Determination of anti-inflammatory activities of standardised preparations of plant- and mushroom-based foods.

PubMed

Gunawardena, Dhanushka; Shanmugam, Kirubakaran; Low, Mitchell; Bennett, Louise; Govindaraghavan, Suresh; Head, Richard; Ooi, Lezanne; Münch, Gerald

2014-02-01

Chronic inflammatory processes contribute to the pathogenesis of many age-related diseases. In search of anti-inflammatory foods, we have systematically screened a variety of common dietary plants and mushrooms for their anti-inflammatory activity. A selection of 115 samples was prepared by a generic food-compatible processing method involving heating. These products were tested for their anti-inflammatory activity in murine N11 microglia and RAW 264.7 macrophages, using nitric oxide (NO) and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) as pro-inflammatory readouts. Ten food samples including lime zest, English breakfast tea, honey-brown mushroom, button mushroom, oyster mushroom, cinnamon and cloves inhibited NO production in N11 microglia, with IC50 values below 0.5 mg/ml. The most active samples were onion, oregano and red sweet potato, exhibiting IC50 values below 0.1 mg/ml. When these ten food preparations were retested in RAW 264.7 macrophages, they all inhibited NO production similar to the results obtained in N11 microglia. In addition, English breakfast tea leaves, oyster mushroom, onion, cinnamon and button mushroom preparations suppressed TNF-α production, exhibiting IC50 values below 0.5 mg/ml in RAW 264.7 macrophages. In summary, anti-inflammatory activity in these food samples survived 'cooking'. Provided that individual bioavailability allows active compounds to reach therapeutic levels in target tissues, these foods may be useful in limiting inflammation in a variety of age-related inflammatory diseases. Furthermore, these foods could be a source for the discovery of novel anti-inflammatory drugs.

Differentiating organic from conventional peppermints using chromatographic and flow-injection mass spectrometric (FIMS) fingerprints

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and flow-injection mass spectrometric (FIMS) fingerprinting techniques were tested for their potential in differentiating organic and conventional peppermint samples. Ten organic and ten conventional peppermint samples were examined using HPLC-UV and FI...

The development and testing of a qualitative instrument designed to assess critical thinking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clauson, Cynthia Louisa

This study examined a qualitative approach to assess critical thinking. An instrument was developed that incorporates an assessment process based on Dewey's (1933) concepts of self-reflection and critical thinking as problem solving. The study was designed to pilot test the critical thinking assessment process with writing samples collected from a heterogeneous group of students. The pilot test included two phases. Phase 1 was designed to determine the validity and inter-rater reliability of the instrument using two experts in critical thinking, problem solving, and literacy development. Validity of the instrument was addressed by requesting both experts to respond to ten questions in an interview. The inter-rater reliability was assessed by analyzing the consistency of the two experts' scorings of the 20 writing samples to each other, as well as to my scoring of the same 20 writing samples. Statistical analyses included the Spearman Rho and the Kuder-Richardson (Formula 20). Phase 2 was designed to determine the validity and reliability of the critical thinking assessment process with seven science teachers. Validity was addressed by requesting the teachers to respond to ten questions in a survey and interview. Inter-rater reliability was addressed by comparing the seven teachers' scoring of five writing samples with my scoring of the same five writing samples. Again, the Spearman Rho and the Kuder-Richardson (Formula 20) were used to determine the inter-rater reliability. The validity results suggest that the instrument is helpful as a guide for instruction and provides a systematic method to teach and assess critical thinking while problem solving with students in the classroom. The reliability results show the critical thinking assessment instrument to possess fairly high reliability when used by the experts, but weak reliability when used by classroom teachers. A major conclusion was drawn that teachers, as well as students, would need to receive instruction in critical thinking and in how to use the assessment process in order to gain more consistent interpretations of the six problem-solving steps. Specific changes needing to be made in the instrument to improve the quality are included.

Molecular Analysis of Flood Deposits in the Tennessee River Valley: Implications for Understanding Carbon Cycling in Fluvial Environments and Anthropogenic Impacts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blackaby, E.; Craven, O. D.; Hockaday, W. C.; Forman, S. L.; Stinchcomb, G. E.

2017-12-01

The middle Tennessee River Valley contains both historic and prehistoric (>AD 1600) flood deposits. Stratigraphic sequences of stacked flood deposits that often bury soils provide new insights on organic matter transported and preserved prior to and after European colonization. This study focused on understanding carbon cycling within a dynamic fluvial system and quantifying the anthropogenic effect on flood processes through the analysis of molecular components of the organic matter. The data may be helpful in discerning the organic geochemical fingerprint for historic and prehistoric flood deposits. Ten samples were collected from three sites at varying depths and dated using optically stimulated luminescence (OSL). All samples underwent solid-state cross polar 13C NMR analysis at twelve kilohertz, and a molecular mixing model (MMM) was used to determine the molecular components of the organic matter present in each sample. The MMM categorized carbon molecules present in each sample in terms of carbohydrate, protein, lipid, lignin, char, or pure carbonyl. Char was the most prominent molecular component of all ten samples ranging from 28.7 to 55.9% and comprised larger percentages in prehistoric deposits. The historic deposits, while still char dominated, showed more molecular diversity with higher percentages in non-char carbon groups. The carbonyl, lipid, and carbohydrate groups are present throughout all the samples with the carbonyl ranging from 9.3 to 31.4%, the lipid from 5.5 to 16.7%, and the carbohydrate from 4.4 to 16.9%. The high amount of carbonyl throughout the samples indicates that the deposits existed in a highly oxidizing environment. Differences in the presence and amount of carbon groups between historic and prehistoric flood deposits potentially reflect diagenic alternation of organic matter through time, changes in human land use, or some combination processes. These preliminary results possibly indicate changes in carbon pools accessed with European cultivation and continued degradation of organic moieties during a ca. 400 years burial, and mostly in oxidizing conditions.

UCLA High Speed, High Volume Laboratory Network for Infectious Diseases. Addendum

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-08-01

s) and should not be construed as an official Department of the Army position, policy or decision unless so designated by other documentation... Design : Because of current public health and national security threats, influenza surveillance and analysis will be the initial focus. In the upcoming...throughput and automated systems will enable processing of tens of thousands of samples and provide critical laboratory capacity. Its overall design and

Ten-Ecosystem Study (TES) site 9, Washington County, Missouri

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Echert, W. H. (Principal Investigator)

1979-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. Sufficient spectral separability exists among softwood, hardwood, grassland, and water to develop a level 2 classification and inventory. Using the tested automatic data processing technology, softwood and grassland signatures can be extended across the county with acceptable accuracy; with more dense sampling, the hardwood signature probably could also be extended. Fall was found to be the best season for mapping this ecosystem.

Quality assessment of raw and processed Arctium lappa L. through multicomponent quantification, chromatographic fingerprint, and related chemometric analysis.

PubMed

Qin, Kunming; Wang, Bin; Li, Weidong; Cai, Hao; Chen, Danni; Liu, Xiao; Yin, Fangzhou; Cai, Baochang

2015-05-01

In traditional Chinese medicine, raw and processed herbs are used to treat different diseases. Suitable quality assessment methods are crucial for the discrimination between raw and processed herbs. The dried fruit of Arctium lappa L. and their processed products are widely used in traditional Chinese medicine, yet their therapeutic effects are different. In this study, a novel strategy using high-performance liquid chromatography and diode array detection coupled with multivariate statistical analysis to rapidly explore raw and processed Arctium lappa L. was proposed and validated. Four main components in a total of 30 batches of raw and processed Fructus Arctii samples were analyzed, and ten characteristic peaks were identified in the fingerprint common pattern. Furthermore, similarity evaluation, principal component analysis, and hierachical cluster analysis were applied to demonstrate the distinction. The results suggested that the relative amounts of the chemical components of raw and processed Fructus Arctii samples are different. This new method has been successfully applied to detect the raw and processed Fructus Arctii in marketed herbal medicinal products. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Weak cation exchange magnetic beads coupled with matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry in screening serum protein markers in osteopenia.

PubMed

He, Wei-Tao; Liang, Bo-Cheng; Shi, Zhen-Yu; Li, Xu-Yun; Li, Chun-Wen; Shi, Xiao-Lin

2016-01-01

The present study aimed at investigating the weak cation magnetic separation technology and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) in screening serum protein markers of osteopenia from ten postmenopausal women and ten postmenopausal women without osteopenia as control group, to find a new method for screening biomarkers and establishing a diagnostic model for primary type I osteoporosis. Serum samples were collected from postmenopausal women with osteopenia and postmenopausal women with normal bone mass. Proteins were extracted from serum samples by weak cation exchange magnetic beads technology, and mass spectra acquisition was done by MALDI-TOF-MS. The visualization and comparison of data sets, statistical peak evaluation, model recognition, and discovery of biomarker candidates were handled by the proteinchip data analysis system software(ZJU-PDAS). The diagnostic models were established using genetic arithmetic based support vector machine (SVM). The SVM result with the highest Youden Index was selected as the model. Combinatorial Peaks having the highest accuracy in distinguishing different samples were selected as potential biomarker. From the two group serum samples, a total of 133 differential features were selected. Ten features with significant intensity differences were screened. In the pair-wise comparisons, processing of MALDI-TOF spectra resulted in the identification of ten differential features between postmenopausal women with osteopenia and postmenopausal women with normal bone mass. The difference of features by Youden index showed that the highest features had a mass to charge ratio of 1699 and 3038 Da. A diagnosis model was established with these two peaks as the candidate marker, and the specificity of the model is 100 %, the sensitivity was 90 % by leave-one-out cross validation test. The two groups of specimens in SVM results on the scatter plot could be clearly distinguished. The peak with m/z 3038 in the SVM model was suggested as Secretin by TagIdent tool. To provide further validation, the secretin levels in serum were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays that is a competitive inhibition enzyme immunoassay technique for the in vitro quantitative measurement of secretin in human serum.

Ten steps to successful software process improvement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kandt, R. K.

2003-01-01

This paper identifies ten steps for managing change that address organizational and cultural issues. Four of these steps are critical, that if not done, will almost guarantee failure. This ten-step program emphasizes the alignment of business goals, change process goals, and the work performed by the employees of an organization.

Water quality in Lake Lanier

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

Callaham, M.A.

1991-04-01

Thirteen water quality tests measuring five categories of pollution were conducted twice monthly from May, 1987 to April, 1990 at eight locations on Lake Sidney Lanier to establish baseline data and detect trends. Additionally, sediment and water samples were analyzed for ten toxic metals. Sampling stations were located at or near the point of entry of streams into the Lake. Oxygen demanding pollutants were highest in urban streams and phosphorus and nitrogen concentrations were highest in streams having poultry processing operations within their watersheds. Indicators of siltation increased coincidentally with highway construction in one watershed. Fecal coliform bacteria counts decreasedmore » at Flat Creek and increased in the Chattahoochee River. Zinc and copper occurred in water samples at levels of detectability. Sediment samples from several locations contained metal concentrations which warrant further study.« less

Hyperspectral stimulated emission depletion microscopy and methods of use thereof

DOEpatents

Timlin, Jerilyn A; Aaron, Jesse S

2014-04-01

A hyperspectral stimulated emission depletion ("STED") microscope system for high-resolution imaging of samples labeled with multiple fluorophores (e.g., two to ten fluorophores). The hyperspectral STED microscope includes a light source, optical systems configured for generating an excitation light beam and a depletion light beam, optical systems configured for focusing the excitation and depletion light beams on a sample, and systems for collecting and processing data generated by interaction of the excitation and depletion light beams with the sample. Hyperspectral STED data may be analyzed using multivariate curve resolution analysis techniques to deconvolute emission from the multiple fluorophores. The hyperspectral STED microscope described herein can be used for multi-color, subdiffraction imaging of samples (e.g., materials and biological materials) and for analyzing a tissue by Forster Resonance Energy Transfer ("FRET").

Increased Release of Serotonin in the Spinal Cord During Low, But Not High, Frequency Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation in Rats With Joint Inflammation

PubMed Central

Sluka, Kathleen A.; Lisi, Tammy L.; Westlund, Karin N.

2009-01-01

Objective To determine the release pattern of serotonin and noradrenaline in the spinal cord in response to transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS) delivered at low or high frequency. Design Prospective randomized allocation of 3 treatments. Setting Research laboratory. Animals Male Sprague-Dawley rats (weight range, 250–350g). Intervention Knee joints of rats were inflamed with a mixture of 3% carrageenan and 3% kaolin for 24 hours prior to placement of push-pull cannulae into the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. Push-pull samples were collected in 10-minute intervals before, during, and after treatment with low-frequency TENS (4Hz), high-frequency TENS (100Hz), or sham TENS. TENS was applied to the inflamed knee joint for 20 minutes at sensory intensity and 100-μs pulse duration. Push-pull samples were analyzed for serotonin and noradrenaline by high performance liquid chromatography with coulemetric detection. Main Outcome Measures Spinal concentrations of serotonin and noradrenaline. Results Low-frequency TENS significantly increased serotonin concentrations during and immediately after treatment. There was no change in serotonin with high-frequency TENS, nor was there a change in noradrenaline with low- or high-frequency TENS. Conclusions Low-frequency TENS releases serotonin in the spinal cord to produce antihyperalgesia by activation of serotonin receptors. PMID:16876561

Pressure-assisted electrokinetic injection for on-line enrichment in capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry: a sensitive method for measurement of ten haloacetic acids in drinking water.

PubMed

Zhang, Huijuan; Zhu, Jiping; Aranda-Rodriguez, Rocio; Feng, Yong-Lai

2011-11-07

Haloacetic acids (HAAs) are by-products of the chlorination of drinking water containing natural organic matter and bromide. A simple and sensitive method has been developed for determination of ten HAAs in drinking water. The pressure-assisted electrokinetic injection (PAEKI), an on-line enrichment technique, was employed to introduce the sample into a capillary electrophoresis (CE)-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry system (ESI-MS/MS). HAAs were monitored in selected reaction monitoring mode. With 3 min of PAEKI time, the ten major HAAs (HAA10) in drinking water were enriched up to 20,000-fold into the capillary without compromising resolution. A simple solid phase clean-up method has been developed to eliminate the influence of ionic matrices from drinking water on PAEKI. Under conditions optimized for mass spectrometry, PAEKI and capillary electrophoresis, detection limits defined as three times ratio of signal to noise have been achieved in a range of 0.013-0.12 μg L(-1) for ten HAAs in water sample. The overall recoveries for all ten HAAs in drinking water samples were between 76 and 125%. Six HAAs including monochloro- (MCAA), dichloro- (DCAA), trichloro- (TCAA), monobromo- (MBAA), bromochloro- (BCAA), and bromodichloroacetic acids (BDCAA) were found in tap water samples collected. Crown Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Contents of ten trace elements in Epimedium acuminatum Franch. and its different processed products].

PubMed

Chen, H L; Wang, J K; Ren, Y Q; Wu, Z Y

2001-03-01

Determine and compare the contents of ten trace elements in crude E. acuminatum and its three different processed products. Using flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The ten trace elements were found in both the crude drug and its three processed products, and in terms of contents some of the trace elements in all the three processed products are higher than those in the crude drug. According to the trace element contents, the three processed products of E. acuminatum have their own advantages. It is thus suggested that thoroughgoing clinical and experimental researches be performed anew for the long-shelved processing methods.

A visual processing advantage for young-adolescent deaf observers: Evidence from face and object matching tasks

PubMed Central

Megreya, Ahmed M.; Bindemann, Markus

2017-01-01

It is unresolved whether the permanent auditory deprivation that deaf people experience leads to the enhanced visual processing of faces. The current study explored this question with a matching task in which observers searched for a target face among a concurrent lineup of ten faces. This was compared with a control task in which the same stimuli were presented upside down, to disrupt typical face processing, and an object matching task. A sample of young-adolescent deaf observers performed with higher accuracy than hearing controls across all of these tasks. These results clarify previous findings and provide evidence for a general visual processing advantage in deaf observers rather than a face-specific effect. PMID:28117407

Straightforward rapid spectrophotometric quantification of total cyanogenic glycosides in fresh and processed cassava products.

PubMed

Tivana, Lucas Daniel; Da Cruz Francisco, Jose; Zelder, Felix; Bergenståhl, Bjorn; Dejmek, Petr

2014-09-01

In this study, we extend pioneering studies and demonstrate straightforward applicability of the corrin-based chemosensor, aquacyanocobyrinic acid (ACCA), for the instantaneous detection and rapid quantification of endogenous cyanide in fresh and processed cassava roots. Hydrolytically liberated endogenous cyanide from cyanogenic glycosides (CNp) reacts with ACCA to form dicyanocobyrinic acid (DCCA), accompanied by a change of colour from orange to violet. The method was successfully tested on various cassava samples containing between 6 and 200 mg equiv. HCN/kg as verified with isonicotinate/1,3-dimethylbarbiturate as an independent method. The affinity of ACCA sensor to cyanide is high, coordination occurs fast and the colorimetric response can therefore be instantaneously monitored with spectrophotometric methods. Direct applications of the sensor without need of extensive and laborious extraction processes are demonstrated in water-extracted samples, in acid-extracted samples, and directly on juice drops. ACCA showed high precision with a standard deviation (STDV) between 0.03 and 0.06 and high accuracy (93-96%). Overall, the ACCA procedure is straightforward, safe and easily performed. In a proof-of-concept study, rapid screening of ten samples within 20 min has been tested. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optimization of HPV DNA detection in urine by improving collection, storage, and extraction.

PubMed

Vorsters, A; Van den Bergh, J; Micalessi, I; Biesmans, S; Bogers, J; Hens, A; De Coster, I; Ieven, M; Van Damme, P

2014-11-01

The benefits of using urine for the detection of human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA have been evaluated in disease surveillance, epidemiological studies, and screening for cervical cancers in specific subgroups. HPV DNA testing in urine is being considered for important purposes, notably the monitoring of HPV vaccination in adolescent girls and young women who do not wish to have a vaginal examination. The need to optimize and standardize sampling, storage, and processing has been reported.In this paper, we examined the impact of a DNA-conservation buffer, the extraction method, and urine sampling on the detection of HPV DNA and human DNA in urine provided by 44 women with a cytologically normal but HPV DNA-positive cervical sample. Ten women provided first-void and midstream urine samples. DNA analysis was performed using real-time PCR to allow quantification of HPV and human DNA.The results showed that an optimized method for HPV DNA detection in urine should (a) prevent DNA degradation during extraction and storage, (b) recover cell-free HPV DNA in addition to cell-associated DNA, (c) process a sufficient volume of urine, and (d) use a first-void sample.In addition, we found that detectable human DNA in urine may not be a good internal control for sample validity. HPV prevalence data that are based on urine samples collected, stored, and/or processed under suboptimal conditions may underestimate infection rates.

Development and validation of a ten-item questionnaire with explanatory illustrations to assess upper extremity disorders: favorable effect of illustrations in the item reduction process.

PubMed

Kurimoto, Shigeru; Suzuki, Mikako; Yamamoto, Michiro; Okui, Nobuyuki; Imaeda, Toshihiko; Hirata, Hitoshi

2011-11-01

The purpose of this study is to develop a short and valid measure for upper extremity disorders and to assess the effect of attached illustrations in item reduction of a self-administered disability questionnaire while retaining psychometric properties. A validated questionnaire used to assess upper extremity disorders, the Hand20, was reduced to ten items using two item-reduction techniques. The psychometric properties of the abbreviated form, the Hand10, were evaluated on an independent sample that was used for the shortening process. Validity, reliability, and responsiveness of the Hand10 were retained in the item reduction process. It was possible that the use of explanatory illustrations attached to the Hand10 helped with its reproducibility. The illustrations for the Hand10 promoted text comprehension and motivation to answer the items. These changes resulted in high acceptability; more than 99.3% of patients, including 98.5% of elderly patients, could complete the Hand10 properly. The illustrations had favorable effects on the item reduction process and made it possible to retain precision of the instrument. The Hand10 is a reliable and valid instrument for individual-level applications with the advantage of being compact and broadly applicable, even in elderly individuals.

The Epiregolith

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mendell, Wendell W.; Noble, S. K.

2010-01-01

The physical properties of the lunar regolith were originally inferred from remotely sensed data, first from the Earth and later from orbiting spacecraft. The Surveyor landings and the Apollo surface explorations produced a more concrete characterization of the macroscopic properties. In general, the upper regolith consists of a loosely consolidated layer centimeters thick underlain by a particulate but extremely compacted layer to depths of meters or tens of meters. The median particle size as determined by mechanical sieving in terrestrial laboratories is several tens of micrometers. However, the comminuting processes that form the layer produce particles in all sizes down to manometers. The smallest particles, having a high surface to volume ratio, tend to be electrostatically bound to larger particles and are quite difficult to separate mechanically in the laboratory. Particle size distributions determined from lunar soil samples often group particles smaller than 10 micrometers.

Mapping spatial resources with GPS animal telemetry: foraging manatees locate seagrass beds in the Ten Thousand Islands, Florida, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Slone, Daniel H.; Reid, James P.; Kenworthy, W. Judson

2013-01-01

Turbid water conditions make the delineation and characterization of benthic habitats difficult by traditional in situ and remote sensing methods. Here, we develop and validate modeling and sampling methodology for detecting and characterizing seagrass beds by analyzing GPS telemetry records from radio-tagged manatees. Between October 2002 and October 2005, 14 manatees were tracked in the Ten Thousand Islands (TTI) in southwest Florida (USA) using Global Positioning System (GPS) tags. High density manatee use areas were found to occur off each island facing the open, nearshore waters of the Gulf of Mexico. We implemented a spatially stratified random sampling plan and used a camera-based sampling technique to observe and record bottom observations of seagrass and macroalgae presence and abundance. Five species of seagrass were identified in our study area: Halodule wrightii, Thalassia testudinum, Syringodium filiforme, Halophila engelmannii, and Halophila decipiens. A Bayesian model was developed to choose and parameterize a spatial process function that would describe the observed patterns of seagrass and macroalgae. The seagrasses were found in depths <2 m and in the higher manatee use strata, whereas macroalgae was found at moderate densities at all sampled depths and manatee use strata. The manatee spatial data showed a strong association with seagrass beds, a relationship that increased seagrass sampling efficiency. Our camera-based field sampling proved to be effective for assessing seagrass density and spatial coverage under turbid water conditions, and would be an effective monitoring tool to detect changes in seagrass beds.

Could the Mantle Under Island Arcs Contribute to Long Wavelength Magnetic Anomalies?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Friedman, S. A.; Ferre, E. C.; Martin-Hernandez, F.; Feinberg, J. M.; Conder, J. A.

2016-12-01

Some island arcs show significant long-wavelength positive magnetic anomalies with potential sources in the mantle wedge while others do not. Here we compare the magnetic properties of mantle xenoliths form metasomatized mantle wedges with counterparts from pristine unaltered mantle and we discuss the role mantle processes may play in producing these anomalies. Samples for this study originate from four localities displaying different degrees of metasomatism, as evidenced by the presence of phlogophite, pargasite, and secondary minerals (olv, cpx, opx): a) Five samples from Ichinomegata crater, Megata volcano, in NE Japan are characteristically lherzolitic with metasomatic pargasite present; b) Six samples from Kurose, SW Japan are mainly harzburgites that contain rare, late stage metasomatic sulfides; c) Ten samples from the Iraya volcano, Batan Island, in the Philippines are lherzolites, harzburgites, and dunites that contain metasomatic olivine, orthopyroxene, clinopyroxene and pargasite; and d) Ten samples from Avacha and Shiveluch volcanoes in Kamchatka, consists of unaltered harzburgites supported by an LOI <1%. Sample localities come from subduction zones of the western Pacific Ocean, where the angle of subduction varies (from 10° in SW Japan to 55° in the Kamchatka and Taiwan-Luzon arcs). When present, ferromagnetic minerals include stoichiometric magnetite with occasional pyrrhotite only in metasomatized samples. Ultimately, metasomatized mantle material has a Koenigsberger ratio less than 1.0 indicating it would not primarily contribute to satellite-altitude magnetic anomalies. While unaltered mantle material may produce a Koenigsberger ratio greater than 1.0, and would thus, contribute to long wavelength magnetic anomalies. The presence of both metasomatized and unaltered mantle material beneath island arcs would be supportive of the positive magnetic anomaly found in some subduction zones.

Benthic macrofauna data for San Francisco Bay, California, September 1986

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schemel, Laurence E.; Thompson, J.K.; Harmon, J.G.; Yost, B.T.

1995-01-01

Benthic macrofauna were collected during September 1986 to evaluate locations for long-term monitoring stations as part of the U.S. Geological Survey Regional Effects Monitoring Program in San Francisco Bay, California. Three to ten replicate samples were collected with a modified Van Veen sampler (0.05 m2 area) at ten locations. One box core sample (0.06 m2 area) was collected at seven to the ten locations. Six of the box core samples were split into an upper 10 cm sample and a deeper sample before analysis. Macrofauna specimens were identified to the lowest possible taxon, usually genus and species, then counted. An average of 88 percent of the benthic macrofauna specimens were identified to the species level. The fraction identified varied among stations from 54 to 98 percent. Nematodes and oligochaetes accounted for most of the unidentified specimens. Relative to the total number of species identified in five replicates at each location, an average of 90 percent of the species were collected with three replicates. In general, species with high to moderate abundances were present in all replicates, and species collected only after three or more replicates averaged less than one specimen per replicate. Results from the box cores showed that the dominant species were most abundant in the upper 10 cm, the depth of sediment that can be adequately sampled with a modified Van Veen sampler. On the basis of the number of species and their abundances at each location, seven of the ten locations were selected for sampling in the regular program, which began in March 1987.

46 CFR 161.012-13 - Production tests and inspections.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... ten lights from each lot of lights produced. Each lot must not exceed 1,000 lights. At least nine of the ten lights, when tested in accordance with the test described in § 161.012-11(c), must meet the... random sample of ten lights must be taken and tested. If less than nine of these lights meet the test...

SRD5A1 genotype frequency differences in women with mild versus severe premenstrual symptoms.

PubMed

Adams, Marlene; McCrone, Susan

2012-02-01

The aims of this small pilot study were to explore the association between premenstrual symptom severity and two genes from the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) pathway: steroid-5-alpha-reductase, alpha polypeptide 1 (SRD5A1) and gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor subunit alpha-4 (GABRA4). Saliva samples were obtained from a convenience sample of 19 Caucasian females ages 18-25 years, ten cases and nine controls. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was isolated, and genotyping performed on ten single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Ten percent of cases and 44% of controls had the cytosine/cytosine (C/C) genotype for the SRD5A1 SNP, rs501999 indicating that this genotype may protect women against severe premenstrual symptoms. Replication of this study using an adequately powered sample size is warranted.

The coffee-machine bacteriome: biodiversity and colonisation of the wasted coffee tray leach

PubMed Central

Vilanova, Cristina; Iglesias, Alba; Porcar, Manuel

2015-01-01

Microbial communities are ubiquitous in both natural and artificial environments. However, microbial diversity is usually reduced under strong selection pressures, such as those present in habitats rich in recalcitrant or toxic compounds displaying antimicrobial properties. Caffeine is a natural alkaloid present in coffee, tea and soft drinks with well-known antibacterial properties. Here we present the first systematic analysis of coffee machine-associated bacteria. We sampled the coffee waste reservoir of ten different Nespresso machines and conducted a dynamic monitoring of the colonization process in a new machine. Our results reveal the existence of a varied bacterial community in all the machines sampled, and a rapid colonisation process of the coffee leach. The community developed from a pioneering pool of enterobacteria and other opportunistic taxa to a mature but still highly variable microbiome rich in coffee-adapted bacteria. The bacterial communities described here, for the first time, are potential drivers of biotechnologically relevant processes including decaffeination and bioremediation. PMID:26592442

The coffee-machine bacteriome: biodiversity and colonisation of the wasted coffee tray leach.

PubMed

Vilanova, Cristina; Iglesias, Alba; Porcar, Manuel

2015-11-23

Microbial communities are ubiquitous in both natural and artificial environments. However, microbial diversity is usually reduced under strong selection pressures, such as those present in habitats rich in recalcitrant or toxic compounds displaying antimicrobial properties. Caffeine is a natural alkaloid present in coffee, tea and soft drinks with well-known antibacterial properties. Here we present the first systematic analysis of coffee machine-associated bacteria. We sampled the coffee waste reservoir of ten different Nespresso machines and conducted a dynamic monitoring of the colonization process in a new machine. Our results reveal the existence of a varied bacterial community in all the machines sampled, and a rapid colonisation process of the coffee leach. The community developed from a pioneering pool of enterobacteria and other opportunistic taxa to a mature but still highly variable microbiome rich in coffee-adapted bacteria. The bacterial communities described here, for the first time, are potential drivers of biotechnologically relevant processes including decaffeination and bioremediation.

Flamelet Formation In Hele-Shaw Flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wichman, I. S.; Olson, S. L.

2003-01-01

A Hele-Shaw flow apparatus constructed at Michigan State University (MSU) produces conditions that reduce influences of buoyancy-driven flows. In addition, in the MSU Hele-Shaw apparatus it is possible to adjust the heat losses from the fuel sample (0.001 in. thick cellulose) and the flow speed of the approaching oxidizer flow (air) so that the "flamelet regime of flame spread" is entered. In this regime various features of the flame-to-smolder (and vice versa) transition can be studied. For the relatively wide (approx. 17.5 cm) and long (approx. 20 cm) samples used, approximately ten flamelets existed at all times. The flamelet behavior was studied mechanistically and statistically. A heat transfer analysis of the dominant heat transfer mechanisms was conducted. Results indicate that radiation and conduction processes are important, and that a simple 1-D model using the Broido-Shafizadeh model for cellulose decomposition chemistry can describe aspects of the flamelet spread process. Introduction

Subject standardization, acclimatization, and sample processing affect gut hormone levels and appetite in humans.

PubMed

Chandarana, Keval; Drew, Megan E; Emmanuel, Julian; Karra, Efthimia; Gelegen, Cigdem; Chan, Philip; Cron, Nicholas J; Batterham, Rachel L

2009-06-01

Gut hormones represent attractive therapeutic targets for the treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes. However, controversy surrounds the effects that adiposity, dietary manipulations, and bariatric surgery have on their circulating concentrations. We sought to determine whether these discrepancies are due to methodologic differences. Ten normal-weight males participated in a 4-way crossover study investigating whether fasting appetite scores, plasma acyl-ghrelin, active glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), and peptide YY3-36 (PYY3-36) levels are altered by study-induced stress, prior food consumption, and sample processing. Study visit order affected anxiety, plasma cortisol, and temporal profiles of appetite and plasma PYY3-36, with increased anxiety and cortisol concentrations on the first study day. Plasma cortisol area under the curve (AUC) correlated positively with plasma PYY3-36 AUC. Despite a 14-hour fast, baseline hunger, PYY3-36 concentrations, temporal appetite profiles, PYY3-36 AUC, and active GLP-1 were affected by the previous evening's meal. Sample processing studies revealed that sample acidification and esterase inhibition are required when measuring acyl-ghrelin and dipeptidyl-peptidase IV inhibitor addition for active GLP-1. However, plasma PYY3-36 concentrations were unaffected by addition of dipeptidyl-peptidase IV. Accurate assessment of appetite, feeding behavior, and gut hormone concentrations requires standardization of prior food consumption and subject acclimatization to the study protocol. Moreover, because of the labile nature of acyl-ghrelin and active GLP-1, specialized sample processing needs to be undertaken.

Freeze Technology for Nuclear Applications - 13590

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

Rostmark, Susanne C.; Knutsson, Sven; Lindberg, Maria

2013-07-01

Freezing of soil materials is a complicated process of a number of physical processes: - freezing of pore water in a thermal gradient, - cryogenic suction causing water migration and - ice formation expanding pores inducing frost heave. Structural changes due to increase of effective stress during freezing also take place. The over consolidation gives a powerful dewatering/drying effect and the freeze process causes separation of contaminates. Artificial ground freezing (AGF is a well established technique first practiced in south Wales, as early as 1862. AGF is mostly used to stabilize tunnels and excavations. During the last ten years underwatermore » applications of freeze technologies based on the AGF have been explored in Sweden. The technology can, and has been, used in many different steps in a remediation action. Freeze Sampling where undisturbed samples are removed in both soft and hard sediment/sludge, Freeze Dredging; retrieval of sediment with good precision and minimal redistribution, and Freeze Drying; volume reduction of contaminated sludge/sediment. The application of these technologies in a nuclear or radioactive environment provides several advantages. Sampling by freezing gives for example an advantage of an undisturbed sample taken at a specified depth, salvaging objects by freezing or removal of sludges is other applications of this, for the nuclear industry, novel technology. (authors)« less

Rapid fusion method for the determination of Pu, Np, and Am in large soil samples

DOE PAGES

Maxwell, Sherrod L.; Culligan, Brian; Hutchison, Jay B.; ...

2015-02-14

A new rapid sodium hydroxide fusion method for the preparation of 10-20 g soil samples has been developed by the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL). The method enables lower detection limits for plutonium, neptunium, and americium in environmental soil samples. The method also significantly reduces sample processing time and acid fume generation compared to traditional soil digestion techniques using hydrofluoric acid. Ten gram soil aliquots can be ashed and fused using the new method in 1-2 hours, completely dissolving samples, including refractory particles. Pu, Np and Am are separated using stacked 2mL cartridges of TEVA and DGA Resin and measuredmore » using alpha spectrometry. The method can be adapted for measurement by inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Two 10 g soil aliquots of fused soil may be combined prior to chromatographic separations to further improve detection limits. Total sample preparation time, including chromatographic separations and alpha spectrometry source preparation, is less than 8 hours.« less

Evaluation of an immunobiosensor for the on-site testing of veterinary drug residues at an abattoir. Screening for sulfamethazine in pigs.

PubMed

Baxter, G A; O'Connor, M C; Haughey, S A; Crooks, S R; Elliott, C T

1999-09-01

A study was conducted to determine the feasibility of performing "on-site" screening for sulfamethazine (SMT), at an abattoir, using a rapid immunobiosensor method. This involved transfer of the biosensor technology and an assay developed in the laboratory, to the cold, humid conditions of a modern pig-processing factory. A pre-determined threshold limit of 0.4 microgram ml-1 SMT in bile was used to identify the likelihood that corresponding tissue samples contained SMT concentrations in excess of the European maximum permissible residue limit of 0.1 mg kg-1. Bile samples containing SMT concentrations above the threshold limit were deemed positive and the corresponding kidney and muscle samples were sent to the laboratory for HPLC analysis. The robustness of the biosensor instrumentation in the harsh operating conditions was monitored throughout the project. The performance of the assay, on-site, was assessed by the regular inclusion of QA samples and by the submission of control 'SMT-positive' pigs to the abattoir. Sampling procedures, identification and traceability were also under scrutiny. During the project, 337 (9.35%) of the total kill were tested for SMT residues, representing 75% of all producers submitting pigs for slaughter. Twelve animals, including the ten controls, gave positive bile results. HPLC analysis confirmed SMT residues in all 12 kidneys (11 in excess of the permissible level). Ten muscle samples also contained violative SMT levels. Throughout the project, the biosensor performed reliably, with no adverse reaction of any mechanical or electrical components. The SMT assay also performed reliably. This is the first report of a biosensor being used for 'on-site' drug screening.

Quantitative, multiplexed workflow for deep analysis of human blood plasma and biomarker discovery by mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Keshishian, Hasmik; Burgess, Michael W; Specht, Harrison; Wallace, Luke; Clauser, Karl R; Gillette, Michael A; Carr, Steven A

2017-08-01

Proteomic characterization of blood plasma is of central importance to clinical proteomics and particularly to biomarker discovery studies. The vast dynamic range and high complexity of the plasma proteome have, however, proven to be serious challenges and have often led to unacceptable tradeoffs between depth of coverage and sample throughput. We present an optimized sample-processing pipeline for analysis of the human plasma proteome that provides greatly increased depth of detection, improved quantitative precision and much higher sample analysis throughput as compared with prior methods. The process includes abundant protein depletion, isobaric labeling at the peptide level for multiplexed relative quantification and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to accurate-mass, high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry analysis of peptides fractionated off-line by basic pH reversed-phase (bRP) chromatography. The overall reproducibility of the process, including immunoaffinity depletion, is high, with a process replicate coefficient of variation (CV) of <12%. Using isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) 4-plex, >4,500 proteins are detected and quantified per patient sample on average, with two or more peptides per protein and starting from as little as 200 μl of plasma. The approach can be multiplexed up to 10-plex using tandem mass tags (TMT) reagents, further increasing throughput, albeit with some decrease in the number of proteins quantified. In addition, we provide a rapid protocol for analysis of nonfractionated depleted plasma samples analyzed in 10-plex. This provides ∼600 quantified proteins for each of the ten samples in ∼5 h of instrument time.

The Relation of Visual and Auditory Aptitudes to First Grade Low Readers' Achievement under Sight-Word and Systematic Phonic Instructions. Research Report #36.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gallistel, Elizabeth; And Others

Ten auditory and ten visual aptitude measures were administered in the middle of first grade to a sample of 58 low readers. More than half of this low reader sample had scored more than a year below expected grade level on two or more aptitudes. Word recognition measures were administered after four months of sight word instruction and again after…

Identification of Coccoidal Bacteria in Traditional Fermented Milk Products from Mongolia, and the Fermentation Properties of the Predominant Species, Streptococcus thermophilus

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

The objective of this study was to identify the coccoidal bacteria present in 188 samples of fermented yaks’, mares’ and cows’ milk products collected from 12 different regions in Mongolia. Furthermore, we evaluated the fermentation properties of ten selected isolates of the predominant species, Streptococcus (S.) thermophiles, during the process of milk fermentation and subsequent storage of the resulting yoghurt at 4℃. Overall, 159 isolates were obtained from 188 samples using M17 agar. These isolates were presumed to be lactic acid bacteria based on their gram-positive and catalase-negative properties, and were identified to species level using 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. These coccoid isolates were distributed in four genera and six species: Enterococcus (E.) durans, Enterococcus (E.) faecalis, Lactococcus (Lac.) subsp. lactis, Leuconostoc (Leuc.) lactis, Leuconostoc (Leuc.) mesenteroides. subsp. mesenteroides and S. thermophilus. Among these S. thermophilus was the most common species in most samples. From evaluation of the fermentation characteristics (viable counts, pH, titratable acidity [TA]) of ten selected S. thermophilus isolates we could identify four isolates (IMAU 20246, IMAU20764, IMAU20729 and IMAU20738) that were fast acid producers. IMAU20246 produced the highest concentrations of lactic acid and formic acid. These isolates have potential as starter cultures for yoghurt production. PMID:26761898

25 CFR 700.249 - Action on appeals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... provisions of § 700.245 or was extended for fewer than ten (10) working days, the time for processing of the... processing of the appeal, but in no event may the extension, when taken together with any extension made... request of more than ten (10) working days. The time for processing of an appeal may be extended only if...

[Study on rapid analysis method of pesticide contamination in processed foods by GC-MS and GC-FPD].

PubMed

Kobayashi, Maki; Otsuka, Kenji; Tamura, Yasuhiro; Tomizawa, Sanae; Kamijo, Kyoko; Iwakoshi, Keiko; Sato, Chizuko; Nagayama, Toshihiro; Takano, Ichiro

2011-01-01

A simple and rapid method using GC-MS and GC-FPD for the determination of pesticide contamination in processed food has been developed. Pesticides were extracted from a sample with ethyl acetate in the presence of anhydrous sodium sulfate, then cleaned up with a combination of mini-columns, such as macroporous diatomaceous earth, C18, GCB (graphite carbon black) and PSA. Recovery tests of 57 pesticides (known to be toxic or harmful) from ten kinds of processed foods (butter, cheese, corned beef, dried shrimp, frozen Chinese dumplings, grilled eels, instant noodles, kimchi, retort-packed curry and wine) were performed, and the recovery rates were mostly between 70% and 120%. This method can be used to judge whether or not processed foods are contaminated with pesticides at potentially harmful levels.

Occurrence of PCDD/F, PCB, PBDE, PFAS, and organotin compounds in fish meal, fish oil and fish feed.

PubMed

Suominen, K; Hallikainen, A; Ruokojärvi, P; Airaksinen, R; Koponen, J; Rannikko, R; Kiviranta, H

2011-10-01

We analysed polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans (PCDD/F, dioxins), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) in 13 fish meal, five fish oil, and seven fish feed samples. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE), organotin compounds (OTC), and perfluoroalkylated substances (PFAS) were analysed in ten fish meal, two fish oil, and two fish feed samples. All measured TEQ concentrations of PCDD/F and PCB were below the maximum levels set by Directive 2002/32/EC. There was no correlation between concentrations of WHOPCDD/F-TEQ and indicator PCB in our samples. The most common congeners among PBDEs were BDE-47 and BDE-100. BDE-209 was present in five fish meals of the ten analysed. Tributyltin (TBT) was the predominant congener in all samples except in three fish meals, where monobutyltin (MBT) was the major congener. Perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS) was the predominant congener in six fish meals of the ten analysed. There was large variation in concentrations and congener distributions of the studied compounds between our samples. Our results underline a need to pay special attention to the origin and purity of feed raw material of marine origin. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optimizing Urine Processing Protocols for Protein and Metabolite Detection.

PubMed

Siddiqui, Nazema Y; DuBois, Laura G; St John-Williams, Lisa; Will, Thompson J; Grenier, Carole; Burke, Emily; Fraser, Matthew O; Amundsen, Cindy L; Murphy, Susan K

In urine, factors such as timing of voids, and duration at room temperature (RT) may affect the quality of recovered protein and metabolite data. Additives may aid with detection, but can add more complexity in sample collection or analysis. We aimed to identify the optimal urine processing protocol for clinically-obtained urine samples that allows for the highest protein and metabolite yields with minimal degradation. Healthy women provided multiple urine samples during the same day. Women collected their first morning (1 st AM) void and another "random void". Random voids were aliquotted with: 1) no additive; 2) boric acid (BA); 3) protease inhibitor (PI); or 4) both BA + PI. Of these aliquots, some were immediately stored at 4°C, and some were left at RT for 4 hours. Proteins and individual metabolites were quantified, normalized to creatinine concentrations, and compared across processing conditions. Sample pools corresponding to each processing condition were analyzed using mass spectrometry to assess protein degradation. Ten Caucasian women between 35-65 years of age provided paired 1 st morning and random voided urine samples. Normalized protein concentrations were slightly higher in 1 st AM compared to random "spot" voids. The addition of BA did not significantly change proteins, while PI significantly improved normalized protein concentrations, regardless of whether samples were immediately cooled or left at RT for 4 hours. In pooled samples, there were minimal differences in protein degradation under the various conditions we tested. In metabolite analyses, there were significant differences in individual amino acids based on the timing of the void. For comparative translational research using urine, information about void timing should be collected and standardized. For urine samples processed in the same day, BA does not appear to be necessary while the addition of PI enhances protein yields, regardless of 4°C or RT storage temperature.

Final report for 105-N Basin sediment disposition task, phase 2 -- samples BOMPC8 and BOMPC9

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

Esch, R.A.

1998-02-05

This document is the final report deliverable for Phase 2 analytical work for the 105-N Basin Sediment Disposition Task. On December 23, 1997, ten samples were received at the 222-S Laboratory as follows: two (2) bottles of potable water, six (6) samples for process control testing and two (2) samples for characterization. Analyses were performed in accordance with the Letter of Instruction for Phase 2 Analytical Work for the 105-N Basin Sediment Disposition Task (Logan and Kessner, 1997) (Attachment 7) and 105-N Basin Sediment Disposition Phase-Two Sampling and Analysis Plan (SAP) (Smith, 1997). The analytical results are included in Tablemore » 1. This document provides the values of X/Qs for the onsite and offsite receptors, taking into account the building wake and the atmospheric stability effects. X/Qs values for the potential fire accident were also calculated. In addition, the unit dose were calculated for the mixtures of isotopes.« less

Time multiplexing super-resolution nanoscopy based on the Brownian motion of gold nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ilovitsh, Tali; Ilovitsh, Asaf; Wagner, Omer; Zalevsky, Zeev

2017-02-01

Super-resolution localization microscopy can overcome the diffraction limit and achieve a tens of order improvement in resolution. It requires labeling the sample with fluorescent probes followed with their repeated cycles of activation and photobleaching. This work presents an alternative approach that is free from direct labeling and does not require the activation and photobleaching cycles. Fluorescently labeled gold nanoparticles in a solution are distributed on top of the sample. The nanoparticles move in a random Brownian motion, and interact with the sample. By obscuring different areas in the sample, the nanoparticles encode the sub-wavelength features. A sequence of images of the sample is captured and decoded by digital post processing to create the super-resolution image. The achievable resolution is limited by the additive noise and the size of the nanoparticles. Regular nanoparticles with diameter smaller than 100nm are barely seen in a conventional bright field microscope, thus fluorescently labeled gold nanoparticles were used, with proper

Melting dynamics of ice in the mesoscopic regime

PubMed Central

Citroni, Margherita; Fanetti, Samuele; Falsini, Naomi; Foggi, Paolo; Bini, Roberto

2017-01-01

How does a crystal melt? How long does it take for melt nuclei to grow? The melting mechanisms have been addressed by several theoretical and experimental works, covering a subnanosecond time window with sample sizes of tens of nanometers and thus suitable to determine the onset of the process but unable to unveil the following dynamics. On the other hand, macroscopic observations of phase transitions, with millisecond or longer time resolution, account for processes occurring at surfaces and time limited by thermal contact with the environment. Here, we fill the gap between these two extremes, investigating the melting of ice in the entire mesoscopic regime. A bulk ice Ih or ice VI sample is homogeneously heated by a picosecond infrared pulse, which delivers all of the energy necessary for complete melting. The evolution of melt/ice interfaces thereafter is monitored by Mie scattering with nanosecond resolution, for all of the time needed for the sample to reequilibrate. The growth of the liquid domains, over distances of micrometers, takes hundreds of nanoseconds, a time orders of magnitude larger than expected from simple H-bond dynamics. PMID:28536197

Structural Changes in the Vanadium Sample Surface Induced by Pulsed High-Temperature Deuterium Plasma and Deuterium Ion Fluxes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borovitskaya, I. V.; Pimenov, V. N.; Gribkov, V. A.; Padukh, M.; Bondarenko, G. G.; Gaidar, A. I.; Paramonova, V. V.; Morozov, E. V.

2017-11-01

The structural changes in the vanadium sample surface are studied as functions of the conditions of irradiation by pulsed high-temperature deuterium plasma and deuterium ion fluxes in the Plasma Focus installation. It is found that processes of partial evaporation, melting, and crystallization of the surface layer of vanadium samples take place in the plasma flux power density range q = 108-1010 W/cm2 and the ion flux density range q = 1010-1012 W/cm2. The surface relief is wavelike. There are microcracks, gas-filled bubbles (blisters), and traces of fracture on the surface. The blisters are failed in the solid state. The character of blister fracture is similar to that observed during usual ion irradiation in accelerators. The samples irradiated at relatively low power density ( q = 107-108 W/cm2) demonstrate the ejection of microparticles (surface fragments) on the side facing plasma. This process is assumed to be due to the fact that the unloading wave formed in the sample-target volume reaches its irradiated surface. Under certain irradiation conditions (sample-anode distance, the number of plasma pulses), a block microstructure with block sizes of several tens of microns forms on the sample surfaces. This structure is likely to form via directional crack propagation upon cooling of a thin melted surface layer.

Development of a mobile system based on laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy and dedicated to in situ analysis of polluted soils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bousquet, B.; Travaillé, G.; Ismaël, A.; Canioni, L.; Michel-Le Pierrès, K.; Brasseur, E.; Roy, S.; le Hecho, I.; Larregieu, M.; Tellier, S.; Potin-Gautier, M.; Boriachon, T.; Wazen, P.; Diard, A.; Belbèze, S.

2008-10-01

Principal Components Analysis (PCA) is successfully applied to the full laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) spectra of soil samples, defining classes according to the concentrations of the major elements. The large variability of the LIBS data is related to the heterogeneity of the samples and the representativeness of the data is finally discussed. Then, the development of a mobile LIBS system dedicated to the in-situ analysis of soils polluted by heavy metals is described. Based on the use of ten-meter long optical fibers, the mobile system allows deported measurements. Finally, the laser-assisted drying process studied by the use of a customized laser has not been retained to overcome the problem of moisture.

Prevalence of dental fluorosis among primary school children in rural areas of Karera Block, Madhya Pradesh.

PubMed

Narwaria, Y S; Saksena, D N

2013-09-01

To determine prevalence and severity of dental fluorosis in school going children of ten villages of Karera block of Shivpuri District, Madhya Pradesh. Fluoride ion concentration was measured in ten hand pump and two wells waters with a fluoride meter (ORION model 720). For the study total 750 school children were selected from ten government primary schools of ten rural villages. The survey was conducted during the period of November 2007 through December 2009. The dental and oral examination was done by two trained dentists. The occurrence and severity of dental fluorosis was recorded using Dean's index. Drinking water sources considered for study were hand pumps, and wells. Out of 750 children surveyed, 341 were found affected with dental fluorosis. The boys had greater prevalence (46.75%) as compared to girls (42.18%). Dental fluorosis, as assessed by Dean's Index shows that 20.8% children had grade I, 19.47% grade II, 5.2% grade III. Overall, 45.46% of the sample showed some grades of dental fluorosis. In all the 144 water samples from ten villages fluoride level was higher than permissible limits. The boys had greater prevalence of dental fluorosis over the girls.

Prevalence, characterization and sources of Listeria monocytogenes in blue crab (Callinectus sapidus) meat and blue crab processing plants.

PubMed

Pagadala, Sivaranjani; Parveen, Salina; Rippen, Thomas; Luchansky, John B; Call, Jeffrey E; Tamplin, Mark L; Porto-Fett, Anna C S

2012-09-01

Seven blue crab processing plants were sampled to determine the prevalence and sources of Listeria spp. and Listeria monocytogenes for two years (2006-2007). A total of 488 raw crabs, 624 cooked crab meat (crab meat) and 624 environmental samples were tested by standard methods. Presumptive Listeria spp. were isolated from 19.5% of raw crabs, 10.8% of crab meat, and 69.5% of environmental samples. L. monocytogenes was isolated from 4.5% of raw crabs, 0.2% of crab meat, and 2.1% of environmental samples. Ninety-seven percent of the isolates were resistant to at least one of the ten antibiotics tested. Eight different serotypes were found among 76 L. monocytogenes isolates tested with the most common being 4b, 1/2b and 1/2a. Automated EcoRI ribotyping differentiated 11 ribotypes among the 106 L. monocytogenes isolates. Based on ribotyping analysis, the distribution of the ribotypes in each processing plant had a unique contamination pattern. A total of 92 ApaI and 88 AscI pulsotypes among the 106 L. monocytogenes isolates were found and distinct pulsotypes were observed in raw crab, crab meat and environmental samples. Ribotypes and serotypes recovered from crab processing plants included subtypes that have been associated with listeriosis cases in other food outbreaks. Our findings suggest that molecular methods may provide critical information about sources of L. monocytogenes in crab processing plants and will augment efforts to improve food safety control strategies such as targeting specific sources of contamination and use of aggressive detergents prior to sanitizing. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Hypothermia as the cause of death in forensic pathology: autopsy study].

PubMed

Nikolić, Slobodan; Zivković, Magdalena; Zivković, Vladimir; Juković, Fehim

2010-01-01

The body cooling process goes through few clinical phases. These are followed by some morphological thanatological changes such as frost erythema and Wischnewsky's spots, which are used in diagnosis of death due to hypothermia. In such cases there is no any specific autopsy finding. To establish the frequency of hypothermia as the cause of death for a ten-year-period, and to analyze the sample according to gender and age, risk factors and autopsy findings of subjects. A retrospective autopsy study was performed for a ten-year-period (total of 12,765 forensic autopsies). The relevant data were collected from autopsy records, police reports and heteroanamnestic interviews. The sample was analyzed according to gender, age, scene of death, blood alcohol concentration, risk factors, and autopsy findings of all observed subjects. The sample included 67 subjects, 42 males and 25 females (chi2 = 4.31; p < 0.05), of average age 63.9 +/- 14.7 years (min=27, max=92; med=65, mod=55). Nineteen of subjects were found at in-door places. In 13 subjects blood alcohol concentration ranged from 0.50 to 3.32 promille (average 1.81 +/- 0.93). The younger the observed subject was, the higher the blood alcohol concentration (p = -0.251; p = 0.04). One third of the observed subjects were chronic alcohol abusers. Thirteen persons had psychiatric diseases. In 43 observed subjects the concomitant appearance of frost erythema and Wischniewsky's spots were established (chi2 = 49.59; df = 3; p < 0.001). In the analyzed ten-year period hypothermia was not often the cause of death; it was disclosed only in 0.5% of the total number of the studied autopsies. The most of the deceased were older males with cardiovascular problems found in unprotected open-air places. The most frequent thanatological findings in the analyzed subjects were frost erythema and Wischnewsky's spots.

Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography for biogas and biomethane analysis.

PubMed

Hilaire, F; Basset, E; Bayard, R; Gallardo, M; Thiebaut, D; Vial, J

2017-11-17

The gas industry is going to be revolutionized by being able to generate bioenergy from biomass. The production of biomethane - a green substitute of natural gas - is growing in Europe and the United-States of America. Biomethane can be injected into the gas grid or used as fuel for vehicles after compression. Due to various biomass inputs (e.g. agricultural wastes, sludges from sewage treatment plants, etc.), production processes (e.g. anaerobic digestion, municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills), seasonal effects and purification processes (e.g. gas scrubbers, pressure swing adsorption, membranes for biogas upgrading), the composition and quality of biogas and biomethane produced is difficult to assess. All previous publications dealing with biogas analysis reported that hundreds of chemicals from ten chemical families do exist in trace amounts in biogas. However, to the best of our knowledge, no study reported a detailed analysis or the implementation of comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC) for biogas matrices. This is the reason why the benefit of implementing two-dimensional gas chromatography for the characterization of biogas and biomethane samples was evaluated. In a first step, a standard mixture of 89 compounds belonging to 10 chemical families, representative of those likely to be found, was used to optimize the analytical method. A set consisting of a non-polar and a polar columns, respectively in the first and the second dimension, was used with a modulation period of six seconds. Applied to ten samples of raw biogas, treated biogas and biomethane collected on 4 industrial sites (two MSW landfills, one anaerobic digester on a wastewater treatment plant and one agricultural biogas plant), this analytical method provided a "fingerprint" of the gases composition at the molecular level in all biogas and biomethane samples. Estimated limits of detection (far below the μgNm -3 ) coupled with the resolution of GC×GC allowed the comparison of the real samples considered. This first implementation of GC×GC for the analysis of biogas and biomethane demonstrated unambiguously that it is a promising tool to provide a "fingerprint" of samples, and to monitor trace compounds by families. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

U-Th-Ra Disequilibria in Lavas from the 2004-2005 Eruption of Mt. St. Helens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Donnelly, C. T.; Cooper, K. M.

2005-12-01

Decay of several nuclides in the U-series decay chain occurs on timescales similar to those of a variety of magmatic processes. Thus, analyses of the disequilibria between different parent/daughter pairs within this series have been used successfully to trace crystal populations and to describe the time scales of crystallization and magma storage in volcanic systems. Previous work with six samples erupted from Mt. St. Helens from ~2ka to 1982 showed 226Ra-230Th crystal ages of a few ka. In two of these samples, the Ra-Th ages were discordant with 230Th-238U ages of tens of ka, indicating a longer, more complex history than either age alone would reveal. We are now analyzing a suite of samples from the ongoing eruption of Mt. St. Helens for U-Th-Ra disequilibria in whole rocks as well as in plagioclase and amphibole mineral separates. Our preliminary data show that 1) though the Th isotopic composition (IC) of three whole rock samples are within the range of Th ICs from samples spanning the past 2kyr, they are markedly different from the Th IC of the 1982 dacite dome. 2) MSH304 (erupted Oct 2004) plagioclase has a Th IC significantly lower than any MSH samples previously analyzed and differs greatly from its corresponding WR. This indicates either that this plagioclase was dominated by crystals foreign to the matrix within which they were erupted, or that they are tens of thousands of years old. 3) A plagioclase separate from MSH305-1 (erupted Nov 2004) has Th IC similar to that of its corresponding WR, indicating that this plagioclase separate is dominated by recent (10ka) growth. 4) Ra excesses in all of the WR and plagioclase samples indicate that a significant mass of total crystallization occurred within the past ~10kyr. We are currently processing several more samples spanning the first eight months of the ongoing eruption. Several size fractions of plagioclase separates from MSH304 and MSH319 (erupted June 2005) will help to elucidate what appears to be a complex crystallization history. Additional WR samples should form a more complete picture of the range of Th isotopic compositions currently being erupted, and Th ICs of additional 1980's samples will test the possibility that portions of this new material are related to the lavas of the 1980's.

Data on DNA gel sample load, gel electrophoresis, PCR and cost analysis.

PubMed

Kuhn, Ramona; Böllmann, Jörg; Krahl, Kathrin; Bryant, Isaac Mbir; Martienssen, Marion

2018-02-01

The data presented in this article provide supporting information to the related research article "Comparison of ten different DNA extraction procedures with respect to their suitability for environmental samples" (Kuhn et al., 2017) [1]. In that article, we compared the suitability of ten selected DNA extraction methods based on DNA quality, purity, quantity and applicability to universal PCR. Here we provide the data on the specific DNA gel sample load, all unreported gel images of crude DNA and PCR results, and the complete cost analysis for all tested extraction procedures and in addition two commercial DNA extraction kits for soil and water.

Oxidation of ZrB2-SiC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Opila, Elizabeth J.; Halbig, Michael C.

2001-01-01

In this paper the oxidation behavior of ZrB2-20 vol% SiC is examined. Samples were exposed in stagnant air in a zirconia furnace (Deltech, Inc.) at temperatures of 1327, 1627, and 1927 C for ten ten-minute cycles. Samples were removed from the furnace after one, five, and ten cycles. Oxidized material was characterized by mass change when possible, x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Oxidation kinetics, oxide scale development, and matrix recession were monitored as a function of time and temperature. Oxidation and recession rates of ZrB2 - 20 vol% SiC were adequately modeled by parabolic kinetics. Oxidation rates of this material are rapid, allowing only very short-term application in air or other high oxygen partial pressure environments.

Automated high-throughput protein purification using an ÄKTApurifier and a CETAC autosampler.

PubMed

Yoo, Daniel; Provchy, Justin; Park, Cynthia; Schulz, Craig; Walker, Kenneth

2014-05-30

As the pace of drug discovery accelerates there is an increased focus on screening larger numbers of protein therapeutic candidates to identify those that are functionally superior and to assess manufacturability earlier in the process. Although there have been advances toward high throughput (HT) cloning and expression, protein purification is still an area where improvements can be made to conventional techniques. Current methodologies for purification often involve a tradeoff between HT automation or capacity and quality. We present an ÄKTA combined with an autosampler, the ÄKTA-AS, which has the capability of purifying up to 240 samples in two chromatographic dimensions without the need for user intervention. The ÄKTA-AS has been shown to be reliable with sample volumes between 0.5 mL and 100 mL, and the innovative use of a uniquely configured loading valve ensures reliability by efficiently removing air from the system as well as preventing sample cross contamination. Incorporation of a sample pump flush minimizes sample loss and enables recoveries ranging from the low tens of micrograms to milligram quantities of protein. In addition, when used in an affinity capture-buffer exchange format the final samples are formulated in a buffer compatible with most assays without requirement of additional downstream processing. The system is designed to capture samples in 96-well microplate format allowing for seamless integration of downstream HT analytic processes such as microfluidic or HPLC analysis. Most notably, there is minimal operator intervention to operate this system, thereby increasing efficiency, sample consistency and reducing the risk of human error. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The effect of B{sub 2}O{sub 3} flux on growth NLBCO superconductor by solid state reaction and wet-mixing methods

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

Suharta, W. G., E-mail: wgsuharta@gmail.com; Wendri, N.; Ratini, N.

The synthesis of B{sub 2}O{sub 3} flux substituted NLBCO superconductor NdBa{sub 1.75}La{sub 0.25}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7-∂} has been done using solid state reaction and wet-mixing methods in order to obtain homogeneous crystals and single phase. From DTA/TGA characteritations showed the synthesis process by wet-mixing requires a lower temperature than the solid state reaction in growing the superconductor NdBa{sub 1.75}La{sub 0.25}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7-∂}. Therefore, in this research NdBa{sub 1.75}La{sub 0.25}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7-∂} sample calcinated at 650°C for wet-mixing method and 820°C for solid state reaction methods. The all samples was sintered at 950°C for ten hours. Crystallinity of the sample was confirmedmore » using X-ray techniques and generally obtained sharp peaks that indicates the sample already well crystallized. Search match analyses for diffraction data gave weight fractions of impurity phase of the solid state reaction method higher than wet-mixing method. In this research showed decreasing the price of the lattice parameter about 1% with the addition of B{sub 2}O{sub 3} flux for the both synthesis process and 2% of wet mixing process for all samples. Characterization using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed the distribution of crystal zise for wet-mixing method more homogeneous than solid state reaction method, with he grain size of samples is around 150–250 nm. The results of vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) showed the paramagnetic properties for all samples.« less

Patient education process in teaching hospitals of Tehran University of Medical Sciences

PubMed Central

Seyedin, Hesam; Goharinezhad, Salime; Vatankhah, Soodabeh; Azmal, Mohammad

2015-01-01

Background: Patient education is widely recognized as a core component of nursing. Patient education can lead to quality outcomes including adherence, quality of life, patients' knowledge of their illness and self-management. This study aimed to clarify patient education process in teaching hospitals affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS) in Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2013. In this descriptive quantitative study, the sample covered 187 head nurses selected from ten teaching hospitals through convenience sampling. Data were collected with a questionnaire developed specifically for this study. The questionnaire measured patient education process in four dimensions: need assessment, planning, implementing and evaluating. Results: The overall mean score of patient education was 3.326±0.0524. Among the four dimensions of the patient education process, planning was in the highest level (3.570±0.0591) and the lowest score belonged to the evaluation of patient education (2.840 ±0.0628). Conclusion: Clarifying patient education steps, developing standardized framework and providing easily understandable tool-kit of the patient education program will improve the ability of nurses in delivering effective patient education in general and specialized hospitals. PMID:26478878

The transfer of learning process: From an elementary science methods course to classroom instruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carter, Nina Leann

The purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore the transfer of learning process in student teachers. This was carried out by focusing on information learned from an elementary science methods and how it was transferred into classroom instruction during student teaching. Participants were a purposeful sampling of twelve elementary education student teachers attending a public university in north Mississippi. Factors that impacted the transfer of learning during lesson planning and implementation were sought. The process of planning and implementing a ten-day science instructional unit during student teaching was examined through lesson plan documentation, in-depth individual interviews, and two focus group interviews. Narratives were created to describe the participants' experiences as well as how they plan for instruction and consider science pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). Categories and themes were then used to build explanations applying to the research questions. The themes identified were Understanding of Science PCK, Minimalism, Consistency in the Teacher Education Program, and Emphasis on Science Content. The data suggested that the participants lack in their understanding of science PCK, took a minimalistic approach to incorporating science into their ten-day instructional units, experienced inconsistencies in the teacher education program, and encountered a lack of emphasis on science content in their field experience placements. The themes assisted in recognizing areas in the elementary science methods courses, student teaching field placements, and university supervision in need of modification.

The Release of Elements from Dental Casting Alloy into Cell-Culture Medium and Artificial Saliva

PubMed Central

Can, Gülşen; Akpınar, Gül; Aydın, Ahmet

2007-01-01

Objectives The biocompatibility of dental casting alloys is a critical issue because these alloys are in long-term intimate contact with oral tissues. Since the biocompatibility of alloys is not completely known; the release of elements from the alloys has been studied. The aim of this study was to compare the elemental release from dental casting alloy during exposure to artificial saliva and cell-culture medium. Materials and Methods Twenty specimens made from Ni-Cr alloy were provided in the form of 5 mm diameter discs, 2 mm in thickness with a 7 mm stem attached to one face to facilitate handling. Ten of twenty samples were polished separately using a conventional technique. The remaining ten samples were left sandblasted with 50 μm Al203. Ten samples (5 polished, 5 sandblasted) were separately placed into cell-culture wells with Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle’s Medium. The other ten samples were placed separately into cell-culture wells with artificial saliva. The samples were subjected in contact with these medium for 30 days. These medium were collected every 7 days. The cell-culture medium and artificial saliva without alloy samples were subjected to elemental analyses as a control. At the end of the exposure time, Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS) was used to determine the release of elements from the alloys into all collected medium. Statistical analyses were assessed with two-way ANOVA. Results In general, the elemental release occurred with in all medium. The elemental releases of sandblasted alloys were higher than polished alloys. Artificial saliva was found to cause more release from the samples. In both media, Ni released from polished and sandblasted alloys were higher than Cr and Mo. Conlusions The results suggest that the release of elements from the alloys might have correlated with the environments and the surface of dental alloy. PMID:19212482

The release of elements from dental casting alloy into cell-culture medium and artificial saliva.

PubMed

Can, Gülşen; Akpınar, Gül; Aydın, Ahmet

2007-04-01

The biocompatibility of dental casting alloys is a critical issue because these alloys are in long-term intimate contact with oral tissues. Since the biocompatibility of alloys is not completely known; the release of elements from the alloys has been studied. The aim of this study was to compare the elemental release from dental casting alloy during exposure to artificial saliva and cell-culture medium. Twenty specimens made from Ni-Cr alloy were provided in the form of 5 mm diameter discs, 2 mm in thickness with a 7 mm stem attached to one face to facilitate handling. Ten of twenty samples were polished separately using a conventional technique. The remaining ten samples were left sandblasted with 50 mum Al(2)0(3). Ten samples (5 polished, 5 sandblasted) were separately placed into cell-culture wells with Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium. The other ten samples were placed separately into cell-culture wells with artificial saliva. The samples were subjected in contact with these medium for 30 days. These medium were collected every 7 days. The cell-culture medium and artificial saliva without alloy samples were subjected to elemental analyses as a control. At the end of the exposure time, Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS) was used to determine the release of elements from the alloys into all collected medium. Statistical analyses were assessed with two-way ANOVA. In general, the elemental release occurred with in all medium. The elemental releases of sandblasted alloys were higher than polished alloys. Artificial saliva was found to cause more release from the samples. In both media, Ni released from polished and sandblasted alloys were higher than Cr and Mo. The results suggest that the release of elements from the alloys might have correlated with the environments and the surface of dental alloy.

Health implications of radionuclide levels in cattle raised near U mining and milling facilities in Ambrosia Lake, New Mexico

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

Lapham, S.C.; Millard, J.B.; Samet, J.M.

1989-03-01

This study was conducted to determine radionuclide tissue levels in cattle raised near U mining and milling facilities. Ambrosia Lake, New Mexico, has been the site of extensive U mining for 30 y and contains several underground U mines, a processing mill, and two large U tailings piles. Ten cows were purchased from two grazing areas in Ambrosia Lake and ten control animals were purchased from Crownpoint, New Mexico. Muscle, liver, kidney, and bone tissue taken from these animals, and environmental samples, including water, grasses and soil collected from the animals' grazing areas, were analyzed for /sup 238/U, /sup 234/U,more » /sup 230/Th, /sup 226/Ra, /sup 210/Pb, and /sup 210/Po. Mean radionuclide levels in cattle tissue and environmental samples from Ambrosia Lake were higher in almost every comparison than those found in respective controls. Liver and kidney tissues were particularly elevated in /sup 226/Ra and /sup 210/Po. Radiation dose commitments from eating cattle tissue with these radionuclide concentrations were calculated. We concluded that the health risk to the public from eating exposed cattle is minimal, unless large amounts of this tissue, especially liver and kidney, are ingested.« less

Adsorption of Ten Microcystin Congeners to Common Laboratory-Ware Is Solvent and Surface Dependent.

PubMed

Altaner, Stefan; Puddick, Jonathan; Wood, Susanna A; Dietrich, Daniel R

2017-04-06

Cyanobacteria can produce heptapetides called microcystins (MC) which are harmful to humans due to their ability to inhibit cellular protein phosphatases. Quantitation of these toxins can be hampered by their adsorption to common laboratory-ware during sample processing and analysis. Because of their structural diversity (>100 congeners) and different physico-chemical properties, they vary in their adsorption to surfaces. In this study, the adsorption of ten different MC congeners (encompassing non-arginated to doubly-arginated congeners) to common laboratory-ware was assessed using different solvent combinations. Sample handling steps were mimicked with glass and polypropylene pipettes and vials with increasing methanol concentrations at two pH levels, before analysis by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. We demonstrated that MC adsorb to polypropylene surfaces irrespective of pH. After eight successive pipet actions using polypropylene tips ca. 20% of the MC were lost to the surface material, which increased to 25%-40% when solutions were acidified. The observed loss was alleviated by changing the methanol (MeOH) concentration in the final solvent. The required MeOH concentration varied depending on which congener was present. Microcystins only adsorbed to glass pipettes (loss up to 30% after eight pipet actions) when in acidified aqueous solutions. The latter appeared largely dependent on the presence of ionizable groups, such as arginine residues.

Transforming Mesoscopic (Bio)materials with Holographic Optical Tweezers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grier, David

2004-03-01

An optical tweezer uses the forces exerted by a strongly focused beam of light to trap and move objects ranging in size from tens of nanometers to tens of micrometers. Since their introduction in 1986, optical tweezers have become a mainstay of research in biology, physical chemistry, and soft condensed matter physics. This talk highlights recent advances made possible by new classes of optical traps created with computer-designed holograms, a technique we call holographic optical trapping. Holographic optical tweezers can trap hundreds of mesoscopic objects simultaneously and move them independently in three dimensions. Arrays of optical traps can be used to continuously sort heterogeneous samples into selected fractions, a process we call optical fractionation. The same holograms can transform optical traps into optical scalpels and scissors that photochemically transform mesoscopic samples with exquisite spatial resolution. They also can impose arbitrary phase profiles onto the trapping beams, thereby creating optical vortices and related optical machines capable of actuating MEMS devices and driving mesoscale pumps and mixers. These new applications for laser light promise to take optical tweezers out of the laboratory and into real-world applications including manufacturing, diagnostics, and even consumer products. The unprecedented access to the mesoscopic world provided by holographic optical tweezers also offers revolutionary new opportunities for fundamental and applied research.

