future operation of the community pharmacy sector in Estonia is unclear and there is urgent need for implementation criteria for the new regulations.

Facies-related fracturing in turbidites: insights from the Marnoso-Arenacea Fm. (Northern Apennines, Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ogata, Kei; Storti, Fabrizio; Balsamo, Fabrizio; Bedogni, Enrico; Tinterri, Roberto; Fetter, Marcos; Gomes, Leonardo; Hatushika, Raphael

2016-04-01

Natural fractures deeply influence subsurface fluid flow, exerting a primary control on resources like aquifers, hydrocarbons and geothermal reservoirs, and on environmental issues like CO2 storage and nuclear waste disposal. In layered sedimentary rocks, depositional processes-imprinted rock rheology favours the development of both mechanical anisotropy and heterogeneity on a wide range of scales, and are thus expected to strongly influence location and frequency of fractures. To better constrain the contribution of stratigraphic, sedimentological and petrophysical attributes, we performed a high-resolution, multidisciplinary study on a selected stratigraphic interval of jointed foredeep turbidites in the Miocene Marnoso-arenacea Formation (Northern Apennines, Italy), which are characterised by a great lateral and vertical variability of grain-size and depositional structures. Statistical relationships among field and laboratory data significantly improve when the single facies scale is considered, and, for similar facies recording different evolutionary stages of the parent turbidity currents, we observed a direct correlation between the three-dimensional anisotropies of rock hardness tensors and the normalized fracture frequencies, testifying for the primary sedimentary flow-related control on fracture distributions.

Design and Development of the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Electrical Power System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Denney, Keys; Burns, Michael; Kercheval, Bradford

2009-01-01

The SDO spacecraft was designed to help us understand the Sun's influence on Earth and Near-Earth space by studying the solar atmosphere on small scales of space and time and in many wavelengths simultaneously. It will perform its operations in a geosynchronous orbit of the earth. This paper will present background on the SDO mission, an overview of the design and development activities associated specifically with the SDO electrical power system (EPS), as well as the major driving requirements behind the mission design. The primary coverage of the paper will be devoted to some of the challenges faced during the design and development phase. This will include the challenges associated with development of a compatible CompactPCI (cPCI) interface within the Power System Electronics (PSE) in order to utilize a "common" processor card, implementation of new solid state power controllers (SSPC) for primary load distribution switching and over current protection in the PSE, and the design approach adopted to meet single fault tolerance requirements for all of the SDO EPS functions.

High-luminosity primary vertex selection in top-quark studies using the Collider Detector at Fermilab

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

Buzatu, Adrian; /McGill U.

2006-08-01

Improving our ability to identify the top quark pair (t{bar t}) primary vertex (PV) on an event-by-event basis is essential for many analyses in the lepton-plus-jets channel performed by the Collider Detector at Fermilab (CDF) Collaboration. We compare the algorithm currently used by CDF (A1) with another algorithm (A2) using Monte Carlo simulation at high instantaneous luminosities. We confirm that A1 is more efficient than A2 at selecting the t{bar t} PV at all PV multiplicities, both with efficiencies larger than 99%. Event selection rejects events with a distance larger than 5 cm along the proton beam between the t{barmore » t} PV and the charged lepton. We find flat distributions for the signal over background significance of this cut for all cut values larger than 1 cm, for all PV multiplicities and for both algorithms. We conclude that any cut value larger than 1 cm is acceptable for both algorithms under the Tevatron's expected instantaneous luminosity improvements.« less

Climate Change and West Nile Virus in a Highly Endemic Region of North America

PubMed Central

Chen, Chen C.; Jenkins, Emily; Epp, Tasha; Waldner, Cheryl; Curry, Philip S.; Soos, Catherine

2013-01-01

The Canadian prairie provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta have reported the highest human incidence of clinical cases of West Nile virus (WNV) infection in Canada. The primary vector for WVN in this region is the mosquito Culex tarsalis. This study used constructed models and biological thresholds to predict the spatial and temporal distribution of Cx. tarsalis and WNV infection rate in the prairie provinces under a range of potential future climate and habitat conditions. We selected one median and two extreme outcome scenarios to represent future climate conditions in the 2020 (2010–2039), 2050 (2040–2069) and 2080 (2070–2099) time slices. In currently endemic regions, the projected WNV infection rate under the median outcome scenario in 2050 raised 17.91 times (ranged from 1.29-27.45 times for all scenarios and time slices) comparing to current climate conditions. Seasonal availability of Cx. tarsalis infected with WNV extended from June to August to include May and September. Moreover, our models predicted northward range expansion for Cx. tarsalis (1.06–2.56 times the current geographic area) and WNV (1.08–2.34 times the current geographic area). These findings predict future public and animal health risk of WNV in the Canadian prairie provinces. PMID:23880729

Prior doctor shopping resulting from differential treatment correlates with differences in current patient-provider relationships.

PubMed

Gudzune, Kimberly A; Bennett, Wendy L; Cooper, Lisa A; Clark, Jeanne M; Bleich, Sara N

2014-09-01

To determine the prevalence of doctor shopping resulting from differential treatment and to examine associations between this shopping and current primary care relationships. In 2012, a national internet-based survey of 600 adults receiving primary care in the past year with a BMI ≥ 25 kg/m(2) was conducted. Our independent variable was "switching doctors because I felt treated differently because of my weight." Logistic regression models to examine the association of prior doctor shopping with characteristics of current primary care relationships: duration, trust in primary care provider (PCP), and perceived PCP weight-related judgment, adjusted for patient factors were used. Overall, 13% of adults with overweight/obesity reported previously doctor shopping resulting from differential treatment. Prior shoppers were more likely to report shorter durations of their current relationships [73% vs. 52%; p = 0.01] or perceive that their current PCP judged them because of their weight [74% vs. 11%; p < 0.01] than nonshoppers. No significant differences in reporting high trust in current PCPs were found. A subset of patients with overweight/obesity doctor shop resulting from perceived differential treatment. These prior negative experiences have no association with trust in current relationships, but our results suggest that patients may remain sensitive to provider weight bias. © 2014 The Obesity Society.

Distributed energy store powered railguns for hypervelocity launch

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maas, Brian L.; Bauer, David P.; Marshall, Richard A.

1993-01-01

Highly distributed power supplies are proposed as a basis for current difficulties with hypervelocity railgun power-supply compactness. This distributed power supply configuration reduces rail-to-rail voltage behind the main armature, thereby reducing the tendency for secondary armature current formation; secondary current elimination is essential for achieving the efficiencies associated with muzzle velocity above 6 km/sec. Attention is given to analytical and experimental results for two distributed energy storage schemes.

Seasonal distribution of net primary production by functional groups in Chihuahuan Desert, and the role of seasonal precipitation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In hot deserts, precipitation is the principal driver for net primary production.  This study tested two hypotheses regarding aboveground net primary production (ANPP) and the effects of precipitation on ANPP in the Chihuahuan Desert, with emphasis on differences among seasons and among functional g...

Distributed Leadership: Key to Improving Primary Students' Mathematical Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larson, Matthew R.; Smith, Wendy M.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this article is to present the findings of a quantitative study focused on primary mathematics teachers who participated in an intensive professional development program and then had leadership responsibility for the implementation of a new primary mathematics curriculum in their district. The study examines the effect of the…

13 CFR 121.107 - How does SBA determine a concern's “primary industry”?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... Applicability § 121.107 How does SBA determine a concern's “primary industry”? In determining the primary industry in which a concern or a concern combined with its affiliates is engaged, SBA considers the distribution of receipts, employees and costs of doing business among the different industries in which...

13 CFR 121.107 - How does SBA determine a concern's “primary industry”?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Applicability § 121.107 How does SBA determine a concern's “primary industry”? In determining the primary industry in which a concern or a concern combined with its affiliates is engaged, SBA considers the distribution of receipts, employees and costs of doing business among the different industries in which...

13 CFR 121.107 - How does SBA determine a concern's “primary industry”?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... Applicability § 121.107 How does SBA determine a concern's “primary industry”? In determining the primary industry in which a concern or a concern combined with its affiliates is engaged, SBA considers the distribution of receipts, employees and costs of doing business among the different industries in which...

13 CFR 121.107 - How does SBA determine a concern's “primary industry”?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... Applicability § 121.107 How does SBA determine a concern's “primary industry”? In determining the primary industry in which a concern or a concern combined with its affiliates is engaged, SBA considers the distribution of receipts, employees and costs of doing business among the different industries in which...

13 CFR 121.107 - How does SBA determine a concern's “primary industry”?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Applicability § 121.107 How does SBA determine a concern's “primary industry”? In determining the primary industry in which a concern or a concern combined with its affiliates is engaged, SBA considers the distribution of receipts, employees and costs of doing business among the different industries in which...

Apparatus and method for measuring critical current properties of a coated conductor

DOEpatents

Mueller, Fred M [Los Alamos, NM; Haenisch, Jens [Dresden, DE

2012-07-24

The transverse critical-current uniformity in a superconducting tape was determined using a magnetic knife apparatus. A critical current I.sub.c distribution and transverse critical current density J.sub.c distribution in YBCO coated conductors was measured nondestructively with high resolution using a magnetic knife apparatus. The method utilizes the strong depression of J.sub.c in applied magnetic fields. A narrow region of low, including zero, magnetic field in a surrounding higher field is moved transversely across a sample of coated conductor. This reveals the critical current density distribution. A Fourier series inversion process was used to determine the transverse J.sub.c distribution in the sample.

Future climate change driven sea-level rise: secondary consequences from human displacement for island biodiversity.

PubMed

Wetzel, Florian T; Kissling, W Daniel; Beissmann, Helmut; Penn, Dustin J

2012-09-01

Sea-level rise (SLR) due to global warming will result in the loss of many coastal areas. The direct or primary effects due to inundation and erosion from SLR are currently being assessed; however, the indirect or secondary ecological effects, such as changes caused by the displacement of human populations, have not been previously evaluated. We examined the potential ecological consequences of future SLR on >1,200 islands in the Southeast Asian and the Pacific region. Using three SLR scenarios (1, 3, and 6 m elevation, where 1 m approximates most predictions by the end of this century), we assessed the consequences of primary and secondary SLR effects from human displacement on habitat availability and distributions of selected mammal species. We estimate that between 3-32% of the coastal zone of these islands could be lost from primary effects, and consequently 8-52 million people would become SLR refugees. Assuming that inundated urban and intensive agricultural areas will be relocated with an equal area of habitat loss in the hinterland, we project that secondary SLR effects can lead to an equal or even higher percent range loss than primary effects for at least 10-18% of the sample mammals in a moderate range loss scenario and for 22-46% in a maximum range loss scenario. In addition, we found some species to be more vulnerable to secondary than primary effects. Finally, we found high spatial variation in vulnerability: species on islands in Oceania are more vulnerable to primary SLR effects, whereas species on islands in Indo-Malaysia, with potentially 7-48 million SLR refugees, are more vulnerable to secondary effects. Our findings show that primary and secondary SLR effects can have enormous consequences for human inhabitants and island biodiversity, and that both need to be incorporated into ecological risk assessment, conservation, and regional planning. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

The influence of coarse-scale environmental features on current and predicted future distributions of narrow-range endemic crayfish populations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dyer, Joseph J.; Brewer, Shannon K.; Worthington, Thomas A.; Bergey, Elizabeth A.

2013-01-01

1.A major limitation to effective management of narrow-range crayfish populations is the paucity of information on the spatial distribution of crayfish species and a general understanding of the interacting environmental variables that drive current and future potential distributional patterns. 2.Maximum Entropy Species Distribution Modeling Software (MaxEnt) was used to predict the current and future potential distributions of four endemic crayfish species in the Ouachita Mountains. Current distributions were modelled using climate, geology, soils, land use, landform and flow variables thought to be important to lotic crayfish. Potential changes in the distribution were forecast by using models trained on current conditions and projecting onto the landscape predicted under climate-change scenarios. 3.The modelled distribution of the four species closely resembled the perceived distribution of each species but also predicted populations in streams and catchments where they had not previously been collected. Soils, elevation and winter precipitation and temperature most strongly related to current distributions and represented 6587% of the predictive power of the models. Model accuracy was high for all models, and model predictions of new populations were verified through additional field sampling. 4.Current models created using two spatial resolutions (1 and 4.5km2) showed that fine-resolution data more accurately represented current distributions. For three of the four species, the 1-km2 resolution models resulted in more conservative predictions. However, the modelled distributional extent of Orconectes leptogonopodus was similar regardless of data resolution. Field validations indicated 1-km2 resolution models were more accurate than 4.5-km2 resolution models. 5.Future projected (4.5-km2 resolution models) model distributions indicated three of the four endemic species would have truncated ranges with low occurrence probabilities under the low-emission scenario, whereas two of four species would be severely restricted in range under moderatehigh emissions. Discrepancies in the two emission scenarios probably relate to the exclusion of behavioural adaptations from species-distribution models. 6.These model predictions illustrate possible impacts of climate change on narrow-range endemic crayfish populations. The predictions do not account for biotic interactions, migration, local habitat conditions or species adaptation. However, we identified the constraining landscape features acting on these populations that provide a framework for addressing habitat needs at a fine scale and developing targeted and systematic monitoring programmes.

Analysis of superconducting electromagnetic finite elements based on a magnetic vector potential variational principle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schuler, James J.; Felippa, Carlos A.

1991-01-01

Electromagnetic finite elements are extended based on a variational principle that uses the electromagnetic four potential as primary variable. The variational principle is extended to include the ability to predict a nonlinear current distribution within a conductor. The extension of this theory is first done on a normal conductor and tested on two different problems. In both problems, the geometry remains the same, but the material properties are different. The geometry is that of a 1-D infinite wire. The first problem is merely a linear control case used to validate the new theory. The second problem is made up of linear conductors with varying conductivities. Both problems perform well and predict current densities that are accurate to within a few ten thousandths of a percent of the exact values. The fourth potential is then removed, leaving only the magnetic vector potential, and the variational principle is further extended to predict magnetic potentials, magnetic fields, the number of charge carriers, and the current densities within a superconductor. The new element produces good results for the mean magnetic field, the vector potential, and the number of superconducting charge carriers despite a relatively high system condition number. The element did not perform well in predicting the current density. Numerical problems inherent to this formulation are explored and possible remedies to produce better current predicting finite elements are presented.

Current distribution in conducting nanowire networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Ankush; Vidhyadhiraja, N. S.; Kulkarni, Giridhar U.

2017-07-01

Conducting nanowire networks find diverse applications in solar cells, touch-screens, transparent heaters, sensors, and various related transparent conducting electrode (TCE) devices. The performances of these devices depend on effective resistance, transmittance, and local current distribution in these networks. Although, there have been rigorous studies addressing resistance and transmittance in TCE, not much attention is paid on studying the distribution of current. Present work addresses this compelling issue of understanding current distribution in TCE networks using analytical as well as Monte-Carlo approaches. We quantified the current carrying backbone region against isolated and dangling regions as a function of wire density (ranging from percolation threshold to many multiples of threshold) and compared the wired connectivity with those obtained from template-based methods. Further, the current distribution in the obtained backbone is studied using Kirchhoff's law, which reveals that a significant fraction of the backbone (which is believed to be an active current component) may not be active for end-to-end current transport due to the formation of intervening circular loops. The study shows that conducting wire based networks possess hot spots (extremely high current carrying regions) which can be potential sources of failure. The fraction of these hot spots is found to decrease with increase in wire density, while they are completely absent in template based networks. Thus, the present work discusses unexplored issues related to current distribution in conducting networks, which are necessary to choose the optimum network for best TCE applications.

