Sample records for process window pw
-
Optimum ArFi laser bandwidth for 10nm node logic imaging performance
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Alagna, Paolo; Zurita, Omar; Timoshkov, Vadim; Wong, Patrick; Rechtsteiner, Gregory; Baselmans, Jan; Mailfert, Julien
2015-03-01
Lithography process window (PW) and CD uniformity (CDU) requirements are being challenged with scaling across all device types. Aggressive PW and yield specifications put tight requirements on scanner performance, especially on focus budgets resulting in complicated systems for focus control. In this study, an imec N10 Logic-type test vehicle was used to investigate the E95 bandwidth impact on six different Metal 1 Logic features. The imaging metrics that track the impact of light source E95 bandwidth on performance of hot spots are: process window (PW), line width roughness (LWR), and local critical dimension uniformity (LCDU). In the first section of this study, the impact of increasing E95 bandwidth was investigated to observe the lithographic process control response of the specified logic features. In the second section, a preliminary assessment of the impact of lower E95 bandwidth was performed. The impact of lower E95 bandwidth on local intensity variability was monitored through the CDU of line end features and the LWR power spectral density (PSD) of line/space patterns. The investigation found that the imec N10 test vehicle (with OPC optimized for standard E95 bandwidth of300fm) features exposed at 200fm showed pattern specific responses, suggesting areas of potential interest for further investigation.
-
Processing and memory for emotional and neutral material in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Cuddy, Marion; Papps, Benjamin J.; Thambisetty, Madhav; Leigh, P. Nigel; Goldstein, Laura H.
2018-01-01
Several studies have reported changes in emotional memory and processing in people with ALS (pwALS). In this study, we sought to analyse differences in emotional processing and memory between pwALS and healthy controls and to investigate the relationship between emotional memory and self-reported depression. Nineteen pwALS and 19 healthy controls were assessed on measures of emotional processing, emotional memory, verbal memory and depression. Although pwALS and controls did not differ significantly on measures of emotional memory, a subgroup of patients performed poorly on an emotional recognition task. With regard to emotional processing, pwALS gave significantly stronger ratings of emotional valence to positive words than to negative words. Higher ratings of emotional words were associated with better recall in controls but not pwALS. Self-reported depression and emotional processing or memory variables were not associated in either group. In conclusion, the results from this small study suggest that a subgroup of pwALS may show weakened ‘emotional enhancement’, although in the current sample this may reflect general memory impairment rather than specific changes in emotional memory. Nonetheless, different patterns of processing of emotionally-salient material by pwALS may have care and management-related implications. PMID:22873560
-
How Do Microphysical Processes Influence Large-Scale Precipitation Variability and Extremes?
Hagos, Samson; Ruby Leung, L.; Zhao, Chun; ...
2018-02-10
Convection permitting simulations using the Model for Prediction Across Scales-Atmosphere (MPAS-A) are used to examine how microphysical processes affect large-scale precipitation variability and extremes. An episode of the Madden-Julian Oscillation is simulated using MPAS-A with a refined region at 4-km grid spacing over the Indian Ocean. It is shown that cloud microphysical processes regulate the precipitable water (PW) statistics. Because of the non-linear relationship between precipitation and PW, PW exceeding a certain critical value (PWcr) contributes disproportionately to precipitation variability. However, the frequency of PW exceeding PWcr decreases rapidly with PW, so changes in microphysical processes that shift the columnmore » PW statistics relative to PWcr even slightly have large impacts on precipitation variability. Furthermore, precipitation variance and extreme precipitation frequency are approximately linearly related to the difference between the mean and critical PW values. Thus observed precipitation statistics could be used to directly constrain model microphysical parameters as this study demonstrates using radar observations from DYNAMO field campaign.« less
-
How Do Microphysical Processes Influence Large-Scale Precipitation Variability and Extremes?
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Hagos, Samson; Ruby Leung, L.; Zhao, Chun
Convection permitting simulations using the Model for Prediction Across Scales-Atmosphere (MPAS-A) are used to examine how microphysical processes affect large-scale precipitation variability and extremes. An episode of the Madden-Julian Oscillation is simulated using MPAS-A with a refined region at 4-km grid spacing over the Indian Ocean. It is shown that cloud microphysical processes regulate the precipitable water (PW) statistics. Because of the non-linear relationship between precipitation and PW, PW exceeding a certain critical value (PWcr) contributes disproportionately to precipitation variability. However, the frequency of PW exceeding PWcr decreases rapidly with PW, so changes in microphysical processes that shift the columnmore » PW statistics relative to PWcr even slightly have large impacts on precipitation variability. Furthermore, precipitation variance and extreme precipitation frequency are approximately linearly related to the difference between the mean and critical PW values. Thus observed precipitation statistics could be used to directly constrain model microphysical parameters as this study demonstrates using radar observations from DYNAMO field campaign.« less
-
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Sturtevant, John L.; Liubich, Vlad; Gupta, Rachit
2016-04-01
Edge placement error (EPE) was a term initially introduced to describe the difference between predicted pattern contour edge and the design target for a single design layer. Strictly speaking, this quantity is not directly measurable in the fab. What is of vital importance is the relative edge placement errors between different design layers, and in the era of multipatterning, the different constituent mask sublayers for a single design layer. The critical dimensions (CD) and overlay between two layers can be measured in the fab, and there has always been a strong emphasis on control of overlay between design layers. The progress in this realm has been remarkable, accelerated in part at least by the proliferation of multipatterning, which reduces the available overlay budget by introducing a coupling of overlay and CD errors for the target layer. Computational lithography makes possible the full-chip assessment of two-layer edge to edge distances and two-layer contact overlap area. We will investigate examples of via-metal model-based analysis of CD and overlay errors. We will investigate both single patterning and double patterning. For single patterning, we show the advantage of contour-to-contour simulation over contour to target simulation, and how the addition of aberrations in the optical models can provide a more realistic CD-overlay process window (PW) for edge placement errors. For double patterning, the interaction of 4-layer CD and overlay errors is very complex, but we illustrate that not only can full-chip verification identify potential two-layer hotspots, the optical proximity correction engine can act to mitigate such hotspots and enlarge the joint CD-overlay PW.
-
Photocopy of drawing located at National Archives, San Bruno, California ...
Photocopy of drawing located at National Archives, San Bruno, California (Navy #231-A-2). DEPT. PW US NAVY YARD MARE ISLAND, CAL "BUILDING 231 STABLE - DETAILS OF DOORS AND WINDOWS;" DECEMBER, 1918 - Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Transportation Building & Gas Station, Third Street, south side between Walnut Avenue & Cedar Avenue, Vallejo, Solano County, CA
-
A Regional-Scale Assessment of Satellite Derived Precipitable Water Vapor Across The Amazon Basin
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
DeLiberty, Tracy; Callahan, John; Guillory, Anthony R.; Jedlovec, Gary
2000-01-01
Atmospheric water vapor is widely recognized as a key climate variable, linking an assortment of poorly understood and complex processes. It is a major element of the hydrological cycle and provides a mechanism for energy exchange among many of the Earth system components. Reducing uncertainty in our current knowledge of water vapor and its role in the climate system requires accurate measurement, improved modeling techniques, and long-term prediction. Satellites have the potential to satisfy these criteria, as well as provide high resolution measurements that are not available from conventional sources. The focus of this paper is to examine the temporal and mesoscale variations of satellite derived precipitable water vapor (PW) across the Amazon Basin. This region is pivotal in the functioning of the global climate system through its abundant release of latent heat associated with heavy precipitation events. In addition, anthropogenic deforestation and biomass burning activities in recent decades are altering the conditions of the atmosphere, especially in the planetary boundary layer. A physical split-window (PSW) algorithm estimates PW using images from the GOES satellites along with the NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis data that provides the first guess information. Retrievals are made at a three-hourly time step during daylight hours in the Amazon Basin and surrounding areas for the months of June and October in 1988 (dry year) and 1995 (wet year). Spatially continuous fields are generated 5 times daily at 12Z, 15Z, 18Z, 21Z, and 00Z. These fields are then averaged to create monthly and 3 hourly monthly grids. Overall, the PSW estimates PW reasonable well in the Amazon with MAE ranging from 3.0 - 9.0 mm and MAE/observed mean around 20% in comparison to radiosonde observations. The distribution of PW generally mimics that of precipitation. Maximum values (42 - 52 mm) are located in the Northwest whereas minimum values (18 - 27 mm) are found along Brazil's East coast. Aside from the East coast, PW has a stronger north-south gradient than that of rainfall. As for the temporal variation of PW, June (1988 and 1995) experiences a peak about 1400 local time, corresponding to a maximum in air temperature. In contrast, October (1988 and 1995) experiences a maximum early in the day, 1100 local time, with a gradual decrease toward nighttime.
-
Dubal, Deepak P; Ballesteros, Belén; Mohite, Ashwini A; Gómez-Romero, Pedro
2017-02-22
Hybrid materials are very attractive for the fabrication of high-performance supercapacitors. Here, we have explored organic-inorganic hybrid materials based on open-end porous 1 D polypyrrole nanopipes (PPy-NPipes) and heteropolyoxometalates (phosphotungstate ([PW 12 O 40 ] 3- , PW 12 ) or phosphomolybdate ([PMo 12 O 40 ] 3- , PMo 12 )) that display excellent areal capacitances. Two different hybrid materials (PMo 12 @PPy and PW 12 @PPy) were effectively synthesized and used for symmetric supercapacitors. The anchoring of the inorganic nanoclusters onto the conducting polymer nanopipes led to electrodes that stood up to our best expectations exhibiting outstanding areal capacitances that are almost 1.5 to 2 fold higher than that of pristine PPy-NPipes. In addition, symmetric cells based on PMo 12 @PPy and PW 12 @PPy hybrid electrodes were fabricated and showed significant improvement in cell performance with very high volumetric capacitances in the range of 6.3-6.8 F cm -3 (considering the volume of whole device). Indeed, they provide extended potential windows in acidic electrolytes (up to 1.5 V) which led to ultrahigh energy densities of 1.5 and 2.2 mWh cm -3 for PMo 12 @PPy and PW 12 @PPy cells, respectively. Thus, these unique organic-inorganic hybrid symmetric cells displayed extraordinary electrochemical performances far exceeding those of more complex asymmetric systems. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
-
Tziraki, Chariklia; Berenbaum, Rakel; Gross, Daniel; Abikhzer, Judith; Ben-David, Boaz M
2017-07-31
The field of serious games for people with dementia (PwD) is mostly driven by game-design principals typically applied to games created by and for younger individuals. Little has been done developing serious games to help PwD maintain cognition and to support functionality. We aimed to create a theory-based serious game for PwD, with input from a multi-disciplinary team familiar with aging, dementia, and gaming theory, as well as direct input from end users (the iterative process). Targeting enhanced self-efficacy in daily activities, the goal was to generate a game that is acceptable, accessible and engaging for PwD. The theory-driven game development was based on the following learning theories: learning in context, errorless learning, building on capacities, and acknowledging biological changes-all with the aim to boost self-efficacy. The iterative participatory process was used for game screen development with input of 34 PwD and 14 healthy community dwelling older adults, aged over 65 years. Development of game screens was informed by the bio-psychological aging related disabilities (ie, motor, visual, and perception) as well as remaining neuropsychological capacities (ie, implicit memory) of PwD. At the conclusion of the iterative development process, a prototype game with 39 screens was used for a pilot study with 24 PwD and 14 healthy community dwelling older adults. The game was played twice weekly for 10 weeks. Quantitative analysis showed that the average speed of successful screen completion was significantly longer for PwD compared with healthy older adults. Both PwD and controls showed an equivalent linear increase in the speed for task completion with practice by the third session (P<.02). Most important, the rate of improved processing speed with practice was not statistically different between PwD and controls. This may imply that some form of learning occurred for PwD at a nonsignificantly different rate than for controls. Qualitative results indicate that PwD found the game engaging and fun. Healthy older adults found the game too easy. Increase in self-reported self-efficacy was documented with PwD only. Our study demonstrated that PwD's speed improved with practice at the same rate as healthy older adults. This implies that when tasks are designed to match PwD's abilities, learning ensues. In addition, this pilot study of a serious game, designed for PwD, was accessible, acceptable, and enjoyable for end users. Games designed based on learning theories and input of end users and a multi-disciplinary team familiar with dementia and aging may have the potential of maintaining capacity and improving functionality of PwD. A larger longer study is needed to confirm our findings and evaluate the use of these games in assessing cognitive status and functionality. ©Chariklia Tziraki, Rakel Berenbaum, Daniel Gross, Judith Abikhzer, Boaz M Ben-David. Originally published in JMIR Serious Games (http://games.jmir.org), 31.07.2017.
-
Gross, Daniel; Abikhzer, Judith
2017-01-01
Background The field of serious games for people with dementia (PwD) is mostly driven by game-design principals typically applied to games created by and for younger individuals. Little has been done developing serious games to help PwD maintain cognition and to support functionality. Objectives We aimed to create a theory-based serious game for PwD, with input from a multi-disciplinary team familiar with aging, dementia, and gaming theory, as well as direct input from end users (the iterative process). Targeting enhanced self-efficacy in daily activities, the goal was to generate a game that is acceptable, accessible and engaging for PwD. Methods The theory-driven game development was based on the following learning theories: learning in context, errorless learning, building on capacities, and acknowledging biological changes—all with the aim to boost self-efficacy. The iterative participatory process was used for game screen development with input of 34 PwD and 14 healthy community dwelling older adults, aged over 65 years. Development of game screens was informed by the bio-psychological aging related disabilities (ie, motor, visual, and perception) as well as remaining neuropsychological capacities (ie, implicit memory) of PwD. At the conclusion of the iterative development process, a prototype game with 39 screens was used for a pilot study with 24 PwD and 14 healthy community dwelling older adults. The game was played twice weekly for 10 weeks. Results Quantitative analysis showed that the average speed of successful screen completion was significantly longer for PwD compared with healthy older adults. Both PwD and controls showed an equivalent linear increase in the speed for task completion with practice by the third session (P<.02). Most important, the rate of improved processing speed with practice was not statistically different between PwD and controls. This may imply that some form of learning occurred for PwD at a nonsignificantly different rate than for controls. Qualitative results indicate that PwD found the game engaging and fun. Healthy older adults found the game too easy. Increase in self-reported self-efficacy was documented with PwD only. Conclusions Our study demonstrated that PwD’s speed improved with practice at the same rate as healthy older adults. This implies that when tasks are designed to match PwD’s abilities, learning ensues. In addition, this pilot study of a serious game, designed for PwD, was accessible, acceptable, and enjoyable for end users. Games designed based on learning theories and input of end users and a multi-disciplinary team familiar with dementia and aging may have the potential of maintaining capacity and improving functionality of PwD. A larger longer study is needed to confirm our findings and evaluate the use of these games in assessing cognitive status and functionality. PMID:28760730
-
Drier, Aurélie; Tourdias, Thomas; Attal, Yohan; Sibon, Igor; Mutlu, Gurkan; Lehéricy, Stéphane; Samson, Yves; Chiras, Jacques; Dormont, Didier; Orgogozo, Jean-Marc; Dousset, Vincent; Rosso, Charlotte
2012-11-01
To compare perfusion-weighted (PW) imaging and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps in prediction of infarct size and growth in patients with acute middle cerebral artery infarct. This study was approved by the local institutional review board. Written informed consent was obtained from all 80 patients. Subsequent infarct volume and growth on follow-up magnetic resonance (MR) images obtained within 6 days were compared with the predictions based on PW images by using a time-to-peak threshold greater than 4 seconds and ADC maps obtained less than 12 hours after middle cerebral artery infarct. ADC- and PW imaging-predicted infarct growth areas and infarct volumes were correlated with subsequent infarct growth and follow-up diffusion-weighted (DW) imaging volumes. The impact of MR imaging time delay on the correlation coefficient between the predicted and subsequent infarct volumes and individual predictions of infarct growth by using receiver operating characteristic curves were assessed. The infarct volume measurements were highly reproducible (concordance correlation coefficient [CCC] of 0.965 and 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.949, 0.976 for acute DW imaging; CCC of 0.995 and 95% CI: 0.993, 0.997 for subacute DW imaging). The subsequent infarct volume correlated (P<.0001) with ADC- (ρ=0.853) and PW imaging- (ρ=0.669) predicted volumes. The correlation was higher for ADC-predicted volume than for PW imaging-predicted volume (P<.005), but not when the analysis was restricted to patients without recanalization (P=.07). The infarct growth correlated (P<.0001) with PW imaging-DW imaging mismatch (ρ=0.470) and ADC-DW imaging mismatch (ρ=0.438), without significant differences between both methods (P=.71). The correlations were similar among time delays with ADC-predicted volumes but decreased with PW imaging-based volumes beyond the therapeutic window. Accuracies of ADC- and PW imaging-based predictions of infarct growth in an individual prediction were similar (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC] of 0.698 and 95% CI: 0.585, 0.796 vs AUC of 0.749 and 95% CI: 0.640, 0.839; P=.48). The ADC-based method was as accurate as the PW imaging-based method for evaluating infarct growth and size in the subacute phase. © RSNA, 2012
-
Santesteban-Echarri, Olga; Ramos-Olazagasti, María A; Eisenberg, Ruth E; Wei, Chiaying; Bird, Héctor R; Canino, Glorisa; Duarte, Cristiane S
2017-04-01
Parental warmth (PW) has a strong influence on child development and may precede the onset of psychiatric disorders in children. PW is interconnected with other family processes (e.g., coercive discipline) that may also influence the development of psychiatric disorders in children. We prospectively examined the association between PW and child psychiatric disorders (anxiety, major depression disorder, ADHD, disruptive behavior disorders) over the course of three years among Puerto Rican youth, above and beyond the influence of other family factors. Boricua Youth Study participants, Puerto Rican children 5 to 13 years of age at Wave 1 living in the South Bronx (New York) (SB) and San Juan and Canguas (PR) (n = 2,491), were followed for three consecutive years. Youth psychiatric disorders were measured by the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children-IV (DISC-IV). Generalized Linear Mixed models tested the association between PW (Wave 1) and psychiatric disorders in the next two years adjusting for demographic characteristics and family processes. Higher levels of PW were related to lower odds of child anxiety and major depressive disorder over time (OR = 0.69[0.60; 0.79]; 0.49[0.41; 0.58], respectively). The strength of the association between PW and ADHD and disruptive behavior disorder declined over time, although it was still significant in the last assessment (OR = 0.44[0.37; 0.52]; 0.46[0.39; 0.54], respectively). PW had a unique influence on psychiatric disorders beyond the influence of other parenting and family processes. Stronger associations were observed among girls for depression and ADHD. Incorporating PW behaviors such as acceptance, support, and comforting into interventions focused on parenting skills may help prevent child psychiatric disorders. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
-
State of the art of produced water treatment.
Jiménez, S; Micó, M M; Arnaldos, M; Medina, F; Contreras, S
2018-02-01
Produced water (PW) is the wastewater generated when water from underground reservoirs is brought to the surface during oil or gas extraction. PW is generated in large amounts and has a complex composition, containing various toxic organic and inorganic compounds. PW is currently treated in conventional trains that include phase separators, decanters, cyclones and coarse filters in order to comply with existing regulation for discharge. These treatment trains do not achieve more restrictive limitations related to the reuse of the effluent (reinjection into extraction wells) or other beneficial uses (e.g., irrigation). Therefore, and to prevent environmental pollution, further polishing processes need to be carried out. Characterization of the PW to determine major constituents is the first step to select the optimum treatment for PW, coupled with environmental factors, economic considerations, and local regulatory framework. This review tries to provide an overview of different treatments that are being applied to polish this type of effluents. These technologies include membranes, physical, biological, thermal or chemical treatments, where special emphasis has been made on advanced oxidation processes due to the advantages offered by these processes. Commercial treatments, based on the combination, modification and improvement of simpler treatments, were also discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
-
Riesner, Christine
2014-08-01
Need driven dementia care at home requires the use of needs assessments like CarenapD. The CarenapD Manual states that the person with dementia (PwD) and caregivers (CA) should be included in the assessment process. In a pre-post study CarenapD has been applied in PwD (n = 55) and CA (n = 49) by professional staff (n = 15), CA were much more involved than PwD. Needs in PwD in T0 and T1 showed frequently functional needs(50 %), no need were frequently found in dementia-specific needs (42 %) and frequently unmet need was present in social needs (35 %). Burden-related needs in CA were reduced from T0 to T1 in daily difficulties (-14 %), support (-20 %) and breaks from caring (-9 %).This secondary analysis compares the need results of PwD and CA to discuss the unequal involvement of clients. In this secondary analysis needs data of PwD and CA is included. Need in PwD at T0 and T1 showed frequently met functional need (50 %), frequently no need in dementia specific needs (42 %) and high unmet need in social needs (35 %). Burden in CA could be reduced from T0 to T1 in Daily Difficulties (-14 %), Support (-20 %) and Breaks from Caring (9 %). Compared to the literature it is remarkable that a high rate in no need was found in dementia specific needs. Needs of CA show congruent results, it seems to have come to relief of burden in CA. Lack of knowledge and shame in CA as well as the continuous presence of both clients within the assessment process may have caused that dementia-specific needs were not enough addressed. PwD and CA should be actively involved in the assessment process and should contribute their individual point of view, as stated in the CarenapD Manual.
-
Dubal, Deepak P; Chodankar, Nilesh R; Vinu, Ajayan; Kim, Do-Heyoung; Gomez-Romero, Pedro
2017-07-10
Nanofabrication using a "bottom-up" approach of hybrid electrode materials into a well-defined architecture is essential for next-generation miniaturized energy storage devices. This paper describes the design and fabrication of reduced graphene oxide (rGO)/polyoxometalate (POM)-based hybrid electrode materials and their successful exploitation for asymmetric supercapacitors. First, redox active nanoclusters of POMs [phosphomolybdic acid (PMo 12 ) and phosphotungstic acid (PW 12 )] were uniformly decorated on the surface of rGO nanosheets to take full advantage of both charge-storing mechanisms (faradaic from POMs and electric double layer from rGO). The as-synthesized rGO-PMo 12 and rGO-PW 12 hybrid electrodes exhibited impressive electrochemical performances with specific capacitances of 299 (269 mF cm -2 ) and 370 F g -1 (369 mF cm -2 ) in 1 m H 2 SO 4 as electrolyte at 5 mA cm -2 . An asymmetric supercapacitor was then fabricated using rGO-PMo 12 as the positive and rGO-PW 12 as the negative electrode. This rGO-PMo 12 ∥rGO-PW 12 asymmetric cell could be successfully cycled in a wide voltage window up to 1.6 V and hence exhibited an excellent energy density of 39 Wh kg -1 (1.3 mWh cm -3 ) at a power density of 658 W kg -1 (23 mW cm -3 ). © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
-
Data Link Test and Analysis System/ATCRBS Transponder Test System
1990-05-01
cc pcinit() pcinit.cc plotdato( plotdat. cc plotmsgo( sumscrn *cc plotqueo( sumscrn. cc pmsg () pmsg.cc pr_head() prhead.cc Virt init() print.cc pw...The code data from the Decode Status word from hardware. 2 a data-> wind nm - The reply window that this data came from. mvarms) NAME mparms - Modify...character is entered. m5sg() NAME pmsg - Print error message. Source file - pmsg.cc. FUNCTION CALL pmsg (ecode, str) int ecode; /* Error code */ char
-
Participatory design in Parkinson's research with focus on the symptomatic domains to be measured.
Serrano, J Artur; Larsen, Frank; Isaacs, Tom; Matthews, Helen; Duffen, Joy; Riggare, Sara; Capitanio, Fulvio; Ferreira, Joaquim J; Domingos, Josefa; Maetzler, Walter; Graessner, Holm
2015-01-01
There is a growing interest in the objective assessment of health related outcomes using technology providing quality measurements to be applied not only in daily clinical practice, but also in scientific research. Differences in the understandings of the condition and the terminology used between people with Parkinson's (PwPs), clinicians and technical developers may influence the progress of a participatory design process. This paper reports on a participatory design process to achieve a consensus among PwPs, clinicians and technologists over the selection of a set of symptomatic domains to be continuously assessed, in order to provide results relevant to both PwPs and clinicians. The methods used were a Web based user survey, end-user focus groups, ranking by combined methods, a Delphi process performed among clinicians and scientists, and prioritization of the results in a concertation workshop for PwPs, clinicians and technologists. The following symptomatic domains were commonly agreed by PwPs and clinicians to be of central importance in a system of continuous assessment: hypokinesia/bradykinesia, tremor, sway, gait, sleep and cognition. This list satisfied both the needs of the PwPs and the concerns of the clinicians regarding the means of advancing new strategies in assessment and interventions in PD. A participatory design strategy allowed the definition of a consensual list of symptomatic domains. Both the strategy and the achieved results may be of relevance for similar interdisciplinary approaches in the field of PD using a participatory design involving patients, clinicians and technologists.
-
Anaerobic co-digestion of dairy manure and potato waste
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Yadanaparthi, Sai Krishna Reddy
Dairy and potato are two important agricultural commodities in Idaho. Both the dairy and potato processing industries produce a huge amount of waste which could cause environmental pollution. To minimize the impact of potential pollution associated with dairy manure (DM) and potato waste (PW), anaerobic co-digestion has been considered as one of the best treatment process. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the anaerobic co-digestion of dairy manure and potato waste in terms of process stability, biogas generation, construction and operating costs, and potential revenue. For this purpose, I conducted 1) a literature review, 2) a lab study on anaerobic co-digestion of dairy manure and potato waste at three different temperature ranges (ambient (20-25°C), mesophilic (35-37°C) and thermophilic (55-57°C) with five mixing ratios (DM:PW-100:0, 90:10, 80:20, 60:40, 40:60), and 3) a financial analysis for anaerobic digesters based on assumed different capital costs and the results from the lab co-digestion study. The literature review indicates that several types of organic waste were co-digested with DM. Dairy manure is a suitable base matter for the co-digestion process in terms of digestion process stability and methane (CH4) production (Chapter 2). The lab tests showed that co-digestion of DM with PW was better than digestion of DM alone in terms of biogas and CH4 productions (Chapter 3). The financial analysis reveals DM and PW can be used as substrate for full size anaerobic digesters to generate positive cash flow within a ten year time period. Based on this research, the following conclusions and recommendations were made: ▸ The ratio of DM:PW-80:20 is recommended at thermophilic temperatures and the ratio of DM:PW-90:10 was recommended at mesophilic temperatures for optimum biogas and CH4 productions. ▸ In cases of anaerobic digesters operated with electricity generation equipment (generators), low cost plug flow digesters (capital cost of 600/cow) operating at thermophilic temperatures are recommended. • The ratio of DM:PW-90:10 or 80:20 is recommended while operating low cost plug flow digesters at thermophilic temperatures. ▸ In cases of anaerobic digesters operated without electricity generation equipment (generators), completely mixed or high or low cost plug flow digesters can be used. • The ratio of DM:PW-80:20 is recommended for completely mixed digesters operated at thermophilic temperatures; • The ratio of DM:PW-90:10 or 80:20 is recommended for high cost plug flow digesters (capital cost of 1,000/cow) operated at thermophilic temperatures; • All of the four co-digested mixing ratios (i.e. DM:PW-90:10 or 80:20 or 60:40 or 40:60) are good for low cost plug flow digesters (capital cost of $600/cow) operated at thermophilic temperatures. The ratio of DM:PW-90:10 is recommended for positive cash flow within the ten year period if the low cost plug flow digesters are operated at mesophilic temperatures.
-
75 FR 14375 - Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney (PW) PW4000 Series Turbofan Engines
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2010-03-25
...) PW4000 Series Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. ACTION: Notice of..., PW4156, PW4156A, PW4158, PW4164, PW4168, PW4168A, PW4460, and PW4462 turbofan engines. This proposed AD..., PW4156, PW4156A, PW4158, PW4164, PW4168, PW4168A, PW4460, and PW4462 turbofan engines. These engines are...
-
Martyr, Anthony; Clare, Linda; Nelis, Sharon M; Roberts, Judith L; Robinson, Julia U; Roth, Ilona; Markova, Ivana S; Woods, Robert T; Whitaker, Christopher J; Morris, Robin G
2011-01-01
To determine whether people with dementia (PwD), and carers of PwD, show a processing bias to dementia-related words in an emotional Stroop task, and if so, whether the presence of such a bias is related to level of explicit awareness of the condition. Seventy-nine people with early stage Alzheimer's disease (AD), vascular or mixed dementia, and their carers, completed an emotional Stroop task. Time taken to colour-name dementia-related and neutral words was compared within and between groups. Additionally, as a comparison, ratings of the awareness of the condition shown by PwD were made on the basis of a detailed interview with each PwD and his/her carer. PwD and carers showed the same level of increase in response times to salient compared to neutral words. In the PwD this effect was unrelated to the degree of awareness that they demonstrated regarding the condition. The emotional Stroop effect in response to dementia-related words in PwD indicates that preserved implicit awareness of the condition can be elicited even where there is reduced explicit awareness. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
-
77 FR 40822 - Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Division Turbofan Engines
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2012-07-11
... Division Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. ACTION: Notice of proposed..., PW4160, PW4460, PW4462, and PW4650 turbofan engines, including models with any dash number suffix. This..., PW4060C, PW4062, PW4062A, PW4152, PW4156, PW4156A, PW4158, PW4160, PW4460, PW4462, and PW4650 turbofan...
-
Geraudie, P; Nahrgang, J; Forget-Leray, J; Minier, C; Camus, L
2014-01-01
Offshore oil and gas drilling processes generate operational discharges such as produced water (PW), a complex mixture of seawater with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and alkylphenols (AP). Some of these compounds may interact with the endocrine system of marine organisms and alter reproductive functions. In this study, polar cod were exposed for up to 28 d to a mixture of PAH, alkylated PAH, and AP simulating the composition of North Sea PW, at low and high concentrations (1:2000 and 1:1000 dilution of the original concentrate, respectively). Potential adverse effects of PW on polar cod physiology were investigated through biomarkers of biotransformation (hepatic ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase [EROD] activity and bile PAH metabolites), endocrine disruption (plasma vitellogenin [VTG] levels and sex steroid concentrations), and gonad histology. Plasma sexual steroid levels in fish were not markedly affected by PW exposure, while higher plasma VTG concentrations were measured in females exposed to the high PW treatment for 7 and 28 d. In males exposed to the higher PW concentration, inhibition of spermatogenesis was observed after 28 d in addition to increase of melano-macrophage occurrence in testis. Females exposed to the high PW treatment for 21 d showed a significant increase of atresia incidence. Finally, a significant decrease in oocyte number was observed in high PW exposed female ovaries after 28 d of exposure.
-
Men's and women's perspectives on using a powered mobility device: benefits and societal challenges.
Pettersson, Cecilia; Iwarsson, Susanne; Brandt, Ase; Norin, Lizette; Månsson Lexell, Eva
2014-11-01
To describe how men and women experience their use of powered wheelchairs (PW) and powered scooters (PS) in everyday occupations, in the home and in society at large. A qualitative research approach with focus-group methodology was used. Four focus groups were created, with men and women as well as PW and PS users in different groups. Applying a descriptive approach, data were analysed according to the principles described by Krueger. Three categories emerged and revealed that even though use of PW and PS increased independence and enabled everyday occupations, participants struggled to be independent powered mobility device (PMD) users. They experienced many accessibility problems in dwellings and in society, described similarly by users of PW and PS. Men and women experienced their use of (PMD) differently, especially in relation to the service delivery process. The study contributes with new knowledge on accessibility for PW and PS users and related service delivery processes, stating that gender differences regarding provision and training must be taken into account. Occupational therapists can contribute to an enhanced understanding of PMD users' challenges in person-environment-occupation transactions in the home and society, and thereby promote occupational justice for PMD users.
-
76 FR 68660 - Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Division (PW) PW4000 Series Turbofan Engines
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2011-11-07
... Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Division (PW) PW4000 Series Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation... airworthiness directive (AD) for PW4000 series turbofan engines. This proposed AD would require replacing the..., PW4152, PW4156, PW4156A, PW4158, PW4160, PW4460, PW4462, and PW4650 turbofan engines, including models...
-
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Sullivan Graham, Enid Joan; Dean, Cynthia Ann; Yoshida, Thomas M.
Scale-up of microalgal biotechnology to provide large quantities of biofuel, lipids, and coproducts is not fully developed because of the large needs for nutrients, water, land, solar insolation, and CO 2/carbon supplies. Wastewaters, including oil and gas produced water (PW), may supply a portion of these needs in regions with insufficient fresh water resources. PW is a challenging water resource for this use because of variable salinity, geochemical complexity, and the presence of biologically toxic components. In this paper we review PW volumes, quality, and use in media for microalgae production in the southwestern US, Australia, and Oman. We alsomore » include data from the southwestern US, referencing previously unpublished results from the National Alliance for Biofuels and Bioproducts (NAABB) consortium research project. We include a Supplementary Information section that explores cultivation of multiple microalgae species in PW and examines the carbon utilization process, all work performed in support of the NAABB field program. Strains of algae tested in the reviewed papers include Nannochloropsis, Dunalliella, Scenedesmus, and several mixed or unknown cultures. We conclude that the use of PW in algae cultivation is feasible, if the additional complexity of the water resource is accounted for in developing media formulations and in understanding metals uptake by the algae. We recommend additional work to standardize growth testing in PW, better and more thorough chemical analysis, and geochemical modeling of the PW used in media. As a result, expanded strain testing in PW media will identify improved strains tolerant of PW in algae cultivation.« less
-
Sullivan Graham, Enid Joan; Dean, Cynthia Ann; Yoshida, Thomas M.; ...
2017-02-16
Scale-up of microalgal biotechnology to provide large quantities of biofuel, lipids, and coproducts is not fully developed because of the large needs for nutrients, water, land, solar insolation, and CO 2/carbon supplies. Wastewaters, including oil and gas produced water (PW), may supply a portion of these needs in regions with insufficient fresh water resources. PW is a challenging water resource for this use because of variable salinity, geochemical complexity, and the presence of biologically toxic components. In this paper we review PW volumes, quality, and use in media for microalgae production in the southwestern US, Australia, and Oman. We alsomore » include data from the southwestern US, referencing previously unpublished results from the National Alliance for Biofuels and Bioproducts (NAABB) consortium research project. We include a Supplementary Information section that explores cultivation of multiple microalgae species in PW and examines the carbon utilization process, all work performed in support of the NAABB field program. Strains of algae tested in the reviewed papers include Nannochloropsis, Dunalliella, Scenedesmus, and several mixed or unknown cultures. We conclude that the use of PW in algae cultivation is feasible, if the additional complexity of the water resource is accounted for in developing media formulations and in understanding metals uptake by the algae. We recommend additional work to standardize growth testing in PW, better and more thorough chemical analysis, and geochemical modeling of the PW used in media. As a result, expanded strain testing in PW media will identify improved strains tolerant of PW in algae cultivation.« less
-
75 FR 55459 - Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney (PW) PW4000 Series Turbofan Engines
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2010-09-13
... Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney (PW) PW4000 Series Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation..., PW4152, PW4156A, PW4158, PW4164, PW4168, PW4168A, PW4460, and PW4462 turbofan engines. This AD requires... series turbofan engines. We published the proposed AD in the Federal Register on March 25, 2010 (75 FR...
-
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Yaakob, K. I.; Ishak, M.; Idris, S. R. A.; Aiman, M. H.; Khalil, N. Z.
2017-09-01
Recent car manufacturer requirement in lightweight and optimum safety lead to utilization of boron steel with tailor welded blank approach. Laser welding process in tailor welded blank (TWB) production can be applied in continuous wave (CW) of pulse wave (PW) which produce different thermal experience in welded area. Instead of microstructure identification, hardness properties also can determine the behavior of weld area. In this paper, hardness variation of welded boron steel using PW and CW mode is investigated. Welding process is conducted using similar average power for both welding mode. Hardness variation across weld area is observed. The result shows similar hardness pattern across weld area for both welding mode. Hardness degradation at fusion zone (FZ) is due to ferrite formation existence from high heat input applied. With additional slower cooling rate for CW mode, the hardness degradation is become obvious. The normal variation of hardness behavior with PW mode might lead to good strength.
-
78 FR 49111 - Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Division Turbofan Engines
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2013-08-13
... Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Division Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA... & Whitney Division (PW) turbofan engine model PW4074, PW4074D, PW4077, PW4077D, PW4084D, PW4090, and PW4090...) Applicability This AD applies to all Pratt & Whitney Division (PW) turbofan engine models PW4074, PW4074D...
-
78 FR 16620 - Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Division Turbofan Engines
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2013-03-18
... Division Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. ACTION: Notice of proposed... Division (PW) turbofan engine models PW4074, PW4074D, PW4077, PW4077D, PW4084D, PW4090, and PW4090-3 with a... proposed AD. Discussion We propose to adopt a new AD for all PW turbofan engine models PW4074, PW4074D...
-
Abejón, David; Rueda, Pablo; del Saz, Javier; Arango, Sara; Monzón, Eva; Gilsanz, Fernando
2015-04-01
Neurostimulation is the process and technology derived from the application of electricity with different parameters to activate or inhibit nerve pathways. Pulse width (Pw) is the duration of each electrical impulse and, along with amplitude (I), determines the total energy charge of the stimulation. The aim of the study was to test Pw values to find the most adequate pulse widths in rechargeable systems to obtain the largest coverage of the painful area, the most comfortable paresthesia, and the greatest patient satisfaction. A study of the parameters was performed, varying Pw while maintaining a fixed frequency at 50 Hz. Data on perception threshold (Tp ), discomfort threshold (Td ), and therapeutic threshold (Tt ) were recorded, applying 14 increasing Pw values ranging from 50 µsec to 1000 µsec. Lastly, the behavior of the therapeutic range (TR), the coverage of the painful area, the subjective patient perception of paresthesia, and the degree of patient satisfaction were assessed. The findings after analyzing the different thresholds were as follows: When varying the Pw, the differences obtained at each threshold (Tp , Tt , and Td ) were statistically significant (p < 0.05). The differences among the resulting Tp values and among the resulting Tt values were statistically significant when varying Pw from 50 up to 600 µsec (p < 0.05). For Pw levels 600 µsec and up, no differences were observed in these thresholds. In the case of Td , significant differences existed as Pw increased from 50 to 700 µsec (p ≤ 0.05). The coverage increased in a statistically significant way (p < 0.05) from Pw values of 50 µsec to 300 µsec. Good or very good subjective perception was shown at about Pw 300 µsec. The patient paresthesia coverage was introduced as an extra variable in the chronaxie-rheobase curve, allowing the adjustment of Pw values for optimal programming. The coverage of the patient against the current chronaxie-rheobase formula will be represented on three axes; an extra axis (z) will appear, multiplying each combination of Pw value and amplitude by the percentage of coverage corresponding to those values. Using this new comparison of chronaxie-rheobase curve vs. coverage, maximum Pw values will be obtained different from those obtained by classic methods. © 2014 International Neuromodulation Society.
-
Investigating Atmospheric Rivers using GPS PW from Ocean Transits
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Almanza, V.; Foster, J. H.; Businger, S.
2014-12-01
Atmospheric Rivers (AR) can be described as a long narrow feature within a warm conveyor belt where anomalous precipitable water (PW) is transported from low to high latitudes. Close monitoring of ARs is heavily reliant on satellites, which are limited both in space and time, to capture the fluctuations PW particularly over the ocean. Ship-based Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers have been successful in obtaining millimeter PW accuracy within 100 km from the nearest ground-based reference receiver at a 30 second sampling rate. We extended this capability with a field experiment using ship-based GPS PW on board a cargo ship to traverse over the Eastern Pacific Ocean. In one 14-day cruise cycle, between the periods of February 3-16, 2014, the ship-based GPS captured PW spikes >50 mm during the early development of two ARs, which lead to moderate to heavy rainfall events for Hawaii and flood conditions along the West Coast of the United States. Comparisons between PW solutions processed using different GPS reference sites at distances 100-2000 km provided an internal validation for the ship-based GPS PW with errors typically less than 5 mm. Land-based observations provided an external validation and are in good agreement with ship-based GPS PW at distances <100 km from the coast, a zone heavily trafficked by cargo containers and a challenge area for satellite retrievals. From these preliminary results, commercial ship-based GPS receivers offer an extremely cost-effective approach for acquiring continuous meteorological observations over the oceans, which can provide important calibration/validation data for satellite retrieval algorithms. Ship-based systems could be particularly useful for augmenting our meteorological observing networks to improve weather prediction and nowcasting, which in turn provide critical support for hazard response and mitigation efforts in coastal regions.
-
Mustapha, Nadia; Zouiten, Amina; Dridi, Dorra; Tahrani, Leyla; Zouiten, Dorra; Mosrati, Ridha; Cherif, Ameur; Chekir-Ghedira, Leila; Mansour, Hedi Ben
2016-04-01
This article investigates the ability of Pseudomonas peli to treat industrial pharmaceuticals wastewater (PW). Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (MS)/MS analysis revealed the presence, in this PW, of a variety of antibiotics such as sulfathiazole, sulfamoxole, norfloxacine, cloxacilline, doxycycline, and cefquinome.P. peli was very effective to be grown in PW and inducts a remarkable increase in chemical oxygen demand and biochemical oxygen demand (140.31 and 148.51%, respectively). On the other hand, genotoxicity of the studied effluent, before and after 24 h of shaking incubation with P. peli, was evaluated in vivo in the Mediterranean wild mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis using comet assay for quantification of DNA fragmentation. Results show that PW exhibited a statistically significant (p< 0.001) genotoxic effect in a dose-dependent manner; indeed, the percentage of genotoxicity was 122.6 and 49.5% after exposure to 0.66 ml/kg body weight (b.w.); 0.33 ml/kg b.w. of PW, respectively. However, genotoxicity decreased strongly when tested with the PW obtained after incubation with P. peli We can conclude that using comet assay genotoxicity end points are useful tools to biomonitor the physicochemical and biological quality of water. Also, it could be concluded that P. peli can treat and detoxify the studied PW. © The Author(s) 2013.
-
77 FR 16139 - Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney (PW) Turbofan Engines
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2012-03-20
... Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney (PW) Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA... & Whitney (PW) PW2037, PW2037(M), and PW2040 turbofan engines with certain fan blades with a cutback leading..., PW2040, PW2240, PW2337 Turbofan Engine Manual, Part No. 1A6231, Chapter/Section 72-31-12, Repair-14 and...
-
Loutou, M; Hajjaji, M; Mansori, M; Favotto, C; Hakkou, R
2016-07-15
Microstructure of expandable lightweight aggregates (LWAs), which was composed of phosphate waste (PW), cement kiln dust (CKD) and raw clay (RC) was investigated, and the effects of processing factors (temperature, waste content, soaking time) on their physical properties were quantified by using response surface methodology (RSM). The potential use of LWAs as a phosphorus source was assessed through the use of seeds of alfalfa. It was found that the main minerals of the waste, namely carbonates and fluorapatite, were involved in the formation of labradorite/anorthite and melt respectively. Stability of mullite- the main constituent of CKD- was sensitive to the melt content. The assemblage of the identified phases was discussed based on the CaO-SiO2-Al2O3 phase diagram. The results of RSM showed that the change of compressive strength, firing shrinkage and water absorption of LWAs versus processing factors was well described with a polynomial model and the weights of the effects of the factors increased in the following order: sintering temperature > waste content (in the case of PW-RC) > soaking time. On the other hand, it was found that due to the release of phosphorus by soil-embedded pellets, the growth of alfalfa plants improved, and the rate enhanced in this order: PW-RC > PW-CKD > PW-CKD-RC. The absorbed quantity of phosphorus (0.12%) was still lower than the common uptake amount. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
-
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2010-08-26
... Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) PW530A, PW545A, and PW545B Turbofan Engines AGENCY...: There have been reports of engine surge, lack of response to Power Lever input and crew commanded engine shutdown on PW530A/ PW545A/PW545B engines powered aeroplanes. Investigation revealed engine intercompressor...
-
76 FR 72353 - Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Turbofan Engines
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2011-11-23
... Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking...), PW4156A, PW4158, PW4158(-3), PW4460, PW4460(-3), PW4462, and PW4462(-3) turbofan engines. This proposed AD... PW4462(-3) turbofan engines installed on airplanes of U.S. registry. We also estimate that it would take...
-
Torres, Luisa; Yadav, Om Prakash; Khan, Eakalak
2017-02-01
A holistic risk assessment of surface water (SW) contamination due to lead-210 (Pb-210) in oil produced water (PW) from the Bakken Shale in North Dakota (ND) was conducted. Pb-210 is a relatively long-lived radionuclide and very mobile in water. Because of limited data on Pb-210, a simulation model was developed to determine its concentration based on its parent radium-226 and historical total dissolved solids levels in PW. Scenarios where PW spills could reach SW were analyzed by applying the four steps of the risk assessment process. These scenarios are: (1) storage tank overflow, (2) leakage in equipment, and (3) spills related to trucks used to transport PW. Furthermore, a survey was conducted in ND to quantify the risk perception of PW from different stakeholders. Findings from the study include a low probability of a PW spill reaching SW and simulated concentration of Pb-210 in drinking water higher than the recommended value established by the World Health Organization. Also, after including the results from the risk perception survey, the assessment indicates that the risk of contamination of the three scenarios evaluated is between medium-high to high. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
-
Giebel, Clarissa M; Challis, David; Hooper, Nigel M; Ferris, Sally
2018-03-01
In order to increase the efficacy of psychosocial interventions in dementia, a step-by-step process translating evidence and public engagement should be adhered to. This paper describes such a process by involving a two-stage focus group with people with dementia (PwD), informal carers, and staff. Based on previous evidence, general aspects of effective interventions were drawn out. These were tested in the first stage of focus groups, one with informal carers and PwD and one with staff. Findings from this stage helped shape the intervention further specifying its content. In the second stage, participants were consulted about the detailed components. The extant evidence base and focus groups helped to identify six practical and situation-specific elements worthy of consideration in planning such an intervention, including underlying theory and personal motivations for participation. Carers, PwD, and staff highlighted the importance of rapport between practitioners and PwD prior to commencing the intervention. It was also considered important that the intervention would be personalised to each individual. This paper shows how valuable public involvement can be to intervention development, and outlines a process of public involvement for future intervention development. The next step would be to formally test the intervention.
-
White matter tract network disruption explains reduced conscientiousness in multiple sclerosis.
Fuchs, Tom A; Dwyer, Michael G; Kuceyeski, Amy; Choudhery, Sanjeevani; Carolus, Keith; Li, Xian; Mallory, Matthew; Weinstock-Guttman, Bianca; Jakimovski, Dejan; Ramasamy, Deepa; Zivadinov, Robert; Benedict, Ralph H B
2018-05-08
Quantifying white matter (WM) tract disruption in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) provides a novel means for investigating the relationship between defective network connectivity and clinical markers. PwMS exhibit perturbations in personality, where decreased Conscientiousness is particularly prominent. This trait deficit influences disease trajectory and functional outcomes such as work capacity. We aimed to identify patterns of WM tract disruption related to decreased Conscientiousness in PwMS. Personality assessment and brain MRI were obtained in 133 PwMS and 49 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HC). Lesion maps were applied to determine the severity of WM tract disruption between pairs of gray matter regions. Next, the Network-Based-Statistics tool was applied to identify structural networks whose disruption negatively correlates with Conscientiousness. Finally, to determine whether these networks explain unique variance above conventional MRI measures and cognition, regression models were applied controlling for age, sex, brain volume, T2-lesion volume, and cognition. Relative to HCs, PwMS exhibited lower Conscientiousness and slowed cognitive processing speed (p = .025, p = .006). Lower Conscientiousness in PwMS was significantly associated with WM tract disruption between frontal, frontal-parietal, and frontal-cingulate pathways in the left (p = .02) and right (p = .01) hemisphere. The mean disruption of these pathways explained unique additive variance in Conscientiousness, after accounting for conventional MRI markers of pathology and cognition (ΔR 2 = .049, p = .029). Damage to WM tracts between frontal, frontal-parietal, and frontal-cingulate cortical regions is significantly correlated with reduced Conscientiousness in PwMS. Tract disruption within these networks explains decreased Conscientiousness observed in PwMS as compared with HCs. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
-
Nogueira, Lucie S; Ribeiro, Susana; Granadeiro, Carlos M; Pereira, Eulália; Feio, Gabriel; Cunha-Silva, Luís; Balula, Salete S
2014-07-07
A novel method to prepare silica nano-sized particles incorporating polyoxometalates was developed leading to a new efficient heterogeneous oxidative catalyst. Zinc-substituted polyoxotungstate [PW11Zn(H2O)O39](5-) (PW11Zn) was encapsulated into silica nanoparticles using a cross-linked organic-inorganic core, performed through successive spontaneous reactions in water. The potassium salt of PW11Zn and the composite formed, PW11Zn-APTES@SiO2, were characterized by a myriad of solid-state methods such as FT-IR, FT-Raman, (31)P and (13)C CP/MAS solid-state NMR, elemental analysis and SEM-EDS, confirming the integrity of the PW11Zn structure immobilized in the silica nanoparticles. The new composite has shown to be a versatile catalyst for the oxidation of olefins and also to catalyze the desulfurization of a model oil using H2O2 as the oxidant and acetonitrile as the solvent. The novel composite material was capable of being recycled without significant loss of activity and maintaining its structural stability for consecutive desulfurization and olefin oxidative cycles.
-
Placental Adaptation: What Can We Learn from Birthweight:Placental Weight Ratio?
Hayward, Christina E.; Lean, Samantha; Sibley, Colin P.; Jones, Rebecca L.; Wareing, Mark; Greenwood, Susan L.; Dilworth, Mark R.
2016-01-01
Appropriate fetal growth relies upon adequate placental nutrient transfer. Birthweight:placental weight ratio (BW:PW ratio) is often used as a proxy for placental efficiency, defined as the grams of fetus produced per gram placenta. An elevated BW:PW ratio in an appropriately grown fetus (small placenta) is assumed to be due to up-regulated placental nutrient transfer capacity i.e., a higher nutrient net flux per gram placenta. In fetal growth restriction (FGR), where a fetus fails to achieve its genetically pre-determined growth potential, placental weight and BW:PW ratio are often reduced which may indicate a placenta that fails to adapt its nutrient transfer capacity to compensate for its small size. This review considers the literature on BW:PW ratio in both large cohort studies of normal pregnancies and those studies offering insight into the relationship between BW:PW ratio and outcome measures including stillbirth, FGR, and subsequent postnatal consequences. The core of this review is the question of whether BW:PW ratio is truly indicative of altered placental efficiency, and whether changes in BW:PW ratio reflect those placentas which adapt their nutrient transfer according to their size. We consider this question using data from mice and humans, focusing upon studies that have measured the activity of the well characterized placental system A amino acid transporter, both in uncomplicated pregnancies and in FGR. Evidence suggests that BW:PW ratio is reduced both in FGR and in pregnancies resulting in a small for gestational age (SGA, birthweight < 10th centile) infant but this effect is more pronounced earlier in gestation (<28 weeks). In mice, there is a clear association between increased BW:PW ratio and increased placental system A activity. Additionally, there is good evidence in wild-type mice that small placentas upregulate placental nutrient transfer to prevent fetal undergrowth. In humans, this association between BW:PW ratio and placental system A activity is less clear and is worthy of further consideration, both in terms of system A and other placental nutrient transfer processes. This knowledge would help decide the value of measuring BW:PW ratio in terms of determining the risk of poor health outcomes, both in the neonatal period and long term. PMID:26903878
-
77 FR 67763 - Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Division Turbofan Engines
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2012-11-14
... Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Division Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA..., PW4156A, PW4158, PW4160, PW4460, PW4462, and PW4650 turbofan engines, including models with any dash... PW4650 turbofan engines, including models with any dash number suffix, with 3rd stage low-pressure...
-
77 FR 51459 - Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Division Turbofan Engines
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2012-08-24
... Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Division Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA..., PW4460, PW4462, PW4164, PW4164C, PW4164C/B, PW4168, and PW4168A turbofan engines with certain high... ADs None. (c) Applicability This AD applies to the following Pratt & Whitney Division turbofan engines...
-
Chittick, Emily A; Srebotnjak, Tanja
2017-12-15
As high-volume hydraulic fracturing (HF) has grown substantially in the United States over the past decade, so has the volume of produced water (PW), i.e., briny water brought to the surface as a byproduct of oil and gas production. According to a recent study (Groundwater Protection Council, 2015), more than 21 billion barrels of PW were generated in 2012. In addition to being high in TDS, PW may contain hydrocarbons, PAH, alkylphenols, naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM), metals, and other organic and inorganic substances. PW from hydraulically fractured wells includes flowback water, i.e., injection fluids containing chemicals and additives used in the fracturing process such as friction reducers, scale inhibitors, and biocides - many of which are known to cause serious health effects. It is hence important to gain a better understanding of the chemical composition of PW and how it is managed. This case study of PW from hydraulically fractured wells in California provides a first aggregate chemical analysis since data collection began in accordance with California's 2013 oil and gas well stimulation law (SB4, Pavley). The results of analyzing one-time wastewater analyses of 630 wells hydraulically stimulated between April 1, 2014 and June 30, 2015 show that 95% of wells contained measurable and in some cases elevated concentrations of BTEX and PAH compounds. PW from nearly 500 wells contained lead, uranium, and/or other metals. The majority of hazardous chemicals known to be used in HF operations, including formaldehyde and acetone, are not reported in the published reports. The prevalent methods for dealing with PW in California - underground injection and open evaporation ponds - are inadequate for this waste stream due to risks from induced seismicity, well integrity failure, well upsets, accidents and spills. Beneficial reuse of PW, such as for crop irrigation, is as of yet insufficiently safety tested for consumers and agricultural workers as well as plant health. Technological advances in onsite direct PW reuse and recycling look promising but need to control energy requirements, productivity and costs. The case study concludes that (i) reporting of PW chemical composition should be expanded in frequency and cover a wider range of chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing fluids, and (ii) PW management practices should be oriented towards safer and more sustainable options such as reuse and recycling, but with adequate controls in place to ensure their safety and reliability. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
-
Laser Materials Processing Final Report CRADA No. TC-1526-98
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Crane, J.; Lehane, C. J.
2017-09-08
This CRADA project was a joint effort between Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and United Technologies Corporation (UTC)/Pratt & Whitney (P&W) to demonstrate process capability for drilling holes in turbine airfoils using LLNL-developed femtosecond laser machining technology. The basis for this development was the ability of femtosecond lasers to drill precision holes in variety of materials with little or no collateral damage. The ultimate objective was to develop a laser machine tool consisting of an extremely advanced femtosecond laser subsystem to be developed by LLNL on a best-effort basis and a drilling station for turbine blades and vanes to bemore » developed by P&W. In addition, P&W was responsible for commercializing the system. The goal of the so called Advanced Laser Drilling (ALD) system was to drill specified complex hole-shapes in turbine blades and vanes with a high degree precision and repeatability and simultaneously capable of very high speed processing.« less
-
Ferreira, Joaquim J; Santos, Ana T; Domingos, Josefa; Matthews, Helen; Isaacs, Tom; Duffen, Joy; Al-Jawad, Ahmed; Larsen, Frank; Artur Serrano, J; Weber, Peter; Thoms, Andrea; Sollinger, Stefan; Graessner, Holm; Maetzler, Walter
2015-01-01
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder with fluctuating symptoms. To aid the development of a system to evaluate people with PD (PwP) at home (SENSE-PARK system) there was a need to define parameters and tools to be applied in the assessment of 6 domains: gait, bradykinesia/hypokinesia, tremor, sleep, balance and cognition. To identify relevant parameters and assessment tools of the 6 domains, from the perspective of PwP, caregivers and movement disorders specialists. A 2-round Delphi study was conducted to select a core of parameters and assessment tools to be applied. This process included PwP, caregivers and movement disorders specialists. Two hundred and thirty-three PwP, caregivers and physicians completed the first round questionnaire, and 50 the second. Results allowed the identification of parameters and assessment tools to be added to the SENSE-PARK system. The most consensual parameters were: Falls and Near Falls; Capability to Perform Activities of Daily Living; Interference with Activities of Daily Living; Capability to Process Tasks; and Capability to Recall and Retrieve Information. The most cited assessment strategies included Walkers; the Evaluation of Performance Doing Fine Motor Movements; Capability to Eat; Assessment of Sleep Quality; Identification of Circumstances and Triggers for Loose of Balance and Memory Assessment. An agreed set of measuring parameters, tests, tools and devices was achieved to be part of a system to evaluate PwP at home. A pattern of different perspectives was identified for each stakeholder.
-
Soleimani, Hasan; Amini, Abdollah; Taheri, Soudabeh; Sajadi, Ensieh; Shafikhani, Sasha; Schuger, Lucia A; Reddy, Vijaya B; Ghoreishi, Seyed Kamran; Pouriran, Ramin; Chien, Sufan; Bayat, Mohammad
2018-04-01
The purpose of the present scientific study was to analyze the effects of combined pulsed wave Photobiomodulation (PW PBM) and Curcumin on the microbial flora; in addition, the tensiometrical wounds properties for type one diabetes mellitus (TIDM) in an experimental animal model. TIDM induction was performed in thirty rats. In the entire animals, one full-thickness excision was implemented on their backs. Randomly, the divisions of rats into 5 groups took place. The primary group was considered as the control group and did not receive any treatment. The secondary group (placebo) received sesame oil by gastric gavage. The third group received PWPBM (890 nm, 80 Hz, 0.2 J/cm 2 ). The fourth group received curcumin (40 mg/kg, which was dissolved in sesame oil) by gastric gavage. Eventually, the fifth group received PW PBM + curcumin. Precisely, on day 7, microbiological examinations, and on the 15th day microbiological and tensiometrical examinations were conducted. The data were analyzed by statistical tests. PW PBM, significantly exacerbated tensiometrical properties of the TIDM repairing wound. PW PBM, curcumin, and PWPBM + curcumin significantly decreased colony forming units compared to the control and the placebo groups indeed. It was remarkably attained that PW PBM significantly accelerated the process of wound healing in the STZ-induced TIDM. The PW PBM was statistically more compelling compared to the curcumin and PWPBM + curcumin. PW PBM, curcumin, and PWPBM + curcumin significantly decreased colony forming units compared to the control and placebo groups. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.
-
Golan, Daniel; Doniger, Glen M; Wissemann, Karl; Zarif, Myassar; Bumstead, Barbara; Buhse, Marijean; Fafard, Lori; Lavi, Idit; Wilken, Jeffrey; Gudesblatt, Mark
2018-02-01
The association between subjective cognitive fatigue and objective cognitive dysfunction in patients with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) has been studied, with conflicting results. To explore the impact of fatigue on cognitive function, while controlling for the influence of depression, disability, comorbidities, and psychotropic medications. PwMS completed a computerized cognitive testing battery with age- and education-adjusted cognitive domain scores. Disability (Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS)), cognitive fatigue, and depression were concurrently evaluated. In all, 699 PwMS were included. Both cognitive fatigue and depression were significantly and negatively correlated with the same cognitive domains: information processing speed, executive function, attention, motor function, and memory (-0.15 ⩽ r ⩽ -0.14 for cognitive fatigue; -0.24 ⩽ r ⩽ -0.19 for depression). Multivariate analysis revealed significant but small independent correlations only between depression and neuropsychological test results, while cognitive fatigue had no independent correlation with objective cognitive function except for a trend toward impaired motor function in highly fatigued PwMS. Depression and cognitive fatigue accounted for no more than 6% of the variance in objective cognitive domain scores. Cognitive fatigue is not independently related to objective cognitive impairment. Depression may influence cognitive function of PwMS primarily when it is severe. Cognitive impairment in PwMS should not be ascribed to fatigue or mild depression.
-
A model-based approach for the scattering-bar printing avoidance
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Du, Yaojun; Li, Liang; Zhang, Jingjing; Shao, Feng; Zuniga, Christian; Deng, Yunfei
2018-03-01
As the technology node for the semiconductor manufacturing approaches advanced nodes, the scattering-bars (SBs) are more crucial than ever to ensure a good on-wafer printability of the line space pattern and hole pattern. The main pattern with small pitches requires a very narrow PV (process variation) band. A delicate SB addition scheme is thus needed to maintain a sufficient PW (process window) for the semi-iso- and iso-patterns. In general, the wider, longer, and closer to main feature SBs will be more effective in enhancing the printability; on the other hand, they are also more likely to be printed on the wafer; resulting in undesired defects transferable to subsequent processes. In this work, we have developed a model based approach for the scattering-bar printing avoidance (SPA). A specially designed optical model was tuned based on a broad range of test patterns which contain a variation of CDs and SB placements showing printing and non-printing scattering bars. A printing threshold is then obtained to check the extra-printings of SBs. The accuracy of this threshold is verified by pre-designed test patterns. The printing threshold associated with our novel SPA model allows us to set up a proper SB rule.
-
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2010-11-02
... high-pressure compressor (HPC) disks, part number (P/N) 55H615, installed. This proposed AD would... & Whitney (PW) PW4074 and PW4077 turbofan engines with 15th stage high-pressure compressor (HPC) disks, part...
-
Low temperature conversion of plastic waste into light hydrocarbons.
Shah, Sajid Hussain; Khan, Zahid Mahmood; Raja, Iftikhar Ahmad; Mahmood, Qaisar; Bhatti, Zulfiqar Ahmad; Khan, Jamil; Farooq, Ather; Rashid, Naim; Wu, Donglei
2010-07-15
Advance recycling through pyrolytic technology has the potential of being applied to the management of plastic waste (PW). For this purpose 1 l volume, energy efficient batch reactor was manufactured locally and tested for pyrolysis of waste plastic. The feedstock for reactor was 50 g waste polyethylene. The average yield of the pyrolytic oil, wax, pyrogas and char from pyrolysis of PW were 48.6, 40.7, 10.1 and 0.6%, respectively, at 275 degrees C with non-catalytic process. Using catalyst the average yields of pyrolytic oil, pyrogas, wax and residue (char) of 50 g of PW was 47.98, 35.43, 16.09 and 0.50%, respectively, at operating temperature of 250 degrees C. The designed reactor could work at low temperature in the absence of a catalyst to obtain similar products as for a catalytic process. 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
-
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2010-03-25
...The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for PW Model PW2037, PW2037(M), and PW2040 turbofan engines. This proposed AD would require removing erosion damage on fan blades with cutback leading edges and restoring the leading edge contour. This proposed AD results from reports from PW that fan blade leading edge erosion can result in a fan thrust deterioration mode (FTDM) condition, which reduces the engine's capability of producing full rated take-off thrust. We are proposing this AD to prevent loss of engine thrust from an FTDM condition, which could result in an inability to maintain safe flight.
-
77 FR 16967 - Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Division Turbofan Engines
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2012-03-23
... Division Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. ACTION: Notice of proposed..., PW4164C, PW4164C/B, PW4168, and PW4168A turbofan engines with certain high- pressure turbine (HPT) stage 1...) Applicability This AD applies to the following Pratt & Whitney Division turbofan engines: (1) PW4052, PW4152...
-
Global Positioning System (GPS) Precipitable Water in Forecasting Lightning at Spaceport Canaveral
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Kehrer, Kristen C.; Graf, Brian; Roeder, William
2006-01-01
This paper evaluates the use of precipitable water (PW) from Global Positioning System (GPS) in lightning prediction. Additional independent verification of an earlier model is performed. This earlier model used binary logistic regression with the following four predictor variables optimally selected from a candidate list of 23 candidate predictors: the current precipitable water value for a given time of the day, the change in GPS-PW over the past 9 hours, the KIndex, and the electric field mill value. This earlier model was not optimized for any specific forecast interval, but showed promise for 6 hour and 1.5 hour forecasts. Two new models were developed and verified. These new models were optimized for two operationally significant forecast intervals. The first model was optimized for the 0.5 hour lightning advisories issued by the 45th Weather Squadron. An additional 1.5 hours was allowed for sensor dwell, communication, calculation, analysis, and advisory decision by the forecaster. Therefore the 0.5 hour advisory model became a 2 hour forecast model for lightning within the 45th Weather Squadron advisory areas. The second model was optimized for major ground processing operations supported by the 45th Weather Squadron, which can require lightning forecasts with a lead-time of up to 7.5 hours. Using the same 1.5 lag as in the other new model, this became a 9 hour forecast model for lightning within 37 km (20 NM)) of the 45th Weather Squadron advisory areas. The two new models were built using binary logistic regression from a list of 26 candidate predictor variables: the current GPS-PW value, the change of GPS-PW over 0.5 hour increments from 0.5 to 12 hours, and the K-index. The new 2 hour model found the following for predictors to be statistically significant, listed in decreasing order of contribution to the forecast: the 0.5 hour change in GPS-PW, the 7.5 hour change in GPS-PW, the current GPS-PW value, and the KIndex. The new 9 hour forecast model found the following five independent variables to be statistically significant, listed in decreasing order of contribution to the forecast: the current GPSPW value, the 8.5 hour change in GPS-PW, the 3.5 hour change in GPS-PW, the 12 hour change in GPS-PW, and the K-Index. In both models, the GPS-PW parameters had better correlation to the lightning forecast than the K-Index, a widely used thunderstorm index. Possible future improvements to this study are discussed.
-
Menon, Madhav; Jaffe, Warwick; Watson, Tim; Webster, Mark
2015-07-01
FFR measurements have been limited by the handling characteristics of pressure wire (PW) systems, and by signal drift. This first-in-human study evaluated the safety and efficacy of a new monorail catheter (Navvus) to assess coronary FFR, compared to a PW system. Resting measurements were acquired with both systems. After initiating IV adenosine, FFR was measured with the PW alone, simultaneously using both systems, and again with PW alone. Any zero offset of PW or Navvus was then recorded. Navvus measured FFR in all patients in whom a PW recording was obtained (50 of 58 patients); there were no complications related to Navvus. Navvus FFR correlated well with PW FFR (r=0.87, slope 1.0, intercept -0.02). Within PW measurement accuracy, in no cases did Navvus FFR classify lesion significance differently from PW FFR. PW signal drift was significantly greater than Navvus (0.06±0.12 vs. 0.02±0.02, p=0.014). Navvus and PW FFR correlated well. Navvus had less sensor drift. This new catheter-based system offers an alternative method for measuring FFR, with some potential advantages over PW.
-
46 CFR 52.05-1 - General (modifies PW-1 through PW-54).
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
2010-10-01
... BOILERS Requirements for Boilers Fabricated by Welding § 52.05-1 General (modifies PW-1 through PW-54). (a) Boilers and component parts, including piping, that are fabricated by welding shall be as indicated in PW...
-
46 CFR 52.05-1 - General (modifies PW-1 through PW-54).
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
2011-10-01
... BOILERS Requirements for Boilers Fabricated by Welding § 52.05-1 General (modifies PW-1 through PW-54). (a) Boilers and component parts, including piping, that are fabricated by welding shall be as indicated in PW...
-
46 CFR 52.05-1 - General (modifies PW-1 through PW-54).
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
2014-10-01
... BOILERS Requirements for Boilers Fabricated by Welding § 52.05-1 General (modifies PW-1 through PW-54). (a) Boilers and component parts, including piping, that are fabricated by welding shall be as indicated in PW...
-
46 CFR 52.05-1 - General (modifies PW-1 through PW-54).
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
2013-10-01
... BOILERS Requirements for Boilers Fabricated by Welding § 52.05-1 General (modifies PW-1 through PW-54). (a) Boilers and component parts, including piping, that are fabricated by welding shall be as indicated in PW...
-
46 CFR 52.05-1 - General (modifies PW-1 through PW-54).
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
2012-10-01
... BOILERS Requirements for Boilers Fabricated by Welding § 52.05-1 General (modifies PW-1 through PW-54). (a) Boilers and component parts, including piping, that are fabricated by welding shall be as indicated in PW...
-
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2011-01-04
... Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp. (P&WC) PW305A and PW305B Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal... updating the airworthiness limitations section of the engine maintenance manuals for Pratt & Whitney Canada... follows: * * * * * (c) This AD applies to Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp. (P&WC) PW305A and PW305B turbofan...
-
Adamec, Ivan; Crnošija, Luka; Junaković, Anamari; Krbot Skorić, Magdalena; Habek, Mario
2018-06-04
To determine autonomic dysfunction (AD) differences in patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (pwRRMS) and progressive MS (pwPMS). Composite autonomic scoring scale (CASS) and heart rate variability (HRV) were performed in 40 pwRRMS and 30 pwPMS. pwPMS had a significantly higher sudomotor index and total CASS score compared to pwRRMS (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). Disease duration positively correlated with sudomotor index and total CASS (r s = 0.409, p < 0.001 and r s = 0.472, p < 0.001, respectively), while the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) positively correlated with sudomotor index and total CASS (r s = 0.411, p < 0.001 and r s = 0.402, p = 0.001, respectively) in all patients. Type of multiple sclerosis (pwRRMS or pwPMS) corrected for age, sex and disease duration, was a statistically significant predictor of CASS value (B = 1.215, p = 0.019). Compared to pwRRMS, pwPMS had a significantly lower standard deviation of NN intervals (SDNN), low frequency (LF), and high frequency (HF), during both the supine and tilt-up phases (all p-values <0.006). pwPMS had a significantly lower LF/HF (p = 0.008) during tilt-up. There is a significant difference in autonomic function in pwRRMS and pwPMS; with pwPMS having a higher burden of AD, which is particularly evident for sweating dysfunction. Further research is needed to establish whether parasympathetic and sudomotor dysfunction may serve as markers of progressive MS. Copyright © 2018 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
-
77 FR 54791 - Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Division Turbofan Engines
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2012-09-06
... Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Division Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA... & Whitney Division PW4000-94'' and PW4000-100'' turbofan engines having a 1st stage high-pressure turbine... AD will affect 446 P&W PW4000-94'' and PW4000-100'' turbofan engines installed on airplanes of U.S...
-
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2010-08-19
... Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp. (P&WC) PW305A and PW305B Turboprop Engines AGENCY... and PW305B turboprop engines with certain impellers, part numbers (P/Ns) 30B2185, 30B2486, 30B2858-01...
-
Evaluation of composition and performance of composts derived from guacamole production residues.
González-Fernández, J Jorge; Galea, Zesay; Alvarez, José M; Hormaza, J Iñaki; López, Rafael
2015-01-01
The utilization of organic wastes to improve soils or for growth media components in local farms and nurseries can reduce the environmental pollution linked to waste disposal while increasing the sustainability of crop production. This approach could be applied to waste products generated from the production of guacamole (an emerging activity in the avocado production areas in mainland Spain), where appropriate treatment of this oily and doughy waste product has not been previously reported. The aim of this work is to study the feasibility of co-composting guacamole production residues (GR) with garden pruning waste (PW) as bulking agent, and the possible use of the compost produced depending on its quality. A windrow composting trial using three GR:PW ratios, 2:1, 1:2, and 1:7 was carried out. Temperature, moisture, organic matter, and C/N ratio were used to follow the evolution of the composting process during 7 months. After an additional 3-month curing period, composts were sieved to less than 10 mm and a set of European quality criteria was used to assess compost quality and intended use. In general, the 3 composting mixtures followed the classical process evolution, with minor differences among them. The 1:2 GR:PW ratio appeared most adequate for combining better process evolution and maximum GR ratio. Except for their high pH that limits their use as growing media component in some particular cases, the obtained composts fulfilled the more stringent European standards for commercial composts. Self-heating tests confirmed the high stability of the composts produced. The germination of cress by the direct contact method was satisfactory for composts GR:PW 1:2 and 1:7, showing no signs of toxicity. Avocado seedlings planted in substrates containing 67% of the GR:PW composts exhibited greater plant growth than those in the control treatment, and with no signs of phytotoxicity. The results open an interesting opportunity for the sustainable treatment of avocado fruit by-products derived from guacamole and avocado oil processing. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
-
Jacob, Samuel; Banerjee, Rintu
2016-08-01
A novel approach to overcome the acidification problem has been attempted in the present study by codigesting industrial potato waste (PW) with Pistia stratiotes (PS, an aquatic weed). The effectiveness of codigestion of the weed and PW was tested in an equal (1:1) proportion by weight with substrate concentration of 5g total solid (TS)/L (2.5gPW+2.5gPS) which resulted in enhancement of methane yield by 76.45% as compared to monodigestion of PW with a positive synergistic effect. Optimization of process parameters was conducted using central composite design (CCD) based response surface methodology (RSM) and artificial neural network (ANN) coupled genetic algorithm (GA) model. Upon comparison of these two optimization techniques, ANN-GA model obtained through feed forward back propagation methodology was found to be efficient and yielded 447.4±21.43LCH4/kgVSfed (0.279gCH4/kgCODvs) which is 6% higher as compared to the CCD-RSM based approach. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
-
Deep dysphasic performance in non-fluent progressive aphasia: a case study.