Implementation of an evaporative oxidation process for treatment of aqueous mixed wastes

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

Bounini, L.; Stelmach, J.

1995-12-31

The US Department of Energy and Rust Geotech conducted treatability tests for mixed wastes with a pilot-scale evaporative oxidation unit known as the mini-PO*WW*ER unit. In the evaporative oxidation process, water and volatile organic compounds are vaporized and passed through a catalytic oxidizer to destroy the organic compounds. Nonvolatiles are concentrated into a brine that may be solidified. Ten experiment runs were made. The oxidation of the unit was calculated using total organic carbon analyses of feed and composite product condensate samples. These data indicate that the technology is capable of achieving oxidation efficiencies as high as 99.999 percent onmore » mixed wastes when the bed temperature is near 600 C, residence times are about 0.2 seconds, and adequate oxygen flow is maintained. Concentrations of the tested volatile organic compounds in the product-condensate composite samples were well below standards for wastewaters. Combined gross alpha and beta radioactivity levels in the samples were below detection limites of 12.5 pico-Cu/l, so the liquid would not qualify as a radioactive waste. Thus, the product condensate process by the process is not restricted as either hazardous or mixed waste and is suitable for direct disposal. The brines produced were not considered mixed waste and could be handled and disposed of as radioactive waste.« less

The composition of cell walls from grape skin in Vitis vinifera intraspecific hybrids.

PubMed

Apolinar-Valiente, Rafael; Gómez-Plaza, Encarna; Terrier, Nancy; Doco, Thierry; Ros-García, José María

2017-09-01

Monastrell is a red grape cultivar adapted to the dry environmental conditions of Murcia, SE Spain. Its berries seem to be characterized by a rigid cell wall structure, which could make difficult the winemaking process. Cabernet Sauvignon cultivar is used to complement Monastrell wines in this region owing to its high phenolic content with high extractability. This study explores the skin cell wall composition of grapes from plants resulting from intraspecific crosses of Vitis vinifera cultivars Monastrell × Cabernet Sauvignon. Moreover, the morphology of the cell wall material (CWM) from some representative samples was visualized by transmission optical microscopy. The total sugar content of CWM from nine out of ten genotypes of the progeny was lower than that from Monastrell. Seven out of ten genotypes showed lower phenolic content than Cabernet Sauvignon. The CWM from nine out of ten hybrids presented lower protein content than that from Monastrell. This study confirms that skin cell walls from Monastrell × Cabernet Sauvignon hybrid grapes presented major differences in composition compared with their parents. These data could help in the development of new cultivars adapted to the dry conditions of SE Spain and with a cell wall composition favouring extractability. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Stochastic, adaptive sampling of information by microvilli in fly photoreceptors.

PubMed

Song, Zhuoyi; Postma, Marten; Billings, Stephen A; Coca, Daniel; Hardie, Roger C; Juusola, Mikko

2012-08-07

In fly photoreceptors, light is focused onto a photosensitive waveguide, the rhabdomere, consisting of tens of thousands of microvilli. Each microvillus is capable of generating elementary responses, quantum bumps, in response to single photons using a stochastically operating phototransduction cascade. Whereas much is known about the cascade reactions, less is known about how the concerted action of the microvilli population encodes light changes into neural information and how the ultrastructure and biochemical machinery of photoreceptors of flies and other insects evolved in relation to the information sampling and processing they perform. We generated biophysically realistic fly photoreceptor models, which accurately simulate the encoding of visual information. By comparing stochastic simulations with single cell recordings from Drosophila photoreceptors, we show how adaptive sampling by 30,000 microvilli captures the temporal structure of natural contrast changes. Following each bump, individual microvilli are rendered briefly (~100-200 ms) refractory, thereby reducing quantum efficiency with increasing intensity. The refractory period opposes saturation, dynamically and stochastically adjusting availability of microvilli (bump production rate: sample rate), whereas intracellular calcium and voltage adapt bump amplitude and waveform (sample size). These adapting sampling principles result in robust encoding of natural light changes, which both approximates perceptual contrast constancy and enhances novel events under different light conditions, and predict information processing across a range of species with different visual ecologies. These results clarify why fly photoreceptors are structured the way they are and function as they do, linking sensory information to sensory evolution and revealing benefits of stochasticity for neural information processing. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stochastic, Adaptive Sampling of Information by Microvilli in Fly Photoreceptors

PubMed Central

Song, Zhuoyi; Postma, Marten; Billings, Stephen A.; Coca, Daniel; Hardie, Roger C.; Juusola, Mikko

2012-01-01

Summary Background In fly photoreceptors, light is focused onto a photosensitive waveguide, the rhabdomere, consisting of tens of thousands of microvilli. Each microvillus is capable of generating elementary responses, quantum bumps, in response to single photons using a stochastically operating phototransduction cascade. Whereas much is known about the cascade reactions, less is known about how the concerted action of the microvilli population encodes light changes into neural information and how the ultrastructure and biochemical machinery of photoreceptors of flies and other insects evolved in relation to the information sampling and processing they perform. Results We generated biophysically realistic fly photoreceptor models, which accurately simulate the encoding of visual information. By comparing stochastic simulations with single cell recordings from Drosophila photoreceptors, we show how adaptive sampling by 30,000 microvilli captures the temporal structure of natural contrast changes. Following each bump, individual microvilli are rendered briefly (∼100–200 ms) refractory, thereby reducing quantum efficiency with increasing intensity. The refractory period opposes saturation, dynamically and stochastically adjusting availability of microvilli (bump production rate: sample rate), whereas intracellular calcium and voltage adapt bump amplitude and waveform (sample size). These adapting sampling principles result in robust encoding of natural light changes, which both approximates perceptual contrast constancy and enhances novel events under different light conditions, and predict information processing across a range of species with different visual ecologies. Conclusions These results clarify why fly photoreceptors are structured the way they are and function as they do, linking sensory information to sensory evolution and revealing benefits of stochasticity for neural information processing. PMID:22704990

Evaluation of Alternaria mycotoxins in strawberries: quantification and storage condition.

PubMed

Juan, Cristina; Oueslati, Souheib; Mañes, Jordi

2016-05-01

Alternariol (AOH), alternariol methyl ether (AME) and tentoxin (TEN) are Alternaria mycotoxins produced by the most common post-harvest pathogens of fruits. The production of these metabolites depends on several environmental factors, mainly temperature, water activity, pH and the technological treatments that have been applied to the product. In this study, the occurrence of AOH, AME and TEN was evaluated in strawberries samples stored at different temperatures ranges (at 22 ± 2 or 6 ± 2°C) and different periods (up to 1 month) simulating the current practice of consumer's storage conditions. Sample extraction was performed using a liquid-liquid extraction method prior to LC-MS/MS analysis. AOH was the most prevalent mycotoxins with a 42% at strawberries stored at (22 ± 2)°C and 37% stored at (6 ± 2)°C. The highest AOH levels were found in samples conserved at (22 ± 2)°C ranging between 26 and 752 ng g(-1). AME levels ranged between 11 and 137 ng g(-)(1), which were found mainly in stored samples at (6 ± 2)°C for more than 28 days. None sample presented levels of TEN in either of the studied conditions.

Effects of PEF and heat pasteurization on PME activity in orange juice with regard to a new inactivation kinetic model.

PubMed

Agcam, E; Akyıldız, A; Evrendilek, G Akdemir

2014-12-15

The inactivation kinetics of pectin methyl esterase (PME) during the shelf life (4°C-180 days) of freshly squeezed orange juice samples processed by both pulsed electric fields (PEF) and heat pasteurization (HP) was evaluated in the study. The PME inactivation level after the PEF (25.26 kV/cm-1206.2 μs) and HP (90°C-20s) treatments were 93.8% and 95.2%, respectively. The PME activity of PEF-processed samples decreased or did not change, while that of HP samples increased during storage (p<0.01). A kinetic model was developed expressing PME inactivation as a function of the PEF treatment conditions, and this enabled the estimation of the reaction rate constant (587.8-2375.4s(-1)), and the time required for a 90% reduction (De, 3917.7-969.5s). Quantification of the increase in PEF energy to ensure a ten-fold reduction in De (ze, 63.7 J), activation electric fields (-921.2 kV cm(-1)mol(-1)), and electrical activation energy (12.9 kJ mol(-1)) was also carried out. Consequently, PEF processing was very effective for the inactivation of PME and for providing stability of orange juice during storage. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation on rats with the third lumbar vertebrae transverse process syndrome.

PubMed

Li, Huan; Shang, Xiao-Jun; Dong, Qi-Rong

2015-10-01

To investigate the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) at local or distant acupuncture points in a rat model of the third lumbar vertebrae transverse process syndrome. Forty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into control, model, model plus local acupuncture point stimulation at BL23 (model+LAS) and model plus distant acupuncture point stimulation at ST36 (model+DAS) groups. All rats except controls underwent surgical third lumbar vertebrae transverse process syndrome modelling on day 2. Thereafter, rats in the model+LAS and model+DAS groups were treated daily with TENS for a total of six treatments (2/100 Hz, 30 min/day) from day 16 to day 29. Thermal pain thresholds were measured once a week during treatment and were continued until day 57, when local muscle tissue was sampled for RT-PCR and histopathological examination after haematoxylin and eosin staining. mRNA expression of interleukin-1 β (IL-1β), tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) was determined. Thermal pain thresholds of all model rats decreased relative to the control group. Both LAS and DAS significantly increased the thermal pain threshold at all but one point during the treatment period. Histopathological assessment revealed that the local muscle tissues around the third lumbar vertebrae transverse process recovered to some degree in both the model+LAS and model+DAS groups; however, LAS appeared to have a greater effect. mRNA expression of IL-1β, TNF-α and iNOS in the local muscle tissues was increased after modelling and attenuated in both model+LAS and model+DAS groups. The beneficial effect was greater after LAS than after DAS. TENS at both local (BL23) and distant (ST36) acupuncture points had a pain-relieving effect in rats with the third lumbar vertebrae transverse process syndrome, and LAS appeared to have greater anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects than DAS. 09073. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Homogeneous nucleation and microstructure evolution in million-atom molecular dynamics simulation

PubMed Central

Shibuta, Yasushi; Oguchi, Kanae; Takaki, Tomohiro; Ohno, Munekazu

2015-01-01

Homogeneous nucleation from an undercooled iron melt is investigated by the statistical sampling of million-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations performed on a graphics processing unit (GPU). Fifty independent instances of isothermal MD calculations with one million atoms in a quasi-two-dimensional cell over a nanosecond reveal that the nucleation rate and the incubation time of nucleation as functions of temperature have characteristic shapes with a nose at the critical temperature. This indicates that thermally activated homogeneous nucleation occurs spontaneously in MD simulations without any inducing factor, whereas most previous studies have employed factors such as pressure, surface effect, and continuous cooling to induce nucleation. Moreover, further calculations over ten nanoseconds capture the microstructure evolution on the order of tens of nanometers from the atomistic viewpoint and the grain growth exponent is directly estimated. Our novel approach based on the concept of “melting pots in a supercomputer” is opening a new phase in computational metallurgy with the aid of rapid advances in computational environments. PMID:26311304

Analysis of the essential oil components from different Carum copticum L. samples from Iran.

PubMed

Zarshenas, Mohammad M; Samani, Soliman Mohammadi; Petramfar, Peyman; Moein, Mahmoodreza

2014-01-01

The family Apiaceae is defined with the diversity of essential oil. Fruits of Ajwain (Carum copticum), a famous herb of Apiaceae, accumulate up to 5% essential oil which is remarked as important natural product for food and flavoring industry, as well as pharmacological approaches. It is believed that differences in essential oil profile in a certain plant are resulted from various cultivation situations and locations, time of cultivation and also different extracting method. Present study aimed to evaluate major components of ten different collected Ajwain samples from random cultivation locations of Iran. Samples were individually subjected to hydrodistillation using a Clevenger-type apparatus for the extraction of essential oil. GC/MS analysis for samples was carried out using Agilent technologies model 7890A gas chromatograph with a mass detector. The yield of extracted essential oil was calculated as 2.2 to 4.8% (v/w) for ten samples. Major oil components were thymol, para-cymene and gamma-terpinene. Five of ten samples have thymol as the main component with amount of 35.04 to 63.31%. On the other hand, for four samples, para-cymene was major with amount of 40.20 to 57.31% and one sample had gamma-terpinene as main constituent containing 37.43% of total oil. Accordingly, three different chemotypes, thymol, para-cymene and gamma-terpinene can be speculated from collected samples. While these components possess pharmacological effect, screening of different chemotypes not only represent the effect of cultivation situations and locations but also can be beneficial in further investigation.

Effects of detention on water quality of two stormwater detention ponds receiving highway surface runoff in Jacksonville, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hampson, P.S.

1986-01-01

Water and sediment samples were analyzed for major chemical constituents, nutrients, and heavy metals following ten storm events at two stormwater detention ponds that receive highway surface runoff in the Jacksonville, Florida, metropolitan area. The purpose of the sampling program was to detect changes in constituent concentration with time of detention within the pond system. Statistical inference of a relation with total rainfall was found in the initial concentrations of 11 constituents and with antecedent dry period for the initial concentrations of 3 constituents. Based on graphical examination and factor analysis , constituent behavior with time could be grouped into five relatively independent processes for one of the ponds. The processes were (1) interaction with shallow groundwater systems, (2) solubilization of bottom materials, (3) nutrient uptake, (4) seasonal changes in precipitation, and (5) sedimentation. Most of the observed water-quality changes in the ponds were virtually complete within 3 days following the storm event. (Author 's abstract)

The Australian longitudinal study on male health sampling design and survey weighting: implications for analysis and interpretation of clustered data.

PubMed

Spittal, Matthew J; Carlin, John B; Currier, Dianne; Downes, Marnie; English, Dallas R; Gordon, Ian; Pirkis, Jane; Gurrin, Lyle

2016-10-31

The Australian Longitudinal Study on Male Health (Ten to Men) used a complex sampling scheme to identify potential participants for the baseline survey. This raises important questions about when and how to adjust for the sampling design when analyzing data from the baseline survey. We describe the sampling scheme used in Ten to Men focusing on four important elements: stratification, multi-stage sampling, clustering and sample weights. We discuss how these elements fit together when using baseline data to estimate a population parameter (e.g., population mean or prevalence) or to estimate the association between an exposure and an outcome (e.g., an odds ratio). We illustrate this with examples using a continuous outcome (weight in kilograms) and a binary outcome (smoking status). Estimates of a population mean or disease prevalence using Ten to Men baseline data are influenced by the extent to which the sampling design is addressed in an analysis. Estimates of mean weight and smoking prevalence are larger in unweighted analyses than weighted analyses (e.g., mean = 83.9 kg vs. 81.4 kg; prevalence = 18.0 % vs. 16.7 %, for unweighted and weighted analyses respectively) and the standard error of the mean is 1.03 times larger in an analysis that acknowledges the hierarchical (clustered) structure of the data compared with one that does not. For smoking prevalence, the corresponding standard error is 1.07 times larger. Measures of association (mean group differences, odds ratios) are generally similar in unweighted or weighted analyses and whether or not adjustment is made for clustering. The extent to which the Ten to Men sampling design is accounted for in any analysis of the baseline data will depend on the research question. When the goals of the analysis are to estimate the prevalence of a disease or risk factor in the population or the magnitude of a population-level exposure-outcome association, our advice is to adopt an analysis that respects the sampling design.

A pilot study on using acupuncture and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation to treat chronic non-specific low back pain.

PubMed

Itoh, Kazunori; Itoh, Satoko; Katsumi, Yasukazu; Kitakoji, Hiroshi

2009-02-01

The present study tests whether a combined treatment of acupuncture and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is more effective than acupuncture or TENS alone for treating chronic low back pain (LBP). Thirty-two patients with chronic LBP were randomly allocated to four groups. The acupuncture group (ACP) received only acupuncture treatment at selected acupoints for low back pain; the TENS group (TENS) received only TENS treatment at pain areas; the acupuncture and TENS group (A&T) received both acupuncture and TENS treatments; the control group (CT) received topical poultice (only when necessary). Each group received specific weekly treatment five times during the study. Outcome measures were pain intensity in terms of visual analogue scale (VAS) and QOL of low back in terms of Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RDQ). The ACP, TENS and A&T groups all reported lower VAS and RDQ scores. Significant reduction in pain intensity (P<0.008) and significant improvement in QOL (P<0.008) were shown in the A&T group. Combined acupuncture and TENS treatment is effective in pain relief and QOL of low back improvement for the sampled patients suffering from chronic LBP.

Huangshan population of Chinese Zacco platypus (Teleostei, Cyprinidae) harbors diverse matrilines and high genetic diversity.

PubMed

Zheng, Xin; Zhou, Tian-Qi; Wan, Tao; Perdices, Anabel; Yang, Jin-Quan; Tang, Xin-Sheng; Wang, Zheng-Ping; Huang, Li-Qun; Huang, Song; He, Shun-Ping

2016-03-18

Six main mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) lineages have been described in minnow (Zacco platypus) samples obtained from northern, western and southern China. Perdices et al. (2004) predicted that further sampling of other tributaries might discover more lineages of this species. In this study, we collected 26 Zacco platypus individuals in the Huangshan area of eastern China and determined the cytochrome b (cytb) sequence variations. Combined with reported data in GenBank, we identified ten matrilines (Zacco A-J) in a total of 169 samples, with relatively high molecular divergence found among them. The Huangshan population had the greatest genetic variation among all sampled regions and hosted six of the ten matrilines. Our results highlight the significance of the Huangshan area for the conservation of Zacco platypus.

Establishment and operation of the National Accident Sampling System (NASS) team within the cities of Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood, Florida

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beddow, B.; Roberts, C.; Rankin, J.; Bloch, A.; Peizer, J.

1981-01-01

The National Accident Sampling System (NASS) is described. The study area discussed is one of the original ten sites selected for NASS implementation. In addition to collecting data from the field, the original ten sites address questions of feasibility of the plan, projected results of the data collection effort, and specific operational topics, e.g., team size, sampling requirements, training approaches, quality control procedures, and field techniques. Activities and results of the first three years of the project, for both major tasks (establishment and operation) are addressed. Topics include: study area documentation; team description, function and activities; problems and solutions; and recommendations.

The evolution of the quasar continuum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Elvis, M.

1992-01-01

We now have in hand a large data base of Roentgen Satellite (ROSAT), optical, and IR complementary data. We are in the process of obtaining a large amount of the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) data for the same quasar sample. For our complementary sample at high redshifts, where the UV was redshifted into the optical, we have just had approved large amounts of observing time to cover the quasar continuum in the near-IR using the new Near-Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS) array spectrographs. Ten micron, optical, and VLA radio, data also have approved time. An ISO US key program was approved to extend this work into the far-IR, and the launch of ASTRO-D (early in 1993) promises to extend it to higher energy X-rays.

Time to stabilization in single leg drop jump landings: an examination of calculation methods and assessment of differences in sample rate, filter settings and trial length on outcome values.

PubMed

Fransz, Duncan P; Huurnink, Arnold; de Boode, Vosse A; Kingma, Idsart; van Dieën, Jaap H

2015-01-01

Time to stabilization (TTS) is the time it takes for an individual to return to a baseline or stable state following a jump or hop landing. A large variety exists in methods to calculate the TTS. These methods can be described based on four aspects: (1) the input signal used (vertical, anteroposterior, or mediolateral ground reaction force) (2) signal processing (smoothed by sequential averaging, a moving root-mean-square window, or fitting an unbounded third order polynomial), (3) the stable state (threshold), and (4) the definition of when the (processed) signal is considered stable. Furthermore, differences exist with regard to the sample rate, filter settings and trial length. Twenty-five healthy volunteers performed ten 'single leg drop jump landing' trials. For each trial, TTS was calculated according to 18 previously reported methods. Additionally, the effects of sample rate (1000, 500, 200 and 100 samples/s), filter settings (no filter, 40, 15 and 10 Hz), and trial length (20, 14, 10, 7, 5 and 3s) were assessed. The TTS values varied considerably across the calculation methods. The maximum effect of alterations in the processing settings, averaged over calculation methods, were 2.8% (SD 3.3%) for sample rate, 8.8% (SD 7.7%) for filter settings, and 100.5% (SD 100.9%) for trial length. Differences in TTS calculation methods are affected differently by sample rate, filter settings and trial length. The effects of differences in sample rate and filter settings are generally small, while trial length has a large effect on TTS values. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sticky trap and stem-tap sampling protocols for the Asian citrus psyllid (Hemiptera: Psyllidae)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Sampling statistics were obtained to develop a sampling protocol for estimating numbers of adult Diaphorina citri in citrus using two different sampling methods: yellow sticky traps and stem–tap samples. A 4.0 ha block of mature orange trees was stratified into ten 0.4 ha strata and sampled using...

"It Is Not Easy": Challenges for Provider-Initiated HIV Testing and Counseling in Flanders, Belgium

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manirankunda, Lazare; Loos, Jasna; Debackaere, Pieterjan; Nostlinger, Christiana

2012-01-01

This study identified physicians' HIV testing practices and their barriers toward implementing provider-initiated HIV testing and counseling (PITC) for Sub-Saharan African migrants (SAM) in Flanders, Belgium. In-depth interviews were conducted on a purposive sample of 20 physicians (ten GPs and ten internists). GPs performed mainly…

Vitamin D and sterol composition of ten types of mushrooms from retail suppliers in the United States

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Vitamin D, ergosterol, ergosterol metabolites, and phytosterols were analyzed in ten mushroom types sampled nationwide in the U.S. to update the USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference. Sterols were analyzed by GC-FID with mass spectrometric confirmation of components. Vitamin D was assayed ...

Ten Indicators of Vitality in Smaller Academic Libraries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pappas, David

2009-01-01

This paper provides a means of quickly ascertaining the relative health of smaller academic libraries by presenting a top ten list of vitality indicators. The list is based on an observational convenience sampling of thirty smaller academic libraries across the United States. The indicators making the list were those which appeared most often in…

[Simultaneous determination of ten benzotriazole ultraviolet stabilizers in food contact plastic materials by solid phase extraction and ultra performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry].

PubMed

Gou, Xinlei; Zhao, Xinying; Chi, Haitao; Gao, Xia; Zhou, Mingqiang; Liu, Weili

2015-06-01

A sensitive method was developed for the simultaneous determination of ten benzotriazole ultraviolet stabilizers in food contact plastic materials by ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). The sample was extracted by methanol-dichloromethane, and purified by a C18 solid-phase extraction (SPE) column. The separation was performed by using water containing 0. 1% (v/v) formic acid and methanol as the mobile phases with gradient elution at a flow rate of 0. 3 mL/min. The electrospray ionization (ESI) source in positive ion mode was used for the analysis of the ten benzotriazole ultraviolet stabilizers in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. The results showed that the standard curves were obtained with good correlation coefficients (r2 > 0.996) in their linear concentration ranges. The limits of detection (LODs, S/N = 3) for the ten benzotriazole ultraviolet stabilizers were in the range of 0.6-1.6 µg/kg. The mean recoveries for the ten benzotriazole ultraviolet stabilizers at three spiked levels (low, medium and high) were 75.2%-85.3% with relative standard deviations of 1.0%-5.7%. Ten kinds of food contact plastic materials were tested, and 2,2'-methylenebis (6-(benzotriazol-2-yl)-4-tert-octylphenol) (UV-360) was found in a sample of polyethylene (PE) material. The method is accurate, simple, rapid and feasible for the simultaneous determination of benzotriazole ultraviolet stabilizers in food plastic materials.

Intratumoral histologic heterogeneity of gliomas. A quantitative study.

PubMed

Paulus, W; Peiffer, J

1989-07-15

Quantitative data for intratumoral histologic heterogeneity were obtained by investigating ten small and ten large punched samples from 50 unembedded supratentorial gliomas. The 1000 samples were diagnosed according to the World Health Organization (WHO) classification and six histopathologic features associated with malignancy were evaluated (cellular density, nuclear pleomorphism, necroses, histologic architecture, vessels, and mitoses), each with defined gradations. The slides were read independently by two observers. The initially high interobserver variability (grade, 22.2%; type, 10.3%; and tumor presence/absence, 7.1%) was for the most part due to intermediate grades and types and was reduced to 1.7% after mutual review. Small samples showed lower mean grade than large samples and more often absence of tumor (7.6% versus 2.4%). Of all gliomas, 48% showed differently typed samples, 82% differently graded samples, and 62% benign and malignant grades. Intratumoral heterogeneity was higher for the necroses than for the other histopathologic features. Our results underscore the importance of extensive tissue sampling.

Detecting brain tumor in pathological slides using hyperspectral imaging

PubMed Central

Ortega, Samuel; Fabelo, Himar; Camacho, Rafael; de la Luz Plaza, María; Callicó, Gustavo M.; Sarmiento, Roberto

2018-01-01

Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) is an emerging technology for medical diagnosis. This research work presents a proof-of-concept on the use of HSI data to automatically detect human brain tumor tissue in pathological slides. The samples, consisting of hyperspectral cubes collected from 400 nm to 1000 nm, were acquired from ten different patients diagnosed with high-grade glioma. Based on the diagnosis provided by pathologists, a spectral library of normal and tumor tissues was created and processed using three different supervised classification algorithms. Results prove that HSI is a suitable technique to automatically detect high-grade tumors from pathological slides. PMID:29552415

Detecting brain tumor in pathological slides using hyperspectral imaging.

PubMed

Ortega, Samuel; Fabelo, Himar; Camacho, Rafael; de la Luz Plaza, María; Callicó, Gustavo M; Sarmiento, Roberto

2018-02-01

Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) is an emerging technology for medical diagnosis. This research work presents a proof-of-concept on the use of HSI data to automatically detect human brain tumor tissue in pathological slides. The samples, consisting of hyperspectral cubes collected from 400 nm to 1000 nm, were acquired from ten different patients diagnosed with high-grade glioma. Based on the diagnosis provided by pathologists, a spectral library of normal and tumor tissues was created and processed using three different supervised classification algorithms. Results prove that HSI is a suitable technique to automatically detect high-grade tumors from pathological slides.

Incidence of Salmonella contamination in broiler chickens in Saskatchewan.

PubMed

Bhargava, K K; O'Neil, J B; Prior, M G; Dunkelgod, K E

1983-01-01

The incidence of Salmonella contamination in ten Saskatchewan broiler flocks varying in size from 6 200 to 14 000 was investigated from February, 1977 to April, 1979. Prior to the initial chick placement, brooding equipment, feed, water and fresh litter samples were found to be free of Salmonellae. Samples obtained from the clean and disinfected processing plant equipment before the commencement of daily operation were negative except the isolation for Salmonella anatum from the fingers of the defeathering machine in flock 4. There was no evidence of Salmonella contamination in flocks 5, 6, 8 and 10. The incidence of Salmonella was lower when cloacal swabs were taken from day old chicks fasted for 48 hours than for the same groups of chicks when carcasses were blended in nutrient broth (flocks 7 and 9). The blending of such chicks appears to be a more critical test. The serotypes isolated from eviscerated birds were the same as those isolated from used litter samples. Salmonella saintpaul was isolated from a water sample at 53 days in flock 1 and the same serotype was recovered from the intestinal contents and skin of eviscerated birds. Salmonella typhimurium was recovered from the eviscerated birds and neck samples in flock 3. In flock 4, S. saintpaul and S. anatum were isolated from 13% of the eviscerated birds sampled. Salmonella thompson, Salmonella agona and Salmonella heidelberg were recovered from 61%, 5% and 1%, respectively, of the processed carcasses sampled in flock 7.

Incidence of Salmonella Contamination in Broiler Chickens in Saskatchewan

PubMed Central

Bhargava, K.K.; O'Neil, J.B.; Prior, M.G.; Dunkelgod, K.E.

1983-01-01

The incidence of Salmonella contamination in ten Saskatchewan broiler flocks varying in size from 6 200 to 14 000 was investigated from February, 1977 to April, 1979. Prior to the initial chick placement, brooding equipment, feed, water and fresh litter samples were found to be free of Salmonellae. Samples obtained from the clean and disinfected processing plant equipment before the commencement of daily operation were negative except the isolation for Salmonella anatum from the fingers of the defeathering machine in flock 4. There was no evidence of Salmonella contamination in flocks 5, 6, 8 and 10. The incidence of Salmonella was lower when cloacal swabs were taken from day old chicks fasted for 48 hours than for the same groups of chicks when carcasses were blended in nutrient broth (flocks 7 and 9). The blending of such chicks appears to be a more critical test. The serotypes isolated from eviscerated birds were the same as those isolated from used litter samples. Salmonella saintpaul was isolated from a water sample at 53 days in flock 1 and the same serotype was recovered from the intestinal contents and skin of eviscerated birds. Salmonella typhimurium was recovered from the eviscerated birds and neck samples in flock 3. In flock 4, S. saintpaul and S. anatum were isolated from 13% of the eviscerated birds sampled. Salmonella thompson, Salmonella agona and Salmonella heidelberg were recovered from 61%, 5% and 1%, respectively, of the processed carcasses sampled in flock 7. PMID:6831304

Field Immune Assessment during Simulated Planetary Exploration in the Canadian Arctic

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crucian, Brian; Lee, Pascal; Stowe, Raymond; Jones, Jeff; Effenhauser, Rainer; Widen, Raymond; Sams, Clarence

2006-01-01

Dysregulation of the immune system has been shown to occur during space flight, although the detailed nature of the phenomenon and the clinical risks for exploration class missions has yet to be established. In addition, the growing clinical significance of immune system evaluation combined with epidemic infectious disease rates in third world countries provides a strong rationale for the development of field-compatible clinical immunology techniques and equipment. In July 2002 NASA performed a comprehensive field immunology assessment on crewmembers participating in the Haughton-Mars Project (HMP) on Devon Island in the high Canadian Arctic. The purpose of the study was to evaluate mission-associated effects on the human immune system, as well as to evaluate techniques developed for processing immune samples in remote field locations. Ten HMP-2002 participants volunteered for the study. A field protocol was developed at NASA-JSC for performing sample collection, blood staining/processing for immunophenotype analysis, wholeblood mitogenic culture for functional assessments and cell-sample preservation on-location at Devon Island. Specific assays included peripheral leukocyte distribution; constitutively activated T cells, intracellular cytokine profiles and plasma EBV viral antibody levels. Study timepoints were L-30, midmission and R+60. The protocol developed for immune sample processing in remote field locations functioned properly. Samples were processed in the field location, and stabilized for subsequent analysis at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. The data indicated that some phenotype, immune function and stress hormone changes occurred in the HMP field participants that were largely distinct from pre-mission baseline and post-mission recovery data. These immune changes appear similar to those observed in Astronauts following spaceflight. The sample processing protocol developed for this study may have applications for immune assessment during exploration-class space missions or in remote terrestrial field locations. The data validate the use of the HMP as a ground-based spaceflight/planetary exploration analog for some aspects of human physiology.

The influence of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation parameters on the level of pain perceived by participants with painful diabetic neuropathy: A crossover study.

PubMed

Upton, Gabrielle A; Tinley, Paul; Al-Aubaidy, Hayder; Crawford, Rachel

This pilot study aimed to investigate and compare the perceived pain relief effectiveness of two different modes of TENS in people with painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN). A cross-over study was conducted at Charles Sturt University, Orange. Five participants with PDN were assessed with a McGill Pain Questionnaire before and after each of the two TENS treatments. Participants were randomly allocated to Traditional TENS (80Hz, 200ms) or Acupuncture-like TENS (2Hz, 200ms) and the treatments were applied daily for 30min over ten days. Following a seven day washout period, the alternate mode of TENS was carried out using the same method. Wilcoxon Signed Rank tests were used to statistically analyse the results. All five participants reported personally meaningful pain relief during one or both of the TENS treatments. The Wilcoxon signed rank testing showed no statistical significance, p=1, likely due to the small sample size. Acupuncture-like TENS had a large effect size (z=-1.625, r=0.514), whilst Traditional TENS produced a medium effect size (z=-1.214, r=0.384). No adverse effects were reported. Acupuncture-like TENS may be more effective for PDN than traditional TENS. A larger scale replication of this pilot study is warranted. Copyright © 2016 Diabetes India. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

32 CFR 1803.21 - Receipt, recording, and tasking.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... tasking. The Information and Privacy Coordinator shall within ten (10) days record each mandatory.... Additional taskings, as required during the review process, shall be accomplished within ten (10) days of...

32 CFR 1908.21 - Receipt, recording, and tasking.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Information and Privacy Coordinator shall within ten (10) days record each mandatory declassification review... taskings, as required during the review process, shall be accomplished within ten (10) days of notification. ...

The Use of the Visualisation of Multidimensional Data Using PCA to Evaluate Possibilities of the Division of Coal Samples Space Due to their Suitability for Fluidised Gasification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jamróz, Dariusz; Niedoba, Tomasz; Surowiak, Agnieszka; Tumidajski, Tadeusz

2016-09-01

Methods serving to visualise multidimensional data through the transformation of multidimensional space into two-dimensional space, enable to present the multidimensional data on the computer screen. Thanks to this, qualitative analysis of this data can be performed in the most natural way for humans, through the sense of sight. An example of such a method of multidimensional data visualisation is PCA (principal component analysis) method. This method was used in this work to present and analyse a set of seven-dimensional data (selected seven properties) describing coal samples obtained from Janina and Wieczorek coal mines. Coal from these mines was previously subjected to separation by means of a laboratory ring jig, consisting of ten rings. With 5 layers of both types of coal (with 2 rings each) were obtained in this way. It was decided to check if the method of multidimensional data visualisation enables to divide the space of such divided samples into areas with different suitability for the fluidised gasification process. To that end, the card of technological suitability of coal was used (Sobolewski et al., 2012; 2013), in which key, relevant and additional parameters, having effect on the gasification process, were described. As a result of analyses, it was stated that effective determination of coal samples suitability for the on-surface gasification process in a fluidised reactor is possible. The PCA method enables the visualisation of the optimal subspace containing the set requirements concerning the properties of coals intended for this process.

An evaluation of direct PCR amplification

PubMed Central

Hall, Daniel E.; Roy, Reena

2014-01-01

Aim To generate complete DNA profiles from blood and saliva samples deposited on FTA® and non-FTA® paper substrates following a direct amplification protocol. Methods Saliva samples from living donors and blood samples from deceased individuals were deposited on ten different FTA® and non-FTA® substrates. These ten paper substrates containing body fluids were kept at room temperature for varying lengths of time ranging from one day to approximately one year. For all assays in this research, 1.2 mm punches were collected from each substrate containing one type of body fluid and amplified with reagents provided in the nine commercial polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification kits. The substrates were not subjected to purification reagent or extraction buffer prior to amplification. Results Success rates were calculated for all nine amplification kits and all ten substrates based on their ability to yield complete DNA profiles following a direct amplification protocol. Six out of the nine amplification kits, and four out of the ten paper substrates had the highest success rates overall. Conclusion The data show that it is possible to generate complete DNA profiles following a direct amplification protocol using both standard (non-direct) and direct PCR amplification kits. The generation of complete DNA profiles appears to depend more on the success of the amplification kit rather than the than the FTA®- or non-FTA®-based substrates. PMID:25559837

A Statewide Quality Improvement Collaborative to Increase Breastfeeding Rates in Tennessee.

PubMed

Ware, Julie L; Schetzina, Karen E; Morad, Anna; Barker, Brenda; Scott, Theresa A; Grubb, Peter H

2018-05-01

Tennessee has low breastfeeding rates and has identified opportunities for improvement to enhance maternity practices to support breastfeeding mothers. We sought a 10% relative increase in the aggregate Joint Commission measure of breastfeeding exclusivity at discharge (TJC PC-05) by focusing on high-reliability (≥90%) implementation of processes that promote breastfeeding in the delivery setting. A statewide, multidisciplinary development team reviewed evidence from the WHO-UNICEF "Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding" to create a consensus toolkit of process indicators aligned with the Ten Steps. Hospitals submitted monthly TJC PC-05 data for 6 months while studying local implementation of the Ten Steps to identify improvement opportunities, and for an additional 11 months while conducting tests of change to improve Ten Steps implementation using Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles, local process audits, and control charts. Data were aggregated at the state level and presented at 12 monthly webinars, 3 regional learning sessions, and 1 statewide meeting where teams shared their local data and implementation experiences. Thirteen hospitals accounting for 47% of live births in Tennessee submitted data on 31,183 mother-infant dyads from August 1, 2012, to December 31, 2013. Aggregate monthly mean PC-05 demonstrated "special cause" improvement increasing from 37.1% to 41.2%, an 11.1% relative increase. Five hospitals reported implementation of ≥5 of the Ten Steps and two hospitals reported ≥90% reliability on ≥5 of the Ten Steps using locally designed process audits. Using large-scale improvement methodology, a successful statewide collaborative led to >10% relative increase in breastfeeding exclusivity at discharge in participating Tennessee hospitals. Further opportunities for improvement in implementing breastfeeding supportive practices were identified.

Analysis Of Condensate Samples In Support Of The Antifoam Degradation Study

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

Hay, M.; Martino, C.

2016-01-12

The degradation of Antifoam 747 to form flammable decomposition products has resulted in declaration of a Potential Inadequacy in the Safety Analysis (PISA) for the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF). Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) testing with simulants showed that hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO), trimethylsilanol (TMS), and 1-propanal are formed in the offgas from the decomposition of the antifoam. A total of ten DWPF condensate samples from Batch 735 and 736 were analyzed by SRNL for three degradation products and additional analytes. All of the samples were analyzed to determine the concentrations of HMDSO, TMS, and propanal. The results of the organicmore » analysis found concentrations for propanal and HMDSO near or below the detection limits for the analysis. The TMS concentrations ranged from below detection to 11 mg/L. The samples from Batch 736 were also analyzed for formate and oxalate anions, total organic carbon, and aluminum, iron, manganese, and silicon. Most of the samples contained low levels of formate and therefore low levels of organic carbon. These two values for each sample show reasonable agreement in most cases. Low levels of all the metals (Al, Fe, Mn, and Si) were present in most of the samples.« less

ANALYSIS OF CONDENSATE SAMPLES IN SUPPORT OF THE ANTIFOAM DEGRADATION STUDY

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

Hay, M.; Martino, C.

2016-02-29

The degradation of Antifoam 747 to form flammable decomposition products has resulted in declaration of a Potential Inadequacy in the Safety Analysis (PISA) for the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF). Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) testing with simulants showed that hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO), trimethylsilanol (TMS), and 1-propanal are formed in the offgas from the decomposition of the antifoam. A total of ten DWPF condensate samples from Batch 735 and 736 were analyzed by SRNL for three degradation products and additional analytes. All of the samples were analyzed to determine the concentrations of HMDSO, TMS, and propanal. The results of the organicmore » analysis found concentrations for propanal and HMDSO near or below the detection limits for the analysis. The TMS concentrations ranged from below detection to 11 mg/L. The samples from Batch 736 were also analyzed for formate and oxalate anions, total organic carbon, and aluminum, iron, manganese, and silicon. Most of the samples contained low levels of formate and therefore low levels of organic carbon. These two values for each sample show reasonable agreement in most cases. Low levels of all the metals (Al, Fe, Mn, and Si) were present in most of the samples.« less

DITTY - a computer program for calculating population dose integrated over ten thousand years

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

Napier, B.A.; Peloquin, R.A.; Strenge, D.L.

The computer program DITTY (Dose Integrated Over Ten Thousand Years) was developed to determine the collective dose from long term nuclear waste disposal sites resulting from the ground-water pathways. DITTY estimates the time integral of collective dose over a ten-thousand-year period for time-variant radionuclide releases to surface waters, wells, or the atmosphere. This document includes the following information on DITTY: a description of the mathematical models, program designs, data file requirements, input preparation, output interpretations, sample problems, and program-generated diagnostic messages.

Sources of psychrophilic and psychrotolerant clostridia causing spoilage of vacuum-packed chilled meats, as determined by PCR amplification procedure.

PubMed

Broda, D M; Boerema, J A; Brightwell, G

2009-07-01

To determine possible preslaughter and processing sources of psychrophilic and psychrotolerant clostridia causing spoilage of vacuum-packed chilled meats. Molecular methods based on the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of specific 16S rDNA fragments were used to detect the presence of Clostridium gasigenes, Clostridium estertheticum, Clostridium algidicarnis and Clostridium putrefaciens in a total of 357 samples collected from ten slaughter stock supply farms, slaughter stock, two lamb-processing plants, their environments, dressed carcasses and final vacuum-packed meat stored at -0.5 degrees C for 5(1/2) weeks. Clostridium gasigenes, C. estertheticum and C. algidicarnis/C. putrefaciens were commonly detected in farm, faeces, fleece and processing environmental samples collected at the slaughter floor operations prior to fleece removal, but all these micro-organisms were detected in only 4 out of 26 cooling floor and chiller environmental samples. One out of 42 boning room environmental samples tested positive for the presence of C. gasigenes and C. estertheticum, but 25 out of 42 of these samples were positive for C. algidicarnis/C. putrefaciens. Nearly all of the 31 faecal samples tested positive for the presence of C. gasigenes and C. estertheticum; however, only two of these samples were positive for C. algidicarnis and/or C. putrefaciens. Clostridial species that were subject to this investigation were frequently detected on chilled dressed carcasses. The major qualitative and quantitative differences between the results of PCR detection obtained with the primers specific for 'blown pack' -causing clostridia (C. gasigenes and C. estertheticum) and those obtained with primers specific for C. algidicarnis and C. putrefaciens suggest that the control of meat spoilage caused by different groups of meat clostridia is best approached individually for each group. This paper provides information significant for controlling meat spoilage-causing clostridia in the meat-processing plants.

Paradigm-shift: radiological changes in the asymptomatic iNPH-patient to be: an observational study.

PubMed

Engel, D C; Adib, S D; Schuhmann, M U; Brendle, C

2018-02-09

Many radiological signs are known for the diagnosis of idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH). However, there is little information about these signs in the pre-symptomatic phase. For pathophysiological investigative purposes we conducted a descriptive image analysis study on pre-symptomatic patients. Patients that had contact with either the neurological or neurosurgical department of the university hospital Tuebingen from 2010 through 2016 with magnetic resonance images > 3 years before onset of symptoms, were included. The date of onset and severity of symptoms, date of first imaging and birth date were recorded. Evan's index (EI), width of the third ventricle (3VW), tight high convexity (THC), Sylvian fissure, extent of white matter hyperintensities and aqueductal flow were assessed in images before and around symptom onset. Ten patients were included. In all ten patients the first symptom was gait disturbance. Nine of ten pre-symptomatic images showed classic signs for iNPH. EI showed a significant increase between the pre-symptomatic and symptomatic phase. 3VW showed a trend for increase without significance. THC changed back and forth over time within some patients. In accordance with the scarce literature available, radiological changes are present at least 3 years before onset of iNPH-symptoms. EI seems to be a robust measure for pre-symptomatic radiological changes. Extrapolating the data, the development of iNPH typical changes might be an insidious process and the development of THC might be a variable and non-linear process. Further studies with larger sample sizes are necessary to put these findings into the pathophysiological perspective for the development of iNPH.

Different matrix evaluation for the bone regeneration of rats' femours using time domain optical coherence tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rusu, Laura-Cristina; Negrutiu, Meda Lavinia; Sinescu, Cosmin; Hoinoiu, Bogdan; Zaharia, Cristian; Ardelean, Lavinia; Duma, Virgil-Florin; Podoleanu, Adrian G.

2014-01-01

The osteoconductive materials are important in bone regeneration procedures. Three dimensional (3D) reconstructions were obtained from the analysis. The aim of this study is to investigate the interface between the femur rat bone and the new bone that is obtained using a method of tissue engineering that is based on two artificial matrixes inserted in previously artificially induced defects. For this study, under strict supervision 20 rats were used in conformity with ethical procedures. In all the femurs a round defect was induced by drilling with a 1 mm spherical Co-Cr surgical drill. The matrixes used were IngeniOss (for ten samples) and 4Bone(for the other ten samples). These materials were inserted into the induced defects. The femurs were investigated at 1 month, after the surgical procedures. The interfaces were examined using Time Domain (TD) Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) combined with Confocal Microscopy (CM). The scanning procedure is similar to that used in any CM, where the fast scanning is en-face (line rate) and the scanning in depth is much slower (at the frame rate). The optical configuration uses two single mode directional couplers with a superluminiscent diode as the source centered at 1300 nm. The results showed open interfaces due to the insufficient healing process, as well as closed interfaces due to a new bone formation inside the defect. The conclusion of this study is that TD-OCT can act as a valuable tool in the investigation of the interface between the old bone and the one that has been newly created due to the osteoinductive process. The TD-OCT has proven a valuable tool for the non-invasive evaluation of the matrix bone interfaces.

Iodinated X-ray contrast agents: Photoinduced transformation and monitoring in surface water.

PubMed

Fabbri, D; Calza, P; Dalmasso, D; Chiarelli, P; Santoro, V; Medana, C

2016-12-01

Conventional wastewater treatment methods have shown to be unsuitable for a complete elimination of iodinated X-ray contrast agents (ICMs), which have thus been found in wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent and in surface water. Once in the surface water, they could be transformed through different processes and form several transformation products that may need to be monitored as well. To this end, we studied the abatement and transformation of ICMs by combining laboratory experiments with in field analyses. We irradiated different aqueous solutions of the selected pollutants in the presence of TiO 2 as photocatalyst, aimed to promote ICMs degradation and to generate photoinduced transformation products (TPs) similar to those occurring in the environment and effluent wastewater. This experimental strategy has been applied to the study of three ICMs, namely iopromide, iopamidol and diatrizoate. A total of twenty-four, ten, and ten TPs were detected from iopamidol, diatrizoate and iopromide, respectively. The analyses were performed using a liquid chromatography-LTQ-FT-Orbitrap mass spectrometer. The mineralization process and acute toxicity evolution were assessed as well over time and revealed a lack of mineralization for all ICMs and the formation of harmful byproducts. After characterizing these transformation products, WWTP effluent and surface water taken from several branches of the Chicago River were analyzed for ICMs and their TPs. HRMS with MS/MS fragmentation was used as a confirmatory step for proper identification of compounds in water and wastewater samples. All three of ICM were detected in the effluent and surface water samples, while no significant amount of TPs were detected. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Concurrent validity and reliability of using ground reaction force and center of pressure parameters in the determination of leg movement initiation during single leg lift.

PubMed

Aldabe, Daniela; de Castro, Marcelo Peduzzi; Milosavljevic, Stephan; Bussey, Melanie Dawn

2016-09-01

Postural adjustment evaluations during single leg lift requires the initiation of heel lift (T1) identification. T1 measured by means of motion analyses system is the most reliable approach. However, this method involves considerable workspace, expensive cameras, and time processing data and setting up laboratory. The use of ground reaction forces (GRF) and centre of pressure (COP) data is an alternative method as its data processing and setting up is less time consuming. Further, kinetic data is normally collected using frequency samples higher than 1000Hz whereas kinematic data are commonly captured using 50-200Hz. This study describes the concurrent-validity and reliability of GRF and COP measurements in determining T1, using a motion analysis system as reference standard. Kinematic and kinetic data during single leg lift were collected from ten participants. GRF and COP data were collected using one and two force plates. Displacement of a single heel marker was captured by means of ten Vicon(©) cameras. Kinetic and kinematic data were collected using a sample frequency of 1000Hz. Data were analysed in two stages: identification of key events in the kinetic data, and assessing concurrent validity of T1 based on the chosen key events with T1 provided by the kinematic data. The key event presenting the least systematic bias, along with a narrow 95% CI and limits of agreement against the reference standard T1, was the Baseline COPy event. Baseline COPy event was obtained using one force plate and presented excellent between-tester reliability. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Underestimating the effects of spatial heterogeneity due to individual movement and spatial scale: infectious disease as an example

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cross, Paul C.; Caillaud, Damien; Heisey, Dennis M.

2013-01-01

Many ecological and epidemiological studies occur in systems with mobile individuals and heterogeneous landscapes. Using a simulation model, we show that the accuracy of inferring an underlying biological process from observational data depends on movement and spatial scale of the analysis. As an example, we focused on estimating the relationship between host density and pathogen transmission. Observational data can result in highly biased inference about the underlying process when individuals move among sampling areas. Even without sampling error, the effect of host density on disease transmission is underestimated by approximately 50 % when one in ten hosts move among sampling areas per lifetime. Aggregating data across larger regions causes minimal bias when host movement is low, and results in less biased inference when movement rates are high. However, increasing data aggregation reduces the observed spatial variation, which would lead to the misperception that a spatially targeted control effort may not be very effective. In addition, averaging over the local heterogeneity will result in underestimating the importance of spatial covariates. Minimizing the bias due to movement is not just about choosing the best spatial scale for analysis, but also about reducing the error associated with using the sampling location as a proxy for an individual’s spatial history. This error associated with the exposure covariate can be reduced by choosing sampling regions with less movement, including longitudinal information of individuals’ movements, or reducing the window of exposure by using repeated sampling or younger individuals.

Plasma nanotexturing of silicon surfaces for photovoltaics applications: influence of initial surface finish on the evolution of topographical and optical properties

PubMed Central

FISCHER, GUILLAUME; DRAHI, ETIENNE; FOLDYNA, MARTIN; GERMER, THOMAS A.; JOHNSON, ERIK V.

2018-01-01

Using a plasma to generate a surface texture with feature sizes on the order of tens to hundreds of nanometers (“nanotexturing”) is a promising technique being considered to improve efficiency in thin, high-efficiency crystalline silicon solar cells. This study investigates the evolution of the optical properties of silicon samples with various initial surface finishes (from mirror polish to various states of micron-scale roughness) during a plasma nanotexturing process. It is shown that during said process, the appearance and growth of nanocone-like structures are essentially independent of the initial surface finish, as quantified by the auto-correlation function of the surface morphology. During the first stage of the process (2 min to 15 min etching), the reflectance and light-trapping abilities of the nanotextured surfaces are strongly influenced by the initial surface roughness; however, the differences tend to diminish as the nanostructures become larger. For the longest etching times (15 min or more), the effective reflectance is less than 5 % and a strong anisotropic scattering behavior is also observed for all samples, leading to very elevated levels of light-trapping. PMID:29220984

Fast automated analysis of strong gravitational lenses with convolutional neural networks.

PubMed

Hezaveh, Yashar D; Levasseur, Laurence Perreault; Marshall, Philip J

2017-08-30

Quantifying image distortions caused by strong gravitational lensing-the formation of multiple images of distant sources due to the deflection of their light by the gravity of intervening structures-and estimating the corresponding matter distribution of these structures (the 'gravitational lens') has primarily been performed using maximum likelihood modelling of observations. This procedure is typically time- and resource-consuming, requiring sophisticated lensing codes, several data preparation steps, and finding the maximum likelihood model parameters in a computationally expensive process with downhill optimizers. Accurate analysis of a single gravitational lens can take up to a few weeks and requires expert knowledge of the physical processes and methods involved. Tens of thousands of new lenses are expected to be discovered with the upcoming generation of ground and space surveys. Here we report the use of deep convolutional neural networks to estimate lensing parameters in an extremely fast and automated way, circumventing the difficulties that are faced by maximum likelihood methods. We also show that the removal of lens light can be made fast and automated using independent component analysis of multi-filter imaging data. Our networks can recover the parameters of the 'singular isothermal ellipsoid' density profile, which is commonly used to model strong lensing systems, with an accuracy comparable to the uncertainties of sophisticated models but about ten million times faster: 100 systems in approximately one second on a single graphics processing unit. These networks can provide a way for non-experts to obtain estimates of lensing parameters for large samples of data.

Product/Process (P/P) Models For The Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF): Model Ranges And Validation Ranges For Future Processing

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

Jantzen, C.; Edwards, T.

Radioactive high level waste (HLW) at the Savannah River Site (SRS) has successfully been vitrified into borosilicate glass in the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) since 1996. Vitrification requires stringent product/process (P/P) constraints since the glass cannot be reworked once it is poured into ten foot tall by two foot diameter canisters. A unique “feed forward” statistical process control (SPC) was developed for this control rather than statistical quality control (SQC). In SPC, the feed composition to the DWPF melter is controlled prior to vitrification. In SQC, the glass product would be sampled after it is vitrified. Individual glass property-compositionmore » models form the basis for the “feed forward” SPC. The models transform constraints on the melt and glass properties into constraints on the feed composition going to the melter in order to guarantee, at the 95% confidence level, that the feed will be processable and that the durability of the resulting waste form will be acceptable to a geologic repository.« less

Transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS) for cancer pain in adults.

PubMed

Robb, Karen A; Bennett, Michael I; Johnson, Mark I; Simpson, Karen J; Oxberry, Stephen G

2008-07-16

Cancer-related pain is complex and multi-dimensional but the mainstay of cancer pain management has predominately used a biomedical approach. There is a need for non-pharmacological and innovative approaches. Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation (TENS) may have a role for a significant number of patients but the effectiveness of TENS is currently unknown. The aim of this systematic review was to determine the effectiveness of TENS for cancer-related pain in adults. We searched The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsychINFO, AMED and PEDRO databases (11/04/08). Only randomised controlled trials (RCTS) investigating the use of TENS for the management of cancer-related pain in adults were included. The search strategy identified 37 possible published studies which were divided between two pairs of review authors that decided on study selection. A study eligibility form was used to screen each abstract and where study eligibility could not be determined from the abstract, the full paper was obtained and assessed by one pair of review authors. A standardised data extraction sheet was used to collect information on the studies and the quality of the studies was assessed independently by two review authors using the validated five-point Oxford Quality Scale. Final scores were discussed and agreed between all four review authors. The small sample sizes and differences in patient study populations of the two included studies prevented meta-analysis. Only two RCTs met the eligibility criteria (64 participants). These studies were heterogenous with respect to study population, sample size, study design, methodological quality, mode of TENS, treatment duration, method of administration and outcome measures used. In one RCT, there were no significant differences between TENS and placebo in women with chronic pain secondary to breast cancer treatment. In the other RCT, there were no significant differences between acupuncture-type TENS and sham in palliative care patients; this study was underpowered. The results of this systematic review are inconclusive due to a lack of suitable RCTs. Large multi-centre RCTs are required to assess the value of TENS in the management of cancer-related pain in adults.

The ten-ecosystem study investigation plan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kan, E. P.

1976-01-01

With the continental United States divided into ten forest and grassland ecosystems, the Ten Ecosystem Study (TES) is designed to investigate the feasibility and applicability of state-of-the-art automatic data processing remote sensing technology to inventory forest, grassland, and water resources by using Land Satellite data. The study will serve as a prelude to a possible future nationwide remote sensing application to inventory forest and rangeland renewable resources. This plan describes project design and phases, the ten ecosystem, data utilization and output, personnel organization, resource requirements, and schedules and milestones.

The effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation on joint position sense in patients with knee joint osteoarthritis.

PubMed

Shirazi, Zahra Rojhani; Shafaee, Razieh; Abbasi, Leila

2014-10-01

To study the effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) on joint position sense (JPS) in knee osteoarthritis (OA) subjects. Thirty subjects with knee OA (40-60 years old) using non-random sampling participated in this study. In order to evaluate the absolute error of repositioning of the knee joint, Qualysis Track Manager system was used and sensory electrical stimulation was applied through the TENS device. The mean errors in repositioning of the joint, in two position of the knee joint with 20 and 60 degree angle, after applying the TENS was significantly decreased (p < 0.05). Application of TENS in subjects with knee OA could improve JPS in these subjects.

A multi-probe thermophoretic soot sampling system for high-pressure diffusion flames

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

Vargas, Alex M.; Gülder, Ömer L.

Optical diagnostics and physical probing of the soot processes in high pressure combustion pose challenges that are not faced in atmospheric flames. One of the preferred methods of studying soot in atmospheric flames is in situ thermophoretic sampling followed by transmission electron microscopy imaging and analysis for soot sizing and morphology. The application of this method of sampling to high pressures has been held back by various operational and mechanical problems. In this work, we describe a rotating disk multi-probe thermophoretic soot sampling system, driven by a microstepping stepper motor, fitted into a high-pressure chamber capable of producing sooting laminarmore » diffusion flames up to 100 atm. Innovative aspects of the sampling system design include an easy and precise control of the sampling time down to 2.6 ms, avoidance of the drawbacks of the pneumatic drivers used in conventional thermophoretic sampling systems, and the capability to collect ten consecutive samples in a single experimental run. Proof of principle experiments were performed using this system in a laminar diffusion flame of methane, and primary soot diameter distributions at various pressures up to 10 atm were determined. High-speed images of the flame during thermophoretic sampling were recorded to assess the influence of probe intrusion on the flow field of the flame.« less

Spatial land-use inventory, modeling, and projection/Denver metropolitan area, with inputs from existing maps, airphotos, and LANDSAT imagery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tom, C.; Miller, L. D.; Christenson, J. W.

1978-01-01

A landscape model was constructed with 34 land-use, physiographic, socioeconomic, and transportation maps. A simple Markov land-use trend model was constructed from observed rates of change and nonchange from photointerpreted 1963 and 1970 airphotos. Seven multivariate land-use projection models predicting 1970 spatial land-use changes achieved accuracies from 42 to 57 percent. A final modeling strategy was designed, which combines both Markov trend and multivariate spatial projection processes. Landsat-1 image preprocessing included geometric rectification/resampling, spectral-band, and band/insolation ratioing operations. A new, systematic grid-sampled point training-set approach proved to be useful when tested on the four orginal MSS bands, ten image bands and ratios, and all 48 image and map variables (less land use). Ten variable accuracy was raised over 15 percentage points from 38.4 to 53.9 percent, with the use of the 31 ancillary variables. A land-use classification map was produced with an optimal ten-channel subset of four image bands and six ancillary map variables. Point-by-point verification of 331,776 points against a 1972/1973 U.S. Geological Survey (UGSG) land-use map prepared with airphotos and the same classification scheme showed average first-, second-, and third-order accuracies of 76.3, 58.4, and 33.0 percent, respectively.

Inorganic chemical investigation by X-ray fluorescence analysis - The Viking Mars Lander

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Toulmin, P., III; Rose, H. J., Jr.; Baird, A. K.; Clark, B. C.; Keil, K.

1973-01-01

The inorganic chemical investigation experiment added in August 1972 to the Viking Lander scientific package uses an energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer in which four sealed, gas-filled proportional counters detect X-rays emitted from samples of the Martian surface materials irradiated by X-rays from radioisotope sources (Fe-55 and Cd-109). The instrument is inside the Lander body, and samples are to be delivered to it by the Viking Lander Surface Sampler. Instrument design is described along with details of the data processing and analysis procedures. The results of the investigation will characterize the surface materials of Mars as to elemental composition with accuracies ranging from a few tens of parts per million (at the trace-element level) to a few per cent (for major elements) depending on the element in question.

Adsorption of Ten Microcystin Congeners to Common Laboratory-Ware Is Solvent and Surface Dependent

PubMed Central

Altaner, Stefan; Puddick, Jonathan; Wood, Susanna A.; Dietrich, Daniel R.

2017-01-01

Cyanobacteria can produce heptapetides called microcystins (MC) which are harmful to humans due to their ability to inhibit cellular protein phosphatases. Quantitation of these toxins can be hampered by their adsorption to common laboratory-ware during sample processing and analysis. Because of their structural diversity (>100 congeners) and different physico-chemical properties, they vary in their adsorption to surfaces. In this study, the adsorption of ten different MC congeners (encompassing non-arginated to doubly-arginated congeners) to common laboratory-ware was assessed using different solvent combinations. Sample handling steps were mimicked with glass and polypropylene pipettes and vials with increasing methanol concentrations at two pH levels, before analysis by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. We demonstrated that MC adsorb to polypropylene surfaces irrespective of pH. After eight successive pipet actions using polypropylene tips ca. 20% of the MC were lost to the surface material, which increased to 25%–40% when solutions were acidified. The observed loss was alleviated by changing the methanol (MeOH) concentration in the final solvent. The required MeOH concentration varied depending on which congener was present. Microcystins only adsorbed to glass pipettes (loss up to 30% after eight pipet actions) when in acidified aqueous solutions. The latter appeared largely dependent on the presence of ionizable groups, such as arginine residues. PMID:28383495

A randomized trial to determine the duration of analgesia following a 15- and a 30-minute application of acupuncture-like TENS on patients with chronic low back pain.

PubMed

Tousignant-Laflamme, Yannick; Laroche, Claudia; Beaulieu, Christine; Bouchard, Ann-Julie; Boucher, Sabrina; Michaud-Létourneau, Mélanie

2017-05-01

Acupuncture-like TENS (AL-TENS) has been shown to produce prolonged pain relief, but no study has yet investigated its duration on a population suffering from chronic low back pain (CLPB). Our objective was to quantify the duration and magnitude of analgesia induced by a 15- or 30-minute application of AL-TENS. We recruited a sample of 11 participants presenting with CLBP and conducted a randomized, crossover study, where participants were given AL-TENS for 15 and 30 minutes on two separate occasions. The pain intensity of their CLBP was assessed with a visual analogue scale before, during, and after AL-TENS applications. Magnitude and duration of analgesia were determined for each subject and for both AL-TENS application times. The AL-TENS applications induced a clinically and statistically significant (p = 0.003) analgesia in all participants. Median duration of analgesia was 9 hours and 10 hours 30 minutes following the 15- and 30-minute AL-TENS applications, respectively; this 1.5-hour difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.55). Furthermore, we observed no significant difference in the magnitude of analgesia between both applications of AL-TENS (p > 0.56), suggesting that the duration of application of AL-TENS does not influence the magnitude of analgesia. Our results suggest that clinicians could use a 15-minute AL-TENS application to provide significant analgesia in patients presenting with low back pain since if provides a comparable analgesia versus a 30-minute application.

Influence of Sampling Effort on the Estimated Richness of Road-Killed Vertebrate Wildlife

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bager, Alex; da Rosa, Clarissa A.

2011-05-01

Road-killed mammals, birds, and reptiles were collected weekly from highways in southern Brazil in 2002 and 2005. The objective was to assess variation in estimates of road-kill impacts on species richness produced by different sampling efforts, and to provide information to aid in the experimental design of future sampling. Richness observed in weekly samples was compared with sampling for different periods. In each period, the list of road-killed species was evaluated based on estimates the community structure derived from weekly samplings, and by the presence of the ten species most subject to road mortality, and also of threatened species. Weekly samples were sufficient only for reptiles and mammals, considered separately. Richness estimated from the biweekly samples was equal to that found in the weekly samples, and gave satisfactory results for sampling the most abundant and threatened species. The ten most affected species showed constant road-mortality rates, independent of sampling interval, and also maintained their dominance structure. Birds required greater sampling effort. When the composition of road-killed species varies seasonally, it is necessary to take biweekly samples for a minimum of one year. Weekly or more-frequent sampling for periods longer than two years is necessary to provide a reliable estimate of total species richness.

Influence of sampling effort on the estimated richness of road-killed vertebrate wildlife.

PubMed

Bager, Alex; da Rosa, Clarissa A

2011-05-01

Road-killed mammals, birds, and reptiles were collected weekly from highways in southern Brazil in 2002 and 2005. The objective was to assess variation in estimates of road-kill impacts on species richness produced by different sampling efforts, and to provide information to aid in the experimental design of future sampling. Richness observed in weekly samples was compared with sampling for different periods. In each period, the list of road-killed species was evaluated based on estimates the community structure derived from weekly samplings, and by the presence of the ten species most subject to road mortality, and also of threatened species. Weekly samples were sufficient only for reptiles and mammals, considered separately. Richness estimated from the biweekly samples was equal to that found in the weekly samples, and gave satisfactory results for sampling the most abundant and threatened species. The ten most affected species showed constant road-mortality rates, independent of sampling interval, and also maintained their dominance structure. Birds required greater sampling effort. When the composition of road-killed species varies seasonally, it is necessary to take biweekly samples for a minimum of one year. Weekly or more-frequent sampling for periods longer than two years is necessary to provide a reliable estimate of total species richness.

Simulation of Wind Profile Perturbations for Launch Vehicle Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adelfang, S. I.

2004-01-01

Ideally, a statistically representative sample of measured high-resolution wind profiles with wavelengths as small as tens of meters is required in design studies to establish aerodynamic load indicator dispersions and vehicle control system capability. At most potential launch sites, high- resolution wind profiles may not exist. Representative samples of Rawinsonde wind profiles to altitudes of 30 km are more likely to be available from the extensive network of measurement sites established for routine sampling in support of weather observing and forecasting activity. Such a sample, large enough to be statistically representative of relatively large wavelength perturbations, would be inadequate for launch vehicle design assessments because the Rawinsonde system accurately measures wind perturbations with wavelengths no smaller than 2000 m (1000 m altitude increment). The Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Jimsphere wind profiles (150/month and seasonal 2 and 3.5-hr pairs) are the only adequate samples of high resolution profiles approx. 150 to 300 m effective resolution, but over-sampled at 25 m intervals) that have been used extensively for launch vehicle design assessments. Therefore, a simulation process has been developed for enhancement of measured low-resolution Rawinsonde profiles that would be applicable in preliminary launch vehicle design studies at launch sites other than KSC.

Curation of Samples from Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lindstrom, D.; Allen, C.

One of the strong scientific reasons for returning samples from Mars is to search for evidence of current or past life in the samples. Because of the remote possibility that the samples may contain life forms that are hazardous to the terrestrial biosphere, the National Research Council has recommended that all samples returned from Mars be kept under strict biological containment until tests show that they can safely be released to other laboratories. It is possible that Mars samples may contain only scarce or subtle traces of life or prebiotic chemistry that could readily be overwhelmed by terrestrial contamination. Thus, the facilities used to contain, process, and analyze samples from Mars must have a combination of high-level biocontainment and organic / inorganic chemical cleanliness that is unprecedented. We have been conducting feasibility studies and developing designs for a facility that would be at least as capable as current maximum containment BSL-4 (BioSafety Level 4) laboratories, while simultaneously maintaining cleanliness levels exceeding those of the cleanest electronics manufacturing labs. Unique requirements for the processing of Mars samples have inspired a program to develop handling techniques that are much more precise and reliable than the approach (currently used for lunar samples) of employing gloved human hands in nitrogen-filled gloveboxes. Individual samples from Mars are expected to be much smaller than lunar samples, the total mass of samples returned by each mission being 0.5- 1 kg, compared with many tens of kg of lunar samples returned by each of the six Apollo missions. Smaller samp les require much more of the processing to be done under microscopic observation. In addition, the requirements for cleanliness and high-level containment would be difficult to satisfy while using traditional gloveboxes. JSC has constructed a laboratory to test concepts and technologies important to future sample curation. The Advanced Curation Laboratory includes a new- generation glovebox equipped with a robotic arm to evaluate the usability of robotic and teleoperated systems to perform curatorial tasks. The laboratory also contains equipment for precision cleaning and the measurement of trace organic contamination.

Polymer Literature and Samples for Classroom Use.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meister, John J.

1995-01-01

Updates papers published ten years ago listing suppliers of polymer samples and literature for classroom use. Provides names and addresses of societies and trade associations that will provide literature on polymers free of charge. Includes a table listing companies that provide samples of polymers or recycled polymers. Another table listing…

Determination of ten pyrethroids in various fruit juices: comparison of dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction sample preparation and QuEChERS method combined with dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction.

PubMed

Zhang, Yaohai; Zhang, Xuelian; Jiao, Bining

2014-09-15

Dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) sample preparation and the quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe (QuEChERS) method combined with DLLME were developed and compared for the analysis of ten pyrethroids in various fruit juices using gas chromatography-electron capture detection (GC-ECD). QuEChERS-DLLME method has found its widespread applications to all the fruit juices including those samples with more complex matrices (orange, lemon, kiwi and mango) while DLLME was confined to the fruit juices with simpler matrices (apple, pear, grape and peach). The two methods provided acceptable recoveries and repeatability. In addition, the applicabilities of two methods were demonstrated with the real samples and further confirmed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

12 CFR Appendix C to Part 202 - Sample Notification Forms

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Sample Notification Forms C Appendix C to Part... CREDIT OPPORTUNITY ACT (REGULATION B) Pt. 202, App. C Appendix C to Part 202—Sample Notification Forms 1. This appendix contains ten sample notification forms. Forms C-1 through C-4 are intended for use in...

12 CFR Appendix C to Part 202 - Sample Notification Forms

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Sample Notification Forms C Appendix C to Part... CREDIT OPPORTUNITY ACT (REGULATION B) Pt. 202, App. C Appendix C to Part 202—Sample Notification Forms 1. This appendix contains ten sample notification forms. Forms C-1 through C-4 are intended for use in...

Adaptation of occupants with its environment in the official residence (case study: Housing of TNI AD Gaperta)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nirfalini Aulia, Dwira; Aritonang, Cindy

2018-03-01

An official residence is a housing provided by the state and used as a residence occupied by the official duties of officials and civil servants during their service in the city. The property rights of the official residence have limit, only valid while the residents serve in the city. The process of adaptation becomes indispensable because, in the early days of occupying the housing, residents will face a new social environment, which may be different from their previous environment. Furthermore, backgrounds such as economic, cultural, and social factors of each occupant will also determine the adaptation process that occurs. This research aims to find out and analyze adaptation process of the official residence’s dwellers to its environment. This study used the descriptive-qualitative method by interviewing ten occupants who selected by purposive sampling method. Results of research indicated that the most adaptation process occurs adaptation by the reaction such as adding the number of room and service area.

Fluorometric determination of histamine in cheese.

PubMed

Chambers, T L; Staruszkiewicz, W F

1978-09-01

Thirty-one samples of cheese obtained from retail outlets were analyzed for histamine, using an official AOAC fluorometric method. The types of cheese analyzed and the ranges of histamine found were: colby, 0.3--2.8; camembert, 0.4--4.2; cheddar, 1.2--5.8; gouda, 1.3--2.4; provolone, 2.0--23.5; roquefort, 1.0--16.8; mozzarella 1.6--5.0; and swiss, 0.4--250 mg histamine/100 g. Ten of the 12 samples of swiss cheese contained less than 16 mg histamine/100 g. The remaining 2 samples which contained 116 and 250 mg histamine/100 g were judged organoleptically to be of poor quality. An investigation of one processing facility showed that the production of histamine in swiss cheese may have been a result of a hydrogen peroxide/low temperature treatment of the milk supply. Recovery of histamine added to methanol extracts of cheese ranged from 93 to 105%. Histamine content was confirmed by high pressure liquid chromatographic analysis of the methanol extracts.