Prevalence of antimicrobial resistant Escherichia coli from patients with suspected urinary tract infection in primary care, Denmark.

PubMed

Córdoba, Gloria; Holm, Anne; Hansen, Frank; Hammerum, Anette M; Bjerrum, Lars

2017-10-10

Escherichia coli is the most common pathogen causing Urinary Tract Infections (UTI). Data from the current National Surveillance program in Denmark (DANMAP) may not accurately represent the prevalence of resistant E. coli in primary care, because only urine samples from complicated cases may be forwarded to the microbiological departments at hospitals for diagnostic examination. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of resistant E. coli to the most commonly used antimicrobial agents in primary care in a consecutive sample of patients from general practice. Observational study carried out from December 2014 to December 2015. Thirty-nine general practices from The Capital Region of Denmark included adult patients with urinary tract symptoms and suspected UTI. All urine samples were sent to the central laboratory Statens Serum Institut (SSI). Significant bacteriuria was interpreted according to the European Urinalysis Standards. Susceptibility testing was performed and interpreted according to the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) standards. From the 39 general practices 505 patients were recruited. Completed data were obtained from 485 (96%) patients. According to the European Urinalysis Standards, 261 (54%) patients had positive bacteriuria. The most common uropathogen in patients with uncomplicated (uUTI) and complicated (cUTI) urinary tract infection was E. coli 105 (69%) and 76 (70%), respectively. Eighty-two (45%) of 181 E. coli isolates were resistant to at least one of the tested antibiotics and 50 out of 82 isolates were resistant to two or more antimicrobial agents. The highest resistance-rate was found against ampicillin 34% (95% CI 24;42) in uUTI and 36% (24;46) in cUTI. There were no differences in the distribution of resistance between uncomplicated and complicated cases. The prevalence of resistance was similar to the one reported in DANMAP 2014. In E. coli from uUTI there is high resistance rates to antimicrobial agents commonly used in primary care. There was no difference in the distribution of resistant E. coli in suspected uUTI vs cUTI. In Denmark, data from the National Surveillance program DANMAP can guide the decision for choice of antibiotic in patients with suspected UTI seeking care in primary care. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02249273 .

Modeling of Optical Waveguide Poling and Thermally Stimulated Discharge (TSD) Charge and Current Densities for Guest/Host Electro Optic Polymers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watson, Michael D.; Ashley, Paul R.; Abushagur, Mustafa

2004-01-01

A charge density and current density model of a waveguide system has been developed to explore the effects of electric field electrode poling. An optical waveguide may be modeled during poling by considering the dielectric charge distribution, polarization charge distribution, and conduction charge generated by the poling field. These charge distributions are the source of poling current densities. The model shows that boundary charge current density and polarization current density are the major source of currents measured during poling and thermally stimulated discharge These charge distributions provide insight into the poling mechanisms and are directly related to E(sub A), and, alpha(sub r). Initial comparisons with experimental data show excellent correlation to the model results.

Optimal joule heating of the subsurface

DOEpatents

Berryman, James G.; Daily, William D.

1994-01-01

A method for simultaneously heating the subsurface and imaging the effects of the heating. This method combines the use of tomographic imaging (electrical resistance tomography or ERT) to image electrical resistivity distribution underground, with joule heating by electrical currents injected in the ground. A potential distribution is established on a series of buried electrodes resulting in energy deposition underground which is a function of the resistivity and injection current density. Measurement of the voltages and currents also permits a tomographic reconstruction of the resistivity distribution. Using this tomographic information, the current injection pattern on the driving electrodes can be adjusted to change the current density distribution and thus optimize the heating. As the heating changes conditions, the applied current pattern can be repeatedly adjusted (based on updated resistivity tomographs) to affect real time control of the heating.

An integrated approch to the foraging ecology of marine birds and mammals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Croll, Donald A.; Tershy, Bernie R.; Hewitt, Roger P.; Demer, David A.; Fiedler, Paul C.; Smith, Susan E.; Armstrong, Wesley; Popp, Jacqueline M.; Kiekhefer, Thomas; Lopez, Vanesa R.; Urban, Jorge; Gendron, Diane

Birds and mammals are important components of pelagic marine ecosystems, but our knowledge of their foraging ecology is limited. We distinguish six distinct types of data that can be used in various combinations to understand their foraging behavior and ecology. We describe methods that combine concurrent dive recorder deployment, oceanographic sampling, and hydroacoustic surveys to generate hypotheses about interactions between the physical environment and the distribution, abundance, and behavior of pelagic predators and their prey. Our approach is to (1) map the distribution of whales in relation to the distribution of their prey and the physical features of the study area (bottom topography, temperature, and salinity); and (2) measure the foraging behavior and diet of instrumented whales in the context of the fine-scale distribution and composition of their prey and the physical environment. We use this approach to demonstrate a relationship between blue whale distribution, sea surface temperature, and concentrations of their euphausiid prey at different spatial scales offshore of the Channel Islands, California. Blue whale horizontal spatial distribution was correlated with regions of high acoustic backscatter. Blue whale dive depths closely tracked the depth distribution of krill. Net sampling and whale diet revealed that whales fed exclusively upon dense schools of Euphausia pacifica (between 100 and 200 m) and Thysanoessa spinifera (from the surface to 100 m). Whales concentrated foraging efforts upon those dense euphausiid schools that form downstream from an upwelling center in close proximity to regions of steep topographic relief. We propose that (1) the distribution of Balaenoptera whales in the coastal California Current region is defined by their attraction to areas of predictably high prey density; (2) the preferred prey of these whales are several species of euphausiids ( E. pacifica, T. spinifera, and N. simplex) that are abundant in the California Current region; (3) blue whales concentrate their foraging efforts on dense aggregations of euphausiids found at discrete depths in the water column; (4) these localized areas of high euphausiid densities are predictable and sustained by enhanced levels of primary productivity in regions which are located downstream from coastal upwelling centers (indicated by sea surface temperature); (5) topographic breaks in the continental shelf located downstream from these upwelling centers work in concert with euphausiid behavior to collect and maintain large concentrations of euphausiids swarms, and (6) despite seasonal and inter-annual variability, these processes are sufficiently consistent that the distribution of Balaenoptera whales can be predicted.

An assessment of equity in the distribution of non-financial health care inputs across public primary health care facilities in Tanzania.

PubMed

Kuwawenaruwa, August; Borghi, Josephine; Remme, Michelle; Mtei, Gemini

2017-07-11

There is limited evidence on how health care inputs are distributed from the sub-national level down to health facilities and their potential influence on promoting health equity. To address this gap, this paper assesses equity in the distribution of health care inputs across public primary health facilities at the district level in Tanzania. This is a quantitative assessment of equity in the distribution of health care inputs (staff, drugs, medical supplies and equipment) from district to facility level. The study was carried out in three districts (Kinondoni, Singida Rural and Manyoni district) in Tanzania. These districts were selected because they were implementing primary care reforms. We administered 729 exit surveys with patients seeking out-patient care; and health facility surveys at 69 facilities in early 2014. A total of seventeen indices of input availability were constructed with the collected data. The distribution of inputs was considered in relation to (i) the wealth of patients accessing the facilities, which was taken as a proxy for the wealth of the population in the catchment area; and (ii) facility distance from the district headquarters. We assessed equity in the distribution of inputs through the use of equity ratios, concentration indices and curves. We found a significant pro-rich distribution of clinical staff and nurses per 1000 population. Facilities with the poorest patients (most remote facilities) have fewer staff per 1000 population than those with the least poor patients (least remote facilities): 0.6 staff per 1000 among the poorest, compared to 0.9 among the least poor; 0.7 staff per 1000 among the most remote facilities compared to 0.9 among the least remote. The negative concentration index for support staff suggests a pro-poor distribution of this cadre but the 45 degree dominated the concentration curve. The distribution of vaccines, antibiotics, anti-diarrhoeal, anti-malarials and medical supplies was approximately proportional (non dominance), whereas the distribution of oxytocics, anti-retroviral therapy (ART) and anti-hypertensive drugs was pro-rich, with the 45 degree line dominating the concentration curve for ART. This study has shown there are inequities in the distribution of health care inputs across public primary care facilities. This highlights the need to ensure a better coordinated and equitable distribution of inputs through regular monitoring of the availability of health care inputs and strengthening of reporting systems.

A computational model for estimating recruitment of primary afferent fibers by intraneural stimulation in the dorsal root ganglia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bourbeau, D. J.; Hokanson, J. A.; Rubin, J. E.; Weber, D. J.

2011-10-01

Primary afferent microstimulation has been proposed as a method for activating cutaneous and muscle afferent fibers to restore tactile and proprioceptive feedback after limb loss or peripheral neuropathy. Large populations of primary afferent fibers can be accessed directly by implanting microelectrode arrays in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG), which provide a compact and stable target for stimulating a diverse group of sensory fibers. To gain insight into factors affecting the number and types of primary afferents activated, we developed a computational model that simulates the recruitment of fibers in the feline L7 DRG. The model comprises two parts. The first part is a single-fiber model used to describe the current-distance relation and was based on the McIntyre-Richardson-Grill model for excitability. The second part uses the results of the singe-fiber model and published data on fiber size distributions to predict the probability of recruiting a given number of fibers as a function of stimulus intensity. The range of intensities over which exactly one fiber was recruited was approximately 0.5-5 µA (0.1-1 nC per phase); the stimulus intensity at which the probability of recruiting exactly one fiber was maximized was 2.3 µA. However, at 2.3 µA, it was also possible to recruit up to three fibers, albeit with a lower probability. Stimulation amplitudes up to 6 µA were tested with the population model, which showed that as the amplitude increased, the number of fibers recruited increased exponentially. The distribution of threshold amplitudes predicted by the model was similar to that previously reported by in vivo experimentation. Finally, the model suggested that medium diameter fibers (7.3-11.5 µm) may be recruited with much greater probability than large diameter fibers (12.8-16 µm). This model may be used to efficiently test a range of stimulation parameters and nerve morphologies to complement results from electrophysiology experiments and to aid in the design of microelectrode arrays for neural interfaces.

Impact of uniform electrode current distribution on ETF

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bents, D. J.

1982-01-01

The design impacts on the ETF electrode consolidation network associated with uniform channel electrode current distribution are examined and the alternate consolidation design which occur are presented compared to the baseline (non-uniform current) design with respect to performance, and hardware requirements. A rational basis is given for comparing the requirements for the different designs and the savings that result from uniform current distribution. Performance and cost impacts upon the combined cycle plant are discussed.

Psychiatric Consultation in Community Clinics: A Decade of Experience in the Community Clinics in Jerusalem.

PubMed

Avny, Ohad; Teitelbaum, Tatiana; Simon, Moshe; Michnick, Tatiana; Siman-Tov, Maya

2016-01-01

A consultation model between primary care physicians and psychiatrists that has been in operation for 12 years in the Jerusalem district of the Clalit Health Services in Israel is evaluated. In this model psychiatrists provide consultations twice a month at the primary care clinic. All patients are referred by their family physicians. Communication between the psychiatric consultant and the referring physician is carried out by telephone, correspondence and staff meetings. Evaluation of the psychiatric care consultation model in which a psychiatrist consults at the primary care clinic. A questionnaire-based survey distributed to 17 primary care physicians in primary care clinics in Jerusalem in which a psychiatric consultant is present. Almost all of the doctors (93%) responded that the consultation model was superior to the existing model of referral to a secondary psychiatric clinic alone and reduced the workload in caring for the referred patients. The quality of psychiatric care was correlated with the depression prevalence among patients referred for consultation at their clinic (r=0.530, p=0.035). In addition, correlation was demonstrated between primary care physicians impression of alleviation of care of patients and their impression of extent of the patients' cooperation with the consulting psychiatrist (r=0.679, p = 0.015) Conclusions: Very limited conclusions may be drawn from this questionnaire distributed to primary care physicians who were asked to assess psychiatric consultation in their clinic. Our conclusion could be influenced by the design and the actual distribution of the questionnaires by the consulting psychiatrist. Nevertheless answers to the questionnaire might imply that the consultation model of care between a psychiatric consultant and the primary care physician, where the patient's primary care physician takes a leading role in his psychiatric care, is perceived by family physicians as a good alternative to referral to a psychiatric clinic, especially when treating patients suffering from depression.

Zooplankton and the oceanography of the eastern tropical Pacific: A review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernández-Álamo, María Ana; Färber-Lorda, Jaime

2006-05-01

We review the spatial and temporal patterns of zooplankton in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean and relationships with oceanographic factors that affect zooplankton distribution, abundance and trophic relationships. Large-scale spatial patterns of some zooplankton groups show broad coincidence with surface water masses, circulation, and upwelling regions, in agreement with an ecological and dynamic partitioning of the pelagic ecosystem. The papers reviewed and a new compilation of zooplankton volume data at large-scale show that abundance patterns of zooplankton biomass have their highest values in the upwelling regions, including the Gulf of Tehuantepec, the Costa Rica Dome, the equatorial cold tongue, and the coast of Peru. Some of the first studies of zooplankton vertical distribution were done in this region, and a general review of the topic is presented. The possible physiological implications of vertical migration in zooplankton and the main hypotheses are described, with remarks on the importance of the oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) as a barrier to both the vertical distribution and migration of zooplankton in the region. Recent results, using multiple-net gear, show that vertical distribution is more complex than previously thought. There are some well-adapted species that do live and migrate within the OMZ. Temporal patterns are reviewed and summarized with historical data. Seasonal variations in zooplankton biomass follow productivity cycles in upwelling areas. No zooplankton time series exist to resolve ENSO effects in oceanic regions, but some El Niño events have had effects in the Peru Current ecosystem. Multidecadal periods of up to 50 years show a shift from a warm sardine regime with a low zooplankton biomass to a cool anchovy regime in the eastern Pacific with higher zooplankton biomasses. However, zooplankton volume off Peru has remained at low values since the 1972 El Niño, a trend opposite to that of anchoveta biomass since 1984. Studies of trophic relations emphasize the difference in the productivity cycle in the eastern tropical Pacific compared to temperate or polar ecosystems, with no particular peaks in the stocks of either zooplankton or phytoplankton. Productivity is more dependent on local events like coastal upwelling or water circulation, especially in the equatorial countercurrent and around the equatorial cool-tongue. Micrograzers are very important in the tropics as are predatory mesozooplankton. Up to 70% of the daily primary productivity is consumed by microzooplankton, which thus regulates the phytoplankton stocks. Micrograzers are an important link between primary producers, including bacteria, and mesozooplankton, constituting up to 80% of mesozooplankton food. Oceanography affects zooplankton trophic relationships through spatial-temporal effects on primary productivity and on the distributions of metabolic factors, food organisms, and predators. This paper is part of a comprehensive review of the oceanography of the eastern tropical Pacific.

Studies of air showers produced by primaries 10(16) eV using a combined scintillation and water-Cerenkov array

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brooke, G.; Perrett, J. C.; Watson, A. A.

1986-01-01

An array of 8 x 1.0 sq m plastic scintillation counters and 13 water-Cerenkov detectors (1 to 13.5 sq m) were operated at the center of the Haverah Park array to study some features of air showers produced by 10(16) eV primaries. Measurements of the scintillator lateral distribution function, the water-Cerenkov lateral distribution function, and of the distance dependence of the Cerenkov/scintillator ratio are described.