Tree, J J; Perfect, T J; Hirsh, K W; Copstick, S
2001-01-01
We present a patient (PW) with non-fluent progressive aphasia, characterized by severe word finding difficulties and frequent phonemic paraphasias in spontaneous speech. It has been suggested that such patients have insufficient access to phonological information for output and cannot construct the appropriate sequence of selected phonemes for articulation. Consistent with such a proposal, we found that PW was impaired on a variety of verbal tasks that demand access to phonological representations (reading, repetition, confrontational naming and rhyme judgement); she also demonstrated poor performance on syntactic and grammatical processing tasks. However, examination of PW's repetition performance also revealed that she made semantic paraphasias and that her performance was influenced by imageability and lexical status. Her auditory-verbal short-term memory was also severely compromised. These features are consistent with 'deep dysphasia', a disorder reported in patients suffering from stroke or cerebrovascular accident, and rarely reported in the context of non-fluent progressive aphasia. PW's pattern of performance is evaluated in terms of current models of both non-fluent progressive aphasia and deep dysphasia.
-
Kuske, S; Roes, M; Bartholomeyczik, S
2016-07-01
Criteria for the handover between healthcare settings were identified based on a review and on results of empirical data. This study was carried out to select the most relevant criteria for defining the quality of continuity of care of people with dementia (PwD) in the context of the handover between care at home and respite care facilities. A modified classical two-step Delphi design was used in combination with a group Delphi design. A total of 28 core criteria with a consensus strength of > 60 % are presented. Safety-relevant information, especially the personal habits of PwD and the role of informal caregivers in the handover between care settings are important. Furthermore, the following general principles to ensure the quality of continuity of the care of PwD were deduced: completeness, verification, multipath communication, timeliness and topicality, accessibility and defined responsibilities, roles and standardization. A successful transition of PwD to respite care facilities relies on the provision of relevant information, considering personal habits, before the day of transition. Furthermore, a timely preparation for discharge is important. The individual needs of the informal caregivers with regard to their support should be considered. Professionals who are responsible in handover processes should have solid communication competence in order to collect relevant information from informal caregivers, who have a strong individual care experience with the PwD.
-
Park, Youn-Jong; Yang, Jae-Kyu; Choi, Sang-Il
2008-07-15
This study examined the potential reuse of powdered wastes (PW) generated during the sanding and sawing process in a local chemical company in Korea with the viewpoint of the recycling these wastes and minimizing the level of contamination. The PW contained 40-60% aluminum hydroxide and 30-45% matrix resin. As a potential adsorbent, the suitability of thermal treated PW to remove arsenic from synthetic and real wastewater was investigated. As a pretreatment process, the reused adsorbent from PW was calcined at 550 degrees C for 3 hrs in a furnace. The calcination characteristics of PW were examined both quantitatively and qualitatively by X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and qualitatively by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The major inorganic composition of the calcined PW (CPW) was aluminum oxide with poor crystallinity. The CPW contained well developed meso-pores (0.143 cm(3) g(-1)) and showed a specific surface area of 234 m(2) g(-1). The pH of the zero point charge (pH(pzc)) of the CPW was determined to be 7.8 by acid-base titration. From the batch adsorption tests, the complete removal of arsenic (up to 20 mg L(-1)) was observed with CPW (2 g) at pH ranging from 3.0 to 8.0. However, there was a significant decrease in arsenate adsorption at higher pH. A kinetics study indicated that the uptake of arsenate followed a second-order rate equation. In the presence of sulfate, the removal of arsenate was increasingly affected by the sulfate concentration. The application of CPW to the removal of 4 different real mine drainages was also carried out. Mine drainage contains a relatively high arsenate concentration as well as sulfate. Whilst the amount of arsenic removed from real mine drainage by CPW was slightly lower than that removed from synthetic wastewater due to competitive sorption by multiple ions, the adsorption of arsenate showed rapid removal within 10 min with good removal efficiency, which meets the national wastewater discharge limits. These results suggest that CPW is a good adsorbent for removing arsenic from synthetic and real mine drainage.
-
Mechanocatalytic depolymerization of cellulose with perfluorinated sulfonic acid ionomers
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Karam, Ayman; Amaniampong, Prince N.; García Fernández, José M.; Oldani, Claudio; Marinkovic, Sinisa; Estrine, Boris; De Oliveira Vigier, Karine; Jérôme, François
2018-03-01
Here, we investigated that the mechanocatalytic depolymerization of cellulose in the presence of Aquivion, a sulfonated perfluorinated ionomer. Under optimized conditions, yields of water soluble sugars of 90-97 % were obtained using Aquivion PW98 and PW66, respectively, as a solid acid catalyst. The detailed characterization of the water soluble fraction revealed (i) the selective formation of oligosaccharides with a DP up to 11 and (ii) that depolymerization and reversion reactions concomitantly occurred during the mechanocatalytic process, although the first largely predominated. More importantly, we discussed on the critical role of water contained in Aquivion and cellulose on the efficiency of the mechanocatalytic process.
-
Mechanocatalytic Depolymerization of Cellulose With Perfluorinated Sulfonic Acid Ionomers
Karam, Ayman; Amaniampong, Prince N.; García Fernández, José M.; Oldani, Claudio; Marinkovic, Sinisa; Estrine, Boris; De Oliveira Vigier, Karine; Jérôme, François
2018-01-01
Here, we investigated that the mechanocatalytic depolymerization of cellulose in the presence of Aquivion, a sulfonated perfluorinated ionomer. Under optimized conditions, yields of water soluble sugars of 90–97% were obtained using Aquivion PW98 and PW66, respectively, as a solid acid catalyst. The detailed characterization of the water soluble fraction revealed (i) the selective formation of oligosaccharides with a DP up to 11 and (ii) that depolymerization and reversion reactions concomitantly occurred during the mechanocatalytic process, although the first largely predominated. More importantly, we discussed on the critical role of water contained in Aquivion and cellulose on the efficiency of the mechanocatalytic process. PMID:29623273
-
Mechanocatalytic Depolymerization of Cellulose With Perfluorinated Sulfonic Acid Ionomers.
Karam, Ayman; Amaniampong, Prince N; García Fernández, José M; Oldani, Claudio; Marinkovic, Sinisa; Estrine, Boris; De Oliveira Vigier, Karine; Jérôme, François
2018-01-01
Here, we investigated that the mechanocatalytic depolymerization of cellulose in the presence of Aquivion, a sulfonated perfluorinated ionomer. Under optimized conditions, yields of water soluble sugars of 90-97% were obtained using Aquivion PW98 and PW66, respectively, as a solid acid catalyst. The detailed characterization of the water soluble fraction revealed (i) the selective formation of oligosaccharides with a DP up to 11 and (ii) that depolymerization and reversion reactions concomitantly occurred during the mechanocatalytic process, although the first largely predominated. More importantly, we discussed on the critical role of water contained in Aquivion and cellulose on the efficiency of the mechanocatalytic process.
-
GUARD HOUSE AND BARRACKS; SECOND FLOOR PLAN AND DOOR FRAME ...
GUARD HOUSE AND BARRACKS; SECOND FLOOR PLAN AND DOOR FRAME AND WINDOW DETAILS. Navy Department, Bureau of Yards & Docks, Navy Yard, Mar Island, CA. Albert F. Roller, Architect, San Francisco, CA. H.J. Brunnier, Structural Engineer, Sharon Building, San Francisco, CA. Sheet 2 of 15, accompanying specification Noy-4675. Submitted May 8, 1941, last revised July 14, 1941. Yards & Docks drawing no. 160687; P.W. (Public Works) drawing no. 10388-26; file no. 930-CR-4. Scale one eighth inch to one foot (floor plan) and 3 inches to one foot (details). 73 cm x 129 cm. Ink on vellum - Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Guard House & Barracks, Railroad Avenue near Eighteenth Street, Vallejo, Solano County, CA
-
Bottenus, Nick; D’hooge, Jan; Trahey, Gregg E.
2017-01-01
The transverse oscillation (TO) technique can improve the estimation of tissue motion perpendicular to the ultrasound beam direction. TOs can be introduced using plane wave (PW) insonification and bi-lobed Gaussian apodisation (BA) on receive (abbreviated as PWTO). Furthermore, the TO frequency can be doubled after a heterodyning demodulation process is performed (abbreviated as PWTO*). This study is concerned with identifying the limitations of the PWTO technique in the specific context of myocardial deformation imaging with phased arrays and investigating the conditions in which it remains advantageous over traditional focused (FOC) beamforming. For this purpose, several tissue phantoms were simulated using Field II, undergoing a wide range of displacement magnitudes and modes (lateral, axial and rotational motion). The Cramer-Rao lower bound (CRLB) was used to optimize TO beamforming parameters and theoretically predict the fundamental tracking performance limits associated with the FOC, PWTO and PWTO* beamforming scenarios. This framework was extended to also predict performance for BA functions which are windowed by the physical aperture of the transducer, leading to higher lateral oscillations. It was found that windowed BA functions resulted in lower jitter errors compared to tradional BA functions. PWTO* outperformed FOC at all investigated SNR levels but only up to a certain displacement, with the advantage rapidly decreasing when SNR increased. These results suggest that PWTO* improves lateral tracking performance, but only when inter-frame displacements remain relatively low. The study concludes by translating these findings to a clinical environment by suggesting optimal scanner settings. PMID:27810806
-
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Liu, Zhijie; Zhou, Chunxi; Liu, Dingxin; Xu, Dehui; Xia, Wenjie; Cui, Qingjie; Wang, Bingchuan; Kong, Michael G.
2018-01-01
In this paper, we present the effects of the pulse width (PW) on the plasma jet's discharge characteristics, particularly focusing on the production and correlation of the reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) in gas- and liquid-phase. It is found that the length of plasma jet plume first increases before the PW of 10 μs, then gradually decreases and finally almost remains unchanged beyond 150 μs. The plasma bullet disappears after the falling edge of the voltage pulse at low PW, while it terminates far ahead of the falling edge of voltage pulse at high PW. This is mainly attributed to accumulation of space charges that lead to weakening of the reduced electric field with an increase of PW from low to high. More important, it is found that the excited reactive species, the positive and negative ions from plasma jet, and the concentrations of NO2- and NO3- in deionized water exposed to plasma jet also display the first increasing and then decreasing change trend with increase of PW, while the concentration of H2O2 in water almost displays the linearly increasing trend. This mainly results from the formation of the H3O+ and HO2-, as well as their ion water clusters that can produce more OH radicals to be converted into H2O2, while the NO2- and NO3- in gas phase can transport into water and exist most stably in water. The water cluster formation at gas-liquid interface is an important key process that can affect the chemical nature and dose of aqueous RONS in water; this is beneficial for understanding how the RONS are formed in liquid-phase.
-
Bonzano, Laura; Tacchino, Andrea; Roccatagliata, Luca; Mancardi, Giovanni Luigi; Abbruzzese, Giovanni; Bove, Marco
2011-02-01
Training one hand on a motor task results in performance improvements in the other hand, also when stimuli are randomly presented (nonspecific transfer). Corpus callosum (CC) is the main structure involved in interhemispheric information transfer; CC pathology occurs in patients with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) and is related to altered performance of tasks requiring interhemispheric transfer of sensorimotor information. To investigate the role of CC in nonspecific transfer during a pure motor reaction-time task, we combined motor behavior with diffusion tensor imaging analysis in PwMS. Twenty-two PwMS and 10 controls, all right-handed, were asked to respond to random stimuli with appropriate finger opposition movements with the right (learning) and then the left (transfer) hand. PwMS were able to improve motor performance reducing response times with practice with a trend similar to controls and preserved the ability to transfer the acquired motor information from the learning to the transfer hand. A higher variability in the transfer process, indicated by a significantly larger standard deviation of mean nonspecific transfer, was found in the PwMS group with respect to the control group, suggesting the presence of subtle impairments in interhemispheric communication in some patients. Then, we correlated the amount of nonspecific transfer with mean fractional anisotropy (FA) values, indicative of microstructural damage, obtained in five CC subregions identified on PwMS's FA maps. A significant correlation was found only in the subregion including posterior midbody (Pearson's r = 0.74, P = 0.003), which thus seems to be essential for the interhemispheric transfer of information related to pure sensorimotor tasks. Copyright © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
-
Automatic Detection and Classification of Unsafe Events During Power Wheelchair Use.
Pineau, Joelle; Moghaddam, Athena K; Yuen, Hiu Kim; Archambault, Philippe S; Routhier, François; Michaud, François; Boissy, Patrick
2014-01-01
Using a powered wheelchair (PW) is a complex task requiring advanced perceptual and motor control skills. Unfortunately, PW incidents and accidents are not uncommon and their consequences can be serious. The objective of this paper is to develop technological tools that can be used to characterize a wheelchair user's driving behavior under various settings. In the experiments conducted, PWs are outfitted with a datalogging platform that records, in real-time, the 3-D acceleration of the PW. Data collection was conducted over 35 different activities, designed to capture a spectrum of PW driving events performed at different speeds (collisions with fixed or moving objects, rolling on incline plane, and rolling across multiple types obstacles). The data was processed using time-series analysis and data mining techniques, to automatically detect and identify the different events. We compared the classification accuracy using four different types of time-series features: 1) time-delay embeddings; 2) time-domain characterization; 3) frequency-domain features; and 4) wavelet transforms. In the analysis, we compared the classification accuracy obtained when distinguishing between safe and unsafe events during each of the 35 different activities. For the purposes of this study, unsafe events were defined as activities containing collisions against objects at different speed, and the remainder were defined as safe events. We were able to accurately detect 98% of unsafe events, with a low (12%) false positive rate, using only five examples of each activity. This proof-of-concept study shows that the proposed approach has the potential of capturing, based on limited input from embedded sensors, contextual information on PW use, and of automatically characterizing a user's PW driving behavior.
-
Arctic pathways of Pacific Water: Arctic Ocean Model Intercomparison experiments.
Aksenov, Yevgeny; Karcher, Michael; Proshutinsky, Andrey; Gerdes, Rüdiger; de Cuevas, Beverly; Golubeva, Elena; Kauker, Frank; Nguyen, An T; Platov, Gennady A; Wadley, Martin; Watanabe, Eiji; Coward, Andrew C; Nurser, A J George
2016-01-01
Pacific Water (PW) enters the Arctic Ocean through Bering Strait and brings in heat, fresh water, and nutrients from the northern Bering Sea. The circulation of PW in the central Arctic Ocean is only partially understood due to the lack of observations. In this paper, pathways of PW are investigated using simulations with six state-of-the art regional and global Ocean General Circulation Models (OGCMs). In the simulations, PW is tracked by a passive tracer, released in Bering Strait. Simulated PW spreads from the Bering Strait region in three major branches. One of them starts in the Barrow Canyon, bringing PW along the continental slope of Alaska into the Canadian Straits and then into Baffin Bay. The second begins in the vicinity of the Herald Canyon and transports PW along the continental slope of the East Siberian Sea into the Transpolar Drift, and then through Fram Strait and the Greenland Sea. The third branch begins near the Herald Shoal and the central Chukchi shelf and brings PW into the Beaufort Gyre. In the models, the wind, acting via Ekman pumping, drives the seasonal and interannual variability of PW in the Canadian Basin of the Arctic Ocean. The wind affects the simulated PW pathways by changing the vertical shear of the relative vorticity of the ocean flow in the Canada Basin.
-
Parasites of Bloater Coregonus hoyi (Salmonidae) from Lake Michigan, U.S.A
Madenjian, Charles P.; Muzzall, Patrick M.
2013-01-01
In total, 158 bloaters Coregonus hoyi collected in September and October 2011 from 4 Lake Michigan, U.S.A., ports were examined for parasites. The ports included Waukegan (WK), Illinois; Port Washington (PW) and Sturgeon Bay (SB), Wisconsin; and Saugatuck (SG), Michigan. Parasites found in bloaters by port were cestodes Cyathocephalus truncatus (WK, PW, and SB) and Eubothrium salvelini (WK, PW, SB, and SG); the nematode Cystidicola farionis (WK, PW, SB, and SG); acanthocephalans Acanthocephalus dirus (WK and PW), Echinorhynchus salmonis (WK, PW, and SB), and Neoechinorhynchus tumidus (SB); and the copepod Salmincola corpulentus (WK and PW). Gravid individuals of all parasite species were found except for E. salvelini and A. dirus. Cystidicola farionis had the highest prevalence at each port, and the highest mean intensity and mean abundance at PW. The numbers of C. farionis at PW were significantly higher than those at WK and SB. Echinorhynchus salvelini had the highest mean intensities and mean abundances at WK, SB, and SG. The values for parasite species richness in bloaters were similar among ports. The total numbers of parasites were similar between WK and PW, but they were higher at these ports than at SB. The parasite faunas of bloaters were characterized by autogenic helminth species.
-
Shape stabilised phase change materials (SSPCMs): High density polyethylene and hydrocarbon waxes
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Mu, Mulan, E-mail: mmu01@qub.ac.uk, E-mail: m.basheer@qub.ac.uk; Basheer, P. A. M., E-mail: mmu01@qub.ac.uk, E-mail: m.basheer@qub.ac.uk; Bai, Yun, E-mail: yun.bai@ucl.ac.uk
Shape stabilised phase change materials (SSPCMs) based on high density polyethylene (HDPE) with high (HPW, T{sub m}=56-58 °C) and low (L-PW, T{sub m}=18-23 °C) melting point waxes were prepared by melt-mixing in a twin-screw extruder and their potential in latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) applications for housing assessed. The structure and morphology of these blends were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Both H-PW and L-PW were uniformly distributed throughout the HDPE matrix. The melting point and latent heat of the SSPCMs were determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The results demonstrated that both H-PW and L-PW have amore » plasticisation effect on the HDPE matrix. The tensile and flexural properties of the samples were measured at room temperature (RT, 20±2 °C) and 70 °C, respectively. All mechanical properties of HDPE/H-PW and HDPE/L-PW blends decreased from RT to 70 °C. In all instances at RT, modulus and stress, irrespective of the mode of deformation was greater for the HDPE/H-PW blends. However, at 70 °C, there was no significant difference in mechanical properties between the HDPE/H-PW and HDPE/L-PW blends.« less
-
Fritschi, Juliette O; van Uffelen, Jannique G Z; Brown, Wendy J
2014-12-01
Although pole walking (PW) has the potential to be a useful health-enhancing physical activity (PA), little is known about by whom or how it is being practised. The aims of this study were to describe (1) the characteristics of PW leaders, pole walkers and PW programs in Australia, and (2) participants' perceptions of PW and their reasons for participation. In 2012, PW leaders (n=31) and walkers (n=107) completed self-administered surveys that included questions about participants' sociodemographic and health characteristics, PW programs and perceptions of PW. Data were analysed using SPSS. Leaders and walkers were generally born in Australia (leaders, 71%; walkers, 83%), older (leaders, 55 years [s.d. 11.5]; walkers, 65 years [s.d. 10.6]) and female (leaders, 77%; walkers, 79%). Most walkers (82%) walked regularly in groups, approximately once per week for about an hour, at light to moderate intensity. The program's aims most strongly endorsed by PW leaders were to increase participant enjoyment (90%), increase PA levels (81%), provide a positive social experience (77%) and increase PA confidence (71%). The most strongly endorsed motivations for PW among walkers were to remain physically active (63%), improve fitness (62%) and personal and social enjoyment (60%). In Australia, PW is being practised by a health conscious, older population. It is perceived as an enjoyable and health-enhancing outdoor activity. SO WHAT?: Health and exercise practitioners may find that PW is a beneficial form of PA for older Australians.
-
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kouhlane, Yacine; Bouhafs, Djoudi; Khelifati, Nabil; Guenda, Abdelkader; Demagh, Nacer-Eddine; Demagh, Assia; Pfeiffer, Pierre; Mezghiche, Salah; Hetatache, Warda; Derkaoui, Fahima; Nasraoui, Chahinez; Nwadiaru, Ogechi Vivian
2018-04-01
In this study, the carrier lifetime variation of p-type boron-doped Czochralski silicon (Cz-Si) wafers was investigated after a direct rapid thermal processing (RTP). Two wafers were passivated by silicon nitride (SiNx:H) layers, deposited by a PECVD system on both surfaces. Then the wafers were subjected to an RTP cycle at a peak temperature of 620 °C. The first wafer was protected (PW) from the direct radiative heating of the RTP furnace by placing the wafer between two as-cut Cz-Si shield wafers during the heat processing. The second wafer was not protected (NPW) and followed the same RTP cycle procedure. The carrier lifetime τ eff was measured using the QSSPC technique before and after illumination for 5 h duration at 0.5 suns. The immediate results of the measured lifetime (τ RTP ) after the RTP process have shown a regeneration in the lifetime of the two wafers with the PW wafer exhibiting an important enhancement in τ RTP as compared to the NPW wafer. The QSSPC measurements have indicated a good stable lifetime (τ d ) and a weak degradation effect was observed in the case of the PW wafer as compared to their initial lifetime value. Interferometry technique analyses have shown an enhancement in the surface roughness for the NPW wafer as compared to the protected one. Additionally, to improve the correlation between the RTP heat radiation stress and the carrier lifetime behavior, a simulation of the thermal stress and temperature profile using the finite element method on the wafers surface at RTP peak temperature of 620 °C was performed. The results confirm the reduction of the thermal stress with less heat losses for the PW wafer. Finally, the proposed method can lead to improving the lifetime of wafers by an RTP process at minimum energy costs.
-
ICE/ISEE plasma wave data analysis
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Greenstadt, E. W.
1992-01-01
The interval reported on, from Jan. 1990 to Dec. 1991, has been one of continued processing and archiving of ICE plasma wave (pw) data and transition from analysis of ISEE 3 and ICE cometary data to ICE data taken along its cruise trajectory, where coronal mass ejections are the focus of attention. We have continued to examine with great interest the last year of ISEE 3's precomet phase, when it spent considerable time far downwind from Earth, recording conditions upstream, downstream, and across the very weak, distant flank bow shock. Among other motivations was the apparent similarity of some shock and post shock structures to the signatures of the bow wave surrounding comet Giacobini-Zinner, whose ICE-phase data was revisited. While pursuing detailed, second-order scientific inquiries still pending from the late ISEE 3 recordings, we have also sought to position ourselves for study of CME's by instituting a data processing format new to the ISEE 3/ICE pw detector. Processed detector output has always been summarized and archived in 24-hour segments, with all pw channels individually plotted and stacked one above the next down in frequency, with each channel calibrated separately to keep all data patterns equally visible in the plots, regardless of gross differences in energy content at the various frequencies. Since CME's, with their preceding and following solar wind plasmas, can take more than one day to pass by the spacecraft, a more condensed synoptic view of the pw data is required to identify, let alone assess, CME characteristics than has been afforded by the traditional routines. This requirement is addressed in a major new processing initiative in the past two years. Besides our own ongoing and fresh investigations, we have cooperated, within our resources, with studies conducted extramurally by distant colleagues irrespective of the phase of the ISEE 3/ICE mission under scrutiny. The remainder of this report summarizes our processing activities, our investigations, both internal and cooperative, our scientific results, and our publication activity.
-
Lethin, Connie; Renom-Guiteras, Anna; Zwakhalen, Sandra; Soto-Martin, Maria; Saks, Kai; Zabalegui, Adelaida; Challis, David J; Nilsson, Christer; Karlsson, Staffan
2017-11-01
To investigate informal caregivers' psychological well-being and predicted increase in psychological well-being, when caring for persons with dementia (PwDs) living at home, related to caregiver, PwD and formal care (FC) factors. A cohort study at baseline and 3 months' follow-up in eight European countries. Caregivers included (n = 1223) were caring for PwDs aged ≥ 65 years at home. Data on caregivers, PwDs and FC were collected using standardized instruments. Regression analysis of factors associated with caregiver psychological well-being at baseline and 3 months later was performed. Factors associated with caregiver psychological well-being at baseline were positive experience of caregiving, low caregiver burden, high quality of life (QoL) for caregivers, male gender of PwD, high QoL of PwD, few neuropsychiatric symptoms and depressive symptoms for the PwD. At follow-up, caregivers with increased psychological well-being experienced of quality of care (QoC) higher and were more often using dementia specific service. Predicting factors for caregivers' increased psychological well-being were less caregiver burden, positive experience of caregiving, less supervision of the PwD and higher caregiver QoL, if PwD were male, had higher QoL and less neuropsychiatric symptoms. Furthermore, higher QoC predicted increased caregivers' psychological well-being. Informal caregiving for PwDs living at home is a complex task. Our study shows that caregivers' psychological well-being was associated with, among other things, less caregiver burden and higher QoL. Professionals should be aware of PwD neuropsychiatric symptoms that might affect caregivers' psychological well-being, and provide proper care and treatment for caregivers and PwDs.
-
Czepa, D; Hilberg, W; Poschmann, J; Straaten, S; Hilberg, T
2014-01-01
In over two-thirds of deaths, nutrition is a determining factor. Nutritional condition and dietary recommandations are unspecified in the haemophilia treatment. Aim of this study was to examine the food consumption and dietary behaviour in affected patients before and after a nutrition consultation. Data were assessed via questionnaires and compared between 38 patients with haemophilia (PwH) and 20 controls without haemophilia. Furthermore, in a randomised controlled trial 11 patients with haemophilia (PwH-I) took part in an adapted nutrition consultation and were supervised over six months as opposed to 12 patients with haemophilia (PwH-O) without intervention. PwH were compared to controls more pleased with their weight (53 vs. 40%), used more nutrition consultations in the past (53 vs. 15%) and consumed more dairy products (40 vs. 15%) and fruits (45 vs. 30%). After nutrition consultation PwH-I were better informed about their own blood values than PwH-O. The nutrition rated high in both groups, but PwH-I were more mindful of the feeling of satiety (9 vs. 36%) compared to PwH-O (33 vs. 17%). Moreover, PwH-I ate less under stress and/or out of boredom, showed a higher satisfaction regarding their weight and increased the liquid intake (55 vs. 73%), which remained unchanged in PwH-O with 42%. Compared to PwH-O, PwH-I ate more roughage, low-fat food, fish and fruits, therefore consuming less coffee/tea. Food consumption and dietary behaviour are similar between patients with haemophilia and controls without haemophilia. A nutrition consultation affected the food consumption and dietary behaviour in patients with haemophilia positively and can consequently contribute to preservation of health and prevention of nutritional diseases.
-
Pain sensitivity in patients with haemophilia following moderate aerobic exercise intervention.
Krüger, S; Weitz, C; Runkel, B; Hilberg, T
2016-11-01
Physical activity is influenced by pain and vice versa. Although studies recommend exercise therapy for patients with haemophilia (PwH), the influence of physical activity on the pain condition in PwH has not been investigated so far. Aim of this study was to examine the effect of a treadmill intervention with self-chosen velocity on the acute pain sensitivity in PwH. Twenty PwH [aged 24-58 years, moderate (n = 3) to severe (n = 17) haemophilia A (n = 17) or B (n = 3)] and 20 control subjects (aged 26-61 years) were included in this study. Eighteen PwH and all controls completed a treadmill intervention for 30 min. Pressure pain thresholds (PPT) in Newton (N) were measured at both the knees, ankles and elbows, sternum and forehead before (pre) and immediately after walking (post). PwH and controls walked with comparable speed (mean speed in km h -1 ; PwH: 3.5, controls: 3.8), resulting in significantly different values of performance-related parameters such as heart rate (mean heart rate per minute; PwH: 102, controls: 86; P ≤ 0.01). Compared to baseline values, PPT remained unaltered at all landmarks in both groups after walking (e.g. pre/post in Newton; knee right: PwH: 63.1/63.0, controls: 93.8/93.8; left knee: PwH: 62.1/62.7, controls: 90.0/93.4), indicating a non-increasing pain condition. Findings of unaltered PPT following moderate aerobic exercise showed initial evidence that PwH are able to perform an endurance exercise with self-chosen velocity for 30 min as recommended, without increasing the acute pain condition. By doing so, PwH can benefit from the positive effects of endurance exercise. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
-
Falls in People with Multiple Sclerosis Compared with Falls in Healthy Controls
Mazumder, Rajarshi; Murchison, Charles; Bourdette, Dennis; Cameron, Michelle
2014-01-01
Objective To compare the risk, circumstances, consequences and causes of prospectively recorded falls between people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) and healthy controls of similar age and gender. Methods 58 PwMS and 58 healthy controls, who are community-dwelling, were recruited in this 6-month prospective cohort study. 90% of PwMS and 84% of healthy controls completed the study. Participants counted falls prospectively using fall calendars and noted fall location, fall-related injuries, and the cause of the falls. Kaplan Meier survival analysis and log-rank tests were performed to compare the distributions of survival without falling between PwMS and healthy controls. Results 40.8% of controls and 71.2% of PwMS fell at least once. 48.1% of PwMS and 18.4% of healthy controls fell at least twice. 42.3% of PwMS and 20.4% of health controls sustained a fall-related injury. After adjusting for age and gender, the time to first fall (HR: 1.87, p = 0.033) and the time to recurrent falls (HR: 2.87, p = 0.0082) were significantly different between PwMS and healthy controls. PwMS reported an almost equal number of falls inside and outside, 86% of the falls in healthy controls were outside. Healthy controls were more likely to fall due to slipping on a slippery surface (39.5% vs 10.4%). PwMS more often attributed falls to distraction (31% vs 7%) and uniquely attributed falls to fatigue or heat. Conclusions Fall risk, circumstances, consequences, and causes are different for PwMS than for healthy people of the same age and gender. PwMS fall more, are more likely to be injured by a fall, and often fall indoors. PwMS, but not healthy controls, frequently fall because they are distracted, fatigued or hot. PMID:25254633
-
Arctic pathways of Pacific Water: Arctic Ocean Model Intercomparison experiments
Karcher, Michael; Proshutinsky, Andrey; Gerdes, Rüdiger; de Cuevas, Beverly; Golubeva, Elena; Kauker, Frank; Nguyen, An T.; Platov, Gennady A.; Wadley, Martin; Watanabe, Eiji; Coward, Andrew C.; Nurser, A. J. George
2016-01-01
Abstract Pacific Water (PW) enters the Arctic Ocean through Bering Strait and brings in heat, fresh water, and nutrients from the northern Bering Sea. The circulation of PW in the central Arctic Ocean is only partially understood due to the lack of observations. In this paper, pathways of PW are investigated using simulations with six state‐of‐the art regional and global Ocean General Circulation Models (OGCMs). In the simulations, PW is tracked by a passive tracer, released in Bering Strait. Simulated PW spreads from the Bering Strait region in three major branches. One of them starts in the Barrow Canyon, bringing PW along the continental slope of Alaska into the Canadian Straits and then into Baffin Bay. The second begins in the vicinity of the Herald Canyon and transports PW along the continental slope of the East Siberian Sea into the Transpolar Drift, and then through Fram Strait and the Greenland Sea. The third branch begins near the Herald Shoal and the central Chukchi shelf and brings PW into the Beaufort Gyre. In the models, the wind, acting via Ekman pumping, drives the seasonal and interannual variability of PW in the Canadian Basin of the Arctic Ocean. The wind affects the simulated PW pathways by changing the vertical shear of the relative vorticity of the ocean flow in the Canada Basin. PMID:27818853
-
Royer, Betina; Cardoso, Natali F; Lima, Eder C; Vaghetti, Julio C P; Simon, Nathalia M; Calvete, Tatiana; Veses, Renato Cataluña
2009-05-30
The Brazilian pine-fruit shell (Araucaria angustifolia) is a food residue, which was used in natural and carbonized forms, as low-cost adsorbents for the removal of methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solutions. Chemical treatment of Brazilian pine-fruit shell (PW), with sulfuric acid produced a non-activated carbonaceous material (C-PW). Both PW and C-PW were tested as low-cost adsorbents for the removal of MB from aqueous effluents. It was observed that C-PW leaded to a remarkable increase in the specific surface area, average porous volume, and average porous diameter of the adsorbent when compared to PW. The effects of shaking time, adsorbent dosage and pH on adsorption capacity were studied. In basic pH region (pH 8.5) the adsorption of MB was favorable. The contact time required to obtain the equilibrium was 6 and 4h at 25 degrees C, using PW and C-PW as adsorbents, respectively. Based on error function values (F(error)) the kinetic data were better fitted to fractionary-order kinetic model when compared to pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order, and chemisorption kinetic models. The equilibrium data were fitted to Langmuir, Freundlich, Sips and Redlich-Peterson isotherm models. For MB dye the equilibrium data were better fitted to the Sips isotherm model using PW and C-PW as adsorbents.
-
Ogawa, Masaki; Matsuda, Yoshio; Nakai, Akihito; Hayashi, Masako; Sato, Shoji; Matsubara, Shigeki
2016-11-01
Placental weight (PW) and fetal/placental weight ratio (F/P) have been considered to be useful parameters for understanding the pathophysiology of fetal growth. However, there have been no standard data on PW and F/P in Asian populations. This study was conducted to establish nomograms of PW and F/P in the Japanese population and to clarify characteristics of PW and F/P in this population. Included in the study were 79,590 Japanese cases: 58,871 vaginal and 20,719 cesarean deliveries at obstetrical facilities (2001-2002) and registered to the Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology Database. Multiple pregnancies, stillbirths, and fetal anomalies were excluded. Nomograms of PW and F/P were created by spline methods in groups categorized by fetal sex (male or female) and maternal parity (primipara or multipara). Standard curves of PW and F/P were established, which indicated that PW and F/P were lower in cesarean deliveries than vaginal deliveries, especially during preterm period. PW differed depending on fetal sex and maternal parity. F/P differed according to fetal sex. We for the first time established standard curves of PW and F/P in the Japanese population with statistically sufficient data, which showed that PW and F/P were lower in cesarean deliveries. PW and F/P were also affected by fetal sex. These data might be useful to understand the pathophysiology between the fetus and placenta in utero. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
-
Lu, Nan; Wang, Yaqi; Ning, Shiqi; Zhao, Wenjing; Qian, Min; Ma, Ying; Wang, Jia; Fan, Lingyun; Guan, Jiunian; Yuan, Xing
2017-12-11
A series of plasmonic Ag-TiO 2 /H 3 PW 12 O 40 composite films were fabricated and immobilized by validated preparation technique. The chemical composition and phase, optical, SPR effect and pore-structure properties together with the morphology of as-prepared composite film are well-characterized. The multi-synergies of as-prepared composite films were gained by combined action of electron-capture action via H 3 PW 12 O 40 , visible-response induced by Ag, and Schottky-junction formed between TiO 2 -Ag. Under simulated sunlight, the maximal K app of o-chlorophenol (o-CP) reached 0.0075 min -1 which was 3.95-fold larger than that of TiO 2 film, while it was restrained obviously under acid condition. In the photocatalytic degradation process, ·OH and ·O 2 - attacked preferentially ortho and para position of o-CP molecule, and accordingly the specific degradation pathways were speculated. The novel composite film exhibited an excellent applicability due to self-regeneration of H 3 PW 12 O 40 , well-protection of metal Ag° and favorable immobilization.
-
77 FR 16921 - Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Division Turbofan Engines
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2012-03-23
... Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Division Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA..., PW4160, PW4460, PW4462, and PW4650 turbofan engines, including models with any dash number suffix. This... Compliance We estimate that this AD will affect 44 turbofan engines installed on airplanes of U.S. registry...
-
77 FR 23637 - Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Division Turbofan Engines
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2012-04-20
... Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Division Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA... directive (AD) for certain Pratt & Whitney Division PW4000-94'' and PW4000-100'' turbofan engines having a...-flight engine shutdowns, in certain PW4000-94'' and PW4000-100'' turbofan engines. Pratt & Whitney's...
-
77 FR 42424 - Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Turbofan Engines
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2012-07-19
... Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT... & Whitney Division PW4074 and PW4077 turbofan engines. That AD currently requires removing the 15th stage..., August 4, 2011). (c) Applicability This AD applies to Pratt & Whitney Division PW4074 and PW4077 turbofan...
-
Demonstration of electronic design automation flow for massively parallel e-beam lithography
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Brandt, Pieter; Belledent, Jérôme; Tranquillin, Céline; Figueiro, Thiago; Meunier, Stéfanie; Bayle, Sébastien; Fay, Aurélien; Milléquant, Matthieu; Icard, Beatrice; Wieland, Marco
2014-07-01
For proximity effect correction in 5 keV e-beam lithography, three elementary building blocks exist: dose modulation, geometry (size) modulation, and background dose addition. Combinations of these three methods are quantitatively compared in terms of throughput impact and process window (PW). In addition, overexposure in combination with negative bias results in PW enhancement at the cost of throughput. In proximity effect correction by over exposure (PEC-OE), the entire layout is set to fixed dose and geometry sizes are adjusted. In PEC-dose to size (DTS) both dose and geometry sizes are locally optimized. In PEC-background (BG), a background is added to correct the long-range part of the point spread function. In single e-beam tools (Gaussian or Shaped-beam), throughput heavily depends on the number of shots. In raster scan tools such as MAPPER Lithography's FLX 1200 (MATRIX platform) this is not the case and instead of pattern density, the maximum local dose on the wafer is limiting throughput. The smallest considered half-pitch is 28 nm, which may be considered the 14-nm node for Metal-1 and the 10-nm node for the Via-1 layer, achieved in a single exposure with e-beam lithography. For typical 28-nm-hp Metal-1 layouts, it was shown that dose latitudes (size of process window) of around 10% are realizable with available PEC methods. For 28-nm-hp Via-1 layouts this is even higher at 14% and up. When the layouts do not reach the highest densities (up to 10∶1 in this study), PEC-BG and PEC-OE provide the capability to trade throughput for dose latitude. At the highest densities, PEC-DTS is required for proximity correction, as this method adjusts both geometry edges and doses and will reduce the dose at the densest areas. For 28-nm-hp lines critical dimension (CD), hole&dot (CD) and line ends (edge placement error), the data path errors are typically 0.9, 1.0 and 0.7 nm (3σ) and below, respectively. There is not a clear data path performance difference between the investigated PEC methods. After the simulations, the methods were successfully validated in exposures on a MAPPER pre-alpha tool. A 28-nm half pitch Metal-1 and Via-1 layouts show good performance in resist that coincide with the simulation result. Exposures of soft-edge stitched layouts show that beam-to-beam position errors up to ±7 nm specified for FLX 1200 show no noticeable impact on CD. The research leading to these results has been performed in the frame of the industrial collaborative consortium IMAGINE.
-
Calvete, Tatiana; Lima, Eder C; Cardoso, Natali F; Vaghetti, Júlio C P; Dias, Silvio L P; Pavan, Flavio A
2010-08-01
Activated (AC-PW) and non-activated (C-PW) carbonaceous materials were prepared from the Brazilian-pine fruit shell (Araucaria angustifolia) and tested as adsorbents for the removal of reactive orange 16 dye (RO-16) from aqueous effluents. The effects of shaking time, adsorbent dosage and pH on the adsorption capacity were studied. RO-16 uptake was favorable at pH values ranging from 2.0 to 3.0 and from 2.0 to 7.0 for C-PW and AC-PW, respectively. The contact time required to obtain the equilibrium using C-PW and AC-PW as adsorbents was 5 and 4h at 298 K, respectively. The fractionary-order kinetic model provided the best fit to experimental data compared with other models. Equilibrium data were better fit to the Sips isotherm model using C-PW and AC-PW as adsorbents. The enthalpy and entropy of adsorption of RO-16 were obtained from adsorption experiments ranging from 298 to 323 K. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
-
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Zhang, F.; Barriot, J. P.; Maamaatuaiahutapu, K.; Sichoix, L.; Xu, G., Sr.
2017-12-01
In order to better understand and predict the complex meteorological context of French Polynesia, we focus on the time evolution of Integrated Precipitable Water (PW) using Radiosoundings (RS) data from 1974 to 2017. In a first step, we make a comparison over selected months between the PW estimate reconstructed from raw two seconds acquisition and the PW estimate reconstructed from the highly compressed and undersampled Integrated Global Radiosonde Archive (IGRA). In a second step, we make a comparison with other techniques of PW acquisition (radio delays, temperature of sky, infrared bands absorption) in order to assess the intrinsic biases of RS acquisition. In a last step, we analyze the PW time series in our area validated at the light of the first and second step, w.r.t seasonality (dry season and wet season) and spatial location. During the wet season (November to April), the PW values are higher than the corresponding values observed during the dry season (May to October). The PW values are smaller with higher latitudes, but there are higher PW values in Tahiti than in other islands because of the presence of the South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ) around Tahiti. All the PW time series show the same uptrend in French Polynesia in recent years. This study provides further evidence that the PW time series derived from RS can be assimilated in weather forecasting and climate warming models.
-
Respiration and enzymatic activities as indicators of stabilization of sewage sludge composting.
Nikaeen, Mahnaz; Nafez, Amir Hossein; Bina, Bijan; Nabavi, BiBi Fatemeh; Hassanzadeh, Akbar
2015-05-01
The objective of this work was to study the evolution of physico-chemical and microbial parameters in the composting process of sewage sludge (SS) with pruning wastes (PW) in order to compare these parameters with respect to their applicability in the evaluation of organic matter (OM) stabilization. To evaluate the composting process and organic matter stability, different microbial activities were compared during composting of anaerobically digested SS with two volumetric ratios, 1:1 and 3:1 of PW:SS and two aeration techniques including aerated static piles (ASP) and turned windrows (TW). Dehydrogenase activity, fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis, and specific oxygen uptake rate (SOUR) were used as microbial activity indices. These indices were compared with traditional parameters, including temperature, pH, moisture content, organic matter, and C/N ratio. The results showed that the TW method and 3:1 (PW:SS) proportion was superior to the ASP method and 1:1 proportion, since the former accelerate the composting process by catalyzing the OM stabilization. Enzymatic activities and SOUR, which reflect microbial activity, correlated well with temperature fluctuations. Based on these results it appears that SOUR and the enzymatic activities are useful parameters to monitor the stabilization of SS compost. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
-
Baik, Ji-Yoon; Lee, Hongmie
2009-12-01
Efforts to reduce plate-waste (PW) are limited to those by a dietitian who serves the entire school rather than a better characterization of individuals who are served. We tested the hypothesis that children reporting habitual PW would have different physical or dietary characteristics compared with children without PW. Participants were 407 children aged 6 to 9 years in elementary schools in Kyeonggi, Korea. Information on eating behavior and food preference was collected using a questionnaire administered by parents. Among them, 91 students participated further in anthropometry, step counting, taste acuity tests, and nutrition intake from school lunches. Participants were divided into tertiles according to total frequency of leaving PW from each meal on a typical day: no PW, moderate PW, and habitual PW. Children with habitual PW showed several undesirable characteristics: consuming less of various vegetables, eating only what they like, poor table manners, and frequent consumption of street foods and cookies/beverages/fast foods. Whereas height, weight, and obesity index as well as taste acuity and daily steps in the habitual PW group were not significantly different, intakes of potassium, niacin, and folate were significantly lower compared with the other groups. Therefore, habitual PW did not seem to result from having a lower energy requirement or different taste acuity, or result in observed slowed growth, but it could place children at a risk for insufficient nutritional intake, consequently impairing growth and general health. The results emphasize the parental role in shaping children's diet and provide information for developing strategies to reduce PW of individual children.
-
Rafiee, Ezzat; Nobakht, Narges
2016-01-01
Hybrid composite material was obtained through encapsulation of H3PW12O40 (PW) into HKUST-1 (Cu3(BTC)2, BTC = 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid), in molar composition of 5 Cu(NO3)2 · 3H2O/2.8 BTC/0.3 PW/0.6 CTAB by adding solutions of PW and copper salts to mixture of BTC and surfactant. The catalyst was characterized by various techniques including powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), laser particle size analyzer, Brunauer Emmett-Teller (BET). The acidity of the catalyst was measured by a potentiometric titration with n-butylamine and PW/HKUST-1 presented very strong acidic sites with Ei > 100 mV. This nano catalyst was successfully used for the synthesis of various β-keto enol ethers at 45 °C with 51-98% yield after 5-75 min. The catalyst was easily recycled and reused at least four times without significant loss of its activity (94% yield after forth run). The presence of the PW in PW/HKUST-1 and reused PW/HKUST-1 structure, eliminating any doubt about collapse of the HKUST-1 after catalytic reaction and can be followed by FT-IR, XRD and SEM techniques. Brönsted and Lewis acidity of the PW/HKUST-1 catalyst was distinguished by studying the FT-IR and determined by chemisorption of pyridine. The strength and dispersion of the protons on PW/HKUST-1 was considerably high and active surface protons became more available for reactant.
-
46 CFR 52.05-20 - Radiographic and ultrasonic examination (modifies PW-11 and PW-41.1).
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
2010-10-01
... 46 Shipping 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Radiographic and ultrasonic examination (modifies PW-11 and PW-41.1). 52.05-20 Section 52.05-20 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) MARINE ENGINEERING POWER BOILERS Requirements for Boilers Fabricated by Welding § 52.05-20...
-
46 CFR 52.05-20 - Radiographic and ultrasonic examination (modifies PW-11 and PW-41.1).
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
2014-10-01
... 46 Shipping 2 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Radiographic and ultrasonic examination (modifies PW-11 and PW-41.1). 52.05-20 Section 52.05-20 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) MARINE ENGINEERING POWER BOILERS Requirements for Boilers Fabricated by Welding § 52.05-20...
-
46 CFR 52.05-20 - Radiographic and ultrasonic examination (modifies PW-11 and PW-41.1).
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
2011-10-01
... 46 Shipping 2 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Radiographic and ultrasonic examination (modifies PW-11 and PW-41.1). 52.05-20 Section 52.05-20 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) MARINE ENGINEERING POWER BOILERS Requirements for Boilers Fabricated by Welding § 52.05-20...
-
46 CFR 52.05-20 - Radiographic and ultrasonic examination (modifies PW-11 and PW-41.1).
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
2012-10-01
... 46 Shipping 2 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Radiographic and ultrasonic examination (modifies PW-11 and PW-41.1). 52.05-20 Section 52.05-20 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) MARINE ENGINEERING POWER BOILERS Requirements for Boilers Fabricated by Welding § 52.05-20...
-
46 CFR 52.05-20 - Radiographic and ultrasonic examination (modifies PW-11 and PW-41.1).
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
2013-10-01
... 46 Shipping 2 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Radiographic and ultrasonic examination (modifies PW-11 and PW-41.1). 52.05-20 Section 52.05-20 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) MARINE ENGINEERING POWER BOILERS Requirements for Boilers Fabricated by Welding § 52.05-20...
-
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Gu, Huimin; Lang, Junyu; Ma, Yuli; Gu, Huayu; Song, Yanyong; Chai, Zhanli; Li, Guangshe; Wang, Xiaojing
2018-05-01
In this investigation, phosphotungstic acid (H3PW12O40) was successfully self-assembly implanted into the interspace of K4Nb6O17 nanosheet via an impregnation method to form an adsorption-photocatalytic composite, in which n-type semiconductor K4Nb6O17 was selected as photo-electron emitter and H3PW12O40 was particularly used as an electronic transmitter. By characterizing with X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission (TEM), scan electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and FT-IR spectrum (FT-IR), it confirmed that H3PW12O40 (HPW) was converted to the insoluble tiny particles of K3PW12O40 (KPW) with the remained primary Keggin group via an ion-exchanged H+ of HPW with K+ in K4Nb6O17 in the implanted process and was firmly bound to the surface of K4Nb6O17 to form well sandwich structure. UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy revealed that the band gap of K4Nb6O17-K3PW12O40 have a slight red shift compared with the single K4Nb6O17. Its adsorption-photocatalytic properties were evaluated with the removal of tetracycline as model reaction. Compared with pure K4Nb6O17, tetracycline removal rate can be significantly improved for the as-prepared sandwich. Importantly, the removal could still maintain 70% after five reuses in recycle tests at an acidic solution, inferring a good stability which was mainly ascribed to the formation of water-insoluble K3PW12O40. The separation and transfer process of photogenerated electrons were investigated by surface photovoltage spectroscopy (SPV). It proposed that the KPW anchored firmly on the interlayers of K4Nb6O17 through a O-K-O bridge plays a significantly role in promoting the separation of the photogenerated carriers and preventing the leakage and agglomeration of HPW. The present results showed that the strategy of the phosphotungstic acid binding in situ to K4Nb6O17 was favorable to promote the hetero-photocatalytic efficiency as well as reusability. [Figure not available: see fulltext.
-
Chen, Xiaodong; Chen, Minglong; Wang, Yingying; Yang, Bing; Ju, Weizhu; Zhang, Fengxiang; Cao, Kejiang
2016-01-01
Abstract We sought to investigate variation of atrial electromechanical interval after catheter ablation procedure in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation using pulse Doppler (PW) and pulse tissue Doppler imaging (PW-TDI). A total of 25 consecutive in-patients with persistent atrial fibrillation, who restored sinus rhythm after ablation procedure, were recruited in our cardiac center. Echocardiography was performed on each patient at 2 hours, 1 day, 5 days, 1 month and 3 months after the ablation therapy, and atrial electromechanical delay was measured simultaneously by PW and PW-TDI. There was no significant difference between PW and TDI in measuring atrial electromechanical delay. However, at postoperative 2 hours, peak A detection rates were mathematically but nonsignificantly greater by PW-TDI than by PW. Second, there was a significant decreasing trend in atrial electromechanical interval from postoperative 2 hours to 3 months, but only postoperative 2-hour atrial electromechanical interval was significantly greater than atrial electromechanical interval at other time. Lastly, patients without postoperative 2-hour atrial electromechanical interval had a significantly longer duration of atrial fibrillation as compared to those with postoperative 2-hour atrial electromechanical interval, by the PW or by PW-TDI, respectively. In patients with persistent atrial fibrillation, atrial electromechanical interval may decrease significantly within the first 24 hours after ablation but remain consistent later, and was significantly related to patients’ duration of atrial fibrillation. Atrial electromechanical interval, as a potential predicted factor, is recommended to be measured by either PW or TDI after 24 hours, when patients had recovered sinus rhythm by radiofrequency ablation. PMID:27924066
-
Clare, Linda; Whitaker, Christopher J; Roberts, Judith L; Nelis, Sharon M; Martyr, Anthony; Marková, Ivana S; Roth, Ilona; Woods, Robert T; Morris, Robin G
2013-01-01
Measures of memory awareness based on evaluative judgement and performance monitoring are often regarded as equivalent, but the Levels of Awareness Framework suggests they reflect different awareness phenomena. Examination of memory awareness among groups with differing degrees of impairment provides a test of this proposition. Ninety-nine people with dementia (PwD), 30 people with mild cognitive impairment (PwMCI), and their relatives completed isomorphic performance monitoring and evaluative judgement measures of memory awareness and were followed up at 12 and (PwD only) 20 months. In addition to the resulting awareness indices, comparative accuracy scores were calculated using the relatives' data to establish whether any inaccuracy was specific to self-ratings. When making evaluative judgements about their memory in general, both PwD and PwMCI tended to overestimate their own functioning relative to informant ratings made by relatives. When monitoring performance on memory tests, PwD again overestimated performance relative to test scores, but PwMCI were much more accurate. Comparative accuracy scores indicated that, unlike PwD, PwMCI do not show a specific inaccuracy in self-related appraisals. The results support the proposition that awareness indices at the levels of evaluative judgement and performance monitoring should be regarded as reflecting distinct awareness phenomena. Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.
-
van Velzen, Marit H N; Loeve, Arjo J; Niehof, Sjoerd P; Mik, Egbert G
2017-11-01
Photoplethysmography (PPG) is a widely available non-invasive optical technique to visualize pressure pulse waves (PWs). Pulse transit time (PTT) is a physiological parameter that is often derived from calculations on ECG and PPG signals and is based on tightly defined characteristics of the PW shape. PPG signals are sensitive to artefacts. Coughing or movement of the subject can affect PW shapes that much that the PWs become unsuitable for further analysis. The aim of this study was to develop an algorithm that automatically and objectively eliminates unsuitable PWs. In order to develop a proper algorithm for eliminating unsuitable PWs, a literature study was conducted. Next, a '7Step PW-Filter' algorithm was developed that applies seven criteria to determine whether a PW matches the characteristics required to allow PTT calculation. To validate whether the '7Step PW-Filter' eliminates only and all unsuitable PWs, its elimination results were compared to the outcome of manual elimination of unsuitable PWs. The '7Step PW-Filter' had a sensitivity of 96.3% and a specificity of 99.3%. The overall accuracy of the '7Step PW-Filter' for detection of unsuitable PWs was 99.3%. Compared to manual elimination, using the '7Step PW-Filter' reduces PW elimination times from hours to minutes and helps to increase the validity, reliability and reproducibility of PTT data.
-
Freund, Jane E; Stetts, Deborah M; Vallabhajosula, Srikant
2016-06-30
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic progressive disease of the central nervous system. Compared to healthy individuals, persons with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) have increased postural sway in quiet stance, decreased gait speed and increased fall incidence. Trunk performance has been implicated in postural control, gait dysfunction, and fall prevention in older adults. However, the relationship of trunk performance to postural control and gait has not been adequately studied in PwMS. To compare trunk muscle structure and performance in PwMS to healthy age and gendered-matched controls (HC); to determine the effects of isometric trunk endurance testing on postural control in both populations; and to determine the relationship of trunk performance with postural control, gait and step activity in PwMS. Fifteen PwMS and HC completed ultrasound imaging of trunk muscles, 10 m walk test, isometric trunk endurance tests, and postural sway test. Participants wore a step activity monitor for 7 days. PwMS had worse isometric trunk endurance compared to HC. PwMS trunk flexion endurance negatively correlated to several postural control measures and positively correlated to gait speed and step activity. Clinicians should consider evaluation and interventions directed at impaired trunk endurance in PwMS.
-
Pellegrino, R; Sunaga, D Y; Guindalini, C; Martins, R C S; Mazzotti, D R; Wei, Z; Daye, Z J; Andersen, M L; Tufik, S
2012-11-01
Although the specific functions of sleep have not been completely elucidated, the literature has suggested that sleep is essential for proper homeostasis. Sleep loss is associated with changes in behavioral, neurochemical, cellular, and metabolic function as well as impaired immune response. Using high-resolution microarrays we evaluated the gene expression profiles of healthy male volunteers who underwent 60 h of prolonged wakefulness (PW) followed by 12 h of sleep recovery (SR). Peripheral whole blood was collected at 8 am in the morning before the initiation of PW (Baseline), after the second night of PW, and one night after SR. We identified over 500 genes that were differentially expressed. Notably, these genes were related to DNA damage and repair and stress response, as well as diverse immune system responses, such as natural killer pathways including killer cell lectin-like receptors family, as well as granzymes and T-cell receptors, which play important roles in host defense. These results support the idea that sleep loss can lead to alterations in molecular processes that result in perturbation of cellular immunity, induction of inflammatory responses, and homeostatic imbalance. Moreover, expression of multiple genes was downregulated following PW and upregulated after SR compared with PW, suggesting an attempt of the body to re-establish internal homeostasis. In silico validation of alterations in the expression of CETN3, DNAJC, and CEACAM genes confirmed previous findings related to the molecular effects of sleep deprivation. Thus, the present findings confirm that the effects of sleep loss are not restricted to the brain and can occur intensely in peripheral tissues.
-
Akob, Denise M.; Cozzarelli, Isabelle M.; Dunlap, Darren S.; Rowan, Elisabeth L.; Lorah, Michelle M.
2015-01-01
Hydraulically fractured shales are becoming an increasingly important source of natural gas production in the United States. This process has been known to create up to 420 gallons of produced water (PW) per day, but the volume varies depending on the formation, and the characteristics of individual hydraulic fracture. PW from hydraulic fracturing of shales are comprised of injected fracturing fluids and natural formation waters in proportions that change over time. Across the state of Pennsylvania, shale gas production is booming; therefore, it is important to assess the variability in PW chemistry and microbiology across this geographical span. We quantified the inorganic and organic chemical composition and microbial communities in PW samples from 13 shale gas wells in north central Pennsylvania. Microbial abundance was generally low (66–9400 cells/mL). Non-volatile dissolved organic carbon (NVDOC) was high (7–31 mg/L) relative to typical shallow groundwater, and the presence of organic acid anions (e.g., acetate, formate, and pyruvate) indicated microbial activity. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were detected in four samples (∼1 to 11.7 μg/L): benzene and toluene in the Burket sample, toluene in two Marcellus samples, and tetrachloroethylene (PCE) in one Marcellus sample. VOCs can be either naturally occurring or from industrial activity, making the source of VOCs unclear. Despite the addition of biocides during hydraulic fracturing, H2S-producing, fermenting, and methanogenic bacteria were cultured from PW samples. The presence of culturable bacteria was not associated with salinity or location; although organic compound concentrations and time in production were correlated with microbial activity. Interestingly, we found that unlike the inorganic chemistry, PW organic chemistry and microbial viability were highly variable across the 13 wells sampled, which can have important implications for the reuse and handling of these fluids
-
Runkel, B; Czepa, D; Hilberg, T
2016-09-01
Physical fitness is of major importance for patients with haemophilia (PwH) but is highly influenced by bleeding episodes. Although some cohort studies describe an improvement of physical fitness after training intervention, randomized controlled studies (RCT) in PwH are still rare. The aim of this study was to prove the enhancement of physical work capacity in PwH by programmed sports therapy (PST). This RCT includes a training period over six months. Sixty-four PwH with moderate (n = 5) to severe (n = 59) haemophilia A (n = 57) and B (n = 7) were randomized into two groups - training intervention group (IG) and control group (CG) by block randomization. Complex strength measurements, joint score, coordination check and a 12-min walking test were carried out before and after training intervention. Significant differences were tested in M. triceps brachii (Δ+0.62 N kg(-1) ), biceps brachii (Δ+1.25 N kg(-1) ), latissimus dorsi (Δ+0.59 N kg(-1) ), rectus abdominis (Δ+0.51 N kg(-1) ), biceps femoris (right: Δ+0.68 N kg(-1) ; left: Δ+0.59 N kg(-1) ) and the quadriceps femoris (right: Δ+0.71 N kg(-1) ; left: Δ+0.55 N kg(-1) ) after intervention between the two groups (all p ≤ 0.003). Furthermore, an increase in distance (Δ+171.5 m) covered in the 12-min walking test (P = 0.011) was observed. Regarding one-leg stand, a significant improvement (P = 0.037) in the IG (Δ+2.2 s right leg) after intervention could be determined. For the first time, a study with a corresponding number of adult PwH in a RCT-design showed that programmed sport therapy with specific instructions over 6 months has a positive effect on physical performance of PwH, independent of constitution and disease process. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
-
1998-07-01
potential sites including those in the Florida Keys. P-E-0006.02 Biology-Keys 3.3.3.4 The coral reef is not within the region of influence of the...Region 4 P-W-0065 Musselman, David P-W-0021 Orlandi, Robin; Board of Directors of Reef Relief P-W-0014 Percy, George W.; Division of Historical...answer above. P-W-0007.03 Florida Keys- reef 3.3.3.3 Comment noted. P-W-0007.04 Launch emissions 3.1.14.4 3.3.14.4 The balance of the hydrogen
-
Heyde, Brecht; Bottenus, Nick; D'hooge, Jan; Trahey, Gregg E
2017-02-01
The transverse oscillation (TO) technique can improve the estimation of tissue motion perpendicular to the ultrasound beam direction. TOs can be introduced using plane wave (PW) insonification and bilobed Gaussian apodization (BA) on receive (abbreviated as PWTO). Furthermore, the TO frequency of PWTO can be doubled after a heterodyning demodulation process is performed (abbreviated as PWTO*). This paper is concerned with identifying the limitations of the PWTO technique in the specific context of myocardial deformation imaging with phased arrays and investigating the conditions in which it remains advantageous over traditional focused (FOC) beamforming. For this purpose, several tissue phantoms were simulated using Field II, undergoing a wide range of displacement magnitudes and modes (lateral, axial, and rotational motions). The Cramer-Rao lower bound was used to optimize TO beamforming parameters and theoretically predict the fundamental tracking performance limits associated with the FOC, PWTO, and PWTO* beamforming scenarios. This framework was extended to also predict the performance for BA functions that are windowed by the physical aperture of the transducer, leading to higher lateral oscillations. It was found that windowed BA functions resulted in lower jitter errors compared with traditional BA functions. PWTO* outperformed FOC at all investigated signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) levels but only up to a certain displacement, with the advantage rapidly decreasing when the SNR increased. These results suggest that PWTO* improves lateral tracking performance, but only when interframe displacements remain relatively low. This paper concludes by translating these findings into a clinical environment by suggesting optimal scanner settings.
-
Chen, Xiaodong; Chen, Minglong; Wang, Yingying; Yang, Bing; Ju, Weizhu; Zhang, Fengxiang; Cao, Kejiang
2016-11-01
We sought to investigate variation of atrial electromechanical interval after catheter ablation procedure in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation using pulse Doppler (PW) and pulse tissue Doppler imaging (PW-TDI). A total of 25 consecutive in-patients with persistent atrial fibrillation, who restored sinus rhythm after ablation procedure, were recruited in our cardiac center. Echocardiography was performed on each patient at 2 hours, 1 day, 5 days, 1 month and 3 months after the ablation therapy, and atrial electromechanical delay was measured simultaneously by PW and PW-TDI. There was no significant difference between PW and TDI in measuring atrial electromechanical delay. However, at postoperative 2 hours, peak A detection rates were mathematically but nonsignificantly greater by PW-TDI than by PW. Second, there was a significant decreasing trend in atrial electromechanical interval from postoperative 2 hours to 3 months, but only postoperative 2-hour atrial electromechanical interval was significantly greater than atrial electromechanical interval at other time. Lastly, patients without postoperative 2-hour atrial electromechanical interval had a significantly longer duration of atrial fibrillation as compared to those with postoperative 2-hour atrial electromechanical interval, by the PW or by PW-TDI, respectively. In patients with persistent atrial fibrillation, atrial electromechanical interval may decrease significantly within the first 24 hours after ablation but remain consistent later, and was significantly related to patients' duration of atrial fibrillation. Atrial electromechanical interval, as a potential predicted factor, is recommended to be measured by either PW or TDI after 24 hours, when patients had recovered sinus rhythm by radiofrequency ablation. © 2016 by the Journal of Biomedical Research. All rights reserved.
-
Measuring Total Column Water Vapor by Pointing an Infrared Thermometer at the Sky
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Mims, Forrest M., III; Chambers, Lin H.; Brooks, David R.
2011-01-01
A 2-year study affirms that the temperature (Tz) indicated by an inexpensive ($20 to $60) IR thermometer pointed at the cloud-free zenith sky provides an approximate indication of the total column water vapor (precipitable water or PW). PW was measured by a MICROTOPS II sun photometer. The coefficient of correlation (r2) of the PW and Tz was 0.90, and the rms difference was 3.2 mm. A comparison of the Tz data with the PW provided by a GPS site 31 km NNE yielded an r2 of 0.79, and an rms difference of 5.8 mm. An expanded study compared Tz from eight IR thermometers with PW at various times during the day and night from 17 May to 18 October 2010, mainly at the Texas site and 10 days at Hawaii's Mauna Loa Observatory (MLO). The best results of this comparison were provided by two IR thermometers models that yielded an r2 of 0.96 and an rms difference with the PW of 2.7 mm. The results of both the ongoing 2-year study and the 5-month instrument comparison show that IR thermometers can measure PW with an accuracy (rms difference/mean PW) approaching 10%, the accuracy typically ascribed to sun photometers.
-
Besson, Vanessa; Smeriglio, Piera; Wegener, Amélie; Relaix, Frédéric; Nait Oumesmar, Brahim; Sassoon, David A.; Marazzi, Giovanna
2011-01-01
A variety of markers are invaluable for identifying and purifying stem/progenitor cells. Here we report the generation of a murine reporter line driven by Pw1 that reveals cycling and quiescent progenitor/stem cells in all adult tissues thus far examined, including the intestine, blood, testis, central nervous system, bone, skeletal muscle, and skin. Neurospheres generated from the adult PW1-reporter mouse show near 100% reporter-gene expression following a single passage. Furthermore, epidermal stem cells can be purified solely on the basis of reporter-gene expression. These cells are clonogenic, repopulate the epidermal stem-cell niches, and give rise to new hair follicles. Finally, we demonstrate that only PW1 reporter-expressing epidermal cells give rise to follicles that are capable of self-renewal following injury. Our data demonstrate that PW1 serves as an invaluable marker for competent self-renewing stem cells in a wide array of adult tissues, and the PW1-reporter mouse serves as a tool for rapid stem cell isolation and characterization. PMID:21709251
-
SYMBMAT: Symbolic computation of quantum transition matrix elements
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Ciappina, M. F.; Kirchner, T.
2012-08-01
We have developed a set of Mathematica notebooks to compute symbolically quantum transition matrices relevant for atomic ionization processes. The utilization of a symbolic language allows us to obtain analytical expressions for the transition matrix elements required in charged-particle and laser induced ionization of atoms. Additionally, by using a few simple commands, it is possible to export these symbolic expressions to standard programming languages, such as Fortran or C, for the subsequent computation of differential cross sections or other observables. One of the main drawbacks in the calculation of transition matrices is the tedious algebraic work required when initial states other than the simple hydrogenic 1s state need to be considered. Using these notebooks the work is dramatically reduced and it is possible to generate exact expressions for a large set of bound states. We present explicit examples of atomic collisions (in First Born Approximation and Distorted Wave Theory) and laser-matter interactions (within the Dipole and Strong Field Approximations and different gauges) using both hydrogenic wavefunctions and Slater-Type Orbitals with arbitrary nlm quantum numbers as initial states. Catalogue identifier: AEMI_v1_0 Program summary URL:http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/summaries/AEMI_v1_0.html Program obtainable from: CPC Program Library, Queen's University, Belfast, N. Ireland Licensing provisions: Standard CPC license, http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/licence/licence.html No. of lines in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 71 628 No. of bytes in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 444 195 Distribution format: tar.gz Programming language: Mathematica Computer: Single machines using Linux or Windows (with cores with any clock speed, cache memory and bits in a word) Operating system: Any OS that supports Mathematica. The notebooks have been tested under Windows and Linux and with versions 6.x, 7.x and 8.x Classification: 2.6 Nature of problem: The notebooks generate analytical expressions for quantum transition matrix elements required in diverse atomic processes: ionization by ion, electron, or photon impact and ionization within the framework of strong field physics. In charged-particle collisions approaches based on perturbation theory enjoy widespread utilization. Accordingly, we have chosen the First Born Approximation and Distorted Wave theories as examples. In light-matter interactions, the main ingredient for many types of calculations is the dipole transition matrix in its different formulations, i.e. length, velocity, and acceleration gauges. In all these cases the transitions of interest occur between a bound state and a continuum state which can be described in different ways. With the notebooks developed in the present work it is possible to calculate transition matrix elements analytically for any set of quantum numbers nlm of initial hydrogenic states or Slater-Type Orbitals and for plane waves or Coulomb waves as final continuum states. Solution method: The notebooks employ symbolic computation to generate analytical expressions for transition matrix elements used in both collision and light-matter interaction physics. fba_hyd.nb - This notebook computes analytical expressions for the transition matrix of collision-induced ionization in the First Born Approximation (FBA). The transitions considered are from a bound hydrogenic state with arbitrary quantum numbers nlm to a continuum state represented by a plane wave (PW) or a Coulomb wave (CW). distorted_hyd.nb - This notebook computes analytical expressions for the transition matrix of collision-induced ionization in Distorted Wave (DW) theories. The transitions considered are from a (distorted) bound hydrogenic state with arbitrary quantum numbers nlm to a distorted-wave continuum state. The computations are based on scalar and vectorial integrals (see the text for details). dipoleLength_hyd.nb - This notebook computes analytical expressions for the dipole transition matrix in length gauge. The transitions considered are from a bound hydrogenic state with arbitrary quantum numbers nlm to a continuum state represented by a PW (the Strong Field Approximation (SFA)) or a CW (the Coulomb-Volkov Approximation (CVA)). dipoleVelocity_hyd.nb - This notebook computes analytical expressions for the dipole transition matrix in velocity gauge. The transitions considered are from a bound hydrogenic state with arbitrary quantum numbers nlm to a continuum state represented by a PW (the SFA) or a CW (the CVA). dipoleAcceleration_hyd.nb - This notebook computes analytical expressions for the dipole transition matrix in acceleration gauge. The transitions considered are from a bound hydrogenic state with arbitrary quantum numbers nlm to a continuum state represented by a PW (the SFA). For the case of the CVA we only include the transition from the 1s state to a continuum state represented by a CW. fba_STO.nb - This notebook computes analytical expressions for the transition matrix of collision-induced ionization in the FBA. The transitions considered are from a Slater-Type Orbital (STO) with arbitrary quantum numbers nlm to a continuum state represented by a PW or a CW. distorted_STO.nb - This notebook computes analytical expressions for the transition matrix of collision-induced ionization in DW theories. The transitions considered are from a (distorted) STO with arbitrary quantum numbers nlm to a distorted-wave continuum state. The computations are based on scalar and vectorial integrals (see the text for details). dipoleLength_STO.nb - This notebook computes analytical expressions for the dipole transition matrix in length gauge. The transitions considered are from an STO with arbitrary quantum numbers nlm to a continuum state represented by a PW (the SFA) or a CW (the CVA). dipoleVelocity_STO.nb - This notebook computes analytical expressions for the dipole transition matrix in velocity gauge. The transitions considered are from an STO with arbitrary quantum numbers nlm to a continuum state represented by a PW (the SFA) or a CW (the CVA). dipoleAcceleration_STO.nb - This notebook computes analytical expressions for the dipole transition matrix in acceleration gauge. The transitions considered are from an STO with arbitrary quantum numbers nlm to a continuum state represented by a PW (the SFA). The symbolic expressions obtained within each notebook can be exported to standard programming languages such as Fortran or C using the Format.m package (see the text and Ref. Sofroniou (1993) [16] for details). Running time: Computational times vary according to the transition matrix selected and quantum numbers nlm of the initial state used. The typical running time is several minutes, but it will take longer for large values of nlm.
-
77 FR 56794 - Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp. Turboprop Engines
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2012-09-14
... Canada Corp. Turboprop Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. ACTION: Notice of..., PW127F, PW127G, and PW127M turboprop engines. The existing AD currently requires initial and repetitive... 56795
-
Rieckmann, Peter; Centonze, Diego; Elovaara, Irina; Giovannoni, Gavin; Havrdová, Eva; Kesselring, Jurg; Kobelt, Gisela; Langdon, Dawn; Morrow, Sarah A; Oreja-Guevara, Celia; Schippling, Sven; Thalheim, Christoph; Thompson, Heidi; Vermersch, Patrick; Aston, Karen; Bauer, Birgit; Demory, Christy; Giambastiani, Maria Paz; Hlavacova, Jana; Nouvet-Gire, Jocelyne; Pepper, George; Pontaga, Maija; Rogan, Emma; Rogalski, Chrystal; van Galen, Pieter; Ben-Amor, Ali-Frédéric
2018-01-01
Patient engagement is vital in multiple sclerosis (MS) in order to optimise outcomes for patients, society and healthcare systems. It is essential to involve all stakeholders in potential solutions, working in a multidisciplinary way to ensure that people with MS (PwMS) are included in shared decision-making and disease management. To start this process, a collaborative, open environment between PwMS and healthcare professionals (HCPs) is required so that similarities and disparities in the perception of key areas in patient care and unmet needs can be identified. With this patient-centred approach in mind, in 2016 the MS in the 21st Century Steering Group formed a unique collaboration to include PwMS in the Steering Group to provide a platform for the patient voice. The MS in the 21st Century initiative set out to foster engagement through a series of open-forum joint workshops. The aims of these workshops were: to identify similarities and disparities in the perception and prioritisation in three key areas (unmet needs, the treatment burden in MS, and factors that impact patient engagement), and to provide practical advice on how the gaps in perception and understanding in these key areas could be bridged. Combined practical advice and direction are provided here as eight actions: 1. Improve communication to raise the quality of HCP-patient interaction and optimise the limited time available for consultations. 2. Heighten the awareness of 'hidden' disease symptoms and how these can be managed. 3. Improve the dialogue surrounding the benefit versus risk issues of therapies to help patients become fully informed and active participants in their healthcare decisions. 4. Provide accurate, lucid information in an easily accessible format from reliable sources. 5. Encourage HCPs and multidisciplinary teams to acquire and share new knowledge and information among their teams and with PwMS. 6. Foster greater understanding and awareness of challenges faced by PwMS and HCPs in treating MS. 7. Collaborate to develop local education, communication and patient-engagement initiatives. 8. Motivate PwMS to become advocates for self-management in MS care. Our study of PwMS and HCPs in the MS in the 21st Century initiative has highlighted eight practical actions. These actions identify how differences and gaps in unmet needs, treatment burden, and patient engagement between PwMS and HCPs can be bridged to improve MS disease management. Of particular interest now are patient-centred educational resources that can be used during time-limited consultations to enhance understanding of disease and improve communication. Actively bridging these gaps in a joint approach enables PwMS to take part in shared decision-making; with improved communication and reliable information, patients can make informed decisions with their HCPs, as part of their own personalised disease management. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
-
O'Loughlin, Emer; Hourihan, Susan; Chataway, Jeremy; Playford, E Diane; Riazi, Afsane
2017-09-01
The majority of people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) initially present with discreet periods of relapses followed by partial remission of symptoms (RRMS). Over time, most pwMS transition to secondary progressive MS (SPMS), characterized by a gradual accumulation of disability. This study aimed to explore the experiences, coping and needs associated with transitioning from RRMS to SPMS. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews with nine pwMS and seven specialist MS health professionals (HPs). Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Four major themes were identified: "Is this really happening?"; "Becoming a reality"; "A life of struggle"; and "Brushing oneself off and moving on." Findings suggested a process of moving from uncertainty towards confirmation of one's diagnostic label. Being reclassified with SPMS served as a turning point for many, and was accompanied by a range of cognitive, emotional and behavioral responses. The value of adequate information and support surrounding the transition, and the potential benefit of education and support for health professionals in relation to the transition were indicated. Understanding pwMS' experiences of the transition is essential if clinicians are to provide pwMS with appropriate support during the transition. Implications for Rehabilitation The timing and delivery of preparatory education for patients about the transition to SPMS should be carefully considered. Sufficient information and follow-up support following the reclassification of SPMS is crucial but sometimes lacking. The importance of sensitive communication of the reclassification of SPMS was highlighted. MS Specialist health professionals may potentially benefit from training and support around communication of the reclassification of SPMS. Given the potential negative psychological impact of the transition, the psychological wellbeing of the patients during the transition to SPMS should be monitored and responded to appropriately.