[Qualitative and quantitative study of Taenia solium posoncospheres in the muscular tissue of pigs with and without cysticercosis].

PubMed

Jiménez Rodríguez, J A; Arteaga, I D; Rojas Wastavino, G; Salazar Schettino, P M

1995-01-01

It was determined the presence of posoncospheres in muscular tissues in 20 natural cysticercotic pigs and in 20 pigs apparently free of Taenia solium metacestodes. Ten differents anatomical regions were dissected, giving 400 samples in total. The animals were slaughtered in Ecatepec, Mexico State, Mexico. The samples were kept in bottles with saline and were processed in the Laboratorio de Biología de Parásitos, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM); cysticercus were counted and later on the resulting muscular mass was grinded and observations were made in the sediment, for posoncospheres search. Mann-Whitney statistical method revealed meaningful differences between postoncospheres in cysticercotic pigs and not apparently cysticercotic pigs. The Linear Correlation Analysis showed no relation between cysticercus quantity and postoncospheres quantity in the same samples. Postoncospheres were found in cysticercotic animals and in those apparently free of cysticercus, in the last group the quantity was bigger.

On the determination of χ(2) in thin films: a comparison of one-beam second-harmonic generation measurement methodologies

PubMed Central

Hermans, Artur; Kieninger, Clemens; Koskinen, Kalle; Wickberg, Andreas; Solano, Eduardo; Dendooven, Jolien; Kauranen, Martti; Clemmen, Stéphane; Wegener, Martin; Koos, Christian; Baets, Roel

2017-01-01

The determination of the second-order susceptibility (χ(2)) of thin film samples can be a delicate matter since well-established χ(2) measurement methodologies such as the Maker fringe technique are best suited for nonlinear materials with large thicknesses typically ranging from tens of microns to several millimeters. Here we compare two different second-harmonic generation setups and the corresponding measurement methodologies that are especially advantageous for thin film χ(2) characterization. This exercise allows for cross-checking the χ(2) obtained for identical samples and identifying the main sources of error for the respective techniques. The development of photonic integrated circuits makes nonlinear thin films of particular interest, since they can be processed into long waveguides to create efficient nonlinear devices. The investigated samples are ABC-type nanolaminates, which were reported recently by two different research groups. However, the subsequent analysis can be useful for all researchers active in the field of thin film χ(2) characterization. PMID:28317938

Modulation of laser-evoked potentials and pain perception by transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS): a placebo-controlled study in healthy volunteers.

PubMed

Vassal, François; Créac'h, C; Convers, Ph; Laurent, B; Garcia-Larrea, L; Peyron, R

2013-09-01

To investigate the effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) on brain nociceptive responses (laser-evoked potentials, LEPs) and pain perception. Twenty healthy subjects were included. Nociceptive CO(2)-laser pulses were sequentially delivered to the dorsum of both feet. The amplitude of LEPs and nociceptive thresholds were collected in three consecutive conditions: T1: "sham" TENS (2 Hz/low-intensity) positioned heterotopically, over the left thigh; T2: "active" TENS (120 Hz/low-intensity) applied homotopically, over the left common peroneal nerve; and T3: "sham" TENS (replication of condition T1). Compared with "sham" TENS, "active" TENS significantly decreased the LEPs amplitude. This effect was observed exclusively when "active" TENS was applied ipsilaterally to the painful stimulus. Nociceptive thresholds increased with sessions in both limbs, but the increase observed during the "active" condition of TENS (T2) exceeded significantly that observed during the condition T3 only on the foot ipsilateral to TENS. Compared with a credible placebo TENS, high-frequency TENS induced a significant attenuation of both the acute pain and LEPs induced by noxious stimuli applied on the same dermatome. This modulation of subjective and objective concomitants of pain processing reflects a real neurophysiological TENS-related effect on nociceptive transmission. Copyright © 2013 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Emergency OSL/TL dosimetry with integrated circuits from mobile phones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sholom, S.; McKeever, S. W. S.

2014-09-01

Integrated circuits (ICs) from several mobile phones were studied as possible emergency dosimeters using optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) and thermoluminescence (TL) techniques. Measurement protocols were developed for ICs that take into consideration the effect of sensitization of the samples with increasing dose as well as fading of the signals after sample exposure. It was found that the OSL technique has a higher sensitivity with ICs when compared to TL, while the TL signals were characterized by better stability with time after exposure. Values of minimum measurable doses were found to be in the range between a few tens of mGy and several tens of mGy for the tested samples. It was concluded that ICs from mobile phones could be used for emergency dose reconstruction.

Time-resolved study of formate on Ni( 1 1 1 ) by picosecond SFG spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kusafuka, K.; Noguchi, H.; Onda, K.; Kubota, J.; Domen, K.; Hirose, C.; Wada, A.

2002-04-01

Time-resolved vibrational measurements were carried out on formate (HCOO) adsorbed on Ni(1 1 1) surface by combining the sum-frequency generation method and picosecond laser system (time resolution of 6 ps). Rapid intensity decrease (within the time resolution) followed by intensity recovery (time constant of several tens of ps) of CH stretching signal was observed when picosecond 800 nm pulse was irradiated on the sample surface. From the results of temperature and pump fluence dependences of temporal behaviour of signal intensity, we concluded that the observed intensity change was induced by non-thermal process. Mechanism of the temporal intensity change was discussed.

Accumulated analyses of amino acid precursors in returned lunar samples

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fox, S. W.; Harada, K.; Hare, P. E.

1973-01-01

Six amino acids (glycine, alanine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, serine, and threonine) obtained by hydrolysis of extracts have been quantitatively determined in ten collections of fines from five Apollo missions. Although the amounts found, 7-45 ng/g, are small, the lunar amino acid/carbon ratios are comparable to those of the carbonaceous chondrites, Murchison and Murray, as analyzed by the same procedures. Since both the ratios of amino acid to carbon, and the four or five most common types of proteinous amino acid found, are comparable for the two extraterrestrial sources despite different cosmophysical histories of the moon and meteorites, common cosmochemical processes are suggested.

Developmental validation of a Nextera XT mitogenome Illumina MiSeq sequencing method for high-quality samples.

PubMed

Peck, Michelle A; Sturk-Andreaggi, Kimberly; Thomas, Jacqueline T; Oliver, Robert S; Barritt-Ross, Suzanne; Marshall, Charla

2018-05-01

Generating mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) data from reference samples in a rapid and efficient manner is critical to harnessing the greater power of discrimination of the entire mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) marker. The method of long-range target enrichment, Nextera XT library preparation, and Illumina sequencing on the MiSeq is a well-established technique for generating mitogenome data from high-quality samples. To this end, a validation was conducted for this mitogenome method processing up to 24 samples simultaneously along with analysis in the CLC Genomics Workbench and utilizing the AQME (AFDIL-QIAGEN mtDNA Expert) tool to generate forensic profiles. This validation followed the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Quality Assurance Standards (QAS) for forensic DNA testing laboratories and the Scientific Working Group on DNA Analysis Methods (SWGDAM) validation guidelines. The evaluation of control DNA, non-probative samples, blank controls, mixtures, and nonhuman samples demonstrated the validity of this method. Specifically, the sensitivity was established at ≥25 pg of nuclear DNA input for accurate mitogenome profile generation. Unreproducible low-level variants were observed in samples with low amplicon yields. Further, variant quality was shown to be a useful metric for identifying sequencing error and crosstalk. Success of this method was demonstrated with a variety of reference sample substrates and extract types. These studies further demonstrate the advantages of using NGS techniques by highlighting the quantitative nature of heteroplasmy detection. The results presented herein from more than 175 samples processed in ten sequencing runs, show this mitogenome sequencing method and analysis strategy to be valid for the generation of reference data. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Male infertility in a private Kenyan hospital.

PubMed

Muthuuri, J M

2005-07-01

To study the incidence and aetiology of male infertility in Mombasa, Kenya. Retrospective study. The Mombasa Hospital Private Clinics, from January 1996 to 2001. Forty three men, aged between 21 and 55 years, referred to me with the chief complaint of infertility of unknown cause. Patients were managed conservatively and operatively. Histological and laboratory evaluations. Of the 43 patients observed, ten (23%) presented with signs of hypogonadism, fifteen (35%) with signs of acute and sub-acute inflammatory process (pain and swelling), four (9%) and prolactinaemia, two (5%) had signs of gonadotropin insufficiency and another two (5%) patients had varicocoeles. We did not establish the cause in ten (23%) patients. Male infertility in Mombasa appears to be primarily due to hypogonadism (23%), although in an equal proportion the cause is not obvious (idiopathic). A significant number of the infertility cases can be attributed to easily treatable conditions such as infections and infestations (16%). The sample available is however not big enough to warrant any major conclusions as to the overall male infertility status in establishing possible avenues for future research.

Strategic development of a multivariate calibration model for the uniformity testing of tablets by transmission NIR analysis.

PubMed

Sasakura, D; Nakayama, K; Sakamoto, T; Chikuma, T

2015-05-01

The use of transmission near infrared spectroscopy (TNIRS) is of particular interest in the pharmaceutical industry. This is because TNIRS does not require sample preparation and can analyze several tens of tablet samples in an hour. It has the capability to measure all relevant information from a tablet, while still on the production line. However, TNIRS has a narrow spectrum range and overtone vibrations often overlap. To perform content uniformity testing in tablets by TNIRS, various properties in the tableting process need to be analyzed by a multivariate prediction model, such as a Partial Least Square Regression modeling. One issue is that typical approaches require several hundred reference samples to act as the basis of the method rather than a strategically designed method. This means that many batches are needed to prepare the reference samples; this requires time and is not cost effective. Our group investigated the concentration dependence of the calibration model with a strategic design. Consequently, we developed a more effective approach to the TNIRS calibration model than the existing methodology.

Morphologies, microstructures, and mechanical properties of samples produced using laser metal deposition with 316 L stainless steel wire

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Xiang; Mi, Gaoyang; Luo, Yuanqing; Jiang, Ping; Shao, Xinyu; Wang, Chunming

2017-07-01

Laser metal deposition (LMD) with a filler has been demonstrated to be an effective method for additive manufacturing because of its high material deposition efficiency, improved surface quality, reduced material wastage, and cleaner process environment without metal dust pollution. In this study, single beads and samples with ten layers were successfully deposited on a 316 L stainless steel surface under optimized conditions using a 4000 W continuous wave fibre laser and an arc welding machine. The results showed that satisfactory layered samples with a large deposition height and smooth side surface could be achieved under appropriate parameters. The uniform structures had fine cellular and network austenite grains with good metallurgical bonding between layers, showing an austenite solidification mode. Precipitated ferrite at the grain boundaries showed a subgrain structure with fine uniform grain size. A higher microhardness (205-226 HV) was detected in the middle of the deposition area, while the tensile strength of the 50 layer sample reached 669 MPa. In addition, ductile fracturing was proven by the emergence of obvious dimples at the fracture surface.

Atmospheric Fragmentation of the Gold Basin Meteoroid as Constrained from Cosmogenic Nuclides

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Welten, K. C.; Hillegonds, D. J.; Jull, A. J. T.; Kring, D. A.

2005-01-01

Since the discovery of the Gold Basin L4 chondrite shower almost ten years ago in the northwestern corner of Arizona, many thousands of L-chondrite specimens have been recovered from an area of approx.22 km long and approx.10 km wide. Concentrations of cosmogenic 14C and 10Be in a number of these samples indicated a terrestrial age of approx.15,000 years and a large pre-atmospheric size [1]. Additional measurements of cosmogenic Be-10, Al-26, Cl-36, and Ca-41 in the metal and stone fractions of fifteen Gold Basin samples constrained the pre-atmospheric radius to 3-5 m [2]. This implies that Gold Basin is by far the largest stone meteorite in the present meteorite collection, providing us with an opportunity to study the fragmentation process of a large chondritic object during atmospheric entry. Knowledge about the fragmentation process provides information about the mechanical strength of large meteoroids, which is important for the evaluation of future hazards of small asteroid impacts on Earth and possible defensive scenarios to avoid those impacts.

Determination of lead isotopes in a new Greenland deep ice core at the sub-picogram per gram level by thermal ionization mass spectrometry using an improved decontamination method.

PubMed

Han, Changhee; Burn-Nunes, Laurie J; Lee, Khanghyun; Chang, Chaewon; Kang, Jung-Ho; Han, Yeongcheol; Hur, Soon Do; Hong, Sungmin

2015-08-01

An improved decontamination method and ultraclean analytical procedures have been developed to minimize Pb contamination of processed glacial ice cores and to achieve reliable determination of Pb isotopes in North Greenland Eemian Ice Drilling (NEEM) deep ice core sections with concentrations at the sub-picogram per gram level. A PL-7 (Fuso Chemical) silica-gel activator has replaced the previously used colloidal silica activator produced by Merck and has been shown to provide sufficiently enhanced ion beam intensity for Pb isotope analysis for a few tens of picograms of Pb. Considering the quantities of Pb contained in the NEEM Greenland ice core and a sample weight of 10 g used for the analysis, the blank contribution from the sample treatment was observed to be negligible. The decontamination and analysis of the artificial ice cores and selected NEEM Greenland ice core sections confirmed the cleanliness and effectiveness of the overall analytical process. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Scale up of NiTi shape memory alloy production by EBM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Otubo, J.; Rigo, O. D.; Moura Neto, C.; Kaufman, M. J.; Mei, P. R.

2003-10-01

The usual process to produce NiTi shape memory alloy is by vacuum induction melting (VIM) using a graphite crucible, which causes contamination of the melt with carbon. Contamination with oxygen originates from the residual oxygen inside the melting chamber. An alternative process to produce NiTi alloys is by electron beam melting (EBM) using a water-cooled copper crucible that eliminates carbon contamination, and the oxygen contamination would be minimal due to operation in a vacuum of better than 10^{-2} Pa. In a previous work, it was demonstrated that the technique is feasible for button shaped samples weighing around 30g. The present work presents the results on the scale up program that enables the production of larger samples/ingots. The results are very promising in terms of chemical composition homogeneity as well as in terms of carbon contamination, the latter being four to ten times lower than the commercially-produced VIM products, and in terms of final oxygen content which is shown to depend primarily on the starting raw materials.

FUNGI ISOLATED FROM THE EXCRETA OF WILD BIRDS IN SCREENING CENTERS IN PELOTAS, RS, BRAZIL

PubMed Central

Mendes, Josiara Furtado; Albano, Ana Paula Neuschrank; Coimbra, Marco Antônio A.; de Ferreira, Gracialda Ferreira; Gonçalves, Carolina Lambrecht; Nascente, Patrícia da Silva; de Mello, João Roberto Braga

2014-01-01

The identification of the fungal species belonging to the healthy microflora in animals is a precondition for the recognition of pathological processes causing them. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of potentially pathogenic fungi in the feces of wild birds collected in Screening Centers. Samples were collected from the feces of 50 cages with different species of birds. The samples were processed according to the modified method STAIB and the plates incubated at 32 °C for up to ten days with daily observation for detection of fungal growth. The isolation of the following species was observed: Malassezia pachydermatis, Candida albicans, C. famata, C. guilliermondii, C. sphaerica, C. globosa, C. catenulata, C. ciferri, C. intermedia, Cryptococcus laurentii, Trichosporon asahii, Geotrichum klebahnii, Aspergillus spp., A. niger and Penicillium spp. Knowing the character of some opportunistic fungi is important in identifying them, facilitating the adoption of preventive measures, such as proper cleaning of cages, since the accumulation of excreta may indicate a risk for both health professionals and centers for screening public health. PMID:25351548

[Determination of ten photoinitiators in fruit juices and tea beverages by solid-phase micro-extraction coupled with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry].

PubMed

Liu, Pengyan; Chen, Yanjie; Zhao, Chunxia; Tian, Lei

2013-12-01

A method for the determination of ten photoinitiators (PIs), benzophenone, ethyl 4-dimethylaminobenzoate, 1-hydroxycyclohexyl-phenylketone, 4-methylbenzophenone, 2-ethylhexyl-4-dimethylaminobenzoate, 4-chlorobenzophenone, 2-chlorothioxanthone, 2-isopropylthio-xanthone, 2,2-dimethoxy-2-phenylacetophenone, methyl 2-benzoylbenzoate, in 13 kinds of fruit juice and 3 kinds of tea beverage has been established, using solid-phase micro-extraction (SPME) combined with chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). At first, the major factors of SPME, extraction time and temperature, were studied through orthogonal experiment. Then the optimal operation conditions were obtained via the refinement of various factors. After the sample was extracted by SPME, it was desorbed for target analytes in sampling inlet for 3 min, and separated on an HP-5MS column, then detected by MS in selected ion monitoring mode, and quantified through calibration curve. The working curves were obtained using sample matrix in order to eliminate the matrix interference. The linear range was from 0.3 microg/L to 60 microg/L and the detection limit range was from 3 ng/L to 16 ng/L. The samples were determined five times with four different spiked levels individually and the relative standard deviations of all the samples were less than 14.5%. This determination method was applied in 16 kinds of packed beverages with different brands and different species. Benzophenone had been detected from all the samples. 4-Methylbenzophenone, 2-ethylhexyl-4-dimethylaminobenzoate, 2-isopropylthioxanthone, 1-hydroxycyclohexyl-phenylketone and 2-chlorothioxanthone had been detected from a portion of samples. Simultaneous determination was achieved for the ten PIs. These results provide a reference to determine the PIs migrated from packing materials in beverage. This method is simple, high sensitive and non-polluting.

Experimental Ten-Photon Entanglement.

PubMed

Wang, Xi-Lin; Chen, Luo-Kan; Li, W; Huang, H-L; Liu, C; Chen, C; Luo, Y-H; Su, Z-E; Wu, D; Li, Z-D; Lu, H; Hu, Y; Jiang, X; Peng, C-Z; Li, L; Liu, N-L; Chen, Yu-Ao; Lu, Chao-Yang; Pan, Jian-Wei

2016-11-18

We report the first experimental demonstration of quantum entanglement among ten spatially separated single photons. A near-optimal entangled photon-pair source was developed with simultaneously a source brightness of ∼12  MHz/W, a collection efficiency of ∼70%, and an indistinguishability of ∼91% between independent photons, which was used for a step-by-step engineering of multiphoton entanglement. Under a pump power of 0.57 W, the ten-photon count rate was increased by about 2 orders of magnitude compared to previous experiments, while maintaining a state fidelity sufficiently high for proving the genuine ten-particle entanglement. Our work created a state-of-the-art platform for multiphoton experiments, and enabled technologies for challenging optical quantum information tasks, such as the realization of Shor's error correction code and high-efficiency scattershot boson sampling.

Different mechanisms for the short-term effects of real versus sham transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) in patients with chronic pain: a pilot study.

PubMed

Oosterhof, Jan; Wilder-Smith, Oliver H; Oostendorp, Rob A; Crul, Ben J

2012-01-01

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) has existed since the early 1970s. However, randomized placebo controlled studies show inconclusive results in the treatment of chronic pain. These results could be explained by assuming that TENS elicits a placebo response. However, in animal research TENS has been found to decrease hyperalgesia, which contradicts this assumption. The aim of this study is to use quantitative sensory testing to explore changes in pain processing during sham versus real TENS in patients with chronic pain. Patients with chronic pain (N = 20) were randomly allocated to real TENS or sham TENS application. Electrical pain thresholds (EPTs) were determined inside and outside the segment stimulated, before and after the first 20 minutes of the intervention, and after a period of 10 days of daily real/sham TENS application. Pain relief did not differ significantly for real versus sham TENS. However, by comparing time courses of EPTs, it was found that EPT values outside the segment of stimulation increased for sham TENS, whereas for real TENS these values decreased. There were, however, no differences for EPT measurements inside the segment stimulated. These results illustrate the importance of including mechanism-reflecting parameters in addition to symptoms when conducting pain research.

Interest of Grade Ten Students toward Physics among Other Science Subjects, Case of Wolaita Soddo Town Governmental Secondary Schools, Ethiopia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamelo, Shewangzaw

2016-01-01

This paper has proposed to investigate the interest in students towards physics among other science subjects. The investigation was carried out with 490 samples of grade ten students in Wolaita Soddo town governmental schools. Thus, overall result indicates that the interest in students towards physics is low and students hate to learn physics in…

Circulating microRNAs as Biomarkers for Detection of Autologous Blood Transfusion

PubMed Central

Leuenberger, Nicolas; Schumacher, Yorck Olaf; Pradervand, Sylvain; Sander, Thomas; Saugy, Martial; Pottgiesser, Torben

2013-01-01

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that regulate various biological processes. Cell-free miRNAs measured in blood plasma have emerged as specific and sensitive markers of physiological processes and disease. In this study, we investigated whether circulating miRNAs can serve as biomarkers for the detection of autologous blood transfusion, a major doping technique that is still undetectable. Plasma miRNA levels were analyzed using high-throughput quantitative real-time PCR. Plasma samples were obtained before and at several time points after autologous blood transfusion (blood bag storage time 42 days) in 10 healthy subjects and 10 controls without transfusion. Other serum markers of erythropoiesis were determined in the same samples. Our results revealed a distinct change in the pattern of circulating miRNAs. Ten miRNAs were upregulated in transfusion samples compared with control samples. Among these, miR-30b, miR-30c, and miR-26b increased significantly and showed a 3.9-, 4.0-, and 3.0-fold change, respectively. The origin of these miRNAs was related to pulmonary and liver tissues. Erythropoietin (EPO) concentration decreased after blood reinfusion. A combination of miRNAs and EPO measurement in a mathematical model enhanced the efficiency of autologous transfusion detection through miRNA analysis. Therefore, our results lay the foundation for the development of miRNAs as novel blood-based biomarkers to detect autologous transfusion. PMID:23840438

Organic nitrogen components in soils from southeast China*

PubMed Central

Chen, Xian-you; Wu, Liang-huan; Cao, Xiao-chuang; Zhu, Yuan-hong

2013-01-01

Objective: To investigate the amounts of extractable organic nitrogen (EON), and the relationships between EON and total extractable nitrogen (TEN), especially the amino acids (AAs) adsorbed by soils, and a series of other hydrolyzed soil nitrogen indices in typical land use soil types from southeast China. Under traditional agricultural planting conditions, the functions of EON, especially AAs in the rhizosphere and in bulk soil zones were also investigated. Methods: Pot experiments were conducted using plants of pakchoi (Brassica chinensis L.) and rice (Oryza sativa L.). In the rhizosphere and bulk soil zone studies, organic nitrogen components were extracted with either distilled water, 0.5 mol/L K2SO4 or acid hydrolysis. Results: K2SO4-EON constituted more than 30% of TEN pools. K2SO4-extractable AAs accounted for 25% of EON pools and nearly 10% of TEN pools in rhizosphere soils. Overall, both K2SO4-EON and extractable AAs contents had positive correlations with TEN pools. Conclusions: EON represented a major component of TEN pools in garden and paddy soils under traditional planting conditions. Although only a small proportion of the EON was present in the form of water-extractable and K2SO4-extractable AAs, the release of AAs from soil exchangeable sites might be an important source of organic nitrogen (N) for plant growth. Our findings suggest that the content of most organic forms of N was significantly greater in rhizosphere than in bulk soil zone samples. However, it was also apparent that the TEN pool content was lower in rhizosphere than in bulk soil samples without added N. PMID:23549843

The effects of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation on postural control in patients with chronic low back pain.

PubMed

Rojhani-Shirazi, Z; Rezaeian, T

2015-01-01

Objective: The effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) on postural control in patients with low back pain which is not well known. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of TENS on postural control in chronic low back pain. Methods: This study was an experimental research design. Twenty-eight patients with chronic LBP (25-45 Y/ O) participated and by using a random allocation, were divided to samples who participated in this study. The mean center of pressure (COP) velocity and displacement were measured before, immediately and 30 min after the intervention. The tests were done with eyes open and closed on a force platform. Sensory electrical stimulation was applied through the TENS device. The descriptive statistics, independent sample T-test and ANOVA with repeated measurement on time were used for data analysis. Results: The results of the present study demonstrated that the application of the sensory electrical stimulation in chronic LBP patients showed a statistically significant improvement in postural control in Medio-lateral direction with no corresponding effect on the anterior-posterior direction immediately following the TENS application and 30 minutes after it in closed eyes conditions as compared to baseline. The application of TENS decreased the displacement and velocity of COP (p≤0.05), 30 minutes after the application of sensory electrical stimulation. The results showed that the mean displacement and velocity of COP decreased in eyes open position (p≤0.05). Also, immediately and 30 minutes after the application of sensory electrical stimulation, COP displacement and velocity in ML direction with eyes closed significantly decreased in the intervention group in comparison with control group (p≤0.05). Conclusion: The application of TENS in patients with chronic low back pain could improve postural control in these patients.

The effects of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation on postural control in patients with chronic low back pain

PubMed Central

Rojhani-Shirazi, Z; Rezaeian, T

2015-01-01

Objective: The effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) on postural control in patients with low back pain which is not well known. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of TENS on postural control in chronic low back pain. Methods: This study was an experimental research design. Twenty-eight patients with chronic LBP (25-45 Y/ O) participated and by using a random allocation, were divided to samples who participated in this study. The mean center of pressure (COP) velocity and displacement were measured before, immediately and 30 min after the intervention. The tests were done with eyes open and closed on a force platform. Sensory electrical stimulation was applied through the TENS device. The descriptive statistics, independent sample T-test and ANOVA with repeated measurement on time were used for data analysis. Results: The results of the present study demonstrated that the application of the sensory electrical stimulation in chronic LBP patients showed a statistically significant improvement in postural control in Medio-lateral direction with no corresponding effect on the anterior-posterior direction immediately following the TENS application and 30 minutes after it in closed eyes conditions as compared to baseline. The application of TENS decreased the displacement and velocity of COP (p≤0.05), 30 minutes after the application of sensory electrical stimulation. The results showed that the mean displacement and velocity of COP decreased in eyes open position (p≤0.05). Also, immediately and 30 minutes after the application of sensory electrical stimulation, COP displacement and velocity in ML direction with eyes closed significantly decreased in the intervention group in comparison with control group (p≤0.05). Conclusion: The application of TENS in patients with chronic low back pain could improve postural control in these patients. PMID:28255392

Anaerobic bacteria in wastewater treatment plant.

PubMed

Cyprowski, Marcin; Stobnicka-Kupiec, Agata; Ławniczek-Wałczyk, Anna; Bakal-Kijek, Aleksandra; Gołofit-Szymczak, Małgorzata; Górny, Rafał L

2018-03-28

The objective of this study was to assess exposure to anaerobic bacteria released into air from sewage and sludge at workplaces from a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). Samples of both sewage and sludge were collected at six sampling points and bioaerosol samples were additionally collected (with the use of a 6-stage Andersen impactor) at ten workplaces covering different stages of the technological process. Qualitative identification of all isolated strains was performed using the biochemical API 20A test. Additionally, the determination of Clostridium pathogens was carried out using 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. The average concentration of anaerobic bacteria in the sewage samples was 5.49 × 10 4 CFU/mL (GSD = 85.4) and in sludge-1.42 × 10 6 CFU/g (GSD = 5.1). In turn, the average airborne bacterial concentration was at the level of 50 CFU/m 3 (GSD = 5.83) and the highest bacterial contamination (4.06 × 10 3  CFU/m 3 ) was found in winter at the bar screens. In total, 16 bacterial species were determined, from which the predominant strains belonged to Actinomyces, Bifidobacterium, Clostridium, Propionibacterium and Peptostreptococcus genera. The analysis revealed that mechanical treatment processes were responsible for a substantial emission of anaerobic bacteria into the air. In both the sewage and air samples, Clostridium perfringens pathogen was identified. Anaerobic bacteria were widely present both in the sewage and in the air at workplaces from the WWTP, especially when the technological process was performed in closed spaces. Anaerobic bacteria formed small aggregates with both wastewater droplets and dust particles of sewage sludge origin and as such may be responsible for adverse health outcomes in exposed workers.

The Accuracy of Estimated Total Test Statistics. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kleinke, David J.

In a post-mortem study of item sampling, 1,050 examinees were divided into ten groups 50 times. Each time, their papers were scored on four different sets of item samples from a 150-item test of academic aptitude. These samples were selected using (a) unstratified random sampling and stratification on (b) content, (c) difficulty, and (d) both.…

DICARBOXYLIC ACID CONCENTRATION TRENDS AND SAMPLING ARTIFACTS

EPA Science Inventory

Dicarboxylic acids associated with airborne particulate matter were measured during a summer period in Philadelphia that included multiple air pollution episodes. Samples were collected for two ten hour periods each day using a high volume sampler with two quartz fiber filters in...

Object-based neglect in number processing

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Recent evidence suggests that neglect patients seem to have particular problems representing relatively smaller numbers corresponding to the left part of the mental number line. However, while this indicates space-based neglect for representational number space little is known about whether and - if so - how object-based neglect influences number processing. To evaluate influences of object-based neglect in numerical cognition, a group of neglect patients and two control groups had to compare two-digit numbers to an internally represented standard. Conceptualizing two-digit numbers as objects of which the left part (i.e., the tens digit should be specifically neglected) we were able to evaluate object-based neglect for number magnitude processing. Object-based neglect was indicated by a larger unit-decade compatibility effect actually reflecting impaired processing of the leftward tens digits. Additionally, faster processing of within- as compared to between-decade items provided further evidence suggesting particular difficulties in integrating tens and units into the place-value structure of the Arabic number system. In summary, the present study indicates that, in addition to the spatial representation of number magnitude, also the processing of place-value information of multi-digit numbers seems specifically impaired in neglect patients. PMID:23343126

Precipitation scavenging of polychlorinated biphenyl congeners in the great lakes region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murray, Michael W.; Andren, Anders W.

Ten precipitation events were sampled in the fall of 1986 in Madison, WI and analyzed for individual congener and total polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) levels in both the dissolved and particulate phases. Total PCB concentrations were generally at the lower end of ranges recently reported for precipitation. Operationally defined dissolved and particulate phase congener distribution patterns for the two events of highest concentration were qualitatively similar to gas-phase and particle-bound patterns for northern Wisconsin air samples. Higher than predicted dissolved-phase concentrations may indicate non-equilibrium processes during scavenging and/or sample processing, the presence of colloids and micro-particulates, and/or more efficient gas-phase transfer to hydrometeors with organic coatings. Observed organic carbon-normalized distribution coefficients increased slightly with increasing octanol-water partition coefficient, giving the relationship log Koc = 0.22 log Kow + 4.64. The data indicate that a third organic-rich colloidal phase could be influencing partitioning, and could explain the higher than expected apparent gas scavenging efficiency for PCBs from the atmosphere. Precipitation-weighted mean fluxes of PCBs in the dissolved and particulate phases were 1.2 and 1.4 μg m -2 year -1, respectively, indicating that precipitation remains a significant source of PCBs to the upper Great Lakes.

Immune system changes during simulated planetary exploration on Devon Island, high arctic

PubMed Central

Crucian, Brian; Lee, Pascal; Stowe, Raymond; Jones, Jeff; Effenhauser, Rainer; Widen, Raymond; Sams, Clarence

2007-01-01

Background Dysregulation of the immune system has been shown to occur during spaceflight, although the detailed nature of the phenomenon and the clinical risks for exploration class missions have yet to be established. Also, the growing clinical significance of immune system evaluation combined with epidemic infectious disease rates in third world countries provides a strong rationale for the development of field-compatible clinical immunology techniques and equipment. In July 2002 NASA performed a comprehensive immune assessment on field team members participating in the Haughton-Mars Project (HMP) on Devon Island in the high Canadian Arctic. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effect of mission-associated stressors on the human immune system. To perform the study, the development of techniques for processing immune samples in remote field locations was required. Ten HMP-2002 participants volunteered for the study. A field protocol was developed at NASA-JSC for performing sample collection, blood staining/processing for immunophenotype analysis, whole-blood mitogenic culture for functional assessments and cell-sample preservation on-location at Devon Island. Specific assays included peripheral leukocyte distribution; constitutively activated T cells, intracellular cytokine profiles, plasma cortisol and EBV viral antibody levels. Study timepoints were 30 days prior to mission start, mid-mission and 60 days after mission completion. Results The protocol developed for immune sample processing in remote field locations functioned properly. Samples were processed on Devon Island, and stabilized for subsequent analysis at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. The data indicated that some phenotype, immune function and stress hormone changes occurred in the HMP field participants that were largely distinct from pre-mission baseline and post-mission recovery data. These immune changes appear similar to those observed in astronauts following spaceflight. Conclusion The immune system changes described during the HMP field deployment validate the use of the HMP as a ground-based spaceflight/planetary exploration analog for some aspects of human physiology. The sample processing protocol developed for this study may have applications for immune studies in remote terrestrial field locations. Elements of this protocol could possibly be adapted for future in-flight immunology studies conducted during space missions. PMID:17521440

Authenticated DNA from Ancient Wood Remains

PubMed Central

LIEPELT, SASCHA; SPERISEN, CHRISTOPH; DEGUILLOUX, MARIE-FRANCE; PETIT, REMY J.; KISSLING, ROY; SPENCER, MATTHEW; DE BEAULIEU, JACQUES-LOUIS; TABERLET, PIERRE; GIELLY, LUDOVIC; ZIEGENHAGEN, BIRGIT

2006-01-01

• Background The reconstruction of biological processes and human activities during the last glacial cycle relies mainly on data from biological remains. Highly abundant tissues, such as wood, are candidates for a genetic analysis of past populations. While well-authenticated DNA has now been recovered from various fossil remains, the final ‘proof’ is still missing for wood, despite some promising studies. • Scope The goal of this study was to determine if ancient wood can be analysed routinely in studies of archaeology and palaeogenetics. An experiment was designed which included blind testing, independent replicates, extensive contamination controls and rigorous statistical tests. Ten samples of ancient wood from major European forest tree genera were analysed with plastid DNA markers. • Conclusions Authentic DNA was retrieved from wood samples up to 1000 years of age. A new tool for real-time vegetation history and archaeology is ready to use. PMID:16987920

Comparison between wavelet and wavelet packet transform features for classification of faults in distribution system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arvind, Pratul

2012-11-01

The ability to identify and classify all ten types of faults in a distribution system is an important task for protection engineers. Unlike transmission system, distribution systems have a complex configuration and are subjected to frequent faults. In the present work, an algorithm has been developed for identifying all ten types of faults in a distribution system by collecting current samples at the substation end. The samples are subjected to wavelet packet transform and artificial neural network in order to yield better classification results. A comparison of results between wavelet transform and wavelet packet transform is also presented thereby justifying the feature extracted from wavelet packet transform yields promising results. It should also be noted that current samples are collected after simulating a 25kv distribution system in PSCAD software.

Neuromimetic Sound Representation for Percept Detection and Manipulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zotkin, Dmitry N.; Chi, Taishih; Shamma, Shihab A.; Duraiswami, Ramani

2005-12-01

The acoustic wave received at the ears is processed by the human auditory system to separate different sounds along the intensity, pitch, and timbre dimensions. Conventional Fourier-based signal processing, while endowed with fast algorithms, is unable to easily represent a signal along these attributes. In this paper, we discuss the creation of maximally separable sounds in auditory user interfaces and use a recently proposed cortical sound representation, which performs a biomimetic decomposition of an acoustic signal, to represent and manipulate sound for this purpose. We briefly overview algorithms for obtaining, manipulating, and inverting a cortical representation of a sound and describe algorithms for manipulating signal pitch and timbre separately. The algorithms are also used to create sound of an instrument between a "guitar" and a "trumpet." Excellent sound quality can be achieved if processing time is not a concern, and intelligible signals can be reconstructed in reasonable processing time (about ten seconds of computational time for a one-second signal sampled at [InlineEquation not available: see fulltext.]). Work on bringing the algorithms into the real-time processing domain is ongoing.

Human enteric viruses in a wastewater treatment plant: evaluation of activated sludge combined with UV disinfection process reveals different removal performances for viruses with different features.

PubMed

Lizasoain, A; Tort, L F L; García, M; Gillman, L; Alberti, A; Leite, J P G; Miagostovich, M P; Pou, S A; Cagiao, A; Razsap, A; Huertas, J; Berois, M; Victoria, M; Colina, R

2018-03-01

This study assess the quality of wastewater through the detection and quantification of important viruses causing gastroenteritis at different stages of the wastewater treatment process in an activated-sludge wastewater treatment plant with ultraviolet disinfection. Ten sampling events were carried out in a campaign along a period of 18 months collecting wastewater samples from the influent, after the activated-sludge treatment, and after the final disinfection with UV radiation. Samples were concentrated through ultracentrifugation and analysed using retro-transcription, PCR and real time quantitative PCR protocols, for detection and quantification of Group A Rotavirus (RVA), Human Astrovirus (HAstV), Norovirus Genogroup II (NoV GII) and Human Adenovirus (HAdV). HAdV (100%), NoV GII (90%), RVA (70%) and HAstV (60%) were detected in influent samples with concentration from 1·4 (NoV GII) to 8·0 (RVA) log 10  gc l -1 . Activated-sludge treatment reached well quality effluents with low organic material concentration, although nonstatistical significant differences were registered among influent and postactivated sludge treatment samples, regarding the presence and concentration for most viruses. All post-UV samples were negative for NoV GII and HAstV, although RVA and HAdV were detected in 38% and 63% of those samples respectively, with concentration ranging from 2·2 to 5·5 and 3·1 to 3·4 log 10  gc l -1 . This study demonstrates that an activated-sludge wastewater treatment plant with UV disinfection reduces to levels below the detection limit those single-stranded RNA viruses as noroviruses and astroviruses and reach significant lower levels of rotaviruses and adenoviruses after the complete treatment process. © 2017 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) accelerates cutaneous wound healing and inhibits pro-inflammatory cytokines.

PubMed

Gürgen, Seren Gülşen; Sayın, Oya; Cetin, Ferihan; Tuç Yücel, Ayşe

2014-06-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and other common treatment methods used in the process of wound healing in terms of the expression levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. In the study, 24 female and 24 male adult Wistar-Albino rats were divided into five groups: (1) the non-wounded group having no incision wounds, (2) the control group having incision wounds, (3) the TENS (2 Hz, 15 min) group, (4) the physiological saline (PS) group and (5) the povidone iodine (PI) group. In the skin sections, interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were assessed with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunohistochemical methods. In the non-wounded group, the expression of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α signaling molecules was weaker in the whole tissue; however, in the control group, significant inflammatory response occurred, and strong cytokine expression was observed in the dermis, granulation tissue, hair follicles, and sebaceous glands (P < 0.05). In the TENS group, the decrease in TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 immunoreaction in the skin was significant compared to the other forms of treatment (P < 0.05). Distinctive decreases of pro-inflammatory cytokines observed in the dermis in the TENS group suggest that TENS shortened the healing process by inhibating the inflammation phase.

PRESERVATION OF AS(III) AND AS(V) IN DRINKING WATER SUPPLY SAMPLES FROM ACROSS THE UNITED STATES USING EDTA AND ACETIC ACID AS A MEANS OF MINIMIZING IRON-ARSENIC CO-PRECIPITATION

EPA Science Inventory

This paper evaluates seven different treatment/storage conditions for the preservation of the native As(III)/As(V) found in ten drinking water supplies from across the US. These ten waters were chosen because they have different As(III)/As(V) distributions; six of these waters c...

Detection of Distinct Changes in Gene-expression Profiles in Specimens of Tumors and Transition Zones of Tenascin-positive/-negative Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

PubMed

Zivicova, Veronika; Gal, Peter; Mifkova, Alzbeta; Novak, Stepan; Kaltner, Herbert; Kolar, Michal; Strnad, Hynek; Sachova, Jana; Hradilova, Miluse; Chovanec, Martin; Gabius, Hans-Joachim; Smetana, Karel; Fik, Zdenek

2018-03-01

Having previously initiated genome-wide expression profiling in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) for regions of the tumor, the margin of surgical resecate (MSR) and normal mucosa (NM), we here proceed with respective analysis of cases after stratification according to the expression status of tenascin (Ten). Tissue specimens of each anatomical site were analyzed by immunofluorescent detection of Ten, fibronectin (Fn) and galectin-1 (Gal-1) as well as by microarrays. Histopathological examination demonstrated that Ten + Fn + Gal-1 + co-expression occurs more frequently in samples of HNSCC (55%) than in NM (9%; p<0.01). Contrary, the Ten - Fn + Gal-1 - (45%) and Ten - Fn - Gal-1 - (39%) status occurred with significantly (p<0.01) higher frequency than in HNSCC (3% and 4%, respectively). In MSRs, different immunophenotypes were distributed rather equally (Ten + Fn + Gal-1 + =24%; Ten - Fn + Gal-1 - =36%; Ten - Fn - Gal-1 - =33%), differing to the results in tumors (p<0.05). Absence/presence of Ten was used for stratification of patients into cohorts without a difference in prognosis, to comparatively examine gene-activity signatures. Microarray analysis revealed i) expression of several tumor progression-associated genes in Ten + HNSCC tumors and ii) a strong up-regulation of gene expression assigned to lipid metabolism in MSRs of Ten - tumors, while NM profiles remained similar. The presented data reveal marked and specific changes in tumors and MSR specimens of HNSCC without a separation based on prognosis. Copyright© 2018, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.

Gene Expression Profiling in Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy 2A

PubMed Central

Sáenz, Amets; Azpitarte, Margarita; Armañanzas, Rubén; Leturcq, France; Alzualde, Ainhoa; Inza, Iñaki; García-Bragado, Federico; De la Herran, Gaspar; Corcuera, Julián; Cabello, Ana; Navarro, Carmen; De la Torre, Carolina; Gallardo, Eduard; Illa, Isabel; de Munain, Adolfo López

2008-01-01

Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 2A (LGMD2A) is a recessive genetic disorder caused by mutations in calpain 3 (CAPN3). Calpain 3 plays different roles in muscular cells, but little is known about its functions or in vivo substrates. The aim of this study was to identify the genes showing an altered expression in LGMD2A patients and the possible pathways they are implicated in. Ten muscle samples from LGMD2A patients with in which molecular diagnosis was ascertained were investigated using array technology to analyze gene expression profiling as compared to ten normal muscle samples. Upregulated genes were mostly those related to extracellular matrix (different collagens), cell adhesion (fibronectin), muscle development (myosins and melusin) and signal transduction. It is therefore suggested that different proteins located or participating in the costameric region are implicated in processes regulated by calpain 3 during skeletal muscle development. Genes participating in the ubiquitin proteasome degradation pathway were found to be deregulated in LGMD2A patients, suggesting that regulation of this pathway may be under the control of calpain 3 activity. As frizzled-related protein (FRZB) is upregulated in LGMD2A muscle samples, it could be hypothesized that β-catenin regulation is also altered at the Wnt signaling pathway, leading to an incorrect myogenesis. Conversely, expression of most transcription factor genes was downregulated (MYC, FOS and EGR1). Finally, the upregulation of IL-32 and immunoglobulin genes may induce the eosinophil chemoattraction explaining the inflammatory findings observed in presymptomatic stages. The obtained results try to shed some light on identification of novel therapeutic targets for limb-girdle muscular dystrophies. PMID:19015733

Fast automated analysis of strong gravitational lenses with convolutional neural networks

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

Hezaveh, Yashar D.; Levasseur, Laurence Perreault; Marshall, Philip J.

Quantifying image distortions caused by strong gravitational lensing—the formation of multiple images of distant sources due to the deflection of their light by the gravity of intervening structures—and estimating the corresponding matter distribution of these structures (the ‘gravitational lens’) has primarily been performed using maximum likelihood modelling of observations. Our procedure is typically time- and resource-consuming, requiring sophisticated lensing codes, several data preparation steps, and finding the maximum likelihood model parameters in a computationally expensive process with downhill optimizers. Accurate analysis of a single gravitational lens can take up to a few weeks and requires expert knowledge of the physicalmore » processes and methods involved. Tens of thousands of new lenses are expected to be discovered with the upcoming generation of ground and space surveys. We report the use of deep convolutional neural networks to estimate lensing parameters in an extremely fast and automated way, circumventing the difficulties that are faced by maximum likelihood methods. We also show that the removal of lens light can be made fast and automated using independent component analysis of multi-filter imaging data. Our networks can recover the parameters of the ‘singular isothermal ellipsoid’ density profile, which is commonly used to model strong lensing systems, with an accuracy comparable to the uncertainties of sophisticated models but about ten million times faster: 100 systems in approximately one second on a single graphics processing unit. These networks can provide a way for non-experts to obtain estimates of lensing parameters for large samples of data.« less

Fast automated analysis of strong gravitational lenses with convolutional neural networks

DOE PAGES

Hezaveh, Yashar D.; Levasseur, Laurence Perreault; Marshall, Philip J.

2017-08-30

Quantifying image distortions caused by strong gravitational lensing—the formation of multiple images of distant sources due to the deflection of their light by the gravity of intervening structures—and estimating the corresponding matter distribution of these structures (the ‘gravitational lens’) has primarily been performed using maximum likelihood modelling of observations. Our procedure is typically time- and resource-consuming, requiring sophisticated lensing codes, several data preparation steps, and finding the maximum likelihood model parameters in a computationally expensive process with downhill optimizers. Accurate analysis of a single gravitational lens can take up to a few weeks and requires expert knowledge of the physicalmore » processes and methods involved. Tens of thousands of new lenses are expected to be discovered with the upcoming generation of ground and space surveys. We report the use of deep convolutional neural networks to estimate lensing parameters in an extremely fast and automated way, circumventing the difficulties that are faced by maximum likelihood methods. We also show that the removal of lens light can be made fast and automated using independent component analysis of multi-filter imaging data. Our networks can recover the parameters of the ‘singular isothermal ellipsoid’ density profile, which is commonly used to model strong lensing systems, with an accuracy comparable to the uncertainties of sophisticated models but about ten million times faster: 100 systems in approximately one second on a single graphics processing unit. These networks can provide a way for non-experts to obtain estimates of lensing parameters for large samples of data.« less

Fast automated analysis of strong gravitational lenses with convolutional neural networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hezaveh, Yashar D.; Levasseur, Laurence Perreault; Marshall, Philip J.

2017-08-01

Quantifying image distortions caused by strong gravitational lensing—the formation of multiple images of distant sources due to the deflection of their light by the gravity of intervening structures—and estimating the corresponding matter distribution of these structures (the ‘gravitational lens’) has primarily been performed using maximum likelihood modelling of observations. This procedure is typically time- and resource-consuming, requiring sophisticated lensing codes, several data preparation steps, and finding the maximum likelihood model parameters in a computationally expensive process with downhill optimizers. Accurate analysis of a single gravitational lens can take up to a few weeks and requires expert knowledge of the physical processes and methods involved. Tens of thousands of new lenses are expected to be discovered with the upcoming generation of ground and space surveys. Here we report the use of deep convolutional neural networks to estimate lensing parameters in an extremely fast and automated way, circumventing the difficulties that are faced by maximum likelihood methods. We also show that the removal of lens light can be made fast and automated using independent component analysis of multi-filter imaging data. Our networks can recover the parameters of the ‘singular isothermal ellipsoid’ density profile, which is commonly used to model strong lensing systems, with an accuracy comparable to the uncertainties of sophisticated models but about ten million times faster: 100 systems in approximately one second on a single graphics processing unit. These networks can provide a way for non-experts to obtain estimates of lensing parameters for large samples of data.

7 CFR 51.308 - Methods of sampling and calculation of percentages.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... Grades of Apples Methods of Sampling and Calculation of Percentages § 51.308 Methods of sampling and... weigh ten pounds or less, or in any container where the minimum diameter of the smallest apple does not vary more than 1/2 inch from the minimum diameter of the largest apple, percentages shall be calculated...

7 CFR 51.308 - Methods of sampling and calculation of percentages.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... Grades of Apples Methods of Sampling and Calculation of Percentages § 51.308 Methods of sampling and... weigh ten pounds or less, or in any container where the minimum diameter of the smallest apple does not vary more than 1/2 inch from the minimum diameter of the largest apple, percentages shall be calculated...

Dual agency in critical care nursing: Balancing responsibilities towards colleagues and patients.

PubMed

Trapani, Josef; Scholes, Julie; Cassar, Maria

2016-10-01

To explore critical care nurses' decisions to seek help from doctors. Despite their well-documented role in improving critically ill patients' outcomes, research indicates that nurses rarely take decisions about patients' treatment modalities on their own and constantly need to seek advice or authorization for their clinical decisions, even for protocol-guided actions. However, research around the factors related to, and the actual process of, such referrals is limited. A grounded theory study, underpinned by a symbolic interactionist perspective. Data collection took place in a general intensive care unit between 2010 - 2012 and involved: 20 hours of non-participant and 50 hours of participant observation; ten informal and ten formal interviews; and two focus groups with ten nurses, selected by purposive and theoretical sampling. Data analysis was guided by the dimensional analysis approach to generating grounded theory. Nurses' decisions to seek help from doctors involve weighing up several occasionally conflicting motivators. A central consideration is that of balancing their moral obligation to safeguard patients' interests with their duty to respect doctors' authority. Subsequently, nurses end up in a position of dual agency as they need to concurrently act as an agent to medical practitioners and patients. Nurses' dual agency relationship with patients and doctors may deter their moral obligation of keeping patients' interest as their utmost concern. Nurse leaders and educators should, therefore, enhance nurses' assertiveness, courage and skills to place patients' interest at the forefront of all their actions and interactions. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Quasielastic neutron scattering studies on glass-forming ionic liquids with imidazolium cations

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

Kofu, Maiko; Inamura, Yasuhiro; Miyazaki, Kyoko

2015-12-21

Relaxation processes for imidazolium-based ionic liquids (ILs) were investigated by means of an incoherent quasielastic neutron scattering technique. In order to clarify the cation and anion effects on the relaxation processes, ten samples were measured. For all of the samples, we found three relaxations at around 1 ps, 10 ps, and 100 ps-10 ns, each corresponding to the alkyl reorientation, the relaxation related to the imidazolium ring, and the ionic diffusion. The activation energy (E{sub a}) for the alkyl relaxation is insensitive to both anion and alkyl chain lengths. On the other hand, for the imidazolium relaxation and the ionicmore » diffusion processes, E{sub a} increases as the anion size decreases but is almost independent of the alkyl chain length. This indicates that the ionic diffusion and imidazolium relaxation are governed by the Coulombic interaction between the core parts of the cations (imidazolium ring) and the anions. This is consistent with the fact that the imidazolium-based ILs have nanometer scale structures consisting of ionic and neutral (alkyl chain) domains. It is also found that there is a clear correlation between the ionic diffusion and viscosity, indicating that the ionic diffusion is mainly associated with the glass transition which is one of the characteristics of imidazolium-based ILs.« less

Assessment and management of burn pain at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital: a best practice implementation project.

PubMed

Bayuo, Jonathan; Munn, Zachary; Campbell, Jared

2017-09-01

Pain management is a significant issue in health facilities in Ghana. For burn patients, this is even more challenging as burn pain has varied facets. Despite the existence of pharmacological agents for pain management, complaints of pain still persist. The aim of this project was to identify pain management practices in the burns units of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, compare these approaches to best practice, and implement strategies to enhance compliance to standards. Ten evidence-based audit criteria were developed from evidence summaries. Using the Joanna Briggs Institute Practical Application of Clinical Evidence Software (PACES), a baseline audit was undertaken on a convenience sample of ten patients from the day of admission to the seventh day. Thereafter, the Getting Research into Practice (GRiP) component of PACES was used to identify barriers, strategies, resources and outcomes. After implementation of the strategies, a follow-up audit was undertaken using the same sample size and audit criteria. The baseline results showed poor adherence to best practice. However, following implementation of strategies, including ongoing professional education and provision of assessment tools and protocols, compliance rates improved significantly. Atlhough the success of this project was almost disrupted by an industrial action, collaboration with external bodies enabled the successful completion of the project. Pain management practices in the burns unit improved at the end of the project which reflects the importance of an audit process, education, providing feedback, group efforts and effective collaboration.

Mapping South San Francisco Bay's seabed diversity for use in wetland restoration planning

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fregoso, Theresa A.; Jaffe, B.; Rathwell, G.; Collins, W.; Rhynas, K.; Tomlin, V.; Sullivan, S.

2006-01-01

Data for an acoustic seabed classification were collected as a part of a California Coastal Conservancy funded bathymetric survey of South Bay in early 2005.  A QTC VIEW seabed classification system recorded echoes from a sungle bean 50 kHz echosounder.  Approximately 450,000 seabed classification records were generated from an are of of about 30 sq. miles.  Ten district acoustic classes were identified through an unsupervised classification system using principle component and cluster analyses.  One hundred and sixty-one grab samples and forty-five benthic community composition data samples collected in the study area shortly before and after the seabed classification survey, further refined the ten classes into groups based on grain size.  A preliminary map of surficial grain size of South Bay was developed from the combination of the seabed classification and the grab and benthic samples.  The initial seabed classification map, the grain size map, and locations of sediment samples will be displayed along with the methods of acousitc seabed classification.

A Proposed 2025 Ground Systems, Systems Engineering Process

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-07-01

Ten sio ns Egy pt Int ern al Ten sio ns Ira n R eg ion al An ata go nis ms Yem en In sta bil ity Ter ror ist Ch all en ge s Sud an Co nfl ict Ter...brainstorm solutions. Meanwhile, engineers can observe what is working and program managers can assess the true tactical value of technolo- gies ...user needs into materiel solutions (Boehm, 2010). Due to the length of the existing process, decisions made and available technolo- gies that were

The structuring process of the macroparasite community of an experimental population of cichlasoma urophthalmus through time

PubMed

Vidal-Martinez; Kennedy; Aguirre-Macedo

1998-09-01

The structuring process of the macroparasite community of caged Cichlasoma urophthalmus was studied over time using sentinel fish. Three thousand uninfected cichlids were stocked in floating cages introduced into a quarry in which a wild population of the same species was present. Caged and wild cichlids were sampled monthly over 6 and 7 months, respectively. Seventeen macroparasite species were found in the wild C. urophthalmus population, ten of which were detected in the caged population after 6 months. Early infections were by those species that were more frequent and abundant in the wild population, while helminths with a low prevalence and abundance in the wild appeared later in the caged fish population. The results suggested that the structuring process of the macroparasite community of caged C. urophthalmus followed a predictable pattern, in which those species that were most frequent and abundant in the wild were the first to establish in sentinel fish.

Article 7: Measures of digit span and verbal rehearsal speed in deaf children following more than 10 years of cochlear implantation

PubMed Central

Pisoni, David; Kronenberger, William; Roman, Adrienne; Geers, Ann

2011-01-01

Precis This paper reports results on the development of immediate memory capacity and verbal rehearsal speed in 112 children with more than ten years of CI use. We found less than half of the sample showed increases in both forward and backward digit spans suggesting disturbances in basic mechanisms related to storage or rehearsal of verbal information. Both spans and verbal rehearsal speeds in elementary school were found to be correlated with speech and language outcomes in high school. These developmental results provide new insights in the elementary neurocognitive information processes associated with high variability in speech and language outcomes. PMID:21832890

Coherent X-Ray Imaging of Collagen Fibril Distributions within Intact Tendons

PubMed Central

Berenguer, Felisa; Bean, Richard J.; Bozec, Laurent; Vila-Comamala, Joan; Zhang, Fucai; Kewish, Cameron M.; Bunk, Oliver; Rodenburg, John M.; Robinson, Ian K.

2014-01-01

The characterization of the structure of highly hierarchical biosamples such as collagen-based tissues at the scale of tens of nanometers is essential to correlate the tissue structure with its growth processes. Coherent x-ray Bragg ptychography is an innovative imaging technique that gives high resolution images of the ordered parts of such samples. Herein, we report how we used this method to image the collagen fibrillar ultrastructure of intact rat tail tendons. The images show ordered fibrils extending over 10–20 μm in length, with a quantifiable D-banding spacing variation of 0.2%. Occasional defects in the fibrils distribution have also been observed, likely indicating fibrillar fusion events. PMID:24461021

The Effect of Listening Education Practices Organized by Active Learning Techniques on the Attitudes of 6th Grade Students towards Turkish Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aytan, Talat

2017-01-01

In this study, it was aimed to determine the effect of listening education practices that organized by active learning techniques on the attitudes of 6th grade students towards Turkish course. The sample of the study conducted at a secondary school in the Black Sea region of Turkey consisted of twenty students--ten girls and ten boys. During…

Acute, Five- and Ten-Day Inhalation Study of Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids-Mixed Fats (HEFA-F) Jet Fuel

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-01

Groups ...................18 Table 6. Urine Specific Gravity in the Ten-Day Duration Groups ...............................................19 Table 7...exposed rats were not consistently significant compared to control groups and were considered random due to small group sizes. In urine samples...sources. Alternative fuels may be developed by synthesis from simpler molecules (e.g., natural gas) or by refining from non-petroleum sources (e.g

Variation of levels and distribution of N-nitrosamines in different seasons in drinking waters of East China.

PubMed

Li, Ting; Yu, Dian; Xian, Qiming; Li, Aimin; Sun, Cheng

2015-08-01

We surveyed the occurrence of nine N-nitrosamine species in ten bottled drinking waters from supermarket and other water samples including raw waters, finished waters, and distribution system waters from nine municipal drinking water treatment plants in eight cities of Jiangsu Province, East China. N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) was detected in one of ten bottled drinking water samples at concentration of 4.8 ng/L and N-nitrosomorpholine (NMor) was detected in four of the ten bottles with an average concentration and a standard deviation of 16 ± 15 ng/L. The levels of nitrosamines in the distribution system water samples collected during summer season ranged from below detection limit (BDL) to 5.4 ng/L for NDMA, BDL to 9.5 ng/L for N-nitrosomethylethylamine (NMEA), BDL to 2.7 ng/L for N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA) and BDL to 8.5 ng/L for N-nitrosopyrrolidine (NPyr). Samples of distribution system waters collected in winter season had levels of nitrosamines ranged from BDL to 45 ng/L for NDMA, BDL to 5.2 ng/L for NPyr, and BDL to 309 ng/L for N-nitrosopiperidine (NPip). A positive correlation of the concentration of NDMA as well as the total nine N-nitrosamines between finished waters and distribution system waters was observed. Both dissolved organic carbon and nitrite were found to correlate linearly with N-nitrosamine levels in raw waters.

7 CFR 43.102 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... SAMPLING PLANS Definitions § 43.102 Definitions. Statistical and inspection or sampling terms and their... probability of acceptance (Pa) for the Limited Quality (LQ) lots. The consumer protection is 90 percent in... the standards of this subpart that have a ten percent probability of acceptance are referred to as a...

Evaluation of the Environmental Fate of Munition Compounds in Soil.

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-06-01

temperature in- duction furnace. Nitrate Water samples were analyzed for nitrate (NO:T) by a Dion -X System Ten ion chromatograph. Nitrite Water samples...moderately well drained Celins , somewhat poorly drained Crosby and Conover, and very poorly drained Kokomo form a drainage sequence with the

[Analysis of productivity, quality and cost of first grade laboratories: blood biometry].

PubMed

Avila, L; Hernández, P; Cruz, A; Zurita, B; Terres, A M; Cruz, C

1999-04-01

Assessment of productivity, quality and production costs and determination of the efficiency of top grade clinical laboratories in Mexico. Ten laboratories were selected from among the total number (52) existing in Mexico City, and the Donabedian model of structure, process and results were applied. Blood count was selected as a tracer. The principal problems found were: inadequate distribution of trained human resources, poor glass material, inadequate analytic process and low productivity. These factors are reflected in the unit costs, which exceed reference laboratory costs by 200%. Only 50% of the laboratories analyzed generate reliable results. Only 20% of the laboratories studied operate efficiently. To solve the problems identified requires integral strategies at different levels. A specific recomendation for the improvement of quality and productivity is an assessment of the cost/benefit of creating a central laboratory and using the remaining sites exclusively for the collection of samples.

New approach for cystic fibrosis diagnosis based on chloride/potassium ratio analyzed in non-invasively obtained skin-wipe sweat samples by capillary electrophoresis with contactless conductometric detection.

PubMed

Ďurč, Pavol; Foret, František; Pokojová, Eva; Homola, Lukáš; Skřičková, Jana; Herout, Vladimír; Dastych, Milan; Vinohradská, Hana; Kubáň, Petr

2017-05-01

A new approach for sweat analysis used in cystic fibrosis (CF) diagnosis is proposed. It consists of a noninvasive skin-wipe sampling followed by analysis of target ions using capillary electrophoresis with contactless conductometric detection (C4D). The skin-wipe sampling consists of wiping a defined skin area with precleaned cotton swab moistened with 100 μL deionized water. The skin-wipe sample is then extracted for 3 min into 400 μL deionized water, and the extract is analyzed directly. The developed sampling method is cheap, simple, fast, and painless, and can replace the conventional pilocarpine-induced sweat chloride test commonly applied in CF diagnosis. The aqueous extract of the skin-wipe sample content is analyzed simultaneously by capillary electrophoresis with contactless conductometric detection using a double opposite end injection. A 20 mmol/L L-histidine/2-(N-morpholino)ethanesulfonic acid and 2 mmol/L 18-crown-6 at pH 6 electrolyte can separate all the major ions in less than 7 min. Skin-wipe sample extracts from 30 study participants-ten adult patients with CF (25-50 years old), ten pediatric patients with CF (1-15 years old), and ten healthy control individuals (1-18 years old)-were obtained and analyzed. From the analyzed ions in all samples, a significant difference between chloride and potassium concentrations was found in the CF patients and healthy controls. We propose the use of the Cl - /K + ratio rather than the absolute Cl - concentration and a cutoff value of 4 in skin-wipe sample extracts as an alternative to the conventional sweat chloride analysis. The proposed Cl - /K + ion ratio proved to be a more reliable indicator, is independent of the patient's age, and allows better differentiation between non-CF individuals and CF patients having intermediate values on the Cl - sweat test. Figure New approach for cystic fibrosis diagnosis based on skin-wipe sampling of forearm and analysis of ionic content (Cl - /K + ratio) in skin-wipe extracts by capillary electrophoresis with contactless conductometric detection.

Characterisation of Ga-coated and Ga-brazed aluminium

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

Ferchaud, E.; Christien, F., E-mail: frederic.christien@univ-nantes.fr; Barnier, V.

This work is devoted to the brazing of aluminium using liquid gallium. Gallium was deposited on aluminium samples at {approx} 50 Degree-Sign C using a liquid gallium 'polishing' technique. Brazing was undertaken for 30 min at 500 Degree-Sign C in air. EDS (Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy) and AES (Auger Electron Spectroscopy) characterisation of Ga-coated samples has shown that the Ga surface layer thickness is of ten (or a few tens of) nanometres. Furthermore, aluminium oxide layer (Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}) was shown to be 'descaled' during Ga deposition, which ensures good conditions for further brazing. Cross-section examination of Ga-coated samples showsmore » that liquid gallium penetrates into the aluminium grain boundaries during deposition. The thickness of the grain boundary gallium film was measured using an original EDS technique and is found to be of a few tens of nanometres. The depth of gallium grain boundary penetration is about 300 {mu}m at the deposition temperature. The fracture stress of the brazed joints was measured from tensile tests and was determined to be 33 MPa. Cross-section examination of brazed joints shows that gallium has fully dissolved into the bulk and that the joint is really autogenous. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Aluminium can be brazed using liquid gallium deposited by a 'polishing' technique. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The aluminium oxide layer is 'descaled' during liquid Ga 'polishing' deposition. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer EDS can be used for determination of surface and grain boundary Ga film thickness. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The surface and grain boundary Ga film thickness is of a few tens of nm. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Surface and grain boundary gallium dissolves in the bulk during brazing.« less

How many schools adopt interviews during the student admission process across the health professions in the United States of America?

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Health profession schools use interviews during the admissions process to identify certain non-cognitive skills that are needed for success in diverse, inter-professional settings. This study aimed to assess the use of interviews during the student admissions process across health disciplines at schools in the United States of America in 2014. The type and frequency of non-cognitive skills assessed were also evaluated. Descriptive methods were used to analyze a sample of interview rubrics collected as part of a national survey on admissions in the health professions, which surveyed 228 schools of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, and public health. Of the 228 schools, 130 used interviews. The most desirable non-cognitive skills from 34 schools were identified as follows: communication skills (30), motivation (22), readiness for the profession (17), service (12), and problem-solving (12). Ten schools reported using the multiple mini-interview format, which may indicate potential for expanding this practice. Disparities in the use of interviewing across health professions should be verified to help schools adopt interviews during student admissions processes. PMID:26924541

How many schools adopt interviews during the student admission process across the health professions in the United States of America?

PubMed

Glazer, Greer; Startsman, Laura F; Bankston, Karen; Michaels, Julia; Danek, Jennifer C; Fair, Malika

2016-01-01

Health profession schools use interviews during the admissions process to identify certain non-cognitive skills that are needed for success in diverse, inter-professional settings. This study aimed to assess the use of interviews during the student admissions process across health disciplines at schools in the United States of America in 2014. The type and frequency of non-cognitive skills assessed were also evaluated. Descriptive methods were used to analyze a sample of interview rubrics collected as part of a national survey on admissions in the health professions, which surveyed 228 schools of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, and public health. Of the 228 schools, 130 used interviews. The most desirable non-cognitive skills from 34 schools were identified as follows: communication skills (30), motivation (22), readiness for the profession (17), service (12), and problem-solving (12). Ten schools reported using the multiple mini-interview format, which may indicate potential for expanding this practice. Disparities in the use of interviewing across health professions should be verified to help schools adopt interviews during student admissions processes.

Learning from Past Classification Errors: Exploring Methods for Improving the Performance of a Deep Learning-based Building Extraction Model through Quantitative Analysis of Commission Errors for Optimal Sample Selection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swan, B.; Laverdiere, M.; Yang, L.

2017-12-01

In the past five years, deep Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) have been increasingly favored for computer vision applications due to their high accuracy and ability to generalize well in very complex problems; however, details of how they function and in turn how they may be optimized are still imperfectly understood. In particular, their complex and highly nonlinear network architecture, including many hidden layers and self-learned parameters, as well as their mathematical implications, presents open questions about how to effectively select training data. Without knowledge of the exact ways the model processes and transforms its inputs, intuition alone may fail as a guide to selecting highly relevant training samples. Working in the context of improving a CNN-based building extraction model used for the LandScan USA gridded population dataset, we have approached this problem by developing a semi-supervised, highly-scalable approach to select training samples from a dataset of identified commission errors. Due to the large scope this project, tens of thousands of potential samples could be derived from identified commission errors. To efficiently trim those samples down to a manageable and effective set for creating additional training sample, we statistically summarized the spectral characteristics of areas with rates of commission errors at the image tile level and grouped these tiles using affinity propagation. Highly representative members of each commission error cluster were then used to select sites for training sample creation. The model will be incrementally re-trained with the new training data to allow for an assessment of how the addition of different types of samples affects the model performance, such as precision and recall rates. By using quantitative analysis and data clustering techniques to select highly relevant training samples, we hope to improve model performance in a manner that is resource efficient, both in terms of training process and in sample creation.

Variable tolerance to copper in two species from San Francisco Bay

USGS Publications Warehouse

Luoma, S.N.; Cain, D.J.; Ho, K.; Hutchinson, A.

1983-01-01

In static toxicity experiments, tolerance to soluble Cu of the bivalve, Macoma balthica, and the copepod, Acartia clausi, varied substantially among populations sampled within San Francisco Bay. Intraspecific tolerance differed ten-fold or more for both species over relatively small distances, suggesting geographical isolation of populations is not a prerequisite for the development of intraspecific differences in tolerance by aquatic organisms.In static toxicity experiments, tolerance to soluble Cu of the bivalve, Macoma balthica, and the copepod, Acartia clausi, varied substantially among populations sampled within San Francisco Bay. Intraspecific tolerance differed ten-fold or more for both species over relatively small distances, suggesting geographical isolation of populations is not a prerequisite for the development of intraspecific differences in tolerance by aquatic organisms. Refs.

Cryopreservation of human sperm: efficacy and use of a new nitrogen-free controlled rate freezer versus liquid nitrogen vapour freezing.

PubMed

Creemers, E; Nijs, M; Vanheusden, E; Ombelet, W

2011-12-01

Preservation of spermatozoa is an important aspect of assisted reproductive medicine. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and use of a recently developed liquid nitrogen and cryogen-free controlled rate freezer and this compared with the classical liquid nitrogen vapour freezing method for the cryopreservation of human spermatozoa. Ten patients entering the IVF programme donated semen samples for the study. Samples were analysed according to the World Health Organization guidelines. No significant difference in total sperm motility after freeze-thawing between the new technique and classical technique was demonstrated. The advantage of the new freezing technique is that it uses no liquid nitrogen during the freezing process, hence being safer to use and clean room compatible. Investment costs are higher for the apparatus but running costs are only 1% in comparison with classical liquid nitrogen freezing. In conclusion, post-thaw motility of samples frozen with the classical liquid nitrogen vapour technique was comparable with samples frozen with the new nitrogen-free freezing technique. This latter technique can thus be a very useful asset to the sperm cryopreservation laboratory. © 2011 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

In Situ 3D Coherent X-ray Diffraction Imaging of Shock Experiments: Possible?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barber, John

2011-03-01

In traditional coherent X-ray diffraction imaging (CXDI), a 2D or quasi-2D object is illuminated by a beam of coherent X-rays to produce a diffraction pattern, which is then manipulated via a process known as iterative phase retrieval to reconstruct an image of the original 2D sample. Recently, there have been dramatic advances in methods for performing fully 3D CXDI of a sample from a single diffraction pattern [Raines et al, Nature 463 214-7 (2010)], and these methods have been used to image samples tens of microns in size using soft X-rays. In this work, I explore the theoretical possibility of applying 3D CXDI techniques to the in situ imaging of the interaction between a shock front and a polycrystal, a far more stringent problem. A delicate trade-off is required between photon energy, spot size, imaging resolution, and the dimensions of the experimental setup. In this talk, I will outline the experimental and computational requirements for performing such an experiment, and I will present images and movies from simulations of one such hypothetical experiment, including both the time-resolved X-ray diffraction patterns and the time-resolved sample imagery.