Concentration of floating biogenic material in convergence zones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dandonneau, Yves; Menkes, Christophe; Duteil, Olaf; Gorgues, Thomas

Some organisms that live just below the sea surface (the neuston) are known more as a matter of curiosity than as critical players in biogeochemical cycles. The hypothesis of this work is that their existence implies that they receive some food from an upward flux of organic matter. The behaviour of these organisms and of the associated organic matter, hereafter mentioned as floating biogenic material (FBM) is explored using a global physical-biogeochemical coupled model, in which its generation is fixed to 1% of primary production, and decay rate is of the order of 1 month. The model shows that the distribution of FBM should depart rapidly from that of primary production, and be more sensitive to circulation patterns than to the distribution of primary production. It is trapped in convergence areas, where it reaches concentrations larger by a factor 10 than in divergences, thus enhancing and inverting the contrast between high and low primary productivity areas. Attention is called on the need to better understand the biogeochemical processes in the first meter of the ocean, as they may impact the distribution of food for fishes, as well as the conditions for air-sea exchange and for the interpretation of sea color.

Superstatistics analysis of the ion current distribution function: Met3PbCl influence study.

PubMed

Miśkiewicz, Janusz; Trela, Zenon; Przestalski, Stanisław; Karcz, Waldemar

2010-09-01

A novel analysis of ion current time series is proposed. It is shown that higher (second, third and fourth) statistical moments of the ion current probability distribution function (PDF) can yield new information about ion channel properties. The method is illustrated on a two-state model where the PDF of the compound states are given by normal distributions. The proposed method was applied to the analysis of the SV cation channels of vacuolar membrane of Beta vulgaris and the influence of trimethyllead chloride (Met(3)PbCl) on the ion current probability distribution. Ion currents were measured by patch-clamp technique. It was shown that Met(3)PbCl influences the variance of the open-state ion current but does not alter the PDF of the closed-state ion current. Incorporation of higher statistical moments into the standard investigation of ion channel properties is proposed.

Study of Current Measurement Method Based on Circular Magnetic Field Sensing Array

PubMed Central

Li, Zhenhua; Zhang, Siqiu; Wu, Zhengtian; Tao, Yuan

2018-01-01

Classic core-based instrument transformers are more prone to magnetic saturation. This affects the measurement accuracy of such transformers and limits their applications in measuring large direct current (DC). Moreover, protection and control systems may exhibit malfunctions due to such measurement errors. This paper presents a more accurate method for current measurement based on a circular magnetic field sensing array. The proposed measurement approach utilizes multiple hall sensors that are evenly distributed on a circle. The average value of all hall sensors is regarded as the final measurement. The calculation model is established in the case of magnetic field interference of the parallel wire, and the simulation results show that the error decreases significantly when the number of hall sensors n is greater than 8. The measurement error is less than 0.06% when the wire spacing is greater than 2.5 times the radius of the sensor array. A simulation study on the off-center primary conductor is conducted, and a kind of hall sensor compensation method is adopted to improve the accuracy. The simulation and test results indicate that the measurement error of the system is less than 0.1%. PMID:29734742

Study of Current Measurement Method Based on Circular Magnetic Field Sensing Array.

PubMed

Li, Zhenhua; Zhang, Siqiu; Wu, Zhengtian; Abu-Siada, Ahmed; Tao, Yuan

2018-05-05

Classic core-based instrument transformers are more prone to magnetic saturation. This affects the measurement accuracy of such transformers and limits their applications in measuring large direct current (DC). Moreover, protection and control systems may exhibit malfunctions due to such measurement errors. This paper presents a more accurate method for current measurement based on a circular magnetic field sensing array. The proposed measurement approach utilizes multiple hall sensors that are evenly distributed on a circle. The average value of all hall sensors is regarded as the final measurement. The calculation model is established in the case of magnetic field interference of the parallel wire, and the simulation results show that the error decreases significantly when the number of hall sensors n is greater than 8. The measurement error is less than 0.06% when the wire spacing is greater than 2.5 times the radius of the sensor array. A simulation study on the off-center primary conductor is conducted, and a kind of hall sensor compensation method is adopted to improve the accuracy. The simulation and test results indicate that the measurement error of the system is less than 0.1%.

Honing the Priorities and Making the Investment Case for Global Health.

PubMed

Mundel, Trevor

2016-03-01

In the aftermath of the Ebola crisis, the global health community has a unique opportunity to reflect on the lessons learned and apply them to prepare the world for the next crisis. Part of that preparation will entail knowing, with greater precision, what the scale and scope of our specific global health challenges are and what resources are needed to address them. However, how can we know the magnitude of the challenge, and what resources are needed without knowing the current status of the world through accurate primary data? Once we know the current status, how can we decide on an intervention today with a predicted impact decades out if we cannot project into that future? Making a case for more investments will require not just better data generation and sharing but a whole new level of sophistication in our analytical capability--a fundamental shift in our thinking to set expectations to match the reality. In this current status of a distributed world, being transparent with our assumptions and specific with the case for investing in global health is a powerful approach to finding solutions to the problems that have plagued us for centuries.

The current state of cancer family history collection tools in primary care: a systematic review.

PubMed

Qureshi, Nadeem; Carroll, June C; Wilson, Brenda; Santaguida, Pasqualina; Allanson, Judith; Brouwers, Melissa; Raina, Parminder

2009-07-01

Systematic collection of family history is a prerequisite for identifying genetic risk. This study reviewed tools applicable to the primary care assessment of family history of breast, colorectal, ovarian, and prostate cancer. MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Cochrane Central were searched for publications. All primary study designs were included. Characteristics of the studies, the family history collection tools, and the setting were evaluated. Of 40 eligible studies, 18 relevant family history tools were identified, with 11 developed for use in primary care. Most collected information on more than one cancer and on affected relatives used self-administered questionnaires and paper-based formats. Eleven tools had been evaluated relative to current practice, demonstrating 46-78% improvement in data recording over family history recording in patient charts and 75-100% agreement with structured genetic interviews. Few tools have been developed specifically for primary care settings. The few that have been evaluated performed well. The very limited evidence, which depends in part on extrapolation from studies in settings other than primary care, suggests that systematic tools may add significant family health information compared with current primary care practice. The effect of their use on health outcomes has not been evaluated.

Measurement of eddy-current distribution in the vacuum vessel of the Sino-UNIted Spherical Tokamak.

PubMed

Li, G; Tan, Y; Liu, Y Q

2015-08-01

Eddy currents have an important effect on tokamak plasma equilibrium and control of magneto hydrodynamic activity. The vacuum vessel of the Sino-UNIted Spherical Tokamak is separated into two hemispherical sections by a toroidal insulating barrier. Consequently, the characteristics of eddy currents are more complex than those found in a standard tokamak. Thus, it is necessary to measure and analyze the eddy-current distribution. In this study, we propose an experimental method for measuring the eddy-current distribution in a vacuum vessel. By placing a flexible printed circuit board with magnetic probes onto the external surface of the vacuum vessel to measure the magnetic field parallel to the surface and then subtracting the magnetic field generated by the vertical-field coils, the magnetic field due to the eddy current can be obtained, and its distribution can be determined. We successfully applied this method to the Sino-UNIted Spherical Tokamak, and thus, we obtained the eddy-current distribution despite the presence of the magnetic field generated by the external coils.

The Fermilab Accelerator control system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bogert, Dixon

1986-06-01

With the advent of the Tevatron, considerable upgrades have been made to the controls of all the Fermilab Accelerators. The current system is based on making as large an amount of data as possible available to many operators or end-users. Specifically there are about 100 000 separate readings, settings, and status and control registers in the various machines, all of which can be accessed by seventeen consoles, some in the Main Control Room and others distributed throughout the complex. A "Host" computer network of approximately eighteen PDP-11/34's, seven PDP-11/44's, and three VAX-11/785's supports a distributed data acquisition system including Lockheed MAC-16's left from the original Main Ring and Booster instrumentation and upwards of 1000 Z80, Z8002, and M68000 microprocessors in dozens of configurations. Interaction of the various parts of the system is via a central data base stored on the disk of one of the VAXes. The primary computer-hardware communication is via CAMAC for the new Tevatron and Antiproton Source; certain subsystems, among them vacuum, refrigeration, and quench protection, reside in the distributed microprocessors and communicate via GAS, an in-house protocol. An important hardware feature is an accurate clock system making a large number of encoded "events" in the accelerator supercycle available for both hardware modules and computers. System software features include the ability to save the current state of the machine or any subsystem and later restore it or compare it with the state at another time, a general logging facility to keep track of specific variables over long periods of time, detection of "exception conditions" and the posting of alarms, and a central filesharing capability in which files on VAX disks are available for access by any of the "Host" processors.

The influence of shelf processes in delivering dissolved iron to the HNLC waters of the Drake Passage, Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Measures, C. I.; Brown, M. T.; Selph, K. E.; Apprill, A.; Zhou, M.; Hatta, M.; Hiscock, W. T.

2013-06-01

Dissolved trace element distributions near Elephant Island in the Drake Passage show extremely high levels of dissolved Fe and Mn in waters above the shelf. The entrainment of this enriched shelf water by the Fe-poor Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) as it passes through the Shackleton Gap delivers an estimated 2.8×106 mol yr-1 dissolved Fe to the offshore waters of the Drake Passage. The magnitude and spatial distribution of dissolved Fe, Mn and Al over the shelf are consistent with a diagenetically produced sedimentary source, but are inconsistent with eolian or upwelling sources. The systematics of the Mn and Fe concentrations suggest that there are two distinct sources of dissolved Fe to the surface waters of this region. The highest Fe concentrations are associated with Bransfield Strait water, which can be identified by its characteristic temperature and salinity (T/S) properties both inside the Bransfield Strait and in the Bransfield Current outflow between Elephant and Clarence Islands. Most of the shelf area is dominated by a second water type with T/S properties that are typical of modified Antarctic Surface Water, which while also enriched has a lower Fe:Mn ratio. The predominantly linear relationships between the Fe and Mn concentrations at the stations in each of these water mass types suggest that the distribution of these elements is largely controlled by physical mixing processes and that biological removal of Fe on the shelf, while certainly occurring, is limited, perhaps as a result of rapid physical flushing processes and relatively slow biological growth rates. The consequent export of large quantities of this shelf-derived Fe into the ACC is likely responsible for the extensive regions of enhanced primary production seen in satellite imagery downstream of the Drake Passage.

Identification and Large-Scale Mapping of Riverbed Facies along the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River for Hyporheic Zone Studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scheibe, T. D.; Hou, Z.; Murray, C. J.; Perkins, W. A.; Arntzen, E.; Richmond, M. C.; Mackley, R.; Johnson, T. C.

2016-12-01

The hyporheic zone (HZ) is the sediment layer underlying a river channel within which river water and groundwater may interact, and plays a significant role in controlling energy and nutrient fluxes and biogeochemical reactions in hydrologic systems. The area of this study is the HZ along the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River in southeastern Washington State, where daily and seasonal river stage changes, hydromorphology, and heterogeneous sediment texture drive groundwater-river water exchange and associated biogeochemical processes. The recent alluvial sediments immediately underlying the river are geologically distinct from the surrounding aquifer sediments, and serve as the primary locale of mixing and reaction. In order to effectively characterize the HZ, a novel approach was used to define and map recent alluvial (riverine) facies using river bathymetric attributes (e.g., slope, aspect, and local variability) and simulated hydrodynamic attributes (e.g., shear stress, flow velocity, river depth). The riverine facies were compared with riverbed substrate texture data for confirmation and quantification of textural relationships. Multiple flow regimes representing current (managed) and historical (unmanaged) flow hydrographs were considered to evaluate hydrodynamic controls on the current riverbed grain size distributions. Hydraulic properties were then mapped at reach and local scales by linking textural information to hydraulic property measurements from piezometers. The spatial distribution and thickness of riverine facies is being further constrained by integrating 3D time-lapse electrical resistivity tomography. The mapped distributions of riverine facies and the corresponding flow, transport and biogeochemical properties are supporting the parameterization of multiscale models of hyporheic exchange between groundwater and river water and associated biogeochemical transformations.

Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter across a Marine Distributed Biological Observatory in the Pacific Arctic Region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berman, S. L.; Frey, K. E.; Shake, K. L.; Cooper, L. W.; Grebmeier, J. M.

2014-12-01

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) plays an important role in marine ecosystems as both a carbon source for the microbial food web (and thus a source of CO2 to the atmosphere) and as a light inhibitor in marine environments. The presence of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM; the optically active portion of total DOM) can have significant controlling effects on transmittance of sunlight through the water column and therefore on primary production as well as the heat balance of the upper ocean. However, CDOM is also susceptible to photochemical degradation, which decreases the flux of solar radiation that is absorbed. Knowledge of the current spatial and temporal distribution of CDOM in marine environments is thus critical for understanding how ongoing and future changes in climate may impact these biological, biogeochemical, and physical processes. We describe the quantity and quality of CDOM along five key productive transects across a developing Distributed Biological Observatory (DBO) in the Pacific Arctic region. The samples were collected onboard the CCGS Sir Wilfred Laurier in July 2013 and 2014. Monitoring of the variability of CDOM along transects of high productivity can provide important insights into biological and biogeochemical cycling across the region. Our analyses include overall concentrations of CDOM, as well as proxy information such as molecular weight, lability, and source (i.e., autochthonous vs. allochthonous) of organic matter. We utilize these field observations to compare with satellite-derived CDOM concentrations determined from the Aqua MODIS satellite platform, which ultimately provides a spatially and temporally continuous synoptic view of CDOM concentrations throughout the region. Examining the current relationships among CDOM, sea ice variability, biological productivity, and biogeochemical cycling in the Pacific Arctic region will likely provide key insights for how ecosystems throughout the region will respond in future scenarios of climate change.

Quantifying salinity-induced changes on estuarine benthic fauna: The potential implications of climate change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Little, S.; Wood, P. J.; Elliott, M.

2017-11-01

Coastal and estuarine systems worldwide are under threat from global climate change, with potential consequences including an increase in salinities and incursion of saltwater into areas currently subject to tidal and non-tidal freshwater regimes. It is commonly assumed that climate-driven increases in estuarine salinities and saline incursion will be directly reflected in an upstream shift in species distributions and patterns of community composition based on salinity tolerance. This study examined the responses of benthos to medium-term salinity changes in two macrotidal river-estuary systems in SE England to test whether these responses may be representative of climate-induced salinity changes over the long-term. The study reinforced the effect of salinity, related to tidal incursion, as the primary environmental driver of benthic species distribution and community composition. Salinity, however, acted within a hierarchy of factors followed by substratum type, with biotic competition and predator-prey relationships superimposed on these. The assumption that increasing salinities will be directly reflected in a shift in species distributions and patterns of community composition upstream over the long-term was shown to be over simplistic and not representative of a complex and highly variable system. Relative Sea Level Rise (RSLR) projections were predicted to increase estuarine salinities and saline incursion in the study estuaries, which together with projected reductions in river flow will have important consequences for estuarine structure and function, particularly in tidal limnetic zones, despite estuarine communities being pre-adapted to cope with fluctuating salinities. The study identified, however, that limnic-derived fauna inhabiting these zones may demonstrate greater tolerance to salinity change than is currently recognised, and may persist where salinity increases are gradual and zones unbounded.

Visualizing Metal Content and Intracellular Distribution in Primary Hippocampal Neurons with Synchrotron X-Ray Fluorescence

DOE PAGES

Colvin, Robert A.; Jin, Qiaoling; Lai, Barry; ...