-
Tao, Meilin; Xue, Lifang; Sun, Zhong; Wang, Shengtian; Wang, Xiaohong; Shi, Junyou
2015-09-16
In order to investigate the influences of Lewis metals on acidic properties and catalytic activities, a series of Keggin heteropolyacid (HPA) catalysts, HnPW11MO39 (M = Ti(IV), Cu(II), Al(III), Sn(IV), Fe(III), Cr(III), Zr(IV) and Zn(II); for Ti and Zr, the number of oxygen is 40), were prepared and applied in the esterification and transesterification reactions. Only those cations with moderate Lewis acidity had a higher impact. Ti Substituted HPA, H5PW11TiO40, posse lower acid content compared with Ti(x)H(3-4x)PW12O40 (Ti partial exchanged protons in saturated H3PW12O40), which demonstrated that the Lewis metal as an addenda atom (H5PW11TiO40) was less efficient than those as counter cations (Ti(x)H(3-4x)PW12O40). On the other hand, the highest conversion reached 92.2% in transesterification and 97.4% in esterification. Meanwhile, a good result was achieved by H5PW11TiO40 in which the total selectivity of DAG and TGA was 96.7%. In addition, calcination treatment to H5PW11TiO40 make it insoluble in water which resulted in a heterogeneous catalyst feasible for reuse.
-
Perceptions of Barriers to Effective Obesity Care: Results from the National ACTION Study.
Kaplan, Lee M; Golden, Angela; Jinnett, Kimberly; Kolotkin, Ronette L; Kyle, Theodore K; Look, Michelle; Nadglowski, Joseph; O'Neil, Patrick M; Parry, Thomas; Tomaszewski, Kenneth J; Stevenin, Boris; Lilleøre, Søren Kruse; Dhurandhar, Nikhil V
2018-01-01
ACTION (Awareness, Care, and Treatment in Obesity maNagement) examined obesity-related perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors among people with obesity (PwO), health care providers (HCPs), and employer representatives (ERs). A total of 3,008 adult PwO (BMI ≥ 30 by self-reported height and weight), 606 HCPs, and 153 ERs completed surveys in a cross-sectional design. Despite several weight loss (WL) attempts, only 23% of PwO reported 10% WL during the previous 3 years. Many PwO (65%) recognized obesity as a disease, but only 54% worried their weight may affect future health. Most PwO (82%) felt "completely" responsible for WL; 72% of HCPs felt responsible for contributing to WL efforts; few ERs (18%) felt even partially responsible. Only 50% of PwO saw themselves as "obese," and 55% reported receiving a formal diagnosis of obesity. Despite HCPs' reported comfort with weight-related conversations, time constraints deprioritized these efforts. Only 24% of PwO had a scheduled follow-up to initial weight-related conversations. Few PwO (17%) perceived employer-sponsored wellness offerings as helpful in supporting WL. Although generally perceived as a disease, obesity is not commonly treated as such. Divergence in perceptions and attitudes potentially hinders better management. This study highlights inconsistent understanding of the impact of obesity and need for both self-directed and medical management. © 2017 The Obesity Society.
-
Tao, Meilin; Xue, Lifang; Sun, Zhong; Wang, Shengtian; Wang, Xiaohong; Shi, Junyou
2015-01-01
In order to investigate the influences of Lewis metals on acidic properties and catalytic activities, a series of Keggin heteropolyacid (HPA) catalysts, HnPW11MO39 (M = TiIV, CuII, AlIII, SnIV, FeIII, CrIII, ZrIV and ZnII; for Ti and Zr, the number of oxygen is 40), were prepared and applied in the esterification and transesterification reactions. Only those cations with moderate Lewis acidity had a higher impact. Ti Substituted HPA, H5PW11TiO40, posse lower acid content compared with TixH3−4xPW12O40 (Ti partial exchanged protons in saturated H3PW12O40), which demonstrated that the Lewis metal as an addenda atom (H5PW11TiO40) was less efficient than those as counter cations (TixH3−4xPW12O40). On the other hand, the highest conversion reached 92.2% in transesterification and 97.4% in esterification. Meanwhile, a good result was achieved by H5PW11TiO40 in which the total selectivity of DAG and TGA was 96.7%. In addition, calcination treatment to H5PW11TiO40 make it insoluble in water which resulted in a heterogeneous catalyst feasible for reuse. PMID:26374393
-
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Tao, Meilin; Xue, Lifang; Sun, Zhong; Wang, Shengtian; Wang, Xiaohong; Shi, Junyou
2015-09-01
In order to investigate the influences of Lewis metals on acidic properties and catalytic activities, a series of Keggin heteropolyacid (HPA) catalysts, HnPW11MO39 (M = TiIV, CuII, AlIII, SnIV, FeIII, CrIII, ZrIV and ZnII; for Ti and Zr, the number of oxygen is 40), were prepared and applied in the esterification and transesterification reactions. Only those cations with moderate Lewis acidity had a higher impact. Ti Substituted HPA, H5PW11TiO40, posse lower acid content compared with TixH3-4xPW12O40 (Ti partial exchanged protons in saturated H3PW12O40), which demonstrated that the Lewis metal as an addenda atom (H5PW11TiO40) was less efficient than those as counter cations (TixH3-4xPW12O40). On the other hand, the highest conversion reached 92.2% in transesterification and 97.4% in esterification. Meanwhile, a good result was achieved by H5PW11TiO40 in which the total selectivity of DAG and TGA was 96.7%. In addition, calcination treatment to H5PW11TiO40 make it insoluble in water which resulted in a heterogeneous catalyst feasible for reuse.
-
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Clark, D. L.; Cosgrove, M.; Vanvranken, R.; Park, H.; Fitzmaurice, M.
1989-01-01
Functions of acquisition, tracking, and point-ahead in space optical communications are being combined into a single system utilizing an area array detector. An analysis is presented of the feasibility concept. The key parameters are: optical power less than 1 pW at 0.86 micrometer, acquisition in less than 30 seconds in an acquisition field of view (FOV) of 1 mrad, tracking with 0.5 microrad rms noise at 1000 Hz update rate, and point ahead transfer function precision of 0.25 microrad over a region of 150 microrad. Currently available array detectors were examined. The most demanding specifications are low output noise, a high detection efficiency, a large number of pixels, and frame rates over 1kHz. A proof of concept (POC) demonstration system is currently being built utilizing the Kodak HS-40 detector (a 128 x 128 photodiode array with a 64 channel CCD readout architecture which can be operated at frame rates as high as 40,000/sec). The POC system implements a windowing scheme and special purpose digital signal processing electronic for matched filter acquisition and tracking algorithms.
-
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2011-08-04
... AD using a drawdown plan that includes a borescope inspection (BSI) or eddy current inspection (ECI... inspection (BSI) or eddy current inspection (ECI) of the disk rim according to the following schedule: (i...
-
Hydrogeological properties of bank storage area in Changwon city, Korea
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Hamm, S.-Y.; Kim, H.-S.; Cheong, J.-Y.; Ryu, S. M.; Kim, M. J.
2003-04-01
Bank filtrated water has been used in developed countries such as United States, France, Germany, Austria, Nederland and so on. In Korea, most of the drinking water is provided from the surface water. However, drinking water acquisition is becoming difficult due to the degradation of surface water quality. In special, the quality of drinking water source is much lower in downstream area than in upstream area. Thus, the use of bank filtrated water is getting attracted by central and local governments in Korea. The bank filtrated water was surveyed in the areas of Yeongsan river, Nakdong river, Geum river and Han river. Up to present, however, the downstream areas of Nakdong river are most suitable places to apply the bank filtration system. This study investigates hydrogeological characteristics of bank-storage area located in Daesan- Myeon, Changwon city, adjacent the downstream of Nakdong river. Changwon city is the capital city of Gyeongsangnam-Do province. Changwon city uses water derived from Nakdong river as municipal water. However, the quantity and quality of the river water are gradually decreased. Thus, Changwon city developed two sites of bank filtration system in Daesan-myeon and Buk-myeon. Pumping rate is 2,000m3/day at present and will be increased to 60,000m3/day in Daesan-myeon site at the end of the first stage of the project. For the study, we conducted pumping tests four times on seven pumping wells (PW1, PW2, PW3, PW4, PW5, PW6, and PW7) and twelve drill holes (BH-2, OW2-OW12) in the area of 370 m x 100 m. Pumping wells PW1 and PW2 were drilled in 1999 by Samjung Engineering Co. and pumping wells PW3, PW4, PW5, PW6 and PW7 were drilled in 2000 by Donga Construction Co. and Daeduk Gongyeong Co. The pumping wells are located at 45-110 meters from Nakdong riverside. The geology of the study area is composed of volcanic rocks (Palryeongsan tuff and Jusasan andesitic rock) and alluvium. Palryeongsan tuff consists of mostly green tuff with partly tuffaceous sandstone, shale, mudstone and sandstone. Thick alluvium is overlain on Palryeongsan tuff (Samjung Engineering Co., 1999; Donga Construction Co. and Daeduk Gongyeong Co., 2000; Kim and Lee, 1964). The alluvium is composed of sand, sandy gravel and weathered zone from the surface (Table 1, Fig. 3). The aquifer is sandy gravel layer (Samjung Engineering Co., 1999). The gravel layer is thicker near the wells of PW1, PW2, PW3, and PW4 (13.5-17.5m), whereas is thinner near the wells of PW5, PW6, and PW7 (6.3-10.5m). The pumping data obtained were analyzed to determine hydraulic parameters (transmissivity and storativity) using various models of pumping test analysis. The appropriate models for the study area were found from several models. The selected model for observation well is Theis model using corrected drawdown and the selected model for pumped well is Papadopulos-Cooper model using corrected drawdown. As a result, alluvial aquifer in the study area behaviors as confined aquifer rather than phreatic aquifer. Thus, infiltration amount from the river to the aquifer in the study area is lower than that from river to phreatic aquifer for the same water level change. And also storativity of the aquifer is represented by elastic storativity rather than specific yield. Transmissivity obtained by the models ranges from 4.54x10-4 to 1.79x10-1 m2/s with arithmetic mean 2.92x10-2 m2/s. Storativity ranges from 2.59x10-4-5.54x10-1 with arithmetic mean 6.36x10-2. Frequency distribution of hydraulic parameters was determined from statistical analyses. The distribution of transmissivity values does not follow normal distribution showing skewness 2.36 and kurtosis 5.085. Aquifer heterogeneity was found by hydraulic parameters and subsurface geology data in the study area. Furthermore, hydraulic parameters obtained at a well that serves as both pumping well and observation well were compared, and the correlation equation was determined to evaluate hydraulic parameters considering aquifer loss. Transmissivity values obtained by the two cases do not show distinct correlation. However, storativity values obtained by the two cases show distinct negative correlation. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The authors wish to acknowledge the financial support of the Sustainable Water Resources Research Center under the program of the 21st Century Frontier R&D Program by the Korean government (project no: 3-4-1).
-
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2012-02-24
... (BSI) or eddy current inspection (ECI) of the disk outer rim front rail for cracks prior to... date of this AD. (ii) Perform a borescope inspection (BSI) or eddy current inspection (ECI) of the...
-
Volatile-organic molecular characterization of shale-oil produced water from the Permian Basin
Khan, Naima A.; Engle, Mark A.; Dungan, Barry; Holguin, F. Omar; Xu, Pei; Carroll, Kenneth C.
2016-01-01
Growth in unconventional oil and gas has spurred concerns on environmental impact and interest in beneficial uses of produced water (PW), especially in arid regions such as the Permian Basin, the largest U.S. tight-oil producer. To evaluate environmental impact, treatment, and reuse potential, there is a need to characterize the compositional variability of PW. Although hydraulic fracturing has caused a significant increase in shale-oil production, there are no high-resolution organic composition data for the shale-oil PW from the Permian Basin or other shale-oil plays (Eagle Ford, Bakken, etc.). PW was collected from shale-oil wells in the Midland sub-basin of the Permian Basin. Molecular characterization was conducted using high-resolution solid phase micro extraction gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Approximately 1400 compounds were identified, and 327 compounds had a >70% library match. PW contained alkane, cyclohexane, cyclopentane, BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene), alkyl benzenes, propyl-benzene, and naphthalene. PW also contained heteroatomic compounds containing nitrogen, oxygen, and sulfur. 3D van Krevelen and double bond equivalence versus carbon number analyses were used to evaluate molecular variability. Source composition, as well as solubility, controlled the distribution of volatile compounds found in shale-oil PW. The salinity also increased with depth, ranging from 105 to 162 g/L total dissolved solids. These data fill a gap for shale-oil PW composition, the associated petroleomics plots provide a fingerprinting framework, and the results for the Permian shale-oil PW suggest that partial treatment of suspended solids and organics would support some beneficial uses such as onsite reuse and bio-energy production.
-
Osmotically inactive sodium and potassium storage: lessons learned from the Edelman and Boling data.
Nguyen, Minhtri K; Nguyen, Dai-Scott; Nguyen, Minh-Kevin
2016-09-01
Because changes in the plasma water sodium concentration ([Na(+)]pw) are clinically due to changes in the mass balance of Na(+), K(+), and H2O, the analysis and treatment of the dysnatremias are dependent on the validity of the Edelman equation in defining the quantitative interrelationship between the [Na(+)]pw and the total exchangeable sodium (Nae), total exchangeable potassium (Ke), and total body water (TBW) (Edelman IS, Leibman J, O'Meara MP, Birkenfeld LW. J Clin Invest 37: 1236-1256, 1958): [Na(+)]pw = 1.11(Nae + Ke)/TBW - 25.6. The interrelationship between [Na(+)]pw and Nae, Ke, and TBW in the Edelman equation is empirically determined by accounting for measurement errors in all of these variables. In contrast, linear regression analysis of the same data set using [Na(+)]pw as the dependent variable yields the following equation: [Na(+)]pw = 0.93(Nae + Ke)/TBW + 1.37. Moreover, based on the study by Boling et al. (Boling EA, Lipkind JB. 18: 943-949, 1963), the [Na(+)]pw is related to the Nae, Ke, and TBW by the following linear regression equation: [Na(+)]pw = 0.487(Nae + Ke)/TBW + 71.54. The disparities between the slope and y-intercept of these three equations are unknown. In this mathematical analysis, we demonstrate that the disparities between the slope and y-intercept in these three equations can be explained by how the osmotically inactive Na(+) and K(+) storage pool is quantitatively accounted for. Our analysis also indicates that the osmotically inactive Na(+) and K(+) storage pool is dynamically regulated and that changes in the [Na(+)]pw can be predicted based on changes in the Nae, Ke, and TBW despite dynamic changes in the osmotically inactive Na(+) and K(+) storage pool. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.
-
Psarakis, Michael; Greene, David; Cole, Michael H; Lord, Stephen R; Hoang, Phu; Brodie, Matthew A D
2018-04-27
People with Multiple Sclerosis (PwMS) often experience a decline in gait performance, which can compromise their independence and increase falls. Ankle joint contractures in PwMS are common and often result in compensatory gait patterns to accommodate reduced ankle range of motion (ROM). Using advances in wearable technology, the aim of this study was to quantify head and pelvis movement patterns that occur in PwMS with disability and determine how these secondary gait compensations impact on gait stability. Twelve healthy participants and twelve PwMS participated in the study. Head and pelvis movements were measured using two tri-axial accelerometers. Measures of gait compensation, mobility, variability, asymmetry, stability and fatigue were assessed during a six-minute walking test. Compared to healthy controls, PwMS had greater vertical asymmetry in their head and pelvic movements (Cohen's d=1.85 & 1.60). Lower harmonic ratios indicated that PwMS were more unstable than controls (Cohen's d=-1.61 to -3.06), even after adjusting for their slower walking speeds. In the PwMS, increased compensatory movements were correlated with reduced ankle active ROM (r=-0.71), higher disability (EDSS) scores (r=0.58), unstable gait (r=-0.76), reduced mobility (r=-0.76) and increased variability (r=0.83). Wearable device technology provides an efficient and reliable way to screen for excessive compensatory movements often present in PwMS and provides clinically-important information that impacts on mobility, stride time variability and gait stability. This information may help clinicians identify PwMS at high risk of falling and develop better rehabilitation interventions that, in addition to improving mobility, may help target the underlying causes of unstable gait. © 2018 Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine.
-
Nonbehavioral Selection for Pawns, Mutants of PARAMECIUM AURELIA with Decreased Excitability
Schein, Stanley J.
1976-01-01
The reversal response in Paramecium aurelia is mediated by calcium which carries the inward current during excitation. Electrophysiological studies indicate that strontium and barium can also carry the inward current. Exposure to high concentrations of barium rapidly paralyzes and later kills wild-type paramecia. Following mutagenesis with nitrosoguanidine, seven mutants which continued to swim in the `high-barium' solution were selected. All of the mutants show decreased reversal behavior, with phenotypes ranging from extremely non-reversing (`extreme' pawns) to nearly wild-type reversal behavior (`partial' pawns). The mutations fall into three complementation groups, identical to the pwA, pwB, and pwC genes of Kung et al. (1975). All of the pwA and pwB mutants withstand longer exposure to barium, the pwB mutants surviving longer than the pwA mutants. Among mutants of each gene, survival is correlated with loss of reversal behavior. Double mutants (A–B, A–C, B–C), identified in the exautogamous progeny of crosses between `partial' mutants, exhibited a more extreme non-reversing phenotype than either of their single-mutant (`partial' pawn) parents.———Inability to reverse could be expected from an alteration in the calcium-activated reversal mechanism or in excitation. A normal calcium-activated structure was demonstrated in all pawns by chlorpromazine treatment. In a separate report (Schein, Bennett and Katz 1976) the results of electrophysiological investigations directly demonstrate decreased excitability in all of the mutants, a decrease due to an altered calcium activation. The studies of the genetics, the survival in barium and the electro-physiology of the pawns demonstrate that the pwA and pwB genes have different effects on calcium activation. PMID:1001878
-
Volatile-organic molecular characterization of shale-oil produced water from the Permian Basin.
Khan, Naima A; Engle, Mark; Dungan, Barry; Holguin, F Omar; Xu, Pei; Carroll, Kenneth C
2016-04-01
Growth in unconventional oil and gas has spurred concerns on environmental impact and interest in beneficial uses of produced water (PW), especially in arid regions such as the Permian Basin, the largest U.S. tight-oil producer. To evaluate environmental impact, treatment, and reuse potential, there is a need to characterize the compositional variability of PW. Although hydraulic fracturing has caused a significant increase in shale-oil production, there are no high-resolution organic composition data for the shale-oil PW from the Permian Basin or other shale-oil plays (Eagle Ford, Bakken, etc.). PW was collected from shale-oil wells in the Midland sub-basin of the Permian Basin. Molecular characterization was conducted using high-resolution solid phase micro extraction gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Approximately 1400 compounds were identified, and 327 compounds had a >70% library match. PW contained alkane, cyclohexane, cyclopentane, BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene), alkyl benzenes, propyl-benzene, and naphthalene. PW also contained heteroatomic compounds containing nitrogen, oxygen, and sulfur. 3D van Krevelen and double bond equivalence versus carbon number analyses were used to evaluate molecular variability. Source composition, as well as solubility, controlled the distribution of volatile compounds found in shale-oil PW. The salinity also increased with depth, ranging from 105 to 162 g/L total dissolved solids. These data fill a gap for shale-oil PW composition, the associated petroleomics plots provide a fingerprinting framework, and the results for the Permian shale-oil PW suggest that partial treatment of suspended solids and organics would support some beneficial uses such as onsite reuse and bio-energy production. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
-
Knag, Anne Christine; Taugbøl, Annette
2013-09-01
Pollution is one of today's greatest problems, and the release of contaminants into the environment can cause adverse changes in vitally important biological pathways. In this study, we exposed three-spined stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus to produced water (PW), i.e. wastewater from offshore petroleum production. PW contains substances such as alkylphenols (APs) and aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) known to induce toxicant stress and endocrine disruption in a variety of organisms. Following exposure to PW, a standardized confinement treatment was applied as a second stressor (PW-stress), testing how fish already under stress from the pollutant would respond to an additional stressor. The endpoint for analysis was a combination of blood levels of cortisol and glucose, in addition to transcribed levels of a set of genes related to toxicant stress, endocrine disruption and general stress. The findings of this study indicate that low doses of PW do not induce vitellogenin in immature female stickleback, but do cause an upregulation of cytochrome (CYP1A) and UDP-glucuronsyltransferase (UDP-GT), two biomarkers related to toxicant stress. However, when the second stressor was applied, both genes were downregulated, indicating that the confinement exposure had a suppressive effect on the expression of toxicant biomarkers (CYP1A and UDP-GT). Further, two of the stress related genes, heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) and stress-induced phosphoprotein (STIP), were upregulated in both PW- and PW-stress-treatment, but not in the water control confinement treatment, indicating that PW posed as a larger stress-factor than confinement for these genes. The confinement stressor caused an increased level of glucose in both control and PW-treated fish, indicating hyperglycemia, a commonly reported stress response in fish. © 2013.
-
76 FR 76027 - Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Division (PW) PW4000 Series Turbofan Engines
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2011-12-06
... performed by PW. This AD requires removing certain part number (P/N) high-pressure turbine (HPT) stage 1 and... engines, with high-pressure turbine (HPT) stage 1 airseal, part number (P/N) 50L879; HPT stage 2 airseal...
-
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Wu, Man Li C.; Schubert, Siegfried; Lin, Ching I.; Stajner, Ivanka; Einaudi, Franco (Technical Monitor)
2000-01-01
A method is developed for validating model-based estimates of atmospheric moisture and ground temperature using satellite data. The approach relates errors in estimates of clear-sky longwave fluxes at the top of the Earth-atmosphere system to errors in geophysical parameters. The fluxes include clear-sky outgoing longwave radiation (CLR) and radiative flux in the window region between 8 and 12 microns (RadWn). The approach capitalizes on the availability of satellite estimates of CLR and RadWn and other auxiliary satellite data, and multiple global four-dimensional data assimilation (4-DDA) products. The basic methodology employs off-line forward radiative transfer calculations to generate synthetic clear-sky longwave fluxes from two different 4-DDA data sets. Simple linear regression is used to relate the clear-sky longwave flux discrepancies to discrepancies in ground temperature ((delta)T(sub g)) and broad-layer integrated atmospheric precipitable water ((delta)pw). The slopes of the regression lines define sensitivity parameters which can be exploited to help interpret mismatches between satellite observations and model-based estimates of clear-sky longwave fluxes. For illustration we analyze the discrepancies in the clear-sky longwave fluxes between an early implementation of the Goddard Earth Observing System Data Assimilation System (GEOS2) and a recent operational version of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts data assimilation system. The analysis of the synthetic clear-sky flux data shows that simple linear regression employing (delta)T(sub g)) and broad layer (delta)pw provides a good approximation to the full radiative transfer calculations, typically explaining more thin 90% of the 6 hourly variance in the flux differences. These simple regression relations can be inverted to "retrieve" the errors in the geophysical parameters, Uncertainties (normalized by standard deviation) in the monthly mean retrieved parameters range from 7% for (delta)T(sub g) to approx. 20% for the lower tropospheric moisture between 500 hPa and surface. The regression relationships developed from the synthetic flux data, together with CLR and RadWn observed with the Clouds and Earth Radiant Energy System instrument, ire used to assess the quality of the GEOS2 T(sub g) and pw. Results showed that the GEOS2 T(sub g) is too cold over land, and pw in upper layers is too high over the tropical oceans and too low in the lower atmosphere.
-
Aggarwal, Kanika; Agarwal, Aniruddha; Deokar, Ankit; Singh, Ramandeep; Bansal, Reema; Sharma, Aman; Sharma, Kusum; Dogra, Mangat R; Gupta, Vishali
2017-10-11
To evaluate role of ultra-wide field (UWF) versus conventional imaging in the follow-up and paradoxical worsening (PW) of tubercular (TB) multifocal serpiginoid choroiditis (MSC). Prospective observational study of patients with TB MSC undergoing UWF imaging, autofluorescence and fluorescein angiography was performed. A circle simulating central 75° field representing conventional imaging was drawn on UWF images. The information yielded by the two modalities, progression of choroiditis lesions and PW was compared. 44 eyes (29 patients, mean age: 30.7 ± 9 years; 23 males) were included. UWF imaging showed additional lesions in 39/44 eyes (88.6%). Overall, 16/44 eyes (36.4%) showed PW; 3/16 eyes (18.7%) showed only peripheral PW, while 10/16 eyes showed both central and peripheral PW. Management was altered in 11 patients (37.93%) based on UWF imaging. UWF is more useful than conventional imaging in identifying additional choroiditis lesions, PW and altering the course of therapy in TB MSC.
-
Rigorous assessment of patterning solution of metal layer in 7 nm technology node
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Gao, Weimin; Ciofi, Ivan; Saad, Yves; Matagne, Philippe; Bachmann, Michael; Gillijns, Werner; Lucas, Kevin; Demmerle, Wolfgang; Schmoeller, Thomas
2016-01-01
In a 7 nm node (N7), the logic design requires a critical poly pitch of 42 to 45 nm and a metal 1 (M1) pitch of 28 to 32 nm. Such high-pattern density pushes the 193 immersion lithography solution toward its limit and also brings extremely complex patterning scenarios. The N7 M1 layer may require a self-aligned quadruple patterning (SAQP) with a triple litho-etch (LE3) block process. Therefore, the whole patterning process flow requires multiple exposure+etch+deposition processes and each step introduces a particular impact on the pattern profiles and the topography. In this study, we have successfully integrated a simulation tool that enables emulation of the whole patterning flow with realistic process-dependent three-dimensional (3-D) profile and topology. We use this tool to study the patterning process variations of the N7 M1 layer including the overlay control, the critical dimension uniformity budget, and the lithographic process window (PW). The resulting 3-D pattern structure can be used to optimize the process flow, verify design rules, extract parasitics, and most importantly, simulate the electric field, and identify hot spots for dielectric reliability. As an example application, the maximum electric field at M1 tip-to-tip, which is one of the most critical patterning locations, has been simulated and extracted. The approach helps to investigate the impact of process variations on dielectric reliability. We have also assessed the alternative M1 patterning flow with a single exposure block using extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) and analyzed its advantages compared to the LE3 block approach.
-
Clare, Linda; Nelis, Sharon M; Whitaker, Christopher J; Martyr, Anthony; Markova, Ivana S; Roth, Ilona; Woods, Robert T; Morris, Robin G
2012-01-01
Spouse caregivers of people with dementia (PwD) report relatively poor marital relationship quality (RQ), but few studies have obtained the perspective of the PwD, examined discrepancies between spouses, or considered changes in RQ over time. This study explored caregiver and PwD perceptions of RQ, identified associated factors, and examined changes over an 18-month period. Participants were 54 couples where one spouse had early-stage dementia and 54 were control couples. RQ was assessed with the Positive Affect Index. Measures of mood, stress, and quality of life (QoL) were also administered. The clinical couples were followed up after 9 and 18 months. Caregivers gave significantly lower RQ ratings than controls. PwD ratings did not differ significantly from those of caregivers or controls. Dyadic discrepancies were significantly greater in the clinical than in the control group. Caregiver ratings were associated with stress, whereas PwD ratings were associated with depression and QoL. Discrepancies were associated with caregiver stress and with PwD mood, QoL, and age. Caregiver ratings declined significantly over time; PwD ratings did not decline significantly, but showed different trends for men and women. It is important to consider RQ when considering how to support couples where one partner has early-stage dementia.
-
Kim, Tae Im; Oh, Se-Ra; Dai, Fuhong; Yang, Hyun-Jong; Ha, Sang-Do; Hong, Sung-Jong
2017-03-01
Soy sauce-marinated freshwater crabs (Eriocheir japonicus) are a source of human paragonimiasis. The viability of Paragonimus westermani metacercariae (PwMc) in marinated crabs was investigated in an experimental setting. The PwMc collected from freshwater crayfish were inoculated into freshwater crabs, which were then frozen or marinated in soy sauce. All PwMc in the freshwater crabs were inactivated after freezing for 48 h at -20 °C and after freezing for 12 h at -40 °C. After marinating for 32 days, the survival rate of PwMc in 5% NaCl soy sauce was 50%, in 7.5% NaCl soy sauce it was 33.3%, and in 10.0% NaCl soy sauce it was 31.3%. When marinated for 64 days, all PwMc were inactivated in all experimental groups. These results revealed that freezing and soy sauce marination were detrimental to the survival of PwMc in freshwater crabs. Specifically, freezing crabs for more than 48 h or soaking them in soy sauce containing at least 5.0% NaCl for 64 days can inactivate PwMc. These results can inform the production of the traditional Korean soy sauce-marinated freshwater crabs known as gejang.
-
Scanlon, Bridget R; Reedy, Robert C; Male, Frank; Walsh, Mark
2017-09-19
The Permian Basin is being transformed by the "shale revolution" from a major conventional play to the world's largest unconventional play, but water management is critical in this semiarid region. Here we explore evolving issues associated with produced water (PW) management and hydraulic fracturing water demands based on detailed well-by-well analyses. Our results show that although conventional wells produce ∼13 times more water than oil (PW to oil ratio, PWOR = 13), this produced water has been mostly injected back into pressure-depleted oil-producing reservoirs for enhanced oil recovery. Unconventional horizontal wells use large volumes of water for hydraulic fracturing that increased by a factor of ∼10-16 per well and ∼7-10 if normalized by lateral well length (2008-2015). Although unconventional wells have a much lower PWOR of 3 versus 13 from conventional wells, this PW cannot be reinjected into the shale reservoirs but is disposed into nonproducing geologic intervals that could result in overpressuring and induced seismicity. The potential for PW reuse from unconventional wells is high because PW volumes can support hydraulic fracturing water demand based on 2014 data. Reuse of PW with minimal treatment (clean brine) can partially mitigate PW injection concerns while reducing water demand for hydraulic fracturing.
-
Evans-Hoeker, Emily A; Calhoun, Kathryn C; Mersereau, Jennifer E
2014-03-01
To assess healthcare providers' ability to estimate women's body mass index (BMI) based on physical appearance and determine the prevalence of, and barriers to, weight-related counseling. A web-based survey was distributed to healthcare providers ("participants") at a university-based hospital and contained photographs of anonymous women ("photographed women (PW)") as well as questions regarding participant demographics. Participants were asked to estimate BMI category based on physical appearance, state whether they would provide weight-loss counseling for each PW and identify barriers to counseling. One hundred forty-two participants completed the survey. BMI estimations were poor among all participants, with an overall accuracy of only 41% and a large proportion of underestimations. Standardization of PW clothing did not improve accuracy; 41% for own clothing versus 40% for scrubs, P = 0.2. BMI assessments were more accurate for Caucasian versus African American PW (45% versus 36%, P < 0.001) and PW with normal weight (84%) and obesity III (38%) compared to PW with mid-range BMI (P < 0.001). Although the frequency of weight loss counseling was positively associated with PW BMI, participants only intended to counsel 69% of overweight and obese PW. The most commonly cited reason for lack of counseling was time constraints (54%). Healthcare providers are inaccurate at appearance-based BMI categorization and thus, BMI should be routinely calculated in order to improve identification of those in need of counseling. When appropriately identified, time constraints may prevent practitioners from providing appropriate weight-loss counseling-further complicating the already difficult task of fighting obesity. Copyright © 2013 The Obesity Society.
-
Word Reading Aloud Skills: Their Positive Redefinition through Ageing
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Chapleau, Marianne; Wilson, Maximiliano A.; Potvin, Karel; Harvey-Langton, Alexandra; Montembeault, Maxime; Brambati, Simona M.
2017-01-01
Background: Successful reading can be achieved by means of two different procedures: sub-word processes for the pronunciation of words without semantics or pseudowords (PW) and whole-word processes that recruit word-specific information regarding the pronunciation of words with atypical orthography-to-phonology mappings (exception words, EW).…
-
46 CFR 52.05-15 - Heat treatment (modifies PW-10).
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
2010-10-01
... 46 Shipping 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Heat treatment (modifies PW-10). 52.05-15 Section 52.05-15 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) MARINE ENGINEERING POWER BOILERS Requirements for Boilers Fabricated by Welding § 52.05-15 Heat treatment (modifies PW-10). (a) Vessels and...
-
76 FR 41430 - Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Division (PW) PW4000 Series Turbofan Engines
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2011-07-14
... removing certain part number (P/N) high-pressure turbine (HPT) stage 1 and HPT stage 2 airseals and HPT... and its high-pressure turbine (HPT). Pratt and Whitney's updated analysis indicated that the current...) Applicability This AD applies to the following Pratt & Whitney Division (PW) turbofan engines, with high...
-
46 CFR 52.05-15 - Heat treatment (modifies PW-10).
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
2013-10-01
... 46 Shipping 2 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Heat treatment (modifies PW-10). 52.05-15 Section 52.05-15 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) MARINE ENGINEERING POWER BOILERS Requirements for Boilers Fabricated by Welding § 52.05-15 Heat treatment (modifies PW-10). (a) Vessels and...
-
46 CFR 52.05-15 - Heat treatment (modifies PW-10).
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
2012-10-01
... 46 Shipping 2 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Heat treatment (modifies PW-10). 52.05-15 Section 52.05-15 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) MARINE ENGINEERING POWER BOILERS Requirements for Boilers Fabricated by Welding § 52.05-15 Heat treatment (modifies PW-10). (a) Vessels and...
-
46 CFR 52.05-15 - Heat treatment (modifies PW-10).
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
2014-10-01
... 46 Shipping 2 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Heat treatment (modifies PW-10). 52.05-15 Section 52.05-15 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) MARINE ENGINEERING POWER BOILERS Requirements for Boilers Fabricated by Welding § 52.05-15 Heat treatment (modifies PW-10). (a) Vessels and...
-
46 CFR 52.05-15 - Heat treatment (modifies PW-10).
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
2011-10-01
... 46 Shipping 2 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Heat treatment (modifies PW-10). 52.05-15 Section 52.05-15 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) MARINE ENGINEERING POWER BOILERS Requirements for Boilers Fabricated by Welding § 52.05-15 Heat treatment (modifies PW-10). (a) Vessels and...
-
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Arslan, Hakan; Algül, Öztekin
2008-06-01
The room temperature attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectrum of the 2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1 H-benzo[ d]imidazole has been recorded with diamond/ZnSe prism. The conformational behaviour, structural stability of optimized geometry, frequency and intensity of the vibrational bands of the title compound were investigated by utilizing ab initio calculations with 6-311G** basis set at HF, B3LYP, BLYP, B3PW91 and mPW1PW91 levels. The harmonic vibrational frequencies were calculated and scaled values have been compared with experimental IR spectrum. The observed and the calculated frequencies are found to be in good agreement. The theoretical vibrational spectra of the title compound were interpreted by means of potential energy distributions using VEDA 4 program. Furthermore, the optimal uniform scaling factors calculated for the title compound are 0.9120, 0.9596, 0.9660, 0.9699, and 0.9993 for HF, mPW1PW91, B3PW91, B3LYP and BLYP methods, respectively.
-
dos Santos, Elisama Vieira; Bezerra Rocha, Jessica Horacina; de Araújo, Danyelle Medeiros; de Moura, Dayanne Chianca; Martínez-Huitle, Carlos Alberto
2014-01-01
Produced water (PW) is the largest waste stream generated in oil and gas industries. The drilling and extraction operations that are aimed to maximize the production of oil may be counterbalanced by the huge production of contaminated water (called PW) with pollutants, such as heavy metals, dissolved/suspended solids, and organic compounds. PW is conventionally treated through different physical, chemical, and biological methods. In offshore platforms, because of space constraints, compact physical and chemical systems are used. However, major research efforts are being developed with innovative technologies for treating PW in order to comply with reuse and discharge limits. Among them, electrochemical technologies have been proposed as a promising alternative for the treatment of this kind of wastewaters. Then, this paper presents a minireview of efficient electrochemical technologies used until now for treating PW generated by petrochemical industry.
-
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Huelsing, Hannah K.; Wang, Junhong; Mears, Carl; Braun, John J.
2017-11-01
During 9-16 September 2013, the Front Range region of Colorado experienced heavy rainfall that resulted in severe flooding. Precipitation totals for the event exceeded 450 mm, damages to public and private properties were estimated to be over USD 2 billion, and nine lives were lost. This study analyzes the characteristics of precipitable water (PW) surrounding the event using 10 years of high-resolution GPS PW data in Boulder, Colorado, which was located within the region of maximum rainfall. PW in Boulder is dominated by seasonal variability with an average summertime maximum of 36 mm. In 2013, the seasonal PW maximum extended into early September and the September monthly mean PW exceeded the 99th percentile of climatology with a value 25 % higher than the 40-year climatology. Prior to the flood, around 18:00 UTC on 8 September, PW rapidly increased from 22 to 32 mm and remained around 30 mm for the entire event as a result of the nearly saturated atmosphere. The frequency distribution of September PW for Boulder is typically normal, but in 2013 the distribution was bimodal due to a combination of above-average PW values from 1 to 15 September and much drier conditions from 16 to 30 September. The above-normal, near-saturation PW values during the flood were the result of large-scale moisture transport into Colorado from the Tropical Eastern Pacific and the Gulf of Mexico. This moisture transport was the product of a stagnating cutoff low over the southwestern United States working in conjunction with an anticyclone located over the southeastern United States. A blocking ridge located over the Canadian Rocky Mountains kept both of the synoptic features in place over the course of several days, which helped to provide continuous moisture to the storm, thus enhancing the accumulated precipitation totals.
-
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Yang, Hongxun, E-mail: yhongxun@126.com; State Key Laboratory of Structural Chemistry, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fujian, Fuzhou 350002; Liu, Xiaoyan
2016-06-15
Highlights: • A new graphene/K{sub 3}PW{sub 12}O{sub 40} (GPW) composite was synthesized via photoreduction method. • Graphene in the GPW could reduce the recombination of electron-hole pairs. • Graphene in the GPW could increase adsorptive property. • GPW hybrid shows an enhancement photocatalytic activity. - Abstract: K{sub 3}PW{sub 12}O{sub 40} is a promising polyoxometalate photocatalyst for the removal of organic pollutants from water. However, two main disadvantages of poor adsorptive performance and high recombination rate of photogenerated electron-hole pair hinder its practical applications. In this paper, a new graphene nanosheets/K{sub 3}PW{sub 12}O{sub 40} nanocomposite has been synthesized via a greenmore » photoreduction strategy, being low-cost and scalable production. Characterizations show that K{sub 3}PW{sub 12}O{sub 40} nanoparticles with 60 nm or so have been successfully deposited on the graphene nanosheets. As a kind of photocatalyst, the binary graphene nanosheets/K{sub 3}PW{sub 12}O{sub 40} nanocomposite displays improved photocatalytic activity compared to pure K{sub 3}PW{sub 12}O{sub 40}. This improvement is ascribed to the introduction of graphene nanosheets in the nanocomposite, which could increase adsorptive property and reduce the recombination of electron-hole pairs.« less
-
Shamah-Levy, Teresa; García-Chávez, Claudia Gabriela; Rodríguez-Ramírez, Sonia
2016-12-18
Water consumption promotes a decrease in total diet energy intake, and one explanation for this fact is the replacement of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) by plain water (PW). The objective of this study was to analyze the association between SSB and PW consumption as a part of the total energy intake. Dietary information was obtained by one 24 h recall of 2536 school-age children who participated in the National Nutrition Survey in Mexico. PW and SSB consumption was measured in mL and servings (240 mL), and consumption was stratified into two levels (<2 and ≥2 servings/day). Linear regression models were used to evaluate the association between PW and SSB consumption in relation to total energy intake. Models were adjusted for age, sex, the proportion of energy obtained from non-beverage food, area of residence, and socioeconomic status (based on information regarding housing conditions and ownership of home appliances). PW consumption at the national level was two servings/day, and was not associated with total energy intake. However, the combination of the high consumption of PW and the low consumption of SSB was associated with less total energy intake ( p < 0.05). Promoting higher PW and lower SSB consumption provides a useful public health strategy for reducing total energy intake and preventing overconsumption among Mexican school-age children.
-
Environmental risk assessment of alkylphenols from offshore produced water on fish reproduction.
Beyer, Jonny; Myhre, Lars Petter; Sundt, Rolf C; Meier, Sonnich; Tollefsen, Knut-Erik; Vabø, Rune; Klungsøyr, Jarle; Sanni, Steinar
2012-04-01
Concern has been raised over whether environmental release of alkylphenols (AP) in produced water (PW) discharges from the offshore oil industry could impose a risk to the reproduction of fish stocks in the North Sea. An environmental risk assessment (ERA) was performed to determine if environmental exposure to PW APs in North Sea fish populations is likely to be high enough to give effects on reproduction endpoints. The DREAM (Dose related Risk and Effect Assessment Model) software was used in the study and the inputs to the ERA model included PW discharge data, fate information of PW plumes, fish distribution information, as well as uptake and elimination information of PW APs. Toxicodynamic data from effect studies with Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) exposed to APs were used to establish a conservative environmental risk threshold value for AP concentration in seawater. By using the DREAM software to 1) identify the areas of highest potential risk and 2) integrate fish movement and uptake/elimination rates of APs for the chosen areas we found that the environmental exposure of fish to APs from PW is most likely too low to affect reproduction in wild populations of fish in the North Sea. The implications related to risk management of offshore PW and uncertainties in the risk assessment performed are discussed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
-
Paul, L; Rafferty, D; Young, S; Miller, L; Mattison, P; McFadyen, A
2008-08-01
Functional electrical stimulation (FES) is used clinically in the management of drop foot in people suffering from neurological conditions. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of FES, in terms of speed and physiological cost of gait, in people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). Twelve pwMS and 12 healthy matched controls walked at their own preferred walking speed (PWS) for 5 min around a 10 m elliptical course. Subjects with MS completed the protocol with and without using their FES. In addition, control subjects completed the protocol twice more walking at the same PWS of the pwMS to which they were matched. Wearing FES lead to a significant improvement in walking speed (0.49 ms(-1) and 0.43 ms(-1) with and without their FES respectively; P<0.001) and a significant reduction in the physiological cost of gait (0.41 mL min(-1) kg(-1) m(-1) and 0.46 mL min(-1) kg(-1) m(-1) with and without FES respectively; P=0.017) in pwMS. The speed of walking, oxygen uptake, and physiological cost were significantly different between pwMS and controls both at preferred and matched speeds. Although pwMS exhibit a higher physiological cost of walking, FES offers an orthotic benefit to pwMS and should be considered as a possible treatment option.
-
77 FR 12755 - Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney (PW) Division Turbofan Engines
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2012-03-02
... pressure turbine (LPT) of certain PW4000-94'' and PW4000-100'' turbofan engines. These fractures caused an... stages. This AD requires reassembling the 2nd stage HPT blades at the next HPT overhaul and the 3rd stage LPT blades at the next LPT overhaul, using the latest assembly technique. The actions proposed in this...
-
Pariente, Antoine; Mansiaux, Yohann; Jarné, Ana; Salvo, Francesco; Pageot, Cécile; Bezin, Julien; Smith, Andy; Bégaud, Bernard
2017-12-01
In 2011, pioglitazone was withdrawn from the French market owing to a potential risk of bladder cancer. This study aimed at assessing the impact of this pioglitazone withdrawal (PW) considering (i) trends in antidiabetic uses and (ii) changes in hospitalization/death rates in diabetic patients following PW. We first considered the general population of the Echantillon Généraliste des Bénéficiaires (EGB), a 1/97th representative sample of the French healthcare insurance system beneficiaries, for the 2010-2014 period. In this, for each non-insulinic antidiabetic drug class, changes within the numbers of monthly supplied drug units for 1000 subjects were studied through times series and Unobserved Component Models. Second, we identified from the EGB a cohort of patients who were delivered a non-insulinic antidiabetic between 01 April 2011 and 01 August 2011 (date of PW). In this, post-withdrawal incidences of all-cause hospitalization and death were compared amongst pioglitazone users and non-users using proportional subdistribution hazards models. PW was accompanied by an increase in metformin (+ 11.7; 95% CI 1.1-22.3) and glinide (+ 11.0; 95% CI 1.2-20.8) numbers of monthly supplied units for 1000 subjects. No significant change was found for GLP-1 agonists, DPP-4 inhibitors, sulphonylureas or alpha-glucosidase inhibitors. In the cohort of non-insulinic antidiabetic users at the time of PW (1093 pioglitazone users, 17,900 non-users), being a pioglitazone user at PW was not associated with a subsequently higher rate of hospitalization. If PW was accompanied with significant changes in the use of some antidiabetics, no adverse impact of PW on hospitalization or death rates of diabetic type 2 patients was found.
-
Risk assessment of human exposure to Ra-226 in oil produced water from the Bakken Shale.
Torres, Luisa; Yadav, Om Prakash; Khan, Eakalak
2018-06-01
Unconventional oil production in North Dakota (ND) and other states in the United States uses large amounts of water for hydraulic fracturing to stimulate oil flow. Most of the water used returns to the surface as produced water (PW) containing different constituents. Some of these contents are total dissolved solids and radionuclides. The most predominant radionuclide in PW is radium-226 (Ra-226) of which level depends on several factors including the content of certain cations. A multivariate regression model was developed to predict Ra-226 in PW from the Bakken Shale based on the levels of barium, strontium, and calcium. The simulated Ra-226 activity concentration in PW was 535 pCi/L supporting extremely limited actual data based on three PW samples from the Bakken (527, 816, and 1210 pCi/L). The simulated activity concentration was further analyzed by studying its impact in the event of a PW spill reaching a surface water body that provides drinking water, irrigation water for crops, and recreational fishing. Using food transfer factors found in the literature, the final annual effective dose rate for an adult in ND was estimated. The global average annual effective dose rate via food and drinking water is 0.30 mSv, while the predicted dose rate in this study was 0.49 mSv indicating that there is potential risk to human health in ND due to Ra-226 in PW spills. This predicted dose rate is considered the best case scenario as it is based on the simulated Ra-226 activity concentration in PW of 535 pCi/L which is close to the low end actual activity concentration of 527 pCi/L. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
-
Capturing Parenting as a Multidimensional and Dynamic Construct with a Person-Oriented Approach.
Zheng, Yao; Pasalich, Dave S; Oberth, Carla; McMahon, Robert J; Pinderhughes, Ellen E
2017-04-01
Although parenting is one of the most commonly studied predictors of child problem behavior, few studies have examined parenting as a multidimensional and dynamic construct. This study investigated different patterns of developmental trajectories of two parenting dimensions (harsh discipline [HD] and parental warmth [PW]) with a person-oriented approach and examined the associations between different parenting patterns and child externalizing problems and callous-unemotional traits. Data were drawn from the combined high-risk control and normative sample (n = 753) of the Fast Track Project. Parent-reported HD and observer-reported PW from kindergarten to grade 2 were fit to growth mixture models. Two subgroups were identified for HD (low decreasing, 83.0 %; high stable, 17.0 %) and PW (high increasing, 78.7 %; low increasing, 21.3 %). The majority of parents (67.0 %) demonstrated the low decreasing HD and high increasing PW pattern, while the prevalence of the high stable HD and low increasing PW pattern was the lowest (6.8 %). Parenting satisfaction, parental depression, family socioeconomic status, and neighborhood safety predicted group memberships jointly defined by the two dimensions. Children from the high stable HD and low increasing PW pattern showed the highest levels of externalizing problems in grades 4 and 5. Children from the low decreasing HD and low increasing PW pattern showed the highest levels of callous-unemotional traits in grade 7. These findings demonstrate the utility and significance of a person-oriented approach to measuring parenting as a multidimensional and dynamic construct and reveal the interplay between HD and PW in terms of their influences on child developmental outcomes.
-
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Maute, A.; Hagan, M. E.; Richmond, A. D.; Roble, R. G.
2014-02-01
This modeling study quantifies the daytime low-latitude vertical E×B drift changes in the longitudinal wave number 1 (wn1) to wn4 during the major extended January 2006 stratospheric sudden warming (SSW) period as simulated by the National Center for Atmospheric Research thermosphere-ionosphere-mesosphere electrodynamics general circulation model (TIME-GCM), and attributes the drift changes to specific tides and planetary waves (PWs). The largest drift amplitude change (approximately 5 m/s) is seen in wn1 with a strong temporal correlation to the SSW. The wn1 drift is primarily caused by the semidiurnal westward propagating tide with zonal wave number 1 (SW1), and secondarily by a stationary planetary wave with zonal wave number 1 (PW1). SW1 is generated by the nonlinear interaction of PW1 and the migrating semidiurnal tide (SW2) at high latitude around 90-100 km. The simulations suggest that the E region PW1 around 100-130 km at the different latitudes has different origins: at high latitudes, the PW1 is related to the original stratospheric PW1; at midlatitudes, the model indicates PW1 is due to the nonlinear interaction of SW1 and SW2 around 95-105 km; and at low latitudes, the PW1 might be caused by the nonlinear interaction between DE2 and DE3. The time evolution of the simulated wn4 in the vertical E×B drift amplitude shows no temporal correlation with the SSW. The wn4 in the low-latitude vertical drift is attributed to the diurnal eastward propagating tide with zonal wave number 3 (DE3), and the contributions from SE2, TE1, and PW4 are negligible.
-
Performance of Planar-Waveguide External Cavity Laser for Precision Measurements
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Numata, Kenji; Camp, Jordan; Krainak, Michael A.; Stolpner, Lew
2010-01-01
A 1542-nm planar-waveguide external cavity laser (PW-ECL) is shown to have a sufficiently low level of frequency and intensity noise to be suitable for precision measurement applications. The frequency noise and intensity noise of the PW-ECL was comparable or better than the nonplanar ring oscillator (NPRO) and fiber laser between 0.1 mHz to 100 kHz. Controllability of the PW-ECL was demonstrated by stabilizing its frequency to acetylene (13C2H2) at 10(exp -13) level of Allan deviation. The PW-ECL also has the advantage of the compactness of a standard butterfly package, low cost, and a simple design consisting of a semiconductor gain media coupled to a planar-waveguide Bragg reflector. These features would make the PW-ECL suitable for precision measurements, including compact optical frequency standards, space lidar, and space interferometry
-
Partition of unity finite element method for quantum mechanical materials calculations
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Pask, J. E.; Sukumar, N.
The current state of the art for large-scale quantum-mechanical simulations is the planewave (PW) pseudopotential method, as implemented in codes such as VASP, ABINIT, and many others. However, since the PW method uses a global Fourier basis, with strictly uniform resolution at all points in space, it suffers from substantial inefficiencies in calculations involving atoms with localized states, such as first-row and transition-metal atoms, and requires significant nonlocal communications, which limit parallel efficiency. Real-space methods such as finite-differences (FD) and finite-elements (FE) have partially addressed both resolution and parallel-communications issues but have been plagued by one key disadvantage relative tomore » PW: excessive number of degrees of freedom (basis functions) needed to achieve the required accuracies. In this paper, we present a real-space partition of unity finite element (PUFE) method to solve the Kohn–Sham equations of density functional theory. In the PUFE method, we build the known atomic physics into the solution process using partition-of-unity enrichment techniques in finite element analysis. The method developed herein is completely general, applicable to metals and insulators alike, and particularly efficient for deep, localized potentials, as occur in calculations at extreme conditions of pressure and temperature. Full self-consistent Kohn–Sham calculations are presented for LiH, involving light atoms, and CeAl, involving heavy atoms with large numbers of atomic-orbital enrichments. We find that the new PUFE approach attains the required accuracies with substantially fewer degrees of freedom, typically by an order of magnitude or more, than the PW method. As a result, we compute the equation of state of LiH and show that the computed lattice constant and bulk modulus are in excellent agreement with reference PW results, while requiring an order of magnitude fewer degrees of freedom to obtain.« less
-
Partition of unity finite element method for quantum mechanical materials calculations
Pask, J. E.; Sukumar, N.
2016-11-09
The current state of the art for large-scale quantum-mechanical simulations is the planewave (PW) pseudopotential method, as implemented in codes such as VASP, ABINIT, and many others. However, since the PW method uses a global Fourier basis, with strictly uniform resolution at all points in space, it suffers from substantial inefficiencies in calculations involving atoms with localized states, such as first-row and transition-metal atoms, and requires significant nonlocal communications, which limit parallel efficiency. Real-space methods such as finite-differences (FD) and finite-elements (FE) have partially addressed both resolution and parallel-communications issues but have been plagued by one key disadvantage relative tomore » PW: excessive number of degrees of freedom (basis functions) needed to achieve the required accuracies. In this paper, we present a real-space partition of unity finite element (PUFE) method to solve the Kohn–Sham equations of density functional theory. In the PUFE method, we build the known atomic physics into the solution process using partition-of-unity enrichment techniques in finite element analysis. The method developed herein is completely general, applicable to metals and insulators alike, and particularly efficient for deep, localized potentials, as occur in calculations at extreme conditions of pressure and temperature. Full self-consistent Kohn–Sham calculations are presented for LiH, involving light atoms, and CeAl, involving heavy atoms with large numbers of atomic-orbital enrichments. We find that the new PUFE approach attains the required accuracies with substantially fewer degrees of freedom, typically by an order of magnitude or more, than the PW method. As a result, we compute the equation of state of LiH and show that the computed lattice constant and bulk modulus are in excellent agreement with reference PW results, while requiring an order of magnitude fewer degrees of freedom to obtain.« less
-
Lee, J.-S.; Lee, B.-G.; Luoma, S.N.; Choi, H.J.; Koh, C.-H.; Brown, C.L.
2000-01-01
The influence of acid volatile sulfide (AVS) on the partitioning of Cd, Ni, and Zn in porewater (PW) and sediment as reactive metals (SEM, simultaneously extracted metals) was investigated in laboratory microcosms. Two spiking procedures were compared, and the effects of vertical geochemical gradients and infaunal activity were evaluated. Sediments were spiked with a Cd-Ni-Zn mixture (0.06, 3, 7.5 ??mol/g, respectively) containing four levels of AVS (0.5, 7.5, 15, 35 ??mol/g). The results were compared to sediments spiked with four levels of Cd-Ni-Zn mixtures at one AVS concentration (7.5 ??mol/g). A vertical redox gradient was generated in each treatment by an 18-d incubation with an oxidized water column. [AVS] in the surface sediments decreased by 65-95% due to oxidation during incubation; initial [AVS] was maintained at 0.5-7.5 cm depth. PW metal concentrations were correlated with [SEM - AVS] among all data. But PW metal concentrations were variable, causing the distribution coefficient, Kd(pw) (the ratio of [SEM] to PW metal concentrations) to vary by 2-3 orders of magnitude at a given [SEM - AVS]. One reason for the variability was that vertical profiles in PW metal concentrations appeared to be influenced by diffusion as well as [SEM - AVS]. The presence of animals appeared to enhance the diffusion of at least Zn. The generalization that PW metal concentrations are controlled by [SEM - AVS] is subject to some important qualifications if vertical gradients are complicated, metal concentrations vary, or equilibration times differ.The influence of acid volatile sulfide (AVS) on the partitioning of Cd, Ni, and Zn in porewater (PW) and sediment as reactive metals (SEM, simultaneously extracted metals) was investigated in laboratory microcosms. Two spiking procedures were compared, and the effects of vertical geochemical gradients and infaunal activity were evaluated. Sediments were spiked with a Cd-Ni-Zn mixture (0.06, 3, 7.5 ??mol/g, respectively) containing four levels of AVS (0.5, 7.5, 15, 35 ??mol/g). The results were compared to sediments spiked with four levels of Cd-Ni-Zn mixtures at one AVS concentration (7.5 ??mol/g). A vertical redox gradient was generated in each treatment by an 18-d incubation with an oxidized water column. [AVS] in the surface sediments decreased by 65-95% due to oxidation during incubation; initial [AVS] was maintained at 0.5-7.5 cm depth. PW metal concentrations were correlated with [SEM - AVS] among all data. But PW metal concentrations were variable, causing the distribution coefficient, Kdpw (the ratio of [SEM] to PW metal concentrations) to vary by 2-3 orders of magnitude at a given [SEM - AVS]. One reason for the variability was that vertical profiles in PW metal concentrations appeared to be influenced by diffusion as well as [SEM - AVS]. The presence of animals appeared to enhance the diffusion of at least Zn. The generalization that PW metal concentrations are controlled by [SEM - AVS] is subject to some important qualifications if vertical gradients are complicated, metal concentrations vary, or equilibration times differ.
-
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Freifeld, Lorri
2010-01-01
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) is giving the Chicago Bulls a run for their money when it comes to three-peats. The professional services firm scored the top spot on the Training Top 125 for a record third year in a row. So, just how did PwC nail No. 1 again? For starters, it met and exceeded a hefty challenge in fiscal year 2009: cutting training…
-
Service innovation through social robot engagement to improve dementia care quality.
Chu, Mei-Tai; Khosla, Rajiv; Khaksar, Seyed Mohammad Sadegh; Nguyen, Khanh
2017-01-01
Assistive technologies, such as robots, have proven to be useful in a social context and to improve the quality of life for people with dementia (PwD). This study aims to show how the engagement between two social robots and PwD in Australian residential care facilities can improve care quality. An observational method is adopted in the research methodology to discover behavioural patterns during interactions between the robots and PwD. This observational study has undertaken to explore the improvement arising from: (1) approaching social baby-face robots (AR), (2) experiencing pleasure engaging with the robots (P), (3) interacting with the robots (IR), and (4) interacting with others (IO). The findings show that social robots can improve diversion therapy service value to PwD through sensory enrichment, positive social engagement, and entertainment. More than 11,635 behavioral reactions, such as facial expressions and gestures, from 139 PwD over 5 years were coded, in order to identify the engagement effectiveness between PwD and two social robots named Sophie and Jack. The results suggest that these innovative social robots can improve the quality of care for people suffering from dementia.
-
Core-Sheath Paraffin-Wax-Loaded Nanofibers by Electrospinning for Heat Storage.
Lu, Yuan; Xiao, Xiudi; Zhan, Yongjun; Huan, Changmeng; Qi, Shuai; Cheng, Haoliang; Xu, Gang
2018-04-18
Paraffin wax (PW) is widely used for smart thermoregulation materials due to its good thermal performance. However, the leakage and low thermal conductivity of PW hinder its application in the heat storage field. Accordingly, developing effective methods to address these issues is of great importance. In this study, we explored a facile approach to obtain PW-loaded core-sheath structured flexible nanofibers films via coaxial electrospinning technique. The PW as the core layer was successfully encapsulated by the sheath-layer poly(methyl methacrylate). The diameter of the fiber core increased from 395 to 848 nm as the core solution speed rate increased from 0.1 to 0.5 mL/h. In addition, it can be seen that higher core solution speed rate could lead to higher PW encapsulation efficiency according to the transmission electron microscopy results. The core-sheath nanofiber films, moreover, possessed the highest latent heat of 58.25 J/g and solidifying enthalpy of -56.49 J/g. In addition, we found that after 200 thermal cycles, there was little change in latent heat, which demonstrated that it is beneficial for the PW-loaded core-sheath structure to overcome the leakage issue and enhance thermal stability properties for the thermoregulation film.
-
White, Mark; Butterworth, Tony; Wells, John Sg
2017-08-01
Concerns about patient safety and reducing harm have led to a particular focus on initiatives that improve healthcare quality. However Quality Improvement (QI) initiatives have in the past typically faltered because they fail to fully engage healthcare professionals, resulting in apathy and resistance amongst this group of key stakeholders. Productive Ward: Releasing Time to Care (PW) is a ward-based QI programme created to help ward-based teams redesign and streamline the way that they work; leaving more time to care for patients. PW is designed to engage and empower ward-based teams to improve the safety, quality and delivery of care. The main objective of this study was to explore whether PW sustains the 'engagement' of ward-based teams by examining the longitudinal effect that the national QI programme had on the 'work-engagement' of ward-based teams in Ireland. Utilising the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale questionnaire (UWES-17), we surveyed nine PW (intervention) sites from typical acute Medical/Surgical, Rehabilitation and Elderly services (representing the entire cohort of a national phase of PW implementation in Ireland) and a cohort of matched control sites. The numbers surveyed from the PW group at T1 (up to 3 months after commencing the programme) totalled 253 ward-team members and 249 from the control group. At T2 (12 months later), the survey was repeated with 233 ward-team members from the PW sites and 236 from the control group. Overall findings demonstrated that those involved in the QI initiative had higher 'engagement' scores at T1 and T2 in comparison to the control group. Total 'engagement' score (TES), and its 3 dimensions, were all significantly higher in the PW group at T1, but only the Vigour dimension remained significantly higher at T2 (p = 0.006). Our results lend some support to the assertions of the PW initiative itself and suggest that when compared to a control group, ward-based teams involved in the QI programme are more likely to be 'engaged' by it and its associated improvement activities and that this is maintained over time. However, only the Vigour dimension of 'engagement' remained significantly higher in the PW over time.
-
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Tuttolomondo, María Eugenia; Navarro, Amparo; Peña, Tomás; Fernández-Liencres, María Paz; Granadino-Roldán, José Manuel; Parker, Stewart F.; Fernández-Gómez, Manuel
2009-06-01
The molecular structure of 2-fluorostyrene has been optimized at ab initio (MP2 and CCSD) and DFT levels (B3LYP, mPW1PW91) with different basis sets (6-31G ∗, 6-311++G ∗∗, cc-pVDZ). B3LYP predicts planar structures for both cis and trans conformers, the latter being more stable than the former. mPW1PW91, MP2 and CCSD calculations yield a quasi-planar conformation in agreement with XRD and microwave data. The vinyl-phenyl torsion barrier of 2-fluorostyrene has been calculated at B3LYP, mPW1PW91, MP2 and CCSD levels with 6-31G ∗ basis set as well as at MP2/cc-pVDZ level. Results have been compared with experimental data from the vibronic spectrum of the jet-cooled compound through a deconvolution of the total electronic potential energy by a sixfold Fourier-type expansion. As a result, MP2/cc-pVDZ shows the best performance as regards the torsional barrier height for the trans form. The effects governing the torsion barriers and preferred conformations have been analyzed at mPW1PW91/6-31G ∗ and MP2/cc-pVDZ levels. To achieve this, two different schemes, i.e. the total electron energy and the natural bond orbital, NBO, partition schemes have been used. The Atoms-in-Molecules (AIM) theory has been applied to the cis and trans conformers in order to detect intramolecular contacts. Furthermore, a twofold aimed analysis of the vibrational spectrum has been performed. First, to obtain a complete assignment nonexistent so far and second, to confirm the being of the predicted cis and trans forms in the liquid and solid states. New records of infrared and Raman spectra, and for the first time, the inelastic neutron scattering (INS) spectrum have been used. Moreover, the mPW1PW91/6-31G ∗ harmonic force field has been scaled using a multiple scaling (SQM) force field procedure. To achieve this, the initial scale factors were refined in order to get the best possible fitting between the calculated and experimental frequencies attaining to a final rms deviation of 5 cm -1.
-
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Samson, Dana; Connolly, Catherine; Humphreys, Glyn W.
2007-01-01
The contribution of the left inferior prefrontal cortex in semantic processing has been widely investigated in the last decade. Converging evidence from functional imaging studies shows that this region is involved in the "executive" or "controlled" aspects of semantic processing. In this study, we report a single case study of a patient, PW, with…
-
Gonzales, Benoit; Chopard, Gilles; Charry, Benjamin; Berger, Eric; Tripard, Julien; Magnin, Eloi; Groslambert, Alain
2017-01-01
Two methods using exercise and body cooling could influence the well-being of patients with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). The aim of this study was to determine whether wearing a cooling vest during a physical training program could increase the cognitive and physical capacities and quality of life in PwMS. Eighteen PwMS (49.6 ± 8 years; Expanded Disability Status Score 5.0 ± 1.0) were randomly assigned to a cooling or control group. PwMS underwent a 7-week physical training program. In the cooling group, PwMS wore a cooling vest during each training session, whereas in the control group, PwMS wore a cotton T-shirt. Before and after the training program, both groups completed the Isaacs Set Test (IST), Trail Making Test A-B (TMT A-B), SEP-59, Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory and performed a 6-minute walk test (6MWT). The cooling group showed significantly (p < 0.05) improved performance for IST, TMT A and 6MWT. Their emotional well-being and cognitive functions investigated in SEP-59 were significantly (p < 0.05) improved, and general and physical fatigue significantly (p < 0.05) decreased. This physical training program combined with a cooling strategy could have a significant positive influence on both cognitive and physical performances, perceived fatigue and emotional well-being in heat-sensitive PwMS. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.
-
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Tabata, T.; Oki, T.; Yamada, H.; Abe, M.; Onose, Y.; Thomas, J. D.
2000-01-01
BACKGROUND: Tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) is a recently developed technique that allows the instantaneous measurement of intrinsic regional myocardial motion velocity. Pulsed TDI is capable of separately assessing left ventricular (LV) regional motion velocity caused by circumferential and longitudinal fiber contraction. This particular feature of function is still controversial in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HC). METHODS: To better characterize intrinsic circumferential and longitudinal LV systolic myocardial function in HC, we used pulsed TDI to measure short- and long-axis LV motion velocities, respectively. The subendocardial motion velocity patterns at the middle of the LV posterior wall (PW) and ventricular septum (IVS) in LV parasternal and apical long-axis views were recorded by pulsed TDI in 19 patients with nonobstructive HC and in 21 normal controls (NC). RESULTS: Peak short- and long-axis systolic subendocardial velocities in both the LV PW and IVS were significantly smaller in the HC group than in the NC group, and the time to peak velocity was significantly delayed. Furthermore, peak PW systolic velocity was significantly greater along the long axis than along the short axis in the NC group (8.8 +/- 1.5 cm/s vs 8.2 +/- 1.4 cm/s, P <.05), whereas the opposite was observed in the HC group (6.1 +/- 1.2 cm/s vs 7.5 +/- 1.0 cm/s, P <.0001). No significant differences were found in either group between the long- and short-axis IVS velocities (HC: 5.9 +/- 1.4 cm/s vs 5.5 +/- 1.3 cm/s; NC: 7.8 +/- 1.3 cm/s vs 7.9 +/- 1.6 cm/s). CONCLUSIONS: By using the capability of pulsed TDI for the evaluation of intrinsic myocardial velocity instantaneously in a specific region and direction, we found impairment of LV myocardial systolic function in patients with HC not only in the hypertrophied IVS but also in the nonhypertrophied LV PW. We also found a greater decrease in LV PW velocities along the long axis than the short axis, suggesting greater impairment of long-axis contraction in patients with HC. Because our HC patients did not appear to have excessive intracavitary pressure, these results suggest that the relatively normal-appearing PW is directly affected by the HC pathologic process.
-
77 FR 60288 - Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney (P&W) Division Turbofan Engines
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2012-10-03
... reassembly of the 2nd stage high-pressure turbine (HPT) rotor and 3rd stage LPT rotor at the next HPT and LPT... found. (2) At the next high-pressure turbine (HPT) overhaul, re- assemble the 2nd stage HPT rotor blades... fractures in the low-pressure turbine (LPT) of certain PW4000-94'' and PW4000-100'' turbofan engines. This...
-
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
McCaul, Eugene W., Jr.; Cohen, Charles; Kirkpatrick, Cody
2004-01-01
Prior parameter space studies of simulated deep convection are extended to embrace variations in the ambient temperature at the Lifted Condensation Level (LCL). Within the context of the parameter space study design, changes in LCL temperature are roughly equivalent to changes in the ambient precipitable water. Two series of simulations are conducted, one with a warm LCL that is associated with approximately 60 mm of precipitable water, and another with LCL temperatures 8 C cooler, so that PW is reduced to roughly 30 mm. The sets of simulations include tests of the impact of changes in the buoyancy and shear profile shapes and of changes in mixed and moist layer depths, all of which have been shown to be important in prior work. Simulations discussed here feature values of bulk convective available potential energy (CAPE) of 800, 2000, or 3200 Joules per kilogram, and a single semicircular hodograph having radius of 12 meters per second, but with variable vertical shear. The simulations reveal a consistent trend toward stronger peak updraft speeds for the cooler LCL temperature (reduced PW) cases, if all other environmental parameters are held constant. Roughly comparable increases in updraft speeds are noted for all combinations of LCL and level of free convection heights. These increases in updraft strength are evidently the result of both the reduction of condensate loading aloft and the lower altitudes at which the latent heat release by freezing and deposition commences in the cooler, low-PW environments. Because the latent heat of fusion adds relatively more energy to the updrafts at low CAPE, those storms show more strengthening at low PW than do the larger CAPE storms. As expected, maximum storm precipitation rates tend to diminish as PW is decreased, but only slightly, and by amounts not proportionate to the decrease in PW. The low-PW cases thus actually feature larger environment-relative precipitation efficiency than do the high-PW cases. In addition, more hail reaches the surface in the low-PW cases because of reduced melting in the cooler environments.
-
Selection Process for New Windows | Efficient Windows Collaborative
Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Performance Performance Standards
-
Selection Process for Replacement Windows | Efficient Windows Collaborative
Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Performance Performance Standards
-
Wan, Liyun; Li, Bei; Lei, Yong; Yan, Liying; Ren, Xiaoping; Chen, Yuning; Dai, Xiaofeng; Jiang, Huifang; Zhang, Juncheng; Guo, Wei; Chen, Ao; Liao, Boshou
2017-01-01
Pod size is the major yield component and a key target trait that is selected for in peanut breeding. However, although numerous quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for peanut pod size have been described, the molecular mechanisms underlying the development of this characteristic remain elusive. A peanut mutant with a narrower pod was developed in this study using ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) mutagenesis and designated as the “pod width” mutant line (pw). The fresh pod weight of pw was only about 40% of that seen in the wild-type (WT) Zhonghua16, while the hull and seed filling of the mutant both also developed at earlier stages. Pods from both pw and WT lines were sampled 20, 40, and 60 days after flowering (DAF) and used for RNA-Seq analysis; the results revealed highly differentially expressed lignin metabolic pathway genes at all three stages, but especially at DAF 20 and DAF 40. At the same time, expression of genes related to auxin signal transduction was found to be significantly repressed during the pw early pod developmental stage. A genome-wide comparative analysis of expression profiles revealed 260 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) across all three stages, and two candidate genes, c26901_g1 (CAD) and c37339_g1 (ACS), responsible for pod width were identified by integrating expression patterns and function annotation of the common DEGs within the three stages. Taken together, the information provided in this study illuminates the processes underlying peanut pod development, and will facilitate further identification of causal genes and the development of improved peanut varieties with higher yields. PMID:29170673
-
Process Flow Features as a Host-Based Event Knowledge Representation
2012-06-14
an executing process during a window of time called a process flow. Process flows are calculated from key process data structures extracted from...for Cluster 98. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 4.9. Davies- Boldin Dunn Index Sliding Window 5 on Windows 7...82 4.10. Davies- Boldin Dunn Index Sliding Window 10 on Windows 7 . 83 4.11. Davies- Boldin Dunn Index Sliding Window 20 on Windows 7 . 83 ix List of
-
Dash, Hirak R; Mangwani, Neelam; Das, Surajit
2014-02-01
Bacillus thuringiensis PW-05 was isolated from the Odisha coast and was found to resist 50 ppm of Hg as HgCl2 as well as higher concentrations of CdCl2, ZnSO4, PbNO3 and Na2HAsO4. Resistance towards several antibiotics, viz amoxycillin, ampicillin, methicillin, azithromycin and cephradine (CV) was also observed. The mer operon possessed by most of the mercury-resistant bacteria was also found in this isolate. Atomic absorption spectroscopy revealed that the isolate can volatilize >90 % of inorganic mercury. It showed biofilm formation in the presence of 50 ppm HgCl2 and can produce exopolysaccharide under same conditions. The isolate was found to volatilize mercury efficiently under a wide range of environmental parameters, i.e. pH (7 to 8), temperature (25 °C to 40 °C) and salinity (5 to 25 ppt). merA gene expression has been confirmed by real-time reverse transcriptase PCR study. Fourier transform infrared study revealed that -SH and -COOH groups play a major role in the process of adaptation to Hg. Hence, this isolate B. thuringiensis PW-05 shows an interesting potential for bioremediation of mercury.