Phenolic Content of Raisin Grape Varieties and Genotypes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Six raisin grape cultivars and ten new raisin grape selections were analyzed for antioxidant activity (ABTS assay) and for total and individual phenolic compounds. Samples were freeze-dried and values are reported on a dry weight basis. Antioxidant activity across the 16 samples ranged from 7.7 to...

Population Education in Mathematics: Some Sample Lessons.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Bangkok (Thailand). Regional Office for Education in Asia and Oceania.

This mathematics teacher's manual contains ten sample lessons on population growth and demography that were adapted from materials produced in several countries in Asia and Oceania. Among the mathematics concepts and skills students apply during these lessons are set theory, cardinal and ordinal numbers, frequency tallies, percentages, ratios,…

Measurement of attitudes toward commercial development of geothermal energy in Federal Region IX. Final report

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

Not Available

1981-06-01

A survey was conducted of ten target study groups and subgroups for Klamath Falls, Oregon, and Susanville, California: local government, current and potential industry at the site, relocators to the site, current and potential financial community, regulators, and current and potential promoters and developers. The results of benchmark attitudinal measurement is presented separately for each target group. A literature review was conducted and Macro-environmental attitudes of a sample of local government and industry personnel at the sites were assessed. An assessment of capabilities was made which involved two measurements. The first was a measurement of a sample of promoters, developers,more » and industrial service companies active at the site to determine infrastructure capabilities required by industry for geothermal plants. The second measurement involved analyzing a sample of industry management in the area and defining their requirements for plant retrofit and expansion. Finally, the processes used by the study group to analyze information to reach commitment and regulatory decisions that significantly impact on geothermal energy projects at the site were identified and defined.« less

A GC-MS method for the detection and quantitation of ten major drugs of abuse in human hair samples.

PubMed

Orfanidis, A; Mastrogianni, O; Koukou, A; Psarros, G; Gika, H; Theodoridis, G; Raikos, N

2017-03-15

A sensitive analytical method has been developed in order to identify and quantify major drugs of abuse (DOA), namely morphine, codeine, 6-monoacetylmorphine, cocaine, ecgonine methyl ester, benzoylecgonine, amphetamine, methamphetamine, methylenedioxymethamphetamine and methylenedioxyamphetamine in human hair. Samples of hair were extracted with methanol under ultrasonication at 50°C after a three step rinsing process to remove external contamination and dirt hair. Derivatization with BSTFA was selected in order to increase detection sensitivity of GC/MS analysis. Optimization of derivatization parameters was based on experiments for the selection of derivatization time, temperature and volume of derivatising agent. Validation of the method included evaluation of linearity which ranged from 2 to 350ng/mg of hair mean concentration for all DOA, evaluation of sensitivity, accuracy, precision and repeatability. Limits of detection ranged from 0.05 to 0.46ng/mg of hair. The developed method was applied for the analysis of hair samples obtained from three human subjects and were found positive in cocaine, and opiates. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Conserved Non-Coding Regulatory Signatures in Arabidopsis Co-Expressed Gene Modules

PubMed Central

Spangler, Jacob B.; Ficklin, Stephen P.; Luo, Feng; Freeling, Michael; Feltus, F. Alex

2012-01-01

Complex traits and other polygenic processes require coordinated gene expression. Co-expression networks model mRNA co-expression: the product of gene regulatory networks. To identify regulatory mechanisms underlying coordinated gene expression in a tissue-enriched context, ten Arabidopsis thaliana co-expression networks were constructed after manually sorting 4,566 RNA profiling datasets into aerial, flower, leaf, root, rosette, seedling, seed, shoot, whole plant, and global (all samples combined) groups. Collectively, the ten networks contained 30% of the measurable genes of Arabidopsis and were circumscribed into 5,491 modules. Modules were scrutinized for cis regulatory mechanisms putatively encoded in conserved non-coding sequences (CNSs) previously identified as remnants of a whole genome duplication event. We determined the non-random association of 1,361 unique CNSs to 1,904 co-expression network gene modules. Furthermore, the CNS elements were placed in the context of known gene regulatory networks (GRNs) by connecting 250 CNS motifs with known GRN cis elements. Our results provide support for a regulatory role of some CNS elements and suggest the functional consequences of CNS activation of co-expression in specific gene sets dispersed throughout the genome. PMID:23024789

Conserved non-coding regulatory signatures in Arabidopsis co-expressed gene modules.

PubMed

Spangler, Jacob B; Ficklin, Stephen P; Luo, Feng; Freeling, Michael; Feltus, F Alex

2012-01-01

Complex traits and other polygenic processes require coordinated gene expression. Co-expression networks model mRNA co-expression: the product of gene regulatory networks. To identify regulatory mechanisms underlying coordinated gene expression in a tissue-enriched context, ten Arabidopsis thaliana co-expression networks were constructed after manually sorting 4,566 RNA profiling datasets into aerial, flower, leaf, root, rosette, seedling, seed, shoot, whole plant, and global (all samples combined) groups. Collectively, the ten networks contained 30% of the measurable genes of Arabidopsis and were circumscribed into 5,491 modules. Modules were scrutinized for cis regulatory mechanisms putatively encoded in conserved non-coding sequences (CNSs) previously identified as remnants of a whole genome duplication event. We determined the non-random association of 1,361 unique CNSs to 1,904 co-expression network gene modules. Furthermore, the CNS elements were placed in the context of known gene regulatory networks (GRNs) by connecting 250 CNS motifs with known GRN cis elements. Our results provide support for a regulatory role of some CNS elements and suggest the functional consequences of CNS activation of co-expression in specific gene sets dispersed throughout the genome.

Determination of sugars composition in abscission zone of oil palm fruit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thang, Y. M.; Ariffin, A. A.; Appleton, D. R.; Asis, A. J.; Mokhtar, M. N.; Yunus, R.

2017-06-01

Fresh oil palm fruit bunches (FFB) arriving at a palm oil mill are graded manually and randomly for ripeness classification by counting the number of empty fruit sockets (EFS) found in each bunch before processing. FFBs with at least ten EFS are classified as ripe bunch, FFBs with less than ten EFS are classified as under-ripe, while bunches without any EFS are classified as unripe. The aim of the present study is to determine the composition of sugars in the abscission of these three groups of FFBs by monitoring their sugars composition. The bunches were grouped according to the number of empty fruit sockets: (i) nil; (ii) 1-9; (iii) ≥10 as unripe, under-ripe and ripe bunches, respectively. Non-structural, structural and water-soluble sugars extracted from the abscission zone were analyzed. The principal component analysis (PCA) based on various sugars compositions revealed some natural clustering among the samples. Bunches with more than one empty fruit sockets were distinguished from the others using glucose, sucrose and oligomers. In conclusion, analysis of sugars composition of the abscission zone could potentially be used as a chemical marker to differentiate those bunches at different stages of ripeness.

Ten Strengths of How Teachers Do Cooperative Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jaocbs, George M.

2016-01-01

Cooperative learning involves students in working together with peers to learn, to develop learning skills and to enjoy the learning process. This paper examines ten areas in which the author believes he and other teachers do cooperative learning well. These areas are: (1) keeping group size small, usually four or fewer; (2) encouraging students…

Nondestructive, fast, and cost-effective image processing method for roughness measurement of randomly rough metallic surfaces.

PubMed

Ghodrati, Sajjad; Kandi, Saeideh Gorji; Mohseni, Mohsen

2018-06-01

In recent years, various surface roughness measurement methods have been proposed as alternatives to the commonly used stylus profilometry, which is a low-speed, destructive, expensive but precise method. In this study, a novel method, called "image profilometry," has been introduced for nondestructive, fast, and low-cost surface roughness measurement of randomly rough metallic samples based on image processing and machine vision. The impacts of influential parameters such as image resolution and filtering approach for elimination of the long wavelength surface undulations on the accuracy of the image profilometry results have been comprehensively investigated. Ten surface roughness parameters were measured for the samples using both the stylus and image profilometry. Based on the results, the best image resolution was 800 dpi, and the most practical filtering method was Gaussian convolution+cutoff. In these conditions, the best and worst correlation coefficients (R 2 ) between the stylus and image profilometry results were 0.9892 and 0.9313, respectively. Our results indicated that the image profilometry predicted the stylus profilometry results with high accuracy. Consequently, it could be a viable alternative to the stylus profilometry, particularly in online applications.

The Development of Layered Photonic Band Gap Structures Using a Micro-Transfer Molding Technique

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

Sutherland, Kevin Jerome

Over the last ten years, photonic band gap (PBG) theory and technology have become an important area of research because of the numerous possible applications ranging from high-efficiency laser diodes to optical circuitry. This research concentrates on reducing the length scale in the fabrication of layered photonic band gap structures and developing procedures to improve processing consistency. Various procedures and materials have been used in the fabrication of layered PBG structures. This research focused on an economical micro transfer molding approach to create the final PBG structure. A poly dimethylsiloxane (PDMS) rubber mold was created from a silicon substrate. Itmore » was filled with epoxy and built layer-by-layer to create a 3-D epoxy structure. This structure was infiltrated with nanoparticle titania or a titania sol-gel, then fired to remove the polymer mold, leaving a monolithic ceramic inverse of the epoxy structure. The final result was a lattice of titania rolds that resembles a face-centered tetragonal structure. The original intent of this research was to miniaturize this process to a bar size small enough to create a photonic band gap for wavelengths of visible electro-magnetic radiation. The factor limiting progress was the absence of a silicon master mold of small enough dimensions. The Iowa State Microelectronics Research Center fabricated samples with periodicities of 2.5 and 1.0 microns with the existing technology, but a sample was needed on the order of 0.3 microns or less. A 0.4 micron sample was received from Sandia National Laboratory, which was made through an electron beam lithography process, but it contained several defects. The results of the work are primarily from the 2.5 and 1.0 micron samples. Most of the work focused on changing processing variables in order to optimize the infiltration procedure for the best results. Several critical parameters were identified, ranging from the ambient conditions to the specifics of the procedure. It is believed that most critical for fabrication of high quality samples is control of the temperature of the sample during and after infiltration, and the rate and amount of time spent applying epoxy to the PDMS.« less

Microbiological assessment along the fish production chain of the Norwegian pelagic fisheries sector--Results from a spot sampling programme.

PubMed

Svanevik, Cecilie Smith; Roiha, Irja Sunde; Levsen, Arne; Lunestad, Bjørn Tore

2015-10-01

Microbes play an important role in the degradation of fish products, thus better knowledge of the microbiological conditions throughout the fish production chain may help to optimise product quality and resource utilisation. This paper presents the results of a ten-year spot sampling programme (2005-2014) of the commercially most important pelagic fish species harvested in Norway. Fish-, surface-, and storage water samples were collected from fishing vessels and processing factories. Totally 1,181 samples were assessed with respect to microbiological quality, hygiene and food safety. We introduce a quality and safety assessment scheme for fresh pelagic fish recommending limits for heterotrophic plate counts (HPC), thermos tolerant coliforms, enterococci and Listeria monocytogenes. According to the scheme, in 25 of 41 samplings, sub-optimal conditions were found with respect to quality, whereas in 21 and 9 samplings, samples were not in compliance concerning hygiene and food safety, respectively. The present study has revealed that the quality of pelagic fish can be optimised by improving the hygiene conditions at some critical points at an early phase of the production chain. Thus, the proposed assessment scheme may provide a useful tool for the industry to optimise quality and maintain consumer safety of pelagic fishery products. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Mapping the EORTC QLQ-C30 onto the EQ-5D-3L: assessing the external validity of existing mapping algorithms.

PubMed

Doble, Brett; Lorgelly, Paula

2016-04-01

To determine the external validity of existing mapping algorithms for predicting EQ-5D-3L utility values from EORTC QLQ-C30 responses and to establish their generalizability in different types of cancer. A main analysis (pooled) sample of 3560 observations (1727 patients) and two disease severity patient samples (496 and 93 patients) with repeated observations over time from Cancer 2015 were used to validate the existing algorithms. Errors were calculated between observed and predicted EQ-5D-3L utility values using a single pooled sample and ten pooled tumour type-specific samples. Predictive accuracy was assessed using mean absolute error (MAE) and standardized root-mean-squared error (RMSE). The association between observed and predicted EQ-5D utility values and other covariates across the distribution was tested using quantile regression. Quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) were calculated using observed and predicted values to test responsiveness. Ten 'preferred' mapping algorithms were identified. Two algorithms estimated via response mapping and ordinary least-squares regression using dummy variables performed well on number of validation criteria, including accurate prediction of the best and worst QLQ-C30 health states, predicted values within the EQ-5D tariff range, relatively small MAEs and RMSEs, and minimal differences between estimated QALYs. Comparison of predictive accuracy across ten tumour type-specific samples highlighted that algorithms are relatively insensitive to grouping by tumour type and affected more by differences in disease severity. Two of the 'preferred' mapping algorithms suggest more accurate predictions, but limitations exist. We recommend extensive scenario analyses if mapped utilities are used in cost-utility analyses.

Development study of the X-ray scattering properties of a group of optically polished flat samples

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Froechtenigt, J. F.

1973-01-01

A group of twelve optically polished flat samples were used to study the scattering of X-rays. The X-ray beam reflected from the twelve optical flat samples was analyzed by means of a long vacuum system of special design for these tests. The scattering measurements were made at 8.34A and 0.92 deg angle of incidence. The results for ten of the samples are comparable, the two exceptions being the fire polished samples.

Design and Elementary Evaluation of a Highly-Automated Fluorescence-Based Instrument System for On-Site Detection of Food-Borne Pathogens

PubMed Central

Lu, Zhan; Zhang, Jianyi; Xu, Lizhou; Li, Yanbin; Chen, Siyu; Ye, Zunzhong; Wang, Jianping

2017-01-01

A simple, highly-automated instrument system used for on-site detection of foodborne pathogens based on fluorescence was designed, fabricated, and preliminarily tested in this paper. A corresponding method has been proved effective in our previous studies. This system utilizes a light-emitting diode (LED) to excite fluorescent labels and a spectrometer to record the fluorescence signal from samples. A rotation stage for positioning and switching samples was innovatively designed for high-throughput detection, ten at most in one single run. We also developed software based on LabVIEW for data receiving, processing, and the control of the whole system. In the test of using a pure quantum dot (QD) solution as a standard sample, detection results from this home-made system were highly-relevant with that from a well-commercialized product and even slightly better reproducibility was found. And in the test of three typical kinds of food-borne pathogens, fluorescence signals recorded by this system are highly proportional to the variation of the sample concentration, with a satisfied limit of detection (LOD) (nearly 102–103 CFU·mL−1 in food samples). Additionally, this instrument system is low-cost and easy-to-use, showing a promising potential for on-site rapid detection of food-borne pathogens. PMID:28241478

Design and Elementary Evaluation of a Highly-Automated Fluorescence-Based Instrument System for On-Site Detection of Food-Borne Pathogens.

PubMed

Lu, Zhan; Zhang, Jianyi; Xu, Lizhou; Li, Yanbin; Chen, Siyu; Ye, Zunzhong; Wang, Jianping

2017-02-23

A simple, highly-automated instrument system used for on-site detection of foodborne pathogens based on fluorescence was designed, fabricated, and preliminarily tested in this paper. A corresponding method has been proved effective in our previous studies. This system utilizes a light-emitting diode (LED) to excite fluorescent labels and a spectrometer to record the fluorescence signal from samples. A rotation stage for positioning and switching samples was innovatively designed for high-throughput detection, ten at most in one single run. We also developed software based on LabVIEW for data receiving, processing, and the control of the whole system. In the test of using a pure quantum dot (QD) solution as a standard sample, detection results from this home-made system were highly-relevant with that from a well-commercialized product and even slightly better reproducibility was found. And in the test of three typical kinds of food-borne pathogens, fluorescence signals recorded by this system are highly proportional to the variation of the sample concentration, with a satisfied limit of detection (LOD) (nearly 10²-10³ CFU·mL -1 in food samples). Additionally, this instrument system is low-cost and easy-to-use, showing a promising potential for on-site rapid detection of food-borne pathogens.

Detection of major food allergens in amniotic fluid: initial allergenic encounter during pregnancy.

PubMed

Pastor-Vargas, Carlos; Maroto, Aroa S; Díaz-Perales, Araceli; Villalba, Mayte; Esteban, Vanesa; Ruiz-Ramos, Marta; de Alba, Marta Rodriguez; Vivanco, Fernando; Cuesta-Herranz, Javier

2016-11-01

Ingestion of food allergens present in maternal milk during breastfeeding has been hypothesized as a gateway to sensitization to food; however, this process could develop during pregnancy, as the maternal-fetal interface develops a Th2- and Treg-mediated environment to protect the fetus. We hypothesized that in these surroundings, unborn children are exposed to food allergens contained in the mother's diet, possibly giving rise to first sensitization. The presence of allergens in utero was studied by analyzing amniotic fluid (AF) samples in two different stages of pregnancy: at 15-20 weeks and after delivery at term. An antibody microarray was developed to test for the most common food allergens. The array detects the presence of ten allergens from milk, fruit, egg, fish, nuts, and wheat. AF from 20 pregnant women was collected: eight after delivery at term and 12 from women who underwent diagnostic amniocentesis between weeks 15 and 20 of gestation. The presence of allergens was detected in all samples. Samples from amniocentesis had a higher allergen concentration than samples after delivery at term. We demonstrated the presence of intact major food allergens in AF samples. This early contact could explain subsequent sensitization to foods never eaten before. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS) for cancer pain in adults.

PubMed

Hurlow, Adam; Bennett, Michael I; Robb, Karen A; Johnson, Mark I; Simpson, Karen H; Oxberry, Stephen G

2012-03-14

Cancer-related pain is complex and multi-dimensional but the mainstay of cancer pain management has predominantly used a biomedical approach. There is a need for non-pharmacological and innovative approaches. Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation (TENS) may have a role in pain management but the effectiveness of TENS is currently unknown. This is an update of the original review published in Issue 3, 2008. The aim of this systematic review was to determine the effectiveness of TENS for cancer-related pain in adults. The initial review searched The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsychINFO, AMED and PEDRO databases in April 2008. We performed an updated search of CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and PEDRO databases in November 2011. We included only randomised controlled trials (RCTS) investigating the use of TENS for the management of cancer-related pain in adults. The search strategy identified a further two studies for possible inclusion. One of the review authors screened each abstract using a study eligibility tool. Where eligibility could not be determined, a second author assessed the full paper. One author used a standardised data extraction sheet to collect information on the studies and independently assess the quality of the studies using the validated five-point Oxford Quality Scale. The small sample sizes and differences in patient study populations of the three included studies (two from the original review and a third included in this update) prevented meta-analysis. For the original review the search strategy identified 37 possible published studies; we divided these between two pairs of review authors who decided on study selection; all four review authors discussed and agreed final scores. Only one additional RCT met the eligibility criteria (24 participants) for this updated review. Although this was a feasibility study, not designed to investigate intervention effect, it suggested that TENS may improve bone pain on movement in a cancer population. The initial review identified two RCTs (64 participants) therefore this review now includes a total of three RCTs (88 participants). These studies were heterogenous with respect to study population, sample size, study design, methodological quality, mode of TENS, treatment duration, method of administration and outcome measures used. In one RCT, there were no significant differences between TENS and placebo in women with chronic pain secondary to breast cancer treatment. In the other RCT, there were no significant differences between acupuncture-type TENS and sham in palliative care patients; this study was underpowered. Despite the one additional RCT, the results of this updated systematic review remain inconclusive due to a lack of suitable RCTs. Large multi-centre RCTs are required to assess the value of TENS in the management of cancer-related pain in adults.

The fine structure of Langmuir waves observed upstream of the bow shock at Venus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hospodarsky, G. B.; Gurnett, D. A.; Kurth, W. S.; Kivelson, M. G.; Strangeway, R. J.; Bolton, S. J.

1994-01-01

Highly structured Langmuir waves, also known as electron plasma oscillations, have been observed in the foreshock of Venus using the plasma wave experiment on the Galileo spacecraft during the gravity assist flyby on February 10, 1990. The Galileo wideband sampling system provides digital electric field waveform measurements at sampling rates up to 201,600 samples per second, much higher than any previous instrument of this type. The main Langmuir wave emission band occurs near the local electron plasma frequency, which was approximately 43 kHz. The Langmuir waves are observed to shift above and below the plasma frequency, sometimes by as much as 20 kHz. The shifts in frequency are closely correlated with the downstream distance from the tangent field line, implying that the shifts are controlled by the electron beam velocity. Considerable fine structure is also evident, with time scales as short as 0.15 milliseconds, corresponding to spatial scales of a few tens of Debye lengths. The frequency spectrum often consists of beat-type waveforms, with beat frequencies ranging from 0.2 to 7 kHz, and in a few cases, isolated wavepackets. The peak electric field strengths are approximately 1 mV/m. These field strengths are too small for strongly nonlinear processes to be important. The beat-type waveforms are suggestive of a parametric decay process.

Direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry, a process analytical technology tool for real-time process monitoring in botanical drug manufacturing.

PubMed

Wang, Lu; Zeng, Shanshan; Chen, Teng; Qu, Haibin

2014-03-01

A promising process analytical technology (PAT) tool has been introduced for batch processes monitoring. Direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry (DART-MS), a means of rapid fingerprint analysis, was applied to a percolation process with multi-constituent substances for an anti-cancer botanical preparation. Fifteen batches were carried out, including ten normal operations and five abnormal batches with artificial variations. The obtained multivariate data were analyzed by a multi-way partial least squares (MPLS) model. Control trajectories were derived from eight normal batches, and the qualification was tested by R(2) and Q(2). Accuracy and diagnosis capability of the batch model were then validated by the remaining batches. Assisted with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) determination, process faults were explained by corresponding variable contributions. Furthermore, a batch level model was developed to compare and assess the model performance. The present study has demonstrated that DART-MS is very promising in process monitoring in botanical manufacturing. Compared with general PAT tools, DART-MS offers a particular account on effective compositions and can be potentially used to improve batch quality and process consistency of samples in complex matrices. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mapping of explosive contamination using GC/chemiluminescence and ion mobility spectrometry techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, Carla J.; Glenn, D. F.; Hartenstein, Steven D.; Hallowell, Susan F.

1998-12-01

Recent efforts at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) have included mapping explosive contamination resulting from manufacturing and carrying improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Two types of trace detection equipment were used to determine levels of contamination from designated sampling areas. A total of twenty IEDs were constructed: ten using TNT and ten using C-4. Two test scenarios were used. The first scenario tracked the activities of a manufacturer who straps the device onto an independent courier. The courier then performed a series of activities to simulate waiting in an airport. The second scenario tracked the activities of a manufacturer who also served as the courier. A sample set for each test consisted of thirty samples from various locations on each IED manufacturer, thirty from each IED courier, twenty-five from the manufacturing area, and twenty-five from the courier area. Pre-samples and post-samples were collected for analysis with each detection technique. Samples analyzed by gc/chemiluminescence were taken by swiping a teflon- coated sampling swipe across the surface of the sampling area to pick up any explosive particles. Samples analyzed by ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) were taken from the clothing of the manufacturer and courier by vacuuming the surface and collecting particulates on a fiberglass filter. Samples for IMS analysis from the manufacturing and courier rooms were taken by wiping a cotton sampling swipe across the surface area. Currently, building IEDs and monitoring the explosive contamination is being directed toward detection with portal monitors.

Development of an ELISA microarray assay for the sensitive and simultaneous detection of ten biodefense toxins.

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

Jenko, Kathryn; Zhang, Yanfeng; Kostenko, Yulia

Plant and microbial toxins are considered bioterrorism threat agents because of their extreme toxicity and/or ease of availability. Additionally, some of these toxins are increasingly responsible for accidental food poisonings. The current study utilized an ELISA-based protein antibody microarray for the multiplexed detection of ten biothreat toxins, botulinum neurotoxins (BoNT) A, B, C, D, E, F, ricin, shiga toxins 1 and 2 (Stx), and staphylococcus enterotoxin B (SEB), in buffer and complex biological matrices. The multiplexed assay displayed a sensitivity of 1.3 pg/mL (BoNT/A, BoNT/B, SEB, Stx-1 and Stx-2), 3.3 pg/mL (BoNT/C, BoNT/E, BoNT/F) and 8.2 pg/mL (BoNT/D, ricin). Allmore » assays demonstrated high accuracy (75-120 percent recovery) and reproducibility (most coefficients of variation < 20%). Quantification curves for the ten toxins were also evaluated in clinical samples (serum, plasma, nasal fluid, saliva, stool, and urine) and environmental samples (apple juice, milk and baby food) with overall minimal matrix effects. The multiplex assays were highly specific, with little crossreactivity observed between the selected toxin antibodies. The results demonstrate a multiplex microarray that improves current immunoassay sensitivity for biological warfare agents in buffer, clinical, and environmental samples.« less

Comparison of daily and weekly precipitation sampling efficiencies using automatic collectors

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schroder, L.J.; Linthurst, R.A.; Ellson, J.E.; Vozzo, S.F.

1985-01-01

Precipitation samples were collected for approximately 90 daily and 50 weekly sampling periods at Finley Farm, near Raleigh, North Carolina from August 1981 through October 1982. Ten wet-deposition samplers (AEROCHEM METRICS MODEL 301) were used; 4 samplers were operated for daily sampling, and 6 samplers were operated for weekly-sampling periods. This design was used to determine if: (1) collection efficiences of precipitation are affected by small distances between the Universal (Belfort) precipitation gage and collector; (2) measurable evaporation loss occurs and (3) pH and specific conductance of precipitation vary significantly within small distances. Average collection efficiencies were 97% for weekly sampling periods compared with the rain gage. Collection efficiencies were examined by seasons and precipitation volume. Neither factor significantly affected collection efficiency. No evaporation loss was found by comparing daily sampling to weekly sampling at the collection site, which was classified as a subtropical climate. Correlation coefficients for pH and specific conductance of daily samples and weekly samples ranged from 0.83 to 0.99.Precipitation samples were collected for approximately 90 daily and 50 weekly sampling periods at Finley farm, near Raleigh, North Carolina from August 1981 through October 1982. Ten wet-deposition samplers were used; 4 samplers were operated for daily sampling, and 6 samplers were operated for weekly-sampling periods. This design was used to determine if: (1) collection efficiencies of precipitation are affected by small distances between the University (Belfort) precipitation gage and collector; (2) measurable evaporation loss occurs and (3) pH and specific conductance of precipitation vary significantly within small distances.

Atmospheric wet deposition of nitrogen and sulfur to a typical red soil agroecosystem in Southeast China during the ten-year monsoon seasons (2003-2012)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Jian; Zhou, Jing; Peng, Ying; He, Yuanqiu; Yang, Hao; Mao, Jingdong

2014-01-01

Biological processes in agroecosystems have been affected by atmospheric nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) deposition, but there is uncertainty about their deposition characteristics in the monsoon season. We collected rain samples using an ASP-2 sampler, recorded rainfall and rain frequency by an auto-meteorological experiment sub-station, and determined total N, NO3--N and NH4+-N levels in precipitation with an AutoAnalyzer 3 and SO42--S with a chromatography, in order to characterize the wet deposition of N and S to a typical red soil agroecosystem by a ten-year monitoring experiment in Southeast China. The results indicated that N and S wet deposition had an increased trend with the flux of total N (3.34-65.17 kg ha-1 N) and total S (SO42--S) (7.17-23.44 kg ha-1 S) during the monsoon seasons. The additional applications of pig mature in 2006 and 2007 led to the peaks of DON (dissolved organic nitrogen) and total N wet deposition. On average, NH4+-N was the major N form, accounting for 48.5% of total N wet deposition and DON was not a negligible N form, accounting for 20.8% during the ten-year monsoon seasons (except 2006 and 2007). Wet deposition of N and S has been intensively influenced by human activities in the monsoon season, and would increase the potential ecological risk in the red soil agricultural ecosystem.

Endogenous functional compounds in Korean native chicken meat are dependent on sex, thermal processing and meat cut.

PubMed

Jayasena, Dinesh D; Jung, Samooel; Kim, Sun Hyo; Kim, Hyun Joo; Alahakoon, Amali U; Lee, Jun Heon; Jo, Cheorun

2015-03-15

In this study the effects of sex, meat cut and thermal processing on the carnosine, anserine, creatine, betaine and carnitine contents of Korean native chicken (KNC) meat were determined. Forty 1-day-old chicks (20 chicks of each sex) from a commercial KNC strain (Woorimatdag™) were reared under similar standard commercial conditions with similar diets, and ten birds of each sex were randomly selected and slaughtered at 14 weeks of age. Raw and cooked meat samples were prepared from both breast and leg meats and analyzed for the aforementioned functional compounds. Female KNCs had significantly higher betaine and creatine contents. The breast meat showed significantly higher carnosine and anserine contents, whereas the leg meat had a higher betaine and carnitine content. The content of all functional compounds was significantly depleted by thermal processing. This study confirms that KNC meat is a good source of the above-mentioned functional compounds, which can be considered attractive nutritional quality factors. However, their concentrations were significantly affected by thermal processing conditions, meat cut and sex. Further experiments are needed to select the best thermal processing method to preserve these functional compounds. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

Temporal changes in genetic variation of boll weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) populations, and implications for population assignment in eradication zones

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Genetic differentiation among 10 populations of boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis grandis, sampled in 2009, in Texas and Mexico, was determined using ten microsatellite loci. In addition, temporal changes in genetic composition were examined in the eight populations for which samples were available fr...

First report of a new, unnamed lesion nematode Pratylenchus sp. infecting soybean in North Dakota

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Lesion nematodes (Pratylenchus spp.) are important pests on soybean. In 2015 and 2016, nematodes in 11 soil samples from a soybean field in Richland County, ND were extracted by sugar centrifugal flotation method (Jenkins 1964). Ten samples contained lesion nematodes from 150 to 875/kg of soil. One ...

Development of monolith-based stir bar sorptive extraction and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method for sensitive determination of ten sulfonamides in pork and chicken samples.

PubMed

Huang, Xiaojia; Chen, Linli; Yuan, Dongxing

2013-08-01

A highly sensitive method was developed for the simultaneous determination of ten sulfonamides in pork and chicken samples by monolith-based stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) coupled to high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. The samples were freeze-dried and extracted by acetonitrile, then enriched and further extracted by SBSE which was based on poly(vinylphthalimide-co-N,N-methylenebisacrylamide) monolith (SBSE-VPMB) as coating. To achieve optimum extraction performance of SBSE for sulfonamides, several parameters, including pH value and ionic strength in the sample matrix and extraction and desorption time, were investigated in detail. Under the optimal conditions, the limits of detection (S/N = 3) for target sulfonamides were 1.2-6.1 ng/kg in pork and 2.0-14.6 ng/kg in chicken, respectively. Real samples spiked at the concentration of 0.5 and 5.0 μg/kg showed recoveries above 55% and relative standard deviations below 12%. At the same time, the extraction performances of target sulfonamides on SBSE-VPMB were compared with other SBSE based on porous monolith and commercial SBSE.

Influence of transcutaneous electrical stimulation on heterotopic ossification: an experimental study in Wistar rats

PubMed Central

Zotz, T.G.G.; de Paula, J.B.

2015-01-01

Heterotopic ossification (HO) is a metaplastic biological process in which there is newly formed bone in soft tissues, resulting in joint mobility deficit and pain. Different treatment modalities have been tried to prevent HO development, but there is no consensus on a therapeutic approach. Since electrical stimulation is a widely used resource in physiotherapy practice to stimulate joint mobility, with analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects, its usefulness for HO treatment was investigated. We aimed to identify the influence of electrical stimulation on induced HO in Wistar rats. Thirty-six male rats (350-390 g) were used, and all animals were anesthetized for blood sampling before HO induction, to quantify the serum alkaline phosphatase. HO induction was performed by bone marrow implantation in both quadriceps of the animals, which were then divided into 3 groups: control (CG), transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) group (TG), and functional electrical stimulation (FES) group (FG) with 12 rats each. All animals were anesthetized and electrically stimulated twice per week, for 35 days from induction day. After this period, another blood sample was collected and quadriceps muscles were bilaterally removed for histological and calcium analysis and the rats were killed. Calcium levels in muscles showed significantly lower results when comparing TG and FG (P<0.001) and between TG and CG (P<0.001). Qualitative histological analyses confirmed 100% HO in FG and CG, while in TG the HO was detected in 54.5% of the animals. The effects of the muscle contractions caused by FES increased HO, while anti-inflammatory effects of TENS reduced HO. PMID:26292223

Validation of a newly developed hexaplex real-time PCR assay for screening for presence of GMOs in food, feed and seed.

PubMed

Bahrdt, C; Krech, A B; Wurz, A; Wulff, D

2010-03-01

For years, an increasing number and diversity of genetically modified plants has been grown on a commercial scale. The need for detection and identification of these genetically modified organisms (GMOs) calls for broad and at the same time flexible high throughput testing methods. Here we describe the development and validation of a hexaplex real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) screening assay covering more than 100 approved GMOs containing at least one of the GMO targets of the assay. The assay comprises detection systems for Cauliflower Mosaic Virus 35S promoter, Agrobacterium tumefaciens NOS terminator, Figwort Mosaic Virus 34S promoter and two construct-specific sequences present in novel genetically modified soybean and maize that lack common screening elements. Additionally a detection system for an internal positive control (IPC) indicating the presence or absence of PCR inhibiting substances was included. The six real-time PCR systems were allocated to five detection channels showing no significant crosstalk between the detection channels. As part of an extensive validation, a limit of detection (LOD(abs)) < or = ten target copies was proven in hexaplex format. A sensitivity < or = ten target copies of each GMO detection system was still shown in highly asymmetric target situations in the presence of 1,000 copies of all other GMO targets of each detection channel. Furthermore, the applicability to a broad sample spectrum and reliable indication of inhibition by the IPC system was demonstrated. The presented hexaplex assay offers sensitive and reliable detection of GMOs in processed and unprocessed food, feed and seed samples with high efficiency.

Dark Signal Characterization of 1.7 micron cutoff devices for SNAP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, R. M.; SNAP Collaboration

2004-12-01

We report initial progress characterizing non-photometric sources of error -- dark current, noise, and zero point drift -- for 1.7 micron cutoff HgCdTe and InGaAs detectors under development by Raytheon, Rockwell, and Sensors Unlimited for SNAP. Dark current specifications can already be met with several detector types. Changes to the manufacturing process are being explored to improve the noise reduction available through multiple sampling. In some cases, a significant number of pixels suffer from popcorn noise, with a few percent of all pixels exhibiting a ten fold noise increase. A careful study of zero point drifts is also under way, since these errors can dominate dark current, and may contribute to the noise degradation seen in long exposures.

Comprehensive analysis of polar and apolar constituents of butter and margarine by nuclear magnetic resonance, reflecting quality and production processes.

PubMed

Schripsema, Jan

2008-04-23

The separation of butter or margarine into polar (soluble in water) and apolar fractions (soluble in chloroform) and subsequent analysis of these fractions by (1)H NMR permits a comprehensive analysis of its constituents. In the polar fraction the preservatives benzoic and sorbic acid, the organic acids citric, lactic, butyric, acetic, and formic acid, and, furthermore, the carbohydrate lactose were quantified. In the apolar fraction the conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) rumenic acid, diglycerides, and linoleic acid were quantified. Rumenic acid is a characteristic component of ruminant fats and was found in all butter samples. The levels varied between 0.50 and 1.08%. Ten brands of Brazilian butter were investigated as was one brand from Norway. Also, two brands of margarine were investigated for comparison. A large variation in especially polar constituents was found between the butter samples, revealing the presence of preservatives in five brands of butter from Brazil, remarkable because these additives are legally not allowed. Furthermore, the levels of organic acids and lactose permitted conclusions about the production process and quality; for example, the presence of higher levels of free butyric acid indicate lipolysis, leading to a lower quality, and low levels of lactose indicate that after churning the residual milk fluids have been removed by an additional washing step in the production process.

Quality Control of Direct Molecular Diagnostics for Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus▿

PubMed Central

van Belkum, Alex; Niesters, Hubert G. M.; MacKay, William G.; van Leeuwen, Willem B.

2007-01-01

Ten samples containing various amounts of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), methicillin-susceptible S. aureus, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis (MRSE), and combinations thereof were distributed to 51 laboratories for molecular diagnostics testing. Samples containing 102 to 103 MRSA cells were frequently reported to be negative. MRSE samples were scored as negative by all commercial tests but by only two out of three in-house tests. PMID:17581936

Efficient inference of population size histories and locus-specific mutation rates from large-sample genomic variation data.

PubMed

Bhaskar, Anand; Wang, Y X Rachel; Song, Yun S

2015-02-01

With the recent increase in study sample sizes in human genetics, there has been growing interest in inferring historical population demography from genomic variation data. Here, we present an efficient inference method that can scale up to very large samples, with tens or hundreds of thousands of individuals. Specifically, by utilizing analytic results on the expected frequency spectrum under the coalescent and by leveraging the technique of automatic differentiation, which allows us to compute gradients exactly, we develop a very efficient algorithm to infer piecewise-exponential models of the historical effective population size from the distribution of sample allele frequencies. Our method is orders of magnitude faster than previous demographic inference methods based on the frequency spectrum. In addition to inferring demography, our method can also accurately estimate locus-specific mutation rates. We perform extensive validation of our method on simulated data and show that it can accurately infer multiple recent epochs of rapid exponential growth, a signal that is difficult to pick up with small sample sizes. Lastly, we use our method to analyze data from recent sequencing studies, including a large-sample exome-sequencing data set of tens of thousands of individuals assayed at a few hundred genic regions. © 2015 Bhaskar et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

Control of Methane Production and Exchange in Northern Peatlands

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crill, Patrick

1997-01-01

This proposal has successfully supported studies that have developed unique long ten-n datasets of methane (CH4) emissions and carbon dioxide (CO2) exchange in order to quantify the controls on CH4 production and exchange especially the linkages to the carbon cycle in northern peatlands. The primary research site has been a small fen in southeastern New Hampshire where a unique multi-year data baseline of CH4 flux measurements was begun (with NASA funding) in 1989. The fen has also been instrumented for continuous hydrological and meteorological observations and year-round porewater sampling. Multiyear datasets of methane flux are very valuable and very rare. Datasets using the same sampling techniques at the same sites are the only way to assess the effect of the integrated ecosystem response to climatological variability. The research has had two basic objectives: 1. To quantify the effect of seasonal and interannual variability on CH4flux. 2. To examine process level controls on methane dynamics.

Enhanced kinetics of Al{sub 0.97}Ga{sub 0.03}As wet oxidation through the use of hydrogenation

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

Le Du, M.; Sagnes, I.; Beaudoin, G.

2006-09-11

This letter reports on a different kinetic behavior of the wet thermal oxidation process resulting in Al{sub x}O{sub y} material depending on the AlAs material growth method, molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) or metal organic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE). A higher oxidation rate for MOVPE-grown materia is systemically found. Considering the major role of hydrogen in the wet oxidation reaction, it is believed this observation could be linked with the higher hydrogen residual concentration in MOVPE layers. Using a hydrogen plasma, MBE-grown Al{sub 0.97}Ga{sub 0.03}As layers were hydrogened prior to oxidation. This hydrogenated sample showed a ten times enhanced oxidation ratemore » as compared to the nonhydrogenated Al{sub 0.97}Ga{sub 0.03}As sample. This behavior is mainly attributed to a hydrogen induced modification of the diffusion limited regime, enhancing the diffusion length of oxidizing species and reaction products in the oxidized layers.« less

Effect of Next-Generation Exome Sequencing Depth for Discovery of Diagnostic Variants.

PubMed

Kim, Kyung; Seong, Moon-Woo; Chung, Won-Hyong; Park, Sung Sup; Leem, Sangseob; Park, Won; Kim, Jihyun; Lee, KiYoung; Park, Rae Woong; Kim, Namshin

2015-06-01

Sequencing depth, which is directly related to the cost and time required for the generation, processing, and maintenance of next-generation sequencing data, is an important factor in the practical utilization of such data in clinical fields. Unfortunately, identifying an exome sequencing depth adequate for clinical use is a challenge that has not been addressed extensively. Here, we investigate the effect of exome sequencing depth on the discovery of sequence variants for clinical use. Toward this, we sequenced ten germ-line blood samples from breast cancer patients on the Illumina platform GAII(x) at a high depth of ~200×. We observed that most function-related diverse variants in the human exonic regions could be detected at a sequencing depth of 120×. Furthermore, investigation using a diagnostic gene set showed that the number of clinical variants identified using exome sequencing reached a plateau at an average sequencing depth of about 120×. Moreover, the phenomena were consistent across the breast cancer samples.

Ten Commandments of Formal Methods...Ten Years Later

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bowen, Jonathan P.; Hinchey, Michael G.

2006-01-01

More than a decade ago, in "Ten Commandments of Formal Methods," we offered practical guidelines for projects that sought to use formal methods. Over the years, the article, which was based on our knowledge of successful industrial projects, has been widely cited and has generated much positive feedback. However, despite this apparent enthusiasm, formal methods use has not greatly increased, and some of the same attitudes about the infeasibility of adopting them persist. Formal methodists believe that introducing greater rigor will improve the software development process and yield software with better structure, greater maintainability, and fewer errors.

The use of optical fiber in endodontic photodynamic therapy. Is it really relevant?

PubMed

Garcez, Aguinaldo S; Fregnani, Eduardo R; Rodriguez, Helena M; Nunez, Silvia C; Sabino, Caetano P; Suzuki, Hideo; Ribeiro, Martha S

2013-01-01

This study analyzed the necessity of use of an optical fiber/diffusor when performing antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (PDT) associated with endodontic therapy. Fifty freshly extracted human single-rooted teeth were used. Conventional endodontic treatment was performed using a sequence of ProTaper (Dentsply Maillefer Instruments), the teeth were sterilized, and the canals were contaminated with Enterococcus faecalis 3 days' biofilm. The samples were divided into five groups: group 1--ten roots irradiated with a laser tip (area of 0.04 cm(2)), group 2--ten roots irradiated with a smaller laser tip (area of 0.028 cm(2)), and group 3--ten teeth with the crown, irradiate with the laser tip with 0.04 cm(2) of area. The forth group (G4) followed the same methodology as group 3, but the irradiation was performed with smaller tip (area of 0.028 cm(2)) and G5 ten teeth with crown were irradiated using a 200-mm-diameter fiber/diffusor coupled to diode laser. Microbiological samples were taken after accessing the canal, after endodontic therapy, and after PDT. Groups 1 and 2 showed a reduction of two logs (99%), groups 3 and 4 of one log (85% and 97%, respectively), and group 5 of four logs (99.99%). Results suggest that the use of PDT added to endodontic treatment in roots canals infected with E. faecalis with the optical fiber/diffusor is better than when the laser light is used directed at the access of cavity.

Behind the Curtain of the Beauty Pageant: An Investigation of U.S. News Undergraduate Business Program Rankings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perry, Pam

2010-01-01

The undergraduate business program rankings in USNWR are based solely on peer assessments from deans and associate deans of AACSB accredited U.S. business schools. Often these reputation-based rankings are discounted and likened to a beauty pageant because the process lacks transparent input data. In this study, ten deans and ten associate…

Comparison of age estimation between 15-25 years using a modified form of Demirjian’s ten stage method and two teeth regression formula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amiroh; Priaminiarti, M.; Syahraini, S. I.

2017-08-01

Age estimation of individuals, both dead and living, is important for victim identification and legal certainty. The Demirjian method uses the third molar for age estimation of individuals above 15 years old. The aim is to compare age estimation between 15-25 years using two Demirjian methods. Development stage of third molars in panoramic radiographs of 50 male and female samples were assessed by two observers using Demirjian’s ten stages and two teeth regression formula. Reliability was calculated using Cohen’s kappa coefficient and the significance of the observations was obtained from Wilcoxon tests. Deviations of age estimation were calculated using various methods. The deviation of age estimation with the two teeth regression formula was ±1.090 years; with ten stages, it was ±1.191 years. The deviation of age estimation using the two teeth regression formula was less than with the ten stages method. The age estimations using the two teeth regression formula or the ten stages method are significantly different until the age of 25, but they can be applied up to the age of 22.

Scattering (stochastic) recoupling of a coupled ten-stripe AlGaAs-GaAs-InGaAs quantum-well heterostructure laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kellogg, D. A.; Holonyak, N.

2001-04-01

Data are presented on coupled ten-stripe AlGaAs-GaAs-InGaAs quantum well heterostructure (QWH) lasers recoupled stochastically at the cleaved end mirrors. Recoupling of neighboring elements of a ten-stripe laser is accomplished by the scattering (random feedback) afforded by applying ˜10-μm-diam Al powder or 0.3 μm α-Al2O3 polishing compound in microscopy immersion oil or in epoxy at the cleaved ends (mirrors). Data on QWH samples with the end mirrors coated with the scatterer (Al or Al2O3 powder in "liquid") exhibit spectral and far-field broadening, as well as increased laser threshold because of the reduced cavity Q. Single mode operation is possible with the conventional evanescent wave coupling of the ten-stripe QWH and is destroyed, even the laser operation itself, with the scattering recoupling (dephasing) at the end mirrors, which is reversible (removable). The narrow ten-stripe QWH laser with strong end-mirror scattering, a long amplifier with random feedback, indicates that a photopumped III-V or II-VI powder (a random "wall" cavity) has little or no merit.

Soil Magnetism and Magnetic Anomalies at the Marshall's Pen Archaeological Site, Mandeville, Jamaica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Figueroa, E.; Sternberg, R. S.; Delle, J. A.; Lawrence, N. D.; McAdoo, B. G.; Savina, M. E.

2002-05-01

Marshall's Pen, a 1000-acre parcel of land in Mandeville, Jamaica, underlain by limestone bedrock and bauxite soils, served as a coffee plantation in the early 19th century. Two to three hundred slaves of African descent worked the plantation from AD 1802 until slavery was abolished in Jamaica in 1838. The goal of the archaeological program at Marshall's Pen is to complement what little is known about Jamaican slave society from the historical record. Geophysical prospection was conducted at Marshall's Pen by ten undergraduate students as part of a Keck Geology Consortium project in the summer of 1999. In the slaves' village consisting of living and domestic labor areas, G858 cesium vapor magnetometer readings were taken every 0.1 seconds along 49 profiles, each 50 m long and spaced 1 meter apart, and magnetic susceptibility readings were taken at 1-meter intervals. Seven significant magnetic anomalies (up to 100 nT peak-to-peak) were detected in the village. Two of these were found to be caused by a buried machete and an iron woodworking tool. Three anomalies were associated with a large area of black, burned soil. Archaeological testing in this area produced partially carbonized seeds, charcoal, ceramics that were smudged after manufacture, and cutlery; this evidence suggests a domestic kitchen area. In situ susceptibility readings were zero on bedrock and low on the bauxite soils. Susceptibility readings generally correlated with the magnetics, to values as high as 50 (x 10-6, volume specific SI) in the ``kitchen'' area, suggesting a source in the susceptibility contrast for these magnetic anomalies. Soil samples were collected from the bauxite outside the village, and from the village area in the summer of 2001; ten village sites were sampled away from the kitchen area, and four from the kitchen area. Five samples from each site were boxed, weighed, and measured for laboratory susceptibility measurements. Eleven samples outide the village had a geometric mean susceptibility of 144 (x 10-8, mass-specific SI); forty-nine samples from the ten village off-kitchen sites had a mean susceptibility of 105; twenty samples from the four village on-kitchen sites had a mean susceptibility of 821. One sample from a village off-kitchen site had a susceptibility of 1894 due to the head of a roofing nail included in the sample. Isothermal remanent magnetization experiments were carried out on one sample from most sites. Three samples from outside the village had ratios of IRM(0.1T)/IRM(1.0T) of 0.76, 0.5, and 0.74; ratios for ten samples from the village away from the kitchen were between 0.72-0.77; ratios for two samples from the village in the kitchen were more easily saturated with values of 0.90 and 1.0. The susceptibility and IRM results are consistent with reduction of hematite from sites outside the kitchen to magnetite or maghemite at sites within the kitchen area. The resulting higher susceptibilities could generate the magnetic anomalies in this area.

Reliability analysis in the Office of Safety, Environmental, and Mission Assurance (OSEMA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kauffmann, Paul J.

1994-12-01

The technical personnel in the SEMA office are working to provide the highest degree of value-added activities to their support of the NASA Langley Research Center mission. Management perceives that reliability analysis tools and an understanding of a comprehensive systems approach to reliability will be a foundation of this change process. Since the office is involved in a broad range of activities supporting space mission projects and operating activities (such as wind tunnels and facilities), it was not clear what reliability tools the office should be familiar with and how these tools could serve as a flexible knowledge base for organizational growth. Interviews and discussions with the office personnel (both technicians and engineers) revealed that job responsibilities ranged from incoming inspection to component or system analysis to safety and risk. It was apparent that a broad base in applied probability and reliability along with tools for practical application was required by the office. A series of ten class sessions with a duration of two hours each was organized and scheduled. Hand-out materials were developed and practical examples based on the type of work performed by the office personnel were included. Topics covered were: Reliability Systems - a broad system oriented approach to reliability; Probability Distributions - discrete and continuous distributions; Sampling and Confidence Intervals - random sampling and sampling plans; Data Analysis and Estimation - Model selection and parameter estimates; and Reliability Tools - block diagrams, fault trees, event trees, FMEA. In the future, this information will be used to review and assess existing equipment and processes from a reliability system perspective. An analysis of incoming materials sampling plans was also completed. This study looked at the issues associated with Mil Std 105 and changes for a zero defect acceptance sampling plan.

Reliability analysis in the Office of Safety, Environmental, and Mission Assurance (OSEMA)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kauffmann, Paul J.

1994-01-01

The technical personnel in the SEMA office are working to provide the highest degree of value-added activities to their support of the NASA Langley Research Center mission. Management perceives that reliability analysis tools and an understanding of a comprehensive systems approach to reliability will be a foundation of this change process. Since the office is involved in a broad range of activities supporting space mission projects and operating activities (such as wind tunnels and facilities), it was not clear what reliability tools the office should be familiar with and how these tools could serve as a flexible knowledge base for organizational growth. Interviews and discussions with the office personnel (both technicians and engineers) revealed that job responsibilities ranged from incoming inspection to component or system analysis to safety and risk. It was apparent that a broad base in applied probability and reliability along with tools for practical application was required by the office. A series of ten class sessions with a duration of two hours each was organized and scheduled. Hand-out materials were developed and practical examples based on the type of work performed by the office personnel were included. Topics covered were: Reliability Systems - a broad system oriented approach to reliability; Probability Distributions - discrete and continuous distributions; Sampling and Confidence Intervals - random sampling and sampling plans; Data Analysis and Estimation - Model selection and parameter estimates; and Reliability Tools - block diagrams, fault trees, event trees, FMEA. In the future, this information will be used to review and assess existing equipment and processes from a reliability system perspective. An analysis of incoming materials sampling plans was also completed. This study looked at the issues associated with Mil Std 105 and changes for a zero defect acceptance sampling plan.

Opportunities and Challenges of Linking Scientific Core Samples to the Geoscience Data Ecosystem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noren, A. J.

2016-12-01

Core samples generated in scientific drilling and coring are critical for the advancement of the Earth Sciences. The scientific themes enabled by analysis of these samples are diverse, and include plate tectonics, ocean circulation, Earth-life system interactions (paleoclimate, paleobiology, paleoanthropology), Critical Zone processes, geothermal systems, deep biosphere, and many others, and substantial resources are invested in their collection and analysis. Linking core samples to researchers, datasets, publications, and funding agencies through registration of globally unique identifiers such as International Geo Sample Numbers (IGSNs) offers great potential for advancing several frontiers. These include maximizing sample discoverability, access, reuse, and return on investment; a means for credit to researchers; and documentation of project outputs to funding agencies. Thousands of kilometers of core samples and billions of derivative subsamples have been generated through thousands of investigators' projects, yet the vast majority of these samples are curated at only a small number of facilities. These numbers, combined with the substantial similarity in sample types, make core samples a compelling target for IGSN implementation. However, differences between core sample communities and other geoscience disciplines continue to create barriers to implementation. Core samples involve parent-child relationships spanning 8 or more generations, an exponential increase in sample numbers between levels in the hierarchy, concepts related to depth/position in the sample, requirements for associating data derived from core scanning and lithologic description with data derived from subsample analysis, and publications based on tens of thousands of co-registered scan data points and thousands of analyses of subsamples. These characteristics require specialized resources for accurate and consistent assignment of IGSNs, and a community of practice to establish norms, workflows, and infrastructure to support implementation.

High-throughput characterization of sediment organic matter by pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and multivariate curve resolution: A promising analytical tool in (paleo)limnology.

PubMed

Tolu, Julie; Gerber, Lorenz; Boily, Jean-François; Bindler, Richard

2015-06-23

Molecular-level chemical information about organic matter (OM) in sediments helps to establish the sources of OM and the prevalent degradation/diagenetic processes, both essential for understanding the cycling of carbon (C) and of the elements associated with OM (toxic trace metals and nutrients) in lake ecosystems. Ideally, analytical methods for characterizing OM should allow high sample throughput, consume small amounts of sample and yield relevant chemical information, which are essential for multidisciplinary, high-temporal resolution and/or large spatial scale investigations. We have developed a high-throughput analytical method based on pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and automated data processing to characterize sedimentary OM in sediments. Our method consumes 200 μg of freeze-dried and ground sediment sample. Pyrolysis was performed at 450°C, which was found to avoid degradation of specific biomarkers (e.g., lignin compounds, fresh carbohydrates/cellulose) compared to 650°C, which is in the range of temperatures commonly applied for environmental samples. The optimization was conducted using the top ten sediment samples of an annually resolved sediment record (containing 16-18% and 1.3-1.9% of total carbon and nitrogen, respectively). Several hundred pyrolytic compound peaks were detected of which over 200 were identified, which represent different classes of organic compounds (i.e., n-alkanes, n-alkenes, 2-ketones, carboxylic acids, carbohydrates, proteins, other N compounds, (methoxy)phenols, (poly)aromatics, chlorophyll and steroids/hopanoids). Technical reproducibility measured as relative standard deviation of the identified peaks in triplicate analyses was 5.5±4.3%, with 90% of the RSD values within 10% and 98% within 15%. Finally, a multivariate calibration model was calculated between the pyrolytic degradation compounds and the sediment depth (i.e., sediment age), which is a function of degradation processes and changes in OM source type. This allowed validation of the Py-GC/MS dataset against fundamental processes involved in OM cycling in aquatic ecosystems. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dependability of Data Derived from Time Sampling Methods with Multiple Observation Targets

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Austin H.; Chafouleas, Sandra M.; Briesch, Amy M.

2017-01-01

In this study, generalizability theory was used to examine the extent to which (a) time-sampling methodology, (b) number of simultaneous behavior targets, and (c) individual raters influenced variance in ratings of academic engagement for an elementary-aged student. Ten graduate-student raters, with an average of 7.20 hr of previous training in…

Influences of Religion and Culture on Continuing Bonds in a Sample of British Muslims of Pakistani Origin

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hussein, Hanan; Oyebode, Jan R.

2009-01-01

This study considered the nature of continuing bonds with deceased relatives in a sample of Pakistani Muslims living in the United Kingdom. Ten participants were interviewed following a cultural psychology approach and transcripts were analyzed using grounded theory methodology. Dreaming, talking with others about the deceased, following the…

Implementation of Structured Inquiry Based Model Learning toward Students' Understanding of Geometry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salim, Kalbin; Tiawa, Dayang Hjh

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study is implementation of a structured inquiry learning model in instruction of geometry. The model used is a model with a quasi-experimental study amounted to two classes of samples selected from the population of the ten classes with cluster random sampling technique. Data collection tool consists of a test item…

The Importance of Motivational Appeals to Cooperative Extension Agricultural Clientele. Summary of Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Gary; Newcomb, L. H.

A study was conducted to determine the relationship of certain motivational appeals to the extent of participation of extension clientele, as perceived by these clientele. A stratified random sample of thirty counties from the ten extension supervisory areas of Ohio was used for the study. This sample provided for 395 adult agricultural clientele…

In Situ Strategy of the 2011 Mars Science Laboratory to Investigate the Habitability of Ancient Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mahaffy, Paul R.

2011-01-01

The ten science investigations of the 2011 Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Rover named "Curiosity" seek to provide a quantitative assessment of habitability through chemical and geological measurements from a highly capable robotic' platform. This mission seeks to understand if the conditions for life on ancient Mars are preserved in the near-surface geochemical record. These substantial payload resources enabled by MSL's new entry descent and landing (EDL) system have allowed the inclusion of instrument types nevv to the Mars surface including those that can accept delivered sample from rocks and soils and perform a wide range of chemical, isotopic, and mineralogical analyses. The Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) experiment that is located in the interior of the rover is a powder x-ray Diffraction (XRD) and X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) instrument that provides elemental and mineralogical information. The Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) suite of instruments complements this experiment by analyzing the volatile component of identically processed samples and by analyzing atmospheric composition. Other MSL payload tools such as the Mast Camera (Mastcam) and the Chemistry & Camera (ChemCam) instruments are utilized to identify targets for interrogation first by the arm tools and subsequent ingestion into SAM and CheMin using the Sample Acquisition, Processing, and Handling (SA/SPaH) subsystem. The arm tools include the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) and the Chemistry and Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXX). The Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN) instrument provides subsurface identification of hydrogen such as that contained in hydrated minerals

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation for acute pain.

PubMed

Johnson, Mark I; Paley, Carole A; Howe, Tracey E; Sluka, Kathleen A

2015-06-15

This is a second update of a Cochrane Review originally published in Issue 2, 2009. Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) is a non-pharmacological agent, based on delivering low voltage electrical currents to the skin. TENS is used by people to treat a variety of pain conditions. To assess the analgesic effectiveness of TENS, as a sole treatment, for acute pain in adults. We searched the following databases up to 3 December 2014: the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), in the Cochrane Library; MEDLINE; EMBASE; CINAHL; and AMED. We also checked the reference lists of included trials. We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of adults with acute pain (< 12 weeks) if they examined TENS given as a sole treatment and assessed pain with subjective pain scales. Trials were eligible if they compared TENS to placebo TENS, no treatment controls, pharmacological interventions or non-pharmacological interventions. We excluded trials on experimental pain, case reports, clinical observations, letters, abstracts or reviews. Also we excluded trials investigating the effect of TENS on pain during childbirth (labour), primary dysmenorrhoea or dental procedures. Studies where TENS was given with another treatment as part of the formal trial design were excluded. We did not restrict any articles based on language of publication. Two review authors independently assessed study eligibility and carried out study selection, data extraction, 'Risk of bias' assessment and analyses of data. We extracted data on the following: types of participants and pain condition, trial design and methods, treatment parameters, adverse effects, and outcome measures. We contacted trial authors for additional information if necessary. We included 12 trials in the original review (2009) and included no further trials in the first update (2011). An additional seven new trials met the inclusion criteria in this second update. In total, we included 19 RCTs involving 1346 participants at entry, with 11 trials awaiting classification either because the full text was unavailable or information in the full text failed to clarify eligibility. We excluded most trials because TENS was given in combination with another treatment as part of the formal study design or TENS was not delivered using appropriate TENS technique. The types of acute pain included in this Cochrane Review were procedural pain, e.g. cervical laser treatment, venepuncture, screening flexible sigmoidoscopy and non-procedural pain, e.g. postpartum uterine contractions and rib fractures. We pooled data for pain intensity for six trials (seven comparisons) comparing TENS with placebo but the I(2) statistic suggested substantial heterogeneity. Mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) on a visual analogue scale (VAS, 100 mm) was -24.62 mm (95% CI -31.79 to -17.46) in favour of TENS. Data for the proportion of participants achieving ≥ 50% reduction in pain was pooled for four trials (seven comparisons) and relative risk was 3.91 (95% CI 2.42 to 6.32) in favour of TENS over placebo. We pooled data for pain intensity from five trials (seven comparisons) but the I(2) statistic suggested considerable heterogeneity. MD was -19.05 mm (95% CI -27.30 to -10.79) in favour of TENS using a random-effects model. It was not possible to pool other data. There was a high risk of bias associated with inadequate sample sizes in treatment arms and unsuccessful blinding of treatment interventions. Seven trials reported minor adverse effects, such as mild erythema and itching underneath the electrodes and participants disliking TENS sensation. This Cochrane Review update includes seven new trials, in addition to the 12 trials reviewed in the first update in 2011. The analysis provides tentative evidence that TENS reduces pain intensity over and above that seen with placebo (no current) TENS when administered as a stand-alone treatment for acute pain in adults. The high risk of bias associated with inadequate sample sizes in treatment arms and unsuccessful blinding of treatment interventions makes definitive conclusions impossible. There was incomplete reporting of treatment in many reports making replication of trials impossible.

Effects of Heterogeneities, Sampling Frequencies, Tools and Methods on Uncertainties in Subsurface Contaminant Concentration Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ezzedine, S. M.; McNab, W. W.

2007-12-01

Long-term monitoring (LTM) is particularly important for contaminants which are mitigated by natural processes of dilution, dispersion, and degradation. At many sites, LTM can require decades of expensive sampling at tens or even hundreds of existing monitoring wells, resulting in hundreds of thousands, or millions of dollars per year for sampling and data management. Therefore, contaminant sampling tools, methods and frequencies are chosen to minimize waste and data management costs while ensuring a reliable and informative time-history of contaminant measurement for regulatory compliance. The interplay play between cause (i.e. subsurface heterogeneities, sampling techniques, measurement frequencies) and effect (unreliable data and measurements gap) has been overlooked in many field applications which can lead to inconsistencies in time- histories of contaminant samples. In this study we address the relationship between cause and effect for different hydrogeological sampling settings: porous and fractured media. A numerical model has been developed using AMR-FEM to solve the physicochemical processes that take place in the aquifer and the monitoring well. In the latter, the flow is governed by the Navier-Stokes equations while in the former the flow is governed by the diffusivity equation; both are fully coupled to mimic stressed conditions and to assess the effect of dynamic sampling tool on the formation surrounding the monitoring well. First of all, different sampling tools (i.e., Easy Pump, Snapper Grab Sampler) were simulated in a monitoring well screened in different homogeneous layered aquifers to assess their effect on the sampling measurements. Secondly, in order to make the computer runs more CPU efficient the flow in the monitoring well was replaced by its counterpart flow in porous media with infinite permeability and the new model was used to simulate the effect of heterogeneities, sampling depth, sampling tool and sampling frequencies on the uncertainties in the concentration measurements. Finally, the models and results were abstracted using a simple mixed-tank approach to further simplify the models and make them more accessible to field hydrogeologists. During the abstraction process a novel method was developed for mapping streamlines in the fractures as well within the monitoring well to illustrate mixing and mixing zones. Applications will be demonstrated for both sampling in porous and fractured media. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by University of California Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under contract No. W-7405-Eng-48.

Living with systemic lupus erythematosus: A patient engagement perspective.

PubMed

Mazzoni, Davide; Cornet, Alain; van Leeuw, Bernadette; Myllys, Kirsi; Cicognani, Elvira

2018-03-01

Patient engagement is recognized as a crucial component of high-quality healthcare services. Among rheumatic diseases, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) appears particularly challenging for the engagement of patients in their own care. According to the patient health engagement (PHE) model, patient engagement is a dynamic phenomenon that proceeds through four experiential positions (blackout, arousal, adhesion and eudaimonic project). The aim of the present study was to describe the engagement process from the point of view and the experiences of SLE patients. Ten in-depth interviews and four focus groups were conducted with an international sample of SLE patients from different European countries. Transcripts were analysed through thematic content analysis. Findings showed that a fully engaged patient results from reframing emotional, cognitive and behavioural dimensions. The advances along the process depends on how the patient succeeds in each position. In conclusion, PHE represents an appropriate model by which to understand the engagement process of SLE patients. In order to meet patients' needs, healthcare providers and patient support groups should consider the specific position of SLE patients, providing adequate and tailored support. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Does transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) alleviate the pain experienced during bone marrow sampling in addition to standard techniques? A randomised, double-blinded, controlled trial.

PubMed

Tucker, David L; Rockett, Mark; Hasan, Mehedi; Poplar, Sarah; Rule, Simon A

2015-06-01

Bone marrow aspiration and trephine (BMAT) biopsies remain important tests in haematology. However, the procedures can be moderately to severely painful despite standard methods of pain relief. To test the efficacy of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) in alleviating the pain from BMAT in addition to standard analgesia using a numerical pain rating scale (NRS). 70 patients requiring BMAT were randomised (1:1) in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. -35 patients received TENS impulses at a strong but comfortable amplitude (intervention group) and 35 patients received TENS impulses just above the sensory threshold (control group) (median pulse amplitude 20 and 7 mA, respectively). Patients and operators were blinded to group allocation. Pain assessments were made using a numerical pain scale completed after the procedure. No significant difference in NRS pain recalled after the procedure was detected (median pain score 5.7 (95% CI 4.8 to 6.6) in control vs 5.6 (95% CI 4.8 to 6.4) in the intervention group). However, 100% of patients who had previous experience of BMAT and >94% of participants overall felt they benefited from using TENS and would recommend it to others for this procedure. There were no side effects from the TENS device, and it was well tolerated. TENS is a safe, non-invasive adjunct to analgesia for reducing pain during bone marrow biopsy and provides a subjective benefit to most users; however, no objective difference in pain scores was detected when using TENS in this randomised controlled study. NCT02005354. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Defense waste processing facility (DWPF) liquids model: revisions for processing higher TIO 2 containing glasses

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

Jantzen, C. M.; Edwards, T. B.; Trivelpiece, C. L.

Radioactive high level waste (HLW) at the Savannah River Site (SRS) has successfully been vitrified into borosilicate glass in the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) since 1996. Vitrification requires stringent product/process (P/P) constraints since the glass cannot be reworked once it is poured into ten foot tall by two foot diameter canisters. A unique “feed forward” statistical process control (SPC) was developed for this control rather than statistical quality control (SQC). In SPC, the feed composition to the DWPF melter is controlled prior to vitrification. In SQC, the glass product would be sampled after it is vitrified. Individual glass property-compositionmore » models form the basis for the “feed forward” SPC. The models transform constraints on the melt and glass properties into constraints on the feed composition going to the melter in order to guarantee, at the 95% confidence level, that the feed will be processable and that the durability of the resulting waste form will be acceptable to a geologic repository. This report documents the development of revised TiO 2, Na 2O, Li 2O and Fe 2O 3 coefficients in the SWPF liquidus model and revised coefficients (a, b, c, and d).« less

Disturbance in the neural circuitry underlying positive emotional processing in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). An fMRI study.

PubMed

Jatzko, Alexander; Schmitt, Andrea; Demirakca, Traute; Weimer, Erik; Braus, Dieter F

2006-03-01

This study was designed to investigate the circuitry underlying movie-induced positive emotional processing in subjects with chronic PTSD. Ten male subjects with chronic PTSD and ten matched controls were studied. In an fMRI-paradigm a sequence of a wellknown Walt Disney cartoon with positive emotional valence was shown. PTSD subjects showed an increased activation in the right posterior temporal, precentral and superior frontal cortex. Controls recruited more emotion-related regions bilateral in the temporal pole and areas of the left fusiform and parahippocampal gyrus. This pilot study is the first to reveal alterations in the processing of positive emotions in PTSD possibly reflecting a neuronal correlate of the symptom of emotional numbness in PTSD.

Effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation on pain, walking function, respiratory muscle strength and vital capacity in kidney donors: a protocol of a randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Pain is a negative factor in the recovery process of postoperative patients, causing pulmonary alterations and complications and affecting functional capacity. Thus, it is plausible to introduce transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for pain relief to subsequently reduce complications caused by this pain in the postoperative period. The objective of this paper is to assess the effects of TENS on pain, walking function, respiratory muscle strength and vital capacity in kidney donors. Methods/design Seventy-four patients will be randomly allocated into 2 groups: active TENS or placebo TENS. All patients will be assessed for pain intensity, walk function (Iowa Gait Test), respiratory muscle strength (maximal inspiratory pressure and maximal expiratory pressure) and vital capacity before and after the TENS application. The data will be collected by an assessor who is blinded to the group allocation. Discussion This study is the first to examine the effects of TENS in this population. TENS during the postoperative period may result in pain relief and improvements in pulmonary tests and mobility, thus leading to an improved quality of life and further promoting organ donation. Trial registration Registro Brasileiro de Ensaios Clinicos (ReBEC), number RBR-8xtkjp. PMID:23311705

Community-Level Physiological Profiling of Microbial Communities in Constructed Wetlands: Effects of Sample Preparation.

PubMed

Button, Mark; Weber, Kela; Nivala, Jaime; Aubron, Thomas; Müller, Roland Arno

2016-03-01

Community-level physiological profiling (CLPP) using BIOLOG® EcoPlates™ has become a popular method for characterizing and comparing the functional diversity, functional potential, and metabolic activity of heterotrophic microbial communities. The method was originally developed for profiling soil communities; however, its usage has expanded into the fields of ecotoxicology, agronomy, and the monitoring and profiling of microbial communities in various wastewater treatment systems, including constructed wetlands for water pollution control. When performing CLPP on aqueous samples from constructed wetlands, a wide variety of sample characteristics can be encountered and challenges may arise due to excessive solids, color, or turbidity. The aim of this study was to investigate the impacts of different sample preparation methods on CLPP performed on a variety of aqueous samples covering a broad range of physical and chemical characteristics. The results show that using filter paper, centrifugation, or settling helped clarify samples for subsequent CLPP analysis, however did not do so as effectively as dilution for the darkest samples. Dilution was able to provide suitable clarity for the darkest samples; however, 100-fold dilution significantly affected the carbon source utilization patterns (CSUPs), particularly with samples that were already partially or fully clear. Ten-fold dilution also had some effect on the CSUPs of samples which were originally clear; however, the effect was minimal. Based on these findings, for this specific set of samples, a 10-fold dilution provided a good balance between ease of use, sufficient clarity (for dark samples), and limited effect on CSUPs. The process and findings outlined here can hopefully serve future studies looking to utilize CLPP for functional analysis of microbial communities and also assist in comparing data from studies where different sample preparation methods were utilized.