2016-07-19

Increasing evidence suggests that metal dyshomeostasis plays an important role in human neurodegenerative diseases. Although distinctive metal distributions are described for mature hippocampus and cortex, much less is known about metal levels and intracellular distribution in individual hippocampal neuronal somata. To solve this problem, we conducted quantitative metal analyses utilizing synchrotron radiation X-Ray fluorescence on frozen hydrated primary cultured neurons derived from rat embryonic cortex (CTX) and two regions of the hippocampus: dentate gyrus (DG) and CA1. Also, comparing average metal contents showed that the most abundant metals were calcium, iron, and zinc, whereas metals such as copper and manganesemore » were less than 10% of zinc. Average metal contents were generally similar when compared across neurons cultured from CTX, DG, and CA1, except for manganese that was larger in CA1. However, each metal showed a characteristic spatial distribution in individual neuronal somata. Zinc was uniformly distributed throughout the cytosol, with no evidence for the existence of previously identified zinc-enriched organelles, zincosomes. Calcium showed a peri-nuclear distribution consistent with accumulation in endoplasmic reticulum and/or mitochondria. Iron showed 2-3 distinct highly concentrated puncta only in peri-nuclear locations. Notwithstanding the small sample size, these analyses demonstrate that primary cultured neurons show characteristic metal signatures. The iron puncta probably represent iron-accumulating organelles, siderosomes. Thus, the metal distributions observed in mature brain structures are likely the result of both intrinsic neuronal factors that control cellular metal content and extrinsic factors related to the synaptic organization, function, and contacts formed and maintained in each region.« less

Visualizing Metal Content and Intracellular Distribution in Primary Hippocampal Neurons with Synchrotron X-Ray Fluorescence

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Increasing evidence suggests that metal dyshomeostasis plays an important role in human neurodegenerative diseases. Although distinctive metal distributions are described for mature hippocampus and cortex, much less is known about metal levels and intracellular distribution in individual hippocampal neuronal somata. To solve this problem, we conducted quantitative metal analyses utilizing synchrotron radiation X-Ray fluorescence on frozen hydrated primary cultured neurons derived from rat embryonic cortex (CTX) and two regions of the hippocampus: dentate gyrus (DG) and CA1. Comparing average metal contents showed that the most abundant metals were calcium, iron, and zinc, whereas metals such as copper and manganese were less than 10% of zinc. Average metal contents were generally similar when compared across neurons cultured from CTX, DG, and CA1, except for manganese that was larger in CA1. However, each metal showed a characteristic spatial distribution in individual neuronal somata. Zinc was uniformly distributed throughout the cytosol, with no evidence for the existence of previously identified zinc-enriched organelles, zincosomes. Calcium showed a peri-nuclear distribution consistent with accumulation in endoplasmic reticulum and/or mitochondria. Iron showed 2–3 distinct highly concentrated puncta only in peri-nuclear locations. Notwithstanding the small sample size, these analyses demonstrate that primary cultured neurons show characteristic metal signatures. The iron puncta probably represent iron-accumulating organelles, siderosomes. Thus, the metal distributions observed in mature brain structures are likely the result of both intrinsic neuronal factors that control cellular metal content and extrinsic factors related to the synaptic organization, function, and contacts formed and maintained in each region. PMID:27434052

Electron distribution function in a plasma generated by fission fragments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hassan, H. A.; Deese, J. E.

1976-01-01

A Boltzmann equation formulation is presented for the determination of the electron distribution function in a plasma generated by fission fragments. The formulation takes into consideration ambipolar diffusion, elastic and inelastic collisions, recombination and ionization, and allows for the fact that the primary electrons are not monoenergetic. Calculations for He in a tube coated with fissionable material shows that, over a wide pressure and neutron flux range, the distribution function is non-Maxwellian, but the electrons are essentially thermal. Moreover, about a third of the energy of the primary electrons is transferred into the inelastic levels of He. This fraction of energy transfer is almost independent of pressure and neutron flux.

Community-partnered evaluation of depression services for clients of community-based agencies in under-resourced communities in Los Angeles.

PubMed

Miranda, Jeanne; Ong, Michael K; Jones, Loretta; Chung, Bowen; Dixon, Elizabeth L; Tang, Lingqi; Gilmore, Jim; Sherbourne, Cathy; Ngo, Victoria K; Stockdale, Susan; Ramos, Esmeralda; Belin, Thomas R; Wells, Kenneth B

2013-10-01

As medical homes are developing under health reform, little is known regarding depression services need and use by diverse safety-net populations in under-resourced communities. For chronic conditions like depression, primary care services may face new opportunities to partner with diverse community service providers, such as those in social service and substance abuse centers, to support a collaborative care model of treating depression. To understand the distribution of need and current burden of services for depression in under-resourced, diverse communities in Los Angeles. Baseline phase of a participatory trial to improve depression services with data from client screening and follow-up surveys. Of 4,440 clients screened from 93 programs (primary care, mental health, substance abuse, homeless, social and other community services) in 50 agencies, 1,322 were depressed according to an eight-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-8) and gave contact information; 1,246 enrolled and 981 completed surveys. Ninety-three programs, including 17 primary care/public health, 18 mental health, 20 substance abuse, ten homeless services, and 28 social/other community services, participated. Comparisons by setting in 6-month retrospective recall of depression services use. Depression prevalence ranged from 51.9 % in mental health to 17.2 % in social-community programs. Depressed clients used two settings on average to receive depression services; 82 % used any setting. More clients preferred counseling over medication for depression treatment. Need for depression care was high, and a broad range of agencies provide depression care. Although most participants had contact with primary care, most depression services occurred outside of primary care settings, emphasizing the need to coordinate and support the quality of community-based services across diverse community settings.

Primary types of longhorned woodboring beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae and Disteniidae) of the Smithsonian Institution

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The primary types of longhorned woodboring beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae, Disteniidae) of the National Museum of Natural History (Smithsonian Institution) are catalogued and figured, current through 2012 (but also including some 2013 holotypes). Data on the original combination, current combina...

Correlative characterization of primary particles formed in as-cast Al-Mg alloy containing a high level of Sc

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

Zhou, Shi'ang

Primary particles formed in as-cast Al-5Mg-0.6Sc alloy and their role in microstructure and mechanical properties of the alloy were investigated using optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron back-scatter diffraction (EBSD) and tensile testing. It was found that primary particles due to a close orientation to matrix could serve as the potent heterogeneous nucleation sites for α-Al during solidification and thus impose a remarkable grain refinement effect. Eutectic structure consisted of layer by layer of ‘Al{sub 3}Sc + α-Al + Al{sub 3}Sc + ⋯’ and cellular-dendritic substructure were simultaneously observed at the particles inside, indicating that these particles couldmore » be identified as the eutectics rather than individual Al{sub 3}Sc phase. A calculating method, based on EBSD results, was introduced for the spatial distribution of these particles in matrix. The results showed that these eutectic particles randomly distributed in matrix. In addition, the formation of primary eutectic particles significant improved the strength of the Al-Mg alloy in as-cast condition, which is ascribed to the structural evolution from coarse dendrites to prefect fine equiaxed grains. On the other hand, these large-sized particles due to the tendency to act as the microcrack sources could cause a harmful effect in the ductility of Al-Mg-Sc alloy. - Highlights: •Primary particles exhibit an ‘Al{sub 3}Sc + α-Al + Al{sub 3}Sc + ⋯’ multilayer feature with a cellular-dendritic mode of growth. •EBSD analyses the mechanism of grain refinement and the distribution of primary particles in α-Al matrix. •A computational method was presented to calculate the habit planes of primary particles.« less

BRAF/NRAS mutation frequencies among primary tumors and metastases in patients with melanoma.

PubMed

Colombino, Maria; Capone, Mariaelena; Lissia, Amelia; Cossu, Antonio; Rubino, Corrado; De Giorgi, Vincenzo; Massi, Daniela; Fonsatti, Ester; Staibano, Stefania; Nappi, Oscar; Pagani, Elena; Casula, Milena; Manca, Antonella; Sini, Mariacristina; Franco, Renato; Botti, Gerardo; Caracò, Corrado; Mozzillo, Nicola; Ascierto, Paolo A; Palmieri, Giuseppe

2012-07-10

The prevalence of BRAF, NRAS, and p16CDKN2A mutations during melanoma progression remains inconclusive. We investigated the prevalence and distribution of mutations in these genes in different melanoma tissues. In all, 291 tumor tissues from 132 patients with melanoma were screened. Paired samples of primary melanomas (n = 102) and synchronous or asynchronous metastases from the same patients (n = 165) were included. Tissue samples underwent mutation analysis (automated DNA sequencing). Secondary lesions included lymph nodes (n = 84), and skin (n = 36), visceral (n = 25), and brain (n = 44) sites. BRAF/NRAS mutations were identified in 58% of primary melanomas (43% BRAF; 15% NRAS); 62% in lymph nodes, 61% subcutaneous, 56% visceral, and 70% in brain sites. Mutations were observed in 63% of metastases (48% BRAF; 15% NRAS), a nonsignificant increase in mutation frequency after progression from primary melanoma. Of the paired samples, lymph nodes (93% consistency) and visceral metastases (96% consistency) presented a highly similar distribution of BRAF/NRAS mutations versus primary melanomas, with a significantly less consistent pattern in brain (80%) and skin metastases (75%). This suggests that independent subclones are generated in some patients. p16CDKN2A mutations were identified in 7% and 14% of primary melanomas and metastases, with a low consistency (31%) between secondary and primary tumor samples. In the era of targeted therapies, assessment of the spectrum and distribution of alterations in molecular targets among patients with melanoma is needed. Our findings about the prevalence of BRAF/NRAS/p16CDKN2A mutations in paired tumor lesions from patients with melanoma may be useful in the management of this disease.

Comparing the Distribution of Education across the Developing World, 1960-2005: What Does the Grade Enrollment Distribution Tell about Latin America?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frankema, Ewout

2008-01-01

The present paper introduces a new indicator of educational inequality, the grade distribution ratio (GDR), focusing on levels of grade repetition and drop out rates in primary and secondary education. The indicator is specifically suitable to evaluate the distributive implications of expanding educational systems in developing countries. A…

Explaining the spatiotemporal variation of fine particle number concentrations over Beijing and surrounding areas in an air quality model with aerosol microphysics.

PubMed

Chen, Xueshun; Wang, Zifa; Li, Jie; Chen, Huansheng; Hu, Min; Yang, Wenyi; Wang, Zhe; Ge, Baozhu; Wang, Dawei

2017-12-01

In this study, a three-dimensional air quality model with detailed aerosol microphysics (NAQPMS + APM) was applied to simulate the fine particle number size distribution and to explain the spatiotemporal variation of fine particle number concentrations in different size ranges over Beijing and surrounding areas in the haze season (Jan 15 to Feb 13 in 2006). Comparison between observations and the simulation indicates that the model is able to reproduce the main features of the particle number size distribution. The high number concentration of total particles, up to 26600 cm -3 in observations and 39800 cm -3 in the simulation, indicates the severity of pollution in Beijing. We find that primary particles with secondary species coating and secondary particles together control the particle number size distribution. Secondary particles dominate particle number concentration in the nucleation mode. Primary and secondary particles together determine the temporal evolution and spatial pattern of particle number concentration in the Aitken mode. Primary particles dominate particle number concentration in the accumulation mode. Over Beijing and surrounding areas, secondary particles contribute at least 80% of particle number concentration in the nucleation mode but only 10-20% in the accumulation mode. Nucleation mode particles and accumulation mode particles are anti-phased with each other. Nucleation or primary emissions alone could not explain the formation of the particle number size distribution in Beijing. Nucleation has larger effects on ultrafine particles while primary particles emissions are efficient in producing large particles in the accumulation mode. Reduction in primary particle emissions does not always lead to a decrease in the number concentration of ultrafine particles. Measures to reduce fine particle pollution in terms of particle number concentration may be different from those addressing particle mass concentration. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Frequency and distribution of primary site among gender minority cancer patients: An analysis of U.S. national surveillance data.

PubMed

Nash, Rebecca; Ward, Kevin C; Jemal, Ahmedin; Sandberg, David E; Tangpricha, Vin; Goodman, Michael

2018-03-09

Transgender people and persons with disorders of sex development (DSD) are two separate categories of gender minorities, each characterized by unique cancer risk factors. Although cancer registry data typically include only two categories of sex, registrars have the option of indicating that a patient is transgender or has a DSD. Data for primary cancer cases in 46 states and the District of Columbia were obtained from the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (NAACCR) database for the period 1995-2013. The distributions of primary sites and categories of cancers with shared risk factors were examined separately for transgender and DSD patients and compared to the corresponding distributions in male and female cancer patients. Proportional incidence ratios were calculated by dividing the number of observed cases by the number of expected cases. Expected cases were calculated based on the age- and year of diagnosis-specific proportions of cases in each cancer category observed among male and female patients. Transgender patients have significantly elevated proportional incidence ratios (95% confidence intervals) for viral infection induced cancers compared to either males (2.3; 2.0-2.7) or females (3.3; 2.8-3.7). Adult DSD cancer patients have a similar distribution of primary sites compared to male or female patients but DSD children with cancer have ten times more cases of testicular malignancies than expected (95% confidence interval: 4.7-20). The proportions of certain primary sites and categories of malignancies among transgender and DSD cancer patients are different from the proportions observed for male or female patients. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Current Distribution Characteristics of CFRP Panels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamamoto, Kazuo

CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic) is widely used in the structures of aircrafts, automobiles, wing turbines, and rockets because of its qualities of high mechanical strength, low weight, fatigue resistance, and dimensional stability. However, these structures are often at risk of being struck by lightning. When lightning strikes such structures and lightning current flows through the CFRP, it may be structurally damaged because of the impact of the lightning strike or ignitions between layers. If there are electronic systems near the CFRP, they may break down or malfunction because of the resulting electromagnetic disturbance. In fact, the generation mechanisms of these breakdowns and malfunctions depend on the current distribution in the CFRP. Hence, it is critical to clarify the current distribution in various kinds of CFRPs. In this study, two kinds of CFRP panels—one composed of quasi-isotropic lamination layers and the other composed of 0°/90° lamination layers of unidirectional CFRP prepregs—are used to investigate the dependence of current distribution on the nature of the lamination layers. The current distribution measurements and simulations for CFRP panels are compared with those for a same-sized aluminum plate. The knowledge of these current distribution characteristics would be very useful for designing the CFRP structures of aircrafts, automobiles, wing turbines, rockets, etc. in the future.

Predicting the spatiotemporal distributions of marine fish species utilizing earth system data in a maximum entropy modeling framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, L.; Kerr, L. A.; Bridger, E.