-
Effective communication at the point of multiple sclerosis diagnosis.
Solari, Alessandra
2014-04-01
As a consequence of the current shortened diagnostic workup, people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) are rapidly confronted with a disease of uncertain prognosis that requires complex treatment decisions. This paper reviews studies that have assessed the experiences of PwMS in the peri-diagnostic period and have evaluated the efficacy of interventions providing information at this critical moment. The studies found that the emotional burden on PwMS at diagnosis was high, and emphasised the need for careful monitoring and management of mood symptoms (chiefly anxiety). Information provision did not affect anxiety symptoms but improved patients' knowledge of their condition, the achievement of 'informed choice', and satisfaction with the diagnosis communication. It is vital to develop and implement information and decision aids for PwMS, but this is resource intensive, and international collaboration may be a way forward. The use of patient self-assessed outcome measures that appraise the quality of diagnosis communication is also important to allow health services to understand and meet the needs and preferences of PwMS.
-
Internal Consistency of the NVAP Water Vapor Dataset
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Suggs, Ronnie J.; Jedlovec, Gary J.; Arnold, James E. (Technical Monitor)
2001-01-01
The NVAP (NASA Water Vapor Project) dataset is a global dataset at 1 x 1 degree spatial resolution consisting of daily, pentad, and monthly atmospheric precipitable water (PW) products. The analysis blends measurements from the Television and Infrared Operational Satellite (TIROS) Operational Vertical Sounder (TOVS), the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I), and radiosonde observations into a daily collage of PW. The original dataset consisted of five years of data from 1988 to 1992. Recent updates have added three additional years (1993-1995) and incorporated procedural and algorithm changes from the original methodology. Since each of the PW sources (TOVS, SSM/I, and radiosonde) do not provide global coverage, each of these sources compliment one another by providing spatial coverage over regions and during times where the other is not available. For this type of spatial and temporal blending to be successful, each of the source components should have similar or compatible accuracies. If this is not the case, regional and time varying biases may be manifested in the NVAP dataset. This study examines the consistency of the NVAP source data by comparing daily collocated TOVS and SSM/I PW retrievals with collocated radiosonde PW observations. The daily PW intercomparisons are performed over the time period of the dataset and for various regions.
-
Walking Distance as a Predictor of Falls in People With Multiple Sclerosis.
Nilsagård, Ylva; Westerdahl, Elisabeth; Wittrin, Anna; Gunnarsson, Martin
2016-06-01
People with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) experience falls, usually when walking and transferring. The aim was to investigate if walking distance and patient overestimate of walking distance are predictors of falls in PwMS. A prospective study was conducted, with a single test occasion followed by prospective registration of falls for 3 months. All PwMS in Region Örebro County with a previously registered Expanded Disability Status Scale score between 3.0 and 7.0 in the Swedish MS Registry were invited to participate (n = 149). Altogether, data from 49 PwMS being relapse free for at least 3 months and with a confirmed Expanded Disability Status Scale between 1.5 and 7.0 upon study entry were analysed. Twenty-two PwMS (45%) fell during the study period, providing information of 66 falls. Walking distance or overestimate of one's walking distance, as compared with test results, did not predict falls in this MS sample. Walking and standing activities are associated with numerous falls in PwMS. Our data do not clearly support routine measurements of walking distance in assessing individual fall risk. © 2015 The Authors. Physiotherapy Research International published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. © 2015 The Authors. Physiotherapy Research International published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
-
Amini, Amin; Banitsas, Konstantinos; Young, William R
2018-05-23
Parkinson's is a neurodegenerative condition associated with several motor symptoms including tremors and slowness of movement. Freezing of gait (FOG); the sensation of one's feet being "glued" to the floor, is one of the most debilitating symptoms associated with advanced Parkinson's. FOG not only contributes to falls and related injuries, but also compromises quality of life as people often avoid engaging in functional daily activities both inside and outside the home. In the current study, we describe a novel system designed to detect FOG and falling in people with Parkinson's (PwP) as well as monitoring and improving their mobility using laser-based visual cues cast by an automated laser system. The system utilizes a RGB-D sensor based on Microsoft Kinect v2 and a laser casting system consisting of two servo motors and an Arduino microcontroller. This system was evaluated by 15 PwP with FOG. Here, we present details of the system along with a summary of feedback provided by PwP. Despite limitations regarding its outdoor use, feedback was very positive in terms of domestic usability and convenience, where 12/15 PwP showed interest in installing and using the system at their homes. Implications for Rehabilitation Providing an automatic and remotely manageable monitoring system for PwP gait analysis and fall detection. Providing an automatic, unobtrusive and dynamic visual cue system for PwP based on laser line projection. Gathering feedback from PwP about the practical usage of the implemented system through focus group events.
-
Garg, Hina; Dibble, Leland E; Schubert, Michael C; Sibthorp, Jim; Foreman, K Bo; Gappmaier, Eduard
2018-05-05
Despite the common complaints of dizziness and demyelination of afferent or efferent pathways to and from the vestibular nuclei which may adversely affect the angular Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex (aVOR) and vestibulo-spinal function in persons with Multiple Sclerosis (PwMS), few studies have examined gaze and dynamic balance function in PwMS. 1) Determine the differences in gaze stability, dynamic balance and participation measures between PwMS and controls, 2) Examine the relationships between gaze stability, dynamic balance and participation. Nineteen ambulatory PwMS at fall-risk and 14 age-matched controls were recruited. Outcomes included (a) gaze stability [angular Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex (aVOR) gain (ratio of eye to head velocity); number of Compensatory Saccades (CS) per head rotation; CS latency; gaze position error; Coefficient of Variation (CV) of aVOR gain], (b) dynamic balance [Functional Gait Assessment, FGA; four square step test], and (c) participation [dizziness handicap inventory; activities-specific balance confidence scale]. Separate independent t-tests and Pearson's correlations were calculated. PwMS were age = 53 ± 11.7yrs and had 4.2 ± 3.3 falls/yr. PwMS demonstrated significant (p<0.05) impairments in gaze stability, dynamic balance and participation measures compared to controls. CV of aVOR gain and CS latency were significantly correlated with FGA. Deficits and correlations across a spectrum of disability measures highlight the relevance of gaze and dynamic balance assessment in PwMS. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
-
Determinants of physical activity in minimally impaired people with multiple sclerosis.
Kahraman, Turhan; Savci, Sema; Coskuner-Poyraz, Esra; Ozakbas, Serkan; Idiman, Egemen
2015-11-01
Despite the commonly known benefits of physical activity, evidence shows that people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) are relatively inactive. There are several studies about factors affecting physical activity in pwMS. However, these factors have not investigated in minimally impaired pwMS who do not have remarkable symptoms and walking disturbance. The objective was to determine factors affecting physical activity in minimally impaired pwMS. We recruited 52 minimally impaired pwMS and measured physical activity with Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire (GLTEQ) and an accelerometer used for the 7-day period. Demographic data were recorded. Walking (speed, endurance, dexterity, and quality), fatigue, depression, and quality of life were measured. We recruited 52 minimally impaired pwMS and measured physical activity with Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire (GLTEQ) and an accelerometer used for the 7-day period. Demographic data were recorded. Walking (speed, endurance, dexterity, and quality), fatigue, depression, and quality of life were measured. The walking speed assessed by the Timed 25-Foot Walk and gender were found the determinants of physical activity level assessed by the GLTEQ and accelerometer, respectively. Walking (speed, endurance, and dexterity), gender, employment status, and quality of life were associated with physical activity. Either female or unemployed participants had significantly less physical activity. There were no significant difference between physical activity levels and the other subgroups. Either to be a female or to have slower walking speed was associated with less physical activity. Strategies to improve walking should be focused on female pwMS with minimal impairment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
-
Does Exercise During Pregnancy Affect Placental Weight?: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
Barakat, Ruben; Vargas, Marina; Brik, Maia; Fernandez, Irene; Gil, Javier; Coteron, Javier; Santacruz, Belen
2017-01-01
Placental weight (PW) is a measure commonly used to summarize growth and aspects of placental function. In a normal pregnancy, it is reasonable to assume that PW is related to aspects of the functional capacity of the placenta. The placenta, as the site for all maternal-fetal oxygen and nutrient exchange, influences birth weight and is thus central to a successful pregnancy outcome. PW is the most common way to characterize placental growth, which relates to placental function. With physical exercise becoming an integral part of life for many women, the question of whether exercise during pregnancy has an adverse effect on the growing fetus is very important. The aim was to examine the influence of an aerobic exercise program throughout pregnancy on PW among healthy pregnant women. A randomized control trial was used (registration trial number: NCT02420288). Women were randomized into an exercise group (EG; n = 33) or a control group (CG; n = 32) that received standard care. The EG trained 3 days/week (55-60 min/session) from gestational Weeks 9-11 until Weeks 38-39. The 85 training sessions involved aerobic, muscular and pelvic floor strength, and flexibility exercises. PW and other pregnancy outcomes were measured. There was high attendance to the exercise program, and no differences in the PW at delivery were observed between study groups (CG = 493.2 ± 119.6 g vs. EG = 495.4 ± 150 g, p = .95). A regular, supervised exercise program throughout pregnancy does not affect the PW in healthy pregnant women.
-
Xiao, Di; Kou, Hao; Zhang, Li; Guo, Yu; Wang, Hui
2017-01-01
The present study was designed to investigate the effects of prenatal food restriction (PFR) with postweaning high-fat diet (HFD) on glucose metabolic function in adult offspring. Pregnant Wistar rats were given PFR treatment from gestational day 11 to spontaneous delivery. All pups were fed by HFD after weaning. Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was conducted at postnatal week (PW) 20. Rats were decapitated in PW24 to collect liver and pancreas, and expression of hepatic insulin signaling genes were then quantified. Body weight from PW4 to PW24 in PFR males was lower than those in control males, whereas there was no distinct difference between females. However, body weight gain rates were higher from PW16 to PW24 in PFR males and females. Fasting serum glucose presented no changes, whereas fasting serum insulin decreased in PW20 in PFR pups. Moreover, glucose intolerance only appeared in PFR males, whereas no changes were shown in PFR females in relative values. Serum insulin increased in both PFR groups after OGTT. Remarkable pathological changes were also found in islets from PFR rats. There was an increase in the hepatic mRNA expression of IR in PFR females and of Glut2 in PFR males. PFR with postweaning HFD induced a catch-up growth in body weight, especially in PFR females. Serum insulin decreased in both PFR groups in fasting status. Insulin resistance after OGTT only existed in PFR males, whereas PFR females showed no obvious changes in glucose metabolism. Copyright © 2017 IMSS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
-
Zorn, Kevin C; Orvieto, Marcelo A; Mikhail, Albert A; Gofrit, Ofer N; Lin, Shang; Schaeffer, Anthony J; Shalhav, Arieh L; Zagaja, Gregory P
2007-02-01
To determine the effect of prostate weight (PW) on robotic laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RLRP) outcomes. The effect of PW on surgical and pathologic outcomes has been reviewed in open and laparoscopic prostatectomy series. Little is known about its effects during RLRP. From February 2003 to November 2005, 375 men underwent RLRP. Patients were divided into four groups on the basis of the pathologic PW: group 1, less than 30 g; group 2, 30 g or more to less than 50 g; group 3, 50 g or more to less than 80 g; and group 4, 80 g or larger. The groups were compared prospectively. Continence and sexual function were assessed using validated questionnaires. Of the 375 patients, 20, 201, 123, and 31 had a PW of less than 30 g, 30 g or more to less than 50 g, 50 g or more to less than 80 g, and 80 g or larger, respectively. A significant difference was found in age and prostate-specific antigen values among the four groups (P <0.001). No significant differences in operative time, estimated blood loss, transfusion rate, hospital stay, length of catheterization, and complication incidence were observed among the four groups. The overall rate of positive surgical margins was significantly different among the groups (P = 0.002), demonstrating a trend of increasing positive surgical margins with a lower PW. Within the patients with Stage pT2, a significant increase in positive surgical margins was found with lower PWs (P = 0.026). The objective return of baseline and subjective sexual and urinary function, as determined by questionnaire scores, was not affected by the PW. RLRP can be performed safely and with similar perioperative outcomes in men, regardless of the PW. We found a significant inverse relationship between surgical margin status and PW, specifically in those with Stage pT2 disease.
-
Kang, Houyang; Wang, Yi; Fedak, George; Cao, Wenguang; Zhang, Haiqin; Fan, Xing; Sha, Lina; Xu, Lili; Zheng, Youliang; Zhou, Yonghong
2011-01-01
Wheat stripe rust is a destructive disease in the cool and humid wheat-growing areas of the world. Finding diverse sources of stripe rust resistance is critical for increasing genetic diversity of resistance for wheat breeding programs. Stripe rust resistance was identified in the alien species Psathyrostachys huashanica, and a wheat- P. huashanica amphiploid line (PHW-SA) with stripe rust resistance was reported previously. In this study, a P. huashanica 3Ns monosomic addition line (PW11) with superior resistance to stripe rust was developed, which was derived from the cross between PHW-SA and wheat J-11. We evaluated the alien introgressions PW11-2, PW11-5 and PW11-8 which were derived from line PW11 for reaction to new Pst race CYR32, and used molecular and cytogenetic tools to characterize these lines. The introgressions were remarkably resistant to CYR32, suggesting that the resistance to stripe rust of the introgressions thus was controlled by gene(s) located on P. huashanica chromosome 3Ns. All derived lines were cytologically stable in term of meiotic chromosome behavior. Two 3Ns chromosomes of P. huashanica were detected in the disomic addition line PW11-2. Chromosomes 1B of substitution line PW11-5 had been replaced by a pair of P. huashanica 3Ns chromosomes. In PW11-8, a small terminal segment from P. huashanica chromosome arm 3NsS was translocated to the terminal region of wheat chromosomes 3BL. Thus, this translocated chromosome is designated T3BL-3NsS. These conclusions were further confirmed by SSR analyses. Two 3Ns-specific markers Xgwm181 and Xgwm161 will be useful to rapidly identify and trace the translocated fragments. These introgressions, which had significant characteristics of resistance to stripe rust, could be utilized as novel germplasms for wheat breeding. PMID:21760909
-
SU-E-T-178: Clinical Feasibility of Multi-Leaf Collimator Based Dynamic Wedge
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Jeong, C; Kwak, J; Ahn, S
2015-06-15
Purpose: A multi-leaf collimator (MLC) based dynamic wedge (MDW), which provide similar dose profile of physical wedge (PW) along x-jaw direction while significant monitor unit (MU) reduction, was developed and investigated for clinical use. Methods: A novel technique was used to create the wedge profile using MLC. A modification was applied to the DICOM-RT format file of the plan made with the PW to replace PW with MDW. The Varian enhanced dynamic wedge profile was used to produce MLC sequence, while the MU of the wedged field was recalculated using PW factor and fluence map. The profiles for all possiblemore » MDWs to substitute PWs were verified in 6/15 MV x-ray irradiations. New plans with MDWs were compared with the original plans in 5 rectal, 5 RT breast and 5 liver cases. Results: The wedge profile of the MDW fields were well matched with those of PWs inside the fields while less scatter than PW out of the fields. For plan comparisons of the clinical cases no significant dose discrepancy was observed between MDW plan and PW’s with the dose volume histograms. The maximum and mean doses in PTVs are agreed within 1.0%. The Result of OARs of MDW plans are slightly improved in the maximum doses (3.22 ∼ 150.4 cGy) and the mean doses (17.18 ∼ 85.52 cGy) on average for all cases while the prescribed doses are 45 Gy for rectal cases, 40 or 45 Gy for liver cases and 50 Gy for breast cases. The MUs of the fields which replace PW with MDW are reduced to 68% of those of PW. Conclusion: We developed a novel dynamic wedge technique with MLC that shows clinical advantage compared to PW.« less
-
Smartphone-based low light detection for bioluminescence application
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
We report a smartphone-based device and associated imaging-processing algorithm to maximize the sensitivity of standard smartphone cameras, that can detect the presence of single-digit pW of radiant flux intensity. The proposed hardware and software, called bioluminescent-based analyte quantitation ...
-
77 FR 16916 - Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney (PW)Turbofan Engines
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2012-03-23
... Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney (PW)Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA... and -7R4H1 turbofan engines. This AD was prompted by the determination that a new lower life limit for... PW JT9D-7R4G2 and -7R4H1 turbofan engine models. We agree. In addition to the JT9D-7R4G2 and -7R4H1...
-
Impact of Unconventional Shale Gas Waste Water Disposal on Surficial Streams
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Cozzarelli, I.; Akob, D.; Mumford, A. C.
2014-12-01
The development of unconventional natural gas resources has been rapidly increasing in recent years, however, the environmental impacts and risks are not yet well understood. A single well can generate up to 5 million L of produced water (PW) consisting of a blend of the injected fluid and brine from a shale formation. With thousands of wells completed in the past decade, the scope of the challenge posed in the management of this wastewater becomes apparent. The USGS Toxic Substances Hydrology Program is studying both intentional and unintentional releases of PW and waste solids. One method for the disposal of PW is underground injection; we are assessing the potential risks of this method through an intensive, interdisciplinary study at an injection disposal facility in the Wolf Creek watershed in WV. Disposal of PW via injection begun in 2002, with over 5.5 mil. L of PW injected to date. The facility consists of the injection well, a tank farm, and two former holding ponds (remediated in early 2014) and is bordered by two small tributaries of Wolf Creek. Water and sediments were acquired from these streams in June 2014, including sites upstream, within, and downstream from the facility. We are analyzing aqueous and solid phase geochemistry, mineralogy, hydrocarbon content, microbial community composition, and potential toxicity. Field measurements indicated that conductivity downstream (416 μS/cm) was elevated in comparison to upstream (74 μS/cm) waters. Preliminary data indicated elevated Cl- (115 mg/L) and Br- (0.88 mg/L) concentrations downstream, compared to 0.88 mg/L Cl- and <0.03 mg/L Br- upstream of the facility. Because elevated TDS is a marker of PW, these data provide a first indication that PW from the facility is impacting nearby streams. In addition, total Fe concentrations downstream were 8.1 mg/L, far in excess of the 0.13 mg/L found upstream from the facility, suggesting the potential for microbial Fe cycling. We are conducting a broad suite of experiments to assess the potential for microbial metabolism of the organic components of PW, and to determine the effects of this metabolism on the geochemistry of the site. We anticipate that this study will prove to be a useful model for the potential impact of a PW disposal facility on adjoining surface- and shallow groundwater.
-
Leone, Carmela; Severijns, Deborah; Doležalová, Vendula; Baert, Ilse; Dalgas, Ulrik; Romberg, Anders; Bethoux, Francois; Gebara, Benoit; Santoyo Medina, Carmen; Maamâgi, Heigo; Rasova, Kamila; Maertens de Noordhout, Benoît; Knuts, Kathy; Skjerbaek, Anders; Jensen, Ellen; Wagner, Joanne M; Feys, Peter
2016-05-01
To investigate the individual occurrence of walking-related motor fatigue in persons with multiple sclerosis (PwMS), according to disability level and disease phenotype.Study design This was a cross-sectional, multinational study.Participants They were 208 PwMS from 11 centers with Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores up to 6.5. The percentage change in distance walked (distance walked index, DWI) was calculated between minute 6 and 1 (DWI(6-1)) of the 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT). Its magnitude was used to classify participants into 4 subgroups: (1) DWI(6-1)[≥5%], (2) DWI(6-1)[5%; -5%], (3) DWI(6-1)[-5%; > -15%], and (4) DWI(6-1)[≤-15%]. The latter group was labeled as having walking-related motor fatigue. PwMS were stratified into 5 subgroups based on the EDSS (0-2.5, 3-4, 4.5-5.5, 6, 6.5) and 3 subgroups based on MS phenotype (relapsing remitting [RR], primary progressive [PP], and secondary progressive [SP]). The DWI6-1was ≥5% in 16 PwMS (7.7%), between 5% and -5% in 70 PwMS (33.6%), between -5% and -15% in 58 PwMS (24%), and ≤-15% in 64 PwMS (30.8%). The prevalence of walking-related motor fatigue (DWI(6-1)[≤-15%]) was significantly higher among the progressive phenotype (PP = 50% and SP = 39%; RR = 15.6%) and PwMS with higher disability level (EDSS 4.5-5.5 = 48.3%, 6 = 46.3% and 6.5 = 51.5%, compared with EDSS 0-2.5 = 7.8% and 3-4 = 16.7%;P< .05). Stepwise multiple regression analysis indicated that EDSS, but not MS phenotype, explained a significant part of the variance in DWI(6-1)(R(2)= 0.086;P< .001). More than one-third of PwMS showed walking-related motor fatigue during the 6MWT, with its prevalence greatest in more disabled persons (up to 51%) and in those with progressive MS phenotype (up to 50%). Identification of walking-related motor fatigue may lead to better-tailored interventions. © The Author(s) 2015.
-
Inter-comparison of precipitable water among reanalyses and its effect on downscaling in the tropics
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Takahashi, H. G.; Fujita, M.; Hara, M.
2012-12-01
This paper compared precipitable water (PW) among four major reanalyses. In addition, we also investigated the effect of the boundary conditions on downscaling in the tropics, using a regional climate model. The spatial pattern of PW in the reanalyses agreed closely with observations. However, the absolute amounts of PW in some reanalyses were very small compared to observations. The discrepancies of the 12-year mean PW in July over the Southeast Asian monsoon region exceeded the inter-annual standard deviation of the PW. There was also a discrepancy in tropical PWs throughout the year, an indication that the problem is not regional, but global. The downscaling experiments were conducted, which were forced by the different four reanalyses. The atmospheric circulation, including monsoon westerlies and various disturbances, was very small among the reanalyses. However, simulated precipitation was only 60 % of observed precipitation, although the dry bias in the boundary conditions was only 6 %. This result indicates that dry bias has large effects on precipitation in downscaling over the tropics. This suggests that a simulated regional climate downscaled from ensemble-mean boundary conditions is quite different from an ensemble-mean regional climate averaged over the several regional ones downscaled from boundary conditions of the ensemble members in the tropics. Downscaled models can provide realistic simulations of regional tropical climates only if the boundary conditions include realistic absolute amounts of PW. Use of boundary conditions that include realistic absolute amounts of PW in downscaling in the tropics is imperative at the present time. This work was partly supported by the Global Environment Research Fund (RFa-1101) of the Ministry of the Environment, Japan.
-
Wagner, Joanne M.; Kremer, Theodore R.; Van Dillen, Linda R.; Naismith, Robert T.
2014-01-01
Objective To determine if plantarflexor (PF) spasticity or ankle strength best predicts variance in walking capacity or self-perceived limitations in walking in persons with multiple sclerosis (pwMS), and if pwMS with PF spasticity are weaker and have greater walking dysfunction than pwMS without PF spasticity. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting University research laboratory. Participants Forty-two pwMS (age: 42.9 ± 10.1 years; Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS): median = 3.0, range = 0–6) and 14 adults without disability (WD) (age: 41.9 ± 10.1 years). Intervention Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures PF spasticity and dorsiflexion (DF) and PF maximum voluntary isometric torque (MVIT) were assessed using the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) and a computerized dynamometer, respectively. The Timed 25-Foot Walk Test (T25FWT) was the primary outcome measure of walking capacity. Secondary measures included the Six Minute Walk Test (6MWT) and 12-item Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale (MSWS-12). Results PF strength was the most consistent predictor of the variance in walking capacity (T25FWT: R2 change = 0.23 to 0.29, p ≤ 0.001; 6MWT: R2 change = 0.12 to 0.29, p ≤ 0.012), and self-perceived limitations of walking (MSWS-12: R2 change = 0.04 to 0.14, p < 0.18). There were no significant differences (p > 0.05) between the pwMS with PF spasticity and pwMS without PF spasticity for any of the outcome measures. Conclusions Our study suggests a unique contribution of PF weakness to walking dysfunction in pwMS, and highlights the importance of evaluating PF strength in this clinical population. PMID:24582617
-
Ying, Jie; Wang, Yonghong; Zhang, Meiling; Wang, Shouqi; Shi, Ying; Li, Huanhuan; Li, Yuan; Xing, Zhuangjie; Sun, Jiao
2018-05-01
This review aims to summarise and evaluate multicomponent interventions focused on improving the competence of family members of people with dementia (PwD) who undertake the caregiving tasks. Caregiver competence is essential for family members of PwD acting as caregivers. Competence affects the physical and mental health of both PwD and caregivers. Many kinds of multicomponent interventions are used to improve caregiver competence. A systematic review. A literature search from six databases was conducted. Articles published until January 2017 were screened. Intervention studies that measured caregiver competence of family members of PwD as an outcome were included. The Oxford Center Evidence-based Medicine criteria and the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions were used for quality assessment. Fifteen studies were included, and number of participants was 1096. The characteristics of the included studies and key findings were analysed. Multicomponent interventions may improve the family caregivers' competence. Caregivers in the intervention group were confident and skilful in managing their role. The intervention design, treatment content and length and intensity of the intervention varied in the included studies. Given that heterogeneity was high, combining these results via narrative synthesis is more appropriate than a meta-analysis. The current study provides recommendations regarding the formulation and implementation of interventions based on relevant literature. In view of existing research, researchers should conduct an in-depth study in this area and provide evidence-based interventions to support family members caring for PwD. The competence of family caregivers is essential for the life quality of PwD. To promote the health of the family caregiver and PwD, multicomponent interventions may be appropriate for nurses to practice. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
-
Msezane, Lambda P; Gofrit, Ofer N; Lin, Shang; Shalhav, Arieh L; Zagaja, Gregory P; Zorn, Kevin C
2007-10-01
Pre-operative prediction of pathological stage represents the cornerstone of prostate cancer management. Patient counseling is routinely based on pre-operative PSA, Gleason score and clinical stage. In this study, we evaluated whether prostate weight (PW) is an independent predictor of extracapsular extension (ECE) and positive surgical margin (PSM). Between February 2003 and November 2006, 709 men underwent robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RLRP). Pre-operative parameters (patient age, pre-operative PSA, biopsy Gleason score, clinical stage) as well as pathological data (prostate weight, pathological stage) were prospectively gathered after internal-review board (IRB) approval. Evaluation of the influence of these variables on ECE and PSM outcomes were assessed using both univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Mean overall patient age, pre-operative PSA and PW were 59.6 years, 6.5 ng/ml and 52.9 g (range 5.5 g-198.7 g), respectively. Of the 393, 209 and 107 men with PW < 50 g, 50 g-< 70 g and < 70 g, ECE was observed in 20.1%, 15.3% and 9.3%, respectively (p = 0.015). In the same patient cohorts, PSM was observed in 25.4%, 14.4% and 7.5%, respectively (p < 0.001). In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, PW, in addition to pre-operative PSA, biopsy Gleason score and clinical stage, was an independent risk factor for ECE (p < 0.001). Similarly, in multi-variate analysis, PW was observed to be a risk factor for PSM (p < 0.001). PW is an independent predictor of both ECE and PSM, with an inverse relationship having been demonstrated between both variables. PW should be considered when counseling patients with prostate cancer treatment.
-
Farhoud, Aidin; Erfanian, Abbas
2014-05-01
In this paper, a fully automatic robust control strategy is proposed for control of paraplegic pedaling using functional electrical stimulation (FES). The method is based on higher-order sliding mode (HOSM) control and fuzzy logic control. In FES, the strength of muscle contraction can be altered either by varying the pulse width (PW) or by the pulse amplitude (PA) of the stimulation signal. The proposed control strategy regulates simultaneously both PA and PW (i.e., PA/PW modulation). A HOSM controller is designed for regulating the PW and a fuzzy logic controller for the PA. The proposed control scheme is free-model and does not require any offline training phase and subject-specific information. Simulation studies on a virtual patient and experiments on three paraplegic subjects demonstrate good tracking performance and robustness of the proposed control strategy against muscle fatigue and external disturbances during FES-induced pedaling. The results of simulation studies show that the power and cadence tracking errors are 5.4% and 4.8%, respectively. The experimental results indicate that the proposed controller can improve pedaling system efficacy and increase the endurance of FES pedaling. The average of power tracking error over three paraplegic subjects is 7.4±1.4% using PA/PW modulation, while the tracking error is 10.2±1.2% when PW modulation is used. The subjects could pedal for 15 min with about 4.1% power loss at the end of experiment using proposed control strategy, while the power loss is 14.3% using PW modulation. The controller could adjust the stimulation intensity to compensate the muscle fatigue during long period of FES pedaling.
-
Ashburn, A; Kampshoff, C; Burnett, M; Stack, E; Pickering, R M; Verheyden, G
2014-01-01
Turning round is a routine everyday activity that can often lead to instability. The purpose of this study was to investigate abnormalities of turning among people with Parkinson's disease (PwPD) through the measurement of sequence of body segments and latency response. Participants were asked to turn 180° and whole-body movements were recorded using CODAmotion and Visio Fast eye tracking equipment. Thirty-one independently mobile PwPD and 15 age-matched healthy controls participated in the study. We found that contrary to common belief, the head preceded movement of all other body segments (eyes, shoulders, pelvis, first and second foot). We also found interaction between group and body segment (P=0.005), indicating that overall, PwPD took longer to move from head to second foot than age-matched healthy controls. For PwPD only, interactions were found between disease severity and body segment (P<0.0001), between age group and body segment (P<0.0001) and between gender and body segments (P<0.0001). For each interaction, longer time periods were noted between moving the first foot after the pelvis, and moving the second foot after the first, and this was noted for PwPD in Hoehn and Yahr stage III-IV (in comparison to Hoehn and Yahr stage I-II); for PwPD who were under 70 years (in comparison with 70 years or over); and for ladies (in comparison with men). Our results indicate that in PwPD and healthy elderly, turning-on-the-spot might not follow the top-to-bottom approach we know from previous research. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V.
-
Ali, Ziad A; Parviz, Yasir; Brinkman, Matthew; Matsumura, Mitsuaki; Redfors, Björn; Brogno, David A; Corral, Maria D; Fall, Khady N; Mintz, Gary S; Stone, Gregg W; Maehara, Akiko; Jeremias, Allen; Kirtane, Ajay J
2018-05-15
Among technologies used to assess FFR, a monorail, sensor-tipped micro pressure catheter (PC) may be advantageous for delivery and re-assessment. We sought to determine whether the larger cross-sectional area of the PC influences FFR measurements compared to the pressure wire. PERFORM was a single-center, prospective study designed to determine the precision and accuracy of the PC compared with the pressure wire (PW) for measurement of FFR. Eligible patients had native coronary artery target lesions with visually estimated diameter stenosis of 40-90%. The independently adjudicated primary endpoint was the difference in hyperemic PW-determined minimal FFR with and without the PC distal to the stenosis. Seventy-four patients (95 lesions) were prospectively analyzed between December 2015 and December 2016. Median hyperemic FFR was 0.84 [IQR 0.78, 0.89] with the PW and 0.79 [IQR 0.73, 0.85] with the PC distal to the stenosis (p<0.001). Such differences led to clinical discordance, whereby the PC decreased the hyperemic PW-determined FFR from >0.80 to ≤0.80 in 17 of 95 measurements (19%). Median resting Pd/Pa was lower following introduction of the PC compared with the PW alone (0.93 [IQR 0.90, 0.97] versus 0.90 [IQR 0.86, 0.95], p<0.001). Median pressure drift was not different between the PW and the PC (0.01 [IQR -0.01, 0.05] versus 0.01 [IQR 0.00, 0.02], p=0.38). Introduction of the PC reduced device success and both hyperemic FFR and resting Pd/Pa compared with the PW alone, leading to re-classifying physiological significance to below ischemic threshold in one out of five assessments.
-
Continuous Estimates of Precipitable Water Vapor Within and Around Hurricane Systems
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Braun, J. J.; Iwabuchi, T.; van Hove, T.
2008-12-01
This study investigates how estimates of precipitable water vapor (PW) from Global Positioning System (GPS) stations can be used to quantify how atmospheric moisture influences the intensity of tropical storms and hurricanes. The motivation for this study is based on the fact that hurricanes derive their strength through water vapor that is both evaporated from warm ocean surfaces and the existing moisture in the surrounding atmospheric environment. Observationally, there are relatively few instruments that can accurately measure water vapor in the presence of clouds and rain. Retrievals of PW using GPS stations may be the most reliable way to continuously monitor column integrated water vapor. Using storm information from the National Hurricane Center (www.nhc.noaa.gov), we have compared storm intensity to PW estimates for all tropical storms and hurricanes making landfall within 100-km of a GPS station between 2003 and 2008. We find that PW is inversely correlated (r**2 < -0.7) to the drop in surface pressure observed at that station. We have also begun to relate atmospheric PW at a station to the local sea surface temperature (SST). This comparison can be used to measure how strongly atmospheric water vapor and SST are coupled. It can also be used to measure how quickly the atmosphere responds to changes in SST. Finally we have compared the estimated PW to the Global Forecast System (GFS) analysis fields that are used to initialize numerical weather prediction models. This comparison indicates that the GFS analysis fields have significantly larger errors in atmospheric moisture in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico when compared to differences over the continental United States. These results illustrate that estimates of PW are an important data set for atmospheric scientists and forecasters attempting to improve the prediction of hurricane intensity.
-
Madanijah, Siti; Briawan, Dodik; Rimbawan, Rimbawan; Zulaikhah, Zulaikhah; Andarwulan, Nuri; Nuraida, Lilis; Sundjaya, Tonny; Murti, Laksmi; Shah, Priyali; Bindels, Jacques
2016-07-01
The diet of Indonesian women of childbearing age is relatively poor, posing increased risk for suboptimal pregnancy outcome. In a cross-sectional study including 403 women in three economic quintiles (Q), we investigated differences in dietary intake and nutrition sufficiency according to economic status and whether regular dietary intakes of pregnant women (PW, n 203) differ from that of pre-pregnant women (PPW, n 200). Dietary intake data were collected using 2×24 h dietary recall and FFQ. Energy, protein, Fe, Ca, Zn, vitamin A and vitamin C intakes were calculated utilising Food Composition Tables and compared with Indonesian recommendations for adequacy. Energy and protein intakes <70 % and Fe, Ca, Zn, vitamin A and vitamin C intakes <77 % of the local recommendation were considered insufficient. A higher intake of milk/dairy products (Q3, Q4), fruits and vegetables (Q2) and snacks (Q3) in PW was observed compared with PPW, but insufficient to meet nutrient requirements. Nutrient intake calculations showed insufficiency in 26 % of PPW for protein and up to 70 % for Fe. Deficient nutrient intakes in PW were found in 49 % of the subjects for energy and up to 85 % for Fe. Energy and protein intakes decreased with decreasing economic quintiles in PPW and PW. Ca and vitamin A intakes were lower in Q2 compared with Q4. The proportion of animal protein in Q2-PW was low (31 %). Biochemical status parameters in a subset showed that anaemia and Fe and Zn deficiencies were prevalent among PPW and PW. Habitual diets in the study area did not meet the nutrient requirements for both PPW and PW across the investigated economic groups.
-
Young, Daniel Kim-Wan; Ng, Petrus Yat-Nam; Kwok, Timothy
2017-12-01
The present research study aimed to identify and compare the clinical and non-clinical factors that predict the self-reported and proxy-reported health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of people with major neurocognitive disorder (PwND) who are living at home in a Chinese society. A total of 57 Chinese PwND-family caregiver dyads that were using the services of local senior centers were recruited through a cross-sectional survey with convenience sampling. Each PwND and caregiver rated the PwND's HRQoL independently by using the Quality of Life-Alzheimer's disease measure. Additional measures included the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), Index for Managing Memory Loss, Geriatric Depression Scale, Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia and Zarit Burden Inventory. The results of hierarchical multiple linear regression analyses showed that the PwND's self-rated HRQoL and caregiver-rated HRQoL were found to be predicted by different clinical and non-clinical variables. In particular, the self-esteem of PwND had the highest predictive power for the self-rated HRQoL, whereas the caregiver burden is the only significant predictor for the caregiver-rated HRQoL. In the present study, the self-esteem of PwND and the caregiver's burden were found to be important factors predicting self-rated HRQoL and caregiver-rated HRQoL respectively, which is probably because of the influence of traditional Chinese cultural values. Thus, it is important for non-pharmacological interventions to address these special needs to promote HRQoL for this population. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 2319-2328. © 2017 Japan Geriatrics Society.
-
Development and user validation of driving tasks for a power wheelchair simulator.
Archambault, Philippe S; Blackburn, Émilie; Reid, Denise; Routhier, François; Miller, William C
2017-07-01
Mobility is important for participation in daily activities and a power wheelchair (PW) can improve quality of life of individuals with mobility impairments. A virtual reality simulator may be helpful in complementing PW skills training, which is generally seen as insufficient by both clinicians and PW users. To this end, specific, ecologically valid activities, such as entering an elevator and navigating through a shopping mall crowd, have been added to the McGill wheelchair (miWe) simulator through a user-centred approach. The objective of this study was to validate the choice of simulated activities in a group of newly trained PW users. We recruited 17 new PW users, who practiced with the miWe simulator at home for two weeks. They then related their experience through the Short Feedback Questionnaire, the perceived Ease of Use Questionnaire, and semi-structured interviews. Participants in general greatly appreciated their experience with the simulator. During the interviews, this group made similar comments about the activities as our previous group of expert PW users had done. They also insisted on the importance of realism in the miWe activities, for their use in training. A PW simulator may be helpful if it supports the practice of activities in specific contexts (such as a bathroom or supermarket), to complement the basic skills training received in the clinic (such as driving forward, backward, turning, and avoiding obstacles). Implications for Rehabilitation New power wheelchair users appreciate practicing on a virtual reality simulator and find the experience useful when the simulated diving activities are realistic and ecologically valid. User-centred development can lead to simulated power wheelchair activities that adequately capture everyday driving challenges experienced in various environmental contexts.
-
2016-01-01
Getting lost (GL) is a serious problem for people living with Alzheimer’s disease (PwAD), causing psychological distress in both PwAD and caregivers, and increasing the odds of being institutionalized. It is thus important to identify risk factors for the GL events in PwAD. Between April 2009 and March 2012, we invited 185 community-dwelling PwAD and their caregivers to participate in this study. At the baseline, 95 had experienced GL (Group B); the remaining 90 (Group A) had not. We focused on the incidence of GL events and the associated factors by way of demographic data, cognitive function assessed by the Cognitive Ability Screening Instrument (CASI), and spatial navigation abilities as assessed by the Questionnaire of Everyday Navigational Ability (QuENA). After a 2.5-year period, the incidence of GL in Group A was 33.3% and the recurrence of GL in Group B was 40%. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that the inattention item on the QuENA and orientation item on the CASI had independent effects on the GL incidence, while the absence of a safety range was associated with the risk of GL recurrence. During the 2.5 years, the PwAD with GL incidence deteriorated more in the mental manipulation item on the CASI than those without. We suggest that before the occurrence of GL, the caregivers of PwAD should refer to the results of cognitive assessment and navigation ability evaluation to enhance the orientation and attention of the PwAD. Once GL occurs, the caregivers must set a safety range to prevent GL recurrence, especially for younger people. PMID:27183297
-
Singh, Satnam; Young, Li-Sen; Shen, Fo-Ting; Young, Chiu-Chung
2014-10-01
Discharging untreated highly acidic (pH<4.0), organic and nutrients rich monosodium glutamate wastewater (MW), and highly alkaline (pH>10.0) paper-mill wastewater (PW) causes environmental pollution. When acidity of MW neutralized (pH 6.5±0.1) with PW and lime (treatments represented as MW+PW and MW+Lime), then MW may be utilized as a potential source of nutrients and organic carbon for sustainable food production. Objectives of this study were to compare the effects of PW and lime neutralized MW and chemical fertilizers on maize (Zea mays L. cv. Snow Jean) plant growth, yield, nutrients uptake, soil organic matter and humic substances. The field experiment was carried out on maize using MW at 6000 L ha(-1). Impacts of the MW application on maize crop and soil properties were evaluated at different stages. At harvest, plant height, and plant N and K uptake were higher in MW treatment. Leaf area index at 60 days after sowing, plant dry matter accumulation at harvest, and kernels ear(-1) and 100-kernel weight were higher in MW+Lime treatment. Kernel N, P, K, Mn, Fe and Zn, and plant Zn uptake were highest in MW+Lime. Plant Fe uptake, and soil organic matter and humic substances were highest in MW+PW. The MW+PW and MW+Lime treatments exhibited comparable results with chemically fertilized treatment. The MW acidity neutralized with lime showed positive impacts on growth, yield and nutrients uptake; nevertheless, when MW pH neutralized with PW has an additional benefit on increase in soil organic matter and humic substances. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
-
Brooks, Steven J; Harman, Christopher; Grung, Merete; Farmen, Eivind; Ruus, Anders; Vingen, Sjur; Godal, Brit F; Barsiene, Janina; Andreikenaite, Laura; Skarpheðinsdottir, Halldóra; Liewenborg, Birgitta; Sundt, Rolf C
2011-01-01
The Norwegian water column monitoring program investigates the biological effects of offshore oil and gas activities in Norwegian waters. In three separate surveys in 2006, 2008, and 2009, bioaccumulation and biomarker responses were measured in mussels (Mytilus edulis) and Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) held in cages at known distances from the produced water (PW) discharge at the Ekofisk oil field. Identical monitoring studies performed in all three years have allowed the biological effects and bioaccumulation data to be compared, and in addition, enabled the potential environmental benefits of a PW treatment system (CTour), implemented in 2008, to be evaluated. The results of the 2009 survey showed that caged animals were exposed to low levels of PW components, with highest tissue concentrations in mussels located closest to the PW discharge. Mussels located approximately 1-2 km away demonstrated only background concentrations of target compounds. Concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and alkyl phenol (AP) metabolites in the bile of caged cod were elevated at stations 200-250 m from the discharge. There was also a signal of exposure relative to discharge for the biomarkers CYP1A in fish and micronuclei in mussels. All other fish and mussel biomarkers showed no significant exposure effects in 2009. The mussel bioaccumulation data in 2009 indicated a lower exposure to the PW effluent than seen previously in 2008 and 2006, resulting in an associated general improvement in the health of the caged mussels. This was due to the reduction in overall discharge of PW components (measured as oil in water) into the area in 2009 compared to previous years as a result of the improved PW treatment system.
-
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Ibrahim, Nik Nuraznida Nik; Usup, Gires; Ahmad, Asmat
2018-04-01
Over the past ten years, marine natural product researchers have expanded the scope of their studies from macroorganisms such as algae to marine microorganisms. The marine environment is believed to be able to provide novel lead against pathogenic microbes that are evolving and developing resistance to existing pharmaceutical agents. In this study, a total of 150 bacterial isolates isolated from Port Klang and Port Tanjung Pelepas were screened for antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Entrococcus, faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Methicillin-Resistance Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Only 10 isolates: PW01, PW02, PB03, and PS (04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, and 10) showed strong antibacterial activity. Based on the strongest activity, isolates PW01 and PW02 were selected for secondary screening using well diffusion assay. The dichloromethane extract of Pseudomonas sp. PW01 showed activity against S. aureus (15±0 mm), V. parahaemolyticus (25±1.63 mm) and MRSA (18±0.81 mm). Meanwhile, the diethyl ether extract of Pseudomonas sp. PW02 showed active activity against S. aureus (10±0 mm), V. parahaemolyticus (30±0.94 mm), MRSA (30±0.94 mm), E. coli (22±1.25 mm) and E. faecalis (26±0 mm). Through this study, it was suggested that marine microorganisms may represent an untapped reservoir of biodiversity capable of synthesizing antimicrobial molecules.
-
Supraspinal control of automatic postural responses in people with multiple sclerosis.
Peterson, D S; Gera, G; Horak, F B; Fling, B W
2016-06-01
The neural underpinnings of delayed automatic postural responses in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) are unclear. We assessed whether white matter pathways of two supraspinal regions (the cortical proprioceptive Broadman's Area-3; and the balance/locomotor-related pedunculopontine nucleus) were related to delayed postural muscle response latencies in response to external perturbations. 19 PwMS (48.8±11.4years; EDSS=3.5 (range: 2-4)) and 12 healthy adults (51.7±12.2years) underwent 20 discrete, backward translations of a support surface. Onset latency of agonist (medial-gastrocnemius) and antagonist (tibialis anterior) muscles were assessed. Diffusion tensor imaging assessed white-matter integrity (i.e. radial diffusivity) of cortical proprioceptive and balance/locomotor-related tracts. Latency of the tibialis anterior, but not medial gastrocnemius was larger in PwMS than control subjects (p=0.012 and 0.071, respectively). Radial diffusivity of balance/locomotor tracts was higher (worse) in PwMS than control subjects (p=0.004), and was significantly correlated with tibialis (p=0.002), but not gastrocnemius (p=0.06) onset latency. Diffusivity of cortical proprioceptive tracts was not correlated with muscle onset. Lesions in supraspinal structures including the pedunculopontine nucleus balance/locomotor network may contribute to delayed onset of postural muscle activity in PwMS, contributing to balance deficits in PwMS. Published by Elsevier B.V.
-
Structural Dynamics Modeling of HIRENASD in Support of the Aeroelastic Prediction Workshop
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Wieseman, Carol; Chwalowski, Pawel; Heeg, Jennifer; Boucke, Alexander; Castro, Jack
2013-01-01
An Aeroelastic Prediction Workshop (AePW) was held in April 2012 using three aeroelasticity case study wind tunnel tests for assessing the capabilities of various codes in making aeroelasticity predictions. One of these case studies was known as the HIRENASD model that was tested in the European Transonic Wind Tunnel (ETW). This paper summarizes the development of a standardized enhanced analytical HIRENASD structural model for use in the AePW effort. The modifications to the HIRENASD finite element model were validated by comparing modal frequencies, evaluating modal assurance criteria, comparing leading edge, trailing edge and twist of the wing with experiment and by performing steady and unsteady CFD analyses for one of the test conditions on the same grid, and identical processing of results.
-
Understanding Windows | Efficient Windows Collaborative
Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Performance Performance Standards
-
The endophytic bacterium Serratia sp. PW7 degrades pyrene in wheat.
Zhu, Xuezhu; Wang, Wanqing; Crowley, David E; Sun, Kai; Hao, Shupeng; Waigi, Michael Gatheru; Gao, Yanzheng
2017-03-01
This research was conducted to isolate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-degrading (PAH-degrading) endophytic bacteria and investigate their potential in protecting plants against PAH contamination. Pyrene-degrading endophytic bacteria were isolated from plants grown in PAH-contaminated soil. Among these endophytic bacteria, strain PW7 (Serratia sp.) isolated from Plantago asiatica was selected to investigate the suppression of pyrene accumulation in Triticum aestivum L. In the in vitro tests, strain PW7 degraded 51.2% of the pyrene in the media within 14 days. The optimal biodegradation conditions were pH 7.0, 30 °C, and MS medium supplemented with additional glucose, maltose, sucrose, and peptones. In the in vivo tests, strain PW7 successfully colonized the roots and shoots of inoculated (E + ) wheat plants, and its colonization decreased pyrene accumulation and pyrene transportation from roots to shoots. Remarkably, the concentration of pyrene in shoots decreased much more than that in roots, suggesting that strain PW7 has the potential for protecting wheat against pyrene contamination and mitigating the threat of pyrene to human health via food consumption.
-
A 66pW Discontinuous Switch-Capacitor Energy Harvester for Self-Sustaining Sensor Applications
Wu, Xiao; Shi, Yao; Jeloka, Supreet; Yang, Kaiyuan; Lee, Inhee; Sylvester, Dennis; Blaauw, David
2016-01-01
We present a discontinuous harvesting approach for switch capacitor DC-DC converters that enables ultra-low power energy harvesting. By slowly accumulating charge on an input capacitor and then transferring it to a battery in burst-mode, switching and leakage losses in the DC-DC converter can be optimally traded-off with the loss due to non-ideal MPPT operation. The harvester uses a 15pW mode controller, an automatic conversion ratio modulator, and a moving sum charge pump for low startup energy upon a mode switch. In 180nm CMOS, the harvester achieves >40% end-to-end efficiency from 113pW to 1.5μW with 66pW minimum input power, marking a >10× improvement over prior ultra-low power harvesters. PMID:28392977
-
A 66pW Discontinuous Switch-Capacitor Energy Harvester for Self-Sustaining Sensor Applications.
Wu, Xiao; Shi, Yao; Jeloka, Supreet; Yang, Kaiyuan; Lee, Inhee; Sylvester, Dennis; Blaauw, David
2016-06-01
We present a discontinuous harvesting approach for switch capacitor DC-DC converters that enables ultra-low power energy harvesting. By slowly accumulating charge on an input capacitor and then transferring it to a battery in burst-mode, switching and leakage losses in the DC-DC converter can be optimally traded-off with the loss due to non-ideal MPPT operation. The harvester uses a 15pW mode controller, an automatic conversion ratio modulator, and a moving sum charge pump for low startup energy upon a mode switch. In 180nm CMOS, the harvester achieves >40% end-to-end efficiency from 113pW to 1.5μW with 66pW minimum input power, marking a >10× improvement over prior ultra-low power harvesters.
-
A multi-standard approach for GIAO (13)C NMR calculations.
Sarotti, Ariel M; Pellegrinet, Silvina C
2009-10-02
The influence of the reference standard employed in the calculation of (13)C NMR chemical shifts was investigated over a large variety of known organic compounds, using different quantum chemistry methods and basis sets. After detailed analysis of the collected data, we found that methanol and benzene are excellent reference standards for computing NMR shifts of sp(3)- and sp-sp(2)-hybridized carbon atoms, respectively. This multi-standard approach (MSTD) performs better than TMS in terms of accuracy and precision and also displays much lower dependence on the level of theory employed. The use of mPW1PW91/6-31G(d)//mPW1PW91/6-31G(d) level is recommended for accurate (13)C NMR chemical shift prediction at low computational cost.
-
Benefits of Efficient Windows | Efficient Windows Collaborative
Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Performance Performance Standards
-
Windows for New Construction | Efficient Windows Collaborative
Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Performance Performance Standards
-
Performance Standards for Windows | Efficient Windows Collaborative
Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Performance Performance Standards
-
Window Selection Tool | Efficient Windows Collaborative
Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Performance Performance Standards
-
Assessing Window Replacement Options | Efficient Windows Collaborative
Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Performance Performance Standards
-
Design Guidance for New Windows | Efficient Windows Collaborative
Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Performance Performance Standards
-
Design Guidance for Replacement Windows | Efficient Windows Collaborative
Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Performance Performance Standards
-
Weighted SGD for ℓ p Regression with Randomized Preconditioning.
Yang, Jiyan; Chow, Yin-Lam; Ré, Christopher; Mahoney, Michael W
2016-01-01
In recent years, stochastic gradient descent (SGD) methods and randomized linear algebra (RLA) algorithms have been applied to many large-scale problems in machine learning and data analysis. SGD methods are easy to implement and applicable to a wide range of convex optimization problems. In contrast, RLA algorithms provide much stronger performance guarantees but are applicable to a narrower class of problems. We aim to bridge the gap between these two methods in solving constrained overdetermined linear regression problems-e.g., ℓ 2 and ℓ 1 regression problems. We propose a hybrid algorithm named pwSGD that uses RLA techniques for preconditioning and constructing an importance sampling distribution, and then performs an SGD-like iterative process with weighted sampling on the preconditioned system.By rewriting a deterministic ℓ p regression problem as a stochastic optimization problem, we connect pwSGD to several existing ℓ p solvers including RLA methods with algorithmic leveraging (RLA for short).We prove that pwSGD inherits faster convergence rates that only depend on the lower dimension of the linear system, while maintaining low computation complexity. Such SGD convergence rates are superior to other related SGD algorithm such as the weighted randomized Kaczmarz algorithm.Particularly, when solving ℓ 1 regression with size n by d , pwSGD returns an approximate solution with ε relative error in the objective value in (log n ·nnz( A )+poly( d )/ ε 2 ) time. This complexity is uniformly better than that of RLA methods in terms of both ε and d when the problem is unconstrained. In the presence of constraints, pwSGD only has to solve a sequence of much simpler and smaller optimization problem over the same constraints. In general this is more efficient than solving the constrained subproblem required in RLA.For ℓ 2 regression, pwSGD returns an approximate solution with ε relative error in the objective value and the solution vector measured in prediction norm in (log n ·nnz( A )+poly( d ) log(1/ ε )/ ε ) time. We show that for unconstrained ℓ 2 regression, this complexity is comparable to that of RLA and is asymptotically better over several state-of-the-art solvers in the regime where the desired accuracy ε , high dimension n and low dimension d satisfy d ≥ 1/ ε and n ≥ d 2 / ε . We also provide lower bounds on the coreset complexity for more general regression problems, indicating that still new ideas will be needed to extend similar RLA preconditioning ideas to weighted SGD algorithms for more general regression problems. Finally, the effectiveness of such algorithms is illustrated numerically on both synthetic and real datasets, and the results are consistent with our theoretical findings and demonstrate that pwSGD converges to a medium-precision solution, e.g., ε = 10 -3 , more quickly.
-
Weighted SGD for ℓp Regression with Randomized Preconditioning*
Yang, Jiyan; Chow, Yin-Lam; Ré, Christopher; Mahoney, Michael W.
2018-01-01
In recent years, stochastic gradient descent (SGD) methods and randomized linear algebra (RLA) algorithms have been applied to many large-scale problems in machine learning and data analysis. SGD methods are easy to implement and applicable to a wide range of convex optimization problems. In contrast, RLA algorithms provide much stronger performance guarantees but are applicable to a narrower class of problems. We aim to bridge the gap between these two methods in solving constrained overdetermined linear regression problems—e.g., ℓ2 and ℓ1 regression problems. We propose a hybrid algorithm named pwSGD that uses RLA techniques for preconditioning and constructing an importance sampling distribution, and then performs an SGD-like iterative process with weighted sampling on the preconditioned system.By rewriting a deterministic ℓp regression problem as a stochastic optimization problem, we connect pwSGD to several existing ℓp solvers including RLA methods with algorithmic leveraging (RLA for short).We prove that pwSGD inherits faster convergence rates that only depend on the lower dimension of the linear system, while maintaining low computation complexity. Such SGD convergence rates are superior to other related SGD algorithm such as the weighted randomized Kaczmarz algorithm.Particularly, when solving ℓ1 regression with size n by d, pwSGD returns an approximate solution with ε relative error in the objective value in 𝒪(log n·nnz(A)+poly(d)/ε2) time. This complexity is uniformly better than that of RLA methods in terms of both ε and d when the problem is unconstrained. In the presence of constraints, pwSGD only has to solve a sequence of much simpler and smaller optimization problem over the same constraints. In general this is more efficient than solving the constrained subproblem required in RLA.For ℓ2 regression, pwSGD returns an approximate solution with ε relative error in the objective value and the solution vector measured in prediction norm in 𝒪(log n·nnz(A)+poly(d) log(1/ε)/ε) time. We show that for unconstrained ℓ2 regression, this complexity is comparable to that of RLA and is asymptotically better over several state-of-the-art solvers in the regime where the desired accuracy ε, high dimension n and low dimension d satisfy d ≥ 1/ε and n ≥ d2/ε. We also provide lower bounds on the coreset complexity for more general regression problems, indicating that still new ideas will be needed to extend similar RLA preconditioning ideas to weighted SGD algorithms for more general regression problems. Finally, the effectiveness of such algorithms is illustrated numerically on both synthetic and real datasets, and the results are consistent with our theoretical findings and demonstrate that pwSGD converges to a medium-precision solution, e.g., ε = 10−3, more quickly. PMID:29782626
-
Denton, Amanda L; Hough, Alan D; Freeman, Jennifer A; Marsden, Jonathan F
2018-03-01
Cooling of the lower limb in people with Hereditary and Spontaneous Spastic Paraparesis (pwHSSP) has been shown to affect walking speed and neuromuscular impairments. The investigation of practical strategies, which may help to alleviate these problems is important. The potential of superficial heat to improve walking speed has not been explored in pwHSSP. Primary objective was to explore whether the application of superficial heat (hot packs) to lower limbs in pwHSSP improves walking speed. Secondary objective was to explore whether wearing insulation after heating would prolong any benefits. A randomised crossover study design with 21 pwHSSP. On two separate occasions two hot packs and an insulating wrap (Neo-G™) were applied for 30minutes to the lower limbs of pwHSSP. On one occasion the insulating wrap was maintained for a further 30minutes and on the other occasion it was removed. Measures of temperature (skin, room and core), walking speed (10 metre timed walk) and co-ordination (foot tap time) were taken at baseline (T1), after 30 mins (T2) and at one hour (T3). All 21 pwHSSP reported increased lower limb stiffness and decreased walking ability when their legs were cold. After thirty minutes of heating, improvements were seen in walking speed (12.2%, P<0.0001, effect size 0.18) and foot tap time (21.5%, P<0.0001, effect size 0.59). Continuing to wear insulation for a further 30minutes gave no additional benefit; with significant improvements in walking speed maintained at one hour (9.9%, P>0.001) in both conditions. Application of 30minutes superficial heating moderately improved walking speed in pwHSSP with effects maintained at 1hour. The use of hot packs applied to lower limbs should be the focus of further research for the clinical management of pwHSSP who report increased stiffness of limbs in cold weather and do not have sensory deficits. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.
-
Meyer, Sarah; Beyens, Hilde; Dejaeger, Eddy; Verheyden, Geert
2017-01-01
Impaired balance is common post stroke and can be assessed by means of force-platforms measuring center of pressure (COP) displacements during static standing, or more dynamically during lateral maximum weight shift (MWS). However, activities of daily life also include diagonal MWS and since force platforms are nowadays commercially available, investigating lateral and diagonal MWS in a clinical setting might be feasible and clinically relevant. We investigated lateral and diagonal MWS while standing in patients with stroke (PwS) and healthy controls (HC), evaluated MWS towards the affected and the non-affected side for PwS and correlated MWS with measures of balance, gait and fear of falling. In a cross-sectional observational study including 36 ambulatory sub-acute inpatients and 32 age-matched HC, a force platform (BioRescue, RM Ingénierie, France) was used to measure lateral and diagonal MWS in standing. Clinical outcome measures collected were Berg Balance Scale and Community Balance and Mobility Scale (CBMS) for balance, 10-meter walk test (10MWT) for gait speed and Falls Efficacy Scale–international version for fear of falling. MWS for PwS towards the affected side was significantly smaller compared to HC (lateral: p = 0.029; diagonal-forward: p = 0.000). MWS for PwS was also significantly reduced towards the affected side in the diagonal-forward direction (p = 0.019) compared to the non-affected side of PwS. Strong correlations were found for MWS for PwS in the diagonal-forward direction towards the affected side, and clinical measures of balance (CBMS: r = 0.66) and gait speed (10MWT: r = 0.66). Our study showed that ambulatory sub-acute PwS, in comparison to HC, have decreased ability to shift their body weight diagonally forward in standing towards their affected side. This reduced ability is strongly related to clinical measures of balance and gait speed. Our results suggest that MWS in a diagonal-forward direction should receive attention in rehabilitation of ambulatory sub-acute PwS in an inpatient setting. PMID:28809939
-
van Dijk, Margaretha M; Meyer, Sarah; Sandstad, Solveig; Wiskerke, Evelyne; Thuwis, Rhea; Vandekerckhove, Chesny; Myny, Charlotte; Ghosh, Nitesh; Beyens, Hilde; Dejaeger, Eddy; Verheyden, Geert
2017-01-01
Impaired balance is common post stroke and can be assessed by means of force-platforms measuring center of pressure (COP) displacements during static standing, or more dynamically during lateral maximum weight shift (MWS). However, activities of daily life also include diagonal MWS and since force platforms are nowadays commercially available, investigating lateral and diagonal MWS in a clinical setting might be feasible and clinically relevant. We investigated lateral and diagonal MWS while standing in patients with stroke (PwS) and healthy controls (HC), evaluated MWS towards the affected and the non-affected side for PwS and correlated MWS with measures of balance, gait and fear of falling. In a cross-sectional observational study including 36 ambulatory sub-acute inpatients and 32 age-matched HC, a force platform (BioRescue, RM Ingénierie, France) was used to measure lateral and diagonal MWS in standing. Clinical outcome measures collected were Berg Balance Scale and Community Balance and Mobility Scale (CBMS) for balance, 10-meter walk test (10MWT) for gait speed and Falls Efficacy Scale-international version for fear of falling. MWS for PwS towards the affected side was significantly smaller compared to HC (lateral: p = 0.029; diagonal-forward: p = 0.000). MWS for PwS was also significantly reduced towards the affected side in the diagonal-forward direction (p = 0.019) compared to the non-affected side of PwS. Strong correlations were found for MWS for PwS in the diagonal-forward direction towards the affected side, and clinical measures of balance (CBMS: r = 0.66) and gait speed (10MWT: r = 0.66). Our study showed that ambulatory sub-acute PwS, in comparison to HC, have decreased ability to shift their body weight diagonally forward in standing towards their affected side. This reduced ability is strongly related to clinical measures of balance and gait speed. Our results suggest that MWS in a diagonal-forward direction should receive attention in rehabilitation of ambulatory sub-acute PwS in an inpatient setting.
-
A 1.1nW Energy Harvesting System with 544pW Quiescent Power for Next Generation Implants
Mercier, Patrick P.; Lysaght, Andrew C.; Stankovic, Konstantina M.; Chandrakasan, Anantha P.
2015-01-01
This paper presents a nW power management unit (PMU) for an autonomous wireless sensor that sustains itself by harvesting energy from the endocochlear potential (EP), the 70–100 mV electrochemical bio-potential inside the mammalian ear. Due to the anatomical constraints inside the inner ear, the total extractable power from the EP is limited to 1.1–6.25 nW. A nW boost converter is used to increase the input voltage (30–55 mV) to a higher voltage (0.8 to 1.1 V) usable by CMOS circuits in the sensor. A pW Charge Pump circuit is used to minimize the leakage in the boost converter. Further, ultra-low-power control circuits consisting of digital implementations of input impedance adjustment circuits and Zero Current Switching circuits along with Timer and Reference circuits keep the quiescent power of the PMU down to 544 pW. The designed boost converter achieves a peak power conversion efficiency of 56%. The PMU can sustain itself and a duty-cyled ultra-low power load while extracting power from the EP of a live guinea pig. The PMU circuits have been implemented on a 0.18µm CMOS process. PMID:25983340
-
A 1.1nW Energy Harvesting System with 544pW Quiescent Power for Next Generation Implants.
Bandyopadhyay, Saurav; Mercier, Patrick P; Lysaght, Andrew C; Stankovic, Konstantina M; Chandrakasan, Anantha P
2014-12-01
This paper presents a nW power management unit (PMU) for an autonomous wireless sensor that sustains itself by harvesting energy from the endocochlear potential (EP), the 70-100 mV electrochemical bio-potential inside the mammalian ear. Due to the anatomical constraints inside the inner ear, the total extractable power from the EP is limited to 1.1-6.25 nW. A nW boost converter is used to increase the input voltage (30-55 mV) to a higher voltage (0.8 to 1.1 V) usable by CMOS circuits in the sensor. A pW Charge Pump circuit is used to minimize the leakage in the boost converter. Further, ultra-low-power control circuits consisting of digital implementations of input impedance adjustment circuits and Zero Current Switching circuits along with Timer and Reference circuits keep the quiescent power of the PMU down to 544 pW. The designed boost converter achieves a peak power conversion efficiency of 56%. The PMU can sustain itself and a duty-cyled ultra-low power load while extracting power from the EP of a live guinea pig. The PMU circuits have been implemented on a 0.18µm CMOS process.
-
Design Considerations | Efficient Windows Collaborative
Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Performance Performance Standards
-
Gas Fills | Efficient Windows Collaborative
Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Performance Performance Standards
-
Books & Publications | Efficient Windows Collaborative
Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Performance Performance Standards
-
Efficient Windows Collaborative | Home
Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Performance Performance Standards
-
Resources | Efficient Windows Collaborative
Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Performance Performance Standards
-
Provide Views | Efficient Windows Collaborative
Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Performance Performance Standards
-
Links | Efficient Windows Collaborative
Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Performance Performance Standards
-
Reducing Condensation | Efficient Windows Collaborative
Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Performance Performance Standards
-
Reduced Fading | Efficient Windows Collaborative
Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Performance Performance Standards
-
EWC Membership | Efficient Windows Collaborative
Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Performance Performance Standards
-
Visible Transmittance | Efficient Windows Collaborative
Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Performance Performance Standards
-
EWC Members | Efficient Windows Collaborative
Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Performance Performance Standards
-
Financing & Incentives | Efficient Windows Collaborative
Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Performance Performance Standards
-
León, I E; Porro, V; Astrada, S; Egusquiza, M G; Cabello, C I; Bollati-Fogolin, M; Etcheverry, S B
2014-10-05
Polyoxometalates (POMs) are early transition metal oxygen anion clusters. They display interesting biological effects mainly related to their antiviral and antitumor properties. On the other hand, copper compounds also show different biological and pharmacological effects in cell culture and in animal models. We report herein for the first time, a detailed study of the mechanisms of action of a copper(II) compound of the group of HPOMs with the formula K7Na3[Cu4(H2O)2(PW9034)2]20H2O (PW9Cu), in a model of human osteosarcoma derived cell line, MG-63. The compound inhibited selectively the viability of the osteosarcoma cells in the range of 25-100μM (p<0.01). Besides, we have clearly shown a more deleterious action of PW9Cu on tumor osteoblasts than in normal cells. Cytotoxicity studies also showed deleterious effects for PW9Cu. The increment of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the decrease of the GSH/GSSG ratio were involved in the antiproliferative effects of PW9Cu. Moreover, the compound caused cell cycle arrest in G2 phase, triggering apoptosis as determined by flow cytometry. As a whole, these results showed the main mechanisms of the deleterious effects of PW9Cu in the osteosarcoma cell line MG-63, demonstrating that this compound is a promissory agent for cancer treatments. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
-
Voice Tremor in Parkinson's Disease: An Acoustic Study.
Gillivan-Murphy, Patricia; Miller, Nick; Carding, Paul
2018-01-30
Voice tremor associated with Parkinson disease (PD) has not been characterized. Its relationship with voice disability and disease variables is unknown. This study aimed to evaluate voice tremor in people with PD (pwPD) and a matched control group using acoustic analysis, and to examine correlations with voice disability and disease variables. Acoustic voice tremor analysis was completed on 30 pwPD and 28 age-gender matched controls. Voice disability (Voice Handicap Index), and disease variables of disease duration, Activities of Daily Living (Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale [UPDRS II]), and motor symptoms related to PD (UPDRS III) were examined for relationship with voice tremor measures. Voice tremor was detected acoustically in pwPD and controls with similar frequency. PwPD had a statistically significantly higher rate of amplitude tremor (Hz) than controls (P = 0.001). Rate of amplitude tremor was negatively and significantly correlated with UPDRS III total score (rho -0.509). For pwPD, the magnitude and periodicity of acoustic tremor was higher than for controls without statistical significance. The magnitude of frequency tremor (Mftr%) was positively and significantly correlated with disease duration (rho 0.463). PwPD had higher Voice Handicap Index total, functional, emotional, and physical subscale scores than matched controls (P < 0.001). Voice disability did not correlate significantly with acoustic voice tremor measures. Acoustic analysis enhances understanding of PD voice tremor characteristics, its pathophysiology, and its relationship with voice disability and disease symptomatology. Copyright © 2018 The Voice Foundation. All rights reserved.
-
2012-01-01
Background Pulsed wave (PW) Doppler echocardiography has become a routine non invasive cardiac diagnostic tool in most species. However, evaluation of intracardiac blood flow requires reference values, which are poorly documented in goats. The aim of this study was to test the repeatability, the variability, and to establish the reference values of PW measurements in healthy adult Saanen goats. Using a standardised PW Doppler echocardiographic protocol, 10 healthy adult unsedated female Saanen goats were investigated three times at one day intervals by the same observer. Mitral, tricuspid, aortic and pulmonary flows were measured from a right parasternal view, and mitral and aortic flows were also measured from a left parasternal view. The difference between left and right side measurements and the intra-observer inter-day repeatability were tested and then the reference values of PW Doppler echocardiographic parameters in healthy adult female Saanen goats were established. Results As documented in other species, all caprine PW Doppler parameters demonstrated a poor inter-day repeatability and a moderate variability. Tricuspid and pulmonary flows were best evaluated on the right side whereas mitral and aortic flows were best obtained on the left side, and reference values are reported for healthy adult Saanen goats. Conclusions PW Doppler echocardiography allows the measurement of intracardiac blood flow indices in goats. The reference values establishment will help interpreting these indices of cardiac function in clinical cardiac cases and developing animal models for human cardiology research. PMID:23067875
-
Increased Light & View | Efficient Windows Collaborative
Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Performance Performance Standards
-
Air Leakage (AL) | Efficient Windows Collaborative
Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Performance Performance Standards
-
State Fact Sheets | Efficient Windows Collaborative
Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Performance Performance Standards
-
Fact Sheets & Publications | Efficient Windows Collaborative
Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Performance Performance Standards
-
Condensation Resistance (CR) | Efficient Windows Collaborative
Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Performance Performance Standards
-
National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) | Efficient Windows
Collaborative Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring
-
Low Conductance Spacers | Efficient Windows Collaborative
Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Performance Performance Standards
-
Energy & Cost Savings | Efficient Windows Collaborative
Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Performance Performance Standards
-
U-Factor (U-value) | Efficient Windows Collaborative
Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Performance Performance Standards
-
Dynamical modeling and multi-experiment fitting with PottersWheel
Maiwald, Thomas; Timmer, Jens
2008-01-01
Motivation: Modelers in Systems Biology need a flexible framework that allows them to easily create new dynamic models, investigate their properties and fit several experimental datasets simultaneously. Multi-experiment-fitting is a powerful approach to estimate parameter values, to check the validity of a given model, and to discriminate competing model hypotheses. It requires high-performance integration of ordinary differential equations and robust optimization. Results: We here present the comprehensive modeling framework Potters-Wheel (PW) including novel functionalities to satisfy these requirements with strong emphasis on the inverse problem, i.e. data-based modeling of partially observed and noisy systems like signal transduction pathways and metabolic networks. PW is designed as a MATLAB toolbox and includes numerous user interfaces. Deterministic and stochastic optimization routines are combined by fitting in logarithmic parameter space allowing for robust parameter calibration. Model investigation includes statistical tests for model-data-compliance, model discrimination, identifiability analysis and calculation of Hessian- and Monte-Carlo-based parameter confidence limits. A rich application programming interface is available for customization within own MATLAB code. Within an extensive performance analysis, we identified and significantly improved an integrator–optimizer pair which decreases the fitting duration for a realistic benchmark model by a factor over 3000 compared to MATLAB with optimization toolbox. Availability: PottersWheel is freely available for academic usage at http://www.PottersWheel.de/. The website contains a detailed documentation and introductory videos. The program has been intensively used since 2005 on Windows, Linux and Macintosh computers and does not require special MATLAB toolboxes. Contact: maiwald@fdm.uni-freiburg.de Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. PMID:18614583
-
Language context modulates reading route: an electrical neuroimaging study
Buetler, Karin A.; de León Rodríguez, Diego; Laganaro, Marina; Müri, René; Spierer, Lucas; Annoni, Jean-Marie
2014-01-01
Introduction: The orthographic depth hypothesis (Katz and Feldman, 1983) posits that different reading routes are engaged depending on the type of grapheme/phoneme correspondence of the language being read. Shallow orthographies with consistent grapheme/phoneme correspondences favor encoding via non-lexical pathways, where each grapheme is sequentially mapped to its corresponding phoneme. In contrast, deep orthographies with inconsistent grapheme/phoneme correspondences favor lexical pathways, where phonemes are retrieved from specialized memory structures. This hypothesis, however, lacks compelling empirical support. The aim of the present study was to investigate the impact of orthographic depth on reading route selection using a within-subject design. Method: We presented the same pseudowords (PWs) to highly proficient bilinguals and manipulated the orthographic depth of PW reading by embedding them among two separated German or French language contexts, implicating respectively, shallow or deep orthography. High density electroencephalography was recorded during the task. Results: The topography of the ERPs to identical PWs differed 300–360 ms post-stimulus onset when the PWs were read in different orthographic depth context, indicating distinct brain networks engaged in reading during this time window. The brain sources underlying these topographic effects were located within left inferior frontal (German > French), parietal (French > German) and cingular areas (German > French). Conclusion: Reading in a shallow context favors non-lexical pathways, reflected in a stronger engagement of frontal phonological areas in the shallow versus the deep orthographic context. In contrast, reading PW in a deep orthographic context recruits less routine non-lexical pathways, reflected in a stronger engagement of visuo-attentional parietal areas in the deep versus shallow orthographic context. These collective results support a modulation of reading route by orthographic depth. PMID:24600377
-
Ren, Luquan; Zhou, Xueli; Song, Zhengyi; Zhao, Che; Liu, Qingping; Xue, Jingze; Li, Xiujuan
2017-03-16
Recently, with a broadening range of available materials and alteration of feeding processes, several extrusion-based 3D printing processes for metal materials have been developed. An emerging process is applicable for the fabrication of metal parts into electronics and composites. In this paper, some critical parameters of extrusion-based 3D printing processes were optimized by a series of experiments with a melting extrusion printer. The raw materials were copper powder and a thermoplastic organic binder system and the system included paraffin wax, low density polyethylene, and stearic acid (PW-LDPE-SA). The homogeneity and rheological behaviour of the raw materials, the strength of the green samples, and the hardness of the sintered samples were investigated. Moreover, the printing and sintering parameters were optimized with an orthogonal design method. The influence factors in regard to the ultimate tensile strength of the green samples can be described as follows: infill degree > raster angle > layer thickness. As for the sintering process, the major factor on hardness is sintering temperature, followed by holding time and heating rate. The highest hardness of the sintered samples was very close to the average hardness of commercially pure copper material. Generally, the extrusion-based printing process for producing metal materials is a promising strategy because it has some advantages over traditional approaches for cost, efficiency, and simplicity.