NDIA 2018 IM and EM Technology Symposium: Innovative Insensitive Munition Solutions for Enhanced Warfighter Effectiveness

DTIC Science & Technology

2018-04-26

decomposition of explosives, test materials and their mixtures. A DSC for each individual explosive, test material and mixture shall be run in duplicate... run in duplicate • Explosives and test materials are mixed in a 1:1 (w/w) ratio • Samples are heated at a rate of 5°C/min from room temperature to...warrants it. If a reaction occurs in ten trials, the load is reduced until there are no reactions observed in ten trials. The ESD test was run per a

Arsenic occurrence in drinking water supply systems in ten municipalities in Vojvodina Region, Serbia.

PubMed

Jovanovic, Dragana; Jakovljević, Branko; Rašić-Milutinović, Zorica; Paunović, Katarina; Peković, Gordana; Knezević, Tanja

2011-02-01

Vojvodina, a northern region of Serbia, belongs to the Pannonian Basin, whose aquifers contain high concentrations of arsenic. This study represents arsenic levels in drinking water in ten municipalities in Serbia. Around 63% of all water samples exceeded Serbian and European standards for arsenic in drinking water. Large variations in arsenic were observed among supply systems. Arsenic concentrations in public water supply systems in Vojvodina were much higher than in other countries in the Pannonian Basin. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Identification of HIV Mutation as Diagnostic Biomarker through Next Generation Sequencing.

PubMed

Shaw, Wen Hui; Lin, Qianqian; Muhammad, Zikry Zhiwei Bin Roslee; Lee, Jia Jun; Khong, Wei Xin; Ng, Oon Tek; Tan, Eng Lee; Li, Peng

2016-07-01

Current clinical detection of Human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) is used to target viral genes and proteins. However, the immunoassay, such as viral culture or Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), lacks accuracy in the diagnosis, as these conventional assays rely on the stable genome and HIV-1 is a highly-mutated virus. Next generation sequencing (NGS) promises to be transformative for the practice of infectious disease, and the rapidly reducing cost and processing time mean that this will become a feasible technology in diagnostic and research laboratories in the near future. The technology offers the superior sensitivity to detect the pathogenic viruses, including unknown and unexpected strains. To leverage the NGS technology in order to improve current HIV-1 diagnosis and genotyping methods. Ten blood samples were collected from HIV-1 infected patients which were diagnosed by RT PCR at Singapore Communicable Disease Centre, Tan Tock Seng Hospital from October 2014 to March 2015. Viral RNAs were extracted from blood plasma and reversed into cDNA. The HIV-1 cDNA samples were cleaned up using a PCR purification kit and the sequencing library was prepared and identified through MiSeq. Two common mutations were observed in all ten samples. The common mutations were identified at genome locations 1908 and 2104 as missense and silent mutations respectively, conferring S37N and S3S found on aspartic protease and reverse transcriptase subunits. The common mutations identified in this study were not previously reported, therefore suggesting the potential for them to be used for identification of viral infection, disease transmission and drug resistance. This was especially the case for, missense mutation S37N which could cause an amino acid change in viral proteases thus reducing the binding affinity of some protease inhibitors. Thus, the unique common mutations identified in this study could be used as diagnostic biomarkers to indicate the origin of infection as being from Singapore.

Analytical results for total-digestions, EPA-1312 leach, and net acid production for twenty-three abandoned metal-mining related wastes in the Boulder River watershed, northern Jefferson County, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fey, David L.; Desborough, George A.; Finney, Christopher J.

2000-01-01

IntroductionMetal-mining related wastes in the Boulder River basin study area in northern Jefferson County, Montana, have been implicated in their detrimental effects on water quality with regard to acid generation and toxic-metal solubilization during snow melt and storm water runoff events. This degradation of water quality is defined chiefly by the “Class 1 Aquatic Life Standards” that give limits for certain dissolved metal concentrations according to water alkalinity.Veins enriched in base- and precious metals were explored and mined in the Basin, Cataract Creek, and High Ore Creek drainages over a period of more than 70 years. Extracted minerals included galena, sphalerite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, tetrahedrite and arsenopyrite. Most of the metal-mining wastes in the study area were identified and described by the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology. In 1997, the U.S. Geological Survey collected 20 composite samples of mine-dump or tailings waste from ten sites in the Basin and Cataract Creek drainages, and two samples from one site in the High Ore Creek drainage. Desborough and Fey presented data concerning acid generation potential, mineralogy, concentrations of certain metals by energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF), and trace-element leachability of mine and exploration wastes from the ten sites of the Basin and Cataract Creek drainages. The present report presents total-digestion major- and trace-element analyses, net acid production (NAP), and results from the EPA-1312 synthetic precipitation leach procedure (SPLP) performed on the same composite samples from the ten sites from the Basin and Cataract Creek drainages, and two composite samples from the site in the High Ore Creek drainage.

Heavy metals and metalloids in the surface sediments of the Xiangjiang River, Hunan, China: distribution, contamination, and ecological risk assessment.

PubMed

Chai, Liyuan; Li, Huan; Yang, Zhihui; Min, Xiaobo; Liao, Qi; Liu, Yi; Men, Shuhui; Yan, Yanan; Xu, Jixin

2017-01-01

Here, we aim to determine the distribution, ecological risk and sources of heavy metals and metalloids in the surface sediments of the Xiangjiang River, Hunan Province, China. Sixty-four surface sediment samples were collected in 16 sites of the Xiangjiang River, and the concentrations of ten heavy metals and metalloids (Mn, Zn, Cr, V, Pb, Cu, As, Ni, Co, and Cd) in the sediment samples were investigated using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) and an atomic fluorescence spectrophotometer (AFS), respectively. The results showed that the mean concentrations of the ten heavy metals and metalloids in the sediment samples followed the order Mn > Zn > Cr > V > Pb > Cu > As ≈ Ni >Co > Cd. The geoaccumulation index (I geo ), enrichment factor (EF), modified degree of contamination (mC d ), and potential ecological risk index (RI) revealed that Cd, followed by Pb, Zn, and Cu, caused severely contaminated and posed very highly potential ecological risk in the Xiangjiang River, especially in Shuikoushan of Hengyang, Xiawan of Zhuzhou, and Yijiawan of Xiangtan. The Pearson's correlation coefficient (PCC) analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) indicated that the ten heavy metals and metalloids in the sampling sediments of the Xiangjiang River were classified into three groups: (1) Cd, Pb, Zn, and Cu which possibly originated from Shuikoushan, Xiawan, and Yijiawan clustering Pb-Zn mining and smelting industries; (2) Co, V, Ni, Cr, and Al from natural resources; and (3) Mn and As. Therefore, our results suggest that anthropogenic activities, especially mining and smelting, have caused severe contamination of Cd, Pb, Zn, and Cu and posed very high potential ecological risk in the Xiangjiang River.

Pathogen Inactivating Properties and Increased Sensitivity in Molecular Diagnostics by PAXgene, a Novel Non-Crosslinking Tissue Fixative.

PubMed

Loibner, Martina; Buzina, Walter; Viertler, Christian; Groelz, Daniel; Hausleitner, Anja; Siaulyte, Gintare; Kufferath, Iris; Kölli, Bettina; Zatloukal, Kurt

2016-01-01

Requirements on tissue fixatives are getting more demanding as molecular analysis becomes increasingly relevant for routine diagnostics. Buffered formaldehyde in pathology laboratories for tissue fixation is known to cause chemical modifications of biomolecules which affect molecular testing. A novel non-crosslinking tissue preservation technology, PAXgene Tissue (PAXgene), was developed to preserve the integrity of nucleic acids in a comparable way to cryopreservation and also to preserve morphological features comparable to those of formalin fixed samples. Because of the excellent preservation of biomolecules by PAXgene we investigated its pathogen inactivation ability and biosafety in comparison to formalin by in-vitro testing of bacteria, human relevant fungi and human cytomegalovirus (CMV). Guidelines for testing disinfectants served as reference for inactivation assays. Furthermore, we tested the properties of PAXgene for detection of pathogens by PCR based assays. All microorganisms tested were similarly inactivated by PAXgene and formalin except Clostridium sporogenes, which remained viable in seven out of ten assays after PAXgene treatment and in three out of ten assays after formalin fixation. The findings suggest that similar biosafety measures can be applied for PAXgene and formalin fixed samples. Detection of pathogens in PCR-based diagnostics using two CMV assays resulted in a reduction of four to ten quantification cycles of PAXgene treated samples which is a remarkable increase of sensitivity. PAXgene fixation might be superior to formalin fixation when molecular diagnostics and highly sensitive detection of pathogens is required in parallel to morphology assessment.

Effects of herbal ointment containing the leaf extracts of Madeira vine (Anredera cordifolia (Ten.) Steenis) for burn wound healing process on albino rats.

PubMed

Yuniarti, Wiwik Misaco; Lukiswanto, Bambang Sektiari

2017-07-01

Skin burn is a health problem that requires fast and accurate treatment. If not well-treated, the burn will cause various damaging conditions for the patient. The leaf extract of Madeira vine ( Anredera cordifolia (Ten.) Steenis), or popularly known as Binahong in Indonesia, has been used to treat various diseases. The purpose of this research is to determine the effects of leaf extracts of Madeira vine ( A. cordifolia (Ten.) Steenis) on skin burn healing process in rats as an animal model. In this research, there were four treatment groups: G0, G1, G2, and G3, each consisting of five rats. All these rats were given skin burns, using hot metal plates. Then, sulfadiazine was given to G0, 2.5% leaf extract of Madeira vine was given to G1, 5% extract was given to G2, and 10% extract was given to G3, for straight 14 days topically, 3 times a day. At the end of the treatment period, skin excisions were conducted, and histopathological examination was carried out. Microscopic observation on the wound healing process on the collagen deposition, polymorphonuclear infiltration, angiogenesis, and fibrosis showed that G2 had a significant difference with G0, G1, and G3 (p<0.05), while group G0 was significantly different from G1 and G3 (p<0.05). The better burn healing process on G2 allegedly because of the activity of flavonoid, saponin, and tannin, contained in the Madeira vine, which have the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial effects. The ointment from the 5% leaf extract of Madeira vine ( A. cordifolia (Ten.) Steenis) has been proven to be effective to be used for topical burn therapy.

Quantification of loosely associated and tightly associated bacteria on broiler carcass skin using swabbing, stomaching, and grinding methods.

PubMed

Singh, P; Lee, H C; Chin, K B; Ha, S D; Kang, I

2015-12-01

This research was conducted to quantify bacterial populations after swabbing or stomaching, followed by grinding the swabbed or stomached broiler skins. For each of 3 replications, 3 eviscerated broilers were randomly taken from a processing line in a local broiler processing plant. Ten swabs and 10 stomachs per bird were conducted on the left- and the right-side skins (10×7 cm), respectively, which were then finally ground. Results indicated that mesophilic aerobic bacteria (MAB) in the first swabbed sample were significantly lower than those in the first stomached sample (P<0.05), with no difference seen for the remaining sampling times (P>0.05). During 10 swabbings followed by final grinding, 8, 9, and 83% of MAB were detected after the first swabbing, after the second through 10th swabbings, and after final grinding of the skin, respectively. During 10 stomachings followed by the final grinding, 17, 18, and 65% of MAB were detected after the first stomaching, after the second through 10th stomachings, and after final grinding of the skin, respectively. Escherichia coli (E. coli) and coliforms were significantly higher in the first stomaching than those in the first swabbing (P<0.05), with no difference seen between the 2 sampling methods for the rest sampling times (P>0.05). Populations of E. coli and coliforms decreased step-wisely from the highest after grinding to the intermediate after first and second sampling, and to the least after 10th sampling (P<0.05), regardless of swabbing or grinding. In this study, less than 35% of MAB seemed loosely associated in the skin of eviscerated broiler, whereas more than 65% of MAB looked tightly associated, which were not recovered by stomaching or swabbing even 10 times but were recovered by grinding the skin. © 2015 Poultry Science Association Inc.

Waterborne parasites: a current status from the Philippines.

PubMed

Onichandran, Subashini; Kumar, Thulasi; Salibay, Cristina C; Dungca, Julieta Z; Tabo, Hazel Al; Tabo, Norbel; Tan, Tian-Chye; Lim, Yvonne Al; Sawangjaroen, Nongyao; Phiriyasamith, Sucheep; Andiappan, Hemah; Ithoi, Init; Lau, Yee-Ling; Nissapatorn, Veeranoot

2014-05-28

Despite the amount of awareness created, waterborne disease still poses threat, especially in developing countries. Due to the scarcity of reported data on waterborne parasites, the consumption of unsafe water prolongs. Thus, the occurrences of waterborne parasites from various samples were investigated from one of the Southeast Asian country, the Philippines. A total of thirty three samples, each consisting of twelve liters, were collected and processed to obtain the sediment. Ten liters of sample each was processed to detect Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia spp. using an immunomagnetic separation method prior to enumeration via fluorescence microscope. Meanwhile, the remaining two liters were cultured to detect Acanthamoeba and Naegleria through microscopy examination and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. Twelve samples (36.4%) from river (5), swimming pool (1), pond (3), rain tank (1), and natural lake (2) were positive for Cryptosporidium spp., 17 (45.5%) samples from river (9), pond (2), swimming pool (1), rain tank (1), and natural lake (4) were positive for Giardia spp. while, 13 (33.3%) samples from river (3), swimming pool (2), pond (2), dispenser (1), well (1), tap (2) and natural lake (2) were positive for Acanthamoeba spp. and 5 (18.2%) samples from river (1), natural lake (1), tap (1), dispenser (1) and mineral (1) were Naegleria spp. positive. Physical parameters such as temperature, conductivity, total dissolved solid (TDS), salinity, dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, and turbidity and chemical parameters such as ammonia, chlorine, fluoride, nitrate and nitrite were also measured. The highest chemical contamination was observed at pond 2. A good correlation was observed between Giardia and nitrite (r = 0.736, p < 0.01) and Giardia and nitrate (r = 0.502, p < 0.01). This study was aimed to create greater awareness of parasitic contamination in the water environment in the Philippines and also to act as a platform of the current scenario for policymakers as water pollution is a key health issue in this region.

Waterborne parasites: a current status from the Philippines

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Despite the amount of awareness created, waterborne disease still poses threat, especially in developing countries. Due to the scarcity of reported data on waterborne parasites, the consumption of unsafe water prolongs. Thus, the occurrences of waterborne parasites from various samples were investigated from one of the Southeast Asian country, the Philippines. Methods A total of thirty three samples, each consisting of twelve liters, were collected and processed to obtain the sediment. Ten liters of sample each was processed to detect Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia spp. using an immunomagnetic separation method prior to enumeration via fluorescence microscope. Meanwhile, the remaining two liters were cultured to detect Acanthamoeba and Naegleria through microscopy examination and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. Results Twelve samples (36.4%) from river (5), swimming pool (1), pond (3), rain tank (1), and natural lake (2) were positive for Cryptosporidium spp., 17 (45.5%) samples from river (9), pond (2), swimming pool (1), rain tank (1), and natural lake (4) were positive for Giardia spp. while, 13 (33.3%) samples from river (3), swimming pool (2), pond (2), dispenser (1), well (1), tap (2) and natural lake (2) were positive for Acanthamoeba spp. and 5 (18.2%) samples from river (1), natural lake (1), tap (1), dispenser (1) and mineral (1) were Naegleria spp. positive. Physical parameters such as temperature, conductivity, total dissolved solid (TDS), salinity, dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, and turbidity and chemical parameters such as ammonia, chlorine, fluoride, nitrate and nitrite were also measured. The highest chemical contamination was observed at pond 2. A good correlation was observed between Giardia and nitrite (r = 0.736, p < 0.01) and Giardia and nitrate (r = 0.502, p < 0.01). Conclusion This study was aimed to create greater awareness of parasitic contamination in the water environment in the Philippines and also to act as a platform of the current scenario for policymakers as water pollution is a key health issue in this region. PMID:24885105

Mentoring as a Profession-Building Process in Physical Education Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chambers, Fiona C.; Armour, Kathleen; Luttrell, Sinead; Bleakley, Walter; Brennan, Deirdre; Herold, Frank

2012-01-01

This paper describes the findings of a one-year collaborative research project funded by the Standing Conference on Teacher Education North and South (SCoTENS). The paper is derived from a Short Report on this study prepared for SCoTENS on 16th May 2012. The study examined the role of physical education (PE) teachers as mentors to new members of…

Astrophysics with Extraterrestrial Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nittler, Larry R.; Ciesla, Fred

2016-09-01

Extraterrestrial materials, including meteorites, interplanetary dust, and spacecraft-returned asteroidal and cometary samples, provide a record of the starting materials and early evolution of the Solar System. We review how laboratory analyses of these materials provide unique information, complementary to astronomical observations, about a wide variety of stellar, interstellar and protoplanetary processes. Presolar stardust grains retain the isotopic compositions of their stellar sources, mainly asymptotic giant branch stars and Type II supernovae. They serve as direct probes of nucleosynthetic and dust formation processes in stars, galactic chemical evolution, and interstellar dust processing. Extinct radioactivities suggest that the Sun's birth environment was decoupled from average galactic nucleosynthesis for some tens to hundreds of Myr but was enriched in short-lived isotopes from massive stellar winds or explosions shortly before or during formation of the Solar System. Radiometric dating of meteorite components tells us about the timing and duration over which solar nebula solids were assembled into the building blocks of the planets. Components of the most primitive meteoritical materials provide further detailed constraints on the formation, processing, and transport of material and associated timescales in the Sun's protoplanetary disk as well as in other forming planetary systems.

Metrological 2iOF fibre-optic system for position and displacement measurement with 31 pm resolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orłowska, Karolina; Świåtkowski, Michał; Kunicki, Piotr; Gotszalk, Teodor

2018-04-01

In the present paper, we describe a high sensitivity intensity fibre-optic displacement sensor with tens of picometre resolution combined with a sub-picometre resolution interferometric calibration system. Both integrated components form the so-called "2 in one ferrule" system 2iOF. The design and construction of the presented device depend on integrating two sensors' systems within one fibre-optic measuring head, which allows performing in situ calibration process with no additional time-consuming adjustment procedure. The resolution of the 2iOF system is 31 pm/Hz1/2 obtained with an interferometric Fabry-Perot based calibration system—providing accuracy better than tens of fm/Hz1/2 within 1 MHz bandwidth in the measurement range of up to 100 μm. The direct response from the intensity sensor is then the 2iOF output one. It is faster and more convenient to analyze in comparison, with much better resolution (3 orders of magnitude higher) but on the other hand also more time consuming and dependent on the absolute sample position interferometer. The proposed system is flexible and open to various applications. We will present the results of the piezoelectrical actuator displacement measurements, which were performed using the developed system.

Quantitative Determination of Fluorinated Alkyl Substances by Large-Volume-Injection LC/MS/MS—Characterization of Municipal Wastewaters

PubMed Central

Schultz, Melissa M.; Barofsky, Douglas F.; Field, Jennifer A.

2008-01-01

A quantitative method was developed for the determination of fluorinated alkyl substances in municipal wastewater influents and effluents. The method consisted of centrifugation followed by large-volume injection (500 μL) of the supernatant onto a liquid chromatograph with a reverse-phase column and detection by electrospray ionization, and tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). The fluorinated analytes studied include perfluoroalkyl sulfonates, fluorotelomer sulfonates, perfluorocarboxylates, and select fluorinated alkyl sulfonamides. Recoveries of the fluorinated analytes from wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) raw influents and final effluent ranged from 77% – 96% and 80% – 99%, respectively. The lower limit of quantitation ranged from 0.5 to 3.0 ng/L depending on the analyte. The method was applied to flow-proportional composites of raw influent and final effluent collected over a 24 hr period from ten WWTPs nationwide. Fluorinated alkyl substances were observed in wastewater at all treatment plants and each plant exhibited unique distributions of fluorinated alkyl substances despite similarities in treatment processes. In nine out of the ten plants sampled, at least one class of fluorinated alkyl substances exhibited increased concentrations in the effluent as compared to the influent concentrations. In some instances, decreases in certain fluorinated analyte concentrations were observed and attributed to sorption to sludge. PMID:16433363

Structural control of co-continuous poly(L-lactide)/poly(butylene succinate)/clay nanocomposites.

PubMed

Zhao, Li; Li, Yongjin; Shimizu, Hiroshi

2009-04-01

Poly(L-lactide) (PLLA)/poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) (55/45 w/w) blends with different amounts of nanoclay loadings were prepared using a specially designed high-shear extruder, HSE3000mini, which can reach a maximum shear rate of 4400 sec(-1). The resulted co-continuous structural morphologies were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). SEM observation revealed that through the combination of various amounts of nanoclay loadings and processing under various shear conditions, the phase size of co-continuous structures of PLLA/PBS blends can be controlled over a wide range from several tens of micrometers to submicrometers. TEM observation shows that all the nanoclays are selectively dispersed in the PBS phase. We also found that clays in low-shear processed sample were mainly located at the interface of PBS phase, while in high-shear sample, the clays were mainly located inside of the PBS phase. It was considered that the dependence of nanoclay location in the PBS phase on the shear conditions, as well as the changing of the viscosity ratio of PBS and PLLA phase with different amounts of clay loading, play important roles in controlling the phase size of the co-continuous structures of PLLA/PBS blends.

Non-uniformly weighted sampling for faster localized two-dimensional correlated spectroscopy of the brain in vivo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verma, Gaurav; Chawla, Sanjeev; Nagarajan, Rajakumar; Iqbal, Zohaib; Albert Thomas, M.; Poptani, Harish

2017-04-01

Two-dimensional localized correlated spectroscopy (2D L-COSY) offers greater spectral dispersion than conventional one-dimensional (1D) MRS techniques, yet long acquisition times and limited post-processing support have slowed its clinical adoption. Improving acquisition efficiency and developing versatile post-processing techniques can bolster the clinical viability of 2D MRS. The purpose of this study was to implement a non-uniformly weighted sampling (NUWS) scheme for faster acquisition of 2D-MRS. A NUWS 2D L-COSY sequence was developed for 7T whole-body MRI. A phantom containing metabolites commonly observed in the brain at physiological concentrations was scanned ten times with both the NUWS scheme of 12:48 duration and a 17:04 constant eight-average sequence using a 32-channel head coil. 2D L-COSY spectra were also acquired from the occipital lobe of four healthy volunteers using both the proposed NUWS and the conventional uniformly-averaged L-COSY sequence. The NUWS 2D L-COSY sequence facilitated 25% shorter acquisition time while maintaining comparable SNR in humans (+0.3%) and phantom studies (+6.0%) compared to uniform averaging. NUWS schemes successfully demonstrated improved efficiency of L-COSY, by facilitating a reduction in scan time without affecting signal quality.

Using hydrophones as a surrogate monitoring technique to detect temporal and spatial variability in bedload transport

USGS Publications Warehouse

Marineau, Mathieu D.; Minear, J. Toby; Wright, Scott A.

2015-01-01

Collecting physical bedload measurements is an expensive and time-consuming endeavor that rarely captures the spatial and temporal variability of sediment transport. Technological advances can improve monitoring of sediment transport by filling in temporal gaps between physical sampling periods. We have developed a low-cost hydrophone recording system designed to record the sediment-generated noise (SGN) resulting from collisions of coarse particles (generally larger than 4 mm) in gravel-bedded rivers. The sound level of the signal recorded by the hydrophone is assumed to be proportional to the magnitude of bedload transport as long as the acoustic frequency of the SGN is known, the grain-size distribution of the bedload is assumed constant, and the frequency band of the ambient noise is known and can be excluded from the analysis. Each system has two hydrophone heads and samples at half-hour intervals. Ten systems were deployed on the San Joaquin River, California, and its tributaries for ten months during water year 2014, and two systems were deployed during a flood event on the Gunnison River, Colorado in 2014. A mobile hydrophone system was also tested at both locations to collect longitudinal profiles of SGN. Physical samples of bedload were not collected in this study. In lieu of physical measurements, several audio recordings from each site were aurally reviewed to confirm the presence or absence of SGN, and hydraulic data were compared to historical measurements of bedload transport or transport capacity estimates to verify if hydraulic conditions during the study would likely produce bedload transport. At one site on the San Joaquin River, the threshold of movement was estimated to have occurred around 30 m 3 /s based on SGN data. During the Gunnison River flood event, continuous data showed clockwise hysteresis, indicating that bedload transport was generally less at any given streamflow discharge during the recession limb of the hydrograph. Spatial variability in transport was also detected in the longitudinal profiles audibly and using signal processing algorithms. These experiments demonstrate the ability of hydrophone technology to capture the temporal and spatial variability of sediment transport, which may be missed when samples are collected using conventional methods.

Micromechanical Characterization of Polysilicon Films through On-Chip Tests

PubMed Central

Mirzazadeh, Ramin; Eftekhar Azam, Saeed; Mariani, Stefano

2016-01-01

When the dimensions of polycrystalline structures become comparable to the average grain size, some reliability issues can be reported for the moving parts of inertial microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). Not only the overall behavior of the device turns out to be affected by a large scattering, but also the sensitivity to imperfections gets enhanced. In this work, through on-chip tests, we experimentally investigate the behavior of thin polysilicon samples using standard electrostatic actuation/sensing. The discrepancy between the target and actual responses of each sample has then been exploited to identify: (i) the overall stiffness of the film and, according to standard continuum elasticity, a morphology-based value of its Young’s modulus; (ii) the relevant over-etch induced by the fabrication process. To properly account for the aforementioned stochastic features at the micro-scale, the identification procedure has been based on particle filtering. A simple analytical reduced-order model of the moving structure has been also developed to account for the nonlinearities in the electrical field, up to pull-in. Results are reported for a set of ten film samples of constant slenderness, and the effects of different actuation mechanisms on the identified micromechanical features are thoroughly discussed. PMID:27483268

Micromechanical Characterization of Polysilicon Films through On-Chip Tests.

PubMed

Mirzazadeh, Ramin; Eftekhar Azam, Saeed; Mariani, Stefano

2016-07-28

When the dimensions of polycrystalline structures become comparable to the average grain size, some reliability issues can be reported for the moving parts of inertial microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). Not only the overall behavior of the device turns out to be affected by a large scattering, but also the sensitivity to imperfections gets enhanced. In this work, through on-chip tests, we experimentally investigate the behavior of thin polysilicon samples using standard electrostatic actuation/sensing. The discrepancy between the target and actual responses of each sample has then been exploited to identify: (i) the overall stiffness of the film and, according to standard continuum elasticity, a morphology-based value of its Young's modulus; (ii) the relevant over-etch induced by the fabrication process. To properly account for the aforementioned stochastic features at the micro-scale, the identification procedure has been based on particle filtering. A simple analytical reduced-order model of the moving structure has been also developed to account for the nonlinearities in the electrical field, up to pull-in. Results are reported for a set of ten film samples of constant slenderness, and the effects of different actuation mechanisms on the identified micromechanical features are thoroughly discussed.

Synthesis of high generation thermo-sensitive dendrimers for extraction of rivaroxaban from human fluid and pharmaceutic samples.

PubMed

Parham, Negin; Panahi, Homayon Ahmad; Feizbakhsh, Alireza; Moniri, Elham

2018-04-13

In this present study, poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) as a thermo-sensitive agent was grafted onto magnetic nanoparticles, then ethylenediamine and methylmethacrylate were used to synthesize the first generation of poly amidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers successively and the process continued alternatively until the ten generations of dendrimers. The synthesized nanocomposite was investigated using Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, thermalgravimetry analysis, X-ray diffractometry, elemental analysis and vibrating-sample magnetometer. The particle size and morphology were characterized using dynamic light scattering, field emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Batch experiments were conducted to investigate the parameters affecting adsorption and desorption of rivaroxaban by synthesized nanocomposite. The maximum sorption of rivaroxaban by the synthesized nanocomposite was obtained at pH of 8. The resulting grafted magnetic nanoparticle dendrimers were applied for extraction of rivaroxaban from biologic human liquids and medicinal samples. The specifications of rivaroxaban sorbed by a magnetic nanoparticle dendrimer showed good accessibility and high capacity of the active sites within the dendrimers. Urine and drug matrix extraction recoveries of more than 92.5 and 99.8 were obtained, respectively. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dynamics of bacterial class Bacilli in the deepest valley lake of Kashmir-the Manasbal Lake.

PubMed

Shafi, Sana; Kamili, Azra N; Shah, Manzoor A; Bandh, Suhaib A; Dar, Rubiya

2017-03-01

In recognition of the importance of bacteria as ecological indicators of the aquatic systems a comprehensive and systematic analysis was carried out on Manasbal Lake, the deepest spring fed valley lake of Kashmir. The main objective envisaged was to analyze bacterial community composition (BCC) and for this purpose systematic and regular sampling of waters from ten different sampling stations, predetermined in the Lake according to differences in degree of human interference and also as zones of special ecological interests were selected. The isolated species were identified according to Bergey's Manual specification by examining their micro and macro morphological characteristics and biochemical characteristics on different culture media. Further confirmation was done by sequencing the 16s rRNA gene by using universal bacterial primers 27F and 1429R. From all the sampling stations the class Bacilli showed a maximum relative abundance with a contribution of 16 bacterial species. The whole process resulted in the identification of Bacillus aerius, Bacillus altitudinis, Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus ginsengisoli, Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus safensis, Bacillus stratosphericus, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus tequilensis, Bacillus thermocopriae, Bacillus thuringiensis, Brevibacillus agri strain, Lysinibacillus boronitolerans, Lysinibacillus pakistanensis and Lysinibacillus sphaericus. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The acoustic effect of cryogenically treating trumpets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, Jesse; Rogers, Chris

2003-10-01

The acoustic effect of cryogenically treating trumpets is investigated. Ten Vincent Bach Stradivarious B♭ trumpets are studied, half of which have been cryogenically treated. The trumpets were played by six players of varying proficiency, with sound samples being recorded directly to disk at a sampling rate of 44.1 kHz. Both the steady-state and initial transient portions of the audio samples are analyzed. When comparing the average power spectra of the treated trumpets to the untreated set, no repeatable, statistically independent differences are observed in the data. Differences observed in player-to-player and trumpet-to-trumpet comparisons overshadow any differences that may have been brought on due to the cryogenic treatment. Qualitatively, players established no clear preference between the treated and untreated trumpets regarding tone and playability, and could not differentiate between the two sets of instruments. All data was collected in a double blind fashion. The treatment itself is a three step process, involving an 8 hour linear cool down period, a 10 hour period of sustained exposure to -195°C (-300°F), and a 20-25 hour period of warming back to room temperature. [Work was completed with the support of Steinway & Sons Pianos and Selmer Musical Instruments.

Lot quality assurance sampling (LQAS) for monitoring leprosy elimination in an endemic district in Tamilnadu.

PubMed

Murthy, B N; Subbiah, M; Boopathi, K; Ramakrishnan, R; Gupte, M D

2001-01-01

This paper examines whether the health administration can use lot quality assurance sampling (LQAS) for identifying high prevalence areas for leprosy for initiating necessary corrective measures. The null hypothesis was that leprosy prevalence in the district was at or above ten per 10,000 and the alternative hypothesis was that it was at or below five per 10,000. A total of 25,500 individuals were to be examined with 17 as an acceptable maximum number of cases (critical value). Two-stage cluster sample design was adopted. The sample size need not be escalated as the estimated design effect was 1. During the first phase, the survey covered a population of 4,837 individuals out of whom 4,329 (89.5%) were examined. Thirty-five cases were detected and this number far exceeded the critical value. It was concluded that leprosy prevalence in the district should be regarded as having prevalence of more than ten per 10,000 and further examination of the population in the sample was discontinued. LQAS may be used as a tool by which one can identify high prevalence districts and target them for necessary strengthening of the programme. It may also be considered for certifying elimination achievement for a given area.

Hydrogeochemistry of the drinking water sources of Derebogazi Village (Kahramanmaras) and their effects on human health.

PubMed

Uras, Yusuf; Uysal, Yagmur; Arikan, Tugba Atilan; Kop, Alican; Caliskan, Mustafa

2015-06-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the sources of drinking water for Derebogazi Village, Kahramanmaras Province, Turkey, in terms of hydrogeochemistry, isotope geochemistry, and medical geology. Water samples were obtained from seven different water sources in the area, all of which are located within quartzite units of Paleozoic age, and isotopic analyses of (18)O and (2)H (deuterium) were conducted on the samples. Samples were collected from the region for 1 year. Water quality of the samples was assessed in terms of various water quality parameters, such as temperature, pH, conductivity, alkalinity, trace element concentrations, anion-cation measurements, and metal concentrations, using ion chromatography, inductively coupled plasma (ICP) mass spectrometry, ICP-optical emission spectrometry techniques. Regional health surveys had revealed that the heights of local people are significantly below the average for the country. In terms of medical geology, the sampled drinking water from the seven sources was deficient in calcium and magnesium ions, which promote bone development. Bone mineral density screening tests were conducted on ten females using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry to investigate possible developmental disorder(s) and potential for mineral loss in the region. Of these ten women, three had T-scores close to the osteoporosis range (T-score < -2.5).

CALiPER Report 20.3: Robustness of LED PAR38 Lamps

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

Poplawski, Michael E.; Royer, Michael P.; Brown, Charles C.

2014-12-01

Three samples of 40 of the Series 20 PAR38 lamps underwent multi-stress testing, whereby samples were subjected to increasing levels of simultaneous thermal, humidity, electrical, and vibrational stress. The results do not explicitly predict expected lifetime or reliability, but they can be compared with one another, as well as with benchmark conventional products, to assess the relative robustness of the product designs. On average, the 32 LED lamp models tested were substantially more robust than the conventional benchmark lamps. As with other performance attributes, however, there was great variability in the robustness and design maturity of the LED lamps. Severalmore » LED lamp samples failed within the first one or two levels of the ten-level stress plan, while all three samples of some lamp models completed all ten levels. One potential area of improvement is design maturity, given that more than 25% of the lamp models demonstrated a difference in failure level for the three samples that was greater than or equal to the maximum for the benchmarks. At the same time, the fact that nearly 75% of the lamp models exhibited better design maturity than the benchmarks is noteworthy, given the relative stage of development for the technology.« less

Discovery of the first maize-infecting mastrevirus in the Americas using a vector-enabled metagenomics approach.

PubMed

Fontenele, Rafaela S; Alves-Freitas, Dione M T; Silva, Pedro I T; Foresti, Josemar; Silva, Paulo R; Godinho, Márcio T; Varsani, Arvind; Ribeiro, Simone G

2018-01-01

The genus Mastrevirus (family Geminiviridae) is composed of single-stranded DNA viruses that infect mono- and dicotyledonous plants and are transmitted by leafhoppers. In South America, there have been only two previous reports of mastreviruses, both identified in sweet potatoes (from Peru and Uruguay). As part of a general viral surveillance program, we used a vector-enabled metagenomics (VEM) approach and sampled leafhoppers (Dalbulus maidis) in Itumbiara (State of Goiás), Brazil. High-throughput sequencing of viral DNA purified from the leafhopper sample revealed mastrevirus-like contigs. Using a set of abutting primers, a 2746-nt circular genome was recovered. The circular genome has a typical mastrevirus genome organization and shares <63% pairwise identity with other mastrevirus isolates from around the world. Therefore, the new mastrevirus was tentatively named "maize striate mosaic virus". Seventeen maize leaf samples were collected in the same field as the leafhoppers, and ten samples were found to be positive for this mastrevirus. Furthermore, the ten genomes recovered from the maize samples share >99% pairwise identity with the one from the leafhopper. This is the first report of a maize-infecting mastrevirus in the Americas, the first identified in a non-vegetatively propagated mastrevirus host in South America, and the first mastrevirus to be identified in Brazil.

A Comparison Study of Normal-Incidence Acoustic Impedance Measurements of a Perforate Liner

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schultz, Todd; Liu, Fei; Cattafesta, Louis; Sheplak, Mark; Jones, Michael

2009-01-01

The eduction of the acoustic impedance for liner configurations is fundamental to the reduction of noise from modern jet engines. Ultimately, this property must be measured accurately for use in analytical and numerical propagation models of aircraft engine noise. Thus any standardized measurement techniques must be validated by providing reliable and consistent results for different facilities and sample sizes. This paper compares normal-incidence acoustic impedance measurements using the two-microphone method of ten nominally identical individual liner samples from two facilities, namely 50.8 mm and 25.4 mm square waveguides at NASA Langley Research Center and the University of Florida, respectively. The liner chosen for this investigation is a simple single-degree-of-freedom perforate liner with resonance and anti-resonance frequencies near 1.1 kHz and 2.2 kHz, respectively. The results show that the ten measurements have the most variation around the anti-resonance frequency, where statistically significant differences exist between the averaged results from the two facilities. However, the sample-to-sample variation is comparable in magnitude to the predicted cross-sectional area-dependent cavity dissipation differences between facilities, providing evidence that the size of the present samples does not significantly influence the results away from anti-resonance.

Inference and quantification of peptidoforms in large sample cohorts by SWATH-MS

PubMed Central

Röst, Hannes L; Ludwig, Christina; Buil, Alfonso; Bensimon, Ariel; Soste, Martin; Spector, Tim D; Dermitzakis, Emmanouil T; Collins, Ben C; Malmström, Lars; Aebersold, Ruedi

2017-01-01

The consistent detection and quantification of protein post-translational modifications (PTMs) across sample cohorts is an essential prerequisite for the functional analysis of biological processes. Data-independent acquisition (DIA), a bottom-up mass spectrometry based proteomic strategy, exemplified by SWATH-MS, provides complete precursor and fragment ion information of a sample and thus, in principle, the information to identify peptidoforms, the modified variants of a peptide. However, due to the convoluted structure of DIA data sets the confident and systematic identification and quantification of peptidoforms has remained challenging. Here we present IPF (Inference of PeptidoForms), a fully automated algorithm that uses spectral libraries to query, validate and quantify peptidoforms in DIA data sets. The method was developed on data acquired by SWATH-MS and benchmarked using a synthetic phosphopeptide reference data set and phosphopeptide-enriched samples. The data indicate that IPF reduced false site-localization by more than 7-fold in comparison to previous approaches, while recovering 85.4% of the true signals. IPF was applied to detect and quantify peptidoforms carrying ten different types of PTMs in DIA data acquired from more than 200 samples of undepleted blood plasma of a human twin cohort. The data approportioned, for the first time, the contribution of heritable, environmental and longitudinal effects on the observed quantitative variability of specific modifications in blood plasma of a human population. PMID:28604659

Implementation of newly adopted technology in acute care settings: a qualitative analysis of clinical staff

PubMed Central

Langhan, Melissa L.; Riera, Antonio; Kurtz, Jordan C.; Schaeffer, Paula; Asnes, Andrea G.

2015-01-01

Objective Technologies are not always successfully implemented into practise. We elicited experiences of acute care providers with the introduction of technology and identified barriers and facilitators in the implementation process. Methods A qualitative study using one-on-one interviews among a purposeful sample of 19 physicians and nurses within ten emergency departments and intensive care units was performed. Grounded theory, iterative data analysis and the constant comparative method were used to inductively generate ideas and build theories. Results Five major categories emerged: decision-making factors, the impact on practise, technology's perceived value, facilitators and barriers to implementation. Barriers included negative experiences, age, infrequent use, and access difficulties. A positive outlook, sufficient training, support staff, and user friendliness were facilitators. Conclusions This study describes strategies implicated in the successful implementation of newly adopted technology in acute care settings. Improved implementation methods and evaluation of implementation processes are necessary for successful adoption of new technology. PMID:25367721

A novel colorimetric assay for rapid detection of cysteine and Hg²⁺ based on gold clusters.

PubMed

Wang, Yi-Wei; Tang, Shurong; Yang, Huang-Hao; Song, Hongbo

2016-01-01

Inhibition and recovery of the catalytic activity of bovine serum albumin-capped gold nanoclusters (BSA-AuNCs) is observed for the first time by introduction of cysteine and Hg(2+). The prepared BSA-AuNCs possess highly intrinsic peroxidase-like activity. It can catalyze the oxidation of 3, 3, 5, 5-tetramethylbenzidine by H2O2 to produce a blue colored product. Based on this phenomenon, a new colorimetric assay for rapid, selective and sensitive detection of cysteine and Hg(2+) in aqueous solution has been demonstrated. The interaction process between target molecule and BSA-AuNCs is very fast, so that the whole test can be completed within ten minutes. Moreover, the fabricated colorimetric sensor is simple and cost-effective, without the need of nucleic acid based recognition element and complicated washing, separation and labeling process, thus holds great promise for routine analysis of cysteine and Hg(2+) in real samples. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Eggshell bacterial levels of non-washed and washed eggs from caged and cage-free hens

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The bacteria levels of non-washed and washed eggs obtained from caged and cage-free laying hens housed on either all shavings or all wire slat floors were determined. On eight sample days (from 22 to 52 weeks at 4 week intervals), 20 eggs were collected from each pen (n=120/sample day). Ten eggs p...

Patterns of Drug Use in a Sample of 200 Young Drug Users in London

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCambridge, Jim; Strang, John

2004-01-01

A cross-sectional analysis of baseline data collected during a secondary prevention intervention study was conducted to describe patterns of drug use in a non-treatment sample of young drug users recruited in ten further-education colleges across inner London. Participants were 200 young people who were either weekly cannabis users and/or who had…

A Preliminary Analysis of the Linguistic Complexity of Numeracy Skills Test Items for Pre Service Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Keeffe, Lisa

2016-01-01

Language is frequently discussed as barrier to mathematics word problems. Hence this paper presents the initial findings of a linguistic analysis of numeracy skills test sample items. The theoretical perspective of multi-modal text analysis underpinned this study, in which data was extracted from the ten sample numeracy test items released by the…

40 CFR Table 2 to Subpart Dddd of... - Model Rule-Emission Limitations

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... part) Hydrogen chloride 62 parts per million by dry volume 3-run average (1 hour minimum sample time...) Sulfur dioxide 20 parts per million by dry volume 3-run average (1 hour minimum sample time per run...-8) or ASTM D6784-02 (Reapproved 2008).c Opacity 10 percent Three 1-hour blocks consisting of ten 6...

Molecular tracing of confiscated pangolin scales for conservation and illegal trade monitoring in Southeast Asia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zhang, Huarong; Miller, Mark P.; Yang, Feng; Chan, Hon Ki; Gaubert, Philippe; Ades, Gary; Fischer, Gunter A

2015-01-01

Despite being protected by both international and national regulations, pangolins are threatened by illegal trade. Here we report mitochondrial DNA identification and haplotype richness estimation, using 239 pangolin scale samples from two confiscations in Hong Kong. We found a total of 13 genetically distinct cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) haplotypes in two confiscations (13 and ten haplotypes respectively, with ten shared haplotypes between confiscations). These haplotypes clustered in two distinct clades with one clade representing the Sunda pangolin (Manisjavanica). The other clade did not match with any known Asian pangolin sequences, and likely represented a cryptic pangolin lineage in Asia. By fitting sample coverage and rarefaction/regression models to our sample data, we predicted that the total number of COI haplotypes in two confiscations were 14.86 and 11.06 respectively, suggesting that our sampling caught the majority of haplotypes and that we had adequately characterized each confiscation. We detected substantial sequence divergence among the seized scales, likely evidencing that the Sunda pangolins were harvested over wide geographical areas across Southeast Asia. Our study illustrates the value of applying DNA forensics for illegal wildlife trade monitoring.

Effects of the pollution by petroleum on the tracheids along the stem of Podocarpus lambertii Klotzsch ex Endl., Podocarpaceae.

PubMed

Maranho, L T; Dziedzic, M; Muñiz, G I B; Kuniyoshi, Y S; Galvão, F

2009-05-01

Podocarpus lambertii Klotzsch ex Endl. (Podocarpaceae) is native and a member of the Pinophyta (Gymnosperm) of southern Brazil, locally known as 'pinheiro-bravo'. The present work aims to investigate the effects of petroleum on the tracheids dimensions. Wood samples from twenty individuals were studied along the stem, ten being exposed to pollution and ten used as a control set. The wood samples were collected from incisions at three levels: at the ground level, and one and two metres above the ground level. From these samples, sub-samples were selected at the border of the growth layers in the vascular cambium-medulla direction. The methodology followed that traditionally recommended for plant anatomy studies, with analyses done by light microscopy (OLYMPUS - BX41) assisted by the software Image Pro-plus for measurements. Comparison of the individuals exposed to petroleum with the control set, showed that the length, diameter and cell wall width of the tracheids of the former were smaller, a trend which was statistically significant according to the Student's t-test. These traits were observed mainly on the tracheids of the last growth layer, corresponding to the year in which the individuals were exposed to petroleum.

Multi-targeted interference-free determination of ten β-blockers in human urine and plasma samples by alternating trilinear decomposition algorithm-assisted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry in full scan mode: comparison with multiple reaction monitoring.

PubMed

Gu, Hui-Wen; Wu, Hai-Long; Yin, Xiao-Li; Li, Yong; Liu, Ya-Juan; Xia, Hui; Zhang, Shu-Rong; Jin, Yi-Feng; Sun, Xiao-Dong; Yu, Ru-Qin; Yang, Peng-Yuan; Lu, Hao-Jie

2014-10-27

β-blockers are the first-line therapeutic agents for treating cardiovascular diseases and also a class of prohibited substances in athletic competitions. In this work, a smart strategy that combines three-way liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) data with second-order calibration method based on alternating trilinear decomposition (ATLD) algorithm was developed for simultaneous determination of ten β-blockers in human urine and plasma samples. This flexible strategy proved to be a useful tool to solve the problems of overlapped peaks and uncalibrated interferences encountered in quantitative LC-MS, and made the multi-targeted interference-free qualitative and quantitative analysis of β-blockers in complex matrices possible. The limits of detection were in the range of 2.0×10(-5)-6.2×10(-3) μg mL(-1), and the average recoveries were between 90 and 110% with standard deviations and average relative prediction errors less than 10%, indicating that the strategy could provide satisfactory prediction results for ten β-blockers in human urine and plasma samples only using liquid chromatography hyphenated single-quadrupole mass spectrometer in full scan mode. To further confirm the feasibility and reliability of the proposed method, the same batch samples were analyzed by multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) method. T-test demonstrated that there are no significant differences between the prediction results of the two methods. Considering the advantages of fast, low-cost, high sensitivity, and no need of complicated chromatographic and tandem mass spectrometric conditions optimization, the proposed strategy is expected to be extended as an attractive alternative method to quantify analyte(s) of interest in complex systems such as cells, biological fluids, food, environment, pharmaceuticals and other complex samples. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Multi-locus analysis of genomic time series data from experimental evolution.

PubMed

Terhorst, Jonathan; Schlötterer, Christian; Song, Yun S

2015-04-01

Genomic time series data generated by evolve-and-resequence (E&R) experiments offer a powerful window into the mechanisms that drive evolution. However, standard population genetic inference procedures do not account for sampling serially over time, and new methods are needed to make full use of modern experimental evolution data. To address this problem, we develop a Gaussian process approximation to the multi-locus Wright-Fisher process with selection over a time course of tens of generations. The mean and covariance structure of the Gaussian process are obtained by computing the corresponding moments in discrete-time Wright-Fisher models conditioned on the presence of a linked selected site. This enables our method to account for the effects of linkage and selection, both along the genome and across sampled time points, in an approximate but principled manner. We first use simulated data to demonstrate the power of our method to correctly detect, locate and estimate the fitness of a selected allele from among several linked sites. We study how this power changes for different values of selection strength, initial haplotypic diversity, population size, sampling frequency, experimental duration, number of replicates, and sequencing coverage depth. In addition to providing quantitative estimates of selection parameters from experimental evolution data, our model can be used by practitioners to design E&R experiments with requisite power. We also explore how our likelihood-based approach can be used to infer other model parameters, including effective population size and recombination rate. Then, we apply our method to analyze genome-wide data from a real E&R experiment designed to study the adaptation of D. melanogaster to a new laboratory environment with alternating cold and hot temperatures.

Radionuclides, trace elements, and radium residence in phosphogypsum of Jordan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zielinski, R.A.; Al-Hwaiti, M. S.; Budahn, J.R.; Ranville, J.F.

2011-01-01

Voluminous stockpiles of phosphogypsum (PG) generated during the wet process production of phosphoric acid are stored at many sites around the world and pose problems for their safe storage, disposal, or utilization. A major concern is the elevated concentration of long-lived 226Ra (half-life = 1,600 years) inherited from the processed phosphate rock. Knowledge of the abundance and mode-of-occurrence of radium (Ra) in PG is critical for accurate prediction of Ra leachability and radon (Rn) emanation, and for prediction of radiation-exposure pathways to workers and to the public. The mean (??SD) of 226Ra concentrations in ten samples of Jordan PG is 601 ?? 98 Bq/kg, which falls near the midrange of values reported for PG samples collected worldwide. Jordan PG generally shows no analytically significant enrichment (< 10%) of 226Ra in the finer (< 53 ??m) grain size fraction. Phosphogypsum samples collected from two industrial sites with different sources of phosphate rock feedstock show consistent differences in concentration of 226Ra and rare earth elements, and also consistent trends of enrichment in these elements with increasing age of PG. Water-insoluble residues from Jordan PG constitute <10% of PG mass but contain 30-65% of the 226Ra. 226Ra correlates closely with Ba in the water-insoluble residues. Uniformly tiny (< 10 ??m) grains of barite (barium sulfate) observed with scanning electron microscopy have crystal morphologies that indicate their formation during the wet process. Barite is a well-documented and efficient scavenger of Ra from solution and is also very insoluble in water and mineral acids. Radium-bearing barite in PG influences the environmental mobility of radium and the radiation-exposure pathways near PG stockpiles. ?? 2010 US Government.

Clinical time series prediction: Toward a hierarchical dynamical system framework.

PubMed

Liu, Zitao; Hauskrecht, Milos

2015-09-01

Developing machine learning and data mining algorithms for building temporal models of clinical time series is important for understanding of the patient condition, the dynamics of a disease, effect of various patient management interventions and clinical decision making. In this work, we propose and develop a novel hierarchical framework for modeling clinical time series data of varied length and with irregularly sampled observations. Our hierarchical dynamical system framework for modeling clinical time series combines advantages of the two temporal modeling approaches: the linear dynamical system and the Gaussian process. We model the irregularly sampled clinical time series by using multiple Gaussian process sequences in the lower level of our hierarchical framework and capture the transitions between Gaussian processes by utilizing the linear dynamical system. The experiments are conducted on the complete blood count (CBC) panel data of 1000 post-surgical cardiac patients during their hospitalization. Our framework is evaluated and compared to multiple baseline approaches in terms of the mean absolute prediction error and the absolute percentage error. We tested our framework by first learning the time series model from data for the patients in the training set, and then using it to predict future time series values for the patients in the test set. We show that our model outperforms multiple existing models in terms of its predictive accuracy. Our method achieved a 3.13% average prediction accuracy improvement on ten CBC lab time series when it was compared against the best performing baseline. A 5.25% average accuracy improvement was observed when only short-term predictions were considered. A new hierarchical dynamical system framework that lets us model irregularly sampled time series data is a promising new direction for modeling clinical time series and for improving their predictive performance. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Breastfeeding Practices and Barriers to Implementing the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding in Mississippi Hospitals.

PubMed

Alakaam, Amir; Lemacks, Jennifer; Yadrick, Kathleen; Connell, Carol; Choi, Hwanseok Winston; Newman, Ray G

2018-05-01

Mississippi has the lowest rates of breastfeeding in the United States at 6 and 12 months. There is growing evidence that the rates and duration of infant breastfeeding improve after hospitals implement the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding; moreover, the Ten Steps approach is considered the standard model for evaluation of breastfeeding practices in birthplaces. Research aim: This study aimed to examine the implementation level of the Ten Steps and identify barriers to implementing the Ten Steps in Mississippi hospitals. A cross-sectional self-report survey was used to answer the research aim. Nurse managers of the birthing and maternity units of all 43 Mississippi hospitals that provided birthing and maternity care were recruited. A response rate of 72% ( N = 31) was obtained. Implementation of the Ten Steps in these hospitals was categorized as low, partial, moderate, or high. The researcher classified implementation in 29% of hospitals as moderate and in 71% as partial. The hospital level of implementation was significantly positively associated with the hospital delivery rate along with the hospital cesarean section rate per year. The main barriers for the implementation process of the Ten Steps reported were resistance to new policies, limited financial and human resources, and lack of support from national and state governments. Breastfeeding practices in Mississippi hospitals need to be improved. New policies need to be established in Mississippi to encourage hospitals to adopt the Ten Steps policies and practice in the maternity and birthing units.

Multilayered Al/CuO thermite formation by reactive magnetron sputtering: Nano versus micro

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

Petrantoni, M.; Rossi, C.; Salvagnac, L.

2010-10-15

Multilayered Al/CuO thermite was deposited by a dc reactive magnetron sputtering method. Pure Al and Cu targets were used in argon-oxygen gas mixture plasma and with an oxygen partial pressure of 0.13 Pa. The process was designed to produce low stress (<50 MPa) multilayered nanoenergetic material, each layer being in the range of tens nanometer to one micron. The reaction temperature and heat of reaction were measured using differential scanning calorimetry and thermal analysis to compare nanostructured layered materials to microstructured materials. For the nanostructured multilayers, all the energy is released before the Al melting point. In the case ofmore » the microstructured samples at least 2/3 of the energy is released at higher temperatures, between 1036 and 1356 K.« less

PTSD after childbirth: A predictive ethological model for symptom development.

PubMed

Haagen, Joris F G; Moerbeek, Mirjam; Olde, Eelco; van der Hart, Onno; Kleber, Rolf J

2015-10-01

Childbirth can be a traumatic experience occasionally leading to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This study aimed to assess childbirth-related PTSD risk-factors using an etiological model inspired by the transactional model of stress and coping. 348 out of 505 (70%) Dutch women completed questionnaires during pregnancy, one week postpartum, and three months postpartum. A further 284 (56%) also completed questionnaires ten months postpartum. The model was tested using path analysis. Antenatal depressive symptoms (β=.15, p<.05), state anxiety (β=.17, p<.01), and perinatal psychoform (β=.17, p<.01) and somatoform (β=.17, p<.01) dissociation were identified as PTSD symptom risk factors three months postpartum. Antenatal depressive symptoms (β=.31, p<.001) and perinatal somatoform dissociation (β=.14, p<.05) predicted symptoms ten months postpartum. Almost a third of our sample was lost at three months postpartum, and 44% at ten months. The sample size was relatively small. The present study did not control for prior PTSD. The PTSD A criterion was not considered an exclusion criteria for model testing, and the fit index of the ten months model was just below suggested cut-off values. Screening for high risk pregnant women should focus on antenatal depression, anxiety and dissociative tendencies. Hospital staff and midwives are advised to be vigilant for perinatal dissociation after intense negative emotions. To help regulate perinatal negative emotional responses, hospital staff and midwifes are recommended to provide information about birth procedures and be attentive to women's birth-related needs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mobile membrane introduction tandem mass spectrometry for on-the-fly measurements and adaptive sampling of VOCs around oil and gas projects in Alberta, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krogh, E.; Gill, C.; Bell, R.; Davey, N.; Martinsen, M.; Thompson, A.; Simpson, I. J.; Blake, D. R.

2012-12-01

The release of hydrocarbons into the environment can have significant environmental and economic consequences. The evolution of smaller, more portable mass spectrometers to the field can provide spatially and temporally resolved information for rapid detection, adaptive sampling and decision support. We have deployed a mobile platform membrane introduction mass spectrometer (MIMS) for the in-field simultaneous measurement of volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds. In this work, we report instrument and data handling advances that produce geographically referenced data in real-time and preliminary data where these improvements have been combined with high precision ultra-trace VOCs analysis to adaptively sample air plumes near oil and gas operations in Alberta, Canada. We have modified a commercially available ion-trap mass spectrometer (Griffin ICX 400) with an in-house temperature controlled capillary hollow fibre polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) polymer membrane interface and in-line permeation tube flow cell for a continuously infused internal standard. The system is powered by 24 VDC for remote operations in a moving vehicle. Software modifications include the ability to run continuous, interlaced tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) experiments for multiple contaminants/internal standards. All data are time and location stamped with on-board GPS and meteorological data to facilitate spatial and temporal data mapping. Tandem MS/MS scans were employed to simultaneously monitor ten volatile and semi-volatile analytes, including benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX), reduced sulfur compounds, halogenated organics and naphthalene. Quantification was achieved by calibrating against a continuously infused deuterated internal standard (toluene-d8). Time referenced MS/MS data were correlated with positional data and processed using Labview and Matlab to produce calibrated, geographical Google Earth data-visualizations that enable adaptive sampling protocols. This real-time approach has been employed in a moving vehicle to identify and track downwind plumes of fugitive VOC emissions near hydrocarbon upgrading and chemical processing facilities in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta. This information was relayed to a trailing vehicle, which collected stationary grab samples in evacuated canisters for ultra trace analysis of over seventy VOC analytes. In addition, stationary time series data were collected and compared with grab samples co-located with our sampling line. Spatially and temporally resolved, time referenced MS/MS data for several air contaminants associated with oil and gas processing were processed in real time to produce geospatial data for visualization in Google Earth. This information was used to strategically locate grab samples for high precision, ultra trace analysis.

Scalable implementation of boson sampling with trapped ions.

PubMed

Shen, C; Zhang, Z; Duan, L-M

2014-02-07

Boson sampling solves a classically intractable problem by sampling from a probability distribution given by matrix permanents. We propose a scalable implementation of boson sampling using local transverse phonon modes of trapped ions to encode the bosons. The proposed scheme allows deterministic preparation and high-efficiency readout of the bosons in the Fock states and universal mode mixing. With the state-of-the-art trapped ion technology, it is feasible to realize boson sampling with tens of bosons by this scheme, which would outperform the most powerful classical computers and constitute an effective disproof of the famous extended Church-Turing thesis.

Set a Structure of Objects with a Help of Grouping to Ten Strategy to Understand the Idea of Unitizing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Assiti, Saliza Safta; Zulkardi; Darmawijoyo

2013-01-01

The intention of the present study is to know how the pupils can learn to make a group of ten to understand the idea of unitizing. The pupils were given a contextual problem "Counting the Beads" in order to promote their understanding about the idea of unitizing. The process of designing the problem was based on the 5 tenets of…

Some Human Factors in Codebreaking

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-10-01

and backwards the signal span through the rotors and plugboard , finding the right exit at the illuminated panel and ending that stage of transit in...what its starting position was, moving on to discover where the alphabet rings had been set on the rotors. The plugboard settings were largely...using their tried and tested methods. Plugboard connections escalated to ten in January 1939. The Poles would have needed ten times their processing

Weapon Acquisition Program Outcomes and Efforts to Reform DOD’s Acquisition Process

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-09

portfolio’s total estimated acquisition cost. 11. The equity prices of contractors delivering the ten costliest programs performed well relative to broad...cost growth. • In a constrained funding environment, unforeseen cost increases limit investment choices. The equity prices of the contractors ...remain profitable well into the future • Five publicly-traded defense contractors are developing and delivering the ten largest DOD programs in the 2015

Ten-Ecosystem Study. [Grand and Weld Counties, Colorado; Warren County, Pennsylvania; St. Louis County, Minnesota; Sandoval County, New Mexico; Kershaw County, South Carolina; Fort Yukon, Alaska; Grays Harbor County, Washington; and Washington County, Missouri.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mazade, A. V. (Principal Investigator)

1981-01-01

Remote sensing methodology developed for the Nationwide Forestry Applications Program utilize computer data processing procedures for performing inventories from satellite imagery. The Ten-Ecosystem Study (TES) was developed to test the processing procedures in an intermediate-sized application study. The results of TES indicate that LANDSAT multispectral imagery and associated automatic data processing techniques can be used to distinguish softwood, hardwood, grassland, and water and make inventory of these classes with an accuracy of 70 percent or better. The technical problems encountered during the TES and the solutions and insights to these problems are discussed. The TES experience is useful in planning subsequent inventories utilizing remote sensing technology.

Impact of processing on the bioavailability and vascular effects of blueberry (poly)phenols.

PubMed

Rodriguez-Mateos, Ana; Del Pino-García, Raquel; George, Trevor W; Vidal-Diez, Alberto; Heiss, Christian; Spencer, Jeremy P E

2014-10-01

Blueberries are a rich source of flavonoids and phenolic acids. Currently, little information is available regarding the impact of processing on the bioavailability and the bioactivity of blueberry (poly)phenols. In a randomized, controlled crossover trial, ten healthy volunteers consumed (a) blueberry-containing baked products, (b) an unprocessed blueberry drink containing the same amount of freeze-dried blueberry powder as used in the baked products, and (c) matched control baked products. Endothelial function was measured as flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and plasma samples taken at baseline and at 1, 2, 4, and 6 h postconsumption. Although processing did not significantly change the total (poly)phenolic amount, the processed products contained significantly less anthocyanins (-42%), more chlorogenic acid (23%), no flavanol nonamers or decamers, and significantly more flavanol dimers and trimers (36% and 28%, respectively). FMD increased after 1, 2, and 6 h consumption of the baked products to a similar degree as the unprocessed blueberries, despite significant differences in the levels of individual plasma metabolites. No changes were observed after the consumption of the control product. Careful processing can preserve important biological activities of blueberries despite changing the blueberry (poly)phenol composition and plasma metabolite profile. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Note: A fast pneumatic sample-shuttle with attenuated shocks

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

Biancalana, Valerio; Dancheva, Yordanka; Stiaccini, Leonardo

2014-03-15

We describe a home-built pneumatic shuttle suitable for the fast displacement of samples in the vicinity of a highly sensitive atomic magnetometer. The samples are magnetized at 1 T using a Halbach assembly of magnets. The device enables the remote detection of free-induction-decay in ultra-low-field and zero-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments, in relaxometric measurements and in other applications involving the displacement of magnetized samples within time intervals as short as a few tens of milliseconds. Other possible applications of fast sample shuttling exist in radiological studies, where samples have to be irradiated and then analyzed in a cold environment.

Interleukin-15 Is Associated with Severity and Mortality in Stevens-Johnson Syndrome/Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis.

PubMed

Su, Shih-Chi; Mockenhaupt, Maja; Wolkenstein, Pierre; Dunant, Ariane; Le Gouvello, Sabine; Chen, Chun-Bing; Chosidow, Olivier; Valeyrie-Allanore, Laurence; Bellon, Teresa; Sekula, Peggy; Wang, Chuang-Wei; Schumacher, Martin; Kardaun, Sylvia H; Hung, Shuen-Iu; Roujeau, Jean-Claude; Chung, Wen-Hung

2017-05-01

Early diagnosis and prognosis monitoring for Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) still remain a challenge. This study aims to explore any cytokine/chemokine with prognostic potential in Stevens-Johnson syndrome/TEN. Through screening a panel of 28 serological factors, IL-6, IL-8, IL-15, tumor necrosis factor-α, and granulysin were upregulated in patients with Stevens-Johnson syndrome/TEN and selected for the further validation in total 155 patients with Stevens-Johnson syndrome/TEN, including 77 from Taiwan and 78 from the Registry of Severe Cutaneous Adverse Reactions. Among these factors evaluated, the levels of IL-15 (r = 0.401; P < 0.001) and granulysin (r = 0.223; P = 0.026) were significantly correlated with the disease severity in 112 samples after excluding patients with insufficient data to calculate the score of TEN. In addition, IL-15 was also associated with mortality (P = 0.002; odds ratio, 1.09; 95% confidence interval, 1.03-1.14; P = 0.001; adjusted odds ratio, 1.10; 95% confidence interval, 1.04-1.16). Consistent results were obtained after the exclusion of Taiwanese patients with sepsis to rule out possible confounders. Moreover, IL-15 was shown to enhance cytotoxicity of cultured natural killer cells and blister cells from patients with TEN. Our findings highlight a usefulness of IL-15 in prognosis monitoring and therapeutic intervention of this devastating condition. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The collection of Bathynellacea specimens of MNCN (CSIC) Madrid: microscope slices and DNA extract

PubMed Central

Camacho, Ana I.; Dorda, Beatriz A.; Chillón, Begoña Sánchez; Rey, Isabel

2017-01-01

Abstract This is the first published database of a Bathynellacea Chappuis, 1915 collection of slices and DNA extracts. It includes all data of bathynellaceans (Crustacea: Syncarida) collected in the last 48 years (1968 to 2016) on the Iberian Peninsula and Balearic Islands, studied since 1984. It also includes specimens studied across many countries of Europe (Portugal, Romania, France, Italy, Slovenia, Bulgaria, and England), as well as some specimens obtained from samples of North America (Montana, Washington, Alaska and Texas), South America (Brazil, Chile and Argentina), Asia (China, Thailand, Vietnam, Mongolia and India), Africa (Morocco and Chad) and Australia (New South Wales –NSW- and Queensland). The samples come from groundwater (caves, springs, wells and hyporrheic habitat associated with rivers) obtained from both, sampling campaigns and occasional sampling efforts. The data set includes 3399 records (2657 slices and 742 DNA extracts) corresponding to three families (Parabathynellidae Noodt, 1965, Leptobathynellidae Noodt, 1965 and Bathynellidae Grobben, 1905) of the order Bathynellacea; the existence of three families is accepted, but this is a controversial issue and here is not the appropriate context to address this problem; 52 genera and 92 species formally described, in addition to 30 taxa under study and, thus, still unpublished. This represents more than half of all the genera known worldwide (80) and almost one third of the species currently known in the world (329, which increases every year). This dataset contains especially relevant collection that includes holotypes and type series of 43 new species of Bathynellacea (33 from the Parabathynellidae and ten from the Bathynellidae) described by Ana I. Camacho (AIC hereinafter); eleven of these are the type species for new genera described from all around the world, ten belonging to the Parabathynellidae and one from the Bathynellidae. As previously mentioned, these new species come from all continents, although 26 of them are from the Iberian Peninsula. The most important feature of this collection is that it has been created and reviewed by a specialist of the group (AIC), and each specimen, regardless of its shape (either permanent slices or DNA extracts), includes taxonomic, geographical and authorship information. The specialist has been involved in all stages of the process, from field sampling to the digitization of the results we are now presenting, and has worked in close collaboration with the curators responsible for the different collections involved in this project. PMID:28769695

Don’t live in a town where there are no doctors: toxic epidermal necrolysis initially misdiagnosed as oral thrush

PubMed Central

Wani, Abdul Majid; Hussain, Waleed Mohd; Fatani, Mohamad Ibrahim; Ali, Khaled Shawkat; Khoujah, Amer Mohd; Akhtar, Mubeena; Maimani, Ghassan Adnan Al; Raja, Sadeya Hanif; Basraheel, Ashraf; Fareed, Khurram

2009-01-01

Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) is a rare but life threatening skin disease that is most commonly drug induced. The exact pathogenesis of TEN is still unknown and many drugs, including prednisolone, cyclosporin and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), have been used in an attempt to halt the disease process. The use of IVIG in particular is controversial. Recently, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has made a labelling change to the drug information for carbamazepine. Owing to recent data implicating the HLA allele B*1502 as a marker for carbamazepine induced Stevens–Johnson syndrome and TEN in Han Chinese, the FDA recommends genotyping all Asians for the allele. We present an interesting case of carbamazepine induced TEN which was confused with oral thrush, had no skin lesions on presentation, and had an excellent response to a 5 day course of methylprednisolone and high dose IVIG in combination. PMID:22207871

How could she? Psychosocial analysis of ten homicide cases committed by women.

PubMed

Hellen, Florence; Lange-Asschenfeldt, Christian; Ritz-Timme, Stefanie; Verhülsdonk, Sandra; Hartung, Benno

2015-11-01

Ten percent of all homicide perpetrators are female and homicidal acts committed by women are mostly a result of interpersonal conflicts. We carried out a retrospective psychosocial analysis of ten homicide cases committed by women with an urban mid-European background. We evaluated characteristic determinants regarding 1) deed circumstances and motives, 2) the perpetrators, and 3) the victims. Results were compared with the literature on female and male homicides. Autopsy records of the Institute of Legal Medicine of the University Hospital of Düsseldorf, Germany, during the time period from 2006 to 2011 were searched for homicides committed by female perpetrators. Prosecution files were reviewed for further information. The sample comprised N = 10 female homicide perpetrators and eleven victims. The mentioned determinants of the homicide were fairly consistent. All deeds occurred in the domestic context; they were mostly unplanned. All perpetrators were socially isolated and faced socially challenging situations. Most perpetrators were of low socioeconomic status. Furthermore, all victims were helpless and/or dependent on the perpetrator. The presence of a major psychiatric disorder was uncommon and, in contrast to male perpetrators, most women had no previous convictions. The potential value of these core findings in our sample regarding prevention is discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Process for Managing and Customizing HPC Operating Systems

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

Brown, David ML

2014-04-02

A process for maintaining a custom HPC operating system was developed at the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL) over the past ten years. This process is generic and flexible to manage continuous change as well as keep systems updated while managing communication through well defined pieces of software.

Problems, Solutions, and Strategies Reported by Users of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation for Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: Qualitative Exploration Using Patient Interviews.

PubMed

Gladwell, Peter William; Badlan, Kathryn; Cramp, Fiona; Palmer, Shea

2016-07-01

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) could offer a non-drug form of pain relief, but there is no consensus regarding its effectiveness for chronic musculoskeletal pain or chronic low back pain. A recent review of previous trial methods identified significant problems with low treatment fidelity. There is little information available to inform the development of a pragmatic implementation design for a TENS evaluation. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of patients who were receiving secondary care in a pain clinic and who had expertise in using TENS to manage chronic musculoskeletal pain. These key informants were selected because they had the potential to generate knowledge that could inform research design and clinical practice. A qualitative method using individual semistructured interviews with open questions was selected for its capacity to generate rich data. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 9 patients (6 women, 3 men). Thematic analysis was used as the primary data analysis method, and this analysis was enhanced by a case-level analysis of the context and processes of TENS use of each individual. Data analysis indicated that patients learned to address a range of problems in order to optimize TENS use. Patients may need to personalize the positioning of electrodes and the TENS settings and to readjust them over time. Patients learned to use TENS in a strategic manner, and the outcomes of each strategy varied. The findings indicated that a pragmatic TENS evaluation may need to incorporate a learning phase to allow patients to optimize this complex pattern of TENS usage, and evaluation may need to be sensitive to the outcomes of strategic use. These findings also have implications for clinical practice. © 2016 American Physical Therapy Association.