2016-12-01

Changes in species distributions have been widely associated with climate change. Understanding how ocean conditions influence marine fish distributions is critical for elucidating the role of climate in ecosystem change and forecasting how fish may be distributed in the future. Species distribution models (SDMs) can enable estimation of the likelihood of encountering species in space or time as a function of environmental conditions. Traditional SDMs are applied to scientific-survey data that include both presences and absences. Maximum entropy (MaxEnt) models are promising tools as they can be applied to presence-only data, such as those collected from fisheries or citizen science programs. We used MaxEnt to relate the occurrence records of marine fish species (e.g. Atlantic herring, Atlantic mackerel, and butterfish) from NOAA Northeast Fisheries Observer Program to environmental conditions. Environmental variables from earth system data, such as sea surface temperature (SST), sea bottom temperature (SBT), Chlorophyll-a, bathymetry, North Atlantic oscillation (NAO), and Atlantic multidecadal oscillation (AMO), were matched with species occurrence for MaxEnt modeling the fish distributions in Northeast Shelf area. We developed habitat suitability maps for these species, and assessed the relative influence of environmental factors on their distributions. Overall, SST and Chlorophyll-a had greatest influence on their monthly distributions, with bathymetry and SBT having moderate influence and climate indices (NAO and AMO) having little influence. Across months, Atlantic herring distribution was most related to SST 10th percentile, and Atlantic mackerel and butterfish distributions were most related to previous month SST. The fish distributions were most affected by previous month Chlorophyll-a in summer months, which may indirectly indicate the accumulative impact of primary productivity. Results highlighted the importance of spatial and temporal scales when using SDMs to investigate the habitat suitability and distributions of a focal species. MaxEnt models have the potential to provide hindcasts of where species might have been in the past in relation to historical environmental conditions, nowcasts in relation to current conditions, or forecasts of future species distributions.

Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis Caused by Naegleria fowleri, Karachi, Pakistan

PubMed Central

Shakoor, Sadia; Beg, Mohammad Asim; Bandea, Rebecca; Sriram, Rama; Noman, Fatima; Ali, Farheen; Visvesvara, Govinda S.; Zafar, Afia

2011-01-01

We report 13 cases of Naegleria fowleri primary amebic meningoencephalitis in persons in Karachi, Pakistan, who had no history of aquatic activities. Infection likely occurred through ablution with tap water. An increase in primary amebic meningoencephalitis cases may be attributed to rising temperatures, reduced levels of chlorine in potable water, or deteriorating water distribution systems. PMID:21291600

Neutral-current x-distributions

DOE R&D Accomplishments Database

Friedman, J. I.; Kendall, H. W.; Bogert, D.; Burnstein, R.; Fisk, R.; Fuess, S.; Bofill, J.; Busza, W.; Eldridge, T.; Abolins, M.; Brock, R.; et al.

1984-06-01

The role of the semi leptonic neutral current interaction as a probe of nucleon structure is examined. Previous measurements of neutral current x-distributions are reviewed, and new results from the Fermilab - MIT - MSU collaboration are presented.

Drivers of Cape Verde archipelagic endemism in keyhole limpets

PubMed Central

Cunha, Regina L.; Assis, Jorge M.; Madeira, Celine; Seabra, Rui; Lima, Fernando P.; Lopes, Evandro P.; Williams, Suzanne T.; Castilho, Rita

2017-01-01

Oceanic archipelagos are the ideal setting for investigating processes that shape species assemblages. Focusing on keyhole limpets, genera Fissurella and Diodora from Cape Verde Islands, we used an integrative approach combining molecular phylogenetics with ocean transport simulations to infer species distribution patterns and analyse connectivity. Dispersal simulations, using pelagic larval duration and ocean currents as proxies, showed a reduced level of connectivity despite short distances between some of the islands. It is suggested that dispersal and persistence driven by patterns of oceanic circulation favouring self-recruitment played a primary role in explaining contemporary species distributions. Mitochondrial and nuclear data revealed the existence of eight Cape Verde endemic lineages, seven within Fissurella, distributed across the archipelago, and one within Diodora restricted to Boavista. The estimated origins for endemic Fissurella and Diodora were 10.2 and 6.7 MY, respectively. Between 9.5 and 4.5 MY, an intense period of volcanism in Boavista might have affected Diodora, preventing its diversification. Having originated earlier, Fissurella might have had more opportunities to disperse to other islands and speciate before those events. Bayesian analyses showed increased diversification rates in Fissurella possibly promoted by low sea levels during Plio-Pleistocene, which further explain differences in species richness between both genera. PMID:28150720

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

Reshetenko, T. V.; Bender, G.; Bethune, K.

The overall current density that is measured in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) represents the average of the local reaction rates. The overall and local PEMFC performances are determined by several primary loss mechanisms, namely activation, ohmic, and mass transfer. Spatial performance and loss variabilities are significant and depend on the cell design and operating conditions. A segmented cell system was used to quantify different loss distributions along the gas channel to understand the effects of gas humidification. A reduction in the reactant stream humidification decreased cell performance and resulted in non-uniform distributions of overpotentials and performance alongmore » the flow field. Activation and ohmic overpotentials increased with a relative humidity decrease due to insufficient membrane and catalyst layer hydration. The relative humidity of the cathode had a strong impact on the mass transfer overpotential due to a lower oxygen permeability through the dry Nafion film covering the catalyst surface. The mass transfer loss distribution was non-uniform, and the mass transfer overpotential increased for the outlet segments due to the oxygen consumption at the inlet segments, which reduced the oxygen concentration downstream, and a progressive water accumulation from upstream segments. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and an equivalent electric circuit (EEC) facilitated the analysis and interpretation of the segmented cell data.« less

GPS-Based Excavation Encroachment Notification

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-10-31

Excavation damage is the primary threat to the integrity of the natural gas distribution system. According to the Common Ground Alliance, the two primary root causes of excavation damage are failure to notify the one-call center and careless excavati...

Optimal joule heating of the subsurface

DOEpatents

Berryman, J.G.; Daily, W.D.

1994-07-05

A method for simultaneously heating the subsurface and imaging the effects of the heating is disclosed. This method combines the use of tomographic imaging (electrical resistance tomography or ERT) to image electrical resistivity distribution underground, with joule heating by electrical currents injected in the ground. A potential distribution is established on a series of buried electrodes resulting in energy deposition underground which is a function of the resistivity and injection current density. Measurement of the voltages and currents also permits a tomographic reconstruction of the resistivity distribution. Using this tomographic information, the current injection pattern on the driving electrodes can be adjusted to change the current density distribution and thus optimize the heating. As the heating changes conditions, the applied current pattern can be repeatedly adjusted (based on updated resistivity tomographs) to affect real time control of the heating.

Towards efficient use of research resources: a nationwide database of ongoing primary care research projects in the Netherlands.

PubMed

Kortekaas, Marlous F; van de Pol, Alma C; van der Horst, Henriëtte E; Burgers, Jako S; Slort, Willemjan; de Wit, Niek J

2014-04-01

PURPOSE. Although in the last decades primary care research has evolved with great success, there is a growing need to prioritize the topics given the limited resources available. Therefore, we constructed a nationwide database of ongoing primary care research projects in the Netherlands, and we assessed if the distribution of research topics matched with primary care practice. We conducted a survey among the main primary care research centres in the Netherlands and gathered details of all ongoing primary care research projects. We classified the projects according to research topic, relation to professional guidelines and knowledge deficits, collaborative partners and funding source. Subsequently, we compared the frequency distribution of clinical topics of research projects to the prevalence of problems in primary care practice. We identified 296 ongoing primary care research projects from 11 research centres. Most projects were designed as randomized controlled trial (35%) or observational cohort (34%), and government funded mostly (60%). Thematically, most research projects addressed chronic diseases, mainly cardiovascular risk management (8%), depressive disorders (8%) and diabetes mellitus (7%). One-fifth of the projects was related to defined knowledge deficits in primary care guidelines. From a clinical primary care perspective, research projects on dermatological problems were significantly underrepresented (P = 0.01). This survey of ongoing projects demonstrates that primary care research has a firm basis in the Netherlands, with a strong focus on chronic disease. The fit with primary care practice can improve, and future research should address knowledge deficits in professional guidelines more.

Theoretical and experimental investigation into high current hollow cathode arc attachment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Downey, Ryan T.

This research addresses several concerns of the mechanisms controlling performance and lifetime of high-current single-channel-hollow-cathodes, the central electrode and primary life-limiting component in Magnetoplasmadynamic thrusters. Specifically covered are the trends, and the theorized governing mechanisms, seen in the discharge efficiency and power, the size of the plasma attachment to the cathode (the active zone), cathode exit plume plasma density and energy, along with plasma property distributions of the internal plasma column (the IPC) of a single-channel-hollow-cathode. Both experiment and computational modeling were employed in the analysis of the cathodes. Employing Tantalum and Tungsten cathodes (of 2, 6 and 10 mm inner diameter), experiments were conducted to measure the temperature profile of operating cathodes, the width of the active zone, the discharge voltage, power, plasma arc resistance and efficiency, with mass flow rates of 50 to 300 sccm of Argon, and discharge currents of 15 to 50 Amps. Langmuir probing was used to obtain measurements for the electron temperature, plasma density and plasma potential at the cathode exit plane (down stream tip). A computational model was developed to predict the distribution of plasma inside the cathode, based upon experimentally determined boundary conditions. It was determined that the peak cathode temperature is a function of both interior cathode density and discharge current, though the location of the peak temperature is controlled gas density but not discharge current. The active zone width was found to be an increasing function of the discharge current, but a decreasing function of the mass flow rate. The width of the active zone was found to not be controlled by the magnitude of the peak cathode wall temperature. The discharge power consumed per unit of mass throughput is seen as a decreasing function of the mass flow rate, showing the increasing efficiency of the cathode. Finally, this new understanding of the mechanisms of the plasma attachment phenomena of a single-channel-hollow-cathode were extrapolated to the multi-channel-hollow-cathode environment, to explain performance characteristics of these devices seen in previous research.

The harmonic impact of electric vehicle battery charging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Staats, Preston Trent

The potential widespread introduction of the electric vehicle (EV) presents both opportunities and challenges to the power systems engineers who will be required to supply power to EV batteries. One of the challenges associated with EV battery charging comes from the potentially high harmonic currents associated with the conversion of ac power system voltages to dc EV battery voltages. Harmonic currents lead to increased losses in distribution circuits and reduced life expectancy of such power distribution components as capacitors and transformers. Harmonic current injections also cause harmonic voltages on power distribution networks. These distorted voltages can affect power system loads and specific standards exist regulating acceptable voltage distortion. This dissertation develops and presents the theory required to evaluate the electric vehicle battery charger as a harmonic distorting load and its possible harmonic impact on various aspects of power distribution systems. The work begins by developing a method for evaluating the net harmonic current injection of a large collection of EV battery chargers which accounts for variation in the start-time and initial battery state-of-charge between individual chargers. Next, this method is analyzed to evaluate the effect of input parameter variation on the net harmonic currents predicted by the model. We then turn to an evaluation of the impact of EV charger harmonic currents on power distribution systems, first evaluating the impact of these currents on a substation transformer and then on power distribution system harmonic voltages. The method presented accounts for the uncertainty in EV harmonic current injections by modeling the start-time and initial battery state-of-charge (SOC) of an individual EV battery charger as random variables. Thus, the net harmonic current, and distribution system harmonic voltages are formulated in a stochastic framework. Results indicate that considering variation in start-time and SOC leads to reduced estimates of harmonic current injection when compared to more traditional methods that do not account for variation. Evaluation of power distribution system harmonic voltages suggests that for any power distribution network there is a definite threshold penetration of EVs, below which the total harmonic distortion of voltage exceeds 5% at an insignificant number of buses. Thus, most existing distribution systems will probably be able to accommodate the early introduction of EV battery charging without widespread harmonic voltage problems.

Experimental investigation of localized stress-induced leakage current distribution in gate dielectrics using array test circuit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Hyeonwoo; Teramoto, Akinobu; Kuroda, Rihito; Suwa, Tomoyuki; Sugawa, Shigetoshi

2018-04-01

Localized stress-induced leakage current (SILC) has become a major problem in the reliability of flash memories. To reduce it, clarifying the SILC mechanism is important, and statistical measurement and analysis have to be carried out. In this study, we applied an array test circuit that can measure the SILC distribution of more than 80,000 nMOSFETs with various gate areas at a high speed (within 80 s) and a high accuracy (on the 10-17 A current order). The results clarified that the distributions of localized SILC in different gate areas follow a universal distribution assuming the same SILC defect density distribution per unit area, and the current of localized SILC defects does not scale down with the gate area. Moreover, the distribution of SILC defect density and its dependence on the oxide field for measurement (E OX-Measure) were experimentally determined for fabricated devices.

Comparison of Measured Dark Current Distributions with Calculated Damage Energy Distributions in HgCdTe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marshall, C. J.; Marshall, P. W.; Howe, C. L.; Reed, R. A.; Weller, R. A.; Mendenhall, M.; Waczynski, A.; Ladbury, R.; Jordan, T. M.

2007-01-01

This paper presents a combined Monte Carlo and analytic approach to the calculation of the pixel-to-pixel distribution of proton-induced damage in a HgCdTe sensor array and compares the results to measured dark current distributions after damage by 63 MeV protons. The moments of the Coulombic, nuclear elastic and nuclear inelastic damage distributions were extracted from Monte Carlo simulations and combined to form a damage distribution using the analytic techniques first described in [1]. The calculations show that the high energy recoils from the nuclear inelastic reactions (calculated using the Monte Carlo code MCNPX [2]) produce a pronounced skewing of the damage energy distribution. While the nuclear elastic component (also calculated using the MCNPX) contributes only a small fraction of the total nonionizing damage energy, its inclusion in the shape of the damage across the array is significant. The Coulombic contribution was calculated using MRED [3-5], a Geant4 [4,6] application. The comparison with the dark current distribution strongly suggests that mechanisms which are not linearly correlated with nonionizing damage produced according to collision kinematics are responsible for the observed dark current increases. This has important implications for the process of predicting the on-orbit dark current response of the HgCdTe sensor array.

Intimate partner violence and HIV risk among urban minority women in primary health care settings.

PubMed

Wu, Elwin; El-Bassel, Nabila; Witte, Susan S; Gilbert, Louisa; Chang, Mingway

2003-09-01

This study describes the associations between intimate partner violence (IPV) and HIV risk among urban, predominantly minority women. Interviews were conducted with 1,590 women, predominantly African American and Latina, attending hospital-based health care clinics. Approximately 1 in 5 women reported experiencing IPV in their current primary heterosexual relationships; about 1 in 8 women reported experiencing IPV in the preceding 6 months. Compared to women who reported no IPV in their primary relationships, women reporting past or current IPV perpetrated by their primary partners were more likely to report having multiple sexual partners, a past or current sexually transmitted infection (STI), inconsistent use or nonuse of condoms, and a partner with known HIV risk factors. These findings indicate that urban minority women experiencing IPV are at elevated risk for HIV infection, results that carry important implications in the efforts to improve HIV and IPV risk assessment protocols and intervention/prevention strategies for women in primary health care settings.

Legal briefing: organ donation and allocation.

PubMed

Pope, Thaddeus Mason

2010-01-01

This issue's "Legal Briefing" column covers legal developments pertaining to organ donation and allocation. This topic has been the subject of recent articles in JCE. Organ donation and allocation have also recently been the subjects of significant public policy attention. In the past several months, legislatures and regulatory agencies across the United States and across the world have changed, or considered changing, the methods for procuring and distributing human organs for transplantation. Currently, in the U.S., more than 100,000 persons are waiting for organ transplantation. In China, more than 1.5 million people are waiting. Given the chronic shortage of available organs (especially kidneys and livers) relative to demand, the primary focus of most legal developments has been on increasing the rate of donation. These and related developments are usefully divided into the following 12 topical categories: 1. Revised Uniform Anatomical Gift Act. 2. Presumed Consent and Opt-Out. 3. Mandated Choice. 4. Donation after Cardiac Death. 5. Payment and Compensation. 6. Donation by Prisoners. 7. Donor Registries. 8. Public Education. 9. Other Procurement Initiatives. 10. Lawsuits and Liability. 11. Trafficking and Tourism. 12. Allocation and Distribution.