-
Wens, Inez; Eijnde, Bert O; Hansen, Dominique
2016-08-15
In the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS), exercise training is now considered a cornerstone. However, most clinicians tend to focus on neurologic deficits only, and thus prefer to prescribe rehabilitation programs specifically to counteract these deficits. However, the present comprehensive review shows that patients with MS (pwMS) also experience significant muscular, cardiac, ventilatory and metabolic dysfunction, which significantly contribute, next to neurologic deficits, to exercise intolerance. In addition, these anomalies also might increase the risk for frequent hospitalization and morbidity and can reduce life expectancy. Unfortunately, the impact of exercise intervention on these anomalies in pwMS are mostly unknown. Therefore, it is suggested that pwMS should be screened systematically for muscular, cardiac, ventilatory and metabolic function during exercise testing. The detection of such anomalies should lead to adaptations and optimisation of exercise training prescription and clinical care/medical treatment of pwMS. In addition, future studies should focus on the impact of exercise intervention on muscular, cardiac, ventilatory and metabolic (dys)function in pwMS, to contribute to improved treatment and care. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.
-
Purewal, Rebecca; Fisher, Peter L
2018-02-01
Anxiety and depression are highly prevalent in people with diabetes (PwD). The most widely used psychological model to explain anxiety and depression in PwD is the Common-Sense Model, which gives a central role to illness perceptions. The Self-Regulatory Executive Function (S-REF) model proposes metacognitive beliefs are key to understanding the development and maintenance of emotional disorders. To test the potential utility of the S-REF model in PwD, the study explored if metacognitive beliefs explained additional variance in anxiety and depression after controlling for demographic and illness perceptions. 614 adults with either Type 1 (n = 335) or Type 2 (n = 279) diabetes participated in a cross sectional online survey. All participants completed questionnaires on anxiety, depression, illness perceptions and metacognitive beliefs. Regression analyses showed that metacognitive beliefs were associated with anxiety and depression in PwD and explained additional variance in both anxiety and depression after controlling for demographics and illness perceptions. This is the first study to demonstrate that metacognitive beliefs are associated with anxiety and depression in PwD. The clinical implications of the study are illustrated. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
-
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Wang, Dong-Xu; Chen, Shu-Sen; Jin, Shao-Hua; Shu, Qing-Hai; Jiang, Zhen-Ming; Shang, Feng-Qin; Li, Jin-Xin
2016-01-01
2,4,6,8,10,12-Hexanitro-2,4,6,8,10,12-hexaazaisowurtzitane (HNIW) was bonded by fluorine rubber and then desensitized by paraffin wax (PW), stearic acid (SA), and a PW/SA composite system using an aqueous suspension method. The coating and desensitization effects of the composite systems on HNIW and the influence of the addition of SA on the mechanical properties of the coated HNIW samples were studied. In addition, the PW/SA composite solution was simulated using a molecular dynamics method, and the relationship between the desensitization effect on HNIW and the properties of the composite solution was investigated. The results showed that the PW/SA composite system, of which the desensitization effect on HNIW was between those of the two desensitizers, could effectively coat HNIW and that the composite solution had the most stable and well-distributed state when using benzene as solvent with the mass ratio of PW/SA equal to 7/3 or 3/7, thus resulting in the best desensitization effect on HNIW. Moreover, the addition of stearic acid was successful in enhancing the mechanical properties of the coated HNIW samples.
-
Closing the gap: Longitudinal changes in employment for Australians with multiple sclerosis.
Van Dijk, Pieter A; Kirk-Brown, Andrea K; Taylor, Bruce; van der Mei, Ingrid
2017-09-01
Previous studies have documented far lower employment participation rates for people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) compared to the general population. In a large national sample of PwMS, we examined employment status, longitudinal changes in employment and the provision of modifications to work role/environment from 2010 to 2013. Employment data were collected through the Australian MS Longitudinal Study from 2010 to 2013, with 1260 people responding to all four surveys. Employment rates were compared with the Australian general population. The survey included questions on the provision of modifications to employees' work role and work environment. Employment (full- and part-time) increased from 48.8% in 2010 to 57.8% in 2013, mainly due to increases in male full-time employment. The employment gap between PwMS and the general population fell from 14.3% in 2010 to 3.5% in 2013. Male employment rates, however, remain significantly lower than the general population. The majority of PwMS who required adjustments to either their work role or environment received them. The gap in employment between PwMS and the general population has substantially reduced from 2010 to 2013, with organisations responding positively to requests for work role/environment adjustments.
-
Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) | Efficient Windows Collaborative
Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Performance Performance Standards
-
Damestani, Yasaman; De Howitt, Natalie; Halaney, David L; Garay, Javier E; Aguilar, Guillermo
2016-10-01
The development and feasibility of a novel nanocrystalline yttria-stabilized-zirconia (nc-YSZ) cranial implant has been recently established. The purpose of what we now call "window to the brain (WttB)" implant (or platform), is to improve patient care by providing a technique for delivery and/or collection of light into/from the brain, on demand, over large areas, and on a chronically recurring basis without the need for repeated craniotomies. WttB holds the transformative potential for enhancing light-based diagnosis and treatment of a wide variety of brain pathologies including cerebral edema, traumatic brain injury, stroke, glioma, and neurodegenerative diseases. However, bacterial adhesion to the cranial implant is the leading factor for biofilm formation (fouling), infection, and treatment failure. Escherichia coli (E. coli), in particular, is the most common isolate in gram-negative bacillary meningitis after cranial surgery or trauma. The transparency of our WttB implant may provide a unique opportunity for non-invasive treatment of bacterial infection under the implant using medical lasers. A drop of a diluted overnight culture of BL21-293 E. coli expressing luciferase was seeded between the nc-YSZ implant and the agar plate. This was followed by immediate irradiation with selected laser. After each laser treatment the nc-YSZ was removed, and cultures were incubated for 24 hours at 37 °C. The study examined continuous wave (CW) and pulsed wave (PW) modes of near-infrared (NIR) 810 nm laser wavelength with a power output ranging from 1 to 3 W. During irradiation, the temperature distribution of nc-YSZ surface was monitored using an infrared thermal camera. Relative luminescence unit (RLU) was used to evaluate the viability of bacteria after the NIR laser treatment. Analysis of RLU suggests that the viability of E. coli biofilm formation was reduced with NIR laser treatment when compared to the control group (P < 0.01) and loss of viability depends on both laser fluence and operation mode (CW or PW). The results demonstrate that while CW laser reduces the biofilm formation more than PW laser with the same power, the higher surface temperature of the implant generated by CW laser limits its medical efficacy. In contrast, with the right parameters, PW laser produces a more moderate photothermal effect which can be equally effective at controlling bacterial growth. Our results show that E. coli biofilm formation across the thickness of the nc-YSZ implant can be disrupted using NIR laser treatment. The results of this in vitro study suggest that using nc-YSZ as a cranial implant in vivo may also allow for locally selective, non-invasive, chronic treatment of bacterial layers (fouling) that might form under cranial implants, without causing adverse thermal damage to the underlying host tissue when appropriate laser parameters are used. Lasers Surg. Med. 48:782-789, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
-
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Herring, A.M.; McCormick, R.L.; Boonrueng, S.R.
2000-05-18
The interaction between NO and the heteropolytungstic acids (HPAs) H{sub 3}PW{sub 12}O{sub 40} (HPW), H{sub 0.5}Cs{sub 2.5}PW{sub 12}O{sub 40} (HCsPW), HMgPW{sub 12}O{sub 40} (HMgPW), H{sub 8}SiW{sub 11}O{sub 38} (HSiW{sub 11}), H{sub 4}SiW{sub 12}O{sub 40} (HSiW), and H{sub 10}CoW{sub 12}{sub 42}(HCoW) in the presence of O{sub 2}(g) was investigated. The tools employed were in situ diffuse reflectance infrared spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, and solid-state {sup 1}H NMR. It was determined that protons may either be present in the HPAs secondary structure as anhydrous protons or be bound to one or two water molecules as H{sub 3}O{sup +} or H{sub 5}O{sub 2}{supmore » +}, respectively. A previous investigation found that HPW sorbed NO into its bulk structure as NOH{sup +}, whereas the anhydrous potassium salt of HPW exhibited weak chemisorption of NO on its surface. In the present study, it was found that NO chemisorbed weakly on the surface of the anhydrous HCsPW. For HMgPW and HSiW, IR and NMR evidence suggests that water is present as H{sub 3}O{sup +}, and the formation of surface-bound NOH{sup +} was observed. Inclusion of NO into the secondary structure as NOH{sup +} was observed for HPW, HSiW{sub 11}, and HCoW. Literature data for HPW, as well as IR and NMR results reported here, indicate that these HPAs contain water as H{sub 5}O{sub 2}{sup +}. The presence of H{sub 5}O{sub 2}{sup +} is, therefore, a prerequisite for NO incorporation as NOH{sup +} in the HPA secondary structure. These HPAs exhibited two modes of NO bonding in the secondary structure: a strongly hydrogen-bound hydrated form, NOH{sup +}{center_dot}H{sub 2}O, and a more weakly bound anhydrous form, NOH{sup +}. Evidence suggests that it is the hydrated form that decomposes, yielding N{sub 2} upon rapid heating. Both NO-containing species interact with terminal and corner-sharing oxygen atoms of the Keggin ion. Anions that are held apart by terminal oxygen-hydrogen bonds have a larger lattice parameter than those held apart by terminal oxygen-hydrogen and corner-sharing oxygen-nitrogen bonds. The lattice contraction upon NO incorporation implies activation of NO by an intimate interaction with oxygen of the Keggin anion.« less
-
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Zhao, T.; Wang, J.; Dai, A.
2015-12-01
Many multi-decadal atmospheric reanalysis products are avialable now, but their consistencies and reliability are far from perfect. In this study, atmospheric precipitable water (PW) from the NCEP/NCAR, NCEP/DOE, MERRA, JRA-55, JRA-25, ERA-Interim, ERA-40, CFSR and 20CR reanalyses is evaluated against homogenized radiosonde observations over China during 1979-2012 (1979-2001 for ERA-40). Results suggest that the PW biases in the reanalyses are within ˜20% for most of northern and eastern China, but the reanalyses underestimate the observed PW by 20%-40% over western China, and by ˜60% over the southwestern Tibetan Plateau. The newer-generation reanalyses (e.g., JRA25, JRA55, CFSR and ERA-Interim) have smaller root-mean-square error (RMSE) than the older-generation ones (NCEP/NCAR, NCEP/DOE and ERA-40). Most of the reanalyses reproduce well the observed PW climatology and interannual variations over China. However, few reanalyses capture the observed long-term PW changes, primarily because they show spurious wet biases before about 2002. This deficiency results mainly from the discontinuities contained in reanalysis RH fields in the mid-lower troposphere due to the wet bias in older radiosonde records that are assimilated into the reanalyses. An empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis revealed two leading modes that represent the long-term PW changes and ENSO-related interannual variations with robust spatial patterns. The reanalysis products, especially the MERRA and JRA-25, roughly capture these EOF modes, which account for over 50% of the total variance. The results show that even during the post-1979 satellite era, discontinuities in radiosonde data can still induce large spurious long-term changes in reanalysis PW and other related fields. Thus, more efforts are needed to remove spurious changes in input data for future long-term reanlayses.
-
Measurement of evaporative water loss in small animals by dew-point hygrometry.
Bernstein, M H; Hudson, D M; Stearns, J M; Hoyt, R W
1977-08-01
This paper presents the procedures and equations to be utilized for measurement of evaporative water loss (mw), by use of the dew-point hygrometer, in small animals exposed to air containing water vapor in an open-flow system. The system accounted accurately for the water evaporated from a bubble flask. In addition, hygrometric measurements of pulmocutaneous mw in pigeons (Columba livia, mean mass 0.31 kg) agreed closely with simultaneous gravimetric measurements, utilizing a desiccant in the sample stream, in a manner independently of air temperature (Ta, 20 or 40 degrees C), ambient water vapor pressure (PW, 4-16 10(2) Pa), or mw (5-66 mg-min-1). Evaporation in pigeons was independent of PW at 20 degrees C, but increased with decreasing PW at 40 degrees C, suggesting differences in ventilatory adjustments to changes in PW at the two temperatures.
-
Rehydration with sodium-enriched coconut water after exercise-induced dehydration.
Ismail, I; Singh, R; Sirisinghe, R G
2007-07-01
This crossover study assessed the effectiveness of plain water (PW), sports drink (SD), fresh young coconut water (CW) and sodium-enriched fresh young coconut water (SCW) on whole body rehydration (R) and plasma volume (PV) restoration after exercise-induced dehydration. Ten healthy male subjects ran at 65% of VO2max in an environmental temperature of 32.06 +/- 0.02 degree C with a relative humidity (rh) of 53.32 +/- 0.17% for 90 minutes to lose 3% body weight (BW). During the 2-hour rehydration period, subjects drank, in randomized order, PW, SD, CW or SCW equivalent to 120% of BW lost in three boluses representing 50, 40 and 30% of the fluid lost at 0, 30, and 60 minutes, respectively. In all trials subjects were still somewhat dehydrated even after the 2-hour rehydration period. Indexes of percent rehydration with PW, SD, CW and SCW were 58 +/- 2, 68 +/- 2, 65+/- 2 and 69 +/- 1%, respectively, with significantly better rehydration with SD and SCW. The rehydration indexes for SD and SCW were significantly lower than PW (p < 0.01). PV was restored to euhydration levels after 2 hours of rehydration with SD, CW and SCW but not with PW. The plasma glucose concentration were significantly higher when SD, CW and SCW were ingested. SCW was similar in sweetness to CW and SD but caused less nausea and stomach upset compared to SD and PW. In conclusion, ingesting SCW was as good as ingesting a commercial sports drink for whole body rehydration after exercise-induced dehydration but with better fluid tolerance.
-
Mapping the energy footprint of produced water management in New Mexico
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Zemlick, Katie; Kalhor, Elmira; Thomson, Bruce M.; Chermak, Janie M.; Sullivan Graham, Enid J.; Tidwell, Vincent C.
2018-02-01
Hydraulic fracturing (HF) and horizontal drilling have revolutionized the fossil fuel industry by enabling production from unconventional oil and gas (UOG) reserves. However, UOG development requires large volumes of water, and subsequent oil and gas production from both conventional and unconventional wells generate large volumes of produced water (PW). While PW is usually considered a waste product, its reuse may lessen demand for freshwater supplies, reduce costs for transportation and disposal, and reduce the risks for injection-induced seismicity. Whether this water is disposed of or treated and reused, both methods require significant amounts of energy. The objective of this study was to identify the primary energy demands of alternative water management strategies, and to characterize and quantify their geographic variability in four oil and gas producing basins in New Mexico using a single year of production. Results illustrate the importance of each component of each produced water management strategy in determining its total energy footprint. Based on 2015 production and water use data, the energy to extract fresh groundwater for hydraulic fracturing (34 GWh-th yr-1.) exceeds the energy that would be required if the same volume of PW were treated chemically (19 GWh-th yr-1.). In addition, the energy required to transport fresh water and dispose of PW (167 GWh-th yr-1.) is far greater than that required to move treated PW (8 GWh-th yr-1.) to a point of reuse. Furthermore, transportation distances, which contribute significantly to the total energy footprint of a given management strategy, are underestimated by nearly 50% state-wide. This indicates that reuse may be an even more energy efficient way to manage PW, even with energy-intensive treatment strategies like electrocoagulation. Reuse of PW for HF is not only more energy efficient than conventional management techniques, it also reduces both demand for scarce fresh water resources and use of disposal wells. By evaluating components of each management strategy individually, this work illustrates how the energy footprint of regional PW management can be reduced. The advent of UOG recovery in the last decade highlights the need to understand existing water management in the industry, identify opportunities and strategies for improvement, and recognize that these dynamics are likely to change into the future.
-
Bartlett, Yvonne Kiera; Webb, Thomas L; Hawley, Mark S
2017-04-20
People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (PwCOPD) often experience breathlessness and fatigue, making physical activity challenging. Although many persuasive technologies (such as mobile phone apps) have been designed to support physical activity among members of the general population, current technologies aimed at PwCOPD are underdeveloped and only use a limited range of persuasive technology design principles. The aim of this study was to explore how acceptable different persuasive technology design principles were considered to be in supporting and encouraging physical activity among PwCOPD. Three prototypes for mobile apps using different persuasive technology design principles as defined by the persuasive systems design (PSD) model-namely, dialogue support, primary task support, and social support-were developed. Opinions of these prototypes were explored through 28 interviews with PwCOPD, carers, and the health care professionals (HCPs) involved in their care and questionnaires completed by 87 PwCOPD. Participants also ranked how likely individual techniques (eg, competition) would be to convince them to use a technology designed to support physical activity. Data were analyzed using framework analysis, Friedman tests, and Wilcoxon signed rank tests and a convergent mixed methods design was used to integrate findings. The prototypes for mobile apps were received positively by participants. The prototype that used a dialogue support approach was identified as the most likely to be used or recommended by those interviewed, and was perceived as more persuasive than both of the other prototypes (Z=-3.06, P=.002; Z=-5.50, P<.001) by those who completed the questionnaire. PwCOPD identified dialogue support and primary task support techniques as more likely to convince them to use a technology than social support techniques (Z=-5.00, P<.001; Z=-4.92, P<.001, respectively). Opinions of social support techniques such as competition and collaboration were divided. Dialogue support and primary task support approaches are considered to be both acceptable and likely to be persuasive by PwCOPD, carers, and HCPs. In the future, these approaches should be considered when designing apps to encourage physical activity by PwCOPD. ©Yvonne Kiera Bartlett, Thomas L Webb, Mark S Hawley. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 20.04.2017.
-
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Puviarasan, N.; Sharma, A. K.; Ranalkar, Manish; Giri, R. K.
2015-01-01
Southwest monsoon (SWM) normally sets over Kerala by 1st June. It subsequently advances northwards and covers the entire country by 15th July. Prior knowledge of determination of date of onset of monsoon (DOM) is vital for many applications. However, accurate determination of DOM avoiding false or 'bogus' onset still remains a challenge to meteorological community. An incorrect identification of onset may lead to declaration of early onset. India Meteorological Department (IMD) has traditionally adopted an objective method to declare onset and withdrawal of monsoon based on rainfall over some specific stations in addition to wind field and Outgoing Longwave Radiation (OLR) from a bounded region. An augmentation of existing criteria of monsoon onset using high temporal resolution tropospheric precipitable water (PW) content over a station obtained through ground based GPS receiver is proposed. It has been shown that variation of PW content is an indicator of the state of monsoon and can potentially be included in operational criteria for declaring onset and withdrawal of monsoon. In the paper, we present daily variation of PW during SWM at five stations viz. Chennai, Kolkata, Guwahati, Mumbai and Delhi. The superposed epoch analysis of PW variation for 13 days with respect to arrival and withdrawal date of SWM reveals that over Kolkata at the time of arrival of monsoon the PW (mm)/SD (Standard Deviation) increases from 48.62/2.5 (day -6) to 61.4/1.9 (day 0) and on withdrawal it decreases from 48.62/4.56 (day -6) to 22.55 mm/4.0 (day 0). Similarly in Guwahati, Mumbai and Delhi the value of PW/SD increase from 53.81/4.2, 43.10/7.2 and 44.6/5.0 mm to 62.74/1.5, 62.09/1.6 and 61.88/2.3 mm and on withdrawal it reduces to 27.12/4.2, 25.94/2.6 and 20.46/4.6 mm respectively. It is also noticed that there is a sharp variation of PW from day -2 to day 0, which indicates GPS PW can be considered as a precursor for monsoon arrival and withdrawal.
-
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Gulyaeva, Tamara; Stanislawska, Iwona; Arikan, Feza; Arikan, Orhan
The probability of occurrence of the positive and negative planetary ionosphere storms is evaluated using the W index maps produced from Global Ionospheric Maps of Total Electron Content, GIM-TEC, provided by Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and transformed from geographic coordinates to magnetic coordinates frame. The auroral electrojet AE index and the equatorial disturbance storm time Dst index are investigated as precursors of the global ionosphere storm. The superposed epoch analysis is performed for 77 intense storms (Dst≤-100 nT) and 227 moderate storms (-100
-
Webb, Thomas L; Hawley, Mark S
2017-01-01
Background People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (PwCOPD) often experience breathlessness and fatigue, making physical activity challenging. Although many persuasive technologies (such as mobile phone apps) have been designed to support physical activity among members of the general population, current technologies aimed at PwCOPD are underdeveloped and only use a limited range of persuasive technology design principles. Objective The aim of this study was to explore how acceptable different persuasive technology design principles were considered to be in supporting and encouraging physical activity among PwCOPD. Methods Three prototypes for mobile apps using different persuasive technology design principles as defined by the persuasive systems design (PSD) model—namely, dialogue support, primary task support, and social support—were developed. Opinions of these prototypes were explored through 28 interviews with PwCOPD, carers, and the health care professionals (HCPs) involved in their care and questionnaires completed by 87 PwCOPD. Participants also ranked how likely individual techniques (eg, competition) would be to convince them to use a technology designed to support physical activity. Data were analyzed using framework analysis, Friedman tests, and Wilcoxon signed rank tests and a convergent mixed methods design was used to integrate findings. Results The prototypes for mobile apps were received positively by participants. The prototype that used a dialogue support approach was identified as the most likely to be used or recommended by those interviewed, and was perceived as more persuasive than both of the other prototypes (Z=−3.06, P=.002; Z=−5.50, P<.001) by those who completed the questionnaire. PwCOPD identified dialogue support and primary task support techniques as more likely to convince them to use a technology than social support techniques (Z=−5.00, P<.001; Z=−4.92, P<.001, respectively). Opinions of social support techniques such as competition and collaboration were divided. Conclusions Dialogue support and primary task support approaches are considered to be both acceptable and likely to be persuasive by PwCOPD, carers, and HCPs. In the future, these approaches should be considered when designing apps to encourage physical activity by PwCOPD. PMID:28428155
-
1986-12-01
PREDICTION VIA FIBER BUNDLE TESTING-EVALUATION OF TESTING EQUIPMENT JD DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEM PERSONAL AUTHOR(S) Petridis Dimitrios M. i *y?e o j report...experiencing a known number of filament failures per bundle. The results of this investigation are relevant to man-safe applications as in composite pressure...single filament r’iber testing and can become more 29 3> C o - Pwo PwS ?w4 Pw3 Pw2 Pwl PSD Ps5 PS4 Ps3 Ps2 PS! homoiogous correspondence t ~ to Life ( Laqt
-
Akahori, Masakazu; Itabashi, Takeshi; Nishino, Jo; Yoshitake, Kazutoshi; Ikeo, Kazuho; Tsuneoka, Hiroshi
2014-01-01
Purpose. To investigate genetic and clinical features of patients with rhodopsin (RHO) mutations in two Japanese families with autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (adRP). Methods. Whole-exome sequence analysis was performed in ten adRP families. Identified RHO mutations for the cosegregation analysis were confirmed by Sanger sequencing. Ophthalmic examinations were performed to evaluate the RP phenotypes. The impact of the RHO mutation on the rhodopsin conformation was examined by molecular modeling analysis. Results. In two adRP families, we identified two RHO mutations (c.377G>T (p.W126L) and c.1036G>C (p.A346P)), one of which was novel. Complete cosegregation was confirmed for each mutation exhibiting the RP phenotype in both families. Molecular modeling predicted that the novel mutation (p.W126L) might impair rhodopsin function by affecting its conformational transition in the light-adapted form. Clinical phenotypes showed that patients with p.W126L exhibited sector RP, whereas patients with p.A346P exhibited classic RP. Conclusions. Our findings demonstrated that the novel mutation (p.W126L) may be associated with the phenotype of sector RP. Identification of RHO mutations is a very useful tool for predicting disease severity and providing precise genetic counseling. PMID:25485142
-
Kim, Hee Youn; Lee, Seung-Ju; Yoo, Je Mo; Lee, Joon Ho
2017-01-01
Purpose To determine whether kidney sizes were changed after ureteral stents were instilled, and if so, what parameters were significant. Methods Parenchymal width (PW) of 98 patients with unilateral ureteral stents was measured from the coronal view of CT scans for both stented and unstented contralateral kidney. The mean PW and % change of mean PW were calculated before stenting and at the time of last stent change. Estimated glomerular filtrate rate (eGFR) was recorded as well. Results The mean duration of ureteral stent indwelled was 15.6 ± 10.2 (mean ± SD) months. The change of mean PW of stented kidneys and unstented contralateral kidneys was −16.9 ± 16.4 (mean ± SD)% and 3.6 ± 10.7%, respectively. eGFR before and at the time of the last stent change did not show significant difference (p = 0.294). Duration of ureteral stent indwelled was found to be inversely related to the % change of mean PW (Spearman's correlation coefficient = −0.291, p < 0.001). Conclusions For unilateral ureteral obstruction, kidney size was decreased over time in spite of indwelling ureteral stent. This finding can be overlooked by clinicians due to compensatory growth of contralateral kidney and resultant normal eGFR. PMID:28656136
-
Hobson, Esther V; Fazal, Saima; Shaw, Pamela J; McDermott, Christopher J
2017-08-01
Our aim was to explore the attitudes of those living with motor neuron disease towards digital technology. Postal and online questionnaires surveyed 83 people with MND (pwMND) and 54 friends and family members (fMND). Five pwMND and five fMND underwent semi-structured interviews. 82% of pwMND and 87% of fMND use technology every day with iPads and laptops being the devices most commonly used. pwMND used technology to help them continue to participate in everyday activities such as socialising, entertainment and accessing the internet. The internet provided peer support and information about MND but information could be distressing or unreliable. Participants preferred information from professionals and official organisations. Participants were generally supportive of using of technology to access medical care. Barriers to technology, such as lack of digital literacy skills and upper limb dysfunction, and potential solutions were identified. More challenging barriers included language and cognitive difficulties, and the fear of becoming dependent on technology. Addressing the barriers identified in this research could help pwMND access technology. However, as healthcare delivery becomes more reliant on digital technology, care should be taken to ensure that those who are unable or unwilling to use technology continue to have their needs met in alternative ways.
-
Complex strength performance in patients with haemophilia A. Method development and testing.
Runkel, B; Kappelhoff, M; Hilberg, T
2015-01-01
The aim of this study was to develop a complex strength measurement method and to apply this new method for the first time in patients with haemophilia (PwH). 20 PwH with severe haemophilia A and 20 controls were included into the study. All subjects completed ten measurements of maximum isometric strength. Furthermore, the 20 control subjects completed re-test-measurements to evaluate the method. As a result, the method showed a high reliability (ICC 0.764 to 0.934). Between the two groups significant reductions in PwH between -(19-35%) were detected, regarding the relative force of the M. triceps brachii (-19%; p = 0.008), M. biceps brachii (-19%; p = 0.031), M. latissimus dorsi (-17%; p = 0.019), M. biceps femoris right (-20%; p = 0.036) and M. quadriceps femoris (right: -29%; p = 0.004; left: -35%; p = 0.002). No differences were found for M. rectus abdominis and in the hand strength. Thus, there is no general deficit in the muscle strength in PwH. The most obvious deficits exist in the upper and lower extremities and in the back muscles. PwH should carry out complex muscle strength training and integrate it early into a comprehensive treatment concept.
-
Cattaneo, Davide; Ferrarin, Maurizio; Jonsdottir, Johanna; Montesano, Angelo; Bove, Marco
2012-01-01
The purpose of the study was to compute Virtual Time to Contact (VTC) from stabilometric assessment to study balance impairments in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). To this purpose we assessed the ability of VTC to discriminate between balance skills of PwMS and healthy subjects (HS), among sensory conditions and between fallers and non fallers. VTC was calculated to characterize balance performance in 47 PwMS and 13 HS in four different sensory conditions during quiet standing. Main Outcome Measures were VTC, Number of falls, Berg Balance Scale and Dynamic Gait Index. The results showed that VTC was able to discriminate between PwMS and HS (p < 0.0001) and between challenging sensory conditions (p < 0.0001), no relevant information was added by VTC in the detection of subjects prone to falls. VTC provides unique information with respect to balance control because it takes into account the relationship between centre of mass (CoM) and the borders of base of support (BoS). VTC proved to be a valid descriptor of balance performance in PwMS highlighting balance disorders in this population of subjects, however models for falls prediction have to be improved.
-
GPS water vapor and its comparison with radiosonde and ERA-Interim data in Algeria
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Namaoui, Houaria; Kahlouche, Salem; Belbachir, Ahmed Hafid; Van Malderen, Roeland; Brenot, Hugues; Pottiaux, Eric
2017-05-01
Remote sensing of atmospheric water vapor using global positioning system (GPS) data has become an effective tool in meteorology, weather forecasting and climate research. This paper presents the estimation of precipitable water (PW) from GPS observations and meteorological data in Algeria, over three stations located at Algiers, Bechar and Tamanrasset. The objective of this study is to analyze the sensitivity of the GPS PW estimates for the three sites to the weighted mean temperature ( T m), obtained separately from two types of T m- T s regression [one general, and one developed specifically for Algeria ( T s stands for surface temperature)], and calculated directly from ERA-Interim data. The results show that the differences in T m are of the order of 18 K, producing differences of 2.01 mm in the final evaluation of PW. A good agreement is found between GPS-PW and PW calculated from radiosondes, with a small mean difference with Vaisala radiosondes. A comparison between GPS and ERA-Interim shows a large difference (4 mm) in the highlands region. This difference is possibly due to the topography. These first results are encouraging, in particular for meteorological applications in this region, with good hope to extend our dataset analysis to a more complete, nationwide coverage over Algeria.
-
Kerr, Zachary Y.; Yeargin, Susan; Valovich McLeod, Tamara C.; Nittoli, Vincent C.; Mensch, James; Dodge, Thomas; Hayden, Ross; Dompier, Thomas P.
2015-01-01
Background: Research evaluating the effect of comprehensive coach education and practice contact restriction in youth football injury rates is sparse. In 2012, USA Football released their Heads Up Football coaching education program (HUF), and Pop Warner Football (PW) instituted guidelines to restrict contact during practice. Purpose: To compare injury rates among youth football players aged 5 to 15 years by whether their leagues implemented HUF and/or were PW-affiliated. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. Methods: Athletic trainers (ATs) evaluated and tracked injuries at each practice and game during the 2014 youth football season. Players were drawn from 10 leagues across 4 states. The non–Heads Up Football (NHUF) group consisted of 704 players (none of whom were PW-affiliated) from 29 teams within 4 leagues. The HUF+PW group consisted of 741 players from 27 teams within 2 leagues. The HUF-only group consisted of 663 players from 44 teams within 4 leagues. Injury rates and injury rate ratios (IRRs) were reported with 95% CIs. Results: A total of 370 injuries were reported during 71,262 athlete-exposures (AEs) (rate, 5.19/1000 AEs). Compared with the NHUF group (7.32/1000 AEs), the practice injury rates were lower for the HUF+PW group (0.97/1000 AEs; IRR, 0.13; 95% CI, 0.08-0.21) and the HUF-only group (2.73/1000 AEs; IRR, 0.37; 95% CI, 0.26-0.53). Compared with the NHUF group (13.42/1000 AEs), the game injury rate was lower for the HUF+PW group (3.42/1000 AEs; IRR, 0.25; 95% CI, 0.15-0.44) but not for the HUF-only group (13.76/1000 AEs; IRR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.73-1.43). Also, the HUF+PW game injury rate was lower than that of HUF-only (IRR, 0.20; 95% CI, 0.12-0.36). Higher injury rates were typically found in those aged 11 to 15 years compared with those aged 5 to 10 years. However, stronger effects related to HUF implementation and PW affiliation were seen among 11- to 15-year-olds. When restricted to concussions only, the sole difference was found between the practice concussion rates among 11- to 15-year-olds in the HUF+PW (0.14/1000 AEs) and NHUF groups (0.79/1000 AEs) (IRR, 0.18; 95% CI, 0.04-0.85). Conclusion: These findings support comprehensive coach education and practice contact restrictions as effective methods of injury mitigation. Future research should continue evaluating similar programming within other levels of competition and sports. PMID:26674011
-
8A.03: CONTINUOUS MONITORING OF HEMODYNAMICS IN THE SHORT ARM HUMAN CENTRIFUGE: A FEASIBILITY STUDY.
Londono, F; Uytterhaegen, B; Kassel, R; Vanraemdonck, R; Beck, A; Comet, B; Runge, A; Segers, P
2015-06-01
The aim was to test the technical feasibility of a set up combining tonometry and ultrasound, designated as Continuous Physiological and Medical Monitoring (CPMM), for cardiovascular assessment on humans and to evaluate the ability to assess physiological changes induced by artificial gravity in the short arm human centrifuge (SAHC, Verhaert, Belgium) for detecting and preventing potential disorders induced by weightlessness. The project was developed under an European Space Agency (ESA) contract (4000101988/10/NL/EM) and with its support, by the company Verhaert in consortium with the Institute for Space Medicine and Physiology (MEDES) and Ghent University. Measurements were performed at MEDES facilities in 4 young (presumably) healthy volunteers (3 males). For two volunteers, the protocol was divided in three periods: acceleration, steady rotation velocity and deceleration, obtaining carotid pulsed wave (PW)-Mode ultrasound sequences. For another volunteer (female), carotid PW-Mode ultrasound images and brachial and radial tonometry signals were acquired at baseline and during steady rotation. For the fourth volunteer, carotid and femoral PW-Mode ultrasound images and brachial, radial and carotid tonometry signals were acquired at baseline and during an initial (velocity1) and a following faster (velocity2) rotation velocity (see figure on the following page). Carotid PW-Mode ultrasound imaging was obtained in all 4 volunteers during different steps of the protocol. Femoral ultrasound imaging presented more difficulties related mainly to the placement of the probe after baseline, even if in one case results were feasible. Tonometry was, generally, a bigger challenge due to the intrinsic sensitivity of the method. Overall, radial artery tonometry provided the best results, while brachial artery results were acceptable only in one occasion. Carotid tonometry was measured only for one subject with suitable results for processing. Tonometry measurements were feasible under a spin velocity limit, while PW-Mode ultrasound images were more robust and stable. Although general conclusions must be supported by a larger sample, suitable signals and locations were identified and a user friendly and mobile set-up was tested successfully and it is available for further research to identified and assess mechanisms and reflexes acting in physiological adaptation to various gravity conditions.(Figure is included in full-text article.).
-
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Takehara, Hironari; Miyazawa, Kazuya; Noda, Toshihiko; Sasagawa, Kiyotaka; Tokuda, Takashi; Kim, Soo Hyeon; Iino, Ryota; Noji, Hiroyuki; Ohta, Jun
2014-01-01
A CMOS image sensor with stacked photodiodes was fabricated using 0.18 µm mixed signal CMOS process technology. Two photodiodes were stacked at the same position of each pixel of the CMOS image sensor. The stacked photodiodes consist of shallow high-concentration N-type layer (N+), P-type well (PW), deep N-type well (DNW), and P-type substrate (P-sub). PW and P-sub were shorted to ground. By monitoring the voltage of N+ and DNW individually, we can observe two monochromatic colors simultaneously without using any color filters. The CMOS image sensor is suitable for fluorescence imaging, especially contact imaging such as a lensless observation system of digital enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Since the fluorescence increases with time in digital ELISA, it is possible to observe fluorescence accurately by calculating the difference from the initial relation between the pixel values for both photodiodes.
-
Young, Kim-Wan
2016-01-01
People with a major neurocognitive disorder (PwND) are found to have a lower health related quality of life (HRQoL) than those without neurocognitive disorder. This research study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a psycho-education group in improving the HRQoL of Chinese PwND. By adopting randomized control trial (RCT), Chinese PwND were randomly assigned to either a 10-session psycho-education group or the control group. Family caregivers of treatment group were encouraged to take part in two sessions focusing on the caring and communication skills. Control group and their family caregivers received standardized educational materials on basic information on neurocognitive disorder for them to read at home. Standardized assessment was conducted both with PwND and their caregivers independently to give the self-rated and caregiver-rated HRQoL of PwND in the pre- and post- treatment periods by a research assistant who was blind to the group assignment of the participants. Moreover, qualitative interviews were also conducted for ten participants and five family caregivers of the treatment group to identify those group elements relating to its effectiveness. 2 × 2 repeated measures ANCOVA demonstrated that the treatment group (n = 32) was significantly more effective than the control group (n = 32) in improving the caregiver-rated HRQoL (F[1, 61] = 4.35, p = .04 < .05) with a moderate effect size, but not self-rated HRQoL, Qualitative analysis suggested several group elements relating to its effectiveness. This present RCT shows that the psycho-education group significantly improves caregiver-rated HRQoL of PwND, supporting the feasibility and effectiveness of the psycho-education group.
-
Virtual community centre for power wheelchair training: Experience of children and clinicians.
Torkia, Caryne; Ryan, Stephen E; Reid, Denise; Boissy, Patrick; Lemay, Martin; Routhier, François; Contardo, Resi; Woodhouse, Janet; Archambault, Phillipe S
2017-11-02
To: 1) characterize the overall experience in using the McGill immersive wheelchair - community centre (miWe-CC) simulator; and 2) investigate the experience of presence (i.e., sense of being in the virtual rather than in the real, physical environment) while driving a PW in the miWe-CC. A qualitative research design with structured interviews was used. Fifteen clinicians and 11 children were interviewed after driving a power wheelchair (PW) in the miWe-CC simulator. Data were analyzed using the conventional and directed content analysis approaches. Overall, participants enjoyed using the simulator and experienced a sense of presence in the virtual space. They felt a sense of being in the virtual environment, involved and focused on driving the virtual PW rather than on the surroundings of the actual room where they were. Participants reported several similarities between the virtual community centre layout and activities of the miWe-CC and the day-to-day reality of paediatric PW users. The simulator replicated participants' expectations of real-life PW use and promises to have an effect on improving the driving skills of new PW users. Implications for rehabilitation Among young users, the McGill immersive wheelchair (miWe) simulator provides an experience of presence within the virtual environment. This experience of presence is generated by a sense of being in the virtual scene, a sense of being involved, engaged, and focused on interacting within the virtual environment, and by the perception that the virtual environment is consistent with the real world. The miWe is a relevant and accessible approach, complementary to real world power wheelchair training for young users.
-
Runkel, B; Von Mackensen, S; Hilberg, T
2017-01-01
Musculoskeletal bleedings lead to limitations in the locomotor system and consequently, in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with haemophilia (PwH). Sports therapy is increasingly recommended to improve their physical performance. Until today, randomised controlled studies investigating changes in physical performance in PwH are rare. This study investigates the impact of programmed sports therapy on the subjective physical performance and the HRQoL in PwH. A randomised controlled trial (RCT) was conducted with a training intervention for over 6 months. For this purpose, 64 PwH with moderate (n = 5) or severe (n = 59) haemophilia A (n = 57) or B (n = 7) were randomised into two groups - intervention (IG) or control group (CG). The HRQoL was assessed with the SF-36 questionnaire and the disease-specific Haem-A-QoL before and after the intervention. The subjective physical performance was tested by the HEP-Test-Q. After the 6-month training intervention, PwH in the IG subjectively reported significant better 'endurance' (P = 0.000) in the HEP-Test-Q compared to the CG. In the SF-36, a significant difference in the domains 'general health perceptions' (P = 0.005) and 'mental health' (P = 0.001) was detected. The haemophilia-specific HRQoL questionnaire showed a significant improvement in the dimensions 'feeling' (P = 0.049), 'work' (P = 0.046) and 'family' (P = 0.040). In the first RCT evaluating the impact of a 6-month training intervention on the subjective perception of PwH, an increase in subjective physical performance and some domains of HRQoL was demonstrated in the IG. Specific sports therapy should be included into the comprehensive treatment under supervision and monitoring by experienced staff. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
-
Severijns, Deborah; Van Geel, Fanny; Feys, Peter
2018-01-01
Motor fatigability is increasingly acknowledged in persons with MS (pwMS). It is unknown whether fatigability is generalized across upper limb muscles and relates to fatigue and perceived difficulties in upper limb use. This observational case-controlled study included twenty PwMS (median EDSS = 3, range 1.5-6.5) and twenty healthy controls who performed 30″ sustained maximal muscle contractions for index finger abduction, hand grip, elbow flexion and shoulder abduction. A static fatigue index (SFI) was calculated to assess motor fatigability for each muscle group. PwMS completed the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) and Modified Fatigue Index Scale (MFIS), to quantify severity and perceived impact of fatigue and the Manual Ability Measure (MAM-36) reflecting perceived difficulty in using the upper limbs. Comparisons between groups and muscles was made by t-tests. Associations between outcomes were calculated with correlation coefficients. Fatigue was highest in pwMS. PwMS showed preserved muscle strength and a greater motor fatigability in elbow flexors compared to healthy controls. SFI of elbow flexors and shoulder abductors were associated, and contributed to FSS and MFIS. SFI of elbow flexors and finger abductors predicted half of the variation in MAM-36. Increased motor fatigability was only present in elbow flexors of PwMS, indicating that expression of motor fatigability is not generalized. Fatigability was associated with perceived fatigue (impact) and daily life upper limb use. Results are preliminary given the small sample size with predominantly persons with mild MS. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
-
Tumor Heterogeneity of FIGO Stage III Carcinoma of the Uterine Cervix
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Kim, Yong Bae; Lee, Ik Jae; Kim, Song Yih
2009-12-01
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze tumor heterogeneity based on tumor extent and suggest reappraisal of the system of the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) for Stage III carcinoma of the uterine cervix from a radiotherapeutic viewpoint. Methods and Materials: Between 1986 and 2004, 407 patients with FIGO Stage III (FIGO Stage IIIa in 19 and IIIb in 388) were treated with external beam radiotherapy (RT) and high-dose rate brachytherapy. All patients were reviewed with respect to tumor extent. Patterns of failure and survival parameters were analyzed by use of the chi{sup 2} test andmore » Kaplan-Meier method. Results: The complete response rate was 79.6%, and the 5-year overall survival rates for Stage IIIa and Stage IIIb carcinoma of the cervix were 82.1% and 54.8%, respectively. To determine which parameters of tumor extent had an influence on prognosis for Stage IIIb patients, pelvic wall (PW) extension and hydronephrosis (HD) retained significance on multivariate analysis. Stage IIIb patients were divided into three subgroups according to PW extension and HD: low risk (unilateral PW extension without HD), intermediate risk (HD without PW extension or bilateral PW extension without HD), and high risk (unilateral or bilateral PW extension with HD). The high-risk group had a remarkably low complete response rate, high locoregional failure rate, and low 5-year survival rate compared with the intermediate- and low-risk groups. Conclusions: FIGO Stage III carcinoma of the cervix covers considerably heterogeneous subgroups according to tumor extent. Before initiation of treatment, we suggest that physicians determine a tailored treatment policy based on tumor heterogeneity for each Stage III patient.« less
-
Marijke van Haeften-van Dijk, A; Hattink, Bart J J; Meiland, Franka J M; Bakker, Ton J E M; Dröes, Rose-Marie
2017-06-01
To investigate whether community-based (CO) day care with carer support according to the proven effective Meeting Centres Support Programme model is associated with higher satisfaction of people with dementia (PwD) and their informal caregivers (CG) and with a higher job satisfaction among care staff compared to traditional nursing home-based (NH) day care. Data were collected in 11 NH day care centres and 11 CO day care centres. User satisfaction of PwD and CG was evaluated in the 11 NH day care centres (n PwD = 41, n CG = 39) and 11 CO day care centres (n PwD = 28, n CG = 36) with a survey after six months of participation. Job satisfaction was measured only in the six NH day care centres that recently transformed to CO day care, with two standard questionnaires before (n STAFF = 35), and six months after the transition (n STAFF = 35). PwD were more positive about the communication and listening skills of staff and the atmosphere and activities at the CO day care centre. Also, CG valued the communication with, and expertise of, staff in CO day care higher, and were more satisfied with the received emotional, social and practical support. After the transition, satisfaction of staff with the work pace increased, but satisfaction with learning opportunities decreased. PwD and CG were more satisfied about the communication with the staff and the received support in CO day care than in NH day care. Overall job satisfaction was not higher, except satisfaction about work pace.
-
Williams, Preston T. J. A.; Kim, Sangsoo
2014-01-01
The red nucleus (RN) and rubrospinal tract (RST) are important for forelimb motor control. Although the RST is present postnatally in cats, nothing is known about when rubrospinal projections could support motor functions or the relation between the development of the motor functions of the rubrospinal system and the corticospinal system, the other major system for limb control. Our hypothesis is that the RN motor map is present earlier in development than the motor cortex (M1) map, to support early forelimb control. We investigated RN motor map maturation with microstimulation and RST cervical enlargement projections using anterograde tracers between postnatal week 3 (PW3) and PW16. Microstimulation and tracer injection sites were verified histologically to be located within the RN. Microstimulation at PW4 evoked contralateral wrist, elbow, and shoulder movements. The number of sites producing limb movement increased and response thresholds decreased progressively through PW16. From the outset, all forelimb joints were represented. At PW3, RST projections were present within the cervical intermediate zone, with a mature density of putative synapses. In contrast, beginning at PW5 there was delayed and age-dependent development of forelimb motor pool projections and putative rubromotoneuronal synapses. The RN has a more complete forelimb map early in development than previous studies showed for M1, supporting our hypothesis of preferential rubrospinal rather than corticospinal control for early movements. Remarkably, development of the motor pool, not intermediate zone, RST projections paralleled RN motor map development. The RST may be critical for establishing the rudiments of motor skills that subsequently become refined with further CST development. PMID:24647962
-
Nagel, Deborah; Gehlen, Heidrun
2013-01-01
The aim of this study was to evaluate to what extent the myocardial function in horses (measured by PW-tissue Doppler = PW-TDI) is affected during a sedation with romifidine (0.04 mg/kg, i. v.), particularly in case of an accompanying heart disease. Based on an echo- and electrocardiographic examination, a total of 45 horses was subdivided into group 1 (no heart disease), group 2 (heart disease without increased heart dimensions) and group 3 (heart disease with increased heart dimensions). Heart rate (HF), M-mode- (FS%) and TDI-measurements were performed before and after the application of romifidine. The velocities of the radial myocardial movement in the left and right ventricular wall were evaluated using PW-TDI. The TDI parameters included the isovolumic contraction (IVC), the systolic (S) as well as the early (E) and late diastolic maximal velocity (A). After the application of romifidine HF and FS were significantly decreased in all groups. IVC, S and E, determined by PW-TDI were also significantly decreased in both ventricular walls. A significant difference between groups was shown for the isovolumic contraction in the left ventricular wall. This was observed distinctly more in horses with heart disease and increased heart dimensions compared to horses with heart disease but no increased heart dimensions. The results of the study indicate that PW-TDI is a suitable imaging technique to analyse the effects of romifidine on equine myocardial function. The major percentage change after application of romifidine for TDI measurements compared to the M-mode parameters indicate that the parameter myocardial velocity measured with TDI appeared to be the most sensitive parameter to document romifidine--induced changes on the myocardium.
-
Publications - RDF 2004-1 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical
, C-4, and B-5 quadrangles, Alaska Authors: Athey, J.E., Layer, P.W., and Drake, Jeff Publication Date ): Livengood Bibliographic Reference Athey, J.E., Layer, P.W., and Drake, Jeff, 2004, 40Ar/39Ar ages of rocks
-
Lee, B.-G.; Lee, J.-S.; Luoma, S.N.; Choi, H.J.; Koh, C.-H.
2000-01-01
An 18-day microcosm study was conducted to evaluate the influence of acid volatile sulfides (AVS) and metal additions on bioaccumulation from sediments of Cd, Ni, and Zn in two clams (Macoma balthica and Potamocorbula amurensis) and three marine polychaetes (Neanthes arenaceodentata, Heteromastus filiformis, and Spiophanes missionensis). Manipulation of AVS by oxidation of naturally anoxic sediments allowed use of metal concentrations typical of nature and evaluation of processes important to chronic metal exposure. A vertical sediment column similar to that often found in nature was used to facilitate realistic biological behavior. Results showed that AVS or porewater (PW) metals controlled bioaccumulation in only 2 of 15 metal-animal combinations. Bioaccumulation of all three metals by the bivalves was related significantly to metal concentrations extracted from sediments (SEM) but not to [SEM - AVS] or PW metals. SEM predominantly influenced bioaccumulation of Ni and Zn in N. arenaceodentata, but Cd bioaccumulation followed PW Cd concentrations. SEM controlled tissue concentrations of all three metals in H. filiformis and S. missionensis, with minor influences from metal-sulfide chemistry. Significant bioaccumulation occurred when SEM was only a small fraction of AVS in several treatments. Three factors appeared to contribute to the differences between these bioaccumulation results and the results from toxicity tests reported previously: differences in experimental design, dietary uptake, and biological attributes of the species, including mode and depth of feeding.An 18-day microcosm study was conducted to evaluate the influence of acid volatile sulfides (AVS) and metal additions on bioaccumulation from sediments of Cd, Ni, and Zn in two clams (Macoma balthica and Potamocorbula amurensis) and three marine polychaetes (Neanthes arenaceodentata, Heteromastus filiformis, and Spiophanes missionensis). Manipulation of AVS by oxidation of naturally anoxic sediments allowed use of metal concentrations typical of nature and evaluation of processes important to chronic metal exposure. A vertical sediment column similar to that often found in nature was used to facilitate realistic biological behavior. Results showed that AVS or porewater (PW) metals controlled bioaccumulation in only 2 of 15 metal-animal combinations. Bioaccumulation of all three metals by the bivalves was related significantly to metal concentrations extracted from sediments (SEM) but not to [SEM - AVS] or PW metals. SEM predominantly influenced bioaccumulation of Ni and Zn in N. arenaceodentata, but Cd bioaccumulation followed PW Cd concentrations. SEM controlled tissue concentrations of all three metals in H. filiformis and S. missionensis, with minor influences from metal-sulfide chemistry. Significant bioaccumulation occurred when SEM was only a small fraction of AVS in several treatments. Three factors appeared to contribute to the differences between these bioaccumulation results and the results from toxicity tests reported previously: differences in experimental design, dietary uptake, and biological attributes of the species, including mode and depth of feeding.Microcosms were used to simulate environmentally realistic metal, acid volatile sulfide (AVS), and geochemical gradients in sediments to evaluate effects of metal bioavailability. The 18-d study involved five test species: two bivalves and three polychaetes. Two series of experiments were designed to evaluate the effects of metal concentration and AVS on bioaccumulation, respectively. The metals of interest were cadmium, nickel, and zinc. Results showed that the concentrations of pore-water Cd, Ni, and Zn were controlled by the concentration of AVS. Organisms bioaccumulated significant amounts of metals from the sediments when the simultaneously extracted metal was only a small fraction of the AVS. Bioavailability increased linearly with the sediment metal concentration irrespective of AVS or pore-w
-
Understanding and Mitigating Tip Leakage and Endwall Losses in High Pressure Ratio Cores
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Christophel, Jesse
2015-01-01
Reducing endwall and tip secondary flow losses will be a key enabler for the next generation of commercial and military air transport and will be an improvement on the state-of-the-art in turbine loss reduction strategies. The objective of this research is three-fold: 1) To improve understanding of endwall secondary flow and tip clearance losses 2) To develop novel technologies to mitigate these losses and test them in low-speed cascade and rig environments 3) To validate predictive tools To accomplish these objectives, Pratt & Whitney (P&W) has teamed with Pennsylvania State University (PSU) to experimentally test new features designed by P&W. P&W will create new rim-cavity features to reduce secondary flow loss and improve purge flow cooling effectiveness and new blade tip features to manage leakage flows and reduce tip leakage secondary flow loss. P&W is currently developing technologies in these two areas that expect to be assimilated in the N+2/N+3 generation of commercial engines.
-
Schlüns, Danny; Franchini, Mirko; Götz, Andreas W; Neugebauer, Johannes; Jacob, Christoph R; Visscher, Lucas
2017-02-05
We present a new implementation of analytical gradients for subsystem density-functional theory (sDFT) and frozen-density embedding (FDE) into the Amsterdam Density Functional program (ADF). The underlying theory and necessary expressions for the implementation are derived and discussed in detail for various FDE and sDFT setups. The parallel implementation is numerically verified and geometry optimizations with different functional combinations (LDA/TF and PW91/PW91K) are conducted and compared to reference data. Our results confirm that sDFT-LDA/TF yields good equilibrium distances for the systems studied here (mean absolute deviation: 0.09 Å) compared to reference wave-function theory results. However, sDFT-PW91/PW91k quite consistently yields smaller equilibrium distances (mean absolute deviation: 0.23 Å). The flexibility of our new implementation is demonstrated for an HCN-trimer test system, for which several different setups are applied. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
-
Pieper, Robert; Janczyk, Pawel; Zeyner, Annette; Smidt, Hauke; Guiard, Volker; Souffrant, Wolfgang Bernhard
2008-10-01
Weaning of the pig is generally regarded as a stressful event which could lead to clinical implications because of the changes in the intestinal ecosystem. The functional properties of microbiota inhabiting the pig's small intestine (SI), including lactobacilli which are assumed to exert health-promoting properties, are yet poorly described. Thus, we determined the ecophysiology of bacterial groups and within genus Lactobacillus in the SI of weaning piglets and the impact of dietary changes. The SI contents of 20 piglets, 4 killed at weaning (only sow milk and no creep feed) and 4 killed at 1, 2, 5, and 11 days post weaning (pw; cereal-based diet) were examined for bacterial cell count and bacterial metabolites by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Lactobacilli were the predominant group in the SI except at 1 day pw because of a marked reduction in their number. On day 11 pw, bifidobacteria and E. coli were not detected, and Enterobacteriaceae and members of the Clostridium coccoides/Eubacterium rectale cluster were only found occasionally. L. sobrius/L. amylovorus became dominant species whereas the abundance of L. salivarius and L. gasseri/johnsonii declined. Concentration of lactic acid increased pw whereas pH, volatile fatty acids, and ammonia decreased. Carbohydrate utilization of 76 Lactobacillus spp. isolates was studied revealing a shift from lactose and galactose to starch, cellobiose, and xylose, suggesting that the bacteria colonizing the SI of piglets adapt to the newly introduced nutrients during the early weaning period. Identification of isolates based on partial 16S rRNA gene sequence data and comparison with fermentation data furthermore suggested adaptation processes below the species level. The results of our study will help to understand intestinal bacterial ecophysiology and to develop nutritional regimes to prevent or counteract complications during the weaning transition.
-
The genetic basis of pectoralis major myopathies in modern broiler chicken lines
Bailey, Richard A.; Watson, Kellie A.; Bilgili, S. F.; Avendano, Santiago
2015-01-01
This is the first report providing estimates of the genetic basis of breast muscle myopathies (BMM) and their relationship with growth and yield in broiler chickens. In addition, this paper addresses the hypothesis that genetic selection for increase breast yield has contributed to the onset of BMM. Data were analyzed from ongoing recording of BMM within the Aviagen breeding program. This study focused on three BMM: deep pectoral myopathy (DPM; binary trait), white striping (WS; 4 categories) and wooden breast (WB; 3 categories). Data from two purebred commercial broiler lines (A and B) were utilized providing greater than 40,000 meat quality records per line. The difference in selection history between these two lines has resulted in contrasting breast yield (BY): 29% for Line A and 21% for Line B. Data were analyzed to estimate genetic parameters using a multivariate animal model including six traits: body weight (BW), processing body weight (PW), BY, DPM, WB, and WS, in addition to the appropriate fixed effects and permanent environmental effect of the dam. Results indicate similar patterns of heritability and genetic correlations for the two lines. Heritabilities (h2) of BW, PW and BY ranged from 0.271–0.418; for DPM and WB h2 <0.1; and for WS h2 ≤0.338. Genetic correlations between the BMM and BW, PW, or BY were ≤0.132 in Line A and ≤0.248 in Line B. This paper demonstrates the polygenic nature of these traits and the low genetic relationships with BW, PW, and BY, which facilitates genetic improvement across all traits in a balanced breeding program. It also highlights the importance of understanding the environmental and/or management factors that contribute greater than 65% of the variance in the incidence of white striping of breast muscle and more than 90% of the variance of the incidence of wooden breast and deep pectoral myopathy in broiler chickens. PMID:26476091
-
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Zhao, Tianbao; Wang, Juanhuai; Dai, Aiguo
2015-10-01
Many multidecadal atmospheric reanalysis products are available now, but their consistencies and reliability are far from perfect. In this study, atmospheric precipitable water (PW) from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCEP/NCAR), NCEP/Department of Energy (DOE), Modern Era Retrospective-Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA), Japanese 55 year Reanalysis (JRA-55), JRA-25, ERA-Interim, ERA-40, Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR), and 20th Century Reanalysis version 2 is evaluated against homogenized radiosonde observations over China during 1979-2012 (1979-2001 for ERA-40). Results suggest that the PW biases in the reanalyses are within ˜20% for most of northern and eastern China, but the reanalyses underestimate the observed PW by 20%-40% over western China and by ˜60% over the southwestern Tibetan Plateau. The newer-generation reanalyses (e.g., JRA25, JRA55, CFSR, and ERA-Interim) have smaller root-mean-square error than the older-generation ones (NCEP/NCAR, NCEP/DOE, and ERA-40). Most of the reanalyses reproduce well the observed PW climatology and interannual variations over China. However, few reanalyses capture the observed long-term PW changes, primarily because they show spurious wet biases before about 2002. This deficiency results mainly from the discontinuities contained in reanalysis relative humidity fields in the middle-lower troposphere due to the wet bias in older radiosonde records that are assimilated into the reanalyses. An empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis revealed two leading modes that represent the long-term PW changes and El Niño-Southern Oscillation-related interannual variations with robust spatial patterns. The reanalysis products, especially the MERRA and JRA-25, roughly capture these EOF modes, which account for over 50% of the total variance. The results show that even during the post-1979 satellite era, discontinuities in radiosonde data can still induce large spurious long-term changes in reanalysis PW and other related fields. Thus, more efforts are needed to remove spurious changes in input data for future long-term reanalyses.
-
Collett, Johnny; Franssen, Marloes; Meaney, Andy; Sexton, Claire; Dennis-West, Andrea; Betts, Jill F; Izadi, Hooshang; Bogdanovic, Marko; Tims, Martin; Farmer, Andrew; Dawes, Helen
2017-01-01
Objectives To investigate the acute and adaptation cardiovascular and metabolic training responses in people with Parkinson’s disease (pwP). Design (1) A cross-sectional study of exercise response of pwP compared with sedentary controls and (2) an interventional study of exercise training in pwP. Setting Community leisure facilities. Participants pwP (n=83) and sedentary controls (n=55). Interventions Study 1 included participants from a two-arm-parallel single-blind phase II randomised controlled trial (RCT), that undertook a baseline maximal incremental exercise test and study 2 included those randomised to the exercise group in the RCT, who completed a 6-month weekly exercise programme (n=37). The intervention study 2 was a prescribed exercise program consisting of sessions lasting 60 min, two times a week over a 6-month period. The control group followed the same protocol which derived the same cardiorespiratory parameters, except that they were instructed to aim for a cadence of ~60 revolutions per minute and the unloaded phase lasted 3 min with an initial step of 25 W. Primary and secondary outcome measures Stepwise incremental exercise test to volitional exhaustion was the primary outcome measure. Results Study 1 showed higher maximum values for heart rate (HR), VO2 L/min, VCO2 L/min and ventilation L/min for the control group; respiratory exchange ratio (RER), perceived exertion and O2 pulse (VO2 L/min/HR) did not differ between groups. In study 2, for pwP who adhered to training (n=37), RER increased significantly and although there was no significant change in aerobic capacity or HR response, reduced blood pressure was found. Conclusions An abnormal cardiovascular response to exercise was observed in pwP compared to controls. After the exercise programme, metabolic deficiencies remained for pwP. These observations add to the pathogenic understanding of PD, acknowledge an underling metabolic contribution and support that certain cardiovascular symptoms may improve as a result of this type of exercise. PMID:29282259
-
Yang, Ya-Ping; Lee, Feng-Ping; Chao, Hui-Chen; Hsu, Fang-Yu; Wang, Jing-Jy
2016-08-01
Cognitive stimulation therapy (CST), reminiscence therapy (RT), and aroma-massage therapy (AT) are believed to be beneficial for people with dementia (PwD). However, the comparing effects of these interventions have not been reported in previous studies. The purpose of this research was thus to compare the effects of these 3 interventions on alleviating agitation and depressive mood in PwD. A cohort study with pre- and post-tests was conducted. A total of 102 PwD from 10 long-term care facilities were allocated to RT (n = 43), CST (n = 29), or AT (n = 29) groups. The participants received the interventions once a week for 8 to 10 consecutive weeks. The participants were evaluated using the Chinese version of the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory and the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia before and shortly after the intervention. One-way ANOVA and ANCOVA were used to analyze the data. Significant differences in the effects on agitation and depressive symptoms in PwD were found among the 3 interventions (P = .013 and P < .001, respectively). Post hoc analysis showed that AT was more effective than RT and CST in improving agitated behaviors (P = .006 and P < .001, respectively), and was also more effective than CST and RT in alleviating depressive symptoms (both P < .001). Our findings indicate that among the 3 alternative remedies, AT can be a more effective intervention than CST and RT with regard to alleviating the agitated behavior and depressive symptoms of PwD. Given that agitated behavior and depressive mood are common among institutionalized PwD, and staff working in long-term care facilities often lack knowledge and time to manage such behaviors, the findings of this study can contribute to future clinical practice in long-term care facilities. In addition, aroma-massage has the advantage of being an easy-to-learn intervention for staff working with PwD. Copyright © 2016 AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
-
Berg, John M.; Gaunt, Andrew J.; May, Iain; ...
2015-04-22
A-type tri-lacunary heteropolyoxotungstate anions (e.g., [PW 9O 34] 9-, [AsW 9O 34] 9-, [SiW 9O 34] 10- and [GeW 9O 34] 10-) are multi-dentate oxygen donor ligands that readily form sandwich complexes with actinyl cations ({UO 2} 2+, {NpO 2} +, {NpO 2} 2+ & {PuO 2} 2+) in near neutral/slightly alkaline aqueous solutions. Two or three actinyl cations are sandwiched between two trilacunary anions, with additional cations (Na +, K + or NH 4 +) also often held within the cluster. Studies thus far have indicated that it is these additional +I cations, rather than the specific actinylmore » cation, that direct the structural variation in the complexes formed. We now report the structural characterization of the neptunyl (VI) cluster complex (NH 4) 13 [Na(NpO 2) 2(A-α- PW 9O 34) 2]·12H 2O. The anion in this complex, [Na(NpO 2) 2(PW 9O 34) 2] 13-, contains one Na + cation and two {NpO 2} 2+ cations held between two [PW 9O 34] 9- anions – with an additional partial occupancy NH 4 + or {NpO 2} 2+ cation also present. In the analogous uranium (VI) system, under similar reaction conditions that includes an excess of NH 4Cl in the parent solution, it was previously shown that [(NH 4) 2(U VIO 2) 2(A-PW 9O 34) 2] 12- is the dominant species in both solution and the crystallized salt. Spectroscopic studies provide further proof of differences in the observed chemistry for the {NpO 2} 2+/[PW 9O 34] 9- and {UO 2} 2+/[PW 9O 34] 9- systems, both in solution and in solid state complexes crystallized from comparable salt solutions. The work revealed that varying the actinide element (Np vs. U) can indeed measurably impact structure and complex stability in the cluster chemistry of actinyl (VI) cations with A-type tri-lacunary heteropolyoxotungstate anions.« less
-
75 FR 44725 - Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney PW4000 Series Turbofan Engines; Correction
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2010-07-29
... Engineer, Engine Certification Office, FAA, Engine and Propeller Directorate, 12 New England Executive Park..., Massachusetts, on July 23, 2010. Francis A. Favara, Manager, Engine and Propeller Directorate, Aircraft... PW4000 Series Turbofan Engines; Correction AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. ACTION...
-
Rodríguez-Salgado, Isabel; Pérez-Rodríguez, Paula; Gómez-Armesto, Antía; Díaz-Raviña, Montserrat; Nóvoa-Muñoz, Juan Carlos; Arias-Estévez, Manuel; Fernández-Calviño, David
2017-11-01
The effects of adding two winery wastes, perlite waste (PW) and bentonite waste (BW), to an acid vineyard soil were assessed using some chemical and biological soil properties in a field study that lasted 18 months. The addition of PW (up to 81 Mg ha -1 ) had neither significant nor permanent effects on soil characteristics such as the pH, organic matter content or nutrient concentrations, the amounts of copper or zinc, or the electrical conductivity. Moreover, no persistent negative effects were found on the enzymatic activities after PW application. In contrast, soil that was amended with up to 71 Mg BW ha -1 showed increases in its soil pH values, exchangeable potassium and water soluble potassium and phosphorus contents. In addition, it caused significant increases in the electrical conductivity and water-soluble Cu. In addition, the phosphomonoesterase enzymatic activity decreased significantly (up to 28%) in response to the amendment with 71 Mg BW ha -1 . These results showed that adding BW and PW to the soil may be a good agronomic practice for recycling these types of wastes. However, in the case of PW, its use as a soil amendment must be performed with caution to control its possible harmful effects. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
-
Soysal Tomruk, Melda; Uz, Muhammed Zahid; Kara, Bilge; İdiman, Egemen
2016-05-01
Decreased postural control, sensory integration deficits and fatigue are important problems that cause functional impairments in patients with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). To examine the effect of modified clinical Pilates exercises on sensory interaction and balance, postural control and fatigue in pwMS. Eleven patients with multiple sclerosis and 12 healthy matched controls were recruited in this study. Limits of stability and postural stability tests were used to evaluate postural control by Biodex Balance System and sensory interaction assessed. Fatigue was assessed by Modified Fatigue Impact Scale. Pilates exercises were applied two times a week for 10 weeks and measurements were repeated to pwMS after exercise training. Postural control and fatigue (except psychosocial parameter) of pwMS were significantly worser than healthy controls (p<0.05). Significant improvements occurred in sensory interaction (eyes open, foam surface) and total, physical and cognitive scores of fatigue after 10-week modified clinical Pilates training (p<0.05). No significant changes were detected in postural control after the pilates exercises (p>0.05). Ten-week Pilates training is effective to improve sensory interaction and to decrease fatigue. Pilates exercises can be applied safely in ambulatory pwMS for enhance sensory interaction and balance and combat fatigue. More investigations are needed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
-
Due-Window Assignment Scheduling with Variable Job Processing Times
Wu, Yu-Bin
2015-01-01
We consider a common due-window assignment scheduling problem jobs with variable job processing times on a single machine, where the processing time of a job is a function of its position in a sequence (i.e., learning effect) or its starting time (i.e., deteriorating effect). The problem is to determine the optimal due-windows, and the processing sequence simultaneously to minimize a cost function includes earliness, tardiness, the window location, window size, and weighted number of tardy jobs. We prove that the problem can be solved in polynomial time. PMID:25918745
-
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2010-10-29
... LLP (``PwC'') Internal Firm Services Client Account Administrators Group, Charlotte, NC; Amended... Firm Services Client Account Administrators Group. Accordingly, the Department is amending this... Firm Services Client Account Administrators Group. The amended notice applicable to TA-W-73,608 is...
-
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2010-10-29
... LLP (``PwC''), Internal Firm Services Client Account Administrators Group Atlanta, GA; Amended...''), Internal Firm Services Client Account Administrators Group. Accordingly, the Department is amending this... Firm Services Client Account Administrators Group. The amended notice applicable to TA-W-73,630 is...
-
77 FR 66767 - Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp. Turboshaft Engines
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2012-11-07
... Canada Corp. Turboshaft Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. ACTION: Notice of..., PW207D2, and PW207E turboshaft engines. This proposed AD was prompted by the discovery that certain power... the FAA, Engine & Propeller Directorate, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA. For...
-
P and W propulsion systems studies results/status
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Smith, Martin G., Jr.; Champagne, George A.
1992-01-01
The topics covered include the following: Pratt and Whitney (P&W) propulsion systems studies - NASA funded efforts to date; P&W engine concepts; P&W combustor focus - rich burn quick quench (RBQQ) concept; mixer ejector nozzle concept - large flow entrainment reduces jet noise; technology impact on NO(x) emissions - mature RBQQ combustor reduces NO(x) up to 85 percent; technology impact on sideline noise characteristics of Mach 2.4 turbine bypass engines (TBE's) - 600 lb/sec airflow size; technology impact on takeoff gross weight (TOGW) - provides up to 12 percent TOGW reduction; HSCT quiet engine concepts; TBE inlet valve/ejector nozzle concept schematic; mixed flow turbofan study; and exhaust nozzle conceptual design.
-
Scale up of large ALON® and spinel windows
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Goldman, Lee M.; Kashalikar, Uday; Ramisetty, Mohan; Jha, Santosh; Sastri, Suri
2017-05-01
Aluminum Oxynitride (ALON® Transparent Ceramic) and Magnesia Aluminate Spinel (Spinel) combine broadband transparency with excellent mechanical properties. Their cubic structure means that they are transparent in their polycrystalline form, allowing them to be manufactured by conventional powder processing techniques. Surmet has scaled up its ALON® production capability to produce and deliver windows as large as 4.4 sq ft. We have also produced our first 6 sq ft window. We are in the process of producing 7 sq ft ALON® window blanks for armor applications; and scale up to even larger, high optical quality blanks for Recce window applications is underway. Surmet also produces spinel for customers that require superior transmission at the longer wavelengths in the mid wave infra-red (MWIR). Spinel windows have been limited to smaller sizes than have been achieved with ALON. To date the largest spinel window produced is 11x18-in, and windows 14x20-in size are currently in process. Surmet is now scaling up its spinel processing capability to produce high quality window blanks as large as 19x27-in for sensor applications.
-
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Weinstein, Margery
2011-01-01
Coming up with the latest and greatest learning curriculum for employees year after year can be overwhelming--especially if one works for a small or mid-size company with minimal resources. Fortunately, there is a burgeoning trend that three-time No. 1 Top 125er PwC is helping to "open" up. In creating PwC Open University, the professional…
-
46 CFR 52.05-30 - Minimum requirements for attachment welds (modifies PW-16).
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
2010-10-01
... 46 Shipping 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Minimum requirements for attachment welds (modifies PW-16). 52.05-30 Section 52.05-30 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) MARINE ENGINEERING POWER BOILERS Requirements for Boilers Fabricated by Welding § 52.05-30 Minimum...
-
Properties of high density polyethylene – Paulownia wood flour composites via injection molding
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Paulownia wood (PW) flour is evaluated as a bio-based fiber reinforcement. Composites of high density polyethylene (HDPE), 25% by weight of PW, and either 0% or 5% by weight of maleated polyethylene (MAPE) were produced by twin screw compounding followed by injection molding. Molded test composite...
-
Fiberboard created using the natural adhesive properties of distillers dried grains with solubles
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) were employed as a bio-based resin/adhesive. DDGS were defatted with hexane, ball ground and screened prior to use. DDGS flour was mixed dry with Paulownia wood (PW) to make composites using the following conditions: temperature of 150-195 oC, PW particle...