Microbiology of broiler carcasses and chemistry of chiller water as affected by water reuse.

PubMed

Northcutt, J K; Smith, D; Huezo, R I; Ingram, K D

2008-07-01

A study was conducted to determine the effects of treating and reusing poultry chiller water in a commercial poultry processing facility. Broiler carcasses and chiller water were obtained from a commercial processing facility which had recently installed a TOMCO Pathogen Management System to recycle water in sections 2 and 3 of two 3-compartment chillers. In this system, reused water is blended with fresh water to maintain the chiller volume. Carcasses were sampled prechill and postchill (final exit), and chiller water was sampled from the beginning and end of each of the 3 sections. Carcasses were subjected to a whole carcass rinse (WCR) in 0.1% peptone. Numbers of Escherichia coli (EC), coliforms (CF), and Campylobacter (CPY) were determined from the WCR and chiller water samples. Prevalence of Salmonella (SAL) was also determined on the WCR and chiller water samples. On average, prechill levels of bacteria recovered from rinses were 2.6, 2.9, and 2.6 log10 cfu/mL for EC, CF, and CPY, respectively. Ten out of 40 (25%) prechill carcasses were positive for SAL. After chilling, numbers of EC, CF, and CPY recovered from carcass rinses decreased by 1.5, 1.5, and 2.0 log10 cfu/mL, respectively. However, 9 out of 40 (22%) postchill carcasses were positive for SAL. When the chiller water samples were tested, counts of EC, CF, and CPY were found only in water collected from the first section of the chiller (inlet and outlet). Two of 4 water samples collected from the inlet of the first section tested positive for SAL. This study shows that fresh and reused water can be used to cool poultry in chiller systems to achieve a reduction in numbers of bacteria (EC, CF, and CPY) or equivalent prevalence (SAL) of bacteria recovered from broiler carcasses.

A GEP-ISFG collaborative study on the optimization of an X-STR decaplex: data on 15 Iberian and Latin American populations.

PubMed

Gusmão, Leonor; Sánchez-Diz, Paula; Alves, Cíntia; Gomes, Iva; Zarrabeitia, María Teresa; Abovich, Mariel; Atmetlla, Ivannia; Bobillo, Cecilia; Bravo, Luisa; Builes, Juan; Cainé, Laura; Calvo, Raquel; Carvalho, Elizeu; Carvalho, Mónica; Cicarelli, Regina; Catelli, Laura; Corach, Daniel; Espinoza, Marta; García, Oscar; Malaghini, Marcelo; Martins, Joyce; Pinheiro, Fátima; João Porto, Maria; Raimondi, Eduardo; Riancho, Jose Antonio; Rodríguez, Amelia; Rodríguez, Anayanci; Rodríguez Cardozo, Belén; Schneider, Vicente; Silva, Sandra; Tavares, Celso; Toscanini, Ulises; Vullo, Carlos; Whittle, Martin; Yurrebaso, Iñaki; Carracedo, Angel; Amorim, António

2009-05-01

In a collaborative work carried out by the Spanish and Portuguese ISFG Working Group (GEP-ISFG), a polymerase chain reaction multiplex was optimized in order to type ten X-chromosome short tandem repeats (STRs) in a single reaction, including: DXS8378, DXS9902, DXS7132, DXS9898, DXS6809, DXS6789, DXS7133, GATA172D05, GATA31E08, and DXS7423. Using this X-decaplex, each 17 of the participating laboratories typed a population sample of approximately 200 unrelated individuals (100 males and 100 females). In this work, we report the allele frequencies for the ten X-STRs in 15 samples from Argentina (Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Río Negro, Entre Ríos, and Misiones), Brazil (São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Paraná, and Mato Grosso do Sul), Colombia (Antioquia), Costa Rica, Portugal (Northern and Central regions), and Spain (Galicia and Cantabria). Gene diversities were calculated for the ten markers in each population and all values were above 56%. The average diversity per locus varied between 66%, for DXS7133, and 82%, for DXS6809. For this set of STRs, a high discrimination power was obtained in all populations, both in males (> or =1 in 5 x 10(5)) and females (> or =1 in 3 x 10(9)), as well as high mean exclusion chance in father/daughter duos (> or =99.953%) and in father/mother/daughter trios (> or =99.999%). Genetic distance analysis showed no significant differences between northern and central Portugal or between the two Spanish samples from Galicia and Cantabria. Inside Brazil, significant differences were found between Rio de Janeiro and the other three populations, as well as between São Paulo and Paraná. For the five Argentinean samples, significant distances were only observed when comparing Misiones with Entre Ríos and with Río Negro, the only two samples that do not differ significantly from Costa Rica. Antioquia differed from all other samples, except the one from Río Negro.

Expression of prostaglandin E receptor subtype EP4 in conjunctival epithelium of patients with ocular surface disorders: case-control study.

PubMed

Ueta, Mayumi; Sotozono, Chie; Yamada, Keiko; Yokoi, Norihiko; Inatomi, Tsutomu; Kinoshita, Shigeru

2012-01-01

To confirm the downregulation of PTGER4 mRNA in the conjunctiva of Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis (SJS/TEN) and ocular cicatricial pemphigoid (OCP) patients and to examine the expression of its EP4 protein in the conjunctival epithelium of patients with various ocular surface disorders. Case-control study. We performed quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) analysis of PTGER4 mRNA in conjunctival tissue sections from patients with SJS/TEN and OCP to confirm the downregulation of PTGER4 mRNA expression. We also analysed EP4 immunohistologically in other ocular surface disorders. Conjunctival tissues were obtained from patients undergoing surgical reconstruction of the ocular surface due to chemical eye burns, subacute SJS/TEN or chronic SJS/TEN, chronic OCP, severe graft versus host disease (GVHD) and from patients with Mooren's ulcers treated by resection of the inflammatory conjunctiva. The expression of PTGER4 mRNA and EP4 protein assessed by quantitative RT-PCR assay and immunohistological methods. PTGER4 mRNA was significantly lower in conjunctival tissues from SJS and OCP patients than in the control conjunctivochalasis samples. EP4 protein was detected in conjunctival epithelium from patients with chemical eye burn and in control conjunctival epithelium from patients with conjunctivochalasis. Its expression varied in conjunctival epithelium from patients with Mooren's ulcer. We did not detect EP4 immunoreactivity in conjunctival epithelium from patients with subacute SJS/TEN, severe GVHD, chronic SJS/TEN or OCP. The strong downregulation of EP4 expression in conjunctival epithelium from patients with OCP or SJS/TEN may be attributable to ocular surface inflammation.

Expression of prostaglandin E receptor subtype EP4 in conjunctival epithelium of patients with ocular surface disorders: case-control study

PubMed Central

Ueta, Mayumi; Sotozono, Chie; Yamada, Keiko; Yokoi, Norihiko; Inatomi, Tsutomu; Kinoshita, Shigeru

2012-01-01

Objectives To confirm the downregulation of PTGER4 mRNA in the conjunctiva of Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis (SJS/TEN) and ocular cicatricial pemphigoid (OCP) patients and to examine the expression of its EP4 protein in the conjunctival epithelium of patients with various ocular surface disorders. Design Case-control study. Setting and participants We performed quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) analysis of PTGER4 mRNA in conjunctival tissue sections from patients with SJS/TEN and OCP to confirm the downregulation of PTGER4 mRNA expression. We also analysed EP4 immunohistologically in other ocular surface disorders. Conjunctival tissues were obtained from patients undergoing surgical reconstruction of the ocular surface due to chemical eye burns, subacute SJS/TEN or chronic SJS/TEN, chronic OCP, severe graft versus host disease (GVHD) and from patients with Mooren's ulcers treated by resection of the inflammatory conjunctiva. Primary and secondary outcome measures The expression of PTGER4 mRNA and EP4 protein assessed by quantitative RT-PCR assay and immunohistological methods. Results PTGER4 mRNA was significantly lower in conjunctival tissues from SJS and OCP patients than in the control conjunctivochalasis samples. EP4 protein was detected in conjunctival epithelium from patients with chemical eye burn and in control conjunctival epithelium from patients with conjunctivochalasis. Its expression varied in conjunctival epithelium from patients with Mooren's ulcer. We did not detect EP4 immunoreactivity in conjunctival epithelium from patients with subacute SJS/TEN, severe GVHD, chronic SJS/TEN or OCP. Conclusions The strong downregulation of EP4 expression in conjunctival epithelium from patients with OCP or SJS/TEN may be attributable to ocular surface inflammation. PMID:23065448

Seasonal Pattern of Mycobacterium ulcerans, the Causative Agent of Buruli Ulcer, in the Environment in Ghana.

PubMed

Aboagye, Samuel Yaw; Ampah, Kobina Assan; Ross, Amanda; Asare, Prince; Otchere, Isaac Darko; Fyfe, Janet; Yeboah-Manu, Dorothy

2017-08-01

This study aimed to contribute to the understanding of Mycobacterium ulcerans (MU) ecology by analysing both clinical and environmental samples collected from ten communities along two major river basins (Offin and Densu) associated with Buruli ulcer (BU) at different seasons. We collected clinical samples from presumptive BU cases and environmental samples from ten communities. Following DNA extraction, clinical samples were confirmed by IS2404 PCR and environmental samples were confirmed by targeting MU-specific genes, IS2404, IS2606 and the ketoreductase (KR) using real-time PCR. Environmental samples were first analysed for IS2404; after which, IS2404-positive samples were multiplexed for the IS2606 and KR gene. Our findings indicate an overall decline in BU incidence along both river basins, although incidence at Densu outweighs that of Offin. Overall, 1600 environmental samples were screened along Densu (434, 27 %) and Offin (1166, 73 %) and MU was detected in 139 (9 %) of the combined samples. The positivity of MU along the Densu River basin was 89/434 (20.5 %), whilst that of the Offin River basin was 50/1166 (4.3 %). The DNA was detected mainly in snails (5/6, 83 %), moss (8/40, 20 %), soil (55/586, 9 %) and vegetation (55/675, 8 %). The proportion of MU positive samples recorded was higher during the months with higher rainfall levels (126/1175, 11 %) than during the dry season months (13/425, 3 %). This study indicates for the first time that there is a seasonal pattern in the presence of MU in the environment, which may be related to recent rainfall or water in the soil.

The MISSE 7 Flexural Stress Effects Experiment After 1.5 Years of Wake Space Exposure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Snow, Kate E.; De Groh, Kim K.; Banks, Bruce A.

2017-01-01

Low Earth orbit space environment conditions, including ultraviolet radiation, thermal cycling, and atomic oxygen exposure, can cause degradation of exterior spacecraft materials over time. Radiation and thermal exposure often results in bond- breaking and embrittlement of polymers, reducing mechanical strength and structural integrity. An experiment called the Flexural Stress Effects Experiment (FSEE) was flown with the objective of determining the role of space environmental exposure on the degradation of polymers under flexural stress. The FSEE samples were flown in the wake orientation on the exterior of International Space Station for 1.5 years. Twenty-four samples were flown: 12 bent over a 0.375 in. mandrel and 12 were over a 0.25 in. mandrel. This was designed to simulate flight configurations of insulation blankets on spacecraft. The samples consisted of assorted polyimide and fluorinated polymers with various coatings. Half the samples were designated for bend testing and the other half will be tensile tested. A non-standard bend-test procedure was designed to determine the surface strain at which embrittled polymers crack. All ten samples designated for bend testing have been tested. None of the control samples' polymers cracked, even under surface strains up to 19.7%, although one coating cracked. Of the ten flight samples tested, seven show increased embrittlement through bend-test induced cracking at surface strains from 0.70%to 11.73%. These results show that most of the tested polymers are embrittled due to space exposure, when compared to their control samples. Determination of the extent of space induced embrittlement of polymers is important for designing durable spacecraft.

Breeding density, fine-scale tracking, and large-scale modeling reveal the regional distribution of four seabird species.

PubMed

Wakefield, Ewan D; Owen, Ellie; Baer, Julia; Carroll, Matthew J; Daunt, Francis; Dodd, Stephen G; Green, Jonathan A; Guilford, Tim; Mavor, Roddy A; Miller, Peter I; Newell, Mark A; Newton, Stephen F; Robertson, Gail S; Shoji, Akiko; Soanes, Louise M; Votier, Stephen C; Wanless, Sarah; Bolton, Mark

2017-10-01

Population-level estimates of species' distributions can reveal fundamental ecological processes and facilitate conservation. However, these may be difficult to obtain for mobile species, especially colonial central-place foragers (CCPFs; e.g., bats, corvids, social insects), because it is often impractical to determine the provenance of individuals observed beyond breeding sites. Moreover, some CCPFs, especially in the marine realm (e.g., pinnipeds, turtles, and seabirds) are difficult to observe because they range tens to ten thousands of kilometers from their colonies. It is hypothesized that the distribution of CCPFs depends largely on habitat availability and intraspecific competition. Modeling these effects may therefore allow distributions to be estimated from samples of individual spatial usage. Such data can be obtained for an increasing number of species using tracking technology. However, techniques for estimating population-level distributions using the telemetry data are poorly developed. This is of concern because many marine CCPFs, such as seabirds, are threatened by anthropogenic activities. Here, we aim to estimate the distribution at sea of four seabird species, foraging from approximately 5,500 breeding sites in Britain and Ireland. To do so, we GPS-tracked a sample of 230 European Shags Phalacrocorax aristotelis, 464 Black-legged Kittiwakes Rissa tridactyla, 178 Common Murres Uria aalge, and 281 Razorbills Alca torda from 13, 20, 12, and 14 colonies, respectively. Using Poisson point process habitat use models, we show that distribution at sea is dependent on (1) density-dependent competition among sympatric conspecifics (all species) and parapatric conspecifics (Kittiwakes and Murres); (2) habitat accessibility and coastal geometry, such that birds travel further from colonies with limited access to the sea; and (3) regional habitat availability. Using these models, we predict space use by birds from unobserved colonies and thereby map the distribution at sea of each species at both the colony and regional level. Space use by all four species' British breeding populations is concentrated in the coastal waters of Scotland, highlighting the need for robust conservation measures in this area. The techniques we present are applicable to any CCPF. © 2017 by the Ecological Society of America.

Assessment of riverbank filtration using selected organic micropollutants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bichler, Andrea; Bruenjes, Robert; Lange, Frank Thomas; Brauch, Heinz-Juergen; Hofmann, Thilo

2015-04-01

Managed riverbank filtration (MRBF) is frequently used as a (pre)treatment step to improve surface water quality for drinking water use. In a managed RBF systems the understanding of flow patterns, mixing processes and groundwater residence times is a key factor to assess the effectiveness of the natural attenuation processes and to secure a good water quality. This study evaluates a suite of organic micropollutants (selected artificial sweeteners, pharmaceuticals and the MRI contrast agent gadolinium) as tracers for river water infiltration into a glaciofluvial aquifer. In particular, the transport behaviour of the selected micropollutants and their suitability to estimate groundwater residence times at a small scale (< 100 m) are assessed. The investigated MRBF system is located in a sub-alpine river valley in a rural catchment and the river permanently infiltrates into the aquifer. The aquifer consists of coarse carbonaceous gravel and is characterized by high permeabilities and groundwater flow velocities. The aquifer thickness reaches values of 16m with a saturated thickness of approximately 6m. The field site was instrumented with ten rhizons (Rhizosphere® microfiltration membrane pore water samplers) along a transect in groundwater flow direction to allow for a high spatial and temporal monitoring resolution. The rhizons were installed beneath the river bed and in the aquifer at different depths (7-13 m) and at different distances (20-60 m) to the river. The selected micropollutants were monitored over a period of ten days, water samples were collected as 12h composite samples. In addition to the selected micropollutants also conventional hydrochemical data and stable water isotopes were analyzed. Radon (²²²Rn) was used as a natural occurring tracer to determine groundwater ages. Based on ²²²Rn measurement the residence times were estimated to be below seven days in the transect. Hydrochemical data indicates that groundwater is recharged exclusively by river water infiltration at all depths and that mixing with ambient groundwater is negligible. To assess the suitability of the proposed tracers to estimate groundwater travel times the temporal variability of these compounds in the stream and the groundwater were analyzed.

An endangered oasis of aquatic microbial biodiversity in the Chihuahuan desert

PubMed Central

Souza, Valeria; Espinosa-Asuar, Laura; Escalante, Ana E.; Eguiarte, Luis E.; Farmer, Jack; Forney, Larry; Lloret, Lourdes; Rodríguez-Martínez, Juan M.; Soberón, Xavier; Dirzo, Rodolfo; Elser, James J.

2006-01-01

The Cuatro Cienegas basin in the Chihuahuan desert is a system of springs, streams, and pools. These ecosystems support >70 endemic species and abundant living stromatolites and other microbial communities, representing a desert oasis of high biodiversity. Here, we combine data from molecular microbiology and geology to document the microbial biodiversity of this unique environment. Ten water samples from locations within the Cuatro Cienegas basin and two neighboring valleys as well as three samples of wet sediments were analyzed. The phylogeny of prokaryotic populations in the samples was determined by characterizing cultured organisms and by PCR amplification and sequencing of 16S rRNA genes from total community DNA. The composition of microbial communities was also assessed by determining profiles of terminal restriction site polymorphisms of 16S rRNA genes in total community DNA. There were 250 different phylotypes among the 350 cultivated strains. Ninety-eight partial 16S rRNA gene sequences were obtained and classified. The clones represented 38 unique phylotypes from ten major lineages of Bacteria and one of Archaea. Unexpectedly, 50% of the phylotypes were most closely related to marine taxa, even though these environments have not been in contact with the ocean for tens of millions of years. Furthermore, terminal restriction site polymorphism profiles and geological data suggest that the aquatic ecosystems of Cuatro Cienegas are hydrologically interconnected with adjacent valleys recently targeted for agricultural intensification. The findings underscore the conservation value of desert aquatic ecosystems and the urgent need for study and preservation of freshwater microbial communities. PMID:16618921

Development and implementation of a scrub habitat compensation plan for Kennedy Space Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schmalzer, Paul A.; Breininger, David R.; Adrian, Frederic W.; Schaub, Ron; Duncan, Brean W.

1994-01-01

Kennedy Space Center (KSC), located on Merritt Island on the east coast of central Florida, is one of three remaining major populations of the Florida Scrub Jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens coerulescens), listed as threatened by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) since 1987. Construction of new facilities by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on KSC over the next five years has the potential to impact up to 193 ac (78.1 ha) of Scrub Jay habitat. Under an early consultation process with the Endangered Species Office of the USFWS, NASA agreed to a compensation plan for loss of Scrub Jay habitat. The compensation plan required NASA to restore or create scrub on KSC at a 2:1 ratio for that lost. The compensation plan emphasized restoration of scrub habitat that is of marginal or declining suitability to Scrub Jays because it has remained unburned. Although prescribed burning has been conducted by the USFWS Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (MINWR) for more than ten years, significant areas of scrub remain unburned because they have been excluded from fire management units or because landscape fragmentation and a period of fire suppression allowed scrub to reach heights and diameters that are fire resistant. For such areas, mechanical cutting followed by prescribed burning was recommended for restoration. A second part of the restoration plan is an experimental study of scrub reestablishment (i.e., creation) on abandoned, well drained agricultural sites by planting scrub oaks and other scrub plants. The compensation plan identified 260 ac (105 ha) of scrub restoration in four areas and a 40 ac (16 ha) scrub creation site. Monitoring of restoration sites required under the plan included: establishing permanent vegetation sample transects before treatment and resampling annually for ten years after treatment, and color banding Scrub Jays to determine territories prior to treatment followed by monitoring reproductive success and survival for ten years after treatment. Monitoring scrub creation sites included determining survival of planted material for five years and establishing permanent transects to follow vegetation development for ten years after planting. Scrub Jay monitoring of creation sites is incorporated with that of adjacent restoration sites.

Stabilometer "S" value comparison using anti-stripping additives.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1985-07-01

from January through July, 1985, asphalt mixes from five construction projects, with and without an anti-stripping additive, were compared for stability. Ten mix samples for each project, at varying asphalt cement content, were prepared and tested in...

Conduct Disorder and Comorbidity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stahl, Nicole D.; Clarizio, Harvey F.

1999-01-01

Provides critical examination of research published during past ten years addressing Conduct Disorder (CD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), and internalizing disorders. Concludes comorbidity varies with age, gender, informant, diagnostic criteria, and nature of the sample. Implications of comorbidity…

Guidelines for the design and placement of curb ramps.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1982-01-01

Information was obtained through surveys of ten state departments of transportation, four large U. S. cities, and eighteen departments of public works in Virginia. A sample inventory of curb ramps was made in 15 municipalities in Virginia. Interviews...

A Computer-Based Simulation of an Acid-Base Titration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boblick, John M.

1971-01-01

Reviews the advantages of computer simulated environments for experiments, referring in particular to acid-base titrations. Includes pre-lab instructions and a sample computer printout of a student's use of an acid-base simulation. Ten references. (PR)

Detection of protozoa in water samples by formalin/ether concentration method.

PubMed

Lora-Suarez, Fabiana; Rivera, Raul; Triviño-Valencia, Jessica; Gomez-Marin, Jorge E

2016-09-01

Methods to detect protozoa in water samples are expensive and laborious. We evaluated the formalin/ether concentration method to detect Giardia sp., Cryptosporidium sp. and Toxoplasma in water. In order to test the properties of the method, we spiked water samples with different amounts of each protozoa (0, 10 and 50 cysts or oocysts) in a volume of 10 L of water. Immunofluorescence assay was used for detection of Giardia and Cryptosporidium. Toxoplasma oocysts were identified by morphology. The mean percent of recovery in 10 repetitions of the entire method, in 10 samples spiked with ten parasites and read by three different observers, were for Cryptosporidium 71.3 ± 12, for Giardia 63 ± 10 and for Toxoplasma 91.6 ± 9 and the relative standard deviation of the method was of 17.5, 17.2 and 9.8, respectively. Intraobserver variation as measured by intraclass correlation coefficient, was fair for Toxoplasma, moderate for Cryptosporidium and almost perfect for Giardia. The method was then applied in 77 samples of raw and drinkable water in three different plant of water treatment. Cryptosporidium was found in 28 of 77 samples (36%) and Giardia in 31 of 77 samples (40%). Theses results identified significant differences in treatment process to reduce the presence of Giardia and Cryptosporidium. In conclusion, the formalin ether method to concentrate protozoa in water is a new alternative for low resources countries, where is urgently need to monitor and follow the presence of theses protozoa in drinkable water. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impression cytology: a novel sampling technique for conjunctival cytology of the feline eye.

PubMed

Eördögh, Réka; Schwendenwein, Ilse; Tichy, Alexander; Nell, Barbara

2015-07-01

Impression cytology is a noninvasive investigation of the ocular surface. It uses the adhesive features of different filter papers to collect a monolayer of epithelial cells from the cornea and/or conjunctiva. Samples obtained by impression cytology exhibit all characteristics of an ideal cytology specimen. The aim of this study was to test the feasibility of impression cytology and determine the most appropriate filter paper to achieve maximum diagnostic value of the feline eye. Ten healthy cats. The study was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, eight different filter papers (FPs) with various pore sizes were tested: 3.0-, 1.2-, 0.8-, 0.45-, 0.22-, 0.05- and 0.025-μm cellulose acetate papers and a 0.4-μm Biopore membrane (BM). Samples were obtained from the superior bulbar and from the inferior palpebral conjunctiva. In the second phase, three different sampling methods - with and without topical anesthesia, and with topical anesthesia and drying of the conjunctiva - were compared employing the BM encased in the intended BM device (BMD). Samples were evaluated for cellularity and quality of cells. In the first phase, samples obtained from the superior bulbar conjunctiva with the BM had the most sufficient cellularity and quality. In the second phase, BMD with topical anesthesia and additional drying of the conjunctiva was the most ideal method. The BMD may prove to be a suitable diagnostic tool for clinicians. Sampling is quick, processing is simple, and a large area of intact cells can be harvested. © 2014 American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists.

In-situ monitoring of flow-permeable surface area of high explosive powder using small sample masses

DOE PAGES

Maiti, Amitesh; Han, Yong; Zaka, Fowzia; ...

2015-02-17

To ensure good performance of high explosive devices over long periods of time, initiating powders need to maintain their specific surface area within allowed margins during the entire duration of deployment. A common diagnostic used in this context is the Fisher sub-sieve surface area (FSSA). Furthermore, commercial permeametry instruments measuring the FSSA requires the utilization of a sample mass equal to the crystal density of the sample material, an amount that is often one or two orders of magnitude larger than the typical masses found in standard detonator applications. Here we develop a customization of the standard device that canmore » utilize just tens of milligram samples, and with simple calibration yield FSSA values at ac curacy levels comparable to the standard apparatus. This necessitated a newly designed sample holder, made from a material of low coefficient of thermal expansion, which is conveniently transferred between an aging chamber and a re-designed permeametry tube. This improves the fidelity of accelerated aging studies by allowing measurement on the same physical sample at various time - instants during the aging process, and by obviating the need for a potentially FSSA-altering powder re-compaction step. We used the customized apparatus to monitor the FSSA evolution of a number of undoped and homolog-doped PETN powder samples that were subjected to artificial aging for several months at elevated temperatures. These results, in conjunction with an Arrhenius-based aging model were used to assess powder-coarsening - rates under long-term storage.« less

Modified Epoxy Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gilwee, W. J.

1984-01-01

The properties of a rubber-modified experimental epoxy resin and a standard epoxy as composite matrices were studied. In addition, a brominated epoxy resin was used in varying quantities to improve the fire resistance of the composite. The experimental resin was tris-(hydroxyphenyl)methane triglycidyl ether, known as tris epoxy novolac (TEN). The standard epoxy resin used was tetraglycidyl 4,4'-diaminodiphenyl methane (TGDDM). The above resins were modified with carboxyl-terminated butadiene acrylonitrile (CTBN) rubber. It is concluded that: (1) modification of TEN resin with bromine gives better impact resistance than rubber modification alone; (2) 25% rubber addition is necessary to obtain significant improvement in impact resistance; (3) impact resistance increases with bromine content; (4) impact velocity does not significantly affect the energy absorbed by the test sample; (5) Tg did not decline with rubber modification; and (6) TEN resin had better hot/wet properties than TGDDM resin.

Multi-component immunoaffinity subtraction chromatography: an innovative step towards a comprehensive survey of the human plasma proteome.

PubMed

Pieper, Rembert; Su, Qin; Gatlin, Christine L; Huang, Shih-Ting; Anderson, N Leigh; Steiner, Sandra

2003-04-01

In order to discover novel protein markers indicative of disease processes or drug effects, the proteomics technology platform most commonly used consists of high resolution protein separation by two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE), mass spectrometric identification of proteins from stained gel spots and a bioinformatic data analysis process supported by statistics. This approach has been more successful in profiling proteins and their disease- or treatment-related quantitative changes in tissue homogenates than in plasma samples. Plasma protein display and quantitation suffer from several disadvantages: very high abundance of a few proteins; high heterogeneity of many proteins resulting in long charge trains; crowding of 2-DE separated protein spots in the molecular mass range between 45-80 kD and in the isoelectric point range between 4.5 and 6. Therefore, proteomic technologies are needed that address these problems and particularly allow accurate quantitation of a larger number of less abundant proteins in plasma and other body fluids. The immunoaffinity-based protein subtraction chromatography (IASC) described here removes multiple proteins present in plasma and serum in high concentrations effectively and reproducibly. Applying IASC as an upfront plasma sample preparation process for 2-DE, the protein spot pattern observed in gels changes dramatically and at least 350 additional lower abundance proteins are visualized. Affinity-purified polyclonal antibodies (pAbs) are the immunoaffinity reagents used to specifically remove the abundant proteins such as albumin, immunoglobulin G, immunoglobulin A, transferrin, haptoglobin, alpha-1-antitrypsin, hemopexin, transthyretin, alpha-2-HS glycoprotein, alpha-1-acid glycoprotein, alpha-2-macroglobulin and fibrinogen from human plasma samples. To render the immunoaffinity subtraction procedure recyclable, the pAbs are immobilized and cross-linked on chromatographic matrices. Antibody-coupled matrices specific for one protein each can be pooled to form mixed-bed IASC columns. We show that up to ten affinity-bound plasma proteins with similar solubility characteristics are eluted from a mixed-bed column in one step. This facilitates automated chromatographic processing of plasma samples in high throughput, which is desirable in proteomic disease marker discovery projects.

Transcutaneous Nerve Stimulation for Pain Relief During Office Hysteroscopy: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Lisón, Juan F; Amer-Cuenca, Juan J; Piquer-Martí, Silvia; Benavent-Caballer, Vicente; Biviá-Roig, Gemma; Marín-Buck, Alejandro

2017-02-01

To evaluate the pain-relieving effect of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) during office-based hysteroscopy without sedation. We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Participants were randomly assigned to the active TENS, placebo TENS, or control group. The active TENS intervention consisted of a varying high-frequency (80-100 Hz), 400-microseconds, individually adjusted, high-intensity TENS application with two self-adhesive electrodes placed parallel to the spinal cord at the T10-L1 and S2-S4 levels. In the placebo group, participants were connected to the TENS unit but delivering no electrical stimulation. The primary outcome was self-reported pain intensity (0-100 mm) measured on a visual analog scale at several stages (entry, contact, biopsy, and residual). The minimum clinically relevant difference for the visual analog scale has been previously reported as 10 mm. Sample size was calculated to provide 80% power to show a 10-mm difference (α=0.0125) in the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes included duration of the procedure, vital parameters, vasovagal symptoms, and participant satisfaction index (0-10 rating scale). A total of 138 women (46 per group) participated in the study between January 2016 and April 2016. No differences were found between groups regarding age, weight, body mass index, parity status, menopausal status, or previous hysteroscopy status. Visual analog scale scores highlighted a decrease in pain in the active TENS group compared with the placebo group (entry: -11 mm, 95% confidence interval [CI] -17 to -5; contact: -21.9 mm, 95% CI -30 to -13.9; biopsy: -30.5 mm, 95% CI -47.1 to -13.8, P<.001). Moreover, the reduction in pain reached the minimum clinically relevant difference. Regarding satisfaction, results also revealed differences between active TENS and placebo groups (1.3, 95% CI 0.5-2.2, P=.001). Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation reduces pain and increases patient satisfaction during office hysteroscopy without sedation. ClinicalTrials.gov, www.clinicaltrials.gov, NCT02647008.

Disentangling the stochastic behavior of complex time series

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anvari, Mehrnaz; Tabar, M. Reza Rahimi; Peinke, Joachim; Lehnertz, Klaus

2016-10-01

Complex systems involving a large number of degrees of freedom, generally exhibit non-stationary dynamics, which can result in either continuous or discontinuous sample paths of the corresponding time series. The latter sample paths may be caused by discontinuous events - or jumps - with some distributed amplitudes, and disentangling effects caused by such jumps from effects caused by normal diffusion processes is a main problem for a detailed understanding of stochastic dynamics of complex systems. Here we introduce a non-parametric method to address this general problem. By means of a stochastic dynamical jump-diffusion modelling, we separate deterministic drift terms from different stochastic behaviors, namely diffusive and jumpy ones, and show that all of the unknown functions and coefficients of this modelling can be derived directly from measured time series. We demonstrate appli- cability of our method to empirical observations by a data-driven inference of the deterministic drift term and of the diffusive and jumpy behavior in brain dynamics from ten epilepsy patients. Particularly these different stochastic behaviors provide extra information that can be regarded valuable for diagnostic purposes.

X-ray Tomography and Chemical Imaging within Butterfly Wing Scales

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

Chen Jianhua; Lee Yaochang; Tang, M.-T.

2007-01-19

The rainbow like color of butterfly wings is associated with the internal and surface structures of the wing scales. While the photonic structure of the scales is believed to diffract specific lights at different angle, there is no adequate probe directly answering the 3-D structures with sufficient spatial resolution. The NSRRC nano-transmission x-ray microscope (nTXM) with tens nanometers spatial resolution is able to image biological specimens without artifacts usually introduced in sophisticated sample staining processes. With the intrinsic deep penetration of x-rays, the nTXM is capable of nondestructively investigating the internal structures of fragile and soft samples. In this study,more » we imaged the structure of butterfly wing scales in 3-D view with 60 nm spatial resolution. In addition, synchrotron-radiation-based Fourier transform Infrared (FT-IR) microspectroscopy was employed to analyze the chemical components with spatial information of the butterfly wing scales. Based on the infrared spectral images, we suggest that the major components of scale structure were rich in protein and polysaccharide.« less

Preparation and performance study of MgFe2O4/metal-organic framework composite for rapid removal of organic dyes from water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Huairu; Peng, Jun; Lv, Tingting; Sun, Chen; He, Hua

2018-01-01

In present study, a stable and magnetic metal-organic framework (MOF) material was synthesized by simple solvothermal method as adsorbent to rapid removal of two organic dyes, the Rhodamine B (RB) and Rhodamine 6G (Rh6G), in water samples. The prepared material showed great characteristics of large surface area (519.86 m2 g-1), excellent magnetic responsivity (35.00 emu g-1) and rapid removal (within 5 min). Maximum adsorption capacities of the magnetic material toward RB and Rh6G were up to 219.78 and 306.75 mg g-1, respectively. Adsorption kinetics suggested the adsorption process met the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The prepared material could be reused at least 10 times by washing with acetonitrile solution, the relative standard deviation (RSD) of these ten cycles removal efficiency was 4.8%. In conclusion, good chemical inertness, a mechanical/water stability and super-hydrophilicity feature made this MOF a promising adsorbent for targets removal from environmental water sample.

The use of dry Jerusalem artichoke as a functional nutrient in developing extruded food with low glycaemic index.

PubMed

Radovanovic, Ana; Stojceska, Valentina; Plunkett, Andrew; Jankovic, Slobodan; Milovanovic, Dragan; Cupara, Snezana

2015-06-15

This study considers the use of dry Jerusalem artichoke (JA) as a functional nutrient in developing food products with enhanced nutritional characteristics and low glycaemic index (GI). Three different formulations based on buckwheat and JA were developed and processed using extrusion technology. Nutritional properties including the levels of total dietary fibre (TDF), protein, inulin, total carbohydrates and lipids were analysed. A clinical study was performed on ten healthy volunteers (aged between 21 and 56) to determine the level of GI and glycaemic load (GL). The results revealed that JA significantly (P<0.05) increased the levels of TDF and inulin whilst decreasing carbohydrates, lipids and proteins. The resulting products had a significant (P<0.05) effect on IAUC between reference food and extruded products, GI and GL. Samples containing 80% of Jerusalem artichoke were considered as a low GI food whilst samples containing 30% and 60% of Jerusalem artichoke as a medium GI food. A similar trend was seen in terms of GL. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

A novel approach to leveraging electronic health record data to enhance pediatric surgical quality improvement bundle process compliance.

PubMed

Fisher, Jason C; Godfried, David H; Lighter-Fisher, Jennifer; Pratko, Joseph; Sheldon, Mary Ellen; Diago, Thelma; Kuenzler, Keith A; Tomita, Sandra S; Ginsburg, Howard B

2016-06-01

Quality improvement (QI) bundles have been widely adopted to reduce surgical site infections (SSI). Improvement science suggests when organizations achieve high-reliability to QI processes, outcomes dramatically improve. However, measuring QI process compliance is poorly supported by electronic health record (EHR) systems. We developed a custom EHR tool to facilitate capture of process data for SSI prevention with the aim of increasing bundle compliance and reducing adverse events. Ten SSI prevention bundle processes were linked to EHR data elements that were then aggregated into a snapshot display superimposed on weekly case-log reports. The data aggregation and user interface facilitated efficient review of all SSI bundle elements, providing an exact bundle compliance rate without random sampling or chart review. Nine months after implementation of our custom EHR tool, we observed centerline shifts in median SSI bundle compliance (46% to 72%). Additionally, as predicted by high reliability principles, we began to see a trend toward improvement in SSI rates (1.68 to 0.87 per 100 operations), but a discrete centerline shift was not detected. Simple informatics solutions can facilitate extraction of QI process data from the EHR without relying on adjunctive systems. Analyses of these data may drive reductions in adverse events. Pediatric surgical departments should consider leveraging the EHR to enhance bundle compliance as they implement QI strategies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A review of patient and carer participation and the use of qualitative research in the development of core outcome sets.

PubMed

Jones, Janet E; Jones, Laura L; Keeley, Thomas J H; Calvert, Melanie J; Mathers, Jonathan

2017-01-01

To be meaningful, a core outcome set (COS) should be relevant to all stakeholders including patients and carers. This review aimed to explore the methods by which patients and carers have been included as participants in COS development exercises and, in particular, the use and reporting of qualitative methods. In August 2015, a search of the Core Outcomes Measures in Effectiveness Trials (COMET) database was undertaken to identify papers involving patients and carers in COS development. Data were extracted to identify the data collection methods used in COS development, the number of health professionals, patients and carers participating in these, and the reported details of qualitative research undertaken. Fifty-nine papers reporting patient and carer participation were included in the review, ten of which reported using qualitative methods. Although patients and carers participated in outcome elicitation for inclusion in COS processes, health professionals tended to dominate the prioritisation exercises. Of the ten qualitative papers, only three were reported as a clear pre-designed part of a COS process. Qualitative data were collected using interviews, focus groups or a combination of these. None of the qualitative papers reported an underpinning methodological framework and details regarding data saturation, reflexivity and resource use associated with data collection were often poorly reported. Five papers reported difficulty in achieving a diverse sample of participants and two reported that a large and varied range of outcomes were often identified by participants making subsequent rating and ranking difficult. Consideration of the best way to include patients and carers throughout the COS development process is needed. Additionally, further work is required to assess the potential role of qualitative methods in COS, to explore the knowledge produced by different qualitative data collection methods, and to evaluate the time and resources required to incorporate qualitative methods into COS development.

A review of patient and carer participation and the use of qualitative research in the development of core outcome sets

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Background To be meaningful, a core outcome set (COS) should be relevant to all stakeholders including patients and carers. This review aimed to explore the methods by which patients and carers have been included as participants in COS development exercises and, in particular, the use and reporting of qualitative methods. Methods In August 2015, a search of the Core Outcomes Measures in Effectiveness Trials (COMET) database was undertaken to identify papers involving patients and carers in COS development. Data were extracted to identify the data collection methods used in COS development, the number of health professionals, patients and carers participating in these, and the reported details of qualitative research undertaken. Results Fifty-nine papers reporting patient and carer participation were included in the review, ten of which reported using qualitative methods. Although patients and carers participated in outcome elicitation for inclusion in COS processes, health professionals tended to dominate the prioritisation exercises. Of the ten qualitative papers, only three were reported as a clear pre-designed part of a COS process. Qualitative data were collected using interviews, focus groups or a combination of these. None of the qualitative papers reported an underpinning methodological framework and details regarding data saturation, reflexivity and resource use associated with data collection were often poorly reported. Five papers reported difficulty in achieving a diverse sample of participants and two reported that a large and varied range of outcomes were often identified by participants making subsequent rating and ranking difficult. Conclusions Consideration of the best way to include patients and carers throughout the COS development process is needed. Additionally, further work is required to assess the potential role of qualitative methods in COS, to explore the knowledge produced by different qualitative data collection methods, and to evaluate the time and resources required to incorporate qualitative methods into COS development. PMID:28301485

Talk as a Metacognitive Strategy during the Information Search Process of Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowler, Leanne

2010-01-01

Introduction: This paper describes a metacognitive strategy related to the social dimension of the information search process of adolescents. Method: A case study that used naturalistic methods to explore the metacognitive thinking nd associated emotions of ten adolescents. The study was framed by Kuhlthau's Information Search Process model and…

A Ten-Step Process for Developing Teaching Units

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Butler, Geoffrey; Heslup, Simon; Kurth, Lara

2015-01-01

Curriculum design and implementation can be a daunting process. Questions quickly arise, such as who is qualified to design the curriculum and how do these people begin the design process. According to Graves (2008), in many contexts the design of the curriculum and the implementation of the curricular product are considered to be two mutually…

Efficacy of botulinum toxin in treating myofascial pain in bruxers: a controlled placebo pilot study.

PubMed

Guarda-Nardini, Luca; Manfredini, Daniele; Salamone, Milena; Salmaso, Luigi; Tonello, Stefano; Ferronato, Giuseppe

2008-04-01

The present investigation is a preliminary double-blind, controlled placebo, randomized clinical trial with a six month follow-up period. The study aimed to assess the efficacy of type A botulinum toxin (Botox, Allergan, Inc. Irvine, CA) to treat myofascial pain symptoms and to reduce muscle hyperactivity in bruxers. Twenty patients (ten males, ten females; age range 25-45) with a clinical diagnosis of bruxism and myofascial pain of the masticatory muscles were enrolled in a double-blind, controlled placebo, randomized clinical trial, with a treatment group (ten subjects treated with botulinum toxin injections- BTX-A) and a control group (ten subjects treated with saline placebo injections). A number of objective and subjective clinical parameters (pain at rest and during chewing; mastication efficiency; maximum nonassisted and assisted mouth opening, protrusive and laterotrusive movements; functional limitation during usual jaw movements; subjective efficacy of the treatment; tolerance of the treatment) were assessed at baseline time and at one week, one month, and six months follow-up appointments. Descriptive analysis showed that improvements in both objective (range of mandibular movements) and subjective (pain at rest; pain during chewing) clinical outcome variables were higher in the Botox treated group than in the placebo treated subjects. Patients treated with BTX-A had a higher subjective improvement in their perception of treatment efficacy than the placebo subjects. Differences were not significant in some cases due to the small sample size. Results from the present study supported the efficacy of BTX-A to reduce myofascial pain symptoms in bruxers, and provided pilot data which need to be confirmed by further research using larger samples.

Comparative study of 6-APA production by free and agar immobilized bacteria in nutrient broth culture.

PubMed

Dolui, A K; Das, S

2011-04-01

In the present study different bacterial samples were isolated from soil of different places of Dibrugarh and screened for biotransformation ability to produce 6-Aminopenicillanic acid. Among ten isolated bacterial samples, three gram positive bacterial samples designated as AKDD-2, AKDD-4 and AKDD-6 showed the production of 6-APA from penicillin G. Assessment of production of 6-APA after incubation in penicillin G (2 mg/ml) by three different samples separately in free and agar immobilization state was done by HPLC analysis. Reusability of immobilized cells was found successful up to 14 days.

From Planning to Implementation: An Examination of Changes in the Research Design, Sample Size, and Precision of Group Randomized Trials Launched by the Institute of Education Sciences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spybrook, Jessaca; Puente, Anne Cullen; Lininger, Monica

2013-01-01

This article examines changes in the research design, sample size, and precision between the planning phase and implementation phase of group randomized trials (GRTs) funded by the Institute of Education Sciences. Thirty-eight GRTs funded between 2002 and 2006 were examined. Three studies revealed changes in the experimental design. Ten studies…

Widely tunable mid-infrared quantum cascade lasers using sampled grating reflectors.

PubMed

Mansuripur, Tobias S; Menzel, Stefan; Blanchard, Romain; Diehl, Laurent; Pflügl, Christian; Huang, Yong; Ryou, Jae-Hyun; Dupuis, Russell D; Loncar, Marko; Capasso, Federico

2012-10-08

We demonstrate a three-section, electrically pulsed quantum cascade laser which consists of a Fabry-Pérot section placed between two sampled grating distributed Bragg reflectors. The device is current-tuned between ten single modes spanning a range of 0.46 μm (63 cm(-1)), from 8.32 to 8.78 μm. The peak optical output power exceeds 280 mW for nine of the modes.

Ocean wavenumber estimation from wave-resolving time series imagery

USGS Publications Warehouse

Plant, N.G.; Holland, K.T.; Haller, M.C.

2008-01-01

We review several approaches that have been used to estimate ocean surface gravity wavenumbers from wave-resolving remotely sensed image sequences. Two fundamentally different approaches that utilize these data exist. A power spectral density approach identifies wavenumbers where image intensity variance is maximized. Alternatively, a cross-spectral correlation approach identifies wavenumbers where intensity coherence is maximized. We develop a solution to the latter approach based on a tomographic analysis that utilizes a nonlinear inverse method. The solution is tolerant to noise and other forms of sampling deficiency and can be applied to arbitrary sampling patterns, as well as to full-frame imagery. The solution includes error predictions that can be used for data retrieval quality control and for evaluating sample designs. A quantitative analysis of the intrinsic resolution of the method indicates that the cross-spectral correlation fitting improves resolution by a factor of about ten times as compared to the power spectral density fitting approach. The resolution analysis also provides a rule of thumb for nearshore bathymetry retrievals-short-scale cross-shore patterns may be resolved if they are about ten times longer than the average water depth over the pattern. This guidance can be applied to sample design to constrain both the sensor array (image resolution) and the analysis array (tomographic resolution). ?? 2008 IEEE.

Effect of Nock-Ten Tropical Cyclone on Atmospheric Condition and Distribution of Rainfall in Gorontalo, Ternate, and Sorong Regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lumbangaol, A.; Serhalawan, Y. R.; Endarwin

2017-12-01

Nock-Ten Tropical Cyclone is an atmospheric phenomenon that has claimed many lives in the Philippines. This super-typhoon cyclone grows in the Western Pacific Ocean, North of Papua. With the area directly contiguous to the trajectory of Nock-Ten Tropical Cyclone growth, it is necessary to study about the growth activity of this tropical cyclones in Indonesia, especially in 3 different areas, namely Gorontalo, Ternate, and Sorong. This study was able to determine the impact of Nock-Ten Tropical Cyclone on atmospheric dynamics and rainfall growth distribution based on the stages of tropical cyclone development. The data used in this study include Himawari-8 IR channel satellite data to see the development stage and movement track of Tropical Cyclone Nock-Ten, rainfall data from TRMM 3B42RT satellite product to know the rain distribution in Gorontalo, Ternate, and Sorong, and reanalysis data from ECMWF such as wind direction and speed, vertical velocity, and relative vorticity to determine atmospheric conditions at the time of development of the Nock-Ten Tropical Cyclone. The results of data analysis processed using GrADS application showed the development stage of Nock-Ten Tropical Cyclone has effect of changes in atmospheric dynamics condition and wind direction pattern. In addition, tropical cyclones also contribute to very light to moderate scale intensity during the cycle period of tropical cyclone development in all three regions.

Improving Salmonella determination in Sinaloa rivers with ultrafiltration and most probable number methods.

PubMed

Jimenez, Maribel; Chaidez, Cristobal

2012-07-01

Monitoring of waterborne pathogens is improved by using concentration methods prior to detection; however, direct microbial enumeration is desired to study microbial ecology and human health risks. The aim of this work was to determine Salmonella presence in river water with an ultrafiltration system coupled with the ISO 6579:1993 isolation standard method (UFS-ISO). Most probable number (MPN) method was used directly in water samples to estimate Salmonella populations. Additionally, the effect between Salmonella determination and water turbidity was evaluated. Ten liters or three tenfold dilutions (1, 0.1, and 0.01 mL) of water were processed for Salmonella detection and estimation by the UFS-ISO and MPN methods, respectively. A total of 84 water samples were tested, and Salmonella was confirmed in 64/84 (76%) and 38/84 (44%) when UFS-ISO and MPN were used, respectively. Salmonella populations were less than 5 × 10(3) MPN/L in 73/84 of samples evaluated (87%), and only three (3.5%) showed contamination with numbers greater than 4.5 × 10(4) MPN/L. Water turbidity did not affect Salmonella determination regardless of the performed method. These findings suggest that Salmonella abundance in Sinaloa rivers is not a health risk for human infections in spite of its persistence. Thus, choosing the appropriate strategy to study Salmonella in river water samples is necessary to clarify its behavior and transport in the environment.

Vibrio parahaemolyticus and its specific bacteriophages as an indicator in cockles (Anadara granosa) for the risk of V. parahaemolyticus infection in Southern Thailand.

PubMed

Yingkajorn, Mingkwan; Sermwitayawong, Natthawan; Palittapongarnpimp, Prasit; Nishibuchi, Mitsuaki; Robins, William P; Mekalanos, John J; Vuddhakul, Varaporn

2014-05-01

Correlation between the numbers of Vibrio parahaemolyticus and its specific bacteriophages in cockles was investigated from June 2009 to May 2010 in Hat Yai, Songkhla, Thailand. Cockles obtained monthly from a local market were sampled to determine the numbers of V. parahaemolyticus and bacteriophages that could form plaques on ten strains of pandemic and nonpandemic V. parahaemolyticus. In addition, V. parahaemolyticus isolates from clinical samples from Hat Yai hospital over the same period were investigated. All 139 cockles sampled were positive for V. parahaemolyticus. However, only 76 of them were positive for bacteriophages. During the testing period, the number of bacteriophages was not significantly correlated with the incidence of V. parahaemolyticus-infected patients, but the numbers of V. parahaemolyticus isolates from the cockle samples were closely related to the number of infected patients. The bacteriophages isolated from V. parahaemolyticus also infected Vibrio alginolyticus and Vibrio mimicus, suggesting that the broad host range of phages may be a factor of providing the possibility of their participation in the processes of genetic exchange between V. parahaemolyticus and closely related Vibrio spp. In conclusion, this study indicated that the number of V. parahaemolyticus in cockles may be a useful tool for predicting the relative risk of infection by V. parahaemolyticus in this area of Thailand.

Formation of volatile N-nitrosamines from food products, especially fish, under simulated gastric conditions.

PubMed

Groenen, P J; Luten, J B; Dhont, J H; de Cock-Bethbeder, M W; Prins, L A; Vreeken, J W

1982-01-01

Most food products do not form volatile nitrosamines under the simulated gastric conditions employed in the present study. Fish and other seafood products, however, regularly form nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), sometimes in amounts of tens of micrograms per 'portion'. These results corroborate the tentative conclusions of a previous report from this laboratory. An attempt has been made to assess the influences of fish species, method of processing (freezing, smoking, canning, marinating, boiling, frying) and degree of freshness, but no particular type of product can be singled out as being a regular source of exceptional NDMA formation. If the model system employed is a valid approximation to the conditions obtaining in the human stomach, these studies suggest that the amounts of NDMA formed in vivo from certain fish samples might far exceed those already present in food products before consumption.

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

Cuomo, J.J.; Rossnagel, S.M.; Kaufman, H.R.

The work presented in this book deals with ion beam processing for basic sputter etching of samples, for sputter deposition of thin films, for the synthesis of material in thin form, and for the modification of the properties of thin films. The ion energy range covered is from a few tens of eV to about 10,000 eV, with primary interest in the range of about 20 to 1-2 keV, where implantation of the incident ion is a minor effect. Of the types of ion sources and devices available, this book examines principally broad beam ion sources, characterized by high fluxesmore » and large work areas. These sources include the ECR ion source, the Kaufman-type single- and multiple-grid sources, gridless sources such as the Hall effect or closed-drift source, and hydrid sources such as the ionized cluster beam system.« less

Active and observational reward learning in adults with autism spectrum disorder: relationship with empathy in an atypical sample.

PubMed

Bellebaum, Christian; Brodmann, Katja; Thoma, Patrizia

2014-01-01

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are characterised by disturbances in social behaviour. A prevailing hypothesis suggests that these problems are related to deficits in assigning rewarding value to social stimuli. The present study aimed to examine monetary reward processing in adults with ASDs by means of event-related potentials (ERPs). Ten individuals with mild ASDs (Asperger's syndrome and high-functioning autism) and 12 healthy control subjects performed an active and an observational probabilistic reward-learning task. Both groups showed similar overall learning performance. With respect to reward processing, subjects with ASDs exhibited a general reduction in feedback-related negativity (FRN) amplitude, irrespective of feedback valence and type of learning (active or observational). Individuals with ASDs showed lower scores for cognitive empathy, while affective empathy did not differ between groups. Correlation analyses revealed that higher empathy (both cognitive and affective) negatively affected performance in observational learning in controls and in active learning in ASDs (only cognitive empathy). No relationships were seen between empathy and ERPs. Reduced FRN amplitudes are discussed in terms of a deficit in fast reward processing in ASDs, which may indicate altered reward system functioning.

Individuals with traumatic brain injuries perceptions and experiences of returning to work in South Africa.

PubMed

Soeker, Mogammad Shaheed; Van Rensburg, Viki; Travill, Andre

2012-01-01

The aim of this study was to identify the central concepts of a model that would facilitate the return to work process of individuals with brain injury. However for the purpose of this paper there will be a focus only on the barriers and facilitators that influence the return to work process. Ten individuals who were diagnosed with a mild to moderate brain injury participated in this study. Qualitative research methods were used in order to explore the research question. The participants were selected by means of purposive sampling and the data was collected by means of in depth interviews. The results of the study revealed that the participants experienced a sense of loss of function after the brain injury, a fear of the future and loss of confidence in their worker roles. The participants also indicated that by means of adapting occupational routines an actively engaging in rehabilitation they developed confidence in their worker roles. Occupational therapists have to use a client centred holistic work integrative approach in order to successfully rehabilitate as well as facilitate the return to work process with people who have suffered a traumatic brain injury.

Development of a cost-effective production process for Halomonas levan.

PubMed

Erkorkmaz, Burak Adnan; Kırtel, Onur; Ateş Duru, Özlem; Toksoy Öner, Ebru

2018-05-17

Levan polysaccharide is an industrially important natural polymer with unique properties and diverse high-value applications. However, current bottlenecks associated with its large-scale production need to be overcome by innovative approaches leading to economically viable processes. Besides many mesophilic levan producers, halophilic Halomonas smyrnensis cultures hold distinctive industrial potential and, for the first time with this study, the advantage of halophilicity is used and conditions for non-sterile levan production were optimized. Levan productivity of Halomonas cultures in medium containing industrial sucrose from sugar beet and food industry by-product syrup, a total of ten sea, lake and rock salt samples from four natural salterns, as well as three different industrial-grade boron compounds were compared and the most suitable low-cost substitutes for sucrose, salt and boron were specified. Then, the effects of pH control, non-sterile conditions and different bioreactor modes (batch and fed-batch) were investigated. The development of a cost-effective production process was achieved with the highest yield (18.06 g/L) reported so far on this microbial system, as well as the highest theoretical bioconversion efficiency ever reported for levan-producing suspension cultures. Structural integrity and biocompatibility of the final product were also verified in vitro.

Photoactivatable fluorescent probes reveal heterogeneous nanoparticle permeation through biological gels at multiple scales

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

Schuster, Benjamin S.; Allan, Daniel B.; Kays, Joshua C.

Diffusion through biological gels is crucial for effective drug delivery using nanoparticles. Here, we demonstrate a new method to measure diffusivity over a large range of length scales – from tens of nanometers to tens of micrometers – using photoactivatable fluorescent nanoparticle probes. We have applied this method to investigate the length-scale dependent mobility of nanoparticles in fibrin gels and in sputum from patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Nanoparticles composed of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid), with polyethylene glycol coatings to resist bioadhesion, were internally labeled with caged rhodamine to make the particles photoactivatable. We activated particles within a region of sample usingmore » brief, targeted exposure to UV light, uncaging the rhodamine and causing the particles in that region to become fluorescent. We imaged the subsequent spatiotemporal evolution in fluorescence intensity and observed the collective particle diffusion over tens of minutes and tens of micrometers. We also performed complementary multiple particle tracking experiments on the same particles, extending significantly the range over which particle motion and its heterogeneity can be observed. In fibrin gels, both methods showed an immobile fraction of particles and a mobile fraction that diffused over all measured length scales. In the CF sputum, particle diffusion was spatially heterogeneous and locally anisotropic but nevertheless typically led to unbounded transport extending tens of micrometers within tens of minutes. Lastly, these findings provide insight into the mesoscale architecture of these gels and its role in setting their permeability on physiologically relevant length scales, pointing toward strategies for improving nanoparticle drug delivery.« less

Photoactivatable fluorescent probes reveal heterogeneous nanoparticle permeation through biological gels at multiple scales

DOE PAGES

Schuster, Benjamin S.; Allan, Daniel B.; Kays, Joshua C.; ...

2017-05-31

Diffusion through biological gels is crucial for effective drug delivery using nanoparticles. Here, we demonstrate a new method to measure diffusivity over a large range of length scales – from tens of nanometers to tens of micrometers – using photoactivatable fluorescent nanoparticle probes. We have applied this method to investigate the length-scale dependent mobility of nanoparticles in fibrin gels and in sputum from patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Nanoparticles composed of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid), with polyethylene glycol coatings to resist bioadhesion, were internally labeled with caged rhodamine to make the particles photoactivatable. We activated particles within a region of sample usingmore » brief, targeted exposure to UV light, uncaging the rhodamine and causing the particles in that region to become fluorescent. We imaged the subsequent spatiotemporal evolution in fluorescence intensity and observed the collective particle diffusion over tens of minutes and tens of micrometers. We also performed complementary multiple particle tracking experiments on the same particles, extending significantly the range over which particle motion and its heterogeneity can be observed. In fibrin gels, both methods showed an immobile fraction of particles and a mobile fraction that diffused over all measured length scales. In the CF sputum, particle diffusion was spatially heterogeneous and locally anisotropic but nevertheless typically led to unbounded transport extending tens of micrometers within tens of minutes. Lastly, these findings provide insight into the mesoscale architecture of these gels and its role in setting their permeability on physiologically relevant length scales, pointing toward strategies for improving nanoparticle drug delivery.« less

Diagnosis of Sepsis with Cell-free DNA by Next-Generation Sequencing Technology in ICU Patients.

PubMed

Long, Yun; Zhang, Yinxin; Gong, Yanping; Sun, Ruixue; Su, Longxiang; Lin, Xin; Shen, Ao; Zhou, Jiali; Caiji, Zhuoma; Wang, Xinying; Li, Dongfang; Wu, Honglong; Tan, Hongdong

2016-07-01

Bacteremia is a common serious manifestation of disease in the intensive care unit (ICU), which requires quick and accurate determinations of pathogens to select the appropriate antibiotic treatment. To overcome the shortcomings of traditional bacterial culture (BC), we have adapted next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology to identify pathogens from cell-free plasma DNA. In this study, 78 plasma samples from ICU patients were analyzed by both NGS and BC methods and verified by PCR amplification/Sanger sequencing and ten plasma samples from healthy volunteers were analyzed by NGS as negative controls to define or calibrate the threshold of the NGS methodology. Overall, 1578 suspected patient samples were found to contain bacteria or fungi by NGS, whereas ten patients were diagnosed by BC. Seven samples were diagnosed with bacterial or fungal infection both by NGS and BC. Among them, two samples were diagnosed with two types of bacteria by NGS, whereas one sample was diagnosed with two types of bacteria by BC, which increased the detectability of bacteria or fungi from 11 with BC to 17 with NGS. Most interestingly, 14 specimens were also diagnosed with viral infection by NGS. The overall diagnostic sensitivity was significantly increased from 12.82% (10/78) by BC alone to 30.77% (24/78) by NGS alone for ICU patients, which provides more useful information for establishing patient treatment plans. NGS technology can be applied to detect bacteria in clinical blood samples as an emerging diagnostic tool rich in information to determine the appropriate treatment of septic patients. Copyright © 2016 IMSS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The cost of large numbers of hypothesis tests on power, effect size and sample size.

PubMed

Lazzeroni, L C; Ray, A

2012-01-01

Advances in high-throughput biology and computer science are driving an exponential increase in the number of hypothesis tests in genomics and other scientific disciplines. Studies using current genotyping platforms frequently include a million or more tests. In addition to the monetary cost, this increase imposes a statistical cost owing to the multiple testing corrections needed to avoid large numbers of false-positive results. To safeguard against the resulting loss of power, some have suggested sample sizes on the order of tens of thousands that can be impractical for many diseases or may lower the quality of phenotypic measurements. This study examines the relationship between the number of tests on the one hand and power, detectable effect size or required sample size on the other. We show that once the number of tests is large, power can be maintained at a constant level, with comparatively small increases in the effect size or sample size. For example at the 0.05 significance level, a 13% increase in sample size is needed to maintain 80% power for ten million tests compared with one million tests, whereas a 70% increase in sample size is needed for 10 tests compared with a single test. Relative costs are less when measured by increases in the detectable effect size. We provide an interactive Excel calculator to compute power, effect size or sample size when comparing study designs or genome platforms involving different numbers of hypothesis tests. The results are reassuring in an era of extreme multiple testing.

Cow's Milk Contamination of Human Milk Purchased via the Internet.

PubMed

Keim, Sarah A; Kulkarni, Manjusha M; McNamara, Kelly; Geraghty, Sheela R; Billock, Rachael M; Ronau, Rachel; Hogan, Joseph S; Kwiek, Jesse J

2015-05-01

The US Food and Drug Administration recommends against feeding infants human milk from unscreened donors, but sharing milk via the Internet is growing in popularity. Recipient infants risk the possibility of consuming contaminated or adulterated milk. Our objective was to test milk advertised for sale online as human milk to verify its human origin and to rule out contamination with cow's milk. We anonymously purchased 102 samples advertised as human milk online. DNA was extracted from 200 μL of each sample. The presence of human or bovine mitochondrial DNA was assessed with a species-specific real-time polymerase chain reaction assay targeting the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) dehydrogenase subunit 5 gene. Four laboratory-created mixtures representing various dilutions of human milk with fluid cow's milk or reconstituted infant formula were compared with the Internet samples to semiquantitate the extent of contamination with cow's milk. All Internet samples amplified human DNA. After 2 rounds of testing, 11 samples also contained bovine DNA. Ten of these samples had a level of bovine DNA consistent with human milk mixed with at least 10% fluid cow's milk. Ten Internet samples had bovine DNA concentrations high enough to rule out minor contamination, suggesting a cow's milk product was added. Cow's milk can be problematic for infants with allergy or intolerance. Because buyers cannot verify the composition of milk they purchase, all should be aware that it might be adulterated with cow's milk. Pediatricians should be aware of the online market for human milk and the potential risks. Copyright © 2015 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Rapid determination of the isomeric truxillines in illicit cocaine via capillary gas chromatography/flame ionization detection and their use and implication in the determination of cocaine origin and trafficking routes.

PubMed

Mallette, Jennifer R; Casale, John F

2014-10-17

The isomeric truxillines are a group of minor alkaloids present in all illicit cocaine samples. The relative amount of truxillines in cocaine is indicative of the variety of coca used for cocaine processing, and thus, is useful in source determination. Previously, the determination of isomeric truxillines in cocaine was performed with a gas chromatography/electron capture detection method. However, due to the tedious sample preparation as well as the expense and maintenance required of electron capture detectors, the protocol was converted to a gas chromatography/flame-ionization detection method. Ten truxilline isomers (alpha-, beta-, delta-, epsilon-, gamma-, omega, zeta-, peri-, neo-, and epi-) were quantified relative to a structurally related internal standard, 4',4″-dimethyl-α-truxillic acid dimethyl ester. The method was shown to have a linear response from 0.001 to 1.00 mg/mL and a lower detection limit of 0.001 mg/mL. In this method, the truxillines are directly reduced with lithium aluminum hydride and then acylated with heptafluorobutyric anhydride prior to analysis. The analysis of more than 100 cocaine hydrochloride samples is presented and compared to data obtained by the previous methodology. Authentic cocaine samples obtained from the source countries of Colombia, Bolivia, and Peru were also analyzed, and comparative data on more than 23,000 samples analyzed over the past 10 years with the previous methodology is presented. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Effects of herbal ointment containing the leaf extracts of Madeira vine (Anredera cordifolia (Ten.) Steenis) for burn wound healing process on albino rats

PubMed Central

Yuniarti, Wiwik Misaco; Lukiswanto, Bambang Sektiari

2017-01-01

Aim: Skin burn is a health problem that requires fast and accurate treatment. If not well-treated, the burn will cause various damaging conditions for the patient. The leaf extract of Madeira vine (Anredera cordifolia (Ten.) Steenis), or popularly known as Binahong in Indonesia, has been used to treat various diseases. The purpose of this research is to determine the effects of leaf extracts of Madeira vine (A. cordifolia (Ten.) Steenis) on skin burn healing process in rats as an animal model. Materials and Methods: In this research, there were four treatment groups: G0, G1, G2, and G3, each consisting of five rats. All these rats were given skin burns, using hot metal plates. Then, sulfadiazine was given to G0, 2.5% leaf extract of Madeira vine was given to G1, 5% extract was given to G2, and 10% extract was given to G3, for straight 14 days topically, 3 times a day. At the end of the treatment period, skin excisions were conducted, and histopathological examination was carried out. Result: Microscopic observation on the wound healing process on the collagen deposition, polymorphonuclear infiltration, angiogenesis, and fibrosis showed that G2 had a significant difference with G0, G1, and G3 (p<0.05), while group G0 was significantly different from G1 and G3 (p<0.05). The better burn healing process on G2 allegedly because of the activity of flavonoid, saponin, and tannin, contained in the Madeira vine, which have the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial effects. Conclusion: The ointment from the 5% leaf extract of Madeira vine (A. cordifolia (Ten.) Steenis) has been proven to be effective to be used for topical burn therapy. PMID:28831227

Ultrafast image-based dynamic light scattering for nanoparticle sizing

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

Zhou, Wu; Zhang, Jie; Liu, Lili

An ultrafast sizing method for nanoparticles is proposed, called as UIDLS (Ultrafast Image-based Dynamic Light Scattering). This method makes use of the intensity fluctuation of scattered light from nanoparticles in Brownian motion, which is similar to the conventional DLS method. The difference in the experimental system is that the scattered light by nanoparticles is received by an image sensor instead of a photomultiplier tube. A novel data processing algorithm is proposed to directly get correlation coefficient between two images at a certain time interval (from microseconds to milliseconds) by employing a two-dimensional image correlation algorithm. This coefficient has been provedmore » to be a monotonic function of the particle diameter. Samples of standard latex particles (79/100/352/482/948 nm) were measured for validation of the proposed method. The measurement accuracy of higher than 90% was found with standard deviations less than 3%. A sample of nanosilver particle with nominal size of 20 ± 2 nm and a sample of polymethyl methacrylate emulsion with unknown size were also tested using UIDLS method. The measured results were 23.2 ± 3.0 nm and 246.1 ± 6.3 nm, respectively, which is substantially consistent with the transmission electron microscope results. Since the time for acquisition of two successive images has been reduced to less than 1 ms and the data processing time in about 10 ms, the total measuring time can be dramatically reduced from hundreds seconds to tens of milliseconds, which provides the potential for real-time and in situ nanoparticle sizing.« less

Adult Coping with Childhood Sexual Abuse: A Theoretical and Empirical Review

PubMed Central

Walsh, Kate; Fortier, Michelle A.; DiLillo, David

2009-01-01

Coping has been suggested as an important element in understanding the long-term functioning of individuals with a history of child sexual abuse (CSA). The present review synthesizes the literature on coping with CSA, first by examining theories of coping with trauma, and, second by examining how these theories have been applied to studies of coping in samples of CSA victims. Thirty-nine studies were reviewed, including eleven descriptive studies of the coping strategies employed by individuals with a history of CSA, eighteen correlational studies of the relationship between coping strategies and long-term functioning of CSA victims, and ten investigations in which coping was examined as a mediational factor in relation to long-term outcomes. These studies provide initial information regarding early sexual abuse and subsequent coping processes. However, this literature is limited by several theoretical and methodological issues, including a failure to specify the process of coping as it occurs, a disparity between theory and research, and limited applicability to clinical practice. Future directions of research are discussed and include the need to understand coping as a process, identification of coping in relation to adaptive outcomes, and considerations of more complex mediational and moderational processes in the study of coping with CSA. PMID:20161502

Outlook for Development of High-throughput Cryopreservation for Small-bodied Biomedical Model Fishes★

PubMed Central

Tiersch, Terrence R.; Yang, Huiping; Hu, E.

2011-01-01

With the development of genomic research technologies, comparative genome studies among vertebrate species are becoming commonplace for human biomedical research. Fish offer unlimited versatility for biomedical research. Extensive studies are done using these fish models, yielding tens of thousands of specific strains and lines, and the number is increasing every day. Thus, high-throughput sperm cryopreservation is urgently needed to preserve these genetic resources. Although high-throughput processing has been widely applied for sperm cryopreservation in livestock for decades, application in biomedical model fishes is still in the concept-development stage because of the limited sample volumes and the biological characteristics of fish sperm. High-throughput processing in livestock was developed based on advances made in the laboratory and was scaled up for increased processing speed, capability for mass production, and uniformity and quality assurance. Cryopreserved germplasm combined with high-throughput processing constitutes an independent industry encompassing animal breeding, preservation of genetic diversity, and medical research. Currently, there is no specifically engineered system available for high-throughput of cryopreserved germplasm for aquatic species. This review is to discuss the concepts and needs for high-throughput technology for model fishes, propose approaches for technical development, and overview future directions of this approach. PMID:21440666

High temperature oxidation in boiler environment of chromized steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alia, F. F.; Kurniawan, T.; Asmara, Y. P.; Ani, M. H. B.; Nandiyanto, A. B. D.

2017-10-01

The demand for increasing efficiency has led to the development and construction of higher operating temperature power plant. This condition may lead to more severe thickness losses in boiler tubes due to excessive corrosion process. Hence, the research to improve the corrosion resistance of the current operated material is needed so that it can be applied for higher temperature application. In this research, the effect of chromizing process on the oxidation behaviour of T91 steel was investigated under steam condition. In order to deposit chromium, mixture of chromium (Cr) powder as master alloy, halide salt (NH4Cl) powder as activator and alumina (Al2O3) powder as inert filler were inserted into alumina retort together with the steel sample and heated inside furnace at 1050°C for ten hours under argon gas environment. Furthermore, for the oxidation process, steels were exposed at 700°C at different oxidation time (6h-24h) under steam condition. From FESEM/EDX analysis, it was found that oxidation rate of pack cemented steel was lower than the un-packed steel. These results show that Cr from chromizing process was able to become reservoir for the formation of Cr2O3 in high temperature steam oxidation, and its existence can be used for a longer oxidation time.