Economic growth, climate change, biodiversity loss: distributive justice for the global north and south.

PubMed

Rosales, Jon

2008-12-01

Economic growth-the increase in production and consumption of goods and services-must be considered within its biophysical context. Economic growth is fueled by biophysical inputs and its outputs degrade ecological processes, such as the global climate system. Economic growth is currently the principal cause of increased climate change, and climate change is a primary mechanism of biodiversity loss. Therefore, economic growth is a prime catalyst of biodiversity loss. Because people desire economic growth for dissimilar reasons-some for the increased accumulation of wealth, others for basic needs-how we limit economic growth becomes an ethical problem. Principles of distributive justice can help construct an international climate-change regime based on principles of equity. An equity-based framework that caps economic growth in the most polluting economies will lessen human impact on biodiversity. When coupled with a cap-and-trade mechanism, the framework can also provide a powerful tool for redistribution of wealth. Such an equity-based framework promises to be more inclusive and therefore more effective because it accounts for the disparate developmental conditions of the global north and south.

Geography of Genetic Structure in Barley Wild Relative Hordeum vulgare subsp. spontaneum in Jordan.

PubMed

Thormann, Imke; Reeves, Patrick; Reilley, Ann; Engels, Johannes M M; Lohwasser, Ulrike; Börner, Andreas; Pillen, Klaus; Richards, Christopher M

2016-01-01

Informed collecting, conservation, monitoring and utilization of genetic diversity requires knowledge of the distribution and structure of the variation occurring in a species. Hordeum vulgare subsp. spontaneum (K. Koch) Thell., a primary wild relative of barley, is an important source of genetic diversity for barley improvement and co-occurs with the domesticate within the center of origin. We studied the current distribution of genetic diversity and population structure in H. vulgare subsp. spontaneum in Jordan and investigated whether it is correlated with either spatial or climatic variation inferred from publically available climate layers commonly used in conservation and ecogeographical studies. The genetic structure of 32 populations collected in 2012 was analyzed with 37 SSRs. Three distinct genetic clusters were identified. Populations were characterized by admixture and high allelic richness, and genetic diversity was concentrated in the northern part of the study area. Genetic structure, spatial location and climate were not correlated. This may point out a limitation in using large scale climatic data layers to predict genetic diversity, especially as it is applied to regional genetic resources collections in H. vulgare subsp. spontaneum.

NICHE: Non-Imaging Cherenkov Light Observation at the TA Site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsunesada, Yoshiki; Omura, Yugo; Shin, BokKyun; Bergman, Douglas R.; Krizmanic, John F.; Nonaka, Toshiyuki

The Non-Imaging CHErenkov Array (NICHE) is a low energy extension to the Telescope Array and TALE using an array of closely spaced (70-100 m) light collectors covering an area of up to a square km. The target is cosmic rays with energies above the knee, including the "transition region" above which Galactic cosmic rays are no more confined by the galactic magnetic field. It will be deployed in the field of view of TALE and will overlap it in energy range. TALE can observe events in the energy range 3-30 PeV by non-imaging air-Cherenkov, so NICHE and TALE will observe imaging/non-imaging Cherenkov hybrid events. NICHE itself will use both the Cherenkov lateral distribution and the Cherenkov time-width lateral distribution in measuring air showers. These two methods will allow shower energy and Xmax to be determined to infer primary types of cosmic nuclei. A prototype of the array with 15 counters, called j-NICHE, is currently being built. We describe the design of the experiment and the status of the detector development.

Marketing strategy: an essential component of business development for academic health centers.

PubMed

Souba, W W; Haluck, C A; Menezes, M A

2001-02-01

Historically, academic health centers (AHCs) have detached themselves from commercialism and entrepreneurism, viewing these activities as being inconsistent with many of their core academic values. Word-of-mouth promotion was their primary, if not sole, marketing strategy. Less emphasis was placed on preparing, pricing, distributing, and promoting these services to targeted audiences. Understanding customers' needs was not a top priority. The marketing strategies and tools currently being developed and utilized by AHCs were reviewed. In an effort to attract customers and win contracts, AHCs are aggressively marketing themselves by designing new services, promoting those services much more intensely, restructuring the entire distribution system that delivers those services, and crafting pricing strategies that build in flexibility. With growing frequency, these marketing tactics are part and parcel of a carefully crafted data-driven strategic plan designed to meet the business-development goals of the institution. In order to carry out their missions, AHCs have recognized that they can no longer rest on their "ivory tower" laurels. They must learn how to market themselves in a market economy.

A Compressive Sensing Approach for Glioma Margin Delineation Using Mass Spectrometry

PubMed Central

Gholami, Behnood; Agar, Nathalie Y. R.; Jolesz, Ferenc A.; Haddad, Wassim M.; Tannenbaum, Allen R.

2013-01-01

Surgery, and specifically, tumor resection, is the primary treatment for most patients suffering from brain tumors. Medical imaging techniques, and in particular, magnetic resonance imaging are currently used in diagnosis as well as image-guided surgery procedures. However, studies show that computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging fail to accurately identify the full extent of malignant brain tumors and their microscopic infiltration. Mass spectrometry is a well-known analytical technique used to identify molecules in a given sample based on their mass. In a recent study, it is proposed to use mass spectrometry as an intraoperative tool for discriminating tumor and non-tumor tissue. Integration of mass spectrometry with the resection module allows for tumor resection and immediate molecular analysis. In this paper, we propose a framework for tumor margin delineation using compressive sensing. Specifically, we show that the spatial distribution of tumor cell concentration can be efficiently reconstructed and updated using mass spectrometry information from the resected tissue. In addition, our proposed framework is model-free, and hence, requires no prior information of spatial distribution of the tumor cell concentration. PMID:22255629

Data set for the proteomic inventory and quantitative analysis of chicken eggshell matrix proteins during the primary events of eggshell mineralization and the active growth phase of calcification.

PubMed

Marie, Pauline; Labas, Valérie; Brionne, Aurélien; Harichaux, Grégoire; Hennequet-Antier, Christelle; Rodriguez-Navarro, Alejandro B; Nys, Yves; Gautron, Joël

2015-09-01

Chicken eggshell is a biomineral composed of 95% calcite calcium carbonate mineral and of 3.5% organic matrix proteins. The assembly of mineral and its structural organization is controlled by its organic matrix. In a recent study [1], we have used quantitative proteomic, bioinformatic and functional analyses to explore the distribution of 216 eggshell matrix proteins at four key stages of shell mineralization defined as: (1) widespread deposition of amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC), (2) ACC transformation into crystalline calcite aggregates, (3) formation of larger calcite crystal units and (4) rapid growth of calcite as columnar structure with preferential crystal orientation. The current article detailed the quantitative analysis performed at the four stages of shell mineralization to determine the proteins which are the most abundant. Additionally, we reported the enriched GO terms and described the presence of 35 antimicrobial proteins equally distributed at all stages to keep the egg free of bacteria and of 81 proteins, the function of which could not be ascribed.

Geography of Genetic Structure in Barley Wild Relative Hordeum vulgare subsp. spontaneum in Jordan

PubMed Central

Reeves, Patrick; Reilley, Ann; Engels, Johannes M. M.; Lohwasser, Ulrike; Börner, Andreas; Pillen, Klaus; Richards, Christopher M.

2016-01-01

Informed collecting, conservation, monitoring and utilization of genetic diversity requires knowledge of the distribution and structure of the variation occurring in a species. Hordeum vulgare subsp. spontaneum (K. Koch) Thell., a primary wild relative of barley, is an important source of genetic diversity for barley improvement and co-occurs with the domesticate within the center of origin. We studied the current distribution of genetic diversity and population structure in H. vulgare subsp. spontaneum in Jordan and investigated whether it is correlated with either spatial or climatic variation inferred from publically available climate layers commonly used in conservation and ecogeographical studies. The genetic structure of 32 populations collected in 2012 was analyzed with 37 SSRs. Three distinct genetic clusters were identified. Populations were characterized by admixture and high allelic richness, and genetic diversity was concentrated in the northern part of the study area. Genetic structure, spatial location and climate were not correlated. This may point out a limitation in using large scale climatic data layers to predict genetic diversity, especially as it is applied to regional genetic resources collections in H. vulgare subsp. spontaneum. PMID:27513459

Data set for the proteomic inventory and quantitative analysis of chicken eggshell matrix proteins during the primary events of eggshell mineralization and the active growth phase of calcification

PubMed Central

Marie, Pauline; Labas, Valérie; Brionne, Aurélien; Harichaux, Grégoire; Hennequet-Antier, Christelle; Rodriguez-Navarro, Alejandro B.; Nys, Yves; Gautron, Joël

2015-01-01

Chicken eggshell is a biomineral composed of 95% calcite calcium carbonate mineral and of 3.5% organic matrix proteins. The assembly of mineral and its structural organization is controlled by its organic matrix. In a recent study [1], we have used quantitative proteomic, bioinformatic and functional analyses to explore the distribution of 216 eggshell matrix proteins at four key stages of shell mineralization defined as: (1) widespread deposition of amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC), (2) ACC transformation into crystalline calcite aggregates, (3) formation of larger calcite crystal units and (4) rapid growth of calcite as columnar structure with preferential crystal orientation. The current article detailed the quantitative analysis performed at the four stages of shell mineralization to determine the proteins which are the most abundant. Additionally, we reported the enriched GO terms and described the presence of 35 antimicrobial proteins equally distributed at all stages to keep the egg free of bacteria and of 81 proteins, the function of which could not be ascribed. PMID:26306314

CMS distributed data analysis with CRAB3

DOE PAGES

Mascheroni, M.; Balcas, J.; Belforte, S.; ...

2015-12-23

The CMS Remote Analysis Builder (CRAB) is a distributed workflow management tool which facilitates analysis tasks by isolating users from the technical details of the Grid infrastructure. Throughout LHC Run 1, CRAB has been successfully employed by an average of 350 distinct users each week executing about 200,000 jobs per day.CRAB has been significantly upgraded in order to face the new challenges posed by LHC Run 2. Components of the new system include 1) a lightweight client, 2) a central primary server which communicates with the clients through a REST interface, 3) secondary servers which manage user analysis tasks andmore » submit jobs to the CMS resource provisioning system, and 4) a central service to asynchronously move user data from temporary storage in the execution site to the desired storage location. Furthermore, the new system improves the robustness, scalability and sustainability of the service.Here we provide an overview of the new system, operation, and user support, report on its current status, and identify lessons learned from the commissioning phase and production roll-out.« less

Characterization of titanium dioxide nanoparticles in food products: analytical methods to define nanoparticles.

PubMed

Peters, Ruud J B; van Bemmel, Greet; Herrera-Rivera, Zahira; Helsper, Hans P F G; Marvin, Hans J P; Weigel, Stefan; Tromp, Peter C; Oomen, Agnes G; Rietveld, Anton G; Bouwmeester, Hans

2014-07-09

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is a common food additive used to enhance the white color, brightness, and sometimes flavor of a variety of food products. In this study 7 food grade TiO2 materials (E171), 24 food products, and 3 personal care products were investigated for their TiO2 content and the number-based size distribution of TiO2 particles present in these products. Three principally different methods have been used to determine the number-based size distribution of TiO2 particles: electron microscopy, asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation combined with inductively coupled mass spectrometry, and single-particle inductively coupled mass spectrometry. The results show that all E171 materials have similar size distributions with primary particle sizes in the range of 60-300 nm. Depending on the analytical method used, 10-15% of the particles in these materials had sizes below 100 nm. In 24 of the 27 foods and personal care products detectable amounts of titanium were found ranging from 0.02 to 9.0 mg TiO2/g product. The number-based size distributions for TiO2 particles in the food and personal care products showed that 5-10% of the particles in these products had sizes below 100 nm, comparable to that found in the E171 materials. Comparable size distributions were found using the three principally different analytical methods. Although the applied methods are considered state of the art, they showed practical size limits for TiO2 particles in the range of 20-50 nm, which may introduce a significant bias in the size distribution because particles <20 nm are excluded. This shows the inability of current state of the art methods to support the European Union recommendation for the definition of nanomaterials.

Simulation of a beam rotation system for a spallation source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reiss, Tibor; Reggiani, Davide; Seidel, Mike; Talanov, Vadim; Wohlmuther, Michael

2015-04-01

With a nominal beam power of nearly 1 MW on target, the Swiss Spallation Neutron Source (SINQ), ranks among the world's most powerful spallation neutron sources. The proton beam transport to the SINQ target is carried out exclusively by means of linear magnetic elements. In the transport line to SINQ the beam is scattered in two meson production targets and as a consequence, at the SINQ target entrance the beam shape can be described by Gaussian distributions in transverse x and y directions with tails cut short by collimators. This leads to a highly nonuniform power distribution inside the SINQ target, giving rise to thermal and mechanical stresses. In view of a future proton beam intensity upgrade, the possibility of homogenizing the beam distribution by means of a fast beam rotation system is currently under investigation. Important aspects which need to be studied are the impact of a rotating proton beam on the resulting neutron spectra, spatial flux distributions and additional—previously not present—proton losses causing unwanted activation of accelerator components. Hence a new source description method was developed for the radiation transport code MCNPX. This new feature makes direct use of the results from the proton beam optics code TURTLE. Its advantage to existing MCNPX source options is that all phase space information and correlations of each primary beam particle computed with TURTLE are preserved and transferred to MCNPX. Simulations of the different beam distributions together with their consequences in terms of neutron production are presented in this publication. Additionally, a detailed description of the coupling method between TURTLE and MCNPX is provided.

Quality assessment concept of the World Data Center for Climate and its application to CMIP5 data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stockhause, M.; Höck, H.; Toussaint, F.; Lautenschlager, M.

2012-08-01

The preservation of data in a high state of quality which is suitable for interdisciplinary use is one of the most pressing and challenging current issues in long-term archiving. For high volume data such as climate model data, the data and data replica are no longer stored centrally but distributed over several local data repositories, e.g. the data of the Climate Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5). The most important part of the data is to be archived, assigned a DOI, and published according to the World Data Center for Climate's (WDCC) application of the DataCite regulations. The integrated part of WDCC's data publication process, the data quality assessment, was adapted to the requirements of a federated data infrastructure. A concept of a distributed and federated quality assessment procedure was developed, in which the workload and responsibility for quality control is shared between the three primary CMIP5 data centers: Program for Climate Model Diagnosis and Intercomparison (PCMDI), British Atmospheric Data Centre (BADC), and WDCC. This distributed quality control concept, its pilot implementation for CMIP5, and first experiences are presented. The distributed quality control approach is capable of identifying data inconsistencies and to make quality results immediately available for data creators, data users and data infrastructure managers. Continuous publication of new data versions and slow data replication prevents the quality control from check completion. This together with ongoing developments of the data and metadata infrastructure requires adaptations in code and concept of the distributed quality control approach.

Large-scale disturbance legacies and the climate sensitivity of primary Picea abies forests.