-
46 CFR 52.05-30 - Minimum requirements for attachment welds (modifies PW-16).
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
2011-10-01
... 46 Shipping 2 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Minimum requirements for attachment welds (modifies PW-16). 52.05-30 Section 52.05-30 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) MARINE ENGINEERING POWER BOILERS Requirements for Boilers Fabricated by Welding § 52.05-30 Minimum...
-
46 CFR 52.05-30 - Minimum requirements for attachment welds (modifies PW-16).
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
2012-10-01
... 46 Shipping 2 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Minimum requirements for attachment welds (modifies PW-16). 52.05-30 Section 52.05-30 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) MARINE ENGINEERING POWER BOILERS Requirements for Boilers Fabricated by Welding § 52.05-30 Minimum...
-
46 CFR 52.05-30 - Minimum requirements for attachment welds (modifies PW-16).
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
2013-10-01
... 46 Shipping 2 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Minimum requirements for attachment welds (modifies PW-16). 52.05-30 Section 52.05-30 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) MARINE ENGINEERING POWER BOILERS Requirements for Boilers Fabricated by Welding § 52.05-30 Minimum...
-
46 CFR 52.05-30 - Minimum requirements for attachment welds (modifies PW-16).
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
2014-10-01
... 46 Shipping 2 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Minimum requirements for attachment welds (modifies PW-16). 52.05-30 Section 52.05-30 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) MARINE ENGINEERING POWER BOILERS Requirements for Boilers Fabricated by Welding § 52.05-30 Minimum...
-
Zou, Changjun; Zhao, Pinwen; Shi, Lihong; Huang, Shaobing; Luo, Pingya
2013-10-01
The inclusion complex of Cs2.5H0.5PW12O40 with bridged bis-cyclodextrin (CsPW/B) is prepared as a highly efficient catalyst for the direct production of biodiesel via the transesterification of waste cooking oil. CsPW/B is characterized by X-ray diffraction, and the biodiesel is analyzed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometer. The conversion rate of waste cooking oil is up to 94.2% under the optimum experimental conditions that are methanol/oil molar ratio of 9:1, catalyst dosage of 3 wt%, temperature of 65 °C and reaction time of 180 min. The physical properties of biodiesel sample satisfy the requirement of ASTM D6751 standards. The novel CsPW/B catalyst used for the transesterification can lead to 96.9% fatty acid methyl esters and 86.5% of the biodiesel product can serve as the ideal substitute for diesel fuel, indicating its excellent potential application in biodiesel production. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
-
Problem-based writing with peer review improves academic performance in physiology.
Pelaez, Nancy J
2002-12-01
The aim of this study was to determine whether problem-based writing with peer review (PW-PR) improves undergraduate student performance on physiology exams. Didactic lectures were replaced with assignments to give students practice explaining their reasoning while solving qualitative problems, thus transferring the responsibility for abstraction and generalization to the students. Performance on exam items about concepts taught using PW-PR was compared with performance on concepts taught using didactic lectures followed by group work. Calibrated Peer Review, a Web-delivered program, was used to collect student essays and to manage anonymous peer review after students "passed" three calibration peer reviews. Results show that the students had difficulty relating concepts. Relationship errors were categorized as (1) problems recognizing levels of organization, (2) problems with cause/effect, and (3) overgeneralizations. For example, some described cells as molecules; others thought that vesicles transport materials through the extracellular fluid. With PW-PR, class discussion was used to confront and resolve such difficulties. Both multiple-choice and essay exam results were better with PW-PR instead of lecture.
-
F-15B ACTIVE - First supersonic yaw vectoring flight
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
1996-01-01
On Wednesday, April 24, 1996, the F-15 Advanced Control Technology for Integrated Vehicles (ACTIVE) aircraft achieved its first supersonic yaw vectoring flight at Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. ACTIVE is a joint NASA, U.S. Air Force, McDonnell Douglas Aerospace (MDA) and Pratt & Whitney (P&W) program. The team will assess performance and technology benefits during flight test operations. Current plans call for approximately 60 flights totaling 100 hours. 'Reaching this milestone is very rewarding. We hope to set some more records before we're through,' stated Roger W. Bursey, P&W's pitch-yaw balance beam nozzle (PYBBN) program manager. A pair of P&W PYBBNs vectored (horizontally side-to-side, pitch is up and down) the thrust for the MDA manufactured F-15 research aircraft. Power to reach supersonic speeds was provided by two high-performance F100-PW-229 engines that were modified with the multi-directional thrust vectoring nozzles. The new concept should lead to significant increases in performance of both civil and military aircraft flying at subsonic and supersonic speeds.
-
Transplant Image Processing Technology under Windows into the Platform Based on MiniGUI
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Gan, Lan; Zhang, Xu; Lv, Wenya; Yu, Jia
MFC has a large number of digital image processing-related API functions, object-oriented and class mechanisms which provides image processing technology strong support in Windows. But in embedded systems, image processing technology dues to the restrictions of hardware and software do not have the environment of MFC in Windows. Therefore, this paper draws on the experience of image processing technology of Windows and transplants it into MiniGUI embedded systems. The results show that MiniGUI/Embedded graphical user interface applications about image processing which used in embedded image processing system can be good results.
-
Chen, Meilian; Lee, Jong-Hyeon; Hur, Jin
2015-10-01
Despite literature evidence suggesting the importance of sampling methods on the properties of sediment pore waters, their effects on the dissolved organic matter (PW-DOM) have been unexplored to date. Here, we compared the effects of two commonly used sampling methods (i.e., centrifuge and Rhizon sampler) on the characteristics of PW-DOM for the first time. The bulk dissolved organic carbon (DOC), ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) absorption, and excitation-emission matrixes coupled with parallel factor analysis (EEM-PARAFAC) of the PW-DOM samples were compared for the two sampling methods with the sediments from minimal to severely contaminated sites. The centrifuged samples were found to have higher average values of DOC, UV absorption, and protein-like EEM-PARAFAC components. The samples collected with the Rhizon sampler, however, exhibited generally more humified characteristics than the centrifuged ones, implying a preferential collection of PW-DOM with respect to the sampling methods. Furthermore, the differences between the two sampling methods seem more pronounced in relatively more polluted sites. Our observations were possibly explained by either the filtration effect resulting from the smaller pore size of the Rhizon sampler or the desorption of DOM molecules loosely bound to minerals during centrifugation, or both. Our study suggests that consistent use of one sampling method is crucial for PW-DOM studies and also that caution should be taken in the comparison of data collected with different sampling methods.
-
Zonally Symmetric Oscillations of the Thermosphere at Planetary Wave Periods
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Forbes, Jeffrey M.; Zhang, Xiaoli; Maute, Astrid; Hagan, Maura E.
2018-05-01
New mechanisms for imposing planetary wave (PW) variability on the ionosphere-thermosphere system are discovered in numerical experiments conducted with the National Center for Atmospheric Research thermosphere-ionosphere-electrodynamics general circulation model. First, it is demonstrated that a tidal spectrum modulated at PW periods (3-20 days) entering the ionosphere-thermosphere system near 100 km is responsible for producing ±40 m/s and ±10-15 K PW period oscillations between 110 and 150 km at low to middle latitudes. The dominant response is broadband and zonally symmetric (i.e., "S0") over a range of periods and is attributable to tidal dissipation; essentially, the ionosphere-thermosphere system "vacillates" in response to dissipation of the PW-modulated tidal spectrum. In addition, some specific westward propagating PWs such as the quasi-6-day wave are amplified by the presence of the tidal spectrum; the underlying mechanism is hypothesized to be a second-stage nonlinear interaction. The S0 total neutral mass density (ρ) response at 325 km consists of PW period fluctuations of order ±3-4%, roughly equivalent to the day-to-day variability associated with low-level geomagnetic activity. The variability in ρ over short periods (˜< 9 days) correlates with temperature changes, indicating a response of hydrostatic origin. Over longer periods ρ is also controlled by composition and mean molecular mass. While the upper-thermosphere impacts are modest, they do translate to more significant changes in the F region ionosphere.
-
Mobility, balance and falls in persons with multiple sclerosis.
Sosnoff, Jacob J; Socie, Michael J; Boes, Morgan K; Sandroff, Brian M; Pula, John H; Suh, Yoojin; Weikert, Madeline; Balantrapu, Swathi; Morrison, Steven; Motl, Robert W
2011-01-01
There is a lack of information concerning the relation between objective measures of gait and balance and fall history in persons with MS (PwMS). This investigation assessed the relation between demographic, clinical, mobility and balance metrics and falls history in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS). 52 ambulatory persons with MS (PwMS) participated in the investigation. All persons provided demographic information including fall history over the last 12 months. Disease status was assessed with Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). Walking speed, coordination, endurance and postural control were quantified with a multidimensional mobility battery. Over 51% of the participants fell in the previous year with 79% of these people being suffering recurrent falls. Overall, fallers were older, had a greater prevalence of assistive devices use, worse disability, decreased walking endurance, and greater postural sway velocity with eyes closed compared to non-fallers. Additionally, fallers had greater impairment in cerebellar, sensory, pyramidal, and bladder/bowel subscales of the EDSS. The current observations suggest that PwMS who are older, more disabled, utilize an assistive device, have decreased walking coordination and endurance and have diminished balance have fallen in the previous year. This suggests that individuals who meet these criteria need to be carefully monitored for future falls. Future research is needed to determine a prospective model of falls specific to PwMS. Additionally, the utility of interventions aimed at reducing falls and fall risk in PwMS needs to be established.
-
Mobility, Balance and Falls in Persons with Multiple Sclerosis
Sosnoff, Jacob J.; Socie, Michael J.; Boes, Morgan K.; Sandroff, Brian M.; Pula, John H.; Suh, Yoojin; Weikert, Madeline; Balantrapu, Swathi; Morrison, Steven; Motl, Robert W.
2011-01-01
Background There is a lack of information concerning the relation between objective measures of gait and balance and fall history in persons with MS (PwMS). This investigation assessed the relation between demographic, clinical, mobility and balance metrics and falls history in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods 52 ambulatory persons with MS (PwMS) participated in the investigation. All persons provided demographic information including fall history over the last 12 months. Disease status was assessed with Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). Walking speed, coordination, endurance and postural control were quantified with a multidimensional mobility battery. Results Over 51% of the participants fell in the previous year with 79% of these people being suffering recurrent falls. Overall, fallers were older, had a greater prevalence of assistive devices use, worse disability, decreased walking endurance, and greater postural sway velocity with eyes closed compared to non-fallers. Additionally, fallers had greater impairment in cerebellar, sensory, pyramidal, and bladder/bowel subscales of the EDSS. Conclusions The current observations suggest that PwMS who are older, more disabled, utilize an assistive device, have decreased walking coordination and endurance and have diminished balance have fallen in the previous year. This suggests that individuals who meet these criteria need to be carefully monitored for future falls. Future research is needed to determine a prospective model of falls specific to PwMS. Additionally, the utility of interventions aimed at reducing falls and fall risk in PwMS needs to be established. PMID:22132196
-
Bateni, Hamid
2012-09-01
To determine the effectiveness of Wii Fit training on balance control in older adults compared with physical therapy training. Quasi-experimental design. Eight males and nine females aged 53 to 91 years. Participants were divided into three groups: one group received both physical therapy training and Wii Fit training (PW group), one group received Wii Fit training alone (WI group), and one group received physical therapy training alone (PT group). Training consisted of three sessions per week for 4 weeks. Berg Balance Scale (all groups) and Bubble Test (PW and WI groups) scores. Descriptive statistics, medians, interquartile ranges and 95% confidence intervals are reported to identify trends in balance control as a result of different types of training. All subjects showed improvement in the Berg Balance Scale and Bubble Test scores. The PT and PW groups tended to perform better than the WI group on the Berg Balance Scale following treatment. Although the differences in the Bubble Test score were not substantial between the PW and WI groups, the PW group performed slightly better than the WI group on the Berg Balance Scale. Wii Fit training appears to improve balance. However, physical therapy training on its own or in addition to Wii Fit training appears to improve balance to a greater extent than Wii Fit training alone. Copyright © 2011 Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
-
Chruzander, Charlotte; Tinghög, Petter; Ytterberg, Charlotte; Widén Holmqvist, Lotta; Alexanderson, Kristina; Hillert, Jan; Johansson, Sverker
2016-08-15
Even though it is well known that disability due to MS is highly associated with employment status, the long-term longitudinal perspective on sickness absence and disability pension over the MS trajectory is lacking. In addition, further knowledge of risk factors for future disability pension is needed. To explore long-term longitudinal changes in the prevalence of sickness absence and disability pension in people with MS (PwMS), as well as to explore associations between disease-specific factors, contextual factors and functioning, and the outcome of future full-time disability pension. A prospective, population-based survival cohort study, with a nine year follow-up, including 114 PwMS was conducted by combining face-to-face collected data and register-based data. The prevalence of full-time disability pension increased from 20% to 50%, however 24% of the PwMS had no disability pension at all at end of follow-up. Sex, age, disease severity and impaired manual dexterity were associated with future full-time disability pension. The large increase in prevalence of PwMS on full-time disability pension during the MS trajectory, calls for the development and implementation of evidence-based interventions, aiming at keeping PwMS in the work force. Modifiable factors, such as manual dexterity should be targeted in such interventions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
-
Recycling produced water for algal cultivation for biofuels
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Neal, Justin N.; Sullivan, Enid J.; Dean, Cynthia A.
2012-08-09
Algal growth demands a continuous source of water of appropriate salinity and nutritional content. Fresh water sources are scarce in the deserts of the Southwestern United States, hence, salt water algae species are being investigated as a renewable biofuel source. The use of produced water from oil wells (PW) could offset the demand for fresh water in cultivation. Produced water can contain various concentrations of dissolved solids, metals and organic contaminants and often requires treatment beyond oil/water separation to make it suitable for algae cultivation. The produced water used in this study was taken from an oil well in Jal,more » New Mexico. An F/2-Si (minus silica) growth media commonly used to cultivate Nannochloropsis salina 1776 (NS 1776) was prepared using the produced water (F/2-Si PW) taking into account the metals and salts already present in the water. NS 1776 was seeded into a bioreactor containing 5L of the (F/2-Si PW) media. After eleven days the optical density at 750 nm (an indicator of algal growth) increased from 0 to 2.52. These results indicate algae are able to grow, though inhibited when compared with non-PW media, in the complex chemical conditions found in produced water. Savings from using nutrients present in the PW, such as P, K, and HCO{sub 3}{sup -}, results in a 44.38% cost savings over fresh water to mix the F/2-Si media.« less
-
Neven, An; Janssens, Davy; Alders, Geert; Wets, Geert; Van Wijmeersch, Bart; Feys, Peter
2013-09-01
Persons with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) experience several physical and cognitive problems which can influence their travel behaviour. This study aimed to document the number of activities, the activity type and the transport mode of the related trips that are daily made by PwMS. Their outdoor activity and travel behaviour was studied in relation to disease-related disability. Thirty six PwMS (Expanded Disability Status Scale, EDSS, 1.5-8.0, age 27-63) and 24 healthy controls (age 25-62) were studied, using activity-related travel diaries and GPS tracking devices. Information about overall disability characteristics was gained by standard clinical tests and questionnaires. PwMS were further divided in three subgroups based on EDSS cut-off scores 4.5 and 6.5. Persons with mild ambulatory dysfunction (EDSS 1.5-4.0, n = 17) showed similar travel characteristics to healthy controls, with few restrictions during travelling. Statistically significant changes in activity and travel behaviour were detected in the moderate (EDSS 4.5-6.5, n = 8) and severe MS subgroups (EDSS > 6.5-8.0, n = 11) compared with healthy controls: driving independently became less frequent, significant more trips were made with company and the duration of performed activities had increased. The combination of self-reported travel diaries and objective GPS loggers offered detailed information about the actual outdoor travel behaviour of PwMS, which was significantly changed in PwMS with EDSS greater than 4. Implications for Rehabilitation Activity and travel behaviour changes significantly in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) with moderate to severe disability (EDSS greater than 4). Behavioural therapy could help to develop better coping and problem-solving skills to overcome anxiety in the making of trips by persons with MS with a mild severity. Enhancing community environments could serve as a promising approach to increase the outdoor participation of persons with (more severe) impairments.
-
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Hu, Yu Min; Li, Jung Yu; Chen, Nai Yun; Chen, Chih Yu; Han, Tai Chun; Yu, Chin Chung
2017-02-01
The crystallinity and intrinsic defects of transparent conducting oxide (TCO) films have a high impact on their optical and electrical properties and therefore on the performance of devices incorporating such films, including flat panel displays, electro-optical devices, and solar cells. The optical and electrical properties of TCO films can be modified by tailoring their deposition parameters, which makes proper understanding of these parameters crucial. Magnetron sputtering is the most adaptable method for preparing TCO films used in industrial applications. In this study, we investigate the direct and inter-property correlation effects of sputtering power (PW) on the crystallinity, intrinsic defects, and optical and electrical properties of Al-doped ZnO (AZO) TCO films. All of the films were preferentially c-axis-oriented with a wurtzite structure and had an average transmittance of over 80% in the visible wavelength region. Scanning electron microscopy images revealed significantly increased AZO film grain sizes for PW ≥ 150 W, which may lead to increased conductivity, carrier concentration, and optical band gaps but decreased carrier mobility and in-plane compressive stress in AZO films. Photoluminescence results showed that, with increasing PW, the near band edge emission gradually dominates the defect-related emissions in which zinc interstitial (Zni), oxygen vacancy (VO), and oxygen interstitial (Oi) are possibly responsible for emissions at 3.08, 2.8, and 2.0 eV, respectively. The presence of Zni- and Oi-related emissions at PW ≥ 150 W indicates a slight increase in the presence of Al atoms substituted at Zn sites (AlZn). The presence of Oi at PW ≥ 150 W was also confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results. These results clearly show that the crystallinity and intrinsic-defect type of AZO films, which dominate their optical and electrical properties, may be controlled by PW. This understanding may facilitate the development of TCO-based optoelectronic devices for industrial production.
-
Marck, Claudia Helena; Neate, Sandra Leanne; Taylor, Keryn Louise; Weiland, Tracey Joy; Jelinek, George Alexander
2016-01-01
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurological disorder, often affecting young people. Comorbid disorders such as depression, anxiety and hypertension are common and can affect disease course, treatment, and quality of life (QOL) of people with MS (PwMS). The associations between comorbidities, body mass index (BMI) and health outcomes are not well studied in MS, although research shows most PwMS are overweight. Most data on the prevalence of comorbidities and obesity in PwMS comes from North American populations. This study describes the prevalence of comorbidities, overweight and obesity and associations with modifiable factors in an international sample of PwMS recruited online through social media, MS societies and websites. The online survey consisted of validated and researcher-devised instruments to assess self-reported health outcomes and lifestyle behaviors. Of the 2399 respondents, 22.5% were overweight, 19.4% were obese and 67.2% reported at least one comorbidity, with back pain (36.2%), depression (31.7%), anxiety (29.1%) and arthritis (13.7%) most prevalent and most limiting in daily activities. Obesity and most comorbid disorders were significantly more prevalent in North America. Obese participants were more likely to have comorbidities, especially diabetes (OR 4.8) and high blood pressure (OR 4.5) but also depression (OR 2.2). Being overweight, obese, or a former, or current smoker was associated with an increase in the number of comorbidities; while healthy diet, physical activity (borderline significant) and moderate alcohol consumption were associated with decreased number of comorbidities. Increasing number of comorbidities was related to worse QOL, increased odds of disability and prior relapse. Obese PwMS had higher odds of disability and lower QOL. The associations between BMI, comorbidities and health outcomes are likely to be bi-directional and associated with lifestyle behaviors. Preventing and treating comorbid disorders and obesity in PwMS is warranted, and advice regarding healthy and risky lifestyle may assist in improving health outcomes.
-
Mauro, Vincenzo; Biggeri, Mario; Deepak, Sunil; Trani, Jean-Francois
2014-11-01
Community-based rehabilitation (CBR) programmes have been described as highly effective means of promoting the rights and opportunities of persons with disabilities (PwD). Although CBR is often the main way in which PwD in low-income and middle-income countries access rehabilitation services, there is little literature providing rigorous evaluation of their impact on people's well-being. Data were collected in the Mandya and Ramanagar districts (Karnataka state, India), between December 2009 and May 2010. In total 2540 PwD were interviewed using stratified random sampling: 1919 CBR beneficiaries (who joined the programme between 1997 and 2009) and 621 persons who were living in villages not covered by the programme. We controlled for the systematic differences between people joining and not joining the programme using the propensity score matching method controlling for covariates at individual and village level. We evaluated the impact of the programme on the subgroups of PwD who are disadvantaged on the dimensions of interest: access to pensions, use of aid appliances, access to paid jobs and improvement in personal-practical autonomy after 4 and 7 years of joining the CBR. We observed a positive and significant impact of the programme on access to services, rights and opportunities of PwD. The results indicate that compared with the control group access to pensions and allowances, aid appliances, access to paid jobs and personal-practical autonomy increased by 29.7%, 9.4%, 12.3% and 36.2%, respectively, after 7 years. The CBR programme analysed has a positive impact on access to services and the well-being of PwD who are particularly deprived on outcomes of interest. 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.
-
Allgöwer, Kathrin; Kern, Claudia; Hermsdörfer, Joachim
2017-03-01
To determine the effects of multiple sclerosis (MS) on predictive and reactive grip force control in a catching task and on clinical tests of hand function. Case-control study with matched-pairs control group. University prevention and rehabilitation center. Participants (N=30) consisted of people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) (n=15) and healthy controls (n=15), matched for sex, age, and hand dominance. Not applicable. Performance on the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), Nine-Hole Peg Test (9-HPT), Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test (JTHFT), and 2-point discrimination (2PD) was evaluated. To analyze grip force control, blindfolded subjects held a receptacle equipped with grip force and acceleration sensors in their hand. In a catching task, a weight was dropped from (1) the experimenter's hand unexpectedly into the receptacle (reactive force control); and (2) from the subject's opposite hand (predictive force control). Grip forces and time lags were analyzed. PwMS (mean EDSS ± SD, 4.2±1.86) had impairments in the 9-HPT and JTHFT (P<.001). The 2PD did not differ significantly between PwMS and controls. During reactive force control (catching task 1), PwMS showed significantly higher grip forces immediately after impact (P<.05), and a significant prolongation of the time from grip force increase until reaching the peak of grip force (P<.001). PwMS and controls did not differ during predictive force control (catching task 2; P>.1). Exaggerated grip force responses and alterations of timing after an unpredictable perturbation, combined with preserved grip force control during predictable conditions, is a characteristic pattern of fine motor control deficits in MS. Measures of reactive grip force responses may be used to complement neurologic assessments. Further studies exploring the usefulness of these measures should be performed in a broader community of PwMS. Copyright © 2016 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
-
Kornfelt, L F; Weisbjerg, M R; Nørgaard, P
2013-02-01
The study examined the effects of physical form and harvest time of alfalfa silage on eating and ruminating activity and particle size distribution in feed boli, rumen content and faeces in dry cows. The alfalfa crop was harvested at two stages of growth (early: NDF 37%, late: NDF 44% in dry matter (DM)), and from each harvest, a chopped (theoretical cutting length: 19 mm) and an unchopped crop was ensiled in bales. The silages were fed restrictively to four rumen cannulated non-lactating Jersey cows (391 ± 26 kg) in a 4 × 4 Latin square design. The cows were fed restrictively 80% of their ad libitum intake twice daily. Chewing activity was recorded for 96 h continuously. Swallowed boli, rumen content, rumen fluid and faeces samples were collected, washed in nylon bags (0.01 mm pore size) and freeze-dried before dry sieving through 4.750, 2.360, 1.000, 0.500 and 0.212 mm pore sizes into six fractions. The length (PL) and width (PW) of particles within each fraction was measured by the use of image analysis. The eating activity (min/kg dry matter intake (P < 0.01) and min/kg NDF (P < 0.05)) was affected by harvest time. The mean ruminating time (min/kg DM) was affected by harvest time (P < 0.01), physical form (P < 0.05) and NDF intake per kg BW (P < 0.01). The proportion of washed particle DM of total DM in boli, rumen content, rumen fluid and faeces was affected by harvest time (P < 0.01) and highest by feeding late-harvested alfalfa silage. Two peaks on the probability density distribution function (PDF) of PW and PL values of boli, rumen content and faeces were identified. Chopping of the silage decreased the mean PL and PW, the most frequent PL (mode) and 95% percentile PL and PW values in boli. In the rumen content, chopping increased the mean PW (P < 0.05). The dimension sizes of faeces particles were not significantly affected by chopping. The mode PW value was lower in rumen content and faeces than in boli (P < 0.001), and the mode PL value was higher in boli and lower in faeces compared with rumen contents (P < 0.001). In conclusion, the mean total chewing activity per kg NDF decreased due to chopping and early harvest time. The mean PL and PW in boli decreased due to chopping and late harvest. The two peak values on the PDF (PL) and PDF (PW) of boli, rumen content and faeces particles are most likely related to the leaf and the stem residues.
-
A sub-nW 2.4 GHz Transmitter for Low Data-Rate Sensing Applications
Mercier, Patrick P.; Bandyopadhyay, Saurav; Lysaght, Andrew C.; Stankovic, Konstantina M.; Chandrakasan, Anantha P.
2015-01-01
This paper presents the design of a narrowband transmitter and antenna system that achieves an average power consumption of 78 pW when operating at a duty-cycled data rate of 1 bps. Fabricated in a 0.18 µm CMOS process, the transmitter employs a direct-RF power oscillator topology where a loop antenna acts as a both a radiative and resonant element. The low-complexity single-stage architecture, in combination with aggressive power gating techniques and sizing optimizations, limited the standby power of the transmitter to only 39.7 pW at 0.8 V. Supporting both OOK and FSK modulations at 2.4 GHz, the transmitter consumed as low as 38 pJ/bit at an active-mode data rate of 5 Mbps. The loop antenna and integrated diodes were also used as part of a wireless power transfer receiver in order to kick-start the system power supply during energy harvesting operation. PMID:26246641
-
ICE/ISEE plasma wave data analysis
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Greenstadt, E. W.; Moses, S. L.
1993-01-01
This report is one of the final processing of ICE plasma wave (pw) data and analysis of late ISEE 3, ICE cometary, and ICE cruise trajectory data, where coronal mass ejections (CME's) were the first locus of attention. Interest in CME's inspired an effort to represent our pw data in a condensed spectrogram format that facilitated rapid digestion of interplanetary phenomena on long (greater than 1 day) time scales. The format serendipitously allowed us to also examine earth-orbiting data from a new perspective, invigorating older areas of investigation in Earth's immediate environment. We, therefore, continued to examine with great interest the last year of ISEE 3's precomet phase, when it spent considerable time far downwind from Earth, recording for days on end conditions upstream, downstream, and across the very weak, distant flank bow shock. Among other motivations has been the apparent similarity of some shock and post shock structures to the signatures of the bow wave surrounding comet Giacobini-Zinner, whose ICE-phase data we revisited.
-
Ma, Heping; Liu, Bailing; Li, Bin; Zhang, Liming; Li, Yang-Guang; Tan, Hua-Qiao; Zang, Hong-Ying; Zhu, Guangshan
2016-05-11
Mimicking proton conduction mechanism of Nafion to construct novel proton-conducting materials with low cost and high proton conductivity is of wide interest. Herein, we have designed and synthesized a cationic covalent organic framework with high thermal and chemical stability by combining a cationic monomer, ethidium bromide (EB) (3,8-diamino-5-ethyl-6-phenylphenanthridinium bromide), with 1,3,5-triformylphloroglucinol (TFP) in Schiff base reactions. This is the first time that the stable cationic crystalline frameworks allowed for the fabrication of a series of charged COFs (EB-COF:X, X = F, Cl, Br, I) through ion exchange processes. Exchange of the extra framework ions can finely modulate the COFs' porosity and pore sizes at nanoscale. More importantly, by introducing PW12O40(3-) into this porous cationic framework, we can greatly enhance the proton conductivity of ionic COF-based material. To the best of our knowledge, EB-COF:PW12 shows the best proton conductivity at room temperature among ever reported porous organic materials.
-
Ciraulo, Maristela Boaceff; Santos, Daiene Souza; Rodrigues, Ana Claudia de Freitas Oliveira; de Oliveira, Marcus Vinícius; Rodrigues, Tiago; de Oliveira, Regina Costa; Nunes, Luiz R
2010-01-01
Xylella fastidiosa is a xylem-limited bacterium responsible for important plant diseases, like citrus-variegated chlorosis (CVC) and grapevine Pierce's disease (PD). Interestingly, in vitro growth of X. fastidiosa in chemically defined media that resemble xylem fluid has been achieved, allowing studies of metabolic processes used by xylem-dwelling bacteria to thrive in such nutrient-poor conditions. Thus, we performed microarray hybridizations to compare transcriptomes of X. fastidiosa cells grown in 3G10-R, a medium that resembles grape sap, and in Periwinkle Wilt (PW), the complex medium traditionally used to cultivate X. fastidiosa. We identified 299 transcripts modulated in response to growth in these media. Some 3G10R-overexpressed genes have been shown to be upregulated in cells directly isolated from infected plants and may be involved in plant colonization, virulence and environmental competition. In contrast, cells cultivated in PW show a metabolic switch associated with increased aerobic respiration and enhanced bacterial growth rates.
-
Ciraulo, Maristela Boaceff; Santos, Daiene Souza; Rodrigues, Ana Claudia de Freitas Oliveira; de Oliveira, Marcus Vinícius; Rodrigues, Tiago; de Oliveira, Regina Costa; Nunes, Luiz R.
2010-01-01
Xylella fastidiosa is a xylem-limited bacterium responsible for important plant diseases, like citrus-variegated chlorosis (CVC) and grapevine Pierce's disease (PD). Interestingly, in vitro growth of X. fastidiosa in chemically defined media that resemble xylem fluid has been achieved, allowing studies of metabolic processes used by xylem-dwelling bacteria to thrive in such nutrient-poor conditions. Thus, we performed microarray hybridizations to compare transcriptomes of X. fastidiosa cells grown in 3G10-R, a medium that resembles grape sap, and in Periwinkle Wilt (PW), the complex medium traditionally used to cultivate X. fastidiosa. We identified 299 transcripts modulated in response to growth in these media. Some 3G10R-overexpressed genes have been shown to be upregulated in cells directly isolated from infected plants and may be involved in plant colonization, virulence and environmental competition. In contrast, cells cultivated in PW show a metabolic switch associated with increased aerobic respiration and enhanced bacterial growth rates. PMID:20625415
-
Complete genome sequence of a divergent strain of lettuce chlorosis virus from Periwinkle in China
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
A novel strain of Lettuce chlorosis virus (LCV) was identified from periwinkle in China (PW) with foliar interveinal chlorosis and plant dwarfing. Complete nucleotide (nt) sequences of genomic RNA1 and RNA2 of the virus are 8,602 nt and 8,456 nt, respectively. The genomic organization of LCV-PW rese...
-
46 CFR 52.05-45 - Circumferential joints in pipes, tubes and headers (modifies PW-41).
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
2010-10-01
... 46 Shipping 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Circumferential joints in pipes, tubes and headers (modifies PW-41). 52.05-45 Section 52.05-45 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) MARINE ENGINEERING POWER BOILERS Requirements for Boilers Fabricated by Welding § 52.05-45...
-
Remodelling the School Workforce: Developing Perspectives on Headteacher Workload
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Gunter, Helen; Rayner, Steve; Thomas, Hywel; Fielding, Antony; Butt, Graham; Lance, Ann
2004-01-01
load has been highlighted by recent studies, including work for the DfES by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC 2001) and by the Office for Manpower Economics (OME) for the School Teachers' Review Body (DfES 2000). The PwC report concluded that teachers and headteachers work more intensive weeks than other comparable managers and professionals. This heavy…
-
77 FR 2015 - Special Conditions: Pratt and Whitney Canada Model PW210S Turboshaft Engine
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2012-01-13
... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration 14 CFR Part 33 [Docket No. NE130; Special Conditions No. 33-008-SC] Special Conditions: Pratt and Whitney Canada Model PW210S Turboshaft Engine Correction In rule document 2011-14113 appearing on pages 33981-33982 in the issue of Friday, June...
-
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2010-11-26
... shortly after receipt. List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39 Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration 14 CFR Part 39 [Docket No. FAA-2010... Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., West Building...
-
46 CFR 52.05-45 - Circumferential joints in pipes, tubes and headers (modifies PW-41).
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
2014-10-01
... 46 Shipping 2 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Circumferential joints in pipes, tubes and headers (modifies PW-41). 52.05-45 Section 52.05-45 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) MARINE ENGINEERING POWER BOILERS Requirements for Boilers Fabricated by Welding § 52.05-45...
-
46 CFR 52.05-45 - Circumferential joints in pipes, tubes and headers (modifies PW-41).
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
2011-10-01
... 46 Shipping 2 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Circumferential joints in pipes, tubes and headers (modifies PW-41). 52.05-45 Section 52.05-45 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) MARINE ENGINEERING POWER BOILERS Requirements for Boilers Fabricated by Welding § 52.05-45...
-
46 CFR 52.05-45 - Circumferential joints in pipes, tubes and headers (modifies PW-41).
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
2012-10-01
... 46 Shipping 2 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Circumferential joints in pipes, tubes and headers (modifies PW-41). 52.05-45 Section 52.05-45 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) MARINE ENGINEERING POWER BOILERS Requirements for Boilers Fabricated by Welding § 52.05-45...
-
46 CFR 52.05-45 - Circumferential joints in pipes, tubes and headers (modifies PW-41).
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
2013-10-01
... 46 Shipping 2 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Circumferential joints in pipes, tubes and headers (modifies PW-41). 52.05-45 Section 52.05-45 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) MARINE ENGINEERING POWER BOILERS Requirements for Boilers Fabricated by Welding § 52.05-45...
-
A Self-Determination Approach to Understanding Students' Motivation in Project Work
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Liu, Woon Chia; Wang, C. K. John; Tan, Oon Seng; Koh, Caroline; Ee, Jessie
2009-01-01
The use of project work (PW) or project-based learning has escalated in Singapore since its inception by the Ministry of Education in the year 2000. There is however little information on students' motivation, and their experience of PW over time. This study sought to identify homogeneous groups of students with distinct perceived locus of…
-
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Buru, Cassandra T.; Li, Peng; Mehdi, B. Layla
2017-05-22
A Keggin-type polyoxometalate (H3PW12O40) was incorporated into a mesoporous Zr-based MOF (NU-1000) via an impregnation method in aqueous media, resulting in the hybrid material, PW12@NU-1000. The POM@MOF composite was characterized by a suite of physical methods, indicating the retention of crystallinity and high porosity of the parent MOF. The hybrid material was also stable to leaching in aqueous media at varying pH. Finally, the material was tested as a heterogeneous catalyst for the oxidation of 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide using hydrogen peroxide as the oxidant. PW12@NU-1000 was shown to have a higher catalytic activity than either of the individual constituents alone.
-
Experimental Data from the Benchmark SuperCritical Wing Wind Tunnel Test on an Oscillating Turntable
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Heeg, Jennifer; Piatak, David J.
2013-01-01
The Benchmark SuperCritical Wing (BSCW) wind tunnel model served as a semi-blind testcase for the 2012 AIAA Aeroelastic Prediction Workshop (AePW). The BSCW was chosen as a testcase due to its geometric simplicity and flow physics complexity. The data sets examined include unforced system information and forced pitching oscillations. The aerodynamic challenges presented by this AePW testcase include a strong shock that was observed to be unsteady for even the unforced system cases, shock-induced separation and trailing edge separation. The current paper quantifies these characteristics at the AePW test condition and at a suggested benchmarking test condition. General characteristics of the model's behavior are examined for the entire available data set.
-
Wood liquefaction with phenol by microwave heating and FTIR evaluation
Gaiyun Li; Chungyun Hse; Tefu Qin
2015-01-01
We examined wood liquefaction using phenol and mixed acid catalysts with microwave heating, and compared that with similar processes that use oil bath heating. The reaction time for microwave heating to achieve a residue content was one sixth, one eighteenth, and one twenty-fourth of that from oil bath heating, respectively, for phenol to wood (P/W) ratios of 2.5/1, 2/...
-
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Farnham, Irene
Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 98: Frenchman Flat on the Nevada National Security Site was the location of 10 underground nuclear tests. CAU 98 underwent a series of investigations and actions in accordance with the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order to assess contamination of groundwater by radionuclides from the tests. A Closure Report completed that process in 2016 and called for long-term monitoring, use restrictions (URs), and institutional controls to protect the public and environment from potential exposure to contaminated groundwater. Three types of monitoring are performed for CAU 98: water quality, water level, and institutional control. These are evaluatedmore » to determine whether the UR boundaries remain protective of human health and the environment, and to ensure that the regulatory boundary objectives are being met. Additionally, monitoring data are used to evaluate consistency with the groundwater flow and contaminant transport models because the contaminant boundaries (CBs) calculated with the models are the primary basis of the UR boundaries. In summary, the monitoring results from 2016 indicate the regulatory controls on the closure of CAU 98 remain effective in protection of human health and the environment. Recommendations resulting from this first year of monitoring activities include formally incorporating wells UE-5 PW-1, UE-5 PW-2, and UE-5 PW-3 into the groundwater-level monitoring network given their strategic location in the basin; and early development of a basis for trigger levels for the groundwater-level monitoring given the observed trends. Additionally, it is recommended to improve the Real Estate/Operations Permit process for capturing information important for evaluating the impact of activities on groundwater resources, and to shift the reporting requirement for this annual report from the second quarter of the federal fiscal year (end of March) to the second quarter of the calendar year (end of June).« less
-
Normann, Britt; Sørgaard, Knut W; Salvesen, Rolf; Moe, Siri
2013-01-01
The hospitals' outpatient clinics for people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) are important in the health care. Research regarding physiotherapy in such clinics is limited. The purpose was to investigate how PwMS perceive movement during single sessions of physiotherapy in a hospital's outpatient clinic, and what do these experiences mean for the patient's insight into their movement disturbances? Qualitative research interviews were performed with a purposive sample of 12 PwMS and supplemented with seven videotaped sessions. Content analysis was performed. The results indicate that contextualized perceptions of movement appear to be an essential source for PwMS to gain expanded insight with regard to their individual movement disturbances regardless of their ambulatory status. The contextualization implies that perceptions of movement are integrated with the physiotherapist's explanations regarding optimizing gait and balance or other activities of daily life. Perceptions of improvement in body part movement and/or functional activities are vital to enhancing their understanding of their individual movement disorders, and they may provide expanded insight regarding future possibilities and limitations involving everyday tasks. The implementation of movements, which transforms the perceived improvement into self-assisted exercises, appeared to be meaningful. Contextualized perceptions of improvements in movement may strengthen the person's sense of ownership and sense of agency and thus promote autonomy and self-encouragement. The findings underpin the importance of contextualized perceptions of movement based on exploration of potential for change, as an integrated part of information and communication in the health care for PwMS. Further investigations are necessary to deepen our knowledge.
-
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Bak, P. R. E.; Newton, I.; Siegel, Edward Carl-Ludwig
2011-03-01
"Bak"/BNL/DoE "self-organized-criticality"(SOC) usual BNL/DoE media-hype P.R spin-doctoring "show-biz" "Bush-waaa-...-aaah!!!" is manifestly-demonstrated in two distinct ways to be nothing but Newton's Third Law of Motion F = ma REdiscovery!!! PHYSICS: (1687) cross-multiplied F = ma rewritten as 1/m = a/F = OUTPUT/INPUT = EFFECT/ CAUSE = inverse-mass mechanical-susceptibility = X ("w "); X ("w ") (F.-D. theorem-equivalence /proportionality) P("w ") "noise" power-spectrum; E w ; and E (any/all media upper-limiting-speeds) m. Thus: w E m; inversion yields: 1/w 1 /E 1 /m a/F = X ("w ") P("w "); hence: F = ma dual/inverse-integral-transform is "'SOC"'s" P(w) 1 / w (1) !!! ; "PURE"-MATHS: F = ma double-integral time-series s(t) = [vot + (1/2) at (2) ] inverse/dual-integral-transform formally defines power-spectrum: P (w) = S { s (t) e [ - (iORnoi) wt ] } dt = S { [ vot + (1 / 2) at 2) ] e [ - (iORnoi) wt ] } dt = voS { te [ - (iORnoi) wt ] } dt + (1 / 2) S { [ a = / = a (t) ] e [ - (iORnoi) wt) } dt = vo (d / dw) Delta (w) + (1 / 2) [ a = / = a (t) ] (d / dw) (2) Delta (w) = vo / w (0) + (1 / 2) [ a = / = a (t) ] / w 1 : ifa = 0 , then P(w) 1 / w 0 , VS . ifa = / = a (t) = / = 0 , then P(w) 1 /w; = by physics: ``SOC'' RE-expresses F = ma!!!: ``just `a tad' late/tardy'' REdiscovery of F=ma: LONG PRE-"Bak"!!!
-
Mokaya, Jolynne; Gray, William K; Carr, Jonathan
2017-08-01
Many patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are thought to be undiagnosed and untreated, leading to poor health outcomes. Increasing rates of diagnosis and treatment, with consequent improvements in the quality of life of people with PD in SSA requires an understanding of how PD is perceived and conceptualized within communities. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among a group of Xhosa speaking black South Africans. The survey involved the administration of questionnaires on beliefs, knowledge and attitudes about PD to the public, people with PD (PwPD) and traditional healers (THs). 18% of the participants could identify PD through its symptoms. Mental illness, other diseases, stress, expressing strong emotions, consumption of certain foods or drinks and witchcraft were identified as possible causes of PD. PwPD and THs had a greater knowledge of PD than the public and greater age was a significant predictor of greater knowledge. The public and THs had a greater degree of concern about a range of symptoms of PD compared to PwPD. There is a striking lack of knowledge about PD amongst black South Africans. Almost half the members of the general public interviewed felt that PwPD should not live amongst their community, and a third considered that witchcraft could be a cause of PD. Finding ways to effectively educate members of a community about PD would make it easier for PwPD to adapt to their condition within their communities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
-
Expression Profiling of Nonpolar Lipids in Meibum From Patients With Dry Eye: A Pilot Study
Chen, Jianzhong; Keirsey, Jeremy K.; Green, Kari B.; Nichols, Kelly K.
2017-01-01
Purpose The purpose of this investigation was to characterize differentially expressed lipids in meibum samples from patients with dry eye disease (DED) in order to better understand the underlying pathologic mechanisms. Methods Meibum samples were collected from postmenopausal women with DED (PW-DED; n = 5) and a control group of postmenopausal women without DED (n = 4). Lipid profiles were analyzed by direct infusion full-scan electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). An initial analysis of 145 representative peaks from four classes of lipids in PW-DED samples revealed that additional manual corrections for peak overlap and isotopes only slightly affected the statistical analysis. Therefore, analysis of uncorrected data, which can be applied to a greater number of peaks, was used to compare more than 500 lipid peaks common to PW-DED and control samples. Statistical analysis of peak intensities identified several lipid species that differed significantly between the two groups. Data from contact lens wearers with DED (CL-DED; n = 5) were also analyzed. Results Many species of the two types of diesters (DE) and very long chain wax esters (WE) were decreased by ∼20% in PW-DED, whereas levels of triacylglycerols were increased by an average of 39% ± 3% in meibum from PW-DED compared to that in the control group. Approximately the same reduction (20%) of similar DE and WE was observed for CL-DED. Conclusions Statistical analysis of peak intensities from direct infusion ESI-MS results identified differentially expressed lipids in meibum from dry eye patients. Further studies are warranted to support these findings. PMID:28426869
-
Hilberg, Thomas
2018-03-05
Sports and exercise therapy becomes more and more integrated in the treatment plan of different diseases. Although the benefits of this therapy are of high quality evidence, e.g. in cardiovascular diseases, no concepts of sports therapy are available as a treatment option for rare diseases.During the last eighteen years, we analyzed the situation as well as necessity, and developed a model, contents and the concept of the "Programmed Sports Therapy (PST)" for the treatment of PwH (people with haemophilia) as our model of rare disease. Many studies have shown that motoric skills are depressed in PwH, and that this gap to healthy people increases during age. The only way to reduce this progression is an appropriate therapy, adapted to the necessities of PwH. In haemophilia, in particular, physio- and sports therapy treatments should go hand in hand, the first in the acute phase after bleeding, the second later, after the acute phase has finished. One model, which considers all the different challenges, can be the cogwheel model presented here. Since haemophilia is a rare disease, new training concepts are necessary because classical group therapies are often impossible. PST based on the combination of sports therapy camps together with a supervised autonomous home training helps to directly bring the training to the trainee, in order to enhance key competences and improve the individual situation in PwH, and perhaps in patients with other rare diseases.The experience and scientific data substantiate the success of "Programmed Sports Therapy (PST)" and even this can be a model for other rare diseases.
-
Ohta, Kazutoku; Ohashi, Masayoshi; Jin, Ji-Ye; Takeuchi, Toyohide; Fujimoto, Chuzo; Choi, Seong-Ho; Ryoo, Jae-Jeong; Lee, Kwang-Pill
2003-05-16
The application of various hydrophilic cation-exchange resins for high-performance liquid chromatography (sulfonated silica gel: TSKgel SP-2SW, carboxylated silica gel: TSKgel CM-2SW, sulfonated polymethacrylate resin: TSKgel SP-5PW, carboxylated polymethacrylate resins: TSKgel CM-5PW and TSKgel OA-Pak A) as stationary phases in ion-exclusion chromatography for C1-C7 aliphatic carboxylic acids (formic, acetic, propionic, butyric, isovaleric, valeric, isocaproic, caproic, 2-methylhexanoic and heptanoic acids) and benzenecarboxylic acids (pyromellitic, trimellitic, hemimellitic, o-phthalic, m-phthalic, p-phthalic, benzoic, salicylic acids and phenol) was carried out using diluted sulfuric acid as the eluent. Silica-based cation-exchange resins (TSKgel SP-2SW and TSKgel CM-2SW) were very suitable for the ion-exclusion chromatographic separation of these benzenecarboxylic acids. Excellent simultaneous separation of these benzenecarboxylic acids was achieved on a TSKgel SP-2SW column (150 x 6 mm I.D.) in 17 min using a 2.5 mM sulfuric acid at pH 2.4 as the eluent. Polymethacrylate-based cation-exchange resins (TSKgel SP-5PW, TSKgel CM-5PW and TSKgel OA-Pak A) acted as advanced stationary phases for the ion-exclusion chromatographic separation of these C1-C7 aliphatic carboxylic acids. Excellent simultaneous separation of these C1-C7 acids was achieved on a TSKgel CM-5PW column (150 x 6 mm I.D.) in 32 min using a 0.05 mM sulfuric acid at pH 4.0 as the eluent.
-
Understanding students' motivation in project work: a 2 x 2 achievement goal approach.
Liu, Woon Chia; Wang, C K John; Tan, Oon Seng; Ee, Jessie; Koh, Caroline
2009-03-01
The project work (PW) initiative was launched in 2000 by the Ministry of Education, Singapore, to encourage application of knowledge across disciplines, and to develop thinking, communication, collaboration, and metacognitive skills. Although PW has been introduced for a few years, few studies have examined the motivation of students in PW, especially with the use of the recently proposed 2 x 2 achievement goal framework. To use a cluster analytic approach to identify students' achievement goal profiles at an intra-individual level, and to examine their links to various psychological characteristics and perceived outcomes in PW. Participants were 491 Secondary 2 students (mean age = 13.78, SD = 0.77) from two government coeducational schools. Cluster analysis was performed to identify distinct subgroups of students with similar achievement goal profiles. One-way MANOVAs, followed by post hoc Tukey HSD tests for pairwise comparisons were used to determine whether there was any significant difference amongst clusters in terms of the psychological characteristics and perceived outcomes in PW. Four distinct clusters of students were identified. The cluster with high achievement goals and the cluster with moderately high goals had the most positive psychological characteristics and perceived outcomes. In contrast, the cluster with very low scores for all four achievement goals had the most maladaptive profile. The study provides support for the 2 x 2 achievement goal framework, and demonstrates that multiple goals can operate simultaneously. However, it highlights the need for cross-cultural studies to look into the approach-avoidance dimension in the 2 x 2 achievement goal framework.
-
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Manson, A. H.; Meek, C. E.; Gregory, J. B.
1984-01-01
Examples of gravity waves (GW), tides, planetary waves (PW), and circulation effects in the upper middle atmosphere are presented. Energy densities of GW, tides, and PW are compared. Fourier and spectral analyses are applied to the data.
-
75 FR 27491 - Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp. PW617F-E Turbofan Engines
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2010-05-17
.... Investigation showed that the Fuel Filter Bypass Valve poppet in the Fuel Oil Heat Exchanger (FOHE) on that... Fuel Filter Bypass Valve poppet in the FOHE on that engine had worn through the housing seat, allowing.... PW600-72-A66021 that introduced a new fuel Filter Bypass Valve Assembly with an improved design poppet...
-
Natali, Mirco; Berardi, Serena; Sartorel, Andrea; Bonchio, Marcella; Campagna, Sebastiano; Scandola, Franco
2012-09-11
Water oxidation catalysts: evolution of [Co(4)(H(2)O)(2)(α-PW(9)O(34))(2)](10-) to catalytically active species is assessed by laser flash photolysis in sacrificial photocatalytic cycles with Ru(bpy)(3)(2+) as a photosensitizer.
-
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Sproule, John; Martindale, Russell; Wang, John; Allison, Peter; Nash, Christine; Gray, Shirley
2013-01-01
The purpose of this study was to carry out a preliminary investigation to explore the use of outdoor and adventurous project work (PW) within an educational setting. Specifically, differences between the PW and normal academic school experiences were examined using a self-determination theory framework integrated with a goal orientation and…
-
Bejan, Alexander; Gündogdu, Ramazan; Butz, Katherina; Müller, Nadine; Kunze, Christophe; König, Peter
2018-01-01
In the care of people with dementia (PwD), occupational therapies and activities aiming at maintaining the quality of life of PwD, such as reminiscence therapy (RT), are taking on a more and more important role. Information and communication technology (ICT) has the potential to improve and to facilitate RT by facilitating access to and selection of biographical information and related contents or by providing novel multimodal interaction forms to trigger memories; however, interactive multimedia technology is barely used in practice. This article presents three exploratory field studies that evaluated different aspects of RT technology use for PwD in care homes, including the utilization of online movie databases, interactive surface touch computers as well as natural user interfaces allowing gestures and haptic interaction. In these studies, the usage of prototype systems was observed in occupational sessions by 5, 12 and 16 PwD. The results indicate positive effects of technology use, e. g. in the form of verbally elicited reminiscence statements, expressed joy and playful interaction. Lessons learned for the design of technology-based RT interventions are presented and discussed.
-
Design update and recent results of the Apollon 10 PW facility
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Le Garrec, B.; Papadopoulos, D. N.; Le Blanc, C.; Zou, J. P.; Chériaux, G.; Georges, P.; Druon, F.; Martin, L.; Fréneaux, L.; Beluze, A.; Lebas, N.; Mathieu, F.; Audebert, P.
2017-05-01
In this paper we are giving a summary of the Apollon 10 PW facility laser design together with updated laser performance. The Apollon facility is currently under construction in France. The APOLLON laser system is a laser designed for delivering pulses as short as 15 fs (10-15 s) with an energy exceeding 150 Joules on target. The peak power delivered by this laser system will be 10 Petawatts (1016W). The Apollon laser system will be delivering 4 beams: one 10 PW beam (F1 beam 400 mm diameter), one 1 PW beam (F2 beam 140 mm diameter) and two additional probe beams (F3 and F4) at a repetition rate of 1 shot per minute. The laser system is based on Ti-sapphire amplifiers pumped by frequency doubled solid-state lasers. The repetition rate of the high energy part will be 1 shot per minute. The main beam at the output of the last amplifier will be split and dispatched to two experimental areas. The main laser beam is delivering 30 J before compression at a repetition rate of 1 shot per minute and we are currently increasing to get 100J.
-
Isgrò, M; Bianchetti, L; Marini, M A; Bellini, A; Schmidt, M; Mattoli, S
2013-07-01
The C-C motif chemokine ligand 5 (CCL5), CCL11, and CCL24 are involved in the pathogenesis of asthma, and their function is mainly associated with the airway recruitment of eosinophils. This study tested their ability to induce the migration of circulating fibrocytes, which may contribute to the development of irreversible airflow obstruction in severe asthma. The sputum fluid phase (SFP) from patients with severe/treatment-refractory asthma (PwSA) contained elevated concentrations of CCL5, CCL11, and CCL24 in comparison with the SFP from patients with non-severe/treatment-responsive asthma (PwNSA). The circulating fibrocytes from PwSA expressed the receptors for these chemokines at increased levels and migrated in response to recombinant CCL5, CCL11, and CCL24. The SFP from PwSA induced the migration of autologous fibrocytes, and its activity was significantly attenuated by neutralization of endogenous CCL5, CCL11, and CCL24. These findings suggest that CCL5, CCL11, and CCL24 may contribute to the airway recruitment of fibrocytes in severe asthma.
-
Global Magnetic Variability at Planetary Wave Periods
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Forbes, J. M.; Behm, J.
2017-12-01
Planetary waves (PW) and PW-tide interactions are thought to introduce multi-day periodicities ( 2-20 days) in the electric fields and currents induced by the wind dynamo mechanism in the ionospheric E-region (ca. 100-150 km), and thus can provide important insights on coupling between the lower atmosphere and the ionosphere. Previous studies have used a relatively small subset of available data to infer the existence of these variations in ground magnetic measurements. In some cases connections were made with contemporaneous measurements of neutral wind dynamics. In the present work, we employ ground-based magnetometer data from over 100 stations from the INTERMAGNET network during 2009 to gain a global perspective on eastward- and westward-propagating and zonally-symmetric oscillations with PW periods. Our presentation describes how the unevenly-spaced global data are re-gridded onto an icosahedral grid prior to analysis, and assesses how gaps in the distribution of points across the grid affect extraction of some parts of the spectrum. Consideration is also given to possible contamination by recurrent magnetic activity at subharmonics of 27 days. The global evolution of several PW components during 2009 are depicted and interpreted.
-
Stringlike Pulse Quantification Study by Pulse Wave in 3D Pulse Mapping
Chung, Yu-Feng; Yeh, Cheng-Chang; Si, Xiao-Chen; Chang, Chien-Chen; Hu, Chung-Shing; Chu, Yu-Wen
2012-01-01
Abstract Background A stringlike pulse is highly related to hypertension, and many classification approaches have been proposed in which the differentiation pulse wave (dPW) can effectively classify the stringlike pulse indicating hypertension. Unfortunately, the dPW method cannot distinguish the spring stringlike pulse from the stringlike pulse so labeled by physicians in clinics. Design By using a Bi-Sensing Pulse Diagnosis Instrument (BSPDI), this study proposed a novel Plain Pulse Wave (PPW) to classify a stringlike pulse based on an array of pulse signals, mimicking a Traditional Chinese Medicine physician's finger-reading skill. Results In comparison to PPWs at different pulse taking positions, phase delay Δθand correlation coefficient r can be elucidated as the quantification parameters of stringlike pulse. As a result, the recognition rates of a hypertensive stringlike pulse, spring stringlike pulse, and non–stringlike pulse are 100%, 100%, 77% for PPW and 70%, 0%, 59% for dPW, respectively. Conclusions Integrating dPW and PPW can unify the classification of stringlike pulse including hypertensive stringlike pulse and spring stringlike pulse. Hence, the proposed novel method, PPW, enhances quantification of stringlike pulse. PMID:23057481
-
Resolution of the Band Gap Prediction Problem for Materials Design
Crowley, Jason M.; Tahir-Kheli, Jamil; Goddard, William A.
2016-03-04
An important property with any new material is the band gap. Standard density functional theory methods grossly underestimate band gaps. This is known as the band gap problem. Here in this paper, we show that the hybrid B3PW91 density functional returns band gaps with a mean absolute deviation (MAD) from experiment of 0.22 eV over 64 insulators with gaps spanning a factor of 500 from 0.014 to 7 eV. The MAD is 0.28 eV over 70 compounds with gaps up to 14.2 eV, with a mean error of -0.03 eV. To benchmark the quality of the hybrid method, we comparedmore » the hybrid method to the rigorous GW many-body perturbation theory method. Surprisingly, the MAD for B3PW91 is about 1.5 times smaller than the MAD for GW. Furthermore, B3PW91 is 3-4 orders of magnitude faster computationally. Hence, B3PW91 is a practical tool for predicting band gaps of materials before they are synthesized and represents a solution to the band gap prediction problem.« less
-
Development of new peat based growing media by addition of pruning waste and biochars
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Nieto, Aurora; Gascó, Gabriel; Paz-Ferreiro, Jorge; Plaza, César; Fernández, José Manuel; Méndez, Ana
2015-04-01
In the last years, several researches have been performed to find high quality and low cost substrates from different organic wastes in order to decrease peat consumption since the indiscriminate exploitation of peat lands is exhausting this non-renewable useful resource and destroying endangered wetland ecosystems worldwide. The use of organic wastes as soil amendments or possible peat substitute could be improved by pyrolysis treatment, leading to biochar, a carbon-rich material that has attached important attention. Our research group has been worked in the formulation of new based-growing media by peat substitution in 50 and 75 vol% of pruning waste (PW), commercial charcoal (CC), biochar from PW at 300°C (B300) and 500°C (B500). Growing media show adequate physicochemical and hydrophysical properties. Experiments performed with lettuce germination show that PW addition in a 75vol% reduces germination index probably due to their high content on phenolic compounds. Lettuce growing experiments were performed during 5 weeks and show that addition of PW and CC to peat decreases biomass production whereas; B300 and specially, B500 addition significantly increases the lettuce biomass.
-
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Faustino, C. N.; Ana, A. P.; Bachman, L.
2018-02-01
Peri-implantitis is a destructive inflammatory process that affects the tissues that provide support to the dental implant, the bone and gingiva, and can lead to the loss of the implant. Among the treatments of this disease, the irradiation of the contaminated surface with high intensity lasers is considered a promising alternative; Thus, irradiation parameters must be correctly adjusted in order to promote an efficient and safe treatment. This study investigated the temperature changes at the implant-bone interface during simulated implant surface decontamination using an 808nm diode laser. Dental implants were inserted in bovine bone, in which an artificial periimplant bone defect was made. Access holes of 0.5mm diameter were drilled to allow the positioning of four Ktype thermocouples in different regions: T0 Implant-bone interface, T1 inside the implant, T2 In the bone defect, T3 In the apex of the implant. For laser irradiation, an optical fiber was used at a distance of 0.5mm from the implant surface, and the mean output power varied between 0.5 to 3.0W on both pulsed (PW) and continuous (CW) wave modes. Irradiations were performed by 60s, and the temperature rises were registered for a period of 180s. It was observed that the critical threshold of 47ºC was exceeded at T0, T1 e T2 thermocouples when irradiations were performed at 1.0W; for T3 thermocouple, the threshold was exceeded at 3.0W CW mode. For PW mode, the thermocouples T0, T1, T2 had the threshold exceeded at the power of 1,0W and for T3 the threshold was exceeded at 3.0W. Decontamination of implant surfaces using the diode laser did not excessively heat the implant-bone interface within the mean output power ranging from 0.5 to 1.0W; however, the temperature rise is critical when using the mean power of 0.5W CW and 1.0W PW. Thus, using the PW mode up to the power of 1W seems to be a promising parameter for a safe clinical application.
-
The genetic basis of pectoralis major myopathies in modern broiler chicken lines.
Bailey, Richard A; Watson, Kellie A; Bilgili, S F; Avendano, Santiago
2015-12-01
This is the first report providing estimates of the genetic basis of breast muscle myopathies (BMM) and their relationship with growth and yield in broiler chickens. In addition, this paper addresses the hypothesis that genetic selection for increase breast yield has contributed to the onset of BMM. Data were analyzed from ongoing recording of BMM within the Aviagen breeding program. This study focused on three BMM: deep pectoral myopathy (DPM; binary trait), white striping (WS; 4 categories) and wooden breast (WB; 3 categories). Data from two purebred commercial broiler lines (A and B) were utilized providing greater than 40,000 meat quality records per line. The difference in selection history between these two lines has resulted in contrasting breast yield (BY): 29% for Line A and 21% for Line B. Data were analyzed to estimate genetic parameters using a multivariate animal model including six traits: body weight (BW), processing body weight (PW), BY, DPM, WB, and WS, in addition to the appropriate fixed effects and permanent environmental effect of the dam. Results indicate similar patterns of heritability and genetic correlations for the two lines. Heritabilities (h2) of BW, PW and BY ranged from 0.271-0.418; for DPM and WB h2<0.1; and for WS h2≤0.338. Genetic correlations between the BMM and BW, PW, or BY were ≤0.132 in Line A and ≤0.248 in Line B. This paper demonstrates the polygenic nature of these traits and the low genetic relationships with BW, PW, and BY, which facilitates genetic improvement across all traits in a balanced breeding program. It also highlights the importance of understanding the environmental and/or management factors that contribute greater than 65% of the variance in the incidence of white striping of breast muscle and more than 90% of the variance of the incidence of wooden breast and deep pectoral myopathy in broiler chickens. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Poultry Science Association.
-
Buru, Cassandra T.; Li, Peng; Mehdi, B. Layla; ...
2017-05-24
A Keggin-type polyoxometalate (H 3PW 12O 40) was incorporated into a mesoporous Zr-based MOF (NU-1000) via an impregnation method in aqueous media, resulting in the hybrid material, PW 12@NU-1000. The POM@MOF composite was characterized by a suite of physical methods, indicating the retention of crystallinity and high porosity of the parent MOF. The hybrid material was also stable to leaching in aqueous media at varying pH. Lastly, the material was tested as a heterogeneous catalyst for the oxidation of 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide using hydrogen peroxide as the oxidant. PW 12@NU-1000 was shown to have a higher catalytic activity than eithermore » of the individual constituents alone.« less
-
Fujishima-Hachiya, Asami; Inoue, Tomoko
2012-12-01
Although the detection rate for unruptured intracranial aneurysm (UIA) has improved since the 1990s, the quality of life and psychosocial status of patients living with UIA have been negatively affected. However, a comprehensive assessment tool for UIA patients is still awaited. This study aimed to develop and validate a disease-specific scale to assess UIA patients' psychosocial well-being in their daily lives. On the basis of previous qualitative research, 52 items on a six-dimension scale were generated. After a pilot study, statistical analysis was conducted to examine construct validity-including convergent validity, discriminant and known-group validity, and internal reliability. Between 2010 and 2011, 124 patients across three hospitals in Japan were tested using a tentative scale. As a result of exploratory factor analysis, we identified 25 items based on five conceptually derived dimensions (psychological stability, trust in healthcare resources, satisfaction with the decision-making process, positive perception of self-management, and confidence in UIA knowledge) as a final psychosocial well-being scale for UIA patients (UIA-PW scale). Cronbach's alpha coefficients for each subscale ranged between .76 and .90, with .83 for the total score, which indicated satisfactory internal consistency. The total score for the UIA-PW scale correlated significantly with the existing quality of life and mental health scales, but it is important to note that psychological stability and positive perception of self-management were negatively correlated. Although additional investigation is needed, the UIA-PW scale shows reasonable validity and reliability in assessing psychosocial well-being of patients living with UIA.
-
Preparation of H3PW12O40/MCM-48 and its photocatalytic degradation of pesticides.
Liu, Xia; Li, Yan-zhou; Gan, Qiang; Feng, Chang-gen
2014-08-01
A composite catalyst H3PW12O40/MCM-48 was prepared by loading photocatalyst phosphotungstic acid H3PW12O40 (HPW) to molecular sieve MCM-48 by impregnation method, and its structure was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra, small angle X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns, nitrogen adsorption analysis and High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) analysis. Photocatalytic degradation activities of HPW/MCM-48 against pesticides imidacloprid and paraquat were evaluated under UV radiation (365 nm). The results show that HPW/MCM-48 maintains the mesoprous molecular sieve structure of MCM-48 and the Keggin structure of HPW, while the BET surface area is 793.35 m2 x g(-1), pore volume is 1.46 cm3 x g(-1), average pore diameter is 2.76 nm, suggesting loading HPW on MCM-48 is a considerable way to improve its surface area. After 14 h UV irradiation (365 nm), 57.38% imidacloprid and 63.79% paraquat were degraded by 20 mg HPW/MCM-48 catalyst, while HPW and blank group degraded the two pesticides at the degradation rate of about 25% and 5%, respectively. Implying loading on MCM-48 could greaterly improve the degradation activity of HPW. The reslut of degradation kinetics show that, the degradation process of HPW/MCM-48 fits first order kinetics equation. The rate constant Ka of HPW/MCM-48 toward imidacloprid and paraquat are 0.089 h and 0.117 h, with the half-life t(1/2) of 7.8 h and 5.9 h, respectively.
-
Conformal ALON® and spinel windows
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Goldman, Lee M.; Smith, Mark; Ramisetty, Mohan; Jha, Santosh; Sastri, Suri
2017-05-01
The requirements for modern aircraft based reconnaissance systems are driving the need for conformal windows for future sensor systems. However, limitations on optical systems and the ability to produce windows in complex geometries currently limit the geometry of existing windows and window assemblies to faceted assemblies of flat windows. ALON consists primarily of aluminum and oxygen, similar to that of alumina, with a small amount of nitrogen added to help stabilize the cubic gamma-AlON phase. ALON's chemical similarity to alumina, translates into a robust manufacturing process. This ease of processing has allowed Surmet to produce ALON windows and domes in a wide variety of geometries and sizes. Spinel (MgAl2O4) contains equal molar amounts of MgO and Al2O3, and is a cubic material, that transmits further into the Infrared than ALON. Spinel is produced via powder processing techniques similar to those used to produce ALON. Surmet is now applying the lessons learned with ALON to produce conformal spinel windows and domes as well.
-
Remembering the Important Things: Semantic Importance in Stream Reasoning
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Yan, Rui; Greaves, Mark T.; Smith, William P.
Reasoning and querying over data streams rely on the abil- ity to deliver a sequence of stream snapshots to the processing algo- rithms. These snapshots are typically provided using windows as views into streams and associated window management strategies. Generally, the goal of any window management strategy is to preserve the most im- portant data in the current window and preferentially evict the rest, so that the retained data can continue to be exploited. A simple timestamp- based strategy is rst-in-rst-out (FIFO), in which items are replaced in strict order of arrival. All timestamp-based strategies implicitly assume that a temporalmore » ordering reliably re ects importance to the processing task at hand, and thus that window management using timestamps will maximize the ability of the processing algorithms to deliver accurate interpretations of the stream. In this work, we explore a general no- tion of semantic importance that can be used for window management for streams of RDF data using semantically-aware processing algorithms like deduction or semantic query. Semantic importance exploits the infor- mation carried in RDF and surrounding ontologies for ranking window data in terms of its likely contribution to the processing algorithms. We explore the general semantic categories of query contribution, prove- nance, and trustworthiness, as well as the contribution of domain-specic ontologies. We describe how these categories behave using several con- crete examples. Finally, we consider how a stream window management strategy based on semantic importance could improve overall processing performance, especially as available window sizes decrease.« less
-
Single-machine common/slack due window assignment problems with linear decreasing processing times
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Zhang, Xingong; Lin, Win-Chin; Wu, Wen-Hsiang; Wu, Chin-Chia
2017-08-01
This paper studies linear non-increasing processing times and the common/slack due window assignment problems on a single machine, where the actual processing time of a job is a linear non-increasing function of its starting time. The aim is to minimize the sum of the earliness cost, tardiness cost, due window location and due window size. Some optimality results are discussed for the common/slack due window assignment problems and two O(n log n) time algorithms are presented to solve the two problems. Finally, two examples are provided to illustrate the correctness of the corresponding algorithms.
-
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Panagiotakopoulos, Chris T.; Sarris, Menelaos E.
2013-01-01
The present study reports the basic characteristics of a game-like application entitled "Playing with Words-PwW". PwW is a single-user application where a word must be guessed given an anagram of that word. Anagrams are presented from a predefined word list and users can repeatedly try to guess the word, from which the anagram is…
-
75 FR 51659 - Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp. PW617F-E Turbofan Engines
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2010-08-23
... showed that the Fuel Filter Bypass Valve poppet in the Fuel Oil Heat Exchanger (FOHE) on that engine had... that the Fuel Filter Bypass Valve poppet in the FOHE on that engine had worn through the housing seat... an ASB No. PW600-72-A66021 that introduced a new fuel Filter Bypass Valve Assembly with an improved...
-
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2010-08-23
... showed that the Fuel Filter Bypass Valve poppet in the Fuel Oil Heat Exchanger (FOHE) on that engine had... a dormant failure that could result in an unsafe condition. The PW615F-A engine Fuel Filter Bypass... that the Fuel Filter Bypass Valve poppet in the Fuel Oil Heat Exchanger (FOHE) on that engine had worn...
-
75 FR 27489 - Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp. PW615F-A Turbofan Engines
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2010-05-17
.... Investigation showed that the Fuel Filter Bypass Valve poppet in the Fuel Oil Heat Exchanger (FOHE) on that...-A engine Fuel Filter Bypass Valve is very similar to that of PW617F-E, but so far there have been no... Fuel Filter Bypass Valve poppet in the FOHE on that engine had worn through the housing seat, allowing...
-
Sensing Molecular Adsorption Through Interfacial Electron Scattering in Atom-Scale Junctions
2005-10-15
Tulock, MA Shannon, JV Sweedler, PW Bohn: "Gateable nanofluidic interconnects for multilayered microfluidic separation systems" Anal. Chem. 75 (2003...1861-1867. (66) TC Kuo, DM Cannon, MA Shannon, PW Bohn, JV Sweedler: "Hybrid three- dimensional nanofluidic /microfluidic devices using molecular...boron doped ). The thin film electrodes were easily designed with lithographic techniques and allowed sealing of a PDMS microfluidic channel (Figure
-
Development of Engines for Unmanned Air Vehicles: Some Factors to be Considered
2003-01-01
discussions, Honeywell Engines & Systems , Phoenix, AZ, December 14, 2001 [8] Jane’s Aero- Engines , Issue 11, Bill Gunston, Ed., pp. 93–97 (PW300, PW500...Weight/Thrust Reduction Compared to Engine Development Cost—UCAVs................................................................. 24 11. System ... engines are not candidate propulsion systems . The majority of Department of Defense (DoD) efforts (Global Hawk, Air Force UCAV, and Navy UCAV) are
-
Collett, Johnny; Meaney, Andy; Howells, Ken; Dawes, Helen
2017-03-01
Purpose A better understanding of how people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) recover from exercise may help inform interventions. Methods We explored physiological and perceptual responses following exercise of different intensities, using a crossover exposure-response design, in 14 adults with multiple sclerosis (MS) and 9 controls. A cycling exercise test determined maximum capacity (Wpeak). Participants then performed 20-min exercise sessions relative to Wpeak (random order separated by 7 days): (1) 45% and (2) 60% continuous cycling and (3) 90% intermittent cycling (30 s cycling, 30 s rest). During a 45-min recovery period, tympanic temperature (Temp°C), exertion in breathing (RPEbr) and legs (RPEleg), and cortical excitability (MEParea) were measured. Results Eleven pwMS and eight controls completed the study. Controls performed better on the exercise test (p < 0.05), thus more absolute work during subsequent sessions. PwMS took longer to recover RPEleg with recovery time increasing with intensity (45%-6 min; 60%-15 min; 90%-35 min) and correlating with Temp°C. MEParea was significantly depressed in both groups at 45% and 60% (p < 0.001), in the MS group this also correlated with RPEleg. Conclusions Feelings of leg exertion may persist after exercise in some pwMS, especially at high intensities. This may relate to body temperature and, after continuous exercise, cortical excitability. These results support considering the recovery period post exercise and provide an insight into potential correlates of post-exercise fatigue. Implications for Rehabilitation A better understanding of how pwMS recover following exercise may help inform exercise prescription a long side fatigue management. This study showed that, in pwMS, the time taken to recover from feelings of leg fatigue increased with the intensity of the exercise session rather that total work performed and was related to increase in body temperature. The results of this relatively small study support the need to consider a recovery period after exercise and provide an insight into potential physiological correlates.
-
Monitoring gait in multiple sclerosis with novel wearable motion sensors.