Design and Validation of a Ten-Port Waveguide Reflectometer Sensor: Application to Efficiency Measurement and Optimization of Microwave-Heating Ovens

PubMed Central

Pedreño-Molina, Juan L.; Monzó-Cabrera, Juan; Lozano-Guerrero, Antonio; Toledo-Moreo, Ana

2008-01-01

This work presents the design, manufacturing process, calibration and validation of a new microwave ten-port waveguide reflectometer based on the use of neural networks. This low-cost novel device solves some of the shortcomings of previous reflectometers such as non-linear behavior of power sensors, noise presence and the complexity of the calibration procedure, which is often based on complex mathematical equations. These problems, which imply the reduction of the reflection coefficient measurement accuracy, have been overcome by using a higher number of probes than usual six-port configurations and by means of the use of Radial Basis Function (RBF) neural networks in order to reduce the influence of noise and non-linear processes over the measurements. Additionally, this sensor can be reconfigured whenever some of the eight coaxial power detectors fail, still providing accurate values in real time. The ten-port performance has been compared against a high-cost measurement instrument such as a vector network analyzer and applied to the measurement and optimization of energy efficiency of microwave ovens, with good results. PMID:27873961

Investigation of the feasibility of developing low permeability polymeric films

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoggatt, J. T.

1971-01-01

The feasibility of reducing the gas permeability rate of Mylar and Kapton films without drastically effecting their flexibility characteristics at cryogenic temperatures was considered. This feasibility was established using a concept of diffusion bonding two layers of metallized films together forming a film-metal-film sandwich laminate. The permeability of kapton film to gaseous helium was reduced from a nominal ten = to the minus 9 power cc-mm/sq cm sec. cm Hg to ten to the minus 13 power cc-mm/ sq cm - sec. cm Hg with some values as low as ten to the minus 15 power cc - mm/sq cm m-sec - cm Hg being obtained. Similar reductions occurred in the liquid hydrogen permeability at -252 C. In the course of the program the permeability, flexibility and bond strength of plain, metalized and diffusion bond film were determined at +25 C, -195 C and -252 C. The cryogenic flexibility of Kapton film was reduced slightly due to the metallization process but no additional loss in flexibility resulted from the diffusion bonding process.

The Thing We Really Need

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Donovan, E.

2017-12-01

I'm known for hyperbole and provocative statements. "What do you get from 10,000 magnetometers distributed around the globe? A low resolution image of currents." To a great extent, I'm having fun with such statements, I truly value the phenomenal armada of spacecraft - the HSO - with which we are exploring geospace, and certainly we need the in situ measurements to unravel the fundamental (small scale) processes at the heart of space weather. But, for me there is underlying truth for my light-hearted rhetoric. The geospace community has been too accepting of arguments against significant investment in imaging. Some say "you can't do science with images." My answer? "Tell that to the astronomers". Some say "we've flown an auroral imager… been there, done that." My answer? "The fact that we've flown ten magnetometers seems to not preclude flying another ten." We are comfortable spending multiple billions of dollars on in situ observations, yet uncomfortable spending even just tens of millions on imaging. Why does this matter? In situ focused missions are giving us a profoundly important of the small scale physics by which everything in geospace happens. However, these effects spin up via space/time scales that are poorly sampled. We are often left piecing together the critically important mesoscale picture with dramatically under-sampled "images". Consider the images below. Consider the SDO images showing a flare in exquisite detail in multiple wavelengths. With these, solar physicists have made dramatic advances relating small scale with mesoscales and their consequences. Through these the public has been inspired and awe stricken. Consider the ASI images with overlaid SuperDARN observations. Such images have allowed us to make great advances, but it's time for us to acknowledge that our imaging leaves too much to the imagination, and falls well short of creating visuals that inspire. It's time for us to make the movie of our system. In this presentation, I suggest a $3B "mission to geospace" with three pillars: (1) a continent-size ground-based network of innovative new instruments; (2) four satellites on Molniya orbits outfitted with next-generation multi-wavelength optical, ENA and X-Ray imagers; and (3) 100 satellites in formation in the magnetosphere providing radio sounding and in situ observations of key regions.

Mercury photoreduction and photooxidation in lakes: Effects of filtration and dissolved organic carbon concentration.

PubMed

O'Driscoll, Nelson J; Vost, Emma; Mann, Erin; Klapstein, Sara; Tordon, Robert; Lukeman, Matthew

2018-06-01

Mercury is a globally distributed, environmental contaminant. Quantifying the retention and loss of mercury is integral for predicting mercury-sensitive ecosystems. There is little information on how dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations and particulates affect mercury photoreaction kinetics in freshwater lakes. To address this knowledge gap, samples were collected from ten lakes in Kejimkujik National Park, Nova Scotia (DOC: 2.6-15.4mg/L). Filtered (0.2μm) and unfiltered samples were analysed for gross photoreduction, gross photooxidation, and net reduction rates of mercury using pseudo first-order curves. Unfiltered samples had higher concentrations (p=0.04) of photoreducible divalent mercury (Hg(II) RED ) (mean of 754±253pg/L) than filtered samples (mean of 482±206pg/L); however, gross photoreduction and photooxidation rate constants were not significantly different in filtered or unfiltered samples in early summer. DOC was not significantly related to gross photoreduction rate constants in filtered (R 2 =0.43; p=0.08) and unfiltered (R 2 =0.02; p=0.71) samples; DOC was also not significantly related to gross photooxidation rate constants in filtered or unfiltered samples. However, DOC was significantly negatively related with Hg(II) RED in unfiltered (R 2 =0.53; p=0.04), but not in filtered samples (R 2 =0.04; p=0.60). These trends indicate that DOC is a factor in determining dissolved mercury photoreduction rates and particles partially control available Hg(II) RED in lake water. This research also demonstrates that within these lakes gross photoreduction and photooxidation processes are close to being in balance. Changes to catchment inputs of particulate matter and DOC may alter mercury retention in these lakes and could partially explain observed increases of mercury accumulation in biota. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Regional cerebral changes and functional connectivity during the observation of negative emotional stimuli in subjects with post-traumatic stress disorder.

PubMed

Mazza, Monica; Tempesta, Daniela; Pino, Maria Chiara; Catalucci, Alessia; Gallucci, Massimo; Ferrara, Michele

2013-10-01

Patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) exhibit exaggerated brain responses to emotionally negative stimuli. Identifying the neural correlates of emotion regulation in these subjects is important for elucidating the neural circuitry involved in emotional dysfunction. The aim of this study was to investigate the functional connectivity between the areas activated during emotional processing of negative stimuli in a sample of individuals affected by PTSD compared to a group of healthy subjects. Ten subjects with PTSD (who survived the L'Aquila 2009 earthquake) and ten healthy controls underwent fMRI during which the participants observed 80 images: 40 pictures with negative emotional valence and 40 neutral (scrambled) stimuli. A higher activation was found in the left posterior (LP) insula for PTSD group and in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) for the healthy group. Two sets of Granger causality modeling analyses were performed to examine the directed influence from LP-insula and vmPFC to other brain regions. Activity in the vmPFC in the healthy group while observing negative stimuli predicted activity in several subcortical regions and insula, while in the PTSD group the LP-insula exerted a positive directed influence on several cortical regions. The hyperactivation in PTSD subjects of subcortical areas such as the insula would underlie the emotional, social, and relational difficulties of PTSD patients.

Improvement and validation of the method to determine neutral detergent fiber in feed.

PubMed

Hiraoka, Hisaaki; Fukunaka, Rie; Ishikuro, Eiichi; Enishi, Osamu; Goto, Tetsuhisa

2012-10-01

To improve the performance of the analytical method for neutral detergent fiber in feed with heat-stable α-amylase treatment (aNDFom), the process of adding heat-stable α-amylase, as well as other analytical conditions, were examined. In this new process, the starch in the samples was removed by adding amylase to neutral detergent (ND) solution twice, just after the start of heating and immediately after refluxing. We also examined the effects of the use of sodium sulfite, and drying and ashing conditions for aNDFom analysis by this modified amylase addition method. A collaborative study to validate this new method was carried out with 15 laboratories. These laboratories analyzed two samples, alfalfa pellet and dairy mixed feed, with blind duplicates. Ten laboratories used a conventional apparatus and five used a Fibertec(®) type apparatus. There were no significant differences in aNDFom values between these two refluxing apparatuses. The aNDFom values in alfalfa pellet and dairy mixed feed were 388 g/kg and 145 g/kg, the coefficients of variation for the repeatability and reproducibility (CV(r) and CV(R) ) were 1.3% and 2.9%, and the HorRat values were 0.8 and 1.1, respectively. This new method was validated with 5.8% uncertainty (k = 2) from the collaborative study. © 2012 The Authors. Animal Science Journal © 2012 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

Formation of a metastable hollandite phase from amorphous plagioclase: A possible origin of lingunite in shocked chondritic meteorites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kubo, Tomoaki; Kono, Mari; Imamura, Masahiro; Kato, Takumi; Uehara, Seiichiro; Kondo, Tadashi; Higo, Yuji; Tange, Yoshinori; Kikegawa, Takumi

2017-11-01

We conducted high-pressure experiments in plagioclase with different anorthite contents at 18-27 GPa and 25-1750 °C using both a laser-heated diamond anvil cell and a Kawai-type multi-anvil apparatus to clarify the formation conditions of the hollandite phase in shocked chondritic and Martian meteorites. Lingunite (NaAlSi3O8-rich hollandite) was found first to crystallize from amorphous oligoclase as a metastable phase before decomposing into the final stable state. This process might account for the origin of lingunite found along with maskelynite in shocked chondritic meteorites. Metastable lingunite appeared at ∼20-24 GPa and ∼1100-1300 °C in laboratory tests lasting tens of minutes; however, it might also form at the higher temperatures and shorter time periods of shock events. In contrast, the hollandite phase was not observed during any stage of crystallization when using albite or labradorite as starting materials. The formation process of (Ca,Na)-hollandite in the labradorite composition found in Martian shergottites remains unresolved. The orthoclase contents of the hollandite phase both in shocked meteorites (2.4-8.2 mol%) and our oligoclase sample (3.9 mol%) are relatively high compared to the albite and labradorite samples (0.6 and 1.9 mol%, respectively). This might critically affect the crystallization kinetics of hollandite phase.

Microsatellite genotyping and genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism-based indices of Plasmodium falciparum diversity within clinical infections.

PubMed

Murray, Lee; Mobegi, Victor A; Duffy, Craig W; Assefa, Samuel A; Kwiatkowski, Dominic P; Laman, Eugene; Loua, Kovana M; Conway, David J

2016-05-12

In regions where malaria is endemic, individuals are often infected with multiple distinct parasite genotypes, a situation that may impact on evolution of parasite virulence and drug resistance. Most approaches to studying genotypic diversity have involved analysis of a modest number of polymorphic loci, although whole genome sequencing enables a broader characterisation of samples. PCR-based microsatellite typing of a panel of ten loci was performed on Plasmodium falciparum in 95 clinical isolates from a highly endemic area in the Republic of Guinea, to characterize within-isolate genetic diversity. Separately, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data from genome-wide short-read sequences of the same samples were used to derive within-isolate fixation indices (F ws), an inverse measure of diversity within each isolate compared to overall local genetic diversity. The latter indices were compared with the microsatellite results, and also with indices derived by randomly sampling modest numbers of SNPs. As expected, the number of microsatellite loci with more than one allele in each isolate was highly significantly inversely correlated with the genome-wide F ws fixation index (r = -0.88, P < 0.001). However, the microsatellite analysis revealed that most isolates contained mixed genotypes, even those that had no detectable genome sequence heterogeneity. Random sampling of different numbers of SNPs showed that an F ws index derived from ten or more SNPs with minor allele frequencies of >10 % had high correlation (r > 0.90) with the index derived using all SNPs. Different types of data give highly correlated indices of within-infection diversity, although PCR-based analysis detects low-level minority genotypes not apparent in bulk sequence analysis. When whole-genome data are not obtainable, quantitative assay of ten or more SNPs can yield a reasonably accurate estimate of the within-infection fixation index (F ws).

Temperature relations and abundance determinations in H II regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arellano-Córdova, K. Z.; Rodríguez, M.; Delgado-Inglada, G.

2017-11-01

Most abundance determinations in H II regions, especially for extragalactic regions, are based on the use of temperature relations, usually between Te[N II] and Te[O III]. The calibration of strong-line methods also generally rely on the use of these relations. We explore here the reliability of old and new Te[N II]-Te[O III] relations, their dispersions, and their effects on the calculation of chemical abundances. In order to do so, we have compiled and analyzed in a homogeneous way a sample of 155 H II regions that have measurements of both temperatures. We find that some of the largest departures from the temperature relation are probably due to shocks affecting Te[N II]. We consider the effects of recombination in Te[N II] and of line blending in Te[O III], and find a residual dependence of the temperature relation on the degree of ionization. We provide new robust fits of the relation and show that our fits lead to better abundance determinations. Our fits are very similar to the most used temperature relation, based on a grid of photoionization models by Stasińska (1982), and variously cited as Campbell et al. (1986) or Garnett (1992).

Comprehensive Analysis of Low-Molecular-Weight Human Plasma Proteome Using Top-Down Mass Spectrometry.

PubMed

Cheon, Dong Huey; Nam, Eun Ji; Park, Kyu Hyung; Woo, Se Joon; Lee, Hye Jin; Kim, Hee Cheol; Yang, Eun Gyeong; Lee, Cheolju; Lee, Ji Eun

2016-01-04

While human plasma serves as a great source for disease diagnosis, low-molecular-weight (LMW) proteome (<30 kDa) has been shown to contain a rich source of diagnostic biomarkers. Here we employ top-down mass spectrometry to analyze the LMW proteoforms present in four types of human plasma samples pooled from three healthy controls (HCs) without immunoaffinity depletion and with depletion of the top two, six, and seven high-abundance proteins. The LMW proteoforms were first fractionated based on molecular weight using gel-eluted liquid fraction entrapment electrophoresis (GELFrEE). Then, the GELFrEE fractions containing up to 30 kDa were subjected to nanocapillary-LC-MS/MS, and the high-resolution MS and MS/MS data were processed using ProSightPC 3.0. As a result, a total of 442 LMW proteins and cleaved products, including those with post-translational modifications and single amino acid variations, were identified. From additional comparative analysis of plasma samples without immunoaffinity depletion between HCs and colorectal cancer (CRC) patients via top-down approach, tens of LMW proteoforms, including platelet factor 4, were found to show >1.5-fold changes between the plasma samples of HCs and CRC patients, and six of the LMW proteins were verified by Western blot analysis.

Occurrence of fibrates and their metabolites in source and drinking water in Shanghai and Zhejiang, China.

PubMed

Ido, Akiko; Hiromori, Youhei; Meng, Liping; Usuda, Haruki; Nagase, Hisamitsu; Yang, Min; Hu, Jianying; Nakanishi, Tsuyoshi

2017-04-12

Fibrates, which are widely used lipidaemic-modulating drugs, are emerging environmental pollutants. However, fibrate concentrations in the environment have not been thoroughly surveyed. Here, we determined concentrations of the most commonly used fibrates and their metabolites in source water and drinking water samples from ten drinking water treatment plants in Shanghai and Zhejiang, China, using solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. All the target compounds were detected in at least some of the source water samples, at concentrations ranging from 0.04 ng/L (fenofibrate) to 1.53 ng/L (gemfibrozil). All the compounds except fenofibrate were also detected in at least some of the drinking water samples, at recoveries ranging from 35.5% to 91.7%, suggesting that these compounds are poorly removed by typical drinking water treatment processes. In a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α agonistic activity assay, the target compounds showed no significant activity at nanogram per litre concentrations; therefore, our results suggest that the fibrate concentrations in drinking water in Shanghai and Zhejiang, China do not significantly affect human health. However, because of the increasing westernization of the Chinese diet, fibrate use may increase, and thus monitoring fibrate concentrations in aquatic environments and drinking water in China will become increasingly important.

Centrifugal partition chromatography a first dimension for biomass fast pyrolysis oil analysis.

PubMed

Le Masle, Agnès; Santin, Sandra; Marlot, Léa; Chahen, Ludovic; Charon, Nadège

2018-10-31

Biomass fast pyrolysis oils contain molecules having a large variety of chemical functions and a wide range of molecular weights (from several tens to several thousand grams per mole). The good knowledge of their complex composition is essential for optimizing the conversion of bio-oils to biofuels, thereby requiring powerful separation techniques. In this work, we investigate the interest of centrifugal partition chromatography (CPC) as a first dimension for the analysis of a bio-oil. A CPC method is proposed to separate oxygen containing compounds according to their partition coefficients in the solvent system. This approach is a powerful and easy-to-use technique that enables fractionation of a bio-oil at a semi-preparative scale, without any sample loss related to adsorption on the stationary phase. Collected fractions are then injected in liquid chromatography as a second dimension of separation. Contour plot representations of the CPC × LC separation are established to discuss the potential of this approach. These representations can be used as a veritable fingerprint in the comparison of different samples or samples at different steps of a conversion process but also as a powerful tool to identify new compounds and describe the entire composition of the bio-oil. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quinolines in clothing textiles--a source of human exposure and wastewater pollution?

PubMed

Luongo, Giovanna; Thorsén, Gunnar; Ostman, Conny

2014-05-01

A production process in which the use of various types of chemicals seems to be ubiquitous makes the textile industry a growing problem regarding both public health as well as the environment. Among several substances used at each stage, the present study focuses on the quinolines, a class of compounds involved in the manufacture of dyes, some of which are skin irritants and/or classified as probable human carcinogens. A method was developed for the determination of quinoline derivatives in textile materials comprising ultrasound-assisted solvent extraction, solid phase extraction cleanup, and final analysis by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Quinoline and ten quinoline derivatives were determined in 31 textile samples. The clothing samples, diverse in color, material, brand, country of manufacture, and price, and intended for a broad market, were purchased from different shops in Stockholm, Sweden. Quinoline, a possible human carcinogen, was found to be the most abundant compound present in almost all of the samples investigated, reaching a level of 1.9 mg in a single garment, and it was found that quinoline and its derivatives were mainly correlated to polyester material. This study points out the importance of screening textiles with nontarget analysis to investigate the presence of chemicals in an unbiased manner. Focus should be primarily on clothing worn close to the body.

Occurrence of fibrates and their metabolites in source and drinking water in Shanghai and Zhejiang, China

PubMed Central

Ido, Akiko; Hiromori, Youhei; Meng, Liping; Usuda, Haruki; Nagase, Hisamitsu; Yang, Min; Hu, Jianying; Nakanishi, Tsuyoshi

2017-01-01

Fibrates, which are widely used lipidaemic-modulating drugs, are emerging environmental pollutants. However, fibrate concentrations in the environment have not been thoroughly surveyed. Here, we determined concentrations of the most commonly used fibrates and their metabolites in source water and drinking water samples from ten drinking water treatment plants in Shanghai and Zhejiang, China, using solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. All the target compounds were detected in at least some of the source water samples, at concentrations ranging from 0.04 ng/L (fenofibrate) to 1.53 ng/L (gemfibrozil). All the compounds except fenofibrate were also detected in at least some of the drinking water samples, at recoveries ranging from 35.5% to 91.7%, suggesting that these compounds are poorly removed by typical drinking water treatment processes. In a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α agonistic activity assay, the target compounds showed no significant activity at nanogram per litre concentrations; therefore, our results suggest that the fibrate concentrations in drinking water in Shanghai and Zhejiang, China do not significantly affect human health. However, because of the increasing westernization of the Chinese diet, fibrate use may increase, and thus monitoring fibrate concentrations in aquatic environments and drinking water in China will become increasingly important. PMID:28401920

Association between the miRNA signatures in plasma and bronchoalveolar fluid in respiratory pathologies.

PubMed

Molina-Pinelo, Sonia; Suárez, Rocío; Pastor, María Dolores; Nogal, Ana; Márquez-Martín, Eduardo; Martín-Juan, José; Carnero, Amancio; Paz-Ares, Luis

2012-01-01

The identification of new less invasive biomarkers is necessary to improve the detection and prognostic outcome of respiratory pathological processes. The measurement of miRNA expression through less invasive techniques such as plasma and serum have been suggested to analysis of several lung malignancies including lung cancer. These studies are assuming a common deregulated miRNA expression both in blood and lung tissue. The present study aimed to obtain miRNA representative signatures both in plasma and bronchoalveolar cell fraction that could serve as biomarker in respiratory diseases. Ten patients were evaluated to assess the expression levels of 381 miRNAs. We found that around 50% miRNAs were no detected in both plasma and bronchoalveolar cell fraction and only 20% of miRNAs showed similar expression in both samples. These results show a lack of association of miRNA signatures between plasma and bronchoalveolar cytology in the same patient. The profiles are not comparable; however, there is a similarity in the relative expression in a very small subset of miRNAs (miR-17, miR-19b, miR-195 and miR-20b) between both biological samples in all patients. This finding supports that the miRNAs profiles obtained from different biological samples have to be carefully validated to link with respiratory diseases.

Galaxy Evolution Studies with the SPace IR Telescope for Cosmology and Astrophysics (SPICA): The Power of IR Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spinoglio, L.; Alonso-Herrero, A.; Armus, L.; Baes, M.; Bernard-Salas, J.; Bianchi, S.; Bocchio, M.; Bolatto, A.; Bradford, C.; Braine, J.; Carrera, F. J.; Ciesla, L.; Clements, D. L.; Dannerbauer, H.; Doi, Y.; Efstathiou, A.; Egami, E.; Fernández-Ontiveros, J. A.; Ferrara, A.; Fischer, J.; Franceschini, A.; Gallerani, S.; Giard, M.; González-Alfonso, E.; Gruppioni, C.; Guillard, P.; Hatziminaoglou, E.; Imanishi, M.; Ishihara, D.; Isobe, N.; Kaneda, H.; Kawada, M.; Kohno, K.; Kwon, J.; Madden, S.; Malkan, M. A.; Marassi, S.; Matsuhara, H.; Matsuura, M.; Miniutti, G.; Nagamine, K.; Nagao, T.; Najarro, F.; Nakagawa, T.; Onaka, T.; Oyabu, S.; Pallottini, A.; Piro, L.; Pozzi, F.; Rodighiero, G.; Roelfsema, P.; Sakon, I.; Santini, P.; Schaerer, D.; Schneider, R.; Scott, D.; Serjeant, S.; Shibai, H.; Smith, J.-D. T.; Sobacchi, E.; Sturm, E.; Suzuki, T.; Vallini, L.; van der Tak, F.; Vignali, C.; Yamada, T.; Wada, T.; Wang, L.

2017-11-01

IR spectroscopy in the range 12-230 μm with the SPace IR telescope for Cosmology and Astrophysics (SPICA) will reveal the physical processes governing the formation and evolution of galaxies and black holes through cosmic time, bridging the gap between the James Webb Space Telescope and the upcoming Extremely Large Telescopes at shorter wavelengths and the Atacama Large Millimeter Array at longer wavelengths. The SPICA, with its 2.5-m telescope actively cooled to below 8 K, will obtain the first spectroscopic determination, in the mid-IR rest-frame, of both the star-formation rate and black hole accretion rate histories of galaxies, reaching lookback times of 12 Gyr, for large statistically significant samples. Densities, temperatures, radiation fields, and gas-phase metallicities will be measured in dust-obscured galaxies and active galactic nuclei, sampling a large range in mass and luminosity, from faint local dwarf galaxies to luminous quasars in the distant Universe. Active galactic nuclei and starburst feedback and feeding mechanisms in distant galaxies will be uncovered through detailed measurements of molecular and atomic line profiles. The SPICA's large-area deep spectrophotometric surveys will provide mid-IR spectra and continuum fluxes for unbiased samples of tens of thousands of galaxies, out to redshifts of z 6.

Occurrence of fibrates and their metabolites in source and drinking water in Shanghai and Zhejiang, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ido, Akiko; Hiromori, Youhei; Meng, Liping; Usuda, Haruki; Nagase, Hisamitsu; Yang, Min; Hu, Jianying; Nakanishi, Tsuyoshi

2017-04-01

Fibrates, which are widely used lipidaemic-modulating drugs, are emerging environmental pollutants. However, fibrate concentrations in the environment have not been thoroughly surveyed. Here, we determined concentrations of the most commonly used fibrates and their metabolites in source water and drinking water samples from ten drinking water treatment plants in Shanghai and Zhejiang, China, using solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. All the target compounds were detected in at least some of the source water samples, at concentrations ranging from 0.04 ng/L (fenofibrate) to 1.53 ng/L (gemfibrozil). All the compounds except fenofibrate were also detected in at least some of the drinking water samples, at recoveries ranging from 35.5% to 91.7%, suggesting that these compounds are poorly removed by typical drinking water treatment processes. In a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α agonistic activity assay, the target compounds showed no significant activity at nanogram per litre concentrations; therefore, our results suggest that the fibrate concentrations in drinking water in Shanghai and Zhejiang, China do not significantly affect human health. However, because of the increasing westernization of the Chinese diet, fibrate use may increase, and thus monitoring fibrate concentrations in aquatic environments and drinking water in China will become increasingly important.

Influence of femtosecond laser produced nanostructures on biofilm growth on steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Epperlein, Nadja; Menzel, Friederike; Schwibbert, Karin; Koter, Robert; Bonse, Jörn; Sameith, Janin; Krüger, Jörg; Toepel, Jörg

2017-10-01

Biofilm formation poses high risks in multiple industrial and medical settings. However, the robust nature of biofilms makes them also attractive for industrial applications where cell biocatalysts are increasingly in use. Since tailoring material properties that affect bacterial growth or its inhibition is gaining attention, here we focus on the effects of femtosecond laser produced nanostructures on bacterial adhesion. Large area periodic surface structures were generated on steel surfaces using 30-fs laser pulses at 790 nm wavelength. Two types of steel exhibiting a different corrosion resistance were used, i.e., a plain structural steel (corrodible) and a stainless steel (resistant to corrosion). Homogeneous fields of laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) were realized utilizing laser fluences close to the ablation threshold while scanning the sample under the focused laser beam in a multi-pulse regime. The nanostructures were characterized with optical and scanning electron microscopy. For each type of steel, more than ten identical samples were laser-processed. Subsequently, the samples were subjected to microbial adhesion tests. Bacteria of different shape and adhesion behavior (Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus) were exposed to laser structures and to polished reference surfaces. Our results indicate that E. coli preferentially avoids adhesion to the LIPSS-covered areas, whereas S. aureus favors these areas for colonization.

Indoor Exposure Product Testing Protocols Version 2

EPA Science Inventory

EPA’s Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) has developed a set of ten indoor exposure testing protocols intended to provide information on the purpose of the testing, general description of the sampling and analytical procedures, and references for tests that will be ...

Analyzing the Financial State of Colleges and Universities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frances, Carol; Stenner, A. Jackson

1979-01-01

Ten pitfalls for financial analysts are described: information lags, misinterpreting trend data, data shortcomings, sample institutions' problems, misuse of panel ratings, using same indicators for private and public institutions, underdevelopment of conceptual framework, arbitrary financial health scales, shaky use of discriminant analysis, and…

Electrophoretic Analysis of Diversity and Phylogeny of Pinus brutia and Closely Related Taxa

Treesearch

M. T. Conkle; G. Schiller; C. Grunwald

1988-01-01

Rangewide samples from mature natural stands of Pinus brutia Ten. subsp. brutia, subsp. stankewiczii (Sukaczew) Nahal, subsp. pithyusa (Stevenson) Nahal, and subsp. eldarica (Medw.) Nahal from throughout the eastern Mediterranean display a continuum of allozyme variation for...

Ellipsometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ducharme, Stephen Paul (Inventor); El Hajj, Hassanayn Machlab (Inventor); Johs, Blaine D. (Inventor); Woollam, John A. (Inventor)

1997-01-01

In an ellipsometer, a phase-modulated, polarized light beam is applied to a sample, electrical signals are obtained representing the orthogonal planes of polarization of the light after it has interacted with the sample and the constants of the sample are calculated from the two resulting electrical signals. The phase modulation is sufficiently small so that the calibration errors are negligible. For this purpose, the phase modulator, phase modulates the light within a range of no more than ten degrees peak to peak. The two electrical signals are expanded by Fourier analysis and the coefficients thereof utilized to calculate psi and delta.

Integrating Computers into the Problem-Solving Process.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lowther, Deborah L.; Morrison, Gary R.

2003-01-01

Asserts that within the context of problem-based learning environments, professors can encourage students to use computers as problem-solving tools. The ten-step Integrating Technology for InQuiry (NteQ) model guides professors through the process of integrating computers into problem-based learning activities. (SWM)

More Than the Ten Rational Thinking Processes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Torrance, E. Paul

1980-01-01

The 10 rational processes (which include recalling and imagining, classifying and generalizing, comparing and evaluating, analyzing and synthesizing, and deducting and inferring) are examined from a cultural and historical perspective, with particular emphasis on the suprarational aspects of creative thinking. A three stage model for facilitating…

Memory Effects in Visual Spatial Information Processing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fishbein, Harold D.

1978-01-01

Eight, ten, and twelve year old children were tested on a novel procedure involving the successive presentation of standard and comparision stimuli. Two hypotheses were evaluated: one dealing with memory effects, and the other with children's pretesting of choice responses in spatial information processing. (Editor/RK)

Neural Correlates of Bridging Inferences and Coherence Processing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Sung-il; Yoon, Misun; Kim, Wonsik; Lee, Sunyoung; Kang, Eunjoo

2012-01-01

We explored the neural correlates of bridging inferences and coherence processing during story comprehension using Positron Emission Tomography (PET). Ten healthy right-handed volunteers were visually presented three types of stories (Strong Coherence, Weak Coherence, and Control) consisted of three sentences. The causal connectedness among…

NORSAR detection processing system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loughran, L. B.

1987-05-01

This Semiannual Technical Summary describes the operation, maintenance and research activities at the Norwegian Seismic Array (NORSAR). Investigations into further potential improvements in the NORSAR array processing system have continued. A new Detection Processor (DP) program has developed and tested in an off-line mode. This program is flexible enough to conduct both NORSAR and NORESS detection processing as is done today, besides incorporating improved algorithms. A wide-band slowness estimation technique has been investigated by processing data from several events from the same location. Ten quarry blasts at a dam construction site in western Russia and sixteen Semipalatinsk nuclear explosions were selected. The major conclusion from this study is that employing a wider frequency band clearly tends to increase the stability of the slowness estimates, provided the signal-to-noise ratio is adequate over the band of interest. The stability was found, particularly for Pn, to be remarkably good for the western Norway quarry blasts when using a fixed frequency band for each phase for all ten events.

Insights from two industrial hygiene pilot e-cigarette passive vaping studies.

PubMed

Maloney, John C; Thompson, Michael K; Oldham, Michael J; Stiff, Charles L; Lilly, Patrick D; Patskan, George J; Shafer, Kenneth H; Sarkar, Mohamadi A

2016-01-01

While several reports have been published using research methods of estimating exposure risk to e-cigarette vapors in nonusers, only two have directly measured indoor air concentrations from vaping using validated industrial hygiene sampling methodology. Our first study was designed to measure indoor air concentrations of nicotine, menthol, propylene glycol, glycerol, and total particulates during the use of multiple e-cigarettes in a well-characterized room over a period of time. Our second study was a repeat of the first study, and it also evaluated levels of formaldehyde. Measurements were collected using active sampling, near real-time and direct measurement techniques. Air sampling incorporated industrial hygiene sampling methodology using analytical methods established by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Active samples were collected over a 12-hr period, for 4 days. Background measurements were taken in the same room the day before and the day after vaping. Panelists (n = 185 Study 1; n = 145 Study 2) used menthol and non-menthol MarkTen prototype e-cigarettes. Vaping sessions (six, 1-hr) included 3 prototypes, with total number of puffs ranging from 36-216 per session. Results of the active samples were below the limit of quantitation of the analytical methods. Near real-time data were below the lowest concentration on the established calibration curves. Data from this study indicate that the majority of chemical constituents sampled were below quantifiable levels. Formaldehyde was detected at consistent levels during all sampling periods. These two studies found that indoor vaping of MarkTen prototype e-cigarette does not produce chemical constituents at quantifiable levels or background levels using standard industrial hygiene collection techniques and analytical methods.

Trace-metal contamination in the glacierized Rio Santa watershed, Peru.

PubMed

Guittard, Alexandre; Baraer, Michel; McKenzie, Jeffrey M; Mark, Bryan G; Wigmore, Oliver; Fernandez, Alfonso; Rapre, Alejo C; Walsh, Elizabeth; Bury, Jeffrey; Carey, Mark; French, Adam; Young, Kenneth R

2017-11-25

The objective of this research is to characterize the variability of trace metals in the Rio Santa watershed based on synoptic sampling applied at a large scale. To that end, we propose a combination of methods based on the collection of water, suspended sediments, and riverbed sediments at different points of the watershed within a very limited period. Forty points within the Rio Santa watershed were sampled between June 21 and July 8, 2013. Forty water samples, 36 suspended sediments, and 34 riverbed sediments were analyzed for seven trace metals. The results, which were normalized using the USEPA guideline for water and sediments, show that the Rio Santa water exhibits Mn concentrations higher than the guideline at more than 50% of the sampling points. As is the second highest contaminating element in the water, with approximately 10% of the samples containing concentrations above the guideline. Sediments collected in the Rio Santa riverbed were heavily contaminated by at least four of the tested elements at nearly 85% of the sample points, with As presenting the highest normalized concentration, at more than ten times the guideline. As, Cd, Fe, Pb, and Zn present similar concentration trends in the sediment all along the Rio Santa.The findings indicate that care should be taken in using the Rio Santa water and sediments for purposes that could affect the health of humans or the ecosystem. The situation is worse in some tributaries in the southern part of the watershed that host both active and abandoned mines and ore-processing plants.

A photoelastic modulator-based birefringence imaging microscope for measuring biological specimens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freudenthal, John; Leadbetter, Andy; Wolf, Jacob; Wang, Baoliang; Segal, Solomon

2014-11-01

The photoelastic modulator (PEM) has been applied to a variety of polarimetric measurements. However, nearly all such applications use point-measurements where each point (spot) on the sample is measured one at a time. The main challenge for employing the PEM in a camera-based imaging instrument is that the PEM modulates too fast for typical cameras. The PEM modulates at tens of KHz. To capture the specific polarization information that is carried on the modulation frequency of the PEM, the camera needs to be at least ten times faster. However, the typical frame rates of common cameras are only in the tens or hundreds frames per second. In this paper, we report a PEM-camera birefringence imaging microscope. We use the so-called stroboscopic illumination method to overcome the incompatibility of the high frequency of the PEM to the relatively slow frame rate of a camera. We trigger the LED light source using a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) in synchrony with the modulation of the PEM. We show the measurement results of several standard birefringent samples as a part of the instrument calibration. Furthermore, we show results observed in two birefringent biological specimens, a human skin tissue that contains collagen and a slice of mouse brain that contains bundles of myelinated axonal fibers. Novel applications of this PEM-based birefringence imaging microscope to both research communities and industrial applications are being tested.

The use of CT density changes at internal tissue interfaces to correlate internal organ motion with an external surrogate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaede, Stewart; Carnes, Gregory; Yu, Edward; Van Dyk, Jake; Battista, Jerry; Lee, Ting-Yim

2009-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to describe a non-invasive method to monitor the motion of internal organs affected by respiration without using external markers or spirometry, to test the correlation with external markers, and to calculate any time shift between the datasets. Ten lung cancer patients were CT scanned with a GE LightSpeed Plus 4-Slice CT scanner operating in a ciné mode. We retrospectively reconstructed the raw CT data to obtain consecutive 0.5 s reconstructions at 0.1 s intervals to increase image sampling. We defined regions of interest containing tissue interfaces, including tumour/lung interfaces that move due to breathing on multiple axial slices and measured the mean CT number versus respiratory phase. Tumour motion was directly correlated with external marker motion, acquired simultaneously, using the sample coefficient of determination, r2. Only three of the ten patients showed correlation higher than r2 = 0.80 between tumour motion and external marker position. However, after taking into account time shifts (ranging between 0 s and 0.4 s) between the two data sets, all ten patients showed correlation better than r2 = 0.8. This non-invasive method for monitoring the motion of internal organs is an effective tool that can assess the use of external markers for 4D-CT imaging and respiratory-gated radiotherapy on a patient-specific basis.

The use of CT density changes at internal tissue interfaces to correlate internal organ motion with an external surrogate.

PubMed

Gaede, Stewart; Carnes, Gregory; Yu, Edward; Van Dyk, Jake; Battista, Jerry; Lee, Ting-Yim

2009-01-21

The purpose of this paper is to describe a non-invasive method to monitor the motion of internal organs affected by respiration without using external markers or spirometry, to test the correlation with external markers, and to calculate any time shift between the datasets. Ten lung cancer patients were CT scanned with a GE LightSpeed Plus 4-Slice CT scanner operating in a ciné mode. We retrospectively reconstructed the raw CT data to obtain consecutive 0.5 s reconstructions at 0.1 s intervals to increase image sampling. We defined regions of interest containing tissue interfaces, including tumour/lung interfaces that move due to breathing on multiple axial slices and measured the mean CT number versus respiratory phase. Tumour motion was directly correlated with external marker motion, acquired simultaneously, using the sample coefficient of determination, r(2). Only three of the ten patients showed correlation higher than r(2) = 0.80 between tumour motion and external marker position. However, after taking into account time shifts (ranging between 0 s and 0.4 s) between the two data sets, all ten patients showed correlation better than r(2) = 0.8. This non-invasive method for monitoring the motion of internal organs is an effective tool that can assess the use of external markers for 4D-CT imaging and respiratory-gated radiotherapy on a patient-specific basis.

Effect of Aluminum on Characterization of ZnTe/n-Si Heterojunction Photo detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maki, Samir A.; Hassun, Hanan K.

2018-05-01

Aluminum doped zinc telluride ZnTenSi thin films of (400nm) thickness with (005 01 015 and 02) wt % were deposited on the glass substrate and nSi wafer to fabricate ZnTenSi heterojunction Photodetector by using thermal vacuum evaporation technique Structural optical electrical and photovoltaic properties are investigated for the samples XRD analysis shows that all the deposited ZnTenSi films show polycrystalline structure with cubic phases and highest sharp peak corresponding to (111) planes and from AFM images shows the surface roughness increase with increase Al percentage ratio The optical absorption measurement of the films was find from transmittance ranges in the variety of wavelength (400 1000) nm and the optical energy band gap decrease from 224 eV to 186 eV dependent upon the Aluminum ratio in the films moreover our studies contain the calculation of the electrical properties of hetero junction were obtained via IV (dark and light condition) and C V measurement The photoelectric properties indicated rise illumination current of heterojunctions through increasing both of incident lighting intensity and Aluminum dopant The values of specific detectivity and quantum efficiency are calculated for all samples also the best spectral response occurs when Al doping ratio 02% The high photo sensitivity and comparatively fast response haste are attributable to in height crystal quality of the [ZnTe ] thin films.

Quantitative evaluation of plasma after methylene blue and white light treatment in four Chinese blood centers.

PubMed

Chunhui, Yang; Guohui, Bian; Hong, Yang; Xiaopu, Xiao; Zherong, Bai; Mingyuan, Wang; Xinsheng, Zhang; Juanjuan, Wang; Changqing, Li; Wuping, Li

2013-12-01

Pathogen reduction technology is an important process in the blood safety system, including solvent/detergent treatment, filtration and methylene blue-photochemical technology (MB-PCT). To investigate the quality of MB-PCT-treated plasma, plasma samples from four Chinese blood centers were analyzed over 12 months of storage to determine the recovery of activities and levels of various plasma proteins. Ten plasma units each from the Suzhou, Yancheng, Chongqing and Shandong blood centers were divided into two aliquots. One was subjected to treatment with one of two methylene blue-photochemical technology instruments and the other was used as control. The treated and untreated sample pairs were stored at -30°C. The recovery rates of coagulation factors, inhibitor proteins, total protein, immunoglobulins, and complement proteins were measured at different time points after storage. The mean recovery of most proteins exceeded 80% after MB treatment. The exceptions were factor XI and fibrinogen, of which only 71.3-74% and 69.0-92.3% were retained during storage. The two equipment types differed in terms of residual MB concentration in the plasma samples (0.18 μM and 0.29 μM, respectively). They had similar protein recovery rates at 0.5 month but differed at later time points. The four blood centers differed significantly with regard to factor II, V, VIII and fibrinogen activities. Only the samples from the Shandong blood center met the methylene blue treated fresh frozen plasma requirement. The major factor that influenced the quality of the MB-FFP samples was the time taken between blood collection and storage. Methylene blue treated plasma showed reduced coagulation factor (CF) activity and protein levels. The MB treatment-induced damage to the proteins was acceptable at the four Chinese blood centers, but the quality of the MB-treated plasma in general was not satisfactory. The main factor affecting plasma quality may be the duration of the collection and processing. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Underground coal mining section data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gabrill, C. P.; Urie, J. T.

1981-01-01

A set of tables which display the allocation of time for ten personnel and eight pieces of underground coal mining equipment to ten function categories is provided. Data from 125 full shift time studies contained in the KETRON database was utilized as the primary source data. The KETRON activity and delay codes were mapped onto JPL equipment, personnel and function categories. Computer processing was then performed to aggregate the shift level data and generate the matrices. Additional, documented time study data were analyzed and used to supplement the KETRON databased. The source data including the number of shifts are described. Specific parameters of the mines from which there data were extracted are presented. The result of the data processing including the required JPL matrices is presented. A brief comparison with a time study analysis of continuous mining systems is presented. The procedures used for processing the source data are described.

The washout effect during laundry on benzothiazole, benzotriazole, quinoline, and their derivatives in clothing textiles.

PubMed

Luongo, Giovanna; Avagyan, Rozanna; Hongyu, Ren; Östman, Conny

2016-02-01

In two previous papers, the authors have shown that benzothiazole, benzotriazole, quinoline, and several of their derivatives are widespread in clothing textile articles. A number of these compounds exhibit allergenic and irritating properties and, due to their octanol-water partition coefficient, are prone to be absorbed by the skin. Moreover, they are slightly soluble in water, which could make washing of clothes a route of emission into the environment. In the present study, the washout effect of benzothiazole, benzotriazole, quinoline, and some of their derivatives has been investigated. Twenty-seven textile samples were analyzed before, as well as after five and ten times of washing. The most abundant analyte was found to be benzothiazole, which was detected in 85 % of the samples with an average concentration of 0.53 μg/g (median 0.44 μg/g), followed by quinoline, detected in 81 % of the samples with an average concentration of 2.42 μg/g (median 0.21 μg/g). The average decrease in concentration for benzothiazoles was 50 % after ten times washing, while it was around 20 % for quinolines. The average emission to household wastewater of benzothiazoles and quinolines during one washing (5 kg of clothes made from polyester materials) was calculated to 0.5 and 0.24 g, respectively. These results strongly indicate that laundering of clothing textiles can be an important source of release of these compounds to household wastewater and in the end to aquatic environments. It also demonstrates a potential source of human exposure to these chemicals since considerable amounts of the compounds remain in the clothes even after ten times of washing.

Macrophyte mapping in ten lakes of South Carolina with multispectral SPOT HRV data

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

Mackey, H.E. Jr.

1989-01-01

Fall and spring multispectral SPOT HRV data for 1987 and 1988 were used to evaluate the macrophyte distributions in ten freshwater reservoirs of South Carolina. The types of macrophyte and wetland communities present along the shoreline of the lakes varied depending on the age, water level fluctuations, water quality, and basin morphology. Seasonal satellite data were important for evaluation of the extent of persistent versus non-persistent macrophyte communities in the lakes. This paper contains only the view graphs of this process.

Contributions to process monitoring by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rusak, David Alexander

1998-12-01

When a pulsed laser of sufficient energy and pulse duration is brought to a focus, multi-photon ionization creates free electrons in the focal volume. These electrons are accelerated in a process known as inverse Bremsstrahlung and cause collisional ionization of species in the focal volume. More charge carriers are produced and the process continues for the duration of the laser pulse. The manifestation of this process is a visible spark or plasma which typically lasts for tens of microseconds. This laser-induced plasma can serve as a source in an atomic emission experiment. Because the composition of the plasma is determined in large part by the environment in which it forms, elements in the laser target can be determined spectroscopically. The goal of a laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) experiment is to establish a relationship between the concentration of an element of interest in the target and the intensity of light emitted from the laser-induced plasma at a wavelength characteristic of that element. Because LIBS requires only optical access to the sample and can perform elemental determinations in solids, liquids, or gases with little sample preparation, there is interest in using it as an on-line technique for process monitoring in a number of industrial applications. However, before the technique becomes useful in industrial applications, many issues regarding instrumentation and data analysis need to be addressed in the lab. The first two chapters of this dissertation provide, respectively, the basics of the atomic emission experiment and a background of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy. The next two chapters examine the effect of target water content on the laser-induced plasma and the use of LIBS for analysis of aqueous samples. Chapter 5 describes construction of a fiber optic LIBS probe and its use to study temporal electron number density evolution in plasmas formed on different metals. Chapter 6 is a study of excitation, vibrational, and rotational temperatures in plasmas formed by ultraviolet and infrared laser beams. The last chapter is a brief assessment of classification software for analysis of LIBS data and a discussion of future work.

Multicast Parametric Synchronous Sampling

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-01

enhancement in a parametric mixer device. Fig. 4 shows the principle of generating uniform, high quality replicas extending over previously un-attainable...critical part of the MPASS architecture and is responsible for the direct and continuous acquisition of data across all of the multicast signal copies...ii) ability to copy THz signals with impunity to tens of replicas ; (iii) all-optical delays > 1.9 us; (iv) 10’s of THz-fast all-optical sampling of

Probability of illness definition for the Skylab flight crew health stabilization program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

Management and analysis of crew and environmental microbiological data from SMEAT and Skylab are discussed. Samples were collected from ten different body sites on each SMEAT and Skylab crew-member on approximately 50 occasions and since several different organisms could be isolated from each sample, several thousand lab reports were generated. These lab reports were coded and entered in a computer file and from the file various tabular summaries were constructed.

Relation of Stem Diameter, Branch Basal Area, and Leaf Biomass in Rapidly Growing Loblolly Pine

Treesearch

Thomas M. Williams; Charles A. Gresham

2004-01-01

Twenty loblolly pines, growing in International Paper’s maximum growth experiment at Bainbridge GA, were destructively sampled at the end of the sixth growing season. Ten trees in the control and 10 in the maximum treatment were sampled. All trees were planted at a 2.4- by 3.6-m spacing and grown with complete competition control. The maximum trees also received...

Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) Algorithms for Toddlers and Young Preschoolers: Application in a Non-US Sample of 1,104 Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Bildt, Annelies; Sytema, Sjoerd; Zander, Eric; Bölte, Sven; Sturm, Harald; Yirmiya, Nurit; Yaari, Maya; Charman, Tony; Salomone, Erica; LeCouteur, Ann; Green, Jonathan; Bedia, Ricardo Canal; Primo, Patricia García; van Daalen, Emma; de Jonge, Maretha V.; Guðmundsdóttir, Emilía; Jóhannsdóttir, Sigurrós; Raleva, Marija; Boskovska, Meri; Rogé, Bernadette; Baduel, Sophie; Moilanen, Irma; Yliherva, Anneli; Buitelaar, Jan; Oosterling, Iris J.

2015-01-01

The current study aimed to investigate the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) algorithms for toddlers and young preschoolers (Kim and Lord, "J Autism Dev Disord" 42(1):82-93, 2012) in a non-US sample from ten sites in nine countries (n = 1,104). The construct validity indicated a good fit of the algorithms. The diagnostic…

Evaluating the Measurement Structure of the Abbreviated HIV Stigma Scale in a Sample of African Americans Living with HIV/AIDS

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Eboneé T.; Yaghmaian, Rana A.; Best, Andrew; Chan, Fong; Burrell, Reginald, Jr.

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to validate the 10-item version of the HIV Stigma Scale (HSS-10) in a sample of African Americans with HIV/AIDS. Method: One hundred and ten African Americans living with HIV/AIDS were recruited from 3 case management agencies in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Measurement structure of the HSS-10 was evaluated using…

Improvement in fermentation characteristics of degermed ground corn by lipid supplementation.

PubMed

Murthy, Ganti S; Singh, Vijay; Johnston, David B; Rausch, Kent D; Tumbleson, M E

2006-08-01

With rapid growth of fuel ethanol industry, and concomitant increase in distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS), new corn fractionation technologies that reduce DDGS volume and produce higher value coproducts in dry grind ethanol process have been developed. One of the technologies, a dry degerm, defiber (3D) process (similar to conventional corn dry milling) was used to separate germ and pericarp fiber prior to the endosperm fraction fermentation. Recovery of germ and pericarp fiber in the 3D process results in removal of lipids from the fermentation medium. Biosynthesis of lipids, which is important for cell growth and viability, cannot proceed in strictly anaerobic fermentations. The effects of ten different lipid supplements on improving fermentation rates and ethanol yields were studied and compared to the conventional dry grind process. Endosperm fraction (from the 3D process) was mixed with water and liquefied by enzymatic hydrolysis and was fermented using simultaneous saccharification and fermentation. The highest ethanol concentration (13.7% v/v) was achieved with conventional dry grind process. Control treatment (endosperm fraction from 3D process without lipid supplementation) produced the lowest ethanol concentration (11.2% v/v). Three lipid treatments (fatty acid ester, alkylphenol, and ethoxylated sorbitan ester 1836) were most effective in improving final ethanol concentrations. Fatty acid ester treatment produced the highest final ethanol concentration (12.3% v/v) among all lipid supplementation treatments. Mean final ethanol concentrations of alkylphenol and ethoxylated sorbitan ester 1836 supplemented samples were 12.3 and 12.0% v/v, respectively.

Survey of Alternaria toxin contamination in food from the German market, using a rapid HPLC-MS/MS approach.

PubMed

Hickert, Sebastian; Bergmann, Marian; Ersen, Seyma; Cramer, Benedikt; Humpf, Hans-Ulrich

2016-02-01

A HPLC-MS/MS-based method for the quantification of nine mycotoxins produced by fungi of the genus Alternaria in various food matrices was developed. The method relies on a single-step extraction, followed by dilution of the raw extract and direct analysis. In combination with an analysis time per sample of 12 min, the sample preparation is cost-effective and easy to handle. The method covers alternariol (AOH), alternariol monomethyl ether (AME), tenuazonic acid (TeA), altenuene (ALT), iso-altenuene (isoALT), tentoxin (TEN), altertoxin-I (ATX-I), and the AAL toxins TA1 and TA2. Some Alternaria toxins which are either not commercially available or very expensive, namely AOH, AME, ALT, isoALT, and ATX-I, were isolated as reference compounds from fungal cultures. The method was extensively validated for tomato products, bakery products, sunflower seeds, fruit juices, and vegetable oils. AOH, AME, TeA, and TEN were found in quantifiable amounts and 92.1% of all analyzed samples (n = 96) showed low level contamination with one or more Alternaria toxins. Based on the obtained results, the average daily exposure to Alternaria toxins in Germany was calculated.

Ten year rank-order stability of personality traits and disorders in a clinical sample

PubMed Central

Hopwood, Christopher J.; Morey, Leslie C.; Donnellan, M. Brent; Samuel, Douglas B.; Grilo, Carlos M.; McGlashan, Thomas H.; Shea, M. Tracie; Zanarini, Mary C.; Gunderson, John G.; Skodol, Andrew E.

2012-01-01

Objective To compare the 10-year retest stability of normal traits, pathological traits, and personality disorder dimensions in a clinical sample. Method Ten-year rank order stability estimates for the Revised NEO Personality Inventory, Schedule for Nonadaptive and Adaptive Personality, and Diagnostic Interview for DSM-IV Personality Disorders were evaluated before and after correcting for test-retest dependability and internal consistency in a clinical sample (N = 266). Results Dependability corrected stability estimates were generally in the range of .60–.90 for traits and .25–.65 for personality disorders. Conclusions The relatively lower stability of personality disorder symptoms may indicate important differences between pathological behaviors and relatively more stable self-attributed traits and imply that a full understanding of personality and personality pathology needs to take both traits and symptoms into account. The Five-Factor Theory distinction between basic tendencies and characteristic adaptations provides a theoretical framework for the separation of traits and disorders in terms of stability in which traits reflect basic tendencies that are stable and pervasive across situations, whereas personality disorder symptoms reflect characteristic maladaptations that are a function of both basic tendencies and environmental dynamics. PMID:22812532

Ten-year rank-order stability of personality traits and disorders in a clinical sample.

PubMed

Hopwood, Christopher J; Morey, Leslie C; Donnellan, M Brent; Samuel, Douglas B; Grilo, Carlos M; McGlashan, Thomas H; Shea, M Tracie; Zanarini, Mary C; Gunderson, John G; Skodol, Andrew E

2013-06-01

This study compares the 10-year retest stability of normal traits, pathological traits, and personality disorder dimensions in a clinical sample. Ten-year rank-order stability estimates for the Revised NEO Personality Inventory, Schedule for Nonadaptive and Adaptive Personality, and Diagnostic Interview for DSM-IV Personality Disorders were evaluated before and after correcting for test-retest dependability and internal consistency in a clinical sample (N = 266). Dependability-corrected stability estimates were generally in the range of.60-.90 for traits and.25-.65 for personality disorders. The relatively lower stability of personality disorder symptoms may indicate important differences between pathological behaviors and relatively more stable self-attributed traits and imply that a full understanding of personality and personality pathology needs to take both traits and symptoms into account. The five-factor theory distinction between basic tendencies and characteristic adaptations provides a theoretical framework for the separation of traits and disorders in terms of stability in which traits reflect basic tendencies that are stable and pervasive across situations, whereas personality disorder symptoms reflect characteristic maladaptations that are a function of both basic tendencies and environmental dynamics. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Atypical vertical sound localization and sound-onset sensitivity in people with autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Visser, Eelke; Zwiers, Marcel P; Kan, Cornelis C; Hoekstra, Liesbeth; van Opstal, A John; Buitelaar, Jan K

2013-11-01

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are associated with auditory hyper- or hyposensitivity; atypicalities in central auditory processes, such as speech-processing and selective auditory attention; and neural connectivity deficits. We sought to investigate whether the low-level integrative processes underlying sound localization and spatial discrimination are affected in ASDs. We performed 3 behavioural experiments to probe different connecting neural pathways: 1) horizontal and vertical localization of auditory stimuli in a noisy background, 2) vertical localization of repetitive frequency sweeps and 3) discrimination of horizontally separated sound stimuli with a short onset difference (precedence effect). Ten adult participants with ASDs and 10 healthy control listeners participated in experiments 1 and 3; sample sizes for experiment 2 were 18 adults with ASDs and 19 controls. Horizontal localization was unaffected, but vertical localization performance was significantly worse in participants with ASDs. The temporal window for the precedence effect was shorter in participants with ASDs than in controls. The study was performed with adult participants and hence does not provide insight into the developmental aspects of auditory processing in individuals with ASDs. Changes in low-level auditory processing could underlie degraded performance in vertical localization, which would be in agreement with recently reported changes in the neuroanatomy of the auditory brainstem in individuals with ASDs. The results are further discussed in the context of theories about abnormal brain connectivity in individuals with ASDs.

Determination of Pesticides Residues in Cucumbers Grown in Greenhouse and the Effect of Some Procedures on Their Residues.

PubMed

Leili, Mostafa; Pirmoghani, Amin; Samadi, Mohammad Taghi; Shokoohi, Reza; Roshanaei, Ghodratollah; Poormohammadi, Ali

2016-11-01

The objective of this study was to determine the residual concentrations of ethion and imidacloprid in cucumbers grown in greenhouse. The effect of some simple processing procedures on both ethion and imidacloprid residues were also studied. Ten active greenhouses that produce cucumber were randomly selected. Ethion and imidacloprid as the most widely used pesticides were measured in cucumber samples of studied greenhouses. Moreover, the effect of storing, washing, and peeling as simple processing procedures on both ethion and imidacloprid residues were investigated. One hour after pesticide application; the maximum residue levels (MRLs) of ethion and imidacloprid were higher than that of Codex standard level. One day after pesticide application, the levels of pesticides were decreased about 35 and 31% for ethion and imidacloprid, respectively, which still were higher than the MRL. Washing procedure led to about 51 and 42.5% loss in ethion and imidacloprid residues, respectively. Peeling procedure also led to highest loss of 93.4 and 63.7% in ethion and imidacloprid residues, respectively. The recovery for both target analytes was in the range between 88 and 102%. The residue values in collected samples one hour after pesticides application were higher than standard value. The storing, washing, and peeling procedures lead to the decrease of pesticide residues in greenhouse cucumbers. Among them, the peeling procedure has the greatest impact on residual reduction. Therefore, these procedures can be used as simple and effective processing techniques for reducing and removing pesticides from greenhouse products before their consumption.

De novo transcriptome assembly and identification of genes associated with feed conversion ratio and breast muscle yield in domestic ducks.

PubMed

Zhu, Feng; Yuan, Jian-Ming; Zhang, Zhen-He; Hao, Jin-Ping; Yang, Yu-Ze; Hu, Shen-Qiang; Yang, Fang-Xi; Qu, Lu-Jiang; Hou, Zhuo-Cheng

2015-12-01

Breast muscle yield and feed conversion efficiency are the major breeding aims in duck breeding. Understanding the role of specific transcripts in the muscle and small intestine might lead to the elucidation of interrelated biological processes. In this study, we obtained jejunum and breast muscle samples from two strains of Peking ducks that were sorted by feed conversion ratio (FCR) and breast muscle percentage into two-tailed populations. Ten RNA-Seq libraries were developed from the pooled samples and sequenced using the Hiseq2000 platform. We created a reference duck transcript database using de novo assembly methods, which included 16 663 irredundant contigs with an N50 length of 1530 bp. This new duck reference cDNA dataset significantly improved the mapping rate for RNA-Seq data, from 50% to 70%. Mapping and annotation were followed by Gene Ontology analysis, which showed that numerous genes were differentially expressed between the low and high FCR groups. The differentially expressed genes in the jejunum were enriched in biological processes related to immune response and immune response activation, whereas those in the breast muscle were significantly enriched in biological processes related to muscle cell differentiation and organ development. We identified new candidate genes, that is, PCK1, for improving the FCR and breast muscle yield of ducks and obtained much better reference duck transcripts. This study suggested that de novo assembly is essential when applying transcriptome analysis to a species with an incomplete genome. © 2015 Stichting International Foundation for Animal Genetics.

Applying Incremental Sampling Methodology to Soils Containing Heterogeneously Distributed Metallic Residues to Improve Risk Analysis.

PubMed

Clausen, J L; Georgian, T; Gardner, K H; Douglas, T A

2018-01-01

This study compares conventional grab sampling to incremental sampling methodology (ISM) to characterize metal contamination at a military small-arms-range. Grab sample results had large variances, positively skewed non-normal distributions, extreme outliers, and poor agreement between duplicate samples even when samples were co-located within tens of centimeters of each other. The extreme outliers strongly influenced the grab sample means for the primary contaminants lead (Pb) and antinomy (Sb). In contrast, median and mean metal concentrations were similar for the ISM samples. ISM significantly reduced measurement uncertainty of estimates of the mean, increasing data quality (e.g., for environmental risk assessments) with fewer samples (e.g., decreasing total project costs). Based on Monte Carlo resampling simulations, grab sampling resulted in highly variable means and upper confidence limits of the mean relative to ISM.

Ultra-processed foods have the worst nutrient profile, yet they are the most available packaged products in a sample of New Zealand supermarkets.

PubMed

Luiten, Claire M; Steenhuis, Ingrid Hm; Eyles, Helen; Ni Mhurchu, Cliona; Waterlander, Wilma E

2016-02-01

To examine the availability of packaged food products in New Zealand supermarkets by level of industrial processing, nutrient profiling score (NPSC), price (energy, unit and serving costs) and brand variety. Secondary analysis of cross-sectional survey data on packaged supermarket food and non-alcoholic beverages. Products were classified according to level of industrial processing (minimally, culinary and ultra-processed) and their NPSC. Packaged foods available in four major supermarkets in Auckland, New Zealand. Packaged supermarket food products for the years 2011 and 2013. The majority (84% in 2011 and 83% in 2013) of packaged foods were classified as ultra-processed. A significant positive association was found between the level of industrial processing and NPSC, i.e., ultra-processed foods had a worse nutrient profile (NPSC=11.63) than culinary processed foods (NPSC=7.95), which in turn had a worse nutrient profile than minimally processed foods (NPSC=3.27), P<0.001. No clear associations were observed between the three price measures and level of processing. The study observed many variations of virtually the same product. The ten largest food manufacturers produced 35% of all packaged foods available. In New Zealand supermarkets, ultra-processed foods comprise the largest proportion of packaged foods and are less healthy than less processed foods. The lack of significant price difference between ultra- and less processed foods suggests ultra-processed foods might provide time-poor consumers with more value for money. These findings highlight the need to improve the supermarket food supply by reducing numbers of ultra-processed foods and by reformulating products to improve their nutritional profile.

The fluid dynamics of microjet explosions caused by extremely intense X-ray pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stan, Claudiu; Laksmono, Hartawan; Sierra, Raymond; Milathianaki, Despina; Koglin, Jason; Messerschmidt, Marc; Williams, Garth; Demirci, Hasan; Botha, Sabine; Nass, Karol; Stone, Howard; Schlichting, Ilme; Shoeman, Robert; Boutet, Sebastien

2014-11-01

Femtosecond X-ray scattering experiments at free-electron laser facilities typically requires liquid jet delivery methods to bring samples to the region of interaction with X-rays. We have imaged optically the damage process in water microjets due to intense hard X-ray pulses at the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS), using time-resolved imaging techniques to record movies at rates up to half a billion frames per second. For pulse energies larger than a few percent of the maximum pulse energy available at LCLS, the X-rays deposit energies much larger than the latent heat of vaporization in water, and induce a phase explosion that opens a gap in the jet. The LCLS pulses last a few tens of femtoseconds, but the full evolution of the broken jet is orders of magnitude slower - typically in the microsecond range - due to complex fluid dynamics processes triggered by the phase explosion. Although the explosion results in a complex sequence of phenomena, they lead to an approximately self-similar flow of the liquid in the jet.

Guiding Biogeochemical Campaigns with High Resolution Altimetry: Waiting for the SWOT Mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

d'Ovidio, Francesco; Zhou, Meng; Park, Young Hyang; Nencioli, Francesco; Resplandy, Laure; Doglioli, Andrea; Petrenko, Anne; Blain, Stephane; Queguiner, Bernard

2013-09-01

Biogeochemical processes in the ocean are strongly affected by the horizontal mesoscale ( 10-100 km) and submesoscale (1-10 km) circulation. Eddies and filaments can create strong dishomogeneity, either amplifying small-scale diffusion processes (mixing) or creating tracer reservoirs. This variability has a direct effect on the biogeochemical budgets - controlling for instances tracer fluxes across climatological fronts, or part of the vertical exchanges. This variability also provides a challenge to in situ studies, because sites few tens of kms or few weeks apart may be representative of very different situations. Here we discuss how altimetry observation can be exploited in order to track in near- real-time transport barriers and mixing regions and guide a biogeochemical adaptative sampling strategy. As a case study, we focus on the recent KEOPS2 campaign (Kerguelen region, October-November 2012) which employed Lagrangian diagnostics of a specifically designed high resolution, regional altimetric product produced by CLS (with support from CNES) analyzed with several Lagrangian diagnostics. Such approach anticipates possible uses of incoming high resolution altimetry data for biogeochemical studies.

The ontogenetic ritualization of bonobo gestures.

PubMed

Halina, Marta; Rossano, Federico; Tomasello, Michael

2013-07-01

Great apes communicate with gestures in flexible ways. Based on several lines of evidence, Tomasello and colleagues have posited that many of these gestures are learned via ontogenetic ritualization-a process of mutual anticipation in which particular social behaviors come to function as intentional communicative signals. Recently, Byrne and colleagues have argued that all great ape gestures are basically innate. In the current study, for the first time, we attempted to observe the process of ontogenetic ritualization as it unfolds over time. We focused on one communicative function between bonobo mothers and infants: initiation of "carries" for joint travel. We observed 1,173 carries in ten mother-infant dyads. These were initiated by nine different gesture types, with mothers and infants using many different gestures in ways that reflected their different roles in the carry interaction. There was also a fair amount of variability among the different dyads, including one idiosyncratic gesture used by one infant. This gestural variation could not be attributed to sampling effects alone. These findings suggest that ontogenetic ritualization plays an important role in the origin of at least some great ape gestures.

Low archaeal diversity linked to subseafloor geochemical processes at the Lost City Hydrothermal Field, Mid-Atlantic Ridge.

PubMed

Schrenk, Matthew O; Kelley, Deborah S; Bolton, Sheryl A; Baross, John A

2004-10-01

The recently discovered Lost City Hydrothermal Field (LCHF) represents a new type of submarine hydrothermal system driven primarily by exothermic serpentinization reactions in ultramafic oceanic crust. Highly reducing, alkaline hydrothermal environments at the LCHF produce considerable quantities of hydrogen, methane and organic molecules through chemo- and biosynthetic reactions. Here, we report the first analyses of microbial communities inhabiting carbonate chimneys awash in warm, high pH fluids at the LCHF and the predominance of a single group of methane-metabolizing Archaea. The predominant phylotype, related to the Methanosarcinales, formed tens of micrometre-thick biofilms in regions adjacent to hydrothermal flow. Exterior portions of active structures harboured a diverse microbial community composed primarily of filamentous Eubacteria that resembled sulphide-oxidizing species. Inactive samples, away from regions of hydrothermal flow, contained phylotypes related to pelagic microorganisms. The abundance of organisms linked to the volatile chemistry at the LCHF hints that similar metabolic processes may operate in the subseafloor. These results expand the range of known geological settings that support biological activity to include submarine hydrothermal systems that are not dependent upon magmatic heat sources.

The Mentoring Experience: Leadership Development Program Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lamm, Kevan W.; Sapp, Rochelle; Lamm, Alexa J.

2017-01-01

Using a semi-structured interview approach, ten mentors from a leadership development program focused on building leaders in Colleges of Agriculture and Life Sciences across the nation provided insights regarding their mentoring method, process, and experiences. Mentors interviewed agreed the mentoring process was beneficial for themselves as well…

40 CFR 86.1437 - Test run-manufacturer.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... pipes. Exhaust gas concentrations from vehicle engines equipped with multiple exhaust pipes must be... apply. (1) Exhaust gas sampling algorithm. The analysis of exhaust gas concentrations begins ten seconds after the applicable test mode begins. Exhaust gas concentrations must be analyzed at a minimum rate of...

Legal Rights & Intellectual Disability: A Short Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Julia, Ed.; And Others

The book examines actions that may be taken to redress wrongs illegally perpetrated against people with intellectual disabilities in New South Wales, Australia. Ten topic areas are addressed (sample subtopics in parentheses): protecting rights (complaints to government departments, use of the ombudsman); discrimination (legal aid); personal…

COMPARISON OF SOME PROPERTIES OF MINESOILS AND CONTIGUOUS NATURAL SOILS

EPA Science Inventory

Four minesoil pits located within the disturbed area and four natural soil pits located in adjacent undisturbed areas were described and sampled. Bulk densities were determined at ten randomly located sites. Microlysimeters were subsequently installed at these sites and used to d...

Technology Development and Advanced Planning for Curation of Returned Mars Samples

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lindstrom, David J.; Allen, Carlton C.

2002-01-01

NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) curates extraterrestrial samples, providing the international science community with lunar rock and soil returned by the Apollo astronauts, meteorites collected in Antarctica, cosmic dust collected in the stratosphere, and hardware exposed to the space environment. Curation comprises initial characterization of new samples, preparation and allocation of samples for research, and clean, secure long-term storage. The foundations of this effort are the specialized cleanrooms (class 10 to 10,000) for each of the four types of materials, the supporting facilities, and the people, many of whom have been doing detailed work in clean environments for decades. JSC is also preparing to curate the next generation of extraterrestrial samples. These include samples collected from the solar wind, a comet, and an asteroid. Early planning and R\\&D are underway to support post-mission sample handling and curation of samples returned from Mars. One of the strong scientific reasons for returning samples from Mars is to search for evidence of current or past life in the samples. Because of the remote possibility that the samples may contain life forms that are hazardous to the terrestrial biosphere, the National Research Council has recommended that all samples returned from Mars be kept under strict biological containment until tests show that they can safely be released to other laboratories. It is possible that Mars samples may contain only scarce or subtle traces of life or prebiotic chemistry that could readily be overwhelmed by terrestrial contamination . Thus, the facilities used to contain, process, and analyze samples from Mars must have a combination of high-level biocontainment and organic / inorganic chemical cleanliness that is unprecedented. JSC has been conducting feasibility studies and developing designs for a sample receiving facility that would offer biocontainment at least the equivalent of current maximum containment BSL-4 (BioSafety Level 4) laboratories, while simultaneously maintaining cleanliness levels equaling those of state-of-the-art cleanrooms. Unique requirements for the processing of Mars samples have inspired a program to develop handling techniques that are much more precise and reliable than the approach (currently used for lunar samples) of employing gloved human hands in nitrogen-filled gloveboxes. Individual samples from Mars are expected to be much smaller than lunar samples, the total mass of samples returned by each mission being 0.5- 1 kg, compared with many tens of kg of lunar samples returned by each of the six Apollo missions. Smaller samples require much more of the processing to be done under microscopic observation. In addition, the requirements for cleanliness and high-level containment would be difficult to satisfy while using traditional gloveboxes. JSC has constructed a laboratory to test concepts and technologies important to future sample curation. The Advanced Curation Laboratory includes a new-generation glovebox equipped with a robotic arm to evaluate the usability of robotic and teleoperated systems to perform curatorial tasks. The laboratory also contains equipment for precision cleaning and the measurement of trace organic contamination.

Technology Development and Advanced Planning for Curation of Returned Mars Samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lindstrom, D. J.; Allen, C. C.