PubMed

Schurman, Jonathan S; Trotsiuk, Volodymyr; Bače, Radek; Čada, Vojtěch; Fraver, Shawn; Janda, Pavel; Kulakowski, Dominik; Labusova, Jana; Mikoláš, Martin; Nagel, Thomas A; Seidl, Rupert; Synek, Michal; Svobodová, Kristýna; Chaskovskyy, Oleh; Teodosiu, Marius; Svoboda, Miroslav

2018-05-01

Determining the drivers of shifting forest disturbance rates remains a pressing global change issue. Large-scale forest dynamics are commonly assumed to be climate driven, but appropriately scaled disturbance histories are rarely available to assess how disturbance legacies alter subsequent disturbance rates and the climate sensitivity of disturbance. We compiled multiple tree ring-based disturbance histories from primary Picea abies forest fragments distributed throughout five European landscapes spanning the Bohemian Forest and the Carpathian Mountains. The regional chronology includes 11,595 tree cores, with ring dates spanning the years 1750-2000, collected from 560 inventory plots in 37 stands distributed across a 1,000 km geographic gradient, amounting to the largest disturbance chronology yet constructed in Europe. Decadal disturbance rates varied significantly through time and declined after 1920, resulting in widespread increases in canopy tree age. Approximately 75% of current canopy area recruited prior to 1900. Long-term disturbance patterns were compared to an historical drought reconstruction, and further linked to spatial variation in stand structure and contemporary disturbance patterns derived from LANDSAT imagery. Historically, decadal Palmer drought severity index minima corresponded to higher rates of canopy removal. The severity of contemporary disturbances increased with each stand's estimated time since last major disturbance, increased with mean diameter, and declined with increasing within-stand structural variability. Reconstructed spatial patterns suggest that high small-scale structural variability has historically acted to reduce large-scale susceptibility and climate sensitivity of disturbance. Reduced disturbance rates since 1920, a potential legacy of high 19th century disturbance rates, have contributed to a recent region-wide increase in disturbance susceptibility. Increasingly common high-severity disturbances throughout primary Picea forests of Central Europe should be reinterpreted in light of both legacy effects (resulting in increased susceptibility) and climate change (resulting in increased exposure to extreme events). © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Distributed cooperative control of AC microgrids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bidram, Ali

In this dissertation, the comprehensive secondary control of electric power microgrids is of concern. Microgrid technical challenges are mainly realized through the hierarchical control structure, including primary, secondary, and tertiary control levels. Primary control level is locally implemented at each distributed generator (DG), while the secondary and tertiary control levels are conventionally implemented through a centralized control structure. The centralized structure requires a central controller which increases the reliability concerns by posing the single point of failure. In this dissertation, the distributed control structure using the distributed cooperative control of multi-agent systems is exploited to increase the secondary control reliability. The secondary control objectives are microgrid voltage and frequency, and distributed generators (DGs) active and reactive powers. Fully distributed control protocols are implemented through distributed communication networks. In the distributed control structure, each DG only requires its own information and the information of its neighbors on the communication network. The distributed structure obviates the requirements for a central controller and complex communication network which, in turn, improves the system reliability. Since the DG dynamics are nonlinear and non-identical, input-output feedback linearization is used to transform the nonlinear dynamics of DGs to linear dynamics. Proposed control frameworks cover the control of microgrids containing inverter-based DGs. Typical microgrid test systems are used to verify the effectiveness of the proposed control protocols.

Sensing and Measurement Architecture for Grid Modernization

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

Taft, Jeffrey D.; De Martini, Paul

2016-02-01

This paper addresses architecture for grid sensor networks, with primary emphasis on distribution grids. It describes a forward-looking view of sensor network architecture for advanced distribution grids, and discusses key regulatory, financial, and planning issues.

Current Perspectives in Distributive Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klaurens, Mary K., Ed.; Trapnell, Gail, Ed.

The volume on current perspectives in distributive education contains 29 individually authored articles organized into three sections. The first section on program conceptualization deals with the following subjects: the evolution of distributive education, program planning, advisory committees, placement services, postsecondary distributive…

Comparison of current distributions in electroconvulsive therapy and transcranial magnetic stimulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sekino, Masaki; Ueno, Shoogo

2002-05-01

We compared current density distributions in electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) by numerical calculations. The model consisted of an air region and three types of tissues with different conductivities representing the brain, the skull, and the scalp. In the ECT model, electric currents were applied through electrodes with a voltage of 100 V. In the TMS model, a figure-eight coil (6 cm diameter per coil) was placed on the vertex of the head model. An alternating current with a peak intensity of 3.0 kA and a frequency of 4.2 kHz was applied to the coil. The maximum current densities inside the brain in ECT (bilateral electrode position) and TMS were 234 and 322 A/m2, respectively. The results indicate that magnetic stimulators can generate comparable current densities to ECT. While the skull significantly affected current distributions in ECT, TMS efficiently induced eddy currents in the brain. In addition, TMS is more beneficial than ECT because the localized current distribution reduces the risk of adverse side effects.

Establishing a Network of faint DA white dwarfs as Spectrophotometric Standards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saha, Abhijit; Narayan, Gautham; Holberg, Jay; Matheson, Thomas; Olszewski, Edward; Stubbs, Christopher; Bohlin, Ralph; Sabbi, Elena; Deustua, Susana; Rest, Armin; Axelrod, Tim; MacKenty, John W.; Camarota, Larry; Gilliland, Ron

2015-08-01

Systematic uncertainties in photometric calibration are the dominant source of error in current type Ia supernova dark energy studies, as well as other forefront cosmology efforts, e.g. photo-redshift determinations for weak lensing mass tomography. Current and next-generation ground-based all-sky surveys require a network of calibration stars with 1) known SEDs (to properly and unambiguously take into account filter differences), and 2) that are on a common photometric zeropoint scale across the sky to sub-percent accuracy. We are using a combination of HST panchromatic photometry and ground based spectroscopy to establish such an essential network of faint primary photometric standards, exploiting the well-understood spectral energy distributions of DA white dwarf stars that are free from the complications of observing through the Earth's time-variable atmosphere. The Balmer features in the spectra are used to deduce the two parameters (temperature and log(g)) from which we model the spectral energy distribution (SED) from these stars which have pure hydrogen atmospheres. By comparing against panchromatic broadband HST photometry, and allowing for an achromatic zero-point adjustment and mild scaling of the interstellar reddening, we find that model prediction and observation agree to a few milli-mag. By combining the zero-point and reddening adjustments with the modeled SED, for each star we obtain the incident SED above the terrestrial atmosphere, thus establishing these objects as spectrophotometric standards. We are pursuing 23 objects between 16 and 19 mag spread over the sky uniformly around the equator and northern mid-latitudes, with plans to extend this to southern latitudes. This precision photometric heritage from HST will benefit essentially all existing and upcoming survey projects, and in prticular, directly addresses one of the current barriers to understanding the nature of dark energy.

Investigation of mixed ion fields in the forward direction for 220.5 MeV/u helium ion beams: comparison between water and PMMA targets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aricò, G.; Gehrke, T.; Jakubek, J.; Gallas, R.; Berke, S.; Jäkel, O.; Mairani, A.; Ferrari, A.; Martišíková, M.

2017-10-01

Currently there is a rising interest in helium ion beams for radiotherapy. For benchmarking of the physical beam models used in treatment planning, there is a need for experimental data on the composition and spatial distribution of mixed ion fields. Of particular interest are the attenuation of the primary helium ion fluence and the build-up of secondary hydrogen ions due to nuclear interactions. The aim of this work was to provide such data with an enhanced precision. Moreover, the validity and limits of the mixed ion field equivalence between water and PMMA targets were investigated. Experiments with a 220.5 MeV/u helium ion pencil beam were performed at the Heidelberg Ion-Beam Therapy Center in Germany. The compact detection system used for ion tracking and identification was solely based on Timepix position-sensitive semiconductor detectors. In comparison to standard techniques, this system is two orders of magnitude smaller, and provides higher precision and flexibility. The numbers of outgoing helium and hydrogen ions per primary helium ion as well as the lateral particle distributions were quantitatively investigated in the forward direction behind water and PMMA targets with 5.2-18 cm water equivalent thickness (WET). Comparing water and PMMA targets with the same WET, we found that significant differences in the amount of outgoing helium and hydrogen ions and in the lateral particle distributions arise for target thicknesses above 10 cm WET. The experimental results concerning hydrogen ions emerging from the targets were reproduced reasonably well by Monte Carlo simulations using the FLUKA code. Concerning the amount of outgoing helium ions, significant differences of 3-15% were found between experiments and simulations. We conclude that if PMMA is used in place of water in dosimetry, differences in the dose distributions could arise close to the edges of the field, in particular for deep seated targets. The results presented in this publication are part of: Arico’, Giulia: Ion Spectroscopy for improvement of the Physical Beam Model for Therapy Planning in Ion Beam Therapy, PhD Thesis, University of Heidelberg, 2016.

Pseudorapidity Distribution of Charged Particles in d+Au Collisions at √(sNN)=200 GeV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Back, B. B.; Baker, M. D.; Ballintijn, M.; Barton, D. S.; Becker, B.; Betts, R. R.; Bickley, A. A.; Bindel, R.; Busza, W.; Carroll, A.; Decowski, M. P.; García, E.; Gburek, T.; George, N.; Gulbrandsen, K.; Gushue, S.; Halliwell, C.; Hamblen, J.; Harrington, A. S.; Henderson, C.; Hofman, D. J.; Hollis, R. S.; Hołyński, R.; Holzman, B.; Iordanova, A.; Johnson, E.; Kane, J. L.; Khan, N.; Kulinich, P.; Kuo, C. M.; Lee, J. W.; Lin, W. T.; Manly, S.; Mignerey, A. C.; Nouicer, R.; Olszewski, A.; Pak, R.; Park, I. C.; Pernegger, H.; Reed, C.; Roland, C.; Roland, G.; Sagerer, J.; Sarin, P.; Sedykh, I.; Skulski, W.; Smith, C. E.; Steinberg, P.; Stephans, G. S.; Sukhanov, A.; Tonjes, M. B.; Trzupek, A.; Vale, C.; van Nieuwenhuizen, G. J.; Verdier, R.; Veres, G. I.; Wolfs, F. L.; Wosiek, B.; Woźniak, K.; Wysłouch, B.; Zhang, J.

2004-08-01

The measured pseudorapidity distribution of primary charged particles in minimum-bias d+Au collisions at √(sNN)=200 GeV is presented for the first time. This distribution falls off less rapidly in the gold direction as compared to the deuteron direction. The average value of the charged particle pseudorapidity density at midrapidity is ∣η∣≤0.6=9.4±0.7(syst) and the integrated primary charged particle multiplicity in the measured region is 82±6(syst). Estimates of the total charged particle production, based on extrapolations outside the measured pseudorapidity region, are also presented. The pseudorapidity distribution, normalized to the number of participants in d+Au collisions, is compared to those of Au+Au and p+p¯ systems at the same energy. The d+Au distribution is also compared to the predictions of the parton saturation model, as well as microscopic models.

Star formation history: Modeling of visual binaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gebrehiwot, Y. M.; Tessema, S. B.; Malkov, O. Yu.; Kovaleva, D. A.; Sytov, A. Yu.; Tutukov, A. V.

2018-05-01

Most stars form in binary or multiple systems. Their evolution is defined by masses of components, orbital separation and eccentricity. In order to understand star formation and evolutionary processes, it is vital to find distributions of physical parameters of binaries. We have carried out Monte Carlo simulations in which we simulate different pairing scenarios: random pairing, primary-constrained pairing, split-core pairing, and total and primary pairing in order to get distributions of binaries over physical parameters at birth. Next, for comparison with observations, we account for stellar evolution and selection effects. Brightness, radius, temperature, and other parameters of components are assigned or calculated according to approximate relations for stars in different evolutionary stages (main-sequence stars, red giants, white dwarfs, relativistic objects). Evolutionary stage is defined as a function of system age and component masses. We compare our results with the observed IMF, binarity rate, and binary mass-ratio distributions for field visual binaries to find initial distributions and pairing scenarios that produce observed distributions.

A simple molecular orbital treatment of current distributions in quantum transport through molecular junctions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jhan, Sin-Mu; Jin, Bih-Yaw

2017-11-01

A simple molecular orbital treatment of local current distributions inside single molecular junctions is developed in this paper. Using the first-order perturbation theory and nonequilibrium Green's function techniques in the framework of Hückel theory, we show that the leading contributions to local current distributions are directly proportional to the off-diagonal elements of transition density matrices. Under the orbital approximation, the major contributions to local currents come from a few dominant molecular orbital pairs which are mixed by the interactions between the molecule and electrodes. A few simple molecular junctions consisting of single- and multi-ring conjugated systems are used to demonstrate that local current distributions inside molecular junctions can be decomposed by partial sums of a few leading contributing transition density matrices.

Occupational Differentiation among White Men in the First Decade after High School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gottfredson, Linda S.; Brown, Vicky C.

1981-01-01

Charts the rate at which occupational differentiation proceeds among (N=3730) White men age 16-28, and investigates the personal and family attributes by which they are distributed, or distribute themselves, to jobs. Results suggest occupational differentiation among men stabilizes by the mid-twenties; distribution occurs primary along an…

Distributed Leadership in Practice in Finnish Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lahtero, Tapio Juhani; Lång, Niina; Alava, Jukka

2017-01-01

The aim of this study is to explore what aspects the principals and the members of the management teams in the primary and upper secondary education schools in Vantaa support distributed leadership in their school and how necessary they see that distributed leadership is extended to the students in matters concerning the curriculum and the…

Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars investigation and data set from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's primary science phase

USGS Publications Warehouse

Murchie, S.L.; Seelos, F.P.; Hash, C.D.; Humm, D.C.; Malaret, E.; McGovern, J.A.; Choo, T.H.; Seelos, K.D.; Buczkowski, D.L.; Morgan, M.F.; Barnouin-Jha, O. S.; Nair, H.; Taylor, H.W.; Patterson, G.W.; Harvel, C.A.; Mustard, J.F.; Arvidson, R. E.; McGuire, P.; Smith, M.D.; Wolff, M.J.; Titus, T.N.; Bibring, J.-P.; Poulet, F.

2009-01-01

The part of the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer (CRISM) for Mars investigation conducted during the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's (MRO's) primary science phase was a comprehensive investigation of past aqueous environments, structure of the planet's crust, past climate, and current meteorology. The measurements to implement this investigation include over 9500 targeted observations of surface features taken at spatial resolutions of better than 40 m/pixel, monitoring of seasonal variations in atmospheric aerosols and trace gases, and acquisition of a 200 m/pixel map covering over 55% of Mars in 72 selected wavelengths under conditions of relatively low atmospheric opacity. Key results from these data include recognition of a diversity of aqueous mineral-containing deposits, discovery of a widespread distribution of phyllosilicates in early to middle Noachian units, the first definitive detection of carbonates in bedrock, new constraints on the sequence of events that formed Hesperian-aged, sulfate-rich layered deposits, characterization of seasonal polar processes, and monitoring of the 2007 global dust event. Here we describe CRISM's science investigations during the Primary Science Phase, the data sets that were collected and their calibration and uncertainties, and how they have been processed and made available to the scientific community. We also describe the ongoing investigation during MRO's extended science phase. Copyright 2009 by the American Geophysical Union.