Moon, Yaejin; McGinnis, Ryan S; Seagers, Kirsten; Motl, Robert W; Sheth, Nirav; Wright, John A; Ghaffari, Roozbeh; Sosnoff, Jacob J
2017-01-01
Mobility impairment is common in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) and there is a need to assess mobility in remote settings. Here, we apply a novel wireless, skin-mounted, and conformal inertial sensor (BioStampRC, MC10 Inc.) to examine gait characteristics of PwMS under controlled conditions. We determine the accuracy and precision of BioStampRC in measuring gait kinematics by comparing to contemporary research-grade measurement devices. A total of 45 PwMS, who presented with diverse walking impairment (Mild MS = 15, Moderate MS = 15, Severe MS = 15), and 15 healthy control subjects participated in the study. Participants completed a series of clinical walking tests. During the tests participants were instrumented with BioStampRC and MTx (Xsens, Inc.) sensors on their shanks, as well as an activity monitor GT3X (Actigraph, Inc.) on their non-dominant hip. Shank angular velocity was simultaneously measured with the inertial sensors. Step number and temporal gait parameters were calculated from the data recorded by each sensor. Visual inspection and the MTx served as the reference standards for computing the step number and temporal parameters, respectively. Accuracy (error) and precision (variance of error) was assessed based on absolute and relative metrics. Temporal parameters were compared across groups using ANOVA. Mean accuracy±precision for the BioStampRC was 2±2 steps error for step number, 6±9ms error for stride time and 6±7ms error for step time (0.6-2.6% relative error). Swing time had the least accuracy±precision (25±19ms error, 5±4% relative error) among the parameters. GT3X had the least accuracy±precision (8±14% relative error) in step number estimate among the devices. Both MTx and BioStampRC detected significantly distinct gait characteristics between PwMS with different disability levels (p<0.01). BioStampRC sensors accurately and precisely measure gait parameters in PwMS across diverse walking impairment levels and detected differences in gait characteristics by disability level in PwMS. This technology has the potential to provide granular monitoring of gait both inside and outside the clinic.
-
Ara, Jesmin; Lee, Sung Pyo; Jung, Jin Young
2018-01-01
Purpose This study was performed to evaluate antifatigue effect of hydrogen water (HW) drinking in chronic forced exercise mice model. Materials and Methods Twelve-week-old C57BL6 female mice were divided into nonstressed normal control (NC) group and stressed group: (purified water/PW-treated group and HW-treated group). Stressed groups were supplied with PW and HW, respectively, ad libitum and forced to swim for the stress induction every day for 4 consecutive weeks. Gross antifatigue effects of HW were assessed by swimming endurance capacity (once weekly for 4 wk), metabolic activities, and immune-redox activities. Metabolic activities such as blood glucose, lactate, glycogen, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) as well as immune-redox activities such as reactive oxygen species (ROS), nitric oxide (NO), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase, and the related cytokines were evaluated to elucidate underlying mechanism. Blood glucose and lactate were measured at 0 wk (before swimming) and 4 wk (after swimming). Results HW group showed a higher swimming endurance capacity (p < 0.001) than NC and PW groups. Positive metabolic effects in HW group were revealed by the significant reduction of blood glucose, lactate, and BUN in serum after 4 wk (p < 0.01, resp.), as well as the significant increase of liver glycogen (p < 0.001) and serum LDH (p < 0.05) than PW group. In parallel, redox balance was represented by lower NO in serum (p < 0.01) and increased level of GPx in both serum and liver (p < 0.05) than PW group. In line, the decreased levels of serum TNF-α (p < 0.01), IL-6, IL-17, and liver IL-1β (p < 0.05) in HW group revealed positive cytokine profile compared to PW and NC group. Conclusion This study shows antifatigue effects of HW drinking in chronic forced swimming mice via metabolic coordination and immune-redox balance. In that context, drinking HW could be applied to the alternative and safety fluid remedy for chronic fatigue control. PMID:29850492
-
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Feyzi, Mostafa, E-mail: Dalahoo2011@yahoo.com; Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Research Center; Nourozi, Leila
Graphical abstract: In this study, a series of magnetic CsH{sub 2}PW{sub 12}O{sub 40}/Fe–SiO{sub 2} nanocatalysts were prepared and tested for biodiesel production. The best operational conditions were CH3OH/oil = 12/1 at 60 °C with mechanical stirring, the biodiesel yield reaches to 81% in 4 h. Also notably, recovery of the catalyst can be achieved easily with the help of an external magnet with no need for expensive ultracentrifugation. - Highlights: • Effects of preparation conditions for biodiesel production were studied. • The CsH{sub 2}PW{sub 12}O{sub 40}/Fe–SiO{sub 2} catalyst is efficient catalyst for biodiesel production. • The reaction conditions were foundmore » methanol/oil = 12/1, T = 60 °C. - Abstract: The magnetic CsH{sub 2}PW{sub 12}O{sub 40}/Fe–SiO{sub 2} nanocatalysts were prepared via combination of sol–gel and impregnation methods. The effects of different H{sub 3}PW{sub 12}O{sub 40}/(Fe–SiO{sub 2}) weight percentage, loading of Cs as a promotor and calcination conditions on the catalytic performance has been studied. It was found that the catalyst with H{sub 3}PW{sub 12}O{sub 40}/Fe–SiO{sub 2} = 4 wt.% and Cs = 2 wt.% is an optimal catalyst for biodiesel production. The activity of optimal catalyst was studied in different operational conditions. The best operational conditions were CH{sub 3}OH/oil = 12/1 at 60 °C with mechanical stirring rate of 500 rpm and the biodiesel yield reaches to 81% in 4 h. Characterization of catalysts was carried out by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM), N{sub 2} adsorption–desorption measurements methods, Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC)« less
-
Delle Fave, Antonella; Bassi, Marta; Allegri, Beatrice; Cilia, Sabina; Falautano, Monica; Goretti, Benedetta; Grobberio, Monica; Minacapelli, Eleonora; Pattini, Marianna; Pietrolongo, Erika; Valsecchi, Manuela; Amato, Maria Pia; Lugaresi, Alessandra; Patti, Francesco
2017-01-01
The experience of persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) and their caregivers is usually investigated in terms of emotional distress and health-related quality of life, while well-being indicators remain largely underexplored. In addition, findings are often interpreted from the clinical perspective, neglecting socio-cultural aspects that may crucially contribute to individuals' functioning. At the methodological level, most studies rely on scaled instruments, not allowing participants to freely express their needs and resources. Based on the bio-psycho-social perspective endorsed by the International Classification of Functioning, well-being indicators were investigated among 62 persons with MS (PwMS), their 62 caregivers and two control groups, matched by age and gender. Participants completed the Positive Affect Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), and the Eudaimonic and Hedonic Happiness Investigation instrument (EHHI). EHHI provides information on participants' happiness, goals and meanings through scaled and open-ended questions, contextualized within major life domains. No relevant differences emerged among PwMS and caregivers, compared with the respective control groups, as concerns life domains associated with happiness, goals and meaning. Participants across groups prominently mentioned family, highlighting its intrinsic value and its relevance as a sharing context; health did not represent a major theme for PwMS; community, society and religion/spirituality issues were substantially neglected by all participants. PwMS and caregivers reported lower levels of positive affect than their control groups, while no substantial differences emerged for negative affect, happiness and meaningfulness levels in life and across most domains. Results suggest that the experience of MS is associated with well-being in relevant life domains, such as family and close relationships. Although PwMS and caregivers identified a lower number of goals and meaning-related opportunities compared to control groups, they showed a positive adjustment to disease through the development of personal and family resources. These assets are often undervalued by health professionals and social institutions, while they could be fruitfully exploited through the active involvement of PwMS and their families as expert and exemplary informants in initiatives aimed at promoting the well-being of individuals and communities.
-
Advanced photonic, electronic, and web engineering systems: WILGA Symposium, January 2013
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Romaniuk, Ryszard S.
2013-10-01
The cycle of WILGA Symposia [wilga.ise.pw.edu.pl] on Photonics and Web Engineering, Advanced Electronic Systems, under the auspices of SPIE, IEEE, KEiT PAN and WEiTI PW was initiated in 1998 by a Research Team PERG/ELHEP ISE PW. The WILGA conferences take place two times a year and the participants are young scientists from this country and abroad. This paper debates chosen topical tracks and some papers presented during the 31 WILGA Multi-Conference, which took place on 8-10 February 2013 at the Faculty of WEiTI PW. The January conference was attended by around 100 persons. Here we discuss closer the subjects of biomedical photonics, electronics and informatics, as well as chosen aspects of applications of advanced photonic, electronic circuits and systems. The 32 nd WILGA Symposium took place on 27 May - 02 June 2013 in WUT WILGA resort near Warsaw. These two editions of WILGA Conferences - January and May have generated more than 250 articles, from which around 100 were chosen by the Symposium and Conference Committees to be published in this volume of Proc.SPIE. WILGA Symposium papers are traditionally submitted via the WILGA web page [wilga.ise.pw.edu.pl] to the SPIE Proceedings publishing system [spie.org]. Email for the correspondence is: photonics@ise.pw.edu.pl. All Wilga papers are published in journals Elektronika, IJET-PAN and in Proc.SPIE. Topical tracks of the symposium usually embrace, among others, new technologies for photonics, sensory and nonlinear optical fibers, object oriented design of hardware, photonic metrology, optoelectronics and photonics applications, photonics-electronics co-design, optoelectronic and electronic systems for astronomy and high energy physics experiments, JET and pi-of-the sky experiments development. The symposium In its two editions a year is a summary of the development of numerable Ph.D. theses carried out in this country and this geographical region in the area of advanced electronic and photonic systems. It is also a great occasion for SPIE, IEEE, OSA and PSP members, young researchers and students to meet together in a large group spanning the whole country with guests from this part of Europe. A digest of chosen Wilga references is presented.
-
Delle Fave, Antonella; Bassi, Marta; Allegri, Beatrice; Cilia, Sabina; Falautano, Monica; Goretti, Benedetta; Grobberio, Monica; Minacapelli, Eleonora; Pattini, Marianna; Pietrolongo, Erika; Valsecchi, Manuela; Amato, Maria Pia; Lugaresi, Alessandra; Patti, Francesco
2017-01-01
The experience of persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) and their caregivers is usually investigated in terms of emotional distress and health-related quality of life, while well-being indicators remain largely underexplored. In addition, findings are often interpreted from the clinical perspective, neglecting socio-cultural aspects that may crucially contribute to individuals' functioning. At the methodological level, most studies rely on scaled instruments, not allowing participants to freely express their needs and resources. Based on the bio-psycho-social perspective endorsed by the International Classification of Functioning, well-being indicators were investigated among 62 persons with MS (PwMS), their 62 caregivers and two control groups, matched by age and gender. Participants completed the Positive Affect Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), and the Eudaimonic and Hedonic Happiness Investigation instrument (EHHI). EHHI provides information on participants' happiness, goals and meanings through scaled and open-ended questions, contextualized within major life domains. No relevant differences emerged among PwMS and caregivers, compared with the respective control groups, as concerns life domains associated with happiness, goals and meaning. Participants across groups prominently mentioned family, highlighting its intrinsic value and its relevance as a sharing context; health did not represent a major theme for PwMS; community, society and religion/spirituality issues were substantially neglected by all participants. PwMS and caregivers reported lower levels of positive affect than their control groups, while no substantial differences emerged for negative affect, happiness and meaningfulness levels in life and across most domains. Results suggest that the experience of MS is associated with well-being in relevant life domains, such as family and close relationships. Although PwMS and caregivers identified a lower number of goals and meaning-related opportunities compared to control groups, they showed a positive adjustment to disease through the development of personal and family resources. These assets are often undervalued by health professionals and social institutions, while they could be fruitfully exploited through the active involvement of PwMS and their families as expert and exemplary informants in initiatives aimed at promoting the well-being of individuals and communities PMID:29326635
-
Konda, Sanjit R; Howard, Daniel; Davidovitch, Roy I; Egol, Kenneth A
2013-09-01
To describe the use of the saline load test (SLT) using a new definition that more adequately characterizes its use in the emergency department (ED) setting. Retrospective review. Level I trauma center. Fifty consecutive patients who underwent an SLT of the knee in the ED and had a minimum of 14 days follow-up. Saline Load Test. Positive traumatic arthrotomy of the knee (+TAK) defined as operating room (OR) confirmation of an arthrotomy (assumed to develop a septic knee) or -SLT with follow-up revealing a septic knee. Periarticular wound equivalent to no traumatic arthrotomy of the knee [pw = (-TAK)] defined as OR evaluation revealing no arthrotomy (assumed not to develop a septic knee) or -SLT whose follow-up revealed no septic knee. Development of a septic knee was considered the gold standard for determining true positives/negatives and false positives/negatives. The mean wound size was 3.9 ± 4.3 cm and the mean saline load volume was 74.9 ± 28.2 cm. There were 19 +SLTs of which there were 16 +TAK and 3 pw = (-TAK). The 3 pw = (-TAK) in the +SLT group were evaluated in the OR where inspection of the joint capsule revealed the absence of a traumatic arthrotomy. There were 31 -SLTs of which there were 1 +TAK and 30 pw = (-TAK). The SLT has a sensitivity of 94% and a specificity of 91% for detecting +TAKs and ruling out periarticular wounds not requiring surgical intervention [pw = (-TAK)]. The false-positive rate of the SLT to detect +TAK is 9%. Using +TAK and pw = (-TAK) as the newly defined measures of the SLT, we report the sensitivity (94%) and specificity (91%) of the SLT in the ED setting while still maintaining the clinical relevancy of the test. Based on a small sample size, knees with small periarticular wounds and a -SLT and no other radiographic or clinical evidence of an arthrotomy appear to have an infection rate of 0% with nonoperative management. Diagnostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
-
Optimal Robust Matching of Engine Models to Test Data
2009-02-28
Monte Carlo process 19 Figure 7: Flowchart of SVD Calculations 22 Figure 8: Schematic Diagram of NPSS Engine Model Components 24 Figure 9: PW2037...System Simulation ( NPSS ). NPSS is an object-oriented modeling environment widely used throughout industry and the USAF. With NPSS , the engine is...34 modifiers are available for adjusting the component representations. The scripting language in NPSS allowed for easy implementation of each solution
-
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Nieh, T. G.; Waltz, Z. R.
The purpose of this Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) between LLNL and P&W is to develop advanced composites and their processing technologies, resulting in major improviements in the ductility and toughnes of high-strength, high-stiffness TiAl-base composite materials for commercial jet engines and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Defense Program applications.
-
ZWD time series analysis derived from NRT data processing. A regional study of PW in Greece.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Pikridas, Christos; Balidakis, Kyriakos; Katsougiannopoulos, Symeon
2015-04-01
ZWD (Zenith Wet/non-hydrostatic Delay) estimates are routinely derived Near Real Time from the new established Analysis Center in the Department of Geodesy and Surveying of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (DGS/AUT-AC), in the framework of E-GVAP (EUMETNET GNSS water vapour project) since October 2014. This process takes place on an hourly basis and yields, among else, station coordinates and tropospheric parameter estimates for a network of 90+ permanent GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) stations. These are distributed at the wider part of Hellenic region. In this study, temporal and spatial variability of ZWD estimates were examined, as well as their relation with coordinate series extracted from both float and fixed solution of the initial phase ambiguities. For this investigation, Bernese GNSS Software v5.2 was used for the acquisition of the 6 month dataset from the aforementioned network. For time series analysis we employed techniques such as the Generalized Lomb-Scargle periodogram and Burg's maximum entropy method due to inefficiencies of the Discrete Fourier Transform application in the test dataset. Through the analysis, interesting results for further geophysical interpretation were drawn. In addition, the spatial and temporal distributions of Precipitable Water vapour (PW) obtained from both ZWD estimates and ERA-Interim reanalysis grids were investigated.
-
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kim, Hyung Taek; Nakajima, Kazuhisa; Hojbota, Calin; Jeon, Jong Ho; Rhee, Yong-Joo; Lee, Kyung Hwan; Lee, Seong Ku; Sung, Jae Hee; Lee, Hwang Woon; Pathak, Vishwa B.; Pae, Ki Hong; Sebban, Stéphane; Tissandier, Fabien; Gautier, Julien; Ta Phuoc, Kim; Malka, Victor; Nam, Chang Hee
2017-05-01
Short-pulse x-ray/gamma-ray sources have become indispensable light sources for investigating material science, bio technology, and photo-nuclear physics. In past decades, rapid advancement of high intensity laser technology led extensive progresses in the field of radiation sources based on laser-plasma interactions - x-ray lasers, betatron radiation and Compton gamma-rays. Ever since the installation of a 100-TW laser in 2006, we have pursued the development of ultrashort x-ray/gamma-ray radiations, such as x-ray lasers, relativistic high-order harmonics, betatron radiation and all-optical Compton gamma-rays. With the construction of two PW Ti:Sapphire laser beamlines having peak powers of 1.0 PW and 1.5 PW in 2010 and 2012, respectively [1], we have investigated the generation of multi-GeV electron beams [2] and MeV betatron radiations. We plan to carry out the Compton backscattering to generate MeV gamma-rays from the interaction of a GeV electron beam and a PW laser beam. Here, we present the recent progress in the development of ultrashort x-ray/gamma-ray radiation sources based on laser plasma interactions and the plan for developing Compton gamma-ray sources driven by the PW lasers. In addition, we will present the applications of laser-plasma x-ray lasers to x-ray holography and coherent diffraction imaging. [references] 1. J. H. Sung, S. K. Lee, T. J. Yu, T. M. Jeong, and J. Lee, Opt. Lett. 35, 3021 (2010). 2. H. T. Kim, K. H. Pae, H. J. Cha, I J. Kim, T. J. Yu, J. H. Sung, S. K. Lee, T. M. Jeong, J. Lee, Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 165002 (2013).
-
Third phase formation in the extraction of phosphotungstic acid by TBP in n-octane.
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Antonio, M. R.; Chiarizia, R.; Jaffrennou, F.
2010-08-30
The solvent extraction of 12-phosphotungstic acid, also known as 12-tungstophosphoric acid-H{sub 3}PW{sub 12}O{sub 40}, the so-called Keggin heteropolyacid - by 0.73 M (20%v/v) tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP) in n-octane under conditions comparable to those used previously for the extraction of conventional inorganic mineral acids is described. A simplified phase diagram for the pentanary system comprised of H{sub 3}PW{sub 12}O{sub 40}, HNO{sub 3}, H{sub 2}O, TBP, and n-octane reveals an extremely low initial concentration of H{sub 3}PW{sub 12}O{sub 40} (1.1 mM) at the LOC (limiting organic concentration) condition, far lower than the most effective third-phase-forming inorganic acid, namely HClO{sub 4}. The resultsmore » from small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) indicate that the interparticle attraction energy - U(r) calculated through application of the Baxter sticky sphere model to the SANS data at the LOC condition - does not approach the -2 k{sub B} T value associated with phase splitting in previous studies of TBP third-phase formation. The third-phase formation model based on attractive interactions between polar cores of reverse micelles, successfully developed for TBP and other extraction systems does not apply to the extraction of H{sub 3}PW{sub 12}O{sub 40}. Rather, the separation of a third-phase from the TBP organic phase stems from the limited solubility of the heavy and highly polar H{sub 3}PW{sub 12}O{sub 40}-TBP species in the alkane diluent.« less
-
Mechanism of Scrapie Prion Precipitation with Phosphotungstate Anions
2015-01-01
The phosphotungstate anion (PTA) is widely used to facilitate the precipitation of disease-causing prion protein (PrPSc) from infected tissue for applications in structural studies and diagnostic approaches. However, the mechanism of this precipitation is not understood. In order to elucidate the nature of the PTA interaction with PrPSc under physiological conditions, solutions of PTA were characterized by NMR spectroscopy at varying pH. At neutral pH, the parent [PW12O40]3– ion decomposes to give a lacunary [PW11O39]7– (PW11) complex and a single orthotungstate anion [WO4]2– (WO4). To measure the efficacy of each component of PTA, increasing concentrations of PW11, WO4, and mixtures thereof were used to precipitate PrPSc from brain homogenates of scrapie prion-infected mice. The amount of PrPSc isolated, quantified by ELISA and immunoblotting, revealed that both PW11 and WO4 contribute to PrPSc precipitation. Incubation with sarkosyl, PTA, or individual components of PTA resulted in separation of higher-density PrP aggregates from the neuronal lipid monosialotetrahexosylganglioside (GM1), as observed by sucrose gradient centrifugation. These experiments revealed that yield and purity of PrPSc were greater with polyoxometalates (POMs), which substantially supported the separation of lipids from PrPSc in the samples. Interaction of POMs and sarkosyl with brain homogenates promoted the formation of fibrillar PrPSc aggregates prior to centrifugation, likely through the separation of lipids like GM1 from PrPSc. We propose that this separation of lipids from PrP is a major factor governing the facile precipitation of PrPSc by PTA from tissue and might be optimized further for the detection of prions. PMID:25695325
-
Biogeochemistry of Produced Water from Unconventional Wells in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Drogos, D. L.; Nye, C.; Quillinan, S.; Urynowicz, M. A.; Wawrousek, K.
2017-12-01
Microbial activity in waters associated with unconventional oil and gas reservoirs is poorly described but can profoundly affect management strategies for produced water (PW), frac fluids, and biocides. Improved identification of microbial communities is required to develop targeted solutions for detrimental microbial activity such as biofouling and to exploit favorable activity such as microbial induced gas production. We quantified the microbial communities and inorganic chemistry in PW samples from cretaceous formations in six unconventional oil and gas wells in the Powder River Basin in northeast Wyoming. The wells are horizontal completions in the Frontier, Niobrara, Shannon, and Turner formations at depths of 10,000 to 12,000 feet, with PW temperatures ranging from 93oF to 130oF. Biocides utilized in frac fluids primarily included glutaraldehyde and Alkyl Dimethyl Benzyl Ammonium Chloride (ADBAC), with first production occurring in 2013. Geochemical results for PW are: pH 6.5 to 6.9; alkalinity (as CaCO3) 219 to 519 ppm; salinity 13,200 to 22,300 ppm; and TDS 39,364 to 62,725 ppm. Illumina MiSeq 16S rRNA sequencing identified the majority of communities in PW are related to anaerobic, thermophilic, halophilic, chemoheterotrophic, and chemoorganotrophic bacteria, including Thermotoga, Clostridiaceae, Thermoanaerobacter, Petrotoga, Anaerobaculum, Clostridiales, Desulfomicrobium, and Halanaerobiaceae. These findings are important for identification of biogeochemical reactions that affect the organic-inorganic-microbial interactions among reservoir rocks, formation waters, and frac fluids. Better understanding of these biogeochemical reactions would allow producers to formulate frac fluids and biocides to encourage beneficial microbial phenomena such as biogenic gas production while discouraging detrimental effects such as biofouling.
-
Multi-Generational Drinking of Bottled Low Mineral Water Impairs Bone Quality in Female Rats
Zeng, Hui; Wang, Lingqiao; Wang, Dahua; Luo, Jiaohua; Zhang, Liang; Huang, Yujing; Chen, Ji-an; Shu, Weiqun
2015-01-01
Background Because of reproductions and hormone changes, females are more sensitive to bone mineral loss during their lifetime. Bottled water has become more popular in recent years, and a large number of products are low mineral water. However, research on the effects of drinking bottled low mineral water on bone health is sparse. Objective To elucidate the skeletal effects of multi-generational bottled water drinking in female rats. Methods Rats continuously drank tap water (TW), bottled natural water (bNW), bottled mineralized water (bMW), or bottled purified water (bPW) for three generations. Results The maximum deflection, elastic deflection, and ultimate strain of the femoral diaphysis in the bNW, bMW, and bPW groups and the fracture strain in the bNW and bMW groups were significantly decreased. The tibiae calcium levels in both the bNW and bPW groups were significantly lower than that in the TW group. The tibiae and teeth magnesium levels in both the bNW and bPW groups were significantly lower than those in the TW group. The collagen turnover markers PICP (in both bNW and bPW groups) were significantly lower than that in the TW group. In all three low mineral water groups, the 1,25-dihydroxy-vitamin D levels were significantly lower than those in the TW group. Conclusion Long-term drinking of low mineral water may disturb bone metabolism and biochemical properties and therefore weaken biomechanical bone properties in females. Drinking tap water, which contains adequate minerals, was found to be better for bone health. To our knowledge, this is the first report on drinking bottled low mineral water and female bone quality on three generation model. PMID:25803851
-
Fling, Brett W.; Dutta, Geetanjali Gera; Schlueter, Heather; Cameron, Michelle H.; Horak, Fay B.
2014-01-01
Mobility and balance impairments are a hallmark of multiple sclerosis (MS), affecting nearly half of patients at presentation and resulting in decreased activity and participation, falls, injuries, and reduced quality of life. A growing body of work suggests that balance impairments in people with mild MS are primarily the result of deficits in proprioception, the ability to determine body position in space in the absence of vision. A better understanding of the pathophysiology of balance disturbances in MS is needed to develop evidence-based rehabilitation approaches. The purpose of the current study was to (1) map the cortical proprioceptive pathway in vivo using diffusion-weighted imaging and (2) assess associations between proprioceptive pathway white matter microstructural integrity and performance on clinical and behavioral balance tasks. We hypothesized that people with MS (PwMS) would have reduced integrity of cerebral proprioceptive pathways, and that reduced white matter microstructure within these tracts would be strongly related to proprioceptive-based balance deficits. We found poorer balance control on proprioceptive-based tasks and reduced white matter microstructural integrity of the cortical proprioceptive tracts in PwMS compared with age-matched healthy controls (HC). Microstructural integrity of this pathway in the right hemisphere was also strongly associated with proprioceptive-based balance control in PwMS and controls. Conversely, while white matter integrity of the right hemisphere’s proprioceptive pathway was significantly correlated with overall balance performance in HC, there was no such relationship in PwMS. These results augment existing literature suggesting that balance control in PwMS may become more dependent upon (1) cerebellar-regulated proprioceptive control, (2) the vestibular system, and/or (3) the visual system. PMID:25368564
-
Marchetti, Pablo E; Shikanov, Sergey; Razmaria, Aria A; Zagaja, Gregory P; Shalhav, Arieh L
2011-03-01
To evaluate the impact of prostate weight (PW) on probability of positive surgical margin (PSM) in patients undergoing robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) for low-risk prostate cancer. The cohort consisted of 690 men with low-risk prostate cancer (clinical stage T1c, prostate-specific antigen <10 ng/mL, biopsy Gleason score ≤6) who underwent RARP with bilateral nerve-sparing at our institution by 1 of 2 surgeons from 2003 to 2009. PW was obtained from the pathologic specimen. The association between probability of PSM and PW was assessed with univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. A PSM was identified in 105 patients (15.2%). Patients with PSM had significant higher prostate-specific antigen (P = .04), smaller prostates (P = .0001), higher Gleason score (P = .004), and higher pathologic stage (P < .0001). After logistic regression, we found a significant inverse relation between PSM and PW (OR 0.97%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.96, 0.99; P = .0003) in univariate analysis. This remained significant in the multivariate model (OR 0.98%; 95% CI 0.96, 0.99; P = .006) adjusting for age, body mass index, surgeon experience, pathologic Gleason score, and pathologic stage. In this multivariate model, the predicted probability of PSM for 25-, 50-, 100-, and 150-g prostates were 22% (95% CI 16%, 30%), 13% (95% CI 11%, 16%), 5% (95% CI 1%, 8%), and 1% (95% CI 0%, 3%), respectively. Lower PW is independently associated with higher probability of PSM in low-risk patients undergoing RARP with bilateral nerve-sparing. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
-
Boyer, P E; D'Costa, S; Edwards, L L; Milloway, M; Susick, E; Borst, L B; Thakur, S; Campbell, J M; Crenshaw, J D; Polo, J; Moeser, A J
2015-03-14
Increasing evidence supports the concept that early-life environmental influences, including nutrition and stress, have an impact on long-term health outcomes and disease susceptibility. The objective of the present study was to determine whether dietary spray-dried plasma (SDP), fed during the first 2 weeks post-weaning (PW), influences subsequent immunological and intestinal injury responses to Salmonella typhimurium challenge. A total of thirty-two piglets (age 16-17 d) were weaned onto nursery diets containing 0, 2·5 % SDP (fed for 7 d PW) or 5 % SDP (fed for 14 d PW), and were then fed control diets (without SDP), for the remainder of the experiment. At 34 d PW (age 50 d), pigs were challenged with 3 × 10⁹ colony-forming units of S. typhimurium. A control group (non-challenged) that was fed 0 % SDP in the nursery was included. At 2 d post-challenge, the distal ileum was harvested for the measurement of inflammatory, histological and intestinal physiological parameters. S. typhimurium challenge induced elevated ileal histological scores, myeloperoxidase (MPO), IL-8 and TNF, and increased intestinal permeability (indicated by reduced transepithelial voltage (potential difference) and elevated 4 kDa fluorescein isothiocyanate dextran (FD4) flux rates). Compared with S. typhimurium-challenged controls (0 % SDP), pigs fed the 5 % SDP-14 d diet exhibited reduced ileal histological scores, MPO levels, IL-8 levels and FD4 flux rates. Pigs fed the 5 % SDP-14 d nursery diet exhibited increased levels of plasma and ileal TNF-α in response to the challenge, compared with the other treatments. These results indicate that inclusion of SDP in PW diets can have an influence on subsequent immunological and intestinal injury responses induced by later-life S. typhimurium challenge.
-
Desirability and expectations of the UK MS Register: views of people with MS.
Osborne, Lisa A; Middleton, Rodden M; Jones, Kerina H; Ford, David V; Noble, J Gareth
2013-11-01
Internet-based health registers are increasingly commonly used for health promotion and medical research, yet little is known about what the patient groups who help form the basis of such registers expect from these tools. Mismatches between patient expectations and the register design may limit the long-term utility of such registers. This study elicited the views of people with Multiple Sclerosis (PwMS) on the desirability and expectations regarding a UK Register for MS. Participants were recruited through a range of traditional means (newsletters, adverts, word of mouth), as well as via the Internet, to obtain a broad sample of PwMS. Semi-structured interviews were conducted over the telephone, and the questions asked about: the desirability of the Register; what the participants envisaged the Register actually being used for; and what they hoped the Register could be used for. The majority of individuals' points postulated that a UK MS Register would be useful, but a range of potential concerns were identified by the sample, such as security, accessibility for all PwMS, and the validity of self-report data. Analysis of the responses revealed a difference between what PwMS thought the Register would be used for, and how they wanted it to be used, particularly in relation to a desired social contact, exchange, and networking function. The security and accessibility of the website, the validity of the data, and mismatches between the expected and actual uses, are all issues of importance in the development of e-health tools, if PwMS are to be successfully engaged over time. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
-
Situation Model for Situation-Aware Assistance of Dementia Patients in Outdoor Mobility
Yordanova, Kristina; Koldrack, Philipp; Heine, Christina; Henkel, Ron; Martin, Mike; Teipel, Stefan; Kirste, Thomas
2017-01-01
Background: Dementia impairs spatial orientation and route planning, thus often affecting the patient’s ability to move outdoors and maintain social activities. Situation-aware deliberative assistive technology devices (ATD) can substitute impaired cognitive function in order to maintain one’s level of social activity. To build such a system, one needs domain knowledge about the patient’s situation and needs. We call this collection of knowledge situation model. Objective: To construct a situation model for the outdoor mobility of people with dementia (PwD). The model serves two purposes: 1) as a knowledge base from which to build an ATD describing the mobility of PwD; and 2) as a codebook for the annotation of the recorded behavior. Methods: We perform systematic knowledge elicitation to obtain the relevant knowledge. The OBO Edit tool is used for implementing and validating the situation model. The model is evaluated by using it as a codebook for annotating the behavior of PwD during a mobility study and interrater agreement is computed. In addition, clinical experts perform manual evaluation and curation of the model. Results: The situation model consists of 101 concepts with 11 relation types between them. The results from the annotation showed substantial overlapping between two annotators (Cohen’s kappa of 0.61). Conclusion: The situation model is a first attempt to systematically collect and organize information related to the outdoor mobility of PwD for the purposes of situation-aware assistance. The model is the base for building an ATD able to provide situation-aware assistance and to potentially improve the quality of life of PwD. PMID:29060937
-
Kalron, Alon
2016-02-01
There is a general consensus relating to the multidimensional aspects of fatigue in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS), however, the exact impact of this symptom on gait is not fully understood. Our primary aim was to examine the relationship between definite parameters of gait with self-reported symptomatic fatigue in PwMS according to their level of neurological impairment. Spatio-temporal parameters of gait were studied using an electronic walkway. The Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale (MSWS-12) questionnaire, a patient-rated measure of walking ability was collected. The Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS) questionnaire was used to determine the level of symptomatic fatigue. One hundred and one PwMS (61 women) were included in the study analysis. Subjects were divided into mild and moderate neurological impaired groups. Fatigue was correlated with 5 (out of 14) spatiotemporal parameters. However, correlation scores were all <0.35, thus considered as weak correlations. In the mild group, the double support period was the only variable positively correlated to fatigue (Spearman's rho=0.28, P=0.05). In the moderate group, step and stride length were solely negatively correlated to fatigue (Spearman's rho=0.32, P=0.03). In contrast to the definite gait parameters, the MSWS-12 self-questionnaire was moderately positively correlated to the level of fatigue. Scores for the total, mild and moderate groups were 0.54, 0.57 and 0.51; P<0.01, respectively. The present results indicate that modifications in spatio-temporal parameters of gait are not closely related to symptomatic fatigue in PwMS. On the contrary, the self-reported MSWS-12 questionnaire is predisposed to level of fatigue in PwMS. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
-
Neural correlates of gait variability in people with multiple sclerosis with fall history.
Kalron, Alon; Allali, Gilles; Achiron, Anat
2018-05-28
Investigate the association between step time variability and related brain structures in accordance with fall status in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). The study included 225 PwMS. A whole-brain MRI was performed by a high-resolution 3.0-Telsa MR scanner in addition to volumetric analysis based on 3D T1-weighted images using the FreeSurfer image analysis suite. Step time variability was measured by an electronic walkway. Participants were defined as "fallers" (at least two falls during the previous year) and "non-fallers". One hundred and five PwMS were defined as fallers and had a greater step time variability compared to non-fallers (5.6% (S.D.=3.4) vs. 3.4% (S.D.=1.5); p=0.001). MS fallers exhibited a reduced volume in the left caudate and both cerebellum hemispheres compared to non-fallers. By using a linear regression analysis no association was found between gait variability and related brain structures in the total cohort and non-fallers group. However, the analysis found an association between the left hippocampus and left putamen volumes with step time variability in the faller group; p=0.031, 0.048, respectively, controlling for total cranial volume, walking speed, disability, age and gender. Nevertheless, according to the hierarchical regression model, the contribution of these brain measures to predict gait variability was relatively small compared to walking speed. An association between low left hippocampal, putamen volumes and step time variability was found in PwMS with a history of falls, suggesting brain structural characteristics may be related to falls and increased gait variability in PwMS. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
-
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Koval, Andrey V.; Gavrilov, Nikolai M.; Pogoreltsev, Alexander I.; Savenkova, Elena N.
2018-06-01
The dynamical coupling of the lower and upper atmosphere by planetary waves (PWs) is studied. Numerical simulations of planetary wave (PW) amplitudes during composite sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) events in January-February are made using a model of general circulation of the middle and upper atmosphere with initial and boundary conditions typical for the westerly and easterly phases of quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO). The changes in PW amplitudes in the middle atmosphere before, during and after SSW event for the different QBO phases are considered. Near the North Pole, the increase in the mean temperature during SSW reaches 10-30 K at altitudes 30-50 km for four pairs of the model runs with the eQBO and wQBO, which is characteristic for the sudden stratospheric warming event. Amplitudes of stationary PWs in the middle atmosphere of the Northern hemisphere may differ up to 30% during wQBO and eQBO before and during the SSW. After the SSW event SPW amplitudes are substantially larger during wQBO phase. PW refractivity indices and Eliassen-Palm flux vectors are calculated. The largest EP-fluxes in the middle atmosphere correspond to PWs with zonal wavenumber m=1. Simulated changes in PW amplitudes correspond to inhomogeneities of the global circulation, refractivity index and EP-flux produced by the changes in QBO phases. Comparisons of differences in PW characteristics and circulation between the wQBO and eQBO show that PWs could provide effective coupling mechanism and transport dynamical changes from local regions of the lower atmosphere to distant regions of the upper atmosphere of both hemispheres.
-
Kajisa, Takuya; Yamaguchi, Takuji; Hu, Ailing; Suetake, Nobuhiro; Kobayashi, Hiroyuki
2017-09-01
To examine the effect of hydrogen water (HW) on the severity of atopic dermatitis (AD) and elucidate the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms. For this experimental study between March 2015 and December 2015, NC/Nga mice characterized by mild AD severity were given either HW (n=11) or purified water (PW) (n=9) ad libitum; specific-pathogen-free mice (n=9) were used as AD-free control. Atopic dermatitis severity score and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) were examined at baseline (0 week), and after 4 weeks of HW/PW treatment. Levels of serum thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC) and cytokines in the AD lesion were measured by ELISA; and mRNA expression of TARC and aquaporin (AQP-3) genes in the skin was examined by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: Mice treated with HW for 4 weeks demonstrated a significant decrease in the AD severity score compared with PW-treated mice (p less than 0.01). Hydrogen water administration also significantly reduced TEWL and serum TARC levels (p less than 0.01), infiltration of mast cells (p less than 0.05), and secretion of the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-33 (p less than 0.05) in skin lesions compared with PW. However, no difference was observed between PW and HW groups in interferon-γ secretion and expression of AQP-3 and TARC genes. Conclusion: Hydrogen water suppressed inflammation in AD mice, leading to amelioration of disease severity, which suggests the therapeutic potential of HW in AD treatment.
-
Gilmore-Bykovskyi, Andrea L; Roberts, Tonya J; King, Barbara J; Kennelty, Korey A; Kind, Amy J H
2017-10-01
To describe skilled nursing facility (SNF) nurses' perspectives on the experiences and needs of persons with dementia (PwD) during hospital-to-SNF transitions and to identify factors related to the quality of these transitions. Grounded dimensional analysis study using individual and focus group interviews with nurses (N = 40) from 11 SNFs. Hospital-to-SNF transitions were largely described as distressing for PwD and their caregivers and dominated by dementia-related behavioral symptoms that were perceived as being purposely under-communicated by hospital personnel in discharge communications. SNF nurses described PwD as having unique transitional care needs, which primarily involved needing additional discharge preplanning to enable preparation of a tailored behavioral/social care plan and physical environment prior to transfer. SNF nurses identified inaccurate/limited hospital discharge communication regarding behavioral symptoms, short discharge timeframes, and limited nursing control over SNF admission decisions as factors that contributed to poorer-quality transitions producing increased risk for resident harm, rehospitalization, and negative resident/caregiver experiences. Engaged caregivers throughout the transition and the presence of high-quality discharge communication were identified as factors that improved the quality of transitions for PwD. Findings from this study provide important insight into factors that may influence transitional care quality during this highly vulnerable transition. Additional research is needed to explore the association between these factors and transitional care outcomes such as rehospitalization and caregiver stress. Future work should also explore strategies to improve inter-setting communication and care coordination for PwD exhibiting challenging behavioral symptoms. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Gerontological Society of America 2016.
-
Biodegradation in seawater of PAH and alkylphenols from produced water of a North Sea platform.
Lofthus, Synnøve; Almås, Inger K; Evans, Peter; Pelz, Oliver; Brakstad, Odd Gunnar
2018-09-01
Operational planned discharges of produced water (PW) to the marine environment from offshore oil production installations, contain low concentrations of dispersed oil compounds, like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and alkylated phenols (APs). Biotransformation in natural seawater (SW) of naphthalenes/PAHs and phenol/APs in field-collected PW from a North Sea platform was investigated in this biodegradation study. The PW was diluted in SW from a Norwegian fjord, and the biodegradation study was performed in slowly rotating carousels at 13 °C over a period of 62 days. Naphthalenes/PAHs and phenol/APs biotransformation was determined by first-order rate kinetics, after normalization against the recalcitrant biomarker 17α(H),21β(H)-Hopane. The results from this study showed total biotransformation half-lives ranging from 10 to 19 days for groups of naphthalenes and PAHs, while half-lives for APs (C0- to C9-alkylated) were 10-14 days. Biotransformation half-lives of single compounds ranged from 8 to >100 days for naphthalenes and PAHs (median 16 days), and from 5 to 70 days (median 15 days) for phenols and APs. Four of the tested PAHs (chrysene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, benzo(e)pyrene, benzo(g,h,i)perylene) and one AP (4-tert-butylphenol) showed biotransformation half-lives >50 days. This is one of a few studies that has investigated the potential for biodegradation of PW in natural SW. Methods and data from this study may be used as a part of Risk Based Approaches (RBA) for assessments of environmental fate of PW released to the marine environment and as part of the persistence related to risk. Crown Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
-
Ho, Kimberly K; Abrams-Ogg, Anthony C G; Wood, R Darren; O'Sullivan, M Lynne; Kirby, Gordon M; Blois, Shauna L
2015-05-01
The objectives of this study were to establish feline references intervals for 3 commercial whole blood platelet function test analyzer systems: Multiplate analyzer (MP; Roche Diagnostics International Ltd., Rotkreuz, Switzerland), Platelet Function Analyzer-100 (PF: Siemens Canada, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada), and Plateletworks Combo-25 kit (PW; Helena Laboratories, Beaumont, TX). Venipuncture was performed on 55 healthy sedated cats, and platelet aggregation in response to adenosine diphosphate (ADP), collagen (COL), and arachidonic acid (AA; MP only) was assessed using citrated blood. For the MP analyzer, median (95% confidence intervals [CIs]) area under curve (Units) for ADP, COL, and AA agonists were 87 (11-176), 81 (32-129), and 91 (59-129), respectively. For the PF analyzer, median (95% CIs) closure time, using COL-ADP cartridges, was 69 (46-89) sec. For the PW assay, median (95% CIs) percent aggregations for ADP and COL agonists were 71 (18-92) and 49 (9-96), respectively, using impedance hematology analyzer platelet counts, and 94 (25-98) and 68 (14-119), respectively, using flow cytometry hematology analyzer platelet counts. There were low correlations between the PF analyzer (COL-ADP cartridge) and MP analyzer (COL agonist; ρ = 0.11), and between the PF analyzer (COL-ADP cartridge) and PW assay (COL agonist using impedance platelet counts; ρ = 0.14). The PW assay percent aggregations using impedance and flow cytometric platelet counts were correlated for both ADP (ρ = 0.64) and COL (ρ = 0.64) agonists. Platelet function testing using these tests are feasible in cats, but 95% CIs are wide, so single results may be difficult to interpret. Platelet counting by impedance or flow cytometry may be used for the PW assay but are not interchangeable. © 2015 The Author(s).
-
Holsheimer, Jan; Buitenweg, Jan R; Das, John; de Sutter, Paul; Manola, Ljubomir; Nuttin, Bart
2011-05-01
In spinal cord stimulation for the management of chronic, intractable pain, a satisfactory analgesic effect can be obtained only when the stimulation-induced paresthesias cover all painful body areas completely or partially. To investigate the effect of stimulus pulse width (PW) and contact configuration (CC) on the area of paresthesia (PA), perception threshold (VPT), discomfort threshold (VDT), and usage range (UR) in spinal cord stimulation. Chronic pain patients were tested during a follow-up visit. They were stimulated monopolarly and with the CC giving each patient the best analgesia. VPT, VDT, and UR were determined for PWs of 90, 210, and 450 microseconds. The paresthesia contours at VDT were drawn on a body map and digitized; PA was calculated; and its anatomic composition was described. The effects of PW and CC on PA, VPT, VDT, and UR were tested statistically. Twenty-four of 31 tests with low thoracic stimulation and 8 of 9 tests with cervical stimulation gave a significant extension of PA at increasing PW. In 14 of 18 tests (low thoracic), a caudal extension was obtained (primarily in L5-S2). In cervical stimulation the extension was predominantly caudal as well. In contrast to VPT and VDT, UR is not significantly different when stimulating with any CC. PA extends caudally with increasing PW. The mechanism includes that the larger and smaller dorsal column fibers have a different mediolateral distribution and that smaller dorsal column fibers have a smaller UR and can be activated only when PW is sufficiently large. A similar effect of CC on PA is unlikely as long as electrodes with a large intercontact distance are applied.
-
Fling, Brett W; Dutta, Geetanjali Gera; Schlueter, Heather; Cameron, Michelle H; Horak, Fay B
2014-01-01
Mobility and balance impairments are a hallmark of multiple sclerosis (MS), affecting nearly half of patients at presentation and resulting in decreased activity and participation, falls, injuries, and reduced quality of life. A growing body of work suggests that balance impairments in people with mild MS are primarily the result of deficits in proprioception, the ability to determine body position in space in the absence of vision. A better understanding of the pathophysiology of balance disturbances in MS is needed to develop evidence-based rehabilitation approaches. The purpose of the current study was to (1) map the cortical proprioceptive pathway in vivo using diffusion-weighted imaging and (2) assess associations between proprioceptive pathway white matter microstructural integrity and performance on clinical and behavioral balance tasks. We hypothesized that people with MS (PwMS) would have reduced integrity of cerebral proprioceptive pathways, and that reduced white matter microstructure within these tracts would be strongly related to proprioceptive-based balance deficits. We found poorer balance control on proprioceptive-based tasks and reduced white matter microstructural integrity of the cortical proprioceptive tracts in PwMS compared with age-matched healthy controls (HC). Microstructural integrity of this pathway in the right hemisphere was also strongly associated with proprioceptive-based balance control in PwMS and controls. Conversely, while white matter integrity of the right hemisphere's proprioceptive pathway was significantly correlated with overall balance performance in HC, there was no such relationship in PwMS. These results augment existing literature suggesting that balance control in PwMS may become more dependent upon (1) cerebellar-regulated proprioceptive control, (2) the vestibular system, and/or (3) the visual system.
-
Pendergrass, Anna; Weiß, Saskia; Gräßel, Elmar
2018-04-19
Since 15 years, the Alzheimer 's Telephone of the German Alzheimer Society (Deutsche Alzheimer Gesellschaft e.V.; DAlzG), a nationwide psychosocial counseling service, has been offering support for people with dementia (PwD) and their families. The aim of this study was to evaluate: a) why informal PwD caregivers seek telephone counseling, b) whether these telephone calls are one-time counseling or long-term support, and c) whether the telephone inquiries differ from the email-based inquiries with regard to the addressed issues. The data are based on the inquiries of 3,744 informal caregivers, which consulted the DAlzG in 2015. Sociodemographic data on the informal caregivers and the PwD, the characteristics of the telephone call, and the topics addressed in the email inquiries were collected. 70.3% of the callers were female. Most of them (59.9%) were the children (in-law) of and half of them (49.7%) lived with PwD. More than two-thirds of the callers (70%) were seeking help in dealing with the person with dementia (e. g. challenging behavior) and 36.5% of the relatives needed recommendations for further local help and assistance. In the third place, the calls were related to financial and legal topics (23.5%). 92.2% of the calls were one-time consultations. The addressed issues in the email inquiries did not significantly differ from the topics discussed over the telephone. On many topics there is a need for further "on site" consultation. Doctors and other health professionals should therefore be actively involved in counseling relatives of PwD. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.
-
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2010-03-12
... impact of eliminating the correction window from the electronic grant application submission process on... process a temporary error correction window to ensure a smooth and successful transition for applicants. This window provides applicants a period of time beyond the grant application due date to correct any...
-
Tomiello, Sara; Schöbi, Dario; Weber, Lilian; Haker, Helene; Sandra, Iglesias; Stephan, Klaas Enno
2018-01-01
Abstract Background Action optimisation relies on learning about past decisions and on accumulated knowledge about the stability of the environment. In Bayesian models of learning, belief updating is informed by multiple, hierarchically related, precision-weighted prediction errors (pwPEs). Recent work suggests that hierarchically different pwPEs may be encoded by specific neurotransmitters such as dopamine (DA) and acetylcholine (ACh). Abnormal dopaminergic and cholinergic modulation of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors plays a central role in the dysconnection hypothesis, which considers impaired synaptic plasticity a central mechanisms in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Methods To probe the dichotomy between DA and ACh and to investigate timing parameters of pwPEs, we tested 74 healthy male volunteers performing a probabilistic reward associative learning task in which the contingency between cues and rewards changed over 160 trials between 0.8 and 0.2. Furthermore, the current study employed pharmacological interventions (amisulpride / biperiden / placebo) and genetic analyses (COMT and ChAT) to probe DA and ACh modulation of these computational quantities. The study was double-blind and between-subject. We inferred, from subject-specific behavioural data, a low-level choice PE about the reward outcome, a high-level PE about the probability of the outcome as well as the respective precision-weights (uncertainties) and used them, in a trial-by-trial analysis, to explain electroencephalogram (EEG) signals (64 channels). Behavioural data was modelled implementing three versions of the Hierarchical Gaussian Filter (HGF), a Rescorla-Wagner model, and a Sutton model with a dynamic learning rate. The computational trajectories of the winning model were used as regressors in single-subject trial-by-trial GLM analyses at the sensor level. The resulting parameter estimates were entered into 2nd-level ANOVAs. The reported results were family-wise error corrected at the peak-level (p<0.05) across the whole brain and time window (outcome phase: 0 - 500ms). Results A three-level HGF best explained the data and was used to compute the computational regressors for EEG analyses. We found a significant interaction between pharmacology and COMT for the high-level precision-weight (uncertainty). Specifically: - At 276 ms after outcome presentation the difference between Met/Met and Val/Met was more positive for amisulpride than for biperiden over occipital electrodes. - At 274ms and 278 ms after outcome presentation the difference between Met/Met and Val/Met was more negative over fronto-temporal electrodes for amisulpride than for placebo, and for amisulpride than for biperiden, respectively. No significant results were detected for the other computational quantities or for the ChAT gene. Discussion The differential effects of pharmacology on the processing of high-level precision-weight (uncertainty) were modulated by the DA-related gene COMT. Previous results linked high-level PEs to the cholinergic basal forebrain. One possible explanation for the current results is that high-level computational quantities are represented in cholinergic regions, which in turn are influenced by dopaminergic projections. In order to disentangle dopaminergic and cholinergic effects on synaptic plasticity further analyses will concentrate on biophysical models (e.g. DCM). This may prove useful in detecting pathophysiological subgroups and might therefore be of high relevance in a clinical setting.
-
Tsuo, S.; Langford, A.A.
1989-03-28
Unwanted build-up of the film deposited on the transparent light-transmitting window of a photochemical vacuum deposition (photo-CVD) chamber is eliminated by flowing an etchant into the part of the photolysis region in the chamber immediately adjacent the window and remote from the substrate and from the process gas inlet. The respective flows of the etchant and the process gas are balanced to confine the etchant reaction to the part of the photolysis region proximate to the window and remote from the substrate. The etchant is preferably one that etches film deposit on the window, does not etch or affect the window itself, and does not produce reaction by-products that are deleterious to either the desired film deposited on the substrate or to the photolysis reaction adjacent the substrate. 3 figs.
-
Tsuo, Simon; Langford, Alison A.
1989-01-01
Unwanted build-up of the film deposited on the transparent light-transmitting window of a photochemical vacuum deposition (photo-CVD) chamber is eliminated by flowing an etchant into the part of the photolysis region in the chamber immediately adjacent the window and remote from the substrate and from the process gas inlet. The respective flows of the etchant and the process gas are balanced to confine the etchant reaction to the part of the photolysis region proximate to the window and remote from the substrate. The etchant is preferably one that etches film deposit on the window, does not etch or affect the window itself, and does not produce reaction by-products that are deleterious to either the desired film deposited on the substrate or to the photolysis reaction adjacent the substrate.
-
76 FR 41144 - Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Corp. (PW) JT9D-7R4H1 Turbofan Engines
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2011-07-13
...-7R4H1 turbofan engines. This proposed AD would require removing certain high-pressure compressor (HPC...) Applicability Pratt & Whitney Corp (PW) JT9D-7R4H1 turbofan engines with a high-pressure compressor (HPC) shaft... the rear shaft. These engines have the highest-thrust rating of the JT9D models, and were operating in...
-
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Ďurák, Michal; Velpula, Praveen Kumar; Kramer, Daniel; Cupal, Josef; Medřík, Tomáš; Hřebíček, Jan; Golasowski, Jiří; Peceli, Davorin; Kozlová, Michaela; Rus, Bedřich
2017-01-01
Increasing the laser-induced damage resistance of optical components is one of the major challenges in the development of Peta-watt (PW) class laser systems. The extreme light infrastructure (ELI) beamlines project will provide ultrafast laser systems with peak powers up to 10 PW available every minute and PW class beams at 10 Hz complemented by a 5-TW, 1-kHz beamline. Sustainable performance of PW class laser systems relies on the durability of the employed optical components. As part of an effort to evaluate the damage resistance of components utilized in ELI beamlines systems, damage thresholds of several optical multilayer dielectric coatings were measured with different laser parameters and in different environments. Three coatings were tested with 10 Hz and 1 kHz pulse repetition rates, and the effect of a cleaning treatment on their damage resistance was examined. To explore the damage threshold behavior at different vacuum levels, one coating was subject to tests at various residual gas pressures. No change of damage threshold in a high vacuum with respect to ambient pressure was recorded. The effect of the cleaning treatment was found to be inconsistent, suggesting that development of the optimal cleaning treatment for a given coating requires consideration of its specific properties.
-
Ground Magnetic Manifestations of Atmosphere-Ionosphere Coupling by Planetary Waves
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Elhawary, R.; Forbes, J. M.; Wu, Q.
2014-12-01
Understanding the relation between tides, planetary waves and geomagnetic solar quiet (Sq) variations is an important aspect of atmosphere-ionosphere coupling, and much remains to be learned. In this paper we quantify the contribution of the planetary waves (PW) at 6.5-, 10- and 16-day periods on the variability of ground magnetic perturbations. Solar quiet days with Kp index <3 are examined from six different stations at low and middle latitudes in two different longitudinal sectors [(IAGA code, geographic latitude, geomagnetic latitude, geographic longitude),(IRT 52.27°, 42.20°, 104.45°), (LZH,36.1°, 26.14°,103.84°),(PHU,21.03°,11.05°,105.95°),(FRD,38.30°, 48.14°,-52.73°),( SJG, 18.11°, 28.04°, -66.15°),( KOU, 5.21°, 14.61°, -77.37°)] during Sept 2008-Sept 2010.The ground-based geomagnetic perturbations are compared with co-located TIMED/TIDI measurements of PW wind amplitudes at the same periods near 110 km. The wind and magnetic field PW amplitudes are not highly correlated at each station, and reasons for that are discussed. The contributions of these PW to the total variability of the magnetic perturbations will be reported.
-
Psychological determinants of job retention in multiple sclerosis.
Ford, Helen L; Wicks, Charlotte R; Stroud, Amanda; Tennant, Alan
2018-01-01
Maintaining paid work is a key issue for people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). Different factors, including psychological attributes, can influence job retention. Understanding their role should inform potential interventions to help PwMS retain employment. The aim of this study was to identify the key factors which improve job retention in an employed cohort of PwMS. This three-year longitudinal study used validated self-completed measures of physical and psychological factors at four time points over 28 months. Of 208 employed PwMS, just over 1 in 10 was no longer working at the end of the study. Three variables were predictive of continuing employment; low 'work instability' at baseline increased the odds of job retention by a factor of 12.76; high levels of self-efficacy by a factor of 4.66 and being less than 50 years of age increased the odds of job retention by a factor of 3.90. Path analysis demonstrated the mediating role of self-efficacy between the physical impact of MS and the level of work instability at exit. Screening for work instability and self-efficacy in a clinical setting followed by appropriate interventions to increase self-efficacy and reduce work instability could aid job retention in MS.
-
van Uem, Janet M.T.; Isaacs, Tom; Lewin, Alan; Bresolin, Eros; Salkovic, Dina; Espay, Alberto J.; Matthews, Helen; Maetzler, Walter
2016-01-01
In this viewpoint, we discuss how several aspects of Parkinson’s disease (PD) – known to be correlated with wellbeing and health-related quality of life–could be measured using wearable devices (‘wearables’). Moreover, three people with PD (PwP) having exhaustive experience with using such devices write about their personal understanding of wellbeing and health-related quality of life, building a bridge between the true needs defined by PwP and the available methods of data collection. Rapidly evolving new technologies develop wearables that probe function and behaviour in domestic environments of people with chronic conditions such as PD and have the potential to serve their needs. Gathered data can serve to inform patient-driven management changes, enabling greater control by PwP and enhancing likelihood of improvements in wellbeing and health-related quality of life. Data can also be used to quantify wellbeing and health-related quality of life. Additionally these techniques can uncover novel more sensitive and more ecologically valid disease-related endpoints. Active involvement of PwP in data collection and interpretation stands to provide personally and clinically meaningful endpoints and milestones to inform advances in research and relevance of translational efforts in PD. PMID:27003779
-
Mousa, Ibrahim E
2016-08-15
The crude oil drilling and extraction operations are aimed to maximize the production may be counterbalanced by the huge production of contaminated produced water (PW). PW is conventionally treated through different physical, chemical, and biological technologies. The efficiency of suggested hybrid electrobiochemical (EBC) methods for the simultaneous removal of total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) and sulfate from PW generated by petroleum industry is studied. Also, the factors that affect the stability of PW quality are investigated. The results indicated that the effect of biological treatment is very important to keep control of the electrochemical by-products and more TPH removal in the EBC system. The maximum TPH and sulfate removal efficiency was achieved 75% and 25.3%, respectively when the detention time was about 5.1min and the energy consumption was 32.6mA/cm(2). However, a slight increasing in total bacterial count was observed when the EBC compact unit worked at a flow rate of average 20L/h. Pseudo steady state was achieved after 30min of current application in the solution. Also, the results of the study indicate that when the current intensity was increased above optimum level, no significant results occurred due to the release of gases. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
-
Zhu, Xuezhu; Wang, Wanqing; Sun, Kai; Lin, Xianghao; Li, Shuang; Waigi, Michael Gatheru; Ling, Wanting
2017-08-03
This research was conducted to find an optimal inoculation way for a pyrene-degrading endophytic Serratia sp. PW7 to colonize wheat for reducing pyrene contamination. Three inoculation ways, which are soaking seeds in inocula (TS), dipping roots of seedlings in inocula (TR), and spraying inocula on leaves of seedlings (TL), were used in this study. Inoculated seedlings and noninoculated seedlings (CK) were, respectively, cultivated in Hoagland solutions supplemented with pyrene in a growth chamber. The results showed that strain PW7 successfully colonized the inoculated seedlings in high numbers, and significantly promoted the growth of seedlings (TS and TR). More importantly, strain PW7 reduced pyrene levels in the seedlings and the Hoagland solutions. Compared to the noninoculated seedlings, the pyrene contents of the inoculated seedlings were decreased by 35.7-86.3% in the shoots and by 26.8-60.1% in the roots after 8-day cultivation. By comparing the efficiencies of decreasing pyrene residues, it can be concluded that TR was an optimal inoculation way for endophytic strains to colonize the inoculated plants and to reduce the pyrene contamination. Our findings provide an optimized inoculation way to reduce organic contamination in crops by inoculating plants with functional endophytic bacteria.
-
Isochoric heating of solid gold targets with the PW-laser-driven ion beams (Conference Presentation)
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Steinke, Sven; Ji, Qing; Bulanov, Stepan S.; Barnard, John; Vincenti, Henri; Schenkel, Thomas; Esarey, Eric H.; Leemans, Wim P.
2017-05-01
We present first results on ion acceleration with the BELLA PW laser as well as end-to-end simulation for isochoric heating of solid gold targets using PW-laser generated ion beams: (i) 2D Particle-In-Cell (PIC) simulations are applied to study the ion source characteristics of the PW laser-target interaction at the long focal length (f/65) beamline at laser intensities of ˜[5×10]^19 Wcm-2 at spot size of 0=53 μm on a CH target. (ii) In order to transport the ion beams to an EMP-free environment, an active plasma lens will be used. This was modeled [1] by calculating the Twiss parameters of the ion beam from the appropriate transport matrixes taking the source parameters obtained from the PIC simulation. (iii) Hydrodynamic simulations indicate that these ion beams can isochorically heat a 1 mm3 gold target to the Warm Dense Matter state. Reference: J. van Tilborg et al, Phys. Rev. Lett. 115, 184802 (2015). This work was supported by Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) funding from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, provided by the Director, Office of Science, of the U.S. Department of Energy under Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231.
-
El-Gohary, Mahmoud; Peterson, Daniel; Gera, Geetanjali; Horak, Fay B; Huisinga, Jessie M
2017-07-01
To test the validity of wearable inertial sensors to provide objective measures of postural stepping responses to the push and release clinical test in people with multiple sclerosis. Cross-sectional study. University medical center balance disorder laboratory. Total sample N=73; persons with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) n=52; healthy controls n=21. Stepping latency, time and number of steps required to reach stability, and initial step length were calculated using 3 inertial measurement units placed on participants' lumbar spine and feet. Correlations between inertial sensor measures and measures obtained from the laboratory-based systems were moderate to strong and statistically significant for all variables: time to release (r=.992), latency (r=.655), time to stability (r=.847), time of first heel strike (r=.665), number of steps (r=.825), and first step length (r=.592). Compared with healthy controls, PwMS demonstrated a longer time to stability and required a larger number of steps to reach stability. The instrumented push and release test is a valid measure of postural responses in PwMS and could be used as a clinical outcome measures for patient care decisions or for clinical trials aimed at improving postural control in PwMS. Copyright © 2016 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
-
Geodetic Mobil Solar Spectrometer for JASON Altimeter Satellite Calibration
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Somieski, A.; Buerki, B.; Geiger, A.; Kahle, H.-G.; Becker-Ross, H.; Florek, S.; Okruss, M.
Atmospheric water vapor is a crucial factor in achieving highest accuracies for space geodetic measurements. Water vapor causes a delay of the propagation time of the altimeter satellite signal, which propagates into errors for the determination of surface heights. Knowledge of the precipitable water vapor (PW) enables a tropospheric correction of the satellite signal. Therefore, different remote sensing techniques have been pursued to measure the PW continuously. The prototype Geodetic Mobil Solar Spectrometer (GEMOSS) was developed at the Geodesy and Geodynamics Laboratory (GGL, ETH Zurich) in cooperation with the Institute of Spectrochemistry and Applied Spectroscopy (ISAS) (Berlin, Germany). A new optical approach allows the simultaneous measurement of numerous single absorption lines of water vapor in the wide range between 728 nm and 915 nm. The large number of available absorption lines increases the accuracy of the absolute PW retrievals considerably. GEMOSS has been deployed during two campaigns in Greece in the framework of the EU-project GAVDOS, which deals with the calibration of the altimeter satellite JASON. During the overfly of JASON, the ground-based determination of PW enables the correction of the satellite measurements due to tropospheric water vapor. Comparisons with radiometer and radiosondes data allow to assess the accuracy and reliability of GEMOSS. The instrumental advancement of GEMOSS is presented together with the results of the campaigns carried out.
-
Dynamically re-configurable CMOS imagers for an active vision system
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Yang, Guang (Inventor); Pain, Bedabrata (Inventor)
2005-01-01
A vision system is disclosed. The system includes a pixel array, at least one multi-resolution window operation circuit, and a pixel averaging circuit. The pixel array has an array of pixels configured to receive light signals from an image having at least one tracking target. The multi-resolution window operation circuits are configured to process the image. Each of the multi-resolution window operation circuits processes each tracking target within a particular multi-resolution window. The pixel averaging circuit is configured to sample and average pixels within the particular multi-resolution window.
-
Ahmad, Muneer; Jung, Low Tan; Bhuiyan, Al-Amin
2017-10-01
Digital signal processing techniques commonly employ fixed length window filters to process the signal contents. DNA signals differ in characteristics from common digital signals since they carry nucleotides as contents. The nucleotides own genetic code context and fuzzy behaviors due to their special structure and order in DNA strand. Employing conventional fixed length window filters for DNA signal processing produce spectral leakage and hence results in signal noise. A biological context aware adaptive window filter is required to process the DNA signals. This paper introduces a biological inspired fuzzy adaptive window median filter (FAWMF) which computes the fuzzy membership strength of nucleotides in each slide of window and filters nucleotides based on median filtering with a combination of s-shaped and z-shaped filters. Since coding regions cause 3-base periodicity by an unbalanced nucleotides' distribution producing a relatively high bias for nucleotides' usage, such fundamental characteristic of nucleotides has been exploited in FAWMF to suppress the signal noise. Along with adaptive response of FAWMF, a strong correlation between median nucleotides and the Π shaped filter was observed which produced enhanced discrimination between coding and non-coding regions contrary to fixed length conventional window filters. The proposed FAWMF attains a significant enhancement in coding regions identification i.e. 40% to 125% as compared to other conventional window filters tested over more than 250 benchmarked and randomly taken DNA datasets of different organisms. This study proves that conventional fixed length window filters applied to DNA signals do not achieve significant results since the nucleotides carry genetic code context. The proposed FAWMF algorithm is adaptive and outperforms significantly to process DNA signal contents. The algorithm applied to variety of DNA datasets produced noteworthy discrimination between coding and non-coding regions contrary to fixed window length conventional filters. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
-
Window and Overlap Processing Effects on Power Estimates from Spectra
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Trethewey, M. W.
2000-03-01
Fast Fourier transform (FFT) spectral processing is based on the assumption of stationary ergodic data. In engineering practice, the assumption is often violated and non-stationary data processed. Data windows are commonly used to reduce leakage by decreasing the signal amplitudes near the boundaries of the discrete samples. With certain combinations of non-stationary signals and windows, the temporal weighting may attenuate important signal characteristics to adversely affect any subsequent processing. In other words, the window artificially reduces a significant section of the time signal. Consequently, spectra and overall power estimated from the affected samples are unreliable. FFT processing can be particularly problematic when the signal consists of randomly occurring transients superimposed on a more continuous signal. Overlap processing is commonly used in this situation to improve the estimates. However, the results again depend on the temporal character of the signal in relation to the window weighting. A worst-case scenario, a short-duration half sine pulse, is used to illustrate the relationship between overlap percentage and resulting power estimates. The power estimates are shown to depend on the temporal behaviour of the square of overlapped window segments. An analysis shows that power estimates may be obtained to within 0.27 dB for the following windows and overlap combinations: rectangular (0% overlap), Hanning (62.5% overlap), Hamming (60.35% overlap) and flat-top (82.25% overlap).
-
Ultra-bright γ-ray emission and dense positron production from two laser-driven colliding foils.
Li, Han-Zhen; Yu, Tong-Pu; Liu, Jin-Jin; Yin, Yan; Zhu, Xing-Long; Capdessus, Remi; Pegoraro, Francesco; Sheng, Zheng-Ming; McKenna, Paul; Shao, Fu-Qiu
2017-12-11
Matter can be transferred into energy and the opposite transformation is also possible by use of high-power lasers. A laser pulse in plasma can convert its energy into γ-rays and then e - e + pairs via the multi-photon Breit-Wheeler process. Production of dense positrons at GeV energies is very challenging since extremely high laser intensity ~10 24 Wcm -2 is required. Here we propose an all-optical scheme for ultra-bright γ-ray emission and dense positron production with lasers at intensity of 10 22-23 Wcm -2 . By irradiating two colliding elliptically-polarized lasers onto two diamondlike carbon foils, electrons in the focal region of one foil are rapidly accelerated by the laser radiation pressure and interact with the other intense laser pulse which penetrates through the second foil due to relativistically induced foil transparency. This symmetric configuration enables efficient Compton back-scattering and results in ultra-bright γ-photon emission with brightness of ~10 25 photons/s/mm 2 /mrad 2 /0.1%BW at 15 MeV and intensity of 5 × 10 23 Wcm -2 . Our first three-dimensional simulation with quantum-electrodynamics incorporated shows that a GeV positron beam with density of 2.5 × 10 22 cm -3 and flux of 1.6 × 10 10 /shot is achieved. Collective effects of the pair plasma may be also triggered, offering a window on investigating laboratory astrophysics at PW laser facilities.
-
Möbus, V; von Minckwitz, G; Jackisch, C; Lück, H-J; Schneeweiss, A; Tesch, H; Elling, D; Harbeck, N; Conrad, B; Fehm, T; Huober, J; Müller, V; Bauerfeind, I; du Bois, A; Loibl, S; Nekljudova, V; Untch, M; Thomssen, C
2017-08-01
Dose-dense (dd) regimens are one of the preferred options for the adjuvant treatment of breast cancer patients with intermediate to high risk. The German Adjuvant Intergroup Node-positive trial aimed at optimizing intense dd (idd) strategies by evaluating drug combinations and the addition of capecitabine. Women (aged 18 years and biologically <65 years) with histologically involved axillary lymph nodes were randomly assigned to receive three courses each of epirubicin (E) 150 mg/m2, paclitaxel (P) 225 mg/m2 and cyclophosphamide (C) 2500 mg/m2 (reduced to 2000 mg/m2 after recruitment of 1200 patients) q2w intravenously (i.v.) (iddEPC-regimen) or ddEC (E 112.5 mg/m2 + C 600 mg/m2, i.v. q2w for 4 cycles) followed by paclitaxel weekly (Pw 67.5 mg/m2 i.v. q8d for 10 weeks) plus capecitabine (X 2000 mg/m2 p.o. days 1-14, q22 for 4 cycles) (ddEC-PwX-regimen). Further randomization assigned patients to ibandronate for 2 years versus observation and to pegfilgrastim day 2 versus 4. From June 2004 to August 2008, 2994 patients were randomized to either iddEPC (N = 1498), or ddEC-PwX (N = 1496) and started treatment. Median age was 50 years; pN1 (37.8%), pN2 (35.3%); pN3 (26.9%); 46.4% were G3 tumors; 76.9% hormone receptor-positive and 22% HER2-positive. After a median follow-up of 74 months, 645 events and 383 deaths were recorded. Hematological adverse events grades 3-4 were more common with iddEPC (P < 0.001), nonhematological with ddEC-PwX (P = 0.04), even if the toxicity profile of the two regimens was different. At 5 years, estimated disease-free survival rates for ddEC-PwX and iddEPC were 81.7% [95% confidence interval (CI) 79.5-83.6] versus 80.2% (95% CI 78.0-82.2). Hazard ratio (HR)=0.95 (95% CI 0.81-1.11, log-rank P = 0.49). Five-year overall survival rates were 89.4% for ddEC-PwX (95% CI 87.7-91.0) and 89.0% for iddEPC (95% CI 87.2-90.6), HR = 0.85 (95% CI 0.69-1.04, log-rank P = 0.10). Adding capecitabine to ddEC-Pw did not improve outcome in comparison to iddEPC but increased toxicity and should not be recommended for further use. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society for Medical Oncology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.
-
Lawson, Kenny D; Mercer, Stewart W; Wyke, Sally; Grieve, Eleanor; Guthrie, Bruce; Watt, Graham C M; Fenwick, Elisabeth A E
2013-08-20
To investigate the association between multimorbidity and Preference_Weighted Health Related Quality of Life (PW_HRQoL), a score that combines physical and mental functioning, and how this varies by socioeconomic deprivation and age. The Scottish Health Survey (SHeS) is a cross-sectional representative survey of the general population which included the SF-12, a survey of HRQoL, for individuals 20 years and over. For 7,054 participants we generated PW_HRQoL scores by running SF-12 responses through the SF-6D algorithm. The resulting scores ranged from 0.29 (worst health) to 1 (perfect health). Using ordinary least squares, we first investigated associations between scores and increasing counts of longstanding conditions, and then repeated for multimorbidity (2+ conditions). Estimates were made for the general population and quintiles of socioeconomic deprivation. For multimorbidity, the analyses were repeated stratifying the population by age group (20-44, 45-64, 65+). 45% of participants reported a longstanding condition and 18% reported multimorbidity. The presence of 1, 2, or 3+ longstanding conditions were associated with average reductions in PW_HRQoL scores of 0.081, 0.151 and 0.212 respectively. Reduction in scores associated with multimorbidity was 33% greater in the most deprived quintile compared to the least deprived quintile, with the biggest difference (80%) in the 20-44 age groups. There were no significant gender differences. PW_HRQoL decreases markedly with multimorbidity, and is exacerbated by higher deprivation and younger age. There is a need to prioritise interventions to improve the HRQoL for (especially younger) adults with multimorbidity in deprived areas. BOX 1: What Is Known?Prevalence and premature onset of multimorbidity increases as socioeconomic position worsens. Previous studies have investigated the effect of multimorbidity on Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) on separate physical and mental health states. There is limited data on how HRQoL falls as the number of conditions increase, and how estimates vary across the general population.Leaving physical and mental health as separate categories can inhibit assessment of overall HRQoL. The use of a Preference_Weighted Health Related Quality of Life (PW_HRQoL) score provides a single summary measure of overall health, by weighting mental and physical states by their perceived importance as part of overall HRQoL. The use of a single score enables a simple and consistent assessment of the impact of conditions and how this varies across the population. Economists term PW_HRQoL scores health utilities.What this study adds?This is the first study to estimate how the impact of multimorbidity on PW_HRQoL scores varies by age group and socioeconomic deprivation. Multimorbidity has a substantial negative impact on HRQoL which is most severe in areas of deprivation, especially in younger adults.Measuring the burden of multimorbidity using PW_HRQoL provides consistency with how economists measure HRQoL; changes in which can be used in economic evaluation to assess the cost effectiveness of interventions.
-
Zhu, Wanqi; Zhu, Baoqing; Li, Yao; Zhang, Yanyan; Zhang, Bolin; Fan, Junfeng
2016-04-15
The ability of acidic (AcW) and alkaline electrolyzed waters (AlW) to improve the flavour of persimmon (Diospyros kaki L.) wine was evaluated. Wines made with AcW (WAcW) were significantly better than wines made with AlW or pure water (PW) in aroma, taste, and colour. Volatile analysis showed that WAcW has high alcohol and ester contents, including 2-phenylethanol, isopentanol, isobutanol, ethyl dodecanoate, phenethyl acetate, and butanedioic acid diethyl ester. The total amino acid content of persimmon slurry soaked with AcW reached 531.2 mg/l, which was much higher than those of the slurries soaked in AlW (381.3 mg/l) and PW (182.7 mg/l). The composition of major amino acids in the AcW-soaked slurry may contribute to the strong ester flavour of WAcW. This is the first report to suggest that electrolyzed functional water (EFW) can be used to improve wine flavour, leading to the possible use of EFW in food processing. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
-
Lonappan, Linson; Rouissi, Tarek; Kaur Brar, Satinder; Verma, Mausam; Surampalli, Rao Y
2018-02-01
Biochars were prepared from feedstocks pinewood and pig manure. Biochar microparticles obtained through grinding were evaluated for the removal of emerging contaminant diclofenac (DCF) and the underlying mechanism were thoroughly studied. Characterization of biochar was carried out using particle size analyzer, SEM, BET, FT-IR, XRD, XPS and zeta potential instrument. Pig manure biochar (BC-PM) exhibited excellent removal efficiency (99.6%) over pine wood biochar (BC-PW) at 500 µg L -1 of DCF (environmentally significant concentration). Intraparticle diffusion was found to be the major process facilitated the adsorption. BC-PW followed pseudo first-order kinetics whereas BC-PM followed pseudo second-order kinetics. Pine wood biochar was largely affected by pH variations whereas for pig manure biochar, pH effects were minimal owing to its surface functional groups and DCF hydrophobicity. Thermodynamics, presence of co-existing ions, initial adsorbate concentration and particles size played substantial role in adsorption. Various isotherms models were also studied and results are presented. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
-
Letter-sound processing deficits in children with developmental dyslexia: An ERP study.
Moll, Kristina; Hasko, Sandra; Groth, Katharina; Bartling, Jürgen; Schulte-Körne, Gerd
2016-04-01
The time course during letter-sound processing was investigated in children with developmental dyslexia (DD) and typically developing (TD) children using electroencephalography. Thirty-eight children with DD and 25 TD children participated in a visual-auditory oddball paradigm. Event-related potentials (ERPs) elicited by standard and deviant stimuli in an early (100-190 ms) and late (560-750 ms) time window were analysed. In the early time window, ERPs elicited by the deviant stimulus were delayed and less left lateralized over fronto-temporal electrodes for children with DD compared to TD children. In the late time window, children with DD showed higher amplitudes extending more over right frontal electrodes. Longer latencies in the early time window and stronger right hemispheric activation in the late time window were associated with slower reading and naming speed. Additionally, stronger right hemispheric activation in the late time window correlated with poorer phonological awareness skills. Deficits in early stages of letter-sound processing influence later more explicit cognitive processes during letter-sound processing. Identifying the neurophysiological correlates of letter-sound processing and their relation to reading related skills provides insight into the degree of automaticity during letter-sound processing beyond behavioural measures of letter-sound-knowledge. Copyright © 2016 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
-
Replacement Windows for Existing Homes Homes | Efficient Windows
Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Selection Tool will take you through a series of design conditions pertaining to your design and location
-
Development of a double beam process for joining aluminum and steel
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Frank, Sascha
2014-02-01
Multi-material structures pose an attractive option for overcoming some of the central challenges in lightweight design. An exceptionally high potential for creating cost-effective lightweight solutions is attributed to the combination of steel and aluminum. However, these materials are also particularly difficult to join due to their tendency to form intermetallic compounds (IMCs). The growth of these compounds is facilitated by high temperatures and long process times. Due to their high brittleness, IMCs can severely weaken a joint. Thus, it is only possible to create durable steel-aluminum joints when the formation of IMCs can be limited to a non-critical level. To meet this goal, a new joining method has been designed. The method is based on the combination of a continuous wave (pw) and a pulsed laser (pw) source. Laser beams from both sources are superimposed in a common process zone. This makes it possible to apply the advantages of laser brazing to mixed-metal joints without requiring the use of chemical fluxes. The double beam technology was first tested in bead-on-plate experiments using different filler wire materials. Based on the results of these tests, a process for joining steel and aluminum in a double-flanged configuration is now being developed. The double flanged seams are joined using zinc- or aluminum-based filler wires. Microsections of selected seams show that it is possible to achieve good base material wetting while limiting the growth of IMCs to acceptable measures. In addition, the results of tensile tests show that high joint strengths can be achieved.
-
xLIPA: Promotion of Electrons from the K-shell to 2 GeV using 10 PW Laser Pulses
2015-08-19
field [34]. Since then numerous analytical and numerical approaches have been employed with special emphasis on laser photoionization . Besides interest in... photoionization as a fundamental physical process there are many applications for photoelectrons. Knowledge of the electron properties, e.g., energy...Schwinger field. Photoionization of inner-shell electrons in high-Z atoms is another example where relativistic effects are important. Two analytical
-
Computed Tomography Window Blending: Feasibility in Thoracic Trauma.
Mandell, Jacob C; Wortman, Jeremy R; Rocha, Tatiana C; Folio, Les R; Andriole, Katherine P; Khurana, Bharti
2018-02-07
This study aims to demonstrate the feasibility of processing computed tomography (CT) images with a custom window blending algorithm that combines soft-tissue, bone, and lung window settings into a single image; to compare the time for interpretation of chest CT for thoracic trauma with window blending and conventional window settings; and to assess diagnostic performance of both techniques. Adobe Photoshop was scripted to process axial DICOM images from retrospective contrast-enhanced chest CTs performed for trauma with a window-blending algorithm. Two emergency radiologists independently interpreted the axial images from 103 chest CTs with both blended and conventional windows. Interpretation time and diagnostic performance were compared with Wilcoxon signed-rank test and McNemar test, respectively. Agreement with Nexus CT Chest injury severity was assessed with the weighted kappa statistic. A total of 13,295 images were processed without error. Interpretation was faster with window blending, resulting in a 20.3% time saving (P < .001), with no difference in diagnostic performance, within the power of the study to detect a difference in sensitivity of 5% as determined by post hoc power analysis. The sensitivity of the window-blended cases was 82.7%, compared to 81.6% for conventional windows. The specificity of the window-blended cases was 93.1%, compared to 90.5% for conventional windows. All injuries of major clinical significance (per Nexus CT Chest criteria) were correctly identified in all reading sessions, and all negative cases were correctly classified. All readers demonstrated near-perfect agreement with injury severity classification with both window settings. In this pilot study utilizing retrospective data, window blending allows faster preliminary interpretation of axial chest CT performed for trauma, with no significant difference in diagnostic performance compared to conventional window settings. Future studies would be required to assess the utility of window blending in clinical practice. Copyright © 2018 The Association of University Radiologists. All rights reserved.
-
A 380pW Dual Mode Optical Wake-up Receiver with Ambient Noise Cancellation.
Lim, Wootaek; Jang, Taekwang; Lee, Inhee; Kim, Hun-Seok; Sylvester, Dennis; Blaauw, David
2016-06-01
We present a sub-nW optical wake-up receiver for wireless sensor nodes. The wake-up receiver supports dual mode operation for both ultra-low standby power and high data rates, while canceling ambient in-band noise. In 0.18µm CMOS the receiver consumes 380pW in always-on wake-up mode and 28.1µW in fast RX mode at 250kbps.
-
A 380pW Dual Mode Optical Wake-up Receiver with Ambient Noise Cancellation
Lim, Wootaek; Jang, Taekwang; Lee, Inhee; Kim, Hun-Seok; Sylvester, Dennis; Blaauw, David
2016-01-01
We present a sub-nW optical wake-up receiver for wireless sensor nodes. The wake-up receiver supports dual mode operation for both ultra-low standby power and high data rates, while canceling ambient in-band noise. In 0.18µm CMOS the receiver consumes 380pW in always-on wake-up mode and 28.1µW in fast RX mode at 250kbps. PMID:28392978
-
Burden, Joe W; Harrison, Louis; Hodge, Samuel R
2005-06-01
The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of African American faculty on their organizational socialization in kinesiology-based (i.e., sport pedagogy, exercise physiology, motor behavior, sport management/history) programs at predominantly White American institutions of higher education (PW-IHE). Participants were 9 African American tenure-track faculty members from various kinesiology-based programs at PW-IHE. Data were gathered via interviewing and analyzed within the framework of critical race theory (Ladson-Billings, 2000). Findings are presented using storytelling and thematic narratives. Interviews with the participants revealed four major recurring themes with regard to: (a) resources, opportunities, and power structures; (b) programmatic neglects and faculty mentoring needs; (c) social isolation, disengagement, and intellectual inferiority issues; and (d) double standards, marginalization, and scholarship biases. This study suggests that faculty and administrators at PW-IHE should develop sensitivity toward organizational socialization issues relevant to faculty of color.
-
Jalinous, Reza; Lisanby, Sarah H.
2013-01-01
A novel transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) device with controllable pulse width (PW) and near rectangular pulse shape (cTMS) is described. The cTMS device uses an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) with appropriate snubbers to switch coil currents up to 7 kA, enabling PW control from 5 μs to over 100 μs. The near-rectangular induced electric field pulses use 22–34% less energy and generate 67–72% less coil heating compared to matched conventional cosine pulses. CTMS is used to stimulate rhesus monkey motor cortex in vivo with PWs of 20 to 100 μs, demonstrating the expected decrease of threshold pulse amplitude with increasing PW. The technological solutions used in the cTMS prototype can expand functionality, and reduce power consumption and coil heating in TMS, enhancing its research and therapeutic applications. PMID:18232369
-
Use and Adoption of an Assisted Cognition System to Support Therapies for People with Dementia.
Navarro, René F; Rodríguez, Marcela D; Favela, Jesús
2016-01-01
The cognitive deficits in persons with dementia (PwD) can produce significant functional impairment from early stages. Although memory decline is most prominent, impairments in attention, orientation, language, reasoning, and executive functioning are also common. Dementia is also characterized by changes in personality and behavioral functioning that can be very challenging for caregivers and patients. This paper presents results on the use and adoption of an assisted cognition system to support occupational therapy to address psychological and behavioral symptoms of dementia. During 16 weeks, we conducted an in situ evaluation with two caregiver-PwD dyads to assess the adoption and effectiveness of the system to ameliorate challenging behaviors and reducing caregiver burden. Evaluation results indicate that intervention personalization and a touch-based interface encouraged the adoption of the system, helping reduce challenging behaviors in PwD and caregiver burden.
-
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Fuji, Hiroshi; Kikukawa, Takashi; Tominaga, Junji
2004-07-01
Pit-edge recording at a density of 150 nm pits and spaces is carried out on a super-resolution near-field structure (super-RENS) disk with a platinum oxide layer. Pits are recorded and read using a 635-nm-wavelength laser and an objective lens with a 0.6 numerical aperture. We arrange laser pulses to correctly record the pits on the disk by a write-strategy technique. The laser-pulse figure includes a unit time of 0.25 T and intensities of Pw1, Pw2 and Pw3. After recording pits of various lengths, the observation of an eye pattern is achieved despite a pit smaller than the resolution limit. Furthermore, the eye pattern maintains its shape even though other pits fill the adjacent tracks at a track density of 600 nm. The disk can be used as a pit-edge recording system through a write-strategy technique.
-
Investigations of gain redshift in high peak power Ti:sapphire laser systems
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Wu, Fenxiang; Yu, Linpeng; Zhang, Zongxin; Li, Wenkai; Yang, Xiaojun; Wu, Yuanfeng; Li, Shuai; Wang, Cheng; Liu, Yanqi; Lu, Xiaoming; Xu, Yi; Leng, Yuxin
2018-07-01
Gain redshift in high peak power Ti:sapphire laser systems can result in narrowband spectral output and hence lengthen the compressed pulse duration. In order to realize broadband spectral output in 10 PW-class Ti:sapphire lasers, the influence on gain redshift induced by spectral pre-shaping, gain distribution of cascaded amplifiers and Extraction During Pumping (EDP) technique have been investigated. The theoretical and experimental results show that the redshift of output spectrum is sensitive to the spectral pre-shaping and the gain distribution of cascaded amplifiers, while insensitive to the pumping scheme with or without EDP. Moreover, the output spectrum from our future 10 PW Ti:sapphire laser is theoretically analyzed based on the investigations above, which indicates that a Fourier-transform limited (FTL) pulse duration of 21 fs can be achieved just by optimizing the spectral pre-shaping and gain distribution in 10 PW-class Ti:sapphire lasers.
-
Elastic Differential Cross Sections
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Werneth, Charles M.; Maung, Khin M.; Ford, William P.; Norbury, John W.; Vera, Michael D.
2014-01-01
The eikonal, partial wave (PW) Lippmann-Schwinger, and three-dimensional Lippmann-Schwinger (LS3D) methods are compared for nuclear reactions that are relevant for space radiation applications. Numerical convergence of the eikonal method is readily achieved when exact formulas of the optical potential are used for light nuclei (A less than or equal to 16) and the momentum-space optical potential is used for heavier nuclei. The PW solution method is known to be numerically unstable for systems that require a large number of partial waves, and, as a result, the LS3D method is employed. The effect of relativistic kinematics is studied with the PW and LS3D methods and is compared to eikonal results. It is recommended that the LS3D method be used for high energy nucleon- nucleus reactions and nucleus-nucleus reactions at all energies because of its rapid numerical convergence and stability.
-
Nuclear Cross Sections for Space Radiation Applications
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Werneth, C. M.; Maung, K. M.; Ford, W. P.; Norbury, J. W.; Vera, M. D.
2015-01-01
The eikonal, partial wave (PW) Lippmann-Schwinger, and three-dimensional Lippmann-Schwinger (LS3D) methods are compared for nuclear reactions that are relevant for space radiation applications. Numerical convergence of the eikonal method is readily achieved when exact formulas of the optical potential are used for light nuclei (A = 16) and the momentum-space optical potential is used for heavier nuclei. The PW solution method is known to be numerically unstable for systems that require a large number of partial waves, and, as a result, the LS3D method is employed. The effect of relativistic kinematics is studied with the PW and LS3D methods and is compared to eikonal results. It is recommended that the LS3D method be used for high energy nucleon-nucleus reactions and nucleus-nucleus reactions at all energies because of its rapid numerical convergence and stability for both non-relativistic and relativistic kinematics.
-
Rausch, Alexander M; Küng, Vera E; Pobel, Christoph; Markl, Matthias; Körner, Carolin
2017-09-22
The resulting properties of parts fabricated by powder bed fusion additive manufacturing processes are determined by their porosity, local composition, and microstructure. The objective of this work is to examine the influence of the stochastic powder bed on the process window for dense parts by means of numerical simulation. The investigations demonstrate the unique capability of simulating macroscopic domains in the range of millimeters with a mesoscopic approach, which resolves the powder bed and the hydrodynamics of the melt pool. A simulated process window reveals the influence of the stochastic powder layer. The numerical results are verified with an experimental process window for selective electron beam-melted Ti-6Al-4V. Furthermore, the influence of the powder bulk density is investigated numerically. The simulations predict an increase in porosity and surface roughness for samples produced with lower powder bulk densities. Due to its higher probability for unfavorable powder arrangements, the process stability is also decreased. This shrinks the actual parameter range in a process window for producing dense parts.
-
Rausch, Alexander M.; Küng, Vera E.; Pobel, Christoph; Körner, Carolin
2017-01-01
The resulting properties of parts fabricated by powder bed fusion additive manufacturing processes are determined by their porosity, local composition, and microstructure. The objective of this work is to examine the influence of the stochastic powder bed on the process window for dense parts by means of numerical simulation. The investigations demonstrate the unique capability of simulating macroscopic domains in the range of millimeters with a mesoscopic approach, which resolves the powder bed and the hydrodynamics of the melt pool. A simulated process window reveals the influence of the stochastic powder layer. The numerical results are verified with an experimental process window for selective electron beam-melted Ti-6Al-4V. Furthermore, the influence of the powder bulk density is investigated numerically. The simulations predict an increase in porosity and surface roughness for samples produced with lower powder bulk densities. Due to its higher probability for unfavorable powder arrangements, the process stability is also decreased. This shrinks the actual parameter range in a process window for producing dense parts. PMID:28937633
-
Grabosch, Shannon; Tseng, George; Edwards, Robert P; Lankes, Heather A.; Moore, Kathleen; Odunsi, Kunle; Vlad, Anda; Ma, Tianzhou; Strange, Mary; Brozick, Joan; Lugade, Amit; Omilian, Angela; Bshara, Wiam; Stuckey, Ashley R.; Walker, Joan L.; Birrer, Michael
2017-01-01
OBJECTIVES Ovarian cancer leads to abdominal carcinomatosis and late stage (III/IV) diagnosis in 75% of patients. Three randomized phase III trials have demonstrated that intraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy improves outcomes in epithelial ovarian cancer. While IP treatment is validated by clinical trials, there is a poor understanding of the mechanism(s) leading to the survival advantage other than the increased concentration of cytotoxic drugs within the tumor microenvironment. A better understanding of this process through analysis of dynamic biomarkers should promote novel approaches that may enhance tumor clearance. We propose this pilot study to confirm the feasibility of collecting serial peritoneal samples from implanted catheters in women receiving IP chemotherapy. We believe these specimens may be used for multiplex analysis to reveal unique biomarker fluctuations when compared to peripheral blood. METHODS From 13 women participating on GOG 252, 30 whole blood, 12 peritoneal fluid (PF), and 20 peritoneal wash (PW) with 30 mL saline were obtained. Samples were requested prior to the first three chemotherapy cycles. Samples were assessed for volume, cell populations, protein, RNA, and miRNA content changes. RESULTS Median volume for PF was 1.6 mL and 3.1 mL for PW. PW is a dilution of PF capable of capturing measurable biomarkers. Peritoneal aspirates contain a unique profile of biomarkers distinct from blood. miRNA undergo earlier alteration with chemotherapy than genes. Flow cytometry does not adequately capture biomarker fluctuations. CONCLUSIONS As a proof of principle study, this trial provides evidence that sampling the peritoneal cavity can be adapted for biomarker analysis. PMID:28483269
-
Funke, A; Grehl, T; Großkreutz, J; Münch, C; Walter, B; Kettemann, D; Karnapp, C; Gajewski, N; Meyer, R; Maier, A; Gruhn, K M; Prell, T; Kollewe, K; Abdulla, S; Kobeleva, X; Körner, S; Petri, S; Meyer, T
2015-08-01
The provision of assistive devices (PAD) is a key element of care in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Since 2011, assistive devices (AD) have been coordinated in an internet-supported care network at university-based ALS centers in Berlin, Bochum, Hannover and Jena. The digitization of PAD processes has facilitated the evaluation of real-life ALS care. Orthotics (OT), augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), supported treadmill (ST) and powered wheelchair (PW) were the PAD groups analyzed for delivery rates (proportion of delivered AD vs. medically indicated AD), rejection by patients and payers and latency of provision of care. Between June 2011 and October 2014 a total of 1479 patients and 12,478 AD were coordinated, among which 3313 PAD were related to OT, AAC, ST or EM. The median delivery rate was 64.3 %. The mean rejection rate by patients was 9.8 % (OT 5.4 %, AAC 9.8 %, ST 10.2 % and PW 15.6 %). Marked differences were noted in the rejection rate by payers and in care provision latency: OT (16.2 %, 68 days, n = 734), AAC (30.4 %, 96 days, n = 392), ST (34.8 %, 113 days, n = 164) and PW (35.6 %, 129 days, n = 259). Analysis of rejection rates showed significant differences among insurers. Only two thirds of the medically indicated AD reached the patients. Rejection rates by patients and payers and latency of provision of care were high. The PAD can substantially vary among health insurance companies. The establishment of consented criteria for PAD and their integration into treatment regimens and guidelines are crucial tasks for the future.
-
Thimm, Andreas; Funke, Klaus
2015-01-01
Cortical sensory processing varies with cortical state and the balance of inhibition to excitation. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been shown to modulate human cortical excitability. In a rat model, we recently showed that intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) applied to the corpus callosum, to activate primarily supragranular cortical pyramidal cells but fewer subcortical neurons, strongly reduced the cortical expression of parvalbumin (PV), indicating reduced activity of fast-spiking interneurons. Here, we used the well-studied rodent barrel cortex system to test how iTBS and continuous TBS (cTBS) modulate sensory responses evoked by either single or double stimuli applied to the principal (PW) and/or adjacent whisker (AW) in urethane-anaesthetized rats. Compared to sham stimulation, iTBS but not cTBS particularly enhanced late (>18 ms) response components of multi-unit spiking and local field potential responses in layer 4 but not the very early response (<18 ms). Similarly, only iTBS diminished the suppression of the second response evoked by paired PW or AW–PW stimulation at 20 ms intervals. The effects increased with each of the five iTBS blocks applied. With cTBS a mild effect similar to that of iTBS was first evident after 4–5 stimulation blocks. Enhanced cortical c-Fos and zif268 expression but reduced PV and GAD67 expression was found only after iTBS, indicating increased cortical activity due to lowered inhibition. We conclude that iTBS but less cTBS may primarily weaken a late recurrent-type cortical inhibition mediated via a subset of PV+ interneurons, enabling stronger late response components believed to contribute to the perception of sensory events. PMID:25504571
-
Renom, Marta; Conrad, Andrea; Bascuñana, Helena; Cieza, Alarcos; Galán, Ingrid; Kesselring, Jürg; Coenen, Michaela
2014-11-01
The Comprehensive International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) Core Set for Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a comprehensive framework to structure the information obtained in multidisciplinary clinical settings according to the biopsychosocial perspective of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) and to guide the treatment and rehabilitation process accordingly. It is now undergoing validation from the user perspective for which it has been developed in the first place. To validate the content of the Comprehensive ICF Core Set for MS from the perspective of speech and language therapists (SLTs) involved in the treatment of persons with MS (PwMS). Within a three-round e-mail-based Delphi Study 34 SLTs were asked about PwMS' problems, resources and aspects of the environment treated by SLTs. Responses were linked to ICF categories. Identified ICF categories were compared with those included in the Comprehensive ICF Core Set for MS to examine its content validity. Thirty-four SLTs named 524 problems and resources, as well as aspects of environment. Statements were linked to 129 ICF categories (60 Body-functions categories, two Body-structures categories, 42 Activities-&-participation categories, and 25 Environmental-factors categories). SLTs confirmed 46 categories in the Comprehensive ICF Core Set. Twenty-one ICF categories were identified as not-yet-included categories. This study contributes to the content validity of the Comprehensive ICF Core Set for MS from the perspective of SLTs. Study participants agreed on a few not-yet-included categories that should be further discussed for inclusion in a revised version of the Comprehensive ICF Core Set to strengthen SLTs' perspective in PwMS' neurorehabilitation. © 2014 Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.
-
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Raczkowska, Anna; Kowalczuk, Piotr; Sagan, Slawomir; Zablocka, Monika; Stedmon, Colin; Granskog, Mats
2017-04-01
Water masses exchange between the Atlantic Ocean and the Arctic Ocean occurs in Nordic Seas and this process represents a crucial component of the northern hemisphere climate system. Nordic Seas are dominated by Atlantic Waters (AW) and Polar Waters (PW) and water formed in the mixing process or local modifications like precipitation and sea-ice melt. Classification of water masses only on the basis of temperature, salinity or density not take into account different sources of fresh water in the Nordic Seas. In this study we propose that measured signal from the in situ three channel WET Star fluorometer could be a useful tool for characterization of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and refinement of water masses classification . Spectral properties of Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter and Fluorescent Dissolved Organic Matter (CDOM and FDOM) were characterized in different water masses along a section across the Fram Strait at 79°N as well as in the Nordic Seas in 2014 and 2015. Observations of CDOM and FDOM were carried out with use of in situ three channel WET Labs WET Star fluorometer and Excitation Emission Matrix spectra (EEMs) measured in the water samples. The WET Labs WET Star three channels in situ fluorometer was designed to measure emission of humic and protein-like FDOM fractions. Instruments output was calibrated against respective fluorescence intensity of EMMs measured with use of Aqualog fluorometer (Horiba Scientific) at excitation and emission ranges corresponding to in situ fluorometer channels. The correctness of the calibration was confirmed by empirical linear relationship between WET Star in situ fluorescence intensities and aCDOM(350) derived from water samples. Measured WET Star fluorometer signal enabled to asses distribution of different FDOM fractions in the Nordic Seas. The distribution of humic-like fluorescence intensity in the function of salinity revealed three distinct mixing curves: the first indicates mixing between surface PW diluted by sea ice melt with core of PW from East Greenland Current, the second imply transition from PW to AW, the third curve is an indicator of modification of AW by sea ice melting in the area of Western and Northern Spitsbergen Shelf. Furthermore, fluorescence intensities of humic-like DOM fraction is very low and remains practically constant in the core of AW. In the AW there is a strong subsurface maximum of chlorophyll a fluorescence which was aligned with protein-like fraction of DOM. The linear relationship between phytoplankton fluorescence and fluorescence intensity of protein-like DOM fraction proved that phytoplankton was primary source of protein like fraction of DOM in the AW.
-
Kanna, P Rishimugesh; Shetty, Ajoy Prasad; Rajasekaran, S
2011-07-15
Prospective analysis of computed tomographic images of 376 normal pediatric cervical pedicles. To study the normal cervical pedicle morphometrics, the changes in pedicle morphology with skeletal growth, and the possibility of pedicle screw insertion. Although the usage of cervical pedicle screws in adults has become established, the feasibility of its application in children has not been studied. There are no in vivo studies that define the normal pediatric cervical pedicle morphometrics and its changes with growth and development of the child. A total of 376 normal pediatric cervical spine pedicles of 30 children (mean age = 6.7 ± 3.9 years) were analyzed for pedicle width (PW), pedicle height (PH), pedicle length (PL), pedicle axis length (PAL), transverse pedicle angle (TPA), and sagittal pedicle angle (SPA). The study population was categorized into three age groups (A: <5 years, B: 5-10 years, and C >10 years). The mean values of these parameters in the different age groups and the possibility of application cervical pedicle screws were studied. RESULTS.: The mean PW was lowest in the C3 vertebra and increased distally to be widest at C7. Sixty percent of C3 pedicles had a width less than 4 mm making screw passage risky and unsafe. With growth, the PW increased at all levels but this increase was significant only up to the age of 10 years. More than 75% of adult pedicle dimensions were achieved by 5 years of age. The mean PL at all levels remained the same with no significant increase with growth. However, the PAL showed continuous increase with growth similar to PW. The PAL also showed an increase from C3 to C7. The PH was always more than the PW at any level. Mild insignificant asymmetry was present between the right and left side pedicles in all values. With growth, there was a gradual increase in PW, PH, and PAL but was mainly before the age of 10 years. Majority of C3 pedicles were thin making screw fixation unsafe. However, at all other levels, the pedicle morphometrics per se were adequate and do not restrict safe application of 3-mm cervical pedicle screw.
-
Shammas, Layal; Zentek, Tom; von Haaren, Birte; Schlesinger, Stefan; Hey, Stefan; Rashid, Asarnusch
2014-02-06
Limitations in physical activity are considered as a key problem in patients with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). Contemporary methods to assess the level of physical activity in PwMS are regular clinical observation. However, these methods either rely on high recall and accurate reporting from the patients (e.g. self-report questionnaires), or they are conducted during a particular clinical assessment with predefined activities. Therefore, the main aim of this pilot study was to develop an objective method to gather information about the real type and intensity of daily activities performed by PwMS in every-day living situations using an accelerometer. Furthermore, the accelerometer-derived measures are investigated regarding their potential for discriminating between different MS groups. Eleven PwMS that were able to walk independently (EDSS ≤ 5) were divided into two groups: mild disability (EDSS 1-2.5; n = 6) and moderate disability (EDSS 3 -5; n = 5). Participants made use of an activity monitor device attached to their waist during their normal daily activities over 4 measurements. Activity parameters were assessed and compared for the time of each participant's first measurement and follow-up measurement. Furthermore, differences between both subgroups, and the correlation of activity parameters with the clinical neurological variable (EDSS) were investigated. Participants showed significant decline in step count (p = 0.008), maximum walking speed (p = 0.02) and physical activity intensity (p = 0.03) throughout the study period. Compared to the mild subgroup, moderate affected participant accumulated less number of steps (G1: 9214.33 ± 2439.11, G2: 5018.13 ± 2416.96; p < 0.005) and were slower (G1: 1.48 ± 0.19, G2: 1.12 ± 0.44; p = 0.03). Additionally, the EDSS correlated negatively with mean walking speed (r = - 0.71, p = 0.01) and steps count (r = - 0.54, p = 0.08). In this study, we used a portable activity monitoring sensor to gather information about everyday physical activity in PwMS at home. We showed that objective measurements using simple 3D accelerometers can track daily physical activity fluctuation. Furthermore, they track disability changes better than clinical measures. Thus, they can help to develop activity based treatments for PwMS.
-
Rungrassamee, Wanilada; Klanchui, Amornpan; Maibunkaew, Sawarot; Karoonuthaisiri, Nitsara
2016-01-01
The intestinal microbiota play important roles in health of their host, contributing to maintaining the balance and resilience against pathogen. To investigate effects of pathogen to intestinal microbiota, the bacterial dynamics upon a shrimp pathogen, Vibrio harveyi, exposures were determined in two economically important shrimp species; the black tiger shrimp (BT) and the Pacific white shrimp (PW). Both shrimp species were reared under the same diet and environmental conditions. Shrimp survival rates after the V. harveyi exposure revealed that the PW shrimp had a higher resistance to the pathogen than the BT shrimp. The intestinal bacterial profiles were determined by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and barcoded pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA sequences under no pathogen challenge control and under pathogenic V. harveyi challenge. The DGGE profiles showed that the presence of V. harveyi altered the intestinal bacterial patterns in comparison to the control in BT and PW intestines. This implies that bacterial balance in shrimp intestines was disrupted in the presence of V. harveyi. The barcoded pyrosequencing analysis showed the similar bacterial community structures in intestines of BT and PW shrimp under a normal condition. However, during the time course exposure to V. harveyi, the relative abundance of bacteria belong to Vibrio genus was higher in the BT intestines at 12h after the exposure, whereas relative abundance of vibrios was more stable in PW intestines. The principle coordinates analysis based on weighted-UniFrac analysis showed that intestinal bacterial population in the BT shrimp lost their ability to restore their bacterial balance during the 72-h period of exposure to the pathogen, while the PW shrimp were able to reestablish their bacterial population to resemble those seen in the unexposed control group. This observation of bacterial disruption might correlate to different mortality rates observed between the two shrimp species. Our findings provide evidence of intestinal bacterial population altered by a presence of the pathogen in shrimp intestines and intestinal bacterial stability might provide colonization resistance against the invading pathogen in the host shrimp. Hence, intestinal microbial ecology management may potentially contribute to disease prevention in aquaculture. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
-
Monitoring gait in multiple sclerosis with novel wearable motion sensors
McGinnis, Ryan S.; Seagers, Kirsten; Motl, Robert W.; Sheth, Nirav; Wright, John A.; Ghaffari, Roozbeh; Sosnoff, Jacob J.
2017-01-01
Background Mobility impairment is common in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) and there is a need to assess mobility in remote settings. Here, we apply a novel wireless, skin-mounted, and conformal inertial sensor (BioStampRC, MC10 Inc.) to examine gait characteristics of PwMS under controlled conditions. We determine the accuracy and precision of BioStampRC in measuring gait kinematics by comparing to contemporary research-grade measurement devices. Methods A total of 45 PwMS, who presented with diverse walking impairment (Mild MS = 15, Moderate MS = 15, Severe MS = 15), and 15 healthy control subjects participated in the study. Participants completed a series of clinical walking tests. During the tests participants were instrumented with BioStampRC and MTx (Xsens, Inc.) sensors on their shanks, as well as an activity monitor GT3X (Actigraph, Inc.) on their non-dominant hip. Shank angular velocity was simultaneously measured with the inertial sensors. Step number and temporal gait parameters were calculated from the data recorded by each sensor. Visual inspection and the MTx served as the reference standards for computing the step number and temporal parameters, respectively. Accuracy (error) and precision (variance of error) was assessed based on absolute and relative metrics. Temporal parameters were compared across groups using ANOVA. Results Mean accuracy±precision for the BioStampRC was 2±2 steps error for step number, 6±9ms error for stride time and 6±7ms error for step time (0.6–2.6% relative error). Swing time had the least accuracy±precision (25±19ms error, 5±4% relative error) among the parameters. GT3X had the least accuracy±precision (8±14% relative error) in step number estimate among the devices. Both MTx and BioStampRC detected significantly distinct gait characteristics between PwMS with different disability levels (p<0.01). Conclusion BioStampRC sensors accurately and precisely measure gait parameters in PwMS across diverse walking impairment levels and detected differences in gait characteristics by disability level in PwMS. This technology has the potential to provide granular monitoring of gait both inside and outside the clinic. PMID:28178288
-
Khan, Arshad M.; Perez, Jose G.; Wells, Claire E.; Fuentes, Olac
2018-01-01
The rat has arguably the most widely studied brain among all animals, with numerous reference atlases for rat brain having been published since 1946. For example, many neuroscientists have used the atlases of Paxinos and Watson (PW, first published in 1982) or Swanson (S, first published in 1992) as guides to probe or map specific rat brain structures and their connections. Despite nearly three decades of contemporaneous publication, no independent attempt has been made to establish a basic framework that allows data mapped in PW to be placed in register with S, or vice versa. Such data migration would allow scientists to accurately contextualize neuroanatomical data mapped exclusively in only one atlas with data mapped in the other. Here, we provide a tool that allows levels from any of the seven published editions of atlases comprising three distinct PW reference spaces to be aligned to atlas levels from any of the four published editions representing S reference space. This alignment is based on registration of the anteroposterior stereotaxic coordinate (z) measured from the skull landmark, Bregma (β). Atlas level alignments performed along the z axis using one-dimensional Cleveland dot plots were in general agreement with alignments obtained independently using a custom-made computer vision application that utilized the scale-invariant feature transform (SIFT) and Random Sample Consensus (RANSAC) operation to compare regions of interest in photomicrographs of Nissl-stained tissue sections from the PW and S reference spaces. We show that z-aligned point source data (unpublished hypothalamic microinjection sites) can be migrated from PW to S space to a first-order approximation in the mediolateral and dorsoventral dimensions using anisotropic scaling of the vector-formatted atlas templates, together with expert-guided relocation of obvious outliers in the migrated datasets. The migrated data can be contextualized with other datasets mapped in S space, including neuronal cell bodies, axons, and chemoarchitecture; to generate data-constrained hypotheses difficult to formulate otherwise. The alignment strategies provided in this study constitute a basic starting point for first-order, user-guided data migration between PW and S reference spaces along three dimensions that is potentially extensible to other spatial reference systems for the rat brain. PMID:29765309
-
Zarbo, Ignazio Roberto; Minacapelli, Eleonora; Falautano, Monica; Demontis, Silvia; Carpentras, Giovanni; Pugliatti, Maura
2016-04-01
Personality traits can affect health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in different disorders. In multiple sclerosis (MS), personality traits can determine patients' willingness to take on more risky treatment options, predispose to neuropsychiatric symptoms and affect coping strategies. We investigated the role of personality traits as possible predictors of HRQoL in a large cohort of persons with MS (PwMS). In total, 253 consecutively recruited PwMS were screened for intellectual deficits with Raven Colour Progressive Matrices (RCPM), state anxiety with STAI-X1 and major depression on a clinical basis. PwMS' self-perceived mental and physical health status was measured with the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), and the personality profile with the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ-R). The correlation between HRQoL and personality traits was investigated by means of analysis of variance, adjusting for possible confounders. Of the 253 MS patients, 195 (F:M=2.75), aged 41.7±10.2 years were included in the analysis. The variance of SF-36 mental and physical composite score was largely explained by extraversion and neuroticism. Our data confirm that PwMS' HRQoL is largely influenced by personality traits, which may therefore act as predictors of perceived quality of life and should be included in clinical and experimental settings focusing on HRQoL. © The Author(s), 2015.
-
Driving performance in persons with mild to moderate symptoms of multiple sclerosis.
Devos, Hannes; Brijs, Tom; Alders, Geert; Wets, Geert; Feys, Peter
2013-08-01
To investigate whether driving performance is impaired in persons with mild to moderate multiple sclerosis (MS). This study included 15 persons with MS (pwMS) and 17 healthy controls. The MS group exhibited mild to moderate impairments on the Expanded Disability Status Scale (median, Q1-Q3; 3.5, 2.5-4). The driving simulation required participants to drive in daily traffic while attending to a divided attention (DA) task. Computerized measures on the driving task included number of accidents, tickets, speed maintenance, standard deviation of lateral position, and time to collision. Response times and accuracy on the DA task were also computer generated. Additionally, pwMS completed a clinical evaluation encompassing motor, functional, visual, psychosocial and cognitive tests. No differences between healthy controls and pwMS were observed on all measures of the primary driving task. PwMS performed worse than healthy controls on DA response time (3.10 s, 2.87-3.68 versus 2.15 s, 2.04-2.43; p = 0.001) and accuracy (15 correct answers, 11-18 versus 24 correct answers, 22-25; p < 0.0001). Depression was significantly associated with time to collision (r = -0.77; p < 0.01). Subjects with mild to moderate MS are able to prioritize the driving task above the DA task. The relationship between depression and driving performance in MS merits further investigation.
-
Removal of organic pollutants from produced water using Fenton oxidation
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Afzal, Talia; Hasnain Isa, Mohamed; Mustafa, Muhammad Raza ul
2018-03-01
Produced water (PW) is the largest stream of wastewater from oil and gas exploration. It is highly polluted and requires proper treatment before disposal. The main objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of Fenton oxidation in degradation of organic matter in PW. The role of operating factors viz., H2O2 concentration (0.12 × 10-3 moles/L to 3 moles/L), [H2O2]/[Fe2+] molar ratio (2 to 75), and reaction time (30 to 200 minutes), on COD removal was determined through a series of batch experiments conducted in acidic environment at room temperature. The experiments were conducted with 500 mL PW samples in 1L glass beakers covered on the outside with aluminum foil to protect them from sunlight. Pre-decided amounts of ferrous sulfate heptahydrate (FeSO4.7H2O) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) were added to initiate the Fenton reaction. An increase in COD removal was observed with increase in reaction time and [H2O2]/[Fe2+] molar ratio. COD removal also increased with H2O2 concentration up to 0.01 moles/L; further increase in H2O2 concentration decreased the COD removal efficiency. Over 90% COD removal was achieved under optimum reaction conditions. The study indicates that Fenton oxidation is effective for remediation of PW in terms of organic matter removal.
-
Harrison, Anthony M; Bogosian, Angeliki; Silber, Eli; McCracken, Lance M; Moss-Morris, Rona
2015-04-01
Pain affects around 63% of people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). Biomedical treatments demonstrate limited efficacy. More research is needed to understand pain from the individual's perspective in order to better inform a patient-centred approach that improves engagement, self-management and outcome. The objective of this paper is to explore pwMS' experience and responses to pain, and their perspectives on pain management. Twenty-five in-depth, semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed and analysed using an inductive thematic analysis approach with elements of grounded theory. Key themes included vivid descriptions of pain and beliefs that pain is unpredictable, a sign of damage and may worsen. Anger was a common emotional response. Two dominant pain management themes emerged: one related to pain reduction and another to acceptance. Those focusing on pain reduction appeared to engage in cycles in which they struggled with symptoms and experienced continued distress. Findings identify pain-related beliefs, emotional reactions and disparate pain-management attitudes. All may influence pwMS' responses to pain and what they ask of their clinicians. Uncovering pwMS' personal beliefs about pain, and introducing a broader biopsychosocial understanding of pain in the clinical context, may provide opportunities to rectify potentially unhelpful management choices and enhance pain acceptance. © The Author(s), 2014.
-
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Masteri-Farahani, M., E-mail: mfarahany@yahoo.com; Ghorbani, M.
2016-04-15
Highlights: • Keggin type Q{sub 3}PW{sub 12}O{sub 40} nanoparticles were synthesized by using microemulsion system. • The nanoparticles have uniform size of about 25 nm and spherical morphologies. • The prepared nanoparticles act as reusable catalyst in the epoxidation of olefins with H{sub 2}O{sub 2}. - Abstract: Keggin type Q{sub 3}PW{sub 12}O{sub 40} nanoparticles (Q = cetyltrimethylammonium cation) were synthesized in water-in-oil (w/o) microemulsion consisted of water/cetyltrimethylammonium bromide/n-butanol/isooctane. Reaction of Na{sub 2}WO{sub 4}, Na{sub 2}HPO{sub 4} and hydrochloric acid within water containing nanoreactors of reverse micelles resulted in the preparation of Q{sub 3}PW{sub 12}O{sub 40} nanoparticles. The resultant nanoparticles weremore » analyzed by physicochemical methods such as FT-IR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, thermogravimetric analyses (TGA-DTA), scanning and transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy which show nearly uniform spherical nanoparticles with size of about 15 nm. Finally, catalytic activity of the Q{sub 3}PW{sub 12}O{sub 40} nanoparticles was examined in the epoxidation of olefins with H{sub 2}O{sub 2}. The prepared nanoparticles acted as recoverable and reusable catalyst in the epoxidation of olefins with H{sub 2}O{sub 2}.« less
-
Ogata, Fumihiko; Nagai, Noriaki; Ito, Yoshimasa; Kawasaki, Naohito
2014-01-01
Since osteoporosis is a major public health problem in Japan, it is important to clarify the effect of high-mineral drinking water consumption on osteogenesis. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the relationship between high-mineral drinking water consumption and osteogenesis in ovariectomized rats that received a low-calcium diet and purified water (PW group) or a low-calcium diet and high-mineral drinking water (CR group). High-mineral drinking water affected the rats' body weight. After 3 months, the bone density of the CR group was higher than that of the PW group (p<0.05). Furthermore, the CR group showed a decrease in the amount of calcium in the bones after 3 months. These results suggest that high-mineral drinking water contributes to the maintenance of bone density and not to the amount of calcium in bone. On the other hand, serum alkaline phosphatase levels in the PW group at 3 months were higher than those in the CR group, which indicates that the blood concentration of calcium in the CR group was maintained. Moreover, the amount of magnesium in the bones and the blood concentration of magnesium in the CR group after 3 months were higher than the corresponding values in the PW group. These results suggest that consumption of high-mineral drinking water could be beneficial for osteogenesis (i.e., for maintaining bone quantity).
-
Platform for Postprocessing Waveform-Based NDE
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Roth, Don
2008-01-01
Taking advantage of the similarities that exist among all waveform-based non-destructive evaluation (NDE) methods, a common software platform has been developed containing multiple- signal and image-processing techniques for waveforms and images. The NASA NDE Signal and Image Processing software has been developed using the latest versions of LabVIEW, and its associated Advanced Signal Processing and Vision Toolkits. The software is useable on a PC with Windows XP and Windows Vista. The software has been designed with a commercial grade interface in which two main windows, Waveform Window and Image Window, are displayed if the user chooses a waveform file to display. Within these two main windows, most actions are chosen through logically conceived run-time menus. The Waveform Window has plots for both the raw time-domain waves and their frequency- domain transformations (fast Fourier transform and power spectral density). The Image Window shows the C-scan image formed from information of the time-domain waveform (such as peak amplitude) or its frequency-domain transformation at each scan location. The user also has the ability to open an image, or series of images, or a simple set of X-Y paired data set in text format. Each of the Waveform and Image Windows contains menus from which to perform many user actions. An option exists to use raw waves obtained directly from scan, or waves after deconvolution if system wave response is provided. Two types of deconvolution, time-based subtraction or inverse-filter, can be performed to arrive at a deconvolved wave set. Additionally, the menu on the Waveform Window allows preprocessing of waveforms prior to image formation, scaling and display of waveforms, formation of different types of images (including non-standard types such as velocity), gating of portions of waves prior to image formation, and several other miscellaneous and specialized operations. The menu available on the Image Window allows many further image processing and analysis operations, some of which are found in commercially-available image-processing software programs (such as Adobe Photoshop), and some that are not (removing outliers, Bscan information, region-of-interest analysis, line profiles, and precision feature measurements).
-
Interior of processing room showing the passthrough window from the ...
Interior of processing room showing the pass-through window from the shucking room. Tally board on the wall was used to keep track of the output of each shucker. Skimming table for rinsing the oyster meat is located under the pass-through window. - J.C. Lore Oyster House, 14430 Solomons Island Road, Solomons, Calvert County, MD
-
McLellan, Alex J A; Prabhu, Sandeep; Voskoboinik, Alex; Wong, Michael C G; Walters, Tomos E; Pathik, Bhupesh; Morris, Gwilym M; Nisbet, Ashley; Lee, Geoffrey; Morton, Joseph B; Kalman, Jonathan M; Kistler, Peter M
2017-12-01
Catheter ablation to achieve posterior left atrial wall (PW) isolation may be performed as an adjunct to pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (AF). We aimed to determine whether routine adenosine challenge for dormant posterior wall conduction improved long-term outcome. A total of 161 patients with persistent AF (mean age 59 ± 9 years, AF duration 6 ± 5 years) underwent catheter ablation involving circumferential PVI followed by PW isolation. Posterior left atrial wall isolation was performed with a roof and inferior wall line with the endpoint of bidirectional block. In 54 patients, adenosine 15 mg was sequentially administered to assess reconnection of the pulmonary veins and PW. Sites of transient reconnection were ablated and adenosine was repeated until no further reconnection was present. Holter monitoring was performed at 6 and 12 months to assess for arrhythmia recurrence. Posterior left atrial wall isolation was successfully achieved in 91% of 161 patients (procedure duration 191 ± 49 min, mean RF time 40 ± 19 min). Adenosine-induced reconnection of the PW was demonstrated in 17%. The single procedure freedom from recurrent atrial arrhythmia was superior in the adenosine challenge group (65%) vs. no adenosine challenge (40%, P < 0.01) at a mean follow-up of 19 ± 8 months. After multiple procedures, there was significantly improved freedom from AF between patients with vs. without adenosine PW challenge (85 vs. 65%, P = 0.01). Posterior left atrial wall isolation in addition to PVI is a readily achievable ablation strategy in patients with persistent AF. Routine adenosine challenge for dormant posterior wall conduction was associated with an improvement in the success of catheter ablation for persistent AF. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2017. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.
-
Collett, Johnny; Franssen, Marloes; Winward, Charlotte; Izadi, Hooshang; Meaney, Andy; Mahmoud, Wala; Bogdanovic, Marko; Tims, Martin; Wade, Derick; Dawes, Helen
2017-12-01
To report on the control group of a trial primarily designed to investigate exercise for improving mobility in people with Parkinson's disease (pwP). The control group undertook a handwriting intervention to control for attention and time spent practising a specific activity. Secondary analysis of a two-arm parallel phase II randomized controlled trial with blind assessment. Community. PwP able to walk ⩾100 m and with no contraindication to exercise were recruited from the Thames Valley, UK, and randomized (1:1) to exercise or handwriting, via a concealed computer-generated list. Handwriting was undertaken at home and exercise in community facilities; both were delivered through workbooks with monthly support visits and involved practice for 1 hour, twice weekly, over a period of six months. Handwriting was assessed, at baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months, using a pangram giving writing speed, amplitude (area) and progressive reduction in amplitude (ratio). The Movement Disorder Society (MDS)-Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) item 2.7 measured self-reported handwriting deficits. In all, 105 pwP were recruited (analysed: n = 51 handwriting, n = 54 exercise). A total of 40 pwP adhered to the handwriting programme, most completing ⩾1 session/week. Moderate effects were found for amplitude (total area: d = 0.32; 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.11 to 0.7; P = 0.13) in favour of handwriting over a period of12 months; effects for writing speed and ratio parameters were small ≤0.11. Self-reported handwriting difficulties also favoured handwriting (UPDRS 2.7: odds ratio (OR) = 0.55; 95% CI: 0.34 to 0.91; P = 0.02). No adverse effects were reported. PwP generally adhere to self-directed home handwriting which may provide benefit with minimal risk. Encouraging effects were found in writing amplitude and, moreover, perceived ability.
-
Physical Limits of Solar Energy Conversion in the Earth System.
Kleidon, Axel; Miller, Lee; Gans, Fabian
2016-01-01
Solar energy provides by far the greatest potential for energy generation among all forms of renewable energy. Yet, just as for any form of energy conversion, it is subject to physical limits. Here we review the physical limits that determine how much energy can potentially be generated out of sunlight using a combination of thermodynamics and observed climatic variables. We first explain how the first and second law of thermodynamics constrain energy conversions and thereby the generation of renewable energy, and how this applies to the conversions of solar radiation within the Earth system. These limits are applied to the conversion of direct and diffuse solar radiation - which relates to concentrated solar power (CSP) and photovoltaic (PV) technologies as well as biomass production or any other photochemical conversion - as well as solar radiative heating, which generates atmospheric motion and thus relates to wind power technologies. When these conversion limits are applied to observed data sets of solar radiation at the land surface, it is estimated that direct concentrated solar power has a potential on land of up to 11.6 PW (1 PW=10(15) W), whereas photovoltaic power has a potential of up to 16.3 PW. Both biomass and wind power operate at much lower efficiencies, so their potentials of about 0.3 and 0.1 PW are much lower. These estimates are considerably lower than the incoming flux of solar radiation of 175 PW. When compared to a 2012 primary energy demand of 17 TW, the most direct uses of solar radiation, e.g., by CSP or PV, have thus by far the greatest potential to yield renewable energy requiring the least space to satisfy the human energy demand. Further conversions into solar-based fuels would be reduced by further losses which would lower these potentials. The substantially greater potential of solar-based renewable energy compared to other forms of renewable energy simply reflects much fewer and lower unavoidable conversion losses when solar radiation is directly converted into renewable energy.
-
Herpetofaunal diversity of Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, North Carolina
Meyers, J.M.; Pike, D.A.
2006-01-01
In the past century, habitat alteration and fragmentation have increased dramatically, which increases the need for improving our understanding of how species and biological communities react to these modifications. A national strategy on biological diversity has focused attention on how these habitat modifications affect species, especially herpetofauna (i.e., changes in species richness, community evenness and similarity, and dominant/rare species). As part of this strategy, we surveyed Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, a coastal, mixed second-growth forested swamp (MFS) and pocosin wetland (PW), in North Carolina for amphibians and reptiles from September 2000 to August 2001. We randomly selected three sites (3 x 3 km) in two major habitat types (MFS, PW) and completed random surveys and trapping using transects, quadrats, nighttime aural road surveys, drift fences, canal transects, coverboards, incidental captures, and evening road surveys. We also collected herpetofauna opportunistically throughout the refuge to establish an updated species list. For analysis, we used Shannon-Weiner species diversity (H'), evenness (1'), species richness and species detectability (COMDYN4), and community percent similarity index to determine herpetofaunal community differences. We estimated 39 species in MFS and 32 species in PW (P < 0.10). Species detectability was similar between habitats (0.84 to 0.86). More reptilian species (+ 31 %) inhabited MFS than PW, but estimated amphibian species richness was identical (17 spp.). H' was higher (P < 0.000 I) for PW (2.6680) than for MFS (2.1535) because of lower J' in the latter (0.6214 vs. 0.8010). Dominance of three Rana species caused lower J' and H' in MFS. Similarity between the communities was 56.6%; we estimated 22-24 species in common for each habitat (95% CI = 18 to 31 spp.). We verified 49 of the 52 herpetofaunal species on the refuge that were known to exist in the area. Restoration of natural water flows may affect herpetofaunal diversity, which may be monitored during a restoration project. Currently, the refuge retains historical levels of herpetofaunal diversity for the region.
-
Young, Kim-Wan; Ng, Petrus; Kwok, Timothy; Cheng, Daphne
2017-01-01
Persons with mild cognitive impairment (PwMCI) are at a higher risk of developing dementia than those without cognitive impairment. This research study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a holistic health group intervention, which is based on the holistic brain health approach as well as an Eastern approach to health care, on improving the cognitive ability of Chinese PwMCI. In a randomized controlled trial (RCT), 38 Chinese PwMCI were randomly assigned to either a 10-session holistic health intervention group or the control group. The holistic health treatment group attempted to promote the acceptance of their illness, enhance memory and coping skills, develop a positive lifestyle, maintain positive emotions, and facilitate emotional support among participants. The 10-session holistic health group intervention was structured, with each session conducted once per week and ~90 minutes in length. Control group patients and their family caregivers received standardized basic educational materials that provided basic information on cognitive decline for them to read at home. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test was used to assess the cognitive ability of PwMCI in the pre- and posttreatment periods by a research assistant who was blind to the group assignment of the participants. The paired-samples t -test indicated that the treatment group (n=18) showed significant improvement in the MoCA score, whereas the control group (n=20) did not. Moreover, 2×2 (group × time) repeated-measures analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) demonstrated that the holistic health group treatment was significantly more effective than the control intervention in improving the MoCA score, with a moderate effect size, and improving the delayed recall (ie, short-term memory), with a strong effect size, after controlling for age, sex, education, and marital status. This present RCT provides evidence to support the feasibility and effectiveness of the holistic health group intervention in improving the cognitive and short-term memory abilities of PwMCI.
-
Bringing PW-class lasers to XFELs (Conference Presentation)
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Tomizawa, Hiromitsu
2017-06-01
Experimental researches using high power optical lasers combined with free electron lasers (FELs) open new frontiers in high energy density (HED) sciences. Probing and pumping capabilities are dramatically improved due to the brightness of the XFEL pulses with ultrafast duration. Besides, the peak intensities of Ti:sapphire laser Chirped Pulse Amplification (CPA) systems reach petawatt (PW)-class with operating in few tens of fs and commercially available at a few Hz of repetition rate. We have been developing an experimental platform for HED sciences using high power, high intensity optical lasers at the XFEL facility, SACLA.Currently, an experimental platform with a dual 0.5 PW Ti:Sapphire laser system is under beam commissioning for experiments combined with the SACLA's x-ray beam for research objectives that require more peak power in the optical laser pulses with a few tens of fs. The optical laser system is designed to deliver two laser beams simultaneously with the maximum power of 0.5 PW in each into a target chamber located in an experimental hutch 6 (EH6) at BL2, which was recently commissioned as a SACLA's 2nd hard x-ray beamline. A focusing capability using sets of compound refractive lenses will be applied to increase the x-ray fluence on the target sample. One of the most key issues for the integrated experimental platform is development of diagnostics that meets requirements both from the high power laser (e.g. resistance to harsh environments) and from the XFEL (e.g. adaptation to the available data acquisition system). The status and future perspective of the development including automatic laser alignment systems will be reported in the presentation. We will discuss the most promising and important new physics experiments that will be enabled by the combination of PW-class lasers and the world-class FEL's x-ray beam.
-
Baipluthong, Benjamas; Anekthananon, Thanomsak; Munsakul, Warangkana; Jirajariyavej, Supunnee; Asavapiriyanont, Suvanna; Hancharoenkit, Ubonsri; Roongpisuthipong, Anuvat; Pattanasin, Sarika; Martin, Michael; Guntamala, Lisa; Lolekha, Rangsima
2017-01-01
We implemented a hospital-based prevention with positives (PwP) intervention among people living with HIV (PLHIV) that included HIV transmission risk screening, short HIV prevention messages, family planning, HIV disclosure counseling, and partner HIV testing at five hospitals in Thailand. We assessed changes in sexual risk behaviors among PLHIV who received the PwP services at the hospitals. From January 2008-March 2009, we systematically selected a subset of PLHIV receiving care at the five hospitals to offer participation in the PwP intervention. We collected demographic, risk behavior, and laboratory data using a standardized questionnaire. We analyzed data from PLHIV who completed at least four visits, using generalized estimating equations to identify baseline participant characteristics that were associated with adopting sexual practices less likely to be associated with HIV transmission during follow-up. A total of 830 PLHIV were interviewed and 756 (91.1%) completed four visits. The median age of these 756 participants was 37 years, 400 (52.9%) were women, and 475 (62.8%) had a steady partner. At baseline, 353 (74.3%) of the steady partners had been tested for HIV and 132 (37.4%) had tested negative. Among the 756 PLHIV, 427 (56.5%) reported having sex in the 3 months before enrollment and 413 (54.6%) in the 3 months before the fourth visit. The proportion reporting having vaginal or anal sex without a condom decreased from 20.8% at baseline to 5.1% at the fourth visit (p<0.001). Factors associated (p<0.05) with abstinence or 100% condom use at follow-up visits included: completing ≥ two visits, being diagnosed with HIV for longer than 3 months, and receiving HIV prevention messages from a doctor (versus a nurse or counselor). Safe sex behaviors increased among PLHIV receiving PwP services, suggesting that expansion of hospital-based PwP services may reduce the number of new HIV infections in Thailand.
-
Kalron, Alon; Givon, Uri; Frid, Lior; Dolev, Mark; Achiron, Anat
2016-01-01
Balance impairment is common in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) and frequently impacts quality of life by decreasing mobility and increasing the risk of falling. However, there are only scarce data examining the contribution of specific neurological functional systems on balance measures in MS. Therefore, the primary aim of our study was to examine the differences in posturography parameters and fall incidence according to the pyramidal, cerebellar and sensory systems functional systems in PwMS. The study included 342 PwMS, 211 women and mean disease duration of 8.2 (S.D = 8.3) years. The study sample was divided into six groups according to the pyramidal, cerebellar and sensory functional system scores, derived from the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) data. Static postural control parameters were obtained from the Zebris FDM-T Treadmill (zebris® Medical GmbH, Germany). Participants were defined as "fallers" and "non-fallers" based on their fall history. Our findings revealed a trend that PwMS affected solely in the pyramidal system, have reduced stability compared to patients with cerebellar and sensory dysfunctions. Moreover, the addition of sensory impairments to pyramidal dysfunction does not exacerbate postural control. The patients in the pure sensory group demonstrated increased stability compared to each of the three combined groups; pyramidal-cerebellar, pyramidal-sensory and pyramidal-cerebellar-sensory groups. As for fall status, the percentage of fallers in the pure pyramidal, cerebellar and sensory groups were 44.3%, 33.3% and 19.5%, respectively. As for the combined functional system groups, the percentage of fallers in the pyramidal-cerebellar, pyramidal-sensory and pyramidal-cerebellar-sensory groups were 59.7%, 40.7% and 65%, respectively. This study confirms that disorders in neurological functional systems generate different effects on postural control and incidence of falls in the MS population. From a clinical standpoint, the present information can benefit all those engaged in physical rehabilitation of PwMS. PMID:27741268
-
Leonard, S G; Sweeney, T; Bahar, B; Lynch, B P; O'Doherty, J V
2011-02-01
A 2x2 factorial experiment (ten sows per treatment) was conducted to investigate the effect of maternal dietary supplementation with a seaweed extract (SWE; 0 v. 10·0 g/d) and fish oil (FO; 0 v. 100 g/d) inclusion from day 109 of gestation until weaning (day 26) on pig performance post-weaning (PW) and intestinal morphology, selected microflora and immune status of pigs 9 d PW. The SWE contained laminarin (10 %), fucoidan (8 %) and ash (82 %) and the FO contained 40 % EPA and 25 % DHA. Pigs weaned from SWE-supplemented sows had higher daily gain (P=0·063) between days 0 and 21 PW and pigs weaned from FO-supplemented sows had higher daily gain (P<0·05) and gain to feed ratio (P<0·01) between days 7 and 14 PW. There was an interaction between maternal SWE and FO supplementation on caecal Escherichia coli numbers (P<0·05) and the villous height to crypt depth ratio in the ileum (P<0·01) and jejunum (P<0·05) in pigs 9 d PW. Pigs weaned from SWE-supplemented sows had lower caecal E. coli and a higher villous height to crypt depth ratio in the ileum and jejunum compared with non-SWE-supplemented sows (P<0·05). There was no effect of SWE on E. coli numbers and villous height to crypt depth ratio with FO inclusion. Maternal FO supplementation induced an increase in colonic mRNA abundance of IL-1α and IL-6 (P<0·05), while SWE supplementation induced an increase in ileal TNF-α (P<0·01) and colonic TFF3 mRNA expression (P<0·05). In conclusion, these results demonstrate that SWE and FO supplementation to the maternal diet influenced the gastrointestinal environment and performance of the weaned pig.
-
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Shin, Junghun; Kim, Hyung Taek; Pathak, V. B.; Hojbota, Calin; Lee, Seong Ku; Sung, Jae Hee; Lee, Hwang Woon; Yoon, Jin Woo; Jeon, Cheonha; Nakajima, Kazuhisa; Sylla, F.; Lifschitz, A.; Guillaume, E.; Thaury, C.; Malka, V.; Nam, Chang Hee
2018-06-01
Generation of high-quality electron beams from laser wakefield acceleration requires optimization of initial experimental parameters. We present here the dependence of accelerated electron beams on the temporal profile of a driving PW laser, the density, and length of an interacting medium. We have optimized the initial parameters to obtain 2.8 GeV quasi-monoenergetic electrons which can be applied further to the development of compact electron accelerators and radiations sources.
-
2015-09-01
continue to occur in the Peruvian Andes and the low-lying Amazon basin in the environmentally sensitive and protected region of Madre de Dios . In 2013...PwC stated, “six mining companies and the small producers of the region of Madre de Dios concentrate 62% of [gold] production (PwC, 2013b, p. 16...illegal mining operations occur throughout Madre de Dios without attempts at formalization. In Madre de Dios , forests are clear cut of vegetation
-
Characterization of Robotic Tail Orientation as a Function of Platform Position for Surf-Zone Robots
2009-06-01
components. The basic components for Robster’s power supply and distribution system were taken from the Bigfoot robot developed by John Herkamp [5...18MAR2009 Changes: Eliminated all references to Bigfoot Arm and Thermopile Commented out sonar II. AGBOT Code v2.1 - 20MAR2009 Changes: Added...anaOutVolts(rt_ch, PW_STOP); anaOutVolts(lt_ch, PW_STOP); //Stops Bigfoot for (i = 0; i < 10; i++) 69
-
Effects of Compression, Staging, and Braid Angle on Braided Rope Seal Performance
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Steinetz, Bruce M.; Dunlap, Patrick H.; Adams, Michael L.
2006-01-01
This viewgraph presentation describes the effects of compression, staging and braid angle on braided rope seals. The contents include: 1) Test Fixture Schematics; 2) Comparison of Hybrid Seal Braid Architecture; 3) Residual Interference After Compression Cycling; 4) Effect of Compression, Braid, and Staging on Seal Flow; 5) Effect of Staging on Seal Pressure Drop; 6) Three Stag Seal Durability; 7) P&W Turbine Vane Seal Requirements; and 8) Next Generation Fighter F-22 P&W F119 Engines.
-
New machining method of high precision infrared window part
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Yang, Haicheng; Su, Ying; Xu, Zengqi; Guo, Rui; Li, Wenting; Zhang, Feng; Liu, Xuanmin
2016-10-01
Most of the spherical shell of the photoelectric multifunctional instrument was designed as multi optical channel mode to adapt to the different band of the sensor, there were mainly TV, laser and infrared channels. Without affecting the optical diameter, wind resistance and pneumatic performance of the optical system, the overall layout of the spherical shell was optimized to save space and reduce weight. Most of the shape of the optical windows were special-shaped, each optical window directly participated in the high resolution imaging of the corresponding sensor system, and the optical axis parallelism of each sensor needed to meet the accuracy requirement of 0.05mrad.Therefore precision machining of optical window parts quality will directly affect the photoelectric system's pointing accuracy and interchangeability. Processing and testing of the TV and laser window had been very mature, while because of the special nature of the material, transparent and high refractive rate, infrared window parts had the problems of imaging quality and the control of the minimum focal length and second level parallel in the processing. Based on years of practical experience, this paper was focused on how to control the shape and parallel difference precision of infrared window parts in the processing. Single pass rate was increased from 40% to more than 95%, the processing efficiency was significantly enhanced, an effective solution to the bottleneck problem in the actual processing, which effectively solve the bottlenecks in research and production.
-
Tsai, Kuo-Ming; Wang, He-Yi
2014-08-20
This study focuses on injection molding process window determination for obtaining optimal imaging optical properties, astigmatism, coma, and spherical aberration using plastic lenses. The Taguchi experimental method was first used to identify the optimized combination of parameters and significant factors affecting the imaging optical properties of the lens. Full factorial experiments were then implemented based on the significant factors to build the response surface models. The injection molding process windows for lenses with optimized optical properties were determined based on the surface models, and confirmation experiments were performed to verify their validity. The results indicated that the significant factors affecting the optical properties of lenses are mold temperature, melt temperature, and cooling time. According to experimental data for the significant factors, the oblique ovals for different optical properties on the injection molding process windows based on melt temperature and cooling time can be obtained using the curve fitting approach. The confirmation experiments revealed that the average errors for astigmatism, coma, and spherical aberration are 3.44%, 5.62%, and 5.69%, respectively. The results indicated that the process windows proposed are highly reliable.
-
Novel process windows for enabling, accelerating, and uplifting flow chemistry.
Hessel, Volker; Kralisch, Dana; Kockmann, Norbert; Noël, Timothy; Wang, Qi
2013-05-01
Novel Process Windows make use of process conditions that are far from conventional practices. This involves the use of high temperatures, high pressures, high concentrations (solvent-free), new chemical transformations, explosive conditions, and process simplification and integration to boost synthetic chemistry on both the laboratory and production scale. Such harsh reaction conditions can be safely reached in microstructured reactors due to their excellent transport intensification properties. This Review discusses the different routes towards Novel Process Windows and provides several examples for each route grouped into different classes of chemical and process-design intensification. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
-
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Yang, Yue; Gao, Hongwei
2012-04-01
Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) is a monoamine neurotransmitter which plays an important role in treating acute or clinical stress. The comparative performance of different density functional theory (DFT) methods at various basis sets in predicting the molecular structure and vibration spectra of serotonin was reported. The calculation results of different methods including mPW1PW91, HCTH, SVWN, PBEPBE, B3PW91 and B3LYP with various basis sets including LANL2DZ, SDD, LANL2MB, 6-31G, 6-311++G and 6-311+G* were compared with the experimental data. It is remarkable that the SVWN/6-311++G and SVWN/6-311+G* levels afford the best quality to predict the structure of serotonin. The results also indicate that PBEPBE/LANL2DZ level show better performance in the vibration spectra prediction of serotonin than other DFT methods.
-
Hale, Sarah E; Oen, Amy M P; Cornelissen, Gerard; Jonker, Michiel T O; Waarum, Ivar-Kristian; Eek, Espen
2016-10-15
Stringent and periodic iteration of regulations related to the monitoring of chemical releases from the offshore oil and gas industry requires the use of ever changing, rapidly developing and technologically advancing techniques. Passive samplers play an important role in water column monitoring of produced water (PW) discharge to seawater under Norwegian regulation, where they are used to; i) measure aqueous concentrations of pollutants, ii) quantify the exposure of caged organisms and investigate PW dispersal, and iii) validate dispersal models. This article summarises current Norwegian water column monitoring practice and identifies research and methodological gaps for the use of passive samplers in monitoring. The main gaps are; i) the range of passive samplers used should be extended, ii) differences observed in absolute concentrations accumulated by passive samplers and organisms should be understood, and iii) the link between PW discharge concentrations and observed acute and sub-lethal ecotoxicological end points in organisms should be investigated. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
-
Robust Nonlinear Feedback Control of Aircraft Propulsion Systems
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Garrard, William L.; Balas, Gary J.; Litt, Jonathan (Technical Monitor)
2001-01-01
This is the final report on the research performed under NASA Glen grant NASA/NAG-3-1975 concerning feedback control of the Pratt & Whitney (PW) STF 952, a twin spool, mixed flow, after burning turbofan engine. The research focussed on the design of linear and gain-scheduled, multivariable inner-loop controllers for the PW turbofan engine using H-infinity and linear, parameter-varying (LPV) control techniques. The nonlinear turbofan engine simulation was provided by PW within the NASA Rocket Engine Transient Simulator (ROCETS) simulation software environment. ROCETS was used to generate linearized models of the turbofan engine for control design and analysis as well as the simulation environment to evaluate the performance and robustness of the controllers. Comparison between the H-infinity, and LPV controllers are made with the baseline multivariable controller and developed by Pratt & Whitney engineers included in the ROCETS simulation. Simulation results indicate that H-infinity and LPV techniques effectively achieve desired response characteristics with minimal cross coupling between commanded values and are very robust to unmodeled dynamics and sensor noise.
-
3D calculation of Tucson-Melbourne 3NF effect in triton binding energy
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Hadizadeh, M. R.; Tomio, L.; Bayegan, S.
2010-08-04
As an application of the new realistic three-dimensional (3D) formalism reported recently for three-nucleon (3N) bound states, an attempt is made to study the effect of three-nucleon forces (3NFs) in triton binding energy in a non partial wave (PW) approach. The spin-isospin dependent 3N Faddeev integral equations with the inclusion of 3NFs, which are formulated as function of vector Jacobi momenta, specifically the magnitudes of the momenta and the angle between them, are solved with Bonn-B and Tucson-Melbourne NN and 3N forces in operator forms which can be incorporated in our 3D formalism. The comparison with numerical results in both,more » novel 3D and standard PW schemes, shows that non PW calculations avoid the very involved angular momentum algebra occurring for the permutations and transformations and it is more efficient and less cumbersome for considering the 3NF.« less
-
Laser-driven ion acceleration at BELLA
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Bin, Jianhui; Steinke, Sven; Ji, Qing; Nakamura, Kei; Treffert, Franziska; Bulanov, Stepan; Roth, Markus; Toth, Csaba; Schroeder, Carl; Esarey, Eric; Schenkel, Thomas; Leemans, Wim
2017-10-01
BELLA is a high repetiton rate PW laser and we used it for high intensity laser plasma acceleration experiments. The BELLA-i program is focused on relativistic laser plasma interaction such as laser driven ion acceleration, aiming at establishing an unique collaborative research facility providing beam time to selected external groups for fundamental physics and advanced applications. Here we present our first parameter study of ion acceleration driven by the BELLA-PW laser with truly high repetition rate. The laser repetition rate of 1Hz allows for scanning the laser pulse duration, relative focus location and target thickness for the first time at laser peak powers of above 1 PW. Furthermore, the long focal length geometry of the experiment (f ∖65) and hence, large focus size provided ion beams of reduced divergence and unprecedented charge density. This work was supported by the Director, Office of Science, of the U.S. Department of Energy under Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231.
-
Xu, Yong-Quan; Zou, Chun; Gao, Ying; Chen, Jian-Xin; Wang, Fang; Chen, Gen-Sheng; Yin, Jun-Feng
2017-12-01
The physicochemical characteristics, sensory quality, and antioxidant activity of tea infusions prepared with purified water (PW), mineral water (MW), mountain spring water (MSW), and tap water (TW) from Hangzhou were investigated. The results showed that the taste quality, catechin concentration, and antioxidant capacity of green, oolong, and black tea infusions prepared using MW and TW were significantly lower than those prepared using PW. Extraction of catechins and caffeine was reduced with high-conductivity water, while high pH influenced the stability of catechins. PW and MSW were more suitable for brewing green and oolong teas, while MSW, with low pH and moderate ion concentration, was the most suitable water for brewing black tea. Lowering the pH of mineral water partially improved the taste quality and increased the concentration of catechins in the infusions. These results aid selection of the most appropriate water for brewing Chinese teas. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
-
Leap motion evaluation for assessment of upper limb motor skills in Parkinson's disease.
Butt, A H; Rovini, E; Dolciotti, C; Bongioanni, P; De Petris, G; Cavallo, F
2017-07-01
The main goal of this study is to investigate the potential of the Leap Motion Controller (LMC) for the objective assessment of motor dysfunctioning in patients with Parkinson's disease (PwPD). The most relevant clinical signs in Parkinson's Disease (PD), such as slowness of movements, frequency variation, amplitude variation, and speed, were extracted from the recorded LMC data. Data were clinically quantified using the LMC software development kit (SDK). In this study, 16 PwPD subjects and 12 control healthy subjects were involved. A neurologist assessed the subjects during the task execution, assigning them a score according to the MDS/UPDRS-Section III items. Features of motor performance from both subject groups (patients and healthy controls) were extracted with dedicated algorithms. Furthermore, to find out the significance of such features from the clinical point of view, machine learning based methods were used. Overall, our findings showed the moderate potential of LMC to extract the motor performance of PwPD.