2002-05-01

NASA/Johnson Space Center (JSC) curates extraterrestrial samples, providing the international science community with lunar rock and soil returned by the Apollo astronauts, meteorites collected in Antarctica, cosmic dust collected in the stratosphere, and hardware exposed to the space environment. Curation comprises initial characterization of new samples, preparation and allocation of samples for research, and clean, secure long-term storage. The foundations of this effort are the specialized cleanrooms (class 10 to 10,000) for each of the four types of materials, the supporting facilities, and the people, many of whom have been doing detailed work in clean environments for decades. JSC is also preparing to curate the next generation of extraterrestrial samples. These include samples collected from the solar wind, a comet, and an asteroid. Early planning and R&D are underway to support post-mission sample handling and curation of samples returned from Mars. One of the strong scientific reasons for returning samples from Mars is to search for evidence of current or past life in the samples. Because of the remote possibility that the samples may contain life forms that are hazardous to the terrestrial biosphere, the National Research Council has recommended that all samples returned from Mars be kept under strict biological containment until tests show that they can safely be released to other laboratories. It is possible that Mars samples may contain only scarce or subtle traces of life or prebiotic chemistry that could readily be overwhelmed by terrestrial contamination. Thus, the facilities used to contain, process, and analyze samples from Mars must have a combination of high-level biocontainment and organic / inorganic chemical cleanliness that is unprecedented. JSC has been conducting feasibility studies and developing designs for a sample receiving facility that would offer biocontainment at least the equivalent of current maximum containment BSL-4 (BioSafety Level 4) laboratories, while simultaneously maintaining cleanliness levels equaling those of state-of-the-art cleanrooms. Unique requirements for the processing of Mars samples have inspired a program to develop handling techniques that are much more precise and reliable than the approach (currently used for lunar samples) of employing gloved human hands in nitrogen-filled gloveboxes. Individual samples from Mars are expected to be much smaller than lunar samples, the total mass of samples returned by each mission being 0.5- 1 kg, compared with many tens of kg of lunar samples returned by each of the six Apollo missions. Smaller samples require much more of the processing to be done under microscopic observation. In addition, the requirements for cleanliness and high-level containment would be difficult to satisfy while using traditional gloveboxes. JSC has constructed a laboratory to test concepts and technologies important to future sample curation. The Advanced Curation Laboratory includes a new-generation glovebox equipped with a robotic arm to evaluate the usability of robotic and teleoperated systems to perform curatorial tasks. The laboratory also contains equipment for precision cleaning and the measurement of trace organic contamination.

The star-forming history of the young cluster NGC 2264

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, M. T.; Strom, K. M.; Strom, S. E.

1983-01-01

UBVRI H-alpha photographic photometry was obtained for a sample of low-mass stars in the young open cluster NGC 2264 in order to investigate the star-forming history of this region. A theoretical H-R diagram was constructed for the sample of probable cluster members. Isochrones and evolutionary tracks were adopted from Cohen and Kuhi (1979). Evidence for a significant age spread in the cluster was found amounting to over ten million yr. In addition, the derived star formation rate as a function of stellar mass suggests that the principal star-forming mass range in NGC 2264 has proceeded sequentially in time from the lowest to the highest masses. The low-mass cluster stars were the first cluster members to form in significant numbers, although their present birth rate is much lower now than it was about ten million yr ago. The star-formation rate has risen to a peak at successively higher masses and then declined.

Data for distribution of various species of fecal coliforms in urban, rural and private drinking water sources in ten years period - A case study: Kermanshah, Iran.

PubMed

Davoodi, Reza; Pirsaheb, Meghdad; Karimyan, Kamaladdin; Gupta, Vinod Kumar; Takhtshahi, Ali Reza; Sharafi, Hooshmand; Moradi, Masoud

2018-06-01

This study was aimed to investigate the distribution of various species of fecal coliform in urban, rural and private drinking water sources of Kermanshah, in the west of Iran. For this study, data of ten years period (2006-2016) assessments of microbial quality regarding various species of Fecal coliforms was taken from health centers associated with urban, rural and private resources of Kermanshah city. A total number of 8643 samples were taken, 1851 samples from rural, 365 from urban and 4834 from private resources. The results showed that Fecal coliforms , Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) had the widest distribution in all urban, rural and private water resources (22.3%, 45.9% and 34%, respectively). Moreover, E. coli (47.5%) and Klebsiella (0.4%) had, respectively, the highest and lowest distribution in all months considered. Based on the results, E.coli exists mostly in water resources; it is therefore of particular importance in the monitoring of water resources.

Evaluation and use of a diffusion-controlled sampler for determining chemical and dissolved oxygen gradients at the sediment-water interface

USGS Publications Warehouse

Simon, N.S.; Kennedy, M.M.; Massoni, C.S.

1985-01-01

Field and laboratory evaluations were made of a simple, inexpensive diffusion-controlled sampler with ports on two sides at each interval which incorporates 0.2-??m polycarbonate membrane to filter samples in situ. Monovalent and divalent ions reached 90% of equilibrium between sampler contents and the external solution within 3 and 6 hours, respectively. Sediment interstitial water chemical gradients to depths of tens of centimeters were obtained within several days after placement. Gradients were consistent with those determined from interstitial water obtained by centrifugation of adjacent sediment. Ten milliliter sample volumes were collected at 1-cm intervals to determine chemical gradients and dissolved oxygen profiles at depth and at the interface between the sediment and water column. The flux of dissolved species, including oxygen, across the sediment-water interface can be assessed more accurately using this sampler than by using data collected from benthic cores. ?? 1985 Dr W. Junk Publishers.

Measurements of Organic Composition of Aerosol and Rainwater Samples Using Offline Aerosol Mass Spectrometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

OBrien, R. E.; Ridley, K. J.; Canagaratna, M. R.; Croteau, P.; Budisulistiorini, S. H.; Cui, T.; Green, H. S.; Surratt, J. D.; Jayne, J. T.; Kroll, J. H.

2016-12-01

A thorough understanding of the sources, evolution, and budgets of atmospheric organic aerosol requires widespread measurements of the amount and chemical composition of atmospheric organic carbon in the condensed phase (within particles and water droplets). Collecting such datasets requires substantial spatial and temporal (long term) coverage, which can be challenging when relying on online measurements by state-of-the-art research-grade instrumentation (such as those used in atmospheric chemistry field studies). Instead, samples are routinely collected using relatively low-cost techniques, such as aerosol filters, for offline analysis of their chemical composition. However, measurements made by online and offline instruments can be fundamentally different, leading to disparities between data from field studies and those from more routine monitoring. To better connect these two approaches, and take advantage of the benefits of each, we have developed a method to introduce collected samples into online aerosol instruments using nebulization. Because nebulizers typically require tens to hundreds of milliliters of solution, limiting this technique to large samples, we developed a new, ultrasonic micro-nebulizer that requires only small volumes (tens of microliters) of sample for chemical analysis. The nebulized (resuspended) sample is then sent into a high-resolution Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (AMS), a widely-used instrument that provides key information on the chemical composition of aerosol particulate matter (elemental ratios, carbon oxidation state, etc.), measurements that are not typically made for collected atmospheric samples. Here, we compare AMS data collected using standard on-line techniques with our offline analysis, demonstrating the utility of this new technique to aerosol filter samples. We then apply this approach to organic aerosol filter samples collected in remote regions, as well as rainwater samples from across the US. This data provides information on the sample composition and changes in key chemical characteristics across locations and seasons.

A temporal-spatial postprocessing model for probabilistic run-off forecast. With a case study from Ulla-Førre with five catchments and ten lead times

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Engeland, K.; Steinsland, I.

2012-04-01

This work is driven by the needs of next generation short term optimization methodology for hydro power production. Stochastic optimization are about to be introduced; i.e. optimizing when available resources (water) and utility (prices) are uncertain. In this paper we focus on the available resources, i.e. water, where uncertainty mainly comes from uncertainty in future runoff. When optimizing a water system all catchments and several lead times have to be considered simultaneously. Depending on the system of hydropower reservoirs, it might be a set of headwater catchments, a system of upstream /downstream reservoirs where water used from one catchment /dam arrives in a lower catchment maybe days later, or a combination of both. The aim of this paper is therefore to construct a simultaneous probabilistic forecast for several catchments and lead times, i.e. to provide a predictive distribution for the forecasts. Stochastic optimization methods need samples/ensembles of run-off forecasts as input. Hence, it should also be possible to sample from our probabilistic forecast. A post-processing approach is taken, and an error model based on Box- Cox transformation, power transform and a temporal-spatial copula model is used. It accounts for both between catchment and between lead time dependencies. In operational use it is strait forward to sample run-off ensembles from this models that inherits the catchment and lead time dependencies. The methodology is tested and demonstrated in the Ulla-Førre river system, and simultaneous probabilistic forecasts for five catchments and ten lead times are constructed. The methodology has enough flexibility to model operationally important features in this case study such as hetroscadasety, lead-time varying temporal dependency and lead-time varying inter-catchment dependency. Our model is evaluated using CRPS for marginal predictive distributions and energy score for joint predictive distribution. It is tested against deterministic run-off forecast, climatology forecast and a persistent forecast, and is found to be the better probabilistic forecast for lead time grater then two. From an operational point of view the results are interesting as the between catchment dependency gets stronger with longer lead-times.

Chemometrics-enhanced high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection strategy for simultaneous determination of eight co-eluted compounds in ten kinds of Chinese teas using second-order calibration method based on alternating trilinear decomposition algorithm.

PubMed

Yin, Xiao-Li; Wu, Hai-Long; Gu, Hui-Wen; Zhang, Xiao-Hua; Sun, Yan-Mei; Hu, Yong; Liu, Lu; Rong, Qi-Ming; Yu, Ru-Qin

2014-10-17

In this work, an attractive chemometrics-enhanced high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) strategy was proposed for simultaneous and fast determination of eight co-eluted compounds including gallic acid, caffeine and six catechins in ten kinds of Chinese teas by using second-order calibration method based on alternating trilinear decomposition (ATLD) algorithm. This new strategy proved to be a useful tool for handling the co-eluted peaks, uncalibrated interferences and baseline drifts existing in the process of chromatographic separation, which benefited from the "second-order advantages", making the determination of gallic acid, caffeine and six catechins in tea infusions within 8 min under a simple mobile phase condition. The average recoveries of the analytes on two selected tea samples ranged from 91.7 to 103.1% with standard deviations (SD) ranged from 1.9 to 11.9%. Figures of merit including sensitivity (SEN), selectivity (SEL), root-mean-square error of prediction (RMSEP) and limit of detection (LOD) have been calculated to validate the accuracy of the proposed method. To further confirm the reliability of the method, a multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) method based on LC-MS/MS was employed for comparison and the obtained results of both methods were consistent with each other. Furthermore, as a universal strategy, this new proposed analytical method was applied for the determination of gallic acid, caffeine and catechins in several other kinds of Chinese teas, including different levels and varieties. Finally, based on the quantitative results, principal component analysis (PCA) was used to conduct a cluster analysis for these Chinese teas. The green tea, Oolong tea and Pu-erh raw tea samples were classified successfully. All results demonstrated that the proposed method is accurate, sensitive, fast, universal and ideal for the rapid, routine analysis and discrimination of gallic acid, caffeine and catechins in Chinese tea samples. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Classification of jet fuels by fuzzy rule-building expert systems applied to three-way data by fast gas chromatography--fast scanning quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Sun, Xiaobo; Zimmermann, Carolyn M; Jackson, Glen P; Bunker, Christopher E; Harrington, Peter B

2011-01-30

A fast method that can be used to classify unknown jet fuel types or detect possible property changes in jet fuel physical properties is of paramount interest to national defense and the airline industries. While fast gas chromatography (GC) has been used with conventional mass spectrometry (MS) to study jet fuels, fast GC was combined with fast scanning MS and used to classify jet fuels into lot numbers or origin for the first time by using fuzzy rule-building expert system (FuRES) classifiers. In the process of building classifiers, the data were pretreated with and without wavelet transformation and evaluated with respect to performance. Principal component transformation was used to compress the two-way data images prior to classification. Jet fuel samples were successfully classified with 99.8 ± 0.5% accuracy for both with and without wavelet compression. Ten bootstrapped Latin partitions were used to validate the generalized prediction accuracy. Optimized partial least squares (o-PLS) regression results were used as positively biased references for comparing the FuRES prediction results. The prediction results for the jet fuel samples obtained with these two methods were compared statistically. The projected difference resolution (PDR) method was also used to evaluate the fast GC and fast MS data. Two batches of aliquots of ten new samples were prepared and run independently 4 days apart to evaluate the robustness of the method. The only change in classification parameters was the use of polynomial retention time alignment to correct for drift that occurred during the 4-day span of the two collections. FuRES achieved perfect classifications for four models of uncompressed three-way data. This fast GC/fast MS method furnishes characteristics of high speed, accuracy, and robustness. This mode of measurement may be useful as a monitoring tool to track changes in the chemical composition of fuels that may also lead to property changes. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Determination of human pharmaceuticals in pre- and post-sewage treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tahrim, Nurfaizah Abu; Abdullah, Md. Pauzi; Aziz, Yang Farina Abdul

2013-11-01

In this present work, an analytical method based on solid phase extraction (SPE) followed by liquid chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-TOF-MS) in positive electrospray ionisation mode was successfully applied to real samples for the determination of human pharmaceuticals in pre- and post-sewage treatment samples. The ten target compounds selected in this study include acetaminophen, theophylline, caffeine, metoprolol, sulfamethoxazole, carbamazepine, prednisolone, ketoprofen, norgestrel and simvastatin. Acetaminophen, theophylline and caffeine were present at all five raw sewage samples. In addition, this work provides the first report on the investigation and detection of theophylline in sewage treatment plant (STP) samples in Malaysia.

The effect of as long-term Mars simulation on a microbial permafrost soil community and macromolecules such as DNA, polypeptides and cell wall components.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finster, K.; Hansen, A.; Liengaard, L.; Kristoffersen, T.; Mikkelsen, K.; Merrison, J.; Lomstein, B.

Ten freeze-dried and homogenized samples of a 2300 years old Spitsbergen permafrost soil containing a complex microbial community were aseptically transferred to inert glass tubes and subjected to a 30 days Martian simulation experiment. During this period the samples received an UV dose equivalent to 80 Martian Sol. Data loggers in 4 out the ten samples monitored the temperature 0-2 mm below the surface of the sample. After removal from the simulation chamber, the samples were sliced in 1.5 to 6 mm thick horizons (H1, 0-1.5 mm; H2, 1.5-3 mm; H3, 3-6 mm; H4, 6-9 mm; H5, 9-15 mm; H6, 15-21 mm; H7, 21-27 mm and H8, 27-33 mm), resulting in 10 subsamples from each soil horizon. The subsamples from each horizon were pooled and used for the following investigations: 1. Determination of the bacterial number after staining with SYBR-gold, 2. Determination of the number of dead and living bacteria using the BacLight kit, 3. Determination of the total amount of extractable DNA, 4. Determination of the number of culturable aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, 5. Determination of the concentration of the total hydrolysable amino acids and D and L enantiomers, 6. Determination of the muramic acid contentration. The results of the experiments will be presented and discussed in our communication

Estimating virus occurrence using Bayesian modeling in multiple drinking water systems of the United States.

PubMed

Varughese, Eunice A; Brinkman, Nichole E; Anneken, Emily M; Cashdollar, Jennifer L; Fout, G Shay; Furlong, Edward T; Kolpin, Dana W; Glassmeyer, Susan T; Keely, Scott P

2018-04-01

Drinking water treatment plants rely on purification of contaminated source waters to provide communities with potable water. One group of possible contaminants are enteric viruses. Measurement of viral quantities in environmental water systems are often performed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or quantitative PCR (qPCR). However, true values may be underestimated due to challenges involved in a multi-step viral concentration process and due to PCR inhibition. In this study, water samples were concentrated from 25 drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs) across the US to study the occurrence of enteric viruses in source water and removal after treatment. The five different types of viruses studied were adenovirus, norovirus GI, norovirus GII, enterovirus, and polyomavirus. Quantitative PCR was performed on all samples to determine presence or absence of these viruses in each sample. Ten DWTPs showed presence of one or more viruses in source water, with four DWTPs having treated drinking water testing positive. Furthermore, PCR inhibition was assessed for each sample using an exogenous amplification control, which indicated that all of the DWTP samples, including source and treated water samples, had some level of inhibition, confirming that inhibition plays an important role in PCR-based assessments of environmental samples. PCR inhibition measurements, viral recovery, and other assessments were incorporated into a Bayesian model to more accurately determine viral load in both source and treated water. Results of the Bayesian model indicated that viruses are present in source water and treated water. By using a Bayesian framework that incorporates inhibition, as well as many other parameters that affect viral detection, this study offers an approach for more accurately estimating the occurrence of viral pathogens in environmental waters. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Simultaneous determination of gross alpha, gross beta and ²²⁶Ra in natural water by liquid scintillation counting.

PubMed

Fons, J; Zapata-García, D; Tent, J; Llauradó, M

2013-11-01

The determination of gross alpha, gross beta and (226)Ra activity in natural waters is useful in a wide range of environmental studies. Furthermore, gross alpha and gross beta parameters are included in international legislation on the quality of drinking water [Council Directive 98/83/EC]. In this work, a low-background liquid scintillation counter (Wallac, Quantulus 1220) was used to simultaneously determine gross alpha, gross beta and (226)Ra activity in natural water samples. Sample preparation involved evaporation to remove (222)Rn and its short-lived decay daughters. The evaporation process concentrated the sample ten-fold. Afterwards, a sample aliquot of 8 mL was mixed with 12 mL of Ultima Gold AB scintillation cocktail in low-diffusion vials. In this study, a theoretical mathematical model based on secular equilibrium conditions between (226)Ra and its short-lived decay daughters is presented. The proposed model makes it possible to determine (226)Ra activity from two measurements. These measurements also allow determining gross alpha and gross beta simultaneously. To validate the proposed model, spiked samples with different activity levels for each parameter were analysed. Additionally, to evaluate the model's applicability in natural water, eight natural water samples from different parts of Spain were analysed. The eight natural water samples were also characterised by alpha spectrometry for the naturally occurring isotopes of uranium ((234)U, (235)U and (238)U), radium ((224)Ra and (226)Ra), (210)Po and (232)Th. The results for gross alpha and (226)Ra activity were compared with alpha spectrometry characterization, and an acceptable concordance was obtained. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Meta-analysis of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation for relief of spinal pain.

PubMed

Resende, L; Merriwether, E; Rampazo, É P; Dailey, D; Embree, J; Deberg, J; Liebano, R E; Sluka, K A

2018-04-01

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis analysing the existing data on transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) or interferential current (IFC) for chronic low back pain (CLBP) and/or neck pain (CNP) taking into account intensity and timing of stimulation, examining pain, function and disability. Seven electronic databases were searched for TENS or IFC treatment in non-specific CLBP or CNP. Four reviewers independently selected randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of TENS or IFC intervention in adult individuals with non-specific CLBP or CNP. Primary outcomes were for self-reported pain intensity and back-specific disability. Two reviewers performed quality assessment, and two reviewers extracted data using a standardized form. Nine RCTs were selected (eight CLBP; one CNP), and seven studies with complete data sets were included for meta-analysis (655 participants). For CLBP, meta-analysis shows TENS/IFC intervention, independent of time of assessment, was significantly different from placebo/control (p < 0.02). TENS/IFC intervention was better than placebo/control, during therapy (p = 0.02), but not immediately after therapy (p = 0.08), or 1-3 months after therapy (p = 0.99). Analysis for adequate stimulation parameters was not significantly different, and there was no effect on disability. This systematic review provides inconclusive evidence of TENS benefits in low back pain patients because the quality of the studies was low, and adequate parameters and timing of assessment were not uniformly used or reported. Without additional high-quality clinical trials using sufficient sample sizes and adequate parameters and outcome assessments, the outcomes of this review are likely to remain unchanged. These data highlight the need for additional high-quality RCTs to examine the effects of TENS in CLBP. Trials should consider intensity of stimulation, timing of outcome assessment and assessment of pain, disability and function. © 2017 European Pain Federation - EFIC®.

Six to Ten Digits Multiplication Fun Learning Using Puppet Prototype

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Islamiah Rosli, D.'oria; Ali, Azita; Peng, Lim Soo; Sujardi, Imam; Usodo, Budi; Adie Perdana, Fengky

2017-01-01

Logic and technical subjects require students to understand basic knowledge in mathematic. For instance, addition, minus, division and multiplication operations need to be mastered by students due to mathematic complexity as the learning mathematic grows higher. Weak foundation in mathematic also contribute to high failure rate in mathematic subjects in schools. In fact, students in primary schools are struggling to learn mathematic because they need to memorize formulas, multiplication or division operations. To date, this study will develop a puppet prototyping for learning mathematic for six to ten digits multiplication. Ten participants involved in the process of developing the prototype in this study. Students involved in the study were those from the intermediate class students whilst teachers were selected based on their vast knowledge and experiences and have more than five years of experience in teaching mathematic. Close participatory analysis will be used in the prototyping process as to fulfil the requirements of the students and teachers whom will use the puppet in learning six to ten digit multiplication in mathematic. Findings showed that, the students had a great time and fun learning experience in learning multiplication and they able to understand the concept of multiplication using puppet. Colour and materials of the puppet also help to attract student attention during learning. Additionally, students able to visualized and able to calculate accurate multiplication value and the puppet help them to recall in multiplying and adding the digits accordingly.

Teacher Recertification: A Historical Analysis of the Illinois Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brodbeck, Nancy Negley

2009-01-01

License renewal and recertification have long been standard practice in service professions. Ten years ago, a new law called for policy revision and mandated that Illinois teachers acquire continuing professional development to maintain certification. This study provides a historical perspective of the Illinois teacher recertification process,…

Neural Substrates for Processing Task-Irrelevant Sad Images in Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Lihong; Huettel, Scott; De Bellis, Michael D.

2008-01-01

Neural systems related to cognitive and emotional processing were examined in adolescents using event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Ten healthy adolescents performed an emotional oddball task. Subjects detected infrequent circles (targets) within a continual stream of phase-scrambled images (standards). Sad and neutral…

Decennial Redistricting: Rich Mathematics in Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rubel, Laurie H.; Driskill, Michael; Lesser, Lawrence M.

2012-01-01

Every two years in the United States, districts in each state elect representatives to the U.S. House of Representatives. The district boundaries are not permanent; rather, they are redrawn every ten years in a process known as redistricting. Mathematics is useful in understanding this important and often contentious process. Redistricting is a…

Software quality and process improvement in scientific simulation codes

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

Ambrosiano, J.; Webster, R.

1997-11-01

This report contains viewgraphs on the quest to develope better simulation code quality through process modeling and improvement. This study is based on the experience of the authors and interviews with ten subjects chosen from simulation code development teams at LANL. This study is descriptive rather than scientific.

Urinary nickel as bioindicator of workers' Ni exposure in a galvanizing plant in Brazil.

PubMed

Oliveira, J P; de Siqueira, M E; da Silva, C S

2000-01-01

We measured urinary nickel (U-Ni) in ten workers (97 samples) from a galvanizing plant that uses nickel sulfate, and in ten control subjects (55 samples) to examine the association between occupational exposure to airborne Ni and Ni absorption. Samples from the exposed group were taken before and after the work shift on 5 successive workdays. At the same time airborne Ni (A-Ni) was measured using personal samplers. Ni levels in biological material and in the airborne were determined by a graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry validated method. In the control group the urine samples were collected twice a day, in the before and after the work shift, on 3 successive days. Ni exposure low to moderate was detected in all the examined places in the plant, the airborne levels varying between 2.8 and 116.7 micrograms/m3 and the urine levels, from samples taken postshift, between 4.5 and 43.2 micrograms/g creatinine (mean 14.7 micrograms/g creatinine). Significant differences in U-Ni creatinine were seen between the exposed and control groups (Student's t test, P < or = 0.01). A significant correlation between U-Ni and A-Ni (r = 0.96; P < or = 0.001) was detected. No statistical difference was observed in U-Ni collected from exposed workers in the 5 successive days, but significant difference was observed between pre- and postshift samples. Urinary nickel may be used as a reliable internal dose bioindicator in biological monitoring of workers exposed to Ni sulfate in galvanizing plants regardless of the day of the workweek on which the samples are collected.

Assessment of molecular markers demonstrates concordance between samples acquired via stereotactic biopsy and open craniotomy in both anaplastic astrocytomas and glioblastomas.

PubMed

Gessler, Florian; Baumgarten, Peter; Bernstock, Joshua D; Harter, Patrick; Lescher, Stephanie; Senft, Christian; Seifert, Volker; Marquardt, Gerhard; Weise, Lutz

2017-06-01

The classification, treatment and prognosis of high-grade gliomas has been shown to correlate with the expression of molecular markers (e.g. MGMT promotor methylation and IDH1 mutations). Acquisition of tumor samples may be obtained via stereotactic biopsy or open craniotomy. Between the years 2009 and 2013, 22 patients initially diagnosed with HGGs via stereotactic biopsy, that ultimately underwent open craniotomy for resection of their tumor were prospectively included in an institutional glioma database. MGMT promotor analysis was performed using methylation-specific (MS)-PCR and IDH1R132H mutation analysis was performed using immunohistochemistry. Three patients (13.7%) exhibited IDH1R132H mutations in samples obtained via stereotactic biopsy. Tissue derived from stereotaxic biopsy was demonstrated to have MGMT promotor methylation in ten patients (45.5%), while a non-methylated MGMT promotor was demonstrated in ten patients (45.5%); inconclusive results were obtained for the remaining two patients (9%) within our cohort. The initial histologic grading, IDH1R132H mutation and MGMT promotor methylation results were confirmed using samples obtained during open craniotomy in all but one patient; here inconclusive MGMT promotor analysis was obtained in contrast to that which was obtained via stereotactic biopsy. Tumor samples acquired via stereotactic biopsy provide accurate information with regard to clinically relevant molecular markers that have been shown to impact patient care decisions. The profile of markers analyzed in our cohort was nearly concordant between those samples obtained via stereotactic biopsy or open craniotomy thereby suggesting that clinical decisions may be based on the molecular profile of the tumor samples obtained via stereotactic biopsy.

Studies on allergenic algae of Delhi area: botanical aspects.

PubMed

Mittal, A; Agarwal, M K; Shivpuri, D N

1979-04-01

To study distribution of algae in and around Delhi aerobiological surveys were undertaken for two consecutive years (September, 1972, to August, 1974). The surveys were accomplished by (a) slide exposure method and (b) culture plate exposure method. A total of 850 slides were exposed using Durham's gravity sampling device. Of these, 560 slides were exposed during 1973 (272 slides at two meter and 288 at ten meter height) and the rest (290 slides) were exposed during 1974 at ten meter height. A total of 858 culture plates were exposed (276 for one hour and 282 for two hours) during 1973 and the rest (300 culture plates) were exposed during 1974 at ten meter height for two hours duration only. Air was found to be rich in algae flora during the months of September to November. The dominant forms of algae present were all blue greens. This might be due to the relative greater resistance of blue green algae to unfavorable conditions.

Extraction method based on emulsion breaking for the determination of Cu, Fe and Pb in Brazilian automotive gasoline samples by high-resolution continuum source flame atomic absorption spectrometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leite, Clarice C.; de Jesus, Alexandre; Kolling, Leandro; Ferrão, Marco F.; Samios, Dimitrios; Silva, Márcia M.

2018-04-01

This work reports a new method for extraction of Cu, Fe and Pb from Brazilian automotive gasoline and their determination by high-resolution continuous source flame atomic absorption spectrometry (HR-CS FAAS). The method was based on the formation of water-in-oil emulsion by mixing 2.0 mL of extraction solution constituted by 12% (w/v) Triton X-100 and 5% (v/v) HNO3 with 10 mL of sample. After heating at 90 °C for 10 min, two well-defined phases were formed. The bottom phase (approximately 3.5 mL), composed of acidified water and part of the ethanol originally present in the gasoline sample, containing the extracted analytes was analyzed. The surfactant and HNO3 concentrations and the heating temperature employed in the process were optimized by Doehlert design, using a Brazilian gasoline sample spiked with Cu, Fe and Pb (organometallic compounds). The efficiency of extraction was investigated and it ranged from 80 to 89%. The calibration was accomplished by using matrix matching method. For this, the standards were obtained performing the same extraction procedure used for the sample, using emulsions obtained with a gasoline sample free of analytes and the addition of inorganic standards. Limits of detection obtained were 3.0, 5.0 and 14.0 μg L-1 for Cu, Fe and Pb, respectively. These limits were estimated for the original sample taking into account the preconcentration factor obtained. The accuracy of the proposed method was assured by recovery tests spiking the samples with organometallic standards and the obtained values ranged from 98 to 105%. Ten gasoline samples were analyzed and Fe was found in four samples (0.04-0.35 mg L-1) while Cu (0.28 mg L-1) and Pb (0.60 mg L-1) was found in just one sample.

Arcobacter butzleri in sheep ricotta cheese at retail and related sources of contamination in an industrial dairy plant.

PubMed

Scarano, Christian; Giacometti, Federica; Manfreda, Gerardo; Lucchi, Alex; Pes, Emanuela; Spanu, Carlo; De Santis, Enrico Pietro Luigi; Serraino, Andrea

2014-11-01

This study aimed to evaluate Arcobacter species contamination of industrial sheep ricotta cheese purchased at retail and to establish if the dairy plant environment may represent a source of contamination. A total of 32 sheep ricotta cheeses (1.5 kg/pack) packed in a modified atmosphere were purchased at retail, and 30 samples were collected in two sampling sessions performed in the cheese factory from surfaces in contact with food and from surfaces not in contact with food. Seven out of 32 samples (21.9%) of ricotta cheese collected at retail tested positive for Arcobacter butzleri at cultural examination; all positive samples were collected during the same sampling and belonged to the same batch. Ten surface samples (33.3%) collected in the dairy plant were positive for A. butzleri. Cluster analysis identified 32 pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns. The same PFGE pattern was isolated from more than one ricotta cheese sample, indicating a common source of contamination, while more PFGE patterns could be isolated in single samples, indicating different sources of contamination. The results of the environmental sampling showed that A. butzleri may be commonly isolated from the dairy processing plant investigated and may survive over time, as confirmed by the isolation of the same PFGE pattern in different industrial plant surface samples. Floor contamination may represent a source of A. butzleri spread to different areas of the dairy plant, as demonstrated by isolation of the same PFGE pattern in different production areas. Isolation of the same PFGE pattern from surface samples in the dairy plant and from ricotta cheese purchased at retail showed that plant surfaces may represent a source of A. butzleri postprocessing contamination in cheeses produced in industrial dairy plants. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Batch Isolation of Microsatellites for Tropical Plant Species Pyrosequencing

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Microsatellites were developed for ten tropical species using a method recently developed in our laboratory that involves a combination of two adapters at the SSR-enrichment stage and allows for cost saving and simultaneous loading of samples. The species for which microsatellites were isolated are...

Assessing MoDOT's efforts to provide the right transportation solution.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-12-12

The basic research design for the project was to sample opinions on a variety of projects spread across the state. When available, a : small, medium, and large project from each of the ten MoDOT districts was selected by a regional manager for the pr...

Assessing MoDOT's efforts to provide the right transportation solution

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-03-01

The basic research design for the project was to sample opinions on a variety of projects spread across the state. When available, a : small, medium, and large project from each of the ten MoDOT districts was selected by a regional manager for the pr...

Occurrence of three leech species (Annelida: Hirudinida) on fishes in the Kentucky River

EPA Science Inventory

Leeches were collected from six fish species distributed among four of ten sites sampled. The leech species observed were Myzobdella reducta (Meyer, 1940) and Myzobdella lugubris Leidy, 1851 of the family Piscicolidae and Placobdella pediculata Hemingway, 1908 of the family Gloss...

Folate composition of ten types of mushrooms determined by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

White button, crimini, shiitake, maitake, enoki, oyster, chanterelle, morel, portabella, and uv-treated portabella mushrooms were sampled from U.S. retail outlets and major producers. Folate (5-methyltetrahydrofolate [5MTHF], 10-formyl folate [10FF], 5-formyltetrahydrofolate [5FTHF]) was analyzed u...

Assessing MoDOT's efforts to provide the right transportation solution.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-01-01

The basic research design for the project was to sample opinions on a variety of projects spread across the state. When available, a small, medium, and large project from each of the ten MoDOT districts was selected by a regional manager for the proj...

Assessing MoDOT's efforts to provide the right transportation solution

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-02-01

The basic research design for the project was to sample opinions on a variety of projects spread across the state. When available, a : small, medium, and large project from each of the ten MoDOT districts was selected by a regional manager for the pr...

[Determination of trace Cs, Th and U in ten kinds of human autopsy tissues by ICP-MS].

PubMed

Wang, Jing-yu; Zhu, Hong-da; Ouyang, Li; Liu, Ya-qiong; Wang, Xiao-yan; Huang, Zhuo; Wang, Nai-fen; Liu, Hu-sheng

2004-09-01

This paper studied the trace elements Cs, Th and U in ten kinds of human autopsy tissues by ICP-MS. The instrumental operating conditions were optimized for the measurement of Cs, Th and U. Rhodium (Rh) was used as an internal standard element to compensate matrix effect. Detection limits for Th, U and Cs were 5.7-17.8 pg x mL(-1). The recoveries for spiking liver samples were 96%-107%, and their RSDs were 4.8%-8.9%. Reference materials of NIST SRM 8414 Bovine and NIST SRM 1486 Bone Meal were analyzed by the described method, and the analytical results agreed well with the reference values. Human autopsy tissues samples were digested by mixed acid (HNO3 + HClO4). The determination of Cs, Th and U in lung, liver, bone, heart, stomach, spleen, muscle, kidney, thyroid gland and intestinum tenue was performed by ICP-MS without separation and enrichment procedures. The obtained results indicated that this method is rapid, sensitive and accurate; the distribution of the three elements is different from one to another human organ sample; the main organ targets for Th and U are lungs and kidneys; and a coordinated variation of Cs, Th and U concentration in lungs was found in the samples collected from Hebei and Sichuan provinces.

Variability within the 10-Year Pollen Rain of a Seasonal Neotropical Forest and Its Implications for Paleoenvironmental and Phenological Research

PubMed Central

Haselhorst, Derek S.; Moreno, J. Enrique; Punyasena, Surangi W.

2013-01-01

Tropical paleoecologists use a combination of mud-water interface and modern pollen rain samples (local samples of airborne pollen) to interpret compositional changes within fossil pollen records. Taxonomic similarities between the composition of modern assemblages and fossil samples are the basis of reconstructing paleoclimates and paleoenvironments. Surface sediment samples reflect a time-averaged accumulation of pollen spanning several years or more. Due to experimental constraints, modern pollen rain samples are generally collected over shorter timeframes (1–3 years) and are therefore less likely to capture the full range of natural variability in pollen rain composition and abundance. This potentially biases paleoenvironmental interpretations based on modern pollen rain transfer functions. To determine the degree to which short-term environmental change affects the composition of the aerial pollen flux of Neotropical forests, we sampled ten years of the seasonal pollen rain from Barro Colorado Island, Panama and compared it to climatic and environmental data over the same ten-year span. We establish that the pollen rain effectively captured the strong seasonality and stratification of pollen flow within the forest canopy and that individual taxa had variable sensitivity to seasonal and annual changes in environmental conditions, manifested as changes in pollen productivity. We conclude that modern pollen rain samples capture the reproductive response of moist tropical plants to short-term environmental change, but that consequently, pollen rain-based calibrations need to include longer sampling periods (≥7 years) to reflect the full range of natural variability in the pollen output of a forest and simulate the time-averaging present in sediment samples. Our results also demonstrate that over the long-term, pollen traps placed in the forest understory are representative samples of the pollen output of both canopy and understory vegetation. Aerial pollen traps, therefore, also represent an underutilized means of monitoring the pollen productivity and reproductive behavior of moist tropical forests. PMID:23320089

Variability within the 10-year pollen rain of a seasonal neotropical forest and its implications for paleoenvironmental and phenological research.

PubMed

Haselhorst, Derek S; Moreno, J Enrique; Punyasena, Surangi W

2013-01-01

Tropical paleoecologists use a combination of mud-water interface and modern pollen rain samples (local samples of airborne pollen) to interpret compositional changes within fossil pollen records. Taxonomic similarities between the composition of modern assemblages and fossil samples are the basis of reconstructing paleoclimates and paleoenvironments. Surface sediment samples reflect a time-averaged accumulation of pollen spanning several years or more. Due to experimental constraints, modern pollen rain samples are generally collected over shorter timeframes (1-3 years) and are therefore less likely to capture the full range of natural variability in pollen rain composition and abundance. This potentially biases paleoenvironmental interpretations based on modern pollen rain transfer functions. To determine the degree to which short-term environmental change affects the composition of the aerial pollen flux of Neotropical forests, we sampled ten years of the seasonal pollen rain from Barro Colorado Island, Panama and compared it to climatic and environmental data over the same ten-year span. We establish that the pollen rain effectively captured the strong seasonality and stratification of pollen flow within the forest canopy and that individual taxa had variable sensitivity to seasonal and annual changes in environmental conditions, manifested as changes in pollen productivity. We conclude that modern pollen rain samples capture the reproductive response of moist tropical plants to short-term environmental change, but that consequently, pollen rain-based calibrations need to include longer sampling periods (≥7 years) to reflect the full range of natural variability in the pollen output of a forest and simulate the time-averaging present in sediment samples. Our results also demonstrate that over the long-term, pollen traps placed in the forest understory are representative samples of the pollen output of both canopy and understory vegetation. Aerial pollen traps, therefore, also represent an underutilized means of monitoring the pollen productivity and reproductive behavior of moist tropical forests.

Survey of carbamate and organophosphorous pesticide export from a south Florida (U.S.A.) agricultural watershed: implications of sampling frequency on ecological risk estimation.

PubMed

Wilsont, P Chris; Foos, Jane Ferguson

2006-11-01

The objectives of the present study were to characterize the presence of selected carbamate and organophosphorous pesticides in Ten Mile Creek (Fort Pierce, FL, U.S.A.) and to evaluate the implications of sampling frequency on ecological risk estimates. Ten Mile Creek originates in a predominately agricultural watershed that is drained by an extensive network of cross-linked canals. Water samples were collected daily or every other day and were analyzed for azinphos-methyl, chlorpyrifos, diazinon, dimethoate, ethion, fenamiphos, malathion, methidathion, carbaryl, carbofuran, 3-hydroxycarbofuran, methiocarb, methomyl, oxamyl, and propoxur. A total of 457 samples were analyzed for the carbamate suite, and a total of 332 samples were analyzed for the organophosphorous suite. Carbaryl was detected in eight samples; half of these detections occurred on four consecutive days (October 26-29, 2001) at concentrations ranging from 0.33 to 0.95 microg/L. Methomyl was detected in samples collected on five consecutive days (March 30-April 3, 2002) at concentrations ranging from 1.0 to 2.2 microg/L. Oxamyl was detected in four samples, three of which occurred on three consecutive days (February 17-19, 2002) at concentrations ranging from 6.2 to 6.8 microg/L. The carbamates propoxur, 3-hydroxycarbofuran, carbofuran, and methiocarb were not detected. Diazinon and ethion were the only organophosphorous pesticides detected. Diazinon was detected at 0.9 and 0.7 microg/L on January 5, 2002, and on January 6, 2002, respectively. Ethion was detected in 18 consecutive samples (August 3-20, 2001). The mean, maximum, minimum, and median detected concentrations were 0.38, 0.61, 0.30, and 0.33 microg/L, respectively. Results indicate that frequent sampling is necessary to characterize the presence of these pesticides in this intensively drained watershed. This conclusion also may apply to similar canalized watersheds.

Bioinformatic tools for inferring functional information from plant microarray data: tools for the first steps.

PubMed

Page, Grier P; Coulibaly, Issa

2008-01-01

Microarrays are a very powerful tool for quantifying the amount of RNA in samples; however, their ability to query essentially every gene in a genome, which can number in the tens of thousands, presents analytical and interpretative problems. As a result, a variety of software and web-based tools have been developed to help with these issues. This article highlights and reviews some of the tools for the first steps in the analysis of a microarray study. We have tried for a balance between free and commercial systems. We have organized the tools by topics including image processing tools (Section 2), power analysis tools (Section 3), image analysis tools (Section 4), database tools (Section 5), databases of functional information (Section 6), annotation tools (Section 7), statistical and data mining tools (Section 8), and dissemination tools (Section 9).

“Cause That’s the Only Skills in School You Need”: A Qualitative Analysis of Revenge Goals in Poor Urban Youth

PubMed Central

Jäggi, Lena; Kliewer, Wendy

2018-01-01

Revenge goals are correlated with maladjustment, and retaliation is a factor driving youth violence. However, revenge might be an important social tool adolescents use to achieve (self-)justice in environments where institutionalized interventions from authorities such as teachers or police are limited. This qualitative secondary analysis of 50 revenge scenarios from a larger study (N = 358 youth-caregiver dyads) expands one-dimensional knowledge from closed-answer vignettes to the rich real-world experiences of youth (aged 10–16; 30 boys, 20 girls), from an urban community sample. Ten patterns of qualitative differences in cognition and emotion of revenge scenarios emerged and are discussed within the revised model of social information processing (SIP). Importance of reputation, confidence in non-violent solutions, and the influence of intense emotions were among the themes. Gender differences and implications for prevention are discussed. PMID:29503501

Close encounters with DNA

PubMed Central

Maffeo, C.; Yoo, J.; Comer, J.; Wells, D. B.; Luan, B.; Aksimentiev, A.

2014-01-01

Over the past ten years, the all-atom molecular dynamics method has grown in the scale of both systems and processes amenable to it and in its ability to make quantitative predictions about the behavior of experimental systems. The field of computational DNA research is no exception, witnessing a dramatic increase in the size of systems simulated with atomic resolution, the duration of individual simulations and the realism of the simulation outcomes. In this topical review, we describe the hallmark physical properties of DNA from the perspective of all-atom simulations. We demonstrate the amazing ability of such simulations to reveal the microscopic physical origins of experimentally observed phenomena and we review the frustrating limitations associated with imperfections of present atomic force fields and inadequate sampling. The review is focused on the following four physical properties of DNA: effective electric charge, response to an external mechanical force, interaction with other DNA molecules and behavior in an external electric field. PMID:25238560

Morphology and magnetic properties of CeCo5 submicron flakes prepared by surfactant-assisted high-energy ball milling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, J. J.; Gao, H. M.; Yan, Y.; Bai, X.; Su, F.; Wang, W. Q.; Du, X. B.

2012-10-01

CeCo5 permanent magnetic alloy has been processed by surfactant assisted high energy ball milling. Heptane and oleic acid were used as the solvent and surfactant, respectively. The amount of surfactant used was 50% by weight of the starting powder. The produced particles were deposited on a piece of copper (4 mm in length and width) under a magnetic field of 27 kOe applied along the copper surface and immobilized by ethyl α-cyanoacrylate. Scanning electron microscope pictures show that the particles are flakes, several μm in length and width and tens of nm in thickness. X-ray diffraction patterns and magnetic measurements prove that the flakes are crystalline with c-axes magnetic anisotropy. The easy magnetization axis is oriented perpendicular to the surface of the flake. A maximum coercivity of 3.3 kOe was obtained for the sample milled for 40 min.

Carbon nanotubes for voltage reduction and throughput enhancement of electrical cell lysis on a lab-on-a-chip.

PubMed

Shahini, Mehdi; Yeow, John T W

2011-08-12

We report on the enhancement of electrical cell lysis using carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Electrical cell lysis systems are widely utilized in microchips as they are well suited to integration into lab-on-a-chip devices. However, cell lysis based on electrical mechanisms has high voltage requirements. Here, we demonstrate that by incorporating CNTs into microfluidic electrolysis systems, the required voltage for lysis is reduced by half and the lysis throughput at low voltages is improved by ten times, compared to non-CNT microchips. In our experiment, E. coli cells are lysed while passing through an electric field in a microchannel. Based on the lightning rod effect, the electric field strengthened at the tip of the CNTs enhances cell lysis at lower voltage and higher throughput. This approach enables easy integration of cell lysis with other on-chip high-throughput sample-preparation processes.

Stacking the odds for Golgi cisternal maturation

PubMed Central

Mani, Somya; Thattai, Mukund

2016-01-01

What is the minimal set of cell-biological ingredients needed to generate a Golgi apparatus? The compositions of eukaryotic organelles arise through a process of molecular exchange via vesicle traffic. Here we statistically sample tens of thousands of homeostatic vesicle traffic networks generated by realistic molecular rules governing vesicle budding and fusion. Remarkably, the plurality of these networks contain chains of compartments that undergo creation, compositional maturation, and dissipation, coupled by molecular recycling along retrograde vesicles. This motif precisely matches the cisternal maturation model of the Golgi, which was developed to explain many observed aspects of the eukaryotic secretory pathway. In our analysis cisternal maturation is a robust consequence of vesicle traffic homeostasis, independent of the underlying details of molecular interactions or spatial stacking. This architecture may have been exapted rather than selected for its role in the secretion of large cargo. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.16231.001 PMID:27542195

Magic-angle spinning NMR of intact bacteriophages: Insights into the capsid, DNA and their interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abramov, Gili; Morag, Omry; Goldbourt, Amir

2015-04-01

Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria. They are complex macromolecular assemblies, which are composed of multiple protein subunits that protect genomic material and deliver it to specific hosts. Various biophysical techniques have been used to characterize their structure in order to unravel phage morphogenesis. Yet, most bacteriophages are non-crystalline and have very high molecular weights, in the order of tens of MegaDaltons. Therefore, complete atomic-resolution characterization on such systems that encompass both capsid and DNA is scarce. In this perspective article we demonstrate how magic-angle spinning solid-state NMR has and is used to characterize in detail bacteriophage viruses, including filamentous and icosahedral phage. We discuss the process of sample preparation, spectral assignment of both capsid and DNA and the use of chemical shifts and dipolar couplings to probe the capsid-DNA interface, describe capsid structure and dynamics and extract structural differences between viruses.

Dynamics of femtosecond laser-induced periodic surface structures on silicon by high spatial and temporal resolution imaging

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

Jia, X., E-mail: jiaxin@sdju.edu.cn; Department of Mathematics and Physics, Shanghai Dianji University, Shanghai 201306; Jia, T. Q., E-mail: tqjia@phy.ecnu.edu.cn

2014-04-14

The formation dynamics of periodic ripples induced by femtosecond laser pulses (pulse duration τ = 50 fs and central wavelength λ = 800 nm) are studied by a collinear pump-probe imaging technique with a temporal resolution of 1 ps and a spatial resolution of 440 nm. The ripples with periods close to the laser wavelength begin to appear upon irradiation of two pump pulses at surface defects produced by the prior one. The rudiments of periodic ripples emerge in the initial tens of picoseconds after fs laser irradiation, and the ripple positions keep unmoved until the formation processes complete mainly in a temporal span of 1500 ps. Themore » results suggest that the periodic deposition of laser energy during the interaction between femtosecond laser pulses and sample surface plays a dominant role in the formation of periodic ripples.« less

Mass spectrometric-based stable isotopic 2-aminobenzoic acid glycan mapping for rapid glycan screening of biotherapeutics.

PubMed

Prien, Justin M; Prater, Bradley D; Qin, Qiang; Cockrill, Steven L

2010-02-15

Fast, sensitive, robust methods for "high-level" glycan screening are necessary during various stages of a biotherapeutic product's lifecycle, including clone selection, process changes, and quality control for lot release testing. Traditional glycan screening involves chromatographic or electrophoretic separation-based methods, and, although reproducible, these methods can be time-consuming. Even ultrahigh-performance chromatographic and microfluidic integrated LC/MS systems, which work on the tens of minute time scale, become lengthy when hundreds of samples are to be analyzed. Comparatively, a direct infusion mass spectrometry (MS)-based glycan screening method acquires data on a millisecond time scale, exhibits exquisite sensitivity and reproducibility, and is amenable to automated peak annotation. In addition, characterization of glycan species via sequential mass spectrometry can be performed simultaneously. Here, we demonstrate a quantitative high-throughput MS-based mapping approach using stable isotope 2-aminobenzoic acid (2-AA) for rapid "high-level" glycan screening.

Close encounters with DNA.

PubMed

Maffeo, C; Yoo, J; Comer, J; Wells, D B; Luan, B; Aksimentiev, A

2014-10-15

Over the past ten years, the all-atom molecular dynamics method has grown in the scale of both systems and processes amenable to it and in its ability to make quantitative predictions about the behavior of experimental systems. The field of computational DNA research is no exception, witnessing a dramatic increase in the size of systems simulated with atomic resolution, the duration of individual simulations and the realism of the simulation outcomes. In this topical review, we describe the hallmark physical properties of DNA from the perspective of all-atom simulations. We demonstrate the amazing ability of such simulations to reveal the microscopic physical origins of experimentally observed phenomena. We also discuss the frustrating limitations associated with imperfections of present atomic force fields and inadequate sampling. The review is focused on the following four physical properties of DNA: effective electric charge, response to an external mechanical force, interaction with other DNA molecules and behavior in an external electric field.

Processing and Monthly Summaries of Downscaled Climate Data for Knoxville, Tennessee and Surrounding Region

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

Sylvester, Linda; Omitaomu, Olufemi A.; Parish, Esther S.

2016-09-01

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the City of Knoxville, Tennessee have partnered to work on a Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) project towards investigating climate change, mitigation, and adaptation measures in mid-sized cities. ORNL has statistically and dynamically downscaled ten Global Climate Models (GCMs) to both 1 km and 4 km resolutions. The processing and summary of those ten gridded datasets for use in a web-based tool is described. The summaries of each model are shown individually to assist in determining the similarities and differences between the model scenarios. The variables of minimum and maximum daily temperature andmore » total monthly precipitation are summarized for the area of Knoxville, Tennessee for the periods of 1980-2005 and 2025-2050.« less

[Emotional processing in patients with a dissocial personality disorder subtype "psychopathy" according to PCL-R].

PubMed

Weber, Tatjana; Sommer, Monika; Hajak, Göran; Müller, Jürgen

2004-11-01

Functional MRI was used to test the effects of the deficient emotional responsiveness of psychopathic patients on cognitive processes. We used a Simon-paradigm, in which ten healthy volunteers and ten patients with a diagnosis of "psychopathy" (defined by Hare Psychopathy Checklist Revised) have to select their spatially defined responses on the basis of a nonspatial stimuli feature. For the emotion induction pictures from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS) were selected. At the beginning and intermediated by the Simon-paradigm blocks of positive, negative or neutral pictures were presented. Patients with "psychopathy" exhibited untypical activation patterns in amygdala and prefrontal regions during interferences between negative or positive stimulations and cognitive tasks. These results demonstrated disturbed regulation of emotion-cognition-interaction in "psychopathy" according to PCL-R.

Mesoscopic Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy with a Remote Spin Sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Tianyu; Shi, Fazhan; Chen, Sanyou; Guo, Maosen; Chen, Yisheng; Zhang, Yixing; Yang, Yu; Gao, Xingyu; Kong, Xi; Wang, Pengfei; Tateishi, Kenichiro; Uesaka, Tomohiro; Wang, Ya; Zhang, Bo; Du, Jiangfeng

2018-06-01

Quantum sensing based on nitrogen-vacancy (N -V ) centers in diamond has been developed as a powerful tool for microscopic magnetic resonance. However, the reported sensor-to-sample distance is limited within tens of nanometers resulting from the cubic decrease of the signal of spin fluctuation with the increasing distance. Here we extend the sensing distance to tens of micrometers by detecting spin polarization rather than spin fluctuation. We detect the mesoscopic magnetic resonance spectra of polarized electrons of a pentacene-doped crystal, measure its two typical decay times, and observe the optically enhanced spin polarization. This work paves the way for the N -V -based mesoscopic magnetic resonance spectroscopy and imaging at ambient conditions.

Clinical time series prediction: towards a hierarchical dynamical system framework

PubMed Central

Liu, Zitao; Hauskrecht, Milos

2014-01-01

Objective Developing machine learning and data mining algorithms for building temporal models of clinical time series is important for understanding of the patient condition, the dynamics of a disease, effect of various patient management interventions and clinical decision making. In this work, we propose and develop a novel hierarchical framework for modeling clinical time series data of varied length and with irregularly sampled observations. Materials and methods Our hierarchical dynamical system framework for modeling clinical time series combines advantages of the two temporal modeling approaches: the linear dynamical system and the Gaussian process. We model the irregularly sampled clinical time series by using multiple Gaussian process sequences in the lower level of our hierarchical framework and capture the transitions between Gaussian processes by utilizing the linear dynamical system. The experiments are conducted on the complete blood count (CBC) panel data of 1000 post-surgical cardiac patients during their hospitalization. Our framework is evaluated and compared to multiple baseline approaches in terms of the mean absolute prediction error and the absolute percentage error. Results We tested our framework by first learning the time series model from data for the patient in the training set, and then applying the model in order to predict future time series values on the patients in the test set. We show that our model outperforms multiple existing models in terms of its predictive accuracy. Our method achieved a 3.13% average prediction accuracy improvement on ten CBC lab time series when it was compared against the best performing baseline. A 5.25% average accuracy improvement was observed when only short-term predictions were considered. Conclusion A new hierarchical dynamical system framework that lets us model irregularly sampled time series data is a promising new direction for modeling clinical time series and for improving their predictive performance. PMID:25534671

Evaluation of Bayesian Sequential Proportion Estimation Using Analyst Labels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lennington, R. K.; Abotteen, K. M. (Principal Investigator)

1980-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. A total of ten Large Area Crop Inventory Experiment Phase 3 blind sites and analyst-interpreter labels were used in a study to compare proportional estimates obtained by the Bayes sequential procedure with estimates obtained from simple random sampling and from Procedure 1. The analyst error rate using the Bayes technique was shown to be no greater than that for the simple random sampling. Also, the segment proportion estimates produced using this technique had smaller bias and mean squared errors than the estimates produced using either simple random sampling or Procedure 1.

Grid site availability evaluation and monitoring at CMS

DOE PAGES

Lyons, Gaston; Maciulaitis, Rokas; Bagliesi, Giuseppe; ...

2017-10-01

The Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) uses distributed grid computing to store, process, and analyse the vast quantity of scientific data recorded every year. The computing resources are grouped into sites and organized in a tiered structure. Each site provides computing and storage to the CMS computing grid. Over a hundred sites worldwide contribute with resources from hundred to well over ten thousand computing cores and storage from tens of TBytes to tens of PBytes. In such a large computing setup scheduled and unscheduled outages occur continually and are not allowed to significantly impactmore » data handling, processing, and analysis. Unscheduled capacity and performance reductions need to be detected promptly and corrected. CMS developed a sophisticated site evaluation and monitoring system for Run 1 of the LHC based on tools of the Worldwide LHC Computing Grid. For Run 2 of the LHC the site evaluation and monitoring system is being overhauled to enable faster detection/reaction to failures and a more dynamic handling of computing resources. Furthermore, enhancements to better distinguish site from central service issues and to make evaluations more transparent and informative to site support staff are planned.« less

Two-level bulk microfabrication of a mechanical broadband vibration amplitude-amplifier with ten coupled resonators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Müller, Michelle; Maiwald, Verena; Thiele, Lothar; Beutel, Jan; Roman, Cosmin; Hierold, Christofer

2018-04-01

A micromechanical broadband vibration amplitude-amplifier for low power detection of acoustic emission signals is presented. It is based on a coupled mass-spring system and was fabricated in a two-level bulk microfabrication process. The device consists of ten resonators coupled in series, which decrease in mass by a factor of three each, to achieve a high amplification over a broad bandwidth. The fabrication process for this multiscale device is based on front- and backside etching of a silicon-on-insulator wafer. It enables coupling MEMS resonators of two different thicknesses with a weight ratio from largest to smallest mass of 26’244 and reduces die size by resonator stacking. The first ten eigenmodes of the device are in-plane and unidirectional. Steady-state and transient response of the device in comparison to a 1D lumped element model is presented. An average amplitude amplification of 295 over a bandwidth of 10.7 kHz (4.4-15.1 kHz) is achieved and can be reached in less than 1 ms. Applications are low-power detection of short broadband vibration signals e.g. for structural health monitoring (cliffs, pipelines, bridges).

Grid site availability evaluation and monitoring at CMS

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

Lyons, Gaston; Maciulaitis, Rokas; Bagliesi, Giuseppe

The Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) uses distributed grid computing to store, process, and analyse the vast quantity of scientific data recorded every year. The computing resources are grouped into sites and organized in a tiered structure. Each site provides computing and storage to the CMS computing grid. Over a hundred sites worldwide contribute with resources from hundred to well over ten thousand computing cores and storage from tens of TBytes to tens of PBytes. In such a large computing setup scheduled and unscheduled outages occur continually and are not allowed to significantly impactmore » data handling, processing, and analysis. Unscheduled capacity and performance reductions need to be detected promptly and corrected. CMS developed a sophisticated site evaluation and monitoring system for Run 1 of the LHC based on tools of the Worldwide LHC Computing Grid. For Run 2 of the LHC the site evaluation and monitoring system is being overhauled to enable faster detection/reaction to failures and a more dynamic handling of computing resources. Furthermore, enhancements to better distinguish site from central service issues and to make evaluations more transparent and informative to site support staff are planned.« less

Grid site availability evaluation and monitoring at CMS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lyons, Gaston; Maciulaitis, Rokas; Bagliesi, Giuseppe; Lammel, Stephan; Sciabà, Andrea

2017-10-01

The Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) uses distributed grid computing to store, process, and analyse the vast quantity of scientific data recorded every year. The computing resources are grouped into sites and organized in a tiered structure. Each site provides computing and storage to the CMS computing grid. Over a hundred sites worldwide contribute with resources from hundred to well over ten thousand computing cores and storage from tens of TBytes to tens of PBytes. In such a large computing setup scheduled and unscheduled outages occur continually and are not allowed to significantly impact data handling, processing, and analysis. Unscheduled capacity and performance reductions need to be detected promptly and corrected. CMS developed a sophisticated site evaluation and monitoring system for Run 1 of the LHC based on tools of the Worldwide LHC Computing Grid. For Run 2 of the LHC the site evaluation and monitoring system is being overhauled to enable faster detection/reaction to failures and a more dynamic handling of computing resources. Enhancements to better distinguish site from central service issues and to make evaluations more transparent and informative to site support staff are planned.

Microgravity Testing of a Surface Sampling System for Sample Return from Small Solar System Bodies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Franzen, M. A.; Preble, J.; Schoenoff, M.; Halona, K.; Long, T. E.; Park, T.; Sears, D. W. G.

2004-01-01

The return of samples from solar system bodies is becoming an essential element of solar system exploration. The recent National Research Council Solar System Exploration Decadal Survey identified six sample return missions as high priority missions: South-Aitken Basin Sample Return, Comet Surface Sample Return, Comet Surface Sample Return-sample from selected surface sites, Asteroid Lander/Rover/Sample Return, Comet Nucleus Sample Return-cold samples from depth, and Mars Sample Return [1] and the NASA Roadmap also includes sample return missions [2] . Sample collection methods that have been flown on robotic spacecraft to date return subgram quantities, but many scientific issues (like bulk composition, particle size distributions, petrology, chronology) require tens to hundreds of grams of sample. Many complex sample collection devices have been proposed, however, small robotic missions require simplicity. We present here the results of experiments done with a simple but innovative collection system for sample return from small solar system bodies.

Endocrine Secretory Reserve and Proinsulin Processing in Recipients of Islet of Langerhans Versus Whole Pancreas Transplants

PubMed Central

Elkhafif, Nabeel M.; Borot, Sophie; Morel, Philippe; Demuylder-Mischler, Sandrine; Giovannoni, Laurianne; Toso, Christian; Bosco, Domenico; Berney, Thierry

2013-01-01

OBJECTIVE β-Cells have demonstrated altered proinsulin processing after islet transplantation. We compare β-cell metabolic responses and proinsulin processing in pancreas and islet transplant recipients with respect to healthy control subjects. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We studied 15 islet and 32 pancreas transplant recipients. Islet subjects were subdivided into insulin-requiring (IR-ISL, n = 6) and insulin-independent (II-ISL, n = 9) groups. Ten healthy subjects served as control subjects. Subjects were administered an intravenous arginine stimulation test, and insulin, C-peptide, total proinsulin, intact proinsulin, and proinsulin fragment levels were determined from serum samples. Acute insulin response (AIR) and proinsulin processing rates were calculated. RESULTS We found that basal insulin and C-peptide levels were higher in the pancreas group than in all other groups. II-ISL patients had basal insulin and C-peptide levels similar to healthy control subjects. The IR-ISL group had significantly lower AIRs than all other groups. Basal processing rates were higher in the pancreas and II-ISL groups than in healthy control subjects and the IR-ISL group. After arginine stimulation, all groups had elevated processing rates, with the exception of the IR-ISL group. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that II-ISL transplant recipients can maintain basal metabolic parameters similar to healthy control subjects at the cost of a higher rate of proinsulin processing. IR-ISL transplant recipients, on the other hand, demonstrate both lower insulin response and lower basal rates of proinsulin processing even after arginine stimulation. PMID:24041681

Tire traces - discrimination and classification of pyrolysis-GC/MS profiles.

PubMed

Gueissaz, Line; Massonnet, Geneviève

2013-07-10

Tire traces can be observed on several crime scenes as vehicles are often used by criminals. The tread abrasion on the road, while braking or skidding, leads to the production of small rubber particles which can be collected for comparison purposes. This research focused on the statistical comparison of Py-GC/MS profiles of tire traces and tire treads. The optimisation of the analytical method was carried out using experimental designs. The aim was to determine the best pyrolysis parameters regarding the repeatability of the results. Thus, the pyrolysis factor effect could also be calculated. The pyrolysis temperature was found to be five time more important than time. Finally, a pyrolysis at 650°C during 15s was selected. Ten tires of different manufacturers and models were used for this study. Several samples were collected on each tire, and several replicates were carried out to study the variability within each tire (intravariability). More than eighty compounds were integrated for each analysis and the variability study showed that more than 75% presented a relative standard deviation (RSD) below 5% for the ten tires, thus supporting a low intravariability. The variability between the ten tires (intervariability) presented higher values and the ten most variant compounds had a RSD value above 13%, supporting their high potential of discrimination between the tires tested. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was able to fully discriminate the ten tires with the help of the first three principal components. The ten tires were finally used to perform braking tests on a racetrack with a vehicle equipped with an anti-lock braking system. The resulting tire traces were adequately collected using sheets of white gelatine. As for tires, the intravariability for the traces was found to be lower than the intervariability. Clustering methods were carried out and the Ward's method based on the squared Euclidean distance was able to correctly group all of the tire traces replicates in the same cluster than the replicates of their corresponding tire. Blind tests on traces were performed and were correctly assigned to their tire source. These results support the hypothesis that the tested tires, of different manufacturers and models, can be discriminated by a statistical comparison of their chemical profiles. The traces were found to be not differentiable from their source but differentiable from all the other tires present in the subset. The results are promising and will be extended on a larger sample set. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation and Selection of Replacement Thermal Control Materials for the Hubble Space Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Townsend, Jacqueline A.; Hansen, Patricia A.; McClendon, Mark W.; Dever, Joyce A.; Triolo, Jack J.

1998-01-01

The mechanical and optical properties of the metallized Teflon(Registered Trademark) FEP thermal control materials on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) have degraded over the nearly seven years the telescope has been in orbit. Given the damage to the outer layer of the multi-layer insulation (MLI) that was apparent during the second servicing mission (SM2), the decision was made to replace the outer layer during subsequent servicing missions. A Failure Review Board was established to investigate the damage to the MLI and identify a replacement material. The replacement material had to meet the stringent thermal requirements of the spacecraft and maintain structural integrity for at least ten years. Ten candidate materials were selected and exposed to ten-year HST-equivalent doses of simulated orbital environments. Samples of the candidates were exposed sequentially to low and high energy electrons and protons, atomic oxygen, x-ray radiation, ultraviolet radiation and thermal cycling. Following the exposures, the mechanical integrity and optical properties of the candidates were investigated using Optical Microscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and a Laboratory Portable Spectroreflectometer (LPSR). Based on the results of these simulations and analyses, the FRB selected a replacement material and two alternates that showed the highest likelihood of providing the requisite thermal properties and surviving for ten years in orbit.q

The fishes of Buffalo National River, Arkansas, 2001-2003

USGS Publications Warehouse

Petersen, James C.; Justus, B.G.

2005-01-01

During June through September 2001 and 2002, extensive fish community sampling was conducted at 29 sites within the boundaries of Buffalo National River. Samples were collected using backpack, tote barge, and boat electrofishing equipment. Kick seining also was used at all sites. To supplement these results, samples were collected in 2003 from less typical habitats and during other seasons of the year. Ten supplemental samples were collected from the Buffalo River and five samples were collected from tributaries of the Buffalo River. During the 3 years of sampling, 66 species of fish were collected or observed from the 42 sampling sites. Stonerollers, duskystripe shiners, longear sunfish, and rainbow darters were among the more abundant fish species at most sites. Each of these species is common and abundant throughout much of the Ozark Plateaus in creeks and small rivers. Other species (for example, banded sculpin, southern redbelly dace, orangethroat darter, and Ozark minnow) were among the more abundant species at other sites. These species prefer small- to medium-sized, springfed streams or small creeks. A preliminary list of species expected to occur at Buffalo National River provided by the National Park Service incorrectly listed 47 species because of incorrect species range or habitat requirements. Upon revising this list, the inventory yielded 66 of the 78 species (85 percent). Twelve additional species not collected in 2001-2003 may occur at Buffalo National River for two primary reasons--because the species had been collected previously at the park, or because the park occurs within the known species range and habitats found at the park are suitable for the species. Although no fish species collected from Buffalo National River are federally-listed threatened or endangered species, several species collected at Buffalo National River may be of special interest to National Park Service managers and others. Ten species are endemic to the Ozark Plateaus area and most of these ten are restricted to the White River Basin. For some species the Buffalo River is a population stronghold. The yoke darter and Ozark bass are especially abundant in the Buffalo River. In Arkansas, the Ozark shiner is most abundant in the Buffalo River and, although populations of Ozark shiners are declining in Arkansas, this is not typically the case in the Buffalo River. Data from 2001-2003 indicate that gilt darters currently (2005) are less common in the Buffalo River than during the 1970's. Populations of channel catfish (and any other fish species whose movements are inhibited by the cold water temperatures of the White River) may continue to decline without remedial efforts.

Chemical Compositional Indications of Aqueous Alteration for Whitewater Lake Boxworks, Veneers and Veins at Cape York, Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clark, Benton; Gellert, R.; Squyres, S.; Arvidson, R.; Yen, A.; Rice, J.; Athena Science Team

2013-10-01

An area of partially-veneered, flat-lying rocks which also includes boxwork and linear veins contains a variety of compositions which are each indicative of minor to major aqueous alteration processes in the Cape York rim of Endeavour Crater. As analyzed by APXS x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, the sets of unique elemental compositions correspond variously to Al-Si rich clays in boxwork veins, with Fe- and Cl-enriched salt veneers (Esperance samples); swarms of Ca sulfate veins (Ortiz samples); and, as indicated by remote sensing, mafic smectite alteration products in veneers (Chelmsford covering Azilda samples). Multiple offset analyses by APXS reveal clear trends and associations of certain elements, allowing inferences of mineralogies. In contrast to the acidic environment deduced for the genesis of the multiple-sulfate Burns formation sediments and shallow ferric-rich sulfate deposits beneath soils, these alteration products formed at more near-neutral pH, often with major chemical segregations and requiring high water-rock ratios comparable to a wide range of eminently habitable terrestrial environments. Several of these compositions are also rated high with respect to their potential for preservation of organic materials and biomarkers. Within distances of just tens of meters inside this so-called Whitewater Lake unit, this broad diversity exemplifies the tantalizing opportunities as well as challenges for future sample return missions to the red planet, which in this case could also be expanded to include nearby samples of Burns Fm sandstones, hematite concretions, light-toned spherules (Kirkwood), large gypsum veins (Homestake), martian global soils and surface dust.

Sample Teacher/Student Critical Incident Form.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bucks County Public Schools, Doylestown, PA.

This form was devised to provide a set of procedures for collecting and utilizing direct observations of specific student behaviors which clearly illustrate the achievement of one of the ten goals of this program. Forms can be used by teachers, students, and parents. (See TM 001 375 for summary of project.) (MS)

METHOD DEVELOPMENT FOR THE DETERMINATION OF PERFLUORINATED ORGANIC COMPOUNDS ( PFCS ) IN SURFACE WATER

EPA Science Inventory

The method for the determination of perfluorinated organic compounds (PFCs) in surface water has been developed and applied to natural water. The method shows an adequate sensitivity, precision and accuracy for ten kinds of target compounds. These PFCs were found in most samples...

Job Satisfaction and Career Persistence of Beginning Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mau, Wei-Cheng J.; Ellsworth, Randy; Hawley, Donna

2008-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to examine career persistence and job satisfaction of beginning teachers. Design/methodology/approach: Four hundred and fifty-one tenth grade students from a nationally representative sample, who aspired to be teachers, were examined over a ten year period regarding their career choices. Students who…

Overseas Varietal Analysis: 2008 Crop Soft Red Winter Wheat

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The 2008 U.S. Wheat Associates Overseas Varietal Analysis evaluated ten soft red winter wheat varieties DK 9577, USG 3665, and USG 3350 from Arkansas, Jamestown, Tribute, and USG 3555 from Virginia, Branson, Magnolia, and Coker 9553 from North Carolina, and Bess from Missouri. Samples were evaluate...

Combining watershed attributes with culture- and PCR-based methods for improved characterization and management of fecal pollution

EPA Science Inventory

Culture- and PCR-based methods for characterization of fecal pollution were evaluated in relation to physiographic, biotic, and chemical indicators of stream condition. Stream water samples (n = 235) were collected monthly over a two year period from ten channels draining subwat...

The Composition of Episodic Memory.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Underwood, Benton J.; And Others

This study examined the interrelationships among a number of episodic memory tasks and among various attributes of memory. A sample of 200 college students was tested for ten sessions; 28 different measures of episodic memory were obtained. In addition, five measures of semantic memory were available. Results indicated that episodic and semantic…