Cathode-constriction and column-constriction in high current vacuum arcs subjected to an axial magnetic field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zaiqin; Ma, Hui; Liu, Zhiyuan; Geng, Yingsan; Wang, Jianhua

2018-04-01

The influence of the applied axial magnetic field on the current density distribution in the arc column and electrodes is intensively studied. However, the previous results only provide a qualitative explanation, which cannot quantitatively explain a recent experimental data on anode current density. The objective of this paper is to quantitatively determine the current constriction subjected to an axial magnetic field in high-current vacuum arcs according to the recent experimental data. A magnetohydrodynamic model is adopted to describe the high current vacuum arcs. The vacuum arc is in a diffuse arc mode with an arc current ranged from 6 kArms to 14 kArms and an axial magnetic field ranged from 20 mT to 110 mT. By a comparison of the recent experimental work of current density distribution on the anode, the modelling results show that there are two types of current constriction. On one hand, the current on the cathode shows a constriction, and this constriction is termed as the cathode-constriction. On the other hand, the current constricts in the arc column region, and this constriction is termed as the column-constriction. The cathode boundary is of vital importance in a quantitative model. An improved cathode constriction boundary is proposed. Under the improved boundary, the simulation results are in good agreement with the recent experimental data on the anode current density distribution. It is demonstrated that the current density distribution at the anode is sensitive to that at the cathode, so that measurements of the anode current density can be used, in combination with the vacuum arc model, to infer the cathode current density distribution.

Two dimensional distribution measurement of electric current generated in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell using 49 NMR surface coils.

PubMed

Ogawa, Kuniyasu; Sasaki, Tatsuyoshi; Yoneda, Shigeki; Tsujinaka, Kumiko; Asai, Ritsuko

2018-05-17

In order to increase the current density generated in a PEFC (polymer electrolyte fuel cell), a method for measuring the spatial distribution of both the current and the water content of the MEA (membrane electrode assembly) is necessary. Based on the frequency shifts of NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) signals acquired from the water contained in the MEA using 49 NMR coils in a 7 × 7 arrangement inserted in the PEFC, a method for measuring the two-dimensional spatial distribution of electric current generated in a unit cell with a power generation area of 140 mm × 160 mm was devised. We also developed an inverse analysis method to determine the two-dimensional electric current distribution that can be applied to actual PEFC connections. Two analytical techniques, namely coarse graining of segments and stepwise search, were used to shorten the calculation time required for inverse analysis of the electric current map. Using this method and techniques, spatial distributions of electric current and water content in the MEA were obtained when the PEFC generated electric power at 100 A. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Revealing heterogeneous nucleation of primary Si and eutectic Si by AlP in hypereutectic Al-Si alloys.

PubMed

Li, Jiehua; Hage, Fredrik S; Liu, Xiangfa; Ramasse, Quentin; Schumacher, Peter

2016-04-28

The heterogeneous nucleation of primary Si and eutectic Si can be attributed to the presence of AlP. Although P, in the form of AlP particles, is usually observed in the centre of primary Si, there is still a lack of detailed investigations on the distribution of P within primary Si and eutectic Si in hypereutectic Al-Si alloys at the atomic scale. Here, we report an atomic-scale experimental investigation on the distribution of P in hypereutectic Al-Si alloys. P, in the form of AlP particles, was observed in the centre of primary Si. However, no significant amount of P was detected within primary Si, eutectic Si and the Al matrix. Instead, P was observed at the interface between the Al matrix and eutectic Si, strongly indicating that P, in the form of AlP particles (or AlP 'patch' dependent on the P concentration), may have nucleated on the surface of the Al matrix and thereby enhanced the heterogeneous nucleation of eutectic Si. The present investigation reveals some novel insights into heterogeneous nucleation of primary Si and eutectic Si by AlP in hypereutectic Al-Si alloys and can be used to further develop heterogeneous nucleation mechanisms based on adsorption.

Primary milia localized to the vulva.

PubMed

Adotama, Prince; Susa, Joseph; Glass, Donald A

2014-04-16

Multiple primary milia were found on the vulva of a 52-year-old woman who was referred to the dermatology clinic by her gynecologist. These lesions are commonly distributed on the face and rarely occur in this location without antecedent trauma. This report demonstrates the unique presentation of primary milia in the genital region and explores the diagnostic features and treatment methods of these lesions.

Non-invasive monitoring of therapeutic carbon ion beams in a homogeneous phantom by tracking of secondary ions.

PubMed

Gwosch, K; Hartmann, B; Jakubek, J; Granja, C; Soukup, P; Jäkel, O; Martišíková, M

2013-06-07

Radiotherapy with narrow scanned carbon ion beams enables a highly accurate treatment of tumours while sparing the surrounding healthy tissue. Changes in the patient's geometry can alter the actual ion range in tissue and result in unfavourable changes in the dose distribution. Consequently, it is desired to verify the actual beam delivery within the patient. Real-time and non-invasive measurement methods are preferable. Currently, the only technically feasible method to monitor the delivered dose distribution within the patient is based on tissue activation measurements by means of positron emission tomography (PET). An alternative monitoring method based on tracking of prompt secondary ions leaving a patient irradiated with carbon ion beams has been previously suggested. It is expected to help in overcoming the limitations of the PET-based technique like physiological washout of the beam induced activity, low signal and to allow for real-time measurements. In this paper, measurements of secondary charged particle tracks around a head-sized homogeneous PMMA phantom irradiated with pencil-like carbon ion beams are presented. The investigated energies and beam widths are within the therapeutically used range. The aim of the study is to deduce properties of the primary beam from the distribution of the secondary charged particles. Experiments were performed at the Heidelberg Ion Beam Therapy Center, Germany. The directions of secondary charged particles emerging from the PMMA phantom were measured using an arrangement of two parallel pixelated silicon detectors (Timepix). The distribution of the registered particle tracks was analysed to deduce its dependence on clinically important beam parameters: beam range, width and position. Distinct dependencies of the secondary particle tracks on the properties of the primary carbon ion beam were observed. In the particular experimental set-up used, beam range differences of 1.3 mm were detectable. In addition, variations in the beam width could be measured with a precision of 0.9 mm. Furthermore, shifts of the lateral beam position could be monitored with a sub-millimetre precision. The presented investigations demonstrate experimentally that the non-invasive measurement and analysis of secondary ion distributions around head-sized homogeneous objects provide information on the actual beam delivery. Beam range, width and position could be monitored with a precision attractive for therapeutic situations.

26 CFR 1.665(c)-1 - Accumulation distributions of certain foreign trusts; in general.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... below zero) by the amount of income required to be distributed currently. (In computing the amount of an... distributable net income reduced (but not below zero) by the amount required to be distributed currently. This... unless there is undistributed net income in at least one of the preceding taxable years which began after...

Integrating chronic care with primary care activities: enriching healthcare staff knowledge and skills and improving glycemic control of a cohort of people with diabetes through the First Line Diabetes Care Project in the Philippines

PubMed Central

Ku, Grace Marie V.; Kegels, Guy

2014-01-01

Background This study investigated the effects of integrating primary chronic care with current healthcare activities in two local government health units (LGHU) of the Philippines on knowledge and skills of the LGHU staff and clinical outcomes for people with diabetes. Design Integration was accomplished through health service reorganization, (re)distribution of chronic care tasks, and training of LGHU staff. Levels of the staff's pre- and post-training diabetes knowledge and of their self-assessment of diabetes care-related skills were measured. Primary diabetes care with emphasis on self-care development was provided to a cohort of people with diabetes. Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and obesity measures were collected prior to and one year after full project implementation. Results The training workshop improved diabetes knowledge (p<0.001) and self-assessed skills (p<0.001) of the LGHU staff. Significant reductions in HbA1c (p<0.001), waist–hip ratio (p<0.001) and waist circumference (p=0.011) of the cohort were noted. Although the reduction in HbA1c was somewhat greater among those whose community-based care providers showed improvement in knowledge and self-assessed skills, the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusions Primary care for chronic conditions such as diabetes may be integrated with other healthcare activities in health services of low-to-middle-income countries such as the Philippines, utilizing pre-existing human resources for health, and may improve clinical endpoints. PMID:25361726

Physicians’ Knowledge and Attitudes Regarding Implantable Cardioverter- Defibrillators

PubMed Central

Sherazi, Saadia; Zareba, Wojciech; Daubert, James P.; McNitt, Scott; Shah, Abrar H.; Aktas, Mehmet K.; Block, Robert C.

2012-01-01

Background Information is limited regarding the knowledge and attitudes of physicians typically involved in the referral of patients for implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) implantation. Methods We conducted a survey of primary care physicians and cardiologists at the University of Rochester Medical Center and the Unity Health System Rochester, NY from December 2008 to February 2009. The survey collected information regarding knowledge and attitudes of physicians towards ICD therapy. Results Of the 332 surveys distributed, 110 (33%) were returned. Over-all 94 (87%) physicians reported referring patients for ICD implantation. Eighteen (17%) physicians reported unawareness of guidelines for ICD use. Sixty-four (59%) physicians recommended ICD in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤ 35%. Sixty-five (62%) physicians use ≤ 35% as LVEF criteria for ICD referral in patients with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy. Cardiologists were more familiar than primary care physicians with LVEF criteria for implantation of ICD in patients with ischemic and non-ischemic cardiomyopathy (p value 0.005 and 0.002 respectively). Twenty-nine (27%) participants were unsure regarding benefits of ICDs in eligible women and Blacks. Eighty two (76%) physicians believed that an ICD could benefit patients ≥70 years whereas only 53 (49%) indicated that an ICD would benefit patients ≥ 80 years of age. A lack of familiarity with current clinical guidelines regarding ICD implantation exists. Primary care physicians are less aware of clinical guidelines than are cardiologists. This finding highlights the need to improve the dissemination of guidelines to primary care physicians in an effort to improve ICD utilization. PMID:20535717

[Phytoplankton productivity and its influencing factors in Dianshan Lake].

PubMed

Wang, Yi-pin; Zhang, Wei-yan; Xu, Chun-yan; Hu, Xue-qin; Tong, Yan; You, Wen-hui

2011-05-01

To understand the relationship between the spatial-temporal variations of phytoplankton primary productivity and its environmental factors in Dianshan Lake, monthly survey was carried out from April, 2009 to March, 2010, with the method of white and black bottles. The result shows that seasonal variation of primary productivity (calculated according to carbon, following the same) is summer [0.95 g x (m3 x d)(-1)] > winter [0.83 g x (m3 x d)(-1)] > spring [0.77 g x (m3 x d)(-1)] > autumn [0.62 g x (m3 x d)(-1). From the flat distribution, primary productivity is higher in northern and southern parts than that in east and west, with no significant differences in each point (p > 0.05). From the vertical distribution, phytoplankton light availability is an important limiting factor. Primary production of 0. 3 m underwater is higher than that of 0.5 m. However, primary production of 0.3 m level in summer is lower because of light inhibition. Seasonal changes in primary productivity may be due to phytoplankton community structure and replacement of the dominant species. There are significantly positive correlation between Chlorophyll a (Chl-a) and phytoplankton density with primary productivity (p < 0.01), and Chl-a has better correlation with primary productivity. Phytoplankton biomass shows a positive reaction to its productivity and may preliminary provide a reference for the number of phytoplankton.

Method and apparatus for reducing the harmonic currents in alternating-current distribution networks

DOEpatents

Beverly, Leon H.; Hance, Richard D.; Kristalinski, Alexandr L.; Visser, Age T.

1996-01-01

An improved apparatus and method reduce the harmonic content of AC line and neutral line currents in polyphase AC source distribution networks. The apparatus and method employ a polyphase Zig-Zag transformer connected between the AC source distribution network and a load. The apparatus and method also employs a mechanism for increasing the source neutral impedance of the AC source distribution network. This mechanism can consist of a choke installed in the neutral line between the AC source and the Zig-Zag transformer.

Method and apparatus for reducing the harmonic currents in alternating-current distribution networks

DOEpatents

Beverly, L.H.; Hance, R.D.; Kristalinski, A.L.; Visser, A.T.

1996-11-19

An improved apparatus and method reduce the harmonic content of AC line and neutral line currents in polyphase AC source distribution networks. The apparatus and method employ a polyphase Zig-Zag transformer connected between the AC source distribution network and a load. The apparatus and method also employs a mechanism for increasing the source neutral impedance of the AC source distribution network. This mechanism can consist of a choke installed in the neutral line between the AC source and the Zig-Zag transformer. 23 figs.

Where is the Most Likely Location Where the Secondary Interstellar Oxygen Atoms Are Created Around the Heliosheath?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, J.; Kucharek, H.; Szabo, A.; Paschalidis, N.; Grocer, A.; Jones, S.

2017-12-01

The secondary component of the interstellar neutral gas flow is originated from charge exchange between the undisturbed primary interstellar neutrals and the ions that have been deflected as they approach the heliopause. The secondary neutrals that are emitted from the interstellar ion flow through charge exchange carry information on the diverted flow and a fraction of them can travel to the Sun. Therefore, the secondary component of the interstellar neutrals is an excellent diagnostic tool to provide important information to constrain the shape of the heliopause. The presence of the secondary neutrals was predicted in the global heliospheric models and they are observed by Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) at Earth's orbit. Using the IBEX observations of neutral helium atoms, Kubiak et al. (2016, ApJS, 223, 25) approximated the parent distribution of the secondary interstellar He atoms (so-called Warm Breeze) with a homogeneous Maxwellian distribution function. Park et al. (2016, ApJ, 833, 130) analyzed IBEX observations of secondary interstellar helium and oxygen distributions at Earth's orbit. Lee et al. (2012, ApJS, 198, 10) constructed the heliospheric phase-space distribution function of an interstellar gas species in the Earth frame as a function of solar longitude. In this distribution, the authors assume that the distribution is a drifting Maxwellian at large distances from the Sun. In this study, we assume that a fraction of the secondary neutral atoms has a velocity vector toward the Sun and they can be described as a flow with a drifting Maxwellian distribution near the heliopause. Unlike the primary interstellar gas flow, the distribution of the secondary neutrals is expected to have a wide width and their bulk speeds are slower than the bulk speed of the primary interstellar gas flow. We compare Lee's distribution and IBEX observations of neutral oxygen atoms and then estimate the most likely direction where the secondary interstellar oxygen atoms are created near the heliopause.

The Chandra/MOST Campaign on Delta Ori A

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corcoran, Michael

2014-11-01

X-ray emission from massive stars is produced by shocked gas distributed throughout their unstable stellar winds. These shocks play a significant role in determining accurate stellar mass loss rates. Our current understanding of these shocks is derived from indirect indicators like line profile shapes and the f/i ratio of the He-like triplets. Here we discuss a campaign of phase-resolved Chandra grating observations and simultaneous high-precision photometry using the MOST satellite of the massive binary Delta Ori A, in an attempt to directly constrain the radial extent of the hot gas in the wind of the primary star (Delta Ori Aa) via occultation by the X-ray faint secondary (Delta Ori Ab). We present an overview of this campaign and a summary of our results.

Suburban watershed nitrogen retention: Estimating the effectiveness of stormwater management structures

USGS Publications Warehouse

Koch, Benjamin J.; Febria, Catherine M.; Cooke, Roger M.; Hosen, Jacob D.; Baker, Matthew E.; Colson, Abigail R.; Filoso, Solange; Hayhoe, Katharine; Loperfido, J. V.; Stoner, Anne M.K.; Palmer, Margaret A.

2015-01-01

Expert knowledge indicated wide uncertainty in BMP performance, with N removal efficiencies ranging from <0% (BMP acting as a source of N during a rain event) to >40%. Experts believed that the amount of rain was the primary identifiable source of variability in BMP efficiency, which is relevant given climate projections of more frequent heavy rain events in the mid-Atlantic. To assess the extent to which those projected changes might alter N export from suburban BMPs and watersheds, we combined downscaled estimates of rainfall with distributions of N loads for different-sized rain events derived from our elicitation. The model predicted higher and more variable N loads under a projected future climate regime, suggesting that current BMP regulations for reducing nutrients may be inadequate in the